By: Jason Dietzel
The Wardens of the Sky is a Force organization that got its start during the Great Hyperspace War, circa 5,000 BBY, when the Hyperspace Navigator’s Guild became discredited and disbanded for its failure in protecting civilian transport and commerce travel along the hyperlanes. The guild got its start as explorers paved new routes through the galaxy through the centuries.
With this absence along the hyperlanes, an unknown Force-sensitive individual formed the Wardens of the Sky, believing his purpose was to protect travel routes. As a result, the core philosophy behind the Wardens centered around utilizing their knowledge of space travel and the Force to provide a safe environment from pirates and other tyrants.
Most often Wardens traveled alone, patrolling segments of routes to help anyone in distress. However, if the Warden came across another Force-sensitive person, and their character fit the standard to be a Warden of the Sky, they would offer to train them as their apprentice. Once training was complete, the student would be granted a portion of a spacelane to patrol.
The Wardens operated subtly, choosing to blend in with their surroundings, and only overtly drawing attention to their calling should the situation arise. Some Wardens blended in by taking jobs in spaceports – mechanics, bartenders, port security – in order to be close to rumors and identify problems early. Others chose professions, like navigator, pilot, crewman for hire, etc., to secretly patrol and have the support of a crew should a problem be discovered.
Believing weapons, like blasters or lightsabers, added undue danger on spaceships, Wardens specialized in unarmed combat. Combining martial arts with Force techniques, the group developed their own unique fighting style that greatly aided them in their quest for interstellar safety.
Over time, the Wardens became legends of myth, guardian angels in the vastness of the void, told by spacers in cantinas across the galaxy. However, this obscurity as fable protected the Wardens through the millennia, helping them evade death during the various Jedi purges, including the infamous Order 66 that culminated the Clone Wars. The Wardens of the Sky evaded harassment by the Galactic Empire, and it is assumed their organization survived well into the Legacy era.
There are no known Wardens and the only reference to the group can be found in the Jedi Academy Training Manual, a sourcebook for Wizard of the Coast’s Saga Edition Core Rulebook from their roleplaying game that takes place prior to the Sith-Imperial War of 127-130 ABY.
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