House Archanis

From Emperor's Hammer Encyclopaedia Imperia

House Archanis is a house of the now defunct Clan Taldryan


Early History[edit]

Archanis started as a group of rogue programmers escaping from the Old Republic. Taking with them their advanced technology, they fled to the planet Dar'Telis I, the only habitable planet in the Dar'Telis system. Referred to Tyrranus by many, it was the perfect spot for this small band of rebel fugitives to hide. The native inhabitants, Tyrranians, are known for devouring exotic "meals" and technologies. Landing silently in a jungle area of the planet, the techs quickly and efficiently set up a small protective dome and started their colony. Using bizarre technology banned by the Republic, the group of fifty or so techs could fend off the vicious, hungering Tyrranians. Continuing their work using portable labs, the scientists soon gained enough weaponry to create automated defenses that defended their colony. This allowed them to concentrate on other things such as agriculture and things. After such an existence as warlike beings, however, many of them still thirsted for the excitement and feel of combat. This led to a small arena being constructed in the center of town where some would fight each other in a gladiator-like manner. A few rules were followed: armor was allowed, but no firearms or blasters could be used. Some gladiators came into the ring with various weapons of pain such as electrified whips which could fry a man as his own armor acted as a conductor, chains with balls of pure energy being contained on the end somehow, and other unimaginable devices.

Dar'Telis is also a smuggler haven somewhat. While some trips provided large profit margins, other trips went horribly wrong and provided the Tyrranians with a feast for one night. This is how a patrol of Republic Jedi Knights happened upon the sector. In pursuit of a smuggler, they came upon the sector. According to the sensors on board the craft, Dar'Telis I was the only habitable planet there. Cautiously approaching the world, the Jedi checked her scanners and detected a small colony in the northeaster hemisphere. As she was descending, she detected danger and slammed the control stick to the left, throwing the craft into a spin, but too late. The turbolaser blast sheared off a rear stabilizer and destroyed the engines. Aiming near the colony, the craft descended in a haze of fire and smoke. Descendants of the original colonists saw this and, eager for any word outside quickly formed a search party. When they reached the site, they found a clearing where a brush fire was consuming the surrounding forest. Laying twenty meters from the craft was a young woman, her chest shallowly rising. Using a hoversled they brought her back to their small camp, carefully traversing through their security net. Using their limited medical facilities, they slowly nursed her back to health. Once recuperated, she checked out her Hoersch-Kessel Vaya-class Scout Ship, the Holy Light. She determined it was damaged beyond repair...and there was no way any visitors to this planet would help her. She decided she would instead help these people. Once she got back to the colony, they called an audience of all the people. As the leader started to speak, a large man with dark eyes and red-golden hair, she started to sense the force here - many force users. No...not users, instead a collective mass of force potential. This entire colony were isolated from the galaxy, and all had force potential. She could train them, mold them and possibly get off this planet. They seemed technological - maybe they had ships? But first she would train them. After the small meeting, she went up to the leader.

"I am Lauren, a Jedi Knight", she said. The word "Jedi" seemed to strike a chord of recognition within him, but she couldn't sense why. "I have sensed most of you are potential in the Force." "What this force?" He said in primitive basic. "The Force binds everyone and everything in the galaxy together. It is everywhere, and surrounds everything." "Hm." The reply told her nothing. "I am interested in training some of you, possibly. Would you know of anyone?" "Train? Why would you do that?" He asked suspiciously, his basic sounding much better now. Perhaps these weren't so primitive and isolated as she had thought. "Yes," she said. "I believe you and your people could be a great ally to the Republic." "Fine. You will train Q. He is our finest warrior"

Over the next year, she trained Q in the ways of the Jedi. Young and naďve, she couldn't sense the violent anger that rested within his soul from being raised as a gladiator in the colony.

Finally, he asked her. "Will you fight me in the arena?"

By this time Q had exponentionally grown in the Force, becoming a Knight himself. "The arena?" She asked. "What arena?" She had been so involved in training Q she had never viewed the social aspect of the colony - the barbaric fights and battles. "Have you not noticed? Our society revels in combat - the arena is the main source of entertainment. Two warriors, armed and armored fight each other, often to the death. This was my career before you trained me. I would consider a fight against you a great honor" ......She finally accepted after much persistence. She thought she could simply use the Force to overwhelm him and finish the fight peacefully.

Q stepped into the arena in full combat armor, a dark navy blue suit. He wielded a lightsaber that glowed red, bathing his armor in an odd crimson glow. She entered the ring with no armor and her saber that hung at her belt. ......"Surely, you must be jesting," Q said. "No, I need no armor, Q."

The fight was fierce, but the result was obvious early. Q, using his more advanced combat prowess and the Force...a Force which he had self-taught himself to wield darkly…dominated the battle. Once the Jedi Lauren realized she could not overwhelm him with the Force, and how strong he had grown, she quickly took up her saber in defense. Q, however, continued his juggernaut-like attack and crashed through her defenses, both the physical and mental ones. She couldn't believe the ferocity demonstrated by her student. He had never been like this before. While her thoughts were preoccupied on those thoughts, the crimson saber sliced through her, right shoulder to left hip. Her cauterized carcass lay on the arena floor, and Q stood triumphant. The crowd cheered wildly. This had been one of the best and most exotic fights ever. Soon, Q began to teach others in the colony the ways of the Force, though always ensuring he himself were stronger.


The Era of the New Republic, several hundred years later[edit]

The small colony on Dar'Telis had grown into a small village, but had become much more technological advanced. They had their own starships and some were even given the responsibility of searching the stars for a sign that their kind could emerge. That their dark ways would not make them hunted prey, to be tracked down and destroyed as others had been. Finally, a sign emerged. Although it was not widely known about, one of their scouts detected the Dark Brotherhood - a division of the Imperial faction known as the Emperor's Hammer. A fragment of the former Empire, the Emperor's Hammer still wielded a large amount of power, especially in the Dark Brotherhood. Just the flagship of the Dark Brotherhood could crush a taskforce...the flagship of the Hammer could crush a fleet. And it appeared that this remnant of the Empire embraced their kind. It was time to reveal themselves. The new leader of the colony, Pluty, decided to send an envoy to the Dark Brotherhood. Pluty would be the chief representative. Constructing a large shuttle, Pluty and his guards entered hyperspace for a destination believed to be the headquarters of the Emperor's Hammer - the Aurora system.

With a flash of light, the shuttle entered the void known as "hyperspace."

The Shuttle exited hyperspace in Aurora, several hundred klicks away from both the fleet and the actual planet Aurora. It started to broadcast a message: "I am Pluty. I represent a small group of colonists who wish to join your Empire. Please respond. We are unarmed and will stay where we are, awaiting a representative." The message continued to play over and over for the next day. At last, a "representative," actually a Ubiqtorate agent sent to investigate, arrived at their location. "Unknown craft, await boarding," the agent, Major Tomas "Dick" Ditonaric, announced over the short-range communication channel. "We acknowledge, Imperial Representative," Pluty said. Shortly thereafter, the Major was aboard the alien shuttle. "Greetings. I am Diplomat Ditonaric," the Ubiqtorate agent said, posing as a representative. "I have been informed your colony wishes to join the Empire?" "Yes," Pluty said. "We have been isolated on a small world, I believe you call it Dar'Telis, for several hundred years. We are a collection of...how do you say...Dark Jedi? We have discovered your Empire may harbor our kind from persecution." "Well," the Major was quite flustered at this revelation. "Yes, the Empire has a secret order known as the Dark Brotherhood that could harbor you. I only know this because, in reality, am an Intelligence Agent. Also, you should be pleased to know, the Empire is about to annex the Dar'Telis system to our territory, so you will be with us shortly." Major Tomas "Dick" grinned. "Excellent, I would like to join your Empire then. Many of our colony are skilled pilots, and have traveled the stars protecting themselves while on long journeys. Others are skilled warriors, but they do not share the love of the stars that most of us do. They will most likely remain on Dar'Telis." "Very well. I will pass the information along. We will send a message to Dar'Telis." Major Tomas saluted, and then left the sleek, alien craft and told his supervisor what had taken place.

The shuttle returned to Dar'Telis and Pluty told all of what had happened. Weeks passed and they received no word. The pilots of the colony started to get restless. They were tired of this planet, being confined to this place. They had heard of the war that raged in the galaxy between the Empire and the New Republic. They also had not forgotten their heritage - how the Old Republic had outcast their relatives. The reason for their outcast was not recorded - it is now perceived that they may have been outcast for dabbling in the Dark Side. Finally, after weeks of waiting, an Imperial Galleon arrived and landed near the colony. A powerful man stepped out, and an aura of hatred was immediately sensed in the colony. "We welcome you, Dark One," Pluty said. "Yes, I am amazed at your appearance...Pluty, is it?" The Sith Warrior said, using telepathy to read the younger one's mind. "We did not believe any Dark Jedi had survived from the Republic era. It appears this colony was a well-kept secret...I am here to take you to Eos, the headquarters for the Dark Brotherhood. All of your men willing to join the Brotherhood will come with me now." He turned and walked back aboard the ship.

Pluty, sent a message to all of his students. We are leaving now, come. Thirty Dark Jedi came and boarded the Galleon. The trip was tedious, but the pilots were comforted by the fact that soon they would be able to fly as much as they wanted. They wouldn't have to remain in hiding for fear of the Jedi coming...now they would have their revenge. ......After a brief meeting with the higher-ups of the Brotherhood, Pluty came to talk to his pilots. "Gentleman, it is decided. We are to go to Hertki III, a small moon that has a base on it. We are to form a House - the House Archanis. We will belong to Taldryan, a Clan of this organization. Already on Sahare, which the planet Hertki orbits, are the warriors and historians. We must depart at once." Archanis is based on Hertki III, a moon of Sahare. The other houses of Clan Taldryan rest below on Sahare itself while Archanis holds silent vigil over the planet.

Pluty was both the instigator and the mediator of the Dar'Telis intergration. Without his lead few pilots would have joined Archanis. With diplomacy and skill worthy of a full krath he performed the impossible; the formation of the house Archanis. Yet this intergration was not without incident. Many Dar'Telians grew homesick fighting for another world. Hertki III was a wonderful home, but it was considered by many to be too cushioned. This world had none of the harsh qualities of Dar'Telis, and the warriors felt that staying with the empire lead them to a path of sloth. Many pilots wished to hone their skills by returning to their lethal homeworld, and in a time of unrest pilots began to flee home.

Even Pluty himself became restless with Hertki III. As the warriors fled the ranks of Archanis dwindled and panic began to surface. The people of Sahare began to fear, for the skies above were no longer protected. One of the captains of the imperial fleet saw this as little more than desertion, and in hope of great honours, he vowed to hunt down and execute all those who would desert the imperial fleet. He sent two frigates to destroy the Dar'Telis system. Mav the then consul of Taldryan despatched his friend and aide Keirdagh "Yacko" Cantor to intervene. Mav refused to let his fellow clansmen be destroyed for the stupidity of an admiral. Yacks Cantor's fleet arrived in the midst of a heavy battle. The admiral had already lost two of his frigates to the air superiority of the Dar'Telians, and yet the battle was not over. Using all his final frigate's tractor beams he was pulling the lifeless hulls onto a collision course with Dar'Telian. With sheer furiosity Yacks Cantor intervened. Hotheaded as ever he forced the remaining Dar'Telians to cease fire, and after bombarding the final frigate with more ion fire than absolutely necessary he boarded the vessel. Not all the events of Yacks Cantor's encounter with the captain are entirely known. This is not because no one knows, more because those that do know dare not say what they saw. The only facts known are that the captain still lies in a medical centre, and the Dar'Telians survived. It was Yacks Cantor that was responsible for restoring House Archanis. The Dar'Telians owed him their service, but not just as a leader, as a friend. Yacks was made the Quaestor of Archanis, and to ensure the continued services of the Dar'Telians he invented several systems. These systems included the House Archanis Society, and the Dynamic squadrons. This later invention entitled pilot to be rotated into and out of the main Battle-squadrons. Blood-thirsty Dar'Telians could join the teams of Archanis, and home-sick men could return home until needed. Yacks also began to teach the Dar'Telians in the arts of leadership, and as the House once again grew in status many new bretheren joined.

One of these Brethren was the dark jedi, William "MiSFiT" Flechette. Flechette was one of Yacks' fast-track leaders who had achieved the position of Hyperion's flight commander. Yacks had shapped Flechette in his own image, attempting to create a leader in his own image. Then came the Vendetta. New Grand Master Zorran lost control of his forces and vendetta engulfed the brotherhood. It was a time of great need, and yet Archanis, and Taldryan came through. Yacks had lead his house to victory, and yet the effort had left him drained. Then came news of the insanity that had engulfed Zorran. Yacks tired of fighting the derranged Grand Master on many issues left for Dar'Telian to meditate on the crumbling state of the brotherhood....

William "MiSFiT" Flechette, was the leader chosen by Yacks to replace him as Quaestor, he was joined by the Jedi Jeff "tiger" Loruss, who had long served as house Aedile. The two tried to bring about stability as the Brotherhood went through a time of darkness. Consumed by the dark side over which he now had little control, Zorran set about on a path of destruction in the Hall of Eos. Flechette saw this destruction, and realised that Archanis needed allies, leaving Jeff Loruss in charge he ventured to the Dar'Telian homeworld to begin a quest for aid. After leaving Dar'Telis he was never heard of again.

Jeff "Tiger" Lorus was the next Quaestor of Archanis, and he chose Shadowhawk as his right hand lady. Aedile Shadowhawk provided conflicts for the House to prove it's fighting prowess with mock battles against the SSD Avenger and House Ludo-Kresh. When the time came for her to stand down she was ably replaced by Predator, who was made Aedile in her place. As the conflict with Zorran ended, and the first Dark Hall lay in ashes, Yacks returned from Dar'Telis. He had been convinced by the New Consul Jac Cotelin to return to his role as a leader of jedi. Yacks left retirement on Dar'Telis and returned as Pro-Consul of Clan Taldryan. Stablity had finally returned to the house, a stability that had been lost in politics and desertion. Chi-Long, the new Grand Master had worked to bring a sense of purpose to the brotherhood. Through his construction of the the second Dark Hall of Eos, he had provided a focal point, and yet something was still missing.

Partially through politics and partially through physical need he created a quest to recover a stolen artefact. Jeff Lorus followed the Grand Master's example and recalled many fighters from Dar'Telis to engage on this quest. Jeff Lorus also ordered a search for Flechette. Predator was the man set in charge or this search. Using the force to decide his search route Predator came upon the Gas giant that was Dar'Telian III. Predator was not entirely sure what drew him to this blue planet, many previous pilots had been lost in it's inhospitable atmpsphere, but when he arrived the metallic-static gas was kind to his ship and it's shields. Before his the blue gases spiralled with paler green gases and before his very eyes some ancient texts appeared. Predator did not believe what he had seen, but the flight recorder kept the log of that day. Upon his return Predator talked with the Taldryan Krath Priest Betja Jun in secret. Together through a week of study in the Dar'Telis libraries they uncovered the meaning of the text. The gas words were written in an old Dar'Telian text that had become obselete some time ago. They simply read "help Flech." Predator knew what he was looking for this time, so upon his return to Dar'Telian III he called through the force. Sure enough Flechette responded. Dar'Telian III wasn't un-inhabited as people had assumed, it was filled with metallic gas beings. Flech had almost died when his shuttle had got stuck on Dar'Telian III, but the entities had channeled their essences through the shuttle to aid it's life-support. As time passed they had Helped Flech heal, and through this meld with his ship had begun to understand the universe outside their world. Flech had stayed to communicate with them and bring them to the Brotherhood. When Predator returned with Flech they brought new allies. The entities of Dar'Telian III volunteered to mould with the Archanis ships, in doing so they could travel the galaxy, but more importantly they would bring faster more responsive controls. Archanis was strengthened, and it showed as they dominated the quest.

History compiled by William "Misfit" Flechette and Betja Jun