The Child of Felucia

Ryy Laa was born on the vibrant world of Felucia, where towering fungal forests, winding rivers and dense wetlands formed one of the most unique ecosystems in the galaxy. While many regarded the planet as hostile and untamed, those who called it home understood that every organism, no matter how strange or dangerous, played a part in maintaining its delicate balance.

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The Laa family had lived on Felucia for centuries. Although their ancestors had settled there from Ryloth, generations had grown up amongst the deep jungles until Felucia became inseparable from the family’s identity. The Laa name was well known within certain circles of the Jedi Order, due to the family producing several generations of Jedi. It was a legacy that brought pride, but also expectations.

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From an early age, Ryy displayed a quiet curiosity about the world around her. She often wandered through the forests surrounding her family’s home, observing wildlife, collecting unusual stones, shells and plant fibres, and returning with small treasures that reminded her of places she had visited or people she had met. The colours, textures and intricate patterns of Felucia fascinated her, and she developed an appreciation for beauty that would remain with her throughout her life.

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That appreciation soon found its greatest expression in jewellery.

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Ryy became fascinated by the adornments worn by the women of her family, particularly the intricate rings and necklaces crafted from materials gathered throughout the jungles. She would spend hours watching her relatives work with luminescent plant fibres, shimmering shells, polished stones and other natural materials, gradually learning how such ordinary pieces of the world could be transformed into something beautiful.

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What began as childhood experimentation gradually became something much more personal. She crafted rings, bracelets, necklaces and other adornments, often decorating herself with her latest creations and taking particular delight in the way they caught and reflected the strange light of her homeworld.

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To Ryy, however, they were never simply ornaments.

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She also came to believe that the materials themselves possessed a connection to the Living Force. Luminescent plant fibres seemed to pulse faintly with energy when worn, while polished stones and shells carried subtle impressions of the environments from which they had come. Whether these impressions were truly manifestations of the Force or simply Ryy’s own heightened sensitivity, she never entirely knew. To her, however, the distinction mattered little because the jewellery gave her a way to feel connected to the living world around her.

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Her connection to the Force revealed itself gradually. Rather than dramatic visions or extraordinary displays of power, Ryy experienced the Living Force through the natural world. She noticed subtle changes within the forests before storms arrived, recognised when animals became restless and often sensed when parts of the jungle had fallen out of balance. These experiences strengthened her fascination with ecology and reinforced the belief that every living thing was connected.

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One of the people who recognised her potential was her great-great-cousin, Luaren Laa, a Jedi Consular who occasionally returned to Felucia between assignments. Luaren became an important influence during Ryy’s childhood, introducing her not only to the responsibilities of the Jedi but also to the traditions of their family.

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Rather than beginning with formal instruction, Luaren encouraged Ryy to remain curious. She taught her the importance of observation, patience and listening before acting, while allowing Ryy to explore her own interests rather than attempting to shape her into a particular kind of Jedi.

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Luaren also encouraged Ryy’s creativity. She would sometimes help her gather materials for new pieces of jewellery, teaching her which plants could safely be used for fibres and which stones were suitable for polishing. For Ryy, these moments became as meaningful as the lessons she received about the Force.

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Her jewellery consequently became more than a childhood hobby. It was connected to her family, her homeworld and the way she understood the Living Force. Even during meditation, Ryy would sometimes wear pieces she had crafted herself, believing that their familiarity helped her remain grounded and reminded her of the living world beyond the walls of whatever temple or settlement she happened to occupy.

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Ryy’s childhood was not solely spent in study. She explored the jungles with relatives, climbed towering plants, crossed luminous pools and encountered the countless strange creatures that inhabited Felucia. The jungle was simultaneously her playground, her classroom and her sanctuary.

 

These experiences deepened her compassion for living things and strengthened her instinct to protect them. She learned that beauty and danger could exist within the same creature, that even the most frightening organisms had their place within the ecosystem and that nature rarely behaved according to the simple distinctions between good and bad that intelligent beings so often imposed upon it.

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As she grew closer to the age when the Jedi would formally assess her future, the prospect of leaving Felucia became increasingly real. Ryy understood what it meant to become a Jedi and was proud of the possibility, but she also knew that leaving would mean separating herself from the world that had shaped nearly every aspect of who she was.

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When the time finally came to depart for the Jedi Academy on Yavin IV, she left carrying far more than her belongings. She carried the traditions of her family, the lessons she had learned from Luaren and a deep appreciation for the natural world that had shaped her childhood.

 

The Temple Years

Upon arriving at the Jedi Academy on Yavin IV, Ryy found herself in an environment unlike anything she had known on Felucia. Although both worlds were rich in vegetation, the ancient Massassi temples, rain-soaked courtyards and vast jungle surrounding the Academy created an atmosphere that felt older and quieter than the vibrant landscapes of her homeworld.

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Like every Initiate, Ryy began with the foundations of Jedi training. Her days were divided between physical exercise, lightsaber instruction, meditation, history, languages, galactic law and the study of the Force. Life within the Temple was structured, and adapting to its routines required time. The expectations placed upon every student were high, but Ryy also carried the weight of the Laa family name, something she occasionally found difficult to ignore. If she did, others would frequently remind her.

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As Ryy progressed through her training, she was assigned to Jedi Knight Elaki Kneev. The Ortolan was unlike most of the instructors she had encountered at the Academy. He was rarely in a hurry, had a particular fondness for food and tea, and was known to disappear for an afternoon nap whenever circumstances allowed it. To some of the younger Jedi, Elaki seemed almost absent-minded.

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She soon learned that this was indeed misleading.

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Elaki paid close attention to everything around him. He simply had little interest in making a show of it. He preferred to teach through observation and experience rather than formal instruction, often allowing Ryy to struggle with a problem until she had reached the point where she was ready to understand it herself. An ordinary conversation over a meal could become a lesson in the Force, while tending to the gardens might turn into a discussion about patience, life and the responsibilities of a Jedi.

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During her apprenticeship, Elaki gave her opportunities to work with other initiates, mediate disagreements and assist creatures disturbed by the expanding jungle around the Academy. Later, he began taking her on assignments beyond Yavin IV, where she encountered the less obvious forms of suffering that existed throughout the galaxy.

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These experiences changed Ryy considerably. She learned that people were often much harder to understand than the natural world she had grown up with on Felucia. Creatures generally acted from instinct, while people could knowingly hurt one another and still convince themselves that they were doing the right thing.

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Elaki never tried to shield her from that realisation. Instead, he helped her understand that compassion was not dependent on people being reasonable, honest or deserving. It was a choice a Jedi had to make even when understanding another person was difficult.

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By the later years of her apprenticeship, Ryy had developed a quiet reputation within the Academy for her ability to calm tense situations and understand people who struggled to understand one another. Much of that ability could be traced back to Elaki’s unconventional approach to teaching.

 

As her apprenticeship neared its conclusion, Elaki judged that she was ready to undertake the journey to construct her lightsaber, starting with obtaining her crystal. Rather than travelling to Ilum, he chose to guide her to the ruins of the old Jedi Enclave on Dantooine.

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For several days, Ryy travelled through the surrounding plains and explored the remains of the old Enclave. She spent much of her time meditating among the ruins, hoping that the Force would guide her towards the crystal she was seeking. At first, however, nothing happened. She sensed no particular presence and received no vision or indication of where she should look.

Until she saw it; a cave.

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The Kinrath nesting grounds proved to be the greatest obstacle.

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The creatures were territorial and fiercely protective of their nests, and Ryy’s first attempts to approach them only made matters worse. She tried to use the techniques she had been taught, attempting to calm the creatures and move past them without disturbing the colony. Instead, the Kinrath became increasingly agitated.

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During one encounter, a frightened Kinrath suddenly lunged towards her. Ryy reached instinctively for the lightsaber at her belt before stopping herself. She managed to withdraw without harming the creature, but the encounter left her unsettled.

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For several days afterwards, she remained near the nesting grounds and spent long periods in meditation. She began questioning whether she was actually ready for the journey at all. She had spent years learning how to use the Force, yet she was still approaching the Kinrath as though the problem was simply finding the right technique to make them allow her through and eventually, she stopped trying.

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Instead, Ryy began observing the colony from a distance. She watched how the Kinrath cared for their nests, how they communicated with one another and how quickly they responded whenever they sensed a threat. The more time she spent watching them, the more she began to understand that they were not preventing her from reaching the ruins out of malice. They were protecting something that was important to them.

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When she approached the nesting grounds again, she did so without trying to control the creatures.

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A large Kinrath emerged from among the ruins and watched her carefully. Ryy remained where she was and allowed the Force to move between them without trying to impose her will upon the creature. She could feel its fear and suspicion, but there was no immediate hostility.

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Ryy later struggled to explain exactly what happened between them. It had not felt like the Beast Control she had been taught. There had been no command and no attempt to influence the creature. It was simply an understanding that neither of them needed to be afraid of the other and only then was she allowed to approach the nest.

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The nests drew Ryy to them, in a manner she had never felt before. This draw was strongest when Ryy reached towards one of the eggs, she began quietly singing an old melody she had learned during her studies in the Yavin IV Archives. She could barely remember where she had first encountered it, but the familiar words helped settle her thoughts as she carefully held the egg in her hands.

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Suddenly, the shell began to crack. It revealed a peculiar crystal of a peculiar color. The moment Ryy touched it, the Force surged through her.
The crystal was an intense magenta, a colour she had never seen before. As she grazed it, it seemed as if the world around her seemed to disappear.

 

She saw sickness spreading through worlds faster than medicine could contain it. She saw villages abandoned and families searching desperately for help that never came. She saw Dantooine suffering beneath disease and starvation, Felucia’s jungles burning, the temples of Yavin IV collapsing beneath violence as well as a vast ocean world where the sun sailed and the moon walks.

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When the vision finally ended, Ryy was left sitting among the ruins with the crystal suddenly in her hands. Ryy remained there for some time before finally making her way back to Elaki. She was exhausted and still struggling to make sense of what she had seen. Elaki listened without interrupting and, as usual, did not try to give her an answer she had not yet found for herself.

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The crystal eventually became the heart of Ryy’s lightsaber.

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When she completed the construction of her lightsaber on Yavin IV, its blade burned with a distinctive magenta light. The colour was unusual enough to attract attention among the other Jedi, but Ryy never considered it important because of its rarity. Thus she had successfully completed the trials required to attain the rank of Jedi Knight. Her years as a Padawan had come to an end, but her journey as a Jedi had only just begun.

 

The Jedi Knight

Following her Knighting, Ryy was no longer assigned to a Master and began undertaking missions independently on behalf of the Jedi Order. Although she remained capable with a lightsaber, she quickly earned a reputation as one whose greatest strengths lay in diplomacy, humanitarian relief and environmental restoration rather than warfare.

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Much of her work took place beyond the Core Worlds. She travelled throughout the Mid Rim and Outer Rim, assisting Republic authorities, local governments and communities affected by conflict, famine and natural disasters. Some assignments involved negotiating disputes between settlements, whilst others focused on rebuilding damaged ecosystems, supporting relief efforts or helping local healers contain outbreaks of disease.

 

These experiences broadened her understanding of the Republic. Every world faced different challenges, and Ryy rarely believed that a single solution could be applied everywhere. Instead, she learned to adapt her approach to the people, cultures and environments she encountered. Although she often found diplomacy rewarding, it also taught her that not every conflict could be resolved peacefully and not every decision would satisfy everyone involved.

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Over time, Ryy became increasingly involved in humanitarian operations. She worked alongside Republic medical personnel, Jedi Healers and local volunteers, often remaining long after her official assignments had concluded. During these years she also continued her research into the Living Force, particularly the relationship between ecosystems and the wellbeing of the people who depended upon them.

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As her experience grew, so too did her responsibilities within the Order. Younger Jedi frequently sought her guidance, and she occasionally supervised Padawans during missions where her experience as a Consular proved valuable.

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This period of relative stability came to an abrupt end with the arrival of the Eternal Empire.

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The attack on the Jedi Academy on Yavin IV marked one of the darkest moments in the Academy’s history. Together with fellow Jedi, Ryy helped evacuate the various residents as the Temple came under attack. The evacuation was chaotic, and despite every effort, not everyone escaped. The destruction of the Academy brought an end to more than three centuries of Jedi history on Yavin IV.

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Following the evacuation, many of the surviving Jedi regrouped within a hidden sanctuary deep in the Shadowlands of Kashyyyk. The sanctuary was lead by Benrace Schutu and Ryy. It became both a refuge and a place where fragments of the Academy’s knowledge could be preserved whilst the galaxy remained under occupation. Ryy assisted in caring for survivors, preserving archives and helping maintain what little remained of their former home.

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The sanctuary did not remain hidden forever.

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When it was eventually discovered by the Eternal Empire, the surviving Jedi were forced to flee once again. A second sanctuary had been lost and with it; another chapter in the Academy’s history.

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With the destruction of the Kashyyyk sanctuary, the surviving Jedi scattered across the galaxy.

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The Wandering Years

With the loss of both Yavin IV and the sanctuary on Kashyyyk, Ryy found herself without a permanent home for the first time since leaving Felucia as a child. Rather than settling elsewhere immediately, she continued travelling throughout the Republic, offering her assistance wherever it was needed.

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Over the following years, she became a familiar figure on a number of worlds recovering from war, disease and environmental destruction. She worked alongside local governments, relief organisations and surviving Jedi alike, helping restore damaged ecosystems, advising communities and assisting those displaced by conflict.

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Ryy eventually returned to Dantooine and remained there for nearly a year due to a serious epidemic began spreading across several settlements. The illness moved quickly through contaminated water supplies and affected both local communities and refugee populations already struggling to survive after years of conflict.

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Ryy became closely involved in the response. Working alongside local healers and medical workers, she treated those who were able to recover while helping organise supplies and care for those whose condition was more severe. She also spent much of her time studying the spread of the illness and cultivating medicinal plants that could be used in its treatment.

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The work was exhausting. For months, there was little indication that the outbreak was coming under control, and Ryy saw many people recover only to become sick again. Others did not survive. She remained with the communities throughout the epidemic, continuing her work even when there was no certainty that it would succeed.

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Eventually, after almost a year, the outbreak began to disappear. New cases became increasingly rare until the virus was no longer detected among the affected settlements. Suddenly, the quieter pace of life also gave her time to reflect on everything the Jedi had lost, and what future might still remain for survivors of the Academy.

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It was during this period that the idea of establishing a new local Jedi Academy gradually began to take shape. Ryy had witnessed the strengths of Yavin IV, but she had also seen its shortcomings. She wanted any future Academy to place equal importance on knowledge, diplomacy, healing and community alongside traditional Jedi training. It would not replace the established Jedi Temple on Tython, the reestablished Jedi Colony on Ossus or even the wider Order, but to serve as a regional sanctuary where Jedi could learn, teach and support one another.

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As the years passed, Ryy began searching for a suitable location. The world would need to be peaceful, accessible to the Republic and capable of supporting a permanent Jedi presence without drawing unnecessary attention.

 

Her search eventually led her to Dac.

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The vast ocean world offered everything she had hoped to find.