| The Chu'unthor The Chu'unthor is a cruiser that dated back to the days of the Old Republic.
Luke Skywalker
discovered the ship's rusting wreckage on Dathomir and later learned that under the
command of
Yoda and a number of other Jedi Masters it had served as a mobile training academy for
groups
of Jedi apprentices as well as an exploratory vessel for the old Order.*
The ship is immense. At two kilometers long, a kilometer wide and at least forty meters
tall, the
Chu'unthor had room for nearly 10,000 Jedi students, with hundreds of exercise and
lightsaber
sparring rooms used to hone every student's body to physical perfection. Workshops gave
Jedi
places to build lightsabers, while hundreds of meditation rooms offered students places to
develop mental discipline. Dozens of healing and hospital rooms were used to teach young
Jedi
healing arts with which they could help the physically or mentally impaired. The ship also
had
several library rooms with texts covering Jedi teachings, advanced and theoretical
sciences,
history, literature, languages, the arts and alien civilizations.*
One severe problem for many species when traveling in space is the sense of confinement
experienced in a starship. To alleviate this problem, the Chu'unthor had wide corridors
with high
ceilings, while dozens of rooms had domes or large viewports. By holding classes open to
the
stars, the Jedi effectively received a double boon. Not only did this help alleviate the
sense of
claustrophobia, but these rooms constantly reminded the Jedi in training that a Jedi's
gifts were
not to be used for selfish ends - in time, every Jedi would be called on to go out and
serve among
the stars.*
After defeating the evil Nightsisters of Dathomir, Luke Skywalker came to learn about the
history
of the Chu'unthor. The ship had been built just four centuries earlier to gather and train
Jedi
students from many parts of the galaxy. The Chu'unthor's noble mission had been cut
tragically
short when it had crashed on the exile world of Dathomir, home to "witches,"
descendants of a
fallen Jedi named Allya. These witches had mastered Dathomir's unique attunement to the
Force, greatly expanding their inherited powers.*
The damaged Chu'unthor had been surrounded and attacked by the witches and the rancors
that were under their control. Master Yoda had saved the life of a young witch named Rell,
and
the two had negotiated a truce. The Chu'unthor and its reader tapes were to be left
behind, but
the Jedi were free to leave. Yoda asked Rell to keep the disks hidden until a young Jedi
came to
free her world from the Nightsisters, a group of witches that had turned to evil.*
Nearly three centuries later Skywalker fulfilled Yoda's ancient prophecy by defeating the
Nightsisters and the Imperial occupation forces. Rell, now old and feeble, gave Luke the
tapes
from the Chu'unthor.*
Shortly thereafter, Master Skywalker and the mysterious Master Tirian, with the help of
the New
Republic, were able to raise the Chu'unthor from the plains of Dathomir and restore it to
the
service of the galaxy as a mobile training vessel for potential Jedi. Master Skywalker
entrusted
the gathering of the Jedi into the hands of Master Tirian and then left on a hermitage and
personal quest. It is the Chu'unthor, under Master Tirian, that is the only known and
recognized
Jedi Academy in the galaxy, the last beacon of hope for a peaceful future from the roots
of a
glorious past.
The Chu'unthor is a gigantic vessel with hundreds of different room types, as the above
schematic faintly shows. Following is a list of various rooms as currently known, but it
is said that
no one has ever had time or capability to explore the entire ship.
Command Wing
The Command Wing sits at the very top of the four-layered vessel. It is the smallest of
the four, yet it serves some integral functions. Here one may find the Bridge, the
vessel's Jedi Command Pod, Navigation control - including holographic astrogation charts
for most of the known galaxy, and the central computer core that sits at the heart of the
extensive Holo-Archive. Access to the Command Wing and its facilities are loosely
restricted. Many Trainers make this Command Wing their home. Master Tirian's quarters and
private meditation chambers are located here as well.
Instruction Wing
Not only is it the central layer and largest deck, the Instruction Wing is literally the
home for all Jedi trainees. This Wing includes such integral locations as the Main Hall -
the central meeting and instruction chamber - and the Galley. It is here where you will
find apprentice and knight quarters, various domed instruction rooms, danger rooms - used
in Force training, sparring arenas, zero-grav chambers, lightsaber-construction workshops,
library rooms - with access to all or various portions of the elaborate Holo-Archive
housed on the Command Wing, and countless viewports offering a majestic view of the
Chu'unthor's classroom: the galaxy itself. Along the Port Training Wing is a small sliver,
in comparison to the rest of the ship, which offers a unique viewpoint on the ship and
surrounding universe. This serves as the Meditation Wing. While meditation chambers can be
found throughout the entire Chu'unthor, none are so compelling as the viewpoint gained
from this meditation-specific hall with its unique nearly complete transparisteel
surroundings.
Hospital/Medical Wing
The power to heal is universally revered as one of the most important and moving displays
of ability, metaphysical or not. The Hospital/Medical Wing is devoted entirely to the
purpose of saving and enhancing life. While the Hospital portion of the Wing is fairly
empty now, with the occasional trainee recovering from danger room experiences or other
"accidents," the Medical half serves in the instruction of the power to heal.
Surgery suites, library rooms, domed instruction chambers, and various healing-oriented
opportunities can be found here. Specialized Trainers make their homes here, near where
they might be needed on a moment's notice. This Wing also sports an exquisite botanical
garden.
Docking Bays
The shard of the vessel on the very bottom of the Chu'unthor holds all docking bays for
independent craft. While the Chu'unthor holds an assortment of shuttles, its selection is
limited and fairly sparse. There are plenty of ancient spacecraft awaiting rediscovery,
besides the fact that most aren't in any semblance of operation order.
The Great Hall
Only one other space is larger than the Great Hall. Large enough to fit over 10,000
beings, the ceiling is normally open to a view of the stars. Large, metal columns flow
into flying buttresses holding up the ceiling reminiscent of ancient architecture. Circles
inscribed into floor make instruction areas were Jedi Masters in the ancient days would
lead small group discussions with their students.
The Gardens
Just aft of the main docking bay are the enormous Main Gardens. Other smaller gardens
fill the ship, but this site is the largest and grandest of all of them, being as large as
many of the great parks of urban centers. On any other ship, this would be an extravagent
waste of space, but for the Jedi, the Garden represent the life from which the Force
flows. Plant life was chosen specifically for its hardiness to an enclosed environment.
Artificial sunlight and breezes make the Garden seem more natural along with the hillocks,
streams and ponds that run throughout it, making it an idyllic place for meditation and
relaxation. Recently, Jedi Apprentice Xe'lda Xu'un X'au oversaw the procurement of animals
to fill out the gardens and the installation limiting fields to preserve meditation
spaces. Stone rings mark the spots where those fields are in effect.
*Star Wars: Essential Guide to Vessels and Vehicles |
