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Mar. 22nd, 2018 05:38 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
marr〈 PLAYER INFO 〉
NAME: Cap
AGE: over 18
JOURNAL: n/a
IM / EMAIL: wingsofcover#0936 on discord
PLURK:![[plurk.com profile]](https://plurk.com/favicon.ico)
wingsofcover
RETURNING: new
〈 CHARACTER INFO 〉
CHARACTER NAME: Darth Marr
CHARACTER AGE: 70 (65 then dead for 5-ish years)
SERIES: Star Wars: The old Republic
CHRONOLOGY: just before the player character would arrive on Odessen
CLASS: former warlord
HOUSING: Roommates are great (not that Marr thinks so), I would prefer to have Marr put in De Chima somewhere. (Darth Jadus should also be apping in this cycle, so if we both get in it and it's convenient they would be very hilarious roommates)
BACKGROUND:
Darth Marr is a human born roughly a couple decades before the Sith Empire surfaced and declared war on the rest of the galaxy. There is very little information available about his early life, but in his early twenties, around the start of the Great Galactic War, he found the lightsaber of the Sith Lord Tulak Hord (a weapon he continued to use until his death), and he assumed a seat on the Dark Council, possibly due to the death of his master, though the circumstances surrounding his ascension are unclear.
He survives several assassination attempts and plots made against him, managing to survive his first year on the Dark Council, something which is not common, especially at such a young age.
Codexes state that Marr was heavily involved in leading offenses during the early part of the war, and then involved in countering republic offenses: 'Tales spread through the Republic of the masked Dark Council member who routed whole armies and deflected assaults more thoroughly than any planetary shield.' He was popular among the people of the Empire, and appeared for parades and celebrations of Sith victory.
Among his notable achievements were the defense of Korriban and Ziost, both planets with great historical and cultural value to the Sith. During the war he trained an apprentice, Darth Lachris, and another apprentice whose existence is mentioned briefly, but he is not even given a name. It is possible Marr had other apprentices who either did not live long, or did not rise very high in Sith hierarchy. By the end of the war, he was one of only seven living members of the Dark Council.
The war came to a close as a decisive win for the Sith, and its end was marked by the Treaty of Coruscant when Marr was 54 years old. Marr was less than happy with the state of affairs throughout the period that would later be called the Cold War. His opportunities for open combat dwindled further, and he became even more embroiled in politics; an unfortunate necessity for a member of the Empire’s ruling council. His body and ability to feel emotions continued to become corrupted and diminished due to his immersion in the Dark Side of the Force, and there was rumor that Moff Xerxian killed himself after being shown Darth Marr's face in a private meeting.
He sent Darth Lachris to Balmorra to shore up efforts to suppress resistance on the planet, a task at which she (and the player character) were successful. Those efforts saw the capture of several Jedi, whom Marr attempted to break and turn to the Dark Side.
His efforts to strengthen the Empire were greatly hindered by the increased infighting among other Sith and the plots of other Darths. Darth Jadus, Darth Vengean, and Darth Baras in particular caused the loss of many prominent Sith and countless other Imperial lives. Keeping the Dark Council productive and dealing with the fallout of Sith plots took much more time than Marr wanted to spare for such things. During this time period, Darth Marr became the longest serving member of the Dark Council. An impressive feat considering that many Councilors hold their seats for mere weeks.
Darth Jadus' plot came to a head first, and in three out of four possible ways the event could have been resolved by the Imperial Agent player character it resulted in a massive loss of imperial lives. The path I'm going with had the agent siding with Jadus, which saw Jadus returning to the Dark Council after having his daughter killed. Jadus' power play left him in command of the Dark Council during the Emperor's silence (The Emperor himself had withdrawn from the galaxy and relayed commands through The Voice of the Emperor, a puppet that had given up his body for the Emperor’s use.)
Jadus' influence saw dark rituals being done in the street, the average Imperial getting a taste of Sith culture of fear and hatred, and not much else that we know of before Jadus suddenly vanished.
The next plot to messily effect galactic history was instigated by Darth Vengean and Baras to reignite Galactic War. Vengean attempted to restart imperial conquest, only to be led into an ambush by Baras and costing the Empire quite a few resources in the process. This was not how Vengean wanted to restart the war, but it did effectively dissolve the Treaty of Coruscant.
At the time, Marr was unaware of Baras' betrayal of his fellow Dark Councilor, and the Dark Council called for Darth Vengean's death. Darth Baras was quickly placed on the Dark Council.
From almost the very start of his time on the Dark Council Baras began to amass support, and took the opportunity to declare himself as The Voice of the Emperor. Marr went along with this, because so long as Baras issued commands which were of benefit to the Empire, it did not matter if he truly was the Voice or not. Darth Thanaton ascended to the Dark Council around this time after the sudden and mysterious death of Darth Arctis.
Marr was more concerned with the conquest of Corellia and impending Republic counter-attacks than arguing about Baras' legitimacy. Unfortunately, Thanaton's problems with his apprentice's apprentice caused complications, as did Baras' attempts to assassinate Darth Vowrawn. As remarked upon by Imperial Intelligence, half the Sith on the planet seemed to be expending Imperial troops on their own plots and power plays rather than war, much to Marr’s frustration.
Darth Baras and Darth Thanaton saw an end to their power plays at roughly the same time, both in different meetings on Korriban. Darth Baras was confronted by his surviving apprentice, who gained entry to the Dark Council meeting chambers due to Darth Vowrawn. With Baras claiming to be the Emperor's Voice, and Baras' apprentice claiming to be the Emperor's Wrath, Marr and the other members of the Dark Council refused to interfere. They declined the order to execute Baras' apprentice, and then ignored his plea for aid in combat. Marr, as leader of the Dark Council once more, acknowledged the Emperor's Wrath, and their right to carry out the Emperor's will, with the subtle warning that it was best that the Wrath should not be at odds with the Dark Council's will.
Shortly after this, Thanaton's ritualistic feud with Kallig was resolved, with Thanaton being defeated. Marr was somewhat disappointed, as he had eventually come to respect Thanaton's capabilities as a Sith. Kallig was given the rank of Darth and placed upon the Dark Council with Marr's approval, a decision that was not unanimously well-received.
Unfortunately all these distractions meant that the battle for Corellia was ultimately lost, though the Republic Supreme Chancellor was killed during the course of the fighting. The Dark Council lost Darth Decimus, Darth Hadra, and Darth Acheron, an indirect result of all the plotting and infighting.
Darth Marr, with sole authority of the military due to the death of the other military members of the Dark Council, ordered retreat from Corellia and turned the military's attention to Ilum. During that period the Dark Council met to fill some of their empty positions. Darth Marr nominated Darth Karrid, and urged the others to support his choice. Unfortunately, the other members picked Darth Gravus, with discrimination against non-humans being a major factor in the decision. Karrid killed Gravus before he could formally join the Dark Council, and Marr was surprised to have the Council approve Karrid, but also resignedly accepted that it was just more Sith infighting.
While Marr was still on Korriban, The Republic Navy attacked as cover for an assault led by the Jedi Knight player character. This operation was ultimately successful, as the Emperor's host body was struck down. While the Dark Council was aware of the death of the Emperor's body, they kept this information quiet. The Republic Navy retreated, making it appear to be an Imperial victory.
The Battle of Ilum started out as the Empire against the Republic, but the war hero Darth Malgus decided to go rogue and declare himself Emperor. Darth Malgus was ultimately defeated, but once again the Empire faced defeat, and more Dark Council members died.
Not long after, Darth Karrid was killed in combat. In the wake of Malgus' New Empire, Marr was able to push through changes in policies regarding non-humans, recognizing that dissatisfaction with the Empire had given Malgus such a large power base to draw from. The effort was intended to prevent mass desertion by non-human forces in the future.
The Hutts took advantage of the war to begin expanding into both Imperial and Republic space. One of the planets they took was Makeb, a planet rich with a unique resource called Isotope-5.
The Empire had a great interest in Makeb, as it represented their last hope for a continued war effort. Between the infighting and Malgus' rebellion, they were nearing collapse. Darth Marr secretly devised a plan to seize the Hutt's isotope-5 supply. He knew that they could not bring enough forces to bear to counter either the Hutts or the Republic forces already on Makeb.
Marr viewed the crisis and their silent Emperor as a chance to make the Empire better and stronger. The transformation had already begun with the change in Imperial non-human policy. Marr continued to wage war during the operation on Makeb, losing several star systems and sacrificing ships and forces he might otherwise have ordered into retreat, in order to draw out the duration of the conflict.
It was a gamble which ultimately paid off, as the Hutts and Republic fled Makeb, believing the planet was dying, when it was in fact stable. This was the victory the Empire needed to remain in the fight and sustain itself.
At this time, the Republic chose to reveal their secret operation two years prior, and announced the death of the Sith Emperor. Darth Marr took this opportunity to further push the Dark Council into reforming the Empire into something more stable, using his recent success to bolster his position.
During the war, the Order of Revan infiltrated both the Empire and the Republic, and arranged for several very costly conflicts for both sides, including the assault on Tython and an attack on Korriban, which saw the death of two appointed Dark Council members, one of them a secret Revanite,killed during an investigation by the Player Character and the Sith Lana Beniko, for which an arrest warrant was put out, as the rest of the Dark Council did not know of the Revanite's true allegiance.
This led up to a major space battle over Rishi, which saw a fleet under the command of Jedi Grand Master Satele Shan pitted against Darth Marr's fleet. Revan hoped to use a Revanite fleet and saboteurs to destroy both the Imperial and Republic fleets. When the Player Character finally warned Marr and Shan about the infiltrators, Marr immediately ordered weapons powered down. He made contact with Shan and suggested they meet in person while the Revanite infiltrators were rounded up.
He knew he would be unable to get the support of the other members of the Dark Council, despite the threat posed by Revan. And while Revan and his forces were a sizeable threat, Marr’s greatest concern was Revan’s plan to resurrect the Sith Emperor. While he once lamented the frequent silence of the Emperor, he now knew that the Emperor’s ultimate plan was to exterminate and consume all life in the Galaxy.
The Empire and the Republic were still at war, but Marr and Shan agreed to create a coalition to pursue and stop Revan from resurrecting the Emperor. They tracked Revan to Yavin 4. On Yavin, Marr and Satele Shan spent much of their time keeping the coalition from dissolving, leaving the player character and a few lesser NPCs to do most of the leg-work.
At the end of the quest chain the Player has an option to either do an 8-man operation to take down Revan or to do a solo quest chain and fight with Marr, Shan, and other NPC Back-up. I am going with the NPC-inclusive version of the end battle.
Thanks to the efforts of the Player Character, the coalition managed to work together long enough to launch a massive assault. This left only the problem of Revan, whom their military forces would be unable to fight. They needed to stop Revan from retreating and trying to resurrect the Emperor elsewhere.
Darth Marr, Satele Shan, and several other NPCs accompanied the Player Character to the final battle. They were victorious, but a Dark presence formed as a storm, and they heard the voice of the dead Sith Emperor, who fed upon the dead from Revan's plot and the fighting on Yavin 4, and used that as fuel to revive himself. However, rather than immediately try to kill all life on Yavin, the presence of the Emperor departed. Both Marr and Shan were greatly concerned by this development.
Marr recognized Lana Beniko's intelligence and cleverness, as well as her part in setting events so that complete disaster could be partly averted. In response, he put her in charge of the newly created Sith Intelligence. It gave her dominion over what Jadus had once controlled without putting her on the Dark Council. It was a move that kept her safe, kept the power of the Dark Council concentrated in the hands of the surviving members of the Council, and meant that the Sith responsible for spying was ultimately answerable to the Council instead of operating without oversight.
The war with the Republic continued, but despite the losses caused by the Revanite's plot, the Empire was once more on the rise. The Emperor was 'awake' but not yet fully strengthened, leaving Marr to turn his attention to the war while also trying to keep an eye on what the Emperor might do.
On Ziost, Imperials suddenly began massacring civilians and slaves. Upon learning of this, the Republic launched an invasion. During the course of operations on the planet it was revealed that the Emperor had been slowly gaining control over the entire planet.
Efforts were made to free the population from control, but the effects were temporary, and only a small percentage of the population was evacuated before the Sith Emperor unleashed a wave of death across the planet. Almost every living thing died and was turned to ash.
Greatly strengthened by the feast, The Emperor surprised Marr by choosing to depart known space entirely rather than continue on to the next populated world. Shortly after, several Republic and Imperial outposts were destroyed in a series of quick and brutal attacks by an unknown force. Marr suspected the attacks were related, as both were led by warriors wielding lightsabers.
He was able to build upon the previous coalition on Yavin 4 to create a joint task force. Marr took this combined force into Wild Space to search for the Emperor, whom Marr believed to be responsible for the attacks. Shortly after beginning their investigation, the fleet came under attack. Marr's flagship was destroyed, and he and the Player Character were captured.
He met one of the unknown lightsaber wielders from the attacks that prompted this investigation, who was revealed to be Prince Arcann of Zakuul, who took Marr and the Player Character to his homeworld. Upon being introduced to Emperor Valkorion, Marr immediately knew this was the host for the Emperor's spirit. He realized that this other Empire was where the Sith Emperor's attention had been during his long periods of silence, and was incensed upon learning of this other Empire. It was not pleasant to learn that the Empire he had served and fought so hard for meant so little to Valkorion.
Valkorion offered Marr the chance to kneel, and to serve him once more. Marr, as furious as he was capable of being, refused to see his life's work thrown away simply to serve the same Emperor in another Empire--a task which would see him fighting against the Empire he had protected for decades. He attacked, but was killed by Valkorion. Taking advantage of the scuffle, prince Arcann also attacked, and Valkorion allowed his body to be killed. Valkorion's spirit took refuge in the body of the Player Character.
Marr, having lost his life, but not his purpose, spent a while floating around contemplating how he might fix the mistake he made against Valkorion. Unwilling to become one with the Force, he watched both the Empire and the Republic fall to Prince Arcann's Eternal Empire. Then he sought out Satele Shan, finding her on an otherwise inhabited planet called Odessen. While some planets were aligned with the Dark Side or the Light Side, Odessen existed with the two in balance.
Marr and Shan spent years arguing, debating, and discussing. Marr was no longer able to actively influence the course of history, and Shan realized she was not in a position to do so effectively. Marr learned much of the Light side of the Force, and Shan learned an equal amount about the Dark side. They both came to see the parts of Sith and Jedi philosophy that were flawed or incomplete.
It changed both of them, but Marr remained much stronger in the Dark Side, rather than becoming completely balanced. They continued to wait, sensing that their time on Odessen was not yet done.
PERSONALITY:
While attaining power was important to every Sith, Marr felt that the good of the Empire and its citizens should be put above personal advancement. A philosophy that was very uncommon among the Dark Council and the upper levels of the Sith Hierarchy. So while he would happily torture someone for information and had no problem slaughtering opponents, Marr did so because he genuinely believed in protecting the Empire as a worthy goal.
For him, being a member of the Dark Council, and specifically having the Sphere of Defense of the Empire, was an honor and a responsibility, and that personal power ought to serve the goal of the Empire, rather than serving the Empire being used as a path to personal power. He had a love of battle and warfare that exceeded many Sith, as he viewed it not as a means to an end or to prove one's strength, but as a necessity to become stronger. This devotion to warfare is likely a result of attaining his position at such a young age.
In his early twenties, he was already one among few, and the personal conflicts which frame most Sith's early careers were behind him, leaving only those that involved defending his position from would-be assassins or challengers, and going to war. Given that he comes into his position around the start of the Great Galactic War with the Republic, a conflict which lasts for almost thirty years (and thus, more than half of his life) by the time it ends in Sith victory, it is unsurprising that he views war and conflict so positively. The early war, during which he had many opportunities to lead assaults and fight off Republic Offensive efforts, was the most satisfying time period of his life. As the war dragged on he had less and less opportunity to engage in fighting himself, a state which he found very unsatisfying. In the game, he will be most pleased (to the extent that he is still capable of such feelings), with problems where the solution is violence. While the changes in outlook he experiences after his death will make him less likely to resort to violence quickly and often, that part of him has not gone away.
Darth Marr was also known for taking actions to bolster the Empire's strength. He personally ensured several Force-Sensitive Imperials were transported to Korriban and enrolled in the Sith Academy. Likewise, he made it a point to have Jedi Prisoners delivered to him so he could attempt to convert them to the dark side rather than merely destroying them. His 'person of note' codex entry remarks that 'his desire to leave a strong Empire behind him is unquestioned'.
As a commanding officer, Marr was tough and threatening, but not known for killing or attacking subordinates. Unlike most Imperials, Marr did not discriminate against those who were not human or of Sith Pureblood descent. This discrimination, along with the rampant infighting, were a source of frustration for Marr. He did not approve of discrimination based on species, as it held talented individuals down when they could be better utilized in higher positions. Likewise, he detested those in power using their position to secure favorable postings for less-competent friends and relatives. All of those factors hindered the Empire, to the point that while it should have been more than a decade of growing stronger before renewed conflict, the Empire, and the Dark Council, suffered many setbacks right as they returned to open war with the republic.
While Marr did not fear death, seeing it as inevitable, he was increasingly aware that his time was growing short just as the Empire was seeing it's most dire situations. His years of exposure and immersing himself in the Dark Side had greatly reduced his ability to feel emotions, but faced with complete defeat within a month, even Marr was visibly angered and frustrated when the last ditch-effort he arranged seemed on the verge of failing. He was not one to waste resources, but he willingly fought losing battles over multiple star systems, giving up ships and entire legions of soldiers in battles he knew were un-winnable, all for the sake of buying time to avoid certain collapse of the empire.
Marr's dulled emotions and unusually reasonable nature for a Sith may have been why he was able to so quickly enact a cease-fire over Rishi. He even commented that his fellow Dark Councilors would not support a cooperative action, despite the threat that Revan and the return of the Emperor posed. Had any other member of the Dark Council been there in his stead, the battle would have ended in disaster. Darth Marr and Jedi Grand Master Satele Shan had great difficulty keeping their respective subordinates in line, and on the Imperial side, Marr was the primary driving force for cooperation. The fact that it didn't dissolve into violence between the two sides is a testament to the discipline Marr enforced, and his own willingness to cooperate no matter how he disagreed with Jedi methods.
He was quite confident in his own ability; he commented there was only one other in the galaxy he considered his equal, Jedi Grand Master Satele Shan. But he could also recognize when an opponent was beyond his ability to handle alone, as in the case of Revan's Dark remnant. (As an aside, in one of the in-game codex entries, it mentions that his abilities are second to none. It has to be referring to his overall abilities, as there are a few characters who exceed him in specific areas.) Marr was also among the Sith to live long enough and delve deeply enough into the Dark Side that he lost much of his capacity for human emotion. In game text it calls him a hollow shell, but in practice we see Marr still capable of expressing emotions, though they're less dramatic. He chuckles in amusement, expresses a bit of cold, quiet fury, shows satisfaction and determination. These are the last vestiges of his ability to express emotions, though changes in his connection to the Force have meant that he will not lose these last little shreds of humanity.
While Marr was capable of compromise, there were certain areas where he would not yield, and it was this personality trait which ultimately led to his death, as he knew he could not truly hope to fight Valkorion/Darth Vitiate after the Sith Emperor had fed upon the entire population of Ziost, but he attempted to fight anyway rather than kneel. That was a mistake that Marr learned from, and had plenty of time to analyze and reconsider during his time on Odessen.
He came to see the flaws in Sith Philosophy, though he did not abandon it entirely. One of Marr's dialog lines has him speak about the Sith Code speaking of using the Force to gain freedom, but that personal freedom should not be the ultimate goal. Instead, they should break free, and then anchor themselves to a position of power. The idea being that one shed what held them back, and then tied themselves to something greater. This fit well with his earlier idea of putting the Empire first, and now he had the insight that the Sith code itself was part of the problem with the Imperial power structure. The phrasing of it suggested that the ultimate goal of the Sith was to be able to do whatever they wanted.
He still viewed himself as a Sith Lord as demonstrated by his choice of continuing to appear as Darth Marr, rather than as he might have appeared without his armor. His desire to protect the Empire had extended to encompass protecting the Galaxy. His understanding and connection to the Force became much deeper, and he incorporated the parts of Jedi philosophy he felt were worthwhile, while discarding the rest. He still saw himself as a Sith, but being dead and unable to effect the course of history on his own made him considerably more philosophical.
For him, gaining power was still the purpose of using the Force, and using that power to bring about stability. His view of the Force changed from something to be wielded to something greater than that. He saw it as a paradox, and as a great current sweeping them all along. They could use it, they could follow it, they could even fight against what the Force desired, but it could not be wholly denied. So while they could, and should, use the Force, it was important to understand their own limitations in the face of what the Force truly was. It was his hope that what he and Satele Shan spent years learning on Odessen could lead the player character to bring stability to the Galaxy.
POWER:
The Force: Darth Marr is exceptionally strong in the Force, and in the Dark Side of the force in particular. While he has come to understand the Light Side of the force, those who can sense him will still feel a very dark presence.
His strength and training with the force him a number of powers and abilities and comes with a couple of slight drawbacks. According to the in-game information, Marr is a terror on the battlefield.
Telekinetics: Marr is very well-versed in using the force in this manner. Using the force to push, lift, throw, and crush his enemies is a common tactic in his fighting style. Likewise, he uses the force to augment his light-saber throws, able to send his blade spinning in deadly arcs that carve through large numbers of enemies.
Physical Augmentation: He is very physically fit, despite his age. Being put in a new body will have undone most of the damage done to him by his continued and heavy use of the Dark Side. But even when his body was nearing its end, he was capable of incredible feats of strength and speed, able to leap great distances and move at incredible speeds that could make him difficult to track even for other force users (as seen in 'The Price of Power' short story). Part of this augmentation to includes an increased tolerance of pain, as in the same story as mentioned above he is seen taking a partial hit from force lightning and doing no more than having a slight twitch in response.
Force Lightning: Marr has demonstrated great skill and strength with this particular skill, shooting lightning from his hands, as well as creating a swirling vortex of it when the situation demands a more theatrical touch.
Force Senses: Marr has very acute senses which have only grown stronger since spending years as Force Ghost, able to sense other force users, the usual limited precognition that is necessary for deflecting blaster bolts with a lightsaber. The force occasionally allows for 'visions' though they are not controllable. Marr forced his apprentice to experience a force vision of the coming conflict on the planet Balmorra by nearly killing her, so it is likely he could do the same with another Force Adept. Such visions can be difficult to interpret or very vague.
Force Ghost: When he's dead, Marr can appear as an incorporeal spirit and talk to people. He can also choose to be visible and be heard by only specific force users. This ability only comes into play while Marr is dead.
Summon Sith Lord Equipment:
This power slot gives Marr the ability to summon his special augmented armor and the lightsaber of Tulak Hord, which he has used for most of his life. If destroyed, the armor or piece of equipment would remain un-summonable for a day.
〈 CHARACTER SAMPLES 〉
COMMUNITY POST (VOICE) SAMPLE: [Marr appears as a hologram, standing fully armored and staring forward. When he speaks, his voice has a distinctly filtered sound common to Sith Lords wearing full helmets, but is very calm and even.]
I sense your presence. Thousands of worlds have shown themselves to not be enough space, and we find ourselves confined to one. Let us not pretend otherwise. There is nothing to be gained by hiding from the situation in which we find ourselves.
[Marr goes quiet for several moments, and his helmeted head moves, his attention visibly shifting away.]
The Force connects us, but it is our connection to the Force which would see us pitted against each other. It is the common ground upon which we stand together and the gulf which separates us. Our history has been written by Dark and Light struggling against one another.
Our differences will inevitably bring us into conflict, and yet...
[Marr's attention returns to the conversation, and his body language shifts, becoming more relaxed-looking, even with all his armor on.]
And yet our conflict need not come to blows. We can limit ourselves to arguments and debates... though it has been some time since I have had an opportunity for a more hands on dispute.
[His hand comes up and curls into a fist on the last statement. Having an actual body is making him feel almost restless.]
I look forward to our disagreements, whatever form they may take.
LOGS POST (PROSE) SAMPLE:
It had been half a decade since Marr had a physical form. He expected there to be difficulties, to find that the precision and control and endurance he had trained for were reduced. But his endurance had yet to fail him, despite his attempts to find its limits. His lightsaber was as familiar in his hand as it had ever been. But there were other aspects of having a body he had not anticipated.
The face he saw in the mirror was not familiar to him. Only lightly touched by the corruption caused by the Dark side of the Force. Even his eyes were not quite the same shade, not fully transformed. Sometimes he did not even notice when he was becoming hungry until he was quite ravenous, and there were times when the sound of his own heartbeat or breathing became almost distractingly obvious to him. Every now and then his own breathing would cross his mind and he would have to spend a few moments clearing away those thoughts.
Sleeping again was the most difficult adjustment. It was that last stage of transition from wakefulness to sleep, where his mind was mostly asleep but yet not quite, that kept failing him. And then, when he would finally sleep, he would not often remain sleeping for the entire night.
By now the newness of being in this body that was his, and yet, also wasn't his, had mostly worn off. Thinking of it was no longer enough to evoke even the faintest sliver of emotion in him. This place, however, somehow managed to continually surprise him. Each time Marr was confronted with something he once thought impossible, he felt less and less. The surprise more muted, the incredulity no longer there at all. For a time irritation had come in the wake of surprise, but that too had subsided from all but the most frustration of this planet's chaotic happenings.
But he had not allowed himself to become complacent. His attention to the natives and those who were displaced was careful and thorough. Marr refused to allow anything important to escape his notice merely because the unexpected had become routine.
It was the day's events which occupied his mind as he retrieved food for himself. A late-night place which served passable caf and a small selection of food, though he chose to forego the caf for something more conducive to sleep. He retreated to his room to consume it, un-summoning the outer layers of his armor, leaving himself in the more flexible layers beneath it.
Marr had barely taken two bites when he felt a sudden ripple of impending danger. His sandwich had been halfway to his mouth for another bite when the feeling came to him, and he only had time to summon his armor and stand. There was a moment of bright, blinding light and then he was standing in a field, rather than his apartment. For a few tense moments he waited, but he sensed no immediate danger. He lowered the sandwich, still holding the steaming to-go cup in his other hand as people formed up into small groups, checking on and reassuring one another and sharing theories.
Though he had not seen it from this perspective before, Marr recognized several buildings from the skyline ahead of them. His sandwich and drink were discarded in favor of having his lightsaber at hand. Was this a trap? A misfire meant for a future plot? Or an accident of technology which showed alarming potential to be weaponized. There was no point in standing around to wait. Marr walked along the same path of another group which was advancing cautiously in the direction of the city. Talking about this could wait until they knew more.
FINAL NOTES:
NAME: Cap
AGE: over 18
JOURNAL: n/a
IM / EMAIL: wingsofcover#0936 on discord
PLURK:
RETURNING: new
〈 CHARACTER INFO 〉
CHARACTER NAME: Darth Marr
CHARACTER AGE: 70 (65 then dead for 5-ish years)
SERIES: Star Wars: The old Republic
CHRONOLOGY: just before the player character would arrive on Odessen
CLASS: former warlord
HOUSING: Roommates are great (not that Marr thinks so), I would prefer to have Marr put in De Chima somewhere. (Darth Jadus should also be apping in this cycle, so if we both get in it and it's convenient they would be very hilarious roommates)
BACKGROUND:
Darth Marr is a human born roughly a couple decades before the Sith Empire surfaced and declared war on the rest of the galaxy. There is very little information available about his early life, but in his early twenties, around the start of the Great Galactic War, he found the lightsaber of the Sith Lord Tulak Hord (a weapon he continued to use until his death), and he assumed a seat on the Dark Council, possibly due to the death of his master, though the circumstances surrounding his ascension are unclear.
He survives several assassination attempts and plots made against him, managing to survive his first year on the Dark Council, something which is not common, especially at such a young age.
Codexes state that Marr was heavily involved in leading offenses during the early part of the war, and then involved in countering republic offenses: 'Tales spread through the Republic of the masked Dark Council member who routed whole armies and deflected assaults more thoroughly than any planetary shield.' He was popular among the people of the Empire, and appeared for parades and celebrations of Sith victory.
Among his notable achievements were the defense of Korriban and Ziost, both planets with great historical and cultural value to the Sith. During the war he trained an apprentice, Darth Lachris, and another apprentice whose existence is mentioned briefly, but he is not even given a name. It is possible Marr had other apprentices who either did not live long, or did not rise very high in Sith hierarchy. By the end of the war, he was one of only seven living members of the Dark Council.
The war came to a close as a decisive win for the Sith, and its end was marked by the Treaty of Coruscant when Marr was 54 years old. Marr was less than happy with the state of affairs throughout the period that would later be called the Cold War. His opportunities for open combat dwindled further, and he became even more embroiled in politics; an unfortunate necessity for a member of the Empire’s ruling council. His body and ability to feel emotions continued to become corrupted and diminished due to his immersion in the Dark Side of the Force, and there was rumor that Moff Xerxian killed himself after being shown Darth Marr's face in a private meeting.
He sent Darth Lachris to Balmorra to shore up efforts to suppress resistance on the planet, a task at which she (and the player character) were successful. Those efforts saw the capture of several Jedi, whom Marr attempted to break and turn to the Dark Side.
His efforts to strengthen the Empire were greatly hindered by the increased infighting among other Sith and the plots of other Darths. Darth Jadus, Darth Vengean, and Darth Baras in particular caused the loss of many prominent Sith and countless other Imperial lives. Keeping the Dark Council productive and dealing with the fallout of Sith plots took much more time than Marr wanted to spare for such things. During this time period, Darth Marr became the longest serving member of the Dark Council. An impressive feat considering that many Councilors hold their seats for mere weeks.
Darth Jadus' plot came to a head first, and in three out of four possible ways the event could have been resolved by the Imperial Agent player character it resulted in a massive loss of imperial lives. The path I'm going with had the agent siding with Jadus, which saw Jadus returning to the Dark Council after having his daughter killed. Jadus' power play left him in command of the Dark Council during the Emperor's silence (The Emperor himself had withdrawn from the galaxy and relayed commands through The Voice of the Emperor, a puppet that had given up his body for the Emperor’s use.)
Jadus' influence saw dark rituals being done in the street, the average Imperial getting a taste of Sith culture of fear and hatred, and not much else that we know of before Jadus suddenly vanished.
The next plot to messily effect galactic history was instigated by Darth Vengean and Baras to reignite Galactic War. Vengean attempted to restart imperial conquest, only to be led into an ambush by Baras and costing the Empire quite a few resources in the process. This was not how Vengean wanted to restart the war, but it did effectively dissolve the Treaty of Coruscant.
At the time, Marr was unaware of Baras' betrayal of his fellow Dark Councilor, and the Dark Council called for Darth Vengean's death. Darth Baras was quickly placed on the Dark Council.
From almost the very start of his time on the Dark Council Baras began to amass support, and took the opportunity to declare himself as The Voice of the Emperor. Marr went along with this, because so long as Baras issued commands which were of benefit to the Empire, it did not matter if he truly was the Voice or not. Darth Thanaton ascended to the Dark Council around this time after the sudden and mysterious death of Darth Arctis.
Marr was more concerned with the conquest of Corellia and impending Republic counter-attacks than arguing about Baras' legitimacy. Unfortunately, Thanaton's problems with his apprentice's apprentice caused complications, as did Baras' attempts to assassinate Darth Vowrawn. As remarked upon by Imperial Intelligence, half the Sith on the planet seemed to be expending Imperial troops on their own plots and power plays rather than war, much to Marr’s frustration.
Darth Baras and Darth Thanaton saw an end to their power plays at roughly the same time, both in different meetings on Korriban. Darth Baras was confronted by his surviving apprentice, who gained entry to the Dark Council meeting chambers due to Darth Vowrawn. With Baras claiming to be the Emperor's Voice, and Baras' apprentice claiming to be the Emperor's Wrath, Marr and the other members of the Dark Council refused to interfere. They declined the order to execute Baras' apprentice, and then ignored his plea for aid in combat. Marr, as leader of the Dark Council once more, acknowledged the Emperor's Wrath, and their right to carry out the Emperor's will, with the subtle warning that it was best that the Wrath should not be at odds with the Dark Council's will.
Shortly after this, Thanaton's ritualistic feud with Kallig was resolved, with Thanaton being defeated. Marr was somewhat disappointed, as he had eventually come to respect Thanaton's capabilities as a Sith. Kallig was given the rank of Darth and placed upon the Dark Council with Marr's approval, a decision that was not unanimously well-received.
Unfortunately all these distractions meant that the battle for Corellia was ultimately lost, though the Republic Supreme Chancellor was killed during the course of the fighting. The Dark Council lost Darth Decimus, Darth Hadra, and Darth Acheron, an indirect result of all the plotting and infighting.
Darth Marr, with sole authority of the military due to the death of the other military members of the Dark Council, ordered retreat from Corellia and turned the military's attention to Ilum. During that period the Dark Council met to fill some of their empty positions. Darth Marr nominated Darth Karrid, and urged the others to support his choice. Unfortunately, the other members picked Darth Gravus, with discrimination against non-humans being a major factor in the decision. Karrid killed Gravus before he could formally join the Dark Council, and Marr was surprised to have the Council approve Karrid, but also resignedly accepted that it was just more Sith infighting.
While Marr was still on Korriban, The Republic Navy attacked as cover for an assault led by the Jedi Knight player character. This operation was ultimately successful, as the Emperor's host body was struck down. While the Dark Council was aware of the death of the Emperor's body, they kept this information quiet. The Republic Navy retreated, making it appear to be an Imperial victory.
The Battle of Ilum started out as the Empire against the Republic, but the war hero Darth Malgus decided to go rogue and declare himself Emperor. Darth Malgus was ultimately defeated, but once again the Empire faced defeat, and more Dark Council members died.
Not long after, Darth Karrid was killed in combat. In the wake of Malgus' New Empire, Marr was able to push through changes in policies regarding non-humans, recognizing that dissatisfaction with the Empire had given Malgus such a large power base to draw from. The effort was intended to prevent mass desertion by non-human forces in the future.
The Hutts took advantage of the war to begin expanding into both Imperial and Republic space. One of the planets they took was Makeb, a planet rich with a unique resource called Isotope-5.
The Empire had a great interest in Makeb, as it represented their last hope for a continued war effort. Between the infighting and Malgus' rebellion, they were nearing collapse. Darth Marr secretly devised a plan to seize the Hutt's isotope-5 supply. He knew that they could not bring enough forces to bear to counter either the Hutts or the Republic forces already on Makeb.
Marr viewed the crisis and their silent Emperor as a chance to make the Empire better and stronger. The transformation had already begun with the change in Imperial non-human policy. Marr continued to wage war during the operation on Makeb, losing several star systems and sacrificing ships and forces he might otherwise have ordered into retreat, in order to draw out the duration of the conflict.
It was a gamble which ultimately paid off, as the Hutts and Republic fled Makeb, believing the planet was dying, when it was in fact stable. This was the victory the Empire needed to remain in the fight and sustain itself.
At this time, the Republic chose to reveal their secret operation two years prior, and announced the death of the Sith Emperor. Darth Marr took this opportunity to further push the Dark Council into reforming the Empire into something more stable, using his recent success to bolster his position.
During the war, the Order of Revan infiltrated both the Empire and the Republic, and arranged for several very costly conflicts for both sides, including the assault on Tython and an attack on Korriban, which saw the death of two appointed Dark Council members, one of them a secret Revanite,killed during an investigation by the Player Character and the Sith Lana Beniko, for which an arrest warrant was put out, as the rest of the Dark Council did not know of the Revanite's true allegiance.
This led up to a major space battle over Rishi, which saw a fleet under the command of Jedi Grand Master Satele Shan pitted against Darth Marr's fleet. Revan hoped to use a Revanite fleet and saboteurs to destroy both the Imperial and Republic fleets. When the Player Character finally warned Marr and Shan about the infiltrators, Marr immediately ordered weapons powered down. He made contact with Shan and suggested they meet in person while the Revanite infiltrators were rounded up.
He knew he would be unable to get the support of the other members of the Dark Council, despite the threat posed by Revan. And while Revan and his forces were a sizeable threat, Marr’s greatest concern was Revan’s plan to resurrect the Sith Emperor. While he once lamented the frequent silence of the Emperor, he now knew that the Emperor’s ultimate plan was to exterminate and consume all life in the Galaxy.
The Empire and the Republic were still at war, but Marr and Shan agreed to create a coalition to pursue and stop Revan from resurrecting the Emperor. They tracked Revan to Yavin 4. On Yavin, Marr and Satele Shan spent much of their time keeping the coalition from dissolving, leaving the player character and a few lesser NPCs to do most of the leg-work.
At the end of the quest chain the Player has an option to either do an 8-man operation to take down Revan or to do a solo quest chain and fight with Marr, Shan, and other NPC Back-up. I am going with the NPC-inclusive version of the end battle.
Thanks to the efforts of the Player Character, the coalition managed to work together long enough to launch a massive assault. This left only the problem of Revan, whom their military forces would be unable to fight. They needed to stop Revan from retreating and trying to resurrect the Emperor elsewhere.
Darth Marr, Satele Shan, and several other NPCs accompanied the Player Character to the final battle. They were victorious, but a Dark presence formed as a storm, and they heard the voice of the dead Sith Emperor, who fed upon the dead from Revan's plot and the fighting on Yavin 4, and used that as fuel to revive himself. However, rather than immediately try to kill all life on Yavin, the presence of the Emperor departed. Both Marr and Shan were greatly concerned by this development.
Marr recognized Lana Beniko's intelligence and cleverness, as well as her part in setting events so that complete disaster could be partly averted. In response, he put her in charge of the newly created Sith Intelligence. It gave her dominion over what Jadus had once controlled without putting her on the Dark Council. It was a move that kept her safe, kept the power of the Dark Council concentrated in the hands of the surviving members of the Council, and meant that the Sith responsible for spying was ultimately answerable to the Council instead of operating without oversight.
The war with the Republic continued, but despite the losses caused by the Revanite's plot, the Empire was once more on the rise. The Emperor was 'awake' but not yet fully strengthened, leaving Marr to turn his attention to the war while also trying to keep an eye on what the Emperor might do.
On Ziost, Imperials suddenly began massacring civilians and slaves. Upon learning of this, the Republic launched an invasion. During the course of operations on the planet it was revealed that the Emperor had been slowly gaining control over the entire planet.
Efforts were made to free the population from control, but the effects were temporary, and only a small percentage of the population was evacuated before the Sith Emperor unleashed a wave of death across the planet. Almost every living thing died and was turned to ash.
Greatly strengthened by the feast, The Emperor surprised Marr by choosing to depart known space entirely rather than continue on to the next populated world. Shortly after, several Republic and Imperial outposts were destroyed in a series of quick and brutal attacks by an unknown force. Marr suspected the attacks were related, as both were led by warriors wielding lightsabers.
He was able to build upon the previous coalition on Yavin 4 to create a joint task force. Marr took this combined force into Wild Space to search for the Emperor, whom Marr believed to be responsible for the attacks. Shortly after beginning their investigation, the fleet came under attack. Marr's flagship was destroyed, and he and the Player Character were captured.
He met one of the unknown lightsaber wielders from the attacks that prompted this investigation, who was revealed to be Prince Arcann of Zakuul, who took Marr and the Player Character to his homeworld. Upon being introduced to Emperor Valkorion, Marr immediately knew this was the host for the Emperor's spirit. He realized that this other Empire was where the Sith Emperor's attention had been during his long periods of silence, and was incensed upon learning of this other Empire. It was not pleasant to learn that the Empire he had served and fought so hard for meant so little to Valkorion.
Valkorion offered Marr the chance to kneel, and to serve him once more. Marr, as furious as he was capable of being, refused to see his life's work thrown away simply to serve the same Emperor in another Empire--a task which would see him fighting against the Empire he had protected for decades. He attacked, but was killed by Valkorion. Taking advantage of the scuffle, prince Arcann also attacked, and Valkorion allowed his body to be killed. Valkorion's spirit took refuge in the body of the Player Character.
Marr, having lost his life, but not his purpose, spent a while floating around contemplating how he might fix the mistake he made against Valkorion. Unwilling to become one with the Force, he watched both the Empire and the Republic fall to Prince Arcann's Eternal Empire. Then he sought out Satele Shan, finding her on an otherwise inhabited planet called Odessen. While some planets were aligned with the Dark Side or the Light Side, Odessen existed with the two in balance.
Marr and Shan spent years arguing, debating, and discussing. Marr was no longer able to actively influence the course of history, and Shan realized she was not in a position to do so effectively. Marr learned much of the Light side of the Force, and Shan learned an equal amount about the Dark side. They both came to see the parts of Sith and Jedi philosophy that were flawed or incomplete.
It changed both of them, but Marr remained much stronger in the Dark Side, rather than becoming completely balanced. They continued to wait, sensing that their time on Odessen was not yet done.
PERSONALITY:
While attaining power was important to every Sith, Marr felt that the good of the Empire and its citizens should be put above personal advancement. A philosophy that was very uncommon among the Dark Council and the upper levels of the Sith Hierarchy. So while he would happily torture someone for information and had no problem slaughtering opponents, Marr did so because he genuinely believed in protecting the Empire as a worthy goal.
For him, being a member of the Dark Council, and specifically having the Sphere of Defense of the Empire, was an honor and a responsibility, and that personal power ought to serve the goal of the Empire, rather than serving the Empire being used as a path to personal power. He had a love of battle and warfare that exceeded many Sith, as he viewed it not as a means to an end or to prove one's strength, but as a necessity to become stronger. This devotion to warfare is likely a result of attaining his position at such a young age.
In his early twenties, he was already one among few, and the personal conflicts which frame most Sith's early careers were behind him, leaving only those that involved defending his position from would-be assassins or challengers, and going to war. Given that he comes into his position around the start of the Great Galactic War with the Republic, a conflict which lasts for almost thirty years (and thus, more than half of his life) by the time it ends in Sith victory, it is unsurprising that he views war and conflict so positively. The early war, during which he had many opportunities to lead assaults and fight off Republic Offensive efforts, was the most satisfying time period of his life. As the war dragged on he had less and less opportunity to engage in fighting himself, a state which he found very unsatisfying. In the game, he will be most pleased (to the extent that he is still capable of such feelings), with problems where the solution is violence. While the changes in outlook he experiences after his death will make him less likely to resort to violence quickly and often, that part of him has not gone away.
Darth Marr was also known for taking actions to bolster the Empire's strength. He personally ensured several Force-Sensitive Imperials were transported to Korriban and enrolled in the Sith Academy. Likewise, he made it a point to have Jedi Prisoners delivered to him so he could attempt to convert them to the dark side rather than merely destroying them. His 'person of note' codex entry remarks that 'his desire to leave a strong Empire behind him is unquestioned'.
As a commanding officer, Marr was tough and threatening, but not known for killing or attacking subordinates. Unlike most Imperials, Marr did not discriminate against those who were not human or of Sith Pureblood descent. This discrimination, along with the rampant infighting, were a source of frustration for Marr. He did not approve of discrimination based on species, as it held talented individuals down when they could be better utilized in higher positions. Likewise, he detested those in power using their position to secure favorable postings for less-competent friends and relatives. All of those factors hindered the Empire, to the point that while it should have been more than a decade of growing stronger before renewed conflict, the Empire, and the Dark Council, suffered many setbacks right as they returned to open war with the republic.
While Marr did not fear death, seeing it as inevitable, he was increasingly aware that his time was growing short just as the Empire was seeing it's most dire situations. His years of exposure and immersing himself in the Dark Side had greatly reduced his ability to feel emotions, but faced with complete defeat within a month, even Marr was visibly angered and frustrated when the last ditch-effort he arranged seemed on the verge of failing. He was not one to waste resources, but he willingly fought losing battles over multiple star systems, giving up ships and entire legions of soldiers in battles he knew were un-winnable, all for the sake of buying time to avoid certain collapse of the empire.
Marr's dulled emotions and unusually reasonable nature for a Sith may have been why he was able to so quickly enact a cease-fire over Rishi. He even commented that his fellow Dark Councilors would not support a cooperative action, despite the threat that Revan and the return of the Emperor posed. Had any other member of the Dark Council been there in his stead, the battle would have ended in disaster. Darth Marr and Jedi Grand Master Satele Shan had great difficulty keeping their respective subordinates in line, and on the Imperial side, Marr was the primary driving force for cooperation. The fact that it didn't dissolve into violence between the two sides is a testament to the discipline Marr enforced, and his own willingness to cooperate no matter how he disagreed with Jedi methods.
He was quite confident in his own ability; he commented there was only one other in the galaxy he considered his equal, Jedi Grand Master Satele Shan. But he could also recognize when an opponent was beyond his ability to handle alone, as in the case of Revan's Dark remnant. (As an aside, in one of the in-game codex entries, it mentions that his abilities are second to none. It has to be referring to his overall abilities, as there are a few characters who exceed him in specific areas.) Marr was also among the Sith to live long enough and delve deeply enough into the Dark Side that he lost much of his capacity for human emotion. In game text it calls him a hollow shell, but in practice we see Marr still capable of expressing emotions, though they're less dramatic. He chuckles in amusement, expresses a bit of cold, quiet fury, shows satisfaction and determination. These are the last vestiges of his ability to express emotions, though changes in his connection to the Force have meant that he will not lose these last little shreds of humanity.
While Marr was capable of compromise, there were certain areas where he would not yield, and it was this personality trait which ultimately led to his death, as he knew he could not truly hope to fight Valkorion/Darth Vitiate after the Sith Emperor had fed upon the entire population of Ziost, but he attempted to fight anyway rather than kneel. That was a mistake that Marr learned from, and had plenty of time to analyze and reconsider during his time on Odessen.
He came to see the flaws in Sith Philosophy, though he did not abandon it entirely. One of Marr's dialog lines has him speak about the Sith Code speaking of using the Force to gain freedom, but that personal freedom should not be the ultimate goal. Instead, they should break free, and then anchor themselves to a position of power. The idea being that one shed what held them back, and then tied themselves to something greater. This fit well with his earlier idea of putting the Empire first, and now he had the insight that the Sith code itself was part of the problem with the Imperial power structure. The phrasing of it suggested that the ultimate goal of the Sith was to be able to do whatever they wanted.
He still viewed himself as a Sith Lord as demonstrated by his choice of continuing to appear as Darth Marr, rather than as he might have appeared without his armor. His desire to protect the Empire had extended to encompass protecting the Galaxy. His understanding and connection to the Force became much deeper, and he incorporated the parts of Jedi philosophy he felt were worthwhile, while discarding the rest. He still saw himself as a Sith, but being dead and unable to effect the course of history on his own made him considerably more philosophical.
For him, gaining power was still the purpose of using the Force, and using that power to bring about stability. His view of the Force changed from something to be wielded to something greater than that. He saw it as a paradox, and as a great current sweeping them all along. They could use it, they could follow it, they could even fight against what the Force desired, but it could not be wholly denied. So while they could, and should, use the Force, it was important to understand their own limitations in the face of what the Force truly was. It was his hope that what he and Satele Shan spent years learning on Odessen could lead the player character to bring stability to the Galaxy.
POWER:
The Force: Darth Marr is exceptionally strong in the Force, and in the Dark Side of the force in particular. While he has come to understand the Light Side of the force, those who can sense him will still feel a very dark presence.
His strength and training with the force him a number of powers and abilities and comes with a couple of slight drawbacks. According to the in-game information, Marr is a terror on the battlefield.
Telekinetics: Marr is very well-versed in using the force in this manner. Using the force to push, lift, throw, and crush his enemies is a common tactic in his fighting style. Likewise, he uses the force to augment his light-saber throws, able to send his blade spinning in deadly arcs that carve through large numbers of enemies.
Physical Augmentation: He is very physically fit, despite his age. Being put in a new body will have undone most of the damage done to him by his continued and heavy use of the Dark Side. But even when his body was nearing its end, he was capable of incredible feats of strength and speed, able to leap great distances and move at incredible speeds that could make him difficult to track even for other force users (as seen in 'The Price of Power' short story). Part of this augmentation to includes an increased tolerance of pain, as in the same story as mentioned above he is seen taking a partial hit from force lightning and doing no more than having a slight twitch in response.
Force Lightning: Marr has demonstrated great skill and strength with this particular skill, shooting lightning from his hands, as well as creating a swirling vortex of it when the situation demands a more theatrical touch.
Force Senses: Marr has very acute senses which have only grown stronger since spending years as Force Ghost, able to sense other force users, the usual limited precognition that is necessary for deflecting blaster bolts with a lightsaber. The force occasionally allows for 'visions' though they are not controllable. Marr forced his apprentice to experience a force vision of the coming conflict on the planet Balmorra by nearly killing her, so it is likely he could do the same with another Force Adept. Such visions can be difficult to interpret or very vague.
Force Ghost: When he's dead, Marr can appear as an incorporeal spirit and talk to people. He can also choose to be visible and be heard by only specific force users. This ability only comes into play while Marr is dead.
Summon Sith Lord Equipment:
This power slot gives Marr the ability to summon his special augmented armor and the lightsaber of Tulak Hord, which he has used for most of his life. If destroyed, the armor or piece of equipment would remain un-summonable for a day.
〈 CHARACTER SAMPLES 〉
COMMUNITY POST (VOICE) SAMPLE: [Marr appears as a hologram, standing fully armored and staring forward. When he speaks, his voice has a distinctly filtered sound common to Sith Lords wearing full helmets, but is very calm and even.]
I sense your presence. Thousands of worlds have shown themselves to not be enough space, and we find ourselves confined to one. Let us not pretend otherwise. There is nothing to be gained by hiding from the situation in which we find ourselves.
[Marr goes quiet for several moments, and his helmeted head moves, his attention visibly shifting away.]
The Force connects us, but it is our connection to the Force which would see us pitted against each other. It is the common ground upon which we stand together and the gulf which separates us. Our history has been written by Dark and Light struggling against one another.
Our differences will inevitably bring us into conflict, and yet...
[Marr's attention returns to the conversation, and his body language shifts, becoming more relaxed-looking, even with all his armor on.]
And yet our conflict need not come to blows. We can limit ourselves to arguments and debates... though it has been some time since I have had an opportunity for a more hands on dispute.
[His hand comes up and curls into a fist on the last statement. Having an actual body is making him feel almost restless.]
I look forward to our disagreements, whatever form they may take.
LOGS POST (PROSE) SAMPLE:
It had been half a decade since Marr had a physical form. He expected there to be difficulties, to find that the precision and control and endurance he had trained for were reduced. But his endurance had yet to fail him, despite his attempts to find its limits. His lightsaber was as familiar in his hand as it had ever been. But there were other aspects of having a body he had not anticipated.
The face he saw in the mirror was not familiar to him. Only lightly touched by the corruption caused by the Dark side of the Force. Even his eyes were not quite the same shade, not fully transformed. Sometimes he did not even notice when he was becoming hungry until he was quite ravenous, and there were times when the sound of his own heartbeat or breathing became almost distractingly obvious to him. Every now and then his own breathing would cross his mind and he would have to spend a few moments clearing away those thoughts.
Sleeping again was the most difficult adjustment. It was that last stage of transition from wakefulness to sleep, where his mind was mostly asleep but yet not quite, that kept failing him. And then, when he would finally sleep, he would not often remain sleeping for the entire night.
By now the newness of being in this body that was his, and yet, also wasn't his, had mostly worn off. Thinking of it was no longer enough to evoke even the faintest sliver of emotion in him. This place, however, somehow managed to continually surprise him. Each time Marr was confronted with something he once thought impossible, he felt less and less. The surprise more muted, the incredulity no longer there at all. For a time irritation had come in the wake of surprise, but that too had subsided from all but the most frustration of this planet's chaotic happenings.
But he had not allowed himself to become complacent. His attention to the natives and those who were displaced was careful and thorough. Marr refused to allow anything important to escape his notice merely because the unexpected had become routine.
It was the day's events which occupied his mind as he retrieved food for himself. A late-night place which served passable caf and a small selection of food, though he chose to forego the caf for something more conducive to sleep. He retreated to his room to consume it, un-summoning the outer layers of his armor, leaving himself in the more flexible layers beneath it.
Marr had barely taken two bites when he felt a sudden ripple of impending danger. His sandwich had been halfway to his mouth for another bite when the feeling came to him, and he only had time to summon his armor and stand. There was a moment of bright, blinding light and then he was standing in a field, rather than his apartment. For a few tense moments he waited, but he sensed no immediate danger. He lowered the sandwich, still holding the steaming to-go cup in his other hand as people formed up into small groups, checking on and reassuring one another and sharing theories.
Though he had not seen it from this perspective before, Marr recognized several buildings from the skyline ahead of them. His sandwich and drink were discarded in favor of having his lightsaber at hand. Was this a trap? A misfire meant for a future plot? Or an accident of technology which showed alarming potential to be weaponized. There was no point in standing around to wait. Marr walked along the same path of another group which was advancing cautiously in the direction of the city. Talking about this could wait until they knew more.
FINAL NOTES: