The Jedi Order of Force Adepts

The Jedi Order of Force Adepts is an ancient organization that has gone through much change over the years. This article covers the Jedi as a larger entity; the Coruscant Order of Jedi Knights and the Jedi Order Service Corps both have their own pages.

## History

Much of the earlies history of the Jedi Order is shrouded in mystery. Listed below is both in-universe speculation and out of universe knowledge. (Out of universe in Italics)

### Pre-Republic

#### Founding

The Jedi Order were birthed from the collapse of the Je'daii Order of Tython around 22,189 BC (This is the year the Jedi Calendar lists as year 0). Very little of the information concerning the exodus of the then-Je'daii from Tython to Ossus survived the trip from Ossus to Coruscant and even less remains of the time before.

Earliest records of the Jedi Order show signs of tampering, and the dominant belief is that the Jedi Order of the time censored a larger body of work to fit their specific beliefs. There is much about the superiority of the Light to the Dark, and the position of the Jedi Order as the keepers of the Force that later philosophers take to be signs of a rather dogmatic approach and the modern Jedi Order stands in opposition to.

*Tython was rendered uninhabitable in the year 22,261 BC as a consequence of both the Rakattan Invasion of the planet and the following Scism in the Je'daii Order. With Faster-than-light travel still being unreliable and slow, the lightside dogmatics of the Je'daii Order abandoned the planet in generation ships with the goal of systematically obliterating their few remaining darkside counterparts.*

*By 22,189 BC the Je'daii had become the Jedi, and several generation ships settled on Ossus to form a new Light Side Order.*

#### Quiet Years

Between the years 22,189 BC and 21,594 BC, the Jedi Order grew massively in size. Ossus was a lush planet and the Order took full advantage to form a Jedi Theocracy. Data from before the Cron Supernova show archaeological evidence of society similar that covered a good third of the planet in scope. There was a caste system, split between force sensitives and non-sensitives and mentions of long pilgrmages to Ossus during this time exist in the records of numerous other Force Sects. While estimating populations is rather difficult, later tax records show a population numbering in the millions.

*The Jedi Order experienced a Golden Age during this time. With a large force sensitive population, only occasional Tionese pirates to fend off and a lush new planet to explore, Jedi society flourished. This was a time of art and innovation, similar to the Rennaisance. In the Galaxay, Ossus gained a reputation as a Golden World of Magicians and in force-sects became a very popular goal for pilgrimages.*

*The Jedi established a Theocracy and a simple Caste system. Non- force sensitive at the bottom, then force sensitive, then the Jedi Knights. Despite this imbalance, there were only three attempts at rebellion. None of the three got very far, and none of the three ever made it into a history book.*

#### The Tionese Empire

Seated in the Auril Sector, the Jedi Home World was the third planet of the binary Adegan suns. This placed them only a sector away from the Tion Cluster and the expanding Tionese Empires. In 21,604-21,578 BC, Emperor Xim of the Tionese Empire expanded his territory to Thanium and associated worlds, inculding Ossus in the year 21,594 BC.

Called Idux under the rule of the Tionese, the planet remained a colony until the defeat of Emperor Xim in the third battle of Vontor in 21,578 and his following death six months later.

Ossus seems to have capitulated quietly to the empire of Xim, and just as quietly retaken their independance sixteen years later. What is notable is that all discourse between Ossus and other force sects seem to have stopped at this time.

*It's pretty curious that despite the Tionese Empire's xenophobic edicts and their rampant slavery the taking of Ossus went without a whisper of a battle. In truth, Ossus was never truly conquered by the Tionese. Ossus traverses space in an irregular figure eight that made it somewhat difficult to accurately jump to. Mindtricking the few officials on Ossus ensured that the Empire was under the impression that Ossus was uninteresting. Ossus cut all interactions with the rest of the galaxy, and remained in isolation until the Galactic Republic discovered the Perlemian and expanded into the outer rim.*

### The Jedi and the Republic before the founding of the Sith

#### The Arrival of the Republic, the Devouring and the First Great Schism

The Galactic Republic was founded in 21,531 BC, and quickly expanded into the regions of space known as the Colonies. Around the year 21,511 BC, Perlemian traders attempting to find a new hyperspace route to Castell discovered the Perlemian Hyperroute and at it's end; Ossus.

While the Republic was too young to remember the Jedi, it's constiutuent worlds were not. Indeed, some speculate that it was the desire for a fast road to the Golden Planet of Ossus that drove the rapid expansion rimwards.

Whatever the case, the appearance of the Galactic Republic on the other side of the galaxy had vast local implications. For the Republic, the trade route proved a massive source of wealth and headaches as it's vast length was almost completely indefensible. For the Jedi, the Republic and more concretely the Perlemian trade route forced Ossus to open discourse with the outside world again and for the Hutts and the Tionese the republic were a possibly hostile force.

While the Tionese would launch an invasion of the Republic in 20,471 BC, the Hutts were most worried about possible collaborations between to mostly human Republic and the xenophobic Tionese. In an attempt to discourage any attacks, they began the extermination campaign known as the Devouring and completely depopulated the previously lush worlds of the Kiirium Reaches and simultaneously destroyed the Hyperlane beacons that marked the hyperlanes through the now 'Ash Worlds' and down into Hutt Space.

On Ossus, the increase in contact with other force sects led to rising discontent with the dogmatic approach of the High Council. This culminated in Xendor leaving Ossus against the direct wishes of the Council and settling on Lettow to found his own academy. All sources of this time period are incredibly biased against the 'Legions of Lettow', so the truth is hard to determine. What is certain is that despite what later histories claim, there is no evidence that the Legions of Lettow were a dark force splinter. In fact, the idea of a 'dark-sider' as we know it only came into prominence thousands of years later. How the Jedi Order on Ossus in the outer rim and the Legions on Lettow in the Core came to be in open warfare is a mystery, all accounts point to the Republic being involved in some manner. What can be stated is that the Legions attacked first.

The attack on Ossus failed, and the following fights were on Chandrila, on Brentaal, on Coruscant before finally ending on Lettow with the death of Xandor. After the defeat, the Jedi continued to Lettow to exterminate the remaining followers of Lettow.

*Reading the wookiepedia entry, I am almost 100% certain that the Jedi Order were the agressors in this war. Yes, Lettow attacked first; but the bulk of the fighting occured in the core and Xendor literally put a galaxy between his disciples and the Jedi.*

#### The Tionese War

The Republic only had the loosest interest in the outer edge of the Perlemian. Yes, the rather terrifying Jedi that just fought a war across the Republic were there, yes, two states of similar size and strength to the Republic were there, but to the denisens of the Core and the Colonies, Ossus, Tion and the Hutts were still terribly far away.

In the years after the Great Schism, Tionese politics had changed. What orginally were completely antagonistic states grew closer. The Devouring had shaken many, and a growing urge to find more power and security against the Hutt threat lead to numerous states banding together in the Honorable Union of Desevro and Tion.

Unlike the Tionese, the Republic didn't have a central military. Instead, they relied on local forces. The Tionese saw this as weakness, and believed the Republic to be ripe for the taking. The Jedi sent warnings to the Senate, and were summarily ignored.

The Tionese launched their invasion in 20,340 BC and met essentially no resistance until they besieged Coruscant two years later. The time was needed to build a navy, and while the republic managed to force the Tioonese to withdraw from Coruscant, the following conflict lasted over 80 years.

The Republic brought the Hutts into the conflict in 20,312 BC and Ossus joined on the side of the Republic in 20,282 BC. Official sources claim the reasoning to be 'saving galactic civilization from sinking into barbarism'. Make of that what you will.

As Tion found itself more and more on the back foot, their tactics grew in desperation. In a final bid to demoralize the republic they devastated what worlds they could reach; aiming for a maximum of casualties. The Republic retaliated in kind, blasting Desevro into a wasteland and winning the war.

In the aftermath, the Jedi agreed to defend the rimward edge of the Perlemian in return for clemency towards the Tionese. The Republic decentralized it's military, and the Jedi Order began to appoint Watchmen to Fortress Worlds along the Perlemian.

This state of affairs would remain stable until around 8,312 BC with the rise of the first Contispex.

#### Pius Dea

Pius Dea was a religion native to Coruscant that came to galactic prominence when an adherant was voted Supreme Chancellor. The dogmatic oppisition to corruption and vice appealed to many, which later enabled him to use his faith and the numerous Hutt slave-raids to push his personal xenophobic agenda.

Starting in 8312 BC with an invasion of Hutt Space, Contispex led several wars against non-human factions in the outer rim. In addition, he placed numerous Pius Dea adherents in power, slowly turning the republic into a dynastic theocracy.

In 8280 BC the Jedi recused themselves; using Contemplanys Hermi to withdraw from the republic.

These states of affairs would last for the next 500 years, as the military of the republic grew more and more devout and the republic left more and more of it's origins in fovor of dominion in the name of the Goddess.

Meanwhile, Alsaka and Caamas founded a resistance movement that drew the Jedi back onto the Galactic stage in 7447 BC.

The Jedi and the Resistance organized a schism in the Pius Dea and used the internal conflict to launch their own assault.

In the aftermath, members of the Pius Dea faith were removed from office, the Senate was dismissed and Jedi Grandmaster Biel Ductavis was declared Supreme Chancellor of the Republic. The next few Chancellors would too be members of the Jedi Order, until in 8121 BC the Camassi Algea Or'klo rose to office.

### Rise of the SIth

#### The Second Great Schism

Just as with the first schism, the exact philosophical differences that lead to the second schism are buried in retcon and impossible to determine. Unlike the first split, here it is abundantly clear that the Jedi Order were fighting darksiders.

Around 3345 BC, a subgroup of Jedi began experimenting with new uses of the Force. In their attempts, they discovered that the Force, and as as such a force user, could bend life itself.

These Jedi began experimenting with lifeforms, creating horrifying predators that acted only on the will of their creators. Perhaps some idea of why this branch of study was even begun can be found in the notes of one of the few surviving journals of the time. Ach Jiro notes 'with such power we might bend reality itself, and bring to life what planets that have been destroyed by human madness'.

Despite a veritable army of fleshcrafted creatures and Zombies, by 3219 BC it was clear the Jedi Order was going to win by sheer numbers. Infighting among the Dark Jedi did not help matters, and finally they were defeated on Corbos.

The dark Jedi were rounded up, and against the wishes of the Republic, exiled into the unknown. The planet they finally landed on was Korriban, now known as Morabund and once the Tionese world Pesegam under Emperor Xim. Over the next 2000 years they would form the SIth Empire and the Order of Sith Lords.

*The Sith Empire, being the empire of the SIth Species and not the empire of the Darkside Order of the Sith, is best looked at seperately from the SIth Lords of later empires. It was a thriving culture and community in it's own right, with Jedi a mystical enemy to the Force Sensitive castes of the Sith. It's interactions with the Republic were that of an expansionist military empire, not of a Dark Force Sect.*

#### The Sith Genocide

Around 1346 BC, the previously isolated Sith Empire learned of the existence of the Galactic Republic. In a bid for power, Naga Sadow used the idea of an incroaching Republic to fuel his political career.

A Jedi Seer had forseen the future conflict and attempted to warn the Senate about the coming war, but was rebuffed and ignored. Despite this, the Jedi Knights armed themselves, and thus played a major role in rebuffing the Sith incursion in the early stages of the war.

While the war cost billions of lives, it only lasted about a year before the SIth armies retreated, and the Republic launched a counterattack that freed the Sith species from their SIth Overlords. The Jedi were awarded with a large patch of land on Coruscant in return for their efforts; on which the Coruscant temple was built.

*Oh boy. 'freed the SIth species from their sith overlords'. I wonder how they thought to accomplish that? Kill all the force sensitive Sith? What I can find on the Wookiepedia suggests exactly that. The SIth race was decimated, with only a few survivors fleeing or exiled to other planets.*

#### The Third Great Schism

While the First Sith/Jedi war, or the Sith Invasion or the Great Hyperspace War certainly had a toll on the Galaxy, the aftermath is much more relevant to the Jedi Order.

With the actions of the Jedi Knights during the Hyperspace war, there was a growing wish in the galactic community to see the Order placed in a position of military prominence. The Jedi Order, while not a peaceful order even now, strenuously objected being required to participate in wars against non-force users. The land of Coruscant was intended by the galactic senate to give the Jedi a military staging ground on Coruscant and was instead turned into a meditation retreat.

At the same time, parts of the Order began studying the Sith remains, hoping to gain new insights into the force. While some Jedi fell during the war itself, either to death or to the dark; the larger part of the Jedi Order's casualties came after the war to it's members own curiosity. Things came to head in 597 BC; after the death of Padawan Freedon Nadd that managed to apprentice himself to a remaining Sith Force user. The aftermath of his death; specifically the follwing his cult of personality had created, led to the Jedi Order forbidding the study of the Sith.

There was strenouous objection, and a small civil war occured on Ossus. The anti-Sith side prevailed and the objectors fled to Vultar; where meddling with ancient technology led to their (and the Vultar system's) extinction.

*There might have been some serious pushback of the Jedi acting as military for the Republic; but they certainly filled that role. They played a role in numerous campaigns against uprisings in the Republic, some of them in their role as protection from the Hutts as by now the expanison of the Republic had eaten all the unexplored space between them and the Republic.*

*Freedon Nadd is a curious character. After the defeat of the Sith Empire, Naga Sadow retreated to Yavin-4 and built a stronghold there to while away his time. Nadd encountered him there and studied with him, ending is Sadow's death when Nadd believed he had no more to teach him.*

#### The destruction of Ossus, the first Sith/Republic war and the beginning of the Sith Order of Force Lords.

##### Reemergence of the Sith

The year 344 BC is one of the most important in Jedi History. 344 BC saw the rise of the Sith Lords Exar Kun and Ulic Qel-Droma; the first allegiance between Mandalorians and Sith, and the first time the SIth posed a threat to the existence of the Republic.

In the 200 years previous, the remnants of Nadd's cult of personality on Onderon had, under the influence of Nadd's Force Ghost, turned Onderon into a miniature Sith empire. This was discovered in 347 BC, after Onderon joined the Republic. The ruling Queen asked for Jedi aid in battling the opposing civilization on Oderon - the Beast Riders. At the time, planets entering the Republic were assigned a Jeid Watchman for a time to help smooth over possible problems. For Onderon, that was Master Arca Jeth. Instead of going himself (and possibly as part of their Knight Trials), Jeth assigned the task of mediating the civil war to his padawans Tott Doneeta, and Ulic and Cay Qel-Droma.

They discovered the dark side culture on Onderon, and with the aid of their master replaced the ruling couple with their daughter - a woman that loathed the Dark. Still, the ghost of Nadd remained active and soon Onderon was faced with a dark-side uprising that was quickly quenched by the Jedi.

Still, Nadd's ghost remained and educated both Exar Kun and the visiting nobles Satal and Aleema Keto in the teachings of the SIth as he knew them. While Satal and Aleema would found the society of Krath; Exar Kun - a Jedi that had been studying the Dark for some time at that point - was instead lead to Korriban and the Valley of Dark Lords where he fell fully to the Dark and then to the remain's of Sadow's kingdom on Yavin 4. The knowledge that Exar Kun found during this time period would be the foundation on which the Sith teachings of following Orders based. Exar Kun destroyed Nadd, and named himself a Sith Lord.

At about the same time, the Cult of Krath rose to power in the Empress Theta System; killing the ruling body and positioning themselves as rulers of the system. They found themselves in conflict with the Jedi fairly quickly and managed several decisive victories; one of which killed Arca Jeth. In response, his padawan Ulic decided to infiltrate the Krath in an attempt to stop them, but fell to the Dark instead.

A Jedi falling to the Dark was not a very quiet thing, and as such Exar Kun soon arrived in Empress Theta in a bid to destroy who he saw as a potential rival. What happened next is subject to debate; but Ulic and Exar Kun appear to have fought a duel before declaring themselves Master and Apprentice; and the direct successors to Marka Ragnos, the last Emperor of the Ancient Sith Empire.

##### The Setup to the Crusades

In the first stages of the war, three events occured in parallel. Firstly, Qel Droma won the allegiance of the Mandalorian Crusaders by beating Mand'alor the Indomitable in the duel. Secondly, he launched the Dark Reaper Campaign, consolidating the space around Teta under his rule and then conquering rim-wards. After conquering Foerust, and with the Mandalorians behind him he attacked Coruscant, but was betrayed by Allema Keto and finally captured. At the same time, Exar Kun was working on turning other Jedi to his side on Ossus and recruiting for his Brotherhood of Darkness.

The Republic planned a public trial for Qel-Droma, but were foiled when Quel Droma was saved by Exar Kun, killing the Chancellor at the same time. Now, with the Republic leadership in chaos, and their morale at an all time low the Sith were in a perfect position to conquer the galaxy.

##### The Destruction of Ossus.

While the Mandalorians and the Krath decimated the galaxy, the Sith instead turned their eyes on Ossus.

The two Lords had two goals; firstly gaining access to the information in the Jedi Library and secondly decimating the largest threat to their victory. To do so, Exar Kun tricked Alemma Keto into detonated stars in the near Cron cluster, forcing the Jedi into evacuation. At his orders, the Dark Jedi on Ossus took this moment to rise in rebellion and finally the Krath attacked in parallel.

So harrassed, Exar and Qel Droma were able to land on Ossus and infiltrate the Jedi Temple with little trouble. Exar Kun was able to leave with some, but Qel droma encountered. fought and killed his own brother which lead to a crisis of faith.

Quel Droma handed himself over to Jedi custody, and with him captured and the leader of the Krath dying in the Supernova; Exar Kun lost all control over his forces as both the Mandalorians and the Krath were loyal to Qel Droma, not to his master. The Mandalorians were defeated on Onderon, and the Mand'alor killed, the Krath decimated over Boonta and finally Exar Kun retrated to Yavin-4, only to be presumed dead when the Republic glassed the moon.

### The Ruusan Reformation

After the destruction of the Brotherhood and the following restructuring of the Republic, so too did the Jedi now need to change. Their priority for the last 5,000 years had been guarding the Republic against the Sith. With the Sith defeated, the Jedi could return to their older roots and focus on the Force and making the Republic flourish. At the same time, serious thought was put into preventing a new rising of the Sith. To that end, the Sith were wiped from the Galaxy as much as possible. There was no hiding the last 5,000 years of fighting, but any remnants of the SIth were gathered and destroyed or hidden in unreachable and monitored spaces. The Jedi reexamined their philosophy; and split into the Jedi Knights and the Jedi Servicemen as well as changing their age limit.

As time passed, the Sith and the wars the republic fought against them disappeared from public memory. To most, the Republic was no older than the Ruusan Reformation and the 5000 years of carnage only relevant to historians.

## Organization

The Jedi Order is an overarching organization, the most famous of which are the Jedi Knights of Coruscant and the Jedi Service Corps. While both these branches are subordinate to the Republic, other branches of the Jedi are not. The Green Knights are only subordinate to the government of Corellia, and the Covenant is independant, for example.

The Jedi Order should be lead by the Grand Master, the spiritual leader of the Jedi, the Council of Order Masters and the Assembly of Temple Masters. Factually, due to the fact that the Jedi Order does not have a Grand Master and the two largest knightly denominations (Coruscant and Corellia) cannot be brought to agreement, The High Council fulfills most of their roles - if with limited authority.

There are Knightly and Scholarly Orders of Jedi, and at the moment the vast majority of the Jedi are come from the Coruscant Jedi Knight Initiate Program before being educated according to the demands of their order.

### Denominations

#### The Coruscant Order of Jedi Knights

The Coruscant Knights are the main, most orthodox branch of the Jedi Order. It can be considered founded in 2635 with the Ruusan Reformation and the separation of the Jedi Knights from the Jedi Servicemen.

#### The Jedi Knights of Corellia

The Jedi Knights of Corellia are an organization that split from the main Order in the first 100 years AC, in the aftermath fo the Treaty of Coruscant.

#### The Jedi Order Service Corps

The Jedi Order service Corps split from the main order with the demilitarization following the Ruusan Reformation.

#### The True Convenant of Jedi Seers

Formed from it's heretic parent organization - the Jedi Convenant of Seers - in 310 BC

### Hierarchy

#### Grand Master of the Jedi Order

The spiritual leader of the Jedi Order, the Grand Master needs to be acknowledged as such by all denominations in the Jedi. As of the present, it is a position that has been empty for over 200 years due to the detente between Coruscant and Corellia. Grandmaster Yoda is closest to holding the position, with approval from the Covenant and from Coruscant.

#### Jedi High Council

The exact job and setup of the High Council has gone through numerous iterations throughout the years. While every Denomination of the Jedi Order has it's own HIgh Council equivalent, the High Council of the Coruscant Knights acts as the 'Grand Council' if you will. This is a consequence of the way denominations were handled post-Ruusan, and by the current lack of a Grand Master that made creating a Council of Order Masters or similar impossible. Instead, the four councils of coruscant act as a chimera of the overarching organizational head and the head of the Coruscant Knights.

#### Jedi Order Master

Jedi Order Masters are the Spiritual leaders of their denominations.

#### Jedi Temple Master

A Temple Master is the person in charge of the upkeep and maintenance of a temple and it's inhabitants. They are largely independant agents, answering, but not reporting to the Order Masters and being subordinate to the Grand Master.

While traditionally they are chosen by the Grand Master, the current vacancy has instead fostered an apprentice system.

#### Grandmaster Jedi

Grandmaster is the highest trank a Jedi can achieve in the Order. Almost always afforded post-humously, it is used as a reward for sxtraordinary acts of service or understanding in the Force.

#### Master Jedi

Someone who has proven their mastery over the Force and their chosen field of study. The highest rank available in the Jedi Order, barring extraordinary circumstances.

#### Jedi Journeyman

A member of the Order that is no longer in training and has not completed their Mastery.

#### Jedi Apprentice

A Jedi Apprentice is a person that has sworn themselves to the Order but not yet completed the training necessary to be considered a full member.

#### Jedi Initiate

A jedi Initiate is a person undergoing the initiation rights of the Order. Pre-ruusan, this time period lasted typically a year or two unless the candidate was especially young. Post Ruusan it is used for Jedi Younglings already in primary education that have not jet taken the Initate trials.

## Culture

### Inductment and Education

The system of eduction in the Jedi Order changed much throughout the millenia, and with it the rules concerning membership and inductment. Until the Ruusan Reformations, the Jedi did not offer its members a primary education. Instead, a student was enrolled in local schooling and apprenticed as part of a master-padawan pair.

Around 893 BC, a small academy was started on Coruscant. Enrolled were orphans and children of Jedi; though by no means all of them. Ossus similarly had a small academy, and the two were merged in 333 BC with the move of the Jedi Order to Coruscant under Grand Master Nomi Sunrider.

The system of education as it is known today was established in 2653 AC, when the Ruusan Reformation recodified large aspects of the Jedi Order and most importantly restricted the recruiting of Jedi to those six-equivalent and under.

#### Jedi Younglings

The System of education as astablished post Ruusan Reformation saw that children under six-equivalent with a midiclorain count over 5000 were placed in the Coruscant Temple. At six-equivalent, they would begin primary schooling as part of an Initiate Clan.

At their thirteen-equivant at the latest, the Initiate was to have graduated, had their Gathering and succeded in the Initiate Trials. They would then swear themselves to the Jedi Order and continue their further education in an apprenticeship. The swearing of this oath allowed the younglings the privellege of openly carrying a lightsabre - no matter their further path. Only if they disaffiliate themselves from the Order or are excommunicated do they loose this right.

#### Jedi Padawans/Disciples

Secondary schooling was very dependant on the Denomination. The Knightly Orders took on apprentices as Padawans, the scholarly ones as Disciples. Besides eductation in the Force, further secondary schooling could be handled centrally or by the Master in question.