Approved NPC Acolytes of the Grey Annex

[Venn Kolis]

OUT OF CHARACTER INFORMATION

• Intent: To codify a simple Force Sensitive NPC to serve as a possible background for Sith Order and Dark Side writers.
• Image Credit: -)%(-
• Role: Skilled martial fighter, baseline sorcerer, infiltrator and frontline vanguard.
• Permissions: N/A
• Links: ~}&{~

GENERAL INFORMATION

• Unit Name: Acolytes of the Grey Annex
• Affiliation: The Sith Order, The Palace of Silver Rain
• Classification: Sith Acolyte
• Description: The Palace of Silver Rain does not expect that every initiate to walk its path will reach the end. The journey to become Sith is long and treacherous. Not every Neophyte of the Shales will become a Tyro. Not every Tyro of the Rivergrounds will earn passage to the mountain heights above. From the base of the mountain, to the forested foothills, to the peaks beyond... some will inevitably fall. Those that triumph gain the right to petition the Houses of the Grey Annex to accept them as students. They are possessions no longer, but now individuals. They are acolytes of the Sith.

COMBAT INFORMATION

• Unit Size: Small. Though sometimes dispatched on solo assignments, acolytes are assigned to squads to train their teamwork and coordinated combat.
• Unit Availability: Rare. Force Sensitives are hard to come by, even with the Sith Order testing m-counts like mad across their spheres of influence.
• Unit Experience: Veteran. Acolytes are tutored in large scale tactics, basic alchemy, galactic politics, stealth infiltration, and leadership skills... to varying degrees of success. All of this, of course, supplements rigorous combat training in sword and sorcery. Having survived both the Shales as a Sith Neophyte and the Rivergrounds as a Sith Tyro, the Acolyte, while still learning, is a competent and clever fighter who has faced death before.
• Equipment: Once a Palace Tyro become an Acolyte, they can buy personal belongings from the Marketplace of Desolous during infrequent visits in town. Their combat equipment, however, is provided by the Temple and Grey Annex.
  • Sithsteel Warblade. These expensive swords serve as an Acolyte's badge of office, and are typically their most valuable possession by far.
  • Hooded Tunic of the Grey Annex. This clothing hides an Acolyte's face, that he might be known by his prowess, recognized by her power.
  • Steel Plate Armor. Quadanium alloy coated in duraplast to increase lightsaber resistance. Pieces like gauntlets, greaves, armored boots, or a cuirass can be earned from the various Annexes as a reward for improvement.
  • Suilani Water Hound. Acolytes are not typically capable of controlling any warbeast larger than this predator. A fearsome looking mount, this is a sought-after prize awarded by the Annex to exceptional Acolytes.
• Combat Function: Still fledgling sorcerers, these young pupils must diligently train their minds and sword-arms to stay alive while on assignment. All Acolytes of the Grey Annex are required to achieve competency in one style of the Immortal Bladecraft. If mounted on a Water Hound, the Acolyte benefits from the natural tracking abilities and dangerous claws of this animal.
• Force Abilities: Acolytes of the Grey Annex are expected to achieve a 2nd Stage Force Body early in their training, enhancing speed and strength for prolonged periods. All Acolytes should be able to control a tamed Sith warbeast. Additionally, they are typically competent in at least one (though no more than three) of the Five Schools of Sorcery.
  • Tempest Arts: The Acolyte can emit quick bursts of lightning from their hands, with a range of ~6 meters. Good for immobilization.
  • Pyrokinesis: Flames explode from the Acolyte's hands, dangerous in a wide ~3 meter range. Excellent damage.
  • Obtenebration: In combat, the Acolyte's shadow becomes a curtain over a foe's eyes. Great for setting up a killing blow.
  • Telekinesis: The Acolyte can block a blaster bolt with a Barrier, and knock a grown sentient off their feet with a Repulse. Raw versatility.
  • Domination: Initiates should be able to Whisper, as well as project a low-level aura of fear. Ideal for mind games.

STRENGTHS

• The Jack of All: The Immortal Bladeworks, Sith sorcery, and warbeast control; Palace Acolytes have an arsenal of skills upon which to draw in any situation.
• Within This Soul: Agony and demoralization throng the path to becoming an Acolyte of the Grey Annex. Those who've walked it are resolute, and not easily intimidated.
• Eye for Power: Because of the culture of the Palace of Silver Rain, most acolytes can accurately gauge a being's strength at a glance, and discern killing intent from afar.

WEAKNESSES

• Has Mastered None: Though well-versed in the basics, these initiates have typically not honed more than one skill past competency. With such a wide field of study, its natural some lessons fall through the cracks.
• Beyond This Mountain: The dangers of Saijo are very real, and initiates of the Palace are by no means sheltered. However, there is a difference between perilous training and perilous adventure. Most lack experience off-world.
• Thirst for Glory: Competition within the Palace of Silver Rain is fierce. Acolytes are known for taking risks with the hope of being noticed by a Sith Lord or Lady. Whether those risks are brave or stupid depends on whether the Acolyte survives.

HISTORICAL INFORMATION
The future of the Sith Order is not the petty squabbles of yesterday's legends. It is the unrefined passion of the next generation that will determine the fate of the Sith. It must then be of vital importance that this passion be forged into worthy armament for the battles of tomorrow.

It was for this reason that the Palace of Silver Rain was established on Saijo, and the Acolytes of the Grey Annex are the first harvest from the seeds planted on that rainy world. The Houses of the Grey Annex, each managed by one of the many Sects within the Sith Order, stand ready to impart their wisdom to worthy acolytes. Some teachers are more forgiving then others, some secrets more jealously guarded. Whether by strength or guile, teachings of the Grey Annex must be earned.

Individuals, having earned the right to call themselves Sith, these dark warriors stand ready to travel from their beautiful sanctuary to the farthest reaches of the Galaxy if need be. Should the Order call, they will answer. Some among their rank will die ignobly and pathetically. And some will one day rule entire planets. These are the heirs to the Bogan. These are the proteges of the Dark Side.

 

[The Mongrel]

Under Review Venn Kolis

Just a few things to go over before approval.

• Affiliation: You mention the Palace of Silver Rain many times in this submission. Is there a faction page or sub to link to, so that readers can get more information about it? If not, that's okay, but if so please link it.

• Description: For readers not part of your current story or faction, please expand a bit. Who is (are?) the Palace of the Silver Rain? What does it mean to be a Neophyte of the Shales, or a Tyro of the Rivergrounds? What are the Houses of the Grey Annex? These terms are not common knowledge. Either link to somewhere the terms are explained, or explain them briefly here.

• Unit Size: Though we don't generally use hard numbers too much in the Codex, size is relative to battlefield units. Generally, a "small" unit is twelve or fewer. Are these acolytes being deployed in larger squads than that? Could we see a unit of fifty to eighty of these guys on the battlefield? If not, the size should probably be "small".

• Unit Experience: "Trained" is considered to be equivalent to Imperial Stormtroopers or the Rebel troops on Hoth; they've been through basic training and know unit tactics, weapon care, etc., but have no specialized skills. Characters trained in "large scale tactics, basic alchemy, galactic politics, stealth infiltration, and leadership skills" plus multiple deadly force powers plus specialized warblade combat styles are Veteran at a very minimum.

• Equipment: Some links would be helpful here. Perhaps Sith Sword for the warblade, and links to Quandanium and duraplast for the armor. What makes it "Steel Plate Armor", by the way, if it's made out of quandanium alloy and duraplast?

• History: a link to Saijo would be helpful here.

 

[Venn Kolis]

The Mongrel

As always, thanks for your time and feedback! Lot of moving parts with this one.

• Affiliation: My challenge here is I can't handle having too many in-progress submissions, I'm too smoothbrain. There will be a Palace of Silver Rain sub soon: I'm making this sub, and others, to link on that sub. I might go back and then edit this and others at that point to include links to the finished Palace.
  
  
• Description: All of these terms are things that are explained in-depth in the Palace of Silver Rain page, which will have a link to this specific sub on it. I've added some further context to clarify.
  
  
• Unit Size: Acolytes are trained in groups of 30-50 individuals, but not deployed in combat with those numbers. Definite mistake on my part. I've changed this, thanks for pointing it out.
  
  
• Unit Experience: This, too, is my mistake, though a bit more nuanced. The training process just to become an Acolyte of the Grey Annex is 2 years uninterrupted training at minimum, and most will remain Acolytes for upwards of 4 years. The confusion here is that Acolytes are students; their grasp on any one of their skills is partial, and depends on the aptitude of the individual, but certainly not mastery. Despite this, the trials of a Neophyte and Tyro that they experience before this stage represent a hellish environment, so I'm willing to capitulate on this point and change the experience to Veteran. I've added a Weakness outlining that though harshly trained, most Acolytes have sparse off-world experience.
  
  
• Equipment: I've added links. Quadanium (which I misspelled lol) is actually a kind of steel, a specific alloy; I've added a link for clarification. Not to be confused with Quadranium, which apparently is different.
  
  
• History: Saijo linked, and this section was also expanded for additional background. Much of what could be said here will be gone over in the Palace of Silver Rain entry, so I've tried to keep this one succinct and relevant to the unit.

Thanks again for your help. If there's anything more you'd like to see don't hesitate to ask.

 

[Venn Kolis]

Added the Suilani Water Hound to 'equipment' as a typical mount/Sith warbeast companion, sub has been linked.

 

[The Mongrel]

That works. I'd encourage you to submit a modification request and edit in the link to the Palace of Silver Rain when it's done.

Approved. Venn Kolis