Matukai



The Matukai were an ancient organization of Force adepts who used the physical body to channel the Force. The balance of the physical and spiritual was the cornerstone of their philosophy. Strenuous exercises and meditation allowed even those with a weak Force connection to maximize their abilities and connection with the Force. Their robes, which were similar to Jedi ones (apart from their green and white coloring), were designed to help achieve this balance. They would also be distinguished from others by a tattoo that decorated their foreheads and covered parts of their eyes.

This philosophy is believed to have originated between the eras of the Great Sith War and the First Jedi Purge. The Matukai began with a woman from Kravoss II who was a student of martial arts and discovered her sensitivity to the Force while performing meditation. She would later teach those Force-sensitive students of her techniques and the group gradually grew larger until it reached its limit of sixty individuals. The Jedi Order displayed a passing interest in the organization but never interfered as the majority of the group were too old for training in the ways of the Jedi. Furthermore, the numbers of the Matukai never went above the core sixty followers taught by the founder of the group, which made their numbers too few. Like most Force-based organizations at the time, the Matukai would suffer heavily during the days of the Great Jedi Purge at the conclusion of the Clone Wars, though many managed to hide and survive. Late in the era of the New Republic, some Matukai joined Luke Skywalker's Jedi Order. They would do so because they found Skywalker's teachings to be far more open and flexible compared to those of the Jedi of old.

Abilities
The Matukai discovered several unusual techniques through their unique study of the Force. Many of these abilities are internal to the adept, with the Force being likened to the fire of a smith’s forge, and the body as the rough metal. The Matukai learned to purge illness and poison from their bodies, and even become immune to them altogether. They could raise or lower their body temperature to survive in hot or cold environments, or even cause their skin to become so hot as to burn anything they touched. Advanced practitioners could even harden their skin to protect themselves from damage. The Force was also used to aid in crafting their signature weapon: the Wan-Shen, a formidable and quite unusual bladed pole arm. Each Wan-Shen is unique and bears patterns etched into the blade to symbolize things important to it's creator and most can be broken down into easily stored pieces. However, only trained users can properly whirl it around their bodies using themselves as a central axis, others must simply swing it like a heavy staff or ax.

Appearances

 * Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic II: The Sith Lords