Skykeeper

Skykeeper was a religious position granted to individuals by the Pijali monarchy. The position's duties included conducting sacred ceremonies for the monarchy and managing the sacred docks of the soulcraft starships used for religious purposes on the Inner Rim planet Pijal. During lord regent Rael Averross's regency on Pijal, the serving Skykeeper began taking bribes from the Czerka Corporation in exchange for commercial favors concerning the world's soulcraft docks. In 40 BBY, the Pijali Princess Fanry was crowned queen and stabbed the Skykeeper with a ceremonial sword, berating him for his abandonment of duty in accepting bribes.
==Description==
Skykeeper was a religious leadership position established by Pijali settlers of the Inner Rim planet Pijal several millennia prior to the reign of the Galactic Republic. The Pijali monarchy granted to the role one individual at a time, who would then be responsible for managing the docks of the sacred soulcraft starships used on the world for religious purposes. The Skykeeper's duties also included conducting ceremonies for the monarchy, including coronations. In crowning ceremonies, the leader was responsible for ensuring that a future monarch would act in Pijal's best interests. The bearers of the title were expected to uphold strict behavioral standards and care deeply about their work.
==History==
Several millennia before the reign of the Galactic Republic, Pijali settlers arrived on Pijal aboard soulcraft and founded the Pijali monarchy and the position of Skykeeper. From that point onward, the serving Skykeeper conducted the monarchy's sacred ceremonies, including the crownings of Pijal's monarchs. Over time, the Pijali constructed Celestial Watchtowers to watch over the soulcraft journeys taken by the Pijali, and the Skykeeper managed the docks for the outgoing vessels. After the formation of the Byrnum Maw nebula centuries prior to 40 BBY,Star Wars: Timelines places the events of Master & Apprentice in 40 BBY. The novel dates the formation of the Byrnum Maw to centuries prior to its events. Skykeepers continued to serve as respected religious and cultural leaders as Pijal slowly became more isolated from the rest of the wider galaxy.
During the lord regent Rael Averross's regency on Pijal, the Pijali native serving as the world's Skykeeper began taking bribes from the Czerka Corporation, a company with significant influence on the planet, for commercial favors in allowing them usage of the soulcraft docks. Eventually, Pijal's Princess, Fanry, discovered the Skykeeper's deception and formed a grudge against him for failing to uphold Pijali traditions with reverence. While on a mission to Pijal in 40 BBY, Jedi Master Qui-Gon Jinn began having distressing visions in which an unspecified voice urgently shouted about the Skykeeper during Fanry's upcoming coronation.
Days later, the Skykeeper conducted the necessary ceremony to crown Fanry as queen of Pijal while in the royal palace's Celestial Chalice, asking her to take oaths as he handed her a ceremonial sword. After she had ascended the throne, she seized absolute power and used the sword to stab the Skykeeper. Fanry furiously decried democracy and also bemoaned her Skykeeper's abandonment of duty in taking bribes from Czerka. Jinn's Padawan, Obi-Wan Kenobi, attempted to defend the religious leader from further harm and used his lightsaber to stab Fanry's royal guard captain Deren. Horrified by the sight of her injured captain, Fanry fled the venue in a royal troop dropship, leaving the Skykeeper behind. The Skykeeper was indirectly mentioned in the second chapter ofSkywalker: A Family at War Skywalker: A Family at War, an exhaustive biography of the Skywalker family written by the journalist Kitrin BravesStar Wars: The Rise and Fall of the Galactic Empire and published at some point after the 35 ABY release of the historian Beaumont Kin's book, The Rise and Fall of the Galactic Empire. The work discussed Jinn's bloody visions of Fanry's coronation, which were of Fanry's Skykeeper being stabbed by her during her crowning.
==Behind the scenes==
The position of Skykeeper first appeared in Master & Apprentice, a 2019 novel written by Claudia Gray.
==Appearances==
*Master & Apprentice 
==Sources==
*Skywalker: A Family at War 
==Notes and references==
Category:Pijali titles
Category:Religious titles