Igni Irae
OUT OF CHARACTER INFORMATION
Intent: Sub a cool location for Tephrike. Secret Jedi temple for the Dominion.
Image Credit: Here. Romain Jouandeau is credited, but the image cannot be found on their site.
Canon: N/A.
Links: Into Darkness, Dominion of Light, After Darkness, Republican Guard, Firemane, White Current, Hidden Temple.
SETTING INFORMATION
Military Base Name: Temple of the Fallen Grace.
Classification: Hidden Jedi Temple.
Location: Tephrike.
Affiliation: Dominion of Light.
Population: Moderate.
Demographics: The Dominion is multispecies, so there is a good mix of aliens and humans. Alien species include Twi'leks, Duros, Zabrak and even some Houk. Although the Dominion officially rejects speciesism, it is extremely reluctant to give its Nautolan, Mon Calamari or Gungan minions access to the Temple. This is because these species are heavily represented among the Republican Guard. The base is inhabited by Jedi and support personnel.
Accessibility: Very difficult to find or access. Tephrike is an extremely remote planet that has been isolated from the rest of the Galaxy since the outbreak of the Gulag Virus. Moreover, the Temple of Fallen Grace has been set up in a crashed Star Destroyer located in a canyon and surrounded by wilderness. Tephrike's flora and fauna is rather dangerous, which poses a natural hazard to any intruders. Finally, the structure is shielded by a White Current illusion. In terms of function and potency, it can be compared to the one used by the New Jedi Order to conceal the Jedi Praexum on Yavin IV. The illusion shields it from vision and electronics, including automated starship sensors. The easiest way to find the temple might be to look for indirectly rather than directly. After all, any large structure that houses a significant group of people has a supply train. The Temple is not accessible by the public. It is a top-secret installation. The Dominion is a nation at war and it is governed by a dictatorial junta.
Description: The theatrically named Temple of the Fallen Grace is a secret stronghold of the Dominion of Light and the Windian Jedi Order. The Dominion's capital Nexus City suffered severe damage during Firemane's bombardment. One of the casualties was the Jedi Temple. The Dominion has not rebuilt the grand temple, but elected to build an underground base beneath it in order to maintain control of the capital.
However, many Younglings and Padawans have been evacuated from Nexus City. The Temple of the Fallen Grace is supposed to be a sanctuary for them. At the same time, the hidden temple serves as a redoubt for the Dominion's leadership. If need be, the junta can retreat here and continue to prosecute the war effort. Thus this temple relies more on secrecy and stealth than on large armies. Its location is rather unconventional, as the temple has been set up inside the wreckage of an Imperial II-Class Star Destroyer that crashed onto the planet centuries ago.
Unsurprisingly, the vessel has been cannibalised while it lay dormant. Most of its systems have been damaged or destroyed in the crash or scrapped after it. Thus there is no real hope that the warship will ever be able to lift off into space again. Lacking advanced technology, the Tephriki do not have the means to make the attempt and it would be very uneconomical for anyone else to try. The broken battleship is only a sanctuary for the Jedi. The Dominion's engineers have managed to restore power and even activate some of the warship's turbolasers. It would be best not to tax the shields. However, communications, command and control tend to be reliable. The crash site is surrounded by wilderness. Nature has encroached upon the broken warship and the Jedi have let it reign, as it provides a natural camouflage.
The Dominion uses the temple to provide a safe haven for Jedi, especially neophytes, and the upper crust of its leadership. Room has been made to accommodate the influx of Jedi, which has necessitated restructuring the interior of the vessel a bit. Fortunately, a Star Destroyer is designed to accommodate a large garrison of soldiers. Some areas that used to serve other purposes have been appropriated for other purposes. For instance, training facilities have been expanded, meditation chambers and a small clone laboratory has been set up. There is also a cinema where the residents of the Temple can watch propaganda movies that exhort them to give their all in the struggle against the forces of darkness.
The existence of the Temple is a closely guarded secret in the Dominion. Only the most trusted government officials, officers and Jedi are informed of it. Indeed, the Dominion has started building a far grander redoubt in the mountains to obfuscate its true sanctuary. The Jedi Shadows are responsible for safeguarding the secret and silencing those who know too much. To ensure secrecy, the Jedi Inquisition has not hesitated to 'relocate' villages that were too close for comfort, and dispersed the inhabitants after making them undergo Force Persuasion sessions to adjust their memories.
Overall, life in the Temple is Spartan and there are not many creature comforts. The Windian Jedi follow a rather warped interpretation of the old Jedi Code and thus adhere to a vow of poverty. That said, the Dominion is extremely corrupt, as a totalitarian government will inevitably be due to the lack of checks and balances. Droids are not as easily available on Tephrike as on more developed worlds. Conservative Jedi are also a bit sceptical of droids. As a result, many menial tasks that would be done by machines are performed by organic labour. Trainees are expected to pitch in and do their part to maintain the sacred temple.
By the time the Dominion set up shop and repurposed the husk of the Star Destroyer, very few of the vehicles that had been aboard the ship were still in serviceable condition. Many had been taken away to be used in the battles that ravaged Tephrike, others had been stripped of anything useful. However, a few armoured fighting vehicles remained. The Dominion tends to use them in a manner akin to static turrets. Those that have been downed still make useful outposts.
POINTS OF INTEREST
- Command Chamber: Located in the command bridge of the warship, which resembles most Imperial bridges. Some modifications have been made to account for the fact that the Star Destroyer is now longer capable of traversing space, let alone moving at all, and is now a Jedi sanctuary. Originally the Conqueror had a grandiose command throne. However, this was pilfered by looters after the crash. The austere Dominion has not replaced it.
- Chamber of Serenity: While there are smaller meditation chambers spread across the Temple, this is the main one. It serves as a focal point for senior Jedi to channel the energies of the Force. It is the place where the Masters meditated in to create the White Current illusion that cloaks the ship.
- Hall of Penance: Few prisoners are actually kept here. The reasoning for this is that they could pose a security risk. The Temple is supposed to be a sanctuary, after all. Force Persuasion and other forms of mental compulsion are used on the disobedient and the heretic.
- Dormitories: Self-explanatory. Serve as accommodations for the Jedi who reside here. Masters and Knights have larger quarters than mere neophytes, but they are still expected to be Spartan and utilitarian.
- Armoury: Self-explanatory. Weapons and ordinance are stored here.
- Holy Forge: Lightsabres are incredibly rare on Tephrike, so Jedi and Sith alike have returned to using alchemised weapons. Here Jedi can forge Force Imbued melee weapons under the instruction of experienced smiths. The forging process is very ritualised and accompanied by intense meditation and rites.
- Orpheum of Revelation: A hall where patriotic movies are shown. A movie called 300 Martyrs, which depicts the heroic last stand of three hundred Temple Guards against an overwhelming Republican Guard force, is shown quite often. So is Rise of the Light. This movie tells the story of how Luke Skywalker vanquished the dark spirit of the reborn Emperor Palpatine.
- Training Facilities: Here students can hone their martial abilities and strength in the Force. Contains sparring rooms, a firing range, and areas to train in Force techniques. Meditation chambers are also provided.
- Hall of Healing: The medical wing. Due to the planet's long isolation, the Tephriki have had to make do without kolto and bacta, relying on more conventional forms of medicine. Jedi healers see to the needs of the residents. A cloning facility is located in a sealed off, high-security section of the medical wing.
- Library: To master the ways of the Jedi, a member of the Order must open their mind to knowledge. Of course, it has to be the right form of knowledge. They can seek guidance from the teachings of the great masters of the Dominion. Many tomes and holocrons that used to be stored in Nexus City's Jedi Temple have been brought here for safekeeping. The Inqusition's office is adjacent to the library.
- Outpost of the Fallen Colossus: Located outside of the husk of the SD, but still shielded by the illusion. Once known as Ironhound Three, this toppled AT-AT walker now serves as a home and outpost for some Jedi guardians who are charged with keeping watch. They have made themselves at home in the troop compartment much like Rey inhabited a walker on Jakku. An occupant with a sense of humour has nicknamed it Palpatine's Broken Chariot.
High. The illusions combined with the limited entry and defences make it very hard to breach. The wilderness also helps. However, it is a massive crashsite which can be approached from multiple sides.
- The Temple is located inside a canyon and surrounded by wilderness. Moreover, it is concealed by a White Current illusion. This makes it extremely difficult to spot, let laone reach. The illusion makes the warship and thus the temple appear a wreck devoid of life. A White Current illusion canIt also obfuscates bunkers, turrets and traps. A White Current illusion conceals a structure not just from sight, but also electronics, including starship sensors. In addition, the illusion can lead people into traps and warp ther perception of reality. For instance, it can make section of the hull appear solid when there are actually pits or holes. Those not in the know can look forward to a long fall. Of course another experienced White Current user could figure out that magic is at work and start to deconstruct it given sufficient time, effort and focus.
- It is located inside the husk of an Imperial Star Destroyer. A number of the broken warship's old security systems still work. Many corridors have automated lockdown bulkhead. Upon activation, they will seal or cordon off the area in question. Moreover, there are ray shields, cameras and a network of auto-turrets.
- There is a deflector shield, but it is best not to tax it. This can make sustained bombardment a problem, should a foe be able to pinpoint the Temple. A few of the ship's turbolasers and ion cannons still work.
- The Temple is populated and guarded by Jedi warriors. The Dominion's Jedi Order is extremely militant and does not subscribe to pacifist beliefs. It views those that oppose it as infidels who must be smote. Many of the Jedi based here are trainees, but there is a cadre of Knights and Masters. This includes a cadre of illusionists. It is pertinent to note that the Dominion's Jedo use Force Imbued melee weapons rather than lightsabres, though they are pragmatic enough to use guns and wear armour.
- The Dominion was able to salvage some Imperial walkers. They are old and rusty, but still serviceable. However, their age, scarcity of spare parts and fuel means that they are often employed as static turrets that can be moved if needed. This obviously limits their mobility and versatility. Mines have been laid in the mountains overlooking the temple, and turrets have been set up on the ground. However, should the concealment be pierced, the temple would be vulnerable to a determined assault. The Star Destroyer is incapable of leaving the ground. Thus it is just as stationary as any base or structure.
Tephrike has been isolated from the rest of the Galaxy since the outbreak of the Gulag Virus. Originally colonised during the twilight years of the Old Republic, it was subjugated by the Galactic Empire. The human supremacist regime established by the Empire was overthrown with the aid of the Rebel Alliance and the planet emerged as an unstable, multi-species federation. Then the Gulag Virus sent the Galaxy spiralling into chaos. Warlords, Jedi, Sith and rebels vied for power. Prolonged warfare and the use of primitive weapons of mass destruction brought great devastation to the planet. Benign intentions turned to evil over time. Jedi who sought to restore order and reunite the planet fell to the darkness they claimed to oppose, while still believing that their intentions and actions were good. In so doing, they followed in the footsteps of Atris and Joruus C'boath. Believing that they alone could lead Tephrike out of the darkness, they created a theocratic dictatorship.
Renegade Jedi established a Sith cult called the Disciples of the Vader, for they idolised the long-dead Vader as a god and believed it was his will to enslave all those who could not wield the Force and were not human. The Republican Guard, a faction that glorified the Old Republic and staunchly opposed Force-users, was founded by disgruntled clone slave-soldiers and racial minorities that declared war on both Force cults. In between these three extremes, several smaller factions tried to carve out a niche for themselves. The planet was locked in stasis, divided by riven groups trying to recall a past they did not remember. Here, the dark age never ended. The Dominion built Nexus City as its capital. Far away from the ruins of Palmyra, the old capital that had been destroyed during a brutal battle between Jedi and Sith, they could create their perfect society. Every citizen would have a place - and stay in it. It was also the site of the Jedi Temple.
The willow palisade of isolation was broken down by the arrival of Firemane. The Dominion was divided on how to respond to the arrival of the outsiders. A pragmatic faction led by Battlemaster Mahtara advocated accommodation, believing that contact with the off-worlders could help the Dominion advance and defeat its foes for good. However, Grandmaster Aegus disagreed, believing the 'star people' to be demons and manifestations of the dark side. Having been an isolated puppet ruler for so long, he sought to gain true power and fight what he believed to be the final battle between good and evil. He was supported by Grand Inquisitor Antonius, who saw a chance to become the true power in the land.
When Firemane sent a delegation to negotiate with the Firemane, they were ambushed by extremists, who had been acting on the orders of the Grand Inquisitor. A Firemane operative was captured. In response to this betrayal, Firemane declared war. It proceeded to enter an alliance of convenience with the Republican Guard. A short, but intense campaign followed. After heavy fighting, the allied forces were able to seize a major Dominion fortress. Meanwhile, Elpsis was able to overcome her brainwashing and defeat her captors with the aid of rebellious prisoners and a Firemane rescue force. The Dominion had been humbled, but was not beaten. Instead the Mad Grandmaster was assassinated by the Council and a junta of hardliners and pragmatists took power.
Battlemaster Mahtara was their leader. Jedi Master Cassius, leader of the Jedi Shadows, and the instigator of the Grandmaster's assassination, had the title of Master of the Order conferred upon him. The Council was dissolved and replaced by a smaller, more compact war cabinet. The new government faced many challenges. Firemane was withdrawing its troops, but the threat of their hung over the Dominion like a Sword of Damocles. The Republican Guard had been emboldened by its victory, and made trade deals with Firemane, receiving armaments and supplies in return for raw materials.
Thus the Dominion had to mobilise for war. Rather than rebuild the old temple, the Jedi decided to create an underground base beneath it. This would allow them to retain control of the capital. However, Mahtara and her associates deemed it prudent not to put all their eggs in one basket. This viewpoint was validated when Firemane's warships levelled Castle Maysaf, the headquarters of the Vaderites. Thus Mahtara charged Jedi Master Karana, Minister of Resettlement and Reunion, to supervise the evacuation of significant Jedi assets as well as civilians into more remote and less exposed areas. That was her official order.
Secretly the junta decided to build a secret redoubt. In times of crisis, it could be a haven for the upper echelons of the Dominion's government. Moreover, it could become a temporary home for young Jedi trainees, Younglings and so on. The new location was unorthodox to say the least, for the Jedi chose a crashed Star Destroyer as the best place to set up a hidden Temple. Comparisons can be drawn with the Hidden Temple that served the Jedi Order as a hideout during the Sith-Imperial War.
The broken husk of a warship that now serves as a Jedi sanctuary was once known as the Imperial Star Destroyer Conqueror. After Palpatine's Declaration of the New Order, Tephrike came under the control of the fledgling Galactic Empire. The Imperial Governor ruled like a tyrant and imposed a humanocentric regime. This inevitably led to resistance from the planet's alien population, especially Gungans and Mon Calamari. They were aided by the few Jedi who had managed to escape the destruction of their enclave.
Following the Battle of Endor, the colonial government lost contact with Coruscant, as the Empire had begun to self-destruct. With no one left to gainsay him, Moff Alaric Karvalst became a warlord. His regime was backed by the local COMPNOR chapter and native humanists. However, the resistance was emboldened once word of the Emperor's demise spread. The native rebels were backed by the nascent New Republic, which dispatched a task force to aid them. Getting desperate, the Moff used his Star Destroyer and other naval assets to cow dissent, bombing civilian population centres from orbit. If need be, he would be king of the ashes. But these brutal policies spurred on resistance, and led to defections from Imperial ranks. There are conflicting accounts about why the Conqueror crashed.
The Dominion claims that at the climactic moment, the heroic Jedi Master Balak Torvar achieved a state of oneness with the Force and pulled the warship down from orbit. Thus the wicked were slain and the tyrant's reign came to an end. However, other accounts postulate that some Y-Wings performed a bombing run, the battleship could not regain power in time, hit the atmosphere and crashed. Centuries have passed since that day. Records have been lost, destroyed or distorted, so it is difficult to determine the truth. Regardless, the Conqueror would not be conquering anyone anymore. The ship was cannibalised by salvagers. For a while it was remembered by the people of Tephrike. When the Gulag Virus broke out and the planet spiralled into chaos, squatters and refugees hid in the wreckage. For a while warlords used it as a base. In time it was forgotten. Until the Dominion decided to make use of it.
The power of the Force was used to cloak the warship with an illusion. Officially the White Current was considered a heretical practice. However, the Dominion's new government was more flexible than its predecessor. It helped that it had to pick up the pieces after a great debacle. A group of renegade members of the Visionaries of True Sight, a sect of Jedi Consulars, had delved too deeply into forbidden knowledge and been persecuted by the old administration for this. However, Jedi Cassius had secretly protected them. They were offered a full amnesty in return for doing the Order a great service, namely masking the sanctuary.
Approved!