New Timeline: Dawn of the Republic

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Green Ranger

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Over a thousand years before the Clone Wars, the galaxy was in turmoil. For nearly a thousand generations, the galaxy was united by the Old Republic, a beacon of civilization that encompassed innumerable worlds and harbored peace among her people. Though there were disputes in that time, the Old Republic was resolute, and all who stood against her were vanquished.

In part, this was due to the Knights of the Jedi Order, a sect of peacekeepers who roamed the galaxy. These legendary warriors ended deep and bitter conflicts with their blazing swords of light and their mystical powers, a gift of an ancient energy known as the Force. But there were disagreements. Betrayal. In time, the Jedi Knights found themselves at odds with one another—justice, it seemed, turned all too easily to vengeance, and the Jedi found themselves divided between the path of enlightenment and the path to supremacy. Thus, on the dark world of Moraband, those knights shunned by the leaders of the Order gathered in secret.

So began the Hundred-Years Darkness, and for millennia the knights who became known as the Sith fought cruel and horrendous wars against the Old Republic. Though these years were a dark time for the galaxy, the Old Republic survived, standing resolute against the Sith with the aid of their Jedi Knight allies. Though the Sith were mighty, the toll of endless conflict proved costly, and over the millenia their rule was diminished greatly. As the galaxy returned to peace once more, the Old Republic grew complacent—despite the warning of the Jedi Knights, talks of war quietened, then were silenced completely. But on the edges of the galaxy, the Sith waited, solemnly swearing to return and rule the galaxy once and for all.

The Dark Times had begun.

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Star Wars: Dawn of the Republic is the first timeline of the new canon for The Star Wars RP, set in the new canon established after the Expanded Universe became the non-canon Star Wars Legends line. These 'Dark Times,' as we've taken to calling them, are over one thousand years before the Clone Wars and were originally a period established in Legends, but we've since started learning more about their canonical history. As of right now, though, we know next to nothing about this period in the galaxy. For those who are familiar with Legends, this was more widely known as the Light And Darkness War, the ten year conflict that preceded the events of Ruusan, the survival of Darth Bane and the founding of the Rule of Two, and the catalyst for the Ruusan Reformation of the Galactic Republic.

In the new canon, events are somewhat largely similar, albeit far less detailed. During this period, the Sith Order brought about the destruction of the Old Republic. It was only through the ultimate intervention of the Jedi Order that peace returned to the galaxy, which resulted in the foundation of the Galactic Republic - the Republic that still existed over a thousand years later, during the Clone Wars, before it too was felled by the Sith. As the Dark Times are an indistinct period, our timeline will be set well over a thousand years before the Clone Wars.

Since this timeline is a fresh start, it seems fitting to explore the origins of the Star Wars galaxy depicted in the films, as well as exploring pivotal events that molded the major players in the galaxy. Canonically, this is also a blank slate - an area of history in the galaxy of which we know little but myth and legend, and a pivotal moment in the galaxy’s history. We also have the freedom of world-building the galaxy from a very early stage - as many of you know, aspects of many previous timelines have always helped shape later timelines on the site, and in keeping with the spirit of that tradition, what better way to build the new Star Wars galaxy than from perhaps the most pivotal moment in the galaxy’s history?

This is the fall of the Sith Order, and a period of independence for the Jedi Knights. This is also a period of darkness for the crumbling Old Republic, with years if not centuries of untold conflicts that we can work with. For those who wish to play the roles of other groups, there is also plenty of opportunity. For example, it is during this period that Mandalorian Clan Viszla stole the Darksaber from the Jedi Temple, an event we would love to recreate with the members of this site.

There are boundless opportunities to explore and a galaxy to shape, so join us as we explore the Dawn of the Republic!

Main Factions
The Republic
“Surviving thousands of years of wars with the ancient Sith, the Republic has stood the test of time. However, in years of peace, galactic concerns have been eclipsed by more local and regional disputes - the Republic has always been a cumbersome beast, slow to act. Thus, the burden to react to new rumours of Sith activity falls on the far-flung colonies of the Republic - isolated worlds that have everything to lose.”

The Republic is made up of the following two groups:

The Border Alliance: Most Republic worlds remain largely autonomous. The Republic, being a trade alliance first and foremost, is often satisfied with arranging trade treaties and leaving the various worlds to their own devices. In a galaxy weary of war, few are willing to give the rumours from the Outer Rim of a new Sith uprising any recognition. For the few worlds on the edge of the Republic who have seen firsthand the devastation the Sith can bring, however, action is necessary for survival. The Border Alliance is a loose military alliance of several worlds on the edge of the galaxy, most of whom still bear the scars of previous Sith conflicts. Assembling their forces under a united banner, the Alliance fight desperately against a threat the rest of the galaxy refuse to even recognize.

The Galactic Senate: The Republic Senate on Chandrila is a place of diplomacy and democracy. While it was not as all-powerful as the Galactic Senate of the Galactic Republic will become in its later years, the Old Senate oversees border disputes, trade deals and galactic law across the Republic. The outlawing of slavery was one of the first great acts of the Senate. However, even in an age of planetary independence, corruption has a place in positions of power, and the steady decline of the Republic has allowed vested interests to take root in the heart of the Republic. The very ideals of a unified galaxy are now being challenged.

The Jedi Knights
"Guardians of peace in the galaxy for millennia, the Jedi Knights have often found their mystical abilities being used against their ancient foes, the Sith Order. As the Republic grows complacent, the Jedi Knights find themselves tasked with facing their foes more and more - the prolonged conflict turning more and more Knights to the insidious dark side of the Force, corrupting the Jedi and turning them into the very enemy they face."

Although past timelines have used the entire Jedi Order as a faction, we are dealing with just part of it: the Jedi Knights, crusaders for peace and justice. Though the Order is well-known for being passive peacekeepers in the galaxy, centuries of conflict with the Sith have bred a cultural shift within the Jedi Order. While the Council still leads the Order from afar in terms of training and recruitment, as well as the collection of knowledge and philosophy in the galaxy, many in the Order now serve more actively in their responsibilities as peacekeepers, adjudicators and law enforcement. The Knight-Crusaders of the Jedi Order are a far more pro-active sect of the Order who seek a more active role in the galaxy, using their skills with the Force and their iconic lightsabers to enforce peace and law in the galaxy.

The Sith Order
"Hidden away on the dark and mysterious twin worlds of Moraband and Korriban, the ancient Lords of the Sith once forged an empire that threatened to topple the entire galaxy. Utilizing great superweapons using the mysterious Kyber crystals and the spirits of their ancient ancestors, the Sith Empire of old stood upon the brink of victory . However, ambitions and infighting at a crucial moment saw the old Empire shatter, and the Sith beyond the rim of the galaxy.”

The Sith Order is made up of the following two groups:

Lords of the Sith: For centuries, the Sith have fought against their Jedi kin in numerous long and bloody conflicts over their fundamental differences in the philosophies of the Force. Harnessing the Dark Side of the Force, and empowered by the collective knowledge of the ancient dead interred on Moraband, the Sith Order practice rituals to deepen their connection with the darkness. However, theirs is a broken order, shattered after centuries of attrition and further weakened by ambitions and infighting. The Lords of the Sith are a proud people, who refuse to recognize the destruction of their once great civilization. Never lacking for ambition, however, the Sith Lords now seek to rebuild anew, striking out from ancient and scattered worlds to bring about the destruction of the Republic, once and for all.

Sacred Band of Ziost: For centuries, the cruel, desolate world of Ziost served as a harsh crucible of strength for the Sith Order. Thousands were trained on this dark world, and many of those did not survive. For the Sith, however, such cruel conditions bred only strength. So it was that the most capable non-Force sensitives under Sith rule were also sent to Ziost. Those few who survived went on to become the Sacred Band of Ziost. Once a glorious legion of immense strength in arms, the Sacred Band is now a shadow of its former self, a collection of mercenary soldiers, criminal elements and other characters of suspect nature - a dark army of misfits enthralled under the will of the Sith Lords. Though they are a shadow of the men who once held claim to such a title, these assorted individuals are no less capable in their own right, and serve as the backbone to a growing legion of followers under the resurgent Sith rule.

FAQ
Why are we changing timelines?
Star Wars Legacies is the longest timeline we've ever had. By the time it's over, it will have lasted for 4 and a half years. It's been a lot of fun, but all good things must come to an end, and it's clear that the timeline is headed towards a natural conclusion. Additionally, our current timeline and lore is steeped in the Expanded Universe, now known as the non-canon Star Wars Legends, whereas Star Wars now has a new and official canon. We are aligning with that new canon. And with Star Wars: The Force Awakens only weeks away, we know it's time for a timeline that is as accessible to as many people as possible.

What specific year is the new timeline set in?
We don't have a specific year for the timeline, but it is in the era when the Old Republic fell, the Sith were wiped out, and the Galactic Republic came to power. Because of that, this timeline is set over one thousand years before the Clone Wars.

Will you tell us what the year is?
We haven't decided yet. Although we know that there are certain things that happen in this era of canon, namely the three major historical events listed in the last answer, there are no guarantees about how those events will unfold - or if they even will unfold in this timeline. For example, for all we know, this timeline could end with the Sith attaining dominance over the galaxy. That's perfectly acceptable; there are no predetermined outcomes here. If we add a year to the timeline, such as 1,010 BBY, then that could limit us in terms of having our lore eventually line up with canon (that would mean there's only about 10 years for the Sith to fall again), or even doing another timeline in this era. So we may very well be content with saying "this is a approximately one thousand years before the Clone Wars."

However, we do know that, for some people, knowing what year it is can be important so they know how to progress and age their characters, so we will explore an alternate way of doing that instead of the Before the Battle of Yavin (BBY) system.

Will there be an overarching, planned out story like Star Wars Legacies?
No. Certainly, part of the appeal of this timeline is that it is informed by the few canonical facts that we know about. To the point in the previous answer, though, we don't want people to feel restricted by those canonical facts. So any build towards those events, if there's any build at all, is driven by factions and players, not an admin-run overarching storyline. There is no admin-run mythology or plot characters, and the canonical facts are vague to the point that anything could happen. For example, just because we know the Galactic Republic rises to replace the Old Republic eventually doesn't mean that the Sith can't take over the galaxy first.

What lore, tech, planets, species, and more will be carried over from the Expanded Universe?
We'll still be borrowing heavily from Legends lore in several aspects. As you can imagine, the canon reboot heavily affects the sheer scope and scale of the galaxy, but we don't want to limit players too much from utilizing elements of Legends in their own writing. While the story of the galaxy has changed significantly, we will still be utilizing many Legends elements. For example, many popular Legends planets and species will still be available to use, so we definitely want to allow players to utilize many elements from Legends, provided there isn't a clear conflict with the new canon. We'll have more on this at a later date.

Can I keep my character?
No, unfortunately not. This is a completely different era and continuity from our current timeline, so there is no way for your character to be part of this timeline. If you want to make a carbon copy of your current character then you can do so, but it can't be the same exact character. We also recommend trying something new, rather than making a carbon copy.

So that means my entire story in this timeline is meaningless?
All stories come to an end eventually. A thing isn't meaningful because it lasts forever.

Will there still be independent factions?
Yes. And with much of the galaxy not under the control of the Republic, and with the Sith more of an alliance of dark siders and criminals than an empire, there is plenty of independent space where independent factions can thrive.

Will other main factions be introduced?
We can't say yes or no one way or another at this point, but we have no plans for a fourth (or more) main faction at this point. What this current timeline is showed us that having a fourth wildcard faction, like the Mandalorians, the Chiss Ascendancy, or the Hutt Cartel, usually leads them to being subservient to one of the other factions and having a hard time finding what their place is in the story. We think that focusing on the Republic, the Jedi, and the Sith as the main factions is the most sensible course of action, but we'll never say never to more factions in the future.

What about the Mandalorians?
We have an idea for the Mandalorians, but that will be developed later in the process of creating this timeline. We can say for sure, however, that, for the reasons listed in the last answer, they will not be a main faction.

You mentioned Moraband AND Korriban. I thought they were the same world?
Good catch. In canon, the name Korriban was changed to Moraband because George Lucas preferred the name Moraband. So when the planet made its first canon appearance in the series finale of Star Wars: The Clone Wars, it was introduced as Moraband. As we started developing this timeline, we came up with a really interesting idea for Sith culture that involved making Moraband and Korriban two separate worlds. They’re twin worlds, so if a Sith was to look up in the sky on Korriban, they would always see Moraband, the world of the dead, looking back at that. We'll share more about that soon.

Do I get to keep my rank or advance in rank?
Ranks are the discretion of whoever the new faction leaders are. We are changing how ranks work on the site as well, so there will be more information about that coming soon.

You said new faction leaders? Are any of the current FLs staying in their roles?
No. We plan to have a whole new group of faction leaders for the next timeline.

Will administrators be faction leaders?
No. We have made it an official rule that you cannot be an administrator and a faction leader at the same time. If an admin wants to become a FL, they have to resign as an admin. If a FL wants to become an admin, they have to resign as FL.

When is the timeline change happening?
We don't have a specific date for it yet, but we are aiming for sometime in January. When we have a hard date, you will be the first to know.

How will the timeline change be developed?
As with all past timeline changes, we will put together a think tank that includes administrators, faction leaders, and other members who can collaborate on developing the story and the factions based on what we have laid out here. More information on what that will look like is coming very soon.

When will we know more?
When we have updates for you, we will let you know. That includes more story developments, think tank information, relevant rule changes, and battle information. This will be an open and communicative process.

I have a question that hasn't been answered above.
Feel free to post your questions in this thread and we'll try to answer as best we can. Please note, however, that we are still working on a lot of details of the next timeline, and much of it will be developed by the think tank, so we may not be able to answer everything right now. So just be patient, and we'll be releasing more details in the coming weeks!
 
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Srota

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Looks cool, I will likely make a Sith as a side character, and have my Indie stuff be my main focus.
 

Logan

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Cool stuff. I find the Sith particularly interesting. Looking forward to it.
 

Marf

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Just fantastic. This is super exciting, and I'm very happy with the details so far. You've all done a tremendous job. I can't wait to write in the new setting.

@AuroraRogersSkywalker Pretty much summed up my thoughts. Because the era is so vague, that only allows us writers more freedom, which is what I'm most happy about.
 

Marcus

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Ok this is absolutely one of my favorite times in SW lore (canon or Legends, doesn't matter). I cannot wait to see how this builds. Great work, admins!!
 

Vulpes

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I'm really excited for this. It's really nice to see now what the new timeline will be like. I like the choices you guys have made for it, and I really like the idea of adding our own measurement of time. This will be my first time doing a new Canon roleplay, as well as one not set post-ROTJ.

A few random questions I have:

Is there a rough draft for a map yet? How big will Republic territory be, and what about Jedi and Sith? Is it going to be a handful of planets, or like a decent percentage of the map?

Are there any planned 'off limit' factions, like I believe the Bothans were in this timeline? Will certain cultures be maintained from legends, like the Chiss, and Night Sisters? Is there any plans for an established criminal faction, or is that purely at the discretion of indie rpers?

With using the new canon standard, will there be more of a confirmed list of Force Powers [which could feature maybe a tech submission type thing], or are we maintaining the banned list? Just wondering, because it seems that The Force and it's powers are a lot more Vanilla in the new canon, which isn't a bad thing imo.
 

Marf

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I do have two questions about the Sith:

Are the Lords of the Sith and the Band of Ziost the two different ranks? Or are they separate groups? I am planning two Sith, and they both starting at a low-rank, but one is combat-orientated and the other is not.

Do the Sith control any territory outside of Korriban or Ziost? Just asking because I wanted to use Bastion in my characters' backstory, but I'm not sure if that's even a Sith-ruled world.
 

Clayton

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Is there a rough draft for a map yet? How big will Republic territory be, and what about Jedi and Sith? Is it going to be a handful of planets, or like a decent percentage of the map?

Not yet. We're waiting to see what the official, finished TFA one looks like, and if it's rather lacking...we may add to it, or if it's more or less the Essential Atlas, we might use that.

Short answer: Not sure yet.

As far as Republic/Sith territory go, it's going to be smaller than what we have now. Force powers...that's going to be something for the think tank.
 

Livgardist

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One question comes to mind for me too.

Is there a chance/risk that the Jedi and the Galactic Republic together will outnumber the Sith Order, or is that something that will be a fact of life in the new timeline? Or is the Sith Order really big enough to be a genuine threat to the Galactic Republic and the Jedi even together?

I ask this because of the quite noticeable lack of an "Empire" to go with that Sith Order.
 

Brandon Rhea

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Is there a rough draft for a map yet? How big will Republic territory be, and what about Jedi and Sith? Is it going to be a handful of planets, or like a decent percentage of the map?

Not yet, but the idea is that the Old Republic is smaller than the Galactic Republic that succeeds it.

Are there any planned 'off limit' factions, like I believe the Bothans were in this timeline? Will certain cultures be maintained from legends, like the Chiss, and Night Sisters? Is there any plans for an established criminal faction, or is that purely at the discretion of indie rpers?

We don't know yet. We do have plans for the Nightsisters and Dathomir, though.

With using the new canon standard, will there be more of a confirmed list of Force Powers [which could feature maybe a tech submission type thing], or are we maintaining the banned list? Just wondering, because it seems that The Force and it's powers are a lot more Vanilla in the new canon, which isn't a bad thing imo.

We're going to take a good hard look at how the Force is used on the site, and then we'll make that decision.

Are the Lords of the Sith and the Band of Ziost the two different ranks? Or are they separate groups? I am planning two Sith, and they both starting at a low-rank, but one is combat-orientated and the other is not.

Two groups, both combat-oriented.

Do the Sith control any territory outside of Korriban or Ziost? Just asking because I wanted to use Bastion in my characters' backstory, but I'm not sure if that's even a Sith-ruled world.

To be determined.

One question comes to mind for me too.

Is there a chance/risk that the Jedi and the Galactic Republic together will outnumber the Sith Order, or is that something that will be a fact of life in the new timeline? Or is the Sith Order really big enough to be a genuine threat to the Galactic Republic and the Jedi even together?

I ask this because of the quite noticeable lack of an "Empire" to go with that Sith Order.

The Sacred Band is its military wing. Because the Republic's military in this story is the Border Alliance, rather than the full might of all Republic worlds (why would the south care about invaders from the north? etc) then it's relatively even matched.
 

Prudence

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If we're expected to use crusaders era Mandalorian armor, I swear my first tech submission will be for Modern armor. I'm fine with it being this early, except I hate that ugly hooded looking armor. Makes me wanna puke.

With that aside! Thank you for all the hard work you've put into this! This sounds like it's going to be extremely fun. Do you know if there's going to be a major overhaul of character profile rules? Or can we begin work on characters? And I heard something about limiting the number of characters? Is that going to happen, if so do you know how many? It'd be great if we could have just a little info on characters now so we could all spend our impending winter break (for the students amongst us) to work on new characters.
 

Marf

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Two groups, both combat-oriented.
Alright, so does each group have two different ranks? Or does anyone playing in the Lords of the Sith group just start out as a Lord? Are you able to RP as an apprentice?
 

Brandon Rhea

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If we're expected to use crusaders era Mandalorian armor, I swear my first tech submission will be for Modern armor. I'm fine with it being this early, except I hate that ugly hooded looking armor. Makes me wanna puke.

One thing to keep in mind about the Mandalorians: the story we're going to be working on is going to be influenced by the Mandalorian story in The Clone Wars, which is the only canon Mandalorian story to date. I'm not saying they're going to be pacifists, but just keep in mind that TCW is our frame of reference, not the Expanded Universe.

Do you know if there's going to be a major overhaul of character profile rules?

Don't know yet.

And I heard something about limiting the number of characters? Is that going to happen, if so do you know how many? It'd be great if we could have just a little info on characters now so we could all spend our impending winter break (for the students amongst us) to work on new characters.

There will be a character limit, and that will be our next announcement. Stay tuned in a day or so.

Alright, so does each group have two different ranks? Or does anyone playing in the Lords of the Sith group just start out as a Lord? Are you able to RP as an apprentice?
To be determined.
 

Andrewza

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Sweet. A rather Intristing period where Jedi kights where really more like knights than mystic monks.
 

AuroraRogersSkywalker

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Random question- this might seem like quite a minor detail- but will Jedi still be doing various lightsaber forms? Like I know that Vaapad won't be around yet, since Mace Windu invented it, but will we still have Makashi, Soresu and Ataru and the like?
 
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