Private Portrait of Authority

[Darth Meritum]

Darth Empyrean did not have much going for him in terms of charisma - though Meritum had heard at some point in the past, he certainly did. He couldn't write the rumors off completely; afterall, the Emperor did have an Empress. Now, however, it was very clear the Emperor lacked much in terms of communication - so he and the Sepulchral had made a 'Voice' to his authority. While the Emperor stay on Dromunnd Kaas or with the First Legion aboard the Mors Mon, it was now up to Darth Meritum to speak with the authority Empyrean had.​

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If only he carried with himself the same power - perhaps then he wouldn't need to borrow so much from the Dead God. In truth, Darth Meritum did not mind it - he was known to avoid the spotlight, and had done so for the last dozen iterations of the Sith Empire that he had been apart of. He had heard the names of Taeli Raaf and Gerwald Lechner , but he hadn't ever truly communicated with them. Closest he did was back during the first crowning of Darth Carnifex during the Moot. Today, however, he would not have the luxury of just a near miss.​

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Without much warning, the Dark Council would be summoned to their chamber. Waiting there, not sitting in the seat of the Emperor but nearby, was Darth Meritum. He was using his finger to manipulate one of the glass orbs that reflected each member of the Council. It was needless ceremony, but who was he to judge these malcontents on something so trivial. He needed to come to an understanding with them - and today would simply have to be that day.​

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Tag: Darth Malum of House Marr // Gerwald Lechner // Taeli Raaf​

 

[Darth Malum of House Marr]

To be summoned to the Dark Council chambers by their Emperor could hardly be called a rare event, at the same time, it was hardly a common event. He squinted his eyes, squeezing them shut for fair seconds, as the wave of pain travelled his skull, having long since wiped away the bloody nose drawn out by bending time and space about him. There was a boon in the fact he had only been at nearby Alvaria, the toll upon his body was as much lessened, as through the red orb that had been gifted to him acted a beacon, a lighthouse, guiding him to safe harbour.

Though to call this place safe harbour, might have been the greatest fallacies of them all.

His long raven locks swayed with each lock-stepped stride, every step feeling more monumental than the last, as his blackened cloak trailed along the ground to his destination, steeped in the colours of his trade, adorned in the armour that did not belong to him, but which he had inextricably made his own, form-fitting, yet ever protective.

All to play second fiddle to the mask he wore upon his face, red eyes glimmering dangerously beneath the visor, as he felt his heart in his eardrums.

It was the oddest sensation of them all...

...He did not feel their Emperor's presence close by.

For most, it might have been a blessing, Darth Arcanix and Lord Lechner were hardly easy fellows to deal with, especially with their... experience and... age. Throw the Emperor into the mix as well, and it was a struggle enough to have his voice heard in a room of those that imagined him little more than a lucky upjumped child.

Pride doth the fall, he reminded himself, as he passed the two Praetorians guarding the grand doorway, pressing upon its frame, it buckled, as he swept into the room, his cloak billowing in his wake, as the heir of Darth Marr, made his presence felt.

And confirmed with vision that the Emperor was nowhere in sight, instead, behind the mask, his eyes narrowed, as they fell upon a familiar presence, even if one that was nought more than a stranger to him. It had been... a curiosity, when his Tsis'Kaar had reported back to him, that the Emperor had brought forward unto his ranks a Voice, to follow his Wrath.

He offered a silent nod of his head in respect, "...Darth Meritum, am I wrong to assume His Imperial Majesty shall not be joining us today?" He questioned with a voice as clear as crystalline depths, eying the orb within the Voice's hand, and finding his own resting where he had left it, as much as it was useful... as much as it allowed them the freedom to communicate with each other, rather than gathering back upon Jutrand...

...He so loathed having any of the Corpse King's poisons near him. Yet, even as the words were thought, his fingers extended out, and the orb flew through the air, brought to his hand, as he tossed it up into the air, catching it without fanfare, as he awaited the arrival of his Co-Councillors.

Darth Meritum Gerwald Lechner Taeli Raaf
Mentioned: Darth Empyrean

 

[Darth Meritum]

"Not wrong.", he offered back plainly, still letting his own orb roll under his index finger. He stared at it a while, waiting for the others, but eventually sighed and leaned back, taking the ball with him.​

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"Seems you're the only one. That's fine.", he said with a touch of disappointment he wasn't able to hide.​

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"I've been appointed Voice of the Emperor, of that I am sure you are aware. The others will be made aware if they are not already. The Emperor believes that I will have better success helping to manage his domain in his absence, as his duties have drawn him to both the Galactic Alliance's front door, and Dromund Kaas."​

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"With that said, I think its only appropriate I meet the Dark Council. A bad first impression won't exactly help my position, would it?"​

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Darth Malum of House Marr​

 

[Taeli Raaf]

Darth Meritum Darth Malum of House Marr Gerwald Lechner​

"No, and first impressions can be everything in our Order."

Her voice would float down from an amethyst-eyed raven perched on her throne, before the familiar itself would swoop down to settle onto the seat itself. Its form would shift into that of the Lady of Secrets herself, small wisps of shadow trailing off her form as she channeled herself through the familiar.

"My apologies for not being physically present, Lord Malum, Lord Meritum, I am in the middle of an experiment that requires my direct attention and can't be pulled away from it for travel to the capital until its completion."

It was interesting that Empyrean had deigned to recreate the Voice position within their structure, but she felt it oddly reassuring in a way. While the Emperor was busy with other endeavors, such as war or whatever was being constructed on Dromund Kaas, it showed at least some of the old inclination to creating some measure of continuity and ensuring his own views were made to the Dark Council. It also was nostalgic for her considering when she first became Sith, the Dark Lord at that time had five Voices.

Perhaps this would mean an expansion to the Dark Council was coming in the future.

Her familiar-form would trail a finger over the amethyst orb of her throne, regarding both her colleague and the man who would be expressing Empyrean's desire in managing his domain.

"So, besides a meet and greet, what is on the agenda that you would like to discuss, Voice Meritum?"

 

[Darth Malum of House Marr]

He idly wondered how the Emperor's Wrath would react to the knowledge that the Emperor's Voice had usurped his orb, it was a curiosity that he would have chosen the golden one, was it a measure to indicate the Emperor's confidence had swayed away from Lord Lechner to Darth Meritum? Was it a sign that Darth Meritum was to join them on the Dark Council? That he would replace the Exectutioner?

Or was it nothing at all really.

All likely possibilities, hidden away behind the nod of his head, an acceptance that their Emperor would not be joining them today...

...He did not know if that would make for a more productive or unproductive meeting.

He smirked beneath the mask the disappointment from Darth Meritum's words wafted over the air, the raven, the ever familiar raven, unique in only the fact that it was not one of his stood upon her mistresses' throne, "I apologise to disappoint, Darth Meritum, but I am not the only Councillor in attendance," He spoke the smirk audible in his voice, even as he stood solitary at the rest of the words spoken.

That the Emperor had been self-aware to realise his domains would be better managed by just about anyone else, was shocking, though at the same time, if one's idea of management had been hiding away in one's castle, as one's Empire threatened to tear itself apart every few months, then he supposed it was apt.

At the same time, the fear at which he so easily sprouted had done its course to make sure the Empire had not in actuality torn itself apart. But, with the state that it was in, to imagine it governable in any real sense was... it was odd really, in some aspects the Empire was easily governed, most worlds paid their tithes and were quiet in their indifference.

On the otherhand, he was not sure if he had heard of an Empire that held such utter indifference to its central government.

He could not fault it entirely, for all its flaws, it was somehow working, it was really only a question of when it would stop doing so.

The raven sprouted human hands, even if born of whisps as an attractive older woman found herself seated, speaking words that were entirely accurate for the Mother of Monsters, as he tilted his head at her excuse, but nonetheless nodded in acceptance of it. Her question at the end at the very least hit the nail on the head.

"...Indeed, are you to join the Dark Council? If not, what is to be our dynamic? Suffice it to say, I do not sense His Imperial Majesty within you, so I do not imagine you are that kind of Voice."

On one hand, to have a new rival rancored, on the otherhand, to not have the Emperor close at hand was always a blessing.

Darth Meritum Taeli Raaf Gerwald Lechner
Mentioned: Darth Empyrean

 

[Darth Meritum]

Meritum glanced over for a moment to watch the familiar of Taeli Raaf form itself into a representation of her. It didn't surprise him much that she would make her entrance more dramatic, he expected that of Sith of this caliber. He only hoped that Gerwald Lechner wouldn't show up as a wolf, or Darth Malum of House Marr leave as a viper. It'd make things awkward, since he didn't really have an animal to represent himself.​

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Breaking himself away from those thoughts, he responded;​

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"Than you for joining us, Dark Councilor."​

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He offered her a nod, then looked back to Malum;​

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"No, I am not a vessel for the Emperor to take hold of on command. I don't believe I would be in my position long, were that the case. Rather, the Emperor has given me the full authority of his position to work domestically. Sith that rise to the status of Dark Lord often tend to focus their energies externally - expanding the Empire, for example - while neglecting their own holdings."​

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"I am meant to guide the Empire in his absence. That is not to say I outrank any of you, only that I am his will until he sees fit to remove me from the position.", hopefully intact.​

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"I have no intentions of being insulting, causing conflict, or otherwise testing your authority. While I have no doubt the Emperor would avenge me, should something happen to me, I would prefer nothing happen to begin with. In that sense, I am here for our mutual benefit. A meet-and-greet is a start, but I'd like to learn about the nature of the Empire from those who run it already."​

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He leaned back in his chair, holding the orb he had been given, which was not actually the one Gerwald already owned.​

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"How does our fair Empire run? I understand there are issues regarding the economy, revolutionaries, intrigue, and rivalries. I'd say I am concerned about those on our borders, but in reality that is not my place."​

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Taeli Raaf // Gerwald Lechner // Darth Malum of House Marr​

 

[Gerwald Lechner]

TAG: Darth Meritum | Darth Malum of House Marr | Taeli Raaf

The air in the chamber crackled with dark energy as the impromptu meeting of the Dark Council commenced. Massive, obsidian pillars lined the circular room, their surfaces etched with ancient Sith inscriptions that pulsed a dim crimson. The gathered Sith Lords sat upon their thrones, each a towering seat of authority, positioned around the grand chamber’s center. Shadows clung to the corners of the room, as if the Dark Side itself was an unseen participant.

Amid the darkness, a new figure took form. A tall silhouette flickering into existence as a life-sized blue holo-projection. Gerwald Lechner. His massive frame, clad in armor blackened from war, stood rigid, hands folded behind his back in military fashion. His long, unruly hair fell over his shoulders, barely concealing the piercing glow of his eyes—predatory and alert. Though he was not physically present, his mere presence in the chamber carried weight.

The holographic static briefly distorted his image as he bowed his head slightly in deference, though the gesture was measured, respectful, not subservient.

His expression remained impassive as the Sith Lords observed him in silence. Some regarded him with amusement, others with scrutiny, weighing his worth in the unspoken hierarchy of power. His reputation was well known among his peers. Gerwald was a warrior, strategist, the hound of the Sith. He had carved his path through blood and battle, earning his place among them not through deception or politics, but through raw, undeniable strength.

“It seems I am late,” he offered as a fleeting apology when the others finished.

Gerwald’s head canted slightly toward the new face among them, Darth Meritum . It seemed Empyrean had employed another to be his voice. It mattered little to the Wolf. The emperor had his wrath, and now he had found his voice. Perhaps it would benefit the Order as a whole, or maybe it would create a vacuum of power.