Beast Wars of Onderon

Once per year, the atmosphere of xun, one of Onderon's four moons, touches the planet's atmosphere, allowing the bestial creatures of the moon to cross over and prey on the peaceful inhabitants of Onderon. In reaction to this annual scourge, the Onderonians constructed the massive, walled city of Iziz.

Everything outside Iziz's walls remained a savage wilderness. As punishment, criminals were released into the outlands, and quickly fell prey to the beasts of Dxun. In time however, the outcasts learned to capture and control the creatures, using them as flying mounts. Over the years, the outcasts formed huge armies of beast riders, and began to attack the city. To this day Onderon has remained a divided planet, the fierce war between the beast-riders and Iziz continually escalating as technology advances.

Arca Jeth a Jedi Master has accepted the role of watchman over the Onderon worlds, and charges his students with helping the citizens end the centuries-long war. He reminds them that the Jedi stand for peace; they must use their weapons only as a last resort.

The Jedi travel across the galaxy in their ship, the Nebulon Ranger, to Onderon. As the Ranger streaks through the atmosphere toward the sprawling city of Iziz, Cay Qel-Droma picks up a flight of giant bird vectoring for the ship. After a moment, Cay realizes that they are instead beast-riders. Deciding not to fire upon the incoming swarm of beasts, the Jedi hail the city and request landing instructions. As the city's forces launch an assault against the beast-riders, the Ranger sets down at the Royal Space Dock.

After brief introductions, the Onderonian Minister of State, Novar, orders the Royal Protectors to bring Tott Doneeta to the immigration area for interrogation. It seems that the Onderonians have much to learn about becoming a Republic member world. Just before an altercation develops between the Jedi and the Royal Protectors, Queen Amanoa orders the three Jedi to the throne room immediately.

The Queen is suprised to find three Jedi students rather than the great Jedi Master she'd expected. She quickly introduces her daughter, Galia and informs the new arrivals of the city's troubles. Suddenly, beast-riders burst through the translucent dome that houses the throne room, spraying shards of glass everywhere as the great beasts descent. The Jedi and the Royal Protectors battle the intruders as the queen and her daughter retreat into the heart of the plalace. Several beast-warrior commandos break away from the main attack group and head after the Queen. Cay and Tott pursue the commandos as Ulic fends of the remaining beast-riders.

The commandos kill two guards and subdue Gaia, escaping as the Queen attempts to call down the power of Freedon Nadd upon them. When Cay and Tott arrive, they find Galia missing and the Queen slumped on the floor. Ulic, ignoring the protest sof his fellow Jedi, vows to rescue Galia from the beast-riders.

the three Jedi set to the skies in the nebulon Ranger, training their sensors on the escaping beast-riders while the Onderonians muster their own rescue mission. Sudenly, Cay realizes the beast-riders have launched a seeker-torpedo at the Ranger. but before the Jedi can bring up the ship's shields, the torpedo slams into the hull, exploding in a fiery torrent. The ship spirals across the sky trailing a column of smoke behind it. Luckily, the Jedi manage to use the vessel's deflectors to cushion the crash landing.

After assessing the ship's damage, they exit the ship to find themselves deep in the wild jungles of ONderon , just outside the domes and towers of an immense stronghold. but before they can even comment on the strange site, two boma beasts -- gargantuan predators armed with wickey claws, horns, and fangs -- rise up to confront Tott. Using his unusual Jedi ability to understand beast-languages, Tott manages to befriend the creatures. He, Cay, and Ulic then mount the boma beasts and charge toward the stronghold.

The jedi storm into the middle of a marriage ceremony between Oron Kira and Princess Galia. While Cay and Tott deflect anyone trying to stop them, Ulic grabs Galia and attempts to escape. Galia, however, does not with to be "rescued." Apparently, she and the beast riders devised the abduction plan to extract her from Iziz for the wedding ceremony. Oron, his father Modon, and Galia go on to explain that Iziz has fallen under the pall of the dark side, ever since Freedon Nadd brought it to Onderon over four centures ago. Anyone who dared to challenge the dark side was cast out of the city as a criminal.

Modon warns the Jedi that all of the beast-lords of the wilderness have begun preparing for a final battle to overthrow the city. He asks the Jedi to help rid Onderon of the darkness. Ulic, however, sees another way. He wants to reveal the marriage of Oron and Galia to the Queen and try to work out a peaceful solution. The beast-riders agree to make the attempt, but only if the Jedi promise to help in the war against the dark side if there plan fails. Ulic agrees.

The Jedi,Oron, and Galia board the Nebulon Ranger and head for Iziz as Modon readies his forces for battle. As the Ranger and its beast-rider excort near the city, the defensive guns lash out at them. The Jedi quickly inform the city of the passengers in the Ranger, and they are immediately allowed to land.

Queen Amanoa, outraged at the marriage between her daughter and the outcast Oron Kira, does not heed Ulic's and Oron's warnings to give up her hatred. She calls upon the power of Freedon Naadd to destroy her enemies.

The Jedi, Galia, and Oron find themselves immersed in waves of darkness. The dark side immediately claws at the minds of the Jedi, sowing fear and confusion, felings the novices struggle to push away.

Galia leads the group to a secret passage. When they regain their wits, however they realize that Cay did not escape the throne room. Oron contacts his father and tells him of Ulic's failure. The Beast Wars of Onderon begin.

Hundres of beast-lords have pooled their resources, massing their armies for a single onsluaght. For the first time, the forces of both sides seem evenly matched. Apparently, since the Onderonians made contact with the rest of galactic civlization two years ago, off-world traders have been selling the beast-warriors advanced weaponry.

Meanwhile, Cay confronts Queen Amanoa. He demands that she squelch the arkness she has unleashed, but the Queen refuses. Several Royal Protectors suddenly attack, slicing off his arm at the shoulder. Queen Amanoa feels to the mausoleum of Freedon Nadd, knowing that militar strength will not bring them victory. She calls upon the darkside to sap the will from her enemies. Suddenly, the tide of the battle changes, and the beast-rider's onslaught falters.

Ulic rescues Cay, who finds an old droid from which he plans to scavenge a prosthetic arm for himself. The dark Sith magic weighs heavily upon the beast-riders and their mounts, sickening and confusing them.

Another Jedi ship suddenly descends toward the battle site. Master Arca uses his battle meditation ability to dismiss the darkness, and the tide of confrontation turns again in favor of the beast-riders. The city falls.

Arca is not pleased with his students. He admonishes them for not informing him the moment they learned of the presence of the dark side.

By instinct alone, Master Arca leads the Jedi and Galila to Freedon Nadd's tomb in the deepest sub-levels of the palace. Arca disrupts the darkness, breaking itsh old on Queen Amanoa, who dies as a result. Arca then tells his students that Freedon Nadd embraced the dark side and apprenticed himself to a Dark Lord of the Sith. Since there could never be more than one Dark Lord, Nadd murdered his teacher and assumed the title. Upon his death, his tomb became a focus of dark side energy which Galia's ancestors used through the centuries.

In a formal ceremony, the marriage of Oron Kira and Galia is recognized by the Galactic Republic, and the world of Onderon becomes unified for the first time in centuries. Master Arca warns his Jedi students that Freeon Nadd still has followers in the city. The struggle against the dark side on Onderon has not yet come to an end.

Ulic wonders how a great Jedi like Freedon Nadd could have fallen from the light. Arca says that is has happened more than once, and warns ulic to pray that it doesnt happen to him.