Matukai Dragons
​"It binds the galaxy together. It is generated by every living being. It is a source of immense power. It is both good and evil, Light and Dark. And it guides the destiny of both the entire galaxy and every individual sentient being. It is the Force."
​In some regions of the galaxy, the Force is a mysterious and distant concept shrouded in secrecy and obscured by legends. In the more informed circles, the concepts of the Light and Dark sides of the Force are fairly well understood. However, the Planes of the Force and how they interact with the Sides of the Force is knowledge held by very few despite the fact that all are affected by it. The Matukai in their millennia of meditation and disciplined training have delved into these secrets, passed them down through the generations and amassed an unrivaled understanding...
The Sides of the Force
Light and dark are opposites. They are completely unlike each other in every respect. But at the same time, they are united by one factor: they DEFINE each other. One cannot understand one concept without reference to the other, they are opposite extents of the same intangible essence. So it is with the Force. It has two sides which are completely opposed but at the same time inextricably linked by the fact they are opposite versions of the very same thing.
The Force is like a magnet. A magnet has two opposite poles which define what a magnet is. The poles repel each other and resist being brought together. They are in eternal conflict but without each other, the magnet cannot exist. If one tries to cut off one pole and separate it from the other, two more poles come into existence, creating two magnets. A single pole has no power of its own. So with the Force, its sides are in eternal conflict but both are essential, both need the other for the Force to exist. Both sides have strengths and weaknesses, counters and foils for each other. Perfectly balanced, the conflict for dominance in the the galaxy sways back and forth between them as individuals strong in the Light or Dark side rise and fall.
Dark
The Dark side of the Force is corrupting and offers immense personal power. It is driven by self-centred emotions: hate, malice, pain, greed, cruelty and above all the thirst to control others through strength. Every Force-wielder who fully immerses himself in the Dark side personifies its characteristics. Most of these individuals are lured by the power and influence they believe the Dark side will give them and follow its teachings by striving to attain mastery over the Force and bend it to their will. The power of the Dark side is that it grants the gifts of might and strength to those that devote themselves to it and offers even more unnatural abilities the further the individual commits themselves to the Darkness. Thus the Dark side seduces its followers and in the deceptive way typical of Dark-siders themselves, it poisons their minds and corrupts their bodies. The further down this path they go, the more they become tools of the Dark side and its ambition to grow in power as they grow in strength and influence. The end of the Dark side is enormous power but at tremendous cost. Ultimately, the Dark side always triumphs over the individual as its followers destroy themselves.
As Dark siders always strive for increased ability and can never rest in their struggle to master the Force, they can never truly experience the peace required to become one with the Force. The emotions and deeds of love, sacrifice, kindness and empathy are an anathema for the Dark sider. As such, some abilities such as true Force healing are virtually impossible for them to perform while offensive abilities that give them power are their forte.
The rise of the Dark side leads to tremendous personal ability and often results in mighty empires and vast military strength in those under its dominion. The most awe-inspiring machines, weapons and forces of the galaxy are the direct result of the influence of the Dark side. While promoting enormous strength, the Dark side also creates division. The desire for power is always rampant in those under the sway of the Dark side resulting in in-fighting that has been the downfall of many regimes. In addition, the Dark side crushes vast swathes of populations for its goals which often causes mass uprisings and rebellion. While the Dark side's strength is the sheer might it gives, its weakness is its selfishness and the misery it causes.
Light
The Light side of the Force is wholesome and offers hope to the masses of the galaxy. The emotions of self-sacrifice, love, empathy, and generosity characterize those who follow its path. Unlike Dark siders, these individuals do not strive to dominate the Force but allow it to flow through them and control them. They are at peace with the will of the Force and simply seek to increase their connection so they can be carried by its flow more perfectly. The goal of the Light side is the healing and prosperity of the galaxy, the best of the population. While defending the weak and helpless is the objective of the Light sider, personal ability is not an end in itself and frequently results in individuals who are seen as weaker in ability compared to their Dark side counterparts. This leads to the notion that the Light side is also weaker, which is not the case. The Light simply has different priorities from the Dark and a reduced focus on personal prowess. Light siders are willing tools of the Force and choose to give their lives for the greater benefit. In return, the Light side rewards its followers with health, happiness, peace, fulfillment and the ability to merge into its very fabric on death.
The connection to the Light does restrict the ability of these practitioners to execute offensive abilities which solely create pain and suffering in the target. An example of this is Force lightning, which is very difficult for the Light sider to attain and only in a weakened form if at all. On the other hand, they gain unrivaled abilities that promote the goals of the Light side, such as defensive and healing skills.
The influence of the Light side promotes unity, peace and prosperity. Periods when the Light side is dominant in the galaxy are marked by enormous economic growth, social and cultural enrichment, a flourishing arts scene and widespread acceptance and tranquility. However, the power of the Light is also spread across huge areas and the potency of the strong is stretched to breaking point in its efforts to care for the weak. Peace and prosperity results in indulgence and arrogance that spells disaster for the strength of the community. When the might of the Dark side strikes, the unprepared and soft defences of the galaxy under the Light side fall like snow before a lightsaber blade.
The Planes of the Force
The lesser understood aspects of the Force are the lower and upper planes of the Force, namely the Living Force and the Unifying Force.
The Living Force
The Living Force is the mysterious energy field that is generated by every living being and gives the Force user his or her power. It allows them to perform amazing feats of acrobatics, move objects, exercise mind control, "feel" events split seconds before they happen and heal wounds just to name a few. There are three main aspects to the Living Force: Control, Sense and Alter.
Control is the aspect of the Living Force that focuses on the Force within the wielder. It is expressed most clearly in powers which affect the physical body internally but also is the basis of all other Force powers. This aspect of the Force is heavily trained by the Matukai, giving flexibility to build their skills into many more complex powers. The ability to purge the body of sickness with the Force is an example of the use of the Control facet.
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Sense is the aspect of the Force that focuses on the Force in the wielder's environment. It allows the user to have a heightened awareness of surroundings in both the physical and mental realms. This awareness allows the Force-wielder to tap into a huge flow of information which results in the amazing reflexes found in most trained adepts.
Alter is the aspect of the Force that focuses on implementing change on the wielder's environment through the Force. This range of skills is by far the largest of the three aspects and makes up the majority of the powers commonly associated with Force sensitives. Well-known examples of this aspect include telekinesis and Force lighting.
The Unifying Force
The Unifying Force is the part of the Force that is often said to be the "will" of the Force. It stretches across both the sides of the Force and has control over them. It balances the galaxy and ensures that no side becomes so powerful that it becomes uncheckable. It exists throughout all time past and future.
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The Unifying Force is also the plane that allows the Force wielder to view the past and the possible futures of the galaxy, through accidental visions or intended meditation sessions. While training in this ability is said to improve the accuracy of these visions, many untrained Force adepts have experienced them to varying degrees. Skilled Force users can sometimes use ancient artifacts such as the Oracle of Pelgrin to enhance this ability.
The Matukai
Where do the Matukai stand in the Force and what is their role? While in the past the Matukai refused to embrace any dogma other than the Light side of the Force, as the nature of the Force has become better understood the practitioners have realized the full scope of the Unifying Force and its objective to keep both sides in balance. The importance and mutual need for both sides of the Force is now recognized and Force wielders of every shade are encouraged to develop in the stance they see fit. Ultimately, the Force will balance itself.
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The Matukai are convinced the Force is a gift from all life to all life. Every being in the galaxy contributes to its fabric and thus should be able to connect to it and benefit from it. The Matukai believe every being has the capability to manipulate the Force if given the correct training and time. It is the goal of the Matukai to educate the galaxy with this wisdom, spread this gift to all who seek to better connect to the Force and train those interested in how to increase attunement to the Force.
FAQ
Q: Is the Dark side stronger?
A: No, but it generally gives its followers more personal (specifically offensive) power because that is what they train towards. This greater battle prowess is often seen as the Dark side being stronger. There are of course exceptions that show the equality of the sides of the Force.
Q: Why is the Dark side more seductive and easier to follow?
A: The Dark side appeals to natural selfishness that is a relic of the evolution of the galaxy. Beings that sought personal power were more likely to survive and pass their genes to the next generation. As a larger proportion of our ancestors were of this nature by natural selection, there is a natural pull to the dark side which can be likened to the instinct for self-preservation.
Q: Who or what are "Chosen Ones"?
A: "Chosen Ones" refers to specific individuals the Unifying Force raises up to address imbalance between the sides of the Force. The way it does this can be difficult to observe as the Unifying Force has impartial influence over both the Light and the Dark.
Q: Is the Dark side evil and the Light side good or vice-versa?
A: This is a matter of perspective. While the morals and laws of the galaxy and specific cultures may dictate certain things, the Force does not have morals. The Force simply is the Force.
Q: If the Force has a "will", does it have a personality?
A: The will of the Force is its tendency to balance itself under the direction of the Unifying Force. While the Force will intervene to ensure certain events occur or don't occur, it does not have a personality.