During the era of the Old Republic, Jedi battle against Sith Lords, Mandalorian warriors raid Outer Rim Worlds, and the Republic struggles to fight off enemies at every turn. smugglers dodge Sith warships and bluff their way past Republic customs agents, while bounty hunters and mercenaries play both sides of every conflict for the greatest profit. Soldiers fight on distant battlefields and defend planets close to home. Vast empires rise, fall, and are reborn. This is the time of the Knights of the Old Republic campaign, and it is one of the most exciting periods in all Star Wars continuity.
In these years of conflict, your heroes have limitless opportunities to become part of the galaxy’s salvation—or its destruction. It is a time of constant warefare, when peace has become little more than a memory and survival is threatened by armies in all parts of the galaxy. It is a time when the Jedi are in abundance, fighting on fall fronts, only to be whittled down to near extinction over the course of several conflicts. It is a time when civilization is under siege; warlords and Force-users struggle to unmake the Republic and sow the seeds of chaos. It is a time of mysterious enemies and sudden betrayals, when allies turn to foes, and you never see the lightsaber until it is buried in your back. It is a time when new powers are on the rise, and anyone can ascend to greatness.
A Knights of the Old Republic campaign calls for heroes. A hero might be a Jedi Knight, sworn to protect the Republic but reeling from losses in previous wars. Another hero migth be a Republic soldier on the front lines of battle, fighting with every ounce of effort to hold the line against Mandalorian invaders. One hero might be an arms dealer smuggling weapons to resistance cells on Sith-controlled worlds, while another might be a hyperspace explorer that stumbles across a secret rallying point for the forcves of the Republic. A hero might be a corporate agent overseeing the construction of vital defense systems, or a Jedi Shadow working behind the scenes to bring down a sinister villain. Whatever your hero’s history and speciality, the Knights of the Old Republic campaign is rife with opportunities to send ripples of influence throughout the galaxy.
The Old Republic Era
The Knights of the Old Republic Campaign Guide focuses on the period between the Great Sith War and the final destruction of the old Sith Empire. During this time, the galaxy is embroiled in one war after another, and the Jedi are all but wiped out. Gamemasters have several choices for when, specifically, they might set a Knights of the Old Republic campaign. The following section describe the major conflicts and eras of this time.
The Great Sith War (4,000-3,996 BBY)
The Great Sith War begins with the fall of two Jedi students to the dark side: Exar Kun and Ulic Qel-Droma. The spirit of an ancient Sith Lord, Marka Ragnos, tempts the two Jedi and trains them in ancient teachings of the Sith. Flush with power, the two new Sith Lords lead the forces of the Krath—a dark-side cult founded on the Deep Core world of Empress Teta—in a war against the Republic. As the galaxy becomes embroiled in a conflict between the Sith and the Republic, many Jedi fight on either side of the battle. Some defend the Republic from their former comrades, while others are tempted by the lure of the dark side.
The Great Sith War takes an interesting turn with lasting repercussions when Ulic Qel-Droma vanquishes Lord Mandalore in single combat. This binds the Mandalorian clans to the Sith Lord, and he uses their prowess and numbers to redouble the Sith war effort. With both the Krath and the Mandalorians at their command, the Sith ravage the galaxy and deal the Republic blow after blow, staggering their forces. As more and more Sith train on the planet Korriban, thousands of Jedi die at the hands of Krath and Mandalorian forces.
The tide turns once more in favor of the Republic as the brothers Ulic and Cay Qel-Droma engage in a vicious duel on Ossus. After slaying Cay, a despondent Ulic surrenders to the Jedi Nomi Sunrider. Following his capture, the Republic begins an offensive that drives the forces of the Sith back, eventually shattering the Krath forces, routing the Mandalorians, and scattering the few remaining Sith to the farthest reaches of the galaxy. Crippled by the prolonged war effort, the Republic cannot pursue the Sith forces, and Korriban remains under Sith control.
The Restoration Period (3,995-3966 BBY)
The Great Sith War is a devastating event that causes more damage than any co nflict since the Great Hyperspace War a thousand years before. The Jedi Order, greatly depleted, turns inward to heal itself, increasing the responsibilities of a Republic that is barely standing. Piracy is rampant. Trade routes, which had been blazed and developed over centuries at enormous cost, require redevelopment at nearly every stop. Nearly one quarter of the civilized worlds in the Republic have been devastated by the conflict, and most worlds are left on their own to rebuild as the Republic’s resources are depleted.
With the Republic itself on the verge of collapse for over a decade following the war, a group of politicians put into motion a series of events that eventually restores the Republic to its prior strength. By guaranteeing the various corporations throughout the galaxy safe passage and trade along the space lanes in exchange for commercial investment in the Republic’s infrastructure, the Republic is able to rebuild its military and provide much-needed goods to the devastated people of the galaxy. Hyperspace explorers once again began scouting the galaxy in earnest, discovering newer and safer routes. Across the galaxy, planets begin to rebuild, commerce resumes, and the Republic’s military might is reestablished.
The enemies of the Republic are far from inactive during this time, however. The Sith who had fled back to Korriban bide their time and keep a low profile, while those who had fled to the Unknown Regions practice their dark arts in secret. The Mandalorians continue their nomadic existence, rebuilding their ranks and continuing the Mandalorian tradition. Though the Sith would remain silent for a time, the Mandalorians marshal their forces in secret for a return to the galactic stage.