House Torak, founded almost 900 years before the Galactic War, is a House of Jedi Masters and Sith Lords. Founded by two figures of conflicting origins, the two formed a union and created their Noble House. Once a lesser House of Alderaan for nearly 6 centuries, it would become part of the Jedi order. It would later be moved out to Imperial Space, it's leading Patriarch at the time being a powerful Sith Marauder named Lord Crol, a proud man and staunch supporter of the Sith Empire. Following the betrayal and murder of Karn, his son, Kyro Torak, took command of his House and moved it, along with his allies, one from the Mandalorian clans, the other from Imperial Intelligence, to the Unknown Regions, settling on the planet Yashuvhu and vowing revenge on the "Flawed Empire." Currently, the House is controlled by Kyro's son, the Pureblood Varon "Vi'kirr'naam" Torak, having taken the Title of House Lord from his Father by beating him in a traditional duel.
Leaders
The Mantle's of Patriarch and Matriarch have passed into many hands, since the Houses formation. Recorded members are as follows:
(( AoD means Age of Death, just to clarify. :P ))
Beliefs
Contrary to what many outsiders believe, the Torak family is not as complex as anyone would think. Valhen Torak was a Jedi Master as Mirava Torak was a Dark Lord of the Sith, both following their codes as well as following their love for one another. The House follows both codes of the Light and Dark Side of the Force, and one side's influence being increased when a follower of one faith becomes Patriarch or Matriarch.
Though some are warriors, others sorcerers or sages, all are actually scholars and teachers, learning and teaching the ways of both the Light and Dark Side of the Force, but never truly falling to one side or the other. Although several House leaders of lead the House, based on one side or the other, others lead with both. Such leaders are Vahlen, Mirava, Valena, Tal'Vi'shara and Vi'kirr'naam Torak.
Founding
House Torak was founded in the year 4471 BBY, by Vahlen and Mirava Torak, childhood friends who grew up in separate Houses. Sent away to train as a Jedi in 4485 BBY, at ages ten and eleven, only Vahlen completed his training, Mirava leaving the order and falling to the Dark Side. The two met on their home world of Alderaan in 4472 BBY, where Vahlen discovered that Mirava had become a Sith Lord, armed with Sith knowledge found within the holocron of a lesser Lord. The two enemies by nature, the two fought with the power of the Light and Dark Sides of the Force at their call.
Their home world being their arena, the two fought a ferocious war across the surface of the planet for a year, until the two met again, exhausted, drained from their battles. Discussing their powers being equal, Vahlen and Mirava ended their personal disputes, and instead, agreed to form their own powerful House, as its masters, as husband and wife.
The pair married in the Palace of House Alde, and declared their House before all the assembled Lords and Ladies, and before the King of Alderaan.
Through the Ages
Around 4465 BBY, Vahlen and Mirava sired three children. Vahlen kept to his training, and took all three of his children under his tutelage and taught them the ways of Light and Dark. Mirava, following her training, would later on take an apprentice, naming him Darth Raide, and trained him in the ways of the Dark Side. In 4419 BBY, believing he had learned everything he needed, he destroyed Mirava, and then Vahlen when he tried to kill him.
--Fractured House then Restoration--
Following the death of Mirava and Vahlen, House Torak took a serious hit, seeing as Raide had destroyed the leadership, as well as two of their three children, driving the third and youngest into hiding. Followers, fearing for their lives, fled the House and never returned. For 75 years, House Torak was only a memory, until Darth Raide II, grandson to the Original Raide, returned and started the House again.
Bringing the House took much work, and 45 years went by. Even on his death bed, Raide worked hard o restore the House, and with his dying breath, ordered his servants to search for the descendant of the last of the Torak blood.
--A Torak at the Helm Again--
Two years of searching led Raide's servants to Marcuse Torak, a Master Jedi Sentinel of the Jedi Order. Meeting with the servants, Marcuse had never known of his heritage until that day, and was conflicted about the fact of coming from a family of Jedi AND Sith. They told him that their master spent the rest of his days returning House Torak to glory, and had ordered them to find the last Torak; him. Marcuse told them that he needed some time to think about all this, and they gave him a week to think.
Marcuse meditated on his newfound heritage, and after a week of thinking, left with the servants to Alderaan, to stand at the head of House Torak...His House.
--Enemies and Murder--
Twenty years into his 33 year rule, Marcuse made enemies, in both Jedi and Sith, but one person stood above the others. Lord Savane Kurax was a Sith Warrior, once defeated by Marcuse, but spared and left to wander the Galaxy in disgrace. But 13 years later, Savane returned, and fought against the older Jedi, and murdered him. Enraged that Marcuse disgraced him so, he went on to tear down House Torak. By the time he died at an enemies hands 40 years later, House Torak was nothing again, but a memory with a bitter ending...
--Hope Returns--
Unknown to any, but Marcuse had a relationship before leaving the Order for his House, the relationship resulting in a child. That child lived, and descendants insured that the Torak line did not end with Marcuse. House Torak found its leader nearly 300 years later, in the young Cathar Jedi Knight, Liaoya Torak. Having lived in the Jedi Order since birth, she followed the Light Side of the Force. Believing that she could not do it alone, She had a reclamation service gather what they could at the ancient House, and bring it to the Enclave on Telos IV.
There, the artifacts were studied. Among the artifacts was a very important object; The Torak Holocron. Activating in her presence, she learned of her heritage, dating back to Vahlen and Mirava Torak. It took her more than a week to learn everything from the Holocron. When she was finished, she knew that her part of the Jedi Order had reached its end, for now she must serve as House Torak's Leader and Chronicler.
Within the following 2 years, she had the same reclamation service and construction teams redesign and rebuild their Ancient House, bringing a long forgotten physical aspect of House Torak back to life, and refurbished to house and honor its Light AND Dark members. Afterwards, she forever set aside her saber and ways of battle, her Cathar sense of honor and pride, and focused her life and being a kind, gentle, and benevolent Matriarch, the first in 3 centuries.
Her rule lasted for 50 years, and within that time, she restored House Torak with a vengeance that many would find surprising, coming from a Jedi. Nearing her 43rd year of leadership, she had found an apprentice in a Fallen Jedi.
--Fallen Jedi's Turmoil--
Valena Torak, labeled a Fallen Jedi for engaging in a romantic relationship with a Sith Lord, resulting in the conception and birth of a child, was exiled from the Order and sent to wander the galaxy. Cut off from the Order and abandoned by her lover who took her child away from her, she wandered the cosmos, frequently seen in cantinas, near empty bottles of Balmorran or Alderaan ale. In 3841 BBY, she was ambushed by 2 Sith who thought her a member of the order. She killed them, but a the cost of her sight.
Within the following months, Liaoya, now aged by time but wiser than most, sensed her turmoil, and discovered that she was also of Torak blood, had sent aides to collect her and bring her to Alderaan. Her aides collected Valena in a cantina on Balmorra, and sobered her up for her meeting. Valena, though suspicious of the aides, did not fight or argue with them, but instead, bided her time in case of attack.
When she was brought before Liaoya, she could feel her disappointment. She had berated her on her wavering connection to the Force, and expressed her disappointment that Valena couldn't even see through the Force. But Liaoya did not lecture her long, but instead consoled her for the loss of her place in the Jedi and the loss of her sight. Valena, not having heard any form of kindness or consolation in her exile, was overwhelmed with emotion and broke down in tears. Liaoya, not saying a word, instead took Valena into her arms and allowed her to cry.
Following their meeting, Liaoya began to teach Valena the ways of the Force again. Though reluctant and first, Valena took to her patient teachings well, learning how to see and sense with the force within days. When her lesson was finished, Liaoya asked her if she wanted to stay, complete her training. Valena thought for one minute, then smiled and agreed to stay.
--Loss of a Master--
For 6 years studied under Liaoya's watchful eye, her powers growing to new heights. However, she once again felt inner turmoil, when her Master, friend and a sort of surrogate mother, awoke from her sleep, but could not find the strength to leave her bed. On the last day of the year 3835 BBY, Liaoya revealed that she and Valena were related by blood, both being Toraks. Surprised by this revelation, she asked why this was not revealed before. Liaoya responded that she would tell Valena one day, on the day of either her death or Valena's rise to Matriarch. The two said very little else but both knowing what the other person wanted to say, and moments before the end of the day and the beginning of the new year, Liaoya passed away at age 74, her hand held tightly in Valena's.
Valena was silent as Liaoya's aides- no, HER aides, silently redressed Liaoya in ceremonial Jedi robes, her former lightsaber grasped in her hands, and placed her body in the cremation chamber, as was tradition in the House of Torak. Afterwards, following the tradition, the new Leader, being Valena, placed the urn containing her masters ashes on a corridor lined with many identical urns. She knew she was the leader now, but she felt she was not ready yet, that she needed more time to compose her feelings, her mind, and spirit, before she was ready to assume her role.
--Meditation and Awakening--
Placing House Torak under the temporary control of the head servant, Valena traveled across Alderaan to an underground bunker that the Black Master, Vahlen Torak, built himself. Here, she discovered that it was called the Meditation Hall, and through the Torak Holocron that she had brought with her, learned how it worked:
When the Fount of my Knowledge, the Holocron that bears our Crest, is placed on the Pedestal, where it was first born, will you be allowed to commune with the Mediation Hall. Speak to the Fount of my Knowledge, how long you desire to learn, then stay and allow the Force to be your guide. -Gatekeeper, in the Form of Vahlen Torak
What that meant was that the Holocron was the power source of the Meditation Hall, and was used to seal the person or people inside to achieve enlightenment. Placing the Holocron on the pedestal, she sealed herself in the Hall for one year, where she sat in the center of the Hall and entered into a Hibernation Trance, while simultaneously, placing herself into a Meditation of Emptiness.
When she awoke from her trance in 3834 BBY, Valena's connection to the Force was stronger than ever, and she had gained Enlightenment, both in the Force and in her spirit. With her meditation done, she left the Hall and returned to her House, and ruled for 30 years, in Liaoya's memory and in the same kindness and benevolence she did.
--Next in Line--
After her death, Valena's apprentice and daughter, Tal'Vi'shira, took command of the House. Having been raised by the teachings of her mother, and delving into the history stored inside of the Torak Holocron, Tal'Vi had become a master at a young age, adopting the ways of the warrior, wielding two sabers at once. Also, her force alignment was gray, for to completely understand the temptations of both sides of the Force, Tal'Vi forbade herself from ever falling to either side.
For 29 years, Tal'Vi ruled House Torak, training dozens of disciples, and later falling in love which resulted in marriage and a single child. When her child's force sensitivity was discovered, she quickly adopted a Mentor attitude as well as a motherly one, teaching him the ways of the Force, and the way of the saber. When the child was at the age of 12, she felt she had taught him enough, and decided to send him to the Jedi, to be the first official Jedi Torak in over 50 years.
Fate thought otherwise, however, when the transport the child was traveling in was attacked, and filled with fear for his life, and anger at his mother for abandoning him, fell to the Dark Side and used lightning to kill the pirates. Afterword, he followed the Dark Sides call, and traveled to what would soon be Imperial Space, and there, found a growing Empire. When he arrived, he was captured, but soon displayed his power to his next victims, catching the eyes of several Sith Lords.
Upon his apprenticeship, he discarded is given name, having it forever removed from any records, and adopting a new name. His name from then on...was Crol.
--"The Great Sith Patriarch"--
Following 8 years into his new life, Crol had risen in ranks and became a Lord of the Sith by 20 years of age, powerful, smart, and deadly. A month after his ascension, an aide from House Torak arrived, informing him that his mother had died, and that he was the new Head of his House. When he asked how she died, he learned that she had looked for him relentlessly for 5 years, finding no sight of him. She died 3 years later, of both old age, and a broken heart.
Shocked at this revelation, he soon beat down his sad emotions, seeing them as weakness. And after receiving the news, he had ordered his aide to return home, and bring his entire House into the folds of the Empire. Within 6 months, everything besides the House itself was brought to the Empire, and from there, Crol led with strength for 47 years, his disciples calling him The Great Sith Patriarch, for he was the first official Sith Lord since Mirava Torak.
At 37 years of age, he felt it required that he should have an heir, so he took a Sith Sorcerer as his mistress, and through her, sired an heir to his legacy, Kyro. At the age of 5, Crol began training his son, teaching him the ways of the Dark Side, and supporting his learning the ways of the Sorcerer. His power grew every year, until he was one of the most powerful sorcerers in the Empire. He felt pride in his power, and in his own strength and standing within the Empire. Crol made allies as well, both in Imperial Intelligence and Mandalorian clans,
But in his 47 years of leadership, Crol had also made his fair share of rivals and enemies, one of which would rise through the ranks, and gain the authority needed...to label Darth Crol and his House as traitors.
--The Way of the Sith--
Crol was training with his latest batch of disciples, when an aide ran to his side, and told him that Imperial Forces were coming in force, to arrest him and Kyro, and seize his House and everything belonging to it. Angered by this news, he contacted his source within Intelligence, and agent named Isanus Whist, and he had informed Crol that the same had happened to him, and Alixa Karn, his Mandalorian ally. With quick thinking, Crol deduced that their stay on Dromund Kaas had come to an end, and was time to leave.
After contacting Alixa, and the three speaking, they had decided to flee Imperial Forces and fall back to the Space port and go to the Unknown Regions. However, as they were making their escape, Imperial Forces were informed of their plan, possibly due to a mole, and moved to intercept. In the ensuing battle, most of the ships managed to escape to orbit, but Crol was mortally wounded. Knowing his time was done, he ordered Kyro to strike him down, take his title, and take command of his House. Kyro did so, picking up one of his fathers sabers and decapitating him.
Darth Crol died on Dromund Kaas, his son taking control of House Torak, and moving most of the fleet to Yashuvhu, which became the Houses new base, and there the House stayed, for Darth Kyro, Lord of House Torak, commanded it.
--The Son's Rise and Machinations--
Kyro would rule House Torak for 70 years, ruling with the Power of the Dark Side and the secrets of Sorcery at his fingertips. 5 years into his rule, Kyro needed an heir to his legacy, a soul to raise and train in the Ways of the Sith. What better choice than a child of his own. Kyro would soon have children from several women, the most notable of them would be his son, Vi'kirr'naam, a Pureblood-Zabrak Hybrid. Kyro was proud of the fact that his son was a Pureblood, for one could live centuries. Unknown to him, Vi'kirr's mother was a staunch traditionalist when it came to a Purebloods life, blood, and legacy. In secret, she used her skilled power over Alchemy to alter Vi'kirr'naam, altering his blood and DNA, purging it of Kyro's genetic strand, leaving Vi a True Pureblood.
Kyro had sent Vi, and his other children, to Academies, to train and hone their skills for what was to come. For 10 years while his children trained, he also trained himself, delving deeper into Sorcery, learning many secrets, many rituals, many experiments. Kyro and Vi's mother, the Alchemist Lea'xusa Xolad, to the Korriban Academy to retrieve Vi. When they arrived, they saw the young man their son had become; tall, muscles developed and toned, and fighting and beating a Sith Overseer in combat. Noticing his parents, Vi decided to end the fight and killed his Overseer.
Kyro and Lea'xuse had discussed and fought with each other over how Vi'kirr would be trained, and had decided to let Vi decide. Vi looked at them both, and said to fight in a duel to decide. They looked at their son, then at each other, and both got into a fighting stance. They both fight with everything they had, Lea'xusa using her extensive knowledge of Alchemy to summon creatures to fight for her, or to wound Kyro directly. However, Kyro had prepared for this fight; having practiced Sorcery, his studies would have to take a turn into the teachings of Alchemy. Kyro found a way around her defenses, and cut her down.
Kyro looked down at the dead body of his partner, then to the bowed body of his son, and took him from Korriban. For the next 5 years, Kyro trained Vi'kirr to become a warrior. When his training was done, Vi left immediately, wanting to get as much distance from himself and his Father, for whom he had grown a deep hatred for, vowing to one day destroy him. After his son's departure, Kyro returned to his studies, learning and studying and practicing for the next 20 years.
--A Father's Goal--
Having learned many secrets, Kyro could not be beaten by many, but time was his greatest enemy, having entered into his 62nd year of life. His knowledge of the Force was immense, but his body was aged, slower then it once was. Kyro used several methods to try to prolong his own life, trying to get his vitality back, until he learned of a ritual that would steal the vitality and strength from a victim and transfer it to himself. After learning the ritual, Kyro traveled to the Imperial Fleet, where Vi'kirr and his half-sister and apprentice, Zikara'naami, were after returning from a mission, and assaulted him, fighting him back, into a defensive position, then used the ritual to take some of the vitality and strength that came from a Pureblood.
When the smoke cleared, Kyro had regained his vitality, going from 62 back to 32. Victorious in his mission, Kyro departed, leaving to learn more secrets, and taking secrets from those he felt didn't deserve them.
--A Son's Ascendance--
Vi'kirr'naam trained to become a powerful Sith Lord since his 6th year of life. Not known to many growing up, Vi had chosen not to fall to the Light or Dark Side's of the Force, but instead, used them as tools to further his own ends.
((More updates coming. I'm almost done, I think. :P :) )) (( sorry if you don't know what hibernation trance or meditation of emptiness is. my computer is using a different editor than the one I was using before and its frustrating. let me know if im able to switch it back, and also, here are links to those powers:
HT: [1]
MoE: [2]))