The Cinder Hierophant
OUT OF CHARACTER INFORMATION
SETTING INFORMATION
Many adjunct rooms and facilities throng the mountain complex, but the castle proper can be largely divided into six sections...
SECURITY: High
HISTORICAL INFORMATION
When Darth Maliphant's second apprentice first arrived on the planet Kesh, he felt a kinship with the dying jungle world. Here was a proud culture who'd anciently tamed great winged beasts from their native jungles, and had a long history with the Sith, in a parallel to Venn's home planet of Onderon. The young man resolved to save the planet from the Bryn'adul's catastrophic terraforming, and to claim the continent of Keshtah Minor for the Sith Order. Demiraev of the Takara is the house from which Venn oversees the fulfilment of that commitment... and from which he will yet bathe the southeastern systems in cleansing fire.
Among the Sith Eternal's forces on Kesh dwell Draelvasier, turned to the Sith by the power of Venn's ring, the Alchemist's Eye, as well as Vaydralen- conscript forces brought to Kesh by the Bryn'adul who joined Venn's army willingly, and enjoy certain privileges as a result. The Keshiri, native to Kesh, largely joined Venn's forces from off-world: refugees from the Bryn'adul invasion, they've returned under the banner of the Sith to reclaim their homeworld. Hundreds more refugees come from persecuted Sith communities across NIO and Ashlan Crusade territory, as well as the broken Sith world of Odavessa.
- Intent:
- To create an established base of operations for Venn's war against the Bryn'adul remnant on Kesh.
- To codify Venn's personal domicile and staging ground for his Drael army.
- To give Sith Order writers in the southeastern systems a friendly location to use at leisure.
- Image Credit: ~{&}~
- Canon: N/A
- Permissions: N/A
- Links: N/A
- Military Base Name: Demiraev of the Takara (aka 'The Furnace')
- Classification: Fortress
- Location: Kesh, Keshtah Minor, Takara Mountain Range, coastline of the Sea of Flames
- Affiliation:
Venn Kolis
, Sith Order (Sith Eternal subfaction) - Population: Heavy
- Demographics: (Sentient occupants only)
- 45% Draelvasier
- 25% Sraelvun
- 15% Baedurin
- 5% Aeravalin
- 25% Keshiri
- 20% Assorted Near-Human & Humanoid
- 5% Vaydralen
- 5% Assorted Sithspawn
- 45% Draelvasier
- Accessibility: This enormous mountaintop fortress is not a well-known locale, but certainly hard to miss from nearby. Nestled among seaside peaks, the castle is difficult to reach on foot or by repulsor travel, often necessitating shuttle transport. Though well-guarded, getting in is usually as simple as asking politely. Getting back out again... that's the trick.
- Description: Jagged spires of iron rise up above the tossing waves of Kesh's Sea of Flames. The tall outer walls do nothing to betray the vast labyrinthine levels excavated into the mountain below. Winged beasts of every variety spin and weave amongst the towers of Demiraev; a sanctuary for the persecuted. A home for the downtrodden. A banner of defiance against the tyranny of Destiny. Faction, sect, doctrine... these trifles are hardly afterthoughts here. If you are Sith, then you are home.
Many adjunct rooms and facilities throng the mountain complex, but the castle proper can be largely divided into six sections...
Tower of Time
The highest spires and towers of Demiraev are collectively referred to as the Tower of Time. This upper echelon is primarily reserved for Sith, and occasionally commanders. Here, plans and designs are drawn up spanning months, years, decades, and further. The Sith are the embodiment of patience, and have an appreciation for the scales of fate outside of the moment-to-moment happenings of any single world. Venn's living quarters are found here, as are opulent spaces for visiting Dark Lords and the like.
Temple of Passion
Below the Tower of Time lies the spaces set aside for the teaching and development of the Sith religion. Here, new converts are instructed on the finer points of many different Sith doctrines, not simply Eternalism. Priests and acolytes instruct workers and foot soldiers on the flaws and shortcomings of Jedi philosophy, and teach non-Force Sensitives how to apply the Sith Code in their own lives to do all they can to break their chains. Passion is the first step on the path of the Sith; here, it is cultivated in all. Guestrooms for visiting Sith can be found on this level, and living quarters for the fort's Vaydralen.
Chamber of Blood
Consisting of Demiraev's entire ground-level space, the Chamber of Blood includes several armories, testing centers, and holding pens for warbeasts. Here, the weapons of the Sith Eternal are maintained, whether they be blade, blaster, or beast. So long as the Sith continue to fight Destiny, they will face opposition. Blood will always be the cost of conflict, and this level is dedicated to ensuring that the blood spilled is that of the Sith's enemies. Living quarters for Keshiri and near-humans are found here, as well as spacious barracks for visiting Lord's troops or entourage.
Hall of Rage
The first sublevel underneath the main castle, the Hall of Rage is an enormous training area. Here, mock combat can be arranged for melee duels, ranged combat, warbeast fighting, or even wargames. The Sith reveal hypocrisy, unveil lies, and can see the slavery of the Galaxy under Destiny's yoke. Here, the anger that injustice inspires is channeled into violence to enact change. The Draelvasier of the Sith Eternal live on this level.
Forge of Doom
Deeper still under the Hall of Rage lie dozens of forges and workshops for Sith Alchemy. These rooms are set up for the practice of steelcraft, fleshtwisting, and a number of other arts. Here, the innovation of the Sith's best create the doom of Destiny's slaves. Sithspawn and forge fiends dwell on this level.
Pit of Void
Rarely seen, seldom spoken of, the furthest depths of Demiraev are a black pit from which only a select few ever escape. Soldiers whisper of prison cells, torture arrays, strange machines that slowly drain the blood from a living subject without killing them. The interrogators and assassins of the Sith Eternal come and go from this level as they please.
SECURITY: High
For anyone not obviously affiliated with a Sith-hunting galactic superpower, an encounter with the hard-to-find and hard-to-reach Demiraev of the Takara is not likely to be a lethal experience. Despite a plethora of vigilant armed personnel, most visitors are looked upon as potential members of the Sith faith, and are not treated with hostility. This means getting into the castle itself is not hard. That said, certain areas such as the Tower of Time or anything underneath the Hall of Rage might be difficult- if not outright impossible, to access... at least without a fight.
A plethora of Sith Eternal security forces can be found in the fortress, but a few divisions have particular presence and force of number. Sith Acolytes and retainers stand watch over the Tower of Time, while the Arxadan Guard keep vigil within the Temple of Passion. Patrolling the Chamber of Blood is the Burning Legion, who keep watch over the surrounding grounds with the help of the Qatilovçu. The Amon-Sev watch over every level of the castle, with the lower levels being so full of Sithspawn and Draelvasier that the thought of trespass strikes as suicidal. The Maal Riders patrol the few narrow passes and secret trails that allow access by foot up the mountain, their speeder bikes and knowledge of the terrain making them menacing guardsmen.
One notable trait of the castle's security is the lack of droids, turret guns, or automated defenses. Rather than simply not yet installed, these facilities were never allowed for in the design of the castle. Some would call this a glaring weakness... the master of the castle would disagree.
HISTORICAL INFORMATION
When Darth Maliphant's second apprentice first arrived on the planet Kesh, he felt a kinship with the dying jungle world. Here was a proud culture who'd anciently tamed great winged beasts from their native jungles, and had a long history with the Sith, in a parallel to Venn's home planet of Onderon. The young man resolved to save the planet from the Bryn'adul's catastrophic terraforming, and to claim the continent of Keshtah Minor for the Sith Order. Demiraev of the Takara is the house from which Venn oversees the fulfilment of that commitment... and from which he will yet bathe the southeastern systems in cleansing fire.
Among the Sith Eternal's forces on Kesh dwell Draelvasier, turned to the Sith by the power of Venn's ring, the Alchemist's Eye, as well as Vaydralen- conscript forces brought to Kesh by the Bryn'adul who joined Venn's army willingly, and enjoy certain privileges as a result. The Keshiri, native to Kesh, largely joined Venn's forces from off-world: refugees from the Bryn'adul invasion, they've returned under the banner of the Sith to reclaim their homeworld. Hundreds more refugees come from persecuted Sith communities across NIO and Ashlan Crusade territory, as well as the broken Sith world of Odavessa.
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