Kyber City
Kyber City is the home of the Guardians of the Whills, and a growing destination for spiritual seekers, refugees, and scholars alike. It was built over the former capital of the Koiogra V, following the city's destruction in the aftermath of the war.
History
For centuries, the Guardians of the Whills operated out of the Temple of Kyber on the planet Camden. During The War for the Republic in Year 21, the Guardians facilitated a mass evacuation of their home world ahead of immanent Imperial Union invasion. In addition to hundreds of thousands of refugees, the Guardian leadership also smuggled out most of the Temple's archives, artwork, and relics, including a large collection of kyber crystal. For the duration of the fighting, the Guardians waited in a deep space location and cared for the inhabitants that had fled with them. As the war subsided, Keeper of the Whills Gothar Elensar deployed scouts across friendly space to discern where the Force was calling them to settle. After weeks of searching, a scouting party led by Sekou Tau came to Koiogra V, and noted the planet's inexplicable connection to the Force. After discussion with the elder Guardians, the planet was chosen as their new homeworld.
While the war had ended, the planet was far from peaceful. Resistance forces continued to root out Imperial holdouts, various independence movements, and Imperial and former-Republic deserters-turned-outlaws. The capital city, Walong, had been devastated during the fighting by Imperial forces as they attempted to wrest control of the planet, by civilian militias fighting to oust the Imperial government, and by Resistance soldiers as they finally eliminated the Imperial presence and worked to stabilize the city. Walong was in ruins, its infrastructure beyond repair, and many of its residents abandoning it in droves for nearby cities, refugee camps, or transports off-world. Once the Guardians were clear to land and explore the planet, the Force guided them to the once grand metropolis where they discovered a vast network of abandoned subterranean settlements, bunkers, and caves linked by winding tunnels and ancient catacombs. Careful to keep the discovery under wraps, they petitioned The Resistance to buy the city. The Resistance agreed, and after further negotiation the Guardians were granted governorship of the entire planet on the Resistance's behalf, under the condition that they rebuild and govern the planet with their own funds.
Design
Keeper Elensar designed the city himself, drawing inspiration from many sources. The layout of the city's major buildings corresponds with the major chambers and tunnel systems discovered deep under the city's surface. Guardian scholars believe the tunnels were created by an ancient Force-sensitive order that has long since vanished. The architects modeled the larger buildings after the architecture of the Temple of Kyber.
The Temple of the Whills -The most striking building in the city is the Temple of the Whills, official headquarters of The Guardians of the Whills. The large, dual-spire building was constructed as an homage to the Guardian's former home. Its design is a nearly exact replica of the original, but using local building materials and omitting the five minor spires. The Guardians also decided not to embed large kyber crystals in the temple's façade in order to deter pirates and thieves. Large kyber crystals evacuated from the original temple on Camden are the focal points of the main meeting halls, offices, meditation rooms, and training dojos. The largest crystals reside at the base and the pinnacle of the two large spires, which represent the relationship between the Living Force and the Cosmic Force. Other aspects of the architecture also contain religious symbolism. Most rooms in the temple are round, symbolizing the all-encompassing nature of the Force, and the rooms and chambers are arranged in a circle around a central hub in each level, symbolizing the unity of all life in the Force. Finally, holes and channels have been cut into some of the rooms in the upper levels of the spire that make music when the wind blows from different directions. Some of the tones are harmonious, and some are less-pleasant. This represents the ebb and flow of the Force, and the different ways sentients can attune themselves to it as they mature and ascend spiritually.
The Kyber Palace -The Kyber Palace is the colloquial name for the main residence of the Guardians. While individual Guardians and smaller cells live scattered across the galaxy at different holy sites, all those who have taken vows to the order are permitted to live in an communal home that is otherwise closed to the public. A large number of Guardians have chosen to live in the palace in order to defend the temple, study at the archives, or teach the pilgrims who visit the holy city. The palace's design was intended to promote serenity and contemplation.
The Archives of the Whills -The Archives of the Whills is a temple on the southside of Kyber City. The temple contains a museum and library open to the public where pilgrims and scholars can study Force-related artifacts, art works, and texts that Guardians have collected from around the galaxy and many different Force traditions, and consult with the Guardian's own researchers. In addition to the museum, the archives contains levels of specially designed storage units and a laboratory where artifacts are studied and preserved by trained personnel. Only a small portion of the Guardians collection are ever displayed in the museum. This is for the protection of the items, but also for those who view and handle the items themselves- for many items are dangerous to the untrained handler. In secure vaults deep below the archives, the Guardians store its growing collection of kyber crystal of all shapes and sizes. The Guardians believe the mineral to be sacred and powerful, and they collect as much of it as possible to protect it from misuse and exploitation.
The Guardians of the Whills Retreat Center -The Guardian's Retreat center consists of a civic center and chapel where travelers from all over the galaxy are welcomed. Visitors to the Kyber City can access affordable lodging and avail themselves to public lectures and meditation sessions led by the Guardians. The sleeping, bathing, and dining facilities are all communal, as the Guardians attempt to foster a sense of unity in the Force for all its pilgrims. Those exploring the possibility of becoming a Guardian live and serve here while undergoing their training and trials.
The Reflection Garden -The Reflection Garden takes up most of the land in Kyber City. The garden is made up of a diverse series of parks, fountains, statues, and offers several small, private chapels for rest and reflection. Each park was planned to reflect an aspect of the Force or one of the many sacred sites around the galaxy where Guardians live. The most popular parks are the Garden of Serenity, Liberation Fountain, and a mosaic depicting the Fountain of the Ancients.
