Vrak Nashar
Character
Region: Tingel Arm
System: Loro Babis System
Suns: Two
Orbital Position: Second Planet, Habitable Zone
Moons: One
System Features: Thee Uninhabited Planets
Coordinates: 18, 9
Rotational Period: 30 Standard Hours
Orbital Period: 273 Days
Name: Athiss
Class: Terrestrial
Diameter: 14,917.5km
Climate: Temperate
Gravity: Standard
Primary Terrain: Fields, Deciduous forests, Deserts
Native Species: Sith Purebloods
Immigrated Species: Humans, Twi'lek, Togruta, Other
Primary Languages: Ancient Sith
Government: Autocratic Council
Population: 1.3 million Purebloods, 300,00 Various Aliens
Demonym: None
Major Imports: Technology, Slaves, People
Major Exports: None
Affiliation: Sith
Major Locations:
To many in the galaxy, indeed to most, Athiss is a dead world. The planet was long ago abandoned after the supposed death of Lady Mierin. Even those within the Resurgent Empire, Vitiate himself regarded the planet as little more than an outpost for cultists and people who no longer wished to retain their status within the Empire itself. This of course is false.
The world has for several eons acted as a refuge for Several hundred thousand Purebloods. After the fall of the Resurgent Empire many stragglers managed to make their way to Athiss itself, however due to the persecution that often befell their kind, the Purebloods felt a need to hide themselves.
Due to this need, the surface of Athiss remains relatively peaceful and untouched. Most of the structures and cities where the Purebloods dwell are designed with a sort of natural camoflauge. Homes are built into the walls of cliffs, cities are constructed within mountains, and tombs are hidden deep beneath the ground. If one wishes to find the Purebloods of Athiss, they must look closer than what is simply on the surface of the planet itself.
Xera'Ul: The largest and most populace city on Athiss, Xera'Ul is constructed within the tallest mountain on Athiss itself. The structures of the city, if they can be called that, are carved into the solid rock of the mountain itself. Deep beneath the earth, partitioned and divided out through the eons, Xera'ul holds to the same architecture as the ancient ruins on Korriban and Ziost. There is a distinct Pureblood touch to the city itself. Every building is carved to perfection, huge statues line the streets, and odd sort of gloom hangs over everything even during the height of the day.
The city itself was of course constructed almost entirely through Slave Labor, most of which was imported to Athiss itself.
Xera'Ul is not a city of growth, nor is it a city of opportunity. This place is the defacto capital of Athiss itself. It is where for thousands of years the Council has met and the governing body that rules over the rest of the Purebloods meet. Here the most powerful come together under a very tentative peace. It is illegal to spill blood within Xera'Ul, though that hardly stops it from happening nearly every day. The city is expansive, containing everything one might find in a regular city on any other world in the galaxy, with a Sith twist of course.
Due to it's location beneath the thick mountain earth Xera'Ul receives no direct Sunlight. Instead the city is awash with synthetic light created by long dead mystics. A single grand orb of red hangs at the pinnacle of the city itself, creating an odd hued illumination throughout the streets that matches the crimson skin of most of it's residence. Xera'Ul is an unsettling place to behold, though it's streets are oddly safe even for Slaves.
It's location beneath the mountains of Athiss make Xera'Ul an incredibly defensive place. The city itself cities deep beneath the earth and is thus incredibly difficult to actually destroy or even get to. To aid in this several shield generators were constructed that will protect the city should it ever be attacked. The shields are enough to withstand several months of bombardment.
Thought he city is hidden, there is a certain grandness to it that is undeniable.
Vrak's Estate: Though not famed, nor truly the greatest palace on Athiss, Vrak's estate is nevertheless an impressive sight to behold.
The estate itself is built into the side of a cliff at the end of a long canyon, carved from thick limestone rock and decorated with ancient Symbols of the Sith. The inside of the Estate is oddly modern, heavy metal decorating the walls and dozens of Aurodium and Electrum statues standing at almost every corner. At the far end of the estate is a large pool, and throughout the building there are dozens of rooms all with a set purpose.
Most important within the estate itself is the Library. Tucked away in the far corner of the Palace the Library contains the history of the Nashar family, dozens of tomes, volumes, scrolls, and datacrons collected over the millenia. The histories of Vrak's family are the histories of Athiss and Purebloods themselves. It is here that one can find out almost anything about Athiss or Purebloods themselves.
Sitas' Estate: Lord Sitas appears to have most of his holdings above ground. Nestled into open ground at the base of a mountain are a number of structures constructed from the same rock as the ground around them. From low, squat buildings to his largest estate with statues of ancient sith built into columns all the way around, all have been made from local store.
What is not immediately apparent is that this stone was mined from the ground d below the estate. A network of tunnels leads to chambers that were hollowed out during the mining. Down in these lower levels is where Sitas carries out his research into with sorcery and alchemy. It is also where he brings his most trusted advisors to plot, far away from prying eyes.
Of course due to the nature of Athiss, the Starport was hidden away beneath a large Plateau. The building itself can only be accessed via entering a certain code upon approach, whereby the staport began to open it's retractable roof and allows access for any ships incomming. Like everything else on Athiss, the Starport has the same odd aesthetic of the ancient Sith, created and carved form thick limestone.
The Great Expanse:
Though perhaps not as significant as any city or Starport, the Great Expanse is one of the more obvious features of Athiss itself. The Expanse, as it is known to many is simply a massive span of territory upon Athiss itself that is little more than a singular reaching plain.
This vast swathe of territory is naught but desert, shrubs, and small trees. Not much can be found within the expanse, though a great many resources are located beneath it. It is here that most of Athiss' mines, factories, and other production centers are hidden beneath the earth.
Culture:
Athiss is an odd sort of mix of Ancient Pureblood Culture and more modern Sith Traditions.
Those that live upon this world are stuck in an odd sort of loop, attempting to remain isolated while still holding to the old ways of combat and death. The issue is of course limited population, and this drives the main focus of Athiss itself; survival. Though Purebloods have an incessant need to compete for Dominance, Athiss has managed to stifle this need for competition, albeit barely.
As one would expect the planet itself is structured to a very strict hierarchy. At the top of this hierarchy sits the Dark Council, five men and women who have proven themselves to be the absolute strongest on Athiss. These five rule Athiss with an iron fist, their word is law and whatever they want goes, each of these five Councilors rules over a different sect
Ones entire life is then subject to moving within this sphere.
Ostensibly one rises through the ranks upon their own merits. Do a good job one day and you'll move up the next, in reality however there is a tightly controlled web of allies and enemies, betrayals and trust. Purebloods move up through the ranks of Athiss' society by subterfuge, doing things quietly and with a great amount of skill, displacing those above them and rising to their own chosen ambition. Those who bite off more than they can chew fall quickly, and those who take just the right amount rise quickly.
The ultimate goal of any Pureblood on Athiss is to sit upon the Council. Once there the entire world essentially becomes your oyster. Due to your power and influence only other Council members can challenge you. Due to this the men and women who do make it onto the Council are extremely skilled and intelligent, often planning for decades in order to take their position.
In short, though Athiss claims unity, there is in fact the same game that Sith have been playing for ages, it is merely hidden beneath the surface.
Of course there are also other aspects of Athiss culture that are retained from the Ancient Empires of Old. The aspect of Caste's remain as well, and within the Spheres themselves individuals are classified as one of three.
Massassi, the Warriors of Athiss are all titled as such, though also the name of the species the name has stuck for all those who would bathe within the fires of war and blood. Kissai, the sorcerers, researchers, and priests, of Athiss, all those with a penchant for knowledge and knowing become one of this caste. Lastly are the Zuguruk. Though some would regard them as misfits, they are in fact so much more. Zuguruk are unique, they are the bureaucrats, spies, and those who find their place naturally within the third and final caste.
To put it simply, Athiss is highly steeped in old and ancient traditions, preserving the ways of their forefathers while allowing for survival.
Technology:
The technology of Athiss is an odd sort of thing.
Though most of the population easily has access to the same sorts of things that you might find on most developed worlds, there are certain sections of the planet that simply choose to live in more traditional methods. Certain parts of Athiss stick to the ancient ways. This means instead of technology they would find Sith Artifacts, ancient devices that were created long ago to sustain and aid in life.
Xera'Ul, Athiss' main city is really the only place that these two aspects meet. Technology and Ancient Artifacts of all sorts can be found within the limits of Xera'Ul, much of the city being a mix of the two.
History:
Athiss is not a world that most associate any longer with the Sith, most have forgotten almost entirely about the planets venerated history as the residence of once famed Sith Lord Vodal Kresh. His memory was banished long ago, and with it the power that had carried on from ancient times. Yet before him was another, a name that had been lost within the turbulence of the great Hyperspace war itself; Lady Mierin.
Though not as powerful as Vodal, nor as revered as his ancestor Ludo, Lady Mierin once ruled over Athiss with the same powerful hold. She had been revered, venerated by her people and raised up as a trustworthy monarch within the ancient Empire. Her world was prosperous, and her contributions to the Dark Lords of the Sith grand. She fought within the wars of the Empire, brought supplies, ships, weapons, and men to the forefront of battle. She was unquestioningly loyal, and until her disappearance she ruled Athiss with an Iron Fist. Her motivations were beyond repute, and throughout the Empire she was held in high regard. When her ship vanished however, torn from hyperspace and never heard from again, her world quickly fell.
Those that remained and had once been beneath Lady Mierin's yolk of power vied for control and eventually managed to usurp her rule.
Centuries later Vodal Kresh would take the once famed world for himself. He garnered a base of power and grew in strength enough to challenge the Sith Emperor himself, only to be quickly put down by the Empire's might. Athiss was once again relegated to nothing more than a wasted ruin, seen as little more than a distant memory by those of the Empire. Though a few cultists later returned to the world, Athiss never truly recovered until much later, once the Sith Emperor had been dispatched and the galaxy once again grew to forget the Sith all together.
Many years after the Empire fell and Athiss once again lay as little more than a ruin of its former self, settlers returned to the world. Sith Purebloods, some of the lineage of Lady Mierin, some simple refugees from the baneful eye of the Jedi. It mattered not where they came from, but they returned to Athiss in droves. Over the years they rebuilt, though never expanding past their own yolk of power. Athiss began to thrive in a way, maintaining a subtle balance between a growing community, and a stealthy existence upon a world that most thought simply abandoned.
This community continued to exist for millenia, always careful, always watchful.
They never moved beyond their means, and although their pride nearly always demanded it, they never moved in such a way that would risk detection. The leaders of the world, the ever weary descendants of Lady Mierin knew that if they took a step too far, they might be discovered. Although the galaxy grew friendly to their ways at times, the descendants always held back, watching, waiting, knowing that eventually their time would come.
Though Lady Mierin and her ways were not forgotten on Athiss, the people that had once followed her no longer did. They revered their ancient ancestor for the power that she brought them at one point, but to many of the ruling Kissai she was but a memory of the past. They knew that she was gone, and knew that they had to move their people forward. They did this with an almost religious Zeal, pressing the newly reborn Athiss into what they saw as perfection.
The transition was slow.
Centuries passed, and the Purebloods of Athiss grew in numbers. The world became a sprawling memory of what had once been the Glorious Sith Empire. Cities rose, canals were built, and the old ways were kept.
Though most would think that by their nature the Purebloods would seek expansion, something kept them in place. They did not seek out conquest of nearby worlds nor their subjugation. Instead they waited, watched, and quietly grew more and more insular over the centuries. It was not wrong to deem them Cowards, for those who lead Athiss were weary of the galaxy at Large. They had seen their brothers fall, they had watched Empire after Empire drowned, and after millenia, their Pride was shrouded in fear.
There were those upon Athiss that disagreed of course, those that wanted to reach towards the stars once more and reclaim their rightful place, but they were kept quiet, either through deceit or through murder.
It was only when the galaxy weakened. When the plague struck those around them that the people of Athiss realized their opportunity.
They saw worlds that had once been powerful crippled. They watched through blood rituals and stolen transceivers, saw as planet after planet buckled under the weight of its own populations. They saw the weakness, and slowly, the ideals of the minority spread. Those Purebloods that had begun to push for war, those that not only wanted, but needed battle began to slowly reclaim their place. This only increased during the Netherworld event, when the galaxy began to fall to it's knees and the Darkside of the force seemed to thrum with power. Battle ensued among the people of Athiss, and although the world remained mostly untouched the event reverberated even there.
The council that ruled over Athiss saw the frightened fall, and the brave rise.
It was they that saw what the Galaxy needed.
A reminder.
Notable PCs: [member="Vrak Nashar", [member=Yidhra], [member=Neesa], Others
[COLOR=#b7493e][B]Intent:[/B][/COLOR] To Sub a canon planet that has a lot of work put into it
[COLOR=#b7493e][B]Images: [/B][/COLOR]
[spoiler]Wookieepedia, SWTOR Concept Art, "[URL="http://truepaint.blogspot.com/2014/07/star-wars-clone-wars-sith.html"]Sith[/URL]" By Tara Reuping, "Tomb" By Tara Reuping[/spoiler]
Links:
1. The Light Within The Darkness
2. Red and Green
3. No Escape
4. Everyone Wants What They Have
5. Chaos Theory
6. One Minute After Midnight
7. Out With The Old
8. The Wheel Turns
9. Like Minds
10. Secrets In The Dark
11. High Society
12. Retribution
13. Ancient Truths
14. Shiny
15. Ahead of the Wheel
16. The Sights of Other Worlds
17. Full Circle
18. Conspirators
19. Springing A Leak
20. Within Chains
21. Things In The Night
22. A New Dawn
23. You'll Need A Doctor
24. Home
25. Chirikyât
26. Broken Minds & Broken Bones
27. Year One Apprentice
28. They Fall, We Rise
29. A Deal Dressed In Blood
30. Strike Back
31. Those Like Us
32. A Blood Trail
33. Whispers
34. That Which Was Forgotten
35. Blood In The Water
36. From The Ashes
37. Secrets In Red
38. Rise
39. Swarm
40. Scar Tissue
2. Red and Green
3. No Escape
4. Everyone Wants What They Have
5. Chaos Theory
6. One Minute After Midnight
7. Out With The Old
8. The Wheel Turns
9. Like Minds
10. Secrets In The Dark
11. High Society
12. Retribution
13. Ancient Truths
14. Shiny
15. Ahead of the Wheel
16. The Sights of Other Worlds
17. Full Circle
18. Conspirators
19. Springing A Leak
20. Within Chains
21. Things In The Night
22. A New Dawn
23. You'll Need A Doctor
24. Home
25. Chirikyât
26. Broken Minds & Broken Bones
27. Year One Apprentice
28. They Fall, We Rise
29. A Deal Dressed In Blood
30. Strike Back
31. Those Like Us
32. A Blood Trail
33. Whispers
34. That Which Was Forgotten
35. Blood In The Water
36. From The Ashes
37. Secrets In Red
38. Rise
39. Swarm
40. Scar Tissue
