Collective in thought, administered savvy tactics are always remotely mind driven on natural born instincts. Perseverance perpetually holds reservation amongst aged noble lineage. Exasperation rarely becomes visible in raw display. Furtive contentment always mirrors his obscured facade. Danger shows no limits behind a political, craftsmanship smile which lures unwanted solicitors inside.. Imperial, daylight-inspired reflections prudently blend in with nocturnal seclusion. Seven cornrow silver color braids uniquely define method of chosen hairstyle, on occasion its released and free flowing exuberant follicles become unshackled. Translucent eyes of speckled crimson penetrate through the condemned ignorance of others; insouciant electric burning hues regularly discharge virile obsession. Boasting a statuesque 6'7" in height and fueling weight of 248 lbs, seemingly ancient charcoal-hued robes masquerade armed mischief. Sporadically, ancient crimson robes containing gold stitch etchings on each loose-end are prominently worn. Composed and dignified, he attempts to maintain the high standard of a gentleman and scholar amidst the waking inferno of his self-imposed Sheol. Throughout centuries, he remains the inseminate quasi-Father.. the rest ...his effulgent children.
"Nullum magnum ingenium sine mixtura dementiae fuit."
There has not been any great talent without an element of madness.
There has not been any great talent without an element of madness.
~ Nereus Vorn, a sometime Jedi Master and self-proclaimed Dark Lord of the Sith ~
When the young prodigious Jedi known as Freedon Nadd willingly and consciously embraced the Dark side of the Force very few of his contemporaries realized just how much of an impact on galactic events his decision would have, even many generations after his death. After awakening Naga Sadow's spirit in 4400 B.B.Y., Nadd discovered King Adas's Sith Holocron which he then used to conquer the planet Onderon. And when he died in 4350 B.B.Y., no one knew that the self-proclaimed Dark Lord of the Sith had left behind...his offspring: a female child, named Kamalah.
Kamalah was a product of violence rendered upon her mother, who swore to keep the child, in spite of the way the baby came into the world. In time, the child blossomed into a girl, and the girl - into a woman. In time, she chose a mate, a human male named Flavius Vorn, who helped her conceive a child (4330 B.B.Y.) But from a very tender age until the time she blossomed into womanhood, Kamalah learned how to harness the Dark side of the Force...and using its sorcery, she manipulated the midichlorians living inside her body, to bond with the fetus of her unborn child. Thus, severing herself completely from the Force, Kamalah gave birth to a son infused with the midichlorians that came from her own womb - intensifying the bond her child already held within the ubiquitous web of the Force. The intensity of the birthing experience caused Kamalah's life to expire shortly after - but not before she was able to give her son his name.
Kamalah was a product of violence rendered upon her mother, who swore to keep the child, in spite of the way the baby came into the world. In time, the child blossomed into a girl, and the girl - into a woman. In time, she chose a mate, a human male named Flavius Vorn, who helped her conceive a child (4330 B.B.Y.) But from a very tender age until the time she blossomed into womanhood, Kamalah learned how to harness the Dark side of the Force...and using its sorcery, she manipulated the midichlorians living inside her body, to bond with the fetus of her unborn child. Thus, severing herself completely from the Force, Kamalah gave birth to a son infused with the midichlorians that came from her own womb - intensifying the bond her child already held within the ubiquitous web of the Force. The intensity of the birthing experience caused Kamalah's life to expire shortly after - but not before she was able to give her son his name.
She called him...Nereus.
THE FORSAKEN
Young Nereus was raised by his father, who saw it fit to bring his son in the tradition of his forefathers: zealot followers of Freedon Nadd, also known as Naddists. Even as the Beast Wars raged on Onderon, the boy was already deep in the thrall of Sith training - his small body harboring tremendous powers. Under the ever-watchful guidance of Flavius and other Naddist cultists, Nereus grew beyond their expectations - in both scope and vision of their undertaking. In secret, they planned to groom him to be the next King of Onderon believing that he alone possessed the ability to wipe out the existence of the outcasts, and end the brutal conflict of Beast Wars, once and for all. But they were all soon to be ...deceived.
But the boy had no interest in being a ruler of a single planet. To him, the job seemed altogether...insignificant. No, he set his sights much higher. To this end, a ten year old Nereus managed to make his way off-planet and came to Korriban, where he was admitted to train as a Sith Acolyte under Darth Dolus. The new master infused his young apprentice with a renewed zeal to garner as much knowledge of the Force, as possible. To this end, Nereus' unorthodox training included not only Darkside sorcery and related abilities, but also focused on the powers that were generally considered to be "of the inferior Light side of the Force." Dolus believed, that to know a thing, was to control it - and thus, the key to beating any Jedi at his own game, was to know their philosophy and their Force abilities - known as the Jedi Path, inside out.
Nereus found his new studies could barely keep his interest. He would 'devour' all the knowledge his master would unleash in his direction, at an incredible rate. Often bored and dissatisfied, he would steal away to the vaulted archives of the Sith Academy, where he would seek out further instruction from the nefarious holocrons stored within. How he managed to bypass the guards and the locks, no one knew - but one thing became startlingly clear: there was no barrier that would keep Nereus from reaching his objectives - whatever they might have been. Keeping himself virtually isolated from other acolytes and fiercely devoted to his pursuit of knowledge, Nereus soon became known as "The Forsaken" among his peers, who mocked and criticised his approach to Sith training. Never seen wielding a lightsaber, never caught sparring with his master - Nereus was viewed as weak and pointless. Although Dolus finally managed to command his student to create his first lightsaber, Nereus found no motivation in training with the weapon and soon abandoned it in favor of a darkdagger - a smaller and far more practical (in Nereus' belief) version of the ancient darksword. Such passed the next decade of his life.
Though pleased with his apprentice's rapidly accelerating progress - knowledge-wise - Darth Dolus grew wary and impatient with his charge's reluctance to follow in his own footsteps and become a great Sith warrior, like his master. True, Nereus' strength in the Force was unmatched by any acolyte at the academy and surpassed perhaps even his own - but Dolus would not be defied by some mere scrap of a boy. One night, he caught young Vorn in the midst of a Sith alchemy lesson from one of the sorcery holocrons containing Forbidden Teachings - knowledge amassed by the Rakatan elders and stored within. Enraged, Dolus drew his weapon and challenged Nereus, hoping to teach him a lesson. Agitated at the unexpected interruption and seeing that his secret had been uncovered, Vorn bellowed out a powerful Force Scream, before leaping upward with great speed, landing behind his master and stabbing him in the neck, severing his spine in one swift motion. As the Scream woke the sleeping inhabitants of the Academy, they rushed to the source to find the vault door open and a single body - lifeless, on the ground. But Vorn had been long gone, taking with him the holocron that he was learning from, before Dolus arrived. Furious pursuit fueled the need for revenge against the thief and traitor who had been hated and reviled among his peers since virtually the day of his arrival. Alas, they were all too late. Stealing aboard one of the Sith transport ships in a nearby hangar, Nereus never hesitated as he made off the surface of Korriban, heading for parts unknown...
But the boy had no interest in being a ruler of a single planet. To him, the job seemed altogether...insignificant. No, he set his sights much higher. To this end, a ten year old Nereus managed to make his way off-planet and came to Korriban, where he was admitted to train as a Sith Acolyte under Darth Dolus. The new master infused his young apprentice with a renewed zeal to garner as much knowledge of the Force, as possible. To this end, Nereus' unorthodox training included not only Darkside sorcery and related abilities, but also focused on the powers that were generally considered to be "of the inferior Light side of the Force." Dolus believed, that to know a thing, was to control it - and thus, the key to beating any Jedi at his own game, was to know their philosophy and their Force abilities - known as the Jedi Path, inside out.
Nereus found his new studies could barely keep his interest. He would 'devour' all the knowledge his master would unleash in his direction, at an incredible rate. Often bored and dissatisfied, he would steal away to the vaulted archives of the Sith Academy, where he would seek out further instruction from the nefarious holocrons stored within. How he managed to bypass the guards and the locks, no one knew - but one thing became startlingly clear: there was no barrier that would keep Nereus from reaching his objectives - whatever they might have been. Keeping himself virtually isolated from other acolytes and fiercely devoted to his pursuit of knowledge, Nereus soon became known as "The Forsaken" among his peers, who mocked and criticised his approach to Sith training. Never seen wielding a lightsaber, never caught sparring with his master - Nereus was viewed as weak and pointless. Although Dolus finally managed to command his student to create his first lightsaber, Nereus found no motivation in training with the weapon and soon abandoned it in favor of a darkdagger - a smaller and far more practical (in Nereus' belief) version of the ancient darksword. Such passed the next decade of his life.
Though pleased with his apprentice's rapidly accelerating progress - knowledge-wise - Darth Dolus grew wary and impatient with his charge's reluctance to follow in his own footsteps and become a great Sith warrior, like his master. True, Nereus' strength in the Force was unmatched by any acolyte at the academy and surpassed perhaps even his own - but Dolus would not be defied by some mere scrap of a boy. One night, he caught young Vorn in the midst of a Sith alchemy lesson from one of the sorcery holocrons containing Forbidden Teachings - knowledge amassed by the Rakatan elders and stored within. Enraged, Dolus drew his weapon and challenged Nereus, hoping to teach him a lesson. Agitated at the unexpected interruption and seeing that his secret had been uncovered, Vorn bellowed out a powerful Force Scream, before leaping upward with great speed, landing behind his master and stabbing him in the neck, severing his spine in one swift motion. As the Scream woke the sleeping inhabitants of the Academy, they rushed to the source to find the vault door open and a single body - lifeless, on the ground. But Vorn had been long gone, taking with him the holocron that he was learning from, before Dolus arrived. Furious pursuit fueled the need for revenge against the thief and traitor who had been hated and reviled among his peers since virtually the day of his arrival. Alas, they were all too late. Stealing aboard one of the Sith transport ships in a nearby hangar, Nereus never hesitated as he made off the surface of Korriban, heading for parts unknown...
THE CLEANSING
Sweeping through the vast reaches of space, Nereus Vorn fled from Korriban, putting as much distance between the planet and himself, as possible. He did not anticipate pursuit, but one could never be sure. Entering hyperspace at the earliest opportunity, he made for the Kessel sector - and the planet of Honoghr, which was once part of the Infinite Empire 30,000 BBY. Vorn remembered that the Rakata constructed a temple there which remained sacred to the native inhabitants of the planet, known as the Noghri. The Noghri were clan-based, primitive humanoid species, who valued honor above all else. They were short yet sinewy and possessed incredible reflexes along with unbelievable agility. Vorn saw them as a perfect stepping stone to advancing his megalomaniac's goals, which currently included gaining the support and loyalty of a military force. The Noghri were formidable warriors - they could easily fill Vorn's ranks. When he had gained enough supporters among the natives, Vorn would scout the galaxy for more 'volunteers' to join his cause - and then, he would begin his conquest of the Galaxy, starting with the Outer Rim.
Upon landing on Honoghr, Vorn chose for his lair, a vacant underground cave which would serve his purposes perfectly. Therein, he established a 'cache' for the few objects he managed to steal from Korriban - a Forbidden Teachings holocron, half a dozen Ilum crystals, and a small, fingernail-sized Force splinter - the latter which he would later use to enhance his Sith Alchemy experiments with. Thus settled, Vorn began the 'assimilation' of Noghri into his ranks. For months, he studied them from afar, learning of their hunting techniques and watchful of their fighting styles. To gain the awe and loyalty of these natives, Vorn knew he had to manifest himself as a being of supreme and undisputed power. Pushing away his distaste for lightsaber combat, Nereus Vorn built his first dual set of lightsabers. Unlike most Sith weapons, these shone with a deep Tyrian purple hue - reminiscent of ancient royalty. With the successful completion of his new weapons, Vorn set out to study various lightsaber forms of the time in detail....while a seed of imagination with respect to a new type of combat already began to take hold in his deranged mind.
Upon landing on Honoghr, Vorn chose for his lair, a vacant underground cave which would serve his purposes perfectly. Therein, he established a 'cache' for the few objects he managed to steal from Korriban - a Forbidden Teachings holocron, half a dozen Ilum crystals, and a small, fingernail-sized Force splinter - the latter which he would later use to enhance his Sith Alchemy experiments with. Thus settled, Vorn began the 'assimilation' of Noghri into his ranks. For months, he studied them from afar, learning of their hunting techniques and watchful of their fighting styles. To gain the awe and loyalty of these natives, Vorn knew he had to manifest himself as a being of supreme and undisputed power. Pushing away his distaste for lightsaber combat, Nereus Vorn built his first dual set of lightsabers. Unlike most Sith weapons, these shone with a deep Tyrian purple hue - reminiscent of ancient royalty. With the successful completion of his new weapons, Vorn set out to study various lightsaber forms of the time in detail....while a seed of imagination with respect to a new type of combat already began to take hold in his deranged mind.
Darth Vorn's lightsabers, which he initially built for use with Form "X" - also known as the 'Way of the Noghri'
As a result of his in-depth study of saber combat crossed with the Noghri battle techniques - Vorn developed Form "X", an unorthodox, Force-driven, dual lightsaber form. It was like Makashi - only more elegant. It was like Soresu - only more secure in its defenses. It was like Ataru - only faster. It was like Shien - but oh...so much more powerful. It was like Jar'kai - but more offensive. It was like Juyo - but infinitely more unpredictable. In training, it resembled as a blurry Shii Cho - for the magnificent speed and complexity of movements involved roughly translated to simple, velocity-like slashes to the casual observer. This was due to the fact that such an observer - even a trained Jedi - only saw perhaps, one quarter of what was actually taking place. Because much of the form was developed based on the compact killing methods of the Honoghr natives, it was given the name "Way of the Noghri." It was also at that time that he became known as "Darth Vorn". Too insolent to take upon himself a proper Sith name, he opted to keep the one he was given at birth - a blatant confirmation of his ever-growing ego and a silent message to his adversaries: Nereus Vorn would never hide behind an assumed Sith Lord's name. He intended to remain as he was, ready to humble and obliterate anyone who dared to suggest otherwise.
FORM X - MASSASSI (also known as the "WAY OF THE NOGHRI")
Difficulty: Heroic (to activate)
PREREQUISITES:
BENEFITS:
DESCRIPTION:
NOTA BENE:
Difficulty: Heroic (to activate)
PREREQUISITES:
- DEXTERITY: 7D
- Lightsaber: 9D
- Brawling: 7D
- Dodge 9D
- Enhance Combat: 9D
- Force Speed: 9D
- Jedi Athletics 9D
- Martial Arts: 7D (any form)
- Ambidextrous Fighting (or Off-Handed Fighting)
BENEFITS:
- Add Full Sense attribute score to your Lightsaber, Melee Combat, and Brawling Attack and Defense rolls.
- Add Full Control attribute score to your Lightsaber, Melee Combat, and Brawling Attack and Defense rolls.
- Add Full Alter attribute score as a Damage modifier.
- You may deflect up to your full Lightsaber Skill D in attacks as a single Volley Deflection.
- When this form reaches 10D, you may add up to 1D of your normal EC bonus to all attacks and damage rolls associated with EC, Brawling and MA.
- When this form reaches 11D, you may add up to 2D of your normal EC bonus to all attacks and damage rolls associated with EC, Brawling and MA.
- When this form reaches 12D, rolls are treated as if you have Force Speed raised at Heroic - along with Enhance Combat.
DESCRIPTION:
Form X - also known as Way of the Noghri was developed as a custom lightsaber form. Like Jar'kai, it was meant to be used by dual weapon wielders. This style of combat incorporates various methods ofoptimized muscle control*, which enable one to deliver powerful blows and to move with extreme precision and speed. The basic principle behind the Way of the Noghri is that the user's mind affects his or her reality. A Form X practitioner has to know that the action he or she "wants" to perform has already been performed. For example, to imagine oneself behind an opponent at the current moment in time; when trained well, this knowledge will place you at the spot desired. As the martial arts incorporation allows even small attacks to do massive damage, Form X combat is to the death.
NOTA BENE:
*A Form X adept focuses on developing his or her physical abilities as well as their mental abilities. A trained user has full control over each muscle in the body, which allows for bending of extreme joints while remaining otherwise motionless, bend and contort the body in ways that most would consider impossible, or put a remarkable amount of force behind a physical blow. The mental part of the training behind Form X is the precise control of the totality of nerves in the human body.
The teleportation-like effect was accomplished by altering one's perception of reality, and thus mastery of the Way of the Noghri required a dramatic shift in one's concepts of both space-time, and cause and effect. It also required one to be in a state of perfect equilibrium with the Force. The key axiom of Form X was, in the words of Nereus Vorn, "My mind affects my reality. My reality and the Force, are one." By imagining oneself suddenly at a nearby location an adept could bypass the laws of physics and make themselves arrive there almost instantaneously.
The teleportation-like effect was accomplished by altering one's perception of reality, and thus mastery of the Way of the Noghri required a dramatic shift in one's concepts of both space-time, and cause and effect. It also required one to be in a state of perfect equilibrium with the Force. The key axiom of Form X was, in the words of Nereus Vorn, "My mind affects my reality. My reality and the Force, are one." By imagining oneself suddenly at a nearby location an adept could bypass the laws of physics and make themselves arrive there almost instantaneously.
Still, Vorn did not have as much success in rallying the Noghri to his cause, as he would have liked. In fact, his recruitment scheme met with utter failure. Though amazed at his power and skill with the Force, the Noghri refused to leave their planet to fight for a cause that was as foreign to them as it was disagreeable. Their loyalty lay with their clans. Seeing that he would not be able to accomplish his first goal on Honoghr, Nereus gathered to him his most faithful Noghri followers, known as the "Dark Wardens". These most faithful of his servants, he would take along with him off-world, as he traveled to various worlds in the galaxy, recruiting like minds to his cause. But he would have to do so under the cover of stealth. Still very much wanted by the Sith, Nereus could not simply walk out into the sun, rallying numbers to his cause. Like his old master, Darth Dolus, Vorn had to employ wisdom and guile if he were to succeed in his schemes.
Before leaving Honoghr, he set fire to the entirety of his underground dwelling, letting fire consume all he intended to leave behind - including the manuscript detailing the secrets of his newly created lightsaber form. He no longer needed it, after all - every detail was ingrained in his mind with perfect accuracy. As he bid farewell to Honoghr under the cover of night, Vorn began to regret not unleashing his vengeance upon the Noghri who resisted joining his ranks. At the same time, he knew that mass murder would certainly alert his adversaries to his location. This could have complicated matters greatly for Vorn - and he let the idea of revenge, go - for the moment. There would be another time - another place. Vorn never forgot an offense, no matter how slight.
Another decade passed. Vorn's ranks began to swell with encouraging frequency, to the point where he had to have a battleship commissioned so he could accommodate all his faithful warriors and marauders. This vessel, named "Leviathan", was a custom-built Sith battlecruiser with a powerful cloaking device. Using Darkside sorcery, Nereus Vorn was able to pass undetected, through any sector of space he encountered on his vast travels. As a new decade began to dawn, Vorn became ever more drawn to the Forbidden Teachings of the Dark side of the Force, learning how to manipulate bodies in order to use them for transferring one's essence within - to live forever. Such experiments met with dismal, discouraging failure at first - but then, as time progressed, Vorn became so engrossed in the process, that he was able to give of himself totally and utterly into the Dark side...mutating the midichlorians inside him, to adapt them to any purpose he wished - however malignant it was. Thanks to the Forbidden Teachings of the holocron he had once stolen from the Sith Academy, Vorn was able to learn the deepest secrets of Rakatan manipulation of the Force. At long last, he had mastered transferring one's life essence into another body, forcing the host to relinquish the spirit already inside - without relying on the ability to clone these host bodies. With such power, Vorn would now be able to possess any living sentient being, taking him or her over, whether dead or alive - willing or unwilling. Of course, live, willing specimens were his first choice - but if he could not find any examples of the latter, the less preferred alternatives would also suffice. Thus empowered, Darth Nereus Vorn cruised the galaxy under the cloaked refuge of stealth, fueling his ranks with new converts - planning for his ultimate aspiration - a destiny that lay in wait, yearning to be fulfilled.
Before leaving Honoghr, he set fire to the entirety of his underground dwelling, letting fire consume all he intended to leave behind - including the manuscript detailing the secrets of his newly created lightsaber form. He no longer needed it, after all - every detail was ingrained in his mind with perfect accuracy. As he bid farewell to Honoghr under the cover of night, Vorn began to regret not unleashing his vengeance upon the Noghri who resisted joining his ranks. At the same time, he knew that mass murder would certainly alert his adversaries to his location. This could have complicated matters greatly for Vorn - and he let the idea of revenge, go - for the moment. There would be another time - another place. Vorn never forgot an offense, no matter how slight.
Another decade passed. Vorn's ranks began to swell with encouraging frequency, to the point where he had to have a battleship commissioned so he could accommodate all his faithful warriors and marauders. This vessel, named "Leviathan", was a custom-built Sith battlecruiser with a powerful cloaking device. Using Darkside sorcery, Nereus Vorn was able to pass undetected, through any sector of space he encountered on his vast travels. As a new decade began to dawn, Vorn became ever more drawn to the Forbidden Teachings of the Dark side of the Force, learning how to manipulate bodies in order to use them for transferring one's essence within - to live forever. Such experiments met with dismal, discouraging failure at first - but then, as time progressed, Vorn became so engrossed in the process, that he was able to give of himself totally and utterly into the Dark side...mutating the midichlorians inside him, to adapt them to any purpose he wished - however malignant it was. Thanks to the Forbidden Teachings of the holocron he had once stolen from the Sith Academy, Vorn was able to learn the deepest secrets of Rakatan manipulation of the Force. At long last, he had mastered transferring one's life essence into another body, forcing the host to relinquish the spirit already inside - without relying on the ability to clone these host bodies. With such power, Vorn would now be able to possess any living sentient being, taking him or her over, whether dead or alive - willing or unwilling. Of course, live, willing specimens were his first choice - but if he could not find any examples of the latter, the less preferred alternatives would also suffice. Thus empowered, Darth Nereus Vorn cruised the galaxy under the cloaked refuge of stealth, fueling his ranks with new converts - planning for his ultimate aspiration - a destiny that lay in wait, yearning to be fulfilled.
HOMECOMING
Vorn did eventually return to Onderon, although he did not inform anyone of his coming. Though tempted to take up residence in the underground bowels of his ancestral home - the formidable Khameer Fortress - the Sith Lord chose instead, to dwell in the vast, unexplored caverns of Onderon's untamed wilderness. His ship remained in orbit, hidden from view. Vorn set up an alchemist's lab in his new dwelling, where he experimented with his favorite techniques of transferring life essences from one species to another, and mutating existing creatures' cellular makeup to satisfy his own curiosity. Sithspawn were nothing to him. No, he, Nereus Vorn, would create a new breed of fearless super-warriors who would live and die at his command - but not before helping their master achieve total and undisputed victory. Indeed, Vorn would never stop - until every knee bent at the sound of his name - in utter and complete obeisance to the Galaxy's new demi-god.
It was also during this time that Vorn had decided to choose his first apprentice. His spies had informed him that Flavius had fathered another son, shortly before passing on. Amavis was now 17 years of age and ripe for a true Master, ready to complete his training. While his father did his best to instruct Amavis in the ways of the Dark side, the boy was a far cry from Flavius' first-born, whose prowess in the Force had easily surpassed that of his infamous grandfather. With the help of his Noghri guards, Vorn had Amavis abducted and brought to his lair. There, he revealed his true identity to his brother, who eagerly swore allegiance to his new Master in light of the grandiose vision Vorn had unveiled before his prospective pupil's eyes. But Amavis did not prove himself to be as good an apprentice as Vorn had hoped and was summarily beheaded in 4278 B.B.Y. Disgusted by Amavis' failure, Vorn would not take on a new apprentice for another four thousand years. The remainder of Nereus' time on Onderon was spent mostly in isolation, while he continued to research various Force-driven reanimation techniques and perfected the twisted life essence transfer methods he had honed earlier on Onderon.
It was also during this time that Vorn had decided to choose his first apprentice. His spies had informed him that Flavius had fathered another son, shortly before passing on. Amavis was now 17 years of age and ripe for a true Master, ready to complete his training. While his father did his best to instruct Amavis in the ways of the Dark side, the boy was a far cry from Flavius' first-born, whose prowess in the Force had easily surpassed that of his infamous grandfather. With the help of his Noghri guards, Vorn had Amavis abducted and brought to his lair. There, he revealed his true identity to his brother, who eagerly swore allegiance to his new Master in light of the grandiose vision Vorn had unveiled before his prospective pupil's eyes. But Amavis did not prove himself to be as good an apprentice as Vorn had hoped and was summarily beheaded in 4278 B.B.Y. Disgusted by Amavis' failure, Vorn would not take on a new apprentice for another four thousand years. The remainder of Nereus' time on Onderon was spent mostly in isolation, while he continued to research various Force-driven reanimation techniques and perfected the twisted life essence transfer methods he had honed earlier on Onderon.
DISCOVERY OF THE FORCE CRYSTAL
It is uncertain when and where Vorn first heard of its existence. The legend of this cryptic and powerful artifact was likely documented in one of the writings of Exar Kun, upon which Vorn stumbled in his life-long quest for knowledge. Possessing the Force Crystal, and more importantly - finding it - became a life-long obsession for the Dark-side Avatar. As Kun's writings were obscure and did not provide Vorn with a solid direction in which to proceed, Vorn spent many lifetimes attempting to visit just about every world in the known Galaxy and beyond - to gain evidence of its resting place. Knowing that he would likely not be successful in acquiring the crystal during his lifetime, Vorn began delving deeper and deeper into the darkest Magics of the Force, known as the Forbidden Teachings. Compiled by some of the greatest Sith in history of the Galaxy, the writings contained the summary of their knowledge focusing specifically on propagation of self through possession of objects and live organisms. His new journey proved to be an epiphany of his self-devised immortality - a permanent salvation from death eternal.
SELF PROPAGATION USING FORBIDDEN TEACHINGS
Focusing on the sense facet of the Force, Vorn took his time in learning, practicing and finally - perfecting, the transferring of Life Essences into objects and eventually - other host bodies. The key to immortality itself, this was perhaps one of the most difficult and malignant of all the Force powers. To overcome a spirit already inside a body was deemed nearly impossible, and is thus nearly useless without the ability to clone host bodies. Because previous attempts to do so were met with ultimate failure, manifesting itself in the death of the host body, Vorn attempted to merge Sith Alchemy, powerful mind control techniques involving memory wipes, distorting matter and the ability to drain life essence, to 'insert' his own spirit successfully into a host body by rendering the spirit effectively powerless to resist.
Having found a way to continue through time without surrendering his life essence to the Force, Vorn continued on with his life-long obsession, taking numerous hosts as he continued his efforts in accomplishing all the goals that could not possibly have been realized in a single lifetime. Strangely enough, it was during latest 'incarnations' that he began considering taking a mate and producing an offspring. It was not so much the desire to mate as sheer curiosity as to what kind of offspring he would be capable of producing, that motivated the Dark-side Avatar. Considering that his first apprentice was an abysmal failure, perhaps his child would serve as a more worthy candidate for passing on valuable knowledge. Of course, he had every intention of controlling just what kind of knowledge he would bestow upon this child, but the idea seemed to fit his desires and expectations, for there had not been a single being that he had met on his vast travels, that even slightly tempted Vorn into taking another apprentice. Since he could not procreate by himself, a suitable mate (preferably one strong in the Force), would have to be found. As luck would have it, while attending an exobiology seminar on Telos IV, he made the acquaintance of a certain young Coruscanti Jedi Knight, named Y'arani Pell. Y'arani (or Y'ar as she preferred to be called) was intrigued by the wisdom and knowledge Vorn possessed and they spent a lot of time in each other's company, discussing a great variety of subjects which undoubtedly made quite an impression on the young woman. Completely unaware of his sinister motives, the Jedi found herself captivated by the vast intelligence, wit and charisma of her new found friend - completely unaware that Vorn was planning to make yet another impression; one that would change Y'arani's life...forever.
Having found a way to continue through time without surrendering his life essence to the Force, Vorn continued on with his life-long obsession, taking numerous hosts as he continued his efforts in accomplishing all the goals that could not possibly have been realized in a single lifetime. Strangely enough, it was during latest 'incarnations' that he began considering taking a mate and producing an offspring. It was not so much the desire to mate as sheer curiosity as to what kind of offspring he would be capable of producing, that motivated the Dark-side Avatar. Considering that his first apprentice was an abysmal failure, perhaps his child would serve as a more worthy candidate for passing on valuable knowledge. Of course, he had every intention of controlling just what kind of knowledge he would bestow upon this child, but the idea seemed to fit his desires and expectations, for there had not been a single being that he had met on his vast travels, that even slightly tempted Vorn into taking another apprentice. Since he could not procreate by himself, a suitable mate (preferably one strong in the Force), would have to be found. As luck would have it, while attending an exobiology seminar on Telos IV, he made the acquaintance of a certain young Coruscanti Jedi Knight, named Y'arani Pell. Y'arani (or Y'ar as she preferred to be called) was intrigued by the wisdom and knowledge Vorn possessed and they spent a lot of time in each other's company, discussing a great variety of subjects which undoubtedly made quite an impression on the young woman. Completely unaware of his sinister motives, the Jedi found herself captivated by the vast intelligence, wit and charisma of her new found friend - completely unaware that Vorn was planning to make yet another impression; one that would change Y'arani's life...forever.
PROGENY
Clever, suave and charming - Vorn had offered to further her learning in the ways of the Force - and the Jedi Knight readily accepted. An eager apprentice, she agreed to return with Vorn to Onderon, reassured that in spite of its dark side leanings, the planet was the perfect training ground for what he had in mind to teach her. Swept away by the promise of learning new methods of healing and alchemy, Y'arani never once considered the implications of her newly found calling. The wisdom and charisma of her Master had swept away all doubts and veiled them in a shroud of curiosity and awe. Plus, he had never once given off a feeling of uneasiness, to her - and thus, she had no reason to doubt him. She trusted Vorn implicitly - and her respect for the man had grown with every passing day - as he taught her the 'true' meaning of the Force. For the time being, that included manipulating life essence*; an innovative, Force-augmented combat**, and last but not least - influencing matter beyond ways she was accustomed to - and beyond anything which she had been aware of, while a student and a teacher at the Jedi Temple***.
Y'arani progressed in her studies, at first - unaware of who it was that was training her. An abrupt and painful awakening came during a day where she was ushered into an arena full of horrifyingly disfigured Sithspawn, and fight each and every one of them - or perish. She understood then, that no Jedi could have contrived a 'test' so absolute, so utterly veiled in the Dark side of the Force - as did the one who spent these past months training her. When at last, she stood victorious, a lone shadow baptized in blood, Vorn had her escorted out of the arena by his faithful Noghri bodyguards - and that same day, when the evening fell - he chose to make her his unwilling consort, feeling that the time had come for the final stage of his plan regarding the seemingly unwitting Jedi Knight. Betrayed and violated, Y'ar now had to endure living a life of humiliation and fear, though neither of them could manifest themselves in the presence of her master and lover. To do as much, would mean instant death for her and her unborn child. Yes, Vorn had made sure that the 'creature' as he now referred to her - was duly pregnant, and he waited patiently for the results. It did not stop him from repeatedly seducing and defiling her at whim, knowing full well that she shrank from his very touch and even the lewd gaze which feasted upon her with licentious abandon. Yar's only hope now, was that the Sith would not kill her, once the child was born. Perhaps he would have further need of her, as someone who would stay by the baby's side as a nurturing and loving presence. But her lover had already formulated a plan for her...and it was only a matter of time, before Y'arani Pell would meet her unfortunate end.
The birth was but a week away, when Vorn burst into his lover's chamber with his lightsaber in hand and drawn. Reminiscent of an old Terran legend of a vile Emperor named Caligula, Vorn restrained Y'ar by unleashing the power of Telekinetic Kill upon her - then, mounting her legs to keep them from kicking violently, he cut her distended belly open and drew forth a child just as its mother drew her last gasping breath. Y'ar never lived to see her offspring born. As Vorn cradled the mound of flesh in his arms, he withdrew from Y'arani's corpse and immediately left the chamber without so much as casting a single look back. The Jedi had fulfilled her destiny... Ordering the Noghri guards waiting at the door to burn his discarded lover's body, he took the child and glanced her over briefly. The baby was a girl, but gender held no meaning with Vorn where his purpose was concerned. She would grow up to be just as strong as her father, in all the ways of the Force he could teach her. He would call her Muriel - and she would call him....Master.
Y'arani progressed in her studies, at first - unaware of who it was that was training her. An abrupt and painful awakening came during a day where she was ushered into an arena full of horrifyingly disfigured Sithspawn, and fight each and every one of them - or perish. She understood then, that no Jedi could have contrived a 'test' so absolute, so utterly veiled in the Dark side of the Force - as did the one who spent these past months training her. When at last, she stood victorious, a lone shadow baptized in blood, Vorn had her escorted out of the arena by his faithful Noghri bodyguards - and that same day, when the evening fell - he chose to make her his unwilling consort, feeling that the time had come for the final stage of his plan regarding the seemingly unwitting Jedi Knight. Betrayed and violated, Y'ar now had to endure living a life of humiliation and fear, though neither of them could manifest themselves in the presence of her master and lover. To do as much, would mean instant death for her and her unborn child. Yes, Vorn had made sure that the 'creature' as he now referred to her - was duly pregnant, and he waited patiently for the results. It did not stop him from repeatedly seducing and defiling her at whim, knowing full well that she shrank from his very touch and even the lewd gaze which feasted upon her with licentious abandon. Yar's only hope now, was that the Sith would not kill her, once the child was born. Perhaps he would have further need of her, as someone who would stay by the baby's side as a nurturing and loving presence. But her lover had already formulated a plan for her...and it was only a matter of time, before Y'arani Pell would meet her unfortunate end.
The birth was but a week away, when Vorn burst into his lover's chamber with his lightsaber in hand and drawn. Reminiscent of an old Terran legend of a vile Emperor named Caligula, Vorn restrained Y'ar by unleashing the power of Telekinetic Kill upon her - then, mounting her legs to keep them from kicking violently, he cut her distended belly open and drew forth a child just as its mother drew her last gasping breath. Y'ar never lived to see her offspring born. As Vorn cradled the mound of flesh in his arms, he withdrew from Y'arani's corpse and immediately left the chamber without so much as casting a single look back. The Jedi had fulfilled her destiny... Ordering the Noghri guards waiting at the door to burn his discarded lover's body, he took the child and glanced her over briefly. The baby was a girl, but gender held no meaning with Vorn where his purpose was concerned. She would grow up to be just as strong as her father, in all the ways of the Force he could teach her. He would call her Muriel - and she would call him....Master.
*Transfer Life Essence, **Projected Fighting, ***Sith Alchemy
THE LAST APPRENTICE
The most prominent of students that Nereus Vorn had ever taught was said to be Ian Savant, a human from the planet Ambria. Although the details of master and apprentice coming together remain shadowed in obscurity, it is known that Savant was a skilled duelist, especially in Makashi and Ataru forms; he was also no stranger to Juyo - and was known to employ it from time to time. A cunning warrior, Savant served Vorn faithfully and without reproach on the part of his master - for at least two decades - until his fateful mission to Ossus.
Savant was sent to the former seat of Jedi enlightenment to intercept a group of renegade Jedi in search of the Force Crystal - a Force artifact of untold and immense power which Vorn himself wished to obtain for his own nefarious purposes. As always, Savant was ready to obey and serve and this time, he would make sure the Jedi progressed no further. They had already been successful tracing the whereabouts of the artifact across several planets in the Galaxy and were getting ever closer to its elusive resting place. But Vorn would get there first, if Savant had to lay down his own life in the process. Having set his preparations in motion, the apprentice entrenched himself in the old Jedi Library ruins...and waited for the arrival of his prey.
When the Jedi expedition arrived, Savant unleashed his forces against them, hoping to easily overpower the Jedi. Then, he hoped to have the pleasure of finishing them off, himself. The resulting skirmish resulted in a confrontation between Savant and two Jedi Knights, but it was neither Serena Elysar nor Davin Kabak who ultimately dictated the progress of the future. As Savant's forces had been decimated and he stood alone facing the enemy, the Sith apprentice considered -all- his options. A little Hapan Jedi Padawan, who had been keeping to a purely defensive role in the entire event, began speaking to Savant in his thought. The Sith, not expecting faultless logic and clever diplomacy on the part of a mere scrap of a girl, was suddenly compelled to listen...
The Padawan's thoughts rang true; Savant had been a slave most of his life and his apprenticeship to Vorn had been no different. Now was his chance to be free - to establish himself as a master of his own fate. Without dwelling too much on the repercussions of his choice, Savant decided to leave Vorn's service - as long as the Jedi gave him sanctuary on board their vessel, the "Enduring Hope" - but even then he was not entirely convinced of his own safety. After all, no one could hide from his master for long. Eventually, he would make his own way in the Galaxy, taking off for parts unknown. It was rumored that he sought refuge among the Hutts, but after his departure from the Hope no one seen or heard from him, again...
Savant was sent to the former seat of Jedi enlightenment to intercept a group of renegade Jedi in search of the Force Crystal - a Force artifact of untold and immense power which Vorn himself wished to obtain for his own nefarious purposes. As always, Savant was ready to obey and serve and this time, he would make sure the Jedi progressed no further. They had already been successful tracing the whereabouts of the artifact across several planets in the Galaxy and were getting ever closer to its elusive resting place. But Vorn would get there first, if Savant had to lay down his own life in the process. Having set his preparations in motion, the apprentice entrenched himself in the old Jedi Library ruins...and waited for the arrival of his prey.
When the Jedi expedition arrived, Savant unleashed his forces against them, hoping to easily overpower the Jedi. Then, he hoped to have the pleasure of finishing them off, himself. The resulting skirmish resulted in a confrontation between Savant and two Jedi Knights, but it was neither Serena Elysar nor Davin Kabak who ultimately dictated the progress of the future. As Savant's forces had been decimated and he stood alone facing the enemy, the Sith apprentice considered -all- his options. A little Hapan Jedi Padawan, who had been keeping to a purely defensive role in the entire event, began speaking to Savant in his thought. The Sith, not expecting faultless logic and clever diplomacy on the part of a mere scrap of a girl, was suddenly compelled to listen...
The Padawan's thoughts rang true; Savant had been a slave most of his life and his apprenticeship to Vorn had been no different. Now was his chance to be free - to establish himself as a master of his own fate. Without dwelling too much on the repercussions of his choice, Savant decided to leave Vorn's service - as long as the Jedi gave him sanctuary on board their vessel, the "Enduring Hope" - but even then he was not entirely convinced of his own safety. After all, no one could hide from his master for long. Eventually, he would make his own way in the Galaxy, taking off for parts unknown. It was rumored that he sought refuge among the Hutts, but after his departure from the Hope no one seen or heard from him, again...
THE MOST DANGEROUS GAME
Still chasing after the elusive and obscure Force Crystal, Vorn employed all of his experience and knowledge to find its exact location. He, however, was not the only one in pursuit of the ancient monolith: a group of Jedi, along with his only biological daughter (Muriel Y'ar), was also tracking the whereabouts of the arcane object. Their travels took them all over the Galaxy, with Vorn attempting to slow, maim and otherwise prevent the party from ever reaching their goal. Korriban, Onderon, Dxun, Almas, Kashyyyk, Yavin 4, and Ossus were just among some of the most prominent places that left undeniable (if subtle) hints as to the whereabouts of the Force Crystal. Eventually, both interested parties would converge upon a labyrinthine subterranean cave on Kashyyyk where the Crystal sat in wait as it had, for several millennia.
A battle for the artifact ensued, where Vorn attempted to enslave the Jedi life auras to the Crystal, which - as it turned out - owed its power to doing just that. (In centuries past, it had beckoned other Force sensitives - yet all who came to seek its power found instead, their own irreversible destruction - the crystal would claim their life auras, as it fed and thrived upon them.) As the two sides clashed, Vorn seemingly utilized every shred of his power to destroy the Jedi - but the heroes rallied as one, and eventually - with Muriel's timely aid, they were able to overcome it. In the course of the battle, the Force Crystal was destroyed and all the souls within it, liberated. They were now free to enter the Netherworld and the heroes were left with shards of the Force Crystal, scattered all over the cave floor. Each member of the party would take one with them before leaving the planet - a reminder of their experience and of how close they came to becoming servants to the power of the Force Crystal.
Nereus Vorn fled, now convinced more than ever that his daughter had become nearly as powerful as he was, and a Dark Lord of the Sith in everything but name. A scholar and trickster to the last, Vorn's true interest and purpose was never the Force monolith: its pursuit was merely a test he administered for Muriel - and one she passed with flying colors. In truth, had Vorn not been holding the Bogan of the Crystal at bay, the party's life essences would have been almost instantly assimilated by the artifact, upon entering its resting chamber. The dominance he had exerted over the ancient relic, along with the essence of power he had absorbed from it during combat had convinced Vorn once and for all that he had finally become the True Avatar of the Force.
Absorbing some of the Crystal's essence had aged Vorn immeasurably. It also weakened him physically until such time as he would find a new host body to inhabit. Still, even though the Crystal was destroyed, the Sith Lord managed to get what he came for - and he would now make himself ready for the next stage of wreaking havoc - this time, in the vast reaches of the Unknown Galaxy ...
A battle for the artifact ensued, where Vorn attempted to enslave the Jedi life auras to the Crystal, which - as it turned out - owed its power to doing just that. (In centuries past, it had beckoned other Force sensitives - yet all who came to seek its power found instead, their own irreversible destruction - the crystal would claim their life auras, as it fed and thrived upon them.) As the two sides clashed, Vorn seemingly utilized every shred of his power to destroy the Jedi - but the heroes rallied as one, and eventually - with Muriel's timely aid, they were able to overcome it. In the course of the battle, the Force Crystal was destroyed and all the souls within it, liberated. They were now free to enter the Netherworld and the heroes were left with shards of the Force Crystal, scattered all over the cave floor. Each member of the party would take one with them before leaving the planet - a reminder of their experience and of how close they came to becoming servants to the power of the Force Crystal.
Nereus Vorn fled, now convinced more than ever that his daughter had become nearly as powerful as he was, and a Dark Lord of the Sith in everything but name. A scholar and trickster to the last, Vorn's true interest and purpose was never the Force monolith: its pursuit was merely a test he administered for Muriel - and one she passed with flying colors. In truth, had Vorn not been holding the Bogan of the Crystal at bay, the party's life essences would have been almost instantly assimilated by the artifact, upon entering its resting chamber. The dominance he had exerted over the ancient relic, along with the essence of power he had absorbed from it during combat had convinced Vorn once and for all that he had finally become the True Avatar of the Force.
Absorbing some of the Crystal's essence had aged Vorn immeasurably. It also weakened him physically until such time as he would find a new host body to inhabit. Still, even though the Crystal was destroyed, the Sith Lord managed to get what he came for - and he would now make himself ready for the next stage of wreaking havoc - this time, in the vast reaches of the Unknown Galaxy ...
STILL TO COME:
- Chrysalis Campaign
- There is no death, there is the Force.
