Yavin 4

Imperial Guard Academy

Before the Emperor's apparent demise, the Empire's greatest non-Force-sensitive combatants were selected for the Imperial Guard to serve and defend the Emperor himself. But being selected and developing into a guardsman were two different matters entirely.

The Emperor chose worlds strong in the dark side for his academies--locations where his influence was strongest, where he could form a bond with his would-be guardsmen. In these academies, the candidates would undergo a relentless, merciless training regimen that included regularly scheduled battles to the death. Regardless of what kind of person entered an Imperial Guard academy, if they survived they would emerge as a honed-to-perfection killing machine molded to the Emperor's will.

Category: Locations

Planet: 16141006993103609455

XP Level: 58

FQN: cdx.​locations.​yavin_4.​imperial_guard_academy

Massassi

It doesn't require much of an imagination to see that the hulking Massassi are genetic cousins to the Sith Pureblood. Both share the same distinctive skin tones, skeletal ridges and body tendrils. Both are also Force-sensitive, though the similarities typically end there. Nourished by the dark side of the Force, the yellow-eyed Massassi have developed a culture based around hunting, combat and violent ritual sacrifice.

On Yavin 4 in particular, the Massassi are markedly different from Purebloods. These impossibly strong warriors have developed dense and sharp claws on their hands and feet, and their intellect has diminished to the point that they rely almost entirely on animal instinct and use grunts to communicate. Their society, such as it is, has devolved into true barbarism.

Category: Species

Planet: 16141006993103609455

XP Level: 58

FQN: cdx.​species.​massassi

Krakjya

The golden-hued and black-striped pelage of the krakjya instills in those who behold the tropical feline a notion of majestic beauty, but maintaining that affectation would be a mistake. Krakjyas are savage predators, acting only in regard to self-preservation without anything resembling decorum or elegance. Powerful back muscles allow krakjyas to leap great distances and pin down quarry several times their own weight long enough to render it lifeless with their long, sharp teeth. Even the great Massassi warriors of Yavin 4 know better than to face a krakjya without lots of backup.

Category: Bestiary

Planet: 16141006993103609455

XP Level: 58

FQN: cdx.​bestiary.​krakjya

Stoneray

Of all the creatures indigenous to Yavin 4, the stoneray fits most suitably within its dark side-permeated swamps and jungles. Their ashen skin and low-necked posture lend an air of the sinister. And at night, bathed in the crimson glow of the gas giant Yavin, stonerays appear to be covered in blood--a terrifying sight, especially when one is observed using its taloned tail to effortlessly disembowel its prey.

Category: Bestiary

Planet: 16141006993103609455

XP Level: 58

FQN: cdx.​bestiary.​stoneray

Sith Intelligence

Even before the collapse of Imperial Intelligence, the Dark Council yearned for an agency of their own design. With Sith Lord Lana Beniko taking a role equivalent to that of Minister of Intelligence, the council can better ensure that their interests are being met. Beniko's role in uprooting the Order of Revan's agents within the Empire further cements the sound logic of her appointment. Rumors have taken root that Beniko's authority is being shared to some extent with a former commander of Imperial Intelligence, but this has neither been confirmed nor denied.

The primary goals of Sith Intelligence do not appear to have appreciably changed from its predecessor: they exist to gather substantive data on past, present, and future persons and organizations of interest; to quietly develop a stable of varied and valuable assets throughout the galaxy; and, above all, to protect the Sith Empire from threats both without and within.

Category: Organizations

Planet: 16141006993103609455

XP Level: 58

FQN: cdx.​organizations.​yavin_4.​sith_intelligence

The Massassi War: Part II

As a small tribe of cultured warriors, the intelligent Massassi thrived in the harsh jungles of Yavin 4. For a time they were content with their lives, but contentment led to restlessness. They longed for more. The uncontested rule and grand temples of Naga Sadow called to their warrior's vanity. A plan emerged and the tribe marched on Sadow's territory.

But Sadow, having learned of their independent existence, had anticipated their aggression. His mutated brutes ambushed the would-be usurpers. The sheer magnitude of their blunt-force attack was enough to take down an army. Relying on their wit to improvise and strategize, the smarter Massassi not only protected themselves from the onslaught, but advanced on their goal.

For days, the tribe stormed the temples their devolved cousins built. But where was the Dark Lord they had built them for? They had expected Naga Sadow would face them; they'd even accepted the likelihood most or all would fall to their former master. Instead, wave after wave of mutated brutes attacked and succumbed until there were none left to fight and the tribe stood triumphant inside the greatest of Sadow's temples. It was then, at long last, that Naga Sadow appeared....

Category: Lore

Planet: 16141006993103609455

XP Level: 1

FQN: cdx.​stronghold.​yavin.​temple2

The Massassi War: Part III

"You have succeeded," Sadow declared. "You have defied the odds, killed many times more your own, taken all you so desperately coveted. You have fought and bled and sacrificed to arrive at this moment. All that remains is for you to strike me down. But once you have, what would you do then, without your brothers to murder? With nothing left to conquer on this orb?"

The Massassi slackened, unable to offer a response. There was none to give. "I commend you on the mass slaughter of your own kind," Sadow intoned as hundreds of Massassi brutes flooded into the temple chamber. "You have seen the pinnacle of your days, the extent of your unchecked avarice. Think of it as the first of two gifts. The other I bestow on you now, though you were meant to have received it along with your fellow Massassi."

Over time, the Massassi on Yavin 4 grew in number as they rebuilt that which they destroyed. They would never war amongst themselves again.

Category: Lore

Planet: 16141006993103609455

XP Level: 1

FQN: cdx.​stronghold.​yavin.​temple3

The Massassi War: Part I

The first Massassi warriors to arrive on the fourth moon of Yavin were intelligent beings. However, their utter devotion to Dark Lord of the Sith Naga Sadow rendered moot their capacity for independent thought. To Sadow, the Massassi were born and bred to build temples in his honor and to defend him until death; nothing more. Perhaps it was for this reason that Sadow's experiments in Sith alchemy mutated his followers into rudimentary brutes.

Not all Massassi on Yavin 4 were subjected to Sadow's alchemical manipulations, however. A tribe of clerics who preferred independence over mindless labor turned their backs on their master, quietly venturing out to make a home of their own. These Massassi were pioneers, masters of their own destinies. But if Sadow were to discover their betrayal, there would come a reckoning....

Category: Lore

Planet: 16141006993103609455

XP Level: 1

FQN: cdx.​stronghold.​yavin.​temple1

Two Revans

There has always been a dual nature to the legend of Revan. At his core, is he truly a Jedi or is he Sith? It has been a hotly debated subject among scholars and politicians for centuries. As one might expect, the conclusions reached by those from Republic-aligned worlds often differ from those of an Imperial bent--but not always.

Some of the most knowledgeable authorities in the ways of the Force believe that it is right to call Revan a Jedi Knight and it is also right to refer to him as Dark Lord of the Sith. They contend that simultaneously knowing and embracing both the light and dark sides of the Force is possible, and point to Revan as potential proof. However, many of these same authorities also believe that such divided adherence would lead unquestionably to madness.

Category: Lore

Planet: 16141006993103609455

XP Level: 58

FQN: cdx.​lore.​yavin_4.​two_revans

An Omen Most Dire

The Sith Emperor stalks the galaxy once more. Whether his return from the brink of oblivion is the result of the Emperor's own dark manipulations or merely the result of a terrible convergence of events, his ultimate goal remains the same--to consume all life in the galaxy as fuel for his own immortality.

Despite this chilling turn of events, hope remains. The Emperor's plans have been stopped before, and the Republic is in a stronger position than ever. But the future is always in motion, and the manipulations of the Sith are never predictable....

Category: Lore

Planet: 16141006993103609455

XP Level: 58

FQN: cdx.​lore.​yavin_4.​omen_most_dire

The Joint Task Force

In response to the Emperor's return, the Republic Strategic Information Service has begun to assemble a joint task force with the sole purpose of finding the ancient Sith ruler and destroying him at last. Initially proposed by SIS agent Theron Shan, the organization will eventually include representatives from the Jedi Order, Republic Special Forces, "paid consultants" from the underworld--anyone who can contribute to the Emperor's downfall.

As with anything in the Republic, it's possible that politics may play a part in the group's final assembly and resources. But given that its founding members witnessed the return of the Emperor firsthand, it's unlikely that anything will be allowed to impede the task force's progress for long.

Category: Lore

Planet: 16141006993103609455

XP Level: 58

FQN: cdx.​lore.​yavin_4.​joint_task_force

The Dark Legacy of Yavin 4: Part II

From the journal of Jedi Master Arlo Grennen during his investigation into the dark side's influence on Yavin 4:

"There was a time when Freedon Nadd was only known as an impetuous Padawan who murdered his well-regarded master and then fled to parts unknown. But we now know that Nadd fled here, to Yavin 4, thirsty for insight into the dark side. Even now I can feel the corrupting power he must have felt in the halls of these temples. Nadd's arrival reawakened Naga Sadow, who took Nadd as his apprentice. When Nadd emerged from his training, he destroyed Sadow and took his place as Dark Lord of the Sith.

"As far as we're aware, Freedon Nadd never physically returned to the halls of Naga Sadow's temples, but he wasn't entirely finished with the place either. Centuries after his own demise, he would influence another Jedi in training to repeat Yavin 4's dark cycle...."

Category: Lore

Planet: 16141006993103609455

XP Level: 60

FQN: cdx.​lore.​operation.​yavin_4.​dark_legacy_2

The Dark Legacy of Yavin 4: Part III

From the journal of Jedi Master Arlo Grennen during his investigation into the dark side's influence on Yavin 4:

"Just as Naga Sadow trained his eventual replacement, so did Freedon Nadd's spirit find a powerful apprentice in Exar Kun. And just as Nadd killed his lord Sadow, Kun destroyed Nadd's spirit here on Yavin 4. These notable deaths likely served to further imbue the moon's temples with dark power, further fueling the barbaric Massassi--as well as the succession of Dark Lords who would later reside here.

"I think Kun saw what Naga Sadow had accomplished here with Sith alchemy and architecture and decided he could do better. He forced the Massassi to build new temples, but this time with a focus on complementing and augmenting the dark side. Kun even went so far as to use various technologies to manipulate the Force in ways that I can't say I understand. I can't, but I would like to...."

Category: Lore

Planet: 16141006993103609455

XP Level: 60

FQN: cdx.​lore.​operation.​yavin_4.​dark_legacy_3

The Dark Legacy of Yavin 4: Part I

From the journal of Jedi Master Arlo Grennen during his investigation into the dark side's influence on Yavin 4:

"Information on Yavin 4 has not been easy to come by, but I have scoured the libraries of Tython and what I have discovered is fascinating.

"The first corruption of Yavin's fourth moon by the dark side that we know of corresponds with the arrival of Dark Lord Naga Sadow some fourteen hundred years ago. I'm not entirely sure whether Sadow was drawn here by the dark side or if he himself planted the first seed of its presence. That's one of the many things I hope to learn while I'm here.

"Sadow was a gifted alchemist who turned his Massassi followers into powerful, violent animals who worshipped and served Sadow. The Massassi built massive temples for Sadow where they sacrificed their own in his honor. Sadow was even powerful enough to stave off the inevitable. He placed himself in a near-death slumber, which he remained in for hundreds of years, waiting until someone would come to take his place...."

Category: Lore

Planet: 16141006993103609455

XP Level: 60

FQN: cdx.​lore.​operation.​yavin_4.​dark_legacy_1

The Dark Legacy of Yavin 4: Part IV

From the journal of Jedi Master Arlo Grennen during his investigation into the dark side's influence on Yavin 4:

"A few hundred years ago, the Jedi Order thought they could cleanse Yavin 4 of its dark influence. They were more aggressive then. I'm actually impressed. The Jedi bombarded the world from orbit with a destructive manifestation of light side power in the hopes it would free the moon from its dark embrace.

"The attacking Jedi destroyed much of the life on Yavin 4, which they later worked to restore to its previous state. They thought they'd won, that they'd removed the influence of the dark side. How wrong they were. The Massassi are still here. The dark side is still present. I would not be surprised if Exar Kun's spirit remains, waiting for someone--a Jedi like myself, perhaps--to find him...."

Category: Lore

Planet: 16141006993103609455

XP Level: 60

FQN: cdx.​lore.​operation.​yavin_4.​dark_legacy_4

The Dark Legacy of Yavin 4: Part V

Jedi Master Arlo Grennen's final journal entry during his investigation into the dark side's influence on Yavin 4:

"I thought I would find Exar Kun. I believed like a fool that I might be next in line. I felt its pull, the dark side. I yearned for it. Yearned to be taught everything, to become more than what I am.

"What I found instead, what found me, is exquisite. Terrifying. Perfect. Perfect.

"Revan is coming. I vowed to do everything in my power to stop Revan, but he does not want me to. He chose this place, he knew this day would come, knew the very core of me, everything.

"Vitiate, I will make you stronger, I will grant you the only sustenance I know to give, I will become a part of your glory. It's going to be so beautiful I only wish I could live to see"

Category: Lore

Planet: 16141006993103609455

XP Level: 60

FQN: cdx.​lore.​operation.​yavin_4.​dark_legacy_5

The Coalition

One of the most profound developments of recent times will not be shared. It will not be celebrated, and only in the softest of voices in the most secure locations will it be discussed. Acting largely on their own, the Dark Council's Darth Marr and Jedi Grand Master Satele Shan have agreed to a temporary truce amongst their forces, going so far as to plan and act in concert against their common foe, the Revanites.

If these coalition forces are successful--if they can put aside their differences long and well enough to stop Revan's mad scheme--it could be seen as a bridge to a more permanent agreement. While some might welcome such a scenario, others are all too content to see their differences worked through on the battlefield. They would never compromise their ideologies, even if doing so could spare the lives of millions.

Category: Lore

Planet: 16141006993103609455

XP Level: 58

FQN: cdx.​lore.​yavin_4.​the_coalition

The Emperor's Return?

In another time, it might have been cause for celebration. It might have emboldened the Empire, breathing new life into their efforts to crush the Republic. But with the Sith Emperor's apparent reawakening comes the common knowledge that he is no longer interested in ruling over the galaxy. Instead, he seeks to consume it.

The Empire's highest ranking officers and dignitaries are now in a state of heightened alert, and the Dark Council has assembled a contingent of powerful Sith seers to get a fix on the Emperor's presence. When he makes his move, it is believed he will not distinguish between former friend or foe, as they will all eventually become his food and none will remain.

Category: Lore

Planet: 16141006993103609455

XP Level: 58

FQN: cdx.​lore.​yavin_4.​the_emperors_return

Commandant Iven

Iven first drew the attention of the Imperial Guard as a hardened slave who fought for his life almost daily in the combat arenas of Ziost. Sent to the Imperial Guard academy on Yavin 4, he quickly impressed by dispatching dozens of fellow cadets along with multiple training commandants. But Iven's murderous, unchecked rage was defiant in nature. He resisted the indoctrination process and the Emperor's dark draw longer than any other--until the strain of resistance became too much and his mind snapped.

Once in the Emperor's thrall, Iven became the most ruthless of all the guardsmen, never allowing his intentions to be questioned nor abiding attempts to be reasoned with. In his later years, as a training commandant himself, Iven had a candidate kill rate of over 80 percent, making for a smaller--but ultimately stronger--Imperial Guard.

Category: Persons of Note

Planet: 16141006993103609455

XP Level: 58

FQN: cdx.​persons.​yavin_4.​commandant_iven

Lord Darkspanner

Before becoming the backbone of Revan's campaign to destroy the Emperor at any cost, the Order of Revan was a small, subversive cult started by Sith Lord Tari Darkspanner. She believed in her heart that Revan had never truly died hundreds of years ago. She was correct, but her devotion to the enigmatic figure revolved around her theory that Revan had quietly overthrown the Emperor and, having been found out by the Dark Council, was locked away.

Darkspanner learned the truth of Revan's fate when the man himself appeared to her in a vision beckoning her to leave Dromund Kaas and seek him out. Impressed with all she'd accomplished as the self-appointed "Master" of the order, Revan offered Darkspanner the opportunity to expand the order's roster and purpose. Now Lord Darkspanner serves as one of Revan's most trusted commanders, devoted as ever to the doctrine of Revan.

Category: Persons of Note

Planet: 16141006993103609455

XP Level: 58

FQN: cdx.​persons.​yavin_4.​lord_darkspanner

Yavin 4

More than two dozen moons orbit the Outer Rim gas giant Yavin. Of those moons, the one designated Yavin 4 is by far the most habitable, supporting a vast array of flora and fauna within its lush and endless jungles.

Yavin 4 also holds a great deal of interest to the Jedi and the Sith. For well over a thousand years now, the dark side of the Force has flowed through Yavin 4 in an ever-increasing magnitude. But those who visit the moon's deadly rainforests and swamps in search of an explanation for the phenomenon rarely return, and never with any answers.

Category: Planets

Planet: 16141006993103609455

XP Level: 58

FQN: cdx.​planets.​yavin_4