Sentinel (order)

Order Of The Sentinel
Organizational Information
Governing Body:	The Jedi Council Of Odan-Urr
Headquarters:	New Tython
Official Language(s):	Galactic Basic
Affiliated Organizations/Governments:	Independent House Odan-Urr Dark Jedi Brotherhood
Beliefs
Notable Locations/Temples:	Halls of the Watchmen
Historical Information
Date of Founding:	~3 ABY
Founder:	Ji Solari
Other Information
Era(s):	Dark Jedi Brotherhood Era
[ Source ]

Description

A Jedi Sentinel is the name given to one of the three Jedi Orders, and is considered the middle ground to the other Orders. The philosophies behind this Order are often closely linked with Bastila Shan, a Jedi Sentinel famous for her use of Battle Meditation, who was also closely associated with the Dark Lord Revan, whom she managed to both capture and redeem. Jedi Sentinels receive adequate knowledge in both combat skills and knowledge of the Force, utilizing both skills when necessary. This Order is also unlike the other two; they realize that the Force has limitations and they are not blinded by faith. Where a Guardian would break down a door, or a Consular would simply knock, a Sentinel would use their skills and ingenuity to pick the lock. Oftentimes, it was common that they may learn a series of non-Force associated skills such as security, demolitions or stealth techniques, as well as ingenuity. Jedi Sentinels often take on tasks not well suited to the other Orders, preferring to stay in one place for a long period of time. Jedi Sentinels also practiced specialized techniques in the Force. A favored Force technique was a special form of Force Immunity that, combined with their increased mental conditioning, protected against outside mental influences, even Force-based attacks to guard them from effects such as fear or paralysis. Although not often lit unless necessary in a situation, most Sentinels utilize a yellow blade in their lightsaber, although like the other Orders, they are free to choose whichever color they feel best suited to. Most Sentinels believe that nobody deserves death and that everyone deserves a shot at redemption.

Bastila Shan

Bastila held many qualities that set her apart from her peers and set her on the path to greatness. However, these traits also led to her eventual fall to the dark side. Bastila was brash, overconfident and impulsive, she often acted as if invincible, even while constantly aware of her responsibilities. She followed the Jedi Code as strictly as possible, expressing even more radical views than that of her peers, believing that everyone deserved a chance at redemption, Revan included. Although she trusted the judgement of her masters, she often felt that they were secretive, self-absorbed and overly critical. However, she questioned the idea that love should be forbidden by Jedi, often unable to control her emotions. These traits also somewhat relate to the philosophies of the Order of the Sentinel.

History

The history of the Jedi Sentinel goes back to the Old Republic Era. In this time, the branch of study was first documented by the Sentinel Jedi Recruiter Morrit Ch'gally in the text, The Jedi Path: A Manual for Students of the Force. Morrit Ch'gally was known to have passed on knowledge useful to explain the way a young Jedi should present themselves to the galaxy.

While many of the other Jedi were hunted to extinction during the Great Jedi Purge, Darth Sidious suspected that many of the survivors were Sentinels due to their propensity to be serving on distant worlds and not on the front lines of war. While many died during the subsequent years, the memories and ideals of this branch lived on in a recovered version of The Jedi Path. While the New Jedi Order did not initially reinstate the title, their roles were filled by the new Jedi filling out the Order. Grand Master Luke Skywalker considered Masters Kam Solusar and Kyle Katarn to be prime examples of what that role signified. As of 137 ABY, the Order had begun to use the title, though many were slaughtered during the reign of Darth Krayt. The Sentinels who did survive felt personally responsible for failing to see the resurrection of the Sith scourge and began to hunt down members of the One Sith in hopes of rebuilding the galaxy and the Order.

Paths

Sentinels focus on a variety of fields, some with honorifics in the Order, others with skills taken up by professionals in the rest of civilization. Applying their abilities to the art of the slicer, technician, spy, and security experts, the Sentinels also take on very specific titles in the Order.

Jedi Investigator

Working as agents to the Council of Urr, these individuals are highly certified to work with law enforcement agencies in tracking down criminals and uncovering hidden and obscure threats to the galaxy and New Tython itself. Appointed by the Council, Jedi investigators are charged with rooting out threats via their detective skills and Force abilities. While the presence of the Investigator within the Jedi Order had remained a relative constant, it wasn't until after the Ruusan Reformation that the role was clearly defined in The Jedi Path: A Manual for Students of the Force; the section on investigators was authored by the Jedi Seer Sabla-Mandibu.

Oftentimes, these individuals work independent in deep undercover, infiltrating organizations or groups under suspicion, and using guile, deception or even force in addition to detective skills to achieve their goal. Working from within, Jedi investigators were often successful in neutralizing the enemy before conflict could arise. Jedi investigators would also spy on known criminal syndicates, pirate groups, assassin organizations as well as individual criminals and report their findings to the Council, where the evidence would be weighed as the Council decides on the course of action. During the Clone Wars, Jedi Master Keelyvine Reus was a well known investigator amongst those in the Office of the Supreme Chancellor.

As Jedi investigators grew old or stepped down from their intense assignments, many joined the ranks of the Jedi Recruiters as members of the Acquisition Division, bringing Force-sensitive children to the Jedi Temple so that they could be trained in the ways of the Force, or solve criminal cases normal police forces were incapable of deciphering.

Jedi Recruiter

A Jedi Recruiter was one of the most unpopular member of the Jedi Order throughout its history; garnering the bulk of the Anti-Jedi sentiment that plagues the citizenship of the Galactic Republic periodically. A specialized field of study undertaken by those Jedi Knights that desired to become a Jedi Sentinel, most Recruiters were retired Jedi investigators, turning their Force abilities of tracking and detection to locate unrecognized Force-sensitives.

Working as members of the Acquisition Division, Recruiters studied the data turned over from Republic medcenters and the Kyber memory crystal in order to track down potential recruits. During the Mandalorian Wars, Jedi recruiters (particularly those who opposed the Jedi High Council's decision to remain neutral during the conflict) covertly made their way to the frontlines to assist the Republic military. During the New Sith Wars they sought Force-sensitives to recruit into the Army of Light before the Sith could discover their location. Torr Snapit was among their ranks.

In an attempt to maintain some uniformity amongst the recruiters and all Jedi, the High Council demanded that all positions in the Order be codified and new rules enforced. Following the passage of the Ruusan Reformation in the Galactic Senate, Recruiter Morrit Ch'gally authored the section on Enlisting New Members within the pages of the handbook dubbed The Jedi Path: A Manual for Students of the Force. Meant to draw the interest of those Initiates and Padawans who wished to use their knowledge as an investigator, the pages also outlined the duties of the Acquisition Division and its members.

Jedi Shadow

A highly respected and secreted group of Jedi, the Shadows went farther than the Investigators in their hunt for the truth. Working closely with the Council of First Knowledge, the Shadows seek and destroy all traces of the Dark side of the Force, and its adepts. While not always present at the Temple, the Shadows were based in the Temple Precinct and reported back as frequently as their mission allowed.

Dating back as far as the Great Hyperspace War, the Jedi Shadows were dispatched in its aftermath to find and destroy any artifacts left behind by the seemingly destroyed Sith Empire. This led to the destruction of Sith amulets, talismans and other relics that were tainted with the power of the Dark side of the Force. However, Sith artifacts continued to exist, even during the years of the Great Sith War, when it was believed that the menace of the Sith had ended.

After the Great Sith War, a secret fringe group known as the Jedi Covenant used Consulars for the same purpose as the Shadows, using visions to remain vigilant for any sign of the dark side. Under the instruction of retired Jedi Master Krynda Draay, a secret group of Shadows was created by deleting records of willing Jedi or by falsifying their deaths on long missions. These Jedi, including Celeste Morne were all but extinct following the failed Vindication of Haazen during the Mandalorian Wars.

During the Great Galactic War and the Cold War, Jedi Shadows were employed by the Galactic Republic against the returned Sith Empire. These shadows were specialized Jedi Consulars.

Over the next millennia, the Shadows were still in use, striking down enemies of the light and ensuring the continued peace within the Galactic Republic. Some of the last Shadows of the Order existed during the Clone Wars, including Jedi Master Taria Damsin and Jedi Knight Maw; the latter was corrupted by the Inquisitor Jerec following the Great Jedi Purge.

Jedi Watchman

"Or perhaps it is investigating the mysteries of the galaxy, seeking out injustice, and bringing it to light? Such are the ways of the Jedi Watchman in the time of Ulic Qel-Droma...and Exar Kun." ―Former Jedi Master Kreia

Jedi Watchman was a specialized role of the Jedi Sentinels. These Jedi Knights opted to stay in one place, operating alongside a sector or system government and ensuring diplomacy was maintained in all matters. These Jedi would also oversee the testing and reporting of any Force-sensitive born in their sector, turning the child over to the Acquisition Division if positive result was returned. The Watchmen's role in the Order was canonized in Jedi writing with the publication of The Jedi Path: A Manual for Students of the Force and the inclusion of text written by Jedi Recruiter Morrit Ch'gally.

The Watchmen's presence in the galaxy ebbed and flowed with the passage of time. During the rule of the Sith Triumvirate, the Watchmen had been extinct for millennia, with Meetra Surik, under the alias of the Jedi Exile, being the first to show interest in the role since the start of the First Jedi Purge. Returning with the rebuilding of the Order, the Watchmen took up their familiar posts all throughout the galaxy. Studying special Force techniques to better equip themselves for their missions, Watchmen were skilled at fading into the background, allowing them to subtly manipulate political events in a benevolent fashion so as to sustain peace and prosperity. Serving as an extension of the Council of Reconciliation and the Jedi High Council, the Watchmen were trusted to make their own decisions based on their familiarity with the local governments, without having to report back to the Councils before making every decision.

In the event that a Watchmen should step down or join one of the Jedi Councils, another Knight was assigned as replacement, such as in the cases of Masters Ki-Adi-Mundi and Grand Master Yoda, who were replaced by Knights Tarr Seirr and Kai Justiss respectively. Master Yoda however, kept a very close friendship with the people of Kashyyyk, a relationship that would save his life during the Great Jedi Purge.

Role In The Dark Jedi Brotherhood

Like the other Jedi Orders, the Sentinel's role in the Brotherhood is to mirror the Orders of their darker rivals. Mirroring the Order of the Krath, the Jedi Sentinels act as a foil to this Order in that they also prefer to lurk in the shadows. Currently, the only House that has sole access to this Order is that of House Odan-Urr itself. Within House Odan-Urr, Sentinels typically follow the strict rules that apply to the Jedi Code, and may act as valuable liaisons to the High Councillor.