Now I Am the Master
Scenario Supplement for Desert Cries

By Morrie Mullins
Living Force Plot Director and Campaign Designer

Morrie Mullins presents the latest in our monthly series of free supplements to the Living Force campaign's newest scenarios. This excerpt from the Padawan's Resource Guide to the Almas Jedi Academy ties in with Desert Cries, the campaign's April scenario and the second part in the "Almas, Sweet Almas" trilogy.

From the Padawan's Resource Guide, Almas Jedi Academy:

Whatever stories you may have heard about how trials work at the Jedi Temple on Coruscant, you should put them out of your mind before the time comes for you to undertake your trials on Almas. Because the Almas Academy operates under a slightly different educational model than that utilized on Coruscant, our trials are distinct in some respects (and less so in others) from theirs. This says nothing of relative difficulty; some Padawans might find the Coruscant trials easier, while others would give anything to undergo the trials on Almas. Just as there is more than one path to learning to wield the Force responsibly, so are there multiple ways to demonstrate readiness to wear the mantle of a Jedi Knight.

The trials on Almas are tri-fold. Working with Jedi Masters here, on Coruscant, and throughout the galaxy, Master Lanius Qel-Bertuk developed a series of exercises that test the prospective Jedi Knight both mentally and physically. Failing to pass any one of the trials is grounds for remediation; failing to pass any two trials in a single attempt to become a Jedi Knight is grounds for dismissal from the Academy.

Trial 1: The Jedi Philosophy

Classrooms, textbooks, and holovids provide the foundations for understanding the philosophy of the Jedi. However, it is not enough to simply understand the philosophy. The Jedi Knight must embody the philosophy of the Order, must make it a part of who she is, and must understand it as she does herself.

When a Padawan is ready to test for the level of Jedi Knight, with the consent of her mentor, she arranges an audience with a mini-council. This mini-council consists of her mentor, Master Lanius, and three other Masters at the Academy (or visiting Masters from Coruscant, on rare occasions). Most frequently, all of those involved in the mini-council are familiar with the Padawan's work, having observed her in courses, field activities, or daily life.

Because every student at the Academy is different, this first trial is unique to each Padawan. There are many aspects of the Jedi Code, and the more general philosophy of the Order, which may be relevant to the Padawan's progress. If there are elements of the Code with which she has struggled, or issues that have been persistent problems in her training, she will be asked about these. If she has adopted a novel approach to her training, then she will be questioned about it.

For example, it has been some time since Kirlocca trained a student in the wielding of multiple lightsabers. The last was a young woman, hereafter A.J. Her interest, and her training with Kirlocca, focused on the art, on the centering she found while practicing with two lightsabers. On the whole, however, dual wielding of lightsabers is discouraged; it is not the focus of the Jedi, after all, to seek out conflict. It is our goal to avoid conflict whenever possible, and igniting not one, but two, lightsabers can make it difficult to convince those who would attack you that you do not want to be attacked. It can be construed as antagonistic, or an attempt to inspire fear.

Much of A.J.'s questioning by the mini-council focused on her training with the two lightsabers. Why was it important to her? What did it provide her? Why had she utilized so much time and energy in her training to develop this skill? The questions were challenging, but fair, and A.J. satisfied the committee that her desire to learn this rare fighting style was motivated by the desire to develop herself and to protect others, and that she would only resort to the use of more than one lightsaber if the situation grew truly dire.

The questions reflected more than the mini-council's worries that A.J. might fall victim to the dark side if she continued wielding two lightsabers. What is held in the hands has much less impact on the worthiness of a Jedi than what is held in her heart, and that is what A.J.'s understanding of the Jedi philosophy demonstrated.

Trial 2: The Jedi Peace

Whether storms rage outside his hut on a strange, desolate world, or the small freighter rocks as blaster fire assails its hull; whether his friends are wounded, bleeding helplessly on the floor, or he himself is moments from death; there is always the calm of the Jedi, always the inner peace that allows him to hear the will of the Force.

Upon successful completion of the first trial, the Jedi is dismissed by the mini-council and sent to the chambers in the basement of the Academy. These rooms, three meters square, were designed to allow for complete silence and stillness as the student contemplates what lies ahead. A standard set of instructions is given to each Padawan as he leaves the first trial.

"Meditate on why it is you want to be a Jedi Knight. Search your heart for the truth of why you have undertaken this path. Seek to understand the commitment you will make, if you become a Jedi Knight. You will meditate for five days."

There are no questions asked when the Padawan emerges from his meditation. He either completes the meditation, or he does not. Such is the nature of success or failure in the second trial.

Trial 3: The Jedi Promise

All Jedi undertake their training understanding that the dark side is only a breath away. Many have fallen victim to its lure. The Jedi Knight cannot allow herself to fall. She must make a promise to herself, and to the Order, to protect peace and justice throughout the galaxy. This promise must be made knowing that there are many things in the galaxy outside the control of the Jedi, and that each of these must be faced without fear, allowing the Force to be her guide. The Jedi Promise is made not in words, but in deeds, and is a promise not to give in to fear no matter what the cost.

If the first trial is wholly tailored to the individual, and the second is the same for all who experience it, the third provides a happy medium. All individuals fear something. To become a Jedi, one must overcome that fear, to learn not to be ruled by the fear. The feared object, creature, or person will vary from one Padawan to the next, but most fears can be accommodated, and presented, in the context of the third trial.

The most common form of the final trial is a journey into the deserts on the southern half of Almas. This journey may be undertaken alone, though it is more common for at least the Padawan's mentor to accompany her. Once in the desert, a confrontation takes place between a very real threat that embodies the Padawan's greatest fear (as determined by her mentor and the mini-council) and that must be overcome. The means by which the obstacle is overcome - intellect, combat, or something else entirely - is at the discretion of the Padawan, and is taken into consideration when determining whether the rank of Jedi Knight will be bestowed upon her. Defeating that which has been feared is not necessarily a sign of success, if fear or anger were tools in the Padawan's victory.

The trials, then, will be different for every Padawan who undertakes them. Over time, and through extensive interactions with your mentor, the strengths and weaknesses of your training will become apparent, and even as you are learning your lessons, the trials will be taking shape in the minds of your instructors, your Master, and your friends. May the Force be with you, as you enter into your trials and strive to become a Jedi Knight.