Adalric Cessius Brandl

Brandl's birth occurred during the decline of the Old Republic on the world of Trulalis. He resided in the small community of Kovit, renowned for its expansive amphitheater situated at the town's heart. Early in his life, Brandl became an apprentice to Master Otias Atori, the task director of the theater. Under Otias's guidance, Brandl dedicated himself to the art of acting, undergoing years of rigorous preparation and training to hone his skills. Alongside lessons in speech and language, Brandl received instruction in sword fighting, a prominent element in many theatrical productions.

Otias, a demanding instructor who emphasized perfection, forbade Brandl from practicing scenes from celebrated plays until his abilities met Otias's exacting standards. One such play was Uhl Eharl Khoehng, a renowned adaptation from Old Corellian that Otias restricted Brandl from even reading until his acting prowess reached its zenith.

During his apprenticeship under Otias, Brandl encountered a captivating woman with auburn hair. Details about her remain scarce, except for the fact that Brandl eventually wed her, and she consented to accompany him off-world when he was ready to showcase his talents to the galaxy. Approaching thirty, Brandl finally earned the opportunity to audition for the lead role in Uhl Eharl Khoehng. After extensive study, Brandl mastered the part and resolved to seek fame as an actor beyond Trulalis. Coincidentally, Brandl's wife had become pregnant, and the relocation may have been motivated by a desire to secure a prosperous future for his family.

Having departed Trulalis, Brandl achieved immediate success as an actor, captivating audiences with his performances. He assumed the lead role in Uhl Eharl Khoehng, and his impeccable portrayal garnered such acclaim that numerous holos were produced showcasing his performance and other stage productions. Brandl's work eventually reached its zenith, leading to a scheduled performance before Emperor Palpatine.

The Emperor found Brandl's performance intriguing, albeit for reasons distinct from those of ordinary viewers. The Emperor recognized Brandl's command of the Force, noting how he subtly influenced the audience's emotions as he crafted a compelling narrative. The Emperor also discerned Brandl's innermost desires and fears. After years of studying and embodying tragic figures, Brandl had cultivated a deep longing to become a tragic hero himself. The Emperor presented Brandl with an opportunity to transcend his fictional existence and embrace reality. Instead of manipulating audiences, he would manipulate entire worlds, and in lieu of a moral lesson, a new message would resonate, promoting the Emperor's New Order.

Echoing his seduction of Anakin Skywalker years prior, the Emperor found Brandl susceptible to persuasion, convincing him that his ideals and methods were righteous, and that dissenters simply lacked the vision to comprehend them. Brandl swiftly became an Imperial Inquisitor, ascending through the ranks to become one of the Emperor's favored servants, eventually attaining the rank of High Inquisitor. However, while Brandl embraced his new path, his young wife grew deeply apprehensive about his chosen profession. Having sought their fortune, she had given birth to a son, Jaalib, and feared for his future given her husband's increasingly dark demeanor.

The circumstances surrounding Brandl's separation from his wife remain unclear, but Brandl faced a difficult choice between his family and his life's purpose under the Emperor. Ultimately, around 13 BBY, Brandl's wife returned to Trulalis with their four-year-old son. Devastated by her husband's betrayal, the woman found herself unable to watch recordings of Brandl's performances without succumbing to tears.

Meanwhile, Brandl's influence and prestige continued to grow as he served the Emperor. His crimes became legendary, and killing became second nature to him. The number of lives he claimed remains unknown, even to Brandl himself. After eight years of service, Brandl participated in an Imperial armada tasked with destroying a village on Janara III suspected of harboring Rebel activity and concealing Jedi. Under Brandl's leadership, the town was razed, and thousands of innocent civilians were massacred. Unbeknownst to Brandl, a young Force-sensitive child survived the assault.

Amidst the rubble of a homestead, Lt. Chanceller, a young officer, rescued a small unconscious 6-year-old girl, Alex Winger. Chanceller's superior, Senior Lieutenant Brandei, unaware of Brandl's true orders, opted to have the child adopted by Imperial Governor Tork Winger of Garos IV.

Following the assault on Janara III, Brandl began to question his service to the Emperor. The mission reminded him of his own son, and his actions made him aware of the potential dangers facing his family.

Without prior notice, Brandl abandoned Imperial service. He began hitchhiking from world to world, endeavoring to reach Trulalis before the other Inquisitors could apprehend him. During his journey, Brandl was eventually intercepted by Inquisitor Tremayne. The two engaged in a brief duel, during which Tremayne's lightsaber grazed Brandl's left hand. Somehow, Brandl managed to escape and fled to the planet of Najiba. Bursting into the local tapcafe, Brandl sought a pilot capable of both flying and combat. A patron of the bar, a local named Lathaam, informed Brandl that off-world travel was restricted due to the Children of Najiba, a local asteroid belt that posed navigational challenges during certain seasons. In response, Brandl used the Force to choke Lathaam's lover, Arruna, to death.

The bar's owner, Reuther, pledged to find a pilot if Brandl spared the rest of the patrons. Brandl agreed, and Reuther departed to locate a pilot. Reuther enlisted Thaddeus Ross, a former bounty hunter turned smuggler renowned for his audacity. Brandl deemed Thaddeus acceptable and agreed to pay him 6,000 credits, along with an additional 1,500 credits to accompany him to Trulalis. The two departed Najiba aboard Ross's ship, Kierra, setting course for Trulalis.

Upon landing on the outskirts of the Kovit settlement, Brandl and Thaddeus cautiously approached the town. Thaddeus relentlessly criticized Brandl during their brief journey, accusing him of lacking a conscience and mocking his former allegiance to the Emperor. Ross even fired at Brandl, testing his skill with the lightsaber. Brandl remained unfazed by Ross's verbal and physical assaults, casually deflecting the blaster bolts into the ground.

As the duo ventured deeper into the Kovit settlement, Brandl realized that the townspeople had heard of his exploits, as they retreated into their homes to observe the dark figure passing by. Reaching the amphitheater at the town's center, Brandl once again beheld his beloved wife and child. However, his wife shielded her twelve-year-old son's eyes and retreated from the street. Frustrated, Brandl entered the theater and sought out his former task director. Otias, now elderly and frail, still recognized his most accomplished student. Brandl struggled to find the words to speak. He finally asked, "What happened to me?" Otias illuminated Brandl's descent, but could not guide him back.

Feeling despondent after the encounter, Brandl resolved to return to the Emperor. He activated a transponder concealed within his robes and returned with Ross to his ship. A young brown-haired boy, Brandl's son Jaalib, awaited them at the ship. Sensing Brandl's identity from his mother's reaction, Brandl spoke tenderly to the boy, learning that his wife had shielded him from the truth of his terrible deeds for the Emperor. Before departing, Jaalib informed Brandl that Menges, a local man, intended to use his modified Z-95 Headhunter to assassinate Brandl for his past transgressions. At that moment, a concussion missile struck the ship, throwing them to the ground. Brandl and Thaddeus boarded the ship and attempted to evade the fighter in the clouds. The chase continued until an Imperial I-class Star Destroyer, responding to the transponder signal, emerged and ensnared the Kierra in its tractor beam.

Aboard the Star Destroyer, Brandl was promptly interrogated by Captain Grendahl, who informed him that their ship was to rendezvous with the Interrogator and that Inquisitor Tremayne would personally "interview" him. Brandl circumvented this fate by employing a mind trick on the ship's commander, Admiral Etnam. He then pilfered a thermal detonator from the confiscated weapons cache and liberated Ross. After returning Ross to his ship, Thaddeus escaped from the Star Destroyer. Meanwhile, Brandl returned to the docking bay and activated the thermal detonator. The resulting explosion created the illusion that Brandl had sacrificed himself to protect his family. The blast scarred Brandl's face, obliterating the right side and leaving his right eye as a clear, yellowed orb, but with the aid of the Force, he survived.

Brandl returned to Trulalis, only to discover the Kovit settlement devastated by an Imperial attack. The town's inhabitants, including Brandl's wife, had been killed. Even the local banthas were not spared. However, Brandl found his son Jaalib alive. His mother had perished protecting him from stormtroopers. Suppressing his grief, Brandl began to raise the boy as an actor, hoping to steer him away from the path he had taken. Brandl buried the town's dead in a plot of land near the amphitheater known as The Barrows. To conceal his identity, Brandl adopted Otias's name as an alias when conducting public affairs.

Five years later, Jaalib had matured into a young man performing plays on the neighboring world of Iscera. Jaalib's performance in For the Want of an Empire deeply moved a young rebel named Fable Astin, prompting her to investigate his background, eventually uncovering the name of his father, who had been presumed dead for five years. Fable, also a young Jedi, was haunted by visions of another Inquisitor, Vialco, with whom she had had a brief but terrifying encounter. To alleviate her fears and hone her burgeoning skills, she followed Jaalib back to Trulalis. Observing Jaalib and Brandl rehearsing for an upcoming play, she revealed herself and requested training from the Inquisitor. Brandl acquiesced.

Over time, Brandl had yearned for the sense of purpose that serving the Emperor had provided, but he knew he needed a valuable offering to secure his return. Unable to exploit his son, Fable would serve as the perfect pawn.

Brandl commenced training Fable in lightsaber combat. The training involved a cadence in which one used their lightsaber to disintegrate ball bearings from the tops of tall candles. Fable struggled immensely with the exercise, incurring Brandl's wrath. Fortunately for the young Jedi, Jaalib took pity on her, defended her from his father, and began to instruct her on how to excel at the exercise.

Brandl was pleased when his student began to show promise, but became enraged when he discovered that Jaalib and Fable had fallen in love. Perceiving how Fable's connection to Jaalib could lead his son down a dark path, he did everything within his power to sever their relationship. He sent Jaalib away and contacted the Emperor, informing him of the prize he had to offer. As a final test, Vialco was dispatched to Trulalis to assess Fable's abilities. Employing the techniques her master had taught her, Fable disarmed her opponent and left him lying on the ground. To complete her descent to the dark side, Brandl ordered her to kill Vialco, but Fable hesitated. To force her hand, Brandl conjured an illusion of Vialco reaching for his lightsaber. Deceived, Fable decapitated Vialco, only to realize her master's treachery.

Frustrated that Fable had not fully succumbed to the dark side, Brandl planned to transport her to Byss for conversion by the Emperor himself. However, Brandl had underestimated his son's resolve. Realizing his father's intentions, Jaalib returned to Trulalis and freed Fable. As his father recognized his intent, Jaalib forced Fable onto a Rebel cruiser before turning to confront his father. Fable fled the world as rain clouds gathered over the town.

Witnessing his son's defiance, Brandl was consumed by rage and began to Force choke the young man, but he could not bring himself to kill his own son. He released the boy and retreated into the shadows of the amphitheater.

Brandl once again resumed his service to the Emperor, offering his son in place of Fable, where he was trained under Brandl's old rival, Tremayne. He presumably remained loyal to the Empire during this time, amassing a small fleet of ships and an army of elite troops under his command.

Some six years later, after the fall of the Empire, Brandl had become a warlord, maintaining control over the forces loyal to him. After recruiting some mercenaries, he formed the Protectorate with his second in command, his son Jaalib. Despite his years of service, he still harbored resentment towards the Empire and fought against the Imperial Remnant. However, his forces never aligned with the New Republic and were known to attack them on occasion. Brandl used these forces to fight for peace, striving to restore his home world of Trulalis to its former glory as a thriving center of the arts where actors could freely perform.

However, during an attempt to eliminate Moff Darius Onneir, his son was captured by Republic forces and taken to a base on the planet Solstice V in the Al-ghenis system. Upon learning of this, Brandl immediately deployed his fleet of four Star Destroyers to rescue his son. When he arrived, Jaalib was already attempting an escape with a former companion: his lover, Fable. While Brandl's forces advanced upon the planet, Jaalib forged an alliance with the Republic forces, which Brandl reluctantly accepted above his homeworld.

Adalric Brandl possessed exceptional acting talent honed through relentless effort and determination. Under the tutelage of his acting coach, Otias Atori, Brandl dedicated over thirty years to refining his skills, including sword fighting and, unintentionally, the ability to influence the audience's emotions during a play. This unwavering resolve and drive ultimately transformed into ruthless brutality under the Emperor's influence. He became unrepentant and cruel, killing without remorse. He remained indifferent to threats and verbal attacks, maintaining a stoic demeanor even in the heat of battle.

Following his time with the Empire, Brandl retained his callous persona. After Imperials slaughtered the inhabitants of his hometown, Brandl took the time to bury them in a field known as The Barrows, but showed no remorse for his role in bringing the Empire's troops to the defenseless world. With his departure from Imperial rule, Brandl lost one of his eyes, which became a glassy yellow orb, heightening his fearsome appearance, which he made no effort to conceal.

Despite his brilliance as a student, Brandl lacked the qualities of a caring teacher. He was a harsh mentor, berating his student, Fable Astin, mercilessly when she failed to meet his demands. This brutality extended to his dealings with his son, and Brandl showed little mercy even for his own flesh and blood. When Jaalib appeared to betray him by releasing Astin, Brandl nearly strangled the young man to death using the Force.

Even though his true passion lay in the art of theater, Brandl proved to be a brilliant swordsman. He had mastered the saber technique developed by Vo'ren Faalo, executing it flawlessly on command. In addition to his lightsaber skills, Brandl was also talented in the Force, performing mind tricks on some of the Imperial fleet's most decorated officers. Besides the mind trick, Brandl was most adept at using the Force to kill, as demonstrated during his abrupt departure from the Galactic Empire.

Adalric Brandl was created by Patricia A. Jackson for the short story, The Final Exit appearing in Star Wars Adventure Journal 4. Patricia had a love/hate relationship with Jedi, and as she describes, one fateful day, in a blatant slip of ego, she declared that she would never write a story about Jedi. Three days later and the idea of Adalric formed in her mind. She invisioned him as an actor filled with tragedy, had much to say, and as she describes, great lines with only Patricia as his mouthpiece. However Patricia did not know any thespians, nor anyone trained in Shakesperare's tradgies so she panicked. As a result she retreated into familiar territories of her mind, classical literature. As a result, Adalric was ultimately influenced by Ethan Brand, the title character of the short story, Ethan Brand—A Chapter from an Abortive Romance by Nathaniel_Hawthorne, her favourite American writer. The name of Adalric Brandl is similar to the Hawthorne character to indicate this connection. Brandl appeared in one other story in Star Wars Adventure Journal 8, Uhl Eharl Khoehng, and Jackson had plans to continue the Brandl story when the Star Wars Adventure Journal was cancelled. However, Patricia wrote a final chapter to the Brandl story, entitled Emanations of Darkness which finishes the story of Jaalib, Adalric, and Fable as noted above. Since the story has not been published, the story is classed as cut content and so is questionably canon.

Brandl had the privilege of appearing in The New Essential Guide to Characters, near the end of the book. He is listed as appearing in Tales from the Empire but leaves out his appearance in Tales from the New Republic.