Imperium's Guide for Beginners

[Dmitri]

Beginner's Guide to TheStarWarsRP.com

Welcome to TheStarWarsRP.com (commonly abbreviated as SWRP), a collaborative writing forum based in Star Wars' Expanded Universe. It is, as administrator Brandon Rhea puts it, "one of the web’s premier and most active Star Wars role-playing websites." This site is a thriving community based on mutual cooperation and creativity to construct a story conglomerate. There are a multitude of avenues you can approach in this site, from focusing on the main storylines or doing your own personal story arcs and storylines. There is no requirement to even participate in main storyline events, though can be useful in character development. With so many options to choose from or things to do, it can be confusing at times, especially when you're new to the site. As such, this guide has been developed to help you with your entry into the SWRP community and story writing.

If you ever have any questions whether while reading this guide or in general on the site, feel free to contact Rom, Sreeya, Black Noise, Kiro, or Weiss. Most members, if asked, will provide help if needed. Don't hesitate to ask questions.

The Guide will be divided into sections as followed:

1. 
   
   
   • Getting Started
   • Essential Rules You Should Know
   • About the Timeline I: Introduction to Essentials
   • About the Timeline II: Fifth Timeline Compendium

Also, as a reference in case certain terms are unfamiliar, here is a quick list of some terms:

• 
  
  
  • IC: in-character; in the role-played setting/storytelling
  • OOC: out-of-character; non-role-played setting/regular community or beyond the fourth wall
  • SWRP: abbreviation for TheStarWarsRP.com
  • Faction: organization or government
    1. Main Faction: Faction that storyline tends to have a focused lens on (such as the New Sith Imperium)
    2. Independent Faction: Faction not a main faction; tend to be smaller; can impact story but not necessarily focus
  • GA: Galactic Alliance
  • Imp(s): abbreviation of Imperial Armed Forces, denoting New Sith Imperium non-Sith (and sometimes Sith) individuals; not to be confused with Imp Knights, which are Imperial Knights (and not affiliated with the New Sith Imperium)
  • IK: acronym for Imperial Knights (whom have been assimilated into the Rebellion's ARES)
  • Indie: denoting independent faction, a member of said factions, or a person not affiliated with a faction
  • PC: Player Character; character controlled by a user
  • NPC: Non-Player Character; characters introduced that are not main characters used by a user and can be created anytime of any amount (within reason)

Special thanks to Weiss for the creation of the Imperium's Guide for Beginners.​

 

[Dmitri]

Getting Started

Now what? You've got a character up, so what's next? Well, there's a lot you can do. First off, you'll want to sign-up in the sign-up thread; the Imperium's can be found here. Easy step, then what? Well, there's a lot that can be done. You could post a request for training, go on a mission, enter a story or create your own, duel someone, interact with other Sith, etc. The possibilities are endless. If you can't find a thread to enter, either make a post here (for in-faction storytelling) or here (for galaxy-wide storytelling). If you ever have a problem, just let an admin or a member know. If in relation to the New Sith Imperium, feel free to contact Rom, Sreeya, Black Noise, or Weiss.

Needing help with creating a character? See the Imperium's Guide to Character Creation for assistance in creation of Sith and Imperial Armed Forces found here.

Welcome to SWRP have have a great time!

 

[Dmitri]

Essential Rules You Should Know

You can find the full list of the site's rules here. Here is a list of some notable rules:

I. First off, use common sense. Don't be disrespectful and rude. Some may be tolerated, others not. Don't spam or insult people, especially in a racial, sexual, or other prejudicial manner will likely not be tolerated.

II. If your character dies in the RP, it cannot be brought back under any circumstances. Dead characters are to remain dead. This includes cloning. Characters can return to life as Force Ghosts with admin permission.

III. You cannot RP another person's character without permission; the same goes for NPCs (especially belonging to an opposing faction). Any attack must be able to be countered unless you have approached the end of a duel. You cannot simply walk into a thread and kill someone instantly or destroy an area with a single shot or launch fifty missiles at an enemy ship during their own wedding. Everyone should be given the chance to defend themselves after every move. Whether or not they are able to think of a defense is up to their own imagination. In duels, if an opponent completely ignores an attack in his/her counter reply, that attack is an automatic hit.

IV. The Force does not make you a god. You cannot learn advanced moves at the beginning of a character's conception, especially if a low-ranked individual. Being a Force user doesn't make you invincible. Consider stamina when using the Force with an individual.

Some Force abilities are not allowed or have limited environments in which they can be used. The list can be found here. Furthermore, you can find a list of Force powers here that the New Sith Imperium has deemed advanced and cannot be learned by acolytes.

V. Planetary destruction or devastation is not allowed, unless otherwise exempted by administration staff.

VI. No Mary Sue-like characters, with the luck of the devil and are perfect. Characters are not invincible or immortal; they can die and be killed. Damage in a fight is detailed by the owner of the individual, not the attacker, though the damage is to be reasonable (i.e. "a fast lightsaber stabs a shoulder" rather than every time it being "narrowly close" or "tis but a flesh wound (aka a scratch)." A person, especially lower-levels of a faction or an independent individual cannot own vast military forces (i.e. personal fleet, private large-scale security force, an army of ewoks, an entire planet, etc.). Exceptions can be done, especially for individuals who are high-leveled in a faction, but generally the Faction Leader or an admin should be consulted.

VII. No sockpuppeting. This means controlling separate accounts claiming to be different people. This will get you banned from the site. Frequent usage of this technique is to manipulate events or bypass the character limit, in which each user on SWRP can own 6 characters at a given time.

Members can use different accounts for different characters, as long as each account explicitly states (in the signature) who that account belongs to.

 

[Dmitri]

About the Timeline I: Introduction to Essentials

SWRP is currently set way into the future of current canon, at 1,023 ABY. The timeline mainly concerns with the events of the fanon Third Galactic Civil War, that began between the New Sith Imperium (which formed by a Sith coup d'etat against a benevolent galactic empire) and the Galactic Alliance. The Battle of Coruscant marked the fall of the Galactic Alliance in 1,013 ABY. The timeline focuses on four main factions: the New Sith Imperium, Jedi Order, Rebellion, and the Hutt Cartel.


New Sith Imperium. The New Sith Imperium is a Sith empire that spans the northern part of the galaxy. Originally a benevolent galactic empire, the Sith took over, replacing it with a Sith in control. Over the course of the Third Galactic Civil War, the New Sith Imperium has taken over half of the galaxy, causing the collapse of the Galactic Alliance. Currently the Imperium is led by Empress Andraste, with Darth Vereor serving as the Dark Lord of the Sith, leader of the Sith Order.

Jedi Order. During the Battle of Coruscant, the Jedi Order lost its Grandmaster and scattered. Over the years, the Jedi have slowly reformed, under the direction of newly appointed Grandmaster Ebberla Daw. Hiding for now, the Jedi await the day they can strike down their Sith adversaries.

The Rebellion. The New Sith Imperium is not met without resistance. The remnants of the Galactic Alliance, joined by the Imperial Knights (now known as the Imperial Marshalls) and civilian volunteers, a rebellion has begun a campaign to stop the Sith. With different sects holding different motivations and goals, all work together to stop the Sith's reign. The Rebellion is led by Nathanaeu Bastele.

Hutt Cartel. The Hutt Cartel is a massive criminal empire located in the eastern section of the galaxy. With unknown goals, the Hutts have increased in influence and are ready to make their mark on the galaxy, having obtained a monopoly on Bacta. The Cartel is controlled by Borga the Hutt.

There are of course independent factions. They will be given a more active role, being allowed more room in the southern half of the galaxy, which will be made independent. Still, even independent factions and users can still interact with the Main Factions.

Making connections with other people, even strangers or new members, can be very beneficial and enjoyable. You never know how it'll turn out. Andraste started out as an acolyte at the beginning of the timeline. Over time she progressed a lot through her interactions with Darth Exodeus, eventually bearing his child and wed him. Her time with Exodeus changed her from a broken girl to the demonic empress seen today. Don't be afraid to write with new people or build character development, you never know how it'll turn out.

 

[Dmitri]

History of the New Sith Imperium

Spoiler: Fifth Timeline: Prelude (538 ABY - 1,010 ABY)

Darth Krayt's death heralded a new peace. The war was ended. Both the Galactic Alliance and the Fel Empire restored their sovereignty over their respective territories, believing the Sith vanquished finally. Eventually, in 538 ABY, the two nations dissolved the Galactic Triumvirate in favor of the Treaty of Csilla, a non-aggression pact. A hundred years after the treaty was signed, the Fel Dynasty ended and a new dynasty began.

The Jedi thought the Sith gone, but they were not extinct. A woman named Aren Layda was knighted as Darth Aevum and began constructing a cabal to seize back the empire Darth Krayt had once possessed. Starting in 972 ABY, Sith agents infiltrated the Galactic Empire and the Chiss Ascendancy, the latter secured as an ally. Moles and imperial traitors helped mold the conditions necessary for a coup d'etat.

Finally, in 1,002 ABY, the Sith were ready. The Sith revealed themselves to the empire. Much of the empire swore loyalty to the Sith. Darth Aevum herself arrived at the capital where she executed the emperor after he refused to bow down, declaring herself empress. Many loyalists were killed in the Sith Insurrection that became known as the Purge. Some managed to escape, including the Imperial Knights' leader, Iona Peller.

The Imperial Knights-in-exile scattered, not to be heard from for nine years. Rumors reached the Jedi and Galactic Alliance about the Sith reappearing. Jedi Sagemaster Bratak Dar went to investigate, but was never seen again; he is still listed as MIA. Though tensions grew between the now Sith-controlled empire and the Galactic Alliance, war did not break out for years. Finally, seeing inactivity as weakness, Darth Judicar slew his master, Darth Aevum, in 1,010 ABY. The next year, the Sith were ready for war.

Spoiler: Fifth Timeline: Part I (1,011 ABY - 1,013 ABY)

Even Darth Judicar waited to wage war. He sought allies, such as with the Chiss Ascendancy through the signing of the Treaty of Bastion with Grand Imperator Arch'ao'nuruodo. The Galactic Alliance was not unprepared. Jhon Cordatus had a Force vision of the approaching war, the Galactic Alliance war machine stirred. The Galactic Alliance obtained an alliance with the mysterious Kushari Federation and the Systems Commonwealth.

Conflict was first sparked in 1,011 ABY with a skirmish breaking out between Jedi and Sith seeking a holocron. During the the First Battle of Tanaab, Jedi Predor Logath and Nikola Valtiere were slain. Aÿisha Remy and Christian Noble were captured.

The Imperial Knights-in-exile, after nine years of seclusion, finally began operations against the Sith once again. They assaulted bases at Yinchorr and Yaga Minor. At the latter, they managed to capture Grand Moff Ein Morgenroete, who revealed that Darth Judicar would be visiting Ilum and Lehon to seek out a location for a new Sith academy. Believing this their best shot to defeat the Dark Side emperor, they allied with the Empire Liberation Front to lay ambushes at Lehon and Ilum. However, unbeknownst to them, the information was a trap devised by Darth Judicar. When Iona Peller's fleet arrived at Lehon, they were soon ambushed by an imperial fleet led by Darth Judicar and his apprentice, Darth Exodeus. During the First Ambush on Lehon, Peller and Judicar dueled, the latter slaying the Imperial Knight. However, Judicar was injured during the fight, which Exodeus exploited. Darth Exodeus turned on his master, dethroning him, and declared himself emperor.

The Imperial Knights at Ilum sensed the deceit at Lehon and managed to escape in time. However, their ally, the Empire Liberation Front, was not as lucky. The empire, which Exodeus declared martial law for, discovered that the Empire Liberation Front had been funded and created on Muunilinst. To set an example, Darth Exodeus ordered for the bombing of the planet. Grand Admiral Vollker Büro and Grand General Lucius Fel led the Bombing of Muunilinst.

While there was a brief conflict between the Chiss Ascendancy and the Mandalorians during the Battle of Berchest Moon, which was later rectified, war did not bloom. Instead, war came from another avenue. The Sith decided to attack the Jedi flagship Will of the Force, using intelligence gathered by fallen Jedi. Using StealthXs Grand Vizier Barak Mercer secretly commissioned, a Sith strike team that included fallen Jedi Aÿisha Remy infiltrated the Galactic Alliance and destroyed the Will of the Force. Ubiqtorate made a fake admittance of blame from a nameless terrorist organization, but did not dissuade Jhon Cordatus from suspecting the Imperium as the culprits. Serving as interim Chief of State, Jedi Sagemaster Jhon Cordatus formally declared war on the empire. In response to Cordatus' declaration, feigning innocence, Darth Exodeus declared war on the Galactic Alliance while rechristening the empire as the New Sith Imperium. The Imperium's first response was to invade Saleucami.

Aÿisha Remy's role in the war was not over. Pretending to seek redemption, Remy befriended the Imperial Knights. However, she claimed she wanted to face the Jedi Council she felt failed her. Accompanied by the new Knight-Commander, she visited the Jedi Temple on Coruscant, leaving behind a lightsaber bomb in her possession she had obtained. The Bombing of the Coruscanti Jedi Temple took the lives of the Knight-Commander and Jedi Councilors Daisuke Sonam Fuyu, Nuju Leafskipper, and Virzivil Axgar. The Imperium proceeded to target Imperial Knights hideouts discovered by Remy. The Imperial Knights' headquarters and safehouse were destroyed. As reward, Remy and the bombmaker were made Sith Lords.

With the Jedi preoccupied composing itself, the New Sith Imperium forced the Mandalorians to leave their territory. Tensions began to build within the Mandalorian clans when the Mandalore had the Mandalorians leave without a fight. However, civil war eventually broke out amongst the clans between the Mandalorians loyal to the Mandalore and separatists aiding Corden Vencu's movement, a movement the Imperium's Ubqitorate secretly assisted.

Long ago, Andraste had been Jhon Cordatus' apprentice. However, she had lost her way, and had become the apprentice and lover of Darth Exodeus. Cordatus still believed Andraste redeemable. When Andraste became pregnant, she sought Cordatus out so that he could raise the child. However, Darth Exodeus caught wind and attacked Cordatus. The Duel on Lehon ended with Exodeus and Andraste believing Cordatus and the baby, whom Cordatus named Lana, dead. Despair led Andraste to completely fall to the Dark Side and was wed to Exodeus, becoming empress.

A fallen Imperial Knight sold information to the Imperium about the remaining Imperial Knights hideouts. Combined with information collected from other sources, a plan was devised to crush the Imperial Knights. The campaign was dubbed Operation Twilight. Blue Shadow Virus was delivered to Cyrillia, where an Imperial Knights hideout was. Those that did not perish from the virus were destroyed by a Sith strike team. Imperial Knights flagship Excalibur was hacked and sunk. Lastly, the Imperium and the Chiss Ascendancy assaulted HOMEFRONT.

With the Imperial Knights-in-exile in ruins, the Imperium was able to return its full attention towards the Jedi. While the Jedi were investigating an enclave on Tanaab, the Sith set up another ambush, attacking a team of Jedi. During the Second Battle of Tanaab, which included a planetary invasion, Jedi Knight Tach Enarai, a member of STROST, a Galactic Alliance commando unit was captured.

Before the Mandalorian Civil War, STROST contained a Mandalorian: Corden Vencu. Discovering this, Ubiqtorate decided to create tensions between the Mandalorians and the Galactic Alliance by framing STROST. The Imperium captured two other STROST members. The three prisoners were brought to Manda when Grand General Lucius Fel was to meet with Mandalore Corden Vencu. After planting false evidence, Ubiqtorate faked an assassination attempt on Vencu's life, in which Fel pushed the Mandalorian out of harm's way. Combined with later insults, the Mandalorians eventually went to war with the Galactic Alliance and aid the Imperium in its Core Campaign.

The New Sith Imperium turned their eye to Ossus. During the Battle of Ossus, Jedi Master Avya Starfall was slain and Jedi Councilor Ebberla Daw captured. Ebberla Daw was tortured and turned to the Dark Side, though later escaped and was redeemed. However, the damage had been done. She had revealed intelligence on the Sage Halls on Empress Teta. The Sith assaulted the Sage Halls using Daw's information. The First Battle of Empress Teta heralded the first victory by the Jedi, killing Darth Inanio and capturing Darth Tarak, the latter later rescued. However, the Sith had the last laugh. A doppelganger of the believed-to-be-dead Jedi Grandmaster Jhon Cordatus gave the impression that he had fallen to the Dark Side, denouncing the Jedi and rebranding himself Darth Vitium. This action later brought on the real Cordatus' wrath and the rouse uncovered.

A new emperor rose to power in the Imperium, Emperor Tyrn Lightell, promising change. However, his reign was short, being replaced by Andraste, who had slain her husband Darth Exodeus. The Imperium and Mandalorians played their role in the war by invading Boonta and Brentaal, respectively.

Two years into the Third Galactic Civil War, the trinity of the Galactic Alliance's enemies began one final campaign into the Core. The Galactic Alliance attempted a final stand at the Battle of Alsakan, but lost. The Battle of Tython was waged for Empress Andraste's desire to find Jhon Cordatus to track down her daughter. The Jedi lost, but Cordatus managed to escape. The Second Battle of Empress Teta was the last fortification defeated by the Imperium on their way to Coruscant.

The Battle of Coruscant heralded the end of the Galactic Alliance, as Jedi split between those who would fight or flee. Battles broke out in all sorts of areas from military installations to plazas to spaceports. Even the skies and nearby institutions were tarnished. The Dark Lord of the Sith, Darth Vereor, personally led the assault on the Galactic Congress Hall where Bastele and Vainkainen made their last stand. Once infiltrated, the Jedi Temple was hit the hardest, from skirmishes in the hangars to training rooms to the archive mainframe. During the conflict, Vainkainen was slain. The Jedi and Galactic Alliance survivors fled, on order of the Chief of State, as Coruscant was laid to waste. Coruscant marked the beginning of the end...

Spoiler: The Ten Years (1,013 ABY - 1,023 ABY)

After the Fall
(1,013 - 1,015 ABY)
​

The surviving Alliance forces joined together to create the Alliance Remnant in the hopes of pushing back against the Sith conquerers. With no political establishment, this was solely a military force with the singular goal of repelling the Sith back to the former Imperial borders. In an effort to keep from being detected, the Remnant split up into multiple fleets that were stationed apart from one another. With one battle-experienced commander at the head of every fleet, the Remnant hoped to be able to launch an operation aimed at taking back Coruscant.

Those hopes were soon dashed by the recklessness of one of the fleet commanders. Admiral Ohrun Stazi, a veteran of the Battle of Teth, believed that his forces had the tactical advantage needed to launch an incursion into the former Alliance territory. Aided by intelligence from Remnant spies, Stazi rallied his fleet at Bimmisaari, one of the worlds still loyal to the Alliance in the eastern-most quadrants of the galaxy. What Stazi did not know was that the intelligence was fake, planted by the Sith to lure unsuspecting Remnant forces into a trap. A massive Imperial force emerged from hyperspace and destroyed Stazi’s fleet. It was a crushing defeat for the Remnant. Worlds that were resisting the Imperial conquest had second thoughts and began swearing allegiance to the Sith in order to save their people.

Having scored a major victory, the Sith turned their attention to major worlds within their new borders that had not yet fallen into their rule. The Empress chose Onderon and Kashyyyk as their next campaigns, but elected not to send an overwhelming force to those planets. With the Imperial fleet engaged throughout their territory to secure their new planets, the Sith relied on enough smaller forces moving in and out to continue supporting a strong front, all while the Onderonians and Wookiees were beaten back into submission.

As the Sith fought their own battles, the Mandalorians began the campaign that the Empress promised them when they agreed to lead the assault on the Core. Having gathered all the forces they could bring to bear, the Mandalorians attacked the Kuat Drive Yards. For nearly a year, the Mandalorians fought tooth and nail against the massive fleet there and eventually emerged victorious. The shipyard suffered massive damage, but enough of the yard was still operational in order for the Mandalorians to consider the campaign a success. The fall of Kuat allowed their own company, MandalMotors, to be the preeminent shipyard in the galaxy.

By 1,015 ABY, what for two years had been known as the Great Sith Expansion period was beginning to come to an end as the Empire’s expansion throughout the galaxy began to slow. The Sith fell into a holding pattern, preferring to wait until they had a more concrete grip over their territory to continue pushing south. Most southern worlds had become independent with the fall of the Alliance, and the Remnant was in no position to create an effective military or governmental resistance in the free territories.

Rise of the Hutt Cartel
(1,015 - 1,017 ABY)

​

That same year, the Sith suffered their first major setback of the war when the Chiss Ascendancy began to collapse from economic mismanagement. Having long been the pawns of the Sith, the Chiss were keen on establishing themselves as a major galactic power in their own right. They spent years acquiring fleets, major defensive systems, weapons, personnel, and more, believing that their destiny was one of galactic conquest as well. Most of these acquisitions were made using loans from the Hutt Cartel. With so much of their resources devoted to acquisitions, however, commerce and other sources of income were neglected to the point that the government ran out of money to pay the Hutts. The Chiss defaulted on their debt, so the Hutt Lords repossessed the fleet. The Chiss economy began to collapse, and the territory they had gained from the Battle of Endor slipped out of their hands and became independent from any major government. With the Chiss unable to launch any sort of offensive orprovide a meaningful contribution to the Sith war effort, the Sith broke all ties with them, content to let the government collapse into irrelevancy.

Long Arm of the Empire
(1,015 - 1,020 ABY)

​

As the Hutts engaged in war with the Bothans, the Sith set their sights on the two major worlds left to conquer in the Core along the Corellian Run, the control of which would allow the Sith to move further south into the galaxy: Corellia and Duro. With many Imperial forces engaged throughout the Empress’ new domain, the attacks on the two planets were precisely crafted, using the successes of Onderon and Kashyyyk as a guide; rather than sending a massive force to overtake the planets at once, a smaller but continually replenished force would be utilized, allowing the Sith an advantage over the war-weary planets.

Duro was hit first. It was the most fortified of the two, but it would be easier to take than the fiercely independent Corellia. Duro was different in another way as well: rather than living on the surface, the planet was surrounded by dozens of orbiting cities and shipyards that the Duros called home. Those cities and shipyards were protected by the fleets that the shipyards were able to build, and the Sith took them on one by one. Once the majority of the fleets were destroyed, the Sith were able to set their sights on the cities; destroying or conquering them was essential, as the planet itself had mostly been abandoned generations earlier and provided no strategic advantage to the conquering Sith.

By the end of the campaign, only the capital city remained. Rather than outright destroying it, the Sith chose to send in an invasion force to keep the city for themselves. Intelligence also suggested that a group of several dozen Jedi had arrived in order to defend the city. The Sith sent a massive invasion of ground personnel, including Crusaders and Lords, to kill or capture the Jedi and secure the city. After several months, the city fell to the Sith, thirty Jedi were dead with four captured, and Duro no longer stood in the way of a Sith incursion into the south. In the years to come, the destruction of almost all the Duros orbiting cities would be known as the Duros Genocide.

The invasion of Corellia happened concurrently with the Duros Genocide. Shortly after the Duros campaign began, the Sith led by Darth Vereor himself launched the remainder of the primary fighting force against the Corellians. The Empress knew that this engagement would be the most difficult of the war, as Corellians would fight to the bitter end. Conquering Corellia also meant taking the entire system, and all the planets in it, though Corellia itself was the primary threat. The Corellian campaign lasted for five years, until 1,020 ABY, with fighting both above and on the planet; unlike Duro, Corellia had strategic advantages, so bombarding the planet was not an option.

Throughout the invasion, the Sith engaged formidable opponents, the first time they had done so during the course of the war. One of them was the former leader of the Alliance himself, Nathanaeu Bastele, who had survived his brutal injuries during the fall of Coruscant and was now the leader of the Corellian resistance fighters. For years, the resistance engaged in guerilla warfare, choking off Sith supply lines, bombing Sith facilities, and creating just enough setbacks to keep the Sith from accomplishing their objectives. Both sides knew this could not last forever, and indeed it did not. By the campaign’s end, most of Corellia’s primary rebel holdouts were in shambles and the Sith had secured both the local governments and the major planetary resources. Though pockets of resistance would remain, the Sith flag flew over the skies of Corellia.

The fall of Corellia sent a warning to the rest of the Core: if Corellia could fall, any planet could fall. This became a catalyst for the rest of the Core to fall in line and declare allegiances to the Sith, bringing the entirety of the Core Worlds under the rule of the Empress. As the Sith were securing the Core, two planets from the Colonies, Fondor and Bestine IV, attempted to attack the Sith forces to prevent an independent invasion of their region. The force was too small, however, leading to their quick defeat and Sith control over the rest of the Colonies.

The Mandalorians Fracture
(1,018 - 1,020 ABY)​

In the years that followed the Core campaigns, it became evident that the strength of the Mandalorian clans came from the unifying presence of Corden Vencu. Though he was once a controversial figure due to his overthrow of Roxton Dagger and the Mandalorian Civil War that followed, Vencu’s leadership brought the Mandalorians together in a united front against the Core. This campaign gave the Mandalorians what they had wanted for thousands of years: to escape the shadow of a greater force and be seen as a major player in their own right.

The Mandalore who rose to power after Vencu’s death, however, was unable to keep control over the clans. The man who would later be called Mandalore the Foolish took the reigns in a leadership duel shortly after the Battle of Coruscant, and his five-year rule brought about the same fissures that led to the Mandalorian Civil War in 1,011 ABY. Mandalorians were pit against one another in a heated conflict over who the true Mandalore was. Each clan had its own contender, until finally Mandalore the Foolish was killed and a new leader rose to replace him. The new Mandalore was short-lived, however; leaders rose and fell every few months, as the infighting broke into open war.

As the conflict dragged on, the need for a Mandalore all but disappeared, with clans declaring their own autonomy within their sections of Mandalorian territory. Major clan leaders became warlords, fighting over control of more territory and the allegiance of smaller clans. The disunity crippled the Mandalorian war machine. Large portions of the fleet were decimated within months of fighting, while others were held by the most powerful of the warlords as deterrents against other clans. Despite the lack of cooperation between the clans, many of them continued to maintain the sector’s defenses to oppose any outside interference. No one, not even smugglers, risked venturing into the war-torn sector. Mandalorian space became a no-man’s land.

Concerned about the war spilling into her own territory, the Empress ordered a firebombing campaign against dozens of Mandalorian worlds with known ties to the major warlords, hoping to convince them to cease hostilities and instead focus on a war with the Remnant. Rather than capitulating to the Sith, however, the Mandalorians put their own wars on pause to repel the Sith invaders, unwilling to be forced out of their own space like they had been before the previous civil war. Rather than continuing a conflict with the Mandalorians, the Sith blockaded the entire Mandalore sector and declared neutrality. The Mandalorians were left to kill themselves without interference. Outlying Mandalorian worlds such as Roon became inaccessible, with the Sith not allowing any Mandalorians to pass through their blockade.

Despite the wars, however, MandalMotors maintained its status as the primary weapons manufacturer for the Empire. The company was always loyal to a unified Mandalorian people, so it broke ties with the warring clans to become its own separate entity. That way, no one clan could claim to have the financial power to build a new war machine and take on the Sith. MandalMotors evacuated its facilities in the Mandalore sector and moved exclusively to Balmorra and Kuat, fully taking over the drive yards there.

After years of infighting, Mandalorian society began to collapse inward. Having exhausted most of their resources, infighting was no longer a realistic option. The various clans retreated to their own corners of Mandalorian space, forced to focus on surviving without a unified fleet or the income that MandalMotors once provided them. The people set out to find other sources of income, with many of them reverting to the old ways of working as bounty hunters and mercenaries. Some, however, remained with what was left of the Mandalorian fleets, guarding the sector from any potential incursion.

Whether to launch a war to take Mandalorian territory was a major source of debate within the highest levels of the Imperial government. Ultimately, the Empress decided not to expend the resources to launch an incursion. She did, however, bring MandalMotors into the Empire, promising them protection and riches for using their drive yards at Kuat to continue building ships for the Sith. She had her sights set on destroying another potential enemy, one far more dangerous than the broken Mandalorian clans: the Hapes Consortium.[/SIZE]

Fall of the Hapans
(1,017 - 1,022 ABY)​

The most aggressive campaign of the war came when the Sith made a push to destroy and conquer the Hapes Consortium. The first steps to a conquest of the Hapan territory began early in the war, with the Sith using Chiss agents to infiltrate the Consortium, even though the Chiss Ascendancy declined in power. The Sith felt that the Chiss were best suited to the role of infiltrators; both the Chiss and the Hapans were xenophobic, secretive, and technologically advanced, and it was simple enough to cosmetically alter a Chiss to look Hapan. The Chiss culture was also similar to that of the Consortium, so the Chiss found Hapan politics and culture easy to understand and, as such, manipulate to their advantage.

Because the Consortium was made up of and ruled by various different noble houses, the Sith knew that the easiest way to garner influence was to help upstart families from the historically rebellious sectors, along the rims of the Hapan territory. Because the Consortium was home to a major industrial sector, the Chiss agents were able to promise these upstart houses industrial influence and riches if they agreed to side with the Sith. Meanwhile, the Chiss stroked the egos of these houses, making them believe that the Sith only wanted a friendly voice in the Consortium. What the houses did not know was that these outlying territories were being used to establish a beachhead in the Hapes Cluster to begin the long and dangerous process of blackmail, assassination, and eventually conquest.

After it became clear to the ruling houses that the upstarts were attempting to take over the power of the region, infighting began to break out in the Cluster. As the Chiss had left no evidence that they were Sith agents, the Sith themselves approached the ruling Hapan houses and offered to assist them in fighting the upstarts. All they asked for in exchange was safe passage throughout the region, though their true interest was to use that passage to allow the Chiss agents to infiltrate the industrial regions. As the Chiss seized industrial power, it gave the upstarts a chance to seize control over numerous fleets, and a long and bloody war was waged between the two sides, all with the Sith doing as little as they could to uphold their end of the deal with the ruling families.

Once both the upstarts and the rulers had weakened themselves, the Sith revealed their full hand and sent a massive invasion fleet into the Cluster, spending the remaining two years of the campaign mopping up Hapan resistance and breaking the Consortium. The entire Cluster fell to Darth Vereor and the Sith, with what remained of the Consortium forced to retreat as a shadow of what it once was. Though they were far too weak to be in a position of power again, the surviving Hapans swore to one day return and fight the Sith. The fall of the Hapans also signaled to the Centrality that even heavily-fortified holdouts could fall, and so its leaders swore allegiance to the Sith.

The Siege of Manaan
(1,017 - 1,022 ABY)​

During the Corellian and Hapan campaigns, and in the immediate aftermath of the Duros Genocide, the Sith set their sights on Manaan. Even though kolto, the healing agent found in the seas of Manaan, had been primarily replaced by bacta centuries earlier, the Sith knew that controlling the kolto would be a key advantage in the war, as it would choke the Alliance Remnant’s ability to heal their forces. Not only that, but given the intensity of the war effort, the demand for bacta was growing more and more stressful on the supply, and the Sith were beginning to feel the effects of what could turn into a full-blown shortage.

The Imperial forces from Duro were sent to Manaan, as the Sith believed the native Selkath would easily fall, but instead the Sith discovered how fortified the planet really was. Given that the Sith did not have the tools for an aquatic invasion, they had to rely on Ahto City, the only surface structure, as a choke-point, taking on Selkath and Remnant forces on the surface. It was not particularly effective for a planetary conquest, but it allowed them to maintain control over the city while the Selkath kept the oceans for themselves.

In order to make a more concerted effort to take the planet, the Sith began expending what resources they could for research and development into effective aquatic technology. This took two years before it could be deployed in 1,019 ABY. Once it was completed, the Sith launched a series of minor skirmishes in and around Ahto City against the combined forces of the Selkath and the Alliance Remnant, the latter of which was led by former Jedi Master Kara Vaalki. The Selkath and Remnant were able to fight for two years, despite the overwhelming odds against them. Stories of their efforts began to spread throughout the galaxy, with Kara’s defiant forces being given an endearing name in circles sympathetic to the Remnant: Defiance Squadron.

Defiance Squadron's crest.​

The holding-out during the Siege of Manaan was not without its ulterior motives. The prolonged attacks gave the Selkath and their Quarren and Mon Calamari allies time to build a secret armada under the ocean, far from where the Sith could detect it. In 1,022 ABY, these forces launched a massive counterattack against the besieging Sith navy, ending in a decisive victory for the defenders. The victory and the Sith retreat was bittersweet, however; after so many years, most of Vaalki’s forces had been destroyed during the various battles of the campaign.

Although the Sith were unable to capture Manaan, their prolonged siege gave them a victory in and of itself: the dissolution of any semblance of Alliance Remnant forces. Those forces still loyal to the former Alliance were no longer militarized in any organized fashion, and the fight against the Sith would transition into being waged by loosely organized cells and factions utilizing whatever methods and forces were at their disposal. What the Sith had started a decade earlier was complete: the Alliance had fully collapsed forever. Yet, what they could not anticipate was that the story of Manaan would become legend, and would serve as inspiration for various rebel forces throughout the galaxy to keep fighting, no matter the cost.

Rebel Dawn
(1,022 ABY - )​

The failed Siege of Manaan and the long and exhaustive invasion of the Hapes Consortium proved to be major turning points in the war. With Imperial forces spread thin across ever-expanding territories, and with causalities mounting, the need for medical supplies like bacta began to rise at an exponential rate. Within a few short months of the Manaan and Hapan campaigns, military forces across the galaxy were faced with bacta supplies dwindling to critical levels. The Bacta Cartel on Thyferra, now owned by the Hutt Cartel, found itself under increasing pressure to supply armed forces across the galaxy with their limited resources. Production was soon eclipsed by demand. Subsequently, bacta prices began to skyrocket, as what little reserves remained dwindled to nothing.

However, where crisis rose, so too did opportunity. The Hutt Cartel, having foreseen a prolonged conflict and an opportunity to capitalize on the needs of the galaxy, revealed an enormous stockpile of bacta. With prices at exorbitant levels, the Hutts easily made trillions of credits selling the substance in limited amounts. At the same time, the Hutts began to organize clandestine raids on planets bordering their territories, worlds that were still recovering from the war between the former Alliance and the Mandalorians that had occupied the territory some ten years ago. Capitalizing on the economic frailty of the region, the Hutts used their newfound monetary resources to buy out entire systems, expanding their territory considerably for the first time in centuries. With the Alliance gone, and the Sith without a foothold in the region, there was no one to stop the combined greed of the Hutt Lords.

That did not mean that there was no one to keep the Hutts in check, however. Having escaped a catastrophe in their war with the Hutts, the Bothans remained a preeminent force in intelligence-gathering and infiltration. Bothuwai officially declared themselves neutral; they vehemently opposed the Sith, but there was no coherent force to stand against them and the Sith were not yet a threat to Bothan space. The Bothan spies instead monitored all sides of the war, especially their former Hutt enemies. Despite the Cartel’s apparent retreat from military-based tactics, there remained a concern that the Hutt Lords would become greedy enough to once again launch an incursion into Bothan territory.

The Hutt monopoly of the bacta trade was rivaled only by the Selkath of Manaan, who revealed significant stockpiles of kolto that had survived the siege of their homeworld. As the Sith had suspected when they first launched their campaign on Manaan, kolto was enjoying market prices that it had not seen in millennia, and it became a go-to resource for military forces. Between the combined forces of the Selkath, Quarren, and Mon Calamari, as well as their ability to capitalize on the legends surrounding Defiance Squadron, Manaan once again enforced a rule of strict neutrality, threatening to destroy the source of the precious fluid should any faction seek to conquer their world. To further assist with defense, Manaan formed a mutual defense pact with Cato Neimoidia and Commenor, declaring that if any of those two planets were attacked, the Selkath would consider it an attack on Manaan. This buffer zone essentially stopped Sith expansion in the region due to those planets standing in their way. Even the Empire knew that it could not afford to risk losing the remaining bacta supplies and all of the kolto supply in the galaxy.

The Hutts responded in kind to the Sith expansion in the southern Mid Rim, once more stalling their expansion by way of Thyferra, where the Hutt-controlled Bacta Cartel had all but seized control of the planet. Imperial expansion had slowed significantly since the Manaan and Hapan campaigns, but now ground to a complete halt as a result of the bacta shortage and the threats posed by the Hutts and Selkath. The Sith used this opportunity to turn inward, and they began a long process of consolidating power in their new territories, giving the remaining free worlds of the galaxy a brief reprieve from the Imperial war machine’s inexorable march.

It was only by this stroke of luck that the scattered rebel forces were finally given a chance to start organizing themselves. For the first time in years, resistance cells were able to begin communicating with one another, and they learned that the Imperial Knights were attempting to form a resistance in Imperial territory. Even the Jedi were beginning to emerge from hiding and communicate with the rest of the galaxy. Though the cells were in no condition to launch any organized fight against the Empress, they were able to begin gaining influence and resources throughout free space, where the people there saw a new hope on the horizon.

Spoiler: Fifth Timeline: Part II (1,023 ABY - Present)

Ten years passed since the fall of the Core, reigning in what became known as Pax Anaxes, the Peace of Anaxes. Fragmented and broken, insurgent forces coalesced and declared its intent to resist the New Sith Imperium. The Imperium broadcasted a counter-propaganda and demonstrated little fear of rebellion by hosting the ten anniversary of the Core's fall.

The Mandalorians sought to escape the imperial blockade caging them inside Mandalorian Space. A skirmish broke out at the boarder, and the Mandalorian escapees were captured. Darth Vereor attempted to diplomatically end tensions between the Imperium and the Mandalorians, failing. In response to uncooperative Mandalorians, Empress Andraste ordered the extermination of the Mandalorians. A campaign led by Darth Vereor decimated much of the Mandalorian remnants, fighting heavily at Mandalore, Mandallia, and Dxun. Many Mandalorians were killed or captured, such as Sisk Renelo. Clan Ordo suspiciously managed to escape imperial attack, forewarned.

The Imperium sought to end the Bacta Crisis. Courtesy of the secret research by Raide Vakri, the Imperium obtained its own medicinal substance, Bota. Xael Vicar tested the Hutt defenses by attacking Klatooine. Operation Rotnov a success, the Imperium moved to the source of the Hutts' Bacta production. Admiral Talizabeth Scryer led the invasion of Thyferra and Royston Spektor secretly obtained resources at Verkyl.

The Sith managed to locate and fight Jedi on Christophosis, a major operation against the Jedi had not occurred for some time. While Andraste had learned of the Jedi presence on Arbra long ago, interrogation and conversion led to the revelation the Jedi were on Anoth. Andraste surprised the Jedi by destroying the Jedi flagship Light of the Force. Fights broke out across the Jedi enclave, such as the Main Hall, training rooms, landing platforms, and the Council Chambers.

The New Sith Imperium attacked Klatooine, this time not to test defenses but to invade. Unfortunately, the invasion ended in failure. To prevent the Hutts or others from striking at the Bacta in retaliation, the New Sith Imperium turned its sights on Yag'Dhul and Yag-prime, where the Imperium seized the Givin bases and leaders. The Imperium later mended relations with the Hutt Cartel and founded the Demilitarized Zone east of Klatooine, ending the Imperial-Hutt conflict, sometimes referred to as the Klatooine War. The new truce was tested during the Plague of Dis. The band of imperials, Hutts, rebels, and Jedi managed to survive the ordeal, though were double-crossed on Clairvoyance, with Larik Novan captured by Geist Weiss.

As the Imperium tested waters with the Hutts and quarantined the destroyed ruins of Dis, two rogue Sith attempted to instigate war against the Imperium, by assassinating Jedi Hunters and attacking the Commerce Fleet. The Imperium tracked down the instigators to Rhen Var, where they were killed and their allies captured, ending the so-called Winter War.

The rebellion revealed itself to the Imperium and galaxy by a daring attack on the imperial prison known as Reckoning. The rebels succeeded in capturing the Dark Lord Darth Vereor and rescue the imprisoned Mandalorian Sisk Renelo. Geist Weiss took the helm of the Dark Lord of the Sith in his wake. However, Geist was quickly targeted by dissidents, nearly killing him on Empress Teta. Operations at Empress Teta, Ronika, and Uvuy Exem revealed the mastermind behind the bombing at Empress Teta was Lady Keres. Keres was executed. The new regime demonstrated its willingness to crush dissidence by eliminating insurgents on Corellia, Tanaab, and Muunilinst.

While the Imperium invaded Mechis III and the rebels attacked Yinchorr, Sith discovered evidence of Jedi on Naboo. A duel broke out in one of Naboo's cities between two Sith and two Jedi.

 

[Dmitri]

Spoiler: Will have it's own thread

Character Creation

Getting started in a new site can always be difficult. As such, let's address character creation. First off, we'll want to check out the Character Profiles Board. It is here you'll submit your character profiles, as you can probably guess. Now, the format of the character profile can differ. You can use the templates the site administration provides. You can also do a literary profile. Either method is acceptable. A literary profile can be from setting a scene, an autobiography/biography, or some other clever way to provide information (i.e. a government file on a criminal, a psychologist's notes, a musical, etc.).

You do not need an administrator to approve a profile. Rather, examination is done by the SWRP community. Some may comment, compliment, or critique on the profile (common themes of responses are "nice profile", "let's RP together", and "join my faction!"). Generally, if members notice something they see wrong with the profile, they'll likely comment on those points. Just because they're not coming from an administrator doesn't mean such concerns shouldn't be addressed. Generally such comments hold value and should be dealt with; an administrator can be brought in, but such is unnecessary for the creative process at this step. There may not even be any comments at all. Note, though, that while there is no formal character profile "approvals", there is with factions. What I mean is acceptance into factions. You can make a Jedi, for example, but you still need to sign-up for that faction and be approved by the Faction Leader (or one of the delegates the Faction Leader assigns to assist in approving applications). The New Sith Imperium's sign-up thread (excluding Stormtroopers') can be found here (there sign-ups for all factions, such as the Rebellion's, Jedi Order's, and the Hutt Cartel's).

Before we go any further, I'd like to make note of a few things. First off, on this site, you may have a max of six characters at a given time. You can archive a character to open up a slot on the six character slot; during the time a character is archived, it can not be used. A killed character no longer takes up a slot in the six character max. An image to the profile is generally preferred, but by no means a necessity; you do not need an image if you do not want one. Also, there are some minimum description required in the profile as stated by the admins:

Please also be aware that you are required to have a certain amount of words in the profile in order for it to be considered legitimate. If you follow one of the templates, there must be at least fifty words in the personality and fifty words in the history. If you do not follow a template and write in prose, there must be at least one hundred words to the profile in terms of narrative. If you do not follow a template and write in poetry, there is a fifty word minimum to the poem. If you want a poem that is less than fifty words, for example, you must add a paragraph of one hundred words of description or story to the bottom of the profile.

Ready for character creation? Let's begin. First off, the templates are optional (as described above). If you do use the templates, note that you don't have to use them exactly as they're presented. You can make it all fancy with formats, colors, graphics, etc. You can even add or remove categories. For example, say your character isn't a Force user. You don't have to keep the "Lightsaber Forms" and "Force Powers" on the profile, having to put some "N/A" or something. You could add categories, like "Alias(s)" or "Homeworld", etc. The choices are yours. You can expand as much as you want.

To help you along, I'll provide an example to work through. I'll use one of my characters, the Sith alchemist Geist Weiss. Now, his actual profile is a lot more advanced than what is found here. You're free to make it as complex as the one found in the link, but do not feel obligated to do such fancy work to a profile. It can be as fancy or simple as you want.

When you first start off, you'll make a new thread by using "Post New Thread" as you may have already demonstrated already elsewhere. You'll be asked to give a Title and a Prefix. The title can be the character's name (or whatever you wish, if you desire, though recommended to stay within reason). The prefix is a way to denote what faction you're aligned with. If you're not aligned with a Main Faction, you'll choose "Indie".

You can have any name you want (though recommended to stay away from canon names unless you speak with an admin about it first). It can be made up words, foreign words, etc. You can use canon surnames, but there's generally caution assigned to them. I would recommend you inquire with admins before seeking a canon surname, especially a famous one. Do not feel down if the requested surname is denied. It may just be to prevent a surplus of them. After all, we don't need a hundred Skywalkers running around, all claiming to be the new "Chosen One". There's more leniency towards Mandalorian surnames, as they're clans. If such a clan is already established by other individuals, no doubt members of the community will inform you, so that you can work with them should you choose to do so.

NAME: What is your characters name? Remember, be original and don't use canon names unless they are Mandalorian names such as Ordo, etc. Geist Weiss For our example, the character we are using is named Geist Weiss, thus we would put "Geist Weiss" here.
ALIASES: What aliases does your character use? Geist is an illusionist and has multiple aliases, so I'll add a category for aliases. You can add categories anywhere or even mix the order in which categories appear. You do not need aliases if you do not desire them. I've added them as he does have a few. Brendan Rhea, Dmitri Valentyne, Christian Shepherd
FACTION: What faction does your character belong to? New Sith Imperium Geist is a Sith, so he is a member of the New Sith Imperium. However, you can use other options should you choose. "Sith" or "Sith Order", or "Imperial" would also be acceptable here; for non-Sith members of the Imperium, it could be anything from "New Sith Imperium", "Imperial Armed Forces", Stormtrooper Corps", etc. You could even create a "SUB-FACTION" category if you desired to put "Sith" or "Sith Order" (or "Imperial Armed Forces" or "Stormtrooper Corps").
RANK: What rank does your character hold in his/her faction? Acolyte Geist Weiss is actually a Sith Lord, but for this example I shall put down "acolyte". This is the same rank new members will be putting down too. In factions, especially Force using factions/sub-factions, you'll start with the lowest rank. For the Sith, this is "Acolyte". For Jedi, this is "Padawan". Note that rank does not always denote strength of an individual, though as beginning members, your strength will be low at first; you can increase your characters over time and work, though remember to increase realistically; don't claim he can life a Star Destroyer using the Force after only four threads.

There is a multitude of species to choose from in Star Wars. There are even fanon species in this site (and planets) which can be found in the Planets, Species, and Technology board. However, to prevent overpowering, or inaccessibility, there are some species and planets that are not allowed. The lists can be found here.

SPECIES: What species is your character? Human For the example, we'll state Geist's species is human.
AGE: How old is your character? 38 It's recommended to have age reflect your character. Don't have a sixteen year old who's done enough things that would take decades to do. No 15 year old admirals. Also consider the species you've chosen when picking age. Morellians, for example, "come of age" decades after humans do. Also consider age when determining attributes and statistics. A 90 year old human is less likely to be able to outrun most people, or lift enough weight that could make a Wookie blush. With Geist, as we're hypothetically making him human, we'll select 38 as his age.
GENDER: Is your character a male, female, trans-gendered, etc.? Male
HEIGHT: How tall is your character? 5'10" Remember age and species when choosing height (and weight). No six feet human toddlers. How you format the height is up to you.
WEIGHT: How much does your character weight (remember to make it proportional to his/her height)? 172 lbs. There is no rule that you have to use pounds. You can use the metric system in a profile if desired.

Some of these attributes can be obvious if you have an image. Let's say the below image is Geist's appearance. The image already provides a look at eyes, hair, skin, and some distinguishing features, so we can remove them if desired. At the same time, I could also fill out the following questions and put down "red", "brown", "Caucasion/white", respectively, if I wanted to. For this example, we'll take out the categories eyes, hair, and skin. For an actual profile, you can just remove them rather than striking through them.

Spoiler: Example Image

[ST]EYES: What color eyes does your character have?
HAIR: What color hair does your character have?
SKIN: What is your character's skin color?[/ST]

The credits tend to confuse people a lot. The statement for the "New characters start with 1,000 credits" is a way to state that you can't be filthy rich right off the bat. On this site, credits aren't as big of a deal as maybe on other sites. There is no "okay, this armor costs me x amount and I want a ship that cost x, etc., so I have x amount of credits left over to buy myself a cool blaster". We'll address accessories later, but do not feel like the credit amount limits your character creation. It's a way to show that you won't start at the top, financially. Many people tend to just remove it from the profile. You're free to keep it if desired.

CREDITS: How many credits does your character have (new characters start with 1,000 credits)? 1000 credits
DISTINGUISHING MARKS: Does your character have any distinguishing marks such as scars, birth marks, etc.? None. You can have characters have distinguishing marks if you want. If you don't want any, you can always put "None" (or something of the likewise) or just remove the category from the profile.
FORCE SENSITIVE: Is your character Force Sensitive? Yes You do not have to be Force sensitive if you don't want to. In Geist's case, he is, and is a Sith. You don't have to be with a Force sect to be Force sensitive, but not doing so equates to less control with the Force (as you're untrained). If you wish to state you had past training with a Force sect, you'll need to receive permission from that faction's Faction Leader (even if you're a Sith with some Jedi background or vice versa). Note that this only indicates sensitivity, not strength in the Force. However, at the same time, that doesn't mean you can't add that here if you want; it's your profile after all, you can do whatever you want with it.

The next few categories are the attributes/stats. They help indicate an individual's strength, dexterity, constitution, intelligence, wisdom, and charisma. You can add categories (i.e. Reflexes) if you choose so; most people tend to stick with the basic stats provided. When determining stats, consider two things: balance and feasibility. You're likely starting off at a low rank, so the stats should reflect that. Likely you won't have high stats on most of your attributes. You'll likely be weaker than individuals of higher rank. Note though that attributes can grow (and decline) over time should you wish to do so, though within reason. Also balance them. If you're gonna have some high stats, have some lower ones that counter them. And make them connected. Don't go stating "I'm super tough and super dexterity and my drawback is that I'm not charismatic so I can't get the ladies at the bar". Rather, make things connect. Very strong, but due to muscle mass and weight, not as agile or dexterous. Now, that's not saying you can only be "smart but weak" or "strong but stupid", but rather try to balance them so the character isn't overpowered. Consider average stats. Also, remember that this is a writing forum. Stats only account to so much. Consider your writing skills when choosing attributes. Don't say the person is smarter than Einstein if you can't critical think well. Don't say they're the best swordsman in the galaxy if you're unable to write them fighting decently in a thread. Now, does that mean you can't do that? By all means no. It's just a suggestion, to help you. Better to work off your strengths, as writing is the key to victory/success, not attributes on a profile, per se. Still, don't be discouraged if you feel you're not that smart or good at writing PvP. Challenge yourself. It can help you grow, especially as a writing. It's your choice where you go.

In Geist Weiss, I chose to take the route of where my writing strengths and weakness are. I am not the best PvP writing, as reflected in my first combat, where I accidentally killed my ally rather than my enemy. As such, for Geist Weiss, I moved away from combat, instead having him focus on more intellectual and artistic arena. His statistics show that he is not strong or very dexterous. Instead, to balance these weaknesses, Geist has one strength in combat: stamina, especially in the Force. However, I would recommend you provide justification for stats. Don't just randomly have a person super strong if they're just a computer tech who sits in a chair all day and night. For Geist, he's an illusionist. He is constantly training by constantly using an illusion to improve his stamina. This is reflected in his stats. However, is that typical? No. You can give whatever justification you desire (and you don't have to justify if you don't want to, it's just a recommendation). As you increase in rank, you'll likely exhibit more improved statistics. However, at the same time, it's recommended you grow. Advancement in rank doesn't have to equate to "auto-increase", but at the same time don't just increase stats every other thread you participate in.

When describing stats, you can do so in any format you wish. You could use numbers (6 out of 10), literary explanation, bars, etc. It's your choice. You can be as detailed as you wish. Different people have different preferences. For individuals making acolytes, the Imperium prefers numeral stats have, at max, only one 7, one 6, and the rest 5 or lower (out of 10). This allows you to demonstrate improvement over time, along with preventing acolytes from being over-powered.

STRENGTH: Describe the strength of your character. Below average
DEXTERITY: Describe whether or not your character is nimble or agile. Below average
CONSTITUTION: Describe the health of your character. Average health; high stamina in the Force The mention of Force stamina is something I added. You do not need to add stamina if you do not wish to do so, but I do find it useful; however, be reasonable if describing stamina, as most acolytes likely would have low stamina having just begun learning the Force.
INTELLIGENCE: Describe the intelligence of your character. Above average intelligence
WISDOM: Describe the wisdom of your character. Slightly above average wisdom
CHARISMA: Describe your characters ability to charm or influence others. Slightly below average charisma

When choosing Force Powers, consider your rank. Most likely beginning level individuals will know basic moves like telekinesis/Force Push/Force Pull/etc. More advanced moves you'll want to wait until you're training to learn those techniques, and others you may want to hold off until you're Knight/Crusader or Master-level. There are some Force powers that are banned and can be found here. There are other powers likely too advanced for acolytes to learn; a list is being compiled.

FORCE POWERS:
Add in the Force powers your character knows as he/she learns them. Remember that your character can only know the powers associated with his/her rank. Force Push, Force Pull, Telepathy The real Geist is a master of alchemy and illusions. However, as the example Geist is an acolyte, such techniques are likely too advanced for him to know right off the bat, so he'd start off instead with "Force Push, Force Pull, Telepathy". You do not need to list every Force power that your character has. You don't even need this list if you choose not to, though is recommended to state some of the powers a character is most proficient in.
LIGHTSABER/SWORD FORMS:
Add in the lightsaber/sword forms your character knows as he/she learns them. Please keep in mind the rules for knowing lightsaber/sword forms. At the Jedi Padawan and Jedi Knight skill level, you may only know one form. If your character reaches the Jedi Master skill level, you may know two forms. If a character becomes the Faction Leader or is at the Jedi Council skill level, they may know a third form but it is preferred that they do not have a mastery over the third. Ataru

When stating skills, strengths, and weakness, remember what you've put in for Force ability (if applicable) and attributes. Be consistent. Don't state in attributes your character has average intelligence then state in skills that he's a master tactician. Try to even out abilities. A recommendation is to have a weakness for every 1-3 strength, though not required. It helps balance out the character. Weakness (and strengths) don't have to be physical; they can be mental or talents. Paranoia. Hacking ability. Horrible at fixing technology. Etc. As there is so much variety in what could be skills, strengths, and weakness, I will not add them in this example.

The next few categories (excluding pets, unless a fanon species) may require additional submissions. Gear for the most part can be done by yourself, especially if the armor isn't too powerful (same with weaponry). However, more advanced gear may need a submission in the Technology Profiles board; if all else fails, ask an admin or Kiro (who is the Imperium's resident tech guru) if you need to do a tech application. The same goes for ships. You can only have a small ship as a personal ship; you can't have a personal Star Destroyer. Be reasonable with accessories. Resistant to everything will likely gain some criticism (and beskar armor, especially for non-Mandalorian individuals, is not allowed); problems will likely be noted by the community. Note, you don't need to make a technology submission for a lightsaber (unless atypical and complex/unique in design and function). For pets, be reasonable. You probably can't have a leviathan as a pet. You do not need to have a ship, droid, and/or pet if you do not want one. You can remove categories that do not apply if you wish. For example, Geist does not have a pet or droid, so they have been removed.

GEAR:
Describe the items that your characters carries with them. Geist owns Sith robes and a lightsaber You can be as detailed as you want.

SHIP:
Does your character have a personal ship? If so, describe it in moderate detail (what does it look like, what can it do, what types of weapons and engines does it have, etc.). Geist owns a space yacht called Administrator

[ST]DROIDS:
Does your character have any droids? If so, what are they?

PETS:
Does your character have any pets? If so, what are they?[/ST]

Personality and history are two very important aspects to a character. They define a character and can help shape their path. You can be as cliche in history or as innovative/complex as you desire. Here is some information to help you in developing the personality and history from administrator Green Ranger's helpful guide "Character Creation And You".

Spoiler: Character Creation And You

Character Creation and You:
The New Guide to Not Making Crappy Characters​

Whether you're a novice RPer or you've had twenty odd years of experience, creating an effective, fluent and interesting character is one of the trickiest, yet most interesting processes of the RP experience. Unfortunately, more often than not, people muddle it up, and it results in a lot of problems later on.

A poorly designed character profile will often result in a poorly portrayed character that ends up being dropped within two weeks of the character's conceptualization. So, this whole post is all about decreasing the amount of dropped characters, as well as helping you create more interesting characters that will help contribute to the RP world of SWRP.com.

Considerations​

Creating a character concept is far deeper than, 'I'm making a Jedi', or, 'A Sith would be a cool character.' Faction should not define character, but if you wish to create a character for a particular faction, you need to keep in mind realism towards that profile. For example, you would not have a trained Jedi fighting with the Mandalorians, so keep universe 'realism' in mind while you start developing your character.

Motive​

Now, don't bother with appearance, inventory, even history until you have a motive for your character. Someone without motive really isn't that impressive to RP with, as they tend to amble through aimlessly, and this can be quite dull. Ask yourselves, 'Why is my character doing this? Why do they not just stay at home and let the world pass them by?' THIS is where motive comes into play.

To explain this better, I'll create a Sith Lord, Darth Examplus.

Without motive, Darth Examplus is an all powerful Sith Lord, who can hold the galaxy by its throat with a single thought. But if he doesn't have motive, as a writer it's difficult to gauge how he would become involved in an RP - if he is involved, he just seems to be there for no apparent reason, and often winds up being inconsequential to the story. As a result, noone remembers him, noone really recognizes the point of his presence, and so he's neither taken seriously, nor is writing with you remembered as a fun and involved experience.

Another pitfall many writers fall into is not fleshing out their motive enough. Let's say we've taken Darth Examplus back to the drawing board and decided that he's after power. While that's better motive then having none at all, it's a very simplistic motivation that doesn't make him any different then his peers in the Sith, and he will often come across as one-dimensional. Even worse, having such a simple motivation could result in his presence in threads being reduced to annoying boasting and displays of power and strength, which neither aid his own personal plot, nor add to the story or level of involvement with other characters.

So we take Darth Examplus back to the story board again. What if, for example, he was seeking to elevate his status in the Sith by overthrowing his Master, thereby becoming more powerful in the Sith ranks? This fills even a typical bar/cantina thread with all sorts of potential. Examplus could be seeking to hire mercenaries, bounty hunters or Dark Jedi to aid his cause, spy on his Master, or hope to capture agents of the Alliance or the Jedi to corrupt to increase his following. He could talk assassination tactics, try to discover where his Master would most likely be at a given time, and so on. Suddenly he has a reason to be involved in the thread and to interact with other players. See the difference?

Other examples of motive could be a desire to bring glory to a fallen Mandalorian clan, to restore order and law in the galaxy, or to find the truth of the war regardless of all consequences. A character could be searching for a lost love, trying to find their family, or be searching for a missing treasure trove or artifact. The potential is limitless, and often new motives will crop up in the RP - if you take the time to make your character involved with the story, they may suddenly find themselves distracted by the stories of others, leading them onto new adventures you did't originally plan on...and sometimes, treading blindly into the unknown makes the RP all the more thrilling.

Personality: Beginning​

Alright, now we have an anomaly of a character, but with a purpose. Motive also helps you in personality creation. By looking into a character's motive, you can begin to understand the base and core values this character holds. I'll stick with Darth Examplus throughout this piece, in order to give you the full example of one character creation process.

Darth Examplus is a powerful Sith Lord who seeks to overthrow his Master and thereby elevate his status in the Sith, thereby increasing his power and influence. Based on that statement alone, we can begin to understand the Examplus is obviously a motivated and ambitious character, probably with a fair portion of cunning as well. You can also take these base qualities and begin to consider how they may work against him - for example, his ambition may in fact blind him to the scheming of others, or make his movements against his Master that little bit more obvious, so there is a danger of him being caught flatfooted by one of his peers, or his Master may even discover his plans, all which open up new and interesting opportunities for side stories. As a result, we're beginning to get a basic idea of Examplus' demeanor, motivations, and a glimpse into his personality, as well as several opportunities for side stories as well as a main personal plotline. Before we delve any deeper into his personality, though, it's time to consider backstory.

Historical notes​

To help continue to develop a sense of motive, as well as flesh out the personality more, now is a good time to start coming up with ideas of why the character acts the way they do, why they are motivated to such actions and so forth. Putting down small dot points at this stage is really all you need to do in order to get the basics down, and then you can come back and flesh out their history more once the conceptual process is complete. I've personally found that keeping this as a reference sheet and adding to it as a character's history progresses only helps flesh out the character more and more, and it's a handy reference point if you ever get stuck not knowing how your character would respond to a given situation.

Anyway, historical notes. Ask yourself what has happened in your character's life to make them drive towards their goal, what has happened that has motivated them. It's best to make this more than a single event - personalities aren't built that way, and to have a complete turnaround due to a single event is difficult for most people to find plausible. In addition, it can actually harm your chances of RPing with others, as more experienced writers may believe that your character lacks depth. However, this isn't a hard guideline - I've seen some very well written characters defined by a single turning point in their life. The important thing is to not make this single event the be all and end all for a character - even minor events, failing a test, falling out of friendship with a childhood companion or losing a treasured item all help to develop a character further, both in motivation and personality. The more you explain what a character has gone through to become the person they are today, the easier you will find tapping into their psyche and being able to write for them accordingly. I don't think this section requires an example, but if it is requested, I'll add one.

It's also important to note that there are a lot of clichés out there that don't work, or aren't developed enough, or lack original motive in the first place. A popular backstory for Sith involves the death of their parents - what I like to call Batman syndrome - or, occasionally the murder of the parents by the character's hand. Now, this isn't necessarily a bad backstory in itself if it is developed correctly. Still, you have to remember your character has a mind and will of their own, and turning to the Dark Side because their parents died needs to have a cause and effect relationship in order to work. Why did these deaths influence your character so much, or why were they driven to something as extreme as murder. Think of it from your own perspective, and think logically about what it would take for you to want to kill someone. If murder is a part of your backstory, the reason for said murder needs to have that same extreme, desperate mentality behind it, and the same emotional response from after the deed is done. Also, don't fall into the trap of the idea of 'not feeling anything' from witnessing or being involved in a first murder - you can take the time to develop your character so much more in such a pivotal situation, and I feel it's often such a wasted opportunity. Anyway, just something to keep in mind.

Personality: Polishing it off​

Now we have a distinct feel of motive, the beginning of a history, and the outline of a personality, it's time to go back flesh it out your character's behavioural patterns even more. Personality isn't just about what a character acts like, or how they will likely react to a random encounter. Personality is about personal preference. What does your character like? What do they dislike? How will they behave if x happens? If given the choice between x and y which will your character choose? This portion is as crucial to a good profile as motive is. The more solid your understanding of your character's behavioral patterns, the better you will be able to respond to situations, even strange ones. If, for example, a character were to describe a spider hanging from a low branch on the path nearby, and your character had a fear of spiders, you can then take that into account on how your character will behave. Take that fear, compare it with your character's personality and behavioral patterns, and from that, you can respond accordingly to what would otherwise be a mundane walk down a forest path. Knowing what and how your character responds to things is vital to a fun and interesting character to roleplay.

Also, if you are considering a race that is not human, now is the time you need to research that race, and make an understanding of how they commonly behave, and use that in your profile as well. Also, as tempting as it is to make a maverick character who goes against social norms, you also have to be careful to avoid excessive clichés, and you need to thoroughly research the likelihood of your character existing if they behave as such.

As a side-note, I would strongly recommend against cross-breeding alien races, or trying to. In my experience, ninety percent of the time cross-breeds are made just to make your character more powerful. In freeform RP, giving your character a natural advantage doesn't really amount to anything meaningful beyond the profile itself, as combat skills rely solely on writing ability. Furthermore, this can have disastrous effects on personality conceptualization, as often dominant personality characteristics in alien species conflict with each other and muddy up the waters, making creating a personality much more difficult for what is essentially a pointless natural advantage.

The Personality Quirk​

The difference between a good an an amazing character concept is the amount of thought gone into the character. Not appearance or stat-wise, but again, personality-wise. An excellent way of developing personality further is the Personality Quirk. These are little oddities in the way a character behaves, their use of mannerisms, weaknesses etc. Personality quirks make your character more tangible. For example, a phobia towards certain alien lifeforms, or maybe a peculiar way one shakes another's hand makes them more interesting to roleplay, as these minor points add interest and flavour to your posts. Even a speech impediment or alien speech pattern can make your character that much more interesting to play, though this can have an effect on how easy it is to write for a character. Personality Quirks are more about making your character deeper and more unique, and help you stand out from a crowd. Ideally, every character should have quirks, if only to make them more interesting to read, and to roleplay.

Appearance​

Only now, when you have the idea of how your character behaves, and why they behave in such a manner, should you really delve into appearance. If you can't find an image that matches your character, then don't bother - a little image isn't going to make your profile amazing, but the content will. Also, remember that what may appear aesthetically pleasing and ideal also may not work for your character. Female warriors in skimpy outfits look good, but as soon as the blasters start firing, they really don't have much protection. Also, keep in mind that many factions may have a commonly accepted way of dressing or a uniform of sorts. Changing this may seem a good idea, but it really isn't very necessary - if you've written your profile correctly, you won't need them to dress differently to make an impact. That being said, by making personal alterations to a faction's uniform or acceptable way of dress may in fact make your character more interesting, as it shows they reflect on the outside what drives them on the inside. Tattoos or other bodily marks are also a nice way to do this, especially for example with a Jedi. This allows them to wear their traditional garb, but these markings show an individual and personal streak, and make your character again, a little deeper and more interesting to communicate with.

Biography​

Finally,and only once all of the above sections are complete, should you write up the biography and history of your character in full. Use the plot points you wrote up earlier to explain your character's drives and desires, and any points of interest you may have come up with while you were developing the idea of your character. Biography doesn't mean write down everything that happened in your life, from the length of the labour to the number of times they had to go to hospital, but it does mean that most points of interest in your character's life up until 'present day' should be at least noted.

Major contributions towards motives and values in life should be more detailed than minor points, but other details, such as their first crush, maybe, or a childhood injury, should also be added to create a sense of tangibility. Again, don't write down every detail. You do have to make the profile interesting as well as detailed, though that's a fine line which takes time and experience to master properly.

If you can't write the whole biography in one sitting, then don't do it. Pace yourself, and take your time. You may find your bio easier to write once you've started RPing with your character, so don't set everything in concrete. More times then not, you'll find your character changes slightly once you take them off the drawing board and start interacting with others - don't see this as a bad thing, but go back and adjust your character profile accordingly.

By following these points, you can help yourself in creating a lastable, tangible and interesting character. If you need any help, or a second opinion on a profile, feel free to PM me, and i'll be more than happy to review on request. Good luck, and happy creating!

The rest from here is stuff you can add if desired. You can remove categories if you wish. If you wish to keep any of the further categories (Kills, Bounties Collected, Dueling Ring Matches, Grand Tournaments, Role Plays), I would very much recommend you keep and update the Role Plays. The list of threads your character has been involved in will help you keep track of information and help others who are looking for information. How detailed you make it is up to you.

Hopefully this has been of some help. Character creation is sometimes the hardest part for people, so don't be afraid of asking people questions or asking for help. People will help when asked, in many cases.

 

[Brandon Rhea]

Hola. Sreeya asked me to provide some feedback here, so here goes:

Post #1

• Get rid of “Weiss presents.” This guide shouldn’t be connected to any one individual.
• First post, second paragraph - "feel free to contact me" - should focus on FLs, then AFLs. Per the above, it shouldn’t be connected to one person.
• You can get rid of the disclaimer. It’s a Sith guide, it doesn’t need to say it’s not staff-approved.
• “I would very much recommend you read the Rules and Guidelines of the Site found here. However, talking with many people, it's apparent the Rules are not read." Don’t castigate people. Just introduce the topic.

Post #2

• Rule II: characters can return as Force ghosts with admin permission.
• Rule III: "Exceptions may be allowed." I don't understand this. Should probably be removed.
• Rule IV: "The Force is not an auto-pawn tool." I'm assuming that means auto-pwn. Other way, it could be clearer. Maybe something like "The Force does not make you a god."
• Rule VII: could add in a note about how you can use different accounts for different characters, as long as each account explicitly states (in the signature) who that account belongs to.
• “A list is being compiled of Force powers too advanced for an acolyte to learn.” - I’d recommend not releasing this guide until that list is completed.

Post #3

• "having recently a time skip from 1,013 ABY" - irrelevant. People only need to know what year we're in now. The rest of that intro paragraph could also be condensed, since there’s a much fuller recap of the timeline later on.
• "northern part of the galaxy" - say "northern half." It's more representative of the territory.
• "Originally the Elyurius Empire" - replace it with "Originally a benevolent Galactic Empire." We've never canonized the name Elyurius Empire.
• The Rebellion description is missing the link to the FL character.
• The Hutt Cartel description doesn't need the Chiss history and how the Cartel became a main faction. Just focus on the fact that it's a criminal empire looking to maintain power in the galaxy, and is willing to play all sides for Hutt gain.
• "As a bit of advice, I would" - kill any instances of first person. This shouldn’t be Weiss’ guide, it should be the Sith faction’s guide. In fact, I would suggest that this be posted by the Star Wars Legacies account, that way it’s not connected to a specific person who may not always be part of this faction. That said, there should certainly be an author credit somewhere to denote the fact that Weiss spent a ton of time and initiative putting this guide together.
• That whole paragraph should be less specific. Rather than focusing on Della and Geist, just talk in general about how people can have an impact and get involved. If you have to refer to a specific character, my suggestion would be Andraste, how she started as a young acolyte and rose through the ranks to become Empress. Vereor could also be mentioned, given that Vereor trained Andraste and then went on to become her Dark Lord. If you mention specific people, then I think using the FLs carries more weight since it gives people the hope that they could maybe be FL someday too.

Post #4

• First of all, awesome job on compiling this history. It must have taken forever to get all of those links and then make hyperlinks out of them. I am impressed.
• I would ask that you remove instances of "Elyurius Empire" because, per what I said in a previous comment, we have never canonized that name. Change it to Galactic Empire.
• "Moles (such as Isaac Firestorm and Geist Weiss)" - not needed. Just say Moles.
• "Empire traitors (such as Imperial Knight Sirius and Intelligence Co. Director Andromeda Delion)" - also not needed, per above.
• "Emperor Luthor Elyurius" should just be "the Emperor," same for all future uses of his name. You can also change Lana Elyurius’ mention to just “the Emperor’s daughter.” This part is particularly important so as to not cause confusion with Lana Skywalker.
• "Jedi Grandmaster Bratak Dar" - he was Sage Master, not Grand Master.
• Since you deleted the Isaac Firestorm link per a previous comment, you can put that link in the first mention of Darth Judicar.
• "Believing this their best shot to defeat the Bogan emperor" - "Bogan" is not a term used in this era except to refer to the Dark Jedi of the Bogan (both incarnations) and the ancient Bogan Empire. This will probably cause confusion, so just say Sith emperor.
• "trap devised by Darth Judicars" - typo.
• "and his apprentice, Darth Exodeus" - you should link to Exo's profile.
• "their allies the Empire Liberation Front was not as lucky." - couple of typos here. Change to "their ally, the Empire Liberation Front, was not as lucky."
• "did not dissuade Jhon Cordatus" - you should link to Jhon's profile.
• "interim Chief of State, Jedi Grandmaster Jhon Cordatus" - Jhon was Sage Master at the time, not Grand Master.
• You should link to the profiles for the three dead Jedi Councilors. If you haven’t already, be sure to link to Bellatrix too.
• "Jhon Cordatus still believed Darth Exodeus' apprentice and lover Andraste redeemable." - awkward segue, it just cuts right to it. Maybe find a way to introduce that better? Also, link to Andraste and note that Andraste was once Jhon’s Jedi Padawan. That way, it’s relevant as to why Jhon thought that.
• "STROST contained a Mandalorian: Corden Vencu" - link to Vencu's profile.
• "Chief of State Nathanaeu Bastele" - link to Bastele's profile.
• "The Dark Lord of the Sith, Darth Vereor" - link to Darth Vereor
• In the ten years/time skip section, I'd get rid of everything before the picture of the destroyed Coruscant, since you've already recapped all of that in your 1,011-13 write up.
• At the end of the ten years section, I'd get rid of everything starting with "Among that hope were a boy and a girl," thereby ending this ten years section at "a new hope on the horizon." The Skywalker stuff isn't needed for this particular write up.
• Since we are now after the time skip, you should start a 1,023 and Beyond section to start compiling information about the post-skip events.

Post #5

• I think there’s a lot of really good stuff here. Despite what I’m about to say, please retain this entire post for future use. I think there’s a lot of helpful stuff in there that we can use elsewhere.
• For this thread, though, I don’t think it’s well-suited. It’s too general, whereas this guide should be focused on the Sith. I would encourage you to replace this post with one about how to create a good Sith character, how to create different kinds of Sith characters, what Sith can do in the RP, and so forth. That’s something that you could probably create a whole separate thread on to get a lot of people’s input into. That way you’re not focusing on how to build a character profile template, but how to write a good Sith character, specifically from a creationary/writing/character standpoint rather than “this is how you write a profile”. You can also have information about how to create Imperial characters. Does that make sense?
• By going the route I suggested above, you would also be able to use various different Sith characters as examples, rather than just Geist - which, per previous comments, ties this guide too much to one person rather than being a general guide for all Sith faction members. Geist can still be one of the examples of a kind of Sith character, but he wouldn’t be the only one.

Post #6

• This section should go earlier in the thread, as part of the first post or as the second post. I understand your logic on putting it here, but this section covers the most frequently asked questions so people shouldn’t have to wait until the end to get to it.
• The only other comment I’d make is this: "feel free to contact me or any of the other wonderful people" - per past points, remove the stuff specific to Weiss and replace it with a list of all leaders: Sreeya, Rom, BN, Kiro, and Weiss, in no particular order other than Sreeya and Rom being first.

 

[Dmitri]

Yeah, I know I still had a lot to work on still. I appreciate the feedback tremendously. Now I have written out areas that need improvement, so it's not all one disorganized mess. Some errors I'm not too surprised were found. Some were just a result of when it was first drafted (i.e. "Bogan emperor" was before Boli introduced the Indie faction, Rebel FL hadn't been chosen yet so it wasn't put on there yet). Love the suggestions for post #5. Great idea. I've been meaning to add an Imperial, but never heard back from my PM to Black Noise about using Konstantine for Imperials format.

The disclaimer in Post #1 I had added as a result of Padme's comments to my original guide, Beginner's Guide to SWRP, who had stated it was not admin-approved, so I thought I was needed to add such a disclaimer.

I agree with your suggestion to move it from first person to third person. Makes more sense. I'll remove "Weiss Presents".

I've been meaning to start "Fifth Timeline Part II (1,022 ABY - present)". When I had done the second draft of the guide, it was only a month into the timeline, so not much has been done so far. I'll probably send a PM later to the other FLs about what all their factions has done, because I'm not as updated with their stuff (since there really hasn't been much interfactional stuff except Encounter on Tokamia, which I try to keep tabs on).

 

[Dmitri]

Made the edits on the guide. Added more links, as there were some I missed that you didn't mention.

Drala I don't believe has officially create a FL PC (he plans to use someone besides Enfali, so it's not a Force user leading), the rebel leader has been kept vacant.

I put "Getting Started" on the top. Character Creation will no longer be in the guide, as I'll make a separate guide for character creation, with posts for both 'how to make a sith' and 'how to make an imperial'. I think I'll make a thread in the OOC eventually for people to give their input.