Kainan Wolfe
Shadow of War
THE DEVIL'S CLAWS
- Intent: To provide a cadre of sorcerers and alchemists that can create items and sithspawn for Darth Tacitus
- Image Credit: Chronicles of Riddick screencap (Picture) Killzone Series (Header elements) ArrtMan @Deviantart (Logo elements), Myself (Headers, Logo)
- Role: Item Creators, Sithspawn Creators
- Links: Nelvaan, Wardens of the Shroud, Fortress of Solitude, Wither (Sith Sword), Whisper (Sithspawn)
- Unit Name: The Devil's Claws
- Affiliation: Shrouded Republic Military, Confederacy of Independent Systems, Darth Tacitus
- Classification: Alchemists and Sorcerers
- Equipment:
- Ceremonial Durasteel Armor
- Black-bladed Lightsaber
- Sacrificial Knife
- Black Leather Cloak
- Availability: Unique - 5 Sorcerers
- Deployment: Limited - 1 Sorcerer
- Strengths & Weaknesses:
(+) Sith Alchemy (Master): Chosen from amongst the best alchemists amongst the Wardens of the Shroud, the Claws are skilled alchemists who's foul sorceries can create horrific Sithspawn abominations and powerful Darkside artifacts
(+) Sith Sorcery (Master): Powerful, highly skilled sorcerers, Claws are trained in the mysteries of ancient Sith sorcery which gives them the power to raise the dead and summon demonic abominations from the Netherworld
(-) Non-Combatants: Although very skilled in the arts of Alchemy and Sorcery, Claws are poorly trained in the arts of combat, as their role is to create items and creatures for their master and aid him during Sith rituals, not wage war
(-) Five claws on a Hand: Out of all the Wardens of the Shroud, only five are chosen to be Devil's Claws and there can never be any more than that
(-) Difficult to Replace: Due to the extremely strict criteria by which candidates are selected and the lengthy training that each Claw receives, each one that is lost, is a severe blow to their order, which is slow and difficult to replace
(-) Force Light: Because they dabble in the foulest and darkest of all Sith sorcery, their very essence has become so corrupted that even the smallest touch of Force Light will instantly kill them
(-) Ceremonial Armor: The armor of the Devil's Claws is purely ceremonial and offers little to no protection against any kind of weapons and attacks
(-) Force Lightning: Due to their armor being fashioned out of durasteel, they are extremely vulnerable to Force Lightning, or any electrical-based attack and can be easily killed this way
"Five dark claws on a hand
And one dark will to bind them.
Five demons in the night unleashed
And one scream when you find them."
- Children's rhyme about the Devil's Claws
The Devil's Claws are an elite cadre of highly specialized adepts of the Darkside of the Force, chosen from amongst the most talented of the Wardens of the Shroud. Trained for years in the secret arts of Sith Sorcery and Alchemy, these sorcerers are tasked with creating various weapons and artifacts for the Overlord, as well as nightmarish Sithspawn abominations that can be unleashed against unsuspecting enemies, or used for various other tasks.
Residing within the main Warden Stronghold within the Fortress of Solitude, these reclusive sorcerers are rarely seen in public, but on their rare appearances, are easily recognized by their attire, which consists of black leather cloaks draped over purely ceremonial durasteel armor which is decorated with engraved bones, spikes and serrated edges.
Responsible for creating Sithspawn of various sizes, ranging from Darth Tacitus' Loth Wolf pet, to the various creatures that the Sith Lord sometimes uses in combat, their abilities are greatly limited by the size of the Sithspawn they are creating. While they can make something as powerful and impressive as a Loth Wolf, it takes a lot of energy and thus they are typically limited to much smaller creations.
In addition, they also create powerful Darkside artifacts such as Sith Swords and suits of alchemized armor for Darth Tacitus, his family and a select group of individuals, although this process takes time, depending on the object being made. A suit of armor is typically much more difficult to create than a sword, as it requires more materials and energy simply due to its size.
Although they are capable of creating numerous horrors for their master to unleash upon his enemies, the process takes time and careful preparation, thus the Claws tend to perform their duties in seclusion, far away from the scrutiny of others, within the Warden compound in the Fortress of Solitude. Any distractions could lead to a disaster, thus attempting to perform any ritual during combat, is impossible and extremely dangerous.
Greatly feared due to their nightmarish creations, the Claws are, nevertheless, ill-suited for combat. Their sorcerous knowledge comes at the cost of neglected combat training and inadequate equipment, leaving them extremely vulnerable against almost any kind of weapon and attack, most notably Force Light and elemental-based attacks, although they do not fare much better against regular blasters and slugthrowers, either.
Their true value is in the corrupted items and creatures that their unholy sorcery produces, ranging from Alchemized weapons and armor, to undead abominations and horrific Sithspawn that seem inspired by the worst nightmares imaginable.
After the collapse of the Ancient Eye, it was the Devil's Claws who performed the ritual that resurrected Darth Tacitus and merged his soul with a demon from the Netherworld. It was the Devil's Claws who created Tacitus' sword and the Sithspawn pet that is often seen at his side. And it is they who create the nightmarish monstrosities that their master employs for tasks ranging from torture, to killing his enemies in the most brutal way possible.
