#lord zash

[0alix0]

having khem join you during kotfe/kotet could've been a fucking comedy gold

[moontheoretist]

You know what is funny? That Zash is very clearly modeled after the Emperor Palpatine. She is the "nice and supportive master" who lies in order to get what she wants and wears a disguise of youth to fool everybody around her. Thanks to than when I imagine Sith Inquisitor ever appearing randomly in movie era, I feel like they would have one look at Palpatine and be so done. This is the exact same trick they already saw in action. Valkorion trying to steal Outlander's body is also the same trick Zash already used against Sith Inquisitor (it's also why playing as Inquisitor is funnier because they have this experience).

You can very convincigly play a Sith that is tired with this BS xD

[swtorpadawan]

Darth Zash Needs a Care Day

Seriously, though - i’m very glad SWTOR gave us an example of a Sith suffering the consequences for taking short cuts to additional power.

[theshieldbladelegacy]

No Khem! Dont eat her!

[fancyfade]

following up to this post i made over 6 years ago when i was special-interesting swtor in college...

my interpretation/analysis of thew ith empire in the above post is also like. very unsubtly present in game

Zash's dialogue, if it's hard to read:

Yes "there is only passion". but do not forget -- "through passion, I gain strength; through strength, power." Passion is the method, power is the end.

like the game is not subtle about the empire being a fascist kratocracy. it sucks to be a sith (link) because they are constantly backstabbing each other. 3/4 of the imp side plots involve some type of backstabbing (bounty hunter being immune), normally master trying to kill apprentice (after having their apprentice dispatch threats they themselves could not deal with i think @badsithnocookie had a neat post analyzing this). Sith are constantly vying against each other for power, and there are various situations in which it's totally permissible for a sith to kill other imperials (so I guess sucks to be in the empire works better :P)

and like the game is, at least in vanilla, very aware of this fact! in various instances, the characters acknowledge that each sith who currently is in charge of the player also has their own master, who will do whatever they please, including using the chains/shackles rhetoric from the sith code (first linked post).

and while the fandom rhetoric often portrays the jedi as emotionally repressed and the sith as very free, the text of swtor does not really support this. Sith are not forbidden attachments -- but attachments are a weakness, that can and will be used against you by other sith (link)

relevant bit from that post:

that some of the passion stuff seemed weak with the Sith - like they clearly only encourage certain passions, and at least familial love is not one of them, seeing how many many Sith family relationships work - Beeltzit and Lady Grathan okay with sending you to off Lord Grathan, who she only married because it was advantageous… Whatshisface in BH plotline sending you after his daughter…

and note: Beeltzit, Gratham's son, was a secret from all the other sith because Gratham knew the other sith would try to use his son against him (and that is what Baras tells the player to do). Eskella goes to kill Tremel if the player doesn't, because him surviving and fleeing is embarrassing, and then he kills her if she finds him. Raina kills her own father for trying to protect her from the Sith Academy when she thinks she has to to keep the secret that she's force sensitive. Andru's ghost tells the player to drown children at birth because he's salty he got poisoned by his daughter, though if his daughter was also his apprentice this is par for the course -- thanaton assures the player (though he's about to try to kill them anyway so he doesn't really care what hey think) that its natural to want to kill your master when it appears player has killed zash. There is so much parent/child, master/apprentice murder in sith world, and in most cases it isn't even the bug - its the system. children are either a threat to power directly or something that could be used to threaten you, parents are a threat to power or something you will not be able to surpass without murder. the sith empire is just constantly eating itself.

I’m trying to transfer my brain mood from SWTOR to English class, so I can work on my midterm, and that reminded me when I was reading 1984, our assigned book, O’Brien’s rhetoric about Oceania’s structure reminded me of how I have Lycaea and her dad interpret Sith society structure (which u know… is definitely a huge chunk of how I interpret it)

For Lycaea: link. relevant line “Peace is a lie, there is only –” “Power. Power is the only thing that matters. Passion… freedom… that’s all dressing. Until you understand that you will never be able to fight as a Sith”

For O’Brien: “Why should [the Party] want power?” “You are ruling us for our own good…” “I will tell you the answer to my question. It is this: The Party seeks power entirely for its own sake. We are not interested in the good of others; we are interested solely in power. Not wealth or luxury or long life or happiness; only power, pure power. … We know that no one ever seizes power with the intention of relinquishing it. Power is not a means; it is an end…. The object of power is power.”

anyway I can’t tell if comparing my shit to the “classics” is pretentious, but this *is* making the book more interesting for me and succeeding in getting me in the mood for my midterm so ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

[reconstructionlegacy]

[ID: A drawing of Harkun's office, flanked by Zash on the left and (Braigwen's version of) Vowrawn to the right. At the top is the Roman number for '1,' and below the desk is the chapter name in golden Aurebesh. End ID]

chapter art for chapter one of your last serving daughter ("an excellent devil, who comes highly recommended"), @sith-shenanigans's writeup of an AU we've spent a year tossing around!

[playawner]

Ida Deerz's music goes so hard tbh. If I don't listen to at least one of her songs, it just isn't my day. At all.

[aeskanera]

Old Republic O/PCs:

Darth Nox, the Heir of Kallig, Force Walker, Master of the Dead, Great Dragon, Slayer of Zash, Successor to Tulak Hord, Lord of the Sith

[fereise]

Overhaul/Update version for one of my proudest works, a main cover art(?) for my little project call Robotnik AU.

Characters list:

Upper row/section (above Movie Eggman's hands), from left to right: - Sonic.exe (the utmost terrifying OC/FC from the creepy pasta thingy) - Queen Boom Boo, Merc version (OC/FC made by Dan-Habiki/@Dan_Daymaker) - King Boom Boo - Lah - Su & Uh - Shadow the Hedgehog (Team Dark) - Rouge the Bat (Team Dark) - E-123 Omega (Team Dark) - Dr. Eggman Nega - Doctor Albert W. Wily (Megaman, Archie comics) - Honey the Cat - Breezie the Hedgehog - Bocoe & Decoe + Bokkun - Dark Oak/Lucas - Dark Queen/Merlina - Erazor Dijinn - Coconuts - Scratch & Grounders - General Helmut Von Stryker - Anton Veruca (Shogakukan magazines) - Junior Robotnik - Captain Whiskers & Johnny - Opal the Jellyfish (Pirates of the Setting Dawn) - Dive the Lemming (Pirates of the Setting Dawn) - Blade the Shark (Pirates of the Setting Dawn) - Captain Shellbreaker (Pirates of the Setting Dawn) - Mr. Bristles the Yeti Crab (Pirates of the Setting Dawn) - Mephiles the Dark - Silver Sonic - Dark Enerjak (Knuckle) - Nazo (appeared in Sonic X's last teaser) - Eggette/Omelette Robotnik (famed OC/FC originally designed by Alpha Gamboa (blackbookalpha)) - Infinite the Jackal - Solaris - Black Doom - Eclipse the Darkling - Black Death - Dark Gaia (Perfect form) - Metal Sonic - Iron Queen aka Regina Ferrum - Time Eater - Mammoth Mogul - Iron King aka Jun Kun - Imperator Ix - Wendy Naugus - Bearenger the Grizzly (Witchcarters) - Carrotia the Rabbit (Witchcarters) - Falke Wulf (Witchcarters) - Walter Naugus - Fleetway's Super Sonic - Shade the Echidna - Boomer Walrus aka Anti Rotor - Patch D'Coolette aka Anti Antoine - Princess Alicia Acorn aka Anti Sally

Middle section (below Eggman's hands), from left to right: - Speedy (both Pre and Post-Super Genesis Wave versions) - Sage - T.W. Barker - Dave the Intern - Sleet & Dingo - A.D.A.M. - E.V.E. - Lyric the Last Ancient - Zor - Zash (OC/FC made by @saccharinerose) - Zeena - Zazz - Zomom - Zavok - Master Zik - Agent Stone (Sonic movies 2020/2022) - Orbot & Cubot - Wes Weasely - Snively Robotnik - Dr. Robotnik (Sonic movies 2020/2022) - Thunderbolt the Chinchilla - Predator Hawk (Destructix) - Anti-Miles - Scourge the Hedgehog - Storm the Albatross - Wave the Swallow - Jet the Hawk - Rosy the Rascal - Sleuth "Doggy" Dawg (Destructix) - Sergeant Simian (Destructix) - Fiona Fox (Destructix) - Duck "Bill" Platypus - Bark the Polar Bear - Bean the Dynamite - Drago Wolf (Destructix) - Nicolette 'Nic' the Weasel - Razorclaw - The Foreman (Grandmaster) - Hugo Brass - Diesel - Flying Frog (Destructix) - Geoffrey St. John - Hershey the Cat - Nack the Weasel/Fang the Sniper (Team Hooligan) - Fleetway's Chaos (Darkon fish form)

Lower section, from left to right: - Dr. Finitevus - Grimer Wormtongue - Dr. Fukurokov - Dimitri the Echidna - Maw the Thylacine - Mecha Sally - Mecha Sonic - Mecha knuckle - Jackal Squad, named by Nibroc-Rock as Uno, Deux, Trois, Quatre, Cinq & Sei (Shadowy figures) - Kayseri Valaedshkova (OC/FC made by dirtthefox/@Its_Dima_V) - Strike (OC/FC made by @speedofsoundsketches) - Surge the Tenrec - Kit the Fennec - Sofia the Gorgon (OC/FC made by Sofia-MMD/@GorgonSofia) - Clutch the Opossum - Kaibette the Genet (OC/FC made by @kaibette) - Rough & Tumble the Skunk - Battle Lord Kukku XV - ***Mecha Robotnik - Akhlut the Orca (both Pre and Post-Super Genesis Wave versions) - Tundra the Walrus - Mordred Hood (drawn with @adokle's style) - The Foreman/Tassel boy (Post-Super Genesis Wave) - Mimic (the Mimic Octopus) - Byte the Goat (OC/FC made by @bunniibones) - Lightning Lynx - Iblis - Phage - Conquering Storm (Post-Super Genesis Wave) - Bride of the Conquering Storm (Pre-Super Genesis Wave) - Dr. Starline - Biolizard - Sigma (Megaman, Archie comics) - Axel the Water Buffalo - Abyss the Squid - Cyani the Cobra (OC/FC made by @bunniibones) - Cipher the Owl (OC/FC made by @bunniibones) - Bleak (OC/FC made by HT-Doodles/@HtDoodles) - Clove the Pronghorn (my top fav among all the characters here) - Cassia the Pronghorn - Lien-da - Chaos - Tikal the Echidna - Pachacamac - Gae-Na - Kragok - Thrash the Devil - Warden Zobotnik & Znively (Zone Cop) - Belinda & Charlie - Nephthys the Vulture - ??? (Behind Nephthys) - Trevor Burrow the Mole (Desert Raiders) - Sonar the Fennec (Desert Raiders) - Spike the Porcupine (Desert Raiders) - Razor the Shark - Queen Angelica - Rusty Rose - Robo Tails (Brain-washed, based on Sonic Lost World's designs) - Beauregard Rabbot - Jack Rabbit - Matilda the Armadillo - Zefir (my main OC/FC) - Gamer Deer (aka 'Aleko' the Northamer Guard or the 'Gamerdeerdude' by @adokle) - Zonic (Zone Cop) - Chesah the Tarsier aka No.29 (my OC/FC) - Sandy the Caterkiller (OC/FC made by @the-hydroxian-artblog)

For the Alt version: FeReinsm on Instagram: “Overhaul/update versions for one of my proudest works, a main cover art(?) for my lil’ project - Robotnik AU. For the 2nd and 4th pics…”

[ospreyeamon]

the mastery duel

In the Sith Empire there are several legally designated varieties of formal duel. Killing your opponent in a formal duel is not murder, provided the duel was instigated in an appropriate way. To control the level of churn caused by junior Sith attempting to duel their superiors for their positions, a senior Sith must accept the junior Sith’s challenge for the duel to be valid. However, refusing a challenge may be taken as a sign of weakness.

One of the most famous duels is the Kaggath, which was soft-banned for centuries because its nature of being power-base vs power-base rather than individual vs individual means Kaggath tend to be extremely destructive and cause significant collateral damage.

Another is the Asinyattal* – the mastery duel. Asinyattals are fought between Master and Apprentice. Specifically, they are fought between an apprentice and their Linage-Master – the highest living member of their apprenticeship family tree.

Challenges are publicly issued prior to the commencement of the duel. While a Master will offer a challenge on the grounds of it being necessary to prove the Apprentice is ready to lead the Teaching-Lineage, Apprentices must lodge an argument that the Master is leading the Teaching-Lineage is the wrong direction and that they will take it on a better course. If there are other Apprentice Sith in the Teaching-Linage – which there usually are as having Apprentices is a symbol of strength and prestige – then they can publicly refute the challenger’s argument, siding with the current Master. Should the majority of the other Apprentices refute the challenge, the Apprentice making it may decide to withdraw and offer a formal apology to their Master for doubting their leadership, which the Master may or may not accept. Conversely, the Master can accept the validity of their Apprentice’s arguments and step aside without fighting.

Non-fatal resolutions to challenges were more common in the days before the reign of Emperor Vitiate. Consensually forfeiting the position as head of the Teaching-Linage is usually seen as an admittance of weakness in the Reconstituted Empire rather than a pragmatic restructure or opportunity to retire. Settling Asinyattals by debate was more common in the Old Empire.

Darth Zash’s plot to steal the body and life of her senior Apprentice hinged heavily on the culture of the mastery duel. If the fallout of the body-theft resulted in her being condemned for her own murder Zash’s scheme would amount to nothing. To avoid this Zash legally designated Lord Kallig her heir, privately confided in some select parties she was dying and considering how best to secure her legacy beyond her death, talked a lot about the great achievements she foresaw in Kallig’s future, left a timed message proclaiming the Asinyattal to be released when she lured them into her trap – and then had Khem Val ruin everything.

This aspect of Zash’s plot ended up playing out very much to her Apprentice’s advantage. Lord Kallig was protected from criticism for “killing” Zash because the publicly available evidence was that Zash had wanted to die lightsaber in hand. Zash’s other Apprentices, Corrin and Kaal, transferred their loyalty to Kallig as their new Master because Zash’s apparent final wish had been for them to respect the result of the duel and help Lord Kallig lead the Sith into a new age. Instead of stealing her Apprentice’s life, Zash accidentally signed over a significant portion of her own.

Arguably one of the most pivotal Asinyattals was fought between Kreia and the Jedi Exile on Malachor V. While neither of the combatants were Sith, the battle had the hallmarks of a classic Asinyattal; fought between a master and apprentice who were part of an extended teaching-linage with the other students weighing in with their support in the lead up to the duel proper, the result of philosophical differences and visions of direction the extended group should take rather being a simple power play, the defeated master acknowledged the validity of her apprentice’s victory over her. While attributed little to no importance by most histories in the Republic and the Empire, the consequences should Kreia have prevailed would have reshaped the galaxy. In addition to dealing what might have been a fatal blow to the Jedi, the all-consuming deafening scream would have been transmitted from lost Sith worlds like Korriban and Malachor V itself into the Sith Empire. In such a timeline the Great Galactic War would have happened very differently, if it happened at all.

*from the root asinyât (Old Kyattam); verb. ascend, usurp.

[blackberry-command-cap]

Valkerie Beausoleil was born into the Beausoleil house/lineage: an old, prestigious house of Force-sensitives known for their charisma and extremely good genetics (they’re all extremely fair-skinned, blond-haired, and beautiful). Prioritizing looks over force-sensitivity when continuing the line has led to a reputation of being weak; much of their power comes from their connections, intrigue, and old money, not martial strength. Knowing this, leaders of the house have become more pedantic about keeping up appearances because they know the minute they put a toe out of line they could be challenged. Darth Angral and Lord Zash are Beausoleils as well as just about any other blond Sith.

She's the literal and figurative black sheep of the family. Literal because she's somehow got pitch black hair instead of the trademark blond hair. Figurative because she's outspoken, doesn't much care for polite intrigue and social delicacy, and very strong with the Force. All of which got her disowned, but that's okay. Even with basically half the Sith actively shunning her, she can claw her way to the top just fine by herself, and then when she outranks all of them they'll get their comeuppance.

[lanabenikosdoormat]

have you progressed far enough in the sith warrior story to find out quinn’s ‘secret’? calling it that bc i dont want to spoil anything 😭😭 if so, how does verity react??? im very intrigued by her character

HIIIII verity is on the brain today so I saved this ask just for the occasion. And dw - I'm well into SOR with her, so I'm all too familiar with the incident. Still. I'll put this below the cut for others who haven't finished the sith warrior story :)

Babygirl has been betrayed several times by those closest to her, notably her elder brother, Kanen and her lord father. She's a sith but she does have an aura of naivety given her sheltered upbringing and natural talent with the force (lack of struggle leads to overconfidence). So, she didn't think it would be Quinn - too lovestruck and happy that she finally found someone she adored and who adored her in turn.

You have to strike down Quinn in the fight anyways, and that's as far as she goes with him. She doesn't punish him for it, but she also doesn't just get up and forgive him either, I found the choices you could pick not as developed as I would've liked. He has to sleep on the couch.

Though she knows there was a power imbalance, as with all sith lords and their underlings (Jadus, Baras, Zash, etc... etc..) so she doesn't fully blame him either. Because Baras is the worst, and if Quinn defied him, he could've been killed. So she understands, she just wishes it hadn't come to such dire circumstances. Quinn doesn't feel like Verity should even let him live, and she has to be like "bby you were grossly manipulated by a sith who could snap your neck with a flick of his wrist" She's forgiving, but still hurt.

[serenofroses]

been dabbling some thoughts on Mal Quinn after he became a 'stole a npc and turned them into oc' move. During his time on Balmorra, Quinn goes through abuse and harrassment by Darth Minax whom he has a child with, he took his child away to get out of Balmorra with Kritanta's help.

which got me to think about Kritanta as a father for a bit.

putting under readmore bc it's long and mentions of SA topic (based off my experience as a teen).

I think Kritanta could see a bit of himself in Mal. because they're both parents who are trying their damnest best to protect their own daughters.

though, in Kritanta's case, he felt like... he had failed in protecting the twins. Mainly because he wasn't there for them much like he has hoped but his Wrath duties took up most of his time when the girls grew older/are preteens. Then abduction happened while they were Sith acolytes.

Ania get abducted and lost her ability to use the Force physically which has fucked her up to the point she felt she lost a part of herself. Kritanta fought against restraints while trying to save Ania but was forced watch the Empress drain her Force. Ania has kept her distance and didn't dare to open up about her feelings to her parents. Kritanta wondered if she blamed him for not being strong enough to prevent that happened. She opened up to Jadis, and later Marr, about that traumatic ordeal. Ania remained with the Sith Empire and went on to join the Intelligence much to her parents' wariness.

then Thanaton got involved with his part in Jazz's abduction. He overwhelmed her with the power of the Force (severely damaged her abilities which she later regain it back with the Noetikons) then sold Jazz out to the rogue Sith Lord in a way to hurt at Vowrawn and possibly Zash. While raiding the flagship, Kritanta went into a rage and killed the Sith Lord for touching and forcing Jazz into sexual coercion. Jazz was relieved her dad came to rescue her in time before it got much worse then she substained a head injury while escaping the flagship which lead to her going to the Jedi Order with her aunt Elysia as her legal guardian.

So Kritanta helping Quinn rescue his child was him trying to make amends with his past when he failed to protect Ania and Jazz from harm way. He wasn't going to let Quinn go through that alone after he had helped him track down Baras' spy. A favour for a favour.

[parjiljehavey]

Judgement Day

A retelling of Sith Inquisitor Act III from the point of view of Darth Ravage. It's basically me following a little plot bunny that came from this line of Thanaton's during the Voss missions: "I love you like my own child. But you are a blight upon the Sith Order and must be purged." Content warnings: Canon typical violence, Torture, Implied dysfunctional family dynamics ------------ Pick up your rope, Lord, sling it to me If we are to battle, I must not be weak

“Thanaton will likely plead for our aid, and Kallig is pursuing Thanaton,” Decimus concluded in his recounting of the duel on Corellia as they all gathered inside the council chambers on Korriban. 

Darth Baras had called for a special session, and Darth Decimus saw fit to inform the rest of the council on what they had missed of the Kaggath between Darth Thanaton and Lord Kallig while they waited for Darth Vowrawn, Darth Thanaton, and Darth Baras to arrive. Darth Zhorrid had not dared show her face since they had disciplined her for her insolence three years ago and more are the better for it; Zhorrid was an insipid child who had demanded their respect when she had not earned it. Darth Marr in particular had been harsh.

Darth Decimus was open in his support of Lord Kallig, at first purely out of spite to Thanaton who had he had always held in little regard, and then out of recognition for Kallig’s service during the Battle of Corellia, calling her the Conqueror of Corellia and the first among a new generation of Imperial heroes. From what Ravage had seen, she had the support of the Imperial military, allying herself with Moffs like Pyron. Darth Mekhis had designed the Silencer, but Kallig had seen the project to completion and it had proven to be a devastating weapon against the Republic. 

“I met Kallig as my forces were landing. She is quite powerful for one so young,” Darth Hadra chimed in.

Decimus grinned viciously, “She is like an akk dog with a bone. She keeps her brutality on a tight leash, but it is there. She’ll carve a path of destruction through all of us to get to Thanaton.”

Ravage scoffed, dismissing the idea that a lord could take on the entire Dark Council outright. In Ravage's eyes, Kallig may be able to defeat Thanaton, but that was because Thanaton had always been weak. It was not as if Thanaton was someone like Darth Baras, with deep connections and webs even into the Republic, or like Vowrawn, who had been the orchestrator of many a downfall, or Marr, whose martial prowess was unmatched. 

He held that opinion until Kallig entered the council chambers during Thanaton’s petition after Baras’s corpse had been removed. 

“My lords, her master was corrupt! She is corrupt! Without Sith tradition, we are nothing!” Thanaton’s pleas were passionate but reeked of desperation. 

Ravage heard the chamber door open and saw from the corner of his eye Darth Vowrawn turn to look, as the one sitting closest. He could feel Vowrawn’s amusement increase. 

“And what are you suggesting that we do about it?” Darth Marr demanded. He had received the news of the Kaggath with the same disdain and contempt as he did with all Sith infighting and he likely viewed this as Thanaton trying to use the council in his scheme to crush a rival.

Thanaton continued, believing he was making headway. They all knew that if Thanaton could convince Darth Marr to aid him, Vowrawn and Rictus would follow. “We all know what the situation requires. Order must be preserved and punishment meted out. If we are to conquer our enemies, Zash’s former apprentice must die!”

“Well, well. I am truly flattered that you talk about me to all your friends, Darth Thanaton. You shouldn’t have.” Lord Kallig cooed words honey-sweet and laced with poison. Kallig cocked her head, stance changing ever so slightly as she stalked her prey. An akk dog with a bone indeed. The mask gave a skeletal impression, and the black armor scoured by battle lent a fearsome appearance to one so small.

Thanaton spun on his and was spitting mad when he saw her. “Our talk concerns the future of the Sith Order! A future, without you!”

“Yes, yes. I am a plague upon the Sith. Blah, blah, blah, blah.” She clicked her tongue, the sound sharp through the vocoder, “Your crony outside said the same thing. My sympathies, by the by, he is dead now.”

Thanaton was furious, stumbling over his words. Ravage rolled his eyes. “Then why haven’t you killed her yet?” 

Lord Kallig did not bother to mask her emotions or hide them. She was amused, like a nexu playing with its food. Thanaton turned to Ravage with the same fury he had Kallig. “You know as well as I do that these matters require proper rites.” 

Ravage growled at Thanaton’s righteous tone. Lord Kallig interrupted them, “You have had your chance to plead your case, Thanaton, now it is mine.” She addressed the council directly. “Darth Thanaton abandoned the arena for the Kaggath when he abandoned Corellia. By his own rules and rites, his life is forfeit. It was forfeited long before he left Corellia. It was forfeit when he stalled the Imperial offensive to cripple me, which is also against the rules of Kaggath.” 

Decimus nodded, “Kallig speaks true.” 

“We are well aware of the rules of Kaggath,” Mortis said.

That did not, however, change Ravage’s own opinion regarding Kaggath. “The Kaggath is a playground game. Murder has no rules.” 

“The Kaggath is an honored Sith tradition!” Thanaton was outraged, as he was with all things that went against the traditions he so loved. “Tulak Hord competed! Marka Ragnos! Ludo Kressh!” 

Ignoring Thanaton, Kallig plowed ahead. “His charges against me are false. Zash was corrupt, I shall not deny that. When she tried to kill me, I defended myself, as Thanaton himself encouraged me to do, and as is my right per both the law and tradition .” She hissed the last word, looking at Thanaton as she did. “When I tried to serve Thanaton, he attempted to kill me and has continued to do so since. Once more, I am well within my rights to defend myself.”

Ravage looked to Mortis, who was impressed if his smile was anything to go by. Darth Gravus was Mortis’s ally, and he supported Lord Kallig. By Kallig showing she knew the laws, she had just won Darth Mortis over. With Darth Decimus already supporting her, she now had two councilors on her side of the matter. Darth Mortis would uphold all Sith and Imperial laws. Thanaton had signed his death warrant no matter how this session concluded. Ravage looked around the room to gauge them. 

Darth Vowrawn would side with whomever he deemed the most interesting, as was his way. Darth Hadra would likely choose Kallig. Darth Marr would only go the way of what was best for the Empire, as he did in all matters. Acharon would choose who he deemed the most competent. Darth Aruk and Darth Rictus were the only true mysteries. Ravage would most likely choose Kallig if he were to be completely honest, if only to thumb his nose at Thanaton.

Darth Marr looked to Thanaton, “The question remains: why has this apprentice, this child, proven impossible for you to kill?” 

“Quite simple, really,” Kallig said. “I beat him at his own game.”

“Do not mock me!” Thanaton hissed.

Ravage had had enough, turning to Mortis. “I swear, if you don’t silence Thanaton, I will!” 

Kallig harrumphed. She removed her helm, revealing blonde hair bound in braids wrapped around her head. The angle of her nose and jaw tickled Ravage’s brain as familiar. Her accent was Low Ziostian without the obscurity of a vocoder. “It is not considered mockery if it is true.” 

Thanaton seethed at the council, “I will not be betrayed. I will not die. Once I have killed this slave, you will all answer for it.” Thanaton ignited his lightsaber, turning to face his rival. 

Lord Kallig was pacing as ice-cold power and rage seethed from her, twirling her dualsaber around. It was an older make, with a dark purple crystal at the center and two sharp metal blades at each end. 

“I have long forgiven your childish behavior and your shortcomings,” Kallig’s words were bitter and piqued Ravage’s interest. There was a history there, beyond what was happening now. Kallig continued, “You may very well kill me, Thanaton.” She spat out his name like it was poison. “But should you survive, you won’t forget me and I will haunt you for the rest of your days.”

Kallig disappeared in a dark cloud, reappearing moments later with a burst of black energy and purple lightning crackling across her violet blade as she struck, releasing a ball of lightning into Thanaton’s face before dipping low and using the Force to spin rapidly, lightning coming down and striking Thanaton, hitting his barrier. 

Thanaton released a wave, throwing Kallig away from him only for her to disappear and reappear again behind him. He turned and unleashed a blast of lightning at her, leaving Kallig no other option but to roll away from him. She landed on a knee, reigniting her dual saber behind her. Thanaton did not give her a moment to breathe, unleashing a storm and forcing her to move. Kallig twisted and turned, weaving in and out of the strikes Thanaton called down onto her. Her left hand moved as she summoned something, speaking in a low tone. She used the Force to run past Ravage and Mortis, and Ravage heard the Old Sith tongue. She was casting a spell. 

A spell that she unleashed, coming to a halt and casting it at Thanaton when he tried to heal himself. Thanaton shouted, grasping his head and Ravage could hear something being crushed as he was forced to stop casting. Kallig disappeared again in a shroud of energy. Ravage reached out to sense her, only grasping a trace before it disappeared again. She was hiding herself, waiting for a moment to strike. He glanced over to Rictus, who commanded numerous assassin-trained Sith and he was grinning. 

Thanaton dispelled whatever Kallig had cast on him, raising his head to reveal bloodshot eyes and a bleeding nose. He looked around rapidly, turning as he searched for his rival. A shimmer of purple to his right caught the attention of the room and Thanaton as well. Thanaton prepared to meet her, only for Kallig to appear at his left and Thanaton barely had time to ignite his blade to block her attack. Rictus cackled as she struck, violet locking against red. They stood in a standoff of might, pushing back against the other physically and when neither would move, they both resorted to trying to push the other with the Force turning it into a battle of wills. The chamber creaked, metal scraping together harshly. They would bring the room down upon them all, Ravage thought, looking up as the ceiling shuddered. 

They both ended up pushing the other away, Thanaton falling to the ground and Kallig managing to catch herself, spinning in a rapid movement to do so. Kallig stared down her opponent, teeth bared. She was whispering in the Old Tongue again, her left-hand contorting. Ravage was close enough to see her skin turn corpse-pale and her eyes burn red. 

 Thanaton was gasping, struggling for air as he floundered on the floor. Thanaton struggled to stand, pulling himself to his feet only to be met by Kallig casting another spell on him. A death field tore away his strength, dropping him back to a knee and Kallig rose to her feet, reinvigorated by what she had taken from Thanaton. He had lost. Ravage sat back, waiting for the killing blow to be struck. Kallig seemed to have some honor, allowing Thanaton to get to his feet. 

“No, I won’t be defeated. I can’t be.” Thanaton was in denial. Kallig stood, awaiting his surrender which Thanaton would not give. The fool did not know when he was beaten. 

Thanaton tried to attack her with force lightning, only for Kallig to redirect it above their heads as she advanced on him. The ceiling groaned, a corner popping loose. Thanaton then summoned a storm, unleashing it upon Kallig forcing her to stop as she was engulfed in a maelstrom of dark energy and lightning that Thanaton continued to throw at her. It generated a violent current of air in the chamber, swirling around Kallig in blinding light. Thanaton stopped his assault, shifting as he waited with hope in his heart. 

Only for that hope to be vanquished when with a thunderous rumble that shook the Academy itself, the maelstrom was absorbed by Kallig, who emerged with flashing purple eyes and cloaked in dark side energy. Behind her, four pale forms appeared, stunning the council who all leaned forward as if their eyes deceived them. Lightning still jumped across her and with a shake of her hand, it was gone entirely as were the ghosts.

Kallig was a Force Walker, Ravage thought, having believed it to only be a myth up until the proof of the ability was right in front of him. A feeling of elation came from Darth Rictus. Thanaton oozed desperation and no small amount of fear. Rightfully so, Ravage felt, thinking about the spectral forms that had appeared behind Kallig when she survived Thanaton’s last attack. Force Walking was rare, and for her to have learned it and bound multiple ghosts, Thanaton had been right to beg for aid. Only the entirety of the Dark Council could truly stop her with that kind of power at her fingertips. Unfortunately for Thanaton, he had chosen a Kaggath and rendered any outside aid expressly forbidden. Even if he should somehow kill Kallig, he would be slain for breaking the rules of the rite, and Darth Mortis would insist upon it as a matter of Sith law.

Thanaton began to summon another storm only for Kallig, eyes still glowing, to throw him across the chamber and into a wall. A boom resounded, shaking the Academy’s foundations. Ravage could feel the fear seeping up from the lower levels. She dropped him after a moment. Thanaton staggered to his feet, breathing heavily as panic took him.

Disappointment roiled from Marr as Thanaton in a desperate ploy, ignited his lightsaber and charged Kallig who stood with crossed arms at the center of the chamber. The blade was a breath away from removing her head when she stopped him, the chamber shaking as she held him still. Ravage leaned forward when Thanaton’s hand burst with a spray of blood and bone as she forced him down to a knee, his lightsaber falling to the floor as Thanaton was forced into supplication. 

Lord Kallig spoke to Thanaton in a tone so low that it could not be heard except for perhaps Marr’s audio sensors but her palpable fury could be felt. The last of her words were loud enough to be heard and she burned with vengeance. 

“You will not die until you say our names.” 

Vowrawn looked intrigued, sitting up and watching. Ravage himself was curious. Thanaton made the mistake of gathering the Force to himself and was met by a storm focused entirely on him as Kallig unleashed the full extent of her fury and her brutality. The power that radiated from Kallig was oppressive as she attacked Thanaton, drawing on dark healing when he neared death only to strike again in a thunderous blast, casting afflictions that made Thanaton’s skin bubble with pestilence and breaking his bones, only for the breaks to heal and break again. Thanaton was helpless to do anything with the hold Kallig had over him. 

Again and again and again she attacked, until at last, Thanaton broke screaming. “Elenei! Alysanne! ELENEI! ALYSANNE!” 

Those names were important to Kallig, Ravage realized at the triumphant and vicious feeling of satisfied vindication that swept over Kallig. He filed the information away for later. 

She relented and released her hold upon him, allowing him to drag himself away from her, coughing and whimpering. She slowly followed him as they all rose from their seats. The victor of the duel was clear. Kallig stopped as they approached, maintaining a respectful distance while her eyes never left Thanaton’s broken body. Thanaton grasped Marr’s boot with his left hand and tried to reach for Mortis in a final plea for aid with the gruesome remainder of his right. 

“I am sorry, Thanaton,” Mortis said before he snapped Thanaton’s neck, a mercy no doubt, for Ravage was sure Kallig would have let him suffer a slower death. 

“Good riddance.” Ravage spat, sneering at the corpse. 

Darth Marr rebuked him immediately, “He was a better Sith than you give him credit for, Ravage.”

“Let us hope that his successor is as worthy.” Mortis declared, approaching Kallig and ushering her to Thanaton’s former seat beside Darth Marr. “My lord, your seat.” 

Kallig was stunned, completely bewildered. “I-I. My lords, I do not know what to say.” Her shock was sincere. 

Vowrawn spoke, amusement laced into his tone. “You have killed a Dark Councilor in fair combat, what else were you expecting?”

“I openly defied Thanaton and challenged him, amassing power far too quickly for any sane Sith to be comfortable with. The Dark Council is well within its rights to execute me for it.” She was smart, Ravage would give her credit but it did not change the fact that she was merely a lord and a lord could not hold a seat on the Dark Council. Vowrawn was impressed by her honesty, his eyes gleaming. 

Rictus grinned, speaking for the first time since the session had convened. “Ordinarily, yes. We would. However, with the circumstances, you have proven yourself.” 

Kallig paused, thinking on her answer, and then she nodded. “Very well.”

“She is only a lord!” Ravage protested vehemently. He was not one for tradition, but this was one he would adhere to. “You cannot place a lord on the Dark Council!” 

Darth Marr rounded on him immediately, snarling viciously. “Quiet, Ravage! She has earned her place!” 

Ravage reluctantly stood beside Marr with the others as he beckoned Lord Kallig to approach. She took a knee and bowed her head. “By order of the Dark Council, and in light of your reputation in serving the Empire, you are now Darth Imperius. Rise.”

The newly christened Darth Imperius rose smoothly. “You are head of the pyramid of ancient knowledge. You are charged with keeping the mystical knowledge of the Sith and guarding the secrets of our order. With us, you are the ruler of all Sith, answerable only to the Emperor himself.” 

Imperius nodded solemnly. “I will do my best to live up to my new position.” 

Ravage scoffed, not trusting her words or sincerity. “Never trust the humble ones.” Darth Imperius looked at him with a raised brow but said nothing. 

“What shall be done with Darth Thanaton?” Vowrawn questioned. 

“As the winner of the Kaggath, it is Darth Imperius’s decision,” Mortis said. Ever the upholder of laws, Ravage snorted. 

“Destroying Thanaton’s properties and executing his forces will only serve to weaken the Empire. As such, I shall absorb them.” Imperius paused, thinking for a moment. “Thanaton shall be given the proper funerary rites as befits his position as my predecessor to this council, and his name and records shall remain intact.” 

A brief flickering of grief and then it was as a candle snuffed out in the wind. Ravage narrowed his eyes in suspicion. She was hiding something. While Ravage pondered what she could be hiding, the council concluded the session. 

Darth Mortis and Darth Vowrawn were walking with Imperius out of the chamber. Mortis was speaking to her. “We will summon you the next time the Dark Council congregates. I suggest going to Dromund Kaas and consolidating your power base.” 

Imperius nodded, and Vowrawn clapped his hands together in a delighted manner. “Ah, wonderful! While you are on Dromund Kaas, Imperius, I must invite you to tea! Oh, and do not be overly worried about logistics and accounting. It is quite common during a power transition-” 

Ravage rolled his eyes. Darth Vowrawn was gauging whether or not Imperius would be a potential rival, a potential ally, someone entertaining, or someone entirely boring. Vowrawn had done the same when Ravage had obtained his seat before the Treaty. Ravage elected to remain behind until Thanaton’s corpse was collected. His suspicions of Imperius circled through his mind and when the corpse was collected for burial, Ravage made a trip down to the Archives.

Every Sith that had survived the Academy had a genealogy test done, it was mandatory; whether their line was New or Old. The genealogy testing made it easier to arrange marriages and alliances; old blood marrying old blood, new to new, and new to old. At times, a Sith would marry a force-blind. Cousins marrying cousins was common. When a line diminished down to only one or two surviving members, there were examples of aunts and uncles marrying nieces and nephews to preserve it.

Ravage had been the product of one such union; his mother and father had been uncle and niece, the last of their bloodline. Of their five children, only Ravage had survived the last war. His brothers and sisters had all been idiots, either killing each other as the eldest two had done to be the heir or dying in battle as the rest had. Ravage was the last of his line and while he had sired three children, one had been force-blind, one did not survive the trials, and another who he had made his apprentice had been killed because the fool had been caught by another lord seeking revenge for his murdered apprentice. A pity, the boy, Essor, had shown promise, only for his arrogance to make him disregard the ‘No Unsanctioned Murders’ rule of the Academy, the only rule Ravage himself would follow, and to leave a terrified and weak-willed acolyte as a witness. 

He poured over the archives, searching for anything noteworthy of Kallig. He found several. Some were entries written by Tulak Hord himself, describing Aloysious Kallig as one of his greatest generals and the greatest amongst his rivals. Another was the genealogy of Aloysious Kallig, detailing his descendents. He had had four children; three daughters and a son. Two of the three daughters were killed and of the son, there was no further record. 

The third daughter, Alysanne, was where the line continued. All daughters, interestingly enough. It continued down until a century and a half ago when Lord Andrasa’s downfall resulted in her children being sold into slavery. All records after that listed were slave records, leading down to Elenei, recently deceased, and her daughter, Alysanne. The newly christened Darth Imperius was a descendant of the Old Blood. He was shocked to learn that she was only twenty-one. The last Sith to rise so high and obtain a seat on the Dark Council so young had been Darth Marr forty years prior. 

Her father drew Ravage’s interest. That had been censored and censored recently. Ravage used his authority to override the censor and was stunned by what was revealed. 

It was tradition for a Sith parent to take an interest in their force-sensitive child’s upbringing, no matter if the child was born from wedlock or was illegitimate. It was tradition for a child’s first lessons in the Force and the Sith Order to come from their Sith parent. Darth Ravage laughed. No wonder Darth Thanaton was so desperate to kill her; for a man who prided himself on traditions and upholding them, she was living proof of Thanaton’s hypocrisy. And no wonder, Darth Imperius had chosen to keep his name intact. Striking it from history would mean removing part of her lineage.

Alysanne Kallig, Darth Imperius, was Darth Thanaton’s natural daughter.

[theshieldbladelegacy]

Meeting Lord Zash.

[mischiefxmuses]

hwminievent6 closed starter for @mcrcki (Alani x Zash)

"Alani, not giving your father any grief I hope?" A little chuckle left him. What she did really didn't bother him. He was only really here because Jabba paid him to be, to watch his back and make sure no one hurt him or attacked him. He had his lightsabers attached to his hip, ready in a moment. He took a sip of his wine and continued to watch the dance floor. It wasn't that he actually cared, he was being paid and a job was a job. So if it meant protecting a crime lord so be it.