Sic transit gloria mundi
OUT OF CHARACTER INFORMATION
Intent: Codify a Qadiri Force tradition referenced in rp.
Image Credit: Here. Here.
Canon: N/A.
Permissions: N/A.
Links: Teaching Resilience, The Sin of Pride, Siobhan, Qadiri, Eldorai, Xioquo, Shahbânu Semiramis, Kaeshana, Eldorai Exodus, Twilight of the Goddess, Order of Fire, House Kerrigan-Alcori, Siobhan Kerrigan, Firemane, Hazani Jai Bysara, Keepers of Azali's Sacred Flame, Yazgid, Ashiranism.
GENERAL INFORMATION
Tradition Name: Sistren of the Eternal Flame.
Tradition Type: Monastic, Warrior.
Tradition Focus: Spiritual, Physical/Elemental.
Influence: Minor.
Orientation: Balanced.
Influence Area: Tygara.
Symbol:
A cauldron type container with flames coming out the top. The Eternal Flame, called Atar by the Qadiri, symbolises the invisible and visible fire as well as the unburning and burning fire.
Description: The Sistren of the Eternal Flame are a martial order of Qadiri fire mages who serve the Goddess Azali. Qadiri society has strong theocratic tendencies. Force powers are regarded as a gift from deities, and so those who manifest preternatural powers are seen as blessed. This has given cults such as the Sistren and the Celestial Dragons, a sect of Qadiri aeromancers, a lot of political and economic influence. The order expects discipline from its members. The punishments for cowardice, betrayal, desertion, corruption or any acts that would bring the sect into disrepute are draconian.
The order has a long history and persecutes those who sully its name. While the order itself has significant holdings, individual Knights are expected to live frugal lives. This includes giving up any claims to titles and domains if they happen to be of noble birth. Religious principles aside, it is also supposed to prevent the sect from being beholden to a specific noble family, keep a member from having divided loyalties or use her connections to exert influence upon the group. This has not stopped the sect from being involved in Qadiri politics. Indeed, the fire mages have led troops into battle against Qadiri states for political and religious reasons.
The Sistren have reluctantly become vassals of Firemane, but are very independent-minded and still determined to reclaim their old glory if given the chance. The Knights' primary role on the battlefield is that of elemental infantry. Their pyrokinetic abilities enable them to cause a good deal of havoc, especially against dense clusters of enemy troops. In that regard they are a good at dishing out damage and excel at crowd control, especially if they pool their powers. Their skills are helpful for clearing bunkers and trenches of enemies and can function as area denial weapons.
Each recruit has to pass the tests of endurance, courage and antipathy. For the first, a sister heads across the blazing summer sands and reach through a hot fire to retrieve a key. For the second, she has to take up a blindfold and fight one of the Fire Sisters with no sight, then remove the blindfold so that she is dazed by the light. In the third trial, she has to resist the ice and cold of a cryomancer to prove her resistance to the power of the ice, which is the obvious antithesis of the holy flame of the Goddess Azali.
At the end of it she is swathed in a burning robe which she is expected to resist the fire from, and become a true sister. A recruit who manages to pass the trials swears the sacred oath, pledging herself to Azali and the Sisterhood mind, body and soul. "To be a Sister of the Flame is to embrace the fire, to be the fire, not to be consumed by it," as High Mistress Sahali Jai Bysara said.
The Sistren of the Eternal Flame are both a military order and a religious Force tradition. They deviate from Kashari orthodoxy, as they believe Azali is the supreme goddess' younger sister rather than daughter. Centuries ago they were persecuted for this belief. The Knights have an impressive command over pyrokinesis. Indeed, fire itself has assumed something of a religious quality for them. The Force is a flame and the blessed can tap into it. Thus they hone their skills to achieve control over fire and utilise it as a weapon, for it is their blessed instrument of purgation. Fire, heat and light give life, but they can just as easily become an all-consuming storm that annihilate whatever stands in its path. Azali is also the goddess of forging, and so several of the Knights have some skill in imbuement and forging.
True to their name, their temple has an 'eternal flame' that is meant to burn indefinitely. This is called atar, which refers to the Qadiri concept of the holy fire. It is described as the burning and unburning fire or the visible and invisible fire. It is tended to by a dedicated priestess and represents the concept of the divine spark. According to their mythology, the most powerful fire is the one that burns in the presence of Azali, forming her divine halo. She bestows grace upon certain blessed individuals, allowing them to tap into their inner flame. Her fire is sacred and those who can manifest it are especially blessed.
The Qadiri refer to the Force as Zari, which is also their word for spirit or soul. They do not subscribe to the dualistic views of Jedi and treat the Force as a tool rather than as an omnipresent energy field that binds all living things together and has a will of its own. The Sistren regard themselves as a sworn community; a covenant of sword-bearers whose members look out for each other. Thus they train rigorously, for they regard themselves as warrior-priestesses. Their belief that they are blessed by a divine power contributes to them being zealous, dedicated fighters on the battlefield and makes them very tenacious.
SOCIAL INFORMATION
Membership: Membership is limited to female Qadiri. The Sisterhood is a martial order with holdings on Tygara. It is essentially the typical feudal protection racket. The Sistren provide protection to local communities, and in turn receive tithes and the right to recruit Force-Sensitive youths who display an aptitude for elemental fire abilities. Membership the order is prestigious and a way out of poverty for low class Qadiri. At the same time it breaks up family units. The life as an acolyte of the Sisterhood is probably a lot less romantic than many young neophytes hoped. It is 25% patrolling or garrison duty, 25% prayer, 25% sleeping on hard beds, 20% training and 5% actual fighting.
Regular training in Force abilities and physical combat is accompanied by long marches, prayer sessions and fasting. As with any military organisation, there is a strong focus on breaking down a recruit's ego and then building them up again so that they can function as part of a well-oiled, cohesive unit. To teach them humility, young recruits have to perform servant work, such as cooking, sweeping the monastery and looking after the animals. They also conduct patrols and deal with wild animals and raiders that menace the peasants and may be called upon to contain wild fires threatening civilians. The discipline that permeates the order is strict, though not cruel. Training is harsh and the instructors are unyielding, but the order has no interest in ruining a recruit.
All acolytes must pass tests of endurance, endurance, courage and antipathy. For the first, they have to head across the blazing summer sands and reach through a hot fire to retrieve a key. For the second, they must take up a blindfold and fight one of the Fire Sisters with no sight, then remove the blindfold so that they are dazed by the light. In the third trial, they must resist the ice and cold of a cryomancer to prove their resistance to the power of the ice, which is the obvious antithesis of the holy flame of the Goddess Azali. At the end of it an acolyte is swathed in a burning robe which she is expected to resist the fire from, and become a true sister of the eternal flame. This is followed by a formal ceremony where a Sister kneels and swears a formulaic vow, pledging herself to the Goddess and the Sisterhood.
The Sisterhood has a military style set of ranks: acolyte, knight, champion, and warden for the regular ranks. The rank of Agha is reserved for a handful of highest ranking knights and then the High Mistress, who acts as overall leader. Upon the death of a High Mistress, a conclave of the officers of the Sisterhood is convened. This general conclave selects an electoral college. The members of the electoral college pray together and then retire. There are always nine electors because that is a sacred number to the Qadiri.
For the duration of the election, the members of the college are locked into a special chamber. Each elector may be accompanied by one servant for housekeeping, secretarial duties, preparation of meals and so on. The electors have thirty days to elect a new leader. If they fail to do so within this time frame, their diet is restricted to bread and water until they agree on a candidate. Usually the electors choose and compromise pretty quickly well before then. Basically, there is a slate of candidates of the right age/qualities/rank drawn up in advance. If no one candidate gets five votes immediately (rare) the lowest are gradually removed until there are two left. It is a simple five-four vote needed then. To make things simple, an elector can be a candidate, but the candidate does not have to be one.
There is a max of eight candidates so at least someone is leading at the start. If there's a tie for lowest straws are drawn and the 'goddess decides'. Once a majority has decided on a candidate, it is custom for the minority to concede and endorse the majority candidate in order to show consensus. Thereafter, the electors return to the assembled chapter, inform the knights of their choice and make them swear an oath of fealty. In turn, the new High Mistress vows to abide by the laws and customs of the Sisterhood and seek the counsel of its senior officers. She is their commander, not a dictator and will be removed from office if she violates their laws.
Motives: The Sistren of the Eternal Flame regard themselves as a knightly order of holy crusaders who protect their fellow Qadiri from and fight for the Kashari faith. Traditionally they regard the Xioquo - the 'Dark Ones' - as their foes, though they have extended this to outside threats ever since the people of Tygara became aware that there is sentient life elsewhere in the galaxy. Within its sphere of influence, it keeps the streets safe, protects pilgrims and gives them sanctuary and defends the holy shrines of the Kashari faith.
This noble mission is one side of the coin. The Sisterhoos is also motivated by a desire to protect its interests and considerable feudal holdings. There are Qadiri settlements that pay tribute to the Sisterhood and it is fully prepared to use force to keep it that way. Their long-term goal is to reclaim their old glory. Here it might be pertinent to ask whether the Sistren are motivated by the faith or power and gold. truth, they are motivated by both. Sentient beings are complex, and many Qadiri believe in their religion. The Sisterhood has produced many knights equally driven by gold, glory and the Goddess.
Rules and Teachings: The Sistren follow Qadiri beliefs in regards to the Force. In their language it is called Zari, which is also their word for spirit or soul. To them it is a gift from the goddesses. Once an adept has joined the sisterhood, their jobs are set for life. This is common for Qadiri societies, as Force users are generally taken in by either the state or the temple once their abilities manifest. The Force is seen as a tool to be used, and sometimes it backfires when one falls and uses their powers for their own ends.
To the Sistren, the Force is a flame. They describe it as the burning and unburning fire. They view fire - and clean water - as an agent of purity and as a symbol of righteousness and truth. Xioquo are traditionally viewed as antithetical to it, and are likened to the forces of darkness, frost and cold. As followers of Azali, the Sistren conduct their prayers in the presence of light. Typically this is fire. It is tradition to pray towards the flame or their hearth to connect with the Goddess and instill their souls with righteousness. Azali worshippers believe there are three great fires - that of warriors, that of priestesses and that of peasants. All three came into being at the dawn of creation and were kindled by Azali herself.
The eternal flame is sacred because it represents the essence of Azali. The Sistren believe that particularly enlightened adepts of Azali can see visions in the flames. This is seen as the divine revelation of Azali, which is manifested in the sacred flames. They do, however, admit that these visions can be misinterpreted. A fire is light every morning at first light, and the adepts come together to welcome the coming of the sun.
While the Sistren do not regard the Force as a sentient energy field that binds the universe together, their beliefs have a strong element of mysticism. Religion is a powerful motivating force, and most believe in their faith. They follow the traditional religion of the Qadiri, but with a twist. Like most Qadiri, they regard the Goddess Kashara as the supreme deity, but acknowledge others under her rule. However, they believe that the fire goddess Azali was Kashara's younger sister rather than her daughter. This was the cause of accusations of heresy and crusades in the past, as their views were regarded as dangerously orthoddox. This is not to say that every Sistren is devout...but those who are not will at least pretend to believe. The Sisterhood enforces its teachings and young acolytes are raised on scripture.
The Sisterhood is run in accordance with military discipline. The punishments for cowardice, betrayal and desertion are draconian. There are strong rules against taking advantage of those under the order's protection - up to and including capital punishment for lawbreakers. The worst will be thrown down a cliff that has been nicknamed Traitor's Fall. Those who join its ranks must give up material wealth and worldly titles.
This is particularly pertinent when say a noblewoman joins. All Knights must devote themselves to the order and the Goddess, which means they cannot have dual loyalties. All Sistren swear a sacred oath by the Goddess Azali, which must supersede any allegiance to clan, region or state. This is particularly pertinent when Qadiri from rival clans or states find themselves among the ranks of the Sistren. To break such a sacred oath is not only treason, but heresy that damns a woman's soul.
Reputation: Well-known on Tygara, but incredibly obscure beyond it. Among their fellow Qadiri, they have acquired a reputation for being (mostly) fair. The Sistren cannot really solely on force to spread their teachings and expand their holdings, so they must use respect and persuasion. Their power is largely generated through personal relationships, which means vassals ought to fight for them because they have a personal relationship with the Sistren, who have resolved disputes for them, come to their aid in times of need and not broken faith with them. The Sisterhood has made a point of not fighting other Qadiri unless it was threatened or its interests were at stake...though it can also be flexible when it comes to interpreting what that actually means.
Thus it has acquired its share of foes. Liberal or revolutionary Qadiri who want to move away from the rule of throne and altar may acknowledge the bravery and combat prowess of the Sistren, but denounce the system they uphold as antiquated, feudalist and despotic. An example would be the Stardriven, a Qadiri faction formed by former slaves.
The Amikarese Empire is the exact opposite of liberal and ruled by a manipulative despot, but views the Sistren as a foe since they oppose Semiramis' ambitions to bring all Qadiri under her rule. Firemane views the Sistren as useful, but problematic. The Sisterhood rose up in revolt against Firemane, and while it was brought to heel, it is clear the Sistren do not want to remain the foreigners' vassals forever.
However, they still have a lot of prestige among the Qadiri and so it was more beneficial to make them vassals, despite the risk. Firemane hopes to mould the leader of their deceased leader to one day become a useful vassal, but she clearly has a mind of her own. The Order of Fire and the Sistren have organised cross-training and exchanges though.
Openness: The Sistren are a knightly order and thus operate openly. Moreover, they exert temporal power in their 'sphere'. The locals know that the Sistren protect them - and in turn demand tribute and oaths of fealty. Thus their identities are not secret. Indeed, this would be counterintuitive since they recruit openly in Qadiri towns and villages under their influence.
The Sistren have a rather sophisticated propaganda machine that aims to spread their message and foster a positive view of their deeds. While the Tygarans have become aware of the greater galaxy on a general level, the lives of many ordinary Qadiri peasants and clans have remained unchanged and they lack the modern conveniences many people in the galactic Core take for granted. In such an environment, the Sistren can make a genuine impact by stopping fires, providing protection and the blessings of the goddesses.
Moreover, having a family member join the order increases a family's status and can lift it out of poverty. The Sistren themselves are not a large group, but they also employ clerks, scribes, servants, mercenaries and so on. Indeed, the order can muster a force of levies, sellswords and knights that is larger than the number of actual Sistren. These warriors are not considered part of the order, but regarded as warriors who can earn merit in the eyes of the Goddess nonetheless.
The Sistren have often participated in holy wars against the enemies of the faith, fighting alongside other Qadiri states and martial orders as mercenaries and holy knights. They are more reluctant to share their teachings with outsiders. The Sistren are explicitly a Qadiri order of knighthood, so the idea of trying to recruit say humans or Twi'leks would not enter their mind. The Sistren would be baffled - and rather irritated - by Jedi or Sith teachings. They have organised some cross-training exercises and exchanges with the Order of Fire, though the relationship between both orders is not harmonious.
SKILLS INFORMATION
Characteristic Equipment: A Force Imbued melee weapon - often a sword, but also a scimitar, polearm, spear or long metal shafted glave - is the distinctive weapon of the Sistren. Azali is also the goddess of the forge, so a great amount of care goes into forging and enchanting each weapon. Lightsabres were unknown on Tephrike prior to the coming of the sky people, but the Qadiri became exceptionally advanced in using the Force to imbue weapons.
The best of their warriors may don armour that has been similarly enchanted by the Force, but this it only available to a select few. They receive jewellery of some form marked with their sigil. Ring, necklace etc. Something with high melting point. Each acolyte receives a copy of the 'Testament of the Divine Azali', their holy book. The Sistren did fight as knights on the backs of Yazgid, and learning how to train one of the lizard beasts is still common.
The Qadiri had already introduced gunpowder weapons prior to first contact, and trade with the sky people has led to the introduction of modern firearms. Thus these days Sistren will be taught to utilise blasters and slugthrowers, though a trainer may still have them start out with a musket to teach them a lesson. Graphite, energy and lightbows have also been introduced to replace old fashioned bows.
Notable Force Skills: As the name implies, the Sistren of the Eternal Flame focus on harnessing elemental fire shaping abilities. They are powerful fire shapers who possess a special expertise for all things firey, which their most potent adepts can employ to devastating effect on the battlefield. This goes hand in hand with a knack for abilities such as Tapas, Alter Environment and Tutaminis.
Air shaping abilities are less of a focus, but are by no means unheard of, since the ability to manipulate wind meshes well with an aptitude for pyromancy. The same applies to using earth shaping to manipulate sand and magma. Azali is not just the goddess of fire and the desert, but also of forging. Thus the tradition attracts practitioners with a talent for Force imbuement. These adepts use their talents to forge and enchant melee weapons, talismans, amulets and even suits of armour in order to grant them preternatural qualities. Force Meld is also not an uncommon skill. The Sisterhood is an order of soldiers, who fight as a unit, and so they value a talent that allows them to enhance their cohesion.
Notable Force Limitations: The obvious counterpoint to fire is water and ice. The Sisterhood is all about harnessing the flames of Azali, so one will not really find cryomancers in the ranks of the Sistren. Moreover, while Qadiri do not view the Force in the manner of Jedi or Sith, the concept of the forbidden, dark arts is not unknown to them. Techniques such as using biological alchemy to create horrible monstrosities or employing necromancy are something they would associate with the witchcraft of the Xioquo.
The same applies to necromancy and Essence Transfer, as both violate Kashari precepts on life. The self-image of the Sistren is that of knights who win glory on the battlefield and smite the enemies of the faith. As such, stealth-orientated Force techniques would be rare since they do not fit the mind set.
MEMBERS
Hazani Jai Bysara - The daughter of the murdered High Mistress Sahali Jai Bysara. Hazani was born into a noble family, but when she was very young she and her mother were shipwrecked. Stranded in the wilderness, they were forced to survive in a harsh environment, with her mother drawing upon her until now neglected Force training. During this time her mother found the faith, praying to Azali for strength and guidance. When Hazani was abducted by bandits, Sahali used her powers to smite the nomads and free her. Both received aide from the Sistren.
Sahali experienced a spiritual awakening and decided to join the sect, renouncing her noble title and her inheritance. This led Hazani in an awkward position at home. She grew up on stories of her mother's valorous deeds and sought her approval, which contributed to her joining the sect. However, Sahali showed her no favouritism. Indeed she pushed her harder than other acolytes. Hazani fought in several battles against Xioquo, Qadiri and pirates. Ultimately, she sided with her mother and the League in the Krolis War, pitting her against Firemane.
Young Hazani has a lot to live up to. Her mother Sahali Jai Bysara was a hero to the Qadiri people and, casts a long shadow that her child has found it difficult to escape from. Now Hazani is expected to carry on her legacy. Moreover, as part of the terms of the rather lenient peace treaty, she is a 'guest' of House Kerrigan-Alcori. Siobhan has treated her honourably but it is clear that she intends to use her. However, the young Qadiri is an ambitious girl and determined to leave her own mark.
Hazani believes that not all involved in her mother's betrayal have been brought to justice. Hazani has conflicted feelings about Siobhan. Hazani impetuously engaged the Lady Kerrigan in battle and was defeated. Then Siobhan crossed blades with her mother. If Siobhan had not gone to war against the League, Hazani's mother would not have been murdered. Yet she also avenged Sahali's death. Hazani knows that Siobhan is a ruthless woman who views her as a tool, but at times also shows her affection that borders on maternal. Hazani has realised that in a jungle full of dangerous beasts, it is best to be on good terms with the lioness.
Mahtab Jai Sayyada (NPC) - she has been nicknamed the forgemistress. Mahtab is a blacksmith, armourer and alchemist whose main occupation is forging armour and weapons. She foregoes flashy Force powers. Like all Sistren, she can manipulate fire and heat, but she focuses on using it for utility and forging instead of hurling fireballs or summoning firestorms. She is a talented material alchemist and metalworker, but has no interest in biological alchemy since it violates tradition.
She conveys authority and commands a room in a graceful, understated way. Woe to a knight who loses her Force enchanted sword in battle. Mahtab takes her craft very seriously, treating it with something close to religious devotion. However, she is also a skilled melee combatat. She used her blacksmithing tools to take out a team of Firemane soldiers who had dared to intrude upon her forge. Mahtab is very well-versed in Qadiri traditions, including ancient songs. She has ancient forging songs she sings whilst she forges which makes it almost a performance art.
Nazanin Jai Asada (NPC) - Courage and zeal are good, but soldiers march on their stomach. In order to smite evil and fight in holy wars, the Sistren need all manners of things that do not rain from heaven like mana. They need boots that can withstand wear and tear, provisions, medical supplies and weapons. They need an infrastructure to provide all these things, accountants to manage the stream of revenue, and officials to identify and process potential recruits. Nazanin is not the type of Sister who will earn glory on the battlefield. She owns a Force-Imbued Blade, but it has rarely been drawn in anger. Instead she administrates the feudal holdings of the Sisterhood.
She is a multiple generation knight whose ancestors have held the role for several generations. She earned her spurs by modernising the Sisterhood's accounting operations. Her world is one of statistics, graphs and charts. Nazanin has the unenviable role of having to deal with Firemane officials monitoring the payment of the indemnity the sky people imposed on the Sisterhood. At the same time, she is creative when it comes to obfuscating the Sisterhood's assets. Ironically, she has employed modern bookkeeping techniques to accomplish that. Moreover, she has set up illegal hoards of weapons. She has purchased a protocol droid to serve as her assistant and understands it is just a machine, not a metal demon. The droid is particularly useful since it is good at playing the part of the stereotypical, fussy protocol droid, but is actually an excellent accountant. The droid has a T3 series utility droid as a colleague, who helps run their computers and communications. Some Sistren are still unnerved by the metal demon, but most accept it.
Zashana Jai Rakaa (NPC) - a cleric of Kashara who experienced a vision of Azali when she looked into the flames. It made her decide that the Sistren are the true path. Zashana is not a pacifist, but believes a priestess is forbidden from shedding blood. This is a personal code, not a general rule. She uses a mace and elemental powers in combat. Zashana is not just a holy warrior though, but a theologian and a teacher. She sees to the spiritual education of knights and blesses their weapons and armour. Moreover, she has written several theological treatises on the nature of the divine sisterhood of Kashara and Azali. The two goddesses being sisters is part of the Sistren's canon, but Zashana takes it a step further by postulating that a divine force made them both.
Implying there is a divine force that created them implies it is a being of will and purpose which existed before the goddesses, which is very heterodox. She has talked about her theories with Eldorai Arrynists, an Ashiran fringe movement that is considered heretical by the orthodox Church of Ashira. Zashana is a woman of insurmountable faith - and she is sincere about it. As is common among the Sistren, she has no love for Firemane and resolutely disapproves of the cultist worship Siobhan Kerrigan receives from certain Qadiri. To her it is idolatry, and she has preached against it.
Kalara Jai Azal (NPC) - A daughter of a knight, orphaned when her mother was killed and now raised by the order. Her mother died about fifteen years ago during a campaign against a Xio fortress, when she was torn apart by an enemy artillery bombardment. She carries a diamond made from the ashes of her mother. As a young acolyte, Kalara trained alongside Hazani. Both defended the monastery together when it was assaulted by a Xio raiding party while most of the more experienced knights were away on campaign. She fought bravely in defence of her home.
But now they are officially at 'peace' with the Xio, and her friend has to serve under the humans of Firemane. She holds a grudge against the 'Dark Ones' though. Kalara likes gardening, specifically melons. It is one of her favourite pasttimes. The children of an orphanage sponsored by the Sistren are particularly fond of her since she brings them melons from her garden when she visits.
Makala Jai Masna (NPC) - A soldier of Amikaron disgusted by their decadence who sought out the Knights as a martial test and a spiritual test. Makala is a warrior of great skill and peerless honour. She comes from a knightly family with a long tradition serving as Cataphracts, so her defection caused a bit of a stir. She is strongly opposed to Shahbânu Semiramis, the so called 'Sun Empress'. She regards her appeasement of and collaboration with the sky people as craven. To her the sky people are not benevolent saviours and bringers of wisdom, but would-be foreign overlords who look down on her people.
Makala does not blame Hazani for having to work with the outsiders, but has no love for Firemane. She is a godly soldier who fought in the Krolis War and made herself a name battling Firemane and Amikarese troops. She is quite unhappy about the conflict's outcome. She does not like humans much and is not shy about saying it. Moreover, she cannot abide corruption.
She is motivated by a strong sense of justice and she has made herself a name enforcing it in the domain of the Sistren. Her form of justice is harsh, but fair. She feels her views are better represented by the code of the Knights. Makala admires Sahali and was drawn to the Sistren by her example. She is still carrying the fallen heroine's torch.
Caspara Jai Azali (NPC) - a senior member of the Keepers of Azali's Sacred Flame. As a sign of her devotion to the Goddess of Fire, Caspara has given up her family name and adopted that of her chosen deity. This is not unusual among Qadiri clerics and is considered a sign of dedication rather than blasphemous. Caspara served in the order alongside Sahali. The two were sisters in arms, but also competitors. Ironically, she was one of the members of the sect who came to the aid of Sahali and Hazani when they were being menaced by bandits so many years ago.
Caspara has a strong command of fire and earth. Although a strong Force User, she was in the shadow of the more dashing Sahali and a bit jealous of her. However, Caspara is also more level-headed. Having been elected as leader of the order after Sahali's murder, she must balance the interests of Firemane and of her own followers. She walksa fine line, but is very protective of her order's rights and determined to rebuild its power. But her path is a gradual one. Caspara is critical of Sahali's decisions, believing her ambitions put the order in jeopardy. She feels affection for Hazani, but is also wary because she realises that Lady Kerrigan is using the girl as leverage. She is an old hand at the game.
HISTORICAL INFORMATION
The Qadir civilisation on Tygara evolved in isolation from Jedi, Sith and other galactic cults. As a result, the 'sand elves' have their own religious traditions, and views on the Force. Their culture has spawned a plethora of cults, secret societies and knightly orders. Moreover, it has strong theocratic tendencies. The roots of the Sistren lie in a Kashari cult that subscribed to beliefs declared a heresy by the Kashari Church. While the Qadiri regard Kashara as the supreme deity, they recognise over gods and goddesses beneath her. One of them is Azali, goddess of fire, the desert and forging. For orthodox Kashari Kashara is the creator deity.
The faith was something the Qadiri took very seriously. It was an object of intense, meaningful and honest devotion. This could spawn great works of learning, art, humanitarian relief and law, but also drive its adherents to commit horrible acts of violence. The forebears of the Sistren espoused the belief that Azali was the younger sister of the Great Goddess Kashara rather than her daughter. This was obviously heresy since Kashara was the creator. If she had a sister she must have had a mother. Therefore this could not be. The spiritual founding mother of this heresy was Maryam Jai Azali, a priestess of the cult of Azali. To make an example of her, she was incerated.
The Sistren claim she spent her last days comforting her visiting followers, providing encouragement by reminding that all her death meant was the return of her soul to Kashara's flames. According to their scriptures, her executioners had intended to burn the prophetess alive, but the flames would not hurt her. Fearful, her killers decided to employ an incredibly brutal execution method called scaphism. Supposedly she was trapped between two boats, fed and covered with milk and honey. She eventually festered and was devoured by insects and vermin. Amikarese records state she was burnt alive. Regardless, the cultists were declared heretics by the Amikarese Empire, the largest Qadiri state on Tygara. They had to flee to the mountains to escape persecution at the hands of Church and State.
It was an arduous march through the desert, as the sea was closed to them. Many perished on the way. However, led by Azadeh Jai Khaleda, the survivors found the mountain's top plateau. The cultists were pursued, but held their ground and defeated their attackers several times. They were then to be starved out but a rare rainstorm gave them water and under cover of night the cultists slipped down what was now Traitor's Fall and attacked the camp of the Amikarese. Calling upon Azali's flame, they killed many of the Amikarese soldiers by surprise. After this their enemies withdrew, and left them battered but alive.
To the survivors, this day showed that their cause was blessed by Kashara and Azali. They vowed to follow the true laws of the Goddess, and guard the Goddess' flame. From now on they were the Sistren of the Eternal Flame. Over the coming decades, the knightly order expanded out by a mixture of carrot and stick, taking nearby settlements under their wing by providing protection in exchange for food and the right of conscription. In essence, it was a typical feudal protection racket. Those who refused to pay the tithes were made an example of to incentivist them. However, the Sistren proved popular enough since they were mostly good to their word and passed judgements in accordance with legal precedent and local customs. They attained some popularity when they used their powers to protect Neshapur from a great fire. At the same time, their small mountain fort grew into a veritable fortress. They called the Citadel of the Venerated Azali. It became their home, their temple and a place of training.
As part of the feudal contract, the Sistren secured the right to induct Force-Sensitive youths into their order. Their agents scoured settlements for young recruits blessed by the inner flame of Azali. For Qadiri families, it was a mark of prestige to have a Force User in the family. It was particularly attractive for low class Qadiri, as it offered them a ticket out of crippling poverty. Slaves who manifested Force affinity were drafted by the temple and could thus be set free. However, it also broke family units apart. The Sistren also purchased slave children to raise them as acolytes and servitors.
The order had to defend itself against several crusades. Change in government and orthodoxy eventually rehabilitated their order and they were more free to recruit members but they were still wary of becoming part of any Qadiri state, though they managed to establish ties to sympathetic clerics in Krolis, where the Saoshyant, the nominal head of the Kashari faith, resided. The history of the forebears also left the Sistren with an enduring antipathy for the Amikarese Empire. As was with typical for Qadiri temples and polities, the Sistren took slaves. They were, however, the collective property of the order rather than bonded to an individual. This gave them certain rights even though this rosy image should not detract from the fact that they were often observed in the breach. Abuse is inevitable whenever a sentient being is declared another's property. Some managed to obtain their freedom though.
The Sistren made themselves a name as mercenaries and holy knights, fighting against the Xioquo, the 'hereditary enemy' of the Qadiri. To the Sistren, waging war against the 'Dark Ones', who often launched slave raids against Qadiri settlements, was an obligation from the Goddess. If the pursuit of this holy mission also bolstered the prestige and wealth of the order, that was just a sign of her divine favour. But the order generally refused to fight order Qadiri unless attacked or their interests were threatened. This helped bolter their popularity. Of course, certain High Mistresses could get creative when it came to determining whether something threatened the order's wellbeing and those of its vassals.
During one of their campaigns, the Sistren came across a relic of Tygara's forgotten, primordial past, though they did not know this. Some knights stranded by a sand storm sought refuge in a cave which had become a sinkhole. Down below they found an ancient Rakata site. Only Malika Jai Nazira returned and she was...different. She carried an exotic weapon that she called a sword of light. It is said she was wrathful and destructive in battle, but in peace she talked little except with her new sword which she seemed to whisper in a strange tongue to. Eventually she became unstable, and the Cursed Blade had to be taken from her by force. It is a cautionary tale for young knights.
It was Sahali Jai Bysara who led the order to new heights of power in the modern era. Once she had been a spoilt, carefree noblewoman. But she underwent a religious awakening when she and her daughter were shipwrecked en route to Mansura. Abandoned by the crew and forced to flee, the two were lost in the desert. Sahali had to protect her child, calling upon her rusty combat training to defend and hunt. However, dehydration and malnourishment soon caught up with them. When her daughter grew sick, she prayed to the Goddess for deliverance. Her prayers were heard. The two were eventually saved by Sistren who were on patrol and drove away the bandits pursuing them.
Sahali and her daughter Hazani were able to return to civilisation. But Sahali's had undergone a spiritual rebirth. From now on she had a new calling. Thus she gave up her titles, forsook her wealth and joined the Sistren as an acolyte. However, she did not stay at the bottom for long. Her zeal and combat prowess impressed her fellow Sisters and intimidated their foes. Stories about her fighting desert bandits and Xioquo raiders found their way back home. In a battle between the Sistren and a neighbouring Qadiri state that coveted some of their land, Sahali distinguished herself by rallying infantry that had been shattered by a Yazgid cavalry charge.
It was said her sword caught fire in this battle as she channelled her power. She achieved gained renown when she slew a kraken in a fight with the Xioquo, blinding it with a blast of light before thrusting her spear through its mouth, saving countless captured Qadiri in the process. After passing the trials of fire, she joined the Keepers of Azali's Sacred Flame. This exclusive sect was an elite within the elite. Sahai was now one of the youngest mistresses of the order.
She achieved infamy through her response to the Defiance of House Sassanal. Parisa Jai Sassanal was the head of a Qadiri house that illegally occupied territory the Sisterhood as sacred ground. She also claimed the right to invest clerics of the Temple of Azali. A cleric who had been deposed by Parisa sought refuge in the Citadel, where the Sistren granted her sanctuary. The high lady insisted that she was exercising her rights as mistress of her domain. Thus attempts at diplomacy and gentle persuasion were rebuffed by her. Indeed, one of the ambassadors was seized and later executed by the Sassanals.
The High Mistress of the Sisterhood had succumbed to disease and it was in doubt whether she would survive or if a conclave might be required to choose a successor. However, Sahali unexpectedly took the initiative, refusing to tolerate the temerity of the House of Sassanal. Despite hazardous weather conditions, her forces marched on the residence of the Sassanals. The march was so sudden that Parisa had no time to rally her banners, though she sent out messengers. Nonetheless, she met the Sisters and their retainers in battle with her household forces. The two hosts clashed and she was forced to retreat behind the walls.
Parisa's sister and some knights were captured. They were initially not too bothered by this, as they expected to be ransomed. This was custom when highborn were taken captive. But instead Sahali used them, along with other captives, as human shields and positioned them ahead of her advancing army, forcing the besieged to decide whether to fire on them or not. Many of them were cut down. After raining fire and brimstone down upon the defenders, the Sistren and their allies stormed the city. Parisa and her inner circle barricaded themselves in their villa.
Having sent messengers, they hoped for reinforcements to turn the tide. But Sahali ordered her followers to burn down the villa, for in her eye an example had to be made. As Sahali told her daughter, "They have been found...impious by the will of the Goddess. The only fit punishment for the apostate is fire, Hazani." The villa became a death trap as the flames engulfed it. By the time they receded, House Sassanal had been obliterated. Sahali ordered her soldiers to salt the earth the villa had been built upon. Her actions were immortalised in a song. It is said that when one of Parisa's vassals approached the ruins, Sahali sent a musician to sing it to him. He bent the knee and she pardoned him. Though the brutality of her measured drew censure, order was restored. Later the conclave elected Sahali as the new High Mistress.
She led the Sisterhood in battle once more when the Xio cast their covetuous eye upon Krolis. The Amikarase Empire was engaged in a struggle over the succession. Meanwhile, the incumbent Saoshyant had offended many Qadiri states by trying to enforce ecclesiastical privileges that had been flouted by many of the secular rulers. Sahali, her daughter and a small escort of knights happened to be in Krolis on pilgrimage when a Xioquo invasion fleet advanced upon the city. Krolis was too far away from the citadel of the Sistren for reinforcements to arrive in time.
Once word of the approaching invaders reached the city, panic broke out. However, the Saoshyant kept her nerve, appointing Sahali as the commander of her forces. The battle ended in victory for the defenders, though the victory was hard-fought with many casualties. The Sisterhood does not like to talk about how their leader enlisted Khaimari corsairs to aid the defence. The battle had profound political repercussions. Several Qadiri states banded together to form the League of Krolis.
The arrival of the 'sky people' brought profound changes to Tygara. Sahali and many of her peers distrusted the humans of Firemane, rightly regarding them as foreign imperialists. But they also sought to adapt their technology. The Citadel's defences were upgraded with modern weapons and foreign instructors were hired. The Sistren fought alongside the sky people during the campaign against the Underealm to bring the Xioquo to heel. However, when the Saoshyant died, Shahbânu Semiramis tried to impose her own candidate.
The League of Krolis opposed this, as did the Sisterhood. Two conclaves of clerics elected two different Saoshyants, both of whom denounced the other as a false one. Semiramis petitioned Siobhan for aid, reminding her of their old alliance and the fact that she had never broken her word. Somewhat reluctantly, Firemane's autocratic leader decided to support her. Sahali declared for the League of Krolis, and the Sistren readied for war, rallying their warriors and levies at the Citadel. The League fought a successful, but costly guerrilla campaign against the foreigners and their allies. The Citadel's defences even repulsed a bombing raid.
However, Sahali was pushed into fighting a pitched battle by her allies. She engaged Siobhan Kerrigan in a duel and destroyed her lightsabre, but was eventually beaten and forced to retreat. The battle ended in defeat. The rebels found themselves beleaguered. Divisions appeared in the ranks of the League. A cabal of aristocrats, fearful that a protracted war would bring only ruin to them, conspired to end the war and seek terms with Lady Kerrigan. The scorched earth campaign had taken a toll on their holdings. Ironically, they had been the ones who had urged the League to meet the allies on the battlefield. The conspirators betrayed and murdered Sahali. Her head was presented to Siobhan, but she was disgusted by the betrayal and eprsonally executed the ringleader. The others were put in irons and sent back to the Sisterhood, along with Sahali's remains so it could be given a proper burial.
The Sistren hurled the traitors down the cliff that has gone down in history as Traitor's Fall. In accordance with their traditions, the Sistren incinerated Sahali's remains and placed her ashes in an urn in their crypt. A great statue of her was commissioned, for every visitor to the Citadel to see. The Sistren had to swear fealty to Siobhan, but were pardoned. But then Firemane soldiers and inspectors arrived at the Citadel to verify the Sistren's surrender and that they would abide by the terms of the accord. The Sisterhood had to reduce its arsenal and pay an indemnity. This was a bitter pill to swallow, though more lenient than the terms their foes had pushed for.
However, they had to provide a hostage - Sahali's daughter Hazani. Siobhan herself visited the Citadel. When she beheld the statue made in Sahali's likeness, she asked to be left alone and spent a few minutes in solemn silence before departing. The order has been weakened by the defeat, but is licking its wounds and rebuilding.
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