#swampcrow

They both grew up together working on some Sith Lord’s estate on Ziost, and slowly and carefully began working on a plan of how to escape together. Surprisingly, it worked out - but only for Varach. As they realize that only one of them would make it, Varach managed to escape and Ethrean was left behind but his brother promised to come back for him.

The Sith Lord was personally offended that someone would try to escape and as punishment for the attempt, Ethrean, was branded with the scars - the reason behind it being that, even if he should escape, people would always know he didn’t belong “out there” directly from looking in his face. To prevent him from plotting another escape plan, he also got separated from contact with most others. The Sith wanted to discourage him from ever attempting anything like that again by breaking him and taking away every last bit of freedom Ethrean had, in addition to making an example out of him and discourage anyone else who might attempt to flee too.

The time following that, was awful for him, but he always had a faint hope that Varach will come back for him as he promised - but he never did. Since no one ever told Ethrean if his brother truly succeeded or not, he started to believe that they must have caught Varach and that he probably died.

However, Varach safely made it to Republic space, and there he discovered his Force-sensitivity and was sent to Tython to become a Jedi.

More time passed, and eventually Ethrean’s Force-sensitivity is discovered too and he was sent to Korriban, and rises though the Sith ranks up to the Dark Council as Darth Imperius. Of course, the Republic takes note of that and as Varach sees this new Dark Council member on a holo for the first time, he’s shocked to recognize a very familiar face - his brother. Varach had never really planned to go back and save Ethrean, since he was sure they would have already executed him for their attempt to escape. Varach was sure he’d never be able to pull of something like that, in addition to never wanting to go back into Imperial space ever again.

Even though Varach never truly intended to go back, he believes now knowing that Ethrean is alive, he should meet him and convince Ethrean he’s clearly on the wrong side. However, Varach was not entirely convinced that things would go well as he had hoped so he devised a plan to face his brother along with his Mirialan Jedi friend, Novki, as back up. But Varach kept it a secret from Novki that they were about to confront his brother, much less a Dark Council member.

As they meet, Ethrean is not at all thrilled about seeing his long lost brother again, he’s full of bottled up emotions he never expected to let out. He’s still bitter Varach lied to him and just left him behind and lived a new life as a Jedi without worries, while he had to suffer and endure the consequences of his brothers decision. And he intends to pay all that suffering back. (In addition to Varach being a Jedi, whom he naturally has to fight. lmao) Also, his brothers existence only confirms Ethrean’s bias towards the Jedi - that they are full of empty promises and hypocrisy, and never bother to actually help out. For Ethrean the Empire - the Dark Council -  truly offer him opportunities to change things, while Varach is just another random Jedi without a purpose who can’t stay true to his beliefs.

They fight, but Ethrean is clearly overpowering him, until Novki interferes. Varach uses Novkis intervention as a distraction, saves himself rather than helping his friend and runs away. Ethrean realizes that Novki was just a victim to Varach’s lies and was left behind by him to die, just as Ethrean was all those years ago. So Ethrean pulls a “come to the Dark Side” move and convinces Novki - who was already doubting the Jedi -  to join him and he becomes his apprentice. (BUT NOVKI AND ETHREAN ARE ANOTHER SEPERATE STORY ENTIRELY)

Then, another couple of years later, Ethrean finally locates Varach again and he and Novki face him together and Ethrean kills him. And it’s terrible that Ethrean is actually relieved that the most important remaining tie to his past is gone now. It would have been so much less painful if his brother had just “stayed dead” and would have never appeared again. Actually he’s not so much relieved but more dead inside that he doesn’t really care anymore. Whatever bond there was between them was severed all those years ago when Varach left. And that was when Ethrean truly lost his brother - now he just killed another Jedi. 

So, Ethrean considers Varach’s actions and his false promise as a huge betrayal. Doesn’t help that Ethrean had to face all the painful consequences of Varach’s decision, while he made himself new life as a Jedi.