Temple of Kyber
The Temple of Kyber is an ancient structure on the planet Camden that historically was the home of the The Guardians of the Whills. It was evacuated in Year 21 during The War for the Republic, when Camden was surrendered to the Black Sun organization. At the campaign's end, The Treaty of Kliap granted control of the planet, and thus the sacred shrine, to the Confederacy of Independent Systems. Currently, while the Confederacy retains control of the planet, they have allowed the Guardians of the Whills to return to the temple and govern the sacred city as they had for generations.
Temple History
The Temple of Kyber was constructed over a millennium ago by members of the Jedi Order, and may predate the colonization of Camden. The original purpose of the temple is still shrouded in mystery, but theories suggest it was either a remote training center, a place of retreat, a fortress for a long-passed war, or an outpost guarding a vein of Kyber crystal that has since been exhausted. Whatever the Jedi's intent, it appears to have been only sparsely and sporadically inhabited for much of its history. As the planet's inhabitants began to seek the Jedi Order's protection and perhaps the business of ships stopping at the temple from the galactic core, a small settlement began to grow on the high plateau around the temple. Pilgrims soon arrived from neighboring sectors to see the temple, and visit when permitted. Communities of such pilgrims who decided to remain on Camden and live just outside the temple walls came to form what would be known as the Guardians of the Whills, though it is believed they derived their name from colorful insults from the local populace. The Guardians began to watch over the temple and prevent looting while the Jedi were off world. Jedi visits became less and less frequent and towards the end of the Clone Wars their visits to Camden stopped entirely. During the confusion that followed the fall of the Republic, the Guardians found their way inside the temple and took up residence there, exploring its depths and committing themselves to its study, preservation, and protection.
Following the collapse of the New Republic in Year 21 and The War for the Republic which ensued, The Guardians of the Whills feared an invasion of Camden and began to evacuate as many of the Temple's relics, artworks, and archives as possible, splitting them up among many different refugee ships as the citizens of Camden began to flee. These priceless treasures were later gathered at a Deep Space rendezvous point until the conflict subsided, at which point the Guardians took them to a new system for protection and preservation. When Camden was surrendered to the Black Sun, the Temple was inhabited by the Máurari Blackguard, a force-sensitive sect within the organization. Their custodianship was short-lived, however, as the Morshdine Sector was soon turned over to the Confederacy of Independent Systems as part of the Treaty of Kliap at the campaign's end. In a delightful turn of events, later that year on Day 341, the Confederacy invited the Guardians of the Whills to return to their holy city and resume their rituals and administration.
Temple Architecture
The temple is designed to radiate out from its main focal point- the massive, double-spired tower. It is thought that the two-spired design represents either the Cosmic and Living Force, or the relationship between visible life and the invisible Force. The tower rests on a pyramid of steps terraces which extend down to five smaller spires, symbolic of the levels of ascent needed to approach mastery of the Force. Each spire marks the location of one of five cathedrals, each corresponding with one of the Shades of the Force recognized by the Guardians. From there, descending rows of winding buildings and halls ripple outward to the surrounding city. There are only five official entrances to the temple complex, each leading to a cathedral, signifying how each shade leads equally deeper into the mysteries of the Force. Living quarters for the temple inhabitants are in the outer rings of the complex, while the inner halls and the tower is reserved for archival, training, administrative, and meditation purposes.
As with many Force-related buildings, the exact layout of the building is difficult to determine, as some passages and rooms open, close off, or transform seemingly at will. The senior members of the Guardians may be able to control or influence its working, but they have long operated out of a desire to let the temple protect itself as it wants, leaving the Guardians to discover and follow the will of the temple. The large kyber crystals from which the temple takes its name are located at the base of each of the five spires, and near the top of each of the tower's two spires. The name of each shade of the Force is taken from the color of the crystal that is mounted in its cathedral.
