Delrus Killran

## Grand Moff Delrus Killran

Delrus Killran, born Delrus Arcanius Killran, was a Human male Grand Moff who served in the revived New Galactic Empire from 156 ABY onwards. He served most notably on the Council of Moffs and, as its lead, on the Council of Twenty.

## Biography

Delrus Killran was born in 114 ABY on the planet of Kuat, a lesser member of a powerful noble family. The Killran name was a respected one, but Delrus’ father was low down in the family hierarchy, working as a Diplomat for the Kuati Government. Delrus’ Great Aunt Yarvala, the Matriarch of the family, didn’t even remember that he was a family member at one gathering, much to the delight of his cousins. Delrus grew determined from that point to make himself someone that was respected rather than mocked.

As the Galaxy descended into war in 127 ABY, Delrus was in the midst of his education on Kuat, developing skills in rhetoric, diplomacy, organisation, and military tactics. He also became an avid reader of Galactic History, and through his interpretation of it became a firm believer in the tenets of the Imperial New Order.

Upon his 18th birthday he enrolled in the now Sith-ruled Imperial Academy against his family’s wishes, deciding to strike out and prove himself on his own rather than remaining on Kuat to fall into the obscurity that his own father found himself in. He graduated at age 21 as a Lieutenant in the Imperial Navy, though soon found that naval life, though sometimes exciting, was not what he truly wanted. Despite this, he put his best efforts into succeeding at his new career, rising through the ranks to eventually reaching the rank of Commander by 138 ABY, at which point Krayt's Galactic Empire was defeated by the newly formed Federation.

Though Delrus privately balked at the concept of the Federation - feeling it was just another iteration of the hopelessly corrupt and inefficient Republic - when the fleet he was assigned to defected to the Fel Empire-in-exile which made up part of the Federation Triumvirate, he remained in his post, even acting enthusiastic to the other officers, displaying his dual nature, and eventually reaching the rank of Captain. However by this point, naval life was frustrating Delrus, and so upon receiving a letter from his Great Aunt inviting him to a family Gathering on Kuat at the family estate, he jumped at the chance to perhaps change his career path.

His Aunt, as it turned out, had been following his career, and, impressed, took Delrus aside and offered to make him her heir, stating that her own children were ‘a group of self-centred, ignorant fools’, and that Delrus was the only Killran that had shown any sort of initiative or talent in his generation. Delrus naturally accepted the offer, though his new status as heir was kept secret.

At was during this period he met the beautiful Kuati aristocrat Valera Kurasi, with whom he was instantly smitten. The two began a relationship that eventually blossomed into marriage in 142 ABY. The couple’s daughter, Lyara, was born in 147.

Yarvala used her influence to secure Delrus both an honourable discharge from the Navy and an appointment as a Planetary Governor in 144 ABY, on the planet Heptooine. It was a sparsely populated backwater world, but a chance for Delrus to prove himself.

By 147 ABY, he had doubled its output and proved his ruthless nature by ordering the local garrison to fire upon a group of protestors rallying against increased quotas and working hours. He would tolerate no dissent. Despite an investigation into his conduct, he was able to portray the incident in a way which painted the protestors as violent criminals he had no choice but to utilise force on. He enthusiastically allied himself with the emerging New Galactic Empire, believing it to be the remedy to the unstable nature of the Federation.

He also engineered his ascent to the rank of Moff by blackmailing the previous holder of the office; a nobleman named Taros Krov who was embezzling from the sector budget to cover huge gambling losses. Killran discovered the discrepancies in the budget allocations, and was able to intimidate one of Krov’s aides into revealing the truth and providing evidence. Killran confronted Krov, threatening him with exposure and a lengthy corruption investigation, which would’ve resulted in his dismissal and public humiliation. Krov begged Killran not to expose him, and Killran offered him a way out- by retiring from his position and recommending that Killran be named as his replacement. Killran also called in a few other favours with other officials, which, in conjunction with Krov’s glowing recommendation, earned Killran a promotion to Moff in 150 ABY.

He also had a second child with his wife, a boy named Arcanius, during 150 ABY.

As the Federation fell into Civil War, he remained an ardent supporter of Empress Volshe. His Great Aunt died in 151, and her will publicly revealed Delrus as the heir to the wealth and estates of the Killran family, drawing vitriol and hatred from others within the family who disputed the claim. Determined to disinherit him, they began legal proceedings in the Kuati courts. Delrus proposed a meeting on neutral ground to come to an arrangement, and his cousins agreed to meet him onboard his command ship, choosing to travel on their own star yacht. They never arrived. The ship suffered a ‘catastrophic hyperdrive malfunction’ that caused it to drop out of hyperspace directly inside a star, which disintegrated the ship.

Delrus attended the memorial service on Kuat and acted the part of the bereaved family member in mourning. In reality, Delrus had arranged for the Hyperdrive to be sabotaged, and with the other claimants dead, the courts closed the case on Yarvala’s estate and Delrus inherited everything. The forgotten boy in the corner now sat at the head of the table. He soon developed a reputation as an excellent host and patron of the arts, all on the backs of his dead rivals. He was seen as a doting and dutiful father and husband. Simultaneously, he was an utterly ruthless enforcer of imperial law.

The regions he Governed became amongst the most efficient in the Empire, but the cost was brutal suppression, enforced by his ‘mad dog’, General Corvil Prentiss. Prentiss was an officer of moderate ability but who displayed utter ruthlessness and slavish loyalty, whom Killran took under his wing and ensured his promotion within the army, and that Prentiss was always assigned to command the Garrisons within Killran’s sectors. The two formed a mutually beneficial partnership- Prentiss’ career was elevated far beyond he could’ve hoped, and Killran had the complete loyalty of a brutal enforcer who would not balk at any order other army officers would. Prentiss soon became an expert at rooting out potential dissidents and fighting against insurgents, though his ability to command against an actual organised military was doubtful. He was best suited to command a garrison, and Killran ensured that was where his minion stayed. The apparent death of Empress Volshe and the restoration of Marasiah Fel soon led to a downturn in his fortunes.

Leaving Valera and his children on Kuat with her family, he fled with Prentiss and a small group of soldiers into hiding in the Outer Rim to avoid the Federation’s wrath, unable to join the NGE loyalists fleeing to the Unknown Regions. There he remained until the Empress’ re-emergence, at which point he immediately looked to rejoin the resurgent New Galactic Empire, longing to see the full Galaxy brought under Imperial Rule. Recognised for his loyalty, political skill and charm coupled with ruthlessness, he was promoted to Grand Moff.