PROLOGUE

"The Old Republic has been remembered as a stagnant beast that was broken only by clever scheming and the massive conspiracy of a ruthless man. Yet the plot created by Emperor Palpatine and executed by his many pawns is not the only time the Old Republic had faced its destruction – in fact, the fact that the Republic lasted after the events of the Jedi Civil War of 3,959 BBY has been attributed to luck or fate by some historians.

"Yet the mainstream agrees that, luck and fate aside, the events that happened more than 4,000 years ago were most directly influenced by powerful individuals whose fate was inexorably intertwined with that of the galaxy, and whose actions dictated the course of history for decades, even centuries, to follow.

"Most notable among these figures is the mysterious Revan, remembered as both hero and savior by a galaxy he both built and destroyed. Though we can only speculate at his motives, he once took the mantle of Sith Lord and waged a massive war that laid waste to the infrastructure of the Republic. However, after being betrayed by his apprentice and successor, Darth Malak, he brought a swift end to the Jedi Civil War by destroying Malak and the Sith Fleet; subsequently, he disappeared from the galaxy and the annals of history. Some say he did this out of being converted back to the light, and others still say it was just a brutal act of Sith revenge. A few historians even say that he never truly "fell," but rather did whatever was necessary to make the Republic stronger, be it by waging wars with it or against it. Regardless, he is one of the grand mysteries of the War.

"Yet even more mysterious is the story – practically a myth – of the Jedi Exile and his Lost Jedi, who survived the elusive First Jedi Purge and rebuilt the Jedi Order into a slightly more liberal and accepting structure than it was before the War. Though a shadowy figure who never started wars or held the galaxy by its throat, the Jedi Exile may well have been even more influential (in Jedi terms) than Revan himself, considering that he apparently brought about an end to the First Jedi Purge. Yet why would a man who was a former General of Revan during the Mandalorian Wars – a conflict that many believe led to the fall of Revan – want to help the Jedi that exiled him afterward? In fact, why wouldn't one of Revan's most important Generals follow his commander to the Dark Side?

"The fact is that the study of these ancient figures presents a problem, as the only thing we know about them were their actions, their achievements. But what of their motivations – what lay on the insides of the minds of these men who changed the face of our galaxy. The fact is that, unfortunately, we may never know; frankly, they may not have even known themselves."

Cesar Methrand, New Republic Historian, circa 25 ABY.