Extract from the Encyclopedia Glaactica, 1094th
                                                                       edition.

                                Edited By Moriah Organa

                                Disclaimer: The history and personages covered are either the creation of George Lucas or
                                based on his ideas. No infringment of his rights intended.
 

                                Early History

                                The Jedi originated nearly four thousand years ago as an Order of eremetical 'seekers' after a
                                Universal Principle they called The Force which they sought to understand through meditation
                                and mental disciplines. Gradually the early Jedi gave up their eremitical way of life for
                                enclosed communities where like minded contemplatives could share techniques and insights.
                                Over time they realized that isolated contemplation was not the path to the Force and began to
                                go out into the greater community as healers and teachers. The shift from essentially pacifistic
                                'social workers' to Knights Militant actively defending peace and justice was highly
                                controversial both within the Order and with the public who were understandably nervous
                                about the Jedi's strange powers. The early Jedi Knights deflected much of this popular
                                apprehension by placing themselves at the service of the Interplanetary Republic under the
                                authority of the Senate.

                                Marital arts, especially sword and staff techniques, had been part of the Jedi Way from its
                                earliest days when lonely hermits had often been forced to defend themselves from outlaws.
                                The lightsabre was originally developed as a hand weapon by the Republic military but was
                                found to be too difficult for most recruits to use. The Jedi, with their Force assisted reflexes
                                were able to master the difficult and dangerous weapon and it soon became their trademark
                                along with the somewhat less favored 'lightpike'.

                                As the Republic expanded the Jedi came into contact with other Orders and Schools
                                dedicated to the Force assimilating much of their teachings and traditions.

                                The Order of Jedi Knights evolved into a loose confederation of scholae varying somewhat in
                                details of philosophy and discipline but united in their basic commitment to Service and the
                                Force. A co-ordinating Council was established on Coruscant to act as a regulating body and
                                liaison with the Republic Senate.

                                The Sith Schism

                                The Dark Side had always been a threat and a temptation to those who followed the Jedi
                                Way. From the beginning there were those who failed the test and became Dark Adepts.
                                Though dangerous they also tended to be emotionally unstable, lacking both settled purpose
                                and self-discipline. They were seldom able to evade the Jedi for long.

                                The now nameless Master who founded the Sith was the exception among Dark Adepts.
                                Unlike his predecessors the first Sith was systematic and disciplined in his exploration of the
                                Dark Side. He became convinced the true power of the Force lay there and the Jedi should
                                embrace it, abandoning their role as servants to become rulers of the Galaxy. When he
                                presented these conclusions to the Council they were rejected in horror. Undeterred he
                                escaped imprisonment to found his own Order dedicated to the Dark Side, the Sith.

                                Other disaffected Jedi were his first recruits. Later joined by untrained Force Sensitives
                                undiscovered or rejected by the Jedi. Where the Jedi called themselves 'knights' and were
                                sworn to serve and defend the Sith assumed the title 'lord' and sought power. Their twin aims
                                were Galactic domination and the total destruction of the Jedi Order. At first it seemed likely
                                they'd achieve both ambitions. Planet after planet fell to the Sith Lords and their Dark Servants.
                                The Jedi defenders either killed or in a few rare cases suborned. Then a young Jedi Knight,
                                Altor Starrider, emerged from his remote frontier planet to rally the Jedi and the military forces
                                of the Republic against the Sith. Aided by his nine sons Altor led the resistance against the
                                Dark Lords.

                                Growing arrogant in their power the Sith began to conspire against their Master and each
                                other. The Jedi took full advantage of this weakness. Feeding the distrust and enmity amongst
                                the Sith by every possible means until it exploded into open warfare decimating The Sith Order
                                and breaking the back of their Empire.

                                Then the Jedi led Republic forces swept in, taking back the captive worlds and destroying the
                                few surviving Sith Lords. All but one. The Starrider did not live to see the final victory, nor did
                                six of his nine sons. It was the seventh son, Loran Starrider, who led the Republic to triumph.
                                Aided by a powerful heirloom created by his father.

                                The Rider's Star is a Force vergence centered on a simple kiber crystal set in a silver star.
                                Given by Loran to his own son, and passed down through generations of Starrider heirs from
                                his time to our own.

                                But the Sith were not totally destroyed. A lone survivor, Darth Bane, carried on the tradition.
                                Wiser than his predecessors he decreed there were to be only two Sith Lords at a time. A
                                Master and his Apprentice.

                                The successors of Darth Bane continued to work in secret for power and the destruction of
                                the Jedi. Over the next eight centuries four Sith Lords emerge to openly challenge the Order
                                and the Republic. Three died leaving an Apprentice to carry on. But the fourth, Darth Moloch,
                                and his Apprentice were destroyed together when when their stronghold fell. Or so the Jedi
                                thought.

                                For a thousand years there would be no further sign of the Sith.

                                The Temple Era

                                The Dark Side had always been a threat to be guarded against but in the wake of the Sith
                                Wars the Jedi became obsessed with the fear of it. The entire Order was recreated
                                specifically to prevent future falls. All the Jedi were gathered together on Coruscant to live
                                under the direct supervision of the Council in the first of three great temples built to house
                                them. Originally Jedi Padawans were chosen by their Masters, guided by the Force. Early
                                adolescence was considered the ideal time to begin the training but younger or much older
                                people might also be taught, the decision being left entirely to the discretion of the individual
                                Master.

                                Under the Temple potential Jedi were identified nearly at birth and taken from their families to
                                be reared in rigorous seclusion. Islolated from outside influences and temptations. Where
                                once Jedi had lived alone or in small groups as part of the greater community they were now
                                arbitrarily cut off from it in their Temple fastness.

                                Contact even with their birth families was curtailed. And attachments outside the Order firmly
                                discouraged. This estrangment was to cost them dearly when the Sith finally moved.

                                The Empire

                                The near destruction of the Jedi Order by the last Sith Master, Darth Sidious a.k.a. The
                                Emperor Palpatine, is covered in detail by many other sources. For the purposes of this
                                esssay we will limit ourselves to the bald facts.

                                The number of Jedi Knights had already been greatly reduced by the casualties during the
                                Clone Wars. Many of the remainder were killed in the Emperor's surprise attack on the Temple.
                                Most of the Jedi operating in the Core Worlds died in the first days of the purge. Those on
                                missions to the Outer Rim lasted longer but the majority were eventually hunted down and
                                killed by the Emperor's Apprentice, Darth Vader, and his Dark Servants.

                                Many survivors of the first stage of the purge rallied to the Starrider brothers, descendants of
                                Altor and Loran. Their rebellion ended in ambush at the battle of Condawn where the Rider's
                                Star was captured and the last of Altor's line believed killed. Condawn was to be the Jedi's
                                last attempt at open resistance. Scattered survivors went into hiding, keeping the tradition
                                alive and awaiting the guidance of the Force.

                                Palpatine's masterstroke was the corruption of Anakin Skywalker, a Force Avatar, like Altor
                                Starrider before him, concieved by the Force to make a final end to the Sith. Instead he joined
                                them becoming Darth Vader. The Emperor's victory seemed complete.

                                In fact there remained no less than three potential saviors; Anakin Skywalker's twin children,
                                Luke and Leia; and Derik Starrider, last of Altor's line and heir to the Rider's Star.

                                Hidden from both their father and the Emperor, who were unaware of their existence, the
                                Skywalker twins had the potential to take up their father's abandoned destiny and end the Sith
                                forever. As did young Derik Starrider, also carefully hidden by his mother and aunt, if he could
                                somehow regain the Rider's Star and learn to use it's powers.

                                Yoda, the only surviving Councillor, and Obi-Wan Kenobi, once Anakin's teacher, chose to
                                concentrate their efforts on Anakin's son. Training him up to be the Jedi his father should have
                                been.

                                His sister Leia was adopted by Prince Bail Organa of Alderaan. Her true identity unknown to
                                all but the Prince and the two Masters she was held in reserve, a second hope should her
                                brother fail.

                                Yoda at least was aware of the existence of the third hope, Derik Starrider. Unfortunately so
                                was the Emperor after Derik succeeded in wresting the Rider's Star from him.

                                Darth Vader was sent to deal with the last Starrider heir. After an inconclusive hand to hand
                                fight Vader resorted to razing the planet in an attempt to eliminate his rival. He failed but may
                                never have known it though the Emperor certainly did.

                                The Starrider and his family took refuge in the Outer Rim Territory where they soon became
                                involved in a war against the Hutts.

                                As it turned out it wasn't Luke Skywalker's destiny to destroy the Sith but rather to call his
                                father back to the Light Side so Anakin could complete the task he'd been born for. It was the
                                father not the son who killed the Emperor ending the Sith Order forever.

                                The Restoration

                                Less than thirty Jedi survived the purge and long proscription. The new Jedi Council headed
                                by Master Dai-Men Jinn abandoned the Temple, desecrated by the Emperor's long habitation,
                                instead establishing commanderies on Coruscant, Naboo, Aquilar and Tatooine. As the Order
                                grew further centers were founded.

                                Though less centralized than under the Temple the modern Jedi Order is still hierarchically
                                organized. Individual Jedi are responsible to the Master of the local commanderie and he in
                                turn to the Council on Coruscant. Along with the Temple the renewed Jedi Order has
                                discarded most of the practices belonging to it. Especially the recruitment of infants and the
                                the enforced seclusion. While still very few contemporary Jedi are much more accessible
                                than their Temple bound predecessors. Mixing socially with the people of the Republic as the
                                earliest Jedi had done.

                                Feedback to: moriah_organa@yahoo.com