View source for Darth Tenebrous/Legends

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{{Youmay|the [[Sith Master/Legends|Sith Master]] of the [[Order of the Sith Lords]]|the [[Sith Emperor/Legends|Sith Emperor]] [[Tenebrae]]|linebreak=1}}
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{{Character
|type=Sith
|image=[[File:DarthTenebrousHS-SWI130.jpg]]
|name=Darth Tenebrous<br />Rugess Nome
|homeworld=
|birth=Between [[247 BBY/Legends|247]] and [[167 BBY]]<ref name="The Tenebrous Way">{{InsiderCite|130|The Tenebrous Way}}</ref>
|death=[[67 BBY/Legends|67 BBY]], [[Bal'demnic]]<ref name="Darth P">[[Darth Plagueis (novel)|''Darth Plagueis'']]</ref>
|species=[[Bith/Legends|Bith]]<ref name="Darth P" />
|gender=[[Gender/Legends|Male]]<ref name="Darth P" />
|pronouns=He/him<ref name="Darth P" />
|height=
|mass=
|hair=
|feathers=
|eyes=*Black<ref name="Darth P" />
*Yellow light {{C|[[Dark side of the Force/Legends|dark side]]}}<ref name="Darth P" />
|skin=
|cyber=Respiration system
|families=new
|parents=new
|partners=new
|siblings=new
|children=new
|affiliation=[[Order of the Sith Lords]]<ref name="Darth P" />
|masters=[[Darth Tenebrous's Sith Master|Unidentified Sith Lord]]<ref name="The Tenebrous Way" />
|apprentices=*[[Darth Plagueis's mother]] {{C|[[Dark side adept/Legends|dark side Disciple]]}}<ref name="Darth P" />
*[[Darth Plagueis/Legends|Darth Plagueis]]<ref name="Darth P" />
*[[Darth Venamis]]<ref name="Darth P" />
}}
{{Quote|To we who dwell in the Force, normal life is little more than pretense. Our only actions of significance are those we undertake in service to the dark side.|Darth Tenebrous, to Darth Plagueis, on his views of the Force|<ref name="Darth P" />}}
'''Darth Tenebrous''', also known as '''Rugess Nome''', was a [[Gender/Legends|male]] [[Bith/Legends|Bith]] who held the title of [[Dark Lord of the Sith/Legends|Dark Lord of the Sith]] for more than a century, stemming from the [[Rule of Two/Legends|lineage]] of [[Darth Bane/Legends|Darth Bane]]. In his public persona as Rugess Nome, he was a legendary artisanal [[Starship/Legends|starship]] designer with a [[The galaxy/Legends|galaxy]]-spanning reputation; as the [[Sith Lord/Legends|Sith Lord]] [[Darth/Legends|Darth]] Tenebrous, he was a scientific mastermind possessed of a calculating intellect with an obsession on shaping the future, and was the [[Sith Master/Legends|master]] of [[Darth Plagueis/Legends|Darth Plagueis]] and [[Darth Venamis]], the former betraying and killing him.

==Biography==
===Apprenticeship===
After being selected as an [[Sith apprentice/Legends|apprentice]] by a [[Twi'lek/Legends|Twi'lek]] [[Darth Tenebrous's Sith Master|Sith Lord]], Rugess Nome became Darth Tenebrous. Together, he and his [[Sith Master/Legends|master]] devoted themselves to the [[Grand Plan/Legends|Grand Plan]]. In the mix, Darth Tenebrous constructed a [[Darth Tenebrous's lightsaber|red lightsaber]] during his Sith training, and would go on to wield the weapon when he either sparred or honed his [[Lightsaber combat/Legends|lightsaber combat]] skills. One of the schemes Tenebrous and his Master devised was the development of a targeted [[virus]] that would sever the [[Jedi/Legends|Jedi's]] [[Force-sensitive/Legends|connection]] to [[The Force/Legends|the Force]]; yet despite spending years developing the virus, the project was ultimately a failure.<ref name="Darth P" />

Tenebrous eventually came to see the [[Dark side of the Force/Legends|dark side of the Force]] not as a kind of malevolent mystic sentience bent on spreading suffering throughout the galaxy but as an energy source, which could, like any energy source, be [[Force power/Legends|manipulated]]. When Nome saw no further use for his master, he killed them.<ref name="The Tenebrous Way" />

===Seeking out an apprentice===
Rugess Nome was widely known for creating legendary starship designs throughout the galaxy, whilst hiding his identity as a [[Sith Lord/Legends|Sith Lord]].<ref name="Darth P" />

In searching for a [[Sith apprentice/Legends|Sith apprentice]], Tenebrous manipulated a middle ranking [[InterGalactic Banking Clan/Legends|InterGalactic Bank]] agent named [[Caar Damask]] into meeting his future wife, knowing that if they had a child, their offspring would be strong in the Force.<ref name="Darth P" /> When the expected child, [[Darth Plagueis/Legends|Hego Damask]], turned five, Nome traveled to [[Mygeeto/Legends|Mygeeto]] and was able to convince his parents to hand him over. Tenebrous took the child as his apprentice, naming him Darth Plagueis.<ref name="Darth P" />

===Living in the profane world===
{{Quote|Darth Bane would appreciate our efforts.|Darth Tenebrous, to Darth Plagueis|<ref name="Darth P" />}}
[[File:DarthTandP.jpg|thumb|left|250px|Tenebrous and Plagueis]]
As with many of his predecessors as Sith Lords, Tenebrous worked hard to expand the Sith's network of informants and agents that had started with Darth Bane. These agents were the Sith's eyes and ears in all corners of the galaxy, providing them with information but also with access to the highest circles of power in galactic politics. As such, he took up the public persona of Rugess Nome, a starship designer whose constructs were delivered only to the elite members of the rising powers of the galaxy. Among these influential beings, politicians were often found in conjunction with entrepreneurs, bankers, industrialists, and any other being possessing enough power that could eventually assist the Sith designs. Tenebrous's apprentice, Darth Plagueis, assisted his Master in these efforts in his public persona as Hego Damask, a wealthy financier who eventually set up his own financial lobbying group, [[Damask Holdings/Legends|Damask Holdings]]. As the son of the former head of the InterGalactic Banking Clan, Plagueis also inherited the remote moon of [[Sojourn (moon)|Sojourn]], and the [[Gathering (Sojourn)|Gathering]]s that often occurred there under the stewardship of his father. Originally conceived as a retreat for the wealthy, Caar Damask had used these Gatherings as a means to bring together influential beings and allow them to forment secret agendas for both business and political ambitions. Under Plagueis, Tenebrous used the Gatherings to extend his own influence over the Republic and the galaxy.

Among the people Tenebrous brought into his web were the leaders of the rising [[Trade Federation/Legends|Trade Federation]], which began to have a great deal of influence over the outlying systems and even in the [[Galactic Senate/Legends|Galactic Senate]]. The Federation would eventually become one of Damask Holdings's most important clients. Also included in Tenebrous's plots was the [[Gran Protectorate/Legends|Gran Protectorate]], the representatives of the government of the fuel-rich planet [[Malastare]]. The Protectorate's Senator, [[Pax Teem]], was considered by Tenebrous and Plagueis as a potential candidate they could manipulate into the position of [[Supreme Chancellor/Legends|Supreme Chancellor]].

Tenebrous also tried to bring other beings into his circle of influence. Among them was a wealthy industrialist named [[Kerred Santhe]]. Desiring to bring Santhe into his circle, Tenebrous offered him exclusive rights for a Rugess Nome starship. However, Santhe outwitted Tenebrous and agents of [[Santhe Security]] successfully stole the blueprints, cutting Nome out of the deal altogether. Santhe used the success of the starship, once it had been manufactured, to expand his holdings by acquiring a controlling share of [[Sienar Technologies]]. [[Narro Sienar]], the company's chief designer, was only able to keep his position by marrying his daughter to Santhe.<ref name="Darth P" />

Seeing a way to have his revenge and gain the friendship of Narro Sienar, Tenebrous sent Plagueis to assassinate Kerred Santhe in his apprentice's first mission as an assassin.<ref name="audio">{{WebCite|url=http://www.penguinrandomhouseaudio.com/book/7859/darth-plagueis-star-wars|text=Star Wars: Darth Plagueis|work=Random House Audio|archivedate=20160410131749}}</ref>

===Demise===
{{Quote|For the last time I call you apprentice and I applaud your skillful use of surprise and misdirection. Perhaps I was wrong to think you had no stomach for it.|Rugess Nome, to Darth Plagueis|<ref name="Darth P" />}}
In [[67 BBY/Legends|67 BBY]], Tenebrous and his apprentice, Plagueis, traveled to the [[Planet/Legends|planet]] [[Bal'demnic]] to investigate a lode of [[Cortosis/Legends|cortosis ore]]. However, their [[M-2 mining probe droid]] had been sabotaged by [[Subtext Mining]], and ignited a pocket of [[lethane]] gas, causing a massive explosion. Though Tenebrous managed to contain the explosion, Plagueis saw the opportunity to [[Death/Legends|kill]] his Master. Plagueis then betrayed him by collapsing the ceiling of the cavern on to Tenebrous. Dying, Tenebrous congratulated his apprentice on succeeding him. However, the rockfall had crushed the [[Starship/Legends|starship]] with which the two Sith had arrived, and Plagueis was effectively stranded in a place where he required an [[Environment suit/Legends|enviro-suit]] to survive. When he realized that his apprentice's desire to kill him had seriously endangered the continuation of the Sith, Tenebrous expressed disappointment in his pupil. Plagueis, angered by this, broke the Bith's neck. As the unconscious Nome slowly died, Plagueis utilized the Force to study microscopic changes in Tenebrous' body, observing the slow death of his [[Neuron/Legends|neurons]] and [[Midi-chlorian/Legends|midi-chlorians]].<ref name="Darth P" />

However, this was not the end of Tenebrous, who ensured the survival of his own consciousness into altered midi-chlorians&mdash;which he labeled [[Maxi-chlorian|''maxi''-chlorians]]. Those maxi-chlorians would then migrate not into the Force, but into Plagueis himself, the "diseased one." Not possessing a Bith's precision, Plagueis would never suspect Tenebrous' consciousness was inside his body, infecting cells with maxi-chlorians that would cut off the host of its [[Force-sensitive/Legends|Force-sensitivity]]. In order to fulfill his goals, Tenebrous sacrificed his ability to [[Force vision/Legends|sense]] the motion of the future, something he no longer required since he already knew his future. Tenebrous' ultimate plan was to eventually possess the prophesied "[[Chosen One/Legends|Chosen One]]" using the power of essence transfer when they were still young and unable to resist, giving Tenebrous access to a body with a historic amount of midi-chlorians.<ref name="The Tenebrous Way" />

As his body died, Darth Tenebrous entered his apprentice's body and slipped into his cells. As the retrovirus propagated, the Bith gained access to Plagueis' powers of foresight. At that moment, he discovered and felt Plagueis' own death at the hands of [[Palpatine/Legends|his apprentice]], which was only visible as a smear of darkness. That vision horrified him; Plagueis would die too soon, and Tenebrous would not fulfill his ultimate goal&mdash;seizing and becoming the Chosen One when [[Anakin Skywalker/Legends|he]] would appear.<ref name="The Tenebrous Way" />

Seeking an answer to understand Plagueis' complacent behavior, Tenebrous threw again his mind at the future, but could see nothing, as the retrovirus infected Plagueis' every cell; his apprentice was now robbed of his foresight power. Wholly giving himself to panic, Nome escaped Plagueis' body to think about a way out, only to discover his mummified remains. Time had passed, possibly decades or centuries, but the [[Sith Lord/Legends|Sith Lord]] was unaware of it. He then wondered if his foresight, instead of being eliminated, had been twisted in upon itself, forcing him to endlessly relive his death, thus acquiring the coveted immortality, but not as he wanted. At that moment of realization, the Dark Lord wished he still had a mouth with which to scream.<ref name="The Tenebrous Way" />

===Legacy===
After Plagueis killed his master, he obtained Darth Tenebrous's lightsaber and conducted investigations into those responsible for the sabotage of the probe after his Master's death. Though he did not ultimately discover the culprit, his interrogation of a group of representatives of [[Subtext Mining]] on [[Sojourn (moon)|Sojourn]] led him to [[Naboo/Legends|Naboo]] after one of their number attempted to make amends by informing him of a vast [[Plasma/Legends|plasma]] source on the planet. There Plagueis would discover a young [[Human/Legends|Human]] named [[Palpatine/Legends|Palpatine]], his future apprentice Darth Sidious and the very same dark vision that had terrified Tenebrous in the moments of his death. True to his vision, Palpatine would ultimately murder Plagueis and bring the Grand Plan to fruition as [[Galactic Emperor/Legends|Emperor]] of the [[Galactic Empire/Legends|Galactic Empire]].<ref name="Darth P" />

==Personality and traits==
{{Expandsect}}
Darth Tenebrous was a rationalist in his approach to the Force, which he believed to be nothing more than a very potent tool.<ref name="The Tenebrous Way" /> Tenebrous had a fixation with comprehending and shaping the future, which his apprentice, Darth Plagueis, considered to be a product of his Bith intelligence, which was grounded in mathematics and computation. He even believed that the Sith [[Grand Plan/Legends|Grand Plan]] could be achieved by mating the powers of the dark side with expert Bith science. Tenebrous felt that with the aid of sophisticated computers and future-casting formulas, the beings of the galaxy could be provided for and the [[Jedi Order/Legends|Jedi Order]] would gradually dwindle and disappear. Tenebrous was fatalistic as to the Grand Plan's success, believing that the dark side's rise could be predicted, but not influenced or hurried by the Sith. Plagueis disagreed, however, believing [[Force vision/Legends|visions]] of the future to be inherently clouded and unreliable, and that the Jedi Order had to be toppled and destroyed rather than left to wither. This difference in opinion ultimately precipitated Tenebrous' decision to train [[Darth Venamis]] to supplant Plagueis.<ref name="Darth P" />

Despite his rationalist approach to the Force, Tenebrous covered his body in [[Tattoo/Legends|tattoos]] and body markings representing esoteric concepts, which Plagueis discovered shortly before his master's death.<ref name="Darth P" />

==Powers and abilities==
[[File:DarthTenebrous-SWI130.jpg|thumb|right|250px|Darth Tenebrous showcasing his Force powers]]
Darth Tenebrous was very powerful in [[The Force/Legends|the Force]], and a talented [[Lightsaber/Legends|lightsaber]] duelist, a trait that he passed on to his secret apprentice, [[Darth Venamis]]. Tenebrous was also proficient in [[Force speed/Legends|Force speed]], using it to attempt to escape the [[Cortosis/Legends|cortosis]] mine and used the Force to [[Force barrier/Legends|shield himself]] and Plagueis from an explosion. He could also hold up heavy rocks with the Force and keep the Siths’ ship safe until his student wounded him unto death, an impressive display of [[Telekinesis/Legends|telekinesis]] only halted by being run through with a falling spike of stone, and could throw [[Force lightning/Legends|Force lightning]].<ref name="Darth P" /> Sometimes it came forth as red. Moreover, Tenebrous had powerful [[Precognition/Legends|precognitive]] abilities, able to foresee his own death (and know when there was going to be an explosion), something even Darth Sidious and [[Darth Caedus]] were unable to do.<ref name="The Tenebrous Way" /> He also had seemed to be arrogant as to have ignored a warning that he would die and he also thought that he knew his student’s fate was to destroy the Jedi and enact the Sith Immperative.<ref name="Darth P" /> His eyes glowed when his advanced king figured out that Plagueis had killed him.When he learned that his student has risked the Sith Order to kill him, his rage cut at Plagueis.<ref name="Darth P" />

In addition, Tenebrous designed his own [[Starship/Legends|starship]]<ref name="Darth P" /> and had some [[Force healing/Legends|healing arts]], that he could make himself [[Control Pain|not feel pain]] as he died, and invented his own [[Retrovirus/Legends|retrovirus]] that could turn his [[Midi-chlorian/Legends|midi-chlorians]] into [[maxi-chlorian]]s, as he had great knowledge of the former, knowing which counted belayed great power. He used this technique in a variant of [[Transfer essence|transferring his life]] to his apprentice when he was killed, though he ended up stuck in an eternal loop of madness instead.<ref name="The Tenebrous Way" />

The [[Sith Lord/Legends|Sith Lord]] did not possess the "innate gift" of [[Sith sorcery/Legends|Sith sorcery]], but felt Bith science was far more potent.<ref name="Darth P" />

==Behind the scenes==
Darth Tenebrous's name was included in a [[2006]] [[Star Wars: Blogs|blog]] entry by [[Leland Chee]], the keeper of the [[Holocron continuity database]], marking the character's first mention in ''[[Star Wars]]'' [[canon]]. Chee stated that Tenebrous's name may have been derived from the word "tenebrous,"<ref name="blog">{{Blog|holocron|28|Darth Names and the Darth Who winner revealed.}}</ref> a word meaning dark, gloomy, or obscure.<ref name="dictionary">{{WebCite|url=https://www.dictionary.com/browse/tenebrous|text=Tenebrous|work=[https://www.dictionary.com Dictionary.com]|archivedate=20200613011537}}</ref> In [[2008]], author [[James Luceno]] indicated that if he were able to, he would choose "Darth Tenebrous" as the name of the first Sith to ever use the Darth title.<ref name="coincidence">{{WebCite|url=http://test.eucantina.net/interview-with-author-james-luceno|text=Interview with Author James Luceno|work=EUCantina.net|archivedate=20130914212633}}</ref> Tenebrous appeared in Luceno's [[2012]] novel, [[Darth Plagueis (novel)|''Darth Plagueis'']], as the Master of Darth Plagueis.<ref name="audio" /> His birth name, Rugess Nome, also appeared.

When deciding Tenebrous's [[Species/Legends|species]], Luceno was seeking an existing intelligent and "[[Brain/Legends|brainy]]" species in ''[[Star Wars]]'' [[canon]]. The Bith species fit the bill, but Luceno found that he associated Bith with harmless [[Jizz/Legends|jizz]]-playing [[Figrin D'an and the Modal Nodes/Legends|bands]] rather than menacing Sith Lords. However, cognizant of the fact that many different personality types could be found in a single species, he ultimately said "what the heck."<ref name="Luceno interview">{{WebCite|url=http://forcecast.net/story/home/Jedi_Journals_Darth_Plagueis_Author_James_Luceno_Interview_142595.asp|text=Jedi Journals: Darth Plagueis Author James Luceno Interview|work=[http://forcecast.net The ForceCast]|archivedate=20200527155729}}</ref>

==Appearances==
{{Mediacat|imagecat=Images of Darth Tenebrous}}
*[[Darth Plagueis (novel)|''Darth Plagueis'']] {{Ab|Darth Plagueis (audiobook)}} {{1stID|Rugess Nome}}
*{{InsiderCite|130|The Tenebrous Way|reprint=1}} {{1st}}

==Sources==
*<!-- 2006-10-06 -->{{Blog|holocron|28|Darth Names and the Darth Who winner revealed.}}
*<!-- 2012-02-10 -->''[[Book of Sith: Secrets from the Dark Side]]''
*<!-- 2012-10-02 -->''[[The Essential Reader's Companion]]''

{{StartBox}}
{{SuccessionBox
|title=[[Dark Lord of the Sith/Legends|Dark Lord of the Sith]] with [[Darth Tenebrous's Sith Master|his Master]]<ref name="The Tenebrous Way" />
|years=Sometime before [[167 BBY]]
|before=Eventually [[Darth Ramage]] with [[Sith apprentice/Legends|apprentice]]<ref name="Darth P" />
|before-years=
|after=Himself with [[Darth Plagueis/Legends|Darth Plagueis]] and [[Darth Venamis]]<ref name="NEC">''[[The New Essential Chronology]]''</ref>
|after-years=}}
{{SuccessionBox
|title=[[Dark Lord of the Sith/Legends|Dark Lord of the Sith]] with [[Darth Plagueis/Legends|Darth Plagueis]]<ref name="EGTTF">[[Jedi vs. Sith: The Essential Guide to the Force (real-life book)|''Jedi vs. Sith: The Essential Guide to the Force'']]</ref> and [[Darth Venamis]]
|years=[[167 BBY]]&mdash;[[67 BBY/Legends|67 BBY]]<ref name="NEC" />
|before=Himself with [[Darth Tenebrous's Sith Master|his Master]]<ref name="NEC" />
|before-years=
|after=[[Darth Plagueis/Legends|Darth Plagueis]] with [[Palpatine/Legends|Darth Sidious]]<ref name="NEC" />
|after-years=}}
{{EndBox}}

==Notes and references==
{{Reflist}}

{{Interlang
|cs=Darth Tenebrous
|da=Darth Tenebrous
|de=Tenebrous#legends
|el=Νταρθ Τένεμπρους
|es=Darth Tenebrous/Leyendas
|fr=Dark Tenebrous/Légendes
|hu=Darth Tenebrous
|nl=Darth Tenebrous
|pl=Darth Tenebrous
|pt=Legends:Rugess Nome
|tr=Darth Tenebrous/Legends
}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Tenebrous, Darth}}
[[Category:Banite Sith]]
[[Category:Bith]]
[[Category:Cyborgs]]
[[Category:Dark Lords of the Sith]]
[[Category:Darths]]
[[Category:Individuals with he/him pronouns]]
[[Category:Individuals with respiratory disabilities]]
[[Category:Males]]
[[Category:Philosophers]]
[[Category:Sith Masters]]