Belia Darzu Belia Darzu was a Shi ' ido female changeling who reigned as a Dark Lord of the Sith during the last quarter of the New Sith Wars . Living centuries before the end of the Draggulch Period , Darzu held the title of Sith Lord in a resurgent faction of the dark side - worshipping Sith Order . By 1250 BBY , she had taken the mantle of Dark Lord , ascending as the leader of the Sith in a conflict called the Sictis Wars . In her studies of Sith alchemy and the Force technique known as " mechu - deru " , Darzu created hybrids of metal and flesh called technobeast s . Using a hidden fortress to house these Sithspawn creatures , she unleashed an army of them against the Galactic Republic and its Jedi protectors . After a two - decade reign , the Dark Lord fell victim to betrayal at the hands of her fellow Sith . To this end , she was assassinated — poisoned to death — by the Mecrosa Order . Biography . Rise of the Dark Lord . Belia Darzu was a Shi ' ido female who lived hundreds of years before the end of the Draggulch Period . Possessing the ability to shape - shift like all members of her species , Darzu commonly assumed the physical appearance of a Human woman . During a conflict called the New Sith Wars , she operated as a Sith Lord in a revived faction of the Sith Order , a cult of dark side practitioners that opposed the Galactic Republic and the peacekeeping Jedi Order . In 1250 BBY , Darzu held the mantle of Dark Lord of the Sith , rising to power as a new leader of the Sith at the beginning of a period called the Sictis Wars . Around this time , she researched Sith alchemy along with the principles of " mechu - deru " , a Force technique granting absolute control over mechanical systems . To contain her alchemical research , Lord Darzu had built a secret stronghold on the Deep Core world of Tython , drawing on the dark side energy spread throughout the planet . Inside this fortress , she experimented on different species in an attempt to create machine - organic hybrids . With her knowledge of Sith alchemy and " mechu - deru " , Darzu concocted the nanogene spore , a technovirus capable of growing metallic tumors on the bodies of its victims . By means of a new incantation known as " mechu - deru vitae " , she used the nanogene spore to transform living beings into Sithspawn hybrids called technobeast s . At some point , the Shi ' ido also created her own Sith holocron , using it to record her alchemical knowledge and philosophical views on the Force , along with instructions detailing the process of creating a holocron . The device was stored inside the large underground inner sanctum of Darzu ' s fortress on Tython . Using her stronghold to house the technobeasts , Darzu organized the creatures into an army known as the Metanecrons , forming the frontline of her force against the Republic and the Jedi during the Sictis Wars . Bound to Darzu ' s will , the technobeasts were capable of infecting other beings with the virus , assimilating the Dark Lord ' s conquered foes into her legion of Sithspawn cyborgs . By 1230 BBY , an alliance that was once established between Lord Darzu and the Mecrosa Order — a secretive group of assassins with former ties to the Sith — had fallen apart . The Mecrosa sought revenge against Darzu for an unwanted incursion she had made in the Tapani sector , their territory . The Dark Lord herself was also betrayed by her own Sith followers , who somehow participated in her impending murder . In retaliation to Darzu ' s intrusions in Tapani space , assassins from the Mecrosa used poison to end her life on Tython . Legacy . Despite being deemed a victory for the Sith , the end of the Sictis Wars — concurrent with the death of Belia Darzu — left no clear line of succession for another individual to seize the mantle of Dark Lord . The fall of Darzu also halted the production of new technobeasts , though future Sith Lords continued to use them , albeit in smaller numbers , until the New Sith Wars finally ended in 1000 BBY . Over two hundred years after the end of Darzu ' s reign , some of her technobeasts remained active , wandering throughout her stronghold on Tython without purpose or direction . The holocron of Lord Darzu — the last vestige of her power — radiated a dark side energy throughout the stronghold , drawing the remaining technobeasts to congregate around it . In 990 BBY , these technobeasts were destroyed by Darth Bane , a survivor of the New Sith Wars who ventured into Darzu ' s fortress , retrieved her holocron and ultimately uncovered the secrets to building such a device of his own . Centuries later , a number of scrolls containing Darzu ' s secrets came into the possession of Roganda Ismaren and Cronal , two Dark Side Adepts of the Galactic Empire . In the era of the galactic Yuuzhan Vong War , the feats of Belia Darzu were briefly mentioned in " " , an essay written by Jedi Knight Tam Azur - Jamin . Personality and traits . Possessing the inborn ability to shape - shift , Belia Darzu commonly assumed the guise of a tall Human woman with short brown hair . Appearing roughly thirty years old in this form , she possessed a sly , almost crafty look to her features . The avatar of Darzu ' s holocron — mimicking the Dark Lord ' s appearance — alternated through several different physical forms , even in the middle of providing information to another . Powers and abilities . Belia Darzu was a Force - sensitive individual who became a dark side marauder , a role that combined physical prowess and the ability to wield the power of the Force for violent purposes . As a member of the Shi ' ido race , she was also capable of altering her physical form . This allowed her to mimic the appearance of the Human , Twi ' lek , Iridonian , or Cerean species , as well as different genders . During her tenure as a Sith Lord , Darzu created a Sith holocron , instilling it with her own knowledge of the secrets to building such a device . This included the Rite of Commencement , a long and complex ritual that trapped the cognitive essence of the creator into the capstone of the holocron . Skilled in the dark side arts of Sith alchemy and " mechu - deru " , Darzu used her knowledge of both to devise the nanogene spore , as well as the offshoot technique of " mechu - deru vitae " . Developed from her own research , Darzu ' s technovirus consisted of tiny nanogene droid s . Upon skin contact with the victim , the virus grew metallic tumors over their bodies and ultimately lobotomized their frontal lobes , irreversibly transforming them into technobeasts . The technobeasts themselves were bound to the will of Darzu , whose influence over the creatures spurred them to ferociously guard the Dark Lord ' s holocron even centuries after her death . Equipment . As a Sith Lord , Darzu wore a self - crafted suit of dark armor for optimal protection when engaging multiple Jedi opponents . Imbued with the power of the dark side and worth 37 , 000 credits , this heavy plated battle armor bestowed enhanced physical strength upon its bearer , as well as stealth capabilities . In her typical Human appearance , Darzu garbed a dark , form fitting flight suit with a pale yellow vest that left her arms bare , save for a pair of short black sleeves covering her elbows . Complementing this outfit were a pair of dark boots and yellow gloves , along with a red flight cap and a belt . Behind the scenes . Belia Darzu was first mentioned in " The Dark Side Sourcebook " , a roleplaying game supplement published in 2001 by Wizards of the Coast . The book established Darzu ' s identity as a Sith Lord from the era of the New Sith Wars . New elements of Darzu ' s character , specifically her knowledge of " mechu - deru " and the technobeasts , were introduced by author Abel G . Peña in the 2005 article " " . These elements were expanded upon in " The New Essential Guide to Droids " by Daniel Wallace , as well as another of Peña ' s Hyperspace articles , " " , that also referred to her as a changeling . In 2006 , two images made by artist Doug Alexander Gregory — one from " The Dark Side Sourcebook " showing a dark side marauder , and another from the " Ultimate Alien Anthology " featuring a Shi ' ido changeling — were retcon ned by Peña himself as depictions of Darzu ' s physical appearance , verifying her species . The likeness of Belia Darzu was later used for the " Dark Side Enforcer " figurine from " Star Wars Miniatures : Champions of the Force " , resembling the original dark side marauder . Darzu made her debut appearance in the 2007 sophomore novel of Drew Karpyshyn ' s " Bane " trilogy , " " , though only as a holocron gatekeeper . The names of three different demonic figures — , and — depicted in " " were used to identify the Shi ' ido characters of " Belia Darzu " , " Mammon Hoole " and " Moloch Hoole " .