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Character Data

GO TO PC Creation Data or Force Powers

The Force
The Nature of the Force
Beware the Dark Side
Evil by Association
The Jedi
Force Skills
The Dark Side
The Baran Do
The Sith
The Aiki Order
The Monks of Shimura
The Path of Baadu
Lightsabre Forms / Styles

There are many Force Powers and abilities that may or may not be listed correctly. Over time they will be fixed or modified as needed or time permits. Please note that this site is maintained by one person so the work is slow. Should you discover an error or lack of information, please submit it to the GM for approval and change. Please note the location and list the entry so it can be easily found. Thank you.

The Force

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The Force is what gives a Jedi his power. It's an energy field created by all living things. It surrounds us and penetrates us. It binds the galaxy together.
-Obi-Wan (Ben) Kenobi
The Force is a mysterious energy field which permeates the galaxy. It is something more. The Force is everywhere, and in everything. It lies beyond that which can normally be percieved, yet some, such as the Jedi Knights, learn how to feel the ebb and flow of the Force, and eventually gain the ability to manipulate that energy - they learn control over life, thought, and matter.

The Force is the foundation of the beliefs of the Jedi. As their kind were all but eliminated by the evil Emperor Palpatine, those who knew of and believed in the Force became silent and few in number. At the height of the Empire's power, the Force is considered little more than an arcane religion, and the Jedi nothing but a group of misguided fools.

The Nature of the Force

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The Force is an essential part of nature, like energy or matter, though it is so much more difficult to quantify that there is little agreement over what the Force truly is. It is not known whether the Force has always been, came about as life did, or coerced the creation of intelligence. To the Jedi, it does not matter, for the Force is, and that is all that matters.

The nature of the Force is hidden from many. It is not to be understood in the same manner as the physical qualities of the universe. Technology was predictable and readily controlled. The Force is neither controlled nor controlling - it is a part of life itself; asking if it controls or can be controlled is like asking if a person controls his component cells, or if the cells control him.

The Force is like any element of nature - it has both positive and negative aspects: the Light Side and the Dark Side. The Light Side teaches peace and harmony. It is the constructive side of the Force from which all love, understanding, and knowledge originate. Those who are at peace with themselves can learn to harness the amazing powers of the Light Side of the Force.

The Dark Side is the counterweight of the Light. Many young students falsely believe that the Dark Side is stronger than the Light - in fact, it is only easier. The Dark Side springs from the negative and destructive impulses of all living beings - anger, fear, hatred. Death and war are the byproducts of the Dark side, and it is dangerously seductive to those who lack the ability to control their emotions and passions. Those who give in to the Dark Side find their abilities greatly enhanced - at first. As time passes, they find that the Dark Side will not so readily come to their aid, yet it will demand more and more of them.

Those who are sensitive to the Force soon learn that there is no middle ground between the Dark and the Light. For the vast majority who are unaware of the power of the Force, the struggle between good and evil is not as powerful, not as compelling. For those attuned to the Force, the battle of good versus evil, life versus death, is of utmost importance and there is no neutrality.

Those who learn the ways of the Force must be careful to remember their own inner peace or they will surrender themselves to the Dark Side, as Anakin Skywalker did many, many years ago.

For those who learn to control the Force, the most common path is that of the Jedi. Students of the Force can learn many amazing abilities, like slowing or even stopping their own life functions, communicating with other people millions of kilometers away, sensing danger, or even moving physical objects with the power of their mind alone!

Others beside the Jedi Knights have learned to call upon the Force. They often call it by a different name - magic, shamanism, meditation, ancestor worship, or any of a million other forms of insight - but through whatever means, they are calling upon this energy and somehow changing the world around them.

Beware the Dark Side

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"But how am I to know the good side from the bad?"
"You will know. When you are calm, at peace. Passive. A Jedi uses the Force for knowledge and defense, never for attack." Luke Skywalker and Yoda, the Jedi Master
Those who are sensitive to the ways of the Force must be careful not to start down the path of the Dark Side. It is a path easily started upon and difficult to leave. In game mechanics, Force-sensitive characters and those with Force skills or Force powers get Dark Side Points much easier than characters that are not sensitive to the Force. Dark Side Points are a means of representing the degree to which a character is influenced by the Dark Side of the Force.

Evil By Association

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Jedi Characters, who by their very nature must be Force-sensitive, are bound by an even more strict code of conduct. Any character with any training in any of the Force skills (control, sense, or alter) is bound to act to preserve good.

A Jedi character cannot allow evil to occur by inaction - a Jedi who voluntarily stands by and allows evil to be committed while doing nothing also receives a Dark Side Point.

When a Jedi is confronted by a situation where evil is being committed, the Jedi has to make a reasonable effort to prevent the act from being committed. If a helpless innocent is being attacked, the Jedi should attempt to save that person; the particular method is up to the player, whether it be persuasion, armed action, or simple mind tricks.

The GM and the Player portraying the Jedi must both be reasonable in this respect. The player must strive for his character to be honorable and noble, as true Jedi are. The GM should be reasonable in not abusing the Jedi's commitment to force characters along a predetermined path every step of the way. In short, the Jedi is committed to stop evil, but he shouldn't have to confront evil every time he goes for a walk.

The Jedi

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"For over a thousand generations the Jedi Knights were the guardians of peace and justice in the Old Republic. Before the dark times, before the Empire."
- Obi-Wan (Ben) Kenobi.
The Jedi learned of the Force and studied it. They gained an understanding that none before had ever realized. They learned to manipulate the Force with amazing results, and they used this knowledge to bring order and healing to a galaxy plagued far too long by conflict and fear.

The galaxy learned of them, and their deeds became famous. Aided by the Force, and recognizable by their unique Lightsabers, they came to be respected and honored throughout the galaxy. They were known as scholars, wizards, warriors, philosophers, and much, much more.

However, within their knowledge lay the seeds of their destruction. Early on, the Jedi realized the difference between the Light Side and the Dark Side, and they taught of the importance of following the path of the Light. Still, for some, the warnings were not enough and temptation was too great. Some used their knowledge and turned it to evil.

The rise of the Empire nearly saw the destruction of the Jedi Knights. The august order that seemed invincible for a score of millennia was struck down in a heartbeat.

Soon, the Emperor's New Order had seized control. An order of cold technology, with no compassion or good. Palpatine and his servant, Darth Vader, Dark Lord of the Sith, who helped in the extermination of the Jedi, led the galaxy into darkness.

However, the destruction of the Jedi wasn't complete. Obi-Wan Kenobi, Vader's teacher when the Dark Jedi was known as Anakin Skywalker, escaped (among others).

The Jedi 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 death, there is the Force.

One of the first things a Jedi must learn is the Jedi Code; this philosophy lays the groundwork for the mastery of the use of the Force.

The Jedi must carefully observe the rules of the Light Side of the Force to maintain harmony with himself and the universe around him.

The Light Side is created and sustained by life. The Jedi acts to preserve life. To kill is wrong.

Sometimes it is necessary to kill. The Jedi may kill in self-defense or in defense of others, especially the weak and the good. He may kill, if by his action he preserves the existence of life.

However, the Jedi must never forget that killing is always inherently wrong. Though a Jedi may be committing evil for the greater good, killing is still evil. The death is a stain upon him.

The Jedi does not act for personal power or wealth. The Jedi seeks knowledge and enlightenment, peace and harmony. He wishes to defeat those who would wipe out such qualities - those who would inflict death, tyranny or ignorance upon others.

A Jedi never acts from hatred, anger, fear, or aggression. A Jedi must act when he is calm, at peace with the Force. To act with anger filling one's soul is to risk temptation to the Dark Side.

In game terms, Jedi seek nonviolent solutions to problems - -but they don't always find them. Sometimes, killing or fighting is the only answer available. Sometimes it is even the best answer. But that doesn't mean the Jedi shouldn't try to find an alternative.

Force Skills

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Control
The ability to control one's own inner Force. A Jedi with this skill learns mastery over the functions of his own body and harmony with nature.

Sense
This skill teaches a Jedi to sense the Force in other things beyond his own body. The Jedi learns to feel the bonds that connect all living things, and gives him the ability to understand how all things are interconnected.

Alter
A Jedi with alter learns how to change the distribution and nature of the Force. A Jedi with alter can move things with his mind, can help others control their own Force, or change the Force in their own bodies. This power can be used to change the perceptions of others and make them come to incorrect conclusions.

Other Skills
There are other skills Jedi of old used to use. The only currently known additional skill is that of Focus. It is an advanced skill and has very strict requirements to gain even 1D in it. Only a Jedi Master can teach this skill, and then only if he knows it.

The Dark Side

The Sith 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 free me.

Gaining Dark Side Points:

There are three ways a Force-Sensitive character may gain Dark Side Points: Through Action, Inaction, & Calling upon the Dark Side.

Action: Anytime a Jedi knowingly and willfully breaks the Jedi Code he gains a Dark Side Point. This includes any use of unjustified violence and justifiable violence fueled by hate or anger. It is the GM's duty to decide what is and is not "justifiable violence." A good guideline is any act that makes you say, "Ooh! That's twisted!" is unjustifiable.

Example: A Jedi uses Telekinesis to suspend a target off the ground (thus taking away its chance to dodge) while other PCs gun him down. This is unjustifiable.... very cool, but still unjustifiable.

A Jedi receives a Dark Side Point this way through using "Dark Side" powers. Any character that uses a Force Point for evil also gains a Dark Side Point in this manner.

Inaction: Also known as "Evil by Association," this is when a Jedi sits idly by while an act of evil is committed, or passes on an opportunity to bring justice to an evil doer. When a Force-Sensitive character is around those who choose to do evil, he must intervene or gain a Dark Side Point. Failure to do so allows the Dark Side to strengthen its grip on the character through his feelings of guilt and doubt.

Calling Upon the Dark Side: When a Jedi's back is in the corner he may attempt to gain a Force Point by opening himself to the influences of the Dark Side. Through selling his soul the Jedi gains a Force Point (which must be spent that round) and an accompanying Dark Side Point (Whether the attempt is successful or not). It is easy to call upon the Dark Side, especially when angry, at first. The first time a character calls upon the Dark Side, the difficulty is Easy. If the actions are not intended to bring harm or pain to other beings, increase the difficulty by two levels. The difficulty raises by 3 points each additional time the character calls upon the Dark Side. The character rolls his Control versus the difficulty number to determine whether or not he is successful.

The Effect of Dark Side Points

The consequences of gaining a Dark Side Point differ according to how a Jedi obtained them. If a Force user gets a Dark Side Point from his actions it is due to the temptation to commit further violence. This also opens up new, easier ways of contacting the Force, so the character receives a +1D bonus to all Force Skills. Example: A Jedi uses Lightsaber Combat and strikes out in anger. He gains a Dark Side Point for the action but realizes he is a better combatant when angry. He now receives a +1D bonus until he A) Wishes to atone or B) realizes that his actions are leading him down the dark path and refuses the bonus.

If a Dark Side Point is due to his inaction, it is due to his fear and guilt. Since these emotions weaken, instead of strengthen, the character does not receive any bonuses to his Force Skills.

Calling Upon the Dark Side, in addition to the one Force Point already awarded, gives a +2D Bonus to all Force Skills starting the round after the Force Point is spent. After calling upon the Dark Side the character will feel a rush of power remain.

The character may not immediately realize that the added power is something that shouldn't be used, so every time the character successfully uses a Sense power, while using the extra bonuses, the GM rolls a D. If the roll is greater than the number of dark Side Points the character has, the character senses that something is wrong with his or her connection with the Force. Using the Sense Force power will immediately reveal the influence of the Dark Side, and the danger of using the bonuses, although it may do so in a cryptic manner.

Once Dark Side Points have been atoned for, and even if the Jedi does not atone, the bonuses last only for as long as the Jedi is in the Light. The moment the Jedi turns to the Dark Side, the bonuses are lost. The Dark Side, having snared the Jedi in its power, takes back its favors. However, bonuses gained from calling upon the Dark Side may remain after turning as a reward for actively seeking out the Dark Side.

Turning to the Dark Side

A character may not be turned to the Dark Side until he reaches 6 Dark Side Points. Up until that time a character is "safe," but the Dark Side influences his actions. Whenever a character with Dark Side Points is in a position where he may commit evil, the GM rolls a D and if that number is less than or equal to the number of Dark Side Points then the Dark Side demands some action for the Jedi to perform.

When a character has 1 to 3 Dark Side Points, they are tempted to commit actions that involve the immediate situation. For example, if an enemy was subdued, the Jedi fighting him may be tempted to kill the villain, even though he has surrendered. To resist this temptation, a Force Sensitive character must make an opposed roll of Willpower, or PER, vs. the GM's roll of one die for each Dark Side Point the character possesses. Therefore, if the character had 3 Dark Side Points, then the GM would roll 3D. Non-Force Sensitives add their Willpower and PER die codes together for their roll to resist, since they are not affected by the Dark Side as much. If the character succeeds, they resist the tempting voice of the Dark Side, and may act normally, but if they fail, the character must perform that action. As an example of such an action, the character is contemplating throwing a grenade into a bunch of Stormtroopers, even though there are some innocents around. If he failed his Willpower roll, he would throw the grenade, thus having the possibility of injuring some innocent people.

When the character has 4 or 5 Dark Side Points, their temptations turn to causing unnecessary harm and destruction, or initiating unprovoked attacks. The character is still entitled to a Willpower/PER opposed roll, as above. If they succeed in the roll, then they may act normally, but the Dark Side enacts a punishment, according to the following table. *

PC roll > GM roll by	Result
0-5	Character loses 1 Force Point (or Character Point's equal to # of Dark Side Points x3)
6-10	Character loses Character Points equal to # of Dark Side Points x2
11-15	Character loses Character Points equal to # of Dark Side Points
16+	Character loses Character points equal to 1/2 the # of Dark Side Points (rounded up)

* If the character is unable to pay off the cost he must "take" 1D from the attribute or Force Skill of his choice. Naturally, all skills based on that attribute will be reduced also. If any attribute ever reaches 0, the character is consumed by the Dark Side and dies.

If the roll fails, then the character must perform the dictated action, which is usually a direct attack. If the Willpower/PER roll Wild Die comes up as 1, then the Jedi will actually use the Force in their attack, if it is appropriate, but will not earn another Dark Side Point, since they were not in control of their actions. This may seem cruel, but by this point, the character has obviously made the choice that they don't care about turning to the Dark Side, or is actually seeking it out, so the Dark Side begins treating them appropriately. Note: that if the player character does not attempt to resist the call of the Dark Side, and performs the dictated action willingly, they automatically gain another Dark Side Point.

Down the Dark Path

In turning to the DS (6 or more DSPs) the majority of how you received your DSP rules how you were turned.

1. CONSUMED by the Dark Side: you took the path of INACTION and have become obsessed with your past inactions and the quilt and fear that have resulted from them. Many consumed go insane from their quilt.

* You only gain FP when using FP for the DS
* You gain CP as normal
* You loose ALL bonuses received from the DS
* ALL force skills & willpower are frozen at the level when turned (until returning to the Light- if you can...)

2. SEDUCED by the Dark Side: your ACTIONS took you down the path. You become more aggressive, quicker to anger and enjoy the fear created by your intimidation and actions. Retaining your personality with a newfound strength in your confidence. Anakin Skywalker is an example of Seduction.

* You only gain FP when using FP for the DS
* You gain 3/4 the CP as normal
* You loose ALL bonuses except +1 for each DSP you received at the time you were seduced to the DS.

3. EMBRACED by the Dark Side: you have asked for the power of the DS, by CALLING on the DS. You become more aggressive & enjoy seeing fear in others often becoming more calculating & deceptive, holding your anger until the strongest retaliation can be achieved. Much of your personality remains only for its deceptive ability, that may give opportunities to further your newfound power. Emperor Palpatine is an example of being Embraced.

* You only gain FP using FP in dramatic DS moments
* You gain 1/2 the CP as normal
* You lose ALL bonuses except +1D for each DSP you received when finally being Embraced.

Returning to the Light

The character only need drop below 6 Dark Side Points to be redeemed, and must atone for the rest in the usual manner, and that a Jedi of the Light Side cannot just say to the Dark Side character that the Light Side is stronger, they must prove it. If the Jedi can show the Dark Sider that the Light Side offers more strength, the situation forces the Dark Sider to have their moment of doubt. Luke's strength in the Force, and his convictions to remain in the Light caused Vader to have his "Moment of Doubt" several times during the Empire Strikes Back and Return of the Jedi. Although he did talk to his father, and try to convince him to return to the Light, he made no mention of the Light Side being the stronger side of the Force.

Force users who have been Seduced to the Dark Side lose a number of Dark Side Points that equal the number they gained after turning Dark - leaving them at 6 Dark Side Points. They too, must spend a Force Point to allow them to drop to 5 Dark Side Points. The being must then atone for the remaining DSP's as normal.

Those who have been Consumed by the Dark Side are much easier to turn back. Since their guilt is what caused them to turn in the first place, helping them to resolve their guilt or to set things right, in an acceptable, justifiable manner, will reduce the character's number of Dark Side Points to 6. He may not return to the Light until he spends a Force Point in a selfless manner at the dramatically appropriate moment, which he probably had to do to resolve his guilt.

Those who have Embraced the Dark Side are the hardest to turn back to the Light. The number of Dark Side Points they lose, for each "Moment of Doubt", is reduced by a number equal to twice the number of Dark Side Points they received through Calling Upon the Dark Side (which would be either 4, 5 or 6...for Palpatine it would most likely be 6).

Returning to the Light Side of the Force is not an easy task though.

Once the Dark Side user drops below 6 Dark Side Points, the Dark Side enacts its revenge by taking all of the character's Force Points and character points.

Regardless of how a character was turned, he may not drop below 6 Dark Side Points and re-enter the Light until he proves his commitment to the Light by spending a Force Point in a selfless manner at the dramatically appropriate time (and does not gain the usual two Force Points at the end of the adventure).

If a character turns to the Dark Side a second time, he loses 1D from the attribute or Force Skill of the player's choosing.

The entire purpose of this system is to give the player a sense of what the Dark Side is going to do to his or her character. Just rolling the D and taking the character away isn't entirely fair. We don't believe in dictating to a player what they can and cannot do, and telling a player that what they are going to do will earn them a Dark Side Point seems, well...pointless. Players are usually very aware of what their character is doing, and what the consequences will be. Luke did not have some voice-out-of-nowhere tell him that what he was doing was wrong, so the characters really shouldn't be afforded that luxury. This system gives a player ample warning of what is to come for their character, and allows them the opportunity to redeem the character before it is too late. It also makes for wonderful role-playing possibilities.

Atonement

When you have 1-5 DSP you may begin to atone. The cleansing of the corrupting influence of the DS is a long and difficult process and you must have a serious mind while attempting to atone (GM discretion). You must choose your way of atoning based on personal belief. When atoning you must actively work against evil from occurring, and follow a base code in creating your personal atonement process with the following guidelines:

Reaching each through non-violent solutions when possible

Preserve the existence of Life
Preserve the rite to gain knowledge & enlightenment
Preserve the rite of peace & harmony
Defend the defenseless

Time required: of approximate atonement, all atonement must begin again if a DSP is received during atonement. Sorry, but the time listed below is cumulative, so that if you have 3 DSP's you would have to spend 80 days to get rid of the first one, 60 days for the second one, and 40 days for the last one.

1 DSP = 40 days
2 DSP = 60 days
3 DSP = 80 days
4 DSP = 100 days
5 DSP = 120 days

The GM has final say on the length of atonement.

Force Organizations

The Baran Do

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The Kel Dor species has a long and proud Force tradition known as the Baran Do. For thousands of years before joining the Galactic Republic, the Baran Do acted as advisors for the leaders of the Kel Dor. Since joining the Republic, the Baran Do have diminished as Jedi claim more Kel Dor Force sensitives to add to their own ranks. However, those who were passed over by the Jedi or discovered too late to begin Jedi training continue to train under the remaining Baran Do, passing the eons-old tradition as it was before the coming of the Jedi.

The Baran Do began study of the Force to increase their already exceptional senses as a way of predicting danger for their people; in time, everything from war to famine to natural disasters were averted thanks to the Baran Do. Their powers developed out of simple sensory expansion to the ability to forsee the future, the past, and places far away. Once the Baran Do learned how to listen to the Force as well as their senses, they became an invaluable resources for investigating crimes, predicting future troubles, and discovering the truth about mysterious events. The Baran Do were seen as an all-seeing sect that could divine the truth from even the most complex and difficult situations.

Most rulers of the Kel Dor traditionally had at least one Baran Do advisor. In the days when the Baran Do were more numerous, many high ranking members of society had Baran Do in their employ as well. Most government institutions made use of the Baran Do as part of their daily operations; a powerful Baran Do would be used as an early warning system to avoid natural disasters. Such predictions and subsequent preparations avoided the deaths of hundreds of thousands

With the introduction of the Jedi Order and the Galactic Republic to Kel Dor society, the Baran Do faded to relative obscurity. Mainstream Kel Dor society considers the Baran Do to be little more than wizards and prophets, but the Baran Do themselves continue to proudly teach their ways to new apprentices. The Baran Do, almost completely forgotten by most Kel Dor, no longer have the influence they once did and, as a result, managed to go almost unnoticed by Darth Vader and his Jedi hunting squads.

The Baran Do philosophy revolves around quieting the mind and listening to the environment. It was this quite, meditative outlook that led them to study the Force as a sensory aid. The Baran Do learn to shut out the noise around them and listen to the Force; when at peace, Baran Do are at their strongest. They listen, they watch, and they learn. The ways of the Baran Do are sometimes confused with inaction, but in truth, a Baran Do consults the Force on all matters, taking action only when his path is sure.

A long-held superstition among the Kel Dor people is that men and women born with silver irises are exceptionally strong in the Force. The Baran Do beleive this to be true, and recruit those with silver irises fervently. The Baran Do train apprentices for several years before they become full-fledged members of the order, but once they do, they are granted access to any knowledge the Baran Do possess. Modern Baran Do ususally concern themselves with protecting their people however they can, occasionally acting as fortellers and diviners for those who come to them seeking answers.
Some members of the organization travel the stars seeking out information to bring back to the Baran Do, while others take a more active role and react to threats they have perceived through the Force, even leaving their homeworld for years at a time.

The Sith

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Although the modern era of the Sith is attributed to Darth Bane, and the Dark Jedi that preceded him, the cult can find its roots further back in the galaxy's ancient past. Long before the Republic rose, there lived a culture on the planet Korriban. These primitive people were called the Sith, and the Force flowed strongly through their bloodlines. Although they didn't practice the Force as the Jedi would, they were talented in their own brand of magic.

In the early days of the Jedi, a great schism tore the order apart. Jedi who had tapped the forbidden power of the Force's dark side rebelled against their light-sided brothers. After a terrible war, the Dark Jedi were exiled from the Republic. Past the Republic's growing borders, these castaways discovered Korriban and the Sith people.

Powerful with the dark side, the Jedi outcasts set themselves up as gods on Korriban. The primitive Sith worshipped them as their lords, and so the Dark Jedi grew, and built temples and monuments to celebrate their power. Millennia of interbreeding blurred the distinction between Sith native and offworlder, and the term Sith came to encompass not only the indigenous people of Korriban, but also the powerful overlords that ruled them.

Five thousand years ago, during the Sith Empire's golden age, a Republic explorer vessel stumbled upon the secluded worlds of the Sith. One Sith Lord, Naga Sadow, saw this as an opportunity to invade the Republic, and exact vengeance on the Jedi who had banished them. History would record the invasion that followed as the Great Hyperspace War, and it would be the first of many terrible conflicts between Jedi and Sith.

Time and again the Sith and Jedi would clash, with devastated worlds lying in their wake. The last great conflict took place on the scarred plains of Ruusan. The Sith Lord Kaan and his Brotherhood of Darkness did battle with the Jedi Army of Light. From this onslaught, one Sith escaped: Darth Bane. It was he who would resurrect the order with duplicity and secrecy in mind.

One Sith had the cunning to survive. Darth Bane restructured the cult, so that there could only be two -- no more, no less -- a master, and an apprentice. Bane adopted cunning, subterfuge, and stealth as the fundamental tenets of the Sith order. Bane took an apprentice. When that apprentice succeeded him, that new Sith Lord would take an apprentice.

Thus, the Sith quietly continued for centuries, until the time of Darth Sidious. It was Sidious who was responsible for the revenge of the Sith against the Jedi. His measured and carefully engineered plot spanned decades. Sidious was apprentice to Darth Plagueis, a wise Sith Lord whose knowledge of arcane and unnatural arts was reputed to extend to manipulating the very essence of life. By Sith tradition, Sidious killed Plagueis in his ascent to Master from apprentice. This left an opening for the fearsome Darth Maul to become Sidious' Sith apprentice.

In this age, the final decades of the Republic, the galaxy at large had believed the Sith to be extinct, a fabled threat from the past. Qui-Gon Jinn's report of a Sith attack on Tatooine was met by the Jedi Council with hesitation and skepticism. Surely if the Sith had returned, the Jedi would have detected it, they reasoned.

The dark side, for all its power, is ultimately hard to detect if so desired. A shadowy master like Darth Sidious was able to keep his presence a secret, even though he maintained a guise as a very public figure. Sidious was a politician, a seemingly humble Senator from Naboo. Though he would eventually rise to the position of Supreme Chancellor, and worked closely with the Jedi during the Clone Wars, they failed to detect his true nature until it was too late.

With the death of Darth Maul at Naboo, the Jedi Council realized that the Sith menace was true. What they hadn't puzzled was whether Maul was the master, or the apprentice. Years would pass before the Sith menace arose once more, a menace that would eventually come to engulf the entire galaxy.

It began with a Separatist crisis that threatened to split the galaxy. Count Dooku, a former Jedi, became a political firebrand, fanning the flames of secession across a disillusioned Republic. Unbeknownst to the Jedi at the time, Dooku was a Sith Lord -- Sidious' next apprentice after Maul. As Darth Tyranus, Dooku engineered the vast armies that would fight on both sides of the Clone Wars: the assembled droid armies of the united Confederacy of Independent Systems, and the secretly created clone army of the Republic.

The Clone Wars were an elaborate and costly sham: a massive ruse that spread the Jedi ranks thin across the galaxy, and drew more political power to Darth Sidious. When the time was right -- when Sidious had in his grasp his ideal apprentice, the powerful Jedi Knight Anakin Skywalker -- he dispatched a command to the clone forces that identified their Jedi generals as traitors to the Republic. The Jedi were wiped out by their loyal clone underlings. What few survivors remained were branded as enemies of the state.

With Sidious as the Galactic Emperor, and Darth Vader as his loyal apprentice, the Sith ruled the galaxy and plunged it into darkness.

The Aiki Order (Kung Fu Style Jedi)

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The order of Aiki Jedi order was founded a millennium ago, by Morihei Ushiba, a Jedi Knight from a near-human, very long-lived race (though some historians attribute his long age to his very strong bond with the Force, and others dismiss his existence entirely). Ushiba, then 120 years old, was a Jedi fascinated with martial arts of various races. During his training at the Jedi Academy, he became a Warrior Jedi, but during his voyages through the galaxy he encountered a Shimuran Monk. Though he did not agree with Shimura's views on technology, he was fascinated with Ka.
After studying Shimuran philosophy, he started his own school, where he taught the path of Aiki - the way of perfecting the mind through perfection of the body. His skills in both armed and unarmed combat were legendary, but since he started the Aiki Order, he never killed anyone - until his last fight. The Monastery of Aiki - as his school was named - was supposedly located on a moon in a system somewhere in the Core Words. However, nobody was able to find it, and some historians think that Morihei's school might have been located on a ship. The truth is that the moon was in reality a rouge asteroid, fitted with subspace beacons and sublight drives used to direct it's trajectory. There is a rumor that somebody in the Outer Rim Territories has found a transceiver tuned to receive signals from the Monastery's beacon... Morihei died at the age of 1,120 in his final fight. Ushiba and his lightstaff against Darth Vader, Emperor Palpatine and 10 Dark Side Adepts. Ushiba maimed Darth, wounded Emperor Palpatine and killed all the Dark Side Adepts, but was finally killed by the Emperor's Force Lighting and a final stroke from Lord Vader's lightsaber. Some also say that he died to allow his son to escape...

Beliefs

The Aiki Jedi believe that though technology is not evil in itself, the best weapon is one's own body. They follow the Jedi Code very strictly, and usually wander around the galaxy helping the poor oppressed. One must remember that being an Aiki Jedi is not just a way of having a cool character who can defeat an entire legion of the Emperor's best troops with his bare hands. An Aiki is a person who resorts to violence only as the last resort, even more than "normal" Jedi Knights. Of course, the ability to disable enemies without permanently damaging them (unlike lightsaber wielding Jedi, who disable enemies by cutting their extremities off) really helps - and is more proof that your body is the best weapon you can get.

1) A commitment to peaceful resolution of conflict whenever possible.
2) A commitment to self-improvement through Aiki training.

Monks of Shimura

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Long before there were lightsabers there were Jedi. After the invention of those graceful weapons Jedi began to lose sight of what the Force was all about and fall into the Dark trap of technology, or so the revered Master Kambei Shimura thought. The Knighthood was beginning to rely too much on "convenient" technology. That's not the way of life; the way of the Force. Jedi after Jedi took up the saber and left for the stars and the adventures they contained. A Jedi craves not these things. Disgusted at the behavior of his fellow Jedi, Shimura broke away from the Academy with a handful of devoted students and established a Temple on the sixth moon of the third planet of the Nikus system. There he taught his disciples the true gifts of the Force: perfection through inner peace, compassion, contemplation and, ironically, tolerance.

During the Emperor's great purge, the Temple of Shimura was located by Dark Lord Vader and torn asunder. Few of the Brotherhood were able to escape and spread across the galaxy like seeds. Today, with the Empire removed, these remaining skilled Monks are establishing their own Temples in remote systems to pass on what they have learned.

Beliefs/Lifestyle

1) Avoid the use of (unnecessary) technology. "There is nothing that technology may provide that the Force cannot. Why artificially radiate food when nature provides fire? Why ride aback metal creatures when the wind can send you across sea just as surely? Technology is quick and easy. These are traits of the Dark Side. Life should be neither." Although it is true that nothing can be provided by science that the Force cannot, very few Jedi have been able to step across worlds. The modern Brotherhood believes it is in the spirit of Ka to except one's limitations. The Monks will avoid most technology whenever possible (datapads, blasters, lightsabers, scanners, holocrons, bacta tanks, etc.) but will reluctantly use other forms (starships) when needed (which isn't often. Followers of Shimura discourage "adventuring" and tend to live entire lives in their Temples. The rare exceptions are traveling teachers and emissaries).

A Shimuran Monk would never accept cybernetic replacements or enhancements, nor are they likely to associate with droids.

2) The way of Shimura is the way of Ka. All answers may be found in it's techniques. Ka is the foundation of all Shimura's teachings. When a student is first accepted into the Brotherhood he begins learning Ka. First simple koans and history and later develop the physical disciplines. In line with the Brotherhood's beliefs, the process is not quick or easy . . . it takes several years of hard work and devotion.

3) Follow the Jedi Code. Although the Knighthood has allowed technology to cloud their judgment, the Shimuran Monks still believe in the Code.

4) Tolerate the misgivings of others. Shimuran Monks are not retro, anti-technology fundamentalists. They do not attack technological centers or those who choose to use technology, nor do they harass commuters at starports with pamphlets damning them for their way of life. They simply have a different outlook on life. If asked, they will tell a koan of enlightenment. If sought out, they will teach their beliefs (but only those who prove worthy will learn Ka). The Monks do not hate the Jedi; in fact, they feel sorrow for their fallen brothers and would do anything to help bring them back to the Light.

Special Skill:

Martial Art: Ka Combat

Cost: 10 Character Points or 1D starting skill dice.
Prerequisites: Dexterity 3D, Brawling Combat 5D, Melee Combat 5D
+2D Martial Arts versus those with no Martial Art training
+1D versus those with training other than Ka

The Path of Baadu

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The Baadu, or Gray Jedi, are a rare breed of force users. They consciously try to remain neutral in the struggle between the Dark Side and the true ways of the Jedi. This is not an easy task, and it is harder to attain even a fair amount of neutrality when one is working with the Force.

NOTE: Baadu are very rare. NO non-force users (except those with Scholar: Jedi Lore 10D+) should have heard of them, and only Jedi Masters (or any Force users with 30D in total Force Skills) should have heard of them. Note that I say "heard," and not "be a fountain of youth in the Ways of the Baadu." GM's should not have their favorite tavern owners spinning off tales of the dozens of Baadu-related stories that they've heard.

Lightsaber Styles

Follow the link to view the Lightsaber Forms and Styles page

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