By Jason Dietzel
A long time ago, in a time predating the Galactic Republic and Jedi Order, there was a galactic empire that ruled with an iron fist. Known as the Infinite Empire, the Rakata spread throughout most of the known galaxy, enslaving the vast majority of species they encountered.
One tool to hold their empire together was an organization known as the Force Hounds. The Force Hounds were comprised of Force-sensitive servants from the conquered worlds and tasked with scouring the galaxy for any worlds that would pose a threat to their Rakatan masters.
Force Hounds were given to Predors, rulers of the Infinite Empire, who many times used them for gladiatorial amusement, pitting one Force Hound against another or forced into grueling survival situations. Force Hounds could be loaned out to other predors, if their master so chose, but many times that required some combat trial to prove the transaction worthwhile.
Force Hounds were well trained in the use of the Force, but did not hold any philosophical positions regarding the nature of the Force. They were bred merely as tools to use the Force in furtherance of their masters. Interesting enough, the weapon Jedi would come to use as their iconic weapon got its start with the Rakata and their Force-sensitive slaves. Then known as forcesabers, Predors gifted these unique weapons to their Hounds. And it was through the interaction with these Force Hounds that the predecessors of the Jedi engineered their first lightsabers.
Force Hound did have a tradition of having markings of their name tattooed over their body as a means of intimidation and identification in case they were dismembered and their remains collected. Hounds were named simply based off letters in the Aurebesh alphabet, three named individuals being Yirt, Trill and Xesh. Xesh, the most highlighted Force Hound, can be seen as the catalyst for the Je’daii Order’s internal strife that led to the reformation into the Jedi Order.
Force Hounds are first introduced in the Dawn of the Jedi comic book series, circa 25,783 BBY, chronologically the earliest content to be given substance in the Expanded Universe. It is unclear the role the Force Hounds played in the fate of the Infinite Empire. Did they join the ranks of fellow slaves in rebelling against their Rakatan masters, or did they remain loyal to the end, with the destruction of this ancient empire?
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