Star Wars Roleplay: Chaos

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The Jedi Code

Sorel Crieff

Ready are you? What know you of ready?
This is a code of conduct intended to help establish, regulate and maintain the general behaviour of all Jedi. Despite undergoing, at various points during Jedi history, alterations — the code's fundamental context and meaning, invoking as it did self-discipline, tolerance, compassion, harmony and peaceful exploration, has remained unchanged.

Mantra

One of the key portions of the Code was a five-line mantra. Several versions of the mantra exist, though the version mostly widely used is:

There is no emotion, there is peace.
There is no ignorance, there is knowledge.
There is no passion, there is serenity.
There is no chaos, there is harmony.
There is no death, there is the Force.

(Based on the meditations of Odan-Urr)

A second mantra is often cited:

Jedi are the guardians of peace in the galaxy.
Jedi use their powers to defend and to protect.
Jedi respect all life, in any form.
Jedi serve others rather than ruling over them, for the good of the galaxy.
Jedi seek to improve themselves through knowledge and training.
 

Sorel Crieff

Ready are you? What know you of ready?
Tenets of the Jedi

  • The Jedi are the guardians of civilization, yet do not allow civilization to destroy needlessly.
  • A Jedi uses the Force for knowledge and defense, never for aggression or personal gain.
  • A corollary of the Code was "A Jedi does not act for personal power."
  • The lightsaber is the symbol of the members of the Jedi Order.
  • If a Jedi ignites his lightsaber, he must be ready to take a life.
  • Jedi avoid attachment although marriage is not forbidden
  • Jedi respect each other, and all other life forms.
  • Jedi must put the needs of the community above the needs of individuals.
  • A Jedi must protect the weak and defenceless from evil.
  • Jedi must always cooperate in battle or crisis.
  • Jedi must not have wants; self-reliance must be shown.
  • Jedi are forbidden from ruling others
  • A Jedi will not kill an unarmed opponent
  • A Jedi will not take revenge
  • A Jedi does not cling to the past
  • The Jedi do not believe in killing their prisoners.
 

Sorel Crieff

Ready are you? What know you of ready?
Following the code

Self-discipline
Self-discipline is one of the key concepts of Jedi behaviour, and Jedi Padawans are taught this from a very early age.

Conquer Arrogance
Jedi are required to learn that, although they are able to use the Force, they are no better than those who cannot. Jedi are taught that they are only Jedi because some had taken the trouble to teach them, not because they are superior to others, and that a Jedi Master is only a Jedi Master because he had disregarded his own sense of self-importance and embraced the will of the Force.

Conquer Overconfidence
Many young Jedi students, while learning the ways of the Force, begin to believe that they could accomplish anything. Many young Jedi die taking on tasks that were far too difficult for them, not realising that the Force was only truly limitless to those who had limitless understanding.

Conquer Defeatism
Young Jedi also learn that defeatism is just as dangerous as overconfidence. Although it might seem contradictory to the goals of conquering overconfidence, a Jedi first plans for success, then for failure. Jedi who always plan for failure expected to lose, and usually only used minimal effort—enough to say that they had tried.

Conquer Stubbornness
Jedi must be ready to accept defeat if the cost of winning is greater than the cost of losing. Jedi are taught that it was always best to end things peacefully than to win or lose.

Conquer Recklessness
Many young Jedi lacking in self-restraint are always ready to ignite their lightsabers and plunge straight into battle. They perceive a goal and rushed towards it, without any consideration for unseen dangers or other options. And so Jedi are taught that speed does not necessarily lead to success.

Conquer Curiosity
Many inexperienced Force-sensitives use the Force to satisfy their curiosity, probing into the business of others. Intruding gives the clear message that the Jedi feel they are above others' privacy. Jedi are taught that although using the Force to discreetly uncover the secrets of others may be occasionally necessary, it should never become a matter of course, as it would cause great distrust of the Jedi in general.

Conquer Aggression
A sizable number of Jedi, in training, confuse the meanings of attack, defence and aggression. Thus Younglings are taught that it is possible for a Jedi to strike without aggression, so long as they act without recklessness, hatred or anger. A Jedi is permitted to kill in self-defence—only if there is no other option. However, Jedi instructors teach their students that killing, no matter what the circumstances, is not to become commonplace. To conquer aggression, even in combat, a Jedi must have explored every other option, including surrender, before resorting to using lethal force. Jedi who depend on murder are close to the Dark side of the Force.

Conquer External Loyalties
Each Jedi is expected to remove as many external distractions from his or her life as possible. Jedi are forbidden from taking a political appointment or to accept gifts. They are taught that their loyalty is to be to the Jedi Order, and to nothing else.

Conquer Materialism
Jedi are encouraged from keeping more than a few essential belongings. There are two reasons for this; first because they distracted a Jedi from the Force, and second because, as they emerged through the ranks, Jedi are required to leave for missions with extremely short notice, and so having many objects is a burden. It is common for a Jedi to possess no more than they could carry on their person at one time.

Responsibility
Once a Jedi has mastered self-discipline, they can begin to accept responsibility for their actions. Jedi who shun responsibility are never trained, and Jedi who embrace it are never denied training.

Practice Honesty
Honesty is the first responsibility that aspiring Jedi are taught. Jedi are permitted to stretch the truth if the situation required it of them, however this is to be done as sparingly as possible. An honest Jedi is always truthful with himself, his Master, and fellow Jedi.

Honour Your Promises
Jedi are taught that if they make a promise, they should be prepared to keep it, or else to have to make amends. Thus, a Jedi should never make a promise he or she is not certain they could keep. Jedi are encouraged to consult their Master before making a promise.

Honour Your Padawan
A Jedi Master is required to know that he must treat his Padawan with respect. He should never reprimand his Padawan in public, nor punish his Padawan for disagreeing with him. On the other hand, a Master should praise his Padawan, especially in the presence of others. This built the Padawan's confidence, and strengthened the bond between Master and apprentice.

Honour Your Master
By the same token, Padawans are expected to show great respect to their Masters, especially in front of others. Padawans are taught never to disagree with their Masters to the point of argument, and that when they were in discussion with others, Padawans should only address their Masters when they had been addressed themselves. This spared the Master having to apologise for his Padawan's behaviour.

Honour the Jedi Order
Every action a Jedi makes reflects on the Order. Good deeds boost the Order's reputation, but poor behaviour sometimes causes incurable damage. Jedi are taught to remember that each person they meet might not have set eyes upon a Jedi before, and that the acts of the particular Jedi would influence their perception of the Jedi Order as a whole.

Honour the Law
One of the most important roles of the Jedi is to protect the peace and justice, and so no Jedi is above the law. Jedi are expected to follow the law the same as they expect others to. Jedi are permitted to break laws, but only when it is required.

Honour Life
Jedi are expected never to commit murder, for any reason. However, if confronted with a life-or-death struggle, a Jedi is permitted to kill to complete their mission. This act is not encouraged, as ending life strengthens the dark side; however, if the act is justified — if it saves others' lives, or if the Jedi is acting on the will of the Force — then the light side is equally strengthened. Jedi are also expected to think of those they had killed, and to think of the suffering caused by their deaths. A Jedi who did not care about his victims was on the path to the dark side.

Render Aid
Jedi are obliged to help those in need of aid whenever possible, and are expected to be able to prioritise quickly. Jedi are taught that while saving one life was important, saving many lives was even more so. This principle does not mean a Jedi has to abandon other goals in every circumstance, but merely that a Jedi must do his or her best to make sure that they aid those who were most in need of assistance.

Defend The Weak
Similarly, a Jedi is expected to defend the weak from those who oppress them, ranging from small-scale suffering at the hands of an individual to large-scale enslavement of an entire species. However, Jedi are taught to remember that all may not have been as it seems, and that they should respect other cultures, even if they clash with a Jedi's moral or ethical code. Jedi are also warned not to act in areas out of their jurisdiction, and to always consider the consequences of their actions.

Provide Support
At times, it is necessary for a Jedi to stand aside and let other people defend the weak, even if the Jedi feel that they could do a superior job. Jedi are taught that they should assist by word or action as required by the situation, offering advice when requested to, warning when necessary, and arguing only when reason failed. Jedi just remember that they wielded the marvellous tool of the Force, and that they should be prepared to use it only for good.
 

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