Karrigan'Xalda
Daughter of the Karishzar
OUT OF CHARACTER INFORMATION
Intent: Expand on the Xioquo.
Image Credit: Here.
Canon: N/A.
Permission: Can use Firemane stuff because I own the company.
Links: Firemane, Four of a Kind, Exodus, Twilight of the Goddess, Qadiri, Siobhan Kerrigan, Tygara, Vashyada. This submission reuses some text passages from the Liavondra submission. It has been discussed with
Valiens Nantaris
, the submitter of the character and the Xioquo race.GENERAL INFORMATION
Organization Name: Seekers of the Sky
Classification: Religious Sect, Force-Sensitive Organisation.
Affiliation: Liavondra, Xioquo.
Organization Symbol: A circle, half black, half white horizontally. A hand is reaching up from the black for the white.
Description: The Seekers of the Sky are a Light Side Xioquo religious sect. They were founded by Liavondra, Queen of the Xioquo, to spread her teachings and lead the Xioquo into a better future. The Seekes combine Light Side spiritual beliefs with patriotism and devotion to the Xioquo nation. While they follow the Light, the Seekers differ from the Jedi in key aspects. They follow a presbyterian organisational and can be broadly characterised as Lawful Good. The phrases ‘good is not soft’ and ‘good is not nice’ apply.
GEOGRAPHICAL INFORMATION
Headquarters: The Venture, a Vigilance Class Frigate provided by Firemane.
Domain: The Seekers do not control any territory per se. Many Xioquo live on Firemane space habitats and arkships, intending to go off and colonise other worlds. Thus the Seekers are part of the colonisation fleet. They have a strong presence in Tlaxqui, the subterranean home of the Xioquo, as well as on the Sky Cavern Worldships the drows have settled on. An example for the latter would be the Caverns of the Overealm, the main worldship of the Xioquo.
Their spiritual leader is also the Queen of the Xioquo. The Seekers recruit their members from among the people and integrate themselves in the local communities. Every Seeker is expected to make a contribution to the community. Depending on their skills, this can take varous forms. They strive to help their people adjust to the new world, hoping to find a home they can settle and build a better future on. However, they are one of many sects that wish to influence the Xioquo. For millennia the culture of the Xioquo was steeped in the Dark Side and old habits die hard. The Seekers have founded the Banishers of the Night, a martial order of light side paladins who serve the Xioquo Queen and are sworn to protect the drows from threats within and without. They also have close ties to the Defenders of the Sunstar Realm, a sect of light side mystics.
Notable Assets: The sect does not control large assets. The Xioquo are poor and have a small population. Firemane has given them a few corvettes and some frigates. Individual members may own assets like farms, orphanages or factories on the Cavern or in Tlaxqui. The sect largely funds itself through member donations.
SOCIAL INFORMATION
Hierarchy: Their hierarchy is pretty flat. They believe that doing the work of the Light should be something all can embrace, so they have a Reformed vision of Presbyters working with their flock to spread the gospel. To this end the group has been divided into various chapters. Local leaders are elected by the members, and come together to form assemblies. This continues upwards until one reaches the level of what one might categorise as a central council. Liavondra is officially first among equals. Of course, she is a little more equal than anyone else, especially since she happens to be Queen of the Xioquo. However, several Seekers intend to divorce the leadership of the sect from the Monarchy once the Queen passes away to prevent possible abuses and conflicts of interest. Overall, they support a constitutional monarchy for the Xioquo.
Membership: Must be a Xioquo. The Seekers accept both Force-Users and Non-Force-Users. A prospective member has to be of the Light, and must be recruited or invited by an existing Seeker. Potentially any Xioquo could join, but members tend to be from the lower classes or former slaves, as the upper crust were indoctrinated into the old system. Moreover, a recruit has to pass a test. Literacy is low among the Xioquo, so it is not a written test. Instead recruits must undergo a trial that tests their strength, compassion and virtue.
To elaborate, the initiate takes a test where they are asked questions. However, since anyone can answer questions about what they'd do, over the next week they are secretly presented with circumstances where they are forced to show their ideals. For instance, they come across a person who's just been robbed. What do they do? They see someone in need but being harassed. Are they going to do what they say, or is it all words? This is a little manipulative, but Liavondra and her associates want to make sure they have true people in their cause, not poseurs and fairweather friends. Good is not nice or soft, after all. Women are still more important than men. Of all the Eldorai races, the Xioquo are the most sexist and that says something. Steps have been made towards greater inclusiveness, but there is still a long way to go.
Climate: The Seekers are friendly and preach understanding and compassion, but also vigilance. Being Light Side does not mean meek, after all. They take care of their members and promote good works. But they expect everyone who signs up to pull their load. There is no tolerance for the vainglorious, poseurs and free riders. The Seekers stress the value of education and service to the community. Their hierarchy is pretty flat and follows a presbyterian model, which places a lot of authority in the hands of local congregations. Local preachers are expected to be an example to their congregations and actively involve themselves in their affairs.
But they are not anarchists. In terms of government, they favour a constitutional monarchy where power is shared between the queen and a parliament elected from those among the Xioquo who show they have left the past behind and have contributed to the community. In short, obtaining authority and citizenship through service is their thing. There is room for individual expression, but they stress thrift, enterprise and duty. The Xioquo are a poor people and the Seekers look poorly on ostentatious or wasteful living. This applies even to the leaders of society - or rather especially to them, as a strong sense of tall poppy syndrome means that displays of extreme wealth are looked upon quite unfavourably.
Outsiders, particularly Jedi, might be surprised by how patriotic the Seekers are. However, the sect sees no contradiction between being dedicated to the Light and to their motherland. One cannot stand up for the Light and inspire one's people to follow it without having something to love. For the same reason, they do not enforce chastity among their Force-Users. Indeed, refusing to have children is regarded as strange. The Xioquo have low numbers and thus need to increase their population. The Seekers are willing to engage in dialogue with other Light Side groups, but will only adapt ideas that they consider suited to Xioquo conditions and characteristics. In their view, their dedication to the nation as a whole sets them apart from the darkside nobles and sorceresses who thought only of enriching themselves and expanding their power.
The Seekers have a bit of a rivalry with the Daughters of the Destroyer. Both regard themselves as the representatives of the oppressed and the lower classes. However, the Daughters venerate Siobhan Kerrigan, along with several old Xio deities, and many of their Force adepts are darksiders. The Seekers do not like the Daughters, as they regard them as a throwback to dark times and practices the Xio should move away from. The groups have had to cooperate at times, but there is not a lot of love. Presently, the Xio Queen Liavondra is a Firemane vassal. For this reason the Seekers try to maintain a polite relationship with the megacorp. However, they will not compromise Xioquo interests. Firemane liberated the Xio from the grip of the slavocracy, so there is gratitude, but the Seekers do not believe their people should be flunkies in awe of their human 'saviours'. The more hardline light side adepts also regard the darkside and grey Force-Users Firemane has in its ranks with wariness.
The Seekers promote the concept of the 'citizen in armour'. In a nutshell, this means that soldiers are not supposed to blindly obey unethical or unlawful orders. If an officer orders a soldier to commit an action that violate the rules of war, the soldier must refuse such an unlawful order. The military and the police are supposed to be protectors of the people, not a bludgeon used by the ruling class to oppress and enslave them or commit atrocities with. This is a mind set they are trying to foster among the Banishers of the Night and members of the regular army and police.
Reputation: The Xioquo have been isolates from the greater Galaxy for millennia. Moreover, the Seekers are an extremely new organisation. Hence only a few non-elves would know of their existence, excluding Firemane employees - particularly those who are involved in Xioquo affairs. Liavondra is a Firemane vassal and the sect seeks a cooperative relationship with the corporation. However, the Seekers are steadfast in guarding their people's autonomy. This has been the cause of tension. At the same time, their thrift and can-do attitude has won them the (at times grudging) respect of some Firemane members. Ironically, Firemane Vice President Kaylah Danton, who served as the megacorp's resident in Tlaxqui for a while, prefers the Seekers to the Daughters. When it comes to their own people, the Seekers are popular among many members of the lower classes. By contrast, supporters of the old régime revile them, seeing them as blood traitors. Their support among the under classes is not universal, as the Daughters of the Destroyer draw a lot of their support from them, too.
Curios: Adepts tend to wear a necklace, ring or pendant with that symbol. Some also have tattoos displaying it, especially in the more martial branches of the sect. Seekers don grey or white robes. Ostentatious attire is frowned upon. A number of senior leaders carry Force imbued blades.
Rules: The Seekers are followers of the Light Side of the Force. However, their philosophy has evolved independently of the Jedi or other Light Side cults. It is a Xioquo response to Xioquo problems. The Seekers believe in brief that the Xio were born of the same kindred as the Qadiri and Vashyada (correct), but that they were corrupted by the words of the great enemy Mystra (known to the Xioquo as Myrou). Mystra condemned them to fear the Light in all aspects and wallow in the Dark.
Therefore, it is the job of the Seekers to return the Xio to the Light, and to embrace technology, the stars and a more egalitarian system. They believe that Lia is Queen because of her virtue and strength in the Light, but they do not support absolute monarchy. Their preferred form of government strikes a balance between a system where the queen is an absolute sovereign and one where she is just a ceremonial figurehead. It should be noted that they have a different view on what the Light is from, say, a Jedi, or even a Vash. The Xio believe that the Light is obtained through consensus, righteous action, knowledge of and obedience to just laws. It's very Lawful Good, as opposed to the Jedi or Vashyada who might skirt to Neutral or even Chaotic Good.
The Seekers expect their members to adhere to a code of conduct in war time. Slaughter of innocents and of the helpless is prohibited. However, they are not pacifists. Rather they believe in the concept of a just war. The purpose of this doctrine is to ensure that war is morally justifiable through a series of criteria, all of which must be met for a war to be considered just. These criteria are split into two groups: the right to go to war and the right conduct in war. The first concerns the morality of going to war, and the second the moral conduct within war. It postulates that war, while terrible, is not always the worst option. Important responsbilities, undesirable or preventable atrocities may justify war. Use of the Dark Side is prohibited. The same applies to slavery, which is regarded as a great evil. Furthermore, their rules forbid consorting with Sith or groups Sith have power in.
The Seekers resolutely reject the idea that the followers of the Light must remain passive in the face of aggression. They are also opposed to the belief the Light Side is forbidden from striking first. Instead they believe in active defence. War should not be waged for the purpose self-aggrandisement or vainglory ambitions, but it should not be avoided at all costs. The Seekers are expected to exhaust other avenues before fighting and to fight proportionally to the circumstances. The Seekers believe that the Xioquo should seek peaceful relations with the other elf races, but not at the cost of giving up their freedom or their independence. They stress that the Xioquo must make an effort to build bridges and prove that they can be reliable partners.
As an adept of the Seekers once said: "If by Pacifism is meant the teaching that the use of force is never justifiable, then, however well meant, it is mistaken, and it is hurtful to the life of our country. And the Pacifism which takes the position that because war is evil, therefore all who engage in war, whether for offense or defense, are equally blameworthy, and to be condemned, is not only unreasonable, it is inexcusably unjust."
"The Jedi feel that with peace and kindness and negotiation all dangers can be solved. When these do not suffice they fall because they cannot understand how to change how they think. We must be different. We Xio are born in darkness and though we claw our way to the light we understand there are monsters which are implacable, which will not stop until they besmirch all life. These horrors must be fought, they must be defeated. In all things there is the right way, and the easy way. We must never allow ourselves to discard what is right for what is easy."
"The path of the light is dangerous and harsh.
Like the bridge over a chasm there is danger to all sides.
Yet, to one with the will to proceed there lies ahead a greater treasure than any earthly wealth.
The path of the Light is not easy, but no task is worth performing without struggle.
In struggle, in strength, we find the path to the Light."
Unlike groups like say the Jedi, the Seekers are not universalist. They are eager to come into contact with other Light Side groups and cooperate with them, but they were founded by Xioquo and seek the betterment of their people first and foremost. Members are expected to do their utmost to support their people. Patriotism is one of their pillars, which might surprise a Jedi. Indeed, the Seekers regard themselves as the authentic representatives of the Xioquo nation because they place the people first instead of selfish power plays of the nobility or the whims of an uncaring dark goddess. The Light they see as law, justice, rightful action and harmony. This contrasts with Mystra's anarchy, injustice, greed and discord. Like most Xioquo, the Seekers still revere the spirits. Indeed, they believe they are channelling their power when they use what others would call the Force. The Light is regarded as a healthier way to do so.
Unlike the Jedi of old, the Seekers do not preach chastity. To their Force adepts, the concept that one has to be chaste to be in the Light is an alien concept. Why would it be a good or compassionate thing to abstain from a normal physical and mental stimulus? When an orthodox Jedi tried to explain the concept of nonattachment to one of their paladins, the paladin responded: "Is not attachment what one in the Light must seek? For without attachment, what can one protect?" Indeed, breeding is seen as quite important because the Xioquo's population is very low. The Seekers encourage this by maintaining communal creches run by older members of the sect. This allows the adults to work while the children are being looked after.
Almsgiving is one of their rules. This also has a practical component because many members of the sect are poor. Moreover, the Xioquo have sought refuge on foreign arkships to seek a new future. As a result, Seekers are exhorted to set an example for their people by making donations, participating in public works and educating themselves and their fellows about modern tech, medicine and so on. Traditionally in Xioquo society, being a cleric is more like a job than a vocation. As a result, clerics are supposed to be actively involved in the daily affairs of their community instead of being cloistered.
Goals: To lead the Xioquo out of darkness into the Light and build a better future for them. The Seekers are opposed to despotism, slavery and oppression. They want to educate their people and assure they become an independent, respected member of the community of nations.
MEMBERS
Queen Lia is the spiritual leader of the Seekers of the Sky. While offically the first among equals, she is obviously more equal than everyone due to being the founder of the group and the second queen in the history of the Xioquo. Because she cannot rule the Seeers on her own, she is assisted by a conclave. Its members are partly appointed, partly chosen via indirect election.
Nazar'Kizha (NPC): Unlike Lia, Kizha is a former slave who performed heavy manual labour in the mines. When Firemane and its allies assaulted the Underealm, she and her fellows rose up in revolt against their oppressors. Kizha showed bravery and rose to become a respected leader among the emancipated slaves. She was drawn to the Seekers by their populist message and the promise of a more equal society. She serves as a representative for the emancipated slave population and a lot of her efforts are focused on educating them. Though she grew up illiterate, she is an autodicact and is eager to learn about the outsiders' technology. She lacks Lia's Force affinity, but is a charismatic speaker, whilst the Queen is aloof and reserved. Some view her as a future leader of the Seekers.
Navae'Zada (NPC): Zada is a Xioquo cleric and a member of the Seekers. She was already a priestess under the ancien régime. In those days she served the cult of Myrou. It was dedicated to the worship of the dark goddess, who was venerated and feared in equal measure. One day, it was claimed, she would return, conquer Tygara and judge her children. However, Zada was secretly opposed to its practices. One of the catalysts for her conversion was reading the diary of a murdered dissident. She pretended to be a loyal priestess because the alternative was joining the sacrificial victims, but tried to subvert things from the inside. But in order to do this she had to pass as a loyalist. The actions she had to undertake to serve a greater good still weigh on her. One of her activities was secretly housing fugitives who were being persecuted by the secret police and needed someone to provide shelter. Needless to say these activities put her in grave danger.
Zada became a supporter of the new queen after Myrou's fall. Before the fall she had been more grey than Light, but she has become an eager convert to the tenets of the Seekers. She helped establish shelters for emancipated slaves and openly supported the new order, denouncing the old ways as evil and corrupt. She even testified against the old regime. This caused her former colleagues to brand her a blood traitor. An extremist cabal put a hit out on her. She still bears the scars of being abducted and tortured, but this has fuelled her resolve. Zada was involved in the foundation of the Hall of Memories, a Xioquo history museum. She also participated in the battle against the Blood Wraiths, a dark cult of Xioquo necromancers that sought to raise Myrou again.
While dedicated to the Light, she is no pacifist. Having grown up in a society characterised by unfettered despotism, she rejects the idea that servants of the Light must wait for evil to strike. However, she believes that they must maintain a code of conduct. She sees the Light as law, justice, rightful action and harmony. She believes it can be served by virtuous government and representation. Navaea is no warrior, but can hold her own in combat. Like all priestesses, she is Force-Sensitive. Her mental abilities are particularly strong and she has a knack for illusions. This proved invaluable during her days as a secret underground operator. She is also a capable Earth Shaper.
Xio'Tarkuz (NPC): She is the leader of the Defenders of the Sunstar Realm, a sect of of healers and mystics. Trained as a priestess, she was part of a sect of renegade Xioquo witches and exiles who sought refuge in the darkest parts of the Underealm. There they practiced more wholesome rites. These were not explicitly Light, but not dark either. They also revered nature, venerating the mother earth. They emerged from hiding after the defeat of Myrou. Tarkuz went a little crazy during her isolation, communing with the spirits via some mushrooms found in the caves. As a result, she is more than a little eccentric. However, she has a strong commitment to the Light. She has embraced the teachings of Queen of Lia, but is more of a mystic than the rather down-to-earth monarch. Despite her eccentricities she is a charismatic presence, who is skilled at propagating the new religion to her flock.
She is suspicious of those who once supported the ancien régime and now claim to have seen the Light. She will not turn turn them away, but makes them go through a series of trials that are designed to break down their ego, force them to face their true self and gauge their commitment. Those who belonged to privileged families are often given deliberately humiliating tasks akin to those slaves would have performed for them. She defends her somewhat manipulative methods as necessary, for many supporters of the old order are still at large and seek to worm their into the confidence of the new régime so that they can ascend into positions of power and one day turn back the clock. She practices a form of mother earth worship, which she sees as compatible with venerating the Light. For the Light is life, while the Dark represents oblivion.
Naxi'Xiarda is a senior member of the Banishers of the Night, an order of Force warriors who function in a manner akin to paladins. Xiarda used to be a noble, but was scorned by her family for being insufficiently vicious. She was captured by the Qadiri during a failed Xioquo attack on the city of Krolis. For a while she was enslaved. This marked a turning point in her life. A Myrkashi priestess called Zamari Jai Myrkash bought her, sparing her from what would have probably been a grim fate. Though she was her owner, Zamari felt empathy for the Xioquo. She taught her that there was a path other than the darkness her noble family had embraced.
Xiarda was eventually set free and joined Lia's cause as one of her first acolytes. She is very devoted to the Light and, unusual even among the Seekers. She combines this with devotion to Myrkash, the Qadiri goddess of healing. Zamari is herself is not a formal member of the Seekers, as it is solely a Xioquo organisation. Letting a Qadiri join would cause a huge scandal due to the centuries of enmity between both races, no matter how well-intentioned she is. However, she serves as a teacher to certain members of the sect, providing spiritual advice and teaching them healing skills.
Naul'Zixasa: Zixasa is the commander of the Banishers of the Night. She used to be a slave who rebelled against the ancien régime. She participated in a slave revolt, but the rebellion was suppressed. She and her surviving comrades fled into the deepest depths of the Underealm. There they had to scavenge to survive in the monster-infested catacombs. The continuous struggle for survival turned her into a hard, tough woman. She soon became the leader of the group, launching raids to obtain supplies or free other slaves. However, punitive expeditions of the ancien régime whittled down their numbers. She rejoined civilisation when the old order collapsed and Firemane forces occupied the Xioquo capital.
It was then that her path crossed with Liavondra. Zixasa became a staunch ally of the dark queen of the light. In return for her support, Lia taught the warrior about the Light and completed her Force training. Zixasa swore an oath of fealty and has served her faithfully ever since. She is a strict, but fair leader. She has a lot of empathy for victims of oppression. She still has to wrestle with her own anger, but strives to embodiment of the principles of her order, leading by example. Zixasa sees the Seekers as the authentic representation of Xioquo nationhood. She is distrustful of members of the old elites who now profess loyalty to the new order. While strict, she is popular among the common folk. The following quotation illustrates her beliefs well:
Zixasa is a very forthright woman. Having seen the destruction that can be caused by blind obedience, she believes that a servant of the Light has the duty to think rather than merely obey. In the old days, the military was misused as an instrument to oppress the common people and keep the matriarchs in power. Atrocities were committed to preserve the power of the few. More than a few Xioquo officers who were put on trial for crimes justified their actions by claiming they had been bound by an oath and had just been following orders. To be a paladin, a Banisher has a duty to refuse unlawful or immoral orders - and to remove a superior officer who orders atrocities from command. Zixasa dislikes the Daughters of the Destroyer. She views them as a throwback to dark times her people must move on from.
HISTORICAL INFORMATION
A few years ago, the idea of a Light Side Xioquo, let alone a whole sect of them, would have been as absurd. Yet the Seekers of the Sky are a Xioquo religious organisation dedicated to the Light. No matter how monolithic a race may seem, there are always some who buck the trend. In the case of the Seekers, it all started with a disgraced noblewoman called Liavondra. It is doubtful that anyone expected this woman to rise to become the second Queen of the Xioquo people. She was born into an ambitious noble family.
Xioquo society was built upon bloodshed, the Dark Side and slavery. A small clique of noble families used terror and propaganda to keep the under classes in line. Many Xioquo were kept as slaves. Xioquo society had always been steeped in the Dark Side. For centuries, the drows were governed by a ruthless mageocracy where only those who pursued the path of Darkness ended up on the top. Thousands laboured as slaves to serve the whims of the mistresses who sat on the top of the pyramid. The disobedient were brutally punished and often sacrificed in ghastly rituals to power war machines or be turned into abominations.
Generations of Xioquo were raised to worship and fear Mystra or, as the Xio knew her, Myrou. She was (correctly) regarded as the mother of their race. Though the dark oddess had slumbered in a tomb for millennia, it was believed that she would one day awaken to lead them to conquer Tygara...and judge her children. Believing that Tygara was theirs by right, the Xioquo warred against their neighbours and rivals, the Qadiri and Vashyada. While the technologically most advanced of Tygara's natives, their low population, incessant power struggles and the constant need to be on their guard against slave revolts kept them from fulfilling their potential.
However, Liavondra rebelled against her upbringing, despite the risk this entailed. Disdaining the power struggles and wanton cruelty of her peers, she developed her own moral code during her time in the army. Instead of serving the Darkness, she secretly embraced the Light. After running afoul of the game of thrones intrigues in her family, she was imprisoned in the Black Citadel. She would have undoubtedly been killed or worse, if fate had not intervened.
The fortress was stormed and the garrison destroyed by a Coalition force mostly composed of Firemane troops. Lia found herself facing the off-worlders whom she had heard much of but never seen. The experience was frightening to say the least, especially as these off-worlders wore armour and carried weapons far beyond those of the Xioquo or their usual Qadiri enemies. Still, Lia did not lose her cool and respectfully asked to see the commander of the invading force.
Taken before Siobhan Kerrigan the two could see that the other was both similar and yet very different from the other. Lia followed her version of the Light and was technologically primitive, yet she had a steely resolve and reliability of character which made Siobhan at least respect her. Further, Siobhan recognised the uses of a Xio who was not a murderous Dark Sider; as puppet she could be a useful pawn to control the Xio once their threat had been dealt with. For her part Lia recognised what Siobhan wanted with her and did not argue against it. She knew in her heart that the Xio could not face this enemy and that the old, bloody ways had to be broken if her people were ever to survive and move on. Thus a deal was made; Lia would advise on the Xioquo defences and capabilities and would be their puppet, and in return she would rule them afterwards.
The campaign against the Underealm was a bloody affair, even with the technology of the off-worlders and the numbers of their allies. Lia had little part to play in this beyond providing intelligence, for only a very few of her people joined the campaign to rise up against their mistresses. Still, she was present to witness the cataclysmic rebirth of Myrou and the final battle where the reborn goddess was slain by Siobhan and her allies. Lia heard the whispers in her head, the call to fulfil her duty and turn on the invaders, but she resisted.
In the aftermath of the final campaign the Xio were shattered. Many were dead, maimed or lost. Many were unredeemed followers of the old order. Many resented the fact their people had been defeated by invaders. Into this volatile mix was inserted Lia, as she was crowned as queen – a title no Xioquo save Myrou had ever had. Some, maybe a majority, hated what they saw as a traitor who had been placed over them as their overmistress by the invaders.
Lia initiated a reform programme. Swiftly, and with the blessing of Firemane, she removed all remnants of slavery and bonded servitude. She then turned to the people utterly disenfranchised by the old order; the lower classes and the servile groups. These people had no loyalty for their old mistresses, and so flocked to her willingly as she implemented nothing less than a total reorganisation of society. The old houses were broken up, the client and patron networks shattered, and the redistribution of assets by all those who had fought the invasion gained her an immediate and loyal following. Further, many mistresses saw the way the wind was blowing and pledged their loyalty to her, though this did not stop them from plotting in secret. Indeed, Lia had to survive many assassination attempts. One assassin, a bodyguard, came close to killing her. However, the Queen was able to thwart this attempt. Rather than take revenge, she spared her would-be killer. But she did not forgive and forget. To her, the Light was justice, truth and virtue. This did not mean she had to be naive or 'nice'. Thus her enemies were banished to remote lands as servants or put to work rebuilding the capital.
A further complication was a proliferation of cults and groups brought about by the end of the old order. Groups which saw Siobhan Kerrigan as the Karishzar, or Destroyer, and worshipped her power. To the Xioquo, Myrou had been a goddess and it was Siobhan who had slain her, thereby proving herself the stronger goddess. Moreover, she had abolished slavery and was providing the emancipated slaves with jobs, education and future perspectives. Cults like the Daughters of the Destroyer were a double edged sword; on the one hand they were skilled and loyal warriors, but on the other they were difficult to control and Dark Side in leaning.
To counter this Liavondra started forming her own group of Xioquo she could impart her teachings of the Light to, named the Seekers of the Sky. One of their first members was Naxi’Xiarda. Like Lia, Xiarda had been the daughter of a noble. Deemed unduly soft by her peers, she had been captured by the Qadiri during a failed attack on Krolis, the holy city of the Qadiri. Enslaved by her captors, she was bought by a Qadiri priestess. The priestess was cleric of Myrkash, the Qadiri goddess of healing. She taught Xiards about the Light and eventually set her free. Xiarda was one of the few Xioquo who flocked to Lia's banner on the eve of the assault on the Underealm.
The birth of the sect was not an easy one. Many Xioquo perceived the Light as an aberration and believed the Seekers had become corrupted by foreign ideas. This was a bit ironic since many of Firemane's Force adepts were Darksiders. Several Xioquo who joined the group lacked conviction. They recognised that the Queen was the leader of the sect, so they believed that joining it would raise their standing in her eyes. To prevent an influx of fairweather friends, harsh tests were instituted. Still, the Seekers had to compete with a plethora of cult. They focused most of their efforts on the lower classes. They were the ones who had suffered under the ancien régime and now formed a good portion of Liavondra's support basis.
Unexpectedly, some Firemane members also proved helpful. Kaylah Danton, Firemane's 'resident' in the Underealm, formed a working relationship with the Queen. Though miles apart in upbringing, the two appreciated the need for order tempered by understanding. It helped that Kaylah regarded the Daughters of the Destroyer with suspicion, as she was a lot more down-to-earth than her flamboyant boss Siobhan Kerrigan. Some of Firemane's more Light leaning or neutral teachers provided assistance. One of them was Colonel Leonina Varkathras, a former Jedi and veteran of the One Sith War. Their relationship with Siobhan Kerrigan was a complex one. On the one hand Siobhan had freed the Xioquo from their totalitarian oppressors and was helping them develop. Her support provided a shield against the revanchist, expansionist ambitions of the Qadiri. She was also their quasi-feudal overlord and had put Lia on the throne. But on the other she was an unrepetant, though fairly rational, narcissistic Dark Sider and had her own agenda. Quas'Ziru, the fanatical High Priestess of the Daughters of the Destroyer, was also one of Siobhan's advisors on Xioquo matters. For her part, Siobhan felt responsible for the Xioquo and was sincere in her desire to uplift them. But she also expected them to serve her as vassals.
The Seekers proved their patriotism against terrorist groups that sought to overthrow the new order and reinstall the ancien régime. They also showed their mettle when the savage Kraal, a race of marauding lizardmen, assaulted the Underealm. To increase the self-reliance of the Xioquo and spread the teachings of the Light, the Seekers founded a martial arm for their Force-Sensitive members, the Banishers of the Night. These Force warriors could be likened to paladins. They were charged with protecting the innocent and fighting the wicked. The Light, so the Seekers believed, needed warriors, not unarmoured wafflers.
The Seekers reached out to non-Tygaran Light Side groups to get their opinion on teaching methods and just war. However, their success was varied. In one instance, Liavondra and Xiarda happened upon Jedi who were fanatical, pacifist, lifeist hippies. After this episode, the Seekers became determined to follow their own course. They would accept counsel from other sources, but they were a Xioquo movement, created to find solutions to Xioquo problems. Their relationship with the Daughters remained tense. The dark cultists had the backing of Lady Kerrigan, who was also the de facto feudal overlord of Queen Lia. This produced an awkward relationship, especially since to a large extent both sects were competing for the same strata of society.
For a while it seemed the Xioquo would be able to settle down. However, it was not to be. With the fall of many factions in the galaxy, Tygara became quickly isolated and threatened. Firemane hosted a conference of elf rulers aboard the imposing Arx Aternae space station. There it was decided that the elves would move into the stars and build colonies, with Firemane providing technical support, transportation and guidance. The Xioquo had little to offer, for they were poor and few in number. However, they were very tech-savvy and swiftly learning to utilise modern technology.
The decision did not need with unanimous support. Even some Seekers were sceptical. But it was carried out in the end. In doing so, the Xioquo symbolically cut their ties with the old in order to build the new. The Seekers took their place among the exodites, determined to lead them out of the darkness both literally and figuratively. Some of the more extreme darksiders left the main colonisation fleet. To keep her habitats free of troublemakers, Siobhan sold ships to any groups that could pay and might otherwise cause discord. This made the Seekers' job a bit easier. Now the Seeers strive to familiarise themselves with modern technology, educate their people and lead them to a new home. Their long-term goal is to build a free, prosperous Xioquo nation. For the time being, they intend to travel with Firemane and independently find other Light Side adepts, train themselves and work for the benefit of their people.
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