It is a galaxy teetering on the brink of civil war, twenty years after the violent close of the last. The Clone Wars, as the series of conflicts were called, was supposed to have only lasted a couple years, planned out in detail by the Dark Lord of the Sith. Yet the most minute of changes, deviations or miscalculations slowly resulted in an event that was beyond even the man who was purported to have been the most powerful of his kind in millennia. A man who lived when he was supposed to have died, an apprentice with doubts that led him to question his own motives, another who would not be swayed and instead stayed true to the order that raised him. One after another these small changes that would have otherwise just been footnotes in history would drastically change the outcome of a war that was supposed to have been decided.
Where it truly came undone was with the First Battle of Geonosis. Hundreds of Jedi and entire battalions of clone troopers descended upon the planet to liberate not three hostages set to die at the hands of the Trade Federation, but to rendezvous with Obi-Wan Kenobi and the recently turned Count Dooku. It set the stage of the entire war, as without a clear leader another took control of the Confederacy of Independent Systems. One who did not have the same ideals as its founder, or the desire for true reform in the galaxy. The one who inherited the revolution was one who despised the Republic for everything it stood for. One who had lost everything in a war that, without knowing the truth of the conflict, the Republic interfered with and punished his people dearly. General Grievous, more machine than Kaleesh at this point for the wounds he suffered during the Kalee-Huk war. With his leadership the conflict became far more than what his 'master' intended.
He played his part though, at least initially. Battles were fought in those beginning stages where Sidious planned them, including the First Battle of Coruscant. There Grievous began to understand the Sith lord's intentions and made his own plan. It was one that as the months turned to years, made Palpatine realize that he could no longer crush the 'rebellion' and simply seize control over the Republic to create his empire. More than that, Dooku had turned back to the Jedi and more suspicion than ever was upon him. He had been backed into a corner, a wolf no longer among sheep, but among the hunters. The Republic and CIS bled each other for every system, the Clone Wars ramping up with every passing year and invalidating his plan with each battle. Palpatine had shifted from planning to destroy the Jedi in one fell swoop, to being forced to rely on them until the very end.
Five years into the Clone Wars the plan Grievous had set into motion was finally coming into play. Since realizing Sidious' plan, his true identity and what that meant for the CIS, he had steadily ensured that certain assets remained out of reach from both the Republic and even his own allies. More and more the CIS drew upon the finances of the Banking Clan, the resources of the Trade Federation and Bactoid, as well as every planet under their sway. As the Separatist leaders bickered among themselves as to who was stealing what, Grievous assembled a fleet that would be unrivaled. Thousands of warships sequestered away in old Sith Space and preparing for one final assault. When it finally came, he hit the Republic without mercy. Kuat, Kamino, Balmorra, Ord Mantell and even Corellia came under siege from what they believed to be the entirety of the CIS fleet. Without question the Open Circle Fleet rallied to defend these key worlds, pulling assets away from the defenses of others. And that was when Grievous struck the true blow. In a single night the CIS shattered the defensive fleet of Coruscant, the planetary shield that protected it, and tore the heart of the Republic from its chest.
It became known as "Knightfall" to those who survived, partially for the last stand of the Jedi Knights who held the line against overwhelming odds, only to fail. Under the rain of turbolaser fire from orbit, Cortosis Battle Droids ransacked the capital, relentlessly hunting any who did not perish with the bombings of the Jedi Temple and the Senate Building. It was there that Palpatine himself met his end, an irony of sorts for the Sith Lord who planned out the Clone Wars so carefully, only to fall victim to another's and be buried beneath the glassed ruins of the Republic he tried to control. If things had gone another way, it would have been there that the Republic died to thunderous applause, instead it shattered into a dozen regional governments without the jewel of Coruscant to hold them. Without the clone armies to defend them though, many would fall to Grievous and his new Confederacy. Some would question where the Jedi and their army went, only ever hearing the desperate calls for retreat.
In the aftermath of such a traumatic event though, others did stand tall among the wreckage. After a valiant stand against the odds, those remnants who were unable to rejoin the main fleets settled where they had fought so hard to keep free. Corellia became a new beacon of hope in the galaxy, declaring itself the true inheritor of the Republic and standing firm against the Confederacy. With the Green Jedi lords to govern them, they would secure much of the Core Worlds south of Coruscant, claiming the ruins of Kuat and working to rebuild the rings after the traitorous attack that destroyed them. Yet many hold doubts towards the Corellians, noting how they denied the Republic in Exile when they were still on the run from the Confederacy, and worse yet how many of the worlds that have joined with them, did so without a choice. Regardless of how noble their intentions, the severity of their crimes or the accusations against them though, much of the southern galaxy flourishes under their control.
To the north others contest the Corellians, and foremost among them the nascent Galactic Empire. Much like their rivals, they too arose from the remnants of defenders who had nowhere else to go. With the CIS swallowing up former Republic territory across the entire Outer Rim, the Eight Fleet under the authority of admiral Jira Renkar quickly moved to secure as much as they could around Ord Mantell with the help of the shattered remnants of the Republic military. Surrounded by the enemy and hearing the call to surrender, they instead chose to keep fighting, swearing to defend those who had been left to suffer at the hands of countless such invasions throughout galactic history. Though they did not start with a strong industrial base like some, they had something more. They had the hearts of the people, the steadfast loyalty of their military and an Emperor who could be believed in. And so an empire was built in the smoldering embers of the Clone Wars, admiral turned Emperor clutching the galactic north in a fist of iron against the tyranny of the CIS and vowing to destroy the separatists once and for all. Some say that while the propaganda depicts the Empire as a force of righteousness and justice, there is an underlying culture of violence and tyranny, but while those very same people have come to accept the new status of the galaxy in their own way… For the Empire the Clone Wars never ended.
And then there is Mandalore. It was there that the Republic in Exile found themselves unlikely allies in the form of Duchess Satine and the new Mand'alor. Already the two had been working on securing the future of their people, of both the more pacifist Mandalorians and those who wished to carry on their warrior culture, and so when the Jedi and the Republic came seeking their aid, they gave it freely. That moment joined ancient enemies together, two sides who had fought each other almost since the founding of the Republic, having nearly ruined the other many times over the millennia. Jedi and Mandalorians united, all past grievances set aside in order to secure the future of both of their peoples. It was on that foundation that the legitimate Republic government "officially" relocated to Keldabe City, "elected" Satine as chancellor and ceded military powers to the Mand'alor. Since that moment their standing in the galaxy depends greatly upon from whose lips it is said, with the Corellians decrying them as little more than a band of looters and mercenaries with stolen Republic hardware. Certainly their assault on Kuat that left it little more than ruins lends credence to such, and with the Jedi assisting freely through the new Jedi Enclaves, it's harder than ever for the GRM to play public relations.
Yet, while the Corellians sabotage their image at every turn, historians call their rise the "Third Great Crusade" and warn of the impending invasion… Many look to them as the true inheritors of the Republic. Under the mythosaur skull banner, all are equal and all have the same chance to earn their place. To be Mandalorian is a choice, one that every world in their republic has made, and all have so far benefitted from their protection and lended their arms towards securing their space. No matter whether they be Miraluka, Twi'lek, Kaminoan, Devaronian or just a regular human, all are considered to be Mandalorian under their Mand'alor and afforded the same rights whether they fight for their republic or work for it.
But while the Republics fight and vie for supremacy against each other, they ignore the threat surrounding them. The Confederacy still lives, though it has bled key worlds and founders over the last twenty years. Muunilist broke free in order to join into the Corporate Sector Authority. Dozens of sectors have been lost to the steady advance of the Empire. Most of their core world sectors were found to be too rebellious to keep direct control, instead handed over to the puppet-Republic under Alsakan. More and more the Confederacy burns under the rule of Grievous, who still sees it as his duty to dismantle the Republic completely, but struggles to maintain control over his own systems, much less those under occupation. Even Kalee is no longer his to command, as the Empire seized it years ago. It is a rebellion that has stagnated long past achieving their goal, without the sense to lay down their arms. More than that though, with the general meeting any resistance with force, crushing any who dare to rise up against him, it is inspiring more and more to treat with their republic kin. And they can taste the blood in the water.
So it is that after twenty years, though the galaxy has changed much since the close of the Clone Wars, it is once again teetering on the brink of civil war...
tl;dr - The CIS won the Clone Wars, everything's a bit fucked.
So, if you haven't read the block of text above and are wondering just what this is, or if you did and would prefer a more succinct description of the RP, here it is. "After Knightfall" is a Star Wars RP, but not like most others for the key principle of the setting. While most RPs that take place in a fandom setting like SW are quite open about the canonicity of the RP itself, and how once the RP begins it is effectively in an alternate universe, this RP starts out as such before characters are even created. It began initially as just a joke of a question a while back, a "what if" of sorts, and over the years the RP setting grew into more than just a concept and into a story of its own waiting to be told. What if the CIS won the Clone Wars?
The gist of what the setting is about is described above, but basically the Republic is gone, the CIS won and Grievous is a significant emotional event still. Like, we're talking not just Legends Grievous, but the Tartakovsky Grievous that took on six Jedi Masters with only two lightsabers and zero fucks to give. But it has also been just over twenty years since the fall of the Republic, and dude is getting old and even more crazy. Galaxy still uses the galactic credit because "IGBC" and it's easier on everyone, but there really is no central government or even Jedi Order. Warlordism has become prevalent in many regions, with entire swaths of the galaxy unaligned either by choice or because their political situation is too unstable. The rising powers of the galaxy all hate each other to varying degrees, and are building up in preparation for another potential galactic war. Except the Empire, who has continued the Clone Wars for twenty-two years only stopping to fight what they call "The Great Enemy". But I digress, much of this can be gleaned from the foreword above, and we have a searchable lore document that will be posted in the discord for the RP.
So really, in this fragmented and war-torn galaxy there is the question of who are you? Is your character a Corellian Green seeking to expand his house by any means, or simply survive the game of thrones in the Hegemon's shadow? An Imperial doing her part to secure freedom for the people of the galaxy, even if it means "liberating" them first? Or maybe just a Mando sitting there on Mandalore fishing and trying not to think about how the whole thing is a powderkeg waiting for that spark...
But all that aside, my rules are fair and simple as can be expected from any other GM on the forum and I'll do my best to work with everyone who shows interest to ensure that the story they want to tell of their own character is given the same chance as everyone else. I pride myself on being rather flexible and working with people to make sure their ideas fit with the setting, though I will kindly ask not to take advantage of that as I will yeet a bitch lmao. All in all, I am hoping for a good run on this, a lot of effort has been put towards rebuilding the setting from the original idea, and I've got a couple people heavily invested in seeing this happen. So to that end, I look forward to seeing what interest comes, and am giving a generous two weeks for everyone with a serious interest to ask their questions, pitch their characters and prepare for what will surely be a wild ride with no brakes.
With the significant events of the few decades surrounding the start of the setting here, there has been another re-synchronization set during what would have normally been "The Battle of Yavin". Considering there is no canonical battle of Yavin in this setting, instead it is simply a moment where most of the galaxy has come to agree upon a re-synchronization of the standardized calendar.
32BRS - SHATTERPOINT: During the Battle of Naboo a shift in the force resulted in a change in the flow of a battle that would decide the fate of the galaxy. Rather than pursuing ahead to face the Sith Darth Maul personally, Qui-Gon Jinn waited for his padawan so that they could face him together. With both Jedi working in unison, the Sith was cornered and quickly brought down, sent hurtling down the reactor tube. Following this the Jedi Order was forced to acknowledge that the Sith had in fact returned and were operating in the shadows, giving Qui-Gon leave to continue his pursuit of the truth and elevating Obi-Wan Kenobi to knighthood for his assistance in bringing down the darth.
28BRS - DISTURBANCES WITHIN THE GORDIAN REACH: Following the revelation of the Sith surviving into the modern era, the Jedi Order issue an investigation into the former heartlands of the ancient Sith Empire. For several years there is nothing but ash and dust turned over on the countless dead worlds, with only the specters of old haunting the region. So in 28BRS the Jedi Council declares the region off-limits to all but those of master rank, keeping a cautious eye as silence once more falls on the Sith Worlds. With such little traffic in the region and the Jedi and Republic soon finding other concerns to focus their attention on, those few who do venture there are those either foolishly seeking forbidden relics or attempting to circumvent patrolled sectors. So as these people disappear, most simply write it off as smugglers and pirates falling to one another, or the odd misjump.
22BRS - THE CLONE WARS: With the defection of Count Dooku of Serenno back to the Jedi Order, the Clone Wars officially begin following his information during the rescue on Geonosis. With the Grand Army of the Republic some four-hundred Jedi descend upon the planet to cover the extraction and crush the facilities there, resulting in the deaths of a few Jedi, but also Jango Fett and multiple figures within the Confederacy. This serves as but an early victory among precious few, as for six years the war rages across the galaxy turning once peaceful worlds into battlegrounds. The Republic bleeds worlds from the Outer Rim and into even the Core Worlds as without the tempered hand of people like Dooku or his former master, Grievous seizes control of the CIS with the intent to bring only ruin in his wake. During this time both the Republic and CIS mobilize ever increasing forces, with newer and more dangerous weapons deployed with each passing year. Cortosis Battledroids, Planet-Killers and even Dark Jedi are turned loose upon untold millions of clones desperately defending everything from the ecumenopoli of the Core to the desolate planets of the fringes. Yet while both powers wage total war, they both suffer from their own internal problems. The CIS sees more and more tyranny at the hands of Grievous as he consolidates power solely under him, executing the Separatist Council, driving entire populations into forced labor and crushing his own rebellions with ruthless efficiency. No stranger to dissent themselves, the Republic sees many worlds simply secede and struggle with their own independence separate from both powers, as well as the Jedi Order struggling with the knowledge of the Supreme Chancellor being a Sith. An issue soon resolved.
19BRS - RISE OF MANDALORE THE PALADIN: Appearing as "The Challenger" a Mandalorian in an older style of blue Crusader armor comes to directly challenge the Sith Darth Maul who had seized power during the ongoing crisis on Mandalore. There, in front of the Deathwatch, Satine Kryze and Obi-Wan Kenobi the unknown Mandalorian savagely beats Maul to death in a duel for the title of Mand'alor. No words were exchanged, only blows between the two as Maul's lightsaber proved to be utterly ineffective against the beskar of the challenger's armor. Briefly the Deathwatch sees this as a victory for all Mandalorians, a proper and true Mand'alor rising from the unknown to steer their people back onto the right path, but that crumbles away when Pre Viszla takes his chance and also challenges for the title. This bout proves to be far different, and in a way only proves to the Deathwatch their initial suspicions were true somewhat. Victory is inevitable for the Mand'alor, beating down Viszla repeatedly and demanding him to yield until finally the two share unknown words and Viszla dies of his wounds. In the aftermath of these two short and brutal battles the Mand'alor makes himself known to Satine and Obi-Wan, declaring his intentions to reform Mandalorian society into a blend of the old Crusader lifestyle but with Supercommando virtues. A true honorable warrior society, one that respects and rewards all who would call themselves Mandalorian, not just those who fight. And it is as Pre Viszla is honored as a true Mandalorian and given a funeral in the old rites that the Deathwatch kneels alongside True Mandalorians, New Mandalorians and all those between ideologies to welcome Mand'alor Besk'Cabur, otherwise known as Mand'alor The Paladin.
16BRS - KNIGHTFALL: At the height of the Clone Wars as much of the galaxy burns in the shifting of frontlines between the CIS and the Republic, General Grievous executes his most brilliant and ruthless plan yet. Across the galaxy multiple key Republic worlds are hit simultaneously by the Confederate fleet in force, calls for reinforcement lighting up the holonet as the Republic struggles to hold onto what they have. It is only when much of the Open Circle Fleet departs Coruscanti space when the true reality of Grievous' gambit is revealed though. As the Republic seeks to shore up their defenses across the galaxy, the largest fleet yet drops above Coruscant and decimates the defending fleet within hours and begins the bombardment of the planet's surface. Much of the Open Circle Fleet remains in hyperspace unable to immediately redirect, so they hear the calls for reinforcement even as turbolasers turn the senate and temple districts into sheets of glass. By the eighth hour Coruscant has fallen and the call to retreat and regroup is issued, the Republic abandoning the fight completely. It is on this day that after over twenty-five thousand years the Republic and Jedi Order have finally fallen.
16BRS - A COUP ON CORELLIA, THE RISE OF THE HEGEMON: Coinciding with the bombardment of Coruscant and the defense of the Corellian system, a power play is made on the planet itself. It had been a plan decades in the making, merely awaiting the right time to execute, and there was no better time than in the chaos of this moment. Half of CorSec turned as the Novar house guards marched on the Diktat's residence, simply walking through the doors and seizing power within the hour. It was a coup of ruthless efficiency and nearly bloodless, only a few injuries across Corellia and only the Diktat as a true casualty. Yet addressing his people, Aeron Fein Novar declares this a just and righteous moment for not him, but all Corellians. To the cheers of millions he declares the end of the diktats, and the end to bowing to any other than Corellia itself. With the remaining highest powers of Corellia bowing before him, he declares himself Hegemon and the beginning of the Corellian Hegemony.
16BRS - OPERATIONS "LANCE OF THE REPUBLIC"/"STORMCALLER": Broken, demoralized and in desperate need of resupply the forces of the Republic find themselves only a brief reprieve in the shelter of Mandalore. A quarter of the Grand Army musters out to become Mandalorian, with the rest knowing that something must be done regardless of if they move to the next port or remain with the Mandalorians. So it is that a plan is made and two operations are drawn up that splits the Open Circle Fleet in half.
STORMCALLER sees the efforts to relieve the Kaminoans of the CIS siege, coming in with a devastating blow from behind and an all too short reprieve. The Clones work desperately to evacuate the Kaminoans to the fleet proper, promising them shelter on Mandalore and leaving behind several regiments to man the defenses of Kamino. As the Open Circle Fleet departs ahead of CIS reinforcements, they hear of the defense and of how those clones who stayed behind bleed the CIS of thousands of droids for every dead clone, until the supports for the floating cities are detonated and take the entire invading force to the bottom of the oceans.
LANCE OF THE REPUBLIC is undertaken simultaneously and while initially it was to be a mere resupply, a turn is taken which sees a battle erupting over Kuat. Admiral Wilhuff Tarkin begins the operation with negotiations with Kuat of Kuat to resupply his battered fleet in both repairs and replacement ships. Up until now Kuat had been independent of the squabbles among the remnants, holding out with the defensive fleet that remained after Knightfall. Thousands of ships mill about the space around the orbital ring, three of them Mandator Dreadnoughts and with two belonging to Kuat, it seems the negotiations were always destined to fail. But this had been accounted for by Tarkin, sending in ARC troopers ahead of the negotiations. These clones stormed the planet-side headquarters of KDY, with the sole objective of raiding the servers and stealing the blueprints for every ship in the fleet. In orbit the raid becomes known and a shot is fired, detonations ripple across the ring as saboteurs make themselves known and Tarkin now issues his ultimatum. If the Republic cannot have these ships, then he will not allow pretenders or the CIS to have them. In the chaos of the opening battle fully half of KDY's forces defect, including one of the Mandator Dreadnoughts, issuing out a broadside on the other still in its docking cradle. There, either from the damage sustained in the broadside or through saboteurs, or a shipboard mutiny, the reactors become damaged and hit criticality. The Open Circle Fleet collects their commandos and Tarkin, pulling back with the defecting portions of KDY and watching as the ring is broken from the reactor detonation, falling back to the surface leaving untold devastation.
15BRS - THE FALSE PEACE, THE TREATY OF ALSAKAN: It has been a year since the devastation of Knightfall, the Republic fracturing into warlordism and the ongoing fighting against the CIS leaving much of the industrial heart of the galaxy still smoldering. Grievous still sees the war yet won though, even as his own advisors plead for seeking a resolution. While before he would have killed them for their audacity to suggest peace, the rising power in the galactic north has been a more significant issue than at first thought, and there is logic in keeping some of the other powers from re-engaging. So on Alsakan the representatives of the major powers in the galaxy are brought together. Corellia, Mandalore, Alsakan itself and the Confederacy meet to discuss terms and come to sign what most call simply the Treaty of Alsakan. Yet for Ord Mantell and the nascent regime there, they call it for what it is. A false peace. It may have ensured that the CIS is no longer at war with the Republic Remnants, but to many even beyond the galactic north, it is merely a twenty-year armistice.
15BRS - A CROWN OF IRON, THE RENKAR IMPERIUM: Since first answering the calls to reinforce Ord Mantell and the galactic north, the battle has been raging across the breadbasket of the galaxy from one world to the next. Admiral Jira Renkar of the Eight Systems Army with a number of Jedi such as Ki-Adi Mundi and Kit Fisto continue the war and expand their defenses from the fortress world to create a ring of iron. World after world is liberated with the droid forces sent scattering and with each world a call is heard. It starts small, the mere suggestion of those liberated and finding the first person to actually honor the pledge to defend them. Then it grows as more join them, taking up arms to fight alongside the clones and Jedi committed to them. Finally as Jira Renkar refuses to attend the summit at Alsakan it becomes a deafening clamor. They call him Emperor, king of kings and defender of the galactic north. For the last year and a half he had refused to give credence to these calls, seeing himself as a liberator of those in need, not a sovereign. Yet as the ink dries on the Treaty of Alsakan, he finally answers the call. With a crown of iron made from the mines of Ord Mantell itself, he sits upon a throne bearing the icon of the Eighth Systems Fleet. The words echo around the galaxy as it is declared "Kneel for the last time as Admiral, and rise as a man who kneels before no other… Emperor Jira Renkar of the Renkar Imperium."
15BRS - THE RUIN KINGDOM, THE ALSAKANI REPUBLIC: In the ashes of the Clone Wars chaos reigns over much of the Core Worlds. Coruscant had been seen as the jewel of the galaxy for thousands of years and the uniting power, with only one other competing in dominance. It is that power that now as the rest of the galaxy pulls away to look to their own people, begins the slow and tedious effort of rebuilding. Alsakan the eternal rival of Coruscant had been given the broken corpse and left to their own devices. Ostensibly independent when it comes to rebuilding and expanding, the Provisional Governing Region carefully restores order and rule of law to each world left in the wake of the CIS. As the Republic finally gasps out its last dying breath, the Ruin Kingdom rises to piece it all back together as best it can.
14BRS - THE KASHYYK-TRANDOSHA EXCLUSION ZONE: While much of the galaxy either falls to the CIS, one of the Remnants or simply descends into chaos, the eternal rivals continue their intermittent battles against each other. Both of them have finally shaken off the droid attacks and retaken their own respective space, now looking to a galaxy without the Republic to fetter them and demand peace. Briefly it looks as if the two are finally to enter proper war against each other, but the CIS and Grievous proves to be a mutual enemy and interrupts their mobilization. Countless assaults slowly see Wookie and Trandoshan working together to repel the invaders, each one bringing a spirit of cooperation to the rivals until finally as the last warship is left a smoldering wreck, they declare their systems to be united against all invaders. Trandosha and Kashyyk with their guns pointed outwards and back to back.
14BRS - THE CALL TO RETURN: After five years of stabilizing Mandalore and forming the skeleton of the Mandalorian Republic, it is finally time for the Paladin to push towards the second stage of their grand ideal. A home for all Mandalorians has been created, and all that is left is for them to see it for themselves. Only a few times before had the Call to Return been made, and each one a moment of galactic significance. This time though the call would not usher in a great crusade or pitch the galaxy into endless war, it was a call to come home, to build a better Mandalore and honor the new Mand'alor. It starts small with a few coming home to announce their adherence to the Resol'nare. Then hundreds arrive by the day, then thousands and as word spreads Mandalorians across the galaxy come to see the first Mand'alor since the Uniter to truly bring their people together. Yet there are those who see this call as but a prelude to war, and others displeased at the loss of their most dangerous assets…
13BRS - THE PIRATE BLITZ: The Hutts, having seen the collapse of the Republic and Jedi Order as a boon for business see their first major loss since Knightfall. All those Mandalorians who had once been loyal mercenaries for the Hutts now look back home and see something new and greater for their clans. The mass desertion of Mandalorians leaves many of the Hutt Cartels weakened initially, with those who had never been able to afford their services taking advantage and chaos ruling over the cartel for a full year until order is restored. With order comes retribution as the surviving Hutts look towards Mandalore with vengeance. Credits flow like water into the coffers of every pirate across the galactic east, the Hutts gathering the single largest pirate armada to ever take to space. These pirates move on Mandalore thinking them to be weak and vulnerable due to taking in the shattered Republic-in-Exile and their efforts in rebuilding, taking away from their military. So they enter the Mandalore system and issue an ultimatum. Return to serving the Hutts, kneel before the Cartel or be destroyed. The Paladin's only response to releasing his people back to service is a simply and blunt retort. "Come and take them." The battle is short and brutal as the pirates are a disunified lot and they had not been counting on the Open Circle Fleet to actually reinforce the Mandalorian fleet above the planet. Entire tribes of pirates are annihilated in volleys of turbolaser fire from Venators, the Mandalorian Republic proving itself in a baptism of fire and molten durasteel. A few hours pass and the Pirate Blitz is broken, the Mandalorians emerging as a true power and a true Republic.
12BRS - GREAT JEDI SCHISM: Seeking unity among the Jedi a summit is called, the first of what would be a semi-regular "Grand Council". The foremost leaders of the Jedi Enclaves, the Shadow Council, Green Jedi, Alsakani Judicials, and the Argent come together to discuss the future of the Jedi Order. At first there is much to agree on with the state of the galaxy, most present feeling that unity is necessary to truly heal. Where things break down is exactly who should be united under, with each order declaring themselves the most suitable. The discourse becomes intense enough that the gathered break fully from the idea of the Jedi Order and a few of the more prominent unaligned Jedi go into isolation. The loss of faith in those like Master Yoda becomes the deathblow to the Jedi Order, the fragments each declaring themselves the true inheritors.
10BRS - THE DESOLATION OF NEIMOIDIA: Rumors begin circulating around the actions of Corellia against those refusing to join the Hegemony. For most they are dismissed both by Corellia and by those wanting more evidence before making a statement. Yet still there are those who escape from the Hegemony and describe blockade tactics, loosing pirates and smugglers onto helpless worlds and even bombardment of civilians to enforce joining. It is only when Neimoidians being fleeing Corellian space in mass that the greater galaxy learns that the gleam to the Corellian Hegemony hides the terror sown in their shadows. Tales are told of the bombing of the Neimoidian purse worlds, millions vaporized in turbolaser bombardment, nuclear weapons being loosed on the populace and the entirety of their assets seized by Corellia as the population is forced into indentured servitude. With the galaxy clamoring for answers, all Corellia offers is that one of their former great houses was responsible for the destruction of Neimoidia, that Iseth Merr had allowed the scars of her past to cloud her judgment and action had been taken.
8BRS - THE IMPERIAL WEDDING: A question that had arisen at multiple points even before the Empire proper was established, succession became a greater concern as the Emperor himself was still taking part in battles. Nearing his forties the man had accrued his fair share of battle fatigue, and despite being still in his prime the Imperial Circle and the Shadow Council made an insistence on either choosing an heir or making one. After dealing with the harassing advisors, Jira finally relented and the Empire began to field offers from across the galactic north and beyond. For months an endless procession of candidates arrived on Ord Mantell to make their case, from minor nobles across the Empire itself to Corellians seeking Imperial ties, and even the Zygerrian queen. Eventually though a decision was reached, after a woman from beyond the borders of the Empire arrived with a noble house at her back and offers of more than just union between their families.
Within the year as the two became more prominent in the public spotlight, preparations had been made for an event equalling the declaration of the Empire itself. The palace had been renovated entirely, a public square opened for viewers of the event to watch the procession and prominent figures from across the galaxy in attendance as the holonet lit up with what would become known as The Imperial Wedding. Elara Safel, of the Great House Safel walked resplendent in white, and flanked by the blue-skinned family and friends of her house as Jira Renkar awaited upon the dais, behind him two thrones where once only one had stood, and his closest advisor Ral Karz holding a crown of iron. Corellian dignitaries watched in envy from the balconies alongside Alsakani and Mandalorians, each understanding the significance of this event beyond a simple union. And as the Emperor lifted the veil of his Empress and sealed the union, all of the Empire celebrated a dawning of a new era.
6BRS - THE BATTLE OF ILUM: With less than twelve hours notice, non-Imperial excavation teams on the surface of Ilum are promptly evacuated under the mechanisms of a treaty allowing the Empire to do so in case of ‘Emergency’, though no explicit reason is ever given. What little the wider Galaxy knows of the events that transpired there afterward comes from intel observing Imperial fleets suddenly taking a hard turn to the Galactic West across Imperial space, abandoned mining equipment sending out remote pings warning of erratic seismic activity and immense craters and damaged infrastructures observed by said teams when they were finally allowed back on the surface.
For their part, the Empire itself simply states it defeated a ‘Great Enemy’ there and refuses to elaborate further.
6BRS - THE DEVARONIAN CONSPIRACY: A curious discovery is made at Devaron's Astrological Survey Center, where numerous astronomers report a new celestial object and debate rages within the Hegemony as to what it may be and why. Multiple reports claim the object is in motion, yet known science doesn't support the idea of an object of that mass being capable of such speeds. Which leads into more physical debate and conflict between the intellectual community of the Corellian Hegemony at large. Beyond Corellia most simply feel that either the Corellians have become too confident with their legacy and have resorted to outlandish claims, or dismissed it outright in light of the Neimoidian Diaspora of four years prior.
5BRS - THE LAST TAUNG: To the stunned astonishment of near every living soul on Mandalore, the Paladin finds himself in the awkward position of having to personally answer an unusual call from Keldabe’s spaceport; namely that an old relic of a ship had touched down about an hour prior containing— among other things— two Humans, a Pantoran, another Pantoran with a rather unusual eye condition and a living, breathing Taung who claimed them all as his foundlings.
This was Atin Dral; once the sworn brother and general in service to Mandalore the Ultimate, who had broken faith with his sovereign over the conduct of the Mandalorian Wars millenia prior. A name that echoed no small amount of controversy in the Mandalorian psyche— vilified for his treason to his liege and the slaying of Cassus Fett just as much as he was venerated for being the first of all Alors to welcome non-Taung into his clan, not just as soldiers, but as his own sons, daughters and children. Birthing the notion that family was, indeed, more than just blood that would carry on through Mandalorian culture across generations and whose philosophical teachings— preserved by word of mouth across centuries— would be echoed by the likes of Mandalore the Uniter, Jaster Mareel and, perhaps unknowingly, The Paladin himself.
This immediately put the Paladin in an awkward position as certain elements among the Clans almost instantly began to agitate that a living Taung was an existential threat to the Paladin’s authority, while others actively encouraged it; seeing in the ancient Alor a way to finally be rid of the Paladin and his… eccentricities.
Atin himself, however, was chiefly concerned with the safety of his children, and was quickly put on guard by the atmosphere others seemed to be imposing between him and the Mandalore the longer they spoke, something the Paladin was quick to pick up and act on by offering to personally take the old general on a days-long tour of the world he’d missed for about four thousand years. Firstly, to ease the tension between the two men and secondly, to get him the hell away from that crowd at the spaceport.
Which proved to be quite fortuitous, as through visits to GAM High Command, an interesting little venture to the Jedi Enclaves and a hike through the forested highlands in the planet’s north where Atin grew up, the two became… actually quite close, realizing that they had more in common than not. Until finally Atin would suddenly challenge the Paladin after a moment of silent contemplation as they were walking right through the middle of Keldabe square. Not as a would-be usurper seeking to take command, but as one of the Mando’ade to another. To which the Paladin could only jovially agree.
Leading to a contest the Paladin would later remember as one of the toughest fights of his life. With both combatants seemingly evenly matched, but only one of whom was still young enough to reliably get to his feet after the second hour to offer his foe a hand up, which Atin accepted with a laugh as he swore his allegiance to the Mandalore on the spot, declaring:
“Aye, Mand’alor Besk’Cabur. I know your heart and I now know your mettle. Ye shall have my sword from this day, ‘til the day the last gasp of air leaves both of our bodies… so long as ye remain worthy of it.”
This statement alone sending shockwaves through not just Mandalorian Space, but the Galaxy as a whole. The approval of a Taung General doing much to legitimize the Paladin’s regime and be the final nail in the coffin to many doubters as well as causing a wave of trepidation to echo throughout the Galaxy, particularly in Corellia, where fears of a renewed Mandalorian Crusade had long been stoked by the Hegemony.
Atin, for his part, joined the Paladin’s inner circle, serving as his sword and senior military advisor. And being allowed to reform his clan in their ancestral homelands; in The Forge of Kad Ha’rangir, far to Keldabe’s north. Where thousands across the GRM would journey to serve under his banner and join his clan, warriors, artisans and average joes alike.
4BRS - THE DESTRUCTION OF TUND: During the visit of the Provisional Governor in the Centrality, the CIS were made aware of a supposed celestial event on the far borders nearing Wild Space. According to the Centrans, there was only an isolated planet in the area, inhabitable nominally but known for harsh wildlife. What the CIS investigative force found however, was that the planet of Tund had been recently scoured by some event, the world now left a desolate scorched rock with only vague ruins to hint at a civilization having lived there. Some trace baradium signatures implied the use of a baradium fission device, but with the remote nature of the planet the investigation was closed and Tund was declared a dead world.
0 - YEAR ZERO: In a rare moment of almost galactic unity, the major powers convene together to consider a re-synchronization of the Galactic Calendar. Those present accept the motion and year zero is declared. Only the Renkar Imperium refuses to change, having already established the Battle of Ilum as their own year zero.
6ARS - TO BE DECIDED
[hider=Character name][[center][h1][color=???]Character name/Title[/color][/h1] [img]Image or gif of character[/img][/center] [color=???][b]|[u] {Full Name} [/u]|[/b][/color] [indent]???[/indent] [color=???][b]|[u] {Age} [/u]|[/b][/color] [indent]???[/indent] [color=???][b]|[u] {Species} [/u]|[/b][/color] [indent]???[/indent] [color=???][b]|[u] {Gender} [/u]|[/b][/color] [indent]Male/Female/Neither[/indent] [hr.] [color=???][b]|[u] {Force Sensitive/Alignment} [/u]|[/b][/color] [indent]Yes/No - Dark/Grey/Light(Can be more specific in the alignment, if not fully in one of the three categories.)[/indent] [color=???][b]|[u] {Appearance} [/u]|[/b][/color] [indent]Self-explanatory, cover at least the basics to some detail.[/indent] [color=???][b]|[u] {Equipment and Personal Belongings} [/u]|[/b][/color] [indent]All personal belongings, equipment or items of note that would be either on your character's person on a daily basis or in their quarters. Include as well anything that may be in storage in the cargo bays or hangar if applicable.[/indent] [color=???][b]|[u] {Physical Abilities} [/u]|[/b][/color] [indent]Any and all strictly non-force abilities your character may have. This includes, but is not limited to combat skills, natural ability or learned skills.[/indent] [color=???][b]|[u] {Force Abilities} [/u]|[/b][/color] [indent]Strictly force-abilities your character may have. Only include this section if your character is a force-user. Anything that may affect your character's ability to be influenced by the force would fall under the Physical Abilities section or the Limitations section, such as if your character was of a species naturally resistant, or was perhaps more susceptible to the mind trick power.[/indent] [color=???][b]|[u] {Limitations} [/u]|[/b][/color] [indent]Any and all limitations that your character may possess.[/indent] [hr.] [color=???][b]|[u] {Personality} [/u]|[/b][/color] [indent]This, along with the Backstory section should be the more detailed areas of the CS.[/indent] [color=???][b]|[u] {Place of Origin} [/u]|[/b][/color] [indent]Quite simply, where your character came from and a brief bit on their upbringing.[/indent] [color=???][b]|[u] {Background} [/u]|[/b][/color] [indent]A history of your character showing important events in their past.[/indent][/hider]
Appreciate the interest from both those who have joined already and those who have taken a peek in the thread so far, and going to make a note in that I'm going to be continuing to add things as we get to them even up to the expected launch of the RP. At the moment looking at adding in The Imperial Wedding into the timeline and workshopping some minor events that have come up as well.
@Neziul By all means pop into the discord and pitch an idea, already got a few tumbling around in the channels.
As an aside, for anyone else lurking still got a good bit to actually work out character concepts and tune up character sheets, as I'm looking to get the OOC up on the second.
Ayyyyyyy, It's good to see more interest. Also just as an aside, while the discord is incredibly helpful for the planning out of things like characters and talking about ongoing arcs, it's not required to participate. It just helps significantly and I'm able to respond a lot quicker to things there lol.
We're still open for sure, more people just means me needing to delegate to a co-gm a little more lol. Feel free to drop by the discord, it's pretty active with ideas.
We've got an excellent cast of characters so far, with a few more in the works, but as the IC has launched just want to make it clear that this thing is still open and accepting of new characters and will continue to be for the foreseeable future. So for anyone peeking in out of curiosity, those looking for a decent Star Wars RP, or just those who had some passing interest before and were waiting to see if it would launch, we are ready and waiting to answer any questions here or on the discord. Here's to the first chapter of hopefully many.
