Post by Darth Xaos on May 1, 2015 0:08:41 GMT
Byss Mage:
There is a name the casts a long shadow on Galactic history: Xendor. Considered by some to be the first Dark Jedi and forerunner of the later Sith Order, Xendor and his Legions of Lettow nearly brought the Galaxy to its knees. But there is another name, perhaps less known, that belonged to a woman who played a key role in Xendor’s life: his lover and right-hand Arden Lyn. Lyn managed to survive the defeat of the Legions by going into stasis and was only reawakened many millennia later by Emperor Palpatine. Inducting Arden into his Force disciples, the Emperor then sent her to the planet Byss. Located in the Deep Core, Byss was home to many secret Imperial facilities including Palpatine’s Alchemy labs. He charged Aren Lyn with training the adepts who staffed these labs in the arts of combat. She accomplished this goal with surprising speed and efficiency, her students becoming the stewards of the planet and dubbed the Byss Mages. Though Arden Lyn, the planet and most of the Mages were all annihilated during the Dark Empire crisis, records of the Byss Mages’ ways still exist, awaiting Inquisitors to seek them out and unlock their secrets.
Alchemic Awareness: The disciples given over to Lyn for training were initially Palpatine’s assistants in his Alchemical experiments on Byss. The techniques these men knew would be preserved in the same sources that contain the surviving lore of the Byss Mages. Starting at level sixteen a Byss Mage may learn Sith Alchemy as though they were a Sith Acolyte. They do not gain access to Sith Sorcery through this ability.
Steel over Light: The Jedi of Arden Lyn’s time did not use lightsabers but instead relied on blades enhanced through the power of the wielder’s potency in the Force. Lyn was contemptuous at the reliance on lightsabers among the adepts she was meant to train. In short order she developed a style of melee combat that would exploit the inherent weaknesses in each Form of lightsaber combat. If armed with a Simple Weapon when facing a foe with a lightsaber, the Byss Mage automatically imposes the lowest situational modifier on his enemy’s Form. For example, if the Mage’s enemy is using Makashi then that enemy must calculate in the ‘Enemy with Ranged Weapon’ modifier in addition to any other modifiers in effect. If the Simple Weapon in question has also been enhanced by a Dark Force Adept’s Force Weapon ability then the Byss Mage additionally receives a bonus Rank in Simple Weapons while fighting a lightsaber-wielding foe. This ability is gained at level sixteen.
Teras Kasi: Arden Lyn was a master in the ancient brand of unarmed combat known as Teras Kasi. She was sure to pass some of her expertise on to her students. At level seventeen a Byss Mage gets three Perk points which may be spent in any Martial Arts Perk. Normal prerequisites apply when purchasing.
Tribe: The Abyssins are the natives of the planet Byss. Though most were destroyed with their homeworld, numerous tribes had resettled elsewhere in the Galaxy and persist to this day. They continue to have a nostalgic connection to their lost planet and anything related to it. It is for this reason that, at level eighteen, a Byss Mage is able to attract such a tribe into his service. The tribe consists of total number of combat-ready Abyssins equal to twice the Byss Mage’s Presence Stat. There are also children and elders that are unable to fight equal to a third this number. The tribe likewise has an appropriate sum of livestock. Each tribe has two specialists. The Byss Mage picks these specialists out of the following types (once chosen they cannot be changed); the same type can not be chosen for both specialists. The types (and their special traits) are: champion (Rank 3 in Primitive Weapons and a Weapon Focus Perk in a Primitive Weapon), hunter (Rank 3 in Hide, Move Silently and Survival, possesses the Track Perk), shaman (Rank 2 in Treat Injury and Knowledge (Herbalism), may use a single Rank 1 Apprentice Power at Spirit 10 but cannot use any Powers untrained) and beastmaster (Rank 2 in Handle Animal and Ride, has a warbeast of Byss Mage’s choice, increases the Mage’s maximum total of Sithspawn by three).
Blademaster: Intense focus on melee training characterizes much of a Byss Mage’s development and, in time, these efforts bear significant fruit. This ability, gained at level nineteen, grants two free Weapon Focus Perks which must be applied to a type of Simple Weapon.
Fury of the Force: The pinnacle of a Byss Mage’s arts is a power as innovative as it is terrifying to face. Only the cross-pollenization of Arden Lyn’s martial prowess and the mysteries of Byss could have produced this technique. Gained at level twenty, this ability allows the Mage to channel Force Powers through their unarmed strikes in the same manner as a Sith Sword.
Lvl Special Abilities
15 Alchemic Awareness
16 Steel over Light
17 Teras Kasi
18 Tribe
19 Blademaster
20 Fury of the Force
C: 16, 17, 18, 19, 20
S: 15, 17, 19
P: 16, 18, 20
F: 15, 16, 17, 18, 19
Dark Side Elite:
When the Emperor arose from the dead and began Operation Shadow Hand, his quest to regain dominion over the Galaxy, he found himself short-handed. Though the Imperial Remnant was quick to rally to his banner, Palpatine discovered that most of his Force Sensitive partisans were gone. The Prophets of the Dark Side had been destroyed and his Dark Adepts were scattered to the winds. Likewise needing a fresh crop of lieutenants to staff his resurgent empire, the Emperor chose seven exceptionally talented Dark Siders to serve as his inner circle. These Dark Side Elite, as they were known, were second only to the Emperor in their authority and one of them would have no doubt been made Palpatine’s new Apprentice had he succeeded. Though the Dark Side Elite did not survive Palpatine’s final death, many recorded the teachings Palpatine had passed on to them. These records have made their way into the hands of the Imperial Inquisitors, who are anxious to make use of the techniques described therein.
Sith Secrets: While in his first incarnation Emperor Palpatine never passed on true Sith learning to his Dark Adepts. Such strict adherence to the Rule of Two was not practical during his second incarnation, however, and he taught the Dark Side Elite many Sith arts. This ability, gained at level fifteen, allows the Elite to purchase Ranks in Sith Sorcery and Sith Alchemy as though he were an Acolyte.
Lightsaber Secrets: The Lightsaber was as much a symbol of the Dark Side Elite as it ever was of the Sith or Jedi. The Elite made constant use of these weapons, seeing them as the ultimate sign of the Emperor’s favor. At level sixteen an Elite gains two Combat Proficiency points that may be spent on either Ligthsabers or Lightsaber Forms and he additionally gains the Lightsaber Form Focus Perk in whatever Form he likes.
Emperor’s Heir: Since their inception the Dark Side Elite have commanded the loyalty of others. In the days of Palpatine’s second reign they commanded legions from the bridges of Super Star Destroyers but modern Elites must content themselves with more modest forces. Starting at level seventeen, an Elite begins to attract a number of pro-Imperial followers. These followers may not be Force Sensitive and an Elite is limited to maximum number of followers equal to his level plus his Presence Stat. If the Elite chooses to have less than maximum followers then his followers increase in ability in inverse proportion to the number of followers.
Armored Fist: While all modern Elites would love to possess the massive warships the Emperor put at the disposal of their forerunners, simple reality forces them to be more practical. At level eighteen, the Elite gains control of a small flotilla. This formation consists of a heavy cruiser or a cruiser and three frigates along with two frigates or three corvettes, and finally seven sub-corvette ships regardless of what other options are taken. All come with full crew and starfighter compliment.
Dark Stronghold: A natural step in the Dark Side Elite’s quest for power is the establishment of a stronghold. This stronghold, gained at level nineteen, is large enough to dock the Elite’s ship, house his followers and contain several base installations (medlabs, security command, armories, etc.). The size, location and nature of the stronghold are subject to moderator approval.
Right Hand: As the Elite reaches the pinnacle of his power, he begins to imitate the structure of Palpatine’s second reign in leading his followers. Choosing one of them for instruction in the Force, he elevates this follower to be his right-hand. A right-hand may use Apprentice Powers untrained but has no ranks in any Force Powers. The right-hand has an effective Spirit Stat of ten.
Lvl Special Abilities
15 Sith Secrets
16 Lightsaber Secrets
17 Emperor’s Heir
18 Armored Fist
19 Dark Stronghold
20 Right Hand
Proficiency Points:
C: 15, 16, 17, 18, 19
S: 16, 18
P: 15, 17, 19
F: 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20
Shadow Guard:
When the Emperor first took power he assembled an elite division of his Royal Guards and trained them to hunt down Force Users. These Shadow Guards soon proved deadly in their effectiveness and earned fearsome reputations. The Shadow Guards killed a great many Jedi before disappearing roughly a year before the Battle of Yavin. During his second reign, Palpatine decided to restore the Shadow Guard to aid in his quest to regain power. Lacking the time to train Force Sensitives from scratch he recruited members of the Inquisitorius for this role. Many of these new Shadow Guards still live and a dedicated Inquisitor can find means to learn their ways.
Guardsman Training: All Shadow Guards draw on a core set of techniques that define their Path. These combat methodologies form the basis of their later development. At level fifteen a Shadow Guard receives two Ranks in the Force Pike Exotic Weapon, the ability to use Lightpikes, complete Ranks in Armor Proficiency and the highest Martial Arts Perk for which they meet the prerequisites. Should the Shadow Guard already possess all of these then he instead receives three Combat Proficiency points instead.
Sustain Life: Force Sensitive Royal Guards, including the Shadow Guards, were taught techniques to keep the Emperor alive should he be seriously injured. Though never actually used, historically speaking, these techniques could keep a failing life from flicking out before medical assistance could arrive. At level sixteen, a Shadow Guard learns this power. As long as the Shadow Guard does nothing other than channel the Force into the dying being, the target of this power cannot die. Doing *anything* other than breathing, shifting one’s position or saying a few brief words breaks the concentration that allows this power to function.
Sudden Strike: Part of a Shadow Guard’s strategy inevitably involves stealth. At level seventeen they learn to use that stealth to deadly effect. If the Shadow Guard strikes an opponent unawares then he receives an additinal 2 AP against that opponent and ignores any DR provided by his foe's armor. This stacks with any other AP bonuses.
Dead Zone: The primary purpose of the Shadow Guard was to hunt down Jedi and they developed special techniques to deprive their targets of their best defense. This ability, gained at level eighteen, allows the Shadow Guard to create a dead zone in which Force Powers do not function. To do this the Shadow Guard sacrifices his ability to use the Force until he has rested for at least eight hours. The dead zone then comes into being for a number of turns equal to his Spirit Stat plus his level and covers an equal number of square feet. All within are denied the Force, not just the Shadow Guard’s foes.
Armor Specialization: Perhaps the most identifiable aspect of the Shadow Guards is their armor and, at level nineteen, they learn to utilize it to its fullest effect. Any armor worn by the Shadow Guard provides 2 additional DR. Shadow Guards also learn the dangerous art of contorting their body to minimize the impact of lightsaber blows; as such they may add the bonus DR (if any) provided by their Toughness Stat normally against lightsaber hits. A Shadow Guard must be wearing armor to gain these effects.
Force Burn: The greatest of the Shadow Guards know techniques that make all Force Sensitives around them experience indescribable anguish. Many Jedi Masters fell to this terrible power during the Great Jedi Purge. At level twenty, any Force Sensitives under the effects of the Shadow Guards dead zone take damage every turn. Only the Shadow Guard and non-Force Sensitives are immune to its effects, it does not distinguish between ally and enemy.
Lvl Special Abilities
15 Guardsman Training
16 Sustain Life
17 Sudden Strike
18 Dead Zone
19 Armor Specialization
20 Force Burn
Proficiency Points:
C: 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20
S: 16, 18
P: 15, 16, 17, 20
F: 15, 17, 18, 19
There is a name the casts a long shadow on Galactic history: Xendor. Considered by some to be the first Dark Jedi and forerunner of the later Sith Order, Xendor and his Legions of Lettow nearly brought the Galaxy to its knees. But there is another name, perhaps less known, that belonged to a woman who played a key role in Xendor’s life: his lover and right-hand Arden Lyn. Lyn managed to survive the defeat of the Legions by going into stasis and was only reawakened many millennia later by Emperor Palpatine. Inducting Arden into his Force disciples, the Emperor then sent her to the planet Byss. Located in the Deep Core, Byss was home to many secret Imperial facilities including Palpatine’s Alchemy labs. He charged Aren Lyn with training the adepts who staffed these labs in the arts of combat. She accomplished this goal with surprising speed and efficiency, her students becoming the stewards of the planet and dubbed the Byss Mages. Though Arden Lyn, the planet and most of the Mages were all annihilated during the Dark Empire crisis, records of the Byss Mages’ ways still exist, awaiting Inquisitors to seek them out and unlock their secrets.
Alchemic Awareness: The disciples given over to Lyn for training were initially Palpatine’s assistants in his Alchemical experiments on Byss. The techniques these men knew would be preserved in the same sources that contain the surviving lore of the Byss Mages. Starting at level sixteen a Byss Mage may learn Sith Alchemy as though they were a Sith Acolyte. They do not gain access to Sith Sorcery through this ability.
Steel over Light: The Jedi of Arden Lyn’s time did not use lightsabers but instead relied on blades enhanced through the power of the wielder’s potency in the Force. Lyn was contemptuous at the reliance on lightsabers among the adepts she was meant to train. In short order she developed a style of melee combat that would exploit the inherent weaknesses in each Form of lightsaber combat. If armed with a Simple Weapon when facing a foe with a lightsaber, the Byss Mage automatically imposes the lowest situational modifier on his enemy’s Form. For example, if the Mage’s enemy is using Makashi then that enemy must calculate in the ‘Enemy with Ranged Weapon’ modifier in addition to any other modifiers in effect. If the Simple Weapon in question has also been enhanced by a Dark Force Adept’s Force Weapon ability then the Byss Mage additionally receives a bonus Rank in Simple Weapons while fighting a lightsaber-wielding foe. This ability is gained at level sixteen.
Teras Kasi: Arden Lyn was a master in the ancient brand of unarmed combat known as Teras Kasi. She was sure to pass some of her expertise on to her students. At level seventeen a Byss Mage gets three Perk points which may be spent in any Martial Arts Perk. Normal prerequisites apply when purchasing.
Tribe: The Abyssins are the natives of the planet Byss. Though most were destroyed with their homeworld, numerous tribes had resettled elsewhere in the Galaxy and persist to this day. They continue to have a nostalgic connection to their lost planet and anything related to it. It is for this reason that, at level eighteen, a Byss Mage is able to attract such a tribe into his service. The tribe consists of total number of combat-ready Abyssins equal to twice the Byss Mage’s Presence Stat. There are also children and elders that are unable to fight equal to a third this number. The tribe likewise has an appropriate sum of livestock. Each tribe has two specialists. The Byss Mage picks these specialists out of the following types (once chosen they cannot be changed); the same type can not be chosen for both specialists. The types (and their special traits) are: champion (Rank 3 in Primitive Weapons and a Weapon Focus Perk in a Primitive Weapon), hunter (Rank 3 in Hide, Move Silently and Survival, possesses the Track Perk), shaman (Rank 2 in Treat Injury and Knowledge (Herbalism), may use a single Rank 1 Apprentice Power at Spirit 10 but cannot use any Powers untrained) and beastmaster (Rank 2 in Handle Animal and Ride, has a warbeast of Byss Mage’s choice, increases the Mage’s maximum total of Sithspawn by three).
Blademaster: Intense focus on melee training characterizes much of a Byss Mage’s development and, in time, these efforts bear significant fruit. This ability, gained at level nineteen, grants two free Weapon Focus Perks which must be applied to a type of Simple Weapon.
Fury of the Force: The pinnacle of a Byss Mage’s arts is a power as innovative as it is terrifying to face. Only the cross-pollenization of Arden Lyn’s martial prowess and the mysteries of Byss could have produced this technique. Gained at level twenty, this ability allows the Mage to channel Force Powers through their unarmed strikes in the same manner as a Sith Sword.
Lvl Special Abilities
15 Alchemic Awareness
16 Steel over Light
17 Teras Kasi
18 Tribe
19 Blademaster
20 Fury of the Force
C: 16, 17, 18, 19, 20
S: 15, 17, 19
P: 16, 18, 20
F: 15, 16, 17, 18, 19
Dark Side Elite:
When the Emperor arose from the dead and began Operation Shadow Hand, his quest to regain dominion over the Galaxy, he found himself short-handed. Though the Imperial Remnant was quick to rally to his banner, Palpatine discovered that most of his Force Sensitive partisans were gone. The Prophets of the Dark Side had been destroyed and his Dark Adepts were scattered to the winds. Likewise needing a fresh crop of lieutenants to staff his resurgent empire, the Emperor chose seven exceptionally talented Dark Siders to serve as his inner circle. These Dark Side Elite, as they were known, were second only to the Emperor in their authority and one of them would have no doubt been made Palpatine’s new Apprentice had he succeeded. Though the Dark Side Elite did not survive Palpatine’s final death, many recorded the teachings Palpatine had passed on to them. These records have made their way into the hands of the Imperial Inquisitors, who are anxious to make use of the techniques described therein.
Sith Secrets: While in his first incarnation Emperor Palpatine never passed on true Sith learning to his Dark Adepts. Such strict adherence to the Rule of Two was not practical during his second incarnation, however, and he taught the Dark Side Elite many Sith arts. This ability, gained at level fifteen, allows the Elite to purchase Ranks in Sith Sorcery and Sith Alchemy as though he were an Acolyte.
Lightsaber Secrets: The Lightsaber was as much a symbol of the Dark Side Elite as it ever was of the Sith or Jedi. The Elite made constant use of these weapons, seeing them as the ultimate sign of the Emperor’s favor. At level sixteen an Elite gains two Combat Proficiency points that may be spent on either Ligthsabers or Lightsaber Forms and he additionally gains the Lightsaber Form Focus Perk in whatever Form he likes.
Emperor’s Heir: Since their inception the Dark Side Elite have commanded the loyalty of others. In the days of Palpatine’s second reign they commanded legions from the bridges of Super Star Destroyers but modern Elites must content themselves with more modest forces. Starting at level seventeen, an Elite begins to attract a number of pro-Imperial followers. These followers may not be Force Sensitive and an Elite is limited to maximum number of followers equal to his level plus his Presence Stat. If the Elite chooses to have less than maximum followers then his followers increase in ability in inverse proportion to the number of followers.
Armored Fist: While all modern Elites would love to possess the massive warships the Emperor put at the disposal of their forerunners, simple reality forces them to be more practical. At level eighteen, the Elite gains control of a small flotilla. This formation consists of a heavy cruiser or a cruiser and three frigates along with two frigates or three corvettes, and finally seven sub-corvette ships regardless of what other options are taken. All come with full crew and starfighter compliment.
Dark Stronghold: A natural step in the Dark Side Elite’s quest for power is the establishment of a stronghold. This stronghold, gained at level nineteen, is large enough to dock the Elite’s ship, house his followers and contain several base installations (medlabs, security command, armories, etc.). The size, location and nature of the stronghold are subject to moderator approval.
Right Hand: As the Elite reaches the pinnacle of his power, he begins to imitate the structure of Palpatine’s second reign in leading his followers. Choosing one of them for instruction in the Force, he elevates this follower to be his right-hand. A right-hand may use Apprentice Powers untrained but has no ranks in any Force Powers. The right-hand has an effective Spirit Stat of ten.
Lvl Special Abilities
15 Sith Secrets
16 Lightsaber Secrets
17 Emperor’s Heir
18 Armored Fist
19 Dark Stronghold
20 Right Hand
Proficiency Points:
C: 15, 16, 17, 18, 19
S: 16, 18
P: 15, 17, 19
F: 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20
Shadow Guard:
When the Emperor first took power he assembled an elite division of his Royal Guards and trained them to hunt down Force Users. These Shadow Guards soon proved deadly in their effectiveness and earned fearsome reputations. The Shadow Guards killed a great many Jedi before disappearing roughly a year before the Battle of Yavin. During his second reign, Palpatine decided to restore the Shadow Guard to aid in his quest to regain power. Lacking the time to train Force Sensitives from scratch he recruited members of the Inquisitorius for this role. Many of these new Shadow Guards still live and a dedicated Inquisitor can find means to learn their ways.
Guardsman Training: All Shadow Guards draw on a core set of techniques that define their Path. These combat methodologies form the basis of their later development. At level fifteen a Shadow Guard receives two Ranks in the Force Pike Exotic Weapon, the ability to use Lightpikes, complete Ranks in Armor Proficiency and the highest Martial Arts Perk for which they meet the prerequisites. Should the Shadow Guard already possess all of these then he instead receives three Combat Proficiency points instead.
Sustain Life: Force Sensitive Royal Guards, including the Shadow Guards, were taught techniques to keep the Emperor alive should he be seriously injured. Though never actually used, historically speaking, these techniques could keep a failing life from flicking out before medical assistance could arrive. At level sixteen, a Shadow Guard learns this power. As long as the Shadow Guard does nothing other than channel the Force into the dying being, the target of this power cannot die. Doing *anything* other than breathing, shifting one’s position or saying a few brief words breaks the concentration that allows this power to function.
Sudden Strike: Part of a Shadow Guard’s strategy inevitably involves stealth. At level seventeen they learn to use that stealth to deadly effect. If the Shadow Guard strikes an opponent unawares then he receives an additinal 2 AP against that opponent and ignores any DR provided by his foe's armor. This stacks with any other AP bonuses.
Dead Zone: The primary purpose of the Shadow Guard was to hunt down Jedi and they developed special techniques to deprive their targets of their best defense. This ability, gained at level eighteen, allows the Shadow Guard to create a dead zone in which Force Powers do not function. To do this the Shadow Guard sacrifices his ability to use the Force until he has rested for at least eight hours. The dead zone then comes into being for a number of turns equal to his Spirit Stat plus his level and covers an equal number of square feet. All within are denied the Force, not just the Shadow Guard’s foes.
Armor Specialization: Perhaps the most identifiable aspect of the Shadow Guards is their armor and, at level nineteen, they learn to utilize it to its fullest effect. Any armor worn by the Shadow Guard provides 2 additional DR. Shadow Guards also learn the dangerous art of contorting their body to minimize the impact of lightsaber blows; as such they may add the bonus DR (if any) provided by their Toughness Stat normally against lightsaber hits. A Shadow Guard must be wearing armor to gain these effects.
Force Burn: The greatest of the Shadow Guards know techniques that make all Force Sensitives around them experience indescribable anguish. Many Jedi Masters fell to this terrible power during the Great Jedi Purge. At level twenty, any Force Sensitives under the effects of the Shadow Guards dead zone take damage every turn. Only the Shadow Guard and non-Force Sensitives are immune to its effects, it does not distinguish between ally and enemy.
Lvl Special Abilities
15 Guardsman Training
16 Sustain Life
17 Sudden Strike
18 Dead Zone
19 Armor Specialization
20 Force Burn
Proficiency Points:
C: 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20
S: 16, 18
P: 15, 16, 17, 20
F: 15, 17, 18, 19