The following intelligence has been forwarded to us by one within House Wasox. Its contents should be considered highly classified and is not to be shared outside the powerbase.
Lord Kaelis Varrox stands as the heir of the Varrox cadet branch, one of the oldest lines within House Wasox. The Varrox trace their descent from Lord Varrox Wasox, brother to our founder, and their loyalty to the House has never been in question. Yet where the main line of Wasox glorifies domination through martial victory, the Varrox have long preferred quieter means. They believe that dominance may be achieved through intrigue, whispers and the backstabbing. To them, cunning is the highest form of power. To most of Wasox, it is a corruption of purpose.
It was under Darth Valrek Varrox, Kaelis’s grandfather, that this philosophy briefly triumphed. Valrek was shrewd and calculating, and during his decade of rule the House prospered, not through conquest, but through manipulation and assassination. It cannot be denied that he achieved great victories; his ledger is heavy with names of rivals outmanoeuvred and worlds gained. Yet such prosperity came at a cost. Under his guidance, Wasox forgot its great martial traditions and that the true power of the Sith is found in crushing your enemies in battle.
Kaelis sees himself as Valrek reborn. He believes the age of martial might has passed, that intellect and deceit are the weapons of the new era. He speaks of Wasox not as great warriors but as a machine of spies, informants, and political coercion. To many of the younger Lords, eager for easy victories, such ideas are intoxicating. To the rest of us, they are an affront to everything that defines who we are.
He is not without skill. Kaelis is trained in Djem So, measured and deliberate, striking only when certain of the outcome. His discipline and skill with the saber is admirable, but he is no champion of the arena, and his true skill lies in the schemes he weaves. He commands the House’s intelligence network, and it is said no whisper escapes his notice. But even spiders may lose control of their webs, and there are rumours of foreign eyes within his ranks, and even some suggestions he has allowed such infiltrations willingly. Such a stain upon his reputation is one he dares not acknowledge. To hint that he has failed to guard the House’s secrets would wound him deeply.
Kaelis’s pride is vast, his bloodline his constant justification. He measures himself against Valrek’s legend and loathes any suggestion that his name will not surpass it. This makes him brittle beneath the polish. He despises aliens, their very presence an insult to the purity of Sith blood, and should one of them challenge or correct him, he would not easily contain himself. Yet, subtlety is essential. If the insult is clumsy, or if it seems deliberate, the House will close ranks around him. Kaelis may be a nuisance, but Wasox will not see one of their own publicly humiliated by outsiders.
If he is to be provoked, it must be done with precision and within the bounds of decorum. A calm correction of his words, or a subtle suggestion that he might favour alternative approaches due to a lack of martial skill may set the tone. If these were delivered by an alien, all the better. Once he is engaged, a slow increase in tension may be enough to force his hand.
Should he rise to the bait, a duel will almost certainly follow. Wasox custom treats such contests as sacred acts of honour. They may end bloodlessly or in death, but their outcome is final and respected. The House will not avenge a fair defeat; to do so would be seen as weak. In triumph, Kaelis’s arrogance will be broken before witnesses. In death, his influence will die with him. Either serves the balance of the House.
But there is a line that must never be crossed. No insult, however veiled, may touch upon the honour of House Wasox or its ruling Darth. That would turn private rivalry into open war. The quarrel must remain Kaelis’s alone, his pride against his undoing, his mouth forging the chain that drags him to his fate.
Lord Kaelis Varrox stands as the heir of the Varrox cadet branch, one of the oldest lines within House Wasox. The Varrox trace their descent from Lord Varrox Wasox, brother to our founder, and their loyalty to the House has never been in question. Yet where the main line of Wasox glorifies domination through martial victory, the Varrox have long preferred quieter means. They believe that dominance may be achieved through intrigue, whispers and the backstabbing. To them, cunning is the highest form of power. To most of Wasox, it is a corruption of purpose.
It was under Darth Valrek Varrox, Kaelis’s grandfather, that this philosophy briefly triumphed. Valrek was shrewd and calculating, and during his decade of rule the House prospered, not through conquest, but through manipulation and assassination. It cannot be denied that he achieved great victories; his ledger is heavy with names of rivals outmanoeuvred and worlds gained. Yet such prosperity came at a cost. Under his guidance, Wasox forgot its great martial traditions and that the true power of the Sith is found in crushing your enemies in battle.
Kaelis sees himself as Valrek reborn. He believes the age of martial might has passed, that intellect and deceit are the weapons of the new era. He speaks of Wasox not as great warriors but as a machine of spies, informants, and political coercion. To many of the younger Lords, eager for easy victories, such ideas are intoxicating. To the rest of us, they are an affront to everything that defines who we are.
He is not without skill. Kaelis is trained in Djem So, measured and deliberate, striking only when certain of the outcome. His discipline and skill with the saber is admirable, but he is no champion of the arena, and his true skill lies in the schemes he weaves. He commands the House’s intelligence network, and it is said no whisper escapes his notice. But even spiders may lose control of their webs, and there are rumours of foreign eyes within his ranks, and even some suggestions he has allowed such infiltrations willingly. Such a stain upon his reputation is one he dares not acknowledge. To hint that he has failed to guard the House’s secrets would wound him deeply.
Kaelis’s pride is vast, his bloodline his constant justification. He measures himself against Valrek’s legend and loathes any suggestion that his name will not surpass it. This makes him brittle beneath the polish. He despises aliens, their very presence an insult to the purity of Sith blood, and should one of them challenge or correct him, he would not easily contain himself. Yet, subtlety is essential. If the insult is clumsy, or if it seems deliberate, the House will close ranks around him. Kaelis may be a nuisance, but Wasox will not see one of their own publicly humiliated by outsiders.
If he is to be provoked, it must be done with precision and within the bounds of decorum. A calm correction of his words, or a subtle suggestion that he might favour alternative approaches due to a lack of martial skill may set the tone. If these were delivered by an alien, all the better. Once he is engaged, a slow increase in tension may be enough to force his hand.
Should he rise to the bait, a duel will almost certainly follow. Wasox custom treats such contests as sacred acts of honour. They may end bloodlessly or in death, but their outcome is final and respected. The House will not avenge a fair defeat; to do so would be seen as weak. In triumph, Kaelis’s arrogance will be broken before witnesses. In death, his influence will die with him. Either serves the balance of the House.
But there is a line that must never be crossed. No insult, however veiled, may touch upon the honour of House Wasox or its ruling Darth. That would turn private rivalry into open war. The quarrel must remain Kaelis’s alone, his pride against his undoing, his mouth forging the chain that drags him to his fate.