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NAME: Lucius Gnasch
FACTION: Sith
RANK: Pending
SPECIES: Human
AGE: 41
GENDER: Male
HEIGHT: 5'11"
WEIGHT: 163
EYES: Yellow
HAIR: Long, Rusty Brown
SKIN: Pale, Caucasian
DOMINANT HAND: Right
DISTINGUISHING MARKS: Severe Dark-Side degradation and scarring around the temples, eyes, and beneath the cheekbones.
FORCE SENSITIVE: Yes
FACTION: Sith
RANK: Pending
SPECIES: Human
AGE: 41
GENDER: Male
HEIGHT: 5'11"
WEIGHT: 163
EYES: Yellow
HAIR: Long, Rusty Brown
SKIN: Pale, Caucasian
DOMINANT HAND: Right
DISTINGUISHING MARKS: Severe Dark-Side degradation and scarring around the temples, eyes, and beneath the cheekbones.
FORCE SENSITIVE: Yes
| STRENGTH | 5 |
| DEXTERITY | 5 |
| CONSTITUTION | 5 |
| INTELLIGENCE | 5 |
| WISDOM | 8 |
| CHARISMA | 7 |
HISTORY
Dukes Volume I, Entry I
Dukes Volume I, Entry I
Herein lie the anals of His Grace, Lucius Gnasch, Archduke of the Korrunal Highlands. They are chronicled by Loki Moran, son of Gedaliah the Balawai.
Lucius Gnasch was born in 986 ABY. His father was Representative Victor the son of Count Osmand the Balawai. His mother's name was Sona the daughter of Midas. In his sixth year of life Lucius was given to Sorana Vaas the Korun to be trained by the Jedi Order, and he stayed with her for five years. After such a time, Lucius was apprenticed to Master Tien Celest, the Soresu specialist. They remained together for eight years.
In Lucius' eighteenth year of life, Baasha Rostu the Korun struck down the Balawai Representative Council and became ruler of the Korrunal Highlands. He did what was right in the eyes of the Korrunai just as his ancestors had done, and the people rejoiced greatly. Lucius pleaded with the Council to throw down the dictator of Haruun Kal, but their hearts were hardened and they would not listen. He tore his clothes and took shelter in the Jedi Temple where he grieved for his father.
In his nineteenth year of life, Lucius accused the Council of injustice regarding the Haarun Kal incident and left the Jedi order. He traveled for seven years gathering influence in the Outer-Rim. Once having assembled a band of mercenaries, he descended on the Korrunal Highlands.
In the eighth year of Baasha's reign Lucius challenged his leadership. They met on the peak of Grandfather's Shoulder where Baasha was struck down and fell into the crater. So Lucius killed him in the eighth year of his reign, and he ruled in his place. Lucius Gnasch was twenty-six years old when he became Archduke of Haruun Kal, and his reign is ongoing. He did evil in the eyes of the Korunnai, but not as his father Viktor had done. He erected shrines and obelisks as catalysts of the Dark Side of the Force, and crafted a holocron devoted to the Dark Side. He built up the high places of Haruun Kal and hung horrid images above his temple in honor to Ajunta Pall, Naga Sadow and Freedon Nadd. He spilled the blood of Nishaak the Advisor to Baasha and Aren the Head of Baasha's Army over the Grandmother's Tears river in accordance with his sacrilege. He also created an alchemical forge in the belly of Grandfather's Shoulder, and he practiced alchemy there. In all that he did, he defiled the sacred places of his enemies among the Korunnai.
It came about that as soon as he was archduke he struck down all the household of Ghosh Rostu. He did not leave to Baasha any persons alive, until he had destroyed them according to his desire, which he spoke by his servant Loki Moran. Then the word of my lord came to Loki son of Gedaliah the Balawai, saying,
"Thus says His Grace, 'Arise and go down to the Korrunai in the West and proclaim my dominion over this place and every other high place in the region that my name will be respected among the people.'"
So Loki went and said to the Korunnai that which he had been instructed, and there was great fear of the Archduke among the people.
As for his other deeds and exploits, are they not recorded in the anals of the Lords of Haruun Kal? Lucius carved a tomb out of rock in his Temple in Trundur Wall where he will eventually slumber. May he never require it.
Lucius Gnasch was born in 986 ABY. His father was Representative Victor the son of Count Osmand the Balawai. His mother's name was Sona the daughter of Midas. In his sixth year of life Lucius was given to Sorana Vaas the Korun to be trained by the Jedi Order, and he stayed with her for five years. After such a time, Lucius was apprenticed to Master Tien Celest, the Soresu specialist. They remained together for eight years.
In Lucius' eighteenth year of life, Baasha Rostu the Korun struck down the Balawai Representative Council and became ruler of the Korrunal Highlands. He did what was right in the eyes of the Korrunai just as his ancestors had done, and the people rejoiced greatly. Lucius pleaded with the Council to throw down the dictator of Haruun Kal, but their hearts were hardened and they would not listen. He tore his clothes and took shelter in the Jedi Temple where he grieved for his father.
In his nineteenth year of life, Lucius accused the Council of injustice regarding the Haarun Kal incident and left the Jedi order. He traveled for seven years gathering influence in the Outer-Rim. Once having assembled a band of mercenaries, he descended on the Korrunal Highlands.
In the eighth year of Baasha's reign Lucius challenged his leadership. They met on the peak of Grandfather's Shoulder where Baasha was struck down and fell into the crater. So Lucius killed him in the eighth year of his reign, and he ruled in his place. Lucius Gnasch was twenty-six years old when he became Archduke of Haruun Kal, and his reign is ongoing. He did evil in the eyes of the Korunnai, but not as his father Viktor had done. He erected shrines and obelisks as catalysts of the Dark Side of the Force, and crafted a holocron devoted to the Dark Side. He built up the high places of Haruun Kal and hung horrid images above his temple in honor to Ajunta Pall, Naga Sadow and Freedon Nadd. He spilled the blood of Nishaak the Advisor to Baasha and Aren the Head of Baasha's Army over the Grandmother's Tears river in accordance with his sacrilege. He also created an alchemical forge in the belly of Grandfather's Shoulder, and he practiced alchemy there. In all that he did, he defiled the sacred places of his enemies among the Korunnai.
It came about that as soon as he was archduke he struck down all the household of Ghosh Rostu. He did not leave to Baasha any persons alive, until he had destroyed them according to his desire, which he spoke by his servant Loki Moran. Then the word of my lord came to Loki son of Gedaliah the Balawai, saying,
"Thus says His Grace, 'Arise and go down to the Korrunai in the West and proclaim my dominion over this place and every other high place in the region that my name will be respected among the people.'"
So Loki went and said to the Korunnai that which he had been instructed, and there was great fear of the Archduke among the people.
As for his other deeds and exploits, are they not recorded in the anals of the Lords of Haruun Kal? Lucius carved a tomb out of rock in his Temple in Trundur Wall where he will eventually slumber. May he never require it.
"Dukes Volume I, Entry I" is written in the style of Kings 2; NASB (New American Standard Bible).
Lucius Gnasch
A History By Methuselah Moran
A History By Methuselah Moran
Chapter I
I write this tale knowing that it may well cost me my life, but I care little for that now. It is vital that you see how our once prosperous and flourishing society descended into the madness of Sith despotism; it is vital that you understand how and why events have unfolded so unfortunately. The history of Haruun Kal is forever altered because of the man after whom this document is titled, not to mention a number of his associates. His origins, though he may wish them to remain a secret, are now an integral part of the chronicles of these peoples. We must never forget the truth, nor should we fail to record it; for even the palest ink is stronger than the sharpest memory. So behold and remember. This is the tale of Lucius Gnasch the Apostate.
Lucius' father was Viktor Harkun Gnasch, a human male from Coruscant and an established member of the Balawai Representative Council. His wife was Duchess Sona Akira from Naboo, and while there was no established aristocracy on Haruun Kal, Balawai (or foreigner) society was given to calling them "Duke" and "Duchess" regardless. Their influence placed them in contact with a number of well-to-do individuals, from politicians and diplomats to wealthy businessmen and judges. Their most prized relationship, however, was with Sorana Vaas. She was a petit female Korun and a reputable Jedi Knight. Sorana had once flattered the couple at a dinner by saying that she felt the Living Force was strong with both of them. The Duke and Duchess chuckled and good-naturedly said the girl was very astute, and though they expressed no further interest in the matter, they never forgot those words. After an unfortunate miscarriage, Victor and Lady Sona finally conceived and Lucius was born in the summer of the year 986 ABY.
It was an unfortunate moment to be born into the House of Gnasch, for at about that time it was revealed that Victor Gnasch and several other members of the Balawai Representative Council had succeeded in embezzling numerous Korun villages. The scandal was tremendous, and as Victor's reputation plummeted he brought the House of Gnasch down with him.
The Duchess saw the writing on the wall and knew that their life was about to become considerably harder. Let it not be said of Duchess Sona that she was a woman without wits, however. Gathering every resource she had left at her disposal, she made preparations to outlast the accusations leveled at her family, and among those preparations was a call to Sorana Vaas. From what I have gathered, their encounter went something like this:
Lady Sona and Sorana had been seated at dinner for nearly half-an-hour, but the food and drink had gone all but untouched. The Duchess looked famished for light; dark rings had appeared around her almond-shaped eyes, and her mouth was drawn and tight as though she had swallowed something bitter. Sorana passively observed her but said nothing. Finally the silence was broken by the sound of a young Lucius playing in a distant corridor.
"I want better for him than this," said the Duchess. She sounded resigned.
"We all do," Sorana replied.
"You said once that your Force was strong with us. I must admit that I do not believe in your Force, but...did you mean it, or were you just being polite?"
"I meant every word," said Sorana reassuringly. "For both you and your husband."
"What about my son?" inquired Lady Sona, and for the first time in their few years together, Sorana heard a note of desperation enter the Duchess' voice. The Jedi paused, uncertain of what to think. Before she had a chance to respond, she instantly found Lady Sona kneeling at her feet, clutching her wrists in a powerful vice. "I beg you," she groaned; her voice was hushed, her eyes manic. "Tell me you can take him!"
Sorana shed a tear before nodding the affirmative, and the two women embraced gratefully.
That month Sorana and Lucius bid farewell to Haruun Kal and traveled to Coruscant.
Lucius' father was Viktor Harkun Gnasch, a human male from Coruscant and an established member of the Balawai Representative Council. His wife was Duchess Sona Akira from Naboo, and while there was no established aristocracy on Haruun Kal, Balawai (or foreigner) society was given to calling them "Duke" and "Duchess" regardless. Their influence placed them in contact with a number of well-to-do individuals, from politicians and diplomats to wealthy businessmen and judges. Their most prized relationship, however, was with Sorana Vaas. She was a petit female Korun and a reputable Jedi Knight. Sorana had once flattered the couple at a dinner by saying that she felt the Living Force was strong with both of them. The Duke and Duchess chuckled and good-naturedly said the girl was very astute, and though they expressed no further interest in the matter, they never forgot those words. After an unfortunate miscarriage, Victor and Lady Sona finally conceived and Lucius was born in the summer of the year 986 ABY.
It was an unfortunate moment to be born into the House of Gnasch, for at about that time it was revealed that Victor Gnasch and several other members of the Balawai Representative Council had succeeded in embezzling numerous Korun villages. The scandal was tremendous, and as Victor's reputation plummeted he brought the House of Gnasch down with him.
The Duchess saw the writing on the wall and knew that their life was about to become considerably harder. Let it not be said of Duchess Sona that she was a woman without wits, however. Gathering every resource she had left at her disposal, she made preparations to outlast the accusations leveled at her family, and among those preparations was a call to Sorana Vaas. From what I have gathered, their encounter went something like this:
Lady Sona and Sorana had been seated at dinner for nearly half-an-hour, but the food and drink had gone all but untouched. The Duchess looked famished for light; dark rings had appeared around her almond-shaped eyes, and her mouth was drawn and tight as though she had swallowed something bitter. Sorana passively observed her but said nothing. Finally the silence was broken by the sound of a young Lucius playing in a distant corridor.
"I want better for him than this," said the Duchess. She sounded resigned.
"We all do," Sorana replied.
"You said once that your Force was strong with us. I must admit that I do not believe in your Force, but...did you mean it, or were you just being polite?"
"I meant every word," said Sorana reassuringly. "For both you and your husband."
"What about my son?" inquired Lady Sona, and for the first time in their few years together, Sorana heard a note of desperation enter the Duchess' voice. The Jedi paused, uncertain of what to think. Before she had a chance to respond, she instantly found Lady Sona kneeling at her feet, clutching her wrists in a powerful vice. "I beg you," she groaned; her voice was hushed, her eyes manic. "Tell me you can take him!"
Sorana shed a tear before nodding the affirmative, and the two women embraced gratefully.
That month Sorana and Lucius bid farewell to Haruun Kal and traveled to Coruscant.
Chapter 2
Lucius' first five years of tutelage were conducted by Sorana herself, though he, as with every other youngling learner, was more or less consigned to general lessons as opposed to private training sessions. Shii Cho came very easily to the young Lucius, as its straightforward techniques and maneuvers were simple to learn but difficult to master. They were an odd pairing. Sorana was short, dark and swarthy; Lucius was pale and trim, with fine aquiline features and stunning blue eyes. Both possessed a strong aptitude for speech and diplomacy; neither could agree on much of anything. Both studied combat extensively, but while Sorana used her knowledge as a tool to disengage from battles, Lucius used it to exhaust, suppress, and dominate adversaries. Sorana was personable and upfront; Lucius was argumentative and cold.
What truly set the two at odds was the actual training itself, however. Lucius continually and willfully refused to learn something new until he felt completely comfortable with the last thing he learned, and while Sorana appreciated his dedication to form, he was increasingly frustrated by how slowly his student progressed. While his peers were learning the flourishes and leaps associated with lightsaber combat, Lucius was still mastering how to properly perform a basic lunge. This behavior attracted the notice of other knights and masters; some approved of his fundamentalist attitude, others shook their heads and said he would never become a knight at his current pace. Sorana recognized that Lucius' emphasis on practical, minimalist movements lent themselves well to Form VI, Niman, and she goaded him in that direction.
When his basic training was complete, the Jedi Council decided that it would be best if Lucius was isolated from his previous life so that he would feel no attachment to anything he had lost. Therefore, when it came time to appoint a master for the young Lucius, Sorana was not allowed to train him in spite of her pleas. She was sent back to Haruun Kal to make a deal with a Baasha Rhostu, a dominant leader among the Korunnai. The decision to separate Lucius from his past was ultimately too little too late; he continually set his eyes upon Haruun Kal in the hopes of returning there one day, and for a few years he kept in contact with Sorana to see how events were unfolding in the Korrunal Highlands. Lucius was given to Master Tien Celest, a Soresu expert. They would spend the next ten years learning from one another.
Lucius' apprenticeship commenced, and it soon became apparent that Sorana's prediction concerning Lucius was by no means incorrect; he was prodigious, and his intuition was a powerful guiding force in his conduct on the missions that followed his initial training. He and Tien uncovered plots, recovered holocrons, and basically involved themselves in the typical work of a master and apprentice. They were an efficient pair.
Chapter 3
It seems to me that Lucius' fall to the Dark Side of the Force was very coincidental. A number of ills befell him within one or two years of each other prior to his conversion, and I suspect all of them had some part to play in his demise.
The mission was to retrieve a Sith holocron from the Onderonian moon of Dxun. As it was a retrieval mission, both Tien and Lucius expected little resistance, but the Dark nature of the planet and the vicious animals that roamed the jungles meant that the task was not one without danger. Mandalore the Indomitable and many of his men perished to the beasts of Dxun many years ago; two Jedi would fair little better if they weren't careful.
The journey to Dxun was uneventful, and their first day on the planet was shockingly peaceful as well. It was the nighttime that became problematic; predators of all shapes and sizes stalked them from dusk until dawn, and both Tien and Lucius quickly learned to take shelter and rest in the high grounds above the jungle canopy. On the third day they had identified the location of the holocron.
The holocron was burried in the caverns of a rugged mountainside. All available sources indicated that a powerful Sith had once established a small temple in the cliffside, and this theory was confirmed when they saw an elaborate entrance leading directly into the rock wall. They cautiously entered the caverns, taking care not to make noise as they began their descent into the belly of the mountain.
The temple may well have been mistaken for a tomb; aged texts covered the walls, telling the tales of long forgotten Sith. Glinting eyes peered out of various peepholes and crevices, and on more than one occasion the pair felt hot breath on the backs of their necks. A full four hours passed as they scoured the corridors. Then...
"Gah!" cried Tien, falling over backwards. A massive
Lucius excitedly picked up the holocron and delicately dusted it off.
It was an unassuming object. The holocron was essentially a small crimson pyramid, able to fit easily in the palm of one's hand. Arcane runes and glyphs lined its smooth surface, and a pale orange glow emanated from the various cracks and crevices of its interface. Most notably of all, however, was the distinctive throbbing that vibrated throughout its core. It was powerful like a drum and fluctuating like a heartbeat, creating a mood of agitation and wonder.
Lucius realized the excitement he felt did not stem from his success in obtaining the holocron, but rather from the holocron itself. There was a power, an urge and a drive attached to the object, and it imbued him with a confidence and a sense of elation that he had never felt within the Jedi temple. He felt success pounding in his brain. Possibilities of greatness. And what was more, he felt the power to achieve those ends.
"Did you find it?" hollered Tien. Lucius was annoyed. He felt like a great moment had been spoiled by his master's interruption.
"Yes!" he shouted back. "I'm coming back down!" Lucius clambered back down the path and found Master Tien sprawled against the wall. "Can you walk?"
"'Course I can walk," said Tien gruffly. Give me a hand, will you?" Lucius draped Tien's arm over his shoulder and together they began their journey out of the caves. "Oh, I'll need that holocron from you m'boy," said Tien suddenly.
"Why? What harm will come from me carrying it? You worry about us getting out of here, I'll-"
"That wasn't a request, apprentice," said Tien, sternly holding out his hand. Lucius was absolutely affronted. He clapped the holocron into his master's palm and said nothing more.
Chapter 4
Lucius' outrage went unheeded; the Jedi Council had neither the desire nor the duty to dictate the political theater of Haruun Kal, particularly in the wake of the devastating war that was rapidly spreading across the Republic. Still more infuriating was the general concern for Sorana's well-being, a Jedi who had failed to protect his family from the hangman's noose. A bitter taste arose in his mouth at the thought of her, safe and sound in the house of Baasha.
In BBY at the green age of nineteen, Lucius recorded and broadcasted a scathing message throughout the Jedi temple, personally condemning each and every member of the Jedi Council for turning a blind eye to the plight of innocents of Haruun Kal. Among the accused was Tien Celest, his own master. My Jedi sources refused to give any specifics regarding the content of the message, and I understand why; having seen for myself Lucius' blasphemous fury, the recording no doubt painted the Order in a highly unfavorable light. Instantly the Temple echoed with the swift footfalls of Jedi guardians as they madly searched for the culprit. It soon became apparent that Lucius had abandoned the Temple some days earlier, leaving no traces as to his whereabouts.
After that the trail went cold, and it stayed that way for the next six years. The best source we have concerning Lucius' activities during that time is Lucius himself, and his chronicle, "Dukes," is not a source that I trust willingly. What we do know is that Lucius did not cease his Jedi training during this period of self-inflicted exile; rumor has it that he returned to Dxun to steep himself in the Dark Side and hone his lightsaber skills. Others indicate that he traveled to Korriban to learn from the Sith masters there. Whatever the case, it is mostly undisputed that he received training in the dark arts.
There is also speculation that Lucius gathered influence on Nar Shaddaa and Biss. Lucius has been known to associate with the Hutts and other notorious crime circles, and his familiarity with them indicates that he had previous contact of some sort. It is quite possible that he worked as a mercenary or a bounty-hunter for a few years.
Those six years aside, what happened next is undeniable. In the summer of 1012 ABY, Lucius appeared suddenly at the frontier of Pelek Baw, the capital of Haruun Kal. With him was massive band of pirates and brigands. With a new red lightsaber in hand and a lust for blood, Lucius entered the city.
Chapter 5
The battle was fierce, but led by the Dark Jedi and backed by experienced thugs and mercenaries, the surprised city guard were demoralized and eventually routed. The invasion was shockingly orderly; no major looting took place, no senseless butchery was conducted. An invisible hand held the men in check, a hypnotic suggestion that desired only one thing; the capture of Baasha Rhostu's villa. Dukes would lead you to believe that a duel took place between Lucius and Baasha. I assure you that this is not the case. The city guard were able to predict the war-band's target and attempted to mount a defensive, but it was of no use. After an hour-long gunfight, Lucius' forces finally broke into Baasha's courtyard. Nearly every woman and child in the district had sheltered there from the fighting, and as Lucius and his men entered the plaza the refugees cried and screamed in terror. It was at that moment that they were met by a hooded figure whose imperious presence held the attention of all. Drawing back the hood, Lucius could make out her features.
"Sorana," he whispered.
Sorana was older; her hair was graying now, and her skin was beginning to look leathery and wrinkled. She cocked her head back haughtily, eyeing her former student with a look of disgust. "Look at what you are doing to these people," she said scornfully, gesturing to their cowering audience. "You were a good boy once; leave this place now, and do not disgrace your family."
"It was YOU who disgraced my family, witch!" roared Lucius. You stole them from me when I was six! You failed to protect them when they called on you for help, and their rotting cadavers are hanging from the treetops as food for the birds! It was you who informed the Council that no one should send aid against Baasha and his men! Look at what YOU have done to my people, you bitch!"
Lucius was glowered at her. His lips trembled, his eyes bled angry tears. Every man fingered his weapon nervously, every woman and child eyed him fearfully.
He clenched his jaw. "There is nothing you can say to save your skin. You will fight me here. If I die, my men will leave. If you die, every soul in this courtyard belongs to me, and I will do unto them as they have done unto me and mine."
"Lucius, please..."
"SILENCE!" he bellowed, drawing his blade. In a moment he was on top of her, his blade crashing down on her petite frame like an anvil. Sorana's green lightsaber ignited in a flash, and the two blades crackled and squeeled as they locked for the first time in ten years. As Lucius bore down on the aging Sorana the whole atmosphere felt heavier, as though the pressure he placed upon her made the air itself grow denser.
Lucius was larger, stronger, and a good twenty years younger than Sorana. As she began to succumb to the law of gravity she could feel herself sinking down towards the ground. She desperately tried to angle herself to attack him, but every time she tried to break the lock she noticed the red saber menacing over her throat. While he leaned down against her, she could not remove her blade from his lest she be cleft in two.
As her right knee finally touched the warm stone, Sorana attempted a desperate measure. She dipped her blade down, allowing Lucius' weight to push his own weapon towards the ground. Lucius toppled, landing in a low lunge. Sorana leaped up to deliver the final blow...
Vuuuum! The red saber continued its trajectory approximately 270 degrees. Lucius redirected the weapon away from the ground and directly back at Sorana, using the momentum of his fall to build up the speed of his riposte. The blade caught Sorana beneath her rib cage with a loudhisss, and from right to left she was split asunder. As she fell backwards, a sickening groan of despair rose up from among the refugees.
Lucius' eyes glinted, though whether it was due to tears or something more sinister is hard to say. He gave orders to his men to secure the palace. What followed was an absolute massacre. Lucius proceeded to butcher every last member of the House of Rhostu. Baasha himself was dragged out and beheaded before the assembled captives. His family, servants, and bodyguards were similarly subdued and slain. The refugees who were not associated with Baasha and his regime were allowed to leave under the condition that they submitted to a census and adhered to the will of a revived Balawai Representative Council.
Conclusion
Lucius Gnasch proclaimed himself "Archduke of Haruun Kal" in the summer of 1012 ABY. The title was supposedly ceremonial, but the influence Lucius wielded over the Balawai Representative Council was anything if not practical. While the Balawai did not possess an aristocracy prior to Gnasch's incursion, a Sith Oligarchy was established shortly thereafter at Lord Gnasch's invitation. It was the beginning of Korunnai captivity.
Lucius errected a Sith Academy in Trundur Wall. We Korun are a Force sensitive people, so they took our children from us and trained them as acolytes and disciples of the Dark Side in the Sith temple. They taught our young ones evil things, and we cried for them.
Lucius also commanded my father, Loki Moran, to write a history concerning himself and his involvement in the incursion. My father was compelled to act as the Archduke's herald and personal chronicler. In secret, my father told me much of what he knew, and it was this that prompted me to write the true history. The "Anti-Dukes" if you will.
The past decade-and-a-half has been a difficult one for my people and for me. We attempted to fight back and resist the influence of our adversaries, but it was all in vain; the resistance failed and slowly but surely we bent our knees to the foes of the Republic. I will never cease to hope for the end of the Establishment here, but should no one come to our aid, I fear that these terrors will become a way of life. We cannot, must not, and will not forget the past for which we battle, and we shall continue to fight either until we stand victorious or are bowed and broken; it makes no difference, for in both our honor is preserved. May the Force be with us all.
PERSONALITY and TRAITS
Lord Gnasch was and is, as with anyone else, a complex and ever-changing individual, and to attempt to sum him up in a phrase is folly. However, he, as with most people, tends to tread certain paths more frequently than others, and it is perfectly reasonable to determine these patterns.
Lucius had a God complex; he regularly justified faults and flaws, and when these issues became so blaring as to be inexcusable, he would rewrite them so as to seem benevolent, favorable, or less terrible than they actually were. This is very well evidenced in his commissioned chronicle, Dukes Volume I. While this means that he accepted criticism poorly, that is not to say that Lucius was incapable of learning from errors; the man was a practiced fault-finder and could spot why things were going wrong very rapidly if he so desired. The fact that he could not publicly acknowledge his own past failures only proves that he cared a great deal about his projected image, and that his image would oftentimes take precedent over rectifying a mistake.
God complexes stem from two qualities: overweening arrogance and regular success. Lucius again possessed a measure of both. While his successes were by no means continual, Lucius performed well in a number of activities, including martial arts, hypnotism, gymnastics, debating and critical thinking, maths, writing, craftsmanship, and singing. This didn't make him particularly exceptional, but he fancied himself as a Renaissance man and strove to be just that. An for this reason, he had a high opinion of himself and wanted others to see just how remarkable he was.
Whenever Lucius succeeded at anything, he always attributed it to having profound mastery over the basic principles of the given art, and in many ways most of his achievements did stem from this philosophy. In adherence to this ideology, his Force abilities were few but powerful, and his comprehensive knowledge of fundamental lightsaber techniques was formidable. Mastery and abuse of essential skills served him very well in the past.
There is also an inbound flaw in this strategy: the man rarely delved very deep into anything. Lucius prized technical skill and flexible intuition to theories and rote memorization, dismissing them as having much narrower ranges of practical application. This applied to almost every facet of his knowledge; he understood astronavigational mechanics, but if the issue wasn't listed as one of the twenty most common hyperdrive malfunctions, it was likely beyond his skill to repair. This jack-of-all-trades attitude was very much a calculated decision; as a political rabble-rouser and a Sith disciple, Lord Gnasch recognized that he had placed himself in a volatile situation that required him to be prepared for anything. Overt dedication to one style or methodology would make him vulnerable to assassination or capture. As a result he *never* bothered to specialize his knowledge outside of combat scenarios, preferring instead to relegate the task to someone else. This obsessive devotion to mastering basic and widely-applicable skills was almost a form of specialization in-and-of itself, and the most clever of his enemies were able to exploit his fear of the unknown.
POWERS and ABILITIES
- Niman/Jar'Kai
- Djem So
- Telekinesis
- Push/Pull
- Choke
- Lightsaber Throw
- Wave
- Telepathy
- Mind Trick
- Fear
- Confusion
- Projection
- Art of Movement
- Leap
- Sprint
- Force Body
- Force Lightning
"He's a fine swordsman." - Master Tien Celest
Lord Gnasch possessed a broad knowledge of lightsaber combat, having trained in Niman and Djem So at various points of his life. His combined knowledge of these philosophies resulted in a fluid and elegant style that provided excellent protection. Lucius trained extensively in Form VI, Niman, and had a thorough understanding of its philosophy and maneuvers. While Niman and Jar'Kai specialists typically suffered from a lack of emphasis on precise swordsmanship and aggression, Lucius' knowledge of Djem-So and his precise curved-hilt lightsaber allowed him to counterbalance those two distinguishing flaws.
In ranged battles, Lucius could deftly reflect, deflect or avoid heavy blaster fire while simultaneously closing distance. In duels, he was utterly relentless, attacking ferociously and using the defensive and counter-offensive capabilities of both Djem So and Niman to bully his adversaries. As a further variable, Lucius occasionally changed the length and angle of his lightsaber during combat, using the dual blade-settings and curved hilt to their fullest potential.
Lucius was a strategic fighter insomuch that he planned for battles before their happening, determining in advance the when, where, and how. Upon entering battle, however, he became considerably less cerebral, fighting according to the needs of the moment as opposed to planning his advantages. This could work either for or against him as it allowed him the flexibility to deal with chaotic and otherwise unreadable combat conditions, but made him more vulnerable to being outplayed by cleverer adversaries.
"Lucius seems to enjoy creatively using old things more than learning new ones." - Sorana Vaas
There was no area in which Lucius' "back to basics" mentality showed more than in his Force usage. Telepathy, Telekinesis, and Art-of-Movement were the only Force powers he regularly employed in combat, and it is debatable if he actually knew anything more advanced than these simplest of abilities. While he was capable of using Force Lightning, Lucius shirked the power saying that it was too easy to defend against. His reliance on elementary Force powers meant that they were practiced and very powerful. He was also skilled at chaining Force Powers into his lightsaber sequences, as befitted a devoted practitioner of Form VI.
While his powers were relatively few, Lucius' understanding of the Force was such that he was capable of much more than one might initially predict. Telekinesis is the sole component of such powers as Choke, Grip, Push, Pull, Lightsaber Throw, and Force Wave; as such, Lucius was able to replicate or outright use all of them. Art-of-Movement covered such basic abilities as Speed, Leap, and potentially Force Body. Telepathy was heavily involved in imitating or actually creating the effects of Illusion, Fear, Confusion, Projection (Dominate), and of course the famous Mind Trick. All of these powers are direct extensions and manipulations of one or two specific abilities, and in mastering them, Lucius opened the door to many.
In addition to his aforementioned powers, it should be noted that Lucius was a skilled orator and knew a good deal about hypnotic language, post-hypnotic suggestion, and coercion. Combined with his extensive understanding of Telepathy, Lucius' Mind Tricks were strong and very refined.
ARMAMENT
Lucius Gnasch possessed a curved-hilt lightsaber of battlefield standards. The internal design was sophisticated and straightforward, much like the man himself. The grip was layered with varnished Maalraas bone, a lightsaber-resistant material harvested from the Maalraas, a predator from Dxun. It utilized a red-synthetic lightsaber crystal in the Sith tradition, increasing the cutting power of the blade in exchange for maneuverability. It should be noted, however, that Lucius' familiarity with his weapon allowed him to compensate for this disadvantage. Lucius also owned a red shoto of a similar make to his primary weapon. The hilt was straight and the blade possessed no length-adjustment features.
Also in his possession were Sith garments of unique and fine make. They were dark and elegant, composed of a silken vest. cravat, and hakama. Over his shoulders he draped a flowing cloak, pinioned to his frame by two iconographic broaches and a dark steel chain. As for casual attire and undergarments, Lucius regularly wore dark clothing that covered his entire neck, almost budding up against his chin in some cases; the man had a phobia of leaving his throat exposed to the open air, and the snugness of cravats and turtle-necks comforted him.
Lucius regularly donned dark-metal Sith armor in combat. It was light, flexible, and subjected to Sith Alchemy; as such, it provided moderate protection against lightsaber blows, though by no means was it able to resist direct blows from such weapons. The armor was composed of a gorget, do, tare, pauldrons, greaves, sollerets, and vambraces. (See "Kendo" uniforms for more information regarding armor and hakama.)
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
KILLS: N/A
BOUNTIES COLLECTED: N/A
DUELING RING MATCHES: N/A
GRAND TOURNAMENT MATCHES: N/A
ROLE-PLAYS: N/A
KILLS: N/A
BOUNTIES COLLECTED: N/A
DUELING RING MATCHES: N/A
GRAND TOURNAMENT MATCHES: N/A
ROLE-PLAYS: N/A
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