#rajivari

[swtorpadawan]

Ten Facts About Ulannium Kaarz

I wasn’t actually tagged to do one of these for Ulannium, but I started putting this together as a sort of case-study for him, and it seemed to make sense to do this. Tagging the following people just in case they want to do this for one of their own OCs: @raven-of-domain-kwaad @anchanted-one @actualanxiousswampwitch @grandninjamasterren @sullustangin @cyraniadebergerac @starrypawz @intheinkpot @voidendron @lanabenikosdoormat @dragons-bones @clifford-telegenic @cryo-lily

Fact One – Parentage and Early Childhood: Ulannium Kaarz was born on Coruscant, the son of Ishris Kaarz, his mother, a brilliant research scientist with a Republic pharmaceutical conglomerate, and Luncib Kaarz, his father, a marketing executive and lobbyist with the same company. Both of his parents were very affectionate, Ishits especially. Although she worked long hours, his mother always made time for her son at bedtime, first by singing him Mirialan lullabies, and later by reading to him, fictional stories at first but later more advanced texts such as scientific manuals. Years later, Ulannium would credit his mother’s efforts (and her genetics) with the development of his impressive intellect. By chance, Ulannium’s Force sensitivity was not discovered until he was already six years old. (Possibly a result of his mother’s interference in the screening process.) By then, he was already academically precocious in the extreme, devouring books far beyond his age-level. When he was selected by the Jedi and told he might one day gain access to the full wealth of the Jedi Archives, Ulannium was thrilled at the opportunity. Indeed, if he had an ambition at this point, it would have been to spend the rest of his life in the galaxy’s greatest library. Ulannium had a younger sister, Tharia, who was possibly even more curious about the universe than he. As she was four at the time, he regarded her as a pest who kept stealing his scientific holopads. When the Jedi tested her for Force-sensitivity, it came back negative, much to the relief of her parents who were already giving up a son.

Art by @theoasiswinds

Fact Two – Inspirations: One of my inspirations for the character of Ulannium is George Smiley from John le Carré’s Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy. When he does finally confront someone, whether an enemy or even an ally whom he’s trying to persuade, he brings the full force of his intellect to bare on them, and people often find it as overpowering as a force of nature. Ulannium is remarkably proficient at understanding and analyzing most of the people he encounters, including some who others find enigmatic. (Such is the case with Corellan Halcyon. Ulannium understands the Hero of Tython far better than someone like Satele Shan, at least earlier in the story.) On the flip side, a select few people are something of a mystery to Ulannium, and throw him off entirely. (This was the case with Zenith.) Another character who inspired me was Vaegon Targaryen, a minor character from George R.R. Martin’s A Song of Ice and Fire. He could have done a hundred things, including becoming the King. He preferred his books, however.  

Fact Three – Growing up on Uphrades: To avoid potential contact with his family on Coruscant, the Jedi sent Ulannium to their small enclave on the agricultural world of Uphrades. It was a small training cadre; two semi-retired Jedi Masters and eight younglings. To discourage unhealthy attachments amongst the younglings, they were arranged on a tiered-age system. The oldest of the younglings would be around fourteen and would be considered on the precipice of their initiate trials to become Padawans. The next-oldest would be a year or two younger than the eldest, and so on down the line until the youngest child, who would be around four or five. With the age difference, it was hoped that the younglings would be less likely to adopt detrimental attachments to each other.

Fact Four – First Friendship: Two years after Ulannium arrived on Uphrades, the next youngling was sent. The younger child seemed untalented and almost Force-blind to Ulannium, who by then was already demonstrating an impressive sensitivity to the Force. But as the Masters were unwilling to give up on him yet, when he turned six, he was handed a training saber. Within a week, he had surpassed every other youngling in combat, even those twice his age. Within a year, no two initiates could match him. Even Master Sagottoh, once a Blademaster of the Order in his younger years, soon found himself pressed. This youngling - one age tier below Ulannium - was named Corellan Halcyon. When they first met, Ulannium himself thought the youngling was untalented and barely worth his notice. Later, when his martial capability manifested, Nowan Ko Detizu realized that Corellan needed Ulannium’s help to acclimate to the other children, most of whom were intimidated by the young firebrand. The bond the two developed would last them the rest of their lives. In recognition of this reality and her responsibilities, when Ulannium was ready to become a padawan, Nowan Ko’s report to the council would advise them not to assign the two to work together, which is why they were kept separated for the next eight years. Although they were both disappointed, both would ultimately conclude it had been the right thing to do.

Fact Five – Tragedy: When the Sack of Coruscant took place, Ulannium was still far away on Uphrades, reading a text on archaeology. He recalls feeling a deep sense of foreboding in the pit of his stomach, but as he was unable to determine what it was, he soon resumed reading. A few days later once the reports had come in, the Uphrades Masters regretfully informed him that his family had been killed during the attack when falling debris had collapsed on them on the street. The youngling showed little reaction at first, then finally announced his intention to head off to find solitude to meditate. The masters, decided that he needed time to process what had happened, let him. Corellan, recognizing that he needed friendship, pursued him and talked. [I may write about that encounter someday.]

Fact Six – Personality: One of Ulannium’s personality quirks is his tendency to answer a question with a question. This is sometimes a defensive mechanism, and sometimes simply a way to get an individual to rethink their position diplomatically. In the normal flow of conversation, he does this skillfully enough that people rarely even notice. He picked up this particular quirk from Master Nowan Ko Detizu, one of his mentors back on Uphrades. The Cathar Jedi taught him a multitude of simple techniques that aid him in his day-to-day life as a Jedi, diplomat and sometime political and military leader.

Fact Seven – Traits: By the time the class stories begin, Ulannium is already an expert in the fields of biology, archaeology, geology and history, and could probably have earned a master’s degree in any of those areas if given the time and inclination to do so. Although he was appropriately honored to meet the esteemed members of the Jedi Council, he was most excited to meet Gnost-Dural, as the Kel Dor had, by then, been named the Keeper of the Jedi Archives. Ulannium definitely has a strong interest – some might even say a passion – for ancient Force knowledge and would live in the Jedi Archives if he could. One of the most difficult decisions he ever faced was rescuing Laria Taphoni on Taris, effectively sacrificing the holocron the expedition team had found. In making his choice, Ulannium was guided by the principles of the Jedi code and recognizes that it was the correct decision, but nevertheless he had to meditate for a long while to process everything that happened. Although he recognizes that Rajivari’s teachings ran contrary to the Jedi code and had corrupted many ancient Jedi, Ulannium never quite forgot what he had learned of it. He wishes he had spent more time with the fallen Je'daii Master to learn where things had gone wrong.

Fact Eight – His Relationship with Nadia Grell: Ulannium doesn’t believe in concepts like “love at first sight”. But when he met Nadia, he generally became more protective of her innocence. Eventually, those feelings evolved into romantic impulses, but even in their early days together, he was somewhat distracted. That was one of the reasons he didn’t immediately pick up on Nadia’s force-sensitivity, which he would have normally understood right from the get-go. As a side note, his relationship with Nadia develops very differently in my story than in the game and does not progress until after she is Knighted almost three years after becoming his Padawan. As a fluffy note, To date, Nadia is the only person who has ever called him “Uli”. She’s usually discreet about the practice, but she did actually let it slip in front of Felix Iresso on one occasion. Ulannium was embarrassed, Nadia was aghast, and Felix was amused.

Fact Nine – Joining the Alliance: After Ulannium and the rest of the Ossus colony rejoined the rest of the galaxy (lining up with the Jedi Under Siege expansion from the canon story), he and Nadia became honorary members of the Eternal Alliance, with Ulannium serving as the Alliance’s liaison with the Council. The Council - when it eventually reformed - did not formally condone or condemn this relationship; they simply pretended that they didn’t know it existed, despite it becoming common knowledge by that point. [Note: This mirrors Revan’s post-KOTOR relationship with Bastilla in the “Revan” novel.] Far from being past his prime after joining the Eternal Alliance, Ulannium achieved some of the most impressive efforts of his career as the Alliance’s top diplomatic negotiator, writing much of the treaty that Corellan and the Alliance would eventually sign with the Galactic Republic. But arguably the most impressive feat of his career was the negotiation of the Treaty of Alderaan, a pact that ended nearly twenty years of civil war and internal discord. Leading the Alliance’s diplomatic corps, one of Ulannium’s top deputies would be the Killik Joiner and former Imperial diplomat and Intelligence operative, Vector Hyllus. Ulannium learned a great deal of respect for Hyllus and his capabilities, which was reciprocated by the Joiner.

Fact Ten - His Legacy: Some years joining the Alliance, he and Nadia had their first child: Maykia Ishris Kaarz. She is named for both of her grandmothers; Maykia on Nadia’s side and Ishris on Ulannium’s. She’s a couple of years younger than Bela and Tasiele, who are friends of hers who I’ve spoken about elsewhere. Her childhood was complicated to say the least, but she eventually fully joined the Jedi order on her own terms as she began adulthood. She wields a double-bladed lightsaber as her mother did, albeit she’s not a true Jedi Shadow. [Note: Maykia is part of the “Future Halcyon Legacy” I’ve been putting together. ]

Thousands of years later, Teela Kaarz, one of Ulannium’s descendants, would be conscripted to work on the construction of the Death Star. Teela and a group of Rebel recruits fled the doomed space station before it exploded. [Novel: Death Star ]

Thank you for reading!

[whitejays-galaxy]

Designing the entire disaster lineage as cats🐱(Reupload)

I accidentally made some design errors, so I had to redo them... To make up for my mistake, there's a small surprise in the end ^^

The disaster lineage:

This is their actual size chart

My favorite trio:

Dooky and Quiggs becuz they deserve more love:

Ref sheets:

Horizonstar/step(Yoda): 

Name Meaning:

"Horizon" carried the meaning of him being the leader of his clan, a beacon of light in the distance, "Step" meant he was always one step ahead of his clanmates, thus using his knowledge and power to help his cats.

Frostshard(Dooku): 

Name Meaning:

I chose "Frost" because of his cold, collected, haughty demeanor, and "Shard", his presence being able to hurt others, like when you touch a broken shard of glass. It also represents his sharpness.

Sagepelt(Qui-Gon-Jinn):

Name Meaning:

"Sage" symbolizes his wisdom of the living Force, spiritual sanctity, vice, and virtue, which some knights thought he was delusional, while others respected his high moral standards.

If you look at a sage plant, the leaves are fuzzy, and they often grow in large swishing bushels, hence the suffix "Pelt"

Hazeldusk(Obi-Wan-Kenobi):

Pls ignore his traumatized face

Anyway

Name Meaning:

I chose "Hazel" because of his pelt color and warm/comforting personality. "Dusk" has a deeper meaning; Hazel trains Skyfire, who turns to the dark side and brings Dawnclan's legacy to an end; therefore, Hazel teaches the one who brought the "Dusk" of Dawnclan's era.

Skyfire(Anakin Skywalker): 

Name Meaning:

I chose "Sky" because of his godlike abilities, for in many countries and religions, the sky was where the gods lived, "Fire" because of him being ferocious yet warm/loving like a small bit of flame in a hearth. It also foreshadows how he would fall, consumed into flames.

Tawnyrain(Ahsoka-Tano):

Name Meaning:

I chose "Tawny" because of her pelt color, and "Rain", symbolizes her abandoning the teachings of Dawnclan when she goes into exile, like the rain washing over dust and grime, the corruption of Dawnclan ways, coated over her innocence and pure heart. 

Long yap incoming...

<Lore>

<Dawnclan/ The Jedi Order>

Dawnclan was created over a thousand years ago by four Force-sensitive cats: Sunspirit(Cala Brin), Tigerblaze(Rajivari), Valorsoul(Garon Jard), and Eclipseshadow(Ters Sendon). 

"True justice cannot be driven by emotion. We knights can set our passions aside, and seek the truth without fear or favor." - Sunspirit

"When Dawnclan's order began, I saw we must be dedicated to peace. To calm our emotions, and end war across the galaxy. If we fought, it should only be in self-defense. That is the founding principle of civilization." - Valorsoul

"So much is fleeting. But I remain. And I remain the cat I was." - Tigerblaze

"I am Eclipseshadow, keeper of the histories. A founder, and chronicler, of Dawnclan." - Eclipseshadow

<About Dawnclan>

-They walk the dreams of their ancestors in Starclan, a clan created by the light side of the Force.

-A Force-Sensitive kit is taken to the temple at a very young age, training in the basic forms of dueling.

-Padawans(apprentices) train for approximately two years with their assigned Master, the names usually ending with a 'Paw'(a universal suffix meaning apprentice or student)

-Knights must at least have trained an apprentice before they can be selected for the Dawnclan Council, a group of the most talented cats.

-A Dawnclan knight is forbidden to take a mate or have kits.

<The Dawnclan Code>

There is no Emotion, there is Peace

There is no Ignorance, there is Knowledge

There is no Passion, there is Serenity

There is no Chaos, there is Harmony

There is no Death, there is the Force

<Darkhaven/ The Sith Order>

It is hard to know the birth of Darkhaven, yet one thing is for sure, evil has lurked since no beginning nor end.

The official name of these dark warriors was created by Hellfire, a soulless she-cat whom many say was the embodiment of evil itself.

The Fate Wars, the first great war in the Galaxy, led to the victory of the knights of Dawnclan, who built their main camp on the ruins of Darkhaven.

After the events of the Fate Wars, two more happened during the history of the Galaxy: 

The first was the Cold War: in which former Darkhavener Corvidheart(Darth Revan) challenged the Emperor Vortexvoid(Emperor Vitalle) to reclaim balance on both sides.

The second was the Grey Wars: Darkhaven leader Stormcutter(Darth Malgus) brought the Dawnclan order to its knees and took over for a long time. This caused a rebellion act against the Darkhaven Empire by normal citizens, and as a result, the Republic was born - an invisible group that consisted of various clans and tribes to discuss peace and to help each other in crisis.

Many years passed after the Grey Wars, and one by one, the warriors of Darkhaven were hunted down by the knights of Dawnclan.

Nightshade(Darth Bane), the last known leader of Darkhaven, and the maker of the Rule of Two, swore revenge. They will always lurk in the shadows, waiting for the right moment to strike. 

Her apprentice Plagueshadow(Darth Plagueis) continued her work in silence, training the dreaded Lightningstrike(Darth Sidious), who would create the most feared and powerful Darkhavener of all time: Lord Deadsoul(Darth Vader)

<About Darkhaveners>

When a Dawnclan knight falls to the Dark side, their features grow haughty and sharp because of the Dark Forest water.

Only Darkhaveners have orange eyes.

They usually have red crystals on their foreheads but in rare circumstances, purple or black could be seen also.

They communicate with the Dark Forest, an everlasting place of the Dark side of the Force, with murky water and wizened trees.

They have the Rule of Two, only allowing a Master and an Apprentice to live.

<The Darkhaven Code>

Peace is a lie, there is only Passion

Through Passion, I gain Strength

Through Strength, I gain Power

Through Power, I gain Victory

Through Victory, My Chains Are Broken

The Force shall set me Free

About Kyberclaws:

They glow red hot at the tip when unsheathed at battle mode. But they can't use them for long, or the heat would kill them(Yoda/Horizonstar has a record of using them for a full thirty minutes)

They are functioned by the Kyber Crystals on their foreheads and could cut through anything except Beskar Wood( a tree known for its silvery wood and toughness, used by the Mandalorian cats)

A Dawnclan cat develops this ability once they are 6 moons old, as their bodies mature enough to withstand the claw tip's deadly heat.

About crystals on foreheads:

The Crystals are the main source of the Kyberclaw's power, and when forcefully taken, it would cripple the owner for eternity(like a bird without wings)

When a Dawnclan cat dies, the Crystals turn a dead-looking grey, devoid of all power.

About Droids in the Au:

They are animals that are neither living nor dead(such as rats, foxes, shrews, badgers...etc)

Their commander controls them with the Smoke Crystals(used like comlinks)

About Starships in the Au: 

They are huge birds of prey tamed by the cats.

Alright... the surprise... I'm actually astonished you scrolled all the way down here.

Cuddle Pile!!!

This is one of my oldest Aus that I'm working on; it's a mix of my two favorite fandoms: StarWars and Warriors(cats)

Anyway, hope you guys enjoy this👍

See more of my Cat Au designs here :3

The Disaster lineage (Yoda, Dooku, Qui, Obi, Anakin, Ahsoka + lore)

Prequel villains (Sidious, Dooku, Maul, Vader + Lore)

Kit-Fisto

Plo-Koon and Ahsoka

Sifo Dyas and Dooku

Disaster trio(Obi, Ani, Soka) doodles

Smol comics(ft. Qui, Rael, Sifo, Dooku): pt 1

Aayla Secura and Quinlan Voss

Luke and Leia

DO NOT COPY ANY OF MY CAT DESIGNS

This is a PERSONAL AU and they mean so much to me

[david-talks-sw]

What are your thoughts on the je'daii? Do they even work, like I find myself irritated by the concept because people often use them to validate/prove the notion that "balance = both sides of the Force"

If you stick to what George Lucas said, in Star Wars a person being "balanced" is someone who accepts their inner darkness and resists its pull nonetheless.

When fans mention the Je'daii, it's usually in the context of:

"The Jedi downgraded from the Je'daii, limited their studies of the Force, refusing to study the Dark Side was a mistake. It was an original sin that caused them to create an imbalance within them."

Which is weird, to me, because the whole point of the comic's narrative is that:

the Je’daii Order’s way was doomed to fail.

Introduced in the Legends comic series Dawn of the Jedi (2012), the Je'daii are the predecessors of the Jedi. They are an order of Force users who studied and practiced both the Light Side and the Dark Side in hopes of finding Balance.

The reasoning is simple: everyone has a bit of good and bad in them, you learn to master the good and the bad sides inside of you, indulging them equally. But while this method seems sound on paper… it didn't work.

Consider that they’re already dabbling with the Dark Side...

... but hey, at least they’re aware of its dangers, they’re trying to be responsible about it.

There's a support system where they all warn each other when they're about to cross a line. But even then, there's many who've fallen and been exiled to a moon, to be rehabilitated.

Suddenly, circumstances compel all of them to use the Forcesaber, a weapon that only activates when you draw on the Dark Side.

And that does something to them. Over the course of a year, they all become increasingly aggressive.

Soon, a faction breaks off because they no longer want to stop using the Forcesaber. They’re addicted to the Dark Side.

A war ensues, at the end of which the Jedi Order is born, a group of Force users who:

acknowledge and accept their inner darkness,

while also striving to overcome it rather than give it power.

So that’s the moral of the whole Je’daii story.

Their idea of "Balance by wielding both" was actually so fragile and difficult to maintain that all it took was a little push for them to become vulnerable to the Dark Side's temptation.

Hell, even after the Jedi Order was established, one of its founders, Master Rajivari - who in Dawn of the Jedi (2012) is framed as a wise ex-general who, albeit strict, spends his days meditating and philosophizing - he goes to the Dark Side too! 

Because that's how the Dark Side works.

The Dark Side isn’t just "negative feelings" or a "bad guy superpower" that you can mix with a "good guy superpower" to unleash the ultimate 'Force blast'. This isn’t an anime.

The Dark Side is a drugs/smoking/drinking addiction.

It's selfish, temporary pleasure. The more you consume it...

... the more you get addicted...

... and the more it consumes you right back...

... until nothing remains.

Jon Ostrander, who wrote Dawn of the Jedi (2012), echoed this sentiment multiple times:

“As I see it, those working on the light side work with the Force, channeling it, open and sensitive to what it tells them. They serve it. Those on the dark side try to impose their will on the Force, to make it do their will, to make it serve them. The Je’daii believe in a balance between the light and the dark side and so attempt to use both. Problem is, a balance is hard to maintain and the dark side is so very seductive.” - John Ostrander, LA Times, 2012

“The Je'daii aren't light side or dark side, although they know and are aware of both. Instead they seek a balance in the Force between light and dark. Balance, however, is a difficult thing to maintain and there is always the danger of falling wholly to the dark side — and some Je'daii have done so.” - John Ostrander, Newsarama, 2012

And this is a recurring theme throughout all of Ostrander’s comics, by the way. Be it with the Je’daii, but also with Quinlan Vos or Cade Skywalker, the point remains the same: 

"Yes, wielding the Dark Side gives you great power, and you get to show off some badass new tricks...

… but it ultimately destroys you and everyone around you."

Remember: if it weren’t for Cade or Quin’s loved ones, neither of them would have come back from the Dark Side. They aren't badasses because they can use Force Lightning, they're badasses because they found the strength to give that up.

So if you genuinely think the Jedi "downgraded" by refusing to give the Dark Side more power than it already has on them... you're missing the point.

“It’s not about ripping things out of the sky using the Force or Force Lightning. A lot of people, they think “oh look how powerful Vader is, look how powerful the Emperor is, I want to play be the bad guy because I get these powers”. It’s an empty feeling, at the end of the day, after the moment. [...] The Dark Side is a spiral downward that you’re trapped in.” - Dave Filoni, “Force of Rebellion”, 2018

It was an upgrade.

Framing "balance" as "equal Dark and Light Side" is like consuming one (1) salad a day and one (1) whole bottle of vodka and calling that "balanced". No, buddy, that'll kill you. Because:

The vodka is better at being destructive than the salad is at making you healthy.

It's won't stay just one bottle per day. It'll eventually become two, three, etc.

Because as George Lucas stated time and again, resisting the Dark Side is a constant struggle.

So that's my two cents.

You've probably already heard about the recent announcement of a Dawn of the Jedi feature film, a biblical epic that will be directed by James Mangold.

And truth be told... it scares me SO much that we came THIS close to an Episode IX: Duel of the Fates that framed "balance" as - you guessed it - giving equal power to your light and darkness.

Like, how did this ⬆️ get as far as it did? Did nobody think to sit Colin Trevorrow down and explain to him that he fundamentally misunderstands how the Force works?

So all I can do is cross my fingers and hope James Mangold has a better grasp of - if not the lore (I wouldn't be surprised if the words "Je'daii" or "Tython" aren't uttered once in the film) - at least the message.

[soveru]

Jedi Consular OC Headcanons

I told you... so there are another bunch of headcanons, but about Jedi Consular.

Spoiler alert under the cut :)

Well, his name is Solari Noxis, and he… well, suffer enought in my head 😅 (And i still didn't sure about his name)

His class in game is Sage, so he has many abilities to heal and protect, but also can make a choke if you're earn it

He's probably older than a Jedi Knight and Sith Warrior, but still younger than a Kallig (it's 25 years age diff lol)

Tall, but thin (196/72)

He is definitely more of a diplomat than a warrior. He will always prefer to solve a problem with words and come to an agreement (even with the Sith). But if the situation requires it, he is still one of the strongest force users in the galaxy with the strongest connection to the force.

In my head, he is an orphan and a half-blood Echani. But since the family died, no one knows for sure under what circumstances it happened.

He grew his hair simply because he was too lazy to cut it. And then he got used to it.

He has migraines since he shielded Masters Jedi from Vivikar.

Fan of an ancient history, probably knows a lot about mandalorian wars. Bookworm)

He actually uses any information and techniques that fall into his hands. Let's say - Noeticons and Rajivari source were used for good :)

Saved Vivicar. Because in his opinion it was the right thing to do. But sometimes I get the impression that under the influence of circumstances he developed a "savior complex"

I guess he hear about Kallig on Ilum (in my head she is the one who prevents Malgus became the emperor), but their first meet was on Yavin 4 during that Revanites things.

His relationship with Kallig probably a disaster 🤣

Especially considering that Kallig just constantly makes a bunch of caustic, sarcastic comments and he responds in kind.

When he with all his allies - he is a calm, wise Jedi Master. Dealing with Kallig - they both act like prickly teenagers. At least until Kallig disappeared for 5 years. (I hadn't enought sarcastic non-DS choices in dialogs, but I think he is the one who constantly wears the mask of "good behavior")

He is very calm, really. Despite his occasional sarcasm, he is probably the calmest and most phlegmatic of the four "iconic" force users of his time.

"Oh shit, here we go again" - most honest reaction for all that happens in DLC, especially when Malgus returned. I think he was the man that facepalming, while Kallig just "Oh, hello my dear friend that tryed to establish a new empire, guess what i did?"

I think he had many moments of "walking on the edge". This is especially true for my headcanons during the time when the eternal empire attacked the galaxy

Managed to earn himself scars on the left half of his face during the Alliance vs Eternal Empire (I headcanon that he was captured and tortured by the Eternal Empire or something like that 🌚, sorry boy)

He loves sweets, but few people know about it.

(yes i ship him with Kallig and i have many sketches about it))

I have some another headcanons about SI and few pictures, so i think i will publish it too

[relevant-url-incoming]

It's actually so fun playing through a consular when you decide your character is unusually young because the energy of the Jedi council members being like "Yuon why exactly are you saying this Padawan should go find rajivari's shit" changes dramatically. Like my teenaged consular is of course like "why are they so mean to me I can obviously handle this" but it feels much less "we doubt you" and much more "you are too young and inexperienced for this??? Why are we doing this???"

[shabre-legacy]

I am not ok with the Dawn of the Jedi movie. There's lots of area to play with the Jedi. But Disney WILL GET THE FOUNDING OF THE JEDI ORDER COMPLETELY WRONG AND MISS EVERYTHING IMPORTANT ABOUT THE DEVELOPMENT AND THEY PROBABLY WON'T EVEN INCLUDE TYTHON OR DAI BENDU OR THE JE'DAI AND THE TRANSITION TO JEDI AND RAJIVARI AND ALL THE ACTUAL DETAILS THAT MATTER.

DISNEY NEEDS TO STAY AWAY FROM THAT

[rikki-roses]

Forgot to cross-post chapter 7 here, but chapter 8 is up.

Excerpt:

Setra rubbed her eyes as her vision started to go blurry. It was another late night trying to crack the mystery of the Fount of Rajivari and its location. Setra sat bent over one table, fiddling with Rajivari’s holoprojector, while Yuon worked away at another table. Setra half-listened as the holoprojector continued its loop, talking about the mysterious sanctum that supposedly housed the Fount.

Sanctum.

Wait.

There were ancient ruins over at Kaleth; scholars had been studying it for decades. Setra had been itching to go, with promises from Yuon that she would be able to once their current project was done.

Kaleth meant sanctum in one of the old languages.

Setra straightened up, reaching for a map. Once she found what she needed, she got up and hurried toward Yuon. She placed the map down on the table that Yuon was working at, pointing to Kaleth.

“Master, I think I might have found something. What if the Fount has been under our noses the whole time? Maybe there are clues at Kaleth?”

Yuon’s eyebrows shot up as she studied the map for a moment. A wide grin spread across her face.

“M dear Padawan, I do believe you are on to something. Kaleth, of course! Kaleth was destroyed many years ago in a great battle; droids still sweep the ruins there. The first blade that Rajivari mentions is still a puzzle, however.”

Setra chewed on her bottom lip in thought. “A lightsaber, maybe? Or at least some form of armory.”

Yuon rubbed her chin. “Lightsabers hadn’t been invented yet, but other weapons have been discovered in one portion of the ruins. It’s a good place to begin, either way.”

Yuon then sighed and gave Setra an apologetic look. “I am sorry, Setra. I planned your training so carefully. But the Force has intervened; finding the Fount of Rajivari and stopping Nalen must be a greater test.”

Setra gave Yuon an inquisitive look in return. “Are you saying the Force is guiding me, Master?”

Yuon nodded in response. “Yes. Sometimes the Force, not the Master, shapes a Padawan’s trials. This seems to be such a time. You should know, however, that the Council tends to disapprove of such training, but I’ll explain everything. For now, go focus on exploring Kaleth for this “first blade.” Call me on your holocomm at once if you have any success.”

They talked for a few moments more as Setra collected the holoprojector and some maps of Kaleth. Bidding farewell to her master, she then went back to her quarters to pack for the trip to Kaleth; she wasn’t sure how much time it would take to explore the ruins. She also made the decision to bring Paws with her – she didn’t want to leave him alone for long, and she didn’t want to risk Master Yuon discovering him while she was away. Paws fought with her for a few minutes as she got his harness onto him; he still did not like the harness, but Setra needed to get him used to it in the event she needed to leash him.

Lots of treats and pets later, Paws firmly in his harness and leash in her satchel, Setra and Paws exited through her window. She opted to bring both her satchel and her pack in case she needed to make a proper camp at the ruins. She had managed to borrow a speeder with a small side-car, which she got Paws settled into (with lots of treats and a chew toy to distract him, of course). While she preferred to walk as opposed to speeders, the ruins were farther away than she could walk in a reasonable time frame, and for once Setra needed to be mindful of time.

Even with the speeder, it was still after dark by the time Setra got to Kaleth. Several tired scholars greeted her, directing her towards a clearing where she could leave her speeder and make camp. Making camp didn’t take long; she opted to eschew a tent and sleep under the stars. Paws, for his part, immediately curled up on Setra’s bedroll; it had been a long day. Setra pushed him aside so she could lie down, only for Paws to promptly sprawl out on top of her. They were both asleep in seconds.

[star-wars-comics]

Star Wars: Dawn of the Jedi: Prisoner of Bogan #1 (2012)

written by John Ostrander art by Jan Duursema, Dan Parsons, Wes Dzioba

[bloodilymerry]

Where Shae Befriends Space Whales

[sith-shenanigans]

🤔

[swtorpadawan]

A Jedi Consular’s Path – Chapter One: How We Came to This Point

Author’s Notes: The following story is part of my Halcyon Legacy and features a character I rarely get to write about Ulannium Kaarz. It takes place during the five-year gap from Knights of the Fallen Empire in the aftermath of the fall of Tython. Expect a handful of game-canon divergences as well as cameos from minor NPCs from the game.

Jedi Master Ulannium Kaarz let out a heavy sigh as he rested his palms against the now-extinguished holo-terminal.

It has been a long day.

The Barsen’thor of the Jedi Order reflected on the present situation. If he were being candid with himself, it had been a string of long days dating back almost a year.

A moment earlier, he had been speaking over the holo with Nalen Raloch. Once an enemy long ago, the Twi’lek had turned into an ally and even a friend. The two Jedi had exchanged words of admiration and respect as Nalen had prepared to make his final stand against the Zakuulan ground forces on Tython. He had been part of the final rear guard, covering the evacuation.

If that final report had been accurate, Nalen was one of two Jedi still alive on Tython. And he was on the brink of being overrun by an enemy that had taken no prisoners.

Ulannium recalled how he had first met Nalen all those years ago. As the champion defender of Kalikori Village, the Twi’lek had been corrupted by the holocron of Rajivari, leading him to plot the destruction of the Jedi Order. Ulannium, still a Padawan at the time, had defeated Nalen in single combat, starting the Twi’lek on the path of recovery. But it had been the man himself who had found the strength within himself to become someone better.

It was strange to think that Nalen, who had joined the order relatively late in life as a grown adult under such inauspicious circumstances and after such a brush with the dark side, might have just ended his life as a better Jedi than Ulannium - one of the most celebrated Jedi of his generation - had lived his.

As he continued to grip the display for support, Ulannium felt Future's Vision, his Mark II Defender special transport frigate, launch into hyperspace, leaving the Tython system behind.

For the second time in two generations, the Jedi were headed into exile.

Right on schedule. The Mirialan Jedi Master thought to himself as his wrist communicator beeped. He automatically toggled the control switch to receive.  

“All the other ships have reported in, Master Jedi.” Felix Iresso reported from the pilot’s seat of the Future’s Vision’s bridge. “Green board for everyone. I know we paid a heck of a price to get off Tython, but the evac fleet managed to make it out clean.”

Ulannium forced himself to smile approvingly despite the dire situation.

“Excellent work, Felix.” Despite him amicable words, his voice sounded strained even to his own ears. “I’ll let you know when we have coordinates for the next jump.”

“Got it.” the former Republic officer acknowledged. “Hey, get some rest, okay, boss? You sound like you need it. Felix out.”

With that, the communicator deactivated, leaving the Mirialan Jedi Master alone with his thoughts.

It’s done.

They had successfully evacuated the remnants of the Jedi Order from Tython… but as Felix had said, the cost had been astronomical. Nalen Raloch, Bengel Morr and so many others had sacrificed themselves to make good their escape.

Ulannium could only hope that their sacrifices had not been in vain.

So many choices. Ulannium thought to himself. So many sacrifices for so such meager gains. So many have fallen just to take us to this sorry state as refugees, and to leave our responsibilities to the rest of the galaxy behind.

Master Gnost-Dural, the Lore Keeper of the Jedi Archives, had revealed their final destination to no one, not even to Ulannium, the Barsen’thor of the Order and Dural’s sole remaining active colleague from the council. But he had promised them all that he had found a place for the surviving Jedi to withdraw. To regroup. To heal. To study. And to train.

A place where they could learn how to be Jedi again.

It was a tempting offer given the horrors they had just escaped and the multitude of misfortunes that had befallen the Jedi in the past year. Ulannium had no reason to question the aged Kel Dor’s sincerity that he could provide such a sanctuary.

He only wished that he could complete that journey with him. Inducted into the Order at the age of six, Ulannium had spent almost his entire life working towards this point. His accomplishments by the age of thirty-two had been remarkable in the eyes of everyone. Friends, allies, even enemies.

Now, in the aftermath of this disaster, he was about to throw it all away.

Letting out an exhale, Ulannium turned away from the holo-terminal and walked down the corridor to the passenger compartment, his slight build easily cutting around the excess of people and supply crates packed into the corridors. He knew full well that Future’s Vision – the last ship to lift off Tython – was practically overflowing with survivors from the evacuation.

The galaxy behind them had already begun to feel the Jedi’s absence. Word had reached them just before the evacuation that Coruscant was being blockaded by yet another flotilla of Eternal Fleet ships. He knew such circumstances would devastate a planet like the Republic capital world where untold billions of people lived. Even with its extensive network of underground microorganism farms, his home planet relied heavily on the surplus of at least twenty agricultural worlds to fulfill their daily food needs. Even with rationing, people would be starving within days.

Ulannium’s appeals to Chancellor Saresh to seek an armistice with the Sith Empire so they could focus on the mutual threat of Zakuul had all been rejected out of hand. As had everyone else’s.  

Another failure. He privately lamented. The people of the Republic, and the galaxy, were paying for the failures of the council. And of Ulannium.

He wondered what his parents – killed during the last Sack of Coruscant nearly twenty years before – would think of him now.

Would they have been proud? Would they have been ashamed? Would they regret sending their Force-sensitive son to the Jedi in the first place? Or would they have logically reasoned that he would have almost certainly died along with them and his sister on Coruscant during the bombardment if he had stayed?       

Ulannium wished he knew.

As he passed among the dozens of Jedi packed into the cargo bay, his eyes caught sight of Denielle offering comfort to a Republic soldier who’d been wounded in the arm during the evacuation. The medical bay was too small to support this many wounded, so the Jedi – and a handful of others who had joined them – were making due where they could. To that end, the young Zeltron had been knighted only two days ago, just before the attack on Tython had begun. Her ‘Jedi trials’ had been Zakuulan invasion these last few months. Despite her youth, she had done the order proud. Still, she had been forced to grow up far too quickly.

All of us were. Ulannium thought silently to himself, reflecting on his own life. He’d been born into a galaxy at war that had culminated with the death of his family, and he couldn’t deny those events had shaped him.

Putting those thoughts aside, the young Jedi Master pressed on, finally reaching the medical bay. He, too, should have been assisting in the healing efforts, despite his fatigue. Most likely, with so many losses in the last few years, he was one of the most skilled Jedi in Force healing remaining. Those with his gift were in high demand.

But right at this moment, he had an unpleasant task to accomplish first.  

Now standing in the doorway to the med bay, Ulannium gazed into the cramped chamber, where the most grievously injured were being treated.  

It was then that he saw her.

Nadia was hard at work assisting Archiban “Doc” Kimble in treating yet another one of the wounded evacuee. Her personal healing technique was unrefined, but her dedication and her compassion were serving her well in this role as a de facto nurse.

Nadia Grell. Jedi Knight.

Even now, three years later, the very notion filled him with pride.

Looking downward, Ulannium recognized the injured Jedi they were treating as Laranna Fain. The veteran Jedi Guardian and the daughter of Master Duras Fain had long since recovered from her experiences aboard the Carida years ago when she’d slain many innocents while under the sway of Lord Vivicar and his ‘Dark Plague’. Ulannium, with the aid of Tharan Cedrax, had ultimately shielded her from the dark lord’s influence, setting her on a path of recovery.

Another memory. He thought to himself. Another of my great ‘victories’.

Those so-called victories all tasted so hollow now. Laranna Fain might survive this day, but so many others had fallen.

People like Nalen Raloch.

Despite the intense circumstances, Ulannium found himself admiring Nadia as she worked. Even working past the point of exhausting and concentrating on her work so intently with a furrowed brow, she was as beautiful as ever.

Nadia had come so far since he had met her all those years ago. Given her age and the tragic death of her father, most would have expected it would have taken her a decade or longer to have earned her place as a Jedi Knight. She’d easily beaten that estimate, achieving her Knighthood just over a year after becoming his Padawan. During the last few days, she had served magnificently in aiding the evacuation, leading a series of pre-emptive strikes against Zakuulan positions before assisting Gnost-Dural and Ulannium in extracting the Jedi Archives from the Temple. Her combat outfit, inspired by that worn by Satele Shan, was lightly damaged with frayed edges and burn marks, but Ulannium was satisfied that Nadia herself was uninjured.

Satele…

Grand Master Satele Shan, leader of the Jedi Order for more than a decade and their champion in the first great war against the Sith, had fallen out of contact with them five days ago during their evacuation preparations, claiming to have a formulated a plan to stall the Eternal Fleet’s attack. Her final communique had been to effectively recognize Ulannium and Gnost-Dural as the Order’s leaders, and to advise them to continue their plans. Ulannium could only assume her delaying tactic had succeeded; the assault had come two days later than he’d expected based on his calculations. Regardless of whether Satele had sacrificed herself or not, her efforts had likely saved countless lives.

He wondered if the real reason she’d left had been because the order was abandoning Tython, the world she herself had once led the rediscovery and resettlement of after the signing of the Treaty of Coruscant years prior. Publicly, Satele, Ulannium and the council had presented a united front. To the order and to the Republic.

Privately, they’d had their differences. Ulannium had pressured into implementing several reforms that had no doubt rankled the more ‘traditionally minded’ among the Jedi. Despite their challenging relationship, Ulannium now regretted that he’d left things with Satele the way he had. He had never expected to feel her absence so acutely. He certainly had never wanted her title or her job.

The burden of leadership wore heavily upon him, considering Satele was not the only member of the Council to have ‘departed’ recently.

Bela Kiwiiks and her apprentice, the Sith Pureblood known as Praven, had been transporting a small group of Jedi younglings to Tython from an auxiliary enclave to join their coming exodus. Since her retirement from active field duty, the Togruta Jedi Master had been most active in nurturing and protecting the Order’s youngest recruits. When their ship had been cut off from Tython as a result of the fighting, Kiwiiks had sent an encoded transmission to inform them that she and her immediate charges were safe, but she’d decided that they would not be joining the Order on their retreat into exile. Kiwiiks gave assurances that she had a plan for the younglings’ survival and education. True to form, she had finished her message with the ubiquitous ‘May the Force be With You’.

Ulannium had been concerned with her plan and had proposed a search and retrieval mission. Gnost-Dural, however, had declared himself satisfied.

“She must find her own path, both for herself and her young charges.” The Jedi Archivist reminded him at the time. “Besides, there are many more younglings here on Tython who we are responsible for.”

The implications of Dural’s words were not lost on Ulannium. Wherever they were headed, Dural was clearly not expecting this to be a brief exile. The Jedi needed to preserve their future. For an order of beings who strongly discouraged traditional sexual reproduction among their numbers, that meant they needed to bring the children with them so the Jedi would have someone to teach. Just as Ulannium had been taught so many years ago as a child on Uphrades.

Other Jedi Council members had gone missing or had given their lives in the faltering defense of the Republic, with the most heroic sacrifice coming less than an hour before by Master Oteg. The Jedi admiral and the last of his fleet had given their lives against the Zakuulans to cover the Jedi’s escape into hyperspace.

Though Syo Bakarn hadn’t been on the council in years, Ulannium had also felt the absence of his old mentor. He’d not been able to visit with him in person; despite his title of Barsen’thor and his place on the Council, Ulannium had accepted that he need not know where he withdrawn to after their confrontation on Corellia years before, when the First Son had been defeated. The Jedi Master had deserved his peace. Instead, they had exchanged encrypted messages from time to time, but even these had become infrequent once the Zakuulans had invaded. The risk of interception had been too great; the time too short.

He now wished he had written one more letter to Master Syo. He wished he had sought his wisdom once again, if only for the last time.

Ulannium and Gnost-Dural were – effectively – all that remained of the once-vaunted Jedi Council, supposedly the wisest Jedi in all the galaxy. And they had been reduced to leading a group of beleaguered refugees into hiding while the rest of the galaxy suffered.

As a Jedi Master, Ulannium fully understood the futility of dwelling on the past as he was. Nevertheless, he couldn’t help but think about what might have been. He had lost so many friends over the years, either through diverging pathways or – more often – those allies becoming one with the Force.

He remembered Hallow Voice, the leader of the free Esh-kha, who had proclaimed him Sky-hunter. He had led his people into exile after the defeat on Ord Mantell; Ulannium could not fault them for their choice. The Esh-kha had fought and bled for the Republic. He hoped his old friend still lived, and that he was leading his people in peace.

He remembered Gaden-Ko, the Voss Mystic, who had joined with the Rift Alliance to learn more about the galaxy, and perhaps about himself. Despite holding a position of leadership amongst his people, the young Force-sensitive had viewed so many things with an innocence of youth that Ulannium had found refreshing. He had been a delight to teach. But when Voss itself came under the threat of the Eternal Empire, Gaden-Ko had regretfully withdrawn his commandoes from the Alliance, taking them back to Voss. Zakuul’s effective interdict on that world would have prevented any further communications, and Ulannium could only hope his former protégé and ally was well.

But even more deeply than those two, Ulannium missed his old crew.

Holiday had departed not long before the war with Zakuul had begun. With her enhanced capabilities, she’d wanted to fully explore herself and she couldn’t do that from their ship. Ulannium had been sorry to see her go, but he recognized that new experiences were critical to personal growth, and he’d been impressed when Tharan had given her his blessing as well.

After months of opposing the invasion alongside the crew, Tharan Cedrax had finally left, claiming to have been offered an opportunity to research technologies that would turn the tide against the Eternal Fleet. In truth, Tharan had seemed to go adrift without Holiday in his life, becoming more withdrawn. Privately, Ulannium suspected the scientist had been drinking to excess. He knew there were things his old friend wasn’t telling him but accepted that – like Holiday – Tharan had to make his own path. Ulannium could only hope that path had led Tharan to himself.

Like Gaden-Ko, Zenith had departed when his home planet was threatened, returning to Balmorra. The industrial world, like so many others, was under siege to the Eternal Empire, and the former guerilla fighter seemed eager to resume his old trade in light of “Republic ineffectiveness”. Ulannium had always known the Twi’lek revolutionary would put his home ahead of the rest of the galaxy and so he was not surprised. Although they’d been very different people, the Jedi wondered if perhaps it had been Ulannium who hadn’t learned enough from that association.

Qyzen Fess had been one of his closest friends and allies since before Ulannium had even been named a Jedi Knight back on Tython all those years ago. In addition to Qyzen’s exceptional abilities as a tracker and fighter, Ulannium had learned much about weighing the value of traditions against the need for every people to change and adapt from the old Trandoshan hunter. He wished they’d remained together for longer, but once it became clear the Jedi order’s priority was to preserve its existence, Qyzen had regretfully made his exit.

“Many points to be earned for the Scorekeeper fighting Zakuulans, Herald.” He had declared. “Even in dark times, we must still be hunters.”

Part of Ulannium found himself agreeing with Qyzen. But even the Barsen’thor of the Jedi Order had been unable to find a way to turn the tide against Zakuul’s onslaught.

These departures had reduced his old crew down to two.

Lieutenant Felix Iresso had gone years without promotion despite a multitude of accomplishments, commendations and medals. Apparently, Republic command had a long memory concerning Felix’s memory loss, even in times when experienced field officers were in short supply. The soldier had proven his loyalty many times over, finally refusing orders to transfer him to the frontlines so he could remain by Ulannium’s side. He had effectively gone AWOL from the Republic military, and had matters been less chaotic, he’d have risked arrest in the Republic. He’d sacrificed everything for Ulannium and the Jedi because he believed they needed him the most.

And he’d been right.

Inevitably, Ulannium’s thoughts circled back to Nadia, even as he watched her treat more patients.

Even early in their association, he had recognized his feelings for her. Her innocence, her intelligence, her beauty and her determination to do the right thing all spoke to him in a way he couldn’t put into words. Naturally, as a Jedi - and as Nadia’s master - he had doggedly resisted those thoughts. He’d spent hours meditating on his dilemma, attempting to analyze the situation logically. Senator Tobas Grell had entrusted his daughter’s safety and training to him, and to him alone. Were it otherwise, he would have had her placed with a new Jedi Master, one who would not experience such complications.

So Ulannium had held fast and true.

… Until the moment that Nadia herself - minutes after being Knighted - had pressed her lips to his. From that moment forward the dam had burst and his famous stoic Jedi resolve was lost.

It had taken the two of them a long time to find their feet again. Once they had, he could not imagine his existence without Nadia in it.

There had been no formal ceremony to mark their wedding a year later; simply an exchange of vows in the custom of Nadia’s people. Ulannium had not added to his Mirialan tattoos since he’d been a child; but for the first time since he could remember, he’d wanted to mark his body to declare himself hers. To celebrate their love and joining. He had not, of course. Doing so would have resulted in expulsion from the order for the both of them. But the thought had never completely escaped him.

He didn’t know how he would have made it through the last few months - or the last few days - without Nadia’s strength and support behind him.

Reassuring as Nadia had been to him, however, Ulannium found his thoughts drifting to his old friend, Corellan Halcyon.

Believed killed at the start of the war with Zakuul, the Order, the Republic and – perhaps! – the galaxy itself had sorely missed the Hero of Tython’s presence.

Ulannium knew that he certainly had.

The Barsen’thor of the Jedi Order had long heard the whispers around the temple on Tython concerning his own path. They whispered that he was the best Jedi of his generation. They whispered that his knowledge of the Force was unprecedented for one so young. They whispered that his leadership and diplomatic talents were without equal. They whispered that if Ulannium had not already been serving as Barsen’thor, it would have been he and not Gnost-Dural who would have been tasked with preserving the Jedi Archives.

Some had even (quietly) whispered that one day, he, Ulannium Kaarz, would succeed Master Satele as the Grand Master of the Jedi Order.

But for all of those accolades, he was not Corellan Halcyon.

Ulannium Kaarz may have been the ‘model Jedi’ of his generation. It had been centuries since a younger Jedi than himself had been named to the Council.

But Corellan had been their champion. Their hero. The great warrior who had always found a way to pull victory from the jaws of defeat so that the order and the Republic could survive one more day. He had been the one who would never give up, no matter the odds.

Ulannium hadn’t felt Corellan’s death during the attack on Darth Marr’s expedition fleet less than a year ago. Given their shared history and their connection through the Force, that detail had surprised him and had even given him cause to hope. But as each defeat against the Eternal Empire had driven the Jedi and Republic back, that hope had slowly evaporated. Knowing Corellan as he did, there was no chance whatsoever he would simply sit the war out in quiet retirement while the galaxy burned. He certainly could not sense him anywhere in the galaxy through the Force.

No. His friend – his oldest friend – was almost certainly dead.

He remembered that time they’d shared drinks at the cantina on Carrick station. It had been a few months after their joint operation against Darth Malgus at Ilum and they’d found a few minutes to reminisce on their shared childhoods on Uphrades, and on the strange turns their lives had taken since then. Corellan had – with an eloquence that Ulannium would have once thought beyond him back when he’d been an awkward youth – explained how much Ulannium had inspired him back when they’d been younglings.  

“It meant the galaxy to me, Ulannium.” The Hero of Tython had concluded. “The meditations, the studying, all of it. It helped me apply myself to something other than lightsaber training.”

The human had smiled across the table at the Mirialan.

“I’m a better Jedi today because of you.”

Ulannium had blinked at this revelation, then sipped his own drink. Taking a moment before setting the glass down, he looked back at Corellan, his bright green eyes looking into Corellan’s pale blues. If he’d ever questioned whether their friendship had survived into adulthood, those had been answered this day.

“I’m a better person today because of you.” He answered.

It had been in Corellan’s memory that Ulannium had persuaded the Jedi to take in Doctor Kimble when he’d contacted them. The field medic had been a member of Corellan’s crew before the Hero of Tython’s death, and Ulannium felt there was little question that such medical expertise would be sorely needed. “Doc”, as he was called, had indeed proven himself an asset to the Jedi and Nadia had only had to have a word with him once about flirting with female members of the order. Since then, he’d been impeccably professional. Ulannium - who hadn’t heard about the situation until after the fact - had decided to take the situation as a measure of Nadia’s growing talent for conflict resolution.  

Looking back now, Ulannium fervently wished he had been a better friend to Corellan. The interests of the Order had required that he’d made several… questionable decisions over the years, some of them indirectly impacting the young Jedi Battlemaster. Ulannium would like to have told himself he had done so due to necessity; that the war effort against the Sith Empire – combined with the mistakes of others – had prevented him from acting as a friend ought to have. But… no. That was the trap the generation of Jedi before him had fallen into. Satele Shan, Bela Kiwiiks, Jaric Kaedan and Syo Bakarn… each had achieved remarkable, even legendary feats as Jedi. Each had ultimately fallen short of upholding the ideals of the Jedi because of various forms of self-delusion. They had managed to convince themselves that whatever actions happened to benefit themselves and their fellows also benefitted the order and the Republic.

Ulannium refused to repeat their mistakes. He would face the consequences of his actions with open eyes.

In the unlikely event that he did see Corellan again – whether in this life or in the next as part of the Force – Ulannium promised himself that he would tell his old friend everything.

Even if the price of those confessions was their friendship.

As he continued to stand at the entrance of the med bay, Ulannium reflected on everything he’d accomplished to get to this point, and everyone he’d lost.

He didn’t know if it had been worth it. He wondered if he ever would.

Ulannium gave one last glance at Nadia where she was still helping Doc treat the wounded. As if sensing his presence, the young Sarkhai glanced up and caught his look. She gave him a reassuring smile and nodded to him in understanding.

Nadia knew what he was about. They’d spent hours talking about it.

He knew he was about to destroy her future as well. All the work she had put in to becoming a Jedi Knight would be gone. Perhaps the royal family of Sarkhai would keep her on as a diplomat.

Yes, she had achieved the rank of Knight. But they had developed feelings for each other that could not be denied.

Ulannium had ultimately failed as her master.

Now, he was about to fail her as a husband.

Why she’d put up with him and all of his faults, he had no idea. But he knew he had to do this, and she had understood. They would have been unable to carry on as they had once their journey finished, not surrounded by so many other Jedi.

The timing of this was regrettable, but there’d been no question that the Jedi had needed them to successfully evacuate Tython. And if what Master Gnost-Dural had told them about their destination was any indication, they would be unable to move once they reached sanctuary: The security and secrecy of their safe-haven was too important.

It had to be now.

Ulannium gave Nadia a weak smile back, then turned and departed, making his way to the conference room.

“A Jedi serves truth.” Nowan Ko had instructed Ulannium and Corellan years ago, back on Uphrades. The Cathar Jedi Master had used a raft tied to the shore of the coastline of the line to help illustrate her point. “Be as diplomatic as you must. Show as much compassion and kindness as you can. Use deception consciously and strategically if there is no other choice. But remember that the truth is much like the rope, securing this raft.”

With that, she’d drawn her lightsaber and cut through the rope, letting the raft loose on the water. The small wooden craft had quickly been pulled out to sea.

“Once you cut away the truth, once you embrace the open waters of deception, you risk going adrift. Therefore, a Jedi should strive to always be honest.”

Ulannium had been living a lie for the last three years, if not longer.

Master Gnost-Dural certainly deserved to know the truth. No doubt wherever they were headed, he would have learned it sooner or later regardless.

Better to tell him now rather than guarantee discovery later. Ulannium had decided, some days ago when he’d discussed it with Nadia. Whatever his other regrets and mistakes, he could at least meet the end of his time as a Jedi with honesty.

Entering the hectic conference room, Ulannium saw his fellow councilor surrounded by younger Jedi giving reports on the evacuation.

At Dural’s side, standing stoically amidst the bustle, was Lerek Serrus. The former Sith Apprentice who Ulannium had first met during the liberation of Balmorra so many years before. After their confrontation and the death of Darth Lachris years before, the young man had willingly volunteered to join the order. Unlike Zenith, he’d elected to stay with the Jedi, even as the threat of Zakuul threatened his home world. Most recently, he appeared to have appointed himself as Gnost-Dural’s bodyguard. Based on what Ulannium had seen during the evacuation, the former Sith appeared to be doing an admirable job. Master Gnost-Dural was by no means weak, but nor was he the warrior he’d once been. It was a credit to Lerek’s protection that he appeared to have emerged from the fighting unscathed.  

As Ulannium observed the others, he reflected that there would be dozens if not hundreds of reports to sort through. From personnel assignments to remaining supplies to medical reports on the wounded. From his time leading the Rift Alliance to serving on the council, Ulannium was no stranger to the realities of administration or bureaucracy, but this task would prove to be herculean. As he’d been overseeing the fleet’s evacuation, the burden of overseeing the order’s immediate future had fallen on the older master.

Ulannium wished he wasn’t about to add to that burden.

“Master.” Ulannium approached and bowed to Gnost-Dural. “May I please speak with you privately?”

The Jedi Master looked up from his datapad and, after a moment, inclined his head at the request. Around them, it was as if the commotion of activity had suddenly been paused.

“Please excuse us, everyone.” Dural addressed the room. “See to the wounded, and then review the condition of our ships. We have far to go before we reach our destination, and we must ensure that we are not tracked.”

Reluctantly, the assembled Jedi collected their reports and departed. They all looked as tired as Ulannium felt, but they knew their duty. Lerek gave him a nod of respect as he departed, the last one out the door.

Finally alone, Gnost-Dural gestured for his counterpart to take a seat at the table. Ulannium had hosted summits and planned military operation from that very table, but today, he considered it Gnost-Dural’s by right.

“I’ve seen the initial reports.” The older Jedi Master offered, as he poured them each a mug of water from the small cistern on the table. “All things considered, the fact that we are alive at all is a testament not only to the sacrifices of those we lost, but to your leadership and planning as well. We did well to have evacuated so many within such a short window.”

Ulannium watched silently as the Kel Dor fixed the straw of his mask to drink, then sipped his own water.

“It’ll take us a long time to recover from this setback.” he considered, reflecting on his own time his coming of age in the years following the Sack of Coruscant. The Mirialan found he had a difficult time remaining positive given the dire situation. “A generation if not more.”

Dural seemed unfazed.

“Great challenges lay ahead of us to be sure, but do not be disheartened for the future. I have found a place where the Order can heal. And be born again.” He tilted his head. “Indeed. I sent your old Master ahead to prepare it for us.”

Ulannium raised an eyebrow. He had not seen Yuon Parr since before the Eternal Empire’s invasion. Indeed, he’d feared she’d been killed defending some forgotten archaeological dig. He felt a sense of relief to know that she was still alive.

That led to another regret. When he and Nadia departed, he’d be denied the chance to meet with his old master again, and any future communication would almost certainly be out of the question.

“I appreciate that more than I can tell you, Master.” Ulannium answered weakly. “But this is not why I asked to speak with you.”

The Jedi archivist paused for a long moment, setting down his mug and inclining his head again.

“Of course. I assume you wished to inform me about your covert relationship with your former Padawan?”

Ulannium blinked, then felt his jaw drop open as he processed the Jedi Master’s words.

“You…” he stopped himself, hastily taking a sip of water from his glass and swallowing. “You knew?”

Like all members of his species living away from their home world of Dorin, Master Gnost-Dural wore an antiox breath-mask with protective goggles just to survive the atmosphere of other worlds and artificial environments such as ships. This meant discerning anything from his facial expressions was nearly impossible, even to one attuned to the Force. But in this exact moment, Ulannium had the distinct impression of wry amusement coming from the wizened Kel Dor.

“I am old, Master Ulannium.” he answered. “I am neither dead nor blind.”

It took all the stoicism Ulannium had developed over his thirty-two years of life to compose himself.

“You didn’t say anything.” he pressed. “We’ve been preparing for this day for weeks, and you never exposed us.”

Dural made a dismissive wave of his hand.

“There were other priorities.” he offered by way of explanation. “I imagine others may suspect, but if so no one has said anything to me.”

The Mirialan chewed that over. Ulannium always imagined they’d been discreet, but now uncertainty threatened to overtake him. He resolved to stay the course.

“Then you understand why I have to leave.” he finally forced out the words of regret.  

Gnost-Dural took up his mug again, taking a slow draw through his straw.

“You believe that you and Knight Grell must depart the fleet, so as not to compromise yourselves any further.”

The Jedi master’s choice of words gave Ulannium pause.

“How could I do otherwise?” he insisted. “If we allowed this connection for all Jedi, what then? The order can’t operate like that. And if we did make an exception, then I’d be a hypocrite.”  

Ulannium took in a breath and then slowly let it out.

“And I… I cannot let her go, Master. I know it goes against our Code, but it is not within me to sever our bond. I fought against it for too long.”

Gnost-Dural simply sat across from him, regarding his younger colleague for a long moment.

“I am aware of your predicament, Master Ulannium. That is why I am asking that you stay.” He sipped through his straw again. “I cannot formally condone what you’ve done, true, but I refuse to condemn it.”

Ulannium blinked again.

“But why? I am a failure.”

The Jedi archivist set his mug down.

“You are nothing of the sort. I have seen enough of your conduct to satisfy myself, and the Order needs you, Master Ulannium.” Gnost-Dural emphasized his title. “It needs your leadership. And someday, when the time comes, the rest of the galaxy will need you again, as well. I’m getting too old for this sort of thing. I have no intention of continuing this venture without you at my side.”

He picked up a datapad, regarding it. From what Ulannium could see, it was a report on the fighting before the final withdrawal.

“You made the right decisions during the evacuation of Tython, difficult though they must have been.” He continued. “I have seen you send Knight Grell – and other personal associates of yours as well – into danger, all while knowing some of them would not return. You have accomplished what few Jedi are capable of; yes, you have attachments, but you mind those attachments, so they do not control you.”

Dural set the pad back down.

“I have no doubt in your ability to continue to lead wisely – and objectively – moving forward.”

The Kel Dor folded his clawed fingers together in contemplation.

“Though as you’ve indicated, not every Jedi is capable of your mindfulness. I fear many if not most would inevitably falter if put to the test. So in the future, I would ask that you and Knight Grell maintain a certain level of decorum while in public so as not to set a difficult precedent with the others.”  Dural continued to refer to Nadia by her formal title, a fact that wasn’t lost on Ulannium. “And as you say, if we allowed everyone this indulgence, our cohesion would crumble.”

The Mirialan Jedi Master felt a blush come to his cheeks; suddenly feeling like an adolescent. Given that during his own time as a ‘model youngling’ he’d never been scolded for anything more nefarious than reading after bedtime, it was a new experience to him.

“I… understand.” He finally answered. “Thank you, Master.”

Ulannium was startled at how relieved he felt. For all the losses he had suffered of late and the challenges that lay ahead of him, a great weight had been lifted off his shoulders.

“How can I ever thank you for your kindness and understanding?”

Gnost-Dural reached across the table and lightly patted Ulannium’s arm reassuringly.

“When the time comes, return it to someone else who needs it.”

Taking a moment, he refilled both of their glasses.

“Now tell me, Master Ulannium.” The Jedi Archivist queried. “How did we come to this point?”

END

Author’s Notes: This story – the first chapter in a new series – essentially picks up where one of my previous works – This Moment , ends.

Like Corellan, Ulannium is primarily a light-side character. Unlike Corellan, however, making the “Paragon” choices in the game doesn’t always come naturally to him. To borrow a Dungeons & Dragons term, Ulannium primarily falls into the ‘Lawful Neutral’ alignment. Simply put, he’s working out of a rulebook. When he makes the light-side choice, he does so because the Jedi Code guides him to it. His relationship with Nadia obviously conflicted him for a long time, something I hope to expand on in future installments of this series.

In case it wasn’t clear, this story is canon-divergent where it comes to the pacing of the Jedi Consular-Nadia Grell romance. As written in the game, I find it problematic on many levels. This series based around Ulannium will hopefully address much of that. (Look at that. Here I am writing fix-it fic.) To that end, I’m tagging @walk-ng-saster, who expressed similar sentiments. More of that another time, but on a related note, Nadia should have been recognized as a Jedi Knight sometime before KOTFE, and that is a hill I will die upon.

Regardless of the Legacy in question, I’m intrigued at the idea of the Outlander’s absence during the five-year gap having a dramatic effect on everyone else, including the other class original characters in the player’s legacy. I’ve already written a bit about how Bas’riish, my smuggler, dealt with Corellan being absent. (Click here to read Three Years .)

Now it’s Ulannium’s turn.

I disliked Felix’s Alliance Alert return after Knights of the Eternal Throne. Torturing and traumatizing a character just to make them more interesting is a privilege I reserve for my own characters, thank you very much. So I’m fixing that in my work.

If it wasn’t obvious, Ulannium, Nadia and Gnost-Dural are all headed to Ossus. That’s one of the reasons why you all get a Doc cameo. (Doc is still Doc, but I’m confident Nadia can keep him in line.)

The Jedi Knight and the Jedi Consular are leading vastly different lives during the class stories; in the case of the Hero of Tython, their ship is crewed by a small, intimate group of mismatched personalities. With the Barsen’thor, you do get the mismatched personalities but there are so many supporting characters, it feels like a General Assembly of the United Nations in there. On that note, many jokes have been made about the sheer number of people who ocmugy the Barsen’thor’s ship, and that it seems far too small to be sustainable. I’ve even heard some Doctor Who Tardis references. I head-canon that although the ship follows the same aesthetics as the standard Defender freighter from the Jedi Knight story, it’s actually a much larger vessel with considerable transport capacity, similar to the vessel we see under Jaesa Willsaam’s control during chapter one of the Sith Warrior story, where you wind up fighting (or trolling) a pair of Jedi Knights sent by Nomen Karr.    

I’ve spoken about what happens to Bela Kiwiiks and Praven in my story before.

Many interesting supporting characters appear during the Jedi Consular story who just seem to quickly fade into the background without any satisfying resolution. This frustrates me, and I think is one of the reasons I consider the canon story a waste of potential. To address this, some of those characters appear here.

I’ve spoken about Nalen Raloch before.We never hear from him again aside from a letter you get after leaving Tython.

Laranna Fain makes an appearing here after her introduction in the first chapter of the Jedi Consular story. You cure (or kill) her father on Nar Shaddaa before thwarting (by curing or killing) Laranna on that Republic transport ship in-between planets. We never get a follow-up concerning Laranna and her recovery, which is unfortunate.    

Another example of this is Lerek Serrus, who appears on Balmorra in chapter two of the Jedi Consular story; he’s a Sith Apprentice protégé of Darth Lachris you encounter. He’s memorable first for being a native Balmorran, and second for the fact that if you take the light-side dialogue options, you can talk him into walking away from the fight and re-examining his life choices. Like Laranna, we never hear what happens to Lerek if he lives in the game-story. I try to give him a resolution here.

Yuon Par gets a mention in this piece. She is completely discarded after chapter one of the game story, and by the end, some players assume that Syo Bakarn was the character’s Jedi Master the whole time. That’s a shame because she’s such a fun and quirky character. That’s no disrespect to Syo, who is obviously mentioned in this chapter and who I intend to follow up on.

Master Oteg isn’t Consular specific, but he’s certainly memorable from the The Maelstrom Prison flashpoint. I was sad to give him an ending, but I had this planned for a long time.

I may reintroduce more supporting characters in further chapters.

Nadia is wearing a variant of Satele Shan’s armor set from the game. More on that here.

I’ve mentioned the Uphrades enclave before. The planet appears in the Jedi Knight class story, but the Jedi presence on it was my own creation. Hopefully, I’ll actually get to show some it to you in the future.

The game story canonizes that the Jedi Consular is a Force-healer, even if they are a Jedi Shadow.

Gnost-Dural’s “I’m getting too old for this sort of thing.” line is an Easter egg to Obi-Wan’s line to Luke in A New Hope. Love me some Alec Guinness.

Fun fact – George Lucas based the concept of Coruscant on the planet Trantor from Isaac Asimov’s Foundation series. That’s where I drew the references for micro-organism farms and the twenty agricultural worlds and so on. The logistics involved in supplying such a planet are staggering, a reality touched on in the game story with the Mandalorian Blockade during the first war and after Uphrades destruction at the hands of the Darth Angral and the Planet Prison superweapon in the Jedi Knight class story.

Denielle appears in two of my earlier stories: Training Day and Incomplete. No Tyzen Pyne here, unfortunately, but I will hopefully be covering what he’s been up to in the near future.

Tagging interested parties! @actualanxiousswampwitch​ @anchanted-one​ @cassthechaoticmercenary​ @cryo-lily​ @cuchulainnx19​ @davidoodles​ @eorzeashan​ @exlibrisastra​ @grandninjamasterren​ @kemendin​ @kindredsembrace @lonewolfel​ @lordviridis​ @magicallulu7​ @nekorinnie​ @nyrialydia @shabre-legacy​ @shynmighty​ @space-unicorn-dottaraum @vihola​ @wackyart​ @walk-ng-saster @war-of-wrath​ @swtorhub​

[reliciron]

Master Rajivari: If the hilt of the first blade has been returned, we succeeded, and the future follows the path we left.

I'm still not sure how to take this.

The hilt WAS returned, but by all accounts Rajivari failed to kill the council and his apprentices died. Did he alter the course of the Jedi Order some other way? By attacking them did he cause them to rethink some of their stances, maybe spurred more interest in martial power?

I assume when you talk to Syo just before you leave Tython, and he talks about some of Rajivari's claims bearing investigation, he means this.

[david-talks-sw]

favorite Star Wars characters?

Obi-Wan Kenobi

Dooku

Quinlan Vos

After those three, in no particular order...

Rael Averross

Canon Post-ROTJ Luke Skywalker

Yoda

Shaak Ti

Porter Engle

Rajivari

Darth Krayt

Darth Sidious

Tag & Bink

Mace Windu

The Shogun

Canon Post-TPM Maul

Geezer Odajion

Dexxter Jettster

Legends Grievous

Legends Darth Plagueis

[diazuk-legacy]

Diazuk Diary: Day 276: Jasewate Hunter 

Part two on being a Jedi Jasewate Hunter finds the Fount of Rajivari. Builds a new lightsaber and kills the fallen Twi'lek. With his trial completed he was about to be knighted until his master fell ill.

[disaster-bi-shan]

Silanu: Master Rajivari, you’ve held onto this existence for thousands of years. Perhaps it’s time for it to end.

Rajivari: Ah, child. You only see what the Jedi are. But I saw what could have been.

Silanu: Those ideas drove you to betray the Council, your friends. And what about your apprentices?

Rajivari: My…. apprentices. Yes. Cahel – always wiser than his age. And Vadria, and Orth. [You speak of things I had long put aside.]

Silanu: If our future is to be worthwhile, we Jedi must find it ourselves. You know this.

Rajivari: [...]You must succeed. You are proof that the Jedi did not lose their way after all. [Please. Stop [Nalen]. Correct my last mistake.]

[relevant-url-incoming]

Soft Things

surprising no one who's been watching my descent into madness here is a snippet about Caibos the jedi consular, exploring him from Qyzen's perspective. this is the first time I've done anything trying to capture Qyzen's voice so whoo! expanding my horizons.

Yuon’s new padawan was small and soft, as expected, but he was a very different kind of soft thing. Qyzen did not comment on the fact that this padawan was a Sith; he knew of the Jedi’s discomfort with species that typically existed outside their structure. It was not wise or helpful to add to the padawan’s strife.

He spoke in a slow, measured way, more careful than most young padawans encountering Qyzen for the first time. If he felt curiosity, he hid it well. Qyzen suspected he had met Trandoshans before, until he asked about Jagganath points. This was a more usual conversation: all padawans brave enough to speak to Qyzen here on Tython had been confused by the hunt. Jedi should have been natural hunters, but so few of them were. This one would be no different.

As Qyzen assisted Yuon and her padawan Caibos, he found that Caibos was careful in almost all ways. He did not shy from suggestion of duty or a hunt, but he let his master take the lead, wisely looking to her experience. Qyzen suspected this was one of those rare padawans who came to the Jedi after much life experience had already passed – not a child raised among them, but a traveller looking to a new way of life for peace. His scars bore this theory out.

Qyzen did not expect his hunt to become so intertwined with Caibos’, but the Scorekeeper’s desires were clear. Caibos had a warrior’s way about him, too. There was too much mercy, when he faced his enemy, but that was the way of the Jedi; he had respect for his prey, and he fought honourably. It was clear this honour mattered to him, too.

“I would have taken on that sacrifice,” Caibos had informed Qyzen as they passed the first of Rajivari’s tests. “If I thought for a moment it was real. I only thought – well, it seemed suspicious after what the clues said.”

Qyzen had not spoken, as he had not been sure at the time if this was a truth. He made his decision later, when Caibos knelt before a wounded enemy and insisted on attempting to heal them, even knowing of the traps and lies this place held for them. As the wounded figure vanished and Caibos doubled over, wracked with pain, the padawan let out a gasping laugh.

“I suppose I should have known better,” he said as he straightened. He moved slowly, wincing. The prey’s wounds were his, now. “I thought it was better to be wrong in this case than to be wrong and walk past.”

“Was a good thing,” Qyzen rumbled. Caibos looked up at him, wearing a wide-eyed expression that surprised Qyzen. Then he wheezed, and when he looked at Qyzen again the serious intensity had returned.

“Thank you,” he said. “There may be more tests, Qyzen. We should be careful.”

Even in visible pain, Caibos moved ahead of Qyzen. After Qyzen’s capture, he could not blame the padawan, but he did wish the padawan could trust easier in Qyzen’s skills. To have a soft thing so obviously defending him was shame.

---

The Scorekeeper’s Herald was going to Coruscant, so Qyzen was as well. He would have gone anyway. Yuon needed what Qyzen could give her. He could only hope she did not need more.

On the shuttle to the fleet, Caibos received a call. He shifted around to answer it, shielding the caller from Qyzen’s eyes.

“I was looking for you,” said the woman calling. Qyzen did not intend to listen, but he could hear.

“I’ve been a little busy,” Caibos said. His voice sounded strange. Serenity gone, replaced by earnestness. He had not even sounded like this with Yuon. “What’s wrong? Do you need me? I can come back –“

“Come back?”

If Qyzen had been trying to avoid listening, there was no way to do so now. Caibos seemed to believe this as well, settling back into his seat and letting Qyzen see the profile of the Twi’lek on the other end.

“Yes, Callie,” said Caibos. “I have to go to Coruscant. My master is sick.”

“Your master,” she repeated. “So that was a rumour.”

“What was?”

“One of the other padawans was saying you’d been knighted,” said Callie. To Qyzen’s surprise, Caibos slunk low in his seat like an embarrassed child.

“I was,” he said.

“What?”

“You could at least pretend you’re proud of me.”

“You are fifteen! What was your master thinking? Didn’t the council have anything to say about this? I know the Flesh Raider stuff has everyone busy, but knighting a child –“

“I’m not a child!”

Qyzen looked away from the display. The woman’s displeasure was reasonable, as she would not know Caibos was the Scorekeeper’s Herald. Qyzen could admit, though he trusted the Scorekeeper, he had misgivings now. Caibos must be capable, or he would not be granted these quests, but destinies of this calibre could poison a young soul. Qyzen would need to be vigilant on Caibos’ behalf.

A soft thing, indeed.