vultures-and-scavengers

[vultures-and-scavengers]

this has probably been said elsewhere and better but i miss the days in star wars when the oppressive empire was made up of white men with british accents. that wasn’t an accident and it wasn’t a trivial decision, like they are the face and voice of power and oppression both in the past and today. giving these roles to women and people of color feels like… idk obfuscating or something? like don’t get me wrong i very much want more diversity in star wars, but the empire being a monolithic sea of white men with imperial accents, and the good guys being a diverse crowd of allies from all demographics, it implicitly communicated something important.

[vultures-and-scavengers]

#mood for the last month and for the next goddamn month too

[vultures-and-scavengers]

Discarded Speech Titles:

Why I Deserve a Raise

Why The Empire Is Losing this Fucking War

No Great Power Is Worth This Great Responsibility

I’m So Fucking Tired, I’m Living On Take-Out And Delivery, And I Have 73 Reports To Read and Bring To The Dark Council Before Dinner Tonight

Can We Stop Killing My New Hires

I Need The Budget For More New Hires

If The Military Steals One (1) More Intelligence Analyst Of Mine, You All Die. Yes, You, Marr.

Ravage Is A Waste Of Space (This Is Not Relevant To This Topic, But I Do Believe It Should Be Brought Up At Every Dark Council Meeting)

If Someone Introduces New Flimiswork, I Will Light The Entire Citadel On Fire

The Madness of the Dread Masters Made More Sense Than Some of These Fucking Forms

[vultures-and-scavengers]

how does your trooper REALLY feel about their boss? inquiring minds want to know

[vultures-and-scavengers]

so i play guild wars 2 now. (again. i played like 5 years ago, and then stopped. mistake)

this is GW2 AU! Calumnia... named Calumniah, because the original name was taken. she’s a mesmer! because in SWTOR, she’s a madness sorc mainly, and i always headcanoned her as an illusionist, and mesmer fits that perfectly! it’s taken a hot minute to get used to the class, but i’m really enjoying it! i finished the base game personal story two days ago and then moved onto the living world.

#sylvari #sylvari oc #oc: darth calumnia

[vultures-and-scavengers]

the high priestess // intuition, mysterious // superficiality, hidden motives

darth calumnia, head of sith intelligence, liar

[vultures-and-scavengers]

calumnia tells mortis at the last moment, in person. she owes him that much. he has mentored her through her rise to power, become like a father to her. now she is about to tear apart the family she’s created.

she will have no regrets (this is a lie)

striding into his office, she sees the exhaustion, the resignation, the despair on his face. he knows. he knows why calumnia has come.

she lays out her reasoning in the same meticulous tones that have earned her respect at dark council meetings. calumnia will not be swayed. she has collected her evidence and made her connections and now that she has everything in place, she has nothing left but to break the news.

he does not call her a traitor. (he thinks it)

he tells her if he sees her again, he’ll have to fight her. possibly kill her. there has never been another punishment for traitors and he is the lord of justice. the law belongs to him and he belongs to the law.

he grants her this mercy. leave, he tells her. get out of my sight and don’t return. (it is a rejection and a benediction: he can give her a headstart and nothing else)

she makes no spectacle, writes no grand speeches. instead, she steals three harrower dreadnoughts, six terminus destroyers, and two gage transports. she takes her people to the sarkhai system and there they wait.

she keeps an eye on the empire. this is how she knows mortis dies. (this is how she knows umbris killed him)

#oc: darth calumnia #oc: darth umbris #SWTOR OCS

[vultures-and-scavengers]

I was tagged by @uldren-s0v​, and of course, gotta do it for calumnia.

tagging (only if y’all want) @pyr0clast​, @transgendersauce​, @ct-hardcase​, @gracelingdesolate​, and @villainship​

SEASONING: cinnamon

WEATHER: rain and lightning storms

COLOUR: gold, red, black

SKY: dusk

MAGICAL POWER: force illusions, force drains, force stealth

HOUSE PLANT:

WEAPON: she has a lightpike that she built, and she also wields Kallig’s lightsaber

SUBJECT: psychology, history, political science

SOCIAL MEDIA: none. she is Big Sister, watching it all. as a dark councilor, she might have, like, an official pr account, but she would never have any personal social media

MAKEUP PRODUCT: eyeliner

CANDY: chocolate

FEAR: failure, not being enough. later, being too much.

ICE CUBE SHAPE: cubed

METHOD OF LONG-DISTANCE TRAVEL: fury-class imperial interceptor. later, the harrower dreadnought Hungering Vengeance

ART STYLE: architecturally... bauhaus/minimalist. art style-wise? geometric, surrealism, or like... she’s from nar shaddaa, so bright lights, electronics, neons, sort of cyberpunk-y

MYTHOLOGICAL CREATURE: siren

PIECE OF STATIONERY: none. holo-messages, very precisely formatted and worded.

THREE EMOJIS: 🔪☕👀

CELESTIAL BODY: dromund kaas/hoth/oricon (they’re technically celestial bodies, lol)

#oc: darth calumnia

[vultures-and-scavengers]

// umbris, lord of rage // calumnia the dread lord // cordatus, lord of prudence //

//umbris, despot of the shattered empire // caliga, empress of the forsworn betrayers // cordatus, lost to the ashes of ziost //

original below the cut:

Keep reading

[vultures-and-scavengers]

I’m at 3

#20.... but several are those are Texture Issues

[vultures-and-scavengers]

Vanilla(Republic). Things are mostly according to the vanilla storylines, with a few exceptions. Kho skips the Knight Chapter 2 to partner up with Aliya as he recovers from the loss of Master Orgus, and Sarrai takes his place instead, and she’s the one that ends up mind-controlled by the Emperor- Orgus wasn’t her Master, there’s no ghost to break her out. Kho and Aliya launch a rescue mission and get her out, and Kho goes on to complete Chapter 3. Aliya goes with him to fight the Emperor.

Vanilla (Empire). Xiann and Tyma split the Inquisitor storyline: Xiann goes to Tatooine and Nar Shaddaa, Tyma goes to Balmorra and Alderaan. Chapter 2 and 3 see Xiann remaining mostly on Dromund Kaas to play politics, make friends, and enable the completion of the Silencers, while Tyma does the Force-walking. Calumnia joining Intelligence around the end of Chapter 2 of the agent story changes Cipher 9′s path a little, but the large events are mostly unchanged, however Intealligence is NOT disbanded. Warrior and Bounty Hunter are almost completely unchanged.

Vanilla Revan Plot. We fuck some things up here. It’s my own Revan, who did not destroy the Star Forge, but did return to the Empire, as she’s a sort-of halfway Child of the Emperor. He doesn’t take control or order her, and she doesn’t know, she’s just mildly influenced into courses of action. The Republic breaks her out, but the Imperial team sent to the Foundry is composed of Revanites: she is not killed, and the Foundry is transferred to “Imperial” hands before vanishing and getting covered up by Revanites. She begins plotting the downfall of both Sith and Jedi from the shadows.

Makeb. Not really any story changes here. Wrath (Mythra) handles it on Imp side, Aliya does the Republic side.

Rise of the Revanites. We go straight from Makeb into the assaults on Korriban and Tython: Arkous claims there’s no better way to field test new Imperial Isotope-5 technology than on the Jedi homeworld. It raises suspicions on both sides, and Calumnia, leading Intelligence to quietly investigate Arkous. Arkous is discovered to be a traitor and part of an unknown cult, and Calumnia requests the Wrath secretly take him out, which she does. Tyma, now Darth Umbris, takes his spot on the Council.

Rogue Sith. Fearing the discovery of her Revanites, Revan influences Malgus enough and he chooses to create a schism, starting the First Imperial Civil War. Investigations into Arkous’ benefactor (as he does not share Revan’s name in this timeline, and Revan doesn’t announce herself or bomb the Temple at Rakata) are halted as Malgus takes priority. Revan also organizes the release of the Dread Masters as another diversionary tactic, stalling for more time for the Star Forge and Foundry to continue to build her military’s strength.

Revan’s Reveal. With Intelligence still intact, Beniko’s operation on Rishi is supported by Intelligence itself, with multiple Ciphers playing their part... having been briefed ahead of time so they could play their part knowingly. Theron Shan is there as well as the Voidhound. Lana Beniko still betrays Theron, but this enrages Darth Calumnia, and Beniko is banned from working within or with Intelligence once the mission on Rishi is over. The Battle over Rishi still happens, but it’s not meant to be some massive battle where the Republic and Imperial fleets are taken out in one blow. It’s meant instead to announce Revan’s presence, and then lead the Republic and Empire to Yavin.

Yavin. Yavin is a nightmare: this is not a campaign finished in a few weeks. Revanites are dug in, and the jungle prevents effective use of tanks, artillery, and air support. Yavin is a meat grinder with the Republic and Empire paying for every foot they gain in blood and death. Revan’s intent is not to win, but to bog down, wear out, and demoralize her opponents’ forces. The Yavin campaign lasts 11 months, and at the end, with the Republic and Empire having finally made it to the Temple’s gates and believing victory is in sight, Revan plays her final card. The Temple is a trap, loaded with explosives, and the explosion causes massive casualties for the Republic and Empire.

Revan’s War. As the Empire and Republic reel from their loss on Yavin, Revan launches new assaults on key locations all over the galaxy, including the Kuat Drive Yards, Balmorra, and the Tytun Rings. Zakuul’s skytroopers and Eternal Fleets are replaced by the Star Forge and Foundry’s near limitless production of droids and starships. There is no Zakuul, just the Rakatan space stations and Revan. As the Republic and Empire begin to regroup, Revan glasses Ziost. Most of the population perishes, including Darth Cordatus (Xiann).

Imperial Schism. Darth Calumnia and Darth Moirai plan secret peace talks with the Republic, believing that war with the Jedi was foolish with Revan seeking to wipe out both orders. Their peace talks are leaked, and Revanites and Sith Traditionalists alike whip the Empire into a frenzy of controversy, turning into the Second Imperial Civil War. Darth Umbris claims leadership of one faction, outwardly appearing a rational leader who wants to focus on Revan and end the Civil War, but secretly encourages it to intensify.

Betrayal of the Forsworn. Calumnia is unwilling to fight in a civil war as Revan (who killed her little sister) continues to expand her holdings and collect more and more victories, and deserts the Empire, signing a mutual defense treaty with the Rift Alliance, and thus forcing the Republic to accept her faction as an ally. Most of Imperial Intelligence and a large number of Cordatus’s followers join Calumnia, including the Lord Wrath, who has been disillusioned by her wife’s increasing bloodthirsty behavior (Darth Umbris) and decided to dissolve their marriage.

A Losing Battle. The Republic stands alone against Revan as the Empre consumes itself. The Forsworn find a home on Tython after a reluctant Jedi Council allows them to make their home in the ruins of Kaleth. They contribute massively to intelligence efforts, and organize small strike teams to make quick hit and run attacks to attempt to bog down Revan’s advances. It becomes clear, however, that Revan is winning this war, and Calumnia works with Jedi Archivists to study Revan and her history in an attempt to discover a weakness they can use.

and that’s all i have, folks

#THIS is my overarching plot #it is revan heavy because fuck valkorian #and fuck zakuul #and its sith politics heavy #you cant tell me the empire wouldnt tear itself apart without the emperor holding it together under one leader #it would. it absolutely would. #oc: darth calumnia #oc: darth umbris #oc: aliya vydari #oc: darth cordatus

[vultures-and-scavengers]

16 & 17 for calumnia! 👀

i love these questions, they're not like... the usual ones, they're really making me think

16. what scents do they enjoy? (either to wear or for things like candles or incense)

whatever the in-universe equivalent of peppermint is, that! that's what she'd be most likely to wear.

she also really likes the smell of rain, which is a good thing, because calumnia spends the majority of her time as a sith on dromund kaas.

17. do they decorate for holidays?

she did as a kid, and then when she was left to raise her younger sisters. she probably stopped by the time they were 16ish, honestly. i don't know if she'd start again.

maybe? she wants the forsworn to last, as a faction, so she might try to reclaim holidays that were lost to time/sith cruelties, or she might try to create new ones to push for more of a culture and identity specific to the forsworn.

but she doesn't really have the decorating spirit.

#oc: darth calumnia

[vultures-and-scavengers]

// umbris, lord of rage // calumnia the dread lord // cordatus, lord of prudence //

//umbris, despot of the shattered empire // caliga, empress of the forsworn betrayers // cordatus, lost to the ashes of ziost //

original below the cut:

#swtor #swtor ocs #swtor fanart #sith inquisitor #at some point i should make a pinned post with the overall arc of my canon i think #because there's no zakuul in mine #just revan with both a working foundry and star forge #and its revan who destroys ziost #which sets into motion the civil war within the empire #calumnia and moirai wanted to push for an alliance with the republic #and began secret negotiation for a ceasefire #that news got leaked #there were some Disagreements #the empire fell to infighting #and calumnia took her people and said fuck this shit im out #revan killed her sister #she wasn't going to waste time fighting other imperials over how to kill revan when she could be working to kill revan #umbris at this point has just been lost to hate and fury and doesn't care if revan wins #she just wants the sith to lose #she takes control and begins to destroy the empire from the inside out #umbris even makes sure the civil war worsens and continues #even as revan conquers imperial planet after imperial planet #oc: darth calumnia #oc: darth umbris #oc: darth cordatus

[vultures-and-scavengers]

calumnia is op, but she’s really fucked up about it, and she pays a price for it, and i just think that’s neat.

#oc: darth calumnia

[vultures-and-scavengers]

6 10 12 for calumnia!

ooooooooo this made me think, thank you for sending this ask! :D

6. do they own anything that would make them embarrassed if someone else knew/saw?

hmm. i think when she went from hutt intelligence agent to becoming watcher 51, she kept her own apartment on nar shaddaa. it's pretty rundown, things don't always work 100%. i don't think she would have invited anyone there, lol.

post becoming sith? cal is an illusionist: she knows the power of images and reputation and knowledge. i think she would have buried deep or eradicated anything from before becoming sith.

MAYBE she would have kept mementos from her parents before her and her sisters were orphaned, but their parents were poor. mom wass a waitress and their dad was a bounty hunter. xiann became a bounty hunter before being sith, so she'd have been more likely to keep mementos from their family.

she is a big rotworm fan. i don't think she'd be embarressed if people saw her living room, with all the huttball memorabilia, but i don't think she'd flaunt it.

10. what types of clothes are they most comfortable in? (either physical comfort or emotional)

if no one is going to see her, she has more casual sweatpants and space!t-shirts: usually rotworm themed. she's from nar shaddaa- she grew up watching huttball.

if people are going to see her, then she prefers more austere, refined clothes. again, image and reputation are important to her, so she's going to choose clothes that emphasize power and influence- that's why post oricon, she changes her armor to be undeniably dread master inspired. she was sent to oricon in a power play to kill her, and she survived and suceeded in defeating them: she wants to remind people of that. clothes are her armor and her shield.

12. do they hang on to things for sentimental reasons? if so, what?

she is not sentimental, at all. she's an icy lil bitch for the first half of her life. not by choice though: she's surviving hutt politics and then sith politics.

post leaving the empire and forming her "forsworn" faction, i think she does get more sentimental. at that point, she's lost her sister, cordatus, the one she was closest to, and she's no longer within the sith empire. i mean, she leads the forsworn, so she's The Big Dog, and she has more room to allow herself sentimentality and compassion and such.

i'm trying to think of anything major. some coffee cups, maybe. she takes a lightsaber for aliya at one point- i think she might have kept that lightsaber. (pre-relationship! she's been a sucker for aliya for a hot minute, it takes them ages to get together, but for a while, they do sort of have a mutual pining/sad understanding that being together isn't an option for them)

#oc: darth calumnia

[vultures-and-scavengers]

i was going to make this a different kind of post and then realized i could just make it an oc ask game so:

what do they carry on them at all times?

what would they pack for a trip that might be different from question 1?

what kinds of things do they like receiving as gifts?

do they have any possessions that they made themself?

if they were to make a gift for someone else, what would it be? is this something they do often, or are they more likely to buy something?

do they own anything that would make them embarrassed if someone else knew/saw?

do aesthetics matter to them when buying things? how much?

if yes to the above, what are their aesthetic sensibilities like? can they be easily defined (ie. any kind of -core aesthetic), or are they more eclectic?

what color dominates their wardrobe, if any?

what types of clothes are they most comfortable in? (either physical comfort or emotional)

are they picky about clothing textures? do they have a favorite type of fabric?

do they hang on to things for sentimental reasons? if so, what?

are there any particular people that they’d be more likely to keep a gift from than others?

do they enjoy interior decorating? what are their sensibilities like there?

would they trust their partner to decorate their house?

what scents do they enjoy? (either to wear or for things like candles or incense)

do they decorate for holidays?

[vultures-and-scavengers]

i think after killing the dread masters, instead of dark lord, calumnia should go by dread lord. and dread lord would have been a sick-ass title to get after oricon

#oc: darth calumnia