Laotah was a Selkath Jedi Knight serving the Jedi Order and the Galactic Republic, during the Great Galactic War and Cold War with the reconstituted Sith Empire. One of the Jedi assigned to guard the ruins of Kaleth on the Order's homeworld of Tython, Laotah lost his life at the hands of the native Flesh Raiders when he attempted to investigate activity in the area. Before his death, he warned the Padawan of Jedi Master Orgus Din of the Flesh Raiders' power, and the Padawan recovered the fallen Selkath's lightsaber from Laotah's killers.

Biography[]

A Force-sensitive Selkath, Laotah was a Jedi Knight of the Jedi Order,^[2] serving during the Great Galactic War between the Galactic Republic and the Sith Empire. Many years before^[3] the end of the war in 3653 BBY,^[4] Laotah was visiting the Selkath homeworld of Manaan when it was attacked by the Empire, which destroyed all of the planet's surface developments. Laotah survived the assault and rescued the Nautolan child Vinyor Tesh, and, as the child had been orphaned in the bombardment, Laotah brought him to the Jedi Temple on Coruscant, where Tesh was given a job in the Jedi Archives.^[3]

Decades later, in 3643 BBY,^[1] during the later stages of the Cold War that followed the Great Galactic War, Laotah resided on the ancestral Jedi homeworld Tython with the rest of the Order. On Tython, Laotah was stationed at the Jedi Temple, where he was part of a complement of Knights watching over the ruins of the ancient Je'daii temple of Kaleth. During the Flesh Raider uprising, Laotah saw security images of Flesh Raiders establishing a base in the Forsaken Den, one of the caves near Kaleth. Seeking out the answers to the Flesh Raiders attacks alone, he believed that the Flesh Raiders had a connection to the dark side of the Force, thus provoking their attacks on the Order. However, Laotah was unprepared for the Flesh Raiders' use of the Force, and was grievously wounded by the Flesh Raiders—one of whom stole his lightsaber.^[2]

Laotah limped to the cave's entrance, where he encountered the apprentice of Jedi Master Orgus Din. Warning the Padawan of the Flesh Raiders' power and their possession of his lightsaber, Laotah succumbed to his injuries and died. The Padawan, who had been sent to drive the Flesh Raiders out of the cave, was able to complete Laotah's mission and recover the Knight's weapon from the Flesh Raiders, though the Padawan was forced to damage the Selkath's saber beyond repair during the fight with the Flesh Raider who had stolen it.^[2]

Personality and traits[]

A Selkath with blue eyes and blue-gray skin, Laotah was one of a handful of Knights who were deemed strong enough to withstand the lure of the dark side present in Kaleth and assigned to guard the ruins. An introspective Jedi, Laotah attempted to learn what drove the Flesh Raiders to violence, but underestimated the danger that the Flesh Raiders presented. His lack of preparation resulted in his death, but Laotah fulfilled his duty in his final moments by passing on his mission to Orgus Din's apprentice. Laotah constructed a blue-bladed lightsaber during his training, which was stolen by the Flesh Raider who killed the Selkath. The lightsaber was later recovered when Orgus Din's apprentice defeated Laotah's killer.^[2]

Behind the scenes[]

Laotah was created for Star Wars: The Old Republic, a massively multiplayer online role-playing game released by BioWare on December 20, 2011. He appears in the Jedi Knight mission "Dark Temptations," in which the player is sent to destroy a Flesh Raider base within a cave in the ruins of Kaleth. Upon entering the cave, the player will encounter the wounded Laotah, who warns the Padawan that the Flesh Raiders within can use the dark side, and that they have taken his lightsaber. After Laotah dies at the end of the conversation, the player continues into the cave and defeats the Flesh Raiders within, eventually facing the Flesh Raider Bladewielder who uses Laotah's lightsaber against the Knight. The lightsaber can be recovered from the Bladewielder's body, but it is damaged beyond repair.^[2]

Appearances[]

• Star Wars: The Old Republic (First appearance)
• Star Wars: The Old Republic: Onslaught (Codex entry)

Notes and references[]