Home Sweet Home (Mass Training - All Sith Welcome)

[Krux Mullarus]

OOC:

Spoiler

[member="Darth Azurea"] / [member="Darth Ophidia"] / [member="Tirdarius"] / [member="Morningstaarr"] / [member="Garivald"] / [member="Galanoth Kaal"] / [member="Fortuna"] / @Abelain Narv’uk / [member="Xavka Duquo"] / [member="Konrad von Grimmelshausen"] / [member="Greta Kohler"] / [member="Darth Atrace"] / [member="Froste"] / [member="Jardo Snow"] / [member="Kaela Jaryn"]
As stated in the planning thread, any Sith are welcome! Whether you want to help train or be trained is up to you. I’m only tagging those who expressed their desire to join in the planning thread.

[SIZE=12pt]The Sith Knight, Krux Mullarus, once an acolyte just like many of the students he will have personally invited today, lands his starship close to a popular location on the Sith Homeworld of Korriban. As the fellow trainers and students would find their ways to the world, they would be greeted with an intense feeling of empowerment and pride. This was the planet that their ancestors had begun to build the glorious empire that now controlled a large chunk of the known galaxy. The men and women that proved that the strong were the ones destined to survive while the weak were cast aside. The birth of the Sith Code took place in the dark minds of the old Sith Lord buried here.[/SIZE]

[SIZE=12pt]The Valley of the Dark Lords[/SIZE]

[SIZE=12pt]In truth, Mullarus had called the training session here because he was hesitant to return to Glee Anselm, considering recent events that likely would lead to an inevitable confrontation between student and master, the very same man who built the Academy there. Not only personal reasons, but Mullarus felt it would be good to expose the newer Sith Acolytes to the same grounds that millions of Sith before them trained on before this day and age, where the Academies on Coruscant and Glee Anselm found more visitors than this grand, historical site.[/SIZE]

[SIZE=12pt]The Sith Knight found a tall, broken pillar in the valley and Force Jumped to the top, placing his hands behind his back as he overlooked the scenery and took in the intense dark power Korriban’s surface gave off. He took a deep breath, satisfied. His eyes watched the skies as well, waiting for the others to arrive. Any Sith Acolytes were welcome, but he did expect those he personally invited to arrive first. Most would probably arrive via a transport, unless they had starships of their own, of course. Mullarus looked out with Force Sight and waited. The newest generation of Sith would likely be arriving in just a few minutes.[/SIZE]

 

[Atrace]

The Daisya Infiltrator Rushed through the atmosphere at an alarming rate, Atrace sat at the cockpit of his ship running scans of the surface of the barren world. He wondered what would be expected of him on the homeworld of the sith, he originally offered to train new acolytes how to control the force in exchange for some training aswell.

He was nervous, Atrace knew he would be in the presence of multiple Sith Lords, if he were to make a mistake he would be embarrassed greatly, or worse punished. He looked up at the ceiling of his ship, letting out a heavy sigh, "This is going to be eventful."

The Daisya Infiltrator was nearing it's destination, He would maneuver the ship carefully throughout the Valley trying his best not to damage the precious statues of lords past. The ship landed with a thud as the doors opened, Atrace stepped out of the ship with a hood covering his heavily scarred face, he could sense a presence nearby he figured it was probably the knight whom had summoned him.

 

[Taris]

A faint yet distressed voice called out to Atrace from within the ship...

"Why must you fly so dauntlessly in such a sacred place?"

Taris then slowly stepped out from the Daisya Infiltrator, his mask fully shrouded in darkness from his hood, along with his right arm which was concealed by his cloak.

"This place reminds me of my home world, Ambria... Although, it did not emit the same dark energy i'm feeling now. Perhaps I really could take my abilities to the next level here, just as you insisted, [member="Darth Atrace"]."

Taris could sense that Atrace was nervous, yet Taris saw no reason to be nervous, he saw it as an opportunity to become a greater servant to the darkside. To be in the very presence of a Sith Lord, better yet, witness the true powers of a dark lord was a great honor. He did not want to bring up the topic to Atrace for it would only discourage him. As Atrace and Taris continued on towards The Valley of the Dark Lords the presence of the figure only grew more intense.

 

[Garivald]

After receiving a message inviting his student to participate in what his master, Lord Mythos had called extra-curricular training; Garivald had been knocked unconscious and thrown onto a transport ship with his gear.

His initial anger at his masters mistreatment had been quickly replaced by sudden urge to throw up. It wasn't as if he wouldn't have gone... eventually.... after three or four injections of liquid courage. He could swear that each and every ship in existence had a deep and all consuming hatred for him.

To say that his journey to Korriban was anything but an absolute knightmare would have been a complete lie. It had been a week before he could hold down any food or drink. It had been days more before he'd been anything close to normal.

Grabbing his gear, Garivald made his way to the ships off-ramp. Walking down the ramp took his first steps onto Korriban and took in his surroundings. Everything he'd heard seemed to be true. The ancient birth place of the sith was barren and desolate place. Emanating with such dense and concentrated dark energy that even a non-force sensitive could feel the miasma. Whispering of the ones who had first lived here.

Yet... it was also beckoning... always... beckoning.

Hinting at the power it could grant if only one was strong enough...

Shaking himself out of his reverie, Garivald looked around again looking for where he needed to go. Noticing a smaller sleeker ship than the one he'd arrived on he walked towards it. Not to far beyond the ship were two individuals heading in what he assumed was the same place he was seeking.

The Valley Of The Dark Lords.

Garivald started walking after them; picking up his pace slightly so he could catch up.

 

[Darth Ferus]

"Do you know how many people will be showing up, Master?" The feminine voice sounded up beside [member="Knight Mullarus"] from the blue haired woman beside him. Fortuna was here for the same reasons as the others, to train. Difference was, she was already here. Her red eyes glanced over the rest of the group as they walked over. They were strong, just like she had expected. With a grin her gaze would travel back to her master, peering at him. "You think I could fight some of them? I think a couple might even be stronger than Abe."

Behind the woman floated a spear, gripped through the Force to passively rest close by. It was simply too heavy for her to carry herself, but with just a bit of telekinesis she could keep the weapon close and ready. Despite her rank, she was actually here to help teach telekinesis, with her own natural affinity to the skill.

"I look forward to this, really."

 

[Krux Mullarus]

Mullarus' gaze fell over the three first to arrive in the Valley. He didn't know them personally, but he had heard the two Acolytes among them when they declared they wanted some more training, for whatever reason. [member="Darth Atrace"], the masked man in the black cloak like so many other Sith these days, and either a good friend of his or his apprentice, [member="Taris"], in front, and the apprentice of Lord Mythos in the back, @Garivald. Mullarus waved a hand, ushering them over, before he was startled by a feminine voice behind him on the crumpled pillar he stood on. For a moment, he though it may have been [member="Darth Azurea"] and felt some excitement to see her here, but instead, it was [member="Fortuna"], that strange girl he met on Dagobah who must have been good at sneaking. Mullarus never even felt her presence on Korriban. That thought frightened him. She could sneak up on him in his sleep if she wanted to.

"Fortuna. It's good you're here. You have exceptional skill with the basic telekinesis abilities, and i'm sure the Acolytes would be delighted to learn from you." he said, nodding politely to her before turning to the other three. "Knight Atrace! Acolyte Taris! Acolyte Garivald! Welcome to the abode of your ancestors. I take it you've come to learn? Please, make yourselves comfortable, there's a long list of people still on their way. In the meantime, please, do share why you've come today. What are you planning on learning? Don't be shy."

 

[Teynara Jeralyr]

[member="Knight Mullarus"] | [member="Fortuna"] | [member="Garivald"] | [member="Taris"] | [member="Darth Atrace"]

Make yourselves comfortable. An amusing thing for anyone to suggest on a planet like Korriban, which by its very nature was something far less than comfortable. Some suggest that it was made fo us, a training ground which required no true design on our part. Most of the planet was dry, arid, the temperature ever so slightly above what was comfortable, jagged rocks and dangerous creatures strewn around in a manner that had been exploited by the Sith for millenia. Where better to learn the habits of survival than on a world where your chances of doing so without aid are very slim indeed? Little surprise, then, that the Sith had placed their foremost Academy here, to help some reach their potential, and, for others, to help usher in their end.

He had been here for some time, naturally, taking opportunity to centre himself in a world that had been home on-and-off for decades. Ironic to imagine that I did not even see this world until I was already an anointed Sith, Tirdarius thought reflectively. Silencia had never liked to train here, and so had conducted his schooling elsewhere. Only when curiousity got the better of me did I think to seek out our ancient homeworld. Now, it seemed, others were doing the same, via transport or personal starfighter. All Sith, both by the markings and classifications of their chosen vessels, but also in the dark aura they all wore like a second cloak.

Concealed by a cloak of his own, as invisible as the one he sensed around the others, though his more illusionary than theirs, he had approached, seeking their reasons for being here. Had they proven themselves looters or seekers of secrets, perhaps it would have been best to do away with them, remove their presence more directly than they might have expected. Those who come to Korriban must always expect danger, in one form or another, even if by the hands of another Sith. Their intent did not seem to be such, though, so he was prepared not to harm them, unless it proved otherwise.

"I take it you've come to learn?" Ah, so that was the plan here: to use the world as all Sith were supposed to, as a place for training and education. Some painful, some less so, depending on the nature of it. Welcome, then, to Korriban, he thought in amusement. I trust you took a picture of yourselves before you arrived. I assure you, you won't leave as the same person you were when you landed on our little dustbowl of a training ground.

"You do pick an interesting vacation spot," he said coldly, the illusion that concealed him shimmering away, revealing the Sith Lord standing beneath the broken pillar on with two of the other Sith were now perched, waiting in readiness for others to come. "Most people regret coming to learn on Korriban. It's so very rare for one to walk away without new scars, be they physical or internal. Are you quite sure you want to pursue so dangerous a course?"

 

[Crentice]

Crentice got word of the training while flying his starfighter through space. He took time to consider what might happen, and also this would be a good chance to see his higher ups in action aswell.

He altered the coordinates of his current destination to go learn something. Crentice felt nervous that he might mess up in front of his leaders, assuming that any Sith Lords were there. He was also slightly intimidated by the knights, as they are the ones who seem to be running the show.

Crentice approached the planet, which he had never been to before, and as he entered the atmosphere, he felt more of the dark side here than anywhere else. His ship flew over the ships of those already here and found a decent place to land. He exited his ship, showing nothing but the twin swords on his back, which forced his cloak to remain completely closed. His hood and mask covered his face.

 

[Zayden Madera]

​Even though this training course was recommended to me... I've got a bad feeling about it. It just seems a little... off? Korriban, ancient homeworld of the Sith... known to break even the bravest. It's even said that the spirits of legendary Sith Lords still roam this place.

The transport shuttle rattled and shook as it entered the atmosphere, which released Zayden from his thoughts. The orange texture of the planet's soil got larger and larger as the shuttle neared the surface. Zayden was getting nervous. This would be his first training session ever, in regards to lightsabers and the Force. It wasn't even that long ago when Zayden first discovered he could use the Force. He didn't really know what to think of it and expects to learn more of it here at this training event.

The shuttle lowered its landing gear and touched down on one of the aged landing pads. Zayden stood up, nodded to the pilot, and departed from the shuttle. He could see that a few others were already here. Some of them were acolytes seeking training and knowledge like himself, others were Sith Knights or Sith Lords seeking to teach the acolytes.

Okay... I guess I'm just supposed to wait with the others? This place is creepier down here than I expected.

Zayden approached the rest of the trainees to wait, only glancing up to the trainers every now and then to see if anything new was happening.

 

[Atrace]

Atrace grunted as he turned to face [member="Taris"] "Don't question my methods in getting us here Acolyte." He shrugged as he continued to walk towards the knight, and acolyte on the pillar. He would hear a voice calling down to him asking what he was seeking "I am here to teach the new acolytes Force Rage but I would also like to learn some new abilities while I'm here!"

As he continued towards the knight he felt a very powerful presence in the force approaching them from behind, he would quickly place his had on his lightsaber before turning around to reveal [member="Tirdarius"] Atrace would almost ignite his saber before realizing whom the man was "My Lord, I am here to train these acolytes so that they may defend themselves in coming conflicts with the galatic alliance." He would bow his head before the Lord.

 

[Froste]

Cole Tymon sat aboard a transport ship. He felt very unnerved. This was the first time he was to be trained as a Sith, and not a Jedi. Cole interlocked his fingers and began to think back on the invitation he had received. What if I do not perform adequately? Surely Acolytes that are below-par do not last very long...

Cole knew he was just being paranoid, but he couldn't help it. Every second, the shuttle traveled closer and closer to the bland surface of Korriban, and he grew more and more nervous. The shuttle shook a little as it began to enter the atmosphere of the planet, and that unnerved him even more. Cole decided to shut his eyes for the remainder of the trip, and that wasn't very long. It felt as if the shuttle had decided to land the instant he shut his eyes, but he knew that not to be true. It's now or never, Cole. Go out and prove yourself.

He reluctantly stood up, and his lightsaber felt heavier than ever on his side. The door to the ugly world of Korriban opened, and Cole took his first steps out. He took a moment to study the landscape of the planet. It appeared that the ages hadn't been kind on it. During his initial look, he spotted the group of people he was meant to train with. Cole hesitated, then walked over and joined the trainees. He kept his tongue to himself, but couldn't help but think if he had made the right choice in leaving the safety of the Jedi, and joining the seemingly hazardous world of the Sith.

 

[Komo]

The Omen-class corvette descended from the sky into the reddish atmosphere of the planet. Greta had never to the ancient Sith world of Korriban, but there was always a first time for everything. Although the fact remains that she had never been to the world, she never went in blindly, unprepared. During the journey, the Sith knight had read up on whatever information on the planet she did not already know. The notable landmarks, places of interest as well as some of the most important parts of the planet's history.

She had read about how in times of old, slaves were sent to Sith homeworld to be trained and indoctrinated into the ranks of the Sith. The training that had gone on in its temple halls and various other tombs had seen countless of slaves-turned-acolytes lose their lives to the intensely tough and lethal training. Those that did not make it died, and those that made it lived, only to continue fighting for another day. The day that all acolytes hoped for was the day they find a master. It was only then would they be able to leave the wretched and unforgiving wasteland of the ancient Sith homeworld.

As her ship touched down, Greta made her way towards the rest of her fellow SIth. She had sensed their presence in the force easily enough, and having made familiar with the map of the immediate vicinity, the Sith knight made her way towards them with hardly any trouble at all. As she approached, she could already see a small group of them in the area, including her fellow knight, [member="Knight Mullarus"] who was in charge of this training session today.

He was perched atop a pillar conversing with the rest of the group. Greta then gave her fellow Sith a greeting. "Mullarus, it's good to see you. I am here as arranged, be it as student or teacher. That would of course depends on what is being taught here today." She then ended with a smile, a smile so cold it send shivers up ones spine. Sith were not not usually the type you found smiling, which only made the chilly temperature, much, much colder.

 

[Taris]

Before he had the chance to greet the dark lord or at least acknowledge his presence, Taris felt a strange disturbance approaching the group. Taris slowly turned in the direction of which the disruption was coming from to find what he presumed was a fellow trainee, judging every aspect of him, his walk, his ever so subtle slouch and ofcourse the uneasy aura he emitted. He was sure the others felt it as well but kept his thoughts to himself as usual. Everything about him made Taris feel uneasy. Taris turned to [member="Darth Atrace"] and [member="Crentice"] for reassurance that he was not the only one with these thoughts.

After clearing his mind of the mysterious acolyte he surveyed the small group of sith whom had showed up, studying their stature, posture, and behavior, making reasonable speculations about each of their fighting styles preparing himself in any way for what he may face next. Taris had heard the stories of the ancient dark lords of the sith. They were relentless and considered gods among men; what exactly do the instructors have in mind for us? he asked himself. What will be expected of us and how far will the other acolytes go in order to ensure they don't leave empty-handed, instead with an abundance of new skills and resourceful knowledge.

It didn't matter, Taris would never dream of disappointing his fellow sith, especially in a place such as Korriban, a place that holds such dark history you can feel the energy lingering atop the surface of the planet.

 

[Crentice]

Crentice felt this disturbance all to well. He looked over at [member="Taris"] and nodded his head slightly. He felt that the presence didn't fit in right, and that put him on edge.

By now, his nervousness subsided as he looked at all of the trainees with him. Then glanced over at the three knights. One of them, which felt different. And then the Sith lord himself. He knew that if he did the slightest thing wrong, their would be consequences. But, it wasn't his main goal to focus on that, amd more importantly to focus on this training session. He didn't know what any of the others could do.

He knew that training would be difficult, but he felt he could achieve it, and do better. Crentice thought to himself that now the time has come. It is show time.

 

[Urak]

"Korriban, the ancient Sith homeworld, and a place of pure dark energy. The perfect place for one that utilizes the dark side to train." Urak had been on this planet for training, as a gathering of Sith were now here to teach, and learn the mysteries of the dark side. Something Urak would not pass up, for his life may depend on it one day, as well as his goals. He planned to become a Assassin, with the hopes of killing all who oppose the Sith Empire, so that the true wielders of the Force may rule the Galaxy. There was only one true way to power, and Urak intended to seize it.

Urak was watching the Sith gather around for awhile, and finally decided he should go there to train. He walked up to the gathering at a normal pace, his black robes covering his body, and his face out of sight. Standard apparel for Sith nowadays it seems. Though is a must for a Sith walking down the path of Assassin, for if anyone saw the face of their attacker, it could bring trouble later, if they failed to assassinate their target.

"Greetings, i am here to train in the secrets of the dark side. I am Darth Urak, of the Sith Assassins, and the brother of [member="Darth Atrace"]. I will pay attention to the teachings, as i am very much in need of training. With that, i shall step aside and let the session continue." Urak then stepped aside from the main bulk of gatherings, and gazed intently on the ones who will be teaching. He sat on a boulder, with his arms crossed, waiting to begin. Urak had been waiting for a chance like this, he very much needed to get stronger, and these teachings could help him along in his training to master the Force.

 

[Krux Mullarus]

More faces began to show. Mullarus began to feel a bit nervous as more mysterious, shrouded beings lined themselves around the broken piece of ancient Sith archetecture he and his apprentice stood on. He adjusted the cloak he wore over himself by the mantle around his shoulders, a faint breeze starting to pick up and kick some dust around the gathering of Sith. It was a bit scary to think that it felt like only a few weeks ago, Mullarus was among these acolytes to learn. Now here he was, standing over them to pass on what he has learned.

'I really have grown', he thought to himself, taking a bit of pride in his accomplishments.

The older man beneath him, whom had apparently been concealed through an illusion, spoke. Mullarus' indigo eyes darted down to him. It was Lord [member="Tirdarius"], one of the few Sith Lords to declare his interest in coming here on this temperate Korriban day. "Lord Tirdarius. It's an honor to have you here." he said with a polite bow of his head, "Fear is a path to the Dark Side, my Lord. I'm sure you know this. If one wants to consider themself a real Sith, they will know what fear is and learn to overcome and embrace it. Perhaps if they learn nothing else, they will at least take this knowledge with them when they leave."

Another unfamiliar face approached the young man. Another Sith Knight. "Knight [member="Greta Kohler"]. Welcome." he said politely, feeling a slight sting of fear in his mind as she smiled at him. It wasn't unfamiliar, though a bit strange. She didn't frighten him, so what was so disturbing? "Ah-...Well, I suppose we shall find out soon enough, hm?"

Many of the acolytes began to speak among themselves, which was okay. Maybe some would even find friends and rivals to motivate their training. It was not uncommon that a new acolyte would remain away from the crowd and keep to themselves, though Mullarus had planned to have some of them pair up eventually.

One more approached. Another with his face shrouded in shadow with a black cloak, calling himself [member="Darth Urak"]. "A Darth admitting he still has much to learn. I appreciate the humility, Darth Urak. The acolyte's can certainly learn something from that. Thank you." he said sincerely.

He turned and faced his apprentice once more, [member="Fortuna"], "You should go down and join the other acolytes, Fortuna. Maybe you'll meet someone you like?" he shrugged. He wanted her to make rivals and friends among the other students outside of [member="Abelain Narv'uk"], whom Mullarus was surprised to not see yet. He would certainly stick out of the various black robed, shrouded-faced humanoids in the crowd like a sore thumb. Along with that, he was a bit saddened his companion, [member="Darth Azurea"], had not shown yet. She did mention she might not have been able to make it, which he understood. She had her own responsibilities. He just couldn't help but think the malevolent togruta Lord was seeking her out while he was not around to protect her. Not while she carried a child, she couldnt protect herself as well.

He pushed these anxious thoughts out of his mind with a deep breath and looked over the small crowd. 'A few more minutes. Let them converse. Just a couple more faces...' he thought to himself.

 

[Darth Ferus]

"Maybe. I'm their rank, so they may just try to beat me up instead. I doubt I'm any stronger than the others." A quick response would be offered to [member="Knight Mullarus"] before the others closed in. She kept behind her master and the other Knights, trying to show as much respect as possible. [member="Greta Kohler"] and [member="Darth Atrace"] both outranked her. But the person she wanted to show the most respect to was [member="Tirdarius"] . She had no idea who the man was, but his power was beyond what she could have expected.

Both of her eyes traveled over [member="Crentice"] , [member="Taris"] , [member="Froste"] , [member="Zayden Madera"] , and [member="Garivald"] . New faces, mostly. They were all wearing masks, so Fortuna couldn't really tell who they were. In fact, she wondered why she herself wasn't wearing something like that. Maybe she should invest in a mask, or even just a low hood. Mask her face some for the sake of intimidation. Or something. She wasn't too sure.

Till her master told her to mingle. There was a blink as her gaze returned to him, then to the others. Find someone she liked? Maybe. Or something she could beat up and train with. That she would prefer more so than not. With a sigh she would step over to group, offering a quick nod to the others. "Might as well introduce myself, right? Names Fortuna. Acolyte of Knight Mullarus. And I pretty much don't know what to say. How does this sort of thing work? Do we beat each other up, exchange pleasantries?" Fortuna really had no idea how to talk to other Sith Acolytes. Were they suppose to hate one another? Like? Respect? Given this was her first time meeting other acolytes her own master didn't take on, she had quite a bit of learning to do.

 

[Atrace]

Atrace glanced over the crowd, his gaze centered on [member="Fortuna"] "a knight with an apprentice? Your master must be very skilled.....I suppose I must introduce myself then? I am Knight Atrace, Brother of [member="Darth Urak"] apprentice to [member="The Traveler"] and of course loyalist of the sith"

He bowed his head, he looked over to [member="Crentice"] with an odd look something felt familiar with him but he couldn't quite put his finger on it. he quickly pushed his thoughts away continuing to look over the crowd of trainees

 

[Garivald]

It was a little daunting, being in the presence of so many Knights and Lord of the Sith. His experience with the force being as limited as it was; Garivald could still feel the power radiating from each of them. More so he felt from the Sith Lord than the Knights. That one had gone beyond physical stealth and had masked his scent somehow.

Garivald bowed low, showing respect towards his betters. Standing up once again,"I am here for training in the lightsaber forms. I desire to deepen both my knowledge and understanding of the force."

Taking the opportunity, he began observing his fellow acolytes, but ultimately failed gleaning any useful knowledge. There was only so much you could gain from a mask and robe. Well... other than the smells he was picking up. The majority here were male. Other than that he couldn't tell anything.

Catching movement from the corner of his eye, Garivald turned to see a young female walking down the hill from the pillar above towards the acolytes. Stopping a few feet away from them, "Might as well introduce myself, right? Names Fortuna. Acolyte of Knight Mullarus. And I pretty much don't know what to say. How does this sort of thing work? Do we beat each other up, exchange pleasantries?"

How the frell was he supposed to know? He'd never met other acolytes before. Was he supposed to be condescending and talk down to them? Be overly aggressive? Both of those ideas seemed to lead to only bad outcomes. He instead decided on showing respect towards an equal.

Tilting his head slightly, "I am Garivald, acolyte of Lord Mythos. I feel that words are enough to exchange pleasantries."

Turning his head, he waited, as one of the knights introduced himself before bowing. "Greetings Knight Atrace."

 

[Teynara Jeralyr]

[member="Knight Mullarus"] | [member="Fortuna"] | [member="Garivald"] | [member="Taris"] | [member="Darth Atrace"] | [member="Crentice"] | [member="Greta Kohler"] | [member="Darth Urak"] | [member="Zayden Madera"]

Others arrived in quick succession, converging on their position like vultures on a fresh kill, as though they scented blood on the very air. So strange to see so many of us coming together in this fashion, he reflected, noting privately that on occasions where it had been so in the past, it would have been rare for there not to have been bloodshed following. Perhaps we stand united in cause under the Dark Lord, but we are not so united as to come together absent violence. It was a truism he'd learned long ago, and it usually served to remember it.

That most of the others were young came as little surprise: here were students, eager to learn. He found it amusing that so many sought to cover their heads or faces with elaborate masks and headgear. Such foolish trappings, worn to render one anonymous, or to invoke fear. He'd never understood such a preference - to him, it was always better to be known for yourself, rather than for some faceless monstrosity. How else can anyone ever extend trust towards you, never knowing who really hides behind the mask? And some masks, as he had learned, could be worn without ever covering your face. True anonymity lies in the ability to walk within a crowd, present but unnoticed. Walking around with such an absurd contraption over your head guaranteed that you'd be noticed.

"Fear is indeed a path to the Dark Side, young Mullarus," he said, in response to the younger man's words, inclining his head in acknowledgement both of the Knight and the girl that stood behind him, offering them both momentary glance, as he had with the others. "But it is a weapon used against others, not a path you should walk yourself." It was something he'd seen far too many times among Sith: they learned the words, recited the codes, trod a path that was directed only by vague maxims and the threat of violence should they fail. Remember that passion is weakness as much as it is strength.

"When one is in the grip of such, that is when they are their most vulnerable, their most exposed," the Sith Lord continued in conversational tone, grey eyed-gaze taking in the other Sith that were gathering around them. "You learn about fear in order to overcome it, but as a path to the Dark Side, it is a certain walk towards corruption. Expose yourself, and it is then that the Dark Side will go for your throat, taking every ounce of you and offering only paltry gains in return." He shook his head at that, knowing well that most did not perceive the corruption there as anything more than due consequence for the power they gained - and often considered it a bargain well-struck. "A man who acts out of fear, or out of anger, these are beings swept up by a passion that consumes them, pushing aside rationality and leading them to ill-advised, impulsive actions that they would never otherwise dare."

"If you want to learn mastery within the Force, shrug off your notions of passion as the pathway," Tirdarius observed, now looking past Mullarus to the girl that stood close to him, the younger man's apprentice, judging by her words. "A Sith understands their passions, can draw strength from them, but must never allow themselves to be controlled by them." He'd seen too many drawn that way: losing what humanity their training had left them with, turning them into monsters that survived only on sensation: the suffering of another, the satisfaction of ego, the invariable feeling of power that came at expense of others. And so they become seekers after sensation, sadists and murderers who claim our path but who are but victims of it. "If it is fear you would expose them to here, teach them to recognise it, overcome it, but never allow it to overcome them."

Tirdarius stared back at Mullarus for a moment, his expression deeply serious, a frown forming upon his brows, lips firming slightly. "Should that happen, boy, show them mercy and dispatch them quickly. Better that than letting them turn into the creatures they will otherwise become."