Third Jedi Bendu Schism

The Third Jedi Bendu Schism was the third of three major schisms within the Order of the Jedi Bendu of the Ophuchi, and the first to break the Order apart. The conflict began when an idealistic Supreme Chancellor named Fillorean began changing aspects of the Jedi Bendu to fit with his personal beliefs, using a puppet High Master named Zoz Appenkee to do so. The result was that the Jedi Bendu were torn apart into the Jedi Order and a group of a few hundred loyalists, and the Jedi Order ended up using force against them. The loyalists later made their way to Kal'Shabbol where they founded the Bendu Order.

Origins
Ten thousand years following the conclusion of the Unification War, thousands of star systems had pledged their allegiance to the Galactic Republic and had recognized the Order of the Jedi Bendu of the Ophuchi, a group that had originated on Kal'Shabbol, as the guardians of peace and justice in the galaxy. However, many things began to change when a corrupt bureaucrat named Fillorean was elected Supreme Chancellor. He had his own beliefs of the past and wished to shape the Jedi Bendu Order in the image he desired, and he was also embarrassed by events such as the Kal'Shabbol Civil War, the First Ashlan Civil War and the Second Jedi Bendu Schism. Through a great deal of manipulation of the Jedi Bendu Council of Masters, he was able to place Zoz Appenkee into the seat of the sole High Master of the Jedi Bendu, something that was unprecedented at that time. Apenkee also agreed with Fillorean’s views, hence his appointment. Appenkee spent years amending the Jedi Bendu belief structure and the history of the formation of the order, offering what he claimed to be evidence from worlds such as Ossus about the true formation of the organization. Therefore, the Jedi Bendu followed him, believing themselves to have been wrong for so long. However, two Jedi Bendu Masters on the council disagreed with objected each step of the way. These Jedi Bendu were Zios Malachor and Adena Qel-Droma. They were able to convince a few hundred fellow Jedi Bendu of what was happening and they formed a non-violent resistance movement.

Schism
The renamed Jedi Order fought back against the Jedi Bendu loyalists, attempting to expel the non-believers from their order. The Supreme Chancellor resulted to somewhat violent means, attempting to forcibly arrest the few hundred loyalists for treason. Qel-Droma attempted to make a stand against Fillorean and his men, though she came to realize that the insurrection was pointless and would achieve nothing.

Malachor and the others decided to leave the known galaxy and travel into the Unknown Regions, hoping to re-locate the world of Kal'Shabbol. Qel-Droma declined to go with them and Malachor tried for days to get her to reconsider, though it was to no avail. Before the Jedi Bendu could leave, Malachor watched as Qel-Droma was kidnapped by the Supreme Chancellor’s men and put into a cryogenic sleep. Though he had wanted to help her, he knew that he could not risk the lives of his people. Therefore, they boarded their ships and made a fast getaway out of Republic space.

Aftermath
After a year of traveling and searching, they found Kal’Shabbol. What they also discovered there, much to their surprise, was a much stronger government spread out across the planet than had been there before the Jedi Bendu initially left the world thousands of years earlier. When the government heard the news of the return of the Jedi Bendu, they were more than willing to agree to be led by them once again. Not knowing how they would proceed, Malachor ordered a monastery for the Jedi Bendu to be built in the ashes of the old Jedi Bendu monastery in Ashla Prime. There, he assembled a new council that would decide the fate of their people.

After days of deliberation, the council decided to form a new order based on the old ways of The Skywalker and the Jedi Bendu. It was unanimously decided to name it the Bendu Order, in honor of what was lost in the formation of the Jedi Order. In an effort to keep their numbers small and protected, it was decreed that only those who dwelled on Kal’Shabbol would be accepted into the order, though exceptions could be made on a case-by-case basis. After coming up with the plans for their own complex, called the Bendu Temple of Light, it was decided that Malachor would be the first of what they called Bendu High Priests.

When the Temple was completed, the Bendu began setting up their training programs and command structures more efficiently. After meeting with the leaders of the villages, it was decided to unite them under a formal government led by the newly appointed Bendu Council of Priests, with the High Priest as their King. At first, Malachor was opposed to such an act. However, the decision had been made by the village leaders and the formal government was set up, one that would watch over Kal’Shabbol and the Ashlan Expanse for as long as it could.