The dark side is an endless well of power for those daring enough to sup from it. It is the endless pull of the void, the teetering on the precipice of oblivion, the razor's edge between godhood and annihilation. Master yourself or be destroyed.
—Darth Oculus
Tharsa Vol, also known by his title of Darth Oculus, was a Force-sensitive male Arkanian who was active as a Sith Lord during the days of the Old Republic prior to the outbreak of the Mandalorian Wars. The enigmatic leader of a fanatical Sith cult known as the Seekers of Knowledge, Vol was regarded as a dangerous threat by both the Republic and the Jedi Order's Jedi Shadows.
Born on Arkania, Tharsa was a latent Force Adept with an instinctual connection to the Force. He was given to the Jedi Order and taken to train at the Jedi Temple on Coruscant. His potential never fully manifested itself during his time with the Jedi Order and it was proposed instead that the boy would be turned over to the Jedi Service Corps rather than become a full-fledged Jedi. He joined the Exploration Corps as a result, training and working as an archaeologist who got the explore the galaxy.
Tharsa spent many years working with the other Corps members, working on archaeological sites across the galaxy. Eventually, he discovered a hidden cache of ancient dark side and Sith artifacts. He kept this a secret from his compatriots, examining and exploring the nature of the artifacts. The Sith holocrons, in particular, reacted to the young man's latent Force abilities, and began to seduce him to the dark side of the Force. Following the suggestions of the ancient malevolent Sith spirits within the holocrons, Tharsa slaughtered his fellow ExplorCorps members on the site and seemingly disappeared. In reality, he had gone on a dark pilgrimage of sorts, visiting key Sith worlds or nexuses of dark side power.
He would resurface many years later, calling himself a Sith Lord, and the head of a dangerously fanatical Sith cult. He and his cultists would harry and harass the Jedi Order on occasion, particularly the ExplorCorps, as he targeted Force-related archaeological sites across the galaxy. Eventually, Tharsa drew the attention of of Darth Stellaris and was offered an invitation to a non-aggression pact which would later become the Triad.
Biography[]
Personality and traits[]
I could flay you alive - molecule by squirming molecule - with but a thought. Be grateful that I am merciful.
—Tharsa Vol
As a young man, Tharsa was a highly curious sort who had difficulty opening up and connecting to others. He greatly preferred solitude to the company of others and eagerly threw himself into studying and learning. He possessed a hunger and zeal for learning that was borderline fanaticism. When training as a Jedi, many remarked that Tharsa was extremely aloof, unmoved by gestures of friendship or even the suffering of others, and was, to a degree, obsessively reclusive. He had a tendency to mask his insecurities behind a facade of disdain and pride.
Physical description[]
Being an Arkanian, Tharsa greatly resembled a baseline human, with a few notable exceptions: he had four clawed fingers on each hand and milky white pupilless eyes. Tharsa had a tall, slender build and gaunt facial features, with a patrician's bearing. His hair was worn long and kept neat, black in color, with a prominent widow's peak. A Fu Manchu moustache clung to the corners of his mouth and a slender beard hung down from his chin. Both of his ears were pierced with a single gold hoop, as was his left nostril: the hoop on his nostril was connected to the hoop in the left ear via a gold nose chain. His claws were rather long and painted black, sharp enough to slice flesh.
Tharsa possessed no scars, birthmarks, or tattoos on his body. His general attire consisted of splendid and opulent robes that were usually gold and red in color. His person was bedecked with multiple pieces of arcane jewelry, such as jeweled rings, ornate bracelets, and gemstone encrusted Sith talismans. While he generally eschewed the usage of armor, Tharsa wore a pair of bracers studded with the black scales of a dark side dragon. Unlike other Sith, including his fellows of the Triad, Tharsa did not carry a lightsaber.
Powers and abilities[]
Relationships[]
Behind the scenes[]
Tharsa's physical appearance was inspired by the likeness of emperor Sun Hai from Jade Empire.