The Midnight Order

The **Midnight Order,** formerly known as the **Sith Imperium,** is a small civilization based on the planet Acheron. Originally formed and ruled by Keine Kallig, the Imperium started off as a small cult of worshipers who believed in their master's idealism. Keine preached a single goal to his followers: reaching Amgarrak, a legendary holy world and sanctuary for the Sith as mentioned by Marka Ragnos in many of his ancient texts. The growing disciples of the Sith Imperium believed that the Sith Empire was doomed to fall in its war against the Galactic Republic, and that it was their duty to flee to Amgarrak and preserve the ancient dogma and teachings of the Dark Side. Their plan was to one day return to the Galaxy to accomplish what the Empire could not: the destruction of both the Republic and their Jedi protectors. In time, Keine and his worshipers located and settled on Amgarrak, beginning to build their numbers, expand their influence, and increase their dominion of power. However, Keine eventually disappeared without reason or warning, and due to this, Amgarrak was subsequently destroyed by Darth Nostrem, a rival of Keine.

At the loss of their sanctuary, the Imperium was in chaos and their government was incompetent without the leadership of Keine. Yet one Sith Lord, Willerick, made a name for himself in the crumbling cult. He assumed command of his former comrades and led the Imperium across the Galaxy. After a time of searching, the fractured empire finally settled on the nomadic world of Voss, claiming Voss-Ka as their capitol city. Emperor Willerick brought glory to the Imperium in the years that followed, but after being killed in a terrorist plot of Alesis Citadel, the Imperium spiraled out of control. They maintained their government, though as time went on, their obstacles and challenges only seemed to worsen. When the Eternal Empire emerged from Wild Space, the Imperium was in no political or military position to deal with them. It crumbled, but a group of survivors, under the then-Empress Candicia, fled Imperium territory. Those men and women chose to follow in the footsteps of the founders of the Imperium, locating and settling on a promised paradise, Acheron. Calling themselves the Midnight Order, they now band together in unity to face the challenges ahead.

## History

### The Subjugation of Voss

Under the rule of Emperor Keine Kallig, the Sith Imperium thrived as a cult on their homeworld of Amgarrak. But with the loss of Keine and the destruction of Amgarrak, the Imperium required both a new sanctuary and new leadership. Darth Willerick stood out among others, and seizing control over the Sith loyalists, he led them off of the burning Amgarrak in search of another home. They soon discovered Voss, a strange, inhabitable world with a society of gray Force-users. However, the Voss had managed to remain neutral in the war between the Sith Empire and Galactic Republic, deciding that neither side was worth allying with. After traveling to Voss, Willerick separated himself from his followers and met with the leaders of the Voss people. During the meeting, the Voss explained that they had seen a vision of a faction coming to Voss, being independent of both Empire and Republic. Willerick claimed that the Imperium was that faction, and that the Voss were to ally with them rather than the other factions. Despite the exhausting attempts of both Republic and Imperial diplomats, the Voss agreed with Willerick's assumption. They welcomed the Imperium's settling on their world without resistance, forcing both Empire and Republic alike off of the planet.

With permission from the planet's leaders, the followers of Willerick began to settle in the strongholds and homes of the Voss. The Imperium came and claimed the world's capitol of Voss-Ka as their own, and named the Tower of Prophecy as their seat of power. The citizens solidified their place on the world by becoming accumulated to some of the Voss' practices and traditions, as well as greatly aiding in the suppression of the Gormak. The subjugation of Voss gave the Imperium a name in the galaxy, drawing much attention to them. Many people who were impressed by the Imperium's accomplishment traveled to the world to join their ranks, and thus began the growth of influence and power within the rising empire. Willerick formed a council to oversee his people and manage the operations of the Imperium. Additionally, he shed his old name and adopted the new identity of Arestenax, symbolizing that he had changed along with his followers. But Voss was not enough of a change for him. He looked at the neighboring systems with ambition and believed that they were his worlds to conquer.

### Rise of the Sith Imperium

Filled with confidence and ambition from the success on Voss, the self-proclaimed Lord Emperor Arestenax called for the immediate building of a military. With the support of the Voss and other surrounding systems, the Imperium was able to conjure a formidable garrison along with a small navy. With the Empire and Republic distracted with one another, the Imperium easily made quick and decisive victories of planets nearby, such as Lianna and Cadinth. Arestenax also sent diplomats to the Tion Hegemony to secure an alliance. The diplomats were able to secure a truce in exchange for help in eradicating the Rakghoul plague that was feasting on their worlds. With newly aligned planets, the Imperium's building of military and naval strength increased, and they continued their march to expansion with minimal setbacks. However, they soon began to face challenges when they entered into Hutt territory. The Cartel was vigorous, but the Imperium pushed on for years until they came upon their most ambitious target yet: Quesh. Shared between the Hutts and the Republic, Quesh was a valuable planet, primarily because of its resources and industrial capabilities. Arestenax demanded its capture, so the military began preparations.

By now, the Imperium's navy strength was formidable, but still the invasion of a protected world such as Quesh seemed impossible. Though, the Imperium's rapid rise did not go unnoticed by the Empire, and so Arestenax was able to convince the Dark Council that the Imperium would be a valuable ally. A combined fleet of Imperial and Imperium warships made their attack on Quesh, and after a vigorous battle, succeeded. Now in Imperium control, Quesh provided a crucial point for Imperium expansion, allowing the navy push Hutt forces back and seize the neighboring systems. Though Emperor Arestenax, realizing the Imperium would be unable to maintain further resource consumption, put a halt to their conquest. He stated that it would be better to reinforce what they have, instead of putting themselves in a riskier position. Satisfied with the new territory, Arestenax divided it up among six sectors, each to be governed individually. The Imperium enjoyed many years with its new galactic status, and despite opposition from the renegade Darth Iax and a Hutt Cartel counterattack, they managed to survive.

### The Civil War

With a strong reputation among other organizations, the Imperium's citizens enjoyed life in the arching reach of Arestenax's territory. But despite their new galactic status, the stability of the Sith Imperium's government would be tested. With little to no warning, the Lord Emperor Arestenax declared that he would be briefly leaving known space on a personal matter, entrusting the leadership of the Imperium to the questionable hands of his daughter, Princess Vindictiva Roderick. When Arestenax vanished, Vindictiva took his place as Imperial Regent, now holding the responsibilities of her father and of the people. Initially, much of the Imperium hierarchy was uneasy at the news their government would be controlled by a young girl with minimal experience leading an empire. However, their concerns were quickly put to rest as Vindictiva worked tirelessly for the benefit of the Imperium, strengthening ties with the Sith Empire and lending her aid to the teaching of the One Sith religion. Many citizens soon trusted Vindictiva as they had come to trust Arestenax. But despite the favor Vindictiva had won with the people of the Imperium, the citizens soon became restless and worried by the extended absence of Arestenax.

This became most evident during a dispute between Vindictiva and Lord Empress S'rahnia, the wife of Arestenax. After a discussion turned into an argument, S'rahnia challenged the dominion of the Regent, claiming that her actions were committed without proper reasoning. As time went on, with no sign of Arestenax, their conflict evolved until Vindictiva declared S'rahnia as a traitor outright. In response, the Empress took a fleet of those still loyal to her and fled Imperium space. Loyalists within the Imperium faced the difficult decision of choosing a side. Meanwhile, both Vindictiva's and S'rahnia's fleet would meet over Hoth and begin the battle. But before a victor could be decided, Emperor Arestenax reappeared in the heat of battle, and both sides entered an immediate cease fire to learn what their Emperor had to say. Arestenax lectured both parties for allowing a petty argument to ascend to war, before moving on to name a new council of the Imperium and declare his son Salvatus as his heir. However, as the discussion finally seemed to by dying down, a man of unknown origin appeared in the throne room, and with two quick unforeseeable shots, both Emperor Arestenax and Princess Vindictiva were dead.

### The Citadel Crisis

The abrupt assassination of the sovereign Arestenax and his daughter brought depression to his many followers. The assailant had escaped without leaving a trace of his existence, just as the heir to the throne, Prince Salvatus, was preparing for his coronation. As he ascended and became the new sovereign of the Sith Imperium, one of his first demands was for the assassin to be brought to justice. The High Council met and reviewed their thoughts on the matter, questioning who could have been able to kill Arestenax with such precision and perfection. It was at this gathering that Darth Erasis Citadel, a well-known councilor, revealed a shocking truth: the assassin was his nephew, X'aan, who had been sent to execute the Emperor by Erasis' family, House Citadel. Many were uneasy at hearing this news, and now both a mutual distrust and dislike for Erasis ran throughout the Imperium's hierarchy. However, the Sith Lord promised his comrade Councilors that he would use his connection to the assailants to destroy them. Despite questioning Erasis' true loyalty, the Imperium's Council and Aristocracy allowed him to continue with his affairs, expecting immediate news on the whereabouts of the members of House Citadel.

After performing a ritual to strengthen his mind and power, Erasis' counterpart Fidelisis began leading the Imperium charge against House Citadel. One of their first missions led them to Belsavis, where the team confronted X'aan, the deadly assassin that killed Arestenax. After being attacked and subdued, X'aan was introduced to the Dowager-Empress S'rahnnia, who gave him a painful execution as revenge for her husband's death. Following this, the Imperium clashed with House Citadel on several more occasions, achieving multiple victories and losses against them. Eventually, a strike team consisting of Imperium heroes and their new allies, the Reborn Dread Masters, assaulted a Citadel stronghold on Nar Shaddaa and confronted the mastermind himself: Alesis the Xenocide. Alesis, having partnered with the rogue Sith Lord Kataret, was able to defeat the strike team, before escaping off the moon. Erasis, realizing Alesis was too strong, helped the Imperium sever his power, before the strike team confronted him again on Ilum. Emperor Salvatus led the attack, engaging in a climactic battle before finally striking Alesis down and ending the Citadel heresy. Afterwards, the Dread Masters decided to stay allies with the Sith Imperium.

### The Asavianic War

With the defeat of the terrorists of House Citadel, the Sith Imperium's security was restored and peace resumed in their territory. In the months that followed, the empire embraced leisure, holding ceremonies and parties alike and drowning their past losses out with new celebrations. However, during one such occasion, Emperor Salvatus attended and mysteriously became dizzy, eventually collapsing in front of everyone. Worried for their sovereign, the Imperium secured Salvatus and sent him somewhere safe to recover. Many were confused from the incident, but the situation only worsened as the Imperium's leaders received a disturbing report from the military: their world of Quesh was under attack. Wasting no time, several members of the council took a fleet to Quesh to join the battle, only to see that it had taken a turn for the worse. An enemy fleet of allied Republic, Imperial, and Hutt ships had seized control of the world, and to further the situation, other neighboring systems had been lost. The Ministry of War declared a retreat, so the remaining Imperium ships fled Sector Six, which had fallen to this unknown enemy. The Imperium's government was mystified by the enemy's composition of ships, and their perfect execution of the battle without any communications.

Following several leads laid before them, the Imperium learned what they could on the enemy, but their information remained extremely limited. Finally, after weeks of war, the leader of their opponent revealed himself: Asavian, a former High Councilor of the Imperium that betrayed them after foreseeing their future fall. Asavian had managed to fake his own death in years prior to escape publicity, and since being in the shadows, he conjured an army of mind-controlled soldiers to serve him. Despite knowing the face of their enemy, the Imperium continued to face heavy losses. Many heroes were lost in the battles, including Supreme Commander Loret Occlus, Princess Amavii Roderick, and most notably, the Imperial Regent Bhula. Additionally, the Imperium was left to fight this battle alone as Asavian had easily crippled their allies, the Dread Masters. Regardless of these many defeats, the Imperium at last learned Asavian's location on Nar Shaddaa. In a desperate last attempt, the Imperium sent its most elite warriors to face Asavian head-on. After an intense duel on the moon, Asavian finally fell to the blade of Empress Candicia, regretting nothing as he faded into the force.

### Battle of the Four Factions

After months of war, Asavian was defeated, and his armies fell with him. Emperor Salvatus had returned from seclusion under protection of the Order of the Emperor, but remained inflicted with a deadly poison, and thus avoided the public eye. The High Council determined that they were weak from the Asavianic war and would need time to rebuild their navy before attempting to reclaim Sector Six from Republic and Hutt forces. For five years, Imperium Sith and soldiers trained themselves and prepared for the future, whatever it would hold. However, in Salvatus' constant absence, different members of the Imperium hierarchy began to take matters into their own hands. Lord Nolus of the Reborn Dread Masters often argued with Si'alla Va'lenn, mentioning the Imperium's crumbling government on multiple occasions. These disagreements began a rivalry between the two, which would evolve into something much more chaotic. The Dread Masters began to claim that they knew the Emperor's will and were acting accordingly, while Empress Candicia and the rest of the Imperium's Council grew stronger in their dislike and caution for these Sith. Eventually, the Masters were called out as traitors, causing them to strike at the Imperium before fleeing to Oricon.

Wary of the damage that the Dread Masters could do, the Imperium began mobilizing its military to capture or destroy them. A large Imperium armada invaded Oricon, five-times the size of the Masters own smaller fleet. However, the Masters had prepared elaborate traps which kept most of the fleet away from the dark moon. Regardless, the Imperium managed to get a strike team to the surface and confronted the Masters. But before the duel began, a dramatic twist was revealed: Grand Moff Sefran of the Imperium military had set the Masters and Imperium against each other, effectively weakening both sides. He then retreated with a portion of the Imperium's navy, fleeing to Sector Three, now known as the Republic-aligned Kingdom of Centares. Enraged, the Dread Masters and Imperium combined their remaining strength, launching an attack on the Kingdom. A team of heroes raided the nation's capitol, Centares, fighting through their military defenders and managing to kill Sefran. The Masters and Imperium then took their remaining forces to Voss, where they were surprised to see the sickened Emperor Salvatus make an appearance. He ordered the Imperium to reinforce the territory they hold, and not attempt to retake Sector Six or Three.

### A New Beginning

The Imperium was in a state of depression. Risen up from a small cult of disciples to a formidable galactic power, this empire had endured years of hardship and survived. But their fleet was weakened and their territory had shrunk to half of what it used to be. And then, as if things couldn't get any worse, another tragedy occurred. Emperor Salvatus, who had been fighting the disease inflicted by Asavian, finally succumbed to the sickness, passing peacefully in his sleep. His oldest child Kharia claimed the throne, just as news broke out about the Eternal Empire's invasion into the Galaxy. The Imperium's hierarchy witnessed the Eternal Empire crush both the Republic and Empire within a few months. Only a little later, the Sith Imperium's territory was attacked by Zakuul's Fleet, and its fleet was quickly pushed back to Voss. As a battle began above Voss, the former-Empress Candica approached Kharia, begging her daughter to see reason and either retreat or surrender. But Kharia dismissed these concerns, declaring that the Imperium would not be beaten under her reign. Candicia, realizing her efforts were futile, departed Voss. Minutes after leaving, the throne room was stormed by an Exarch and several Knights of Zakuul, who swiftly executed Empress Kharia.

Along with Si'alla Va'lenn, Empress Candicia sent out a distress message to any heroes of the Sith Imperium. A few Harrowers and Terminus ships answered the call, regrouping as a small fleet. But both Candicia and Si'alla knew that these ships would not be formidable, and that reclaiming their territory would be a lost cause. They quickly decided that their only option was to retreat into seclusion to escape the war-torn galaxy. Moments later, Lord Nolus of the Dread Masters approached the two, offering them a suggestion. They decided to trust the Dread Master's judgement, and in little time, the Imperium fleet jumped to hyperspace, a final abandoning of their territory. Afterwards, the ships arrived in orbit around Thule, an ancient Sith world where the Imperium could remain in safety. Once they had landed on the planet, Candicia called together the survivors of the chaos. They swore their loyalty to her: the government, the Dread Masters, and all the citizens. Calling themselves the cryptic Midnight Order, Candicia claimed the title of Empress and named Si'alla as her Flame and Voice. But this new Midnight Order had many struggles to overcome, as Thule provided minimal resources, and they had no way to repair and manage the ships within their fleet.

### The Jannuah Situation

Despite a promising and fresh start for the members of the Midnight Order, their fantasized paradise soon met the reality of their situation. The newly found homeworld of Thule soon appeared to be a poor choice, as it lacked raw materials and vegetation that would be needed for the Order to survive. As it was necessary, most of the fleet was grounded and the 80,000 civilian population was given extremely rationed food, as well as now being forced to live in hastily constructed shacks and hovels. The threatening Darth Haar also made occasional appearances, making demands of the Order since they were logistically on his territory. Everyone was forced to bide their time in these conditions for five years, until the first good news finally came from the Ministry of Intelligence. Under Cordaxia Vel'naz, Intelligence recently located an undiscovered planet, Jannuah, full of raw resources which could be exploited for the Order's usage. However there was a complication. On the planet existed two groups of people: the religiously spiritual Iuns, along with the technology harvesting Kytovians. Neither had unlocked the secrets to proper space travel, and the planet was unknown to the Republic, Empire, and Zakuul. A perfect opportunity.

The Order first made contact with the King Trianus, the Iun leader who currently held the most influence on the planet. However, the Dread Masters' representative on the world was quick to ruin negotiations, believing the solution laid within fearful tactics and slavery. Following this failed diplomacy, the Order reached out to the Kytovians. The two governments soon came to a mutual dislike for the Iuns, and decided to partner for the time. They worked together and endured several setbacks, but the Order was soon to learn that the Iuns had reached out to the Republic in an attempt to undermine the Order's efforts. Luckily, a group was able to intercept the meeting, kill each faction's representative, and sabotage the potential alliance. At this loss, the Iuns were forced to reopen negotiations with the MIdnight Order, offering a choice to the Council: ally with either the treacherous but influential Iuns or with the faithful yet unpopular Kytovians. After much consideration, the Council chose to partner with the Kytovians, exiling the Iun government and forcing the planet to embrace industrialization. With the world now controlled, the planet was fitted with mines and factories to begin large scale fuel production for the Order's soon-to-be mobilized fleet.

### Acts of Patriotism

In the events following the situation on Jannuah, things began to slowly look up for the Hierarchy of the Midnight Order. The Ministry of War was regaining lost strength in fueling its fleet. The Ministry of Intelligence was making progress in the mission to find a new home. And on top of that, a group of lost allies had come back to the Midnight Order, led by the veteran Ruu'san Kaldar. However, just as the Empress had become comfortable with the return of a former friend, chaos broke loose. Declaring themselves as the "Patriots of Indrexu", Ruu'san and her refugees attacked the Order's hierarchy. They claimed to be on a quest of vengeance for the Order's abandonment of Voss, and thus, they sought to kill the Order's leaders. Luckily, the first attack was stopped and the terrorists were repelled, but they were long from defeated. Following the initial comeback, the Patriots and the Order made several moves against one another, usually ending with a trap or trick planted by the terrorists. Eventually, the Patriots made their most devastating attack against Order with the kidnapping of the Minister of State. After manipulating the Minister into endorsing her cause, Ruu'san personally and publicly executed him.

Due to this victory, the Partriots of Indrexu were able to rally the restless citizens of the Order that had been neglected by the Council. Being both armed and furious, a large number of citizens marched against the Order's greatest defenders, wreaking havoc and causing mass death. Despite the disadvantage, Lady Si'alla Va'lenn was able to turn the citizens back to her side, and through this rallying call, the Midnight Order triumphed in success. With this momentum, the Order made a final push against Ruu'san Kaldar, cornering her and her followers in their base and capturing them. For her crimes, Kaldar was sentenced to death, and preparations for her execution were underway. Nevertheless, the Order was caught off guard as the last of the terrorists made another attack against them. Ruu'san managed to escape in the midst of the attack, taking her place at the helm of a Dreadnought to lead her followers. With the ultimate advantage, Ruu'san prepared to destroy the Order, but she was betrayed by her own loyalist who had sabotaged her ship to explode. At her last command, Ruu'san called off her followers' attack, before navigating the ship away from the Order's territory. The Dreadnought exploded soon after, resulting in Kaldar's death, yet her final actions had preserved the Order's future.

### The Witch Hunt

Following the defeat of the terrorists, the Midnight Order entered a new era of tranquility and regrowth. Without any enemies to hold them back, the fleet full of citizens and supplies arose from the surface of Thule, before disappearing into the depths of Wild Space. It wasn't long until they arrived at the Acheron system, named after the new homeworld and capital of the reforming empire. Over the course of many months, the Order laid out the new foundations of their sovereignty, all the while quelling the mysteries and hostilities that surrounded their new home. But as satisfying as Acheron was for the people of the Order, it was inevitable that the darkness of Thule would return to their lives. While the Midnight Order was biding its time on the new homeworld, an old enemy had resurfaced: The Supreme Witch Rayak and her Witch clan, the Coven. Rayak's disciples had invaded Thule in plans of a showdown with the Order's greatest heroes, but instead only found a small community of stranded refugees on the planet. In an attempt to lure the Order back to Thule, the vile Witches began rounding up and slaughtering the abandoned citizens, forcing their old enemy to acknowledge their presence on the nightmarish world.

On Acheron, the Small Council convened. While they argued and bickered about sending support, a new revelation came forward. Vahnus, Pharaoh of Kaeshun and former ally of the Order, had already dispatched her followers on Thule to battle the Coven and prove herself a worthy ally. With this knowledge, the Council agreed to return to Thule and end the threat of Rayak once and for all. Under command of Praetor Eh-rohn Shay, the Order's resources and manpower quickly turned the war in their favor. The Witches were gradually pushed back, but they maintained a tight grip on Thule. Lady Si'alla Va'lenn soon arrived on the planet's surface, and in coordination with Thule rebels and Kaeshun warriors, the Witch offensive was broken. Backed by loyal allies, Si'alla confronted a delirious Rayak, only to learn that the Supreme Witch was dying from decay and disease. After a lengthy monologue, Rayak's physical form dissolved, leaving her remaining followers on Thule confused and leaderless. With their enemy in disarray, the Order's forces attacked the final Coven sanctuary, rooting out the last of the Witches on the world. At last, Thule was liberated, the Order's numbers were bolstered by returning refugees, and an alliance with a powerful ally had been rekindled.

### War for the Throne

Seated promptly upon their capital in Wild Space, Empress Candicia and the Council of the Midnight Order strengthened their standing in the Galaxy, tightening their grip on nearby planets and renovating a powerful military force. But the embellished society was troubled once more by its vile enemy: the Eternal Empire of Zakuul. Having briefly returned to the former homeworld of Voss, the Order shockingly discovered that the graves of its fallen monarchs had been defiled, each corpse having been extracted by Zakuulan scientists for an experiment only known as "Project Deity". With both Candicia and Si'alla going into solitude to individually investigate this news, Midnight Order operatives under Supreme Commander Neronae began a more direct assault to end the project, quickly learning of the Eternal Empire's intentions to clone the deceased sovereigns of the Imperium. Their missions eventually took them to Darvannis, where they were confronted by Valencia, the supposed last living member of the Sith Imperium's royalty, House Roderick. Aided by Valencia, the group launched a devastating attack on the dust world, persisting until they believed they had wiped out the entirety of Project Deity. In spite of this victory, the Midnight Order's return to Acheron only invoked a new conflict.

After arriving, Valencia claimed that in Candicia's absence, she had been gifted with command of the Order. Realizing this was a mere power-play, Commander Neronae and a group of loyalists challenged the usurper in the palace throne room. But the team was appalled to see Valencia protected by a masterful Force-user, Val'erica, who turned out to be Project Deity's greatest success; she was a clone of Empress S'rahnia. Val'erica further stunned everyone as she betrayed her master, crushing Valencia's body with the Force and taking the throne for herself. Neronae led a contingent of those who knew the truth to the planet Rishi, biding their time as they slowly gained military and personnel support to remove the tyrant from the throne. In their first direct attack against the new Empress, the rebels infiltrated Acheron in an attempt to free the imprisoned Empress Candicia. However, the rescue was thwarted when Val'erica publicly murdered Candicia in single-combat, legitimizing her claim to the throne. Only afterwards did Si'alla Va'lenn reappear, taking command of the rebels to lead a vengeful assault on Acheron. Despite heavy odds, Si'alla's strike force was allowed to enter the palace by command of an overconfident Val'erica. Yet the clone was unprepared for Si'alla's newfound strength, enticed by the spirits of Candicia and S'rahnia. Val'erica was brought to her knees as Si'alla climatically vanquished her spirit, thus reclaiming the throne as Empress of the Order and ending the Roderick legacy.

### Shattered Sight

Si'alla's ascension as the Empress of the Midnight Order marked a new age in the faction's history, not as a golden age of prosperity and peace, but as a time of reborn interaction between the great galactic powers. The first clash came from a detachment of the Eternal Fleet, having gone murderous rampage throughout the Galaxy as a result of the Eternal Empire's ruler, Vaylin. Although posed to be defeated, the Order's vessels were saved when the Eternal Throne was commandeered by the Outlander, who broadcast a message declaring the end of the Eternal Empire and the liberation of the Galaxy. With their longtime adversary finally defeated, Si'alla ended the Order's strict isolationism, opening its borders to allow exit and entry into its territory. As a result, the Midnight Order came into reborn contact with House Citadel, a family of Force-users once labelled as terrorists in the days of the Sith Imperium. Forming a cautious and unofficial alliance, the Order and Citadels conquered the troublesome planet of Kaeshun, before promising an exchange of support if necessary in the future. While wary of its newfound "allies", the Order's militaristic actions on Kaeshun unintentionally revealed itself to enemies new and old within the Sith Empire and Jedi Order.

In response to losing his world, the rogue Kaeshun King Xalven aligned himself Darth Haar and Admiral Myrene Varga of the Sith Empire, recurring enemies of the Midnight Order. Under the pressure of a full-fledged invasion from the Imperial officers, the Midnight Order was unprepared when its leadership was struck by a mysterious plague. As the plague's caster, Jedi Master Ignun X'aan, made himself known, tension began to embroil among the Order's worlds. An interim Council was installed, making radical decisions to protect the Order in the face of overwhelming odds, going as far as forming a tenuous partnership with deceitful members of the Hutt Cartel. The desperation to capture the plaguemaster grew and when the Order finally believed they had caught him, Xalven revealed himself as the architect of the campaign and, before escaping, murdered Chancellor Cordaxia Vel'naz in cold blood As conflict continued, the Order's Citadel allies determined the Empire's plans to retake Kaeshun with Xalven, and then use the planet as a staging ground to march on Acheron. Simultaneously, however, the Jedi plague-master launched his own attack on the Order's capital, intending to use his ritual to collapse the Order from within. Divided between two capable enemy armies, the Order suffered considerable losses though ultimately achieved success, repelling Haar and Arctis while killing Xalven. Despite establishing themselves on the galactic plane, the Order's temporary alliance Hutts was dissolved, though the Cartel's influence had already spurred the beginnings of an underworld among the Order's worlds.

### The Scourge of Acheron

Having contended with Empire and Republic alike, the secrecy of the Midnight Order's existence began to erode. The once invisible empire on the edge of the Expansion Region had been exposed, and now started to see visitors from across the galaxy, mostly criminals and those that feared the thrashing resource crisis. But hidden among the new faces, a new threat was contesting the Order's own homeworld. Upon investigating the suspicious actions of one Sergeant Li'ven'a, a confidante to Empress Va'lenn, operatives discovered the presence of an old threat: Darth Nostrem and his militia. An adversary of the former Sith Imperium, Nostrem had brought ruin in the early years of the empire when he destroyed its first homeworld of Amgarrak. Despite awareness of Nostrem's presence on Acheron, the Council was too late in its response, enabling the Sith Lord to storm the gates of the city New Alexia alongside his commander Ivris and the traitor Li'ven'a. Although Nostrem's forces were massively outnumbered and outgunned compared to the full might of the Midnight military, their staunch loyalty and combat proficiency allowed them to tighten their grip on the city without reservation. Even worse, Nostrem used Wrenn Va'lenn, daughter of Empress Va'lenn, as a hostage to keep the Order's forces at bay, threatening to kill her at the first sign of resistance.

Knowing Nostrem would not sit still forever, the Order searched for an opening in the enemy's patrols, seizing the first opportunity to infiltrate New Alexia and managing to extract Wrenn. With her daughter safe, Si'alla, hurt from betrayal and enraged by the attack, authorized a full military engagement of the militia, intent on liberating the city quickly to minimize civilian fatalities. Although the Nostrem and Ivris were not present, their forces were swiftly overrun in battle, resulting in Li'ven'a taking her own life to avoid capture. However, the liberation was short-lived, as the militia had planted explosives throughout the city, activating them on the verge of the Order's victory and leveling New Alexia. It wasn't long before Nostrem broadcast his victory to the entirety of Acheron, before revealing his true ace. The Order's focus on New Alexia and Wrenn had given Nostrem time to activate a deadly bioweapon, which released a mutagen that killed everything in touched. Despite his apparent victory, the Sith's gloating allowed the Order to trace his signal, which revealed his location within a bunker on Acheron. Si'alla herself led an army to the militia's last bastion, with the Empress managing to penetrate its defenses and confront both Nostrem and Ivris. An intense duel raged within the bunker, though Nostrem fled knowing he was doomed to fail, leaving his commander to die. Faced with his friend's abandonment, Ivris surrendered and aided the Order in shutting down the bioweapon. Although the deadly mutagen had been stopped, the damage to Acheron had been done, and Nostrem himself had escaped in the chaos.

### Severance

Despite Nostrem's retreat, his invasion had carved deep scars in the ranks of the Order. The destruction left behind by his bioweapon had permanently altered large portions of Acheron's environment, and the lives lost in the attack on New Alexia were left without retribution. The people's faith in the hierarchy was shaken, and much like it was during the time on Thule, protesters began to loudly question the council and the Empress. Si'alla was forced to acknowledge that the Order could not continue as it was, and that changes would need to be made to restore the trust of her people. With that mindset, she began investigating to motivation and movements of the protesters, at which point she realized that they had come to support a host of charismatic individuals. With their new followings, these individuals had essentially built personality cults out of the droves of military and civilian personnel that had lost faith in the Order's established hierarchy. Si'alla reached out to these individuals, offering them the opportunity to form their followings into legitimate estates, and from there, to help govern the Order in an official capacity. The arrangements were made, with the Order's Council being reorganized to include the heads of the six ruling families. Si'alla managed to retain her rule over the Council by forming her own estate out of those who were still loyal to her.

The restructuring was executed well enough, with different families accepting governance over different planets within the Order's territory. However, not everyone was satisfied with this new regime, with many finding little benefit in being ruled by estate leaders as opposed to ministers. Crime subsequently sparked on multiple planets, and while most were routine offenses, one investigation revealed the assassination of a Sith Lord who had been drained of his Force-sensitivity. Such an event was unprecedented in the Order's history, but soon enough, similar cases began sprouting up on every planet within its borders; it seemed to be a plague with endless outbreaks. The Empress dispatched her best operatives to find the source of threat, and upon investigation, they learned of the Equalist Organization: an extremist group of dissidents who resented all Force-users within the Order's ranks. The plague had been the Organization's attempt at eliminating its Force-sensitive overlords, but it was inevitably revealed to be just a front. The Organization's leader was a Force-user himself, and he merely wanted to create a power vacuum that he could fill. Still, shortly after its exposure, the members of the Organizations were captured or killed, but the plague persisted. In a final act of self-sacrifice, Empress Si'alla used her healing techniques to commune with every citizen in the Order, siphoning the plague into herself and dying as a result. Neronae Vindarhin ascended in succession.

## The Sovereign

The figures selected as Sovereign among the former Sith Imperium and Midnight Order were the men and women that sat at the top of the government's hierarchy. These men and women were often titled as emperors and empresses, holding the immense responsibility of leading those that served them. The sovereigns are distinguished as the heads of House Royal, and thus the heads of the entirety of the Order.

### Sovereigns of the Sith Imperium

1. His Majesty, Emperor Keine Kallig alongside Empress Morgaana
2. His Majesty, Lord Emperor Arestenax Roderick alongside Lord Empress S'rahnia
3. His Majesty, Emperor Salvatus Roderick alongside Empress Candicia
4. Her Majesty, Empress Kharia Roderick as sole ruler of the Imperium

### Sovereigns of the Midnight Order

1. Her Majesty, Empress Candicia Va'lenn alongside Lady Si'alla Va'lenn
2. Her Majesty, Empress Val'erica as sole ruler of the Order
3. Her Majesty, Empress Si'alla Va'lenn as sole ruler of the Order
4. **Her Majesty, Empress Neronae Vindarhin as sole ruler of the Order**

## The Sovereign's Chosen

After the dissolution of the Office of Praetor, the responsibilities of the rank were transferred to the one holding a new title: The Sovereign's Chosen. As second-in-command of the Midnight Order, the Chosen is tasked with his or her own typical duties, whether it be leading a House or serving as an Honor Guard, along with more demanding duties and executive privileges. The Chosen must manage the affairs of the Council and ensure that the affairs of the various Houses are orderly in civil, such that elements of conflict and collusion are avoided. Being next in line to the throne, the Chosen is to be respected highly and is expected to loyally carry out the will of the sovereign. Just as well, in any formal or informal absence of the sovereign, the Chosen will retain dominion over the entirety of the Midnight Order.

Currently holding this title is Lady Faye Va'lenn, heir to the throne.

## The Houses of the Midnight Order

News spread quickly after the Scourge of Acheron. Much of the Order's populace was consumed in fear as civilians and soldiers alike deserted the Empress' rule, joining up with influential individuals for servitude and protection. In order to maintain her status, Si'alla reorganized the structure of the Midnight Order, dismantling the Ministries and recognizing the most powerful of these individuals as official heads within the Order. These heads formed considerable estates and made up a new Council, with the Empress positioning some of her own loyal subjects as heads to preserve her own voice among theirs.

### Ruling Families

* House Vindarhin, the Royal House, led by Empress Neronae
* House Va'lenn, led by the Chosen Faye.
* House Lang, led by Lord Pelaegean
* House Kora, led by Lady Misa'soma.
* House Itera, led by Lady Syrena.
* House Ismill, led by Lady Obinaya.

## The Spheres of the Order

In the aftermath of the Scourge of Acheron, Empress Si'alla Va'lenn was forced to restructure the Midnight Order to maintain the faith of her people. Newly-formed estates became the ruling entities within the Order, reigning as governors over different planets in the Acheron system and beyond. While this decentralization of power was intended, a bureaucratic entity was still required to oversee the day-to-day operations of the Order and to manage the wider populace. As a result, two branches were formed -- the Sphere of Defense and the Sphere of Logistics -- made up of the resources of the dismantled ministries. Each Sphere oversees four departments that work together in tandem to accomplish their objectives.

Each of the eight departments is led by a director, and together, the eight make up the Court of Directors. While the Court has access to the resources of the different departments, it has no governing power in and of itself, and it serves directly at the behest of the Order's Royal House.

### The Sphere of Defense

* The Department of Armed Forces
* The Department of Naval Forces
* The Department of the Honor Guard
* The Department of Analytical Assets

### The Sphere of Logistics

* The Department of Internal Affairs
* The Department of External Affairs
* The Department of Economic Interests
* The Department of Public Records