- "We found it. It feels…different than the other tomb."
- ―Cal Kestis talking to BD-1
The Tomb of Miktrull was the resting place of the Force-sensitive Zeffo Sage Miktrull that was located underground on the Outer Rim planet Zeffo. The tomb was highly decorated and consisted of two main halls where one could be used to raise the spire of the tomb. Zeffonian designed Tomb Guardians guarded the tomb with the tomb extensively using Zeffonian energy spheres and the Life Wind, what the Zeffonians referred to the Force as. Fauna such as the scazz had entered the tomb however the tomb overall was well preserved by the time the Galactic Empire discovered Zeffo and initiated Project Auger, an Imperial project to excavate Zeffonian artifacts of value for the Galactic Emperor. Fugitive Jedi Padawan Cal Kestis's actions on Zeffo when exploring the tomb in 14 BBY in an effort to rebuild the Jedi Order by finding a Zeffonian astrium led to the Empire discovering the tomb.
Description[]
- "My Friend, these devices appear to simulate this planet's gravitational pull. I can't help but see it as a motif. This place, less a tomb and more a temple to one ruler's pride. I've found repeated glyphs with the same word: "Astrium." Always near damaged statues. I believe this Astrium was once a ubiquitous, sacred symbol. Perhaps even linked to the Vault."
- ―Eno Cordova
The Tomb of Miktrull was the resting place of Miktrull, a revered Force-sensitive Zeffo Sage. It was located deep underground on[1] the Outer Rim Territories[2] planet Zeffo. By the time of the Galactic Empire, the only known entrance to the tomb was via a Crash Site where a Galactic Republic Venator-class Star Destroyer crashed shortly before Order 66[1] in 19 BBY.[3] An elevator located in the Crash Site led to the underground Imperial Dig Site which could be passed to reach a cave system containing the tomb. The tomb itself was highly ornamental in design,[1] closely resembling the Zeffonian temple on the planet Ontotho.[4] The only difference was that a statue of Miktrull was embedded into the entrance to the tomb. By the Imperial era, the tomb suffered some damage however was well preserved.[1]
It was also highly decorated inside with various glyphs and gold lining the walls of the tomb. Many of these glyphs repeated the word "astrium" near old, damaged statues. It contained two known main halls, including one multilevel main hall that housed two energy spheres that could be used to power Zeffonian technology. The main hall consisted of two levels and contained artwork depicting Astriums in the Bogano Vault, a Zeffonian data vault on the Outer Rim planet Bogano, which could be seen by placing a Zeffonian energy sphere within its socket. These Astriums could unlock the secrets of the vault hence its importance to the Zeffonians then later to Jedi Master Eno Cordova and Jedi survivor Cal Kestis. The Zeffonian energy spheres could also be used in the main hall to raise the spire of the Tomb near what would eventually become the Imperial Headquarters on the planet.[1]
The main hall contained many entrances with one entrance including a puzzle course powered by Zeffonian technology that could manipulate the gravitational pull of the planet. The puzzle course was inhabited by the parasitic, plant-like skungus, the subterranean, verminous scazz and the mountainous, horned, territorial phillaks. The puzzle course led to back to the main hall and later a burial chamber through a corridor featuring three programmed sliding doors made of stone that could be turned off via a switch at the end of the corridor. The burial chamber contained the sarcophagus of Miktrull hanging from the rooftop which suffered light damage by the Empire[1] in 14 BBY[5] when fugitive Jedi Padawan Cal Kestis explored the tomb. The burial chamber also contained an entrance that led back to the first main hall. The Tomb of Miktrull also featured another chamber in which the only entrance to the chamber was through the main hall.[1]
History[]
A distant age of extravagance and Republic Era[]
- "My friend, what I've found here is disconcerting. It seems these candles were offerings brought to this tomb in the exaltation of the Sage Miktrull. At first I believed them votives to the Life Wind, but the further I delve into this tomb the less evidence supports this. And yet there is one gift that intrigues me, statuary of Zeffo holding circular objects much like spheres. Though much of this tomb is well preserved, these are uniformily destroyed. An interesting puzzle."
- ―Eno Cordova talking to BD-1
The Tomb of Miktrull was a tomb constructed when Miktrull was alive, sometime before or during the reign of the Republic. It was built to honor Miktrull for his mastery of the "Life Wind,"—what the Zeffonians referred to the Force as[1] with the tomb being highly ornamental and large.[6] As the Sage demanded offerings, many offerings were brought to the tomb. The most common of offerings were votive candles which were encased in metal and were adorned with carvings. These were often lit as a sign of respect and reverence to the Sage. It was said that the candles flame represented Miktrull's unending power. During its construction phase, a Zeffonian labor force was used where there were instances of labourers being overworked to death. One Zeffonian soldier was killed for stealing a sacred offering to Miktrull. The soldiers remain was later discarded and left in the tomb. Zeffonian Tomb Guardians and energy spheres were placed in the tomb, including the body of Zeffo Sage Miktrull after Miktrull died. Afterwards, someone or a group of people uniformly destroyed many Zeffonian energy spheres and images of the Astrium in the tomb. At some point before the fall of the Jedi Order[1] in 19 BBY,[3] Cordova and explorer droid BD-1 explored the Tomb of Miktrull with Cordova documenting the various glyphs, artwork, and artifacts found throughout the tomb.[1]
Imperial Era[]
Searching for the Tomb[]
By 14 BBY,[5] the Empire discovered the planet Zeffo and started excavating the ruins of Zeffonian structures on the surface of Zeffo but were unable to reach the tomb. That changed when Kestis arrived on Zeffo and managed to enter the Tomb of Eilram. Thus, the Empire reignited Project Auger, a secret operation to recover Zeffonian relics for the Emperor, leading to an increased Imperial presence on Zeffo. The Empire set up operations in the Imperial Dig Site at the Crash Site where they dug for any valuable Zeffonian relics.[1]
Discovery[]
- "You're running out of time."
"For what?"
"My scouts located an artifact of interest at the rear of this tomb. Even now I'm studying it, learning his secrets." - ―Second Sister and Cal Kestis
During Kestis's second mission to Zeffo, he came across the Crash Site and faced off against some Imperial Viper probe droid then proceeded to the Imperial Dig Site close to the tomb. There, he faced off against a company consisting of Imperial stormtroopers, scout troopers, KX-series security droids. While Kestis traversed the Imperial Dig Site, he found a workbench and upgraded BD-1, his companion droid, to allow him to go up and down ziplines. Then he narrowly escaped the Inquisitor Second Sister, formerly known as Trilla Suduri, and discovered a passage leading to a large cave system that contained the tomb.[1]
While traversing cave terrain, the Second Sister hacked into Kestis's comms and taunted him. Kestis managed to get inside the tomb via a crack in the wall where he faced off a Tomb Guardian that killed two stormtroopers for trespassing. He then killed the Tomb Guardian and Force pushed a broken wall to enter the first main hall which contained a working Zeffonian energy sphere encased in a glass container hanging from the rooftop. Kestis then Force pushed a walled entrance where a Cordova Log played after BD-1 scanned the surroundings explaining that a push button device had the ability to manipulate the gravitational pull of the planet.[1]
Kestis followed a path and reached the second level of the main hall. He faced off against scout troopers and stormtroopers and managed to survive. After exploring the second floor of the main hall, he exited the tomb and discover a large puzzle course inhabited by the subterranean, verminous scazz, parasitic, plant-like skungus and the mountainous, horned, territorial phillaks combatting against the Empire. Kestis navigated through the course, climbed cave terrain using vines, metal bars, and solved various puzzles all the while combatting against the Empire. He faced off against various types of purge troopers, troopers trained to kill Jedi, the standard Scout troopers, and the Stormtrooper variants he had encountered previously.[1]
After completing the puzzle course, Kestis entered another main hall containing the sarcophagus of Miktrull. There he fought Imperial troopers and nearly fell to his death when a LAAT/le patrol gunship shot the chains holding the sarcophagus from the rooftop. While he fell, he remembered how to Force pull from a vision of his past where his Jedi Master Jaro Tapal instructed him on how to pull objects using the Force, allowing him to survive from falling to his death by grabbing a rope. He followed an exit from the main hall containing the sarcophagus and entered the first main hall containing a working Zeffonian energy sphere container. He used votive candles to break the glass container and place the energy sphere into its socket allowing the spire to rise. After placing the energy sphere, a mural appeared and unlocked an encrypted log played by BD-1 of Cordova explaining the mural, the Astrium, and how it could "perceive the mysteries of the Vault." Kestis left Zeffo afterward in search of an Astrium. Kestis's actions however allowed the spire to be raised, meaning that the Empire could fully explore the tomb and loot it of any valuables.[1]
When Kestis explored the tomb, he used a Force ability called psychometry to learn about what occurred in the tomb before his arrival. While exploring the tomb, Kestis opened one chest, in one main hall that housed a working Zeffonian energy sphere, that contained Haysian smelt which could be used to construct a lightsaber. Another chest located near the same main hall, behind a creeper, was opened by Kestis which contained a Sumi BD-1 skin. A third chest close to the entrance to the Imperial Dig Site was unfastened by Kestis which had the Greezy Money paint job for the luxury yacht Stinger Mantis. An additional chest that contained the Zodiac Drifter paint job for the Stinger Mantis was unlocked by Kestis, close to the same main hall as the other chest which had a Sumi BD-1 skin.[1]
Behind the scenes[]
Appearance and conception[]
The Tomb of Miktrull was created for the video game Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order developed by Respawn Entertainment and published by Electronic Arts[1] on November 15, 2019.[7] The location was first revealed in the launch trailer of the game on October 29 of the same year.[8] Artist Gabe Yeganyan created concept art of the tomb.[6] Like with the rest of the game, the location is heavily influenced by 3D Metroidvania type design—an action-adventure subgenre defined by large, interconnected maps containing paths that could be unlocked as the player progresses through the game.[9]
The Tomb of Miktrull was designed to illustrate a transition from being one with the Force and one with nature as seen in the Tomb of Eilram to a shift towards rigidity, corruption, and power. This was achieved by making the organic decorations in the tomb ordered and rigid when spliced with those seen in the Tomb of Kujet on the planet Dathomir. This also included the overall arrangement of spaces centered on idolizing the Zeffo Sages and their projections of power. The design puzzles seen in the Tomb of Miktrull were designed such that the votive candles coupled with a lantern spire would be the solution to many of these puzzles. The design puzzles were made in this way to help emphasize the corrupting forces of an empire. The tomb seen in the game was also designed in certain shots to explore the themes of a more decadent Miktrull and the imposing order of his architecture.[6]
Beyond the Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order storyline[]
On May 4, 2020,[10] Respawn Entertainment released a free content update of the game on all platforms. This update consisted of a combat challenges mode that allowed players to fight various enemies in preset waves from certain locations visited in the game, which included the Tomb of Miktrull. The combat challenge for the Tomb of Miktrull consists of 4 waves of enemies. The first wave has the player face off against a jotaz and a Haxion Brood Bounty Droid. The second wave enemies includes two phillaks and a Haxion Brood Bounty hunter as enemies. In the third wave, the player fights against a Haxion Brood commando, a phillak and four scazz. The last wave consists of a Haxion Brood bounty droid, a Haxion Brood bounty hunter and a Haxion Brood commando. Beating these combat challenges and earning at least twelve points total, players can unlock 3 custom skins for BD-1; Onderon Bloom, Kesselstone and Galionica skins.
The update also included a battle grid mode that allowed players to fight any number of enemies at different locations in the game, which included the Tomb of Miktrull. These two modes could be accessed through the meditation training mechanism in the game.[1]
Appearances[]
- Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order (First appearance) (First identified as Tomb of Miktrull)
Sources[]
- Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order – Launch Trailer on the official Electronic Arts Star Wars YouTube channel (backup link) (Posted on StarWars.com) (First pictured)
- The Art of Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order
- "Scarif and Other Planets in the Outer Rim" — Star Wars Encyclopedia (Indirect mention only)
- Star Wars Encyclopedia: The Comprehensive Guide to the Star Wars Galaxy
Notes and references[]
- ↑ 1.00 1.01 1.02 1.03 1.04 1.05 1.06 1.07 1.08 1.09 1.10 1.11 1.12 1.13 1.14 1.15 1.16 1.17 1.18 1.19 1.20 1.21 1.22 1.23 1.24 1.25 1.26 Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order
- ↑ Zeffo in the Databank (backup link)
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 Star Wars: Galactic Atlas
- ↑ Jedi Fallen Order - Dark Temple 2
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 Star Wars: Timelines dates the events of Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order to 14 BBY.
- ↑ 6.0 6.1 6.2 The Art of Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order
- ↑ Star Wars Year By Year: A Visual History, New Edition
- ↑ Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order – Launch Trailer on the official Electronic Arts Star Wars YouTube channel (backup link) (Posted on StarWars.com)
- ↑ E3 2019: Star Wars: Jedi Fallen Order Didn't Begin As A Star Wars Game on GameSpot.com (backup link)
- ↑ Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order Gets Free Update With New Modes And Cosmetics by Andrew Reiner on Game Informer (archived from the original on June 1, 2022)