The Order of Paladins

[Kamon Vondiranach]

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A Brief Excerpt from the Journal of Jerik Somir - Jedi Historian​

I came across them randomly, on a world on the fringes of the galaxy. They, at first, saw me as a potential enemy, though I assured them I meant them no harm and was only a historian seeking to document their existence. It took some convincing and exploration of my Force presence before they were convinced that I was just a simple Jedi and not there to cause problems. A very tightly knit and loyal group.

These individuals were strange. All of their signatures, those that had strong ones, were of the light. As I pressed many of them with questions I quickly learned that the vast majority of them had once been members of the same Order that I hailed from. It was remarkable. Many of them were Jedi that had been deemed dead and my historical texts indicated that they were lost in various battles or accidents. Some of them were exiles, cast out by the order because they didn't think in a manner that agreed with the council. Some had never been Jedi at all, but these last were few.

The one common theme among them: they all considered themselves Rogue Jedi.

Each one of them wore a strangely simple, but elegant, armor that seemed largely designed to protect their vital joints. The strangest thing I noticed was that none of them carried a lightsaber. I was informed that they had shunned their lightsabers as a result of the symbolism of the weapon and tool. They were immediately regarded with fear and apprehension when they carried them as people were unsure of whether they were Jedi or Sith. It was and remains a common problem for those of us that wield the Force, but for them to shun it outright, well, I find that fascinating.

In addition, this Order, as it was most certainly a tight knit Order, sought to destroy the darkness of the galaxy. It was their opinion that the Jedi Order had lost its ability to be what it was meant to be because of its association with the Republic. They believed that the Jedi were corrupted by their deference to politicians and military forces. I disagreed, of course, but they said they didn't care since I wasn't one of them.

In addition to all of this, I found a disturbing trend. These beings were ingesting, in a way, a part of their foe. Not literal ingestion, of course. I use the word symbolically. In the case of this group, I found them mixed with the blood of pure-born Sith though transfusion. How they had come across such a thing I do not know. They insist this was done to strengthen their tie to their enemy. According to them, they have become stronger through doing this, and more capable of facing their foes and thinking like them than ever before. Their records indicated numerous battles with Remnant Sith forces on Rim worlds, all victories. It was hard to argue with the facts, though I remained skeptical.

In the end I took my leave of them. I found their methods disturbing. How they could control the darkness within the blood was beyond me, though they seemed able to do just that. I could not bear to be around them longer than a few days, so I fear my record is minimal, but it should be sufficient. I do not expect them to last longer than a dew iterations.

This will, hopefully, be my only encounter with them, this Order of Paladins.

 

[Kamon Vondiranach]

FAQ

What are you?
We are Rogue Jedi, a member unit of the Unified Rogue Order that has existed since before the fall of the Old Republic.

What separates you from other Force User groups?
Unlike the multitude of other FU's on this forum, the Order of Paladins exists outside the bounds of any galactic government. We are not susceptible to their manipulation and beliefs. In addition, we do not strictly abide by their laws, which allows us to complete the tasks that our brethren Jedi are unable to do, such as killing the taint of darkness that stains this galaxy. We act as a group of brothers and sisters, all of us equal, and all of us focused on one goal: destroying evil.

Is it true you do not use lightsabers?
Yes. We utilize Force imbued weapons of a historical nature. Most typical are swords, but a few choose other weapons as well.

What about this ingesting of your enemies?
Some of us still participate in this ritual though it is not required. To know your enemy you must, in a way, become them. In our historical records we have faced many enemies and defeated them through this method. Today our greatest foes are the Sith and the Yuuzhan Vong that serve them. Some have chosen to be Vong Shaped for this reason.

Do I have to be a Force User to join you?
No, that is not a requirement. What matters is the goal. So long as you seek to destroy the darkness, and embrace the rest of us as your brothers and sisters, then we do not care if you use the Force or not. You will be one of us and we will all bleed for you.

Why do you say brothers and sisters?
The Order of Paladins isn't a mere order of Force Users. We are not a bunch of simple individuals loosely banded together. We form a bond with one another that is shared across the galaxy and for all time. We are a family. No individual is more important than the next, and when one of us falls, we ensure that the one responsible falls. If one of us is captured, we stop at nothing to rescue them. Each one of us is important in the battle against evil.

How does one join this order?
The exact parameters are a secret known only to the First Siblings, the eldest of our numbers, though many of them are quite young. Most of us do not live to old age. However, if you wish to join us, you must seek us out. We will not come to you, you must come to us.

Do you use the darkside?
Use of the darkside is strictly forbidden. Anyone caught utilizing it is exiled from the group.

If you are truly focused on destroying evil, to what lengths will you go?
Anything short of falling to the darkside itself is considered acceptable. For the good of the galaxy, we will be the outcast, the shunned, the hated and the feared.