Mavanger Posted July 5, 2021 Share Posted July 5, 2021 House Valar One of the newest Sith Houses, House Valar was founded by Darth Mavanger as he grew his powerbase and solidified his position, both politically and militarily, in the Sith Empire. Based on the philosophy laid down by the Sith Code, it takes the Code to its logical extreme, as he preaches to both friend and foe alike. To be accepted into House Valar is to be accepted into a brotherhood of Sith with a unique view. Fraternization and rivalries amongst members is not only allowed, but heavily encouraged, as the emotional bonds created are potent sources of strength and power. Members of House Valar use these emotions to dominate the enemies of the Sith, both within and without, through heavily militarized campaigns against rebels and other outside threats, and savagely thorough Hunts against those within the Sith who would sacrifice the Empire for their own gains. These occasionally escallate to levels of violence within their own ranks as well, and, although it’s rare, this can end in the death of one or more Sith. While this is acceptable to a degree, if death is wrought through treachery or betrayal, House Valar is swift to punish their own, as victory should only be achieved over another Sith in the field of battle- anything else fails to prove either party’s prowess. Those accomplished individuals who do not harness the force, while not granted membership, are oftentimes respected almost to the degree of an accomplished Sith, as to reach the levels of a Sith without use of the Force is an achievement in itself. Philosophy Peace is a lie, there is only passion Disciples of House Valar reject the idea of inner peace even more soundly than the average Sith. To a member of House Valar, there is no state of being comparable to that of roiling emotions, constantly shifting with the circumstances around them. Major mood swings and unpredictable behaviors are common amongst those who are new to following this philosophy, though as they learn and grow as a Sith they either die a slave to their emotions or conquer them, able to bottle them up to be unleashed in combat against their enemies. Their meditations are less focused on centering themselves and furthering their connection to the Force through introspection, and more akin to whipping themselves into a frenzy before a battle. During times of peace, they clutch onto their emotions and feelings, letting them gain momentum inside before finally unleashing them in all their fury for the sake of battle and bloodlust. Their interactions with Jedi lean more towards corruption than domination. To convince a Jedi to abandon their code for their emotions is the greatest achievement there is to gain for those among House Valar, as it often comes with great prestige among the others in the House, as well as a fresh new apprentice, ready to be trained and molded into another member. Through passion, I gain strength In battle, these emotions are released. Disciples of House Valar let their emotions erupt, an avalanche of hatred, fury and agony. They draw on many things, whether it be long-term resentment of a superior, an age-old grudge against their nemesis, or out of love, even, whether it be for a person or love of the battle itself. They spend all their time cultivating and preparing these emotions for the catalyst of battle to set them free, expressing themselves in their truest form- Warriors and soldiers. They use these emotions to fuel their abilities and their senses, increasing their abilities in battle exponentially, and as motivation to drive them up the ranks in the Sith Empire. Through strength, I gain power To be consumed by emotions is weakness. Instead, they are bent to the sith’s will, used to strengthen their connections to the Force, to dominate it and control it. True power comes not from raw emotions, but from those feelings in their most refined form. Rage untempered unbalances, fear unconquered leads to cowardice. Under the careful hand of these Sith, these emotions are tempered and forged into tools for their gain. Outside of combat, these emotions drive them in their pursuits. It empassions their arguments, it lends strength to their moves, and gives rise to the ambition necessary to rise through the ranks. Through power, I gain victory Passion. Strength. Power. All components to victory, either on the battlefields of the Sith Empire, or the internal workings of the Sith political landscape. Success in one’s endeavors is the end-goal of all Sith, whether that be personal power, a legacy, rank, or in combat, it matters not. What matters is how you achieve it, and what one does when it is achieved. To defeat a Jedi is a victory, but to turn one to the Dark is an even greater success. Becoming a Lord is admirable, but becoming a Master is legendary. To those of House Valar, the title of Darth is earned through battle, not given through rank, though exceptions have been made for exceptional individuals. Through victory, my chains are broken To those of House Valar, to achieve victory in one’s endeavors is the most freeing of all feelings. It is what makes them whole and triumphant over the lesser forces of the galaxy. With total domination of one’s emotions, anything is possible. Conquest, power, corruption. Any of these can be achieved through these philosophies. Culture House Valar is built on the ideals of a meritocracy. You rise and fall in the ranks based on your performance for the Sith Empire alone. While pursuing personal power and glory is accepted and encouraged, it is done under the belief that such things should not trump the needs of the Sith Empire. To fail the Empire in the name of one’s own goals is an affront to the House’s loyalty, and is often punished by any number of methods, whether it be a loss of title, exile from the House, or even execution, depending on the severity. Should one succeed in their victories for the Sith Empire, they are often given prestige or power within the House, with higher ranking Sith Lords often sponsoring up and coming Lords and Apprentices to ranks and titles worthy of their actions. Hounds of the Empire Oftentimes, these beliefs can lead to members of House Valar hunting down problematic members of the Sith Empire, whether that be an errant Sith Lord or a scheming Moff. While many times these are handled as official tasks for those loyal to the Empire as contracts to be fulfilled, egregious incidents or massive threats to the internal security of the Sith can lead to impromptu challenges, where those of high rank and standing within the House will challenge the offending party without incentive to remove the threat to stability as soon as possible. These challenges, while intended to strengthen the perceived weaknesses of the offending party, occasionally end in death if the challenger feels that the issues present cannot be improved. Whether this is the death of the challenger or the challenged is entirely left to the merit of their combat abilities. While there has never been a challenge issued against a reigning Dark Lord, if one were to fail in their duties to the Sith Empire, it would most certainly happen, though such a thing would require a unanimous consensus between the Domitor and the Imperators. Regality While the members of House Valar often don’t partake in the usual politicking of the Sith Empire, their appearance is still that of nobility. When not on duty at the head of their forces or serving their time doing battle against their enemies, members often wear ceremonial armor or robes of their own design*, the only common factors being the rich reds** and golds that emblazon almost every member, and the insignias of their rank within the House. [Find good symbols for ranks when fleshed out more]. In combat, what each member varies wildly, but many choose to retain the reds and golds to stand out and draw the enemy’s ire. Rarely, a member of House Valar will find it fit to bestow their non-force using counterparts with recognition within the House. When this is done, said Sith Imperial is granted an addition to their uniform in the form of a red and gold aiguillette. This marks them as a person of importance to House Valar, and in granting such a reward, the sponsoring party is taking full responsibility for the Imperial’s actions, for better or for worse. It is a sign of utmost trust between those of House Valar and the Sith military corps. Ranks Ranks within House Valar are, as previously mentioned, earned purely through one’s own merit. Time within the House matters little theoretically, though to earn prestige within the House one must be observed by a member or be a member themselves, so oftentimes it does take time for even accomplished Lords to climb the ranks. One’s position within the Sith Empire is respected as is due, and their authority within the Sith is not diminished, and those that climb the ranks of the House at lower ranks within the Sith have much more expected of them. These ranks are only used to maintain a hierarchy for matters that concern House Valar, such as hunts and campaigns. They are as follows in ascending order. OOC Note: Faction rules will always trump the functionings of House Valar, i.e. a Provost Lord cannot order around a Master level PC that is ranked at Tyro. To try this will see your character likely expelled from the House without very good reason for attempting so, and will always end in some form of punishment even if there was good reason. Tyro The rank of Tyro is that of a newcomer within the order. While not always indicative of a newcomer to the Sith Empire, those who hold the rank of Tyro are those who are still being taught the philosophies and the functions of House Valar within the Sith Empire, and are not yet trusted to represent House Valar as full fledged members. Many wash out in this stage, though washing out does not mean disgrace. Tyros lack the pull that full fledged members can, and lack any authority over the House’s actions or attitudes towards others. Provost Upon achieving the rank of Provost, one is truly accepted into House Valar’s ranks. While these are the rank and file within the order, they are also the lifeblood. The Provosts are usually the ones hunting dissenters, quelling smaller rebellions, and training the Tyros. Many choose to remain Provosts rather than accept weightier titles, though whether it be for the camaraderie, the necessity of the Provosts, or more personal reasons varies. Most, but not all, who remain here are Warriors or Assassins, and many are inducted into the Sith Hounds, a fraternity within the ranks of the Provosts. As a Provost, Sith can make formal requests for House support in times of conflict and instability, and many rely on one another to form truly impressive powerbases. Only Lords and above occupy these ranks. Palatine Palatines are the upper class of House Valar. They are the accomplished, the ones that have proven themselves truly worthy of House Valar’s support. These members often serve as Huntmasters and small-scale campaign leaders, and rank within the Sith notwithstanding, are able to call on any Tyro or Provost for assistance should it be necessary. They are also responsible for managing the majority of the House’s day-to-day functions, such as handling disputes, reviewing performances, and promoting Tyros to Provosts. Imperator The inner circle. There are only three Imperators at any given time, often one of each class, though this is by no means enforced. There are several prerequisites to being named and Imperator of House Valar, as it receives many more benefits from House Valar than the other ranks. The first and foremost is that one must be a Master within the Sith. Without that recognition from the Dark Lord, it would be nearly impossible to act on his or her authority as an arm of the Dark Council. The second is that one must have trained at least one Tyro, demonstrating not only their mastery of House Valar’s philosophy, but their ability to teach it to others. Third, they must have led a successful campaign, large or small, against the enemies of the Sith Empire. Finally, if there is no vacant position among the Imperators, it must be won through combat, though these battles are strictly observed and rarely lethal. The Imperators are the Domitor’s councilors. They advise him or her on matters of state, military, logistics, and economy, and are expected to be well versed in at least one of these fields. They handled promotions from Provost to Palatine, though occasionally one may step in to promote from Tyro to Provost should circumstances call for it. These men and women cut right through the red tape of the Sith bureaucracy, using the Domitor’s name as their blade. They lead major campaigns, hunt the most dangerous individuals, and build the largest powerbases. They also often have a personal hand at enforcing the members of House Valar and are responsible for assigning Huntmasters to their hunts. Domitor The epitome of what it means to belong to House Valar, the Domitor is the leader of House Valar, calling on its resources and members at will.There is only one way to become Domitor; Become an Imperator, and claim the title through combat. There are strict rules regarding this, however. To challenge the current Domitor, a Sith must either have the approval of a fellow Imperator, or the approval of a Dark Lord that the House respects. It is the Domitor who is responsible for growing the House and maintaining its duties, while also fulfilling their role in the Sith Empire adequately. Often found campaigning, whether offensively or defensively, the Domitor is more than the head of a Sith House- they are a champion of the Sith military On Huntmasters and the Sith Hounds These two are not true ranks per se, but carry special permissions within the House. These are only obtainable by working with the player who holds the rank of Domitor OOCly. Huntmaster is a title given to any Palatine or Imperator leading a hunt against an enemy of the Sith. This title gives them limited increased authority, allowing them to requisition more Sith and House assets than they normally could in the name of stopping destabilizing individuals. It grants no special authority over members without this title; however, it does give nearly unlimited authority over House members that may interfere, intentionally or otherwise, with a Hunt. The Sith Hounds are a fraternity within the Provosts dedicated to a first-strike policy. Whereas Hunts are purely reactive, being issued only when a Sith or a Moff overstep their bounds, the Sith Hounds believe that the best way to strike is to strike before the problem ever truly arises. They strike at rebellious hotspots, areas with high tension, as well as Sith and Moffs with untoward tendencies regarding the Sith Empire. These are unsanctioned actions in the Sith Empire, and to partake in these hunts puts its members at risk of punishment by the Sith, whether it be death or stripping of rank. OOC Note: Faction rules will always trump the functionings of House Valar, i.e. a Provost Lord cannot order around a Master level PC that is ranked at Tyro. To use the Huntmaster title abusively will ensure that you will likely be stripped of it, at the least bumped down a rank within the House, and likely never be given the title of Huntmaster again. Becoming a Sith Hound does not give carte blanche to hunt other Sith PCs and NPCs, or disrupt other players’ powerbases. If you take any action as a Sith Hound, it will be working closely with all involved parties to ensure that a good story is told rather than a story of some psycho Sith using the Hounds as an excuse for their antics. *While many choose to wear the traditional colors of House Valar, this is by no means enforced, and your character may choose to dress however they please. **The red of House Valar is much darker, closer to maroon, than the traditional bright red of the Sith Honor Guard. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Darth Nyrys Posted July 13, 2021 Share Posted July 13, 2021 I am uncomfortable with the framework this provides for players to try and enforce what is a "proper Sith", and the potential for bullying players. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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