Archangel Corner

[Valiens Nantaris]

[member="Siobhan Kerrigan"]
I think Nur Jahan is a perfect choice. I also like a Gand and Caamasi acolyte too.

 

[Siobhan Kerrigan]

[member="Valiens Nantaris"]


Ok. Will rewrite Nur's sub then.


Hmm what niches could she, the Gand and the Caamasi fill?

 

[Siobhan Kerrigan]

Spoiler

OUT OF CHARACTER INFORMATION

• Intent: Expand on Libertas' gang.
• ​Image Credit: Here. 'Darth Bro'ka' by Tsabo6.
• Role: Once an acolyte of Sumiko and Illyria, now a member of Libertas' posse. By extension, she's an affiliate of Enyo. Sith Assassin type.​
• Links: Sumiko Tanaka, Illyria, Covenant of Uriel, Talisman of Uriel, Religion is the opium of the people.

PHYSICAL INFORMATION

• Age: 25
• Force Sensitivity: Knight
• Species: Mon Calamari
• Appearance: Nur is of average height and resembles the average Mon Calamari - large, google-like eyes, high-domed forehead and webbed hands with clawed fingers. She has dark, somewhat unhealthy looking skin. Her body is marred by several rather nasty scars, including those inflicted by a whip from her time as a slave. She is rather self-conscious about them, dressing in concealing attire. She lacks brute strength, but makes up for it with speed and agility. She is not shy about using her claws to gain an edge in combat, for instance by jabbing a claw into an opponent's eye. She is able to move very quietly. Being a Mon Calamari, she can swivel her eyes independently from one another.

SOCIAL INFORMATION

• Name: Nur Jahan
• Loyalties: Formerly Sumiko. Now herself, also Darth Libertas. By extension: Enyo Typhos, Archangel Research and Design, Typhos Clone Family.
• Wealth: Low.
• Notable Possessions: Talisman of Uriel, Word of the Lord of Light. The latter is the Covenant's holy book. Aside from the cult's commandments, it also incorporates a history of the galaxy from the perspective of Urielian teachings. According to this tome, Palpatine was Azrael incarnate, while Luke Skywalker was a messianic figure guided by Uriel. Moreover, the Gulag Virus was Uriel's punishment for a sinful Galaxy that had fallen into decadence. Akala's rise was a portent of the coming apocalypse, in which only the followers of Light would be spared. Nur Jahan no longer believes in the gospel of Uriel, but keeps both items as a reminder of the past and the dangers of naive belief. Carries a red bladed lightsabre.

Skills: Nur Jahan's skill set can be compared to that of a Sith Assassin. Rather than brute force, her strengths lie in guile, surprise and deception. Going through the school of hard knocks has taught her to fight dirty and endowed her with some useful non-combat skills.

• She is skilled at hiding her Force Signature, concealing herself from the naked eye through manipulation of light and sound waves and using the Force to amplify her speed and reflexes. Skilled in Water Shaping. Able to use the Force Flash technique to remain undetected in areas under surveillance, creating static interference for brief moments in visual recording devices.
• She is able to utilise psychometry, which comes in handy for intelligence gathering.
• Being a Mon Cal, she is an excellent swimmer and diver. Her people can breathe water, though this is uncomfortable.
• Due to her past and the need to earn some coin, Nur has some practical, non-combat skills, such as lockpicking, salvage, slicing, salvaging and electronics. Trained in surveillance techniques.
• Can speak Huttese and understand Twi'leki.
• Solid duellist, though reliant on agility and finesse rather than raw strength. Good with guns and bladed weapons.

Personality: There was a time when Nur Jahan was a true believer. She believed strongly in the literal truth of the Covenant of Uriel's teachings. Uriel was a Yazata, an Angel of the Force, and the avatar of the Light Side. He was opposed by his antithesis Azrael, the embodiment of evil. The Covenant was the sole force of good in the Galaxy. All those who did not follow its teachings were infidels. If they could be converted, they must be destroyed. She was a serious, zealous woman whose resourcefulness and religious dogmatism made her a useful asset to the cult.


Her serious attitude obfuscated the fact that she is a very bitter young woman with some serious anger issues. Many years of abuse and oppression have moulded her into this. She is capable of very cruel acts and enjoys seeing those she considers unjust suffer. Quite likely, her dedication to the Covenant and her fight against 'infidels' was also a way for her to overcome her childhood by finding an outlet for her anger. She feels particular hatred towards Hutts due to her years as a slave. Having faced racism in the past, she followed the Covenant because she felt accepted there. Now she no longer believes. The cult's leaders have, for the most part, been revealed to be frauds who abused their followers' faith in them. This has made Nur angry, resentful, bitter and suspicious of others. In addition, she is angry with herself for allowing others to use her. With the cult gone, she realised that she could not rely on others to guide her and give her life meaning. She could rely only on herself.


Her crisis of faith was so profound that she contemplated the Light, before realising who she was and choosing to become a Sith. After all, the Sith Code spoke of breaking one's chains and achieving whatever victory one saw fit to pursue. She has not lost her commitment to what she considers justice. But the influence of the Dark Side has twisted it. She craves control and power because she spent so much of her life without having either.


Her experiences have hardened her. It has made her crueller. Violence is a way for her to channel her and and frustrations. As an interrogator she is a bit of a sadist. It has also taught her the value of information. After all, it was her ignorance and naivete that the cult leaders exploited. Knowledge is power, and so she craves it. Feeling self-conscious about her lack of formal education, she has become an autodidact, using every opportunity to educate herself further. Nur Jahan is still determined to find out what happened to her family, though her hope of ever being reunited with them is a faint one.


Because her Social Darwinist world view is so at odds with that of most of her people, Nur Jahan has trouble empathising with fellow Mon Calamari. This is a stark contrast to Libertas, who feels genuine affection for other Twi'leks and has recruited many of them into her cult and its vanguard, the Iron Circle. Nur believes that her people, with their idealistic commitment to democracy, are naive. Having studied their history of resisting foreign tyranny such as the Galactic Empire, she is baffled by them still staying true to these beliefs. Ironically, she admires Admiral Ackbar for his valiant resistance against the Empire, but also scorns him for not seizing power and 'casting off the yoke of Jedi and humanocentrists'. The fact that becoming a galactic dictator would mean turning into the very thing he despised seems to escape her. She loathes Human High Culture and all other forms of humanocentrism and human supremacism. She is not an extremist to the degree of say the Diversity Alliance, but has anti-humanist beliefs. She was intrigued when she learned of the Sith Purebloods, who had ruled Korriban prior to the coming of the Dark Jedi, and has made an effort to learn the Sith language. By contrast, Libertas has little interest in the ancients, their lore or 'wisdom'. The Twi'lek is fond of lecturing about the dangers of path dependency and shackling yourself to the old.


Nur was attracted to Libertas due to her combination of social populist, anti-humanist and Social Darwinist beliefs, but also because the Sith Lady offered her a chance to gain power. It is understood by both parties that they might one day come into conflict. After all, the Sith Code teaches rule by the strongest. As one of the Truthbringers, she occupies a position of authority in Libertas' underground movement. Her serious, humourless persona can make her hard to get along with. Less charismatic than the cyborg, she thrives in the shadows. This makes her a good assassin, spy and hatchet woman.



COMBAT INFORMATION

• Weapon of Choice: Nur Jahan carries a single bladed lightsabre, along with a concealed vibroblade hidden in a wrist sheath. She carries blasters or shatterpistols as backup, sometimes uses a sniper rifle for assassinations. Makes ample use of poisoned darts, concussion, smoke and gas grenades.

Combat Function: Nur is a stealthy, agile fighter who relies on finesse. She is quick on her feet, proficient in the use of a variety of weapons, good at sneaking and striking unexpectedly. However, she is not a tanky type. Lacking brute strength, she is not a powerhouse and thus at a disadvatange in confrontations of physical might. Glass cannon is a good way to describe her. She has a strong Force connection and a number of good support powers, which tend to focus on aiding her in infiltration and stealthy attacks.


Being an aquatic type of creature, she is more vulnerable to bright flashes of light and intense heat than the average person would be. This makes flashbangs, fire and the like particularly painful for her. Tying in with the aforementioned vulnerability, her eyesight is rather sensitive. Nur's preferred form of lightsabre combat is Form IV. An aggressive style, it is fast-paced and particularly effective against single opponents. She utilises good footwork, acrobatics and fast, precise strikes with her blade.


However, Ataru is weaker in prolonged combat, as it is taxing for the body. It is also disadvantageous in confined spaces. Moreover, it is weaker against blaster salvoes from multiple adversaries. Her style is not designed to counter head-on attacks of greater intensity. Her strength lies in manoeuvring around an enemy to pierce their defences or, conversely, using their own energy against them. This can be a disadvantage against more physically stronger opponents who manage to corner her. In that regard she is the opposite of her Master, Darth Libertas, who is extremely strong and tanky due to her cybernetics, but less agile and stealthy.


In keeping with her fighting style, Nur dislikes heavy armour, as it would encumber her. Her preference for more lightweight armour and light combat suits enhances her mobility, but also leaves her more vulnerable to attacks. Her defensive Force abilities are rather basic, which leaves her more open for attacks if she cannot evade them. She has the traditional telekinetic abilities such as choke, pull and push, but with some limitations. She is better at finesse manipulation than wide-ranged telekinetic blasts. Large scale AOE attacks are not part of her repertoire. She is not good at using telekinesis at far range or on very heavy objects.


HISTORICAL INFORMATION


Nur Jahan speaks little of her past, but she was born into slavery on Nar Shaddaa. Her master was a Hutt who sadly confirmed all the stereotypes generally associated with his species. He was cruel, greedy and an all-around loathsome individual. Her childhood was quite miserable and she was used as a common labourer. The fish was separated from her family before she became a teenager, when she was sold to a Twi'lek called Hirani Xiann. The alien woman was an aspiring Sith Knight in need of unpaid labour. She was also rather racist, especially against aliens who did not conform to her standards of physical perfection, which of course applied to an 'ugly fish'. It never occured to the Sith that she had become the very thing she hated, for she had once been a victim of human supremacism.


The Mon Cal was taken away from Nar Shaddaa. Hirani put her slave's skills to good use by using her for underwater diving and salvage. Any attempt on Nur Jahan's part to use this as a chance to escape was punished harshly, for her owner was a cruel one. Being the only fish amongst Hirani's slaves, she became sullen, lonely and withdrawn. Hirani's apprentice was a human. Sensing that the slave was Force-Sensitive, he treated Nur poorly, perhaps fearing that she could become a rival. Ironically, his mistress had no intention of training an 'inferior', but it was a Sword of Damocles she liked to hold over her student's head. Nur's chance for freedom came during the Second Akala Crisis, when the pair happened to be on Manaan. Hirani was among those who were whisked away into the Netherworld.


Freed of her tormentor, Nur Jahan escaped, evading or killing pursuing guards. Her Force talents manifested for the first time when she unleashed them on pursuers in a fit of rage. Frightened by her powers, she vanished, managing to secure transport to Nar Shaddaa. It was almost certainly a bad idea to return to the Smuggler's Moon, but she was driven by a desire to find her family. However, her search was in vain. Her Hutt owner was long dead and her family seemed to have vanished. Perhaps they were dead, perhaps they had been sold to another owner or managed to purchase their freedom or been swept into the Netherworld.


For the time being she had to focus on her own survival. Poor, alone and angry, Nur adjusted. She became an accomplished thief, a slicer, a salvager and a reasonably capable pilot who tried to make a living in the depraved place that had caused her much pain but still seemed like the closest thing she had to home. She had to put up with classism and humanocentric racism, but while poor she was able to make a living. Unfortunately for her, trouble was not far. An information broker offered her a lead on her family. But it turned out to be a trap set by a gang she'd antagonised by slicing into their network and stealing from them. She would have ended up on the slave market, if the vigilantes from the Covenant of Uriel had not intervened. Mani, their fiery prophet, had set himself the impossible goal of cleaning up this den of sin and iniquity. Nur and a bunch of other captives were freed from bondage, while the gangsters were immolated.


Nur was at first sceptical of the cult, but soon elected to join them. She was all alone and treated as an equal among them. Soon she turned from sceptical recruit to enthusiastic convert. Embracing the Covenant's religion, she learned how to take up arms in the name of Uriel. Increasingly, she turned a blind eye to the cult's more questionable acts. After all, radical measures were needed to get anywhere in this sinful, depraved Galaxy. She became one of the cult's warriors, displaying tremendous zeal fighting against slavers. This was accompanied by a descent into cruelty, as she returned the abuse they had inflicted upon her.


She remained in their ranks when Mani was murdered by Bando Gora hired by a crime lord who found his vigilante activities disturbing. Brother Marcion, Mani's right hand, became the new cult leader. His inauguration was accompanied by a purge. Though she did not respect the new leader that much, the fish stuck to her guns. In the months that followed she became a capable fighter and interrogator. However, her puritanism rebelled against the corruption that took root in the Covenant. Unlike Mani, Marcion was a con man more interested in material gain, which led him to make deals with the criminal organisations he claimed to oppose, though he cloaked his true intentions well.


She still continued her search for her family, but slowly that quest was being supplanted by her devotion to Uriel. She gained renown when she unmasked one of her superiors as a Cartel mole. The punishment was long and painful. Her life took a profound turn when Sister Sakura, alias Sumiko Tanaka, took control over the cult. Little did she know that the Bando Gora attack on the congregation was an elaborate charade designed to allow the Atrisian to appear the hero and rescue Uriel's flock. The con man Marcion, whose own strength in the Force was meagre, was reduced to being a puppet.


Nur Jahan swore allegiance to her and was apprenticed to Sakura's ally Illyria. The two ended up bonding over their love for weapons of terror and mass destruction. This coincided with using nerve gas to flush the Bando Gora out of their hideout so that the believers could slaughter them. All seemed to be going well. The cult's warriors faced the 'darkspawn' in battle. Nur and Illyria rejoined the fight. However, just as triumph seemed imminent, the Bando Gora's Champion, a powerful Dark Marauder, emerged. After slaughtering several believers, he challenged the Covenant's leader to a duel. Sakura could obviously not turn down such a challenge and the two duelled. However, the Bando Gora Champion turned out to be unusually strong, for he resisted Sakura's mental attacks and was able to maim her. While Sakura prevailed and killed him, she was fatally wounded in the process.


Having convinced themselves that their God's chosen one was invincible, a number of cultists began to doubt. Illyria and Nur recovered Sakura and returned her to the temple, where she received medical attention. Nur prayed for her swift recovery. However, she overheard some words that were spoken between Illyria and Sakura. She could not understand the language, but part of her felt suspicious. Then it was announced that sadly Sister Sakura had died in her sick bed. Seeing a chance to reclaim power, Brother Marcion tried to reclaim control over the cult. However, not all believers were willing to follow him so he launched a purge. Illyria, who felt scorn for the cultists and was a lone wolf type, had no interest in sticking around. So the cult fell apart. When Nur confronted the Eldorai, she was beaten in combat. The Dark Elf abandoned her, after leaving her some acidic, laconic words as a parting gift.


Nur refused to follow Marcion and killed the priest after catching him in a compromising situation as he tried to escape with the fortune he had amassed. When cornered, the prelate admitted that he had been a fraud and begged for mercy. Unfortunately for him, the former acolyte of Uriel did not grant it. Denying him a quick, merciful end, she cut his throat and left him to die. Illyria had been able to secure the bulk of Sakura's artefacts. But Nur was able to claim some of her less important items. Her psychometry manifested as she touched them, giving her some minor insight into the deceiver's mind. She learned that 'Sister Sakura' had been a Sith Lady. In short, the very thing the Covenanters had claimed to oppose.


Now she was at a crossroads. On the one hand, Nur was free and her own woman now. On the other hand, she had lost her purpose. For a while she wandered, experiencing a crisis of faith. Nur was inclined to leave Nar Shaddaa and was in the process of acquiring a ship, when she heard rumours that a vicious Twi'lek Sith was in town and looking for minions. It could be a coincidence....or the woman who had made her childhood a living hell. Abandoning her plans of departing the Smuggler's Moon, she began to investigate.


It was than that she encountered Lai Kanil, a female Mirialan Jedi Master. Having lived a somewhat parochial life, Nur had never met a Jedi before. The stories she had heard painted a rather negative picture of them, but Lai seemed different. Her people had suffered greatly when the Primeval brought death and destruction to their homeworld, so she was no stranger to hardship or to the evil that could be wrought by the dark side. Having grown disillusioned with the Jedi Orders, she had become a Rogue, though she still followed the Jedi Code as far as practical. She happened to be pursuing a gang of slavers.


Nur encountered her by chance, while breaking into the apartment of a gangster to gather information about the Twi'lek. Coincidentally, the Jedi had the same idea. Indeed, she had been following the fish. Suffice to say Nur was irritated when the Jedi interrupted her break-in and interrogation. However, Lai's skills proved invaluable when the two were attacked by thugs and had to defend themselves. Lai proved herself a skilled bladeswoman during the fight. After learning Nur's intent, she proposed a partnership. She sensed that the Mon Calamari was a darksider, but was pragmatic enough to realise that she would need help in her quest. Moreover, she hoped to nudge her to the Light or at least a less destructive direction. Nur was wary of the Jedi, but accepted. Both pooled their resources for their investigation.


Lai's more empathic, but still tough and practical approach contrasted with Nur's penchant for violent methods. When they hit a bar, Lai kept her from torturing a thug associated with their quarry, though she was not above scaring him and making him believe they would be less gentle if he did not help them. Or making use of bribes to get information. Eventually they discovered that the Twi'lek Dark Force-user was indeed Hirani. The Sith had been able to escape the Netherworld. The experience had left her more than a little deranged and she had set up a dark side cult that adored her. Fearful of death after what she had enured in the Netherworld, she carried out dark rituals to enhance her life span, while feeding her worshippers lies about ascension. Indeed, she'd taken over both cults' drug trafficking operations. It all sounded very familiar to Nur, which only intensified her anger.


With both the Bando Gora cult and the Covenant of Uriel in disarray, Hirani's sect was taking advantage of the power vacuum to expand. After questioning the family member of a young cultist who had tried to exit the group and been murdered for 'heresy', the pair decided to infiltrate the group. To aid in the deception, Lai taught Nur the basics of how to suppress her Force signature. The Mon Calamari's tracking skills came in handy for locating the cult's base by tracing one of their drug shipments.


However, once they had infiltrated the temple - an abandoned warehouse - it became apparent that the truth was more complex. At first everything seemed conventional: There was a ghastly ritual involving blood sacrifices, there were innocents that needed to be rescued, the evil Twi'lek confronted them. Nur even encountered and slew Hirani's human apprentice, her old tormentor. However, during the inevitable fight it became apparent that Hirani was not in control of her actions. Instead she tried to actively fight against an influence that was not controlling her - a malevolent spirit. Eventually the two were able to wear down the Sith enough for the spirit to be driven out. Carrying out an impromptu exorcism. Lai banished her. However, the effort left the Jedi weakened.


Injured but alive, Nur stared down on her former tormentor. Hirani revealed that she felt remorse for her actions, including her abuse of the girl. Her experiences in the Netherworld had changed her, for she had been forced to confront her sins. However, Nur was deaf to her protestations. She only saw her former oppressor. Indeed, she felt contempt for her. Her desire for vengeance had been what had sustained her in her lowest moments. It - and her desire to be reunited with her family - had given her fuel. But now she was being denied her moment of revenge because the woman she had perceived as the Big Bad of her story suddenly claimed she had turned a new leaf and become someone else's victim. Lai argued that Hirani need to face justice for her crimes, but that killing her was not the way, as it would be cold blooded murder.


However, Nur raised her lightsabre and struck her down. Having been weakened by her exertions, Lai's attempt to stun her before she could land the killing blow came too late. Being seized by Lai's paralysing grip triggered Nur's anger. Using her fury, she was able to break free and lashed out against the Jedi. However, it soon became clear that even in her weakened state, Lai was stronger and more experienced, so Nur fled. She had avenged herself, but this accomplishment felt hollow. An inner voice tried to compel her to feel regret. Alone once more, she studied Sumiko's former belongings. She learned a bit about the Sith and their Code. It told her how she could shatter her limitations. She made the conscious decision to leave the past behind, extinguish her regrets and become a Sith. Theirs was the path that could teach her how to be strong. She acquired a transport to leave the Smuggler's Moon and never looked back.


With no teacher to guide her, she developed her Force abilities alone, making use of Sumiko's items. Here and there, she acquired much-needed coin by offering her skills as a slicer, technician or assassin. She broadened her knowledge of technical work by finding employment on a shipyard on Dac. It served as a cover for more unsavoury pursuits. Perhaps she hoped to connect with her people. However, she felt little kinship with her fellow Mon Calamari. Many of those she encountered supported democracy, held the Jedi in high regard or at least preferred them to the Sith. To her, this seemed hopelessly naive. However, the time spent on her homeworld was valuable because it gave her some breathing space and allowed her to hone her talents of concealment. She had to learn how to hide in plain sight and conceal the darkness inside her soul. Once she slipped up and had to kill to preserve her secret. For a while she worked as a hit woman for a local crime boss. To provide herself with some funds, she got involved in a small-scale underwater salvage business. Her raw, untrained talents helped her make an acceptable bargain. Having taken Hirani's lightsabre after killing her, she taught herself how to build her own through trial, error and diligent study.


Nur first came to Libertas' attention when the Sith Lady needed some salvage done. The Darth concealed her true identity, using an alias. She sensed that there was something off about the Mon Calamari though. They crossed paths again at an underground auction, where items associated with the Sith and darkside fringe cults were being sold to the highest bidder. Lacking sufficient funds, Nur chose theft, stealing a Sith tome. Her break-in was professionally done, but Libertas took notice. Using her contacts and her own tracking skills, the Cyborg tracked Nur down. As she discovered, the Mon Calamari had laid some nasty traps in her home, which caused her more than a little harm. The Twi'lek was able to fend off her lightsabre attacks though - and made her a job offer. She commended Nur for her enterprising spirit and desire to educate herself rather than becoming another drone churned out in a Sith Academy. But true enlightenment, she claimed, could not be found in dusty old tomes. Warily, Nur accepted Libertas' offer to train her as a Sith.


It did not take long for training to begin. It was intense and not gentle in the least, for Libertas subscribed to the Spartan school of thought. Nur was an aquatic type of creature, so her teacher brought her to the deserts of Tash-Taral, where she had to learn to cope in a binary furnace. At one point, she stunned Nur, had her cuffed, gagged, blindfolded and tossed her out of a shuttle in the middle of the desert, expecting her to find her way out with minimal supplies in a wasteland filled with dangers. Such as Sithspawn beasts, native tribes and dehydration. Meanwhile, Libertas took her ship and landed at a remote location in these wastes near some ruins. She would wait there a full seven standard days. On the sunset of the seventh day, the ship and her would depart the planet - with or without her apprentice.


Nur, who had been dumped far away in a wasteland filled with dangers and left with minimal supplies, was expected to find her way to Libertas' location on her own. If she did not make it in time, she was clearly not meant to be a Sith. To make things more exciting, Libertas had some mercenaries hound Nur. The hired goons had been fed false coordinates, just in case the young Sith tried to interrogate them about her master's whereabouts. The Mon Cal managed to pass this trial, though she was in an understandably foul mood about it and close to collapsing when she reached Libertas' shuttle. But such trials made her stronger. Her pain and anger gave her fuel. Libertas' teachings emphasised turning her emotions into beasts of burden, rather than being ruled by them. She was scornful of sadism and vainglory boastings.


Libertas gave Nur her first assignment. It brought her to a remote outer rim colony controlled by the IMC, a mining combine. It was being run by squeezing the colonists dry in the name of profit. The settlements were company towns, which were run by a repressive regime. Inevitably this created resistance, but the rebels were outgunned, outnumbered and lacking in funds. This was where Libertas' Sith cult stepped in.


Libertas arranged things from the background, but left the initiative to Nur. The Mon Calamari was able to win the support of the rebels. Encouraging the radicals and silencing the moderates, she mounted a campaign of terrorism. The logic was simple: the worse, the better. The rebels could not match the company in firepower, but they could make its position untenable by hitting it where it hurt. Bombings, assassinations, abductions and acts of sabotage that targeted corporate infrastructure were part of the game. Nur took an active role in this campaign, helping the rebels 'professionalise' their methods. Propaganda of the deed was accompanied by that of the word, encouraging the locals to rise up against their overlords, whose attempts to tighten the noose only created more enemies.


Eventually, the corporate masters withdrew, as the colony had become too unprofitable to hold on to. The rebels celebrated and supposed collaborators were lynched. However, those who had hoped for an utopian future were disappointed. For the colony's infrastructure was in a shambles. Moreover, the economy was a mess. The company's regime had been authoritarian, but also essential for the colony's welfare. Now the locals were left to deal with this mess. They had paid the iron price and won their 'freedom', but were they worthy of it? Nur's last words before she slipped away to the rebel leaders were: "You won your freedom, now you have to win your life. It will be hard, but nothing is worth winning without sacrifice. The greater the tribulation, the greater the victory. Choose your path, live or die, it is on you now." Recovery after the civil war was a difficult process. The colonists had trouble getting things going again, but they were eventually able to rebuild and become self sufficient. However, the colony was still plagued with problems, such as arbitrary justice, racial tensions and authoritarianism. Not the least because Libertas' cult continued to maintain a presence, subtly guiding events in accordance with its warped beliefs.


Libertas proclaimed Nur ready and inducted her into her underground Sith cult as a Truthbringer, one of the Sith Lady's personal apprentices. For the time being, Nur serves her. Part of her suspects that Sumiko Tanaka, the woman who deceived her into thinking she was a saviour, might not be as dead as she thought. For careful study has taught her that death is not always final. Should their paths cross again, Nur has sworn to repay her.

 

[Siobhan Kerrigan]

Spoiler

OUT OF CHARACTER INFORMATION

• Intent: Robo zombies. Also a unit for Archangel.
• Image Credit: Here.
• Role: Robotic hordes, terror weapon.
• Links: Archangel Research and Design.

GENERAL INFORMATION

• Unit Name: Lebensbringer
• Affiliation: Enyo Typhos, Archangel Research and Design, Typhos Clone Family.
• Classification: Infantry.

Equipment:

• Unit composed of Legionnaire Combat Droids Mk2 with Mindshackle Scarab Swarms (purchase request here, approved here). One or two HRDs per squad to serve as squad leader.
• ACS-205 Blackblade Modular Rifle (permission to use ArmaTech gear requested here, and confirmed here) OR ACS-202 Vanquisher Light Repeating Blaster (purchase request here, permission here).
• ACS-206 Arrowhead Missile Launcher. Limited to heavy weapon specialist. Two per squad max, (purchase request here, permission here).
• ACS-004 Olympian Battle Armor (request here, permission here).
• Electrical capacitance shield.
• Microgrenade launcher.
• A280 CFE, hard sound gun.
• Grenades, thermal detonators.
• Vibrosword.
• Stecher wasp droids, Morpheus sedative drugs.

COMBAT INFORMATION

• Availability: Rare
• Deployment: Mass.

Strengths & Weaknesses: The Legionnaires are decent battle droids. Tough, strong and durable, they also possess some protection against the traditional machine weaknesses, namely ion, EMP and electrical discharges. They are a solid combat model that can utilise a variety of weapons and be deployed in large numbers to overwhelm opponents. However, despite being more intelligent than say a B-1, they are still automatons. They possess only limited independence and ability to think for themselves. They are designed to be combat drones, not autonomous units. They follow their programming and carry out their instructions well, but little beyond that. This makes them quite predictable in combat. More complex thinking patterns are left to HRDs, which are considered an officer class by Archangel. The Legionnaires of this unit are equipped with standard infantry gear and only have limited access to anti-tank/air missile launchers, which can leave them vulnerable to heavy vehicle formations and air strikes. Artillery bombardment is also an issue for them, especially in open areas.


While their droid bodies and body armour are tough, they only provide minor protection against lightsabres. The Faraday cage and insulation only protects vital internal systems, leaving the battle droids' motor systems a lot more vulnerable to ion and electrical attacks. The droid has an ionization buffer and an Electrical Capacitane Shield to protect itself, but these devices can still be overwhelmned, especially be repeated attacks or especially powerful blasts. Even if an attack does not outright destroy the droid, it could still paralyse or weaken it, giving an opponent time to launch a more lethal blow.


Each squad has an HRD officer to provide direction. Their primary function is tactical command, but they can obviously also fight in combat, using their extreme strength, durability and combat protocols. HRDs are incredibly strong, resilient and, unlike common battle droids, able to think tactically, analyse situations and learn. However, heavy blaster salvoes, lightsabres and heavy weapons can still damage or disable them. Moreover, though their armour provides some protection, they remain vulnerable to electrical discharges, EMP and so on. Finally, each squad only has one or two at most. Should these be taken out, the overall unit will become a lot less effective since the Legionnaires are simple grunts who do not innovtate. They would continue fighting, but be very predictable.


The Mindshackle Scarab drone is able to repurpose fallen enemy warriors into servitors. However, said robotic zombies are fairly dumb, being only capable of utilising improvied close combat weapons such as axes, swords and clubs. They are also incapable of complex tactical thinking, simply shuffling forward to attack opponents. They are more of a psychological terror weapon. The Mindshackle Scarabs can only last one hour away from their host droid. The amount per swarm is roughly one hundred, though small droids may not be able to hold as many this is the largest amount a single swarm is able to be and operate under the control of a single droid brain.


Description:


Battle droids have long been a common sight on the battlefield. The reasons are not hard to find. Any modern civilisation with a decent manufacturing basis can produce them en masse with a fraction of the costs required to train the equivalent number of organic soldiers. Droids do not tire, feel pain or fear. They also do not complain about casualties, mutiny or frag their officers - unless they have been hacked, that is. Moreover, they obey any order from their superiors. This is particularly useful when their superiors have decided to commit atrocities. At times, organic minions are reluctant to stoop to such levels. Of course, common battle droids tend to lack the ability to innovate and think on their feet. Slaves to their programming, they obey, but do not think creatively. Such capabilities are left to rarer, more elite models, such as HRDs.


On the surface, the Lebensbringer are just another standard formation of automatons. It is mostly composed of Legionnaire battle droids. This droid model is meant to be built and deployed in large numbers. Should one of them fall, more will take its place. Thus Archangel has no qualms about sustaining high casualties by deploying them en masse to overwhelmn or distract an opponent on the battlefield. Furthermore, the droid is tough and durable and has some minor protection against the traditional machine weaknesses. Of course, in the end it is an automaton. A well-equipped one, but nonetheless. Point them at a target and tell them to shoot things, and the Legionnaires will do so - no more, no less. However, the Lebensbringer possess a capability that may not be immediately apparent on first sight. Picture the following scenario: Droids are attacking a settlement and locked in fierce combat with its defenders. Humanoid Replica Droids are commanding the assault, giving the automatons some direction. Casualties are mounting, but the locals are holding their own.


Then suddenly their fallen comrades rise from the ground - and attack their former friends. Their movements are jerky and much like mindless being, similar to the classical depiction of zombies. Stumbling forward, reaching, tearing at their opponents, unable to use sophisticated weapons beyond improvised close combat weapons such as swords, axes, clubs or anything a primitive mind would be able to utilise. Obviously many of them are cut down. However, they may have served their purpose. For the idea is less combat effectiveness, but more sheer terror value. Perhaps civilians who were caught in the crossfire also end up being repurposed. The mindless hordes can also serve as a distraction, allowing forces with better combat skills to move into position and strike. This is the doing of the small Mindshackle Scarab droids, who have used the Legionnaires as hosts. In addition to assuming control over dead bodies, they can also paralyse the living. Archangel considers itself to be free of organic slave morality, which is a fancy way of saying that it is thoroughly amoral. Thus it has no qualms about unleashing hordes of robotic zombies on those it happens to be fighting. The name of the unit, Lebensbringer, is deliberately ironic.


Tactical command of a Lebensbringer unit falls to Archangel HRDs. These units can be considered the officer class, as they possess advanced tactical and combat programming that the Legionnaires do not have. In short, they can think, while the common drones just obey and shoot at anything hostile that's in front of them. Stecher wasp droids perform recon or use their stingers to poison or stun organics. Their presence helps the HRD officers coordinate a battle and relay data to high command. The wasps are excellent for recons, but fragile and vulnerable to damage, especially from ion weapons.