Bookworm
OUT OF CHARACTER INFORMATION
- Intent: To submit a Sith Academy devoted entirely to teaching Sith Alchemy and Sorcery and producing top tier Sith Alchemists and Sorcerers/Sorceresses
- Image Credit: https://fantasy-art-engine.tumblr.com/post/117966376069/the-moon-above-the-city-by-kim-hyeong-seung
- Canon: N/A
- Links: Taeli Raaf Sith Alchemy Sith Magic
- Structure Name: Sorzus Academy of Sith Arts
- Classification: Sith Academy and Laboratory
- Location: Ziost
- Affiliation: The Sith Empire as the dominate Sith faction in the galaxy currently controls the academy, but it is overseen by the Lady of Secrets Taeli Raaf per her position as the Triumvir of Power within the Sith's hierarchy.
- Population: Moderate
- Demographics:
Human - 40% - Mirialan - 10%
- Arkanian - 10%
- Twi'lek - 9%
- Chiss - 8%
- Muun - 7%
- Umbaran - 5%
- Zabrak - 4%
- Elomin - 3%
- Pureblood Sith - 2%
- Voss - 2%
[*]Accessibility:
- This academy is not just a run-of-the-mill Sith academy that any acolyte can join. The Sorzus Academy on Ziost is exclusively for students wishing to further their knowledge within the fields of Sith alchemy and sorcery and push the boundaries of the dark side beyond current limits. Because of that mission, only the best and brightest students are even given a passing look by the headmaster and the Lady of Secrets for inclusion at the academy.
- The Sorzus Academy is built upon, through, and around several of the mountains in Ziost's northern region, with its own private spaceport to provide supplies to the student body and the instructors. It is heavily guarded and if unauthorized personal attempt to approach, they will be either detained or executed on the spot per orders by the Lady of Secrets.
[*]Description:
- The academy is an imposing structure based upon a mix of classic Serenno and Thule architecture that straddles part of the northern mountain range of Ziost. Soaring stone towers dominate the academy, with thick stone walls emerging into sheer cliffs with a series of high bridges linking the various parts of the academy together. A series of stairs, under the bridges, lead to the lower hall of the main structure, statutes of famous Sith are carved along this path and framed by lit braziers.
POINTS OF INTEREST
Trial of Ascension - Carved into the mountain, the Trial of Ascension is a massive staircase that leads to the main entrance of the Academy. Bridges arch over it, providing patrolling guards with easy over watch positions for enemy forces that might attack. Along the staircase are large statues of famous Sith, ostensibly to remind incoming students of the great Sith Lords and Ladies of the past, but they also serve as part of the Sorzus Academy's protection as many of them have been turned into Sith Statues through the Lady of Secret's sorcery that will attack warriors of the light side upon sensing their presence.
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Great Hall - Upon entering the main building of the academy, one is presented with the Great Hall. Along its length are statues of famous, or infamous, Sith tucked away into alcoves. Each statue is much like those on the Trial of Ascension, guardians of the academy that will attack intruders. Every so often, large reinforced gateways lead off to other parts of the academy or to turbolifts that lead to the various towers. In the center of the room is a large fountain and a frothing cauldron of water fed by it. This water feature is created in contrast to the Jedi's fabled Room of a Thousand Fountains, showing change and chaos rather than a quiet place to meditate. At the end of the hall, a large throne has been placed for the occasion when the Emperor might visit the academy and where he might hold court publicly.
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Library - One of the largest collections of Sith relics and treatises dealing with sorcery and alchemy, the library of the Sorzus Academy is dedicated to the mission of the academy's namesake. Several Sith archivists are always present, but they will not allow a student access to knowledge that they deem them unready for. If an ambitious student or thief attempts to steal the various tomes and artifacts within the library, the archivists will deal with them... harshly, assuming they reach the thieves first and not the dark side spirits that serve the archivists and protect the library.
https://www.artstation.com/artwork/1LmO2
Lady of Secrets' Chambers - When the Lady of Secrets is present at the Academy, she resides in a series of chambers at the top of the tallest tower. Inspired by the dark architecture of the academy, and her personal tastes, the chambers play host to a private laboratory and library for the Triumvir of Power. Only the headmaster and overseers are allowed access, even then with only strict permission from the Lady of Secrets herself.
https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=761486455
Main Lecture Hall - During the odd times that the instructors at the academy deem a full lesson appropriate, or if the students are called to assembly for one reason or another, the main lecture hall is put to use. The room is decorated much like the rest of the academy, light in the chamber being cast by the braziers on the wall and the windows above the stage at the front of the room dominated by four statues of ancient Sith concealed in their dark robes. The hall, while having the appearance of a low-tech area of the academy, is equipped with state of the art holographic projectors.
https://www.artstation.com/artwork/Oym0w
https://www.artstation.com/artwork/3rrLY
https://www.artstation.com/artwork/XybdY
Alchemical Laboratories - As the Sorzus academy is devoted solely to the research and advancement of sorcery and alchemy, no expense has been spared in developing many different laboratories for the students and instructors to make use of to create horrifying new personifications of the dark side. Scattered throughout the campus, with varying styles to meet those of the varied student body, the laboratories are a major cornerstone of the academy. Older and more advanced students are allowed to claim laboratories for themselves, along with instructors, and all of them are equipped with state of the art genetic and biological research equipment and all the alchemical apparatus and ingredients that are needed for their experiments.
Nexus Information
- Nexus Name: Shrine of the Jen'jidai
- Nexus Alignment: Dark
- Location: Ziost
- Affiliation: The Sith Empire
- Size: Small
- Strength: Strong - Due to the excessive amount of experiments occurring in the academy above, and the dark side heritage and corruption that infuses the planet itself, the nexus is quite powerful.
- Accessibility: Access to the Shrine of the Jen'jidai is restricted to the Masters that oversee the academy, the Lady of Secrets, the Emperor, and those who have gained favor with him. Students are only permitted at the Shrine upon their graduation from the academy.
- Description: Located deep underneath the academy, the shrine sticks to the dark aesthetic above. Lines and circles of glowing Sith runes run across the floor of the chamber, all leading to the central shrine itself. Located on a raised dais within the gazebo of the shrine is a throne where the Emperor can hold court in private while also basking in the power of the dark side. Stationed along the edge of the chamber are guardians of the shrine, enshrouded in red robes and wielding alchemically treated weapons, these Sith have given their lives and humanity in service to the dark side, having been corrupted and twisted by the energies they now protect.
The Shrine of the Jen'jidai is used in the graduation ceremony of the Sorzus Academy. Upon a student being deemed fit to move into the echelon of the Sith, they must take a seat upon the throne directly in the center of the nexus. Once done, the instructors and Lady of Secrets will activate the runes of the shrine, giving the prospective sorcerer and alchemist their final test. The test involves the student absorbing a portion of the nexus into their soul, empowering them with the dark side and forcing their spirit onto an astral plane much like that of the Voss Mystics. The student will face a dark side entity and must prevail in whatever challenge they are presented with. If they succeed, they return to their body, stronger and more knowledgeable than before. If they fail, the entity possesses the body and the prospective Sith's soul is consigned to feeding the nexus with their eternal agony.
When not in use for graduation ceremonies, the nexus serves as a power source that the Sith Masters within the academy can use to fuel their more dangerous experiments and spells.
SECURITY: High - Every student and facility member is a Sith, which in of themselves can serve as a powerful defense for the academy. On top of the faculty and students, Sithspawn and Sith Legionaries patrol the grounds and ensure order is maintained at any cost, while the Lady of Secrets has made sure alchemical and magical guardians are present throughout the academy in the form of Sith statues and guardian dark side spirits.
List of Sithspawn on the grounds:
HISTORICAL INFORMATION
As the Sith Empire continued to grow in strength, its academy network spreading across their vast domain to service the students of the dark side, the Triumvir of Power noticed a distinct... lack of specialization. The academies of Korriban and Bastion, of Dromund Kaas and Dantooine, and many others were all designed to cater to the education of Sith acolytes in the basics of the Sith ways. In her opinion, while they were certainly useful, they were more similar to preparatory schools as the students were given the same education in the dark side until they attracted the attentions of a Master.
She decided perhaps some diversity was needed.
Using her authority as a Triumvir, she commissioned an academy solely devoted to the continued advancement of those Sith desiring to study the more mythical arts of the dark side such as Sith Alchemy and Sith Sorcery. Locating the academy in the northern mountains of Ziost, a planet itself steeped in Sith history and dark side energies, the Triumvir of Power began designing what would be the Sorzus Academy of Sith Arts. Named for the Dark Jedi that had perfected the ancient alchemy and sorcery of the pureblooded Sith following the Hundred Years of Darkness, the academy would set its mission as producing the finest and most powerful Sith alchemists and sorcerers for the Sith Empire and to push the knowledge of the dark side to new extremes.
