Zythmnr

Zythmnr was a male Massassi temple priest who lived on the moon of Yavin 4 in the years leading up to the Great Sith War. Zythmnr belonged to a Massassi tribe that was descended from the followers of deceased Dark Lord of the Sith Naga Sadow, who came to Yavin 4 in 5,000 BBY. After attaining a position of authority in his tribe, Zythmnr withdrew, spending twelve years in solitude. The Massassi priest emerged in 3,997 BBY, when fallen Jedi Knight Exar Kun, knocked unconscious in a fight with Massassi guards, was brought to Zythmnr's temple. Believing that Kun was someone that they had been waiting for, Zythmnr brought a bound Kun to the structure known as the Temple of Fire, and summoned an ancient Sith wyrm to test the former Jedi's power. Taking possession of Zythmnr's powerful Sith amulets, Kun defeated the Sithspawn, winning the allegiance of Zythmnr and the other Massassi. Kun eventually learned the secrets of Sadow's Sith alchemy, discovering how to change a sentient being into a vessel of the dark side. Zythmnr was the first to volunteer to undergo this procedure, which successfully transformed him into a Force-sensitive manifestation of the dark side.

Biography
"Do not struggle against your bonds, intruder! You will be freed when the time is right."

- Zythmnr, to a bound Exar Kun

Zythmnr, a male Massassi, was a native of the moon Yavin 4. Zythmnr belonged to a tribe of Massassi that was descended from the followers of former Dark Lord of the Sith Naga Sadow, who fled to Yavin 4 after his defeat at the Second Battle of Korriban in 5,000 BBY. Naga Sadow used Sith magic to twist Zythmnr's ancestors into violent, uncivilized beasts that utilized the dark side of the Force to wield their weapons. By Zythmnr's time, the Massassi tribe had one duty; to watch over the Sith temples built by their ancestors. Zythmnr eventually became a temple priest, coming into the possession of a pair of Sith amulets, and in 4,009 BBY he withdrew from the outside world, spending twelve years in solitude. In 3,997 BBY, Yavin 4 was visited by fallen Jedi Knight Exar Kun, who came to the moon at the behest of the spirit of dead Dark Lord of the Sith Freedon Nadd to further his knowledge of the dark side of the Force. However, Kun was quickly defeated by Massassi guards, and his unconscious body was taken to Zythmnr's temple. After twelve years of self-imposed isolation, Zythmnr emerged from his place of solitude to examine Kun. The temple priest proclaimed that Kun was the one they had been waiting for, and ordered that the Jedi be brought to the Temple of Fire.

Zythmnr ordered that Kun be placed in restraints, and once they reached the Temple of Fire, he accused the Jedi of coming to steal his Sith amulets. Although Kun denied it, the Massassi priest called him a liar, and demanded that he be thrown into a pit in the structure. Zythmnr and the other Massassi elders fell to their knees, muttering ancient spells under the ancient broken statues that lined the temple. Their chants released a torrential power, and a throbbing beat, along with the smell of burning flesh, filled the temple. Suddenly, a Sith wyrm, created by Naga Sadow's Sith alchemy appeared, and it attacked Kun. Calling upon the power of the dark side, Kun used the Force to take Zythmnr's Sith amulets, and used its dark properties to destroy the monster. With this display of power, Kun won the allegiance of the Massassi, including Zythmnr. Now the leader of the Yavin 4 Massassi, Kun ordered Zythmnr's clan to build temples that would focus great dark side energies. The fallen Jedi began to study Sith alchemy, and discovered a procedure that could transform a living creature into a manifestation of the dark side. Zythmnr agreed to be the first to receive this ancient empowerment, and although the Massassi priest was hesitant about the procedure, Kun reassured him by telling him that the process was painless and that Zythmnr would become the greatest of all the Massassi.

When the transformation began, Kun fused Zythmnr's skin with metallic bioarmor and enhanced the priest's bone structure and muscle mass. Zythmnr's claws became razor-sharp, and his hide became a hardened plating. Despite Kun's promises to the contrary, the procedure was excruciatingly painful for the Massassi priest. However, Zythmnr survived, and urged that the experiments continue. Kun then infused Zythmnr with the dark side, using some of his own physical makeup as a template. The priest took well to the treatment and showed potential with the Force, prompting Kun to perform the same procedure on several dozen more Massassi.

Personality and traits
"You sought to rob our temple! To steal our power!"

- Zythmnr, to Exar Kun

Zythmnr held a great deal of contempt for Exar Kun, going so far as to threaten to kill him and to release a Sith wyrm to attack him. The Massassi priest was very protective of his powerful Sith amulets, causing him to be mistrustful of Kun as he believed the fallen Jedi was going to steal them. Zythmnr was unflinchingly loyal, pledging his allegiance to Exar Kun after the Jedi Knight proved himself worthy, even agreeing to be experimented upon when Kun discovered the secrets of Sith alchemy. Despite his loyalty to Kun, he was still hesitant and reluctant to undergo the procedure that would make him a dark side vessel. Zythmnr was bilingual, speaking both the Massassi language and Galactic Basic.

Behind the scenes
Zythmnr made his first appearance in Tales of the Jedi: Dark Lords of the Sith, a story arc of the Star Wars: Tales of the Jedi comic book series, written by Kevin J. Anderson and Tom Veitch and released from late 1994 to early 1995. Zythmnr made two appearances in Dark Lords of the Sith, in the arc's fourth and fifth issues, and he is indirectly mentioned on the first page of the sixth and final issue. In these appearances, Zythmnr was illustrated by Christian Gossett. Zythmnr also appears in the Dark Lords of the Sith audio adaptation, though his name is not mentioned. Further information on the Massassi priest was provided in Bill Slavicsek and J.D. Wiker's 2001 Star Wars Roleplaying Game sourcebook, The Dark Side Sourcebook. He also garnered mentions in the Star Wars Encyclopedia, the third edition of A Guide to the Star Wars Universe, and in 2008 Zythmnr was given an entry in The Complete Star Wars Encyclopedia.

In the Dark Lord of the Sith comics, Zythmnr speaks in the Massassi language, but in the audio drama he speaks in Basic. For the purposes of this article, he is treated as if he spoke both languages.

Appearances

 * Tales of the Jedi: Dark Lords of the Sith 4: Death of a Dark Jedi
 * Tales of the Jedi: Dark Lords of the Sith 5: Sith Secrets
 * Tales of the Jedi: Dark Lords of the Sith 6: Jedi Assault
 * Tales of the Jedi: Dark Lords of the Sith audio adaptation

Notes and references
Zythmnr Zythmnr