Jedi Lore Keeper: Warden of Wisdom: Flesh Raider

Flesh Raiders: Tython’s Primal Menace

Fierce, ruthless, and driven by an insatiable hunger, the Flesh Raiders are widely regarded as Tython's only known sentient native species. Their existence poses a chilling mystery, their origins steeped in shadow and speculation. Towering, muscular, and adorned with crude armor, these savage beings are more than mere beasts. While primitive in their behavior, they demonstrate a disturbing level of intelligence—crafting weapons from scavenged technology, building makeshift shelters, and coordinating brutal raids with surprising precision.

Efforts to establish communication with the Flesh Raiders have ended in bloodshed. Diplomats, Jedi, and Twi'lek pilgrims alike have tried to bridge the gap of understanding, only to be met with snarls, roars, and relentless violence. To the Flesh Raiders, everything beyond their kin is prey. They hunt with feral efficiency, devouring any creatures they capture—be it animal, Jedi, or Twi'lek settler. Their bone-strewn camps, littered with the remains of their victims, stand as grim warnings to those who wander too close.

For many years, these savage tribes kept to the hills, living in isolation far from the Jedi enclaves and the modest Twi'lek settlements. But something has changed. Flesh Raider warbands have begun to encroach upon the valleys, their assaults becoming more frequent, organized, and deadly. Theories abound as to why. Some blame the growing Jedi presence on Tython, suggesting that the Flesh Raiders view the newcomers as invaders and threats. Others point to the defenseless Twi'lek Pilgrims, easy targets that embolden the Flesh Raiders to push beyond their old hunting grounds.

The mystery of their origin remains unsolved, and it is a subject of heated debate among scholars of Tython’s history. Some believe the Flesh Raiders were once a civilized species, driven to savagery after generations of isolation, starvation, and desperation. The signs are there—rudimentary language, use of tools, and signs of hierarchical social structures—but it is impossible to know for certain. Others have a darker theory: that they are not a natural species at all, but the twisted product of Sith alchemy or dark side experiments. This notion is not without merit, as Tython’s long and tumultuous history as a battleground for Jedi and Sith has left many scars on its surface, both seen and unseen.

Regardless of their origins, one thing is certain: the Flesh Raiders are becoming a greater threat with each passing season. Their numbers have grown rapidly, and their raids show an alarming level of tactical acumen. Some Jedi Masters fear that something—or someone—may be guiding them from the shadows. Reports of Flesh Raiders wielding lightsabers, albeit clumsily, have sparked rumors that a dark influence is at play. This has led to urgent investigations, for if the Flesh Raiders were to be armed or trained by a Sith or dark side cultist, the consequences would be catastrophic for all who live on Tython.

What makes the Flesh Raiders so dangerous is not only their strength and savagery, but also their unpredictability. They seem to operate without fear or hesitation, driven by primal instincts honed to a deadly edge. For every warband slain by the Jedi, two more seem to rise. Their camps spread like a disease across the valleys, each marked with crude totems of bone and blood. Their war cries echo through the forests, striking fear into the hearts of settlers and even Jedi Padawans. To the Jedi, they are not simply enemies but a relentless reminder of the dangers lurking in the Force’s shadow.

The Jedi Order's struggle with the Flesh Raiders is a battle of attrition. Every successful defense of a village or settlement feels like a temporary victory, for the next assault is inevitable. Some Jedi have called for the eradication of the Flesh Raiders, but such action would go against the Order’s principles. Others argue that a way to communicate with them must exist, but hope dwindles as each failed attempt ends in tragedy. As the Flesh Raiders grow bolder, the question becomes not if they will strike, but when—and how many will perish in the onslaught.

The flesh-eating scourge of Tython grows stronger, and with each passing day, their shadow looms larger over the planet’s future. The Jedi seek wisdom in the Force to understand the Flesh Raiders’ true nature, but no vision has revealed their purpose. Are they merely a natural part of Tython's ecosystem, or are they the echoes of some ancient, forgotten nightmare? Until the truth is revealed, every valley settlement will live under the shadow of fear, and every footfall in the jungle will carry with it the threat of being hunted.

Fierce creatures with an unrelenting hunger, Flesh Raiders are believed to be Tython’s only sentient natives. They are at least partially intelligent, capable of building shelters and assembling basic weapons from scavenged technology, but attempts to communicate have all ended violently. Known for devouring their prisoners and any animals they come across, the Flesh Raiders were formerly content to live in their primitive, bone-strewn camps in the hills. More recently, the expansion of the Jedi and the defenseless Twi’lek Pilgrims seem to have drawn the Flesh Raiders into the valleys.

No one knows where the Flesh Raiders came from. Some speculate they were once a civilized people, driven to cannibalism and madness over years of isolation. Others fear they are the result of dark side experiments. Whatever their origins, the Flesh Raiders have only grown more powerful and numerous over the years, and they are quickly becoming a blight on Tython. (Codex Text - Star Wars the Old Republic / SWTOR)