New Sith Brotherhood/Recap: Difference between revisions

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The Union began existence as a secret alliance between a handful of planetary governments dissatisfied with the Galactic Alliance (hereafter refered to as the 'GA') and the New Sith Order. During this time the Union built up its strength in secret, preparing to declare independence from the GA; weapons were builts, plans were made, armies were raised and allies were secured. For a short period, the Union was in vassalage to the Ni'novian Ascendancy but this changed after the Ascendancy fell at the end of the Third Sith Schism. Though the Third Schism taxed the Union's resources, it was in the aftermath of this conflict that it openly declared its independence from the GA.

With the New Sith Order finally emancipated from the Ni'Novian Ascendancy, Darth Xaos, the Dark Lord of the Sith and leader of the Unionist conspiracy, declared that it was time for the Union to openly declare its existence. The GA replied to the declaration by decrying the Union as an illegal insurrection and warning that any who fought for it would be arrested. This haughty dismissal ultimately galvanized the population of the fledgling Union in their repulsion of the GA's immediate, violent reply.

During this time the Union was organized differently than it is today. The federal government was a theocracy wherein the Dark Lord shared power with his Sith Council. The Dark Lord proposed new legislature and it was ultimately ratified or refused by a vote of the Council. Addionally, the military was organized in a more monolithic fashion with both planetary garrisons and federal forces being part of the Union Defense Force, which was headed by Darth Unrivaled. The planetary governments of this period, however, were run in an identical manner and had a similar relationship with the federal level of government. This early form was rife with corruption as the Sith Council was divided into factions that were more concerned with advancing their interests than fighting for the cause of the Union as a whole.

With the destruction of the Sith'ar and the end of the Union Civil War, Dark Lord Xaos sought to refocus the Union's energies back on the GA, however, the uncovering of another treasonous conspiracy forced the Union to turn inward once more. Darth Byss, whom Darth Xaos had suspected of treachery even prior to the Civil War, was discovered to be organizing a rebellion against the rightful rule of Dark Lord Xaos. Fortunately, this treason was caught in its early phases by Lady Vidia and was crushed. This led to the total destruction of House Kratos as none of Byss' House remained loyal. With a Fifth Schism averted before it had begun, Dark Lord Xaos decided that both the New Sith Order and the Union were in need of reform. After nearly a month of introspection and consultation with his closest advisors, Darth Xaos transformed the New Sith Order into the New Sith Brotherhood, founded the Galactic Liberation Party and reorganized the Union's federal government and military into their current incarnations.

The Galactic Alliance Defense Force (hereafter refered to as the GADF), emboldened by rumors that Consul Xaos had been assassinated by a group called the Seven Kings, sent a fleet to attack Yaxon VI. The Union defenders, led by then Military Executor Darth Venom, staved off the GADF fleet. Within in an hour of the victory, Xaos appeared on a live holofeed from New Bethrezen, dispelling all rumors of his death. It is still remembered with humiliation by the GADF. The Battle of Yaxon VI, combined with the defection of GADF wunderkind Kana Kuran and a succesful Union-backed revolt on Dantooine, served to presage the Union lightning-advance known as the Snowfall Campaign.

Shortly after the raid on Coruscant, the Chiss Ascendancy decided to join the Obsidian Union as a Semi-Autonomous State. Galactic Alliance Intelligence sent numerous operatives into Chiss Space to enact a series of assassinations and bombings. The New Sith Brotherhood arrived to deal with this threat and ferret out the GA agents. On Csilla, Darth Xaos encountered Jedi Grandmaster Luke Skywalker and the two fought to a standstill. Although the Union managed to drive the enemy out, Skywalker and the majority of the GA agents escaped with their lives intact.

Receiving word that Luke Skywalker was inspecting the factories on Krant (a world left chronically unguarded by the GA) Darth Xaos immediately seized on the opportunity to attack. The small escort Xaos brought with him quickly overpowered the GA defenders and the Dark Lord came face-to-face with the Jedi Grandmaster. The Dark Lord soon discovered that he had been lured into a trap as Luke Skywalker initiated an ancient ritual. This rite had been used to banish the Dark Underlord back into Chaos ages ago. Within a few moments Consul Xaos lay dead. A hidden GA fleet arrived in Krant and defeated the Union forces present within the hour. Xaos’ body was taken to Ossus for study but was later recovered by Union Intelligence operatives.

In the period that followed the Consul’s death-called the Interregnum by most Union historians-a political stalemate between the members of the Brotherhood’s Dark Council resulted in the inability to appoint a new Dark Lord or Consul. During this time, the momentum that had built up from the Snowfall Campaign ground to a halt. No new planets joined the Union and inefficiency and corruption flourished in the lack of a clear authority. Tensions grew thick within the Union and soon erupted into violent conflict.

After several months, the Dark Council received messages from Lady Vidia, ordering them to Korriban and to bring records of their positions, with the consequence of being expelled from the Brotherhood and marked as traitors if they refused. The other members of the Brotherhood received similar messages, ordering them to bring proof of their loyalty to the same location an hour later, with identical consequences. Furthermore, all of them were to come alone in civilian transport. After debate, it was agreed upon that Vidia’s “orders” were a grab for power, designed to weed out and eliminate those who were unwilling to acknowledge her as the new Dark Lady. As Darth Exolus moved to confront Vidia by himself in the Tomb of Marka Ragnos on Korriban, Darth Reaver’s Jaig Legion and the pirate forces under (soon to be Director of Intelligence) Kas moved to pacify Vidia’s House of Sentia. Capturing several of Vidia’s Lieutenants and capturing or killing the remaining members of Vidia’s personal army, the Wachetroopers, a plan was quickly developed: the Brotherhood would walk into the trap and allow it to be sprung, then fight their way out and return on-board Darth Reaver’s flagship - the Xendor - to New Bethrezen. This would draw Lady Vidia and her forces to a battleground that was more in the Brotherhood’s favor.

In total, the Second Civil War lasted roughly two and a half standard days.