Private Black Mass [Zambrano Family]

[Darth Carnifex]

The world of Lettow was an oft forgotten world, straddling the border between the populous Core and the mysterious and dangerous Deep Core. It was a world that acclimated slowly to change, if it ever acclimated at all. Its people were hardy and resourceful, toiling with their hands in the fields and in the workshops. Their architects built towering spire-cities out of the mesas and plateaus that spun up from the forests and plains that stretched from horizon to horizon. The sparkling lights of these metropolises could be seen for miles and miles, distant beacons to all who wandered Lettow's soil.

Lettow's eponymous capital city was a dazzling display of grandeur, by far the largest settlement in the entire system, let alone on Lettow itself. Its highest spires were havens for the aristocratic and religious upper class, while the lower levels of the spires and the land beneath them were the domain of those lesser than them. The rich and influential rarely descended from their canopy paradises, sequestering themselves in luxury and neglecting the rest of the world around them. It was in this atmosphere that the Dark Lord had sown the seeds of corruption, planting and carefully cultivating them over many long decades.

Such labors had proven fruitful, for the ruling families of Lettow had sworn, in secret, fealty to the Dark Lord and His family. Their fidelity was kept hidden from the Alliance that governed them, Lettow being such an unimportant and bypassed world that none had come to realize the rot that pervaded right under their feet. This secrecy was so well established that Lettow had served as the gathering point for several Zambrano feasts over the years, their arrival welcomed with open arms by the families that served them.

Another feast was on the horizon, a great spire set aside for the festivities. It was capped by a massive pavilion flanked by crisscrossed support beams and topped with a massive flat ceiling. Between the pillars were massive tables set to seat hundreds of occupants at any given time, a large lift used to transport both servants, food, and drink from the massive kitchen complexes below to the feasting area above. The entire pavilion was illuminated by a hundred burning fires, embers floating freely through the open air and sprinkling down to the land below.

The patriarch of the Zambrano family, the Dark Lord Himself, sat at the head of a massive table set perpendicular to the parallel rows that ran the length of the pavilion. He sat in the center, while His many wives sat to both His left and His right. On His right was Gunnr Zambrano, a towering warrior with flaming crimson hair and piercing green eyes. On His left was Salara Zambrano, the most skilled and talented alchemist in Epicanthix history, her graying brown hair tied back and her bright blue eyes twinkling with light. The other wives assumed seats further right and further left; immaculate Invicta, pious Emma, mischievous Izaszh, and enigmatic Ahani. Placed at both ends of the table were Mordecai and Saeth Zambrano, the Dark Lord's siblings, and their chosen paramours.

The other tables sat the many children of the Dark Lord, grouped together in accordance with their corresponding heritage. The children of the Dark Lord and Salara sat together, as did the children of the Dark Lord and Invicta, and so on and so forth. Those born to the Dark Lord's numerous concubines were seated together as well, although in a position removed from the immediate proximity of their father's table. The other tables were filled with various nieces, nephews, cousins, and other assorted family members. There was Kohath Zambrano, son of the Dark Lord's uncle Adriel; who had perished at the hands of the Mandalorians during the Razing of Panatha. Cousins Asardin and Shala sat with their child Alcina, and beside them was the recluse Pravus and his undead servant Darron.

It seemed as though every Zambrano of note had come from across the galaxy to Lettow, spirited along secret routes charted during the One Sith's dominion over the Core Worlds. The dirge of their hundred conversations filled the air as servants moved between the tables, serving at the pleasure of any Zambrano that called upon them. Drinks were plenty, and the food was delivered hot. None would want for anything, for the Dark Lord had stocked such supplies far in advance. All this opulence reigned high above the world below, as the citizens of Lettow made do with rations and other meager sustenance.

Such was the Zambrano way.

Alvarex Zambrano | Elani Zambrano | Gunnr Zambrano
Ahani Najwa-Zambrano | Zeptepi Zambrano | Mordecai Zambrano
Joycelyn Zambrano | Girak Zambrano | Magnus Cadera
Raya Najwa Zambrano | Adara Raxis | Darth Prazutis ​

 

[Alvarex Zambrano]

L E T T O W
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Alvarex arrived at Lettow with his wife Amethyst Atreides in tow. The Dark Prince had come along for the annual Black Mass, the first he had attended since the razing of Panatha. The Black Mass celebrated their family in full, Rex himself wore a dress uniform that of the Blackblades where he once served. His calling these days was to his father's beck and call, whatever that might be. While the people of Lettow struggled below - he and his were the epitome of elegance. The pavilion was brilliantly decorated as he escorted his beloved across the lavish venue. ​

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"Mother," greeted Rex as he formally presented himself and his wife to her, "a pleasure to see you, you look remarkable."​

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"Thank you, and darling Amethyst - how are you feeling?"​

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Rex let his wife and mother speak to one another, the Second Son of Salara, and Kaine sought out his older brother. Sarlow, Sarlow the Wolf Prince who had sired at least one heir of Panatha, however, Rex knew more lurked out in the galaxy. "Brother," the younger man approached the older, "it seems father's let you off the leash."​

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"A surprise to be sure, but it is a welcomed one," Sarlow sassed in return as he placed an arm along the bar sipping his whiskey. The Wolf-Prince gazed out at the crowd, among the collective gathering of Zambranos, "don't you have a wife to be placing more children into?"​

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Rex looked down for a moment and scoffed, "absolutely, however; at the very least brother... I am wedded, and have provided mother and father legitimate heirs."​

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"Legitimacy only goes so far. Or have you forgotten Ara?"​

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"Your one pup, mhmmm how could I forget? She was as obnoxious as you."​

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Sarlow's upper lip curled into a snarl, Rex laughed and patted his brother on the shoulder. "Easy Sarlow, someone might think you cared, and we wouldn't want to give anyone the wrong impression."​

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It was only then that Rex felt a tug on his uniform this was followed by Amethyst's arm linking with his. "Come now daring, we people to see, relatives to greet..." and then in a lower octave, "stop provoking your brother." Spoken through gritted teeth and a smile she gave to Sarlow. Sarlow only winked toward Amethyst and waved both she and his brother away and remained at the bar. Amethyst meanwhile took Alvarex to greet Mother Invicta and her brood.​

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Elani Zambrano | Gunnr Zambrano | Zeptepi Zambrano | Mordecai Zambrano | Ahani Najwa-Zambrano | Joycelyn Zambrano | Girak Zambrano | Magnus Cadera | Raya Najwa Zambrano | Adara Raxis | Darth Prazutis | Darth Carnifex | All Zambranos
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[Darth Carnifex]

The Dark Lord looked upon His family, arrayed across the immensity of the spire, and felt content. He could distinctly remember a time when the Zambranos were few, a scattered household crumbling under the weight of His predecessor's ineptitude. Their power had been in decline for centuries, their wealth squandered on vainglorious ambitions that saw many of their coveted secrets lost forever. The inequities of His mother and father had been insufferable, and even as a young man He could not have allowed them to poison the bloodline any further. Their deaths were a stepping stone to a higher purpose, one that He eagerly welcomed with open arms.

Of course, not all was paradisaical. Though the Dark Lord had many loyal and steadfast sons and daughters, there were those yet seeking to undermine His authority and power. Deceived by the falsehoods of their enemies, some of His children had forsaken their own families and allied against them. Most misled down this treacherous path had been destroyed, their rebellions snuffed out before they could gain traction. Those that eluded such annihilation found themselves harried at every turn; their lives mired in paranoia and uncertainty. Kahlil Noble was perhaps the greatest of all these betrayers, though the Dark Lord still devised plans for His wayward son.

And his daughter.

But, for now, those plans were being carried out elsewhere. On Lettow, the Dark Lord's mind was fixed upon the Black Mass. He saw His true and loyal sons, Sarlow and Alvarex, conversing with one another. As per usual, Alvarex provoked his brother with a few carefully selected barbs. Though his antagonisms were stymied by his wife, Amethyst, they left an impression upon the incensed Wolf Prince. The Dark Lord approached Alvarex and Amethyst, gliding across the floor like a haunting specter and towering above the two like a monolith.

"My dear son," He reached out to place a hand upon Alvarex's head, gently tousling his short brown hair. "Have you given any more thought to my proposition? You and your wife have given our family many new sons and daughters, but it is time to take a second wife. I have many candidates waiting on your word, perhaps you may take all of them?"

Alvarex Zambrano ​

 

[Alvarex Zambrano]

Alvarex had been pulled away by his beloved Amethyst. "I was just... warming up," he remarked with darkness in his throat. ​

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His wife merely shot him a look, "your brother is tortured plenty, you need not add to his misery." Amethyst's warning, and daggers from her eyes silenced her husband even if Rex believed his brother was deserving of all the torture. Amethyst watched her husband's lips he was readying a witty retort she was sure. However, she was not going to have it not here... She curled her fingers into his as she held his hand, it was enough to remind him of when to cease his foolishness. ​

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"It is as you command, beloved," Rex knew well enough, after all, he had all night to antagonize his wife to lure her into his arms again. Rex watched as Sarlow was escorted by their mother. No doubt off to fetch some relic or book for her, his gaze shifted to the younger siblings, Ansgar, Xathrael, and Cordelia each one off with another sibling whether of it was one of Invicta or Izaszh's brood. It was too soon after this that Darth Carnifex approached like a specter across the room.​

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Rex had to admit, his father tousling his hair as if he were still only as tall as one of their hounds- was perhaps- in equal measure to his throwing barbs at his brother. Rather than fight it, Rex merely turned his attention to his father's proposition. A smirk emerged at the mention of taking all the candidates, the Second Son of Salara laughed heartily, "oh but it is such a tempting proposition to take them all, however; I have, actually given thought to your ..." his hand motioned in a circle, "proposition, yes. Amethyst and I have discussed it at length recently."​

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"I- I have, well, I have a candidate in mind."​

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Amethyst gave Alvarex's hand a squeeze, encouraging him.​

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"I met her recently, I was out in Wild Space on a mission from mother, actually." A most malicious smile took hold of his features as he continued, "she is the wife of the betrayer, and yet... she yielded to me."​

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"Where she could have struck me, she did not, and in fact." Rex sighed, "however she wears his name on her heart so no matter my desires..." Rex's other hand, free of his wife's holding curled into a fist. "She knows not of what I could offer her, the life she denies herself, father..." Amethyst gave her husband's hand a reassuring squeeze and then delicately withdrew her own.​

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"I'll leave you to discuss the details with your father, but you have my blessing," Amethyst stated with a smile, she moved away to speak with Vylythis. ​

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Rex motioned for his father to follow him, "her beauty was mesmerizing..." his voice lost in the thought, "the way she said my name, how she gazed into my eyes. I know I had an impact even if we only had a few nights on that planet. My heart has not burned for a woman in such a manner... "​

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He reached the balcony and summoned toward him the clouds, explaining through his art the nights and days he spent with her. Rex... coveting his brother's wife, a sin in every sense of the phrase, and even so, he didn't care. Valery Noble consumed his thoughts, her fiery gaze on his. ​

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"I do, of course, still yearn and burn for my Amethyst but... " An elated sigh as the Dark Prince thought about that mission.​

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The man simply shook his head, "she is committed to him, even if I were to explain that we find it acceptable... Father. If I could only persuade her to reach into her heart and explain that we are not all that Kahlil makes us out to be." Rex shook his head and turned to his father. "An impossible task, I know, and yet... perhaps I might be able to show her."​

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He waved the thought, "but that... that's a dream, but you -- you mentioned candidates, yes?"​

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[Darth Carnifex]

"I see."

The Dark Lord was not terribly surprised that Alvarex found Valery Noble attractive, she was a beautiful woman, even if she was also a Jedi. What did surprise Him was the lengths that Alvarex's affection went, insofar that he readily admitted that he coveted his half-brother's wife and gave word to the idea of taking her for himself. From what the Dark Lord had witnessed, Master Noble's affection for His wayward son had strong roots, and wasn't something so easily shaken. Undoubtedly, it was because of their close connection in the Force, their own professed dyad, that their bond was strong enough to resist even His own diabolical machinations.

But there may yet be an opportunity. "It may not yet be unobtainable, my son. It will require a great deal of cunning and guile, but I believe you can turn her gaze away from Kahlil." He took His son by the shoulder and guided Alvarex to walk alongside Him. They moved away from the larger congregations, slipping into an alcove where they could speak more freely without word of their deeds passing amongst the others. "Her bond with Kahlil is strong, they are bound together by the Force. If you can sever that bond, I believe you can drive a wedge between them. It must be carefully done, my son. One mistake and everything you desire will unravel."

Carnifex had discovered the existence of their bond after He had subjected both of them to excruciating tribulation by His own hand and that of His vessel, Kaahlil . The revelation had taken place on Ossus, after Kaahlil arrived to assassinate Valery Noble after trapping Kahlil Noble in one of His abandoned facilities on Korriban. Though Kaahlil had managed to pierce Valery through the stomach with his lightsaber, he had been driven off by their combined power through the Force. Carnifex covered Kaahlil's escape by forcing the vessel to detonate a nuclear device hidden away on his ship, ravaging and irradiating the city of Knossa at the same time. Since then, the Dark Lord had observed the two of them in secret.

"If you cannot kill Kahlil, then we must sever him from the Force itself."

Alvarex Zambrano ​

 

[Alvarex Zambrano]

Rex listened and followed his father into a private alcove. His attention did not waver, "I believe killing him isn't so much the answer..." His thoughts left off for a moment, no, murder was too easy. "I must use Kahlil's own faults and doubts against him, and you are absolutely correct. I would have to be very careful about this, there is a path and I believe I know how to access it." Rex's mind spun with ideas and plans, "but it must be organic, slow, she must have it in her mind to doubt his love for her."​

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The hope was to turn Valery not just to embrace the dark side but the Zambrano name. Rex would heed his father's words but knowingly the seeds of doubt would be quite easy to plant. "In the meantime, I should still see to any candidates you might have in mind. As beautiful and as luxurious as my Amethyst is, she cannot bear all my children - although she's gathered quite the count thus far." Rex admitted somewhat proudly, "I have no doubt that one day, Valery shall be mine - but that day will not arrive tomorrow or the morrow after. It will take time to erode what has been built."​

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"Marital arrangements aside, Father," began Alvarex turning the subject away from his affections, "the relic that I had been sent after was an interesting one. It was an isotope-5, Force-imbued item the original artifact had been within it, however; the darkness that tainted it was not... not one that I knew. It was strange, corrupted, I purged most of it and was taken to Korriban."​

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"Cordelia and Xathrael had to leave me with the Unholy Father himself," a pause as he looked his father in the eyes, "Vulkanus."​

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Rex shook his head slightly, "mother is still analyzing my blood from the event."​

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"It created a black liquid, thick, smelled of ozone, and reeked of cooper," he continued, explaining the situation to his father. "It had been used to power a facility in which this ruined settlement sat. What was interesting... was that this power plant sat on a Jedi Temple."​

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Curiously he inquired, "do you know what kind of darkness could have created such a foul mess?"​

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Darth Carnifex ​

 

[Darth Carnifex]

"The path shall be revealed from the eye of the storm." The Dark Lord's advice was cryptic, intentionally vague, providing the barest clues so that His son could take those pieces and assemble the puzzle on his own initiative. Even with His own children, Carnifex did not make it any easier for them than He would any of His other apprentices. A Zambrano had to be clever and quick-witted, their minds sharpened through study as their bodies were sharpened through training. Though some of His children possessed a greater mental aptitude than the others, all were cunning.

"You will find all that I bring before you exquisite, their infatuation will never waver. The most dutiful of our servile houses have put forth their daughters for your inspection, and even some have offered their sons. In time, you may choose from among their sons that you take a liking to, but for now you shall only choose from their daughters." Polygamy was a predominant practice among the Epicanthix, practiced for thousands of years by the majority of their population. Though monogamy wasn't uncommon, it was infrequent enough to be placed firmly in the minority. Concubinage was also prevalent, especially among the wealthier households, with all sexes participating. "I shall send for them in due time, but for now I wish to hear what you have to say of this relic from your mission."

As Alvarex regaled his father with what he had uncovered, the Dark Lord's interest only grew. "There are many strains of darkness in the galaxy, my son. To sift through them all would take time. But from what you have told me, it reminds me of the Sorcerers of Rhand and the Bando Gora. Both have experimented with powers far beyond their comprehension, often with disastrous consequences. The relic being housed in a structure built over a Jedi Temple is a practice not exclusive to the Sith, it is very possible that any number of these nihilistic cults could have been responsible. Their knowledge of the Dark Side is not as refined as ours." The Dark Lord's elitism over 'lesser' Dark Side followers was no secret.

"Undoubtedly your mother will uncover its secrets, she is one of the most gifted alchemists I know."

Alvarex Zambrano ​

 

[Alvarex Zambrano]

Alvarex stood beside his father and listened to the words he spoke. Darth Carnifex spoke of the Sorcerers of Rhand and the Bando Gora, and how there were main strains of darkness. "Fascinating," remarked Rex as he continued to hear his father speak. He knew his own parents had tampered with dark forces much of it beyond his own comprehension. He let out a sigh, his brow furrowed slightly, a lot of it actually was beyond his own comprehension. The Son of the Demiurge knew enough to fight, to do fanciful tricks but nothing more.​

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"I'm sure mother will uncover more in the coming days, however; perhaps I can bother you later ... I uh," he let out a more exasperated sigh, a hand behind his head, "while I am most comfortable utilizing the Force to amplify my own physical abilities, perhaps it's time I branch out."​

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A frown drew upon his features as he turned to face his father fully, and just out of his peripheral vision he could see his younger brother Ansgar. Ansgar was only an inch taller than he, and just as built, the younger would brag he was more physically fit than his older brother. "But... until then, Ansgar is here with a report for you." Rex took a step back and motioned for his younger brother to step up. ​

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Ansgar gave a nod of acknowledgment to Alvarex and approached their father, the Third Son knelt down before his father to give the report, "father, our legions return from Mustafar. It is safe to pilgrimage to Gahenn Plains. The former Lord of Vader's Fortress seems to have been back for ages. Rising to his feet, Ansgar's gaze met his father's, "Alvarex had wondered if it was not time that we Sith return to Mustafar. Pay our respects, and reorganize ourselves there."​

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Gar gave a knowing nod toward Rex, and so Rex stepped forward. "It is in a void of the galaxy where there is little mind to be had. The powers of the galaxy that be are currently marching toward each other." Gar then withdrew a small box from his person and handed it to Rex.​

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"I believe it is time, father." Rex slowly opened the box to reveal the craftsmanship of a renewed Sith Empire sigil. "We can rebuild our assets and remind the galaxy of what we are capable of." It was as it always had been with the waxing and waning of empires throughout the ages. Rex and his brother Gar were eager to see their powers restored, impatient as they might have been their hearts were in the right place. ​

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