Sunglar
Explorer
Diggus, thank you for the feedback. I appreciate the comments, and your suggestion sounds excellent.
I’ll clarify what the state of the galaxy is and some information without giving too much away of the plot. I know at least one of my player’s lurks about! Your input, ideas and honest opinion (and from everyone else for that matter) are welcome.
I am not going to follow the plot of the prequels as I’ve stated ad infinitum by now. I may use some names and characters, hopefully recasting them in the story in ways that may surprise the players, and there of course will be the mandatory ones so when this is all said and done it will (hopefully!) sync in with episodes 4 to 6. I may use some EU characters or concepts, from Timothy Zahn mostly because I liked his original trilogy of books, haven’t read much beyond that.
This one requires a little background. As I envisioned the setting, about a thousand years ago the galaxy was almost torn apart by internal bickering and conflict. The Republic had grown too large, powerful planets and military leaders within the Republican army begun to fight for control, local quarrels degenerated into armed conflict. Military leader sent to quell the combatants often ended up supporting one side or the other.
The Jedi, while powerful, could not contain every single conflict. Their numbers dwindling (I’ll get to this in the third question) they negotiated peace. The Republic dismantled its standing army and navy, planets, sectors and groups within the Republic gained a greater degree of autonomy to govern themselves. Instead of having one centralized power the Republic became a tapestry of semi-autonomous alliances, federations and conglomerates. The Senate and the Republic bureaucracy became an arbiter in financial and legal matters between these groups.
They keep a token peacekeeping force and ships to regulate trade, without the bite for any real military action. I imagine the Senate acting as a sort of United Nations for this many groups and the galaxy as Europe after the World Wars.
The Senate has little real power over these systems that have mostly respect the peace, but have armed themselves against the perceived threat of other systems/alliances.
Most leaders of theses factions are preparing for what they see as an inevitable conflict. Raising armies and navies to protect themselves, slowly trying to annex or ally themselves with satellite systems to create protections and buffer zones from potential enemies. At the same time with few safe commercial routes, piracy on the rice, no way to impose galaxy wide commercial agreements and communication, may political leaders find themselves either too preoccupied with other matters or powerless to help their people. The masses long for the old glory, stability and might of the Republic of old.
The Jedi were the champions of old. Once membership in their ranks meant greatness and their exploits were know the across the galaxy. Before the conflict a thousand years ago their role had changed. The Republic had expanded to near their current know limits, created a proper army and with hyperdrives could patrol their territory effectively. The time of the lone Jedi, or groups of Jedi protecting distant systems, leading the people, was no more. They had taken different roles, as advisors, military leaders, mystics.
In my version of things Jedi USED to take candidates as infants, but that is a tradition mostly abandoned (more of this in a moment). Jedi are now trained as adults, from possible candidates, most who actively seek masters, instead of the orders (yes plural) coming to them. Possible Force sensitive individuals no longer see the need or the prestige in becoming a Jedi and often go untrained. As there is no measurable, scientific way to determine who has the innate ability to become a Jedi many go untrained.
There is likewise no unified order of Jedi. The Council arose during the times of conflict with the Sith as a way to unite the philosophies of those that opposed the Sith. They remained united during the expansion of the Republic and the decision that fractured them was the peace that many of the Jedi decided to support and that effectively left the senate powerless.
The orders themselves profited from the “peace”, taking under their wing some systems as protectorates and in fact becoming part of the political landscape. There are three main orders, a militaristic order that is seeking to bring back the glory of the Jedi and have begun taking young children who display talent in manipulating the force, a meditative order that is getting away from politics despite still having some systems under their wing, and a religious order that preaches of the force and has more non-force using members than Jedi.
The meditative order is seen as ineffectual, taking few new trainees under their wing, and the religious as nuts who try to force their beliefs on the people.
I hope the rant made sense, it is almost 2 am!
I hope it makes sense and doesn’t seem TOO simple. There is no underlying political agenda to this and hope it doesn’t give anyone the wrong idea.
I’ll clarify what the state of the galaxy is and some information without giving too much away of the plot. I know at least one of my player’s lurks about! Your input, ideas and honest opinion (and from everyone else for that matter) are welcome.
I am not going to follow the plot of the prequels as I’ve stated ad infinitum by now. I may use some names and characters, hopefully recasting them in the story in ways that may surprise the players, and there of course will be the mandatory ones so when this is all said and done it will (hopefully!) sync in with episodes 4 to 6. I may use some EU characters or concepts, from Timothy Zahn mostly because I liked his original trilogy of books, haven’t read much beyond that.
Why is the Senate powerless?
This one requires a little background. As I envisioned the setting, about a thousand years ago the galaxy was almost torn apart by internal bickering and conflict. The Republic had grown too large, powerful planets and military leaders within the Republican army begun to fight for control, local quarrels degenerated into armed conflict. Military leader sent to quell the combatants often ended up supporting one side or the other.
The Jedi, while powerful, could not contain every single conflict. Their numbers dwindling (I’ll get to this in the third question) they negotiated peace. The Republic dismantled its standing army and navy, planets, sectors and groups within the Republic gained a greater degree of autonomy to govern themselves. Instead of having one centralized power the Republic became a tapestry of semi-autonomous alliances, federations and conglomerates. The Senate and the Republic bureaucracy became an arbiter in financial and legal matters between these groups.
They keep a token peacekeeping force and ships to regulate trade, without the bite for any real military action. I imagine the Senate acting as a sort of United Nations for this many groups and the galaxy as Europe after the World Wars.
The Senate has little real power over these systems that have mostly respect the peace, but have armed themselves against the perceived threat of other systems/alliances.
Why are the citizens leaders powerless or indifferent?
Most leaders of theses factions are preparing for what they see as an inevitable conflict. Raising armies and navies to protect themselves, slowly trying to annex or ally themselves with satellite systems to create protections and buffer zones from potential enemies. At the same time with few safe commercial routes, piracy on the rice, no way to impose galaxy wide commercial agreements and communication, may political leaders find themselves either too preoccupied with other matters or powerless to help their people. The masses long for the old glory, stability and might of the Republic of old.
What dwindled the Jedi's numbers? Why hasnt the council met?
The Jedi were the champions of old. Once membership in their ranks meant greatness and their exploits were know the across the galaxy. Before the conflict a thousand years ago their role had changed. The Republic had expanded to near their current know limits, created a proper army and with hyperdrives could patrol their territory effectively. The time of the lone Jedi, or groups of Jedi protecting distant systems, leading the people, was no more. They had taken different roles, as advisors, military leaders, mystics.
In my version of things Jedi USED to take candidates as infants, but that is a tradition mostly abandoned (more of this in a moment). Jedi are now trained as adults, from possible candidates, most who actively seek masters, instead of the orders (yes plural) coming to them. Possible Force sensitive individuals no longer see the need or the prestige in becoming a Jedi and often go untrained. As there is no measurable, scientific way to determine who has the innate ability to become a Jedi many go untrained.
There is likewise no unified order of Jedi. The Council arose during the times of conflict with the Sith as a way to unite the philosophies of those that opposed the Sith. They remained united during the expansion of the Republic and the decision that fractured them was the peace that many of the Jedi decided to support and that effectively left the senate powerless.
The orders themselves profited from the “peace”, taking under their wing some systems as protectorates and in fact becoming part of the political landscape. There are three main orders, a militaristic order that is seeking to bring back the glory of the Jedi and have begun taking young children who display talent in manipulating the force, a meditative order that is getting away from politics despite still having some systems under their wing, and a religious order that preaches of the force and has more non-force using members than Jedi.
The meditative order is seen as ineffectual, taking few new trainees under their wing, and the religious as nuts who try to force their beliefs on the people.
I hope the rant made sense, it is almost 2 am!
I hope it makes sense and doesn’t seem TOO simple. There is no underlying political agenda to this and hope it doesn’t give anyone the wrong idea.