The great truths of this Universe, its workings and its nature remain obscured to us. To mortal life, all that matters is what to do with what is provided to us. Whatever we may perceive in the material reality is up to our own interpretation.
—Irsanic Meditations
Gargan the Great was the Gargan from 219 BBY to 214 BBY. As Gargan, he won a series of unprecedented military victories which reunited Gargan's Empire after it had practically disintegrated due to internal revolts and civil war. His successes ended the Gargan Dark Age and earned him the moniker Arcanus –"Master Sorcerer".
Born in humble circumstances as Irsan Gharsan, his service to Samson Aberforth, the Varkhan of Benefictus, earned him a prestigious military career and substantial political power. Rising through the ranks and obtaining a seat on the Order of Gargan, Gharsan helped quell dissent and civil revolts on Garganath and led his own militia, the Western Raiders, to victory by defeating the rebellious House Beshan. His victories eventually led him to be elected Gargan in 219 BBY.
During his reign, the Gargan defeated the Houses Minor and conquered their Zoyaman and Gacilian empires after a devastating war. During this military campaign, he defeated Houses Aardon, Ebbar, Sauvirn, Bynes and Rabban. By preserving most of the Houses Minor, he reunited the Empire in its entirety and instituted major political reforms that significantly reduced the power and autonomy of the Landsmeet. He granted substantial rewards for Houses that remained loyal and exiled nobles to Osnoraan who defied him. The reforms, while effective, proved unpopular and eventually led to his assassination at the age of 61.
Gargan the Great effectively prevented the Empire from collapsing and preserved its territories by stunting the influence of the aristocracy. While he was controversial during his reign, his intervention and military brilliance became lauded by historians who have come to hail him as one of the greatest Gargans in history. While they were never published in his lifetime, Gargan the Great was a notable orator and wrote a number of commentaries called the Irsanic Meditations, which became renowned in political circles across the galaxy. The Gargan was also famous for his mask, which he wore while in public to hide a facial disfigurement he received during the Golden War.
Biography[]
Early life[]
The man who would become Gargan the Great was born on the planet Benefictus as Irsan Gharsan. Much of his early life was shrouded in mystery, the only known truths being that he was born into a commoner family, possibly descended from a bastard line of House Astardi. His mother had been a recent convert to Garganism from Dantooine and was a priestess of Ur at the local temple on Benefictus. The identity of Irsan's father, because of his mother's promiscuity, remained unknown. Irsan himself believed his father to have either been a military official of the Gargan Navy, or possibly a travelling merchant. His mother's infidelity caused her to be cast out of the temple, after which she resorted to prostitution to provide for the family. According to the Irsanic Meditations, Irsan had an older sister who became the primary breadwinner of the family after Irsan's mother died of an enduring illness.
Irsan was known to give conflicting information on his upbringing and childhood, possibly to invoke a sense of mystery or perhaps to hide a dark secret he carried since his teens. In various retellings of his past, Irsan claimed he worked as a salt miner on Orric and as a fisher of dretches on the ocean world of Styran X. Stories surrounding his life tell that, during his late teens, financial hardship struck the Gharsan family - during which Irsan prostituted himself to Tyrrhan nobles. It was during this period that he keenly developed a skill for subterfuge and persuasion. He roamed the streets of Eiroda and developed a reputation as an artist and became a prolific singer. Conversely, a different account claims that during this period, Irsan had been a student at the Temple of the Dreamers because of his Force-sensitivity and was known to try and escape numerous times.
In his late teens, Irsan graduated from the Temple and became a priest of Ur in the city of Myrra on Garganath. As a Forceful temple priest, Irsan was naturally in line to be apprenticed to a Proctor of the Order of Gargan. The ambiguity of his early life began to fade after Irsan became the apprentice of Asadu Ifawa, Proctor of the Tower of Foreign Affairs.
Military career[]
Irsan completed his Bogrot in 259 BBY and joined the Armada of the Red Sun in 255 BBY at the age of twenty. As a Force Adept, Irsan became part of the specialized branch of the Gargan Army dedicated to providing relief support to the non-Forceful infantry forces. During his early military career, the Empire was struggling due to internal revolts and political infighting, thrusting Imperial society into a dark age and significant financial hardship for billions of Imperial citizens. By time, Irsan became the commanding officer of a squad of Force Adepts and established himself as a competent strategist after repelling pirate invasions from the Outer Rim Territories. He built a solid reputation for himself for military competence during the tumultuous decades of the century. He became an officer at the age of twenty-eight, elevating his social status and allowing him to consort with the Empire's nobility.
Service under the Aberforths[]
Cavalry Officer Gharsan while serving under House Aberforth.
In 245 BBY, Irsan left the military a decorated officer with a salary large enough to purchase an estate on Benefictus. He first began to realize the severity of the crisis that plagued the Empire when self-proclaimed warlords defected from the military and claimed large swaths of territories or even entire planets - among them Benefictus. Benefictus, a planetary fief governed by House Aberforth, was plagued by pirate captains who seized entire fortifications from the Aberforths and delivered an ultimatum to Varkhan Samson Aberforth; surrender control of the planet to the North Stars or face destruction.
Irsan joined House Aberforth's household guard and became acquainted with the Varkhan after squashing a smuggling ring in Eiroda. Irsan was promoted rapidly; he was given command of the elite Aberforth cavalry and soon promoted to Officer of the Cavalry, what was effectively the head of the Aberforths' planetary army when several branches of Benefictus' armed forces were centralized for ease of command. The North Stars, under the command of would-be usurper Aeon Gavaille, pillaged villages along the Harahan Plateau of western Benefictus. Irsan was given a contingent of forces which he reorganized into the Western Raiders - a private militia dedicated to eradicating pirate activity on Benefictus. With Varkhan Aberforth's blessing, Irsan went to war. He was to ambush the pillaging North Stars and drive them into the northern grasslands, where Aberforth would be waiting with his assembled army to take Gavaille prisoner.
Using the cover of night, the Raiders travelled ahead to Bassalon, a fortress-city Irsan predicted the North Stars would pillage as it was a strategic location with plenty of resources. As he predicted, when the North Stars arrived Irsan ambushed them and drove them north, effectively breaking their ranks and disorienting them. The fleeing pirates, along with Gavaille, fell into the hands of Aberforth's main army who quickly assaulted them. While his forces were effectively wiped out, Gavaille escaped with a handful of retainers into the wilderness. While the North Stars' advance had been halted, the Aberforths suffered heavy losses.
The Varkhan could not afford another pitched battle. With what little guards he had left, he sent them to maintain order on other settlements on Benefictus. Irsan was now the only military officer left with a sizeable army, and with Gavaille on the escape he would soon reorganize his forces and push for another assault on one of the main cities. To compensate for his small numbers, Irsan sent the Raiders into the eastern mountains where most of the North Stars had set their headquarters and ambushed them. Because the Raiders were mounted and of a small size, they had formidable speed and effectively used the notoriously dark Benefictan nights to drive them out of the mountains and into the open south - killing thousands. For the rest of the year, Irsan harassed the enemy with his cavalry.
Now stranded in Aberforth territory, the Stars' lack of provisions began to take its toll. Irsan, sensing his enemies' desperation, attacked them with the full force of his cavalry, killing many and driving the remainder off-planet. As winter set in, the North Stars attempted to retreat back into the mountains only to find themselves trapped and surrounded. The harsh conditions now exacerbated their shortage of food. Irsan successfully convinced the Varkhan to send the guards from the other cities into the mountains, where they eventually wiped out the North Stars and finally took Gavaille captive.
War with the Beshans[]
Irsan returned to Garganath a hero, hailed with accolades for pacifying Benefictus. On Irsan's suggestion, Varkhan Aberforth installed a military council and imposed curfews on the planet to ensure that no similar pirate uprising could occur again. Within the next few weeks, the Aberforth military was rebuilt and its infrastructure repaired. Bassalon had new anti-aircraft cannons installed with full authorization to shoot down any unauthorized starship landing on Benefictus.
In 242 BBY, Irsan's master on the Order of Gargan, Asadu Ifawa, fell ill. He had been sent with a diplomatic envoy to the planet Almadore to establish a peace summit with House Beshan, who threatened to break away from the Empire if the incumbent Gargan - Gargan of Steel, refused to resign. At around this time, a political crisis divided much of the Empire's Kolkans, especially planet-ruling noble families from their vassals, who loosely organized into the Houses Minor. During the Gargan Dark Age, financial turmoil forced the Gargan to grant increased autonomy to the noble families, who often shirked their duties or refused to pay their yearly tributes to the Gargan. When talk of secession began, the veteran Proctor Ifawa was picked to lessen tensions.
Believing his master had been poisoned, Irsan travelled to Almadore and spoke with Varkhan Semric Beshan. Irsan's arrival put the House on edge, especially after he explored the option of pursuing a full investigation on Almadore to discover the cause of Ifawa's illness. After he was allowed to see Ifawa on his sickbed, Irsan determined that he had in fact been poisoned with a poison that mimicked the symptoms of a sudden fever. He secretly contacted his lieutenants in the Western Raiders and informed the Order of Gargan of his findings.
When Ifawa did indeed succumb to the poison, Irsan was immediately captured and held prisoner. He maintained an attitude of superiority throughout his captivity. Varkhan Semric demanded a ransom of five thousand honors, but Irsan insisted that they ask for fifteen. After the ransom was paid, Irsan brought the Western Raiders to Almadore, razed Beshan Castle and pursued Varkhan Semric and his household. He had them burnt on his own authority, as he had promised while in captivity, which Semric took as a joke. As a sign of leniency, he first had them beheaded. He was soon called back to Garganath to deliver his report to the Order of Gargan. With Ifawa dead, Irsan naturally succeeded him as Proctor of the Tower of Foreign Affairs.
Tenure as Proctor[]
As Proctor, Irsan gained significant political authority. As he was in control of the Tower of Foreign Affairs, Gharsan presided over the assimilation of foreign expatriates into the ideology of the Empire and also maintained and developed diplomatic relations with other states. However, during most of his tenure as Proctor, he was mainly preoccupied in quelling dissident elements in the Empire. He remained in control of the Western Raiders - unusual for an incumbent Order of Gargan member - and preferred to personally oversee and attend military campaigns he issued. He was often put at odds with the reigning Gargan at the time, who believed his responsibilities were being curtailed by Gharsan. Irsan privately expressed his disdain for the Gargan of Steel, who was already advanced in age and relegated most of his duties to the Order. Secretly, Gharsan wished to attain to the position of Mordan, which would give him increased authority and autonomy to wage all-out war on the growing rebel movement.
The crisis the Empire faced reached its boiling point when news of House Beshan's destruction reached the other Houses. The Landsmeet became divided, notably in the smaller vassal houses who were already suffering considerably because of the ongoing economic crisis. In 221 BBY, the Landsmeet irrevocably broke apart. Vassals of larger Kolkans openly rebelled and formed the Houses Minor; a military-political confederation whose demands where for the abolishment of the office of the Gargan, independence for the Kolkans, and an end to the millennia-long totalitarian monarchy that had ruled the Empire. When news reached Gharsan he became furious and attempted to convince the Gargan to take immediate action. However, his requests were refused. Three years later, the Gargan was dead, with some speculating he had been murdered by Gharsan himself.
Reign as Gargan[]
Empire at War[]
With the Gargan's death, the Houses Minor saw their opportunity and immediately isolated and fortified their holdings. In some cases, the vassals subjugated their overlords and took control of their planets - using them as military bases as they prepared to strike at Garganath itself. Hastily, the Order was called into session to elect the next Gargan. Forgoing tradition, the Order recognized that immediate action was required to prevent the Empire from collapsing. Within six hours, the Order elected Gharsan based on his military prowess and earlier victories with rebel movements. According to some sources, the voting was unanimous.
The new Gargan's first act was to absorb the Raiders into the main imperial military. He kept the Raiders' lieutenants close to him as military advisors, acknowledging that their military experience could prove useful in the days to come. That same year, Houses Aardon and Ebbar overthrew their overlord House Cardis and took control of Zoyama, a major "hive world" of the Empire which included millions of civilians and top-of-the-line military installations. They soon spread to other planets, until almost completely taking the Empire's eastern territories. They soon formed the Zoyaman Empire, ruled by the Houses Minor and determined to establish their capital on Garganath. Another leading member of the Houses Minor, House Rabban, massacred their overlords of House Est-Effan and claimed control of the planet of Gacilia, which like Zoyama was also a major military planet. They conquered a considerable portion of the western territories and formed the Gacilian Empire. Now, the Gargan was forced to fight his enemies on two fronts, putting a strain on the already-dwindling Imperial forces. Within one year, the Golden War had begun.
Reunification of the Empire[]
Gargan Space in 219 BBY
The first actions of the new Gargan were aimed at strengthening his own position in his territories. Early in 219 BBY, the Gargan campaigned at the borders of the Inner Realms in skirmishes against the forces of the Aardons and Rabbans, driving them outward back into their empires. During these conflicts, the Gargan demonstrated his proficient Force abilities, earning him some renown as a sorcerer-king. The authority of the Gargan was challenged by rebel sympathizers in the Landsmeet, who tried to exploit the sense of insecurity of the empire and the overwhelming influence of the armies from the Houses Minor to sow seeds of doubt in the continued existence of the imperium. The Gargan, aware of the military influence in Garganese society, used propaganda to cement himself as a seasoned commander - which managed to sway some of the sympathizers to the loyalist side.
Battle of Styran X[]
With the Aardons pushed out of the Inner Realms, the core imperial territories now lay protected. One by one, however, Imperators were forced to abandon their posts and allow their star systems to be swallowed by the separatists. One of the most core military planets, Styran X, had since been under siege by House Sauvirn - vassals of Styran X's overlords: House Repose. Understanding that losing Styran X would cost the Empire an important foothold for conquering the Gacilian Empire, the Gargan decided to personally oversee its liberation. At Styran X, he engaged with Count Cyrus Sauvirn's famed commandos, who all but annihilated the advancing Garganese forces. When news of the initial defeats arrived at Garganath, it caused great fear for further loss of territory. But the Gargan attacked the Sauvirn encampment near Castle Isid, defeating them and forcing most to flee off-world. He finally routed them at the Castle itself. The Battle of Styran X that followed lasted for nearly a week and involved some of the most brutal fighting the war would see. The Garganese had won the battle, though the Gargan suffered a wound which scarred most of his face. To hide his deformity, he first started wearing a golden mask he fashioned himself.
Cyrus Sauvirn was captured and forced to swear fealty to the Gargan - effectively pulling the Sauvirns out of the war. The Reposes returned to Styran X and resumed their lordship, returning the planet and their fief to a status quo ante bellum.
Battle of Skego[]
The Gargan led their legions to Skego, a major civilian planet which had been ruled by House Bynes after overthrowing their overlords. The Gargan defeated the Bynes, killing their leader Bazha Atrina Bynes. As with the Sauvirns, he preserved the family. The new Bynes Bazh, who was the nephew of the late Bazha, proved to have more loyalist sympathies than his aunt and thus was a preferred successor. With Skego liberated, the Zoyaman Empire lost an important resource world and source of slave labor, which they instituted after declaring their secession. The Gargan decided to use Skego as a base of operations, aggressively recruiting from the mass civilian population and expanding the army even moreso. He promised reparations for those who lost family or property in the war. In this way, the Gargan cultivated a positive personality around him - casting a bad light on the separatists and making a return to the old ways a preferred route for Garganese civilians.
Conquest of the Zoyaman Empire[]
In 217 BBY, the Gargan turned his attention to the lost eastern provinces of the Empire, the Zoyaman Empire, ruled by Emperor Asvald Ebbar from the planet of Zoyama. House Ebbar had recently overthrown their overlords of House Cardis and turned their planet into their imperial capital. Asvald had carved out his own empire, encompassing some of the most prosperous and populous worlds. In this way, Emperor Asvald cut off the Garganeses' supply of metals and precious ores - which were vital for both the construction and maintenance of the military. Within a matter of weeks, the Gargan Imperium ran low on equipment and starships. Deciding that the Zoyaman Empire was the most crucial of the territories to be reclaimed, the Gargan took a gamble and decided to send the full force of the Armada of the Red Sun to strike at the Zoyaman capital.
Knowing that if the Gacilian Empire would discover the plan they would attack Garganath as soon as the forces left the Inner Realms, the Gargan immediately took emergency control of the Tower of Knowledge and began cutting off all communications within Gargan Space. He deliberately fed false information throughout the galaxy, subtly hinting at the growing size of the Garganese military, using their earlier victories at Styran X and Skego as proof. The deception paid off - Emperor Ulder Rabban felt that attacking Garganath was ill-advised, though fear of an exceedingly powerful Garganese armada had him fortify his own territories and instituting martial law. This would make conquering Gacilia even more difficult than it already was. However, it was a chance the Gargan felt he had to take.
The campaign to conquer Zoyama was a sounding success. He first encountered the Zoyamans on the Guideway, pushing them back to their own territories and seizing several frigates. With the full force of the Armada against the Zoyaman military - who didn't nearly have enough time to build their army to the same size as the Garganese - the empire quickly fell to pieces. At Zoyama, the Gargan had former Emperor Asvald brought before him, telling him that he had decided against executing the entire household for their treachery - or declaring them divergent on the grounds that they had practiced slavery inside lawful imperial borders. Instead, he offered them a choice - lure the rulers of the Gacilian Empire, House Rabban, into a meeting at the Houses Minor headquarters of Hessen Station, or be summarily executed. With little choice, Asvald obeyed and promised the Rabbans' demise before long.
With the Zoyaman Empire conquered, the Empire rebuilt their military-industrial complex. However, the Gacilians still proved a significant threat - having since moved the XF-01 Gargan Battle Station to their own territories. Knowing that the Armada would be obliterated, or at the very least heavily depleted if they attacked Gacilia like they attacked Zoyama, the Gargan was forced to rely on the Ebbars' deception to reconquer the western provinces.
Conquest of the Gacilian Empire[]
In 216 BBY, the victorious Gargan turned his attention west, and the Gacilian Empire which had increased considerably in size. The Gacilians were led by Emperor Ulder Rabban, who viciously overthrew their lords of House Est-Effan, nearly driving them to extinction. Only Lady Ada Est-Effan remained, who lived in exile on Orric under the protection of House Astardi. The Gargan decided to wait until striking against the Gacilians - taking the time waiting for the Ebbars' deception to build the Armada of the Red Sun. Conversely, the Gacilians did the same. The Rabbans never knew about the destruction of the Zoyaman Empire, instead believing they were victorious and repelled the Garganese at Zoyama.
Before the destruction of the Zoyaman Empire, the Ebbars were about to wed one of their own, Sadara Ebbar, to Aftan Rabban, which would have cemented the two bloodlines. The Gargan accurately predicted the wedding to be attended by the entire Gacilian leadership on Hessen Station. Asvald Ebbar, who despite his deposition kept the title of Emperor as to maintain the guise that the Zoyamans had not yet fallen, attended the wedding with his entire retinue. As he was hosting the wedding, Hessen Station would be mostly guarded by Ebbar men.
After Aftan wedded Sadara, they were escorted to a private room to consummate the marriage. Ur-Warriors disguised as musicians and servants fed the Rabban soldiers drunk, making them unable to fight. When a signal was given, the Ebbars and Garganese turned on the Rabbans, who were butchered. Ulder Rabban, who also attended the wedding, was subsequently stabbed to death by Repose assassins wielding vibroknives. The remaining attendants were killed by blasters. Some of the nobility were captured, though none managed to flee.
With the entire Rabban line extinguished, the Gacilian Empire was quickly thrown into disarray with no successor in place. The Gargan attacked the empire, easily conquering the planets and taking Gacilia with minimal losses. With the Gacilian Empire destroyed, Gargan Space was effectively unified.
Reforms[]
When the last Houses had been subjugated, the Gargan went to work instituting a series of reforms which prevented a similar catastrophe from happening again. The Gargan believed that the war was instigated because the Kolkans had become overmighty and zealous in their political influence. Among the reforms, aside from limiting the power of the Landsmeet, he restored many public buildings, re-organized the management of the food reserves, set fixed prices for the most important goods, and prosecuted misconduct by the public officers. Together, the three main reforms ended the Gargan Dark Age after a 400-year period of economic and social strife.
Political reform[]
The Gargan's most revolutionary reform was limiting the political influence of the Landsmeet. Before the War, the Kolkans were largely autonomous from the office of the Gargan - the only way to police their behavior and ensure their loyalty was through the Imperators, who already served as regional governors and autonomous naval commanders. The reforms necessitated unanimous consent for policies to pass through the Landsmeet, required approval from the Order of Gargan, and then had to pass through a third bureaucratic channel overseen by the Gargan. Secondly, the Kolkans were disallowed to form unions or alliances, ensuring that an organization similar to the Houses Minor would not rise again. In this way, inter-House warfare was effectively made useless. Thirdly, the successions within a Kolkan now purely required male-only primogeniture, doing away with the elective processes in which an heir would be chosen.
The reforms notably severed the Kolkans' access to influence. This angered many, especially families that had once sided with the Houses Minor. The reforms essentially reduced them to simple landowners. With their political powers curtailed, the Gargan had functionally restored the totalitarian authority of his office similar to the system set up by Gargan the Conqueror two millennia earlier.
Economic reform[]
The Gargan introduced a monetary reform which would combat the ongoing economic depression which had sunk the Empire into the dark age. The Gargan seized the assets of Kolkans that had been destroyed or defeated during the War and oversaw large-scale infrastructure improvement campaigns across the Empire. He also devalued the Gargan Imperial Honor, decreasing the silver purity from 93.5% to 89% – the actual silver weight dropping from 3.04 grams to 2.88 grams. This devaluation, coupled with the massive amount of gold and silver carried off after the Golden War, allowed the Gargan to mint a larger quantity of Honors than his predecessors. The Gargan also increased wages for civil workers and building guilds, creating a larger pool of employment and increasing the speed of reconstruction efforts. Coincidentally, the cost of living decreased by 25 per cent.
Food distribution reforms[]
Garganath began distributing grain, seeds and agricultural goods to its poorest citizens at a reduced price starting in 214 BBY, then for free after twenty years. The Gargan also introduced a welfare program that helped orphans and poor children throughout the Empire. The new system provided general funds, as well as food and subsidized education. The program was initially supported out of Golden War booty, and then later by a combination of estate taxes and philanthropy. By placing a tax on income earned by the Kolkans as a result of the political reforms, poorer citizens had their chances and prospects at life increased substantially.
Death[]
By 214 BBY, the Gargan grew immensely popular with the common folk. However, he became notoriously unpopular with the nobility - even Kolkans who supported him during the Golden War. The reforms stunted the nobility's power, effectively casting them out of the imperial apparatus. During his last years, the Gargan continued as a warrior-king, suppressing revolts and pockets of rebellion which lingered after the war. However, by time, most of Gargan Space had been successfully pacified. He also wrote the last chapters of the Irsanic Meditations, in which he chronicled his victory over the rebel empires and spoke about his own views on philosophy and politics. In some of the last chapters, he began talking about potential rebellion within his inner circles, though remained confident he could repel any resistance.
That same year, the Gargan entered the Chamber of the Convention during a Landsmeet gathering, as was required of the Gargan. As soon as he arrived, he was immediately crowded by noblemen who cried their dissatisfaction at him. While the Gargan initially waved them away, he was apprehended by Lord Gauste Easton who produced a dagger and swung at him. Beckoning for the others, the Gargan was soon surrounded by at least eighty noblemen who stabbed him repeatedly while calling pledges of allegiance to House Rabban. The Gargan died of blood loss, but not before soldiers of the Adeptis Uralis overpowered the assassins and killed or arrested them.
The Gargan died unmarried and childless, with no family to speak of. As was customary, he was buried inside the Imperial Palace alongside his predecessors.
Legacy[]
Despite arguments from the Landsmeet to cast the Gargan's name from history, he was posthumously given the epithet "the Great" to signify his efforts in reuniting the Empire and saving it from destruction. It took some decades for the Empire to truly acknowledge the Gargan's contribution, but once they did he became cemented as one of the greatest Gargans in history - second only to Gargan the Conqueror himself. He was also given the title of Arcanus, reserved only for especially gifted Force Adepts in the Empire.
Through the reforms he instituted, the Gargan took power from the nobility back into the office of the Gargan, bringing back the totalitarian, authoritarian monarchy established by Gargan the Conqueror. The nobility was allowed to exist and continued to subsist on the incomes they earned from their lands, though they were effectively removed from political control. His reforms also brought the Empire out of debt and economic depression, bringing new employment to millions of displaced citizens. Once the Empire rose from the Dark Age, numerous expatriates immigrated to Garganath to make a new life for themselves.
The Irsanic Meditations, although only published several decades after his death, soon became required reading for any political student in the galaxy. His beliefs on politics, philosophy, economy and spirituality were considered to be revolutionary and may have helped in casting Garganese society in a more favorable light. Soon, Garganese thoughts became more attractive to some political exiles who naturally gravitated to the style of leadership Gargan the Great maintained. Even two centuries after his death, the Gargan became a model of leadership for his successors. The Crimson Gargan, in particular, noted the influence Gargan the Great and the Meditations had on him.
Personality and traits[]
Gargan the Great was, first and foremost, a mysterious individual. As his face was mostly concealed during his most famous years, none could accurately describe what he looked like or what emotions he had. The Gargan deliberately crafted a sense of mystery around him and was known as an unreliable narrator when it came to his past. He provided different accounts of his background, often interlaced with moral lessons, and was of a mind that a person should not be shaped by his or her past. The Gargan considered the actions he took in his adulthood to have truly influenced the nature of his personality.
The Gargan was often described as a warrior-poet, and was known to write extensively on and off the battlefield. His writings, later collected and published as the Irsanic Meditations, provided an insight into his ideas and beliefs. The Gargan viewed the material universe as something beyond the scope of mortals, yet he also believed that it was shaped and interpreted through an individual's actions. Since he was aware that whatever decisions he made would influence the Empire on both a large and small scale, he was known to be as decisive as possible and often took great time to choose a proper course of action. As a Force Adept, he also learned to trust in the Force and viewed it as a guide, a belief shared by the Jedi Order.
The Gargan could also be casually ruthless, especially during war. He was considered a force of nature and many expressed their fear of him after witnessing him on the battlefield. He could easily and flippantly massacre entire families and not lose a single night's sleep over it. He rationalized these actions as benefitting the Empire as a whole, believing in the greater good and that the enemies he killed had not only chosen their paths, but unconsciously embraced their demise. His mask also gave him an inhuman sense of apathy, with most being unable to detect any sign of emotion in the people he slaughtered. However, the Gargan expressed sympathy for the downtrodden and less-fortunate - possibly because he grew up in poverty.
The Gargan was a prolific writer and artist, and his Meditations became famous throughout galactic politics as a treatise on absolute power and authority. In the Meditations, he described his dislike for the nobility and wealthy elite, and secretly expressed joy in defeating the rebellious Kolkans during the Golden War. He was an ardent admirer of Gargan the Conqueror, the founder of Gargan's Empire, and often attempted to emulate his style of leadership. He believed that the original founders intended the Empire to be an egalitarian society, and thus his hatred for the Kolkans was borne out of his belief that they were against the very foundations on which the Empire had been founded.
