Like a red rose: a Monastery of the Jedi ----- Preliminary Poem At least I have the flowers of myself and my thoughts, no god can take that; I have the fervour of myself for a presence and my own spirit for light; and my spirit with its loss knows this; though small against the black, small against the formless rocks, hell must break before I am lost; before I am lost, hell must open like a red rose for the dead to pass. ~Helen Doolittle ----- On a quiet backwater world far from the Republic and civilization there is a valley. Trees grow there – some tall and beautiful, others crooked and dark. Flowers bloom from time to time, though not now. Water flows through it carrying silt and the changing seasons. When ice, it becomes the repository of little fish and frogs waiting for the spring. They wait there now, though not for spring but something else. Something dark. Darker than crooked and evil-looking trees. Darker than the deepest night on Malestare. Only the deep places of the evil mind know this darkness, and someone has brought it to Tatooine. In this valley for thousands of year has stood a monastery of the Jedi knights. The farmers on Tatooine respect the wizards and stay away, coming only once a month to trade for advice and healing. Jawas come and barter spare parts, Sandpeople come with nerfs and the occasional bantha, humans come with crops and sometimes their children. It is said that only they are touched by the Gift that the knights so revere. Those priceless bargains were what brought the Jedi to this world, though they stay now for other reasons. Far away in the palaces of empire, down the corridors of power the Jedi and the Republic long ago forged a deal. The former will protect the latter in return for all the children of the galaxy who can touch the Force. For a time, the Jedi knew detachment. But as history became myth and philosophy, dogma, the Jedi became a part of the Republic, an organ of the great system of the galaxy. Only in monasteries like Sublime Rose on Tatooine can Jedi knights experiment and pray, teach and learn as they once did. Madmen go there from the Core to find themselves, and often they return with fantastical stories. Those who stay discover not stories, but dreams both beautiful and terrible. This is one of them. ----- Background Information I am ignoring certain historical information about Tatooine (the technological level of the inhabitants for instance) for the sake of story. The Rakatans never came here and the Kumumgah do not exist. Jawas and Sandpeople do as well as a human population (presumably brought when the Jedi found the planet, although this is in dispute) We are at least 10,000 years before the events of the first Star Wars film, so no lightsabers I'm afraid This story will bare some slight resemblance to Umberto Eco’s The Name of the Rose in tenor, tone, and inspiration (I offer my gratitude to the Professor for the idea). Bare that in mind, or better yet throw it out with the trash to let your story flow un-harassed by Professor Eco’s work. A period of one month will pass from the beginning of this little story to the end. The passage of time will be marked by the GM. Do not stray from the confines of the time of time of day I have set except in the minds of your characters. Feel free to look backward and forward at your will – indeed, glimpsing ahead may be an amusing and even enlightening prospect. Maybe your character’s visions will become reality. I would prefer that you choose to be Jedi as the other groups lead lives away from the monastery and only come once a month (the sum length of our little game); however, if you wanted to be a non-Force using character we could find a place for you. Perhaps you tend to the monastery or have a relationship with a Jedi. I’ll entertain interesting ideas and turn the channel on the mundane. *If you read nothing else, read this* Murders are happening at Sublime Rose, and throughout the month we will find out who is committing them. It will be one of you. Send me your character sheets and any questions I will send you back two things: 1) a secret which you may keep or divulge, and 2) an item which will be essential to our quest One of you will become the murderer All of you will be Jedi of high caliber in bygone days of the Republic, meaning you will resemble warrior-magicians, you will also be of such great and equal strength as to be able to shield yourselves from each others prying gazes, necessitating great acumen for discovering the murderer among you ----- Character Sheet Name: *this is not who you are, but many times a name speaks the subtle nature of ourselves, choose wisely (read: do not choose a stupid name like Caedus or Luke (insert random last name) or anything at all with an underscore)* Age: *somewhere between 30 and 40 is ideal for there are few learners at this monastery, but many students, although the wisdom of the elderly will be required to discover the secret of Sublime Rose* Race: *unfortunately, if you are a Jedi you are human, an interesting condition of this place: all the aliens left the monastery centuries ago* Biography: *please make this short on text but long in your mind, the discovery through the story is half the fun – and sometimes twice the fun if you discover along the way (and feel free to clue me in privately to anything you may have in mind as I may find it of interest and pinky-swear to keep it a secret)* How long have you been at Sublime Rose: *are you an initiate to our ways or an old hand? and how and why did you come here? (this should be separate from your bio)* Note: You may be whoever you wish to be, a knight or an apprentice or something in between or something different altogether, but there is only one Jedi abbot, our Jedi Master, and that is I. How long that will remain is anyone's guess. ----- Setting and Other Considerations (A lovely real world monastery which is exactly what I imagine ours is) Our humble monastery sits a hundred kilometers from any of the Tatooine villages, many further from the space port at Mos Espa. Even if the Republic and its denizens were to frequent Tatooine, the monastery’s remote location would shield it from any molestation by the “civilized.” We are self-sufficient and do not tend to interact with the locals; however, it is hard to keep constant watch on our number. Were one to spirit away to the Jawa camps to the east or the human village of Zwartange they would probably go unnoticed. Some notable features of our monastery: -A deep well three meters in diameter leading to an underground aquifer (were anything to fall down there, it would be difficult even for a Jedi to retrieve it) -A cemetery of dead Jedi -A frozen river which hides many things -A library of ancient and new Jedi texts as well as other interesting tomes on both the Force and other sciences -A chorale – occasionally some of our Jedi will sing us to sleep (you may be a member or merely a listener) -A great hall where we eat our meals together -A series of cells (small rooms like dormitories) where ten or so Jedi live together -The only piece of technology: a hover-car that can hold four people and some cargo (for emergency use only – the Master has the keys) Fully one hundred Jedi knights and learners live at Sublime Rose. This number will surely diminish… ----- Corpus Juris 1. Remember to PM your sheet to me so I can give you your necessaries 2. Follow the spirit and law of the Terms of Service (this is superfluous as you agree to them every time you press the "Post" button) 3. There is a thing called God Mode -- let's refrain from it as it is reserved for deities most likely unconcerned with RPGs on Star Wars forums 4. I am the GM and my word is law 5. OOC posts are discouraged to the point of death; two to the right of your user name is a link for 'Private Messages' avail yourselves of them 6a. Have fun 6b. Make good choices 6c. If you find yourself in a quandary reflect on rules 4, 5, 6a, and 6b (especially rule 4)
Tatooine, The Ancient Monastery of Sublime Rose, Early Morning, the First Day A binary sunrise. Two-toned rays of light cast across the winter forests of Tatooine. Icicles drip motionless from tree branches in the valley of Ifir. A squadron of scavenger birds circle overhead in anticipation of the coming of spring. One sights a small vole, hiding between two rocks, devouring a worm. It sweeps down and pierces the creature's neck, a puff of wintery powder splaying into the air. It's two flighted companions light in the snow and begin to peck at the bloody mess. A shadow covers their breakfast -- the hilltop of Sublime Rose. A flight of birds pass overhead, much larger, attracted by something else. The three scavengers pick away what is left of the flesh and join their ilk in the sky. Bells toll throughout the valley calling the monks to rise. Most have been awake for a hour or more in silent meditation, contemplating paradoxes like voids of plenum and pleasure in suffering. They await to hear the music. For centuries, the chorale has sung the sunrise with a chant or song of ancient heritage. Some are Jedi themes for peace, others are exotic melodies from faraway worlds. Each has a meaning and a purpose and each is beautiful. The chorale-monks file on to the steps of the refectory. Each is hooded and without any sheet music. They know the hymns and songs by heart and are aided through their own deep connection through the Force. They begin their morning chant: Salve Regina Salve, Regina, Mater misericordiae, (Hail, holy Queen, Mother of Mercy) vita, dulcedo, et spes nostra, salve. (our life, our sweetness and our hope.) ad te clamamus exsules filii Hevae, (To thee do we cry, poor banished children of Eve;) ad te suspiramus, gementes et flentes (to thee do we send up our sighs,) in hac lacrimarum valle. (mourning and weeping in this valley of tears.) Eia, ergo, advocata nostra, illos tuos (Turn then, most gracious advocate,) misericordes oculos ad nos converte; (thine eyes of mercy toward us;) et Iesum, benedictum fructum ventris tui, (and after this our exile,) nobis post hoc exilium ostende. (show unto us the blessed fruit of thy womb, Jesus.) O clemens, O pia, O dulcis Virgo Maria. (O clement, O loving, O sweet Virgin Mary.) The chant echoes out, compelling the Jedi-monks out of their cells. They move about the monastery grounds silent. Jedi master Jaran Pai leaves the abbot's house and begins to walk the path to the temple -- the place of invocation and benediction, the seat of the brother's and sister's abiding friendship. Daily he leads the assembly. First the chorale forms behind him, then the elder-monks (only five in number) followed by the knights and finally the learners. Elsewhere, the servants and guests of Sublime Rose work in chambers and the kitchens, preparing for the day. As the assembly moves up the hilltop, a chill breeze moves through the air, stirring up snow and dead leaves (as well as old memories). The suns are cold today. Like an organism, the assembly stops -- terror bursts through the Force and down each monk's spine. Coldness seeps down their backs and an intense fiery pain burns in their stomachs. Their eyes are fixed on the bell tower. There, a Jedi knight Col Fareer, one who worked in the library, is skewered by poles. His hands and feat are akimbo in a great 'X' bisected by his torso and head. A pole each for his hands and feet, another through his chest, and a last through his mouth, open in mid-scream. He has been flayed and blood has run down the tower and pooled in the snow. Birds rest over his body and on the ground, pecking at frostbiten skin and muscle. At the base of the tower, the mad Tusken -- once the caretaker of Sublime Rose -- lies bowed and whispering. It is no language, merely his jumbled thoughts expressed through sound. He has assumed a praying stance. If any of the Jedi-monks could be deceived, they might think him grieving. But upon Master Pai's arrival at the tower, the Tusken jumps up and spits at Pai's feet. He runs off down the hilltop. The Tusken follows a schedule as well. He will begin his perambulation between the monastery and the frozen river. "Be not afraid." Pai tells the gathered assembly, trying very hard to hold the group together. "Brother Fareer is one with the Force now. Gather in the refectory, I will join you after..." Pai's composure now breaks as he swats away a flock of birds from Fareer's blood. He does not cry out, but his unease and horror can be felt through the Force. Pai's grave visage turned from the living monks to the dead one and back again. The mass did not yet move, unsure of what to do. Their own unease could be felt by even those not touched by the Gift. So high a tower, so complicated a murder, so merciless the act. Only a Jedi of great skill could have done such a thing. Only one of their own. Pai looked at the senior elder-monk, Jaster Umbra. "Send for servants. And prepare the cemetery. Everyone else, leave this place. It is now stained by the dark side." TAG: ALL
Salve Regina Salve, Regina, Mater misericordiae, (Hail, holy Queen, Mother of Mercy) vita, dulcedo, et spes nostra, salve. (our life, our sweetness and our hope.) ad te clamamus exsules filii Hevae, (To thee do we cry, poor banished children of Eve;) ad te suspiramus, gementes et flentes (to thee do we send up our sighs,) in hac lacrimarum valle. (mourning and weeping in this valley of tears.) Eia, ergo, advocata nostra, illos tuos (Turn then, most gracious advocate,) misericordes oculos ad nos converte; (thine eyes of mercy toward us;) et Iesum, benedictum fructum ventris tui, (and after this our exile,) nobis post hoc exilium ostende. (show unto us the blessed fruit of thy womb, Jesus.) O clemens, O pia, O dulcis Virgo Maria. (O clement, O loving, O sweet Virgin Mary.)
As usual, the bells toned early in the morning in order to wake all the Jedi within the monastery. And, as usual, Aeron had already been awake as the bells sounded. Almost every morning, the Jedi would awake in order to delve himself into a deep meditation. It cleared his thoughts, and allowed him to think clearly throughout the day. This day, however, was different. Something in the Force was strange on this day, but he could not quite figure out what. The Force did that at times; it was a very mysterious thing, a part of life that would not be mastered in his lifetime. He made a note to talk with the Masters within the Monastery later in the day. As usual, Aeron stopped his meditation at the sound of the chorale. This was the time where he would leave his compound for the first time every morning and gather with the other Jedi. He did so once again, his thoughts not as clear as he would have liked. Aeron was still wondering what the Force was telling him. Within moments, he had met up with the rest of the Jedi monks. The group, led by Jedi Master Jaran Pai, made their way along a pathway that eventually led to the Temple atop the hill. Suddenly, a feeling of fear, sadness and a mixture of several other emotions ranging from shock to rage made its way down the line of monks. Aeron nodded, wondering exactly what was happening but realized that whatever it was was most likely the cause of his strange feeling upon his meditation. When he finally caught a glance of the cause of the fear and guilt, he understood why the group of Jedi felt like they did. A man, a former Jedi Knight Col Fareer, had been pierced by numerous poles. Aeron was forced to look away, not able to stand seeing one of his close friends so brutally murdered like he was. Jedi Knight Fareer had been a caretaker of the library within the monastery, a place that Aeron visited very often - more than twice a day. Each time he went, Aeron would engage in a conversation with Col, each conversation intellectually stimulating. "Be not afraid," Pai says to the crowd gathering around the deceased Jedi right after the Tusken ran off in a very mysterious way. "Brother Fareer is one with the Force now. Gather in the refectory, I will join you after..." Aeron nodded, and turned as the Jedi Master let loose a sense of horror and unease through the Force. Aeron walked slowly towards the refectory, wondering how this horrendous event took place. The Jedi had been murdered right under the nose of the entire monastery. It had gone undetected by the numerous amount of Jedi within Sublime Rose. The perpetrator had been able to get away unnoticed. And the biggest question on Aeron's mind was: why? Why would someone enter the monastery of the Jedi and kill one of the respected Knights? It was certainly a question worth answering as quickly as possible. Whatever the reason, whoever did it, there was one thing for sure: the Dark Side was at work.
