OUT OF CHARACTER INFORMATION
GENERAL INFORMATION
- Unit Name: Circle of Izlechivat.
- Affiliation: Shadow Knights, Vashyada.
- Classification: Infantry.
- Sentinel armour.
- Verpine shield.
- Energy bow or bowcaster.
- Quarterstaff
- Talon Vibrodagger
- Vibroblade, tomahawks/vibro-axes.
- Wrist Bolter, vac blade.
- Blaster/slugthrower/sonic/flechette pistols or Magnetic Revolver.
- ABC scramblers, smoke grenades, flashbang, sonic imploder, Dampener aerosol.
- Force-focusing visor, grappling spike launchers.
- Lightbow
- Dart Gun (variable chemical payload).
- Berserk.
- Verpine Shattergun
- Monomolecular Energy Chordedhttp://starwars.wikia.com/wiki/Monomolecular_energy_chord Combat Knife
COMBAT INFORMATION
- Availability: Unique.
- Deployment: Minor.
Strengths & Weaknesses:
The Circle of Izlechivat is a group composed of Force-Sensitive Vashyada. One could consider them the modern equivalent of druids. In terms of power level, the group is composed of experienced Knights. In terms of skill set they are specialists rather than generalists, being focused on some esoteric applications of the Force. To a large extent, their abilities are nature-themed. However, their experiences in the Netherworld have left a dark taint on the group, making them outcasts to their fellow Vashyada. Their members are grey or dark side Force-Users. They focus on terramancy, animal friendship, and force drain. Moreover, they can use the Force for physical enhancement, utilise Force Weapon and Force Affliction. They are adept at blending into forests and similar environments.
However, as a tradeoff the members of the Circle lack long range rifles, heavy weapons such as rotary cannons, heavy repeating blasters, missile launchers or grenade launchers. Nor do they carry lightsabres. The energy bows they carry would have a lower rate of fire than a decent blaster rifle, as the arrows can be fired only as fast as the user can pull the string. Bowcasters are more powerful and accurate than the average blasters, but have a lower rate of fire, lower range and are heavier. The members of the Circle lack the tanking abilities of more direct combat based Force-users such as those of the Jedi Guardian or Sith Warrior type. Thus their defensive abilities are fairly basic. Lacking lightsabres they cannot deflect salvoes of blaster fire or reflect it back to the shooters. Their armour is decent, but only provides protection against glancing blows from lightsabres, not full-on impacts. It is vulnerable to heavy weapons such as laser cannons, heavy blasters, thermal detonators and so on, as it is fairly standard duraplast combat armour.
They do not possess the weapons needed to go up against 'heavy' formations such as tanks. They would be vulnerable to long range bombardment and snipers. They are not meant to lead a charge on an enemy position or crack a bunker on their lonesome. Likewise, they are not slicers, pilots or artillerists. They are a support unit that should be deployed as an auxiliary force to help others. While they are trained to defend themselves without the aid of the Force, ysalamiri take away their greatest advantage. Being deprived of their powers would weaken them significantly.
Description:
The Netherworld Event had profound repercussions for almost every world in the Galaxy. In the blink of an eye, trillions of sentient beings were raptured and found themselves in the underworld. Great empires suddenly found their control over their territories greatly diminished. A vicious scramble ensued, as the major and minor powers struggled to regain control over their domains - or expand into those of their weakened neighbours. It was a harsh Darwinian selection. At the same time, the Force was thrown out of balance. For a while, Force-Sensitives were at great risk if they called upon it. Or unable to do so entirely.
Though isolated from the rest of the Galaxy, Tygara was affected by this calamity as well. Thus it came to pass that a number of Vashyada suddenly awoke and found themselves in the cold, foreboding underworld, having been pulled from the deep forest of Yarkul. Doubtless this was a frightening experience for the wood elves. Tylania, their prophetess and demigoddess, was able to use her powers to reach many of her lost children and guide them back to Tygara. The calamity convinced her that Tygara's long isolation was coming to an end and that it was time for her to take a more active role to guide and protect her people.
However, not all could be reached this way. Some gave in to despair and madness. Others succeeded in finding their own way out. The Circle of Izlechivat was one of those groups. The Circle did not exist prior to the rapture. Izlechivat means rejuvenation or recovery in Prosbia, the most common Vashyada dialect. It was a fitting name since the druids, many of whom came from different Vasyhada clans and thus had had little contact with each other before, found themselves in the wastes of the underworld. Their leader was a druid from the Redleaf Clan called Sasaef. A passionate and dedicated woman, she had once been seen as a promising druid and possible priestess.
Having banded together to survive these tribulations, they formed close bonds. What they experienced in the underworld challenged many of their old viewpoints. Especially since it put them into contact with various alien races they had never met before, opening their eyes to the worlds that lay beyond Tygara. However, being trapped in the Netherworld and tormented by the horrors inside left its mark upon the wood elves. Some were driven into a state of insanity and became a danger to the group, forcing it to take action against them. When they were trapped inside a maze, sirens attempted to lead them into temptation and turn them against their fellows. Safaef proved herself a determined, but increasingly ruthless leader.
The compromises that this realm forced upon them left its mark upon the members of the Circle, tainting them. It caused them to stray from the path they had been taught by the priestesses of Tylania. Their purity in the Vash, as their people call the Light Side of the Force, waned as they drew upon the Drush, which is the Vashyada word for the Dark Side. This would also diminish their ability to call upon the Light to heal themselves, forcing them to resort to dark healing instead. Their connection to the land also atrophied. To the predominantly Light Side Vashyada, the Force is all about healing, protection and preservation of nature. Thus they actively seek out and persecute those among their people who follow the Dark Side, though they do not let this turn into killing.
By the time the Circle of Izlechivat had escaped the Netherworld through a portal, their experiences had changed them. They found themselves on an unknown forest world, similar and yet different to Yarkul. A overwhelming grief and sorrow overcame them as they stepped through the portal, as they remembered what they had lost. However, they soldiered on. Saseaf, who was by now their unofficial leader, took charge, proclaiming they had done what was needed to ensure their survival. The deep forests of Dathomir contained wonders and terrors alike. Their experiences in Yarkul and skill at taming wild beasts helped them survive.
Inevitably they came across natives. The Circle encountered both the lightsided Witches of Dathomir and their dark twin, the Nightsisters. If they had made the acquaintance of the Dathomiri under different circumstances, they would have bonded with the Witches. However, though their first encounter with the Nightsisters was a hostile on, Sasaef came to respect their strength. After seeing the light and dark of the sky people, the Circle concluded that the light was hopelessly naive and passive compared to the despair and darkness of the Dark. Nature was struggle and Mother Forest was not kind. Their martial skills earned them the grudging respect of their Nightsister attackers.
Eventually they were able to secure transport with some merchants who occasionally came to Dathomir to trade with the locals. However, Tygara was unknown to the offworlders. Even if it had not been, the druids would not have had the means to pay them to fly them there. Having only a limited amount of items they could barter, Saraef used her powers to 'persuade' the foreigners to help them. Thus began what could be described as an odyssey. For a while they were caught up in the chaos of the One Sith-Republic War. Doubtless the horrors of industrialised warfare had a profound effect on them, for slaughter on such a scale was unknown to the Vashyada, both due to lack of technological development and a culture of restraint. For a while they covered their costs by acting as mercenaries. They also tried to seek out more peaceful ventures, using their powers of plant surge to make things grow and thus help agriculture on devastated worlds. But these activities became rarer over time. Their talents were more suited to destruction than peaceful creation.
One group of smugglers tried to rip them off by promising they could bring them back to their homeworld, but then turned out to be slavers looking for chattel to sell on the market. However, though largely ignorant of modern tech, the druids turned out to not be the helpless prey the slavers had thought and were able to overpower their attackers. When they rescued the cartel's captives, they realised that there were fellow elves among them. However, these elves were less hardy, spoke a different language and had different traditions. They were not Vashyada, but Eldorai. From them the druids learned about Kaeshana, its destruction and the Eldorai exodus. Some of them had been agents of the Shadow Knights, a group of Eldorai renegades. Seeking to connect with people who were kin and sensing an opportunity, the Circle joined them.
However, life among the Shadow Knights was far from idyllic. Living conditions in the nomad fleet were cramped, resources were scarce and rationing was in effect. The renegades often had to resort to raids to sustain themselves. Moreover, the coalition was fractured along ideological lines, with three major blocs vying for influence. This impeded coordination, as charismatic leaders from radical parties sought to take control over portions of the fleet, threatening to split it into mini fiefdoms. The nomad fleet suffered in confrontation with raiders such as the Kraal due to this. Civilians increasingly resented being treated as second class members of society that were denied full political rights. The mobilisation of workers into labour brigades also aroused discontent. There were calls to 'finish the revolution' - whatever that meant.
These conflicts were exacerbated by the fact that the Eldorai lack a liberal tradition - or a tradition of resolving disputes peacefully through debate and compromise. Their culture tends to become extreme in implementing a mode of government, be it republic, theocracy or monarchy. In addition, there is a strong disposition towards glamourising violence that is performed in service of a 'righteous cause' and a tendency towards ideological hairsplitting. Furthermore, revolutions are not conducive to moderation, as they favour the radical element. The need to band together for mutual survival could supersede historical grievances for a while, but not indefinitely.
Conflict erupted into violence when the rebel military junta sought to impose tighter controls over the regular armed forces, the economy and Force-users serving in the military. The result of this was rebellion. Ultimately, the junta was able to prevail, but several Shadow Knights were banished or left the fleet of their own volition to pursue their fortunes independently, contributing to the Scattering of the Eldorai people. Other renegades were executed, as the Shadow Knights regard long-term incarceration as wasteful.
Ironically, the Tygaran formations, long disdained by more xenophobic Eldorai as primitives, played an important role in the resolution of the conflict. Lacking a clear attachment to any of the Eldorai-centric parties, they were wild cards whose services did not come for free. The Circle of Izlechivat was one of these units and put itself at the disposal of the military régime and the Archon who headed it. Being a good support unit, they helped suppress the rising. Their abilities to drain or debilitate opponents were particularly useful in the fight. However, their actions pushed them further away from the teachings of their foremothers as they drew upon the Dark Side to slay their enemies.
By the time the Circle run into loyalist Vashyada again, there was a large gulf between them. While the mainstream Vashyada regarded them as corrupted, the renegade Circle regard its kindred as too naive and hidebound. The Circle still have respect for nature, but their veneration for it has taken on a darker, more twisted side. Mother Nature is, after all, not kind and gentle. The gender ratio of the unit is roughly even. The Vashyada lack the sexist beliefs of their cousin races, so this is how they are used to fighting. They are supervised by the Court of the Four Elements, which is responsible for regulating Force-Sensitive Shadow Knights.
