1. Introduction

Of all of the paths of the Dark Side that a Dark Jedi might take, the Krath Order is likely the most misunderstood and therefore mistrusted; their part in the ritual that destroyed the Antei system certainly doesn’t help this view. They don’t help their own cause, either, as many Krath tend to act aloof from their Sith and Obelisk counterparts, and the stereotypical Krath is seen as little more than a bookworm constantly locked in a library in search of some strange bit of learning. What members of the other Orders fail to realize is that, to a Krath, knowledge is power. This course should help you understand the origins of this mysterious Order and their place in the Dark Jedi Brotherhood.

2. History of the Krath Order

The Krath cult was founded by two young nobles from the Empress Teta system, Satal Keto and his cousin Aleema, 3,998 years before the Battle of Yavin. Bored with their pampered lives, the two began dabbling in Sith magics and founded a secret society of like-minded individuals that they named the Krath after a mythological figure from the stories of their youth. The cousins traveled to Onderon in their search for further knowledge of the Dark Side and stumbled upon the spirit of former Dark Lord of the Sith Freedon Nadd. Sensing an opportunity, Nadd took on both as students and opened their minds to the mysteries of the Sith, transforming their cult from a group of dilettantes into a true power.

The Ketos used their newfound knowledge to stage a coup in the Empress Teta system, overthrowing the father of Satal and eventually consolidating control over the entire system. The Jedi Order recognized the threat that this resurgence in Sith power posed, especially so shortly after they had assisted in putting down a revolt also caused by Freedon Nadd in Onderon’s capital. Due to their desire to end the Naddist influence once and for all, the Jedi called for a Conclave on the planet Deneba to discuss their options. The Ketos struck out against the Jedi during their Conclave, slaying many, including the Jedi Master Arca Jeth. Enraged, Jeth’s student Ulic Qel-Droma infiltrated the Krath in order to bring them down from within. The Ketos were wise to his machinations, however, and Aleema seduced him to the Dark Side. After slaying Satal, who had attacked him in a jealous rage, Qel-Droma and Aleema ruled the Krath together.

Shortly after the death of Satal, Aleema Keto and Qel-Droma were attacked by Exar Kun, who was attempting to eliminate any possible competition to his ascension as Dark Lord of the Sith. In the midst of fighting, the spirit of long-dead Sith Lord Marka Ragnos appeared to the three, urging them to ally instead of fighting amongst themselves. In accordance with Ragnos’ wishes, Kun became the Dark Lord of the Sith. As head of the group, which he styled the new Brotherhood of the Sith, he made Qel-Droma a Sith Lord, and the Krath became a vital part of Kun’s organization. The power of this new Sith cult was strengthened considerably as Qel-Droma and Keto conquered huge swaths of territory and allied themselves with Mandalore the Indomitable, leader of the Mandalorians.

This new power was vital to the Krath and to the Brotherhood of the Sith at large as they engaged in the Krath Holy Crusade of the Great Sith War. The Krath raided numerous planets, enslaving the inhabitants and building countless temples. Tensions between the Sith and Krath arose during the fighting however, leading Aleema Keto to engage in open infighting against her Sith comrades.

During the Battle of Kemplex IX, Keto unwittingly set off a chain reaction that destroyed her, all of the engaged forces of both the Jedi and Krath, and even the Jedi planet of Ossus. Shortly after, Ulic Qel-Droma was stripped of the Force by his former lover Nomi Sunrider. Qel-Droma spent the next decade in exile on Rhen Var before returning to the Light and ultimately dying at the hands of a spacer. Exar Kun’s remaining forces were destroyed by a Jedi and Republic naval armada. With Keto and Qel-Droma dead and Kun presumed to be as well, the leadership of the Brotherhood of the Sith and their allies, the Krath, were devastated. Both groups unraveled.

The few Krath who remained alive at the conclusion of the Great Sith War scattered throughout the Outer Rim, with most remaining close to the Sith tomb world of Korriban. Several thousand years later, a distant relative of the Ketos named Sebban Keto would reconstitute the cult on the planet Cinnagar. It is from him that our modern Krath take shape.

3. The Krath Order in the Brotherhood

From time to time, the isolated and secretive Krath would reach out to powerful individuals in an attempt to train them in their mysteries. One such individual was the second Grand Master of the Dark Jedi Brotherhood, Jedgar Octavius Paladin. In an attempt to learn more about the cult, Lord Paladin sent his trusted Herald, the Sith Melan Pyr, to investigate. Pyr took quickly and well to the teachings of the Krath, and, upon his return, Lord Paladin was so impressed that he sent envoys to the cult to offer them protection and access to the Brotherhood’s archives and holocrons in exchange for their wisdom and counsel.

This caused a rift in the Krath, as some were concerned about having to be subservient to yet another Sith-led Brotherhood, while others saw the opportunity to gain control and power through service as counselors. The former remained on Cinnegar while the latter split, joining the Brotherhood as an Order of the Dark Brotherhood. Lord Paladin tasked Pyr, who had done so well in his initial objective of infiltrating the Krath, with leading this new Order, and so the former Sith, Melan Pyr, became the first Krath High Priest since Ulic Qel-Droma.

While it is not unheard of for Krath to hold high positions themselves - former Grand Master Muz Ashen was a member of the Krath Order before his elevation, for instance - they seem most at home in a role they have played countless times over the past thousands of years: the trusted counselor and “right hand” of another Dark Jedi, normally a Sith. From this position they can influence events while setting themselves apart from them. They continue to value knowledge above all things, and it is for this reason that so often they are called on to offer their wisdom and sage advice.

4. The Krath High Priest

Since Pyr, a number of individuals have held the title of Krath High Priest or Priestess, pushing the Order ever forward. The Krath High Priest or Priestess was considered one of the foremost loremasters of the entire Dark Brotherhood and many were legendary for the depth and breadth of their knowledge. While all left an indelible mark on the Krath Order and the Dark Brotherhood as a whole, there are a few who it would be remiss not to mention in an overview of the Krath Order.

One of the most important Krath High Priests in the history of the Order was Royal, who took over as leader after Pyr stepped down. The Krath, since their joining with the Dark Brotherhood, had served well in their role as wise counselors, but they had yet to forge their own identity. Royal changed this by instilling in the Krath a sense of mission - they were to be the keepers and chroniclers of lore, which is a mission many continue to this day.

Arguably the second most notable Krath High Priest was Alanna, who served as the second to final Krath High Priestess before the dissolution of the Order Leaders. She led the Krath through the difficult period following the Exodus, concentrating on the Order’s strengths and building it into a powerful arm of the independent Brotherhood. One of her final acts was to oversee a massive Krath Rite of Supremacy.

However, in 24 ABY, under the reign of Grand Master Jac Cotelin, a Dark Council Amalgamation was created, abolishing the roles of Order Leaders in the Brotherhood. This was a result of their responsibilities having dwindled with the appointments becoming irrelevant and undesirable. There would be nothing to replace the Order Leaders, and since the amalgamation, the Orders have been split up into separate Houses to represent a more unified Brotherhood than ever before.

5. Paths of the Krath

As previously mentioned, the stereotype of the Krath is that of a bookworm who hardly ever leaves the library, and while for some Krath there may be truth to that statement, most actually make use of their studies in various ways. Though a Krath can and will pursue any avenue to knowledge and its applications, the three most prevalent paths in the modern Order are those of the Sorcerer, Scholar, and Alchemist.

5.1 Sorcerer

Sometimes referred to as “Warlocks,” Krath who follow the path of the Sorcerer are among the most brutal wielders of the Force on the battlefield. Krath Sorcerers maintain the aloofness that Krath in general are known for, but rather than hunting for esoteric knowledge they devote themselves to the study of how to utilize the Force for brutal and violent means, all the while not allowing those same forces to overtake them. Mistrusted even more than most Krath by members of other Orders, you would still be hard-pressed to find someone who doesn’t respect the effectiveness of a group of Sorcerers in battle.

5.2 Scholar

Scholars hew closer to the Krath stereotypes than most others. Their entire existence is devoted to attaining as deep and wide pool of knowledge as possible. Functioning practically as a walking library, the wisdom that this entails makes them invaluable as advisors to those in power. In their own minds, Krath Scholars are the true power behind their Lord, pulling his or her strings. This is, in fact, sometimes more true than many will care to admit.

5.3 Alchemist

The final of the three prevalent paths of the Krath is that of the Alchemist. These individuals spend their lives engineering impressive and imposing mechanical and biological creations and studying the very difficult and time-consuming sciences that come with them. The creation of creatures, poisons, crystals, and other alchemical products are all in a day’s work for a Krath Alchemist. Some might overlook them or deride them as “mad scientists” tinkering away on some impossible dream, but any who have faced the fearsome Krath War Droids or any of the other countless contrivances of a master Alchemist will certainly think otherwise.

6. Conclusion

Though not normally as physically imposing as an Obelisk or as proficient in politics or a starfighter as a Sith, a member of the Krath Order is certainly not one to ignore. Now that we’ve reached the conclusion of this course, and you’ve received an introduction into the way of the Krath, I am sure you can see why.

This course was written using resources from Wookieepedia as well as the DJBWiki. Images for this course were taken from the same.

Written by
[idline:146]