Santo Ardes

**Santo Ardes** was a troubled Jedi Knight who fought through the Clone Wars with a certain group of adventurers. Santo had a brother named Razel Ardes and a nephew named Verdan Mordock. He was the lover (unknowingly) of the dark Jedi Thalia Damodred, the father of Delvin and Baddu, and the master of two Sanyassan followers.

## Early Life

### Jedi Apprentice

Santo was the padawan of a Jedi Master named Mikel Don. The Jedi Council later made Santo a Jedi Knight during the Clone Wars, as per the demands of that war. His best friend at the time and fellow padawan, Drake Mullan, became a Jedi Knight around the same time.

## The Group

Santo was an original member of a group of adventurers on the payroll of the Galactic Republic, traveling to such locations as Colony V, Nar Shaddaa, and Kazislag. Others members included Arbacca, Panzer, and Nat Kotas. During his early years with the group, Santo took on an apprentice, Liam; confronted and killed a dark Jedi named Gabrian Damodred; made a clone and lover named Terra Firestar; defeated the infamous criminal Syler Mordock, among other adventures. He had a brother named Razel. One of Santo's few, good friends was a mercenary named Harper Ruune. Santo had several aliases, including Dej Lucan and Kash Taver.

## Corruption and Exile

In approximately 17BBY, Santo became corrupted by the estranged alien known as the Mistress, killing Liam and Terra Firestar, and, after being redeemed by his old companies, ran off to parts unknown to atone for his actions. During this time he also hunted down and killed Razel Ardes and Trent Stryfe.

### The Return

Two years later Santo returned under the alias of "Dej Lucan" in search of a child conceived with Terra before her death. He continued the quest along with Hep Kotas, Eraz Ord and Corec Daelthon, aboard the Cube, the Mistress's destroyed ship. From the ruins of the Cube, Santo and company made their way to the remote world known as Asylum—the location of a secret Jedi safe haven. After battling a giant creature, exploring the compound, fighting off local scavengers, and meeting a droid named Alpha, Santo and the others parted ways. Corec would call upon Santo several weeks later, in order to continue their respective quests: exploring planets such as Obylon (in the Persian system), Jayspor (in the Chalcciea system), Peronfel-6, and beyond. During this time, Santo piloted a ship called *Moonchaser*.

Led by Force Visions, Santo recovered his son, Delvin. He attempted to kidnap a stage actress named Cierra Fay (but she was really Thalia Damodred). "Cierra" came to care for Santo and Delvin, and remained with them; they settled for several months on Satellite M. They were discovered by Imperials, however, and were forced to flee. They contacted old ally, Arbacca, and joined the group on Khendo. Santo later adopted the Zabrak orphan, Baddu, to his restored family.

## Ardes Legacy

### Storyteller

Unknown to many of his allies, Santo had written three books during his lifetime. As a padawan (before the Clone Wars), Santo and Drake Mullan wrote a book together called "The Life and Legend of Jon Kash." Santo wrote another book while living on Satellite M, called "The Flaw in All Things". And thirdly, sometime after 13BBY he wrote "The Black Knight Returns" (when he left Khendo with his family for parts unknown).

### The Black Crystal

As one of his last acts before departing with his family from Khendo, Santo sent a datapad to his nephew Verdan. On the datapad were included three of his books, as well as a simple message: "Find the black crystal."

### The Path of the Juggernaut

Santo typically made use of the lightsaber form called Niman. He later created a custom form that he called "The Path of the Juggernaut." Similar to Vaapad, this technique could make Santo nearly unstoppable while he embraced the Dark Side within himself and those around him.

### Treasure Room

Over many years of adventuring, Santo collecting a large sum of possessions. He stashed these items for safekeeping at an abandoned Republic-era military testing site on Eredenn IV. Near the end of 10BBY, Verdan Mordock and his crew uncovered this place. Items found there included: a small trunk of organic weapons and items; a star-shaped droid of unknown make; an IT-O interrogation droid with broken chassis; a female humanoid replica pleasure droid; assorted medical supplies, vials of unmarked compounds, scientific datapad, miscellaneous scientific equipment and encrypted long-range comlink; Syler Mordock's Mandalorian Armor, a box of organic technology; as well as arious weapons, ammunition, and artifacts. Most startling of all was a living Human body in a metal coffin (which they identified as Sev Gra'tua)!