Star Wars The Old Republic #3: Revan

Star Wars The Old Republic #3: Revan

by Drew Karpyshyn
Star Wars The Old Republic #3: Revan

Star Wars The Old Republic #3: Revan

by Drew Karpyshyn

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Overview

There’s something out there:
a juggernaut of evil bearing down to crush the Republic—
unless one lone Jedi, shunned and reviled, can stop it.

Hero, traitor, conqueror, villain, savior—the man called Revan has been all of these. He left Coruscant a Jedi, on a mission to defeat the Mandalorians. He returned a Sith disciple, bent on destroying the Republic. The Jedi Council gave Revan his life back, but the price of redemption was the loss of his memories. All that’s left are nightmares—and deep, abiding fear. What happened beyond the Outer Rim that Revan can’t quite remember or entirely forget? One thing he’s certain of: Something dark is plotting to destroy the very existence of the Republic. With no idea how to identify the threat, let alone stop it, Revan may be doomed to fail. For he’s never faced a more powerful and diabolic enemy. But only death can stop him from trying.
 
“An excellent book . . . [Karpyshyn] really draws the reader in.”—Eucantina
 
“Full of adventure, danger, and revelations.”—TheForce.Net

Product Details

ISBN-13: 9780345511355
Publisher: Random House Worlds
Publication date: 09/25/2012
Series: Star Wars: The Old Republic Series , #3
Pages: 368
Product dimensions: 4.32(w) x 6.72(h) x 1.08(d)

About the Author

About The Author
Drew Karpyshyn is the bestselling author of Star Wars: The Old Republic: Revan and the Star Wars: Darth Bane trilogy: Path of Destruction, Rule of Two, and Dynasty of Evil. He also wrote the acclaimed Mass Effect series of novels and worked as a writer/designer on numerous award-winning videogames. After spending most of his life in Canada, he finally grew tired of the long, cold winters and headed south in search of a climate more conducive to year-round golf. He now lives in Texas with his wife, Jennifer, and their cat.

Read an Excerpt

CHAPTER ONE

Lord Scourge raised the hood of his cloak as he stepped off the shuttle, a shield against the wind and pelting rain. Storms were common here on Dromund Kaas; dark clouds perpetually blocked out the sun, rendering terms like day and night meaningless. The only natural illumination came from the frequent bursts of lightning arcing across the sky, but the glow from the spaceport and nearby Kaas City provided more than enough light to see where he was going.

The powerful electrical storms were a physical manifestation of the dark side power that engulfed the entire planet—a power that had brought the Sith back here a millennium before, when their very survival had been in doubt.

After a crushing defeat in the Great Hyperspace War, the Emperor had risen up from the tattered ranks of the remaining Sith Lords to lead his followers on a desperate exodus to the farthest reaches of the galaxy. Fleeing the Republic armies and the relentless revenge of the Jedi, they eventually resettled far beyond the borders of Republic-charted space on their long-lost ancestral homeworld.

There, safely hidden from their enemies, the Sith began to rebuild their Empire. Under the guidance of the Emperor—the immortal and all-powerful savior who still reigned over them even after a thousand years—they abandoned the hedonistic lifestyles of their barbaric ancestors.

Instead they created a near-perfect society in which the Imperial military operated and controlled virtually every aspect of daily life. Farmers, mechanics, teachers, cooks, janitors—all were part of the great martial machine, each individual a cog trained to perform his or her duties with maximum discipline and efficiency. As a result, the Sith had been able to conquer and enslave world after world in the unexplored regions of the galaxy, until their power and influence rivaled those of their glorious past.

Another burst of lightning split the sky, momentarily illuminating the massive citadel that loomed over Kaas City. Built by slaves and devoted followers, the citadel served as both palace and fortress, an unassailable meeting place for the Emperor and the twelve handpicked Sith Lords who made up his Dark Council.

A decade earlier, when Scourge had first arrived on Dromund Kaas as a young apprentice, he had vowed to one day set foot inside the citadel’s exclusive halls. Yet in all his years of training at the Sith Academy on Kaas City’s borders, he had never been granted the privilege. He had been one of the top students, marked by his superiors for his strength in the Force and his fanatic devotion to the ways of the Sith. But acolytes were not permitted inside the citadel; its secrets were reserved for those in direct service to the Emperor and the Dark Council.

The dark side power emanating from within the building was undeniable; he had felt the raw, crackling energy every day during his years as an acolyte. He had drawn on it, focusing his mind and spirit to channel the power through his own body to sustain him during the brutal training sessions.

Now, after almost two years away, he was back on Dromund Kaas. Standing on the landing pad, he could once again feel the dark side deep inside his bones, the sizzling heat more than compensating for the minor discomfort of the wind and rain. But he was no longer a mere apprentice. Scourge had returned to the seat of Imperial power as a full-fledged Sith Lord.

He had known this day would come eventually. After graduating from the Sith Academy he had hoped for a posting on Dromund Kaas. Instead he had been sent to the fringes of the Empire to help quell a series of minor rebellions on recently conquered worlds. Scourge suspected the posting had been a punishment of some type. One of his instructors, jealous of the star pupil’s potential, had probably recommended that he be stationed as far from the seat of Imperial power as possible to slow his ascent to the upper ranks of Sith society.

Unfortunately, Scourge had no proof to back his theory. Yet even exiled to the uncivilized sectors on the farthest borders of the Empire, he had still managed to forge his reputation. His martial skills and ruthless pursuit of the rebel leaders caught the notice of several prominent military leaders. Now, two years after leaving the Academy, he had returned to Dromund Kaas as a newly anointed Lord of the Sith. More important, he was here at the personal request of Darth Nyriss, one of the most senior members of the Emperor’s Dark Council.

“Lord Scourge,” a figure called out over the wind, running up to greet him. “I am Sechel. Welcome to Dromund Kaas.”

“Welcome back,” Scourge corrected as the man dropped to one knee and bowed his head in a gesture of respect. “This is not my first time on this world.”

Sechel’s hood was pulled up against the rain, covering his features, but during his approach Scourge had noticed the red skin and dangling cheek tendrils that marked him as a pureblood Sith, just like Lord Scourge himself. But while Scourge was an imposing figure, tall and broad-shouldered, this man was small and slight. Reaching out, Scourge sensed only the faintest hint of the Force in the other, and his features twisted into a sneer of revulsion.

Unlike the humans that made up the bulk of the Empire’s population, the Sith species were all blessed with the power of the Force to varying degrees. It marked them as the elite; it elevated them above the lower ranks of Imperial society. And it was a legacy that was fervently protected.

A pureblood born without any connection to the Force was an abomination; by custom such a creature could not be suffered to live. During his time at the Academy, Lord Scourge had encountered a handful of Sith whose power in the Force was noticeably weak. Hampered by their failing, they relied on the influence of their high-ranking families to find them postings as low-level aids or administrative officials at the Academy, where their handicap would be least noticed. Spared from the lower castes only by their pureblood heritage, in Scourge’s eyes they were barely better than slaves, though he did have to admit that the more competent ones could have their uses.

But never before had he encountered one of his own kind with as feeble an attunement to the Force as the man huddled at his feet. The fact that Darth Nyriss had sent someone so vile and unworthy to greet him was unsettling. He’d expected a more substantial and impressive welcome.

“Get up,” he snarled, making no effort to conceal his disgust.

Sechel quickly scrambled to his feet. “Darth Nyriss sends her apologies for not coming to meet you personally,” he said quickly. “There have been several attempts on her life recently, and she only leaves her palace under the rarest of circumstances.”

“I’m well aware of her situation,” Scourge replied.

“Y‑yes, my lord,” Sechel stammered. “Of course. That’s why you’re here. Excuse my stupidity.”

A crash of thunder nearly drowned out Sechel’s apology, heralding an increase in the storm’s intensity. The driving rain started to come down in stinging sheets.

“Were your Master’s instructions to leave me standing here in this downpour until I drowned?” Scourge demanded.

“F‑forgive me, my lord. Please, follow me. We have a speeder waiting to take you to the domicile.”

A short distance from the spaceport was a small landing pad. A constant stream of hovercabs was landing and taking off—the preferred way for those of the lower ranks who couldn’t afford their own speeder to traverse the city. As was typical at a busy spaceport, a thick crowd surrounded the base of the landing pad. Those just arriving quickly fell into the queues waiting to hire a driver, moving with the disciplined precision that was the hallmark of Imperial society.

Of course, Lord Scourge had no need to step into the line. While some in the crowd cast sharp glances at Sechel as he tried to force a path through, the throng quickly parted upon catching sight of the towering figure behind him. Even with his hood drawn against the rain, Scourge’s black cape, his spiked armor, his dark red complexion, and the lightsaber prominently displayed at his side clearly marked him as a Sith Lord.

The individuals in the crowd showed a wide variety of reactions to his presence. Many were slaves or indentured servants out running errands for their masters; they wisely kept their eyes fixed on the ground, careful not to make eye contact. The Enlisted—the ranks of ordinary individuals conscripted into mandatory military service—snapped smartly to attention, as if waiting for Scourge to inspect them as he passed by.

The Subjugates—the caste of offworld merchants, traders, dignitaries, and visitors from planets not yet granted full status in the Empire—stared with a mixture of wonder and fear as they stepped quickly aside. Many of them bowed as a sign of respect. On their homeworlds they might be rich and powerful, but here on Dromund Kaas they were well aware that they ranked only slightly above the servants and slaves.

The only exception to the rule was a pair of humans, one male, the other female. Scourge noticed them standing at the foot of the stairs leading up to the landing pad, stubbornly holding their ground.

Interviews

1. Your new novel, Star Wars: The Old Republic: Revan, introduces a new Sith Emperor who will play a part in the game Star Wars: The Old Republic. How does he differ from other Sith Emperors, such as Emperor Palpatine in the Star Wars movies?
One of the interesting things about the Emperor as depicted in Revan is his longevity. While many followers of the Sith teachings have sought immortality, few have come as close to achieving it as this particular Dark Lord. The Emperor has ruled over Imperial Sith society for centuries, using the power of the dark side to extend his life far beyond its natural limits.

As a result, he has transcended a typical mortal existence. His wants, needs, desires and goals have grown ever more distant from those of the subjects who worship him, and he has removed himself from the day-to-day concerns of the Empire he helped to create. And while his prolonged life has allowed him to delve deep into the dark side to achieve almost unimaginable power, his endless struggle to ward off his own death has become an obsession bordering on paranoia.

2. In addition to Revan, you've also written for Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic and the Darth Bane trilogy of Star Wars novels which are set at the end of the Old Republic era. What is the appeal of writing in the Old Republic era, and what is the draw for fans?
I think one of the great appeals of working in the Old Republic era is the freedom. Because we are so far removed from the films, we have more leeway to do things in the Star Wars universe without worrying about how it ties in with the characters and events from the era of the films. There's also a great sense of mystery about it; when we first started working on Knights of the Old Republic there was mostly only hints and some vague references to that era. It felt like we were opening an ancient vault to peer into the secrets of the past.

For fans, I think there's a similar sense of mystery and discovery. The era is still largely unexplored, and fans want to know more about the history of the Republic, the Sith and the universe as a whole. The Old Republic era is still Star Wars, but it provides a unique experience not found in the films or the contemporary novels.

3. Describe your job as a writer for Star Wars: The Old Republic. How does it compare to writing this novel?
Working on TOR is a very collaborative experience. In addition to the other members of the ten-person writing team, I also work closely with the level designers, the artists, the animators and the cinematics team to make sure the story and gameplay support each other to enhance the overall experience for the player. It's a constant give-and-take, with everybody bouncing ideas back and forth to make the game the best it can be.

The game is also a much more visual medium than a novel. With full voice over and digital acting, it's closer to writing a movie or television script. There's a greater focus on dialog and the subtext provided by the voice actors and the digital acting.

Writing a novel is a much more isolated, personal and introspective experience. In the novel I feel like I can really get into a character's head, I can explore their motivations and their unspoken desires in ways you can't in a game (or film). The scope of the game is much broader - we have hundreds of hours of content and millions of words of dialog. A book is much more focused, allowing me to draw out little details and moments that would probably rush by unnoticed in the game. It's a bit of an oversimplification, but I view games as wide, whereas a novel is deep.

4. Do you think The Old Republic novels and the upcoming game are a good starting point for people new to Star Wars?
It's hard to imagine there are people who don't have at least some understanding of what Star Wars is; it's the most ubiquitous pop cultural phenomenon of my lifetime. But if you are new to Star Wars, or new to the books, the Old Republic era is a great place to start because it lays the foundation for everything that comes later. Chronologically the Old Republic predates the films, so if you're new to Star Wars it makes sense to start at the beginning.

5. Does it help you as a writer to be able to see some of your characters in The Old Republic game trailers?
I tend to have a very visual style; much of my writing is focused on kinetic action. So seeing the characters in the game or in the trailer makes it much easier for me to imagine them as I plot out the events of the book. As a writer, it's vital to have a firm grasp on who a character is, and a significant element of that is visual. How a character looks - even how he or she moves - is a part of that identity, so having a touchstone I can refer to makes it easy for me to build on the physical aspects of a character as I layer on the more internal elements, like personality and motivations.

6. In what ways is Revan different from Darth Bane? In what ways are they similar?
I think both Revan and Darth Bane were seeking an understanding of the Force that went beyond the conventional philosophies of their time. They both rebelled against the orthodoxy; Revan by defying the Jedi Council and Bane by defying - and eventually destroying - Kaan's Brotherhood of the Sith. They both sought new interpretations of the Force, and Bane's creation of the Rule of Two sprang from the seeds of Revan's teachings as preserved in a Sith holocron.

However, a key difference between the characters comes in how they view the light and dark sides of the Force. Bane embraced the darkness fully; he saw the light side as a tyranny of the majority; the mediocre holding the exceptional back. Bane saw the dark side as the key to freeing himself from the chains of society so he could achieve his full potential, and he rejected the light side and everything it stood for.

Revan, on the other hand, walked both paths. He was a Jedi, he fell to the dark side, and then was eventually redeemed. But even though he returned to the light, Revan realized there were elements of the dark side that should not be rejected out of hand. Bane was an absolutist, but Revan is a more fluid character: he exists in a twilight between the two extremes, seeking the best of both worlds.

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