Dawn of the Republic - Gray Jedi Order Idea

The Prophet

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The Fulcrum

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"A great imbalance has struck the Force. Despite this, few feel the pain it has been subjected to. Their link to the Force has been dulled, their minds clouded by their hatred and and their zeal for false causes. We however, are not them. We have seen the truth. We hear the cry of the Force and heed its call. We will heal the damage they have done. The balance must be restored. "

The Fulcrum is a secretive order based around a strong ideology that is focused on maintaining the balance of the Force. Born amidst the chaos of the war between Jedi and Sith, the group was initially formed by a gathering of like-minded Jedi Knights, spearheaded mainly by Jedi Masters (name) and (name). Having witnessed the horrors of the war firsthand, they had grown tired of the way the warring factions misused the name of the force to justify their actions in the vicious conflict.

The Genesis of the Order



The Order was truly born following the events of the (town name) massacre. An order given to three jedi masters and their respective companies by a notoriously zealous Jedi commander. - A supposed paragon of virtue, considered the embodiment of the light-side to many of his comrades, he had somewhat of a reputation for his questionable methods of enforcing the way of the Light. - The group were dispatched to the location of a secret Sith temple, hidden deep underneath a relatively large town; intelligence indicated that the Sith were holding Jedi prisoners there and the group were to assault the town, rescue the prisoners and retrieve a hidden force relic that laid deep in the temple. The group was told that the inhabitants were now entirely corrupted by the dark side, classified by their commander as "Irredeemable". Of course, those who were designated as such were to be put to the sword.

Once the masters and their knights touched down, they weren't met with the hostile welcome they'd come to expect. It became clear that those in the town had not actually been turned to the Sith cause, but had merely been corrupted by the activity beneath the town. A few of the younger crusaders, eager to prove themselves, were quick to ignite their weapons. The inhabitants, although seemingly docile at first, were somewhat affected mentally and were riled by this. As the Jedi made their way onto the streets, a few of the citizens, their fear intensified by the deep corruption, made it very clear that the Jedi should leave. The younger Jedi retorted aggressively, further aggravating them. It only took one terrified scream to spook the Jedi enough and, with what was initially fear being misconstrued as aggression, a great massacre began. Men, women and even children were slain.

In the heat of the massacre the Sith, having been alerted to the chaos on the surface, joined the fray. After a harsh conflict, the battle drew to a close. With the Sith on the surface eradicated and the town sacked, the Jedi moved swiftly into the temple itself. After clearing the majority of the Sith within, they retrieved the artifact and reached the prisoners. Unfortunately they had suffered a similar fate to those on the surface, having been corrupted and twisted by Sith experimentation. However, they were cooperative and seemed to be in good enough shape to return to the mothership.



With the mission over, their friends retrieved, and the adrenaline drained from their bloodstreams, the severity of the groups actions began to dawn upon them. With heavy hearts, the Jedi made the solemn trip back to their command ship. Upon reaching their destination, the remaining Jedi were welcomed back like heroes. Some, disgusted by what they had just done "in the name of the light", quite openly refused to accept any praise and even chastised those who attempted to give them some. Despite these doubts about their cause, the group took solace in the fact that their friends were now safely returned. That solace would be short lived however...

Once their commander caught wind of their return, he was quick have an assembly held to congratulate them for the retrieval of their comrades. The ceremony went rather well, with some being more accepting of their rewards than others. Once it was over, all those who were sent on the mission were called to the commanders office. To their surprise, the prisoners they had rescued, who were supposed to be in rehabilitation, were present. It was at this point that the commander went on to explain that they were actually to be executed. He spouted a tirade about how they were now too impure, that the corruption was too deep, that they couldn't be saved; designated "Irredeemable". In fact, despite the praised he had previously showered them with, the commander actually scolded them for bringing back such corrupted individuals. Naturally, the group were outraged by the notion of executing their friends. However, it appeared that the commander had already poisoned their minds with lies, having convinced them that they would be better off dead than being alive, claiming they would be too big of a risk. It was clear that they had already long resigned to their fate.

(This is to be expanded upon. Got a massive headache midway through this.)


Beliefs and Goals

The Fulcrum was built on the idea of balance in all things. A powerful balance is what holds the universe together and is key to the well being of the force (Outer Balance) and, in turn, ourselves (Inner Balance). The Jedi and Sith have put the well being of the force in jeopardy by viewing it as binary. Taking concepts such as the Living, Psychical, Unifying and Cosmic Force, the brothers and sisters have accepted the force as a single entity, in all its forms.

Teachings on the Outer Balance:


The teachings of the Outer Balance mainly pertain to the force as a whole. Thus, they are larger scale teachings that apply on a group level.

Eschew the false titles of Jedi or Sith, seek to distance yourself from either, for both misuse the Force. Similarly, do not allow yourself focus on the Light or Darkness, instead, seek Balance within yourself, draw your power from both your passion and wisdom, this will make you strong.

Misuse of the Force is when one ceases to view the Force as a whole, upsetting the Balance. In the ancient times, the Old Order was fractured when this happened among it's members. Do not let yourself be focus either side of the Force over the other, for this will weaken you.

Balance in the Force means that both sides reach equilibrium. Neither the Jedi or Sith can be trusted, or even considered able to reach equilibrium on their own. The Fulcrum protects the Balance of the Force, keeping ancient knowledge out of their hands, and away from their corruption.

Teachings on the Inner Balance:


Avoid Arrogance – As members of the Fulcrum we are not entitled to anything, we cannot simply take what we want without repercussion. Raising oneself above others upsets your Inner Balance.

Wisdom, Not Overconfidence – Overconfidence in one's own skills is a detriment to those skills, as well as a danger to one's self. While self-confidence is valuable, moderation must be observed, allowing Confidence to weigh you down will upset your Inner Balance.

Embrace Curiosity – Keeping an open mind is central to achieving Balance within yourself, always be willing to explore an other's viewpoint or opinion. Closing yourself off from other options will upset your Inner Balance.

Embrace Emotional Connection – The Fulcrum does not exist as a collection of single entities united only by name, but by interpersonal connection. Members of the Order are encouraged to make strong ties with others, this ties their Inner Balance more closely to that of the outer Balance of Force, as well as providing a source of Passion and Compassion, as both strengthen them.





Paths and Titles


The Fulcrum doesn't particularly believe in titles that carry an almost military authority. Instead, we believe that all members must be treated more like a family and that those with a senior title must earn respect from their peers, not expect it.


The Tyro


The Fulcrum's fledgling members, this is the stage where the most learning occurs. It is here that members begin to truly train in the ways of the force, the lightsaber and the galaxy. Once a Tyro has come to the latter part of their education, their Elder Brothers will begin to gauge what roles will suit them best once their training is complete. Although the Elder Brothers make a final decision on what path each Tyro will take, the say of the member in question is taken into account.


The 3 Paths


Once a Tyro has completed their training, they will go through an assessment of what they have learned. Should they prove themselves ready, they will be allocated to one of three specific roles based on biases in their skills and abilities:

Venators: The Venators are the Fulcrum's resident hunters. Field agents of sorts, the Venators are masters of subterfuge. Using stealth, speed and careful planning to achieve their goals. The primary duty of the Venators entails the location and acquisition of force relics and artifacts, mainly by means of infiltration. However they are also able to apply their skills to various situations, such as the gathering of intelligence, sabotage and even assassination. They often work closely with both the Templars and the Mystics in order to achieve their goals with maximum efficiency.

Mystics: The Mystics are arguably some of the most intelligent members of the Fulcrum, valuing the knowledge and history of our order highly; most have expert knowledge in many fields. They have one of the most extensive lists of duties including: The documentation and management of the Orders history and records, the curation and preservation of acquired artifacts and relics, research and development of technology and they often work in tandem with both the Templars and Venators on strategy.

Templars: Vigilant protectors and skilled combatants, the Templars are the dedicated warriors of the Fulcrum. The Templars must display a high level of control and Inner Balance, able to seamlessly control all aspects of the force in the heat of battle. Due to the mainly covert nature of the Fulcrum, the Templars aren't frequently dispatched in large groups. Because of this they tend to be highly spiritual, meditating, training and immersing themselves in the force regularly. Due to this extensive spiritual training, they often become some of the leading authorities on the spiritual aspects of the Order. Despite being deployed relatively rarely, rigourous training against the diverse ranks of the Fulcrum allow them to become a dangerous force to be reckoned with.


Elder Brothers


The position of Elder is granted to experienced members of the order who display not only exemplary prowess within their fields, but also a deep connection to the force. Elders function mainly as mentors to both the Tyro and those within their respective fields. They also lead various missions and operations that their roles might undertake.


Home Planet



I'm thinking we just go the whole hog and come up with a planet. We can make a separate planning thread.





Our Current Roster


 
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Avery Sly Lass

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Always been a fan of Grey Jedi. I support this. I'm going to be bringing back my character for the new arc after some tweaking, and a grey Order Might be a good fit for her. I always figured that any group of Grey Jedi would also accept Sith turning away from the darkness, but unwilling or unable to fully embrace the Jedi way of life. As to what role the group will play in galactic politics, I see anything from an independant sect of Force Users who have their own philosophy to little more than a club for Force-sensitive mercenaries being logical. Gamov and I had two of our characters, his ex-Jedi-turned-Sith-turned-rogue-Sith and my naive young Grey Jedi basically running into each other and deciding to stick together, because safety in numbers, then finding a location to use as a hideout. We had plans to try and have it blossom into a haven for others like them, Sith seeking redemption, disillusioned Jedi, but we both got busy with the holidays and now the Timeline change looms over us.

I don't think I'd be up to running a faction, though, so I'm not running for FL any time soon.
 

The Prophet

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Ah excellent! It's good to see some others are interested in this. I'd be more than happy to accept your help with this and have you on board. I also saw your post on the indie groups thread, which made me think that we should probably come up with a name for this group as well. I was thinking maybe something to do with the moon fits?

I really like what you're saying though, being a sort of sanctuary that takes on those from either side. Anything that you guys came up with would be great to add to this. Any ideas on a base of operations? Will we have a home planet? Or live a sort of nomadic life on a starship perhaps?
 

Avery Sly Lass

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I wish I could remember the name of the planet where our base was, but it was basically a quiet, out-of-the-way backwater, and our base was an abandoned spaceport high on the side of a mountain. Also I remember reading that the native inhabitants of the planet were bug- or crab-like, specialized in spear combat, and lived mostly in the coasts and lowlands of the planet. Not sure how helpful that information is since the planet probably won't be canon any more anyway.

OH and we had a "borrowed" freighter that we would have used to get around the galaxy.
 

Fen Vel

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I'd be interested if its a group/general feeling inside the actual order rather than its own thing. I guess it depends how the actual Jedi are laid out.
 

The Prophet

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Well Fen, I'm not sure the order would tolerate such a group within its ranks for long. lol Even if a few of the founding members start within the ranks of the jedi and we RP it from those early stages, I personally would like to see this become its own thing. I feel as though it would be interesting to start off at the early stages of true establishment. We've got the base/mothership, we've got some resources, but we've really only just settled down.
 

Avery Sly Lass

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The Jedi order may tolerate say, the Vaapad saber technique, or the ways of the Jedi Shadow (SWTOR) though both take the risk of leading down dark paths, since both are still - at their core - part of Jedi training, and still adhere to Jedi Philosophy. Our Grey Order will not follow Jedi Philosophy.

I feel the Grey Order might have a philosophy based on the simple concept of balance or unification within the Force. As for the reason they don't align themselves with the Jedi: "The Jedi say, 'Only the Sith deal in absolutes.' Is that not in itself an absolute, and therefore hypocrisy? How can an order so biased claim to seek balance?"
 

Kibagami

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I was going to do this by myself, but since there is at least some interest in balance of the Force within I thought I'd throw it out there...

Why not go with Je'daii? The site is going back in time, why not go with the flow and take it a step further by adopting the ancient dogma of the true Grey(Lawful Neutral, True Neutral and Chaotic Neutral)?
Je'daii already have set philosophies, a Code and hierarchy, so there's no need to start all that from scratch.
It would add legitimacy being an actual long lost tradition that most Jedi have completely forgot about, instead of something made-up for our own amusement.
Most greys seem to want to keep themselves in the center of the Light/Dark spectrum, Je'daii would wholly embrace the full length, width and breadth of both sides. The only way to master the Force; coming at it from both sides, rather than staying in the middle where balance is virtually nonexistent and extremism to one side or the other is the best way to unbalance the Force within.
Additionally, most greys seem to forget about the philosophy and introspection of the dichotomy the Force provides because balance is nonexistent in the center, Je'daii have Ashla and Bogan to remind them of that balance. It is religious in a way, but nothing like the fundamentalism of the Jedi or Sith.

I think Je'daii is both rich with history and open enough to put our own modern flare on it.

Anyway, look it up on wookieepedia and chew on it for a minute...
 

Gamov

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I think I saw somewhere someone proposing a Je'daii faction.

As for some of my personal thoughts on this group:

I feel that the notion of becoming "Sith hunters" [even if they are those rogue elements] is a niche already being fulfilled by the Jedi Order. What I propose is something a little more "Knights Templar"-ish.

My idea sees this group [I'll just call them Templar for the sake of clarity] being dedicated to preserving the Force itself from the corrupt influence of the Jedi and Sith alike. Centuries of intractable conflict between their disparate sects have sundered the Force and divided the galaxy along volatile faults which only serve to reignite ancient conflicts time and again. The Jedi's complacency gives rise to the predations of the Sith, and the Sith's insatiable lust for power inevitably consumes them.

Thus the galaxy is forever mired in a relentless cycle of pain and misery.

With regards to this, the Templar have taken it upon themselves to serve as stalwarts of the galaxy, adhering to a strict code that [in part] exiles them from modern civilization so as not to allow their own use of the Force to, either inadvertently or purposefully, influence the lives of others. In instances where hey must travel and interact with the wider galaxy though, they limit their use of the Force [no mind tricks, telekinesis or other boons granted by their powers] and try to blend in as much as possible. In this way, the Templars would attempt to minimize their presence so as to execute their primary objectives:

The location and recovery [or destruction if all else fails] of Force relics, and the "dissolution" of Force groups they consider dangerous.

The best analogy I can draw to illustrate my point would be to point to the Brotherhood of Steel from the Fallout series. They sought to control technology in the hopes humanity would have a chance at a future where the mistakes of the past would not be repeated. In the same vein, these Templar would seek to control knowledge of the Force, essentially attempting to undermine the institutions which have corrupted it and used it as a cudgel to wage countless wars across the stars.

That's what I have worked out in my head so far at least. I'll come back to this when my mind is a bit more fresh.

In the meantime, feel free to tear these ideas down or agree with them or expand on them, or whatever suits you.
 
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Jax Vos

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I was going to do this by myself, but since there is at least some interest in balance of the Force within I thought I'd throw it out there...

Why not go with Je'daii? The site is going back in time, why not go with the flow and take it a step further by adopting the ancient dogma of the true Grey(Lawful Neutral, True Neutral and Chaotic Neutral)?
Je'daii already have set philosophies, a Code and hierarchy, so there's no need to start all that from scratch.
It would add legitimacy being an actual long lost tradition that most Jedi have completely forgot about, instead of something made-up for our own amusement.
Most greys seem to want to keep themselves in the center of the Light/Dark spectrum, Je'daii would wholly embrace the full length, width and breadth of both sides. The only way to master the Force; coming at it from both sides, rather than staying in the middle where balance is virtually nonexistent and extremism to one side or the other is the best way to unbalance the Force within.
Additionally, most greys seem to forget about the philosophy and introspection of the dichotomy the Force provides because balance is nonexistent in the center, Je'daii have Ashla and Bogan to remind them of that balance. It is religious in a way, but nothing like the fundamentalism of the Jedi or Sith.

I think Je'daii is both rich with history and open enough to put our own modern flare on it.

Anyway, look it up on wookieepedia and chew on it for a minute...
Only one thing, there is no canon source that claims that the Je'daii actually existed. So unless we accept that part of Legends here we cannot use them as a reference to history, but more as a new belief.
 

Avery Sly Lass

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I've spent most of today studying the Codes of the Je'daii, Jedi and Sith to brew up my own code for the Grey Order (and I think I'll be using Templars as the over-arching term for members of the Order, since I don't want us to use the term 'Jedi') I can post what I have so far for you guys to take a look if you like.
 

Gamov

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I say do it. We need to hammer out what the Tamplars will actually believe in, so there's no time like the present.
 

Avery Sly Lass

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This is what I have so far.

The Grey Code:

With Radiance comes Obscurity.
With Wisdom comes Knowledge.
With Passion comes Strength.
With Balance comes Freedom.
The Force takes no sides.
The Force is Whole.

Ranks Compared to Jedi Equivalents:
Templar Apprentice (Padawan)
Templar Adept (Knight)

Teachings of the Outer Balance:
Eschew the titles of Jedi or Sith, seek to distance yourself from either, for both misuse the Force. Similarly, do not allow yourself focus on the Light or Darkness, instead, seek Balance within yourself, draw your power from both your passion and wisdom, this will make you strong.

“The Jedi say “Only the Sith deal in absolutes” Is that not in itself an absolute, and therefore hypocrisy? How can an Order so biased claim to seek Balance? The Sith seek only Power for themselves, a goal which directly opposes Balance.”

Misuse of the Force is when one ceases to view the Force as a whole, upsetting the Balance. In the ancient times, the Old Order was fractured when this happened among it's members. Do not let yourself be focus either side of the Force over the other, for this will weaken you.

Balance in the Force means that both sides reach equilibrium. Neither the Jedi or Sith can be trusted, or even considered able to reach equilibrium on their own. The Grey Order protects the Balance of the Force, keeping ancient knowledge out of their hands, and away from their corruption.


Teachings on the Inner Balance:
Avoid Arrogance – A Templar of the Grey Order is not entitled to anything, they cannot simply take what they want without repercussion. Raising yourself above others upsets your Inner Balance.

Wisdom, Not Overconfidence – Overconfidence in one's own skills is a detriment to those skills, as well as a danger to one's self. While self-confidence is valuable, moderation must be observed, allowing Confidence to weigh you down will upset your Inner Balance.

Embrace Curiosity – Keeping an open mind is central to achieving Balance within yourself, always be willing to explore an other's viewpoint or opinion. Closing yourself off from other options will upset your Inner Balance.

Embrace Emotional Connection – The Grey Order does not exist as a collection of single entities united only by name, but by interpersonal connection. Templars of the Order are encouraged to make strong ties with others, this ties their Inner Balance more closely to that of the outer Balance of Force, as well as providing a source of Passion and Compassion, as both strengthen them.

EDIT: Organizationally, it's still kind of a mess. Also, I hadn't gotten around to dissecting the Sith Code to muck around in there and pull out the "good bits" like I did with the Jedi code.
EDIT: Cut out a few ranks.
 
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Avery Sly Lass

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Also, if you're interested in showing support for this group and being a part of it, hit up @Outlander in this thread. Make sure to tag his name so he knows to check the thread, and just ask him to put your name under the Grey Jedi.
 

Outlander

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Honestly, I think the idea of a more loose collection of force users would be more interesting than a group with set ranks.
 

Gamov

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Honestly, I think the idea of a more loose collection of force users would be more interesting than a group with set ranks.

This is my feeling as well.

I feel that "Templar" [still a a working title, not sold on it] could be more of an umbrella term used to refer to the people who follow this particular set of ideals/codes.
 

Jax Vos

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Honestly, I think the idea of a more loose collection of force users would be more interesting than a group with set ranks.
I agree however I think the Apprentice and Adept ranks should remain
Edit: As sort of blanket terms for the positions
 
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Avery Sly Lass

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So everything else is peaches and cream besides the ranks?
 

Kibagami

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..unless we accept that part of Legends here we cannot use them as a reference..
Yet we're talking about Grey Jedi.

..being dedicated to preserving the Force itself from the corrupt influence of the Jedi and Sith alike.
&
..location and recovery [or destruction if all else fails] of Force relics..
This sounds like damn good motivation.

With Light comes Darkness.
With Wisdom comes Knowledge.
With Passion comes Strength.
With Balance comes Freedom.
The Force takes no sides.
Good start, I think I would change the first and last lines so as to not imply that Grey would even see or notice a difference.
With illumination comes shade. / With radiance comes obscurity. idk, some kinda synonym/antonym wordplay of some sort.
...
The Force as/is whole.



I also think another name for the group is needed. "Grey" and "Templar" just sound generic.
 

Outlander

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Well, I think it would be more of a refugee group. I mean, you have all these force users, some from the Jedi or Sith and some independents. So there will be resenment of authority in some capacity. It might be better to have more of a communal system. Everyone gets a say, and no direct leaders. So you have this ragtag group making their way in the galaxy, figuring out the force as they go.
 
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