Zakuul, Iokath, Nathema and The Old Gods Old Republic Lore Entries

Zakuul

Zakuul

Location: Zakuul (Planet)

Home to the Eternal Throne and defended by the Eternal Fleet, Zakuul has become the new superpower in the galaxy. An old civilization reshaped by Emperor Valkorion, Zakuul is technologically advanced, relying mainly on droid labor, with seemingly unlimited resources. All roads lead to the Spire, a sprawling metropolis built on the Endless Swamp. Valkorion’s “golden city” symbolizes his victory over the Old Ways of Zakuul. A vertical labyrinth, the Spire is filled with countless neighborhoods, each with its own unique personality. The populace is primarily human, but as the Eternal Empire continues to grow, more aliens are welcomed into the fold.

The Eternal Empire

Location: (Organization)

The Eternal Empire of Zakuul is a totalitarian dictatorship under the Immortal Emperor. Citizens don’t merely obey the Emperor–they view him as their timeless guide and protector. By trusting him with all political and military power, they can focus on higher learning and the finer aspects of civilized society. All citizens receive a monthly stipend of credits and resources such as food and fuel. Compared to the rest of the galaxy, the average Zakuulan would be a member of the upper class and want for nothing. They are an idealistic people–scientists, artists and philosophers–who look down on the Sith Empire and Republic, disgusted by their warmongering ways. Instilled with Valkorion’s arrogance, they believe it is their burden to bring enlightenment to the rest of the galaxy.

State of the Galaxy

Location: (Lore)

With the sudden arrival of the Eternal Empire, the galaxy was turned upside down. The Eternal Fleet struck both the Sith Empire and the Republic at once, first targeting their shipyards, then cutting off supply lines. Within months, Dromund Kaas and Coruscant were blockaded. Without Darth Marr’s leadership, the Dark Council scrambled to fight back against Arcann’s forces and were ultimately defeated. While most council members were killed, others disappeared to unknown corners of the galaxy. When the dust settled, only Darth Acina remained, and she quickly named herself the new Sith Empress. Even facing this new threat, Supreme Chancellor Saresh couldn’t let go of her grudge against the Empire. She tried to wage war against both enemies and failed, costing millions of Republic lives. Finally, the Senate overruled Saresh to discuss a peace treaty with Arcann. She is no longer officially the Supreme Chancellor, but continues to rule from the shadows. Both sides are forced to pay tribute to Zakuul and are technically under a cease-fire, but that doesn’t stop them from quietly trying to eliminate one another. As long as tributes are paid on time, Arcann allows the fighting to continue.

The Old World

Zakuulans have always been fascinated by suffering. In ancient times, the Old Ways taught that pain represented the power of the gods. Now, living in a near-utopia, most Zakuulans have never known what it means to suffer. Food, shelter, clothing and education are all provided by the grace of the Emperor. But in the lower recesses of the Spire, called the Old World, citizens can leave their pampered lifestyles behind and pay for the pretense of suffering, placing bets on gladiators in the arena or living out dark fantasies in the red-light district. The Knights of Zakuul have no jurisdiction there, which Arcann allows only because it keeps the privileged docile and content. Located below the Old World is Breaktown, an urban wasteland where an underbelly of outcasts has fled from the Eternal Throne’s authority. In this forgotten city’s decrepit ruins, debtors, black-market criminals, and those who reject the Emperor set up new pockets of society away from Arcann’s prying eyes.

The Eternal Throne

The Eternal Throne sits at the top of a starscraper in the center of the Spire. Built by Valkorion over a century ago, the throne not only serves as the Immortal Emperor’s seat of power, but is the key to activating and controlling the Eternal Fleet. Valkorion gathered the greatest minds in Zakuul for its construction, which took generations to complete. How and why the fleet responds only to the throne remains a mystery even to the Zakuulan people–only Valkorion and his children know the true answer.

The Spire

Built on the swamps of Ancient Zakuul, the Spire symbolizes the golden age Valkorion created for his subjects. The towering metropolis comprises vertically stacked and numbered districts, each of which boasts a labyrinth of museums, restaurants, and entertainment designed for maximum enjoyment.

The highest level, District 52, houses the droid command center Overwatch and the opulent Eternal Throne. Below District 1 is Oldtown, which serves as a dark playground where citizens can explore their more unsightly appetites in privacy and safety. Most Spire denizens have visited Oldtown, but few will admit it.

Though Zakuulan society is deliberately classless, many Spire residents use the districts as a status symbol. Those living on levels near the Eternal Throne may boast of a superior “closeness” to the Emperor while districts near Oldtown are considered the slums. In reality, every district is carefully constructed for identical living conditions, just as the Emperor intended.

The Endless Swamps

In the ancient days of Zakuul, the Endless Swamps were a harsh home filled with countless dangers. If the deadly predators didn’t take the Old Zakuulans, perilous sinkholes and disease-ridden pests would.

Political refugees fleeing Arcann’s wrath have often used the swamps for shelter, but the region’s population exploded after Asylum’s destruction. Zakuulans who oppose the new Emperor are forced to hide in the treacherous lands of their ancestors, fighting for their lives in a murky, deadly world far from the Spire’s glamour.

The more superstitious exiles claim to feel the eyes of the old gods watching them from deep within the bog. In reality, these eyes likely belong to the native beasts waiting for their opportunity to strike.

Overwatch

To maintain citizen equality, nearly all menial labor is handled by a droid workforce. Zakuulans rely on it for medical care, construction, law enforcement, and more. Droids provide elderly companionship and safe childcare, and they cook, clean, run errands, and keep the Spire in order. Without droids, the city’s comfort and happiness would vanish.

Overwatch is the hub through which all droid labor functions. This command center issues orders to its workers and keeps every droid running smoothly. To reduce human error as much as possible, only those with highest clearance, including the Emperor, are permitted to enter. Automated life-form detection and a patrol of Skytroopers ensure that no one without permission can enter.

Zakuul Society: Thrillseeking

Location: Zakuul (Lore)

Raised in comfort and safety, Zakuulans want for nothing. But despite leading easy lives of intellectual and creative pursuits, they occasionally feel compelled to seek out less high-minded excitement.

Oldtown offers an opportunity for Spire citizens to enter another world and indulge their need for exhilaration. Many Zakuulans have paid at least one visit to cheer at the gladiator pits or sample the red light district. Countless more simply venture down to tour the seedy streets and thrill to the distasteful and the taboo.

The key to Zakuulan thrill-seeking is to never face any real danger. Though Spire residents flock to the delightfully seedy Oldtown, they avoid the truly treacherous Breaktown below it.

Zakuulan Wealth

Location: Zakuul (Lore)

To bring a society from oppressive tribalism into a glorious golden era requires significant funding. When Emperor Valkorion began his project, he funneled wealth from the Sith Empire into Zakuul, effectively robbing one empire to fund another. As Valkorion’s grand society blossomed, the Eternal Empire turned its view outward, conquering planets and claiming their resources. By the time the Republic and Sith Empire fell, Zakuul had amassed the greatest fortune in the galaxy.

Much of it is channeled directly into Zakuul–expansion of the Eternal Fleet, lavish updates to the Spire, generous gifts to the citizens–but the Empire’s treasure is so great, it couldn’t possibly be spent entirely. The bulk now sits idle aboard the massive treasury called the Gilded Star, serving as a symbol of Zakuul’s status–and a reminder of the Eternal Empire’s power.

EPHEMERIS Droids

Location: (Lore)

The Eternal Empire of Zakuul doesn’t have a population of loyal citizens large enough to fully crew its thousands of warships, much less its gargantuan Star Fortress battle stations. The solution: “EPHEMERIS” droids, advanced multi-tasking machines capable of running every vital system in an operational Star Fortress–and also provide defensive countermeasures should the organic command staff become incapacitated.

Though often mistaken for fully-functional artificial intelligences, EPHEMERIS droids are incapable of independence. These hybrid machines merely combine all the best features of Class 1 mathematics droids, Class 3 administration droids, and Class 4 assassin droids into a lethal and efficient package. Destroying an EPHEMERIS droid will not disable a Star Fortress, but the resulting system failures will greatly reduce the battle station’s threat to the planet it orbits.

Eternal Fleet: Combat

Location: (Lore)

From the court-martial of Admiral Dannis Veriga, Republic Fleet:

When the Eternal Fleet came for Alderaan, we thought we were prepared. The Republic planned for a naval invasion. What we got was a massacre.

The enemy suddenly dropped out of hyperspace. There were hundreds of them, a massive wall of ships moving as one. I’ve never seen such a fluid formation. When we shot a vessel down, the others closed in and sealed the gap. Like the fleet was healing a wound.

They were relentless. We fought with everything we had, but barely scratched the enemy. It was like the entire fleet had a single pilot.

So yes, I ordered the retreat. Even then, only half of us survived. There’s no stopping them. Why die trying?

Star Fortress

Location: (Lore)

After Arcann’s successful campaign through Republic and Imperial space, he deployed massive battle stations orbiting the planets he most wanted under his control. These Star Fortresses are powered by Sun Generators capable of venting their excess plasma onto the planet below. The threat of instant devastation holds the world populations hostage and serves as a warning to any who might attack the fortress.

Every enslaved world has its own tale of life under the oppressive shadow of a Star Fortress. Some blame the stations for spreading blight and disease through the environment; others have stories of friends incinerated from orbit for daring to speak their minds about Arcann or Zakuul. True or not, freedom will never be restored to the galaxy until Arcann’s Star Fortresses are all destroyed.

The Emperor’s Vaults

Location: (Lore)

The Emperor’s vaults have long been a subject of rumor among the Sith Empire’s leaders, though how many exist remains unknown. Believed to contain dark relics of incredible power, the vaults are a mythic prize few speak of openly and fewer still try to locate.

The last known hunt for these vaults was conducted by SIS Colonel Jen Alkier shortly after the Emperor disappeared from Dromund Kaas. Acting on a tip from a highly placed Sith informant, Alkier searched the fringes of Wild Space. After several weeks, all contact from the colonel ceased.

Months later, Alkier’s abandoned ship was found on Korriban with no visible damage other than a wiped memory core and a missing astromech droid. The SIS tried to locate its missing agent, but Alkier’s file was ultimately closed. The secrets of the Emperor’s vaults remain a mystery.

The Eternal Fleet

Location: (Lore)

The Eternal Fleet is an ancient and unstoppable armada operated by sentient droids and controlled by the Eternal Throne. Centuries ago, the fleet nearly wiped out all of Wild Space. It took a colossal alien warship, the Gravestone, to deactivate the Eternal Fleet, and even it was subsequently lost in the final battle. Valkorion had heard rumors of the fleet before his arrival on Zakuul; it was the main reason he chose the planet to house his new empire. Once he gained control over Zakuul, he began his search for the fleet in earnest, using the Scions’ Force visions to eventually find the dormant ships. He built the Eternal Throne to reactivate and command the lost fleet. While primarily used in military operations, the fleet is also key in collecting tributes and resources from conquered planets and protecting trade routes in Wild Space.

The Exarchs of Zakuul

Location: (Lore)

Alliance spy T7-O1 obtained classified datafiles in the Spire on Zakuul that revealed the existence of an experimental program code-named “Project Exarch.” The goal of this initiative is to enhance the best and most loyal Knights of Zakuul with biological and cybernetic upgrades, creating paragons of the Eternal Empire’s sociopolitical ideals–and deadly enforcers of Emperor Arcann’s might.

Knights who survive the intensely painful conversion process are given the title Exarch and assigned to command a Star Fortress orbiting one of Zakuul’s many conquered worlds. Exarchs are not just military commanders and super-soldiers; they are the unquestioned rulers of planets under their watch and answer only to Arcann himself. In addition to governing conquered worlds, Exarchs are quasi-religious leaders who inspire their subordinates with iconography related to the Old Gods of Zakuul’s ancient history.

The Fall of Valkorion

Location: (Lore)

Over the millennia, Valkorion wore many faces and names: Lord Vitiate; Emperor of the Sith; Eternal Emperor of Zakuul. For centuries upon centuries, he shaped and manipulated galactic events, bending the arc of history to his will during his obsessive quest for immortality. A being of unfathomable power and insatiable appetite, he transcended death multiple times, shedding his physical shells as they were discovered, defeated, and destroyed… only to return in another form.

With each rebirth, he grew stronger. His machinations became grander. The pain and suffering he unleashed became greater. Some believed his ultimate goal was conquest: the complete subjugation of every world, known and unknown. Others believed he sought annihilation: the consumption of every living being in the galaxy, until he alone remained.

Yet, immortality is an impossibility. No matter how strong, how powerful, how godlike, all must perish. In the end, Valkorion could not escape the inevitable, permanent end to his existence. Finally, after thousands of years, the Immortal Emperor–his body, his spirit, the very essence of his being–is no more.

The Gravestone’s Creators

Location: (Lore)

Little is known of the mysterious alien species that designed and built the legendary warship now known solely by its ominous nickname, “the Gravestone.” Records from the dark age of Wild Space history in which the vessel rose to prominence have been lost. Only fragments of centuries-old data remain, describing a vast armada that spread across the sectors to conquer every inhabited world–including Zakuul.

If not for the abrupt appearance of the Gravestone and its destructive Omnicannon, Zakuul might still be enslaved by the conquerors. Though no one knows their species, much less their names, the Gravestone’s valiant crew-members fought a desperate battle that left the enemy fleet shattered. The few survivors fled into the darkness beyond the galactic rim, never to threaten Wild Space again.

No one knows what happened to the Gravestone’s crew, or exactly how the warship wound up buried in the Endless Swamp of Zakuul. Like the war that spawned the legend, truth remains elusive. Perhaps it always will be….

Quantum Bomb

Location: (Lore)

Developed by Arkanian researchers seeking an alternate energy source, a quantum bomb shreds the connections of elementary particles at a subatomic level, causing an escalating chain reaction that obliterates any matter it comes into contact with. The blast radius is subject to the random variances of quantum probability and can extend anywhere from 20,000 to 50,000 kilometers.

Because of this unpredictability, quantum bombs are rarely used in military campaigns. Koth witnessed such destruction firsthand during the military campaign to conquer the Republic world of Denon. The devastation unleashed on the Denon fleet–followed by an order to open fire on civilians–caused him to abdicate his military command and turn his back on Zakuul.

Despite this, or perhaps because of it, Koth recognized the potential of a quantum bomb beyond conventional military uses. By installing one on the Gravestone and integrating the trigger mechanism with the ship’s systems, he concocted the ultimate fail-safe to keep the vessel from falling into enemy hands.

Zakuulan Rebels

Location: (Organization)

The reign of the Immortal Emperor Valkorion was Zakuul’s golden age, unmarred by terrorism and rebellion. However, after Valkorion’s heirs took the throne, cracks formed in the foundation of the Eternal Empire. Arcann’s cull of the Scions created a rift among the previously loyal Knights of Zakuul, and a resistance group formed when Zakuulans began to doubt their new emperor. Now Vaylin’s harsh regime has further divided her subjects. The rebels that rose under her brother’s rule have grown in both numbers and resolve, threatening to tear down the Eternal Empire.

The rebels ultimately tried to assassinate Vaylin on the eve of her coronation as Empress of Zakuul. Hundreds of resistance cells carried out a careful plan over a number of years. But unknown to the rebels, Vaylin had monitored them since her days as High Justice. While she celebrated her ascension to the throne, her deadly Horizon Guards ambushed the traitors and thwarted their assassination plan. Many rebels died, but more were captured. They were interrogated and left to rot in servitude–until Vaylin found the perfect stage for their public execution.

Raz and the Ubo-Kings

Location: (Lore)

For years, Raz and the Ubo-Kings existed as an obscure band, living gig-to-gig in the nightclubs of Nar Shaddaa. According to Raz–the short-tempered Duros band leader–their talents were wasted playing backup to underworld deals and barroom brawls. Raz and the Ubo-Kings were ahead of their time, a band of musical pioneers seemingly destined to never achieve stardom.

But everything changed when the Eternal Empire conquered the Core Worlds. Through unknown means, holos of the band’s performances made their way to Zakuul–where they were soon played on street corners and in underground dance venues. Raz and the Ubo-Kings became an overnight sensation. Within a few months, their intoxicating music was played and sampled in every club on the Spire.

Unfortunately, Raz and the Ubo-kings were still stuck on Nar Shaddaa and didn’t collect a single credit from their explosive success on Zakuul. Hungry for fame and fortune, Raz prepped his band for a tour to the Eternal Empire’s capital, but their plans were derailed when Empress Vaylin took power and forbid any offworld music from polluting her mighty empire.

The Old Gods

The Old Ways of Zakuul

Location: Zakuul (Lore)

Before Valkorion’s rise to power, Zakuul was a backwater planet in Wild Space with almost no contact with the rest of the galaxy. Forced to settle in bogs and swamps, early Zakuulans were a superstitious, nihilistic people who worshipped a pantheon of ruthless gods. These deities expressed their power through the pain and suffering of their followers. The pantheon’s father was Izax, the god of death and the Ultimate Devourer. The ancient Zakuulans believed their fate was tied to the will of the gods and belonged to Izax. Those who challenged this view were considered demons. While most Demons were outcasts and expelled from society, a prophecy emerged claiming that one would climb beyond Izax’s reach–an immortal god of gods who would topple the pantheon and usher in a new age for Zakuul. Claiming to be the Demon Savior of prophecy, Valkorion began his campaign against the Old Ways.

Knights of Zakuul

Location: (Organization)

Before Zakuulans served the Immortal Emperor, they lived in nomadic tribes, each led by three Force sensitives: Matriarch, Champion and High Shaman. After Valkorion had united the tribes, he repurposed these roles to form the Knights of Zakuul. Officially considered protectors of the people, Knights hunt down corruption in the Eternal Empire. In actuality, they are enforcers of the Emperor’s will and fanatical in their adoration for Valkorion and his family. Zakuul Knights don’t limit themselves to studying one side of the Force, instead teaching balance and exploration. Knights have their own relationships with the Force, but are encouraged to share their findings with the rest of the order. No area is deemed “weak” or “a dangerous path”–they are all parts of a larger, limitless power. Ultimately, every action a Knight takes is to honor the Immortal Emperor. Sacrifices, whether material or a life, are essential to show one’s commitment to the Emperor.

Scions of Zakuul

Location: (Organization)

Scions are a subgroup of Zakuul Knights who can glimpse the future through the Force. Before Arcann’s coronation, they were often paired with other Knights to form a team with both mental and physical prowess. Scions are infatuated with the idea of fate and consider their visions foolproof. Valkorion was content to use this obsession to his advantage, but Arcann detested the Scions, believing them narrow-minded fools. One of his first acts as Emperor was the mass slaughter of Scions, creating a schism in the Zakuul Knights. Some abandoned the order completely, and anyone who spoke out against the new Emperor was cut down by High Justice Vaylin. The surviving Scions, led by Heskal, fled to Asylum, where they waited for the Outlander prophesized to defeat Emperor Arcann.

The Fall of the Scions

Following a massacre decreed by Emperor Arcann, persecution ordered by Empress Vaylin, and the rampage of powerful god-like machines, the Scions of Zakuul dwindled beyond their ability to restore their numbers.

The few who remained clung to each other, waiting for the moment their former leader, Heskal, had prophesied–the utter destruction of the Scions of Zakuul. While they waited, they watched and investigated any sign that their former Emperor, Valkorion, was still living.

Their suspicions were confirmed when one of the last remaining Scions had a vision of Valkorion consumed by dark shadows that then spread across the galaxy. The Scions took action, locating the ship that contained the infected Satele Shan and her students and taking the vessel off-course, all while knowing that they might soon meet their demise.

The Order of Zildrog

Location: (Organization)

Formed by Vinn Atrius, the Order of Zildrog is highly secretive, militantly organized, and ruthlessly dedicated to a single purpose: the death of the Outlander who now commands the Eternal Alliance.

The group’s membership is mostly made up of Zakuulan hardliners like Atrius who blame the Outlander for destroying the civilization that Valkorion built for them. Their numbers include Knights and soldiers from the Zakuulan military, cultists from fringe groups like the Heralds of Zildrog, and even a handful of individuals from the Core Worlds with personal vendettas of their own.

Unified by their singular hatred and the countless lives they’ve seen ruined in the Outlander’s wake, the Order will stop at nothing to complete their mission of vengeance.

Heralds of Zildrog

Location: (Organization)

Stories of the dragon Zildrog predate Izax’s pantheon. In the earliest legends, Zildrog was a guiding mentor who tested the strength of a warrior’s spirit. A fallen warrior would be consumed by the dragon, feeding its everlasting power. However, a victorious warrior was rewarded with the Breath of the Dragon. This boon imbued a soul with burning fire, lighting the way to a fortuitous future. During the height of the Old Ways, Zildrog was one of Izax’s many forms–a terrible beast that brought only death. To most modern Zakuulans, the dragon is little more than a bedtime story about a mysterious creature in the swamps around the Spire. But a powerful syndicate of zealots in Breaktown who call themselves the Heralds of Zildrog wait for the creature’s second coming. Led by the Exalted, the Heralds worship Zildrog as a god and maintain a shaky truce with Emperor Arcann. As long as the Heralds limit their criminal activities to the Old World, the Knights of Zakuul won’t meddle in their affairs. However, both parties know this accord is temporary at best. Arcann isn’t one to allow dissidence, and the Heralds believe Zildrog’s rebirth to be imminent.

Zakuulan Devotional Texts

“The Grieving of Scyva”
…Walk the path with Scyva, the Constant Companion. Wife of divine Izax and avatar of sorrow, she weeps beside those who gladly march to embrace the Ultimate Devourer….

“The Proclamation of Aivela”
…Burn all doubt in the fires of Aivela, our goddess of passion. The Favored Daughter stands beside her brother Tyth on every battlefield, radiating grace to the fearless…

“The Lamentation of Nahut”
…Bear a single torch for Nahut, the Hated Son. Gray, formless and cold, he is denied by all but the Mother of Sorrows. Do not follow him into the dark. Light the way to lead him home…

“The Admonition of Esne”
…Beware the shadows of Esne, goddess of envy and twin of Aivela. Forever eclipsed by her sister’s incandescence, she will use her venomous tongue to test the faithful and cull the weak…

“The Awe of Tyth”
…Storm the battlefield with Tyth, god of rage. The Firstborn of Izax and Scyva leads us to victory against the profane outlanders. Raise your bloodied fist and cry triumph…

“The Veneration of Izax”
…Honor the omnipotence of Izax, the Ultimate Devourer: father, ruler and bringer of death to us all. His forms are infinite, but his great glory flies on serpent wings….

Song Sung by Senya on Voss

The burning star of Izax
Bathes the sea in light
Feel the peaceful warmth
Touch the darkest night
Calm your angry heart
Beneath the waves of fate
Feel the tears of Scyva
Wash away your hate

Senya’s Song on Zakuul

–a love the hand of Tyth could not deny…

Valkorian’s Song to Senya

The kiss of Izax warms you…
And lights your eternal flame…

The Six Gods

Location: Iokath (Lore)

Little is known about the six titan droids that lie in hibernation on Iokath. These superweapons were created millennia ago by the planet’s architects, likely designed to pacify, subjugate, and destroy entire civilizations. Salvaged records indicate these machines operate as a sentient family unit of “god kin.” They are:

TYTH, God of Rage.
AIVELA, Goddess of Passion.
ESNE, Goddess of Envy.
NAHUT, God of Apathy.
SCYVA, Goddess of Sorrow.
IZAX, God of Death.

During early weapon testing, Iokath unleashed the Six Gods on various unsuspecting planets. Trillions of lives were lost. The people of Zakuul were among the targeted victims, and the survivors eventually mythologized their would-be destroyers as a pantheon of merciless gods. Centuries later, these machine gods are still worshipped on Zakuul.

When civil war broke out on Iokath, one faction did the unthinkable and turned the Six Gods against their rival brethren. The resulting cataclysm wiped out all life on the planet and exterminated the Iokath species. These titans were their greatest achievement–and the engines of their ultimate destruction. Now, after a millennia-long slumber, the droids are about to reawaken.

Zildrog

Location: Nathema (Lore)

The ancient mechanical entity known as Zildrog has always operated from behind the scenes. Unlike the other “machine gods” of Iokath, Zildrog permanently functions in two forms.

The first is a central computer that specializes in the transfer of life energies. Given this device’s presence on Nathema, it is likely that Zildrog was a key element of the original ritual Tenebrae used to empower himself at the cost of all life on the planet. Beyond that first atrocity, however, Zildrog’s central mind appears to have played no role in Tenebrae’s dual life as Vitiate and Valkorion, and slumbered in stasis mode until Vinn Atrius discovered it many years later.

The second of Zildrog’s forms is the ancient warship known as the Gravestone. Though it can be operated by an organic crew when required, the vessel’s Dark Heart functions as a remote command core that allows Zildrog to control the ship as an extension of itself.

Ancient Zakuulan myths often confuse or conflate Zildrog and Izax, likely because both entities are aerial platforms employing omnicannon technology. Given the many differences in their construction and operation, it seems likely that they were actually built entirely separately–perhaps even as rival projects carried out in Iokath’s endless pursuit of better and deadlier weapons.

The Royal Family

Vaylin’s Conditioning

Even as a child, Vaylin showed signs of tremendous power. Fearing she would one day challenge him, Valkorion imprisoned his daughter while he sought limits and controls on her power.

Through brutal experiments and mental conditioning, Vaylin was subconsciously trained to respond to a specific phrase: kneel before the Dragon of Zakuul. When spoken by her father, these words prevent Vaylin from unleashing her power and temporarily trap her will in an unbreakable mental prison.

While effective, it is likely the conditioning aggravated Vaylin’s violent tendencies and contributed to her mental instability. While trying to cage his daughter’s anger, Valkorion transformed her into a monster.

Vaylin: Empress of Zakuul

After Arcann’s disappearance, his sister was quick to claim the Eternal Throne… and just as quick to prove herself a more brutal leader than her brother. At her coronation, a dozen Knights of Zakuul were publicly executed for failing to protect her predecessor. Vaylin carried out the sentences herself, personally congratulating each victim on the great honor of dying at her exalted hand.

The casual cruelty of their new ruler shocked Zakuul’s citizens. More importantly, it drew focus away from the strange droid serving as Vaylin’s top advisor, and distracted people from the sudden desertion of nearly a third of the Eternal Fleet.

It remains to be seen whether Vaylin’s harsh tactics will cow her people into obedience, or ignite the flames of true rebellion.

The Hunt for Senya

Location: (Lore)

As one of her first acts as Empress of Zakuul, Vaylin declared a bounty on her own mother, who had fled into the far reaches of the galaxy with a badly injured Arcann. A deluge of rumors and unverified reports flooded in from those eager to claim the reward. Obsessed, Vaylin pursued each one, calling on the full resources of the Eternal Empire to track down her quarry.

Hunted and desperate to find someone who could heal Arcann, Senya turned to a group of rogue Knights of Zakuul who had broken away from the Eternal Throne. But on arriving at their secret camp on Ord Mantell, she found the knights brutally slaughtered and her bloodthirsty daughter waiting for her.

Despite Vaylin’s trap, Senya escaped Ord Mantell with her life… though the same could not be said of her former comrades-in-arms. Since the Ord Mantell massacre, more rumors of Senya and Arcann’s location have surfaced, but none have proved substantial.

Dramath’s Holocron

Location: (Lore)

All holocrons are based on a complex yet elegant technology: a lattice of organic crystals woven together at a microscopic level. The crystal lattice can store vast amounts of information, as well as replicate the appearance and personality of the holocron’s creator as a gatekeeper who will guide students in their training.

In his youth, Valkorion–then known as Tenebrae–discovered a way to twist and pervert the lattice so it could capture the spirit of powerful Force users, locking them in a metaphysical cage. He used the weapon on Dramath, his tyrannical father, and trapped him inside the holocron for centuries.

But the same corrupted technology Valkorion used to vanquish his father could also be turned against him, permanently imprisoning his immortal spirit… or obliterating it from existence.

Horizon Guard

Location: (Organization)

As one of her first acts as empress, Vaylin violently purged the entire cadre of Zakuul knights charged with protecting her brother. She replaced them with an elite unit handpicked from the remaining ranks, and called her new regiment the “Horizon Guard.”

Service in the Horizon Guard is simultaneously a blessing and a curse. While it is a great honor to be chosen for the Empress’s personal detail, Horizon Guards are likely to suffer the violent outbursts of Vaylin’s erratic temper.

Among the other knights, it is whispered that the unofficial motto of the Horizon Guard is, “I serve for life, but I don’t serve for long.”

Satele Shan: Disappearance

Location: (Lore)

When the Republic bowed to the Eternal Empire, Grand Master Satele Shan renounced her title and vanished. Though there exists no official record of her whereabouts or actions following her disappearance, possible sightings have led to strange speculation.

A summary of sightings reported to the SIS:

– A woman matching Satele’s description was seen entering an ancient temple on Yavin 4. When she emerged, she was speaking to an unseen listener–or perhaps to herself.

– Intercepted outgoing messages reveal Satele’s son, Agent Theron Shan, made a single attempt to contact her. No reply was sent, but records show the message was opened on Ziost.

– A bug planted on a Zakuulan patrol ship shows records of an unmarked vessel entering Wild Space. The patrol conducted a search and recorded a single human passenger. Lifeform scans, however, suggested there were two beings present on the ship. No explanation was made for the discrepancy, and the woman’s identity was not reported. The patrol ship crew could not recall the confrontation.

Iokath

Iokath

Location: Iokath (Planet)

To call Iokath a planet is technically incorrect, and an insult to the brilliant design of the artificial world. A massive sphere constructed around–and fully enveloping–an undersized and unremarkable star, Iokath absorbs all of the energy released by its “sun,” maximizing solar efficiency.

All the orbital bodies in the system–every planet, moon, and asteroid–were demolished and salvaged for core elements to create this technological marvel. The salvage was processed and repurposed to create a self-sustaining ecosphere that could be altered and expanded to meet the ever-changing needs of the builders and their society. The self-contained nature of Iokath allows for complete control and customization of every aspect of the environment–a theoretically perfect world.

With the system’s star hidden by the surrounding sphere, Iokath is undetectable from a distance, and its impenetrable exterior defenses make it virtually unassailable. Combined with the technological superiority of the builders, it was impervious to any outside threat… but Iokath couldn’t protect itself from enemies within.

History of Iokath: Entry 1

Location: Iokath (Lore)

TEST REPORT 089375.24

Deployment of new designs on test environment JX967A24 were within acceptable parameters. Our three initial dropship waves suffered heavy losses before planetfall. Test subject resistance was unexpectedly heavy, conflicting with prior scout reports indicating minimal military forces. The subjects deployed single-pilot aerial countermeasures to intercept us, but that self-sacrifice appears to be the full extent of their response.

Total time to planetwide surrender was 28 standard hours. Our master designer should be honored for this significant improvement over the last three test environments. Survivors received our standard compensation package, but damage to their civilization’s infrastructure is extensive. Analysts estimate it will be at least 2,000 years before we can test this world again. Our scouts are already searching nearby systems for fresh prospects.

– Lead Design Analyst Yuv Kal Zaer

History of Iokath: Entry 2

Location: Iokath (Lore)

TEST REPORT 195821.78

Per the master designer’s request, our analysts have compiled a detailed study to explain the total failure on test environment Z17AX558. The details of their findings are available in a separate report, but in summary: the test environment’s proximity to its star, coupled with previously-undetected trace chemicals in the upper atmosphere, reacted negatively to our new particle beams. The resulting electrochemical chain reaction ignited the entire biome, destroying the test subjects and our deployed designs within moments of activation.

While this can only be considered an unmitigated disaster from a return-on-investment perspective, we will make the most of our losses. The master designer’s teams will recalibrate their particle beams to a lower-yield setting. Should we locate another planet like this, we can re-test our creation and hope for more satisfactory results.

– Lead Design Analyst Ise Pev Trin

History of Iokath: Entry 3

Location: Iokath (Lore)

TEST REPORT 249216.39

It is my extraordinary honor to report that the test on environment WL428T73 succeeded beyond all projections. Every design element performed with minimal deviations from their expected functions. Millennia of internal research and development have finally produced a fully-integrated and optimized planetary assault platform suitable to any environment or resistance pattern. On a personal note, it has been my sincere pleasure to work with the greatest master designer in our long history.

I must add one small addendum to this report for the sake of completeness. Analysts examining the test environment have discovered a vast underground vault constructed by the now-extinct natives. With no surviving test subjects to explain its function, we can only theorize why the structure was filled with cultural artifacts of little practical value. We will leave the vault to be discovered by whatever life emerges on the test environment in future epochs. Perhaps they will be able to explain their predecessors when we return to test them.

– Lead Analyst Udo Lin Xoir

History of Iokath: Entry 4

Location: Iokath (Lore)

MASTER DESIGNERS COUNCIL DECREE #789129

Greetings to all analysts, engineers, designers, and builders! It is with great pride that we mark this day as the official start of our civilization’s greatest effort. Construction has commenced on Project Iokath. Where we once remade other worlds, we now devote ourselves to creating one. Our ambition is simple: fabricate an expandable and adaptable home for our people that is secure against any outside force. At long last, our culture will achieve the immortality it deserves.

We will call this new world Iokath, and our great-grandchildren will know it as their birthright.

History of Iokath: Entry 5

Location: Iokath (Lore)

PERSONAL RECORD 14 CLAROST 9276

Today was another painful reminder of how meaningless the role of master designer has become. My days are wasted in endless planning meetings to direct the construction of new biomes for Iokath’s endlessly-breeding populace. I only feel alive in my spare hours, when I revisit the great designs of ages past and vainly attempt to improve them.

The analysts who witnessed my gallery cooed and tutted, deeming it “exceptional” and “a celebration of the thinking that made us great.” What blind sycophancy. All I offered them were ornamental improvements. What difference does it make if SCORPIO looks like a floating cube, a ball of programmatic light, or a walking biped crafted in the image of a long-dead alien species?

We have fallen so far from our glory days. We no longer bother to deploy our designs on test environments and instead rely on simulations to predict the outcomes. Foolishness. Only the chaos of an unpredictable environment and its unique subjects can teach us anything.

I wonder what would happen if I deployed our designs on Iokath? Would I reveal something new?

– Master Designer Vel Jyc Boer

Iokath Remotes

Location: Iokath (Lore)

The strange remotes are one of Iokath’s many mysteries. These technological obelisks have been spotted across the world, hovering just above the ground via unseen propulsion systems and scanning their surroundings with omnidirectional lenses. Some remotes are mobile, while others hang in stationary orbit around the planet’s various technoliths. They are outfitted for observation over combat, though they possess the unique ability to interface with Iokath’s advanced technology.

Doctor Oggurobb believes the remotes were built centuries ago as multi-purpose drones used to construct the massive planetary structure of Iokath. More recently, the AI known as ARIES likely repurposed them to monitor any trespassers stranded on the planet. Oggurobb has attempted to dismantle several damaged remote husks recovered from Iokath–to disastrous effect. Latent safeguards buried in the remotes sent electric shocks through eight of Oggurobb’s assistant researchers, singing eyebrows and temporarily blinding two scientists. At this rate, the true function of the Iokath remotes may forever remain a mystery.

Pneumatic Trams

Location: Iokath (Lore)

The pneumatic trams of Iokath cross every kilometer of the planetary megastructure in a complex network of tubes that doubles as a transportation system and cooling matrix for the technological world. The trams were initially built as an energy-efficient method of moving construction supplies to the far corners of the planet. Propelled by pressurized gas, these materials were transported across entire continents, speeding up Iokath’s creation tenfold.

For centuries, the trams operated without incident–until an act of sabotage ignited the pressurized gas and sparked a catastrophic explosion that killed thousands and leveled a nearby settlement. This attack sparked the Iokath Civil War, a centuries-long conflict that ended with the extinction of every organic species on the planet. When the dust settled, Iokath’s droid caretakers fixed the tram and used it to help repair the damage wrought by their deceased creators.

Theron Shan: The Secret Son

Location: (Lore)

Theron was born from the love affair between two Republic heroes: Jedi Knight Satele Shan and Republic Captain Jace Malcom. Their romance was short-lived, and Satele only discovered her pregnancy after the two parted ways. She kept the child a secret and gave birth in hiding. Though Satele wanted nothing more than to care for her newborn son, she had to uphold her duty to the Jedi Order. She surrendered Theron to the care of her Jedi Master–Ngani Zho–to continue serving the Republic.

Theron was briefly raised as a Jedi, but the older he grew, the more obvious it became that he was not Force-sensitive. He ultimately left the Jedi Order and joined the Republic Strategic Information Service. Theron excelled in his covert work as a spy, and finally met Jace Malcom and learned that he was his father. They worked together on Operation End Game and parted on good terms. In the following years, they shared the occasional father-son meeting, but struggled to grow close. Though the meetings were awkward, Theron always felt a fondness for his father–a feeling he never had for his mother, who he felt abandoned him for the good of the Republic.

Theron’s relationship with Malcom reached a breaking point when he left the Republic to help found the Alliance. Malcom saw this as a betrayal, but Theron refused to bow to the Eternal Empire’s oppressive army. Harsh words were exchanged during their last holocall several years ago. They haven’t spoken since.

Nathema

Nathema

Location: Nathema (Planet)

Few stories surrounding Valkorion are as chilling as the tale of Nathema. Long before assuming his current form, Valkorion was a Sith pureblood named Vitiate born on the lush and vibrant world of Medriaas. Vitiate rose to become Emperor of the Sith and ruled for over a thousand years–but only after extracting a terrible price.

Early in his reign, Vitiate invited thousands of the most powerful Sith Lords to his homeworld, then wiped out his would-be challengers in a profane dark side ritual that annihilated all life on the planet. Even the Force could not survive. The void that remained after the ritual brought pain and suffering to any Force-sensitive beings that approached.

The name Medriaas was purged from the galactic record and the barren planet became known as Nathema. Centuries later, Valkorion banished his daughter Vaylin to the blighted world, knowing the void would limit her growing power and make her more susceptible to the mental conditioning he could use to control her… if it didn’t drive her mad.

The Sanitarium

The sole structure on the barren rock of Nathema, the Sanitarium was where Valkorion sent powerful Force users who opposed him for gruesome research experiments. The Force void enveloping the world limited the subjects’ ability to resist or escape, making it the perfect laboratory and prison.

The Sanitarium is home to a mysterious sect of Force-sensitives called the Nathema Zealots, though day-to-day order is maintained by the Keepers–specially trained Abyssin who serve as guards and caretakers. The halls are also patrolled by mutated creatures from other worlds that are genetically engineered to instill fear, terror, and obedience in the Sanitarium’s unwilling residents. The operation is overseen by an Anomid scientist named Jarak–an outcast among his own kind for the deviant nature of his research.

Vaylin is the only inmate to ever leave Nathema alive, though she still bears the mental scars from the horrors she endured during her incarceration.

Abandoned Listening Post

Location: Nathema

This Imperial deep space installation was once capable of intercepting and decrypting a staggering volume of enemy communications. Its existence and location were highly classified.

After the Eternal Empire’s invasion, the station’s staff was relocated and never replaced, and the station itself was forgotten, a victim of the secrecy that once protected it–there was no one left who knew that it needed to be staffed in the first place.

Sensors have detected energy signatures from the station’s equipment that do not match any known Imperial technology, likely the result of modifications made by the station’s mysterious new occupants. The original source, purpose, and capabilities of these modifications are unknown.

Alliance Update – State of the Galaxy

Location: Nathema (Lore)

News of the near-total destruction of the Eternal Alliance fleet has spread quickly, leading to renewed fears of a reignited war between the Galactic Republic and Sith Empire. Both factions have reportedly redoubled their efforts to hoard supplies, munitions, and fuel in anticipation of renewed hostilities. Resource shortages, already a common occurrence on many core worlds, are becoming a daily reality across the galaxy at large.

With no single unifying threat to motivate their continued cooperation, these tensions have led many of the Alliance’s forces to return to their original sides of the age-old conflict, rejoining their longtime allies and waiting with grim certainty for the war to begin anew.

A hardened force of dedicated troops and staff still maintains the Alliance base on Odessen, however, and a small fleet still patrols Wild Space on their behalf. The Commander’s closest allies remain loyal to the leader who helped unite them during one of the galaxy’s darkest times–whatever path the Commander chooses next, they will most certainly follow, potentially tipping the scales of any conflict….

Nathema Reborn

Location: Nathema (Planet)

The ecological revitalization of Nathema has been nothing short of miraculous. Vibrant plant life has not only taken root but flourished, dramatically altering the planet’s once-desolate landscape.

Force-users no longer experience the unsettling “wrongness” that they once felt whenever setting foot on the planet. The air has become fresher, and the weather more dynamic.

That this has all occurred since the death of Valkorion cannot be a coincidence, though experts cannot agree on any precise environmental mechanism that could have brought about such an abrupt change.

Nathema Zealots

Location: (Organization)

A secretive group of powerful Force-sensitives, the Nathema Zealots live in total isolation on the blighted world. Founded by Valkorion, the Nathema Zealots are among the only Force-sensitive beings able to withstand the horrors of the void through a regime of daily rituals and intense meditation. However, while their mental conditioning focuses their power, it simultaneously erodes their free will.

This was not accidental, as Valkorion sought to create an army of completely subservient yet incredibly powerful Force users. However, one unexpected side effect was that the Nathema Zealots grew dependent on the void for their existence, and became catatonic if they left Nathema’s surface.

Hoping to extract some value from his failed experiment, Valkorion used the Nathema Zealots as wardens for the prisoners he sent to Nathema’s Sanitarium. He also recruited the Anomid scientist Jarak to study their mental conditioning so he could use it to control his daughter Vaylin.

Zealots Without a Master

Location: (Organization)

The few surviving Zealots who once served Valkorion in his Nathema stronghold now eke out a bleak existence in the planet’s abandoned wilds, where they live in fragmented tribes.

Although each and every one of the Zealots felt Valkorion’s death vividly through the Force, all of them refuse to believe that it has actually occurred. Wild and improbable theories about his current state of existence and how best to continue serving him have driven the Zealots into forming rival, warring groups who raid and kill one another interminably.

Ironically, all of the Zealots still alive owe their survival to their master’s death and the subsequent blooming of life on the planet’s once-barren surface; otherwise, they would all have starved long ago.