Faction Issue # 2 - The Journey Begins [NJP + Open to All Jedi]

[Kitter Bitters]

Across the New Jedi Praxeum on Chalacta, two beginnings unfolded at once. In the council chambers, any master drawn to leadership gathered with Katarine Ryiah to help shape the Praxeum's direction, tactics, and purpose. At the same time, outside on the training grounds, padawans who were newly summoned, stood at the edge of the obstacle course as knights moved among them, guiding, observing, or testing their own skills. One space looked inward, defining what the Jedi would become; the other looked forward, shaping who would carry that future.

Objective # 1 - The Beast: Open to padawans/knights/and masters who wish to train or guide the training.​

The morning light on Chalacta came softly, filtered through pale clouds and the distant shimmer of the Praxeum's outer spires. Dew clung to the edges of the obstacle course, each beam, rope, and elevated platform gleaming faintly as if the Force itself had settled there overnight.

A quiet tension hung in the air.

Padawans gathered at the edge of the course in a loose cluster, some whispering, others silent, all watching. Before them stretched a winding path of suspended planks, narrow balance rails, shifting stone platforms, and climbing structures that seemed to move just enough to challenge certainty. It was not merely a test of the body. It was a test of trust, trust in the Force, in instinct, and in oneself.

A few of the Padawans exchanged glances. At the front of the group stood a small handful, the youngest or least experienced among them, robes still unfamiliar on their shoulders. This would be their first time. One shifted their footing. Another exhaled slowly, eyes tracing the path ahead as if trying to memorize it before beginning.

But the course could not be memorized. A soft breeze passed through, stirring fabric and setting the higher elements into motion. The platforms creaked. The ropes swayed. The Force moved with it.

Master Hama had recently left her quiet happy retirement to help the New Jedi Praxeum. Chalacta was not agreeing with her allergies, but the dust could be managed. She smiled at all those gathered here today. Some were young padawans who were new, while others were knights here to help teach, or to learn the course themselves. There may even be some masters sewn about, learning or teaching.

"Step forward," she said with a smile. For a moment, just a moment, no one did and then one Padawan took a single step. She smiled at the bravest among them.

"My name is Master Hama and today I'm here to introduce you to our obsticle course, which some have affectionately named The Beast." She chuckled at the name and continued. "A Jedi must feel the Force flowing through them at all times, but we must discipline more than our minds. Our bodies need to be in top shape as well so we can serve the galaxy. This course will challenge you. It will sense your hesitation, your fear, and it will react accordingly. Today I want everyone to try and make it through as best they can."

She clasped her arms behind her back, wondering who would be the ones going first. The course was designed so that several could enter at once, and take different paths. The course could accommodate all of the students, challenging each... but one had to lead the way to get everything started.

Objective 2 - Council Meeting - Open to Masters who wish to take a leadership role in the praxeum.
​

Inside the council chambers, the atmosphere was markedly different, more quiet, deliberate, and heavy with intention. Sunlight filtered through the high windows, casting soft lines across the semicircle of seats. A few Masters had already gathered, their presence calm but focused, each carrying their own perspective on what this new Praxeum should become.

At the center stood Katarine Ryiah

Her posture was steady, though her gaze moved thoughtfully between those gathered. This was not the rigid structure of the old Order. This would be something new, something shared and she wanted to know the opinions of the great master Jedi of this galaxy.

"We are not rebuilding what was," she began, her voice measured. "We are deciding what comes next."

A subtle shift passed through the room as more Masters stepped forward, taking their places. "Direction. Tactics. Purpose. If you are here, you will help shape all three."

The room fell still, not with uncertainty, but with recognition.

This was the beginning.

 

[Aris Noble]

Aris stood to the side of the Beast, looking over each path with a passive smile. He was calculating, organizing a path he might be able to take. Unable to feel the Force as he was sure the others could, this was going to have to be how he sorted it out. He wanted to give it a run through, at least once, before he'd end up helping the others. That was going to be his goal eventually.

Grant it, he wasn't going to go first. Maybe. Depended on all the others and if they were too nervous or not.

 

[Sheila]

The world was lush and vibrant... and Sheila was engaged in epic battle... her blade crossing talons and beak with the monster boss of all birds that threatened her and by extension the padawans. She had tried to get away, had tried to calm and talk things out but he was intent. The ivory feathered foul fowl king. Their battle had been pitted across the land the sea and the skies above... why no one would really be certain but the bird seemed intent upon it being a struggle to the death. Then something shifted... something in the force and they both seemed to sense it for a moment. Hunger gnawed at both their bellies and they could hear it... growing weary of the fight and with great hunger Sheila spoke. "Truce."

SHe said it and the noble bird nodded understanding to her while they set off for food and the sensation in the force. Sheila riding astride the birds back. Formidable enemies now friends as it were as halfway towards food the bird bucked and turned knocking SHeila off of his back and she adjusted flying around and finding the pathway through the trees. She moved quickly into the air and was a small ball of golden light zooming around quickly. "Arse." The small jedi master said it while she was navigating around. her hair pulled back in a ponytail and her interest as the chime came to her communicator. There was something at the new praxeum as she floated towards the meeting of masters.

 

[Kuhbee]

​

Location: Chalacta - Praxeum Training Course
Equipment: Translation Droid | Lightsaber | Jedi Robes |
Tags: Aris Noble nearby - No direct tags

​

Kuhbee was back in his green padawan gear that wasn't so much a full set of robes but more of a shawl to signify his inclusion in the group but also stop him from overheating on warm days due to all his fur. It felt great to be wearing the outfit once again and to walk among other padawans. He had gotten settled in his room last night but he had been so excited it had been difficult to sleep. Now he was waiting outside the obstacle course like a ball of nervous energy.

He looked at his fellow padawans, wondering if he should go first? He didn't want to look like he was the boss though! Wookiees were already intimidating enough.... but if nobody else went soon.... he would have to.

​

 

[Kael Venn]

Kael stood at the entrance to the course known as the beast. He thought that was rather fitting. No one was even attempting it. They must have all been waiting to see who went first. Kael took a deep breath and then stepped forward in front of everyone else and began the course. The first step was an elevated platform that he had to jump up and then walk along a tight rope attached to the platform, he began moving forward trying not to look down as he was afraid he would fall if he had. He continued the path to the right. Once he got to a stable platform, he turned around to see if anyone had followed.

 

[Solene Beroya]

SOLENE BEROYA

Location: Chalatca
Objective: 2 - The council chamber
Tags: Katarine Ryiah
​

Train today or teach in the future, that was the decision Solene had had to take. She had observed the beast, she had done it herself, her physical prowess was the match of anyone so it had been an enjoyable task. Should she have volunteered to tutor the more junior Jedi?

No.

Not today.

She entered this chamber with a diffent path on her mind. She was probably as capable as many masters at this point, but without formal membership to any order and of course never having taken a padawan, there was never anyone to call her master so she was Knight, but again, unofficially. What she was did not matter, she was Solene Beroya and she was one with the force. Katarine stood in front of the blue skinned woman and she bowed low.

"Solene Beroya, ready to pledge myself to the betterment of this new order.

You shall find me a capable sword but it shall never be swung in malice. Our blades are but one more light to guide us too the will of the force.

This is me.

If Solene was not capable, by the force's will, she would not be here.

​

 

[Elora Praithwyn]

​

Ella was the quiet one, arms filled with papers, books, holocrons and a simple brown satchel which hung over her shoulder, probably containing more of the same. She looked disheveled, face as serene as possible considering all the work she was piled under. In these trying times, where Jedi adventures made holo-shows and seemed exciting and exotic, there seemed to be a small shortage of aspiring scholars and archivists, so she found herself working for her Master, Markus Kortu, the Archeologist along with several other Knights and Masters who had duties in many of the Temples strewn across the Galaxy. To top it off, today was her fifteenth birthday and though the lack of a celebration didn't irk her, the lack of any kind of acknowledgment did somewhat.

She was the student shuffling her feet the most, not wanting to step forward first. Still, she did step forward, then lifted her head to look around and see if any of her fellows had also done so. At least Master Hama looked like a kind old woman, and not a crazed individual as seemed to be her luck lately in the Halls of the Jedi.

Hopefully she didn't just volunteer for combat... she hadn't even built a lightsaber yet.

Kuhbee Katarine Ryiah Aris Noble Kael Venn Sheila Kitter Bitters

 

[Corazona von Ascania]

OBJ 1 | Interacting: Elora Praithwyn | Open

Kuhbee Katarine Ryiah Aris Noble Kael Venn Sheila

The Beast reminded her of The Tangle - only the latter had been set in a filthy labyrinthine junkyard, complete with jagged, rusting edges and a heaping dose of tetanus.

There were many aspects Corazona missed about her long-passed Padawan days; obstacle courses were not one of them. She preferred rolling hills and verdant forests to the urban snarl that had trained her on Coruscant.

Still, as she watched the Padawans from the periphery of the gathering, her heart fluttered with something akin to nostalgic pride. Despite the NJO's shattering, life went on. Jedi found one another again, raised orders, and took on students.

Perhaps Chalacta would be the start of something new.

Her gaze came to rest on a young woman who stepped forward - curiously - with an armful of tomes. Master Hama's explanation ended, and Cora paced her way over to the Padawan.

Her voice was musing, gentle: "Do you intend to complete this exercise with your books?"

Lips pursed slightly with good humor as she smiled at the Padawan. "I can keep them safe for you, if you'd like."

 

[Aris Noble]

Good, at least one went. He smiled softly as he watched Kael Venn sprint across the rope. Fear was evident, but the will to move on in spite of fear was a lesson very difficult to learn. His gaze drifted to Kuhbee, flashing a small smile. "It looks like they did pretty well. Why not show what you can do, too?"

Kuhbee

 

[Elora Praithwyn]

​

Ella looked down at the fall, the obstacle course in front of her and turned to Corazona suddenly, a look of wide eyed shock on her usually serine face. She nodded quickly and unshouldered her bag as well, placing the books, scrolls and holocrons at the other student's feet. "I would bring them with, but they're too valuable to risk dropping." She smiled apologetically and then returned to the obstacle course. It was like something out of a nightmare. Not that Elora had any problem with heights, it was just when you did something like this with them. She sighed and took a long breath inward. Then she kicked off her soft moccasin shoes and started.

The first part was the elevated platform, which she had to jump and climb onto, but she misjudged and barely caught the edge with her arms. She slid down, her legs kicking, and then managed to grasp it, pulling herself up. Luckily she had a slight frame and could easily pull herself up, but she was shaking from the effort and adrenaline from the near-fall. She climbed up to her knees and then her feet, brushed herself off, and removed her robe, which she tossed back behind her, where it fluttered down to hang loosely off the edge. The sight made her sick.

Now it was the tight-rope portion. She took another breath and took a step forward, thinking of she took the rope quickly, maybe she would make it to the other side before she lost her balance. Her bare feet made it easier to keep herself from making a mistake, but there were a few wobbles of the robe before she felt her foot touch the platform where Kael Venn waited.

After what seemed like an eternity, she reached it, and she stood on the edge, moving to the left as she chose that path, assuming it would be the easier one. Not that she wasn't up for a challenge (she wasn't, she wanted to get back to the Archives as soon as she could) but she didn't want to overexert herself on the first go.

She chose a path with suspended platforms. At least they were flat, and probably didn't move.

Corazona von Ascania

 

[Kael Venn]

Kael watched as Elora Praithwyn made her way to the same platform, she went on the path to the suspended platforms. "Good job!" Kael shouted to Elora as he descended and jumped down to the next set of obstacles. It was small vertical beams that could only balance with barely even a single toe that all ascended. The goal was to jump onto each one until you to reach the very top platform that was attached to a beam to run across.

The only issue was there were droids going back and forth and up and down that all spewed fire. Kael admittedly spoke to himself, "Fire? Is this a giant metaphor of learning to face the flames, and run into the fire? I'm a Jedi. I CAN do this." Without a second thought, Kael began running until he made it to end of the platform and used all his might to lift his feet off of the ground with the force that was imbued within him and made it to the first beam. Each step was another height and another beam. There were about 15 beams to get through, he jumped and jumped and jumped into the made it to the very last beam, however, he lost his balance and nearly fell off of the course with the flames set ablaze in an inferno underneath him.

Kael managed to catch his balance and then used one more big jump to the next platform and then ran across the beam onto another platform that has another set of paths ahead. One was horizontal beams, similarly to the fire course, but this time with the abyss underneath. If he fell, his body seemingly wouldn't be found. The other path was spiked blades that went across in a circular motion around the platforms. He stood there still trying to catch his breath as the other padawans were behind him. He had wondered what path that they chose. "What on earth is this lesson trying to teach or show me?"

 

[Kuhbee]

​

Location: Training Course
Equipment: Translation Droid | Lightsaber | Jedi Robes |
Tags: Direct: Aris Noble

He grinned at Aris with such energy!

Kuhbee did not need telling twice. Wookiees were incredibly athletic. He let out a roar of joy and sprinted forward. With a giant and powerful leap he entered the course. It was evident immediately that Kuhbee was well suited for physical tasks. He rolled, jumped, balanced, swung, and climbed like a pro, which made sense considering he has done this all his life back in his forested home world. Every movement was full of power, and even his landings sometimes shook the platforms from his sheer strength.

It all seemed almost too easy but the Wookiee had not realized what was up ahead.

Fire​

One of his greatest fears was the flame and he was heading right for that portion of the course!

​

 

[Sheila]

Solene Beroya Kitter Bitters

Sheila could hear the sounds of the padawans when she arrived in the building. Her body zooming around while her pixquisitors blade was on her hips with a small look around. She found a place to hover and glow in the main chamber as a blue woman was talking and she nodded her head in understanding. The voice coming out as the sound of silver bells jingling was first before her voice rose with a bellow from the force to be able to be heard."I am Sheila." She said it and stood there with her hands on her hips as she floated around with a nod. "I bring news of a dangerous and grave avian swarm on the way to confront us."

 

[Katarine Ryiah]

"Well, I mean... guys like us, we're not exactly the type of people they write about in history books, you know? But the people we saved, they're our legacy."
​

"Welcome Solene. I am honored to have you here with us. Please take a seat. We are meeting today to discuss council assignments and any paths forward our praxeum wishes to take."

Katarine smiled and motioned towards one of the seats. It did look like a traditional council room for masters but the space was meant to be open and allow discussion amongst all members of the praxeum. They were few in numbers right now and she wanted to use this advantage to get to know everybody and help them in the ways she could.

Suddenly, they were interrupted and it took a moment for Kat to find the tiny creature that was speaking. She smiled at the fairy. "Rest easy Shelia, you are safe here." She supposed a flock of gulls must look like an avenging horde to one so small, but she also knew that size mattered not.


Solene Beroya Sheila

 

[Solene Beroya]

SOLENE BEROYA

Location: Chalatca
Objective: 2 - The council chamber
Tags: Katarine Ryiah Sheila
​

Solene nodded. "Then I submit myself to your council. I am not a master yet, but I feel I am ready to prove myself in that regards." There was a soft smile on her face. Her hand and a half hilt hung at her waist, it was a weapon that Solene had grown very familiar with.

She looked at the much smaller jedi, this was not a species she had ever encountered before and she seemed to be in quite a hurry to issue a warning to then. The blue skinned woman did wonder if they were regular sized birds made terrifying by a tiny perspective or massive birds. She made her way to the window to have a look before taking her seat, just in case. The chairs were simple and functional, as could be expected but this one felt very comfortable to Solene.

​

 

[Sheila]

Solene Beroya Katarine Ryiah

She found a place as the one spoke and gave a nod of her head. "Yes, calmness, stillness." THen she saw it... her. "Wow you look like you fell in a vat of blue berries." She said it looking for a moment though as she fluttered around and checked on Solene. "I heard padawans say if you drink too much blue milk you'll color your tongue but never thought that they were telling the truth." She then registered what she had said and looked towards Kataarine with a nod of her head as she took the blade from her hip. The small saber looking like a sliver of toothpick before she held it up and out. The circle of it enclosing and she didn't activate the twin blades but was ready. "Yes you have my blade as well."

 

[Katarine Ryiah]

"Well, I mean... guys like us, we're not exactly the type of people they write about in history books, you know? But the people we saved, they're our legacy."

​

Katarine smiled warmly at both of them. "Thank you. We will have to get you a special council chair to accommodate one so small." She took a seat herself and keyed up some data, which illuminated from the center.

"While we wait for the rest to turn up we should talk about our goals with this praxeum. Tell me... what do you think the Jedi need in these days?"



Sheila Solene Beroya

 

[Kuhbee]

​

Location: Chalacta
Equipment: Translation Droid | Lightsaber | Jedi Robes |
Tags: Aris Noble Corazona von Ascania Elora Praithwyn Kael Venn

​

Kuhbee moved lightly across the outer training course, his small frame weaving between suspended beams and low stone barriers. The morning air on Chalacta was crisp, carrying the scent of damp earth and growing things from the Praxeum gardens nearby. This part of the course was meant to build agility, focus, breath, and add awareness. He had done it dozens of times now at the Shiraya Sanctuary on Naboo. He was getting faster. Better.

He almost felt… proud. A flicker caught in the corner of his eye. At first, it was just movement, something unnatural against the greens and browns of the course. Then came the sound: a low crackle, soft but unmistakable. Kuhbee froze mid-step, one foot hovering above the next platform.

Fire.

It spread in a controlled arc ahead of him, part of the course's advanced simulation, designed to teach adaptability under pressure. To the instructors, it was just another obstacle. To Kuhbee, it was something else entirely. The crackling grew louder. Heat licked the air. And suddenly he wasn't on Chalacta anymore.

He was back in chains, back in the dark. Fire had always come before punishment, before commands barked in harsh voices, before pain, before fear so deep it swallowed thought itself. It had been used to corner him, to break him, to make him obey.

His breath hitched.

The world blurred.

"GRRRAAAGGGHRRRRIIIIIARRRRRR!!!!!"

The flames surged closer, and something inside him snapped. Kuhbee let out a sharp, guttural cry as the Force erupted outward. The carefully constructed training obstacles shuddered violently, stones cracked, beams splintered, and the controlled line of fire burst apart, scattering in wild, chaotic bursts. Wind whipped around him in a sudden storm, kicking up dirt and debris.

His small hands clenched, trembling, as raw panic flooded every part of him. The Force lashed out again, unfocused, instinctive, pushing everything away. He roared and swung his massive arms, cracking the wood around him, smashing the stone beneath his feat as the fear gripped inside him.

​

 

[Solene Beroya]

SOLENE BEROYA

Location: Chalatca
Objective: 2 - The council chamber
Tags: Katarine Ryiah Sheila
​

Solene had a little laugh at the comments from Sheila regarding her skin colour, she herself was unfamiliar with Sheila's species so they had that in common. "Perhaps my ancestors were great milk drinkers and that is where the Icarii first came from." she joked and lifted her arms to look at it as the skin caught in the fine crystalline texture. "Perhaps we should test your theory, one with as small a stature as yourself should not take much milk to prove your theory." she said in a playful tone before turning back to Katarine Ryiah .

"That is a very complex question. A willingness to truly listen to the force? The humility to not chase personal celebrity?" there was certain Jedi who fell victim to mirroring the hero worship that was sometimes lavished on them by people that they aided. It fed a very specific type of narcissism that could entrap anyone who found personal happiness from doing good in the galaxy.

"First, I would like to take the time to truly touch the force and ask it what it wants from its supposed guardians.

How about you Master Ryiah, why have you brought us together?"

​

 

[Pogo the Hutt]

(sorry wrong spot)