Darth Zash

"As a Darth, I answer only to Darth Thanaton who answers only to the Dark Council. As a lord, you're only one step below that, and you will tower above many."

- Darth Zash to her apprentice

Darth Zash was a female human Sith Lord of the Sith Empire during the Cold War. Ambitious and cunning, Zash plotted the downfall of her rivals, such as Darth Skotia, and gained a considerable amount of power at a young age that earned resentment amongst her peers. She did not see eye-to-eye with Darth Thanaton.

Intrigued by the lost relics of Tulak Hord, Zash took an apprentice that would serve the Sith Lord on her quest for the ancient Sith Lord's great power.

Before the Cold War
The woman that would become known as Lord Zash was the apprentice of the Cyborg Sith Lord Darth Skotia and studied many ancient rituals and artifacts. After some time, Zash's body was unable to control the powers she learned, causing it to physically age rapidly. Desperately searching for a solution, Zash discovered that the ancient Sith Lord Tulak Hord created several artifacts which, when used together in a unique ritual, would be able to transfer one's essence to another vessel. The artifacts were unfortunately scattered across the galaxy. Zash could not afford to search for them on her own, less she arouse suspicion from her superior Darth Skotia. Zash ultimately decided on taking an apprentice of her choice, who would retrieve Hord's artifacts and unwittingly become her new body.

Searching for an Apprentice
During the Cold War, Lord Zash tasked Overseer Harkun with finding an apprentice that would fit her desires for her ritual. Harkun strongly favored an apprentice named Ffon Althe, but Zash had no desire to have an apprentice that would be such a deceitful fool. Instead, Zash favored a former slave who had much potential, and was willing to learn.

Zash later met with the Inquisitor and assured them that Harkun's opinion on them did not matter, as he was only a tool to rule out the weak. She later came to the Inquisitor's defense when she confronts Harkun about helping Ffon, and tells both Harkun and the Inquisitor that the map in the tomb could only be found with the help of the Dashade which was in stasis in it. Unknown to Ffon, she told the Inquisitor how to awaken it. Zash knew that the Inquisitor would be successful and knew that Harkun and Ffon lied when they initially took credit for retrieving the map. Disgusted with this behavior, Zash electrocuted Ffon to death and reprimanded Harkun in front of the former slave he despised.

After the events on Korriban, she told the Inquisitor to find passage and meet her in her office on the Sith capital of Dromund Kaas, where they freely discuss their business.

Death of Skotia and Securing the Artifacts
After the Inquisitor arrived on Dromund Kaas, they told Zash that they had encountered Darth Skotia in the spaceport and passed his message that he knew what she was up to. Zash revealed to the Inquisitor that they could not begin their plans unless Skotia was dead, and that she could not be the one to kill him without attracting unwanted attention from the Dark Council. Lord Zash sent the Inquisitor to secure a cyborg prototype disruptor she had ordered to be created, along with a Trandoshan tablet that would turn Skotia's Trandoshan bodyguards against him. When her apprentice succeeded in retrieving the two objects, she told her apprentice to go to Skotia's quarters and kill him, while she went to the local cantina to have an alibi. The Inquisitor defeated Skotia, but his last words foreshadowed Zash's future actions, and warned the Inquisitor that Zash spent years plotting his death and that the inquisitor would face the same.

When the Inquisitor arrived at the cantina to inform Zash of Skotia's death, she received a holocall from Dark Council member Darth Thanaton, Skotia's former superior. Thanaton knew that Zash was somehow responsible for Skotia's death and asked to meet her. After the meeting, she was promoted to the title of Darth, and thus was now known as Darth Zash. While the Inquisitor was across the galaxy, Zash undertook other apprentices, such as Corrin and Kaal, without the Inquisitor's initial notice.

The Ritual
"Ah, we will accomplish so much once I am in command of that wonderful vessel of yours. Just hold still."

- Darth Zash to the Inquisitor

After all of Tulak Hord's artifacts were secured, Zash asked her apprentice if they could meet in the Dark Temple, where the ritual would be commenced. However, she denied to reveal to the Inquisitor any details about the ritual, other than that her apprentice "will be more powerful than (her apprentice) can possibly imagine". When the Inquisitor arrived, Zash gave her apprentice the title of Lord and revealed the truth of her condition, and confirmed their suspicions and those of the ancient Sith Lord Aloysius Kallig. She continued to talk sweetly to the Inquisitor while attempting to do the ritual. However, the ritual was interrupted by Khem Val, who out of loyalty to the Inquisitor, interfered, causing Zash to transfer her spirit to his body instead, much to her chagrin. She ranted to the Inquisitor about how her plans, that took years to plan, were ruined and was furious that she now served her old apprentice, due to her being in the body of their Dashade servant. However, she and Khem shared use of the same body, and neither had full control.

Living in Khem Val
After the ritual and being bound in Khem Val's body, Zash's personality would sometimes emerge to talk to the Inquisitor, now known as Lord Kallig. After hearing that Darth Thanaton wanted to speak to them, Zash warned them to be wary of Thanaton, giving her own experiences as an example. Being bound by a Dashade's oath of loyalty and perhaps her desire to learn, Zash researched about ancient Sith rituals that would help Kallig take control of the powers of the ghosts of Sith Lords. Zash expressed her jealousy at the fact that Kallig had become a Dark Councilor before she did.

Personality and traits
"Darth Zash is arrogant and reckless. The reckless have a way of defeating themselves in the end. When she finally self-destructs, be careful not to get caught up in the blast."

- Darth Thanaton warns Zash's apprentice about her.



Darth Zash was known for being secretive and cunning. She was also very patient; having waited years for the opportunity to have Skotia killed, and waited 5 years to find the perfect apprentice for her ritual. Like all Sith, however, she betrayed other fellow Sith. Ironically, this trait would be the cause of her downfall.

During Kallig's time as her apprentice, Zash showed a friendly demeanor to them. Despite her betrayal in the Dark Temple, she later admits some guilt to her former apprentice; she admitted she genuinely liked them and nearly canceled the ritual, but the choice of life or death convinced her to make her choice. Zash's other apprentices told Kallig that Zash had always spoken highly of Kallig. Ashara Zavros also tells Kallig something similar if the player has enough affection with her. Whether this was genuine or manipulation on Zash's part is unknown.

It is implied that Zash had aspired to become a member of the Dark Council, as she showed jealousy when Kallig was made a Dark Councilor.

Powers and abilities
"Listen, apprentice. Various Force rituals have helped me maintain my appearance and some of my vitality. But inevitably, life fades. I'm dying, apprentice. My will, my intellect, my spirit are as lively as ever, but this body is dying."

- Zash to her apprentice before their duel

Appearances

 * Star Wars: The Old Republic