The Forge of Alliances (Open to the Sith Order)

[Asharad Graush]

And so Darth Vyrassu arrived at Brokers. An invitation had been received from a certain Darth Abyss. The name seemed familiar to him, though it had been some time since he had last heard it. Perhaps when he had been a young Sith Knight? Or even as a Sith Acolyte. It was true that they had met each other, on more than one occasion and all their meetings had devolved into a ruthless duel. The first one was to be claimed as a victory for A'sharad, hardly worth remembering to the now Sith Lord, though the second duel had brought about many changes to his attitude. At times, there were necessary precautions to take, for [member="Darth Abyss"] had infiltrated his very own facility with the remnants of a dying One Sith Empire's Intelligence Bureau and had nearly killed him.

Thus prompting that long duration of time where the Sith Lord solely remained on Yalara or otherwise protected by a number of Sith loyal to the long forgotten House of Graush. In this time, the Sith Lord was still always prepared for combat, a lasting lesson that his mysterious peer had instilled in him some time ago.

And so he came, encased in his suit of armour that had recently, seen use in multiple engagements from the First Order's battle at Kaeshana, and the Skirmish at Midvinter.

There was already a gathering of Sith, Vyrassu noted as he had been escorted in. They seemed engaged in conversation already, and he strode up all the same. Few, or rather, none were recognizable besides the Host. Helmet in the crook of his elbow, A'sharad placed his helmet on the table and then dragged out his chair before taking a seat, arranging his cloak so that it didn't get in the way should the need arise for a quick reaction. And so he just... Listened.

In truth, he believed that the Sith should've been united long ago. Similarly to how some previously non-existent Remnant of an Empire came to life when the First Order already existed in the Galaxy. There would always be fools, ones that wanted to be different, who thought they could do it better. In the end, the ones with more guns tended to win. With so many Sith present, presumably with their own lands, titles, and some forces to their names, they were already a threat to even the strongest of Galactic superpowers.

​

[member="Krest"], [member="Vitor Avendahl"], [member="Darth Carnifex"], [member="Darth Imperia"], [member="Tirdarius"], [member="Ignus"], [member="Kith Verloren"], [member="Tezuka Sayo"], [member="Darth Voracitos"], [member="The Rusted Queen"], ​

 

[Xevek Nekonis]

Collecting information. Observing the comings and goings of his fellow beings who bore the burden of life. Acting passive and occluded within shadows until the came time in which to act. All three items of the list could be used to describe the general personality of Darth Lykos when it came to interacting with fellow Sith and even the larger players of the galaxy as a whole. He was not one to charge forwards onto a battlefield, whether a battlefield of conflict or politics it did not matter, letting any and all see 'him'; even if the 'him' they gazed upon was a false persona so carefully crafted, worn and discarded with the ease of a mask. And even when it came to a more social gathering of members of the Sith Order, his nature was not to be denied.

As such, as words of ideals, politics and philosophies passed over top the table that more and more bodies gathered around - all differentiated through gender, species or awarded rank within the Sith - the Zabrak stayed back, lurking in the shadows as he always did, the Force pulled around him in a passive cloak that rendered him invisible, within both the materiel aspect of reality and the ethereal. And so, he did as he always did and watched and listened and learned, slowly drawing conclusions and analysis of his fellows should a time ever come wherein that information would be needed.

But, he recognised that he could not remain on the sidelines forever. If only to ensure that as more and more bodies filled the space and more and more voices joined the conversation, that his subterfuge would not be accidentally discovered and revealed. In specific times, such a result could serve beneficial but this was not one of those times.

Stepping out from behind the newly arrived Krest, a fellow Iridonian and Assassin, the cloaked form of Lykos would seem to step into being as he would slowly bow his head from one Sith to another in silent greeting and a seemingly contrite apology for his tardiness. From there, he served to stand as yet another body, yet another voice - albeit currently silenced - within the group. He had stepped forth from the shadows but it was not the time to step forwards from the background and put words to his thoughts. Not just yet. There was more for the others to say before he would be willing to set his own piece upon the board. Just a bit more to learn.



[member="Darth Abyss"] | [member="Tirdarius"] | [member="Ignus"] | [member="Darth Carnifex"] | [member="The Rusted Queen"] | [member="Darth Voracitos"] | [member="Tezuka Sayo"] | [member="Serenity LoveHeart"] | [member="Kith Verloren"] | [member="Darth Imperia"] | [member="Vitor Avendahl"]
OOC Note: Sorry if there are any problems with this. Just wanted to do something different than him being late.

 

[Ras'kala'han]

Antherion wasn't worried about arriving a touch later. The brushing of shoulders, the subtle threats and power plays, above all else the chance to feed one's own ego - these demanded time, and with multiple Lords in attendance, he had no doubt the meeting would last long into the night. No shame in filtering through with the others as they passed in and out, one by one, in close secrecy. This air of relaxation had made it convenient to give a brief inspection to the shuttle transporting him before launch, inspecting for any listening devices - and finding none. He had no doubt it wouldn't be so in the Casino, but it was good to be able to exchange a few words with his new student in confidence before arriving.

"Ibraham - I'm going to assume you've been among Sith of higher rank before. Address the powerful respectfully, and as 'my lord', and you should avoid much trouble." The willowy human paused, leaning backwards against the hover throne he had received as a 'gift' of sorts from his brief stay on Llord. It had been large enough that he could initially have used it as a bed, but he had adjusted it, ornamenting it somewhat - a metal latticework was laced with the vines of fragrant flowers, situating him in something of a floating garden. Unsuited for combat? Yes, but beauty was always a first priority. The man himself was dressed in simple, pressed white robes, and his silver-blonde hair had grown to the point where it fell to his shoulders.

"We are here to establish ourselves amongst the Sith - I will be meeting with several people I have already made acquaintance with, I invite you to do the same. That being said, be conservative - we have time, and a bold move is likely to fail if the stage has not been set. Any foolishness on your part reflects on me, the master - so I will be obligated to punish you if you cause trouble to preserve my standing, irrespective of my wishes." He paused, smiling. "We have all the time we need, and the future belongs to us."

After his student had said his piece, Antherion would drift into the room in serene silence - keeping quiet upon seeing the others already speaking, instead simply floating quietly to a place at the table, offering a nod to his host, and an acknowledging smile to any askance glances. Forget the gambling - this was his favorite game to play.

[member="Darth Abyss"] | [member="Tirdarius"] | [member="Ignus"] | [member="Darth Carnifex"] | [member="The Rusted Queen"] | [member="Darth Voracitos"] | [member="Tezuka Sayo"] | [member="Serenity LoveHeart"] | [member="Kith Verloren"] | [member="Darth Imperia"] | [member="Vitor Avendahl"] | [member="Darth Lykos"] | [member="Thall Marr"]

 

[grammaticus]

Ibrahm bowed his head silently, once his master was done speaking. "Yes master, I shall do as you say." Ibrahm followed the floating chair into the room, but coming to a stop just inside the threshold, his eyes briefly taking in this room, as well as counting the number of exits. His years spent on the run had taught him it never hurt to know which way to head for when things turned poorly.

Reaching up to the hood covering his head, Ibrahm lowered the cloth, revealing his red skin and horned head. Ibrahm then walked towards the side of the room, running his gloved hand along the wall for a moment in the process, before coming to a halt. He had been with his master for some time, but he was still taken back by the sheer number of Sith present in the room, giving him pause. Finally though, he walked towards the center of the room, his eyes regarding any that caught his gaze.

Darth Abyss | Tirdarius | Ignus | Darth Carnifex | The Rusted Queen | Darth Voracitos | Tezuka Sayo | Serenity LoveHeart | Kith Verloren | Darth Imperia | Vitor Avendahl [member="Antherion"]

 

[Darth Voracitos]

Voracitos seemed to be pre-occupied with wine tasting to attend the table directly, for more than one reason. For one, his presence would fill a number of seats that could be occupied instead by a handful of other Lords of acolytes. Voracitos sneered to himself as he guzzled down a century old glass of whisky - his tastes never stopped with wine - that "colorful" acolyte who had the gall to speak up while simultaneously misplacing the name of the Sith's longest lasting enemy. He would have shown her his grave displeasure with her clear incompetence if it were not in poor form... and if she was actually worth that much attention.

Woe are we, if that should be the future of the Sith... Voracitos thought to himself.

The other reason was because while he put on his faux dismissal of the very clear politics going on around the table, the Shadow Emperor listened intently to every word. He gauged the room, sought weak points, as well as the support 'struts' of the structure which had so far maintained this fragile and all too loose alliance among them. Yet, even as it would seem that some Sith Lord's offered their resources to a cause - likely a mere continuation of the Midvinter campaign until they exhausted said resources or wipe their target off the map... before realizing the only enemies they had left would be themselves.

That was the danger that Voracitos had observed, and a danger he knew [member="Tirdarius"] had for seen as well. The other Sith Lords were quick in dismissal to the true nature of the astute Sith Lord's question. Voracitos had always some measure of respect for the Sith Lord's academic insight. Voracitos debated whether or not he would turn back to intervene and steer the conversation where it needed to be... but opted for a more secure and effective route. Find allies with a common vision.

These fools seem set upon their bloodlust, Voracitos attempted to speak to Tirdarius' mind, You and I both know where this will lead, yet there is no stopping it. The politics of 'union' are faux, their eyes are only set upon a target nearest to their collective horizons... Voracitos paused a moment to collect his thoughts. If a true alliance is what you seek to be achieved, as I do, I have a proposal for you. Meet with me on the balcony... failing that, you shall always find me on Lorrd.

With that, Voracitos turned with a few glasses of liquor and wine in hand, and glided silently outside away from the false politics, giving only a side long glance to [member="Darth Carnifex"] as he passed. He hoped his previous working relationship with Tirdarius would not deter him from meeting him. He would be most displeased, though not terribly angry if Tirdarius would rather sever his ties with Voracitos. He was a fickle man, and had been extremely paranoid in his past life, both of which did not leave a terrific reputation to return to in resuming life.

Yet still, if the 'Shadow Emperor' had the same goals as you do, why persist in trying to convince the other bloody apes's to change their ways? Surely a listen couldn't hurt...

 

[Teynara Jeralyr]

| [member="Darth Abyss"] | [member="Darth Carnifex"] | [member="Ignus"] | [member="Darth Voracitos"] | [member="The Rusted Queen"] | [member="Kith Verloren"] | [member="Tezuka Sayo"] | [member="Darth Imperia"] | [member="Vitor Avendahl"] | [member="Krest"] | [member="Serenity LoveHeart"] | [member="Asharad Graush"] | [member="Darth Lykos"] | [member="Antherion"] | [member="Thall Marr"] |​

Abyss was correct, in some respects: the Empire had long fallen, memory of it remaining with but a few of those Sith Lords who had lived in those times, but the notion of a formal Sith alliance ultimately forced them all to reflect on the more recent attempts, those which had split and fractured as personal goals got in the way of service to the greater whole, such that they had splintered finally, that all would maintain their own individual power bases and come together only to crush mutual adversaries. Which is less a collective goal and more the parts seeking to avoid their own redundancy.

Thus had the Sith turned what had once been their service into defining traits that overshadowed any other capability they might have provided: Carnifex, the dealer of death, capable of a single kill or the obliteration of worlds. Ferox, the silent Assassin. Voracitos, a political mastermind in a corpulent body. Ignus, the businessman, bent on supremacy from multiple angles of attack. Abyss, one who walked the same path as Tirdarius himself, a keeper of secrets and ancient lore. Once these things would have been drawn into a single path, with one thing above all in ascendence: the good of the Empire. And now? What are we if not butchers, manipulators and those who remember a time when we were something more?

There was nonetheless merit in seeing the Jedi as the enemy: it had been done many times before, bringing the Sith together with a view to destroying an adversary that might otherwise take advantage of their discordant nature. True, the Jedi were weaker than they had ever been: the way in which the Sith had seized the Stygium Caldera, and the consequential battles elsewhere had proven that they were far diminished. Could that be the platform to bring them together? Possibly. The danger loomed large, however: what happened when their emnity for the Jedi was no longer enough to keep any Sith coalition together? Would they turn upon themselves once more?

"We do not ignore the Jedi," he remarked softly, his voice barely carrying to those gathered, his tone reflective rather than the usual decisive modulation he preferred. "But they cannot be our ultimate goal. Removing them from the board moves the game on apace, but it is not the end of it. If we devote all we have to that, we take our eye off the game to focus on capturing a single piece." He shook his head, knowing well enough that such was the folly that had pushed the Sith back time and again. "Victory in battle gives us nothing if we fracture as the Jedi fall. We needs must look beyond them."

As his voice fell silent, another raised, though this one whispered into his mind rather than joining the more verbal intonations of the others. The Sith Lord's eyes narrowed, recognising the voice as it was projected: the smooth, faintly angry tones of the corpulent former Emperor, echoing within his thoughts in a way that left no intrusion upon the discussions of the others. Not often did others try to touch his mind in such a way, but Tirdarius recognised quickly that, were such words voiced openly, the fracturing he spoke of would happen far sooner.

To focus their thoughts upon a mutual enemy will at least unify them under the same banner for a time, he thought in response, stormy grey eyes focusing momentarily on the back of the grotesque being, hovering on repulsors towards the balcony he had spoken of. We both remember the Empire, remember how it all fell apart when the Sith were on the ascendent. That much must be avoided this time.

Ignus and Carnifex between them might marshal sufficient forces to enable the Sith to take a military step forward: Ferox's thought of striking at Voss would certainly serve to provoke the Jedi, to pull the rug out from underneath them and place them on the back foot, in a way that might set them up for a decisive finish, but it might also stir up a nest and focus Jedi firepower on the Sith as a whole. Absent the structure to counteract it, we might see each of us picked off one by one, the Jedi rallying their allies and members of their Order to strike at us one at a time. That was the more immediate danger, or so he sensed.

Standing, Tirdarius followed out to speak with Voracitos, leaving the others to continue their discussions without them, for a few moments. He did not intend on being absent from the conversations for long, given that there were important things that needed to be hashed out by all of them, but it sounded like Voracitos might have ideas that could help move such things along, and evidently the corpulent Lord was not willing to share those openly with the group just yet. Perhaps a nudge in the right direction...

"You've given this some thought, I take it?", he said by way of greeting as he stepped out onto the balcony. The dark of the night greeted them, softened by the illumination of the casino, glowglobes hovering on repulsorlifts off to the sides of the balcony. It had been some time since he and Voracitos had talked face-to-face like this, two together rather than two among a myriad others, and certainly so since the fat one's 'resurrection'. But you always did have something going on behind those beady eyes of yours. "A true alliance?"

 

[Darth Carnifex]

"Victory over the Jedi is paramount, but it is not the end goal. It is but a stepping stone to a greater destiny, one where the Empire once again reigns over all the land we once ruled and beyond."

Long ago the Empire stretched from Tund to Bastion, from Togoria to Lorrd, encompassing most of the Tion Cluster and the entirety of the Stygian Caldera. Now most of that land was overrun by the Silver Jedi, its people quickly forgetting who truly has the right to rule over them. They would have to be reminded, they would have to be shown that these Silver Jedi are weak and ineffective.

Then they would have to be punished.

"And the Clans will be of little consequence, I have the ear of their Mand'alor and through him we can quell them and have them fight for us. Another wrong will be righted."

​

[member="Darth Abyss"] | [member="Tirdarius"] | [member="Ignus"]​

[member="The Rusted Queen"] | [member="Kith Verloren"] | [member="Darth Voracitos"]​

[member="Tezuka Sayo"] | [member="Darth Imperia"] | [member="Vitor Avendahl"]​

 

[Kamon's OOC]

Ignus lifted a hand and rubbed his forehead lightly.

It gets a bit chaotic in these meetings, he sent via telepathy to Kith. If you have thoughts please convey them.

Voracitos and Tirdarius moved out to talk about something or other, and he couldn't help but think about the fact that this social gathering was meant to draw them together, but those two were off speaking in private. Tirdarius was dangerous. Leos would not suffer the fool who thought otherwise. Voracitos, despite his girth, was also dangerous. If the two of them were scheming then he needed to be on his guard, but not overtly so. He settled back into his seat and regarded the others comfortably. Despite what people might think of him and his methodology, his ultimate goal did require that the Sith band together again. He had no reason not to want them to do so.

"We all make good points here, of course, but the simple matter is that each thing must be taken a step at a time. Some come from the clutches of the One Sith, their base of power now fractured and splintering even still. Some others of us were outside of their sphere of influence, working on our own things. We are not, in present form, ready to take on anyone in full scale battle. It would behoove us to first fortify our position within the Caldera. Once we have done that, then we can strike at the Silver Jedi and any other foe on the horizon.

"Yes, we have waged several attacks on them successfully, but these have been minor victories. They still maintain a sizable fleet, as preposterous as that is for Jedi to do, and they still have considerable numbers. If we strike without preparing to be struck back, we will lose. We must settle ourselves before we strike at them."

It made sense to him. If there was chaos at home, then it would be easy for your foe to tip the boat and make any strike at them completely ineffectual. If they were going to enter the grand stage of galactic conquest, they needed to be prepared to have the Silvers and others strike at them in retaliation for their efforts.

"Fortify the Caldera, sweep it for their probes, and then prepare for war. You can't strike the enemy if your house is not in order."

|[member="Krest"]|[member="Darth Carnifex"]|[member="Darth Abyss"]|[member="Kith Verloren"]|[member="Tirdarius"]|[member="Darth Voracitos"]|[member="Darth Lykos"]|[member="Asharad Graush"]|​

 

[Ever Dawnracer]

There were quite a few unfamiliar faces here. More arrived as time went on. She wasn't sure how to approach this. In a normal situation back where she was from, her Yomida would be involved in such events as this. The man would have introduced her to several people, and she would engage in polite conversation with the members of the higher caste, as was expected of her. A warrior always did what their Yomida wanted, and a Yomida always did what the Dynasi wanted. As such, she would be bound by her duty to entertain the friends of the Yomida, even if they might find her dull and boring as she knew little of social constructs.

But she did know enough to want to get to know her fellow Sith. A curious sort of woman appeared in the form of [member="Darth Imperia"], her skin pale as freshly fallen snow. Sayo had never seen someone with such white skin before. Curious, she approached the woman, noting her bearing as that of someone of higher rank, and dipped her head in show of deference, offering a light bow of placation as she had been taught.

"Konnichiwa," she said as she straightened once again. "I am Tezuka Sayo. May I inquire as to your name?"

This was supposed to be a social gathering. She was going to treat it as one.

 

[Zef Halo]

Vitor patiently listened and eagerly acquired all the information said from all parties. He tried to discern each party's motives by what they said and what they sought. Attempting to profile each one of them. Avendahl had learned the necessity of information and knowledge from Lord Fa and recently from Maleagant. From his degree and his experience as an arms dealer, he knew when an opportunity immediately.

Arms dealing thrived in war. And the Sith were looking to ignite one.

When there was a moment of silence between the Lords, he cautiously offered his services:

"My Lords, excuse my intrusion." Vitor began with a respectful nod with the head. "As my Lord has said that he would be able to supply our war efforts with starships." Avendahl gestured at [member="Ignus"], he knew not his name. "So do I offer you my services as a provider of arms."

And that was all he said. No more was needed. He was in no position to stretch out his words in such a gathering. Vitor was also glad of that, too. His skills in socializing were average at best, anyways.

[member="Darth Carnifex"] | [member="Tirdarius"] | [member="Tezuka Sayo"] | [member="The Rusted Queen"] | [member="Darth Abyss"] | [member="Darth Voracitos"] | [member="Kith Verloren"] | [member="Asharad Graush"] | [member="Antherion"] | @Ihavetogotowork​

 

[Darth Carnifex]

Carnifex nodded, "Lord Ignus speaks truth. As much as I desire to see the Silvers crushed beneath our boot, we cannot be hasty."

He produced from his pocket a holoprojector of standard size and make, and placed it lightly upon the table. A mere tap of a button produced a three-dimensional map of the Tingel Arm, a swath of light blue indicating the sectors which were still currently held by the Silver Jedi and a single hexagon in brightest crimson to denote the Stygian Caldera. Another button was pressed as a translucent sheen enveloped the image, condensing to form a blob of space far larger than what was held by either the Sith or the Silver Jedi at the time.

"This, my brethren, was the extent of our glory. In our hubris we squandered it, let it become subject to the Mandalorians and the Jedi, our lands torn apart by disorder. This is our aspiration, to reclaim the borders of the Old Empire, but to do so we must consolidate our current gains." The sheen faded until only the territories of the Silvers and the Order remained, "We must turn the Caldera into a bastion, an insurmountable redoubt from which we can never again be dislodged. Then, once the might of our armies and defenses have been tested, we will strike out to reclaim all that we have lost since that horrendous war."

He let the map hang there in the air, letting its colors bath the attendees in blue and red.

[member="Darth Abyss"] | [member="Tirdarius"] | [member="Ignus"]​

[member="The Rusted Queen"] | [member="Kith Verloren"] | [member="Darth Voracitos"]​

[member="Tezuka Sayo"] | [member="Darth Imperia"] | [member="Vitor Avendahl"]​

 

[Darth Voracitos]

"I have, Lord [member="Tirdarius"]. Ever since our departure from Eol Sha, leaving our open suggestions yet still undecided. Only now, once we have proven it possible to set aside our individual rivalries for common goals, as I predicted, have we returned to that same conversation." Voracitos took a sip of rum, and scrunched his nose in displeasure. He did not like that, but he wouldn't let it go to waste either, and kept it in his hands. Voracitos was glad that Tirdarius allowed him the privilege to conference with him. The Dark Lord was in the business of creating and re-opening new ties to the Sith of the Order. He had made a vassal out of [member="Antherion"] on Lorrd, and sought to make a colleague out of Tirdarius. Voracitos had also the need for more than one apprentice, as while [member="Karn Zhakul"] was an apprentice out of necessity... he needed another to hunt down and collect the various creatures bonded to Voracitos across the galaxy, presenting themselves as potential weaknesses to the Dark Lord. He had hoped to find one on Korriban, but found none.

"You remember our Dark Council... how I had attempted to leave the seat of Emperor vacant. It was a failed structure, as you know, from the start. It failed for many reasons, but the one that truly cast it to flames was the culture, of the Empire. The fact there was a seat for an all powerful ruler at all, simply left empty drove the Sith mad and undermined our authority. The culture of the Empire, demanded an Emperor, and the Council was only ever to play the role of interim. We live now in a dangerous slurry of culture's present within our 'Order', this dangerous alliance we have cast our bets into. We have all had our tastes of absolute power, some of us as far as claiming to be Dark Lord of the Sith, or Emperor of the Sith Dominion, and others with more subtle power... such as yourself - which, I may add, I envy." Voracitos finished his glass of rum, tossing it over the edge of the balcony, as he gathered his favorite wine so far to his hand.

"Without control, without our applied discipline, the culture of the Sith Order may return to its roots... return to an infeasible and temporary alliance, only to end in betrayal. I propose a different culture, one in which the most powerful work to keep each others domains in line and focused upon small goals, rather than to focus on climbing over the other. A cease of conflict among ourselves, an accord to stay within the Circle of Lords and to never rise so far above it as to break the Circle... our collective might always greater than the ambitions of one." Voracitos squinted thoughtfully at the dark horizon.

"An alliance must begin somewhere, so I then invite you to work with me once more, not as my subordinate, but as an... equal." Voracitos struggled to spit out the last word, but forced it without seeming too strained. A situation where one was not in total control, was always a situation to make a Sith uncomfortable... but progress would never be had if the Sith were well content. Breaking his own comfort, would be the first step into a larger alliance.

 

[Teynara Jeralyr]

| [member="Darth Abyss"] | [member="Darth Carnifex"] | [member="Ignus"] | [member="Darth Voracitos"] | [member="The Rusted Queen"] | [member="Kith Verloren"] | [member="Tezuka Sayo"] | [member="Darth Imperia"] | [member="Vitor Avendahl"] | [member="Krest"] | [member="Serenity LoveHeart"] | [member="Asharad Graush"] | [member="Darth Lykos"] | [member="Antherion"] | @Thall Marr |​

There was truth in that: the culture of Empire had long since died, ground to dust by ambitious minds who sought to rise above the collective Sith. They would call themselves Dark Lord, or Emperor, or simply seek to make the others do their bidding, to make them fall in line with their collective vision, no matter how warped. Some had tried to rescue the Sith from themselves in this: Carnifex sprang to mind, a dangerous man that had the power to stabilise the hierarchy through sheer force, since few could oppose him and live. Yet the internal divisions had torn everything apart and now they were but scattered, the former harmony of the Empire gone.

It was ever a source of anger for Tirdarius, one of the sources from which he drew his power, though he kept it well in check. As far as most were concerned, he was simply content to press on, irrespective, but in truth, he had felt lost ever since the Empire had come to an untimely demise. Service to that institution was his life's work, and the dissent among the others had ever been a sickness in his veins, corrupting all that it touched, fuelling a rage which his conscious mind occasionally felt the desire to unleash. But such is what brought the Empire crashing down in the first place.

What Voracitos said was true, as far as he was concerned. The sense of Empire had long gone, and the Sith had lost something in the process. The One Sith had been an attempt to restore something of that, but that ideal had been eroded by personal ambition and incompetence. Even Carnifex had not been able to save it. The Sith had been licking their wounds ever since. The recapture of the Caldera and the events of Yutan had shown the Galaxy that they were still a force to be reckoned with, true, but as the Fat One had noted, without control, without discipline, they would never be more than an army lacking direction.

"You misjudge me if you ever thought you needed to ask, Voracitos," Tirdarius remarked sternly, his expression dispassionate, though the tempestuous grey eyes stared with a deep and abiding severity. "I have ever been a servant of the Empire, and will never deviate from that path. If an alliance of equals is what it takes to bring it back into being, I'll stand with it." And if so, woe betide any that stand between us and that goal.

Offering a curt bow, respectful but reserved, the Sith Lord gestured that they should return to the gathering of the others. Voracitos knew well enough that Tirdarius had no particular ambitions of his own: it was for others to claim domain, to expand their territorial rights and demand subservience of those they ruled. Fleets and armies were the weapons of those who held such ambitions, but Tirdarius did not rank himself amongst them. He was no threat to the others, and they knew it. Perhaps that makes me the safest to approach.

Turning away from the balcony and returning to the group, he noticed that Carnifex had furnished a portable holoprojector, showing the borders of Sith territory as they had been in the days of Empire. Tirdarius smiled faintly, recalling that his private library had a picture of that very same thing mounted on a wall, the borders outlined in Aurodium, the systems themselves pinpricks formed from precious jewels: one of the few indulgences he had ever allowed himself. Clearly he was not alone in feeling sentimental towards such times - and, like him, perhaps the God-King of Thule felt the call to return the Sith to the old ways.

"To secure the Caldera would be an excellent start," he noted in agreement, once close enough that his voice might carry to the others. Korriban, Dromund Kaas, Ziost, Athiss...the other precious worlds of the Caldera were the ancient home of the Sith, and seat of their power, no matter where the Sith individually made their homes. "One amongst those worlds must once again serve as our capital, and from there we must establish the power base from which the Sith would once again rule. From there, it would be a true pleasure to see our old boundaries re-established," he added, eyes focusing once more upon the map.

But it all remains to be seen. We have control of the Caldera but can we, more essentially, keep control of ourselves and our kind?

 

[Ras'kala'han]

Antherion leaned back slightly in his seat, examining the pulsating map - his arrival had been preceded by the collapse of One Sith, but it heartened him to know that thrice in the turning of Galactic History the Sith had held Coruscant as a throneworld as much as it disheartened him to know that three times the Jedi had reclaimed it for their own. He pursed his lips, wondering if and when he should speak.

He tapped out a message to his apprentice, Ibraham, on a datapad discretely situated on his lap - which would quickly register as a message to the Zabrak apprentice.

Spoiler: Message

Apprentice:

The arms dealer is worth our attention. By acting as a representative of the Brotherhood to this Sith, and a representative of the Sith to the pirates of the Brotherhood, we create connections with both, and step closer to placing your criminal connections under our complete control.

I recommend you approach him to make a deal in private - but ensure that he knows you not only speak for yourself, but also myself.

That business concluded, he stowed the tablet and continued listening to the murmured conversation, noting how [member="Darth Voracitos"] had wafted away. His liege lord by accident clearly had his own machinations to attend to with a Sith he recognized as [member="Tirdarius"], the master of the acolyte who had awakened him from slumber over Oricon. Likewise, he recognized the Darth [member="Ignus"] with whom he had earlier crossed paths. He wondered how long he would be considered unworthy of the Mirialian's attention.

"The Caldera is an excellent location to fortify against a single enemy, but a united galaxy of Sith enemies has cracked it open, and can do so again. As much as we need ourselves singular and united, we need our enemies divided and at each others' throats."

The once-Lord, now fallen from grace, paused, his posture and voice not trying to assert power or authority over the beings surroundings around him, but rather asserting the knowledge and experience that he was speaking from, having once been able to call himself their equal... and perhaps, one day, he will be whole and can call himself such again.

"Numerous pseudo-Empires and syndicates populate the galaxy. We can use the wealth and power we accumulate to incentivize them to attack one another - foster a sense of independence amongst them and deceive them into believing that they exist among a decentralized group of peers, rather than under the will of a single, powerful Order.

"As much as we need order and stability within our territory, we need chaos and disorder to be fostered outside of it."

| [member="Darth Imperia"] | [member="Vitor Avendahl"] | [member="Tezuka Sayo"] | [member="Corin Zanith"] |

 

[Darth Caecus]

Though she didn't move otherwise, her eyes cast sideways when Leos's voice sounded in her head before they continued their motion across the room.

I admit, I do not have all of the history necessary to offer a useful comment, she replied back to him mentally.

The..... Silver Jedi? The Caldera? There is significant emotional weight to the situation that I have no possibility of weighing against the logic of the options being laid down. But it seems to me as though the.... bond..... with the territory in question may be affecting their judgement in this matter. Real estate seems a silly thing to kill and die for.

It wasn't that Kith was afraid to speak these things aloud. Just that she had no interest in doing so. She had nothing to prove to these people, connected by this tenuous thread of Sith. Leos wished to be here, and had wanted her to come, and indeed, she was absorbing much in even such a short time with the strange gathering before her.

Some of them were straight forward. Either their hunger, their hatred, or their brutality shone through in a way that was impossible for anyone to miss. Those, regardless of their rank were relegated to the background. Never ignored, never underestimated- those features were their strengths- but also their weaknesses.

No, the ones that interested her the most were those who were more difficult to read. Some of them, nearly impossible. It were those that captured the most of her attention.

And those who were truly the most dangerous.

[member="Ignus"] [member="Darth Abyss"] [member="The Rusted Queen"] [member="Tirdarius"] [member="Darth Carnifex"] [member="Darth Voracitos"] [member="Tezuka Sayo"] [member="Serenity LoveHeart"] [member="Darth Imperia"] [member="Vitor Avendahl"] [member="Krest"] [member="Asharad Graush"] [member="Darth Lykos"] [member="Corin Zanith"]

 

[Asharad Graush]

The Epicant-Hybrid listened to the other Sith conversing with each other. The most supported idea appeared to be to defeat the Silver Jedi and to reclaim the territory of the last Sith Empire, not including the One Sith's. He suppressed the thoughtful expression that would've otherwise crossed his face as he nodded along at the words of @Ignus. Yes, they would need to sweep the Caldera of the probes of the Jedi Order. Especially if they sought to return the Sith to the greatness of the Empire that [member="Darth Carnifex"] had showcased in his holographic display.

There was a grunt from Vyrassu as he took in what [member="Vitor Avendahl"] was saying before he nodded his head.

A certain [member="Antherion"] began to speak, and his ideas were sound. A'sharad was surrounded by tactical minds. It was better that way. It allowed him to be the weapon his father had raised him to be, rather than be the leader the First Order's Army looked up to. His cybernetic hand settled on the table and flexed before he spoke.

"When the Sith Order claimed the Caldera," Vyrassu started. "I met with one of the masterminds behind the attack. A Shi'do." Of course, he spoke of the known that a few likely knew as [member="Nyra Mazul"]. "Our agreement consisted of my assets manufacturing vehicles for the Sith Order as it grew." His amber orbs went from person to person, holding eye contact for as many as he could before saying, "I imagine that is still in place among this circle here."

Continuing on, he said, "War comes to those far to the Western Edge of the knowledge galaxy," he said. "The Galactic Alliance and the First Order will soon be at each other's throats," he said. "Though in this part of the Galaxy, if what this meeting has contained so far, should the forces of our respective holdings come together to form a new Sith Empire, allies will be necessary." Again, he looked about the crowd. "The First Order is the closest thing we'll get to a perfect ally at this time."

"To whatever form this potential Empire takes, the forces of House Graush will fight in its name."

It was all or nothing for the young Sith Lord. He sought to find the same in others here, else, he'd imagine he was wasting his time.

[member="Tirdarius"], [member="Kith Verloren"], [member="Darth Voracitos"], [member="Krest"], [member="Serenity LoveHeart"],

 

[Darth Voracitos]

Voracitos sipped deeply from his glass with a growing smile.

"I predicted as much," He swirled his drink with his chubby hand, looking deeply into the crimson liquid. "I merely enjoy my own voice. I am glad you have met my expectations, regardless. It is, a pleasure..." Voracitos chuckled deeply, as [member="Tirdarius"] made his leave to return to the other Sith Lords. For a few moments more, the Dark Lord stared at the horizon, and tried to recognize the stars of the Caldera... to draw a map in the sky of all that was once his, and would be his again.

The Dark Lord kept close attention to what was said in the other room, particularly to his vassal [member="Antherion"], and to [member="Asharad Graush"], the clear representative of the First Order. An ironic name if ever there was one in this galaxy, Voracitos mused considering an ancient order by the same name was thought to have existed post-Galactic Empire... depending on what legends you adhered to. History, beyond what was inscribed by the Galactic Empire was difficult to make out ever since the Four Hundred Year Darkness. Even the events that transpire just prior to the outbreak of the Gulag Plague, were largely lost. Only ancient methods of storing information have survived the strange disappearance of straight forward information. Though the rule of the Galactic Empire was relatively short... it had certainly left a legacy longer lasting than nearly any others - only the legacy of the Jedi and Sith, have lasted longer. Even today, as ridiculous as it was, there were organizations claiming to be the last remaining remnant of that ancient regime. It has not been the first since the end of the Darkness either, and he feared, it would not be the last. These reactionary extremists were always living in the past... yet at the same time, perhaps the Sith were as well.

Forging Alliances, disruption of the enemy, and fortification of the Caldera became the clear agenda of a Sith Order on the cusp of forming a dynamic whole. There were more opportunities to be had as well, when Voracitos considered one factor that [member="Darth Carnifex"], had. The Mandalorians. If what the Butcherer said was true, and held their Mandalore by his ear... then perhaps an alliance could be forged to use them as a weapon of disruption. If the Mandalorians were no longer cohesive, it was not unbelievable that they could push them into disrupting the expanding dominion of the Galactic Alliance. He had not heard much, but he had heard that the brand of Jedi found in the alliance, were far more dogmatic than the Silver Jedi... more militant, and less forgiving. There could be significant motivation created for such an opportunity. He would have to communicate with Zambrano on this matter, a point of contention for him to be sure, but one hopefully that could be resolved. After Voracitos had his fill of his drink, he turned around and re-entered the room of discussion.

"Alliances can be powerful weapons, if used properly." Voracitos interjected, glancing quickly to [member="Darth Carnifex"]. "The Galactic Alliance in particular," He said scornfully of the nation, "Has become far too powerful for my liking, and the Jedi, if what I have heard is true, are far stronger in their regime than we will ever find among the Silver Jedi Order. The First Order, may stand strong against them, but the reach of their alliance grows farther across the galaxy every day. If they are to be disrupted, we must choose another ally as well, who has proven strong enough to resist even the most imperialistic tactics." Voracitos this time looked directly to [member="Darth Carnifex"].

"Zambrano," Voracitos almost spat. Finally, we are face to face once more. I am behooved to meet with you again, yet this time it shall not be upon a battlefield. Voracitos sent his thoughts privately to Zambrano if he would receive them, "You mentioned you had the ear of the Mandalore... could this relationship be exploited against the Galactic Alliance's march through the Core Worlds?"

[member="Ignus"] | [member="Darth Abyss"] | [member="The Rusted Queen"] | [member="Tezuka Sayo"] | [member="Serenity LoveHeart"] | [member="Darth Imperia"] | [member="Vitor Avendahl"] | [member="Krest"] | [member="Darth Lykos"] | [member="Corin Zanith"]

 

[Darth Pyrrhus]

There had been a shift in the balance of the Force. Again the Sith were gathering. They had struck out from the shadows and hit Midvinter. Now many of those same forces were gathering here. It remained to be seen whether they could temporarily quell their own selfish ambitions to reach any kind of mutual understanding. To be fair, there were those among them who had always put the notion of Empire, of Sith, before themselves.

Like most others there, Darth Pyrrhus had received an invitation from one [member="Darth Abyss"]. The Force already revealed there were many already gathered. Many interesting observations would be made here. Who remained? Who had perished? And who, if any, had risen since then to become noteworthy figures? It was an opportunity to assess allies and enemies alike. Who became which was entirely up in the air. The Togruta Lord predicted that many things would change after this meeting. There was great potential but also great risk. Such was the existence of Sith anyway, so it did not bother him. One thing was certain, ever since he had set his foot upon Coruscant that first time, ever since he had been recruited into the Sith Order, Darth Pyrrhus had striven to forward its cause. That would not change.

The tall Sith Lord emerged from the shadows, draped in the traditional Sith robes that those familiar with him would expect to see him in. Though he had seen to the creation of new robes, this was not the time to reveal them. His curved montrals reached above him, making him appear taller than probably many there. His rust red skin mixed in with white patterns, tribal-like in their nature, as well as his colourful lekku had him stand out from most other who had gathered here. He was distinctly alien compared to the assembly before him. Even among other Togruta his four lekku, instead of the expected three, had him stand out from the crowd.

Pyrrhus paid attention to the debate that took place in front of him before he made his presence known. The map brought forth by [member="Darth Carnifex"] became their dream visualised. They could see it become a reality again. They would. Pyrrhus had a considerable power base that he had built up over time that could be devoted to a cause such as this. "Ziost." became the word that broke his silence and announced his presence to those who had not already taken note. Ziost. The capital of this new endeavour, in whichever shape time would see it take.

Pyrrhus stepped forwards, clearly having decided that the time to lean back and observe had passed. A long finger pointed in the direction of the planet as he seized the floor for but a moment. "It lies at the heart of the old Empire. It lies on the border to our enemies. It will not permit us to grow complacent" a complacency which arguably had led to the end of the One Sith. No, Ziost would fully chain them to a reality of conflict they would not be permitted to escape from before they saw it through to an end. Because of this it was perfect, and it guaranteed a sense of urgency to every border engagement that took place. Many would fight harder for it. "That place too once belonged to the Silver Jedi. I was there when Sith and Primeval wrestled control away from them, long ago. Let it foreshadow what will become of the rest of the worlds they call theirs. What they have will be taken from them." and we shall grow stronger for it.

Darth Pyrrhus was in agreement with the notions put forward by the likes of Lord [member="Ignus"], [member="Darth Carnifex"] and [member=Tirdarius]. "I agree, we must consolidate our power in the Caldera first. But we cannot take too long. Surely the Silvers will strike at us once they see us getting established. They will not sit idly by and wait for us to get our affairs in order. As Sith we forsake the notion of comfort. We must be born from fire. It would be to our benefit to strike them before allowing them time to strike at us." It was a fine balance, and one hard to find. They needed to build up, strike first, and be strong enough to withstand the counter-blow. Strike too late and they would be forced on the defensive. Strike too soon and it could all be undone. All in all, it was the latter option that put them at the greatest risk. The Togruta's eyes went between Carnifex and [member="Darth Voracitos"] who had already opened the topic. "It would greatly benefit us to secure reliable allies before then." Mandalorians, First Order. Both viable candidates. An accord could be struck, provided of course that it was made under favourable terms that did not stand in contrast to their nature.

 

[Teynara Jeralyr]

| [member="Darth Abyss"] | [member="Darth Carnifex"] | [member="Ignus"] | [member="Darth Voracitos"] | [member="The Rusted Queen"] | [member="Kith Verloren"] | [member="Tezuka Sayo"] | [member="Darth Imperia"] | [member="Vitor Avendahl"] | [member="Krest"] | [member="Serenity Loveheart"] | [member="Asharad Graush"] | [member="Darth Lykos"] | [member="Antherion"] |​

Fortification of the Caldera sounded more and more like that which Voracitos had envisioned: such a move made tactical sense only if it were to be imagined that the Sith would thereafter go forth with a view to securing other worlds - in other words, if they intended for the Empire to rise once more. Just as we intended. It had ever been an aspiration of his to see such a thing happen, and the others seemed to be coming around to that way of thinking. Finally we see movement on that front. All was transpiring as he had hoped.

Ziost. The very word whispered softly in the room sent a shiver down his spine. Tirdarius remembered it well from his own travels: a dark and foreboding world, yet occupied and very much the centre of what remained of Sith civilisation. It was not what Dromund Kaas had once been, nor Coruscant, when that had served as the capital world of the Sith in the Core, but it stood as a sturdy foundation that could be built upon. Properly fortified, it would indeed make an appropriate choice. Standing firmly in the protective bubble of the Caldera, it was a planet that might serve the Sith once more.

Reaching onto his belt, the Sith Lord unclipped a small holoprojector, tied into the datapad that he carried with him. A few quick instructions programmed in as the others talked, and he threw it down upon the floor that stood between them all, the small metallic box coming to rest, lighting up and flooding the room with a soft blue light as an image came into focus. The Stygian Caldera. Ziost rested as a focus, connected via hyperspace routes that were illuminated in pale silver to Athiss, Ch'hodos and Nicht Kar.

"From Ziost, we have a platform to launch our first offensive," Tirdarius remarked softly, pointing at various points on the map, pathways lighting up as he did so. "Our control of Korriban and the Academy there provides us with one staging area. With Ziost, we have another." A third planet lit up as he spoke, illuminated in silver-blue light, rather than the red that represented the two Sith worlds he had referred to. "Dromund Kaas remains in possession of the Jedi. Our first strike should be to secure it and our outer worlds, banishing all such from the Caldera, that we might control it in truth."

With Thule in such close proximity, it would take little time for Carnifex to bring his forces to bear, and if the Sith moved their combined fleets to the choke points of Korriban and Ziost, a third portion could break off to engage at Dromund Kaas while blockading the sole hyperspace route that might enable escape from the Caldera: Korriban, connecting to the Daragon Trail, leading to the Deep Core worlds.

A few more taps against his datapad and new images resolved over the map: ships used to represent fleets, men used to represent ground armies, the sorts of assets that might be moved into play. Tirdarius did not quite know the strength of the combined forces they might bring to bear, but that was irrelevant to the point: with a plan in place, the Sith could spend time in preparation to see it accomplished. From Thule came ships, moving into position over Korriban and Ziost. Secured, with armed forces on the ground, the fleet would then push further inward, to the Caldera's core.

First, Bosthirda, ships moving from Korriban to blockade the planet's exit routes, choking off supplies to Dromund Kaas directly. From Ziost, a larger fleet, proceeding along Zorfe Trete to Jaguada, therein creating a bottleneck with Dromund Kaas caught between them. The Jedi would have no escape route, no opportunity to atone for their desecration. They would be trapped and eliminated: a bold opening move, a statement they would not be able to ignore. We do not take half-measures. The Jedi had forgotten that, and the Sith would once more teach them.

"Establish ourselves on Ziost, reinforce it with what forces we can muster, and we'll drive the Jedi out of our ancestral territories once and for all," he asserted softly, pointing towards the world on the holoprojector. "Your forces at Thule are ideally placed to drive into the Caldera, Lord Carnifex, and the reinforcements the others promise will finish the job."

 

[Darth Carnifex]

[member="Darth Voracitos"] and [member="Tirdarius"] returned from whatever little scheming they had conducted away from the rest of the group, prompting Carnifex to stare at them with an inquisitive glare. Voracitos spoke to him directly, railing against the Galactic Alliance and reiterating the point that they, like the Silvers, would eventually need to be dismantled if the Sith were to prosper in the galaxy. Naturally he agreed despite the differences between himself and the Master of Gluttony, a new age was dawning and it was not fortuitous to hold onto old grudges.

"The Mand'alor [member="Vilaz Munin"] has proven himself amiable to working in tangent with the Sith before, and in the wake of Mandalore's ruin I have managed to meet with him in person where I further convinced him of the necessity of an understanding between the Mandalorian people and the Sith. I am positive that when push came to shove he will side with us against the Jedi, and those that do not side with the Mand'alor will be rooted out and destroyed."

This had been long in the making.

For years Carnifex had schemed and plotted with his son-in-law Isley Verd to repair the shattered relations that had divided the Mandalorians and the Sith for so long, yet he had been waylaid by the rise of Ra and the death of Isley during the catastrophe that had laid the Mandalorian homeworld low. However; Carnifex had been more than fortunate enough to find another similar mind in that of the new Mand'alor, a good omen that the rise of a new Sith era was nigh.

Carnifex replied to Voracitos' silent greetings with a nod of the head and a curt reply, Pray that we do not come to blows again, Voracitos. Next time I won't be so kind as to seal you beneath the earth again. A not-so-subtle threat and reminder of who had reigned superior when they had fought face-to-face all those years ago. He would not suffer Voracitos' delusions of grandeur again, they were here for the betterment of the Sith as a whole, not for any one individual to reign unchecked and have all that they had shed blood for squandered.

The group spoke of a world to claim as their capital, and Ziost seemed to be the preferred choice. Carnifex didn't object, the world had deep significance to the Sith and had once served as the capital of the ancient Red Sith during the reign of Adas. It would suite their needs perfectly, although it was in desperate need of repair and rearming. Such things would come in time, and Carnifex would be happy to lend his considerable military might to the task.

"As always I am prepared to be the spear and the shield for the glory of the Sith, my forces are battle-ready and hungry to continue our work."