The Dread Masters

The Dread Masters

The Dread Masters were six powerful Human Sith Lords who served the Sith Emperor for centuries as prophets, generals, and advisors. Their name was earned when they studied the power of the Phobis devices, artifacts that had driven even the most depraved Sith mad with terror.

This power allowed the Dread Masters to destroy entire Galactic Republic fleets during the Great Galactic War; they had mastered the art of battle meditation to the point that they would inflict an awful, mysterious terror upon members of any given Republic cruiser. In order to avoid being compromised, they kept in constant motion in an Imperial dreadnaught that roamed the galaxy. With the help of an elite Republic Special Forces Division team, Jedi Knight Jaric Kaedan infiltrated the dreadnaught and captured the Dread Masters.

The Jedi Order publicly announced that the Dread Masters were killed, but secretly they were imprisoned on Belsavis. Released by servants of the Sith Empire, the Dread Masters would eventually go rogue following the defeat of the Emperor on Dromund Kaas. After the slaying of one of their number on Darvannis, the remainder relocated to their Dread Fortress on Oricon, where they were defeated in 3640 BBY. Only one, Dread Master Calphayus, survived the downfall of the others, and was taken once more into Republic custody.

Origin

This group of Sith Lords gained their reputation following their study into the Phobis devices. The power of this artifact had caused these most depraved of Sith to go mad with terror. Their mastery over their new power made them powerful allies to the Sith Emperor whom they served in the span of centuries as advisors, generals and even as prophets. During this time, they were noted to have spent many years in secluded meditation on the world of Dromund Kaas. These periods were only interrupted when they needed to bring some crucial wisdom to the Emperor or to accept a gift in the form of supplicants. These Sith kept in such close company that they became inseparable and their great power reached full strength when they worked in union with one another.

"We are prisoners no more. Free of the Republic. Free of the Empire. Both will fall before the Dread Masters."

―Dread Master Raptus.

Freedom from imprisonment

On Belsavis, the Dread Masters were imprisoned in the main levels of the facility in separate cells, but all other prisoners within a quarter mile of them died almost immediately after the Sith arrived. This forced the Republic to move them deeper in the facility, into The Tomb. By 3641 BBY, when Belsavis was discovered by the Empire, the Imperials set out to free the imprisoned Sith.

"From our wound bleeds our memories; our names; our ambitions. We tasted oblivion, and it drowns us. Once, we desired an empire. Now, with the death of Lord Styrak, we are going mad."

―The Dread Masters.

The Dread Masters themselves

Dread Master Raptus

Raptus, regarded as the "Weaver of Nightmares", was the unofficial leader of the Dread Masters, a powerful group of dark side sorcerers with immense power, capable of inducing fear into an entire army. He and his fellow Dread Masters were imprisoned on Belsavis but later rescued by an Imperial Rescue Team. He wielded a purple bladed lightsaber.

Since his escape along side his fellow Dread Masters, Raptus became impatient with the silence of the Emperor. Deciding that their power was being wasted on an Empire with no Emperor, Raptus and his fellow Dread Masters decided to take the galaxy for themselves.

Dread Master Bestia

Bestia, also known as the "Keeper of the Dread Seeds", was a member of the Dread Masters, powerful Sith sorcerers. She and Brontes were the only female Masters. She wielded a red bladed lightsaber, and was considered the most powerful of her colleagues.

Dread Master Bestia was known to be the keeper of the Seeds of Rage, powerful devices that would induce fear, terror and mutation to their location. It is possible the theft of the seeds and their use were her sole plan as they are her property. Bestia, similar to her 'sister' Brontes, had great interest in genetic and biological altering and mutation. Bestia had various creatures at her disposal which she claimed were 'legion', acting as one for her bidding. These creatures, though mutated and quite powerful, listened to her call and did as she ordered.

Dread Master Brontes

Brontes, also known as the "Architect of Fear", was a powerful female Sith sorceress and member of the Dread Masters. She lived throughout much of the Sith Empire's history, with her insights into the nature and purposes of Sith artifacts leading the Sith Emperor to order an expansion of a nearby Sith tomb into the Dark Temple not long after the Empire's arrival on Dromund Kaas in 4980 BBY. Brontes wielded no lightsaber, but instead utilized her absolute mastery of the Force's dark side to dispatch her foes.

Dread Master Calphayus

Lord Calphayus, also known as the "Prophet of the Masters", was a powerful Sith Assassin and a member of the Dread Masters. He wielded a cyan bladed saberstaff. He planned Asation's assault, making his presence clear, via mental statements throughout the progression of the Strike teams who came to assist the Gree, though he never appeared on Asation. Upon their return to Oricon, Calphayus along with the rest of the Dread Masters began to become insane with the loss of Styrak. His visions became stronger and more detailed, but his over confidence led him to believe they were accurate and would in fact occur. Calphayus dueled with the team responsible for the death of Kephess, Styrak, Brontes, Ciphas, Heirad and Kel'sara. His mastery of time, space and knowledge allowed him to extend his power through the future and past, though his plans were foiled.

Dread Master Styrak

Lord Styrak, styled as the Corrupter of Darvannis, was a Lord of the Sith and a member of the Dread Masters. His powers were close to those of fellow Dread Master Raptus.

Following three consecutive failures of their joint cause, Dread Master Styrak went to the planet of Darvannis. It was there, from the shadows beneath Oasis City, that he corrupted the various mercenary and Cartel groups to defend him as the Empire/Republic tore through the Hutt seized world. When confronted, Styrak stood at his throne next to his prized pet, a kell dragon and behind a vast number of his Dread Guards. During the battle the Dread Guards were destroyed along with his dragon. Undaunted, Styrak took to the battlefield himself, using his mastery of the Force to fight the strike team. In desperation, Styrak revived his dragon and soon used it and his leeching powers to try and finish the strike team off. When his pet fell once more, Styrak used the last of his powers to grow to a god like size and began to rampage at the team, only to be struck down again.

Styrak's death severely affected the Dread Masters, as their union required six members in order to maintain stability. After he was struck down, the Masters began to be overwhelmed with madness, and changed their plans to creating an Empire to slaughtering everyone in the galaxy, and then killing themselves.

Dread Master Tyrans

Tyrans, also known as the "Tactician of the Masters," was a member of the Dread Masters, a group of powerful dark side sorcerers. He wielded a black and white bladed lightsaber.

Tyrans would be one of the more vocal members of the Dread Masters. On Oricon, he would be the master mind behind the tactics used by the Dread Guard and Dread Host forces. When confronted in their Palace, Tyrans treated the encounter like a game, merely using the flooring of his sanctum as a means of making the battle more interesting and using its temporary placement as a means of removing his enemies 'from play'. Tyrans stated upon his 'defeat' that "It was but a game, the true test is to come."