Tyrant Queen of Darkness

[THEME]
Malachor V is a world of ruins and scavengers. Its canyons echo with the clash of guilds who fight endlessly over the scraps of ancient war machines, each jealously guarding their mines and wreckage fields. For generations they have ruled unchallenged, carving their thrones from slag and bone.
But now, outsiders have come. Whispers spread of shadowed figures offering impossible bargains, of leaders vanishing in the night, of banners torn down and replaced with none. Something stirs among the wreckage, something that seeks more than survival. The scavengers grow restless, sharpening their blades, waiting to see who dares to challenge their dominion.
The Shadow Spire, the planned base of operations for the Dark Court cannot rise without blood and stone. To raise a fortress on Malachor V, the Dark Court must first seize the resources that lie scattered across its shattered surface. Ore, fuel, machinery, and labor are all required, and none of them lie waiting to be taken freely. Scavenger guilds, war profiteers, and mercenary lords have already carved the world into their domains, each clutching their portion of Malachor’s ruins like vultures circling a carcass. To claim Malachor for the Court, their nests must be broken open and their spoils taken.

Objective One: Break the Guilds
The largest scavenger guild on Malachor operates out of a collapsed canyon mine, their banners of rusted crimson flying above slag fortresses built from scavenged hull plating. They control most of the ore veins near the Spire’s chosen site, and their dominance allows them to extort smaller guilds into obedience. To build the Spire, their grip must be shattered.
Court operatives can approach this in many ways. An open assault will draw blood and fear, scattering the scavenger lords and leaving their mines vulnerable to seizure. Sabotage is another option — collapsing their stockpiles, poisoning their food, or cutting off their access to power. More subtle agents may infiltrate their leadership, whispering lies that fracture loyalties until the guild tears itself apart from within. The Court does not care how the guild falls, only that its ore and labor become theirs. Success here will mark the first true victory of Malachor’s conquest.
Summary – Crush or sabotage the dominant scavenger guild that controls the mines, seizing their ore and forcing their labor into the Court’s service.

Objective Two: The Price of Silence
Not all guilds need to be destroyed. Some can be bought. A scavenger clan that controls a crucial field of wreckage is willing to sell its loyalty — for the right price. The Court must decide what that price is.
Gold and credits may suffice for some, but scavengers value other things more highly: weapons, safe territory, or the promise of protection against their rivals. In return, the clan will provide scrap metal, droid parts, and manpower for the Spire’s construction. However, trust among scavengers is thin. Even those bought today may betray tomorrow if they believe the deal no longer serves them.
To secure lasting loyalty, the Court’s emissaries must play carefully. Bribe too lightly, and the clan may take payment and flee. Promise too much, and other scavengers will demand the same, draining resources. Strike the right balance, and the wreckage fields will yield willingly, turning scavenger greed into the Court’s weapon.
Summary – Buy, bargain, or manipulate a rival clan into supplying wreckage and manpower, securing loyalty through greed and fear.

BYOO Objective: The Ash Canyons
Deep within the shattered canyons of Malachor, scavenger warbands battle endlessly over the wreckage of an ancient Mandalorian warship. Whoever seizes the battlefield will gain not only valuable scrap, but also a foothold in the canyons themselves. The Court may choose to join the fray, strike bargains with survivors, or simply let the scavengers bleed one another dry before swooping in to claim the spoils.

credit to EllieEx for the art provided