Acheron

"Believe in fear as much as force, vision as much as violence and control as much as conquest."

--Acheron

Acheron, born Jasper Taral in the year 178 ABY, is a Dark Lord of the Sith and follower of the teachings of the Sith Order. Imprisoned by his parents as a child, Jasper discovered his true path with the discovery of a Sith Holocron at the age of 20. Murdering his parents and escaping to Korriban Jasper trained with the Holocron's assistance for one year in the tomb of Marka Ragnos. Awarded the name of Acheron by his connection with the Dark Side he returned to Empress Teta and murdered his younger brother effectively destroying his entire family. Acheron eventually became involved with a newly emerged Sith Order and was awarded the position of Sith Executor and second-in-command by the Sith Grand Master Mad Clone Disease otherwise known as MCD.

Early Life
Jasper Taral was born in 178 ABY in the city of Cinnagar on Empress Teta. Young Jasper almost immediately after his birth began showing a connection to the Force. Confused and afraid at their infant's abilities, his parents sent Jasper into hiding to keep him from being discovered as both were fearful of Force users brought up on the stories of Empress Teta's past not to mention the more recent return and demise of the One Sith some forty years previously. It was not long after Jasper's forced imprisonment at the age of 2 that his parents had a second child, a boy named Reece.

Jasper's parents were both high-level functionaries in the current system of local government and by the time Jasper reached adolescence his father was vice-chancellor of the Empress Teta system itself. While the system was part of the Galactic Alliance and the Empire under the One Sith the system was relatively untouched by outside influence. Having been sequestered for so long Jasper knew little of the universe except for what his provided tutors taught him and the brief glimpses his parents would allow him of the city of Cinnagar on rare trips outside of his home. His brother Reece, having shown no sign of Force awareness, had been allowed to live a normal life. This was something that Jasper always hated about his brother and would serve to fuel his anger for years to come.

The Promise of Power
Eventually, Jasper became bored and frustrated with his way of life and attempted escape at the age of 20. On a tour of the long-since abandoned Iron Citadel Jasper slipped away from his guard and disappeared into the depths of the high castle. Not knowing where he was going or what his plan was, Jasper was just more then happy to finally be free. As he rounded corner after corner exploring the large halls and various rooms Jasper suddenly felt a weird pull, a calling through the Force. Feeling a sense of wonder Jasper followed the call through room after room until he came to an empty chamber. Seeing nothing with his eyes Jasper still felt the deep chill of the Force beckoning him to find something, do something, but what Jasper was unsure. Closing his eyes and opening himself up to the Force, Jasper's hand suddenly raised and with the Force pulled a particular loose brick out of the wall in front of him. The brick turned out to be hollow and below it was an ancient control panel which feebly sputtered on with dim pale lights. Dropping the brick to the ground and opening his eyes Jasper stepped forward and instinctively touched the panel entering a code unknown to him but a few minutes before. With a shock the wall above the panel opened up revealing two items of great importance, a triangle shaped object with mysterious writing upon it and a smooth silver cylinder with what appeared to be an activation stud for what Jasper did not know.

Jasper pocketed the two items in his traveling coat and walked out of the room just as four guards grabbed him unceremoniously and returned him to his home. His father, outraged at his son's actions, locked him away for a period of three months in a dark cell located in the basement of the family's estate. What his father was unaware of was that the Jasper who he locked away was not the one that would reappear three months later when his father's anger finally faded enough to release him. During this time Jasper, who had made sure to hide the items he had found on his person, began to discover the true meaning of the items he had recovered in the Iron Citadel as he began to make use of them. The triangle shaped object turned out to be a Sith Holocron, a depository of knowledge forgotten for thousands of years. The cylinder turned out to be a lightsaber which once activated blazed a deep crimson red, the centuries of non-use having not affected it in the slightest. With continuous training and assistance from the Holocron's creators, Exar Kun and Ulic Qel-Droma, Jasper grew to not only understand the dark side of the Force but learned to revel in it. Here he was treated like a prisoner when he, HE had the power. Who was his family to treat him so?

When his three months were up and his father came to remove him from his chamber of horrors, Jasper was ready. In a rare act of apology Jasper's father leaned over to hug his son and ask for his forgiveness. It was a hint of weakness which Jasper exploited. As his father embraced him Jasper grabbed his lightsaber from his side and igniting it in a flash skewered his father through the chest killing him instantly. He spat on his father's still twitching corpse as he continued on through the house killing the guards and ultimately killing his mother in her sleep. Stealing their personal shuttle Jasper left the house which had been his personal prison and headed for the stars.

A Sith Is Born
"Rise, Acheron, Dark Lord of the Sith. Rise and fulfill your destiny."

--The Dark Side of the Force speaking to Acheron

Heading to Korriban per instructions from the Holocron, Jasper landed outside of the tomb of the great Sith Lord Marka Ragnos. The entrance had collapsed at the hands of Jaden Korr decades before but with a brush of the Force Jasper slid the stones aside. The tomb had been abandoned and was obviously not of interest to members of the One Sith due to its condition. Jasper proceeded to spend a year studying the holocron learning lightsaber techniques, ancient traditions, all the time soaking in the power of the dark side that dwelt in the tomb of the Dark Lord. One year to the day he had arrived Jasper knelt at the feet of Marka Ragnos' tomb and called upon the Force to reveal to him his true name, his Sith name. Across whatever planes of existence it needed to cross, Jasper heard his true name called out by some unseen entity. "Rise, Acheron, Dark Lord of the Sith. Rise and fulfill your destiny."

Leaving Korriban, Acheron traveled back to Empress Teta with one goal in mind: revenge. Acheron found upon his return that his brother Reece had taken the position of a Tetan council member striving to follow in his father's footsteps. Although in the scheme of things Reece was but a gnat to be swatted away compared to Acheron's powers, he had never forgotten how Reece had treated him. His brother had never come to his defense, never spoken up or even acknowledged his brother's existence. He was entirely content to be the son his parents had wanted Acheron to be. He would die and be laid beside them instead.

In a brash attack, Acheron piloted the shuttle directly into the Tetan council chambers in Cinnagar right in the middle of a general meeting. Jumping from the shuttle at the last minute before impact Acheron rolled to the ground and came up with his lightsaber blazing. The few members who survived the crash were instantly dismembered or beheaded efficiently. Walking through the carnage, Acheron searched for his brother. Suddenly he relished his lips in expectation as his eyes fell on the site of Reece trapped beneath part of the wing of the shuttle and a mountain of rubble. Surprisingly Reece was still alive, breathing slowly but in terrible pain. With a wisp of a movement Acheron moved the wing off him with the Force but before Reece could even begin to feel any sense of relief Acheron walked over and with no emotion ignited his lightsaber and plunged it into his brother's chest. Acheron lifted his eyes upward as if in prayer to some twisted deity as he felt his brother's life slip away through the Force. Disengaging his saber Acheron walked out of the broken chambers. Not once was one word uttered in the entire attack.

A New Calling
"I, Acheron, pledge myself to the Dark Side, the Sith Order and to your teachings. Together may we bring glory to the Sith once again...my master."

--Acheron addressing MCD on Korriban

Return to Korriban
Acheron spent much time in contemplation of his future plans after the death of his brother and his eventual departure from Empress Teta. Acheron was traveling between worlds in a stolen shuttle when he suddenly felt a strong calling through the Force. The Dark Side was strong with this signal and Acheron felt it important to investigate. Following the signal to Korriban Acheron discovered that the signal was actually a Dark Side Beacon that had been activated by a shadowy character known as Lord Asmodeus. Asmodeus claimed he was trying to bring more and more Dark Side warriors together to try and resurrect the Sith Order per instructions from his "master". Acheron assisted Asmodeus for a time in feeding Force energy into the beacon until the moment arrived that MCD made his first appearance.

Speaking with Asmodeus, MCD explained his true intentions for the Sith. He planned to create a group large enough to create true "death and destruction" galaxywide. He had been in league with a man known as Tempus Dooku who had begun funding operations to build for the Sith a massive army of Sith Centurions which were super battle droids with bio-organic brains. Although MCD was obviously insane his plans sat well with Acheron and with Asmodeus as well. Feeling that his mission was successful Asmodeus left the two Sith alone but not before proclaiming that MCD should lead the Sith while Acheron should be his apprentice. This change of events surprised Acheron but he showed little of his true emotions. Although he had never planned to be an apprentice to anyone Acheron could not deny the true power MCD's Sith Order could control and without a second thought he dropped to one knee and pledged himself as MCD's apprentice.

Not long after Acheron's pledge was made Tempus Dooku arrived with the first delivery of Sith Centurions for the cause. Revealing himself to actually be a cyborg named Rajnish Grievous, the devoted Dark Sider asked for understanding from his comrades. MCD not only granted him such but appointed him Sith Warmaster, a title which he came up with out of thin air. He next appointed Acheron as Sith Executor and second-in-command of the Sith Order. MCD would be known as Sith Grand Master and leader of the Order. Although small they were proving to become a force the galaxy would be unprepared for.

Conflict on Nar Shadaa
As his first mission for his new master MCD tasked Acheron with going to Carratos to meet with the Imperial Emperor himself, Nick Owabi. As Emperor of the Reconstructed Galactic Empire Owabi had the ability to make alliances with various organizations and governments. MCD hoped that with the promise of new technology and like-minded goals and intentions that Owabi would partner with the Sith in a shadow alliance. Acheron was to be his appointed representative. Tasked with meeting with the Emperor alone and not giving himself away as a Sith Acheron realized his mission would not be easy and would require extra special equipment.

Leaving Korriban Acheron piloted his stolen shuttle to Nar Shadaa in the Outer Rim. Having visited before not long after his departure from Empress Teta Acheron knew the layout and knew he could find someone who would have the items he needed. After landing his shuttle Acheron desposed of some insignificant vermin before heading to the merchant district in the Corellian Sector. Meeting with a Bith vendor who dealt in Yuuzhan Vong associated items Acheron asked the Bith directly if he had an ooglith masquer, a Yuuzhan Vong organism that would act as a direct camoflauge for the wearer making him appear as an entirely different person. The Bith led Acheron to his dwelling where once he determined the vendor did have the item in question Acheron killed him and stole it.

Realizing there was no way that he could pilot the stolen shuttle he had been using past any of Carratos' various satellite sensor stations, defensive platforms or Imperial fleets in orbit Acheron knew he needed to acquire another ship and he had one in mind. It would only be obtainable however from the Imperials. However Acheron knew that Nar Shadaa had a TIE Fighter Construction Facility in orbit and was hoping against hope that the facility would have the ship he needed. Rigging a thermal detonator to trigger an engine core explosion in the shuttle later on Acheron piloted the shuttle directly to the facility where it was captured by tractor beam. Forced off the ship to face an Imperial squad Acheron calmly told the lieutenant on duty of the imposing threat. Acheron used the lieutenant's moment of hesitation to make his move. Imploying a Force Repulse manuever Acheron made quick work of the troops around him. Running to the dock bays he found his saving grace in a TIE Phantom, a ship capable of cloaking thanks to a Stygium cloaking device built in. Ready for delivery the ship responded immediately to Acheron's commands blowing away a bulkhead and exposing the bays to the vacuum of space killing any surviving troops in the immediate vacinity. Departing into hyperspace beforehand Acheron missed the concurrent explosion that tore a gaping hole in the side of the facility and seriously damaging the facility's orbital pattern.

Mission to Carratos
Arriving at Carratos Acheron slipped undetected through the defense nets surrounding the planet and made his way to the warehouse district of the main settlement of Chofin. Landing the TIE Phantom in an abandoned warehouse Acheron donned the ooglith masquer which disguised him as a middle-aged older gentleman with greying hair. Exiting the still cloaked craft Acheron made his way to the main thoroughfare searching for transportation to reach the Imperial Palace. Eventually Acheron encountered an air taxi service where a driver was waiting for his next fare. When the man proved hesitant to take him to the Imperial Palace Acheron used the Force to convince the man of his needs with a Mind Trick. Having secured transportation the air taxi lifted off carrying Acheron to his destination and his meeting with the Emperor.

Reaching the outskirts of the Imperial Palace, Acheron commanded his driver through the Force to return from whence he had came and to have no memory of the event. As the air taxi turned to head back Acheron dropped from the vehicle landing on the roof of a nearby high-rise building. Making his way to street level Acheron began his way through the throngs of people towards the Palace gates. Suddenly and inexplicably a woman approached him letting him know that the Emperor was waiting for Acheron and that she would lead him to the Palace. Acheron decided to follow her lead. The woman, Jill, led Acheron into the Palace grounds and ultimately to Emperor Nick Owabi himself. Still in disguise Acheron confidently laid out MCD's plans for the formation of a shadow alliance between the Sith Order and the RGE. Owabi ultimately agreed and accepted Acheron's gift from MCD of a datacard holding plans for secret weaponry for use by both sides. Upon confirming their agreement Acheron was escorted back to the area of the Chofin warehouse district by Jill where he made use again of the TIE Phantom to depart from the planet, subsequently entering hyperspace for parts unknown.

Personality
thumb|250px|left|Acheron's Theme Song - "The Night" by DisturbedAcheron comes across at first as a man you don't wish to trifle with. However, his personality is so clouded in mistrust it is difficult to know much of anything on first meeting. He hides his emotions primarily preferring to produce fake responses then show his true feelings. His attitude is one of silent confidence and he never allows feelings of uncertainty to show in front of others. Acheron could be characterized as flawed, vulnerable and wounded emotionally. Mentally he is vulnerable only in that he gives in to his anger and lashes out sometimes with no forethought given. This is especially evident with the situation with his brother Reece. Any man who would murder his entire family in cold blood simply because he felt unloved is one to keep your eye on.

His personality also has affected other areas of his life. Things like his appearance and personal grooming have been based entirely upon his growth as a person. With his appearance, one interesting fact is that he cloaks himself in a crimson cloak rather then the customary black. The crimson cloak is his trademark signature piece. It is used as a representation for the amount of blood he has sacrificed to achieve his goals. His one true possession he holds most dear is his lightsaber. It is the one true item that belongs to him and it succeeded in saving him from his imprisonment. If he were to lose it he would be inconsolable. He is meticulous when it comes to his grooming habits and keeps his face shaven smooth and his hair trimmed neatly. Being in seclusion for so long he had been left for years with hair growth that was never cared for and it made him feel horribly dirty. He takes extra steps now to avoid this from occurring again. There is also always a slight hunch to his shoulders like he has gone through life carrying a heavy burden. This is much more true then even he realizes.

Acheron does make attempts at humor however he has a rather deadpan take on it. His sarcasm is veiled by his uncaring nature therefore many of his statements though meant as humorous do not come off as such. A side effect of being imprisoned for so many years is that Acheron never lets people get close enough to become liked let alone very well known. He is used to being alone. This might change with the more contact with people he has. His one true fear is to be imprisoned again and to not be able to get free. Acheron is also a straight shooter and doesn't really have a need for lies or deceit. His voice is deep and tightly controlled. He sounds consistently like his voice is raspy and delicate like he is just starting to know how to use his voice. Speaking doesn’t come well to him but this may change with time.

Behind the Scenes
"Acheron is the side of me I try not to let out in public."

--Steven explaining his connection to the Acheron character

Acheron was the creation of Steven Gandy, a total Fanboy and Star Wars geek. A fan of the Original Trilogy from childhood Steven was introduced to the expanded universe of Star Wars in 1998 and the D6 West End Games Star Wars Role-playing game the same year. Learning to enjoy table top role-playing Steven was surprised one day 10 years later when he discovered a site he thought was a gift from Lucas himself, World of Star Wars on Yahoo.

Joining the site as Darth Acheron, Steven had a totally different back story and history to fit the timeline of the site. Going from Sith Lord to backstabbing apprentice, Force Spirit to Grey Jedi, Traitor to Confidant and eventually to self-described Deity he had quite a ride with the character. Eventually due to interactions between various other members the stress of the environment grew too much to bear and deciding his role-playing days were behind him Steven quit the site a mere three months before WOSW went belly-up and closed forever.

Never figuring to role-play again Steven went back to his mundane existence in the real world. In the meantime Bubba, his best friend and loyal confidant, eventually helped to start up a new Star Wars role-playing site known as World of Star Wars: End Game. Convincing Steven that his role-playing days were far from over he told him of the new site and convinced him that it would be in his best interest to consider it a fresh start. Coming onto the site Steven decided to completely renovate the Acheron character from previous iterations feeling it best to start out from a different perspective. This process has been ongoing. After several months Steven had yet to come to a decision about the new avatar picture for his creation. In a conversation on-site he described Acheron as a "22 year old underwear model with anger issues". Suddenly and without warning he realized the perfect picture for him as seen above. Now he is working to flesh out the character more and to give him more interaction with others.