#anyway this lore is important for my swtor stories so i'm putting it here for future reference. and in case anyone else finds it intriguing

[knight-of-aether]

SWEU Fanon Codex: Red Zabrak in the Sith Empire

Thousands of years before the first Zabrak colonists crash landed on Dathomir, when the Nightbrothers and their kin had yet to exist, Force-sensitive Zabrak with bright red or orange skin could be found throughout the galaxy. These Zabrak owed their similar traits to their relationship with the Tsis, or ancestral Sith species, and their destinies were linked with the Sith Empire's long and bloody history.

I. Origins

During the early days of the Sith Empire, as it expanded within the isolated Stygian Caldera region, the Sith attempted to conquer and enslave worlds that had previously been settled by Iridonian Zabrak explorers, but they didn’t expect the local resistance - which was largely Force-blind - to put up as much of a fight as it did. In this clash between two warrior cultures, the Zabraks’ tenacity eventually earned the grudging respect of the larger Imperial army.

The Sith lords eventually decided that they were wasting resources on the war, and would be better off taking the locals as their servants and their lands as fiefdom than bombarding them into oblivion. Thus the first treaties were drawn up, with their terms leaning greatly in the Empire's favor. Most Zabrak clans, unwilling to admit defeat but exhausted by the war, agreed to join the Empire after several revisions to their terms. Those who refused were enslaved or executed, their lands confiscated and divided among the Sith and their new vassals.

Many Zabrak followed their new lords to the Sith homeworlds, including Korriban, Ziost, and the Dromund system. During the ages of the Great Hyperspace War and the Empire's fall and reconstitution, its Zabrak diaspora continued to grow. By the time of the Cold War, they had thoroughly intermingled with the last remaining Tsis and their Human-hybrid Red Sith successors, becoming their own hybrid people, the Red Zabrak.

II. Biology

While they share many traits with their Iridonian cousins, the Red Zabrak population has inherited notable Tsis features that are expressed to varying degrees in each individual.

Iridonian-inherited traits:

near-human height and generally fit build

vestigial horns that appear in the first few years of life, and grow in symmetrical patterns on the crown of the head

less hair than most mammalian species; no eyebrows or facial hair, often naturally bald

two hearts and resilient cardiovascular and nervous systems, resulting in greater stamina and a slightly higher pain threshold than many other near-human species

pronounced canine teeth and a metabolism optimized for a carnivorous diet

darkened camouflage striping or inkblot patterns that fade during adolescence, upon which tattoos are traditionally based

Tsis-inherited traits:

skin colors varying from burgundy through red, orange, and peach, similar to Red Sith in complexion and always more ruddy than Iridonian Zabrak

“bleeding” effect of a bright red ring around the iris, a partial expression of the Tsis species’ characteristic glowing eyes

heightened midichlorian levels and increased chance of Force sensitivity

Occasionally, Red Zabrak will display subtle, angular ridges across their skin. Though generally less noticeable than in Red Sith, these ridges have influenced their iconic face and body tattoos, which are a fusion of traditional Iridonian and Sith ritual tattoos that incorporate various symbols to convey clan affiliation and personal stories, and are often designed to outline and enhance any observable Tsis traits.

Bone spurs and cartilaginous tendrils, however, are recessive traits that were lost in most of the Red Zabrak population after first-generation hybrids. These traits, like the aforementioned ridges, appear with more frequency in Human-hybrid Red Sith due to both the selectiveness of the Sith elite, and the quirks of Tsis genetics.

III. Society

While Red Zabrak citizens are nominally equal with all free beings in the Empire, in practice they are second-class citizens compared to Red Sith and Humans, though with societal privilege above other nonhuman species, including Iridonian Zabrak. Scholarly opinion on the merit of their Sith blood weighed against their nonhuman heritage is mixed. Their treatment is comparable to that of the Chiss, but as ancient dependencies of the Empire rather than newfound foreign allies. Meanwhile, in Republic space, they are often viewed with distrust, if not outright detested by Iridonians as traitors to their species. Due to vows of fealty that were sworn when their clans first joined the Empire, many are bound to the ancient Red Sith aristocracy as vassals, with all that entails.

Family ties are vital in both Zabrak and Sith cultures, and the two have become inextricably entangled over their centuries together. The Zabrak openly regard their accomplishments in the Sith Empire as a point of pride and their allegiance as a concession that made both peoples stronger; according to their officially sanctioned history, the Sith definitively proved their superiority in the arena of war, and have remained worthy of following in their exploits to the present day.

Despite the Empire's tendencies towards forced assimilation, the clans have held onto some of their autonomy as agreed upon in their treaties - particularly to organize for cultural events, such as the yearly coming-of-age ceremony in which teenagers traditionally receive their first tattoos, after several days of combat sports, storytelling, and feasting. Large clan gatherings are required to be open to the public, and are routinely monitored by Imperial security forces, but are among the freest cultural expressions in the Empire outside Mandalorians.

Most young Red Zabrak end up in careers that will further the agendas of their affiliated Sith Houses - often the same ones their ancestors swore fealty to when the first treaties divided them among the Sith. Choosing a marriage or career that one’s clan or House disapproves of, or siding with a rival, is to become a social outcast at best. Since the Sith hold the strings of the Empire, they can and will obstruct and manipulate the paths of their servants, and sweep impromptu executions under the rug, in the name of preserving their power bases. Systemic xenophobia in the Empire at large makes social mobility for Red Zabrak even more challenging without Sith aid.

Stereotyped as violent, stubborn, and simple-minded but ultimately honorable aliens, Red Zabrak often end up in military positions within the Empire, and frequently serve as enforcers and assassins to their affiliated Sith houses. Despite the setbacks they face, this tenacious people can be found throughout the Empire in higher positions and greater numbers than any other non-Human or Sith species.

[tiredassmage]

Oooh 27-30 for the AO3 wrapped if I can be greedy :3

Haha, of course! It seems only fitting, for how much I ramble in your answers anyway. xD

27. What do you listen to while writing?

Sometimes nothing because music can be just as inspiring as distracting. In the reverse though, I tend to write moments or scenes; I seem to have abandoned the planning and patience required for multi-chaptered works when I was younger and had less responsibility, lol. And also before I went through several years of forum-based rping and became very used to collaborative character development and short works.

I otherwise also have a habit of just looping one song for the entirety of a writing period. Ironically, I worked on this Ziost piece for Savosta and Rhystyl with a combination of Disturbia by Rhianna and Pump It by the Black Eyed Peas absolutely stuck in my head. NEITHER of which match the vibes of Ziost or that piece AT ALL, but I could NOT purge those songs and eventually I just caved. And also the doc in my GoogleDocs is literally titled "disturbia looping in my head" because this one was a gut-punch to write and a meme-y title was my coping mechanism, lmao.

My 3 most defined SWTOR characters (Tyr, of course; Savosta, my Chiss SW; and Lensan, my BH) also all have their own playlists, which is another thing I haven't successfully done in EONS, so I will sometimes shuffle their whole playlists while writing for them, or loop specific songs relevant to whatever piece I'm writing. (They also usually accompany me to work or campus because blorbo thoughts are always the answer.)

OH. ALSO. My obsession I need to beam into everyone’s head is the last like 24 hours of my life I have been CONSUMED by The Unforgiven by Metallica as an agent song. I am rotating Tyr so intently in my head. Will I manage to do anything about it? Stay tuned!

28. Favorite work you wrote this year?

inflection point was my first foray into writing and publishing for SWTOR and it remains really close to my heart for... reasons I'm pretty certain I've already mentioned for it earlier in the year, but a quick recap: I do really enjoy how I established Tyr in this one. Most of his minor mannerisms that have become essential to my picture of him made it into this fic and I think this is maybe one of my best representations of his relationship with Theron in one piece. They banter here, but they also are bone-cuttingly honest with one another - something I think is still way more difficult for Tyr than he even realizes. I apparently still can't write in chronological order ever because it's the first piece I published and it's the most recent as far as chronological story events are concerned, but, hey, I wrote it semi-shortly after actually finishing all the story content with him, so... that's my defense, lol.

take me gets an honorable mention as the other one near and dear to my heart as another one of those wrenchingly honest and intimate moments they share. I really like the unscripted aspect of both this one and inflection point. A lot of my other works have been focused around certain game moments and it sometimes feels like a bit of a cheap slip to work that way, but I end up writing them anyway because it's what my characters saw in that moment, even if it's mostly familiar to reference in game - and they're often really important distinguishments to keep track of in my head, at least, and writing them out in full just hits way harder than adding another bullet point to the Lore Doc. xD

29. Favorite line/passage you wrote this year?

Okay, I'm gonna be greedy and give you a few, I think. I'll put a cut here for them.

“Do you regret it, Tyr..?” he asked quietly.

The Commander and ex-Cipher was silent for another long moment. “No.” Tyr rolled his jaw before he finally looked back at his lover. “May I speak frankly with you, Major..?”

He’d lowered his voice, reverted once more to the comforting distance of professionalism afforded by their titles. It’d helped Quinn find his footing in the Alliance - something grounding and familiar and unchanging, unlike so much else in the last several years.

“Always, Commander.”

Tyr watched him a second longer, as if to consider whether or not he was truly prepared - or willing - to step off the ledge. “I’d burn the Empire down to the foundations, Quinn. All of it. Not for the Alliance, not for the Republic… Just… me.” He closed his eyes and released a breath measured and slow - not quite a sigh so much as… acceptance. Resignation, maybe.

Okay, so it's primarily the bold section that keeps me up at night, BUT. Uhhh, brief context, this is from a WIP that I... may or may not finish, I have two versions of this actually - one is this one, where I was exploring the idea of Tyr x Theron x Malavai that is... theoretically established after Iokath. In my head. I have barely written anything tangible about it, but I thought about it for like 3 months at one point before I finally got fed up enough with myself to write when the sirens call our names just to justify Tyr recruiting Quinn to the Alliance when he sided with the Republic on Iokath. Because it was one instance where "you should provide context" won out over the gremlin urge to write 3 pretty boys with complex loyalty issues kissing each other about it.

The other version I set him against Vector as his long-time confidant, but I have already derailed SO far, so, ANYWAY.

The reason this one hits me so hard is because Tyr carries this burn inside of him for years before he can do anything tangible about it. The constant mask of survival suffocates this from really bubbling up prior to the threat of the Eternal Empire. He doesn't see a tangible way out of the Empire when he is still Legate and the half-homeless Cipher Nine following the disbandment of Imperial Intelligence. He's drifting. He hates where he is, but he doesn't run. Where would he even go? What would he do?

I've developed bones to pick with myself for leaving him in command of something like the Alliance because it is against his every instinct to be that known, but it is where the game has him currently and it is the foundation upon which he found the personal agency to really let his dissent flourish and I can't really take that from him. To finally have the power to strike back against the people and the entity that spent years rigging him up like a marionette... He wants that, even though he knows - sort of subconsciously - that it's a path of self-destruction. It's my latest obsession with him, tbh. In between research assignments last week, the idea that he doesn't know how self-destructive he really is, but has these kind of ideas running silently through his head anyway hit me like a semi-truck and hasn't let me rest since.

“But you must see… Whatever resistance we hope to achieve, whatever war we hurtle towards… The galaxy needs you, Rhyst. This ship, this alliance are merely tools, but you were my example. My beacon.”

...

“If you cannot forgive me, I will understand,” he said. “But this war - Zakuul, Arcann, the Throne… Whatever lies Valkorian tries to weave for us, you must see it all for the mere crucible that it is! Promise me, Rhystyl! If you will allow me at your side to guard against his influence, I will not leave you. This, I swear to you on my life.”

Also this. Bc ngl, I started writing this whole thing specifically for this line. For this moment. (And also the crucible line came to me one night right before bed as I was playing the mental blorbo movies, as you do, and I just. I Needed It to happen.) Aafafuughghghghghg, this is the peak of the transformation from Savosta being distanced with Rhystyl and with everyone else - his transformation from the weapon he was made into as Baras's apprentice and Emperor's Wrath to actively fighting for himself and what he believes in. When I write one, the other is usually involved, and Rhystyl is sort of positioned to be the "main character" as far as the hero of the galaxy-centric thought might be, but I think what it really is, to me at least, is a series of how Savosta sees him. Ideally, I'll one day have a whole fic series chronicling their journey from tepid allies on Ilum to co-Commanders of the Alliance, but it'll still take me a boatload of time to write that much. So, it's really about Savosta, for me. I started him out to have a really DS Sith (and maybe for the DS 5 chievo, okay, I don't usually play such hardcore dark siders), but then... I got really attached. >.> And I decided I loved him and I was rooting for him to get better and actually break his chains.

He sees someone like Rhystyl - a hero of his people - struggle and still get back up on his feet. Rhyst doesn't always have the answers and, despite their initial misgivings with one another, Rhyst doesn't turn away his partnership, either. He largely accepts that Savosta operates differently, that there's a struggle they share that Savosta isn't ready to confront in himself until several years into the conflict. Rhyst is a mirror, in a way, that Savosta uses to reflect on the differences in their choices and their relationships. Rhyst leans on his connections to bolster his strength where Savosta has always felt incredibly isolated and mistrustful, even with his own crew. He never had that kind of trust with anyone. Rhystyl is really the first person that meets him where he is - and Savosta doesn't think he realizes it. This is the moment he decides he needs to know it. This is the moment he is determined to be there for the man that has unwittingly showed him how he can be better, how he can help himself. He needs to show the same support he feels he's gotten from Rhystyl. And this is the moment they really become inseparable friends.

I'm a little low-key obsessed with a Sith character having the crashing, brutal realization that their power struggles are not, in fact, breaking free of chains, as their code posits, but trading one master for another in an endless struggle for power to oppress the losers, alright?

30. Biggest surprise writing this year?

Honestly? Just having as much fun as I have. Writing as much as I have. Tyr is my absolute blorbo wrapped (I think that's... obvious, lol) and it's honestly just been incredible to be this into an OC again. It feels like it's been too long since I've been so in love and engaged in the development of one of my characters.

I have absolutely enjoyed other OCs I've had in recent years, but I was kinda going off to a friend the other night trying to explain just why SWTOR scratches my itch about story-based gameplay and I boiled it down there to being able to reflect so many of my perceptions about my character in-game. My semi-recent within the last maybe two or three years love for BioWare titles - beginning with Dragon Age: Inquisition, then Mass Effect, and, ofc, now we're on SWTOR - was absolutely in part because of the depth of character interaction. Given a character creator and an engaging dialogue system that affected my relationships with the pixel npc blorbos and I was absolutely hooked.

I really can't explain why he's my obsession that's held on for this long. He's my poor little Rubix Cube, I want to snap him like a glowstick and shake him up and also show him to all my friends. There's also just a charm to SWTOR about being able to explore the aspects of the SW universe that the movies don't focus on - which is how I think I've, ironically, fallen far harder for my Impside characters... against all my expectations and plans. But there's just SO MUCH to explore in them and their complex relationships with their loyalties - often shifting over time, that I just. It ENGAGES ME VERY MUCH. And I love them a lot. Kissing them all on the forehead. Even Len, that absolute jackass.

Anyway, tangent survived successfully if you've made it this far, lol. It's tldr been just. a LOT of fun. I missed it. And it's been liberating to just... actually post it. I'd struggled quite a bit to write and definitely post things within the last several years, even for things I really loved, so to just give myself over to the joy of the process and the indulgence of creating for my own little blorbo has been extremely liberating and enjoyable.