On the Jedi

"Jedi are the guardians of peace, justice, and galactic law."

The Jedi are the guardians of peace and justice in the Republic. The role of the Jedi has been endorsed by the Senate of the Galactic Republic, with both resources and manpower provided to support and encourage the works that the Jedi do for the people of the people and worlds of the Republic. The Republic memberworld of Ossus has long been a center of Jedi activity and was proven to be a natural point to allocate resources to support the Jedi, and in addition to its Jedi Knights and facilities, a sizable and well equipped Republic Fleet is stationed there, guarding the world, Sector, and Region.

On their part, any Jedi reaching the level of Knight is usually granted police and judicial powers on par with that of a Republic Sector Ranger, though the exact level of authority is determined by a Jedi's actual training in such matters, as well as precedence of local jurisdictions and the approval of the Sector Ranger Commander in that sector. A Jedi Master's authority and prestige, especially when coupled with the powers of a Republic Magistrate as is not uncommon, can be sufficient to override local Republic jurisdictions, though memberworlds retain their sovereignty in all cases. All Jedi take up service with the Republic, in one form or another. Most popular are Diplomats (who sometimes liason with the branches of the Republic military as both advisors and trainers as well as positions of leadership), full time duties as a Sector Ranger or Magistrate, Scholars, and Healers. The Jedi, though, are denied enlistment and commission in the Republic military as well as independent political power or authority of any kind, by both the precepts and traditions of their own Way and the laws of the Republic.

Though the Jedi themselves are not centrally organized or controlled, Ossus has become a natural focal point of their activities, as well as Republic sponsorship of such, with the greatest Masters at least passing through on occasion, usually with apprentices, and can normally arrange for the assistance of sometimes large numbers of other Jedi to assist in an important endeavor. During the Fall of the Sith Empire, the Senate granted a large appropriation to the Jedi, which was distributed through Ossus (which was then a major staging point for joint Republic-Jedi expeditions into the Sith Empire). Since then, the Senate has continued to grant funding to support the Jedi's activities as protectors of the Republic and the majority of that funding is routed through Ossus. There, the funding is allocated according to the needs of Jedi Masters and Knights requesting such a stipend, supervised by a small bureaucracy and assisted by at least a few Jedi Masters, who personally interview, and can approve or deny, an applicants request. In addition, Jedi can apply at any Republic embassy or military facility for an emergency stipend, to be eventually reimbursed through either the bureaucracy at Ossus or a special Senate allocation set up for emergency measures. The Jedi teach not to abuse the privilege, as they are also able to obtain free room and board, and often supply needs (after filling out the appropriate paperwork and approval of base chain of command), through any Republic military and/or diplomatic facility.

Also of note during the Fall of the Sith Empire, the Freedom Warrior Regiment was founded, in conjunction with the Jedi Masters on Ossus, and was the primary unit Jedi would fight with alongside Republic forces, both space and ground, and were specially trained by the Jedi to fight the Sith and to coordinate with Jedi methods and tactics. After the Fall, the Republic removed the Brigade from its rosters, but instead of being disbanded, it was transferred to Ossus, to be maintained and supported by the member world and the Jedi Knights, where it's size, mission, and composition have ebbed and flowed through the years. Currently, it's smaller than it's Regiment size during the peak of the conflict with the now-extinct Sith, though recruitment and activity has been increasing recently, and stands at two Republic-equivalent battalions strong. Its Commanders and the Jedi typically see to its use in areas too politically inconvenient for direct Republic intervention, yet in need of the peace and justice of the Jedi. Most commonly, Freedom Warriors are recruited from the Republic Defense Force, both Fleet and Army, though recruitments from many memberworld militaries are common, as well.

On the Force

"The Light will be your shield against the darkness. Be faithful to it, and it will be faithful to you."

The Force is created by life and takes its form in a broad energy field permeating everwhere, touching everything. Jedi are trained to sense, and later to manipulate, the Force. In sensing the ebb and flow of the Force, Jedi learn to distinguish disturbances in it. The most common disturbances are those that are most subtle, those created by the natural life cycle, of birth and death, of a pure course of events, though even some of these can be large, signifying momentuous acts of heroism and horrible tragedies.

The manipulation of the Force by those who are sensitive to it creates more noticeable, and usually much larger, disturbances. Using the assistance of the Force to enhance one.s own abilities creates small, but quite distinct, ripples. Using the Force to the bend the fabric of reality to the will of the Force User, especially in flashy displays of power outside of the natural flow of events, creates much larger disturbances. All of these ripples carry the mark of the Force User, allowing perceptive Jedi to note its identity.

The greatest strength of the Jedi is the power of luminous beings, not bound to their point identity or biology. To unite with the Force fully is to be able to harness the great power of the Light Side. Through such a Force-united Jedi, the Force can flow through like a tidal wave of Light. Before such clarity and peace, the cataclysmic rage of the Dark Side cannot stand. A true Jedi recognizes that that their strength is drawn not from themselves, but from the energy of life, the Force.

On the Dark Side

"The Dark Side will offer great temptation, but you must understand that if you should succumb to it, you will be forever dominated by it, to your own immediate and eternal detriment. What is done cannot be undone."

The nature of the Dark Side is unchanging, though it continually masks its appearance. There is the Jedi Way. And the Dark Way. A Jedi who uses the Dark Side is no longer a Jedi. A Jedi who walks the dark path, walks to annihilation. Learning the Dark Side is to become infected with the violence and chaos of the Dark Side. Discretion and judgment will falter and the Jedi will walk the path to doom.

The Dark Side has always been sought by the petty, the weak, and the spiteful. Infinitely corrupting and evil, the Dark Side is a cruel master that will slowly exploit its hapless adept. Either intimidated or seduced into the power of the Dark Side, the energies of physical destruction are ready and quick to join the Force-user who will give into his fear and anger, unknowingly making oneself a slave to the Dark Side, for the pitiful darksider will either do the will of the Dark Side or be utterly consumed. The powers granted by the Dark Side can only threaten the crude matter that is the universe, for all intents and purposes, to the non Force Sensitive. Such powers do inspire fear and obedience in the weak and weak-minded, but cannot touch the brightness that surrounds and binds the universe.

On the Sith

"The most terrible servants of the Dark Side yet encountered by the Republic..."

The Sith are not merely Jedi of a twisted philosophy, but the result of a unique culture.s pefected techniques for drawing on the power of the Dark Side. Once a Near-Human species of undetermined origin, they had a fateful encounter with dark Jedi fugitives fleeing the Republic and Jedi. Even before this momentous event in their history, the Sith had relatively perfected their sorcery. With the arrival of the dark Jedi who were to dominate the ancient Sith people, they congealed into an unholy hybrid which turned the insular and fragmented society into a unified and ambitious Empire.

Their empire was a golden age for the Dark Lords, but a horrible nightmare for the galaxy. The Sith Empire spread through the stars like a cancer, rapidly spreading terror and agony. Eventually, they were discovered by lost explorers from the Republic. Their internal infighting was projected outwards, towards the Republic. During the Great Hyperspace War and the hundred years of darkness that would follow, the Sith evil threatened the infect and consume the Republic.

The Jedi led in cleansing the Republic of the Sith evil, and later in the counterattack into the Sith Empire itself. The Sith turned on themselves as much as they turned on the Republic, though, and were utterly destroyed following the war. The Sith held enormous skill in luring Jedi to the Dark Side, as well as numerous deceptive tactics and strategies. Further, their sorcery was such that it caused minimal tremors in the Force, masking them as deceptively unobtrusive in their manipulations on the Force.

On Lightsabers

"The true Jedi needs no other weapon than a lightsaber, through which a Jedi communes with the Force. It's use as a weapon means a Jedi has already failed, though...."

A lightsaber in the hands of a fully trained Jedi can stand up to the technologies of modern warfare. Using only a lightsaber, a Jedi can protect himself from projectiles of all kinds and cut through all matter, given enough time and effort. Even so, the greatest Jedi seldom, if ever, ignite their blades. A Jedi.s strength, all of it, flows from the Force. The more a Jedi learns and masters the Force, the more a Jedi is joined with the luminosity that is the true reality and substance of the universe- the Force, and the less a Jedi needs a lightsaber.

Jedi Daron's lightsaber shows proficiency in the repair and engineering of the lightsaber. He favors a spiked emitter matrix, with a lens assembly modified for selection between standard and increased illumination, allowing him to use his lightsaber as a glow rod, when ignited.