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SUPERNATURAL ENCOUNTERS & CULT ENCOUNTERS
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CONTENTS
©2020, Chris Cold; "Ooradryl"
What's the history of Cult Encounters and Supernatural Encounters?
"Cult Encounters" (CE) and Supernatural Encounters (SE) were originally intended to be published as articles in Star Wars Gamer magazine, as follow-ups to the in-universe article Rich Handley and I wrote for the first issue of the magazine, "The University of Sanbra Guide to Intelligent Life: The Marvel Series," in Star Wars Gamer (2000), with illustrations by Joe Corroney. Although we had the green-light from Lucasfilm, only “Cult Encounters” was far enough along when events beyond his control happened that prevented Rich from continuing to write for the license.
Star Wars Gamer then ended in 2002. Five years later, I approached Pablo Hidalgo, an old colleague from my West End Games (and SWFA) days, who was then in charge of the official Star Wars site about publishing CE and developing SE for publication on the Star Wars Hyperspace service, a Lucasfilm exclusive content initiative. The framework of Supernatural Encounters was first written at the end of 2007. Pablo agreed to the idea, which coincided with his plans to have Hyperspace feature exclusive articles and stories. So CE was conceptually reworked as "Cult Encounters: Excerpts from the Last Days of Arhul Hextrophon" and submitted. Supernatural Encounters: The Trial and Transformation of Arhul Hextrophon, novella was then developed in its first draft and submitted. Pablo liked it and said it would have to be published in installments. I told him it needed a lot more work and continued to send updated drafts over the course of the next few years. He noted that I could continue to develop it until it was put on the publication schedule. I signed a licensing agreement and a tax form and proceeded.
A work of this nature--involving the ancient past--required a lot of work, research, and editing to make sure everything was right, but since I had been given the time time to continue working on the manuscript until it was put on the schedule, work on Supernatural Encounters was yet ongoing when, in 2010, it was abruptly announced that the new management at LFL were discontinuing Hyperspace.
Was Cult Encounters or Supernatural Encounters cancelled?
No. As with Abel Pena's Skyewalkers, we were never given notification of cancellation in any form, and it was hoped that the stories would find a new home elsewhere, so I continued working on the manuscript. In the interim, concepts from CE and SE were incorporated into other works by my colleagues. Ampotem Za was added in the 2007 Hyperspace article “Aliens of the Empire,” by Abel G. Peña and Rich Handley. The Rozzum and Typhojem found their way into the Knights of the Old Republic Campaign Guide and Book of Sith: Secrets from the Dark Side, by Dan Wallace.
Did you get in touch with Lucasfilm again?
Yes. I posted Cult Encounters on this site, followed by a beta version of Supernatural Encounters the year after to gauge whether there was enough interest to resume work on it. There was. Then, in late 2015, Abel, Rich, and I approached Lucasfilm regarding our unpublished stories for the Star Wars Blog. Matt Martin (of the Lucasfilm Story Group, who then ran the site) and Dan Brooks (who ran the Blog) approved them for online publication, with the plan of putting them out in parts due to the length of Supernatural Encounters. I suggested an alternative means: posting them on my personal website as Abel G. Peña had just done with his SkyeWalkers. They could then be linked to or embedded in the Blog. They approved this plan, but I still needed time to bring the story to where it needed to be, and they approved this plan, allowing me to continue working on it until it was ready, requiring only that I write an introduction for the Blog and a clear indication that this was Legends material.
When it was getting close to being ready, I reached out again to Matt and Dan, but it was clear that the word on high was that they were to focus exclusively on the new canon. While this didn't come as a surprise, it was disappointing, so I posted the completed story here free to the public, which this site has done with other unpublished Star Wars works. I've since been in touch with Matt and Dan, who thanked me but said they were unable to follow through on the original arrangement, which confirms what I suspected about LFL's policy towards Legends.
Was Supernatural Encounters licensed?
Yes; I filled out the requisite legal documents (a CA-587 form, which is called a Non-Resident Withholding Allocation Worksheet and W-9 tax form) when the stories were first approved for publication by Pablo Hidalgo, the same licensing process I went through for my previous contributions to the Expanded Universe. There isn't any Lucasfilm licensing process beyond this.
What evidence do you have for all of this?
The 2007 to 2015 emails between me and Lucasfilm attest to the veracity of this. I first sent this privately to Wookieepedia, but they ignored it. Given the controversy that arose, I've since provided the emails to the public here, redacting only emails that were of a personal nature or which were exchanged on personal emails, which is appropriate (as I noted earlier, Pablo and I were friends before he was hired by Lucasfilm).
What material was added or restored to the "extended edition?" Why was it cut?
For the beta version released online, I had cut out swathes of material that needed more time, development, and which might have conflicted with Star Wars: The Old Republic. The complete edition added or restored numerous vignettes, historical details of the ancient world, dialogue, and continuity pertaining to the Sith, the Mecrosa, the Sorcerers of Tund, the Sorcerers of Rhand, forgotten wars such as the Qaldyon Reckoning, and lore cut from the Knights of the Old Republic Campaign Guide and Abel's unpublished “Vader's Legacy.” There is a lot of additional revisions and improvements to dialogue and characterization, as well as things normal for the editing process and to ensure continuity with pre-existing works. In addition, full-color illustrations by the amazing Chris Cold and Guillaume Ducos were provided thanks to the contributions of fans.
Did Lucasfilm see the complete version?
Of course. Since the plan was for me to continue developing SE until it was ready, I sent them the completed version when it was finished. Unfortunately, LFL is currently no longer permitted to do anything with Legends content (Marvel #108 being the sole exception because the licensee pushed for it). If and when that changes, we'll talk again.
I heard there are a lot of crossovers. What is that about?
The Star Wars expanded universe has always had crossovers with other IPs since the very first EU book was released, when Alan Dean Foster included a statue of Cthulhu (called Pomojema by the tribe that lived nearby) in Splinter of the Mind's Eye in 1978 (which was made even more explicit in Terry Austin's SOTME comics in 1995-6.) But that was just the tip of a much larger iceberg.
The Marvel Star Wars comics had several crossovers, the first in issue #79, when Lando Calrissian disguised himself as Captain Harlock from the 1977-79 manga-anime series Space Pirate Captain Harlock; the second in issue #89, when Braxas, a member of E.T.'s race (from E.T. The Extra-Terrestrial) appears, which, of course, Lucas later made explicit in TPM; and the third in Alan Moore's "The Pandora Effect," which featured the Lovecraft entity Yog-Sothoth (called Wutzek).
Additionally, Robert Sawyer's cancelled Alien Exodus series introduced THX-1138 and other films by Lucas, including Indiana Jones, into ancient Star Wars continuity. In the Dark Horse Comics, West End Games, and Del Rey books, there are countless examples: The Firefly-class ship from Firefly-Serenity appears in both Evasive Action: Prey and in 2003 Battlestar Galactica miniseries; the xenomorph from the Alien/Predator series appears in X-Wing Rogue Squadron: The Phantom Affair and in Coruscant Nights II: Street of Shadows; Michael Reaves name-dropped Barsoom in Darth Maul: Shadow Hunter; Barsoom was already visited (then called Shiva IV) in issues #53 and #54 of the Marvel Star Wars series, which were leftover issues of John Carter: Warlord of Mars, by Chris Claremont and Carmine Infantino; in MedStar II: Jedi Healer, Michael Reaves and Steve Perry reference the Oni of Uru, which come from the 1980s anime-manga series, Urusei Yatsura, which itself referenced Star Wars. In Dark Force Rising #3, Captain Kirk, Doctor McCoy, and Mr. Spock from Star Trek appear on the planet Jomark along with the U.S.S. Enterprise and a Star Trek communicator. Kevin J. Anderson-Rebecca Moesta's Titan AE novel includes Rybets. The Disney canon and EU have also been crossed over in Fantasy Flight Games, The Old Republic MMORPG, and much more.
To help make sense of all of this, I developed the Grand Unification Theory to provide an in-universe explanations, while also allowing different interpretations for fans who object to crossovers. In SE's endnotes, I explained: The presence of crossovers should not be seen as a dogmatic declaration that these universes exist in the Star Wars galaxy. As with anything associated with new or controversial ideas, how far one is willing to go and what one finds palatable is ultimately dependent on the individual reader. For this reason, I came up with a multi-pronged methodology for interpreting crossovers; four different approaches for understanding and interpreting crossovers that allow fans to make their own determination as to what works best for them: 1. Coincidental: The events bear similarities, but are not the same. 2. Relational: The events represent a version of that universe, but are not exactly as depicted in the original source, which might represent in-universe works such as holodramas. 3. Congruity: The events represent the very same events as depicted in the original source. This doesn’t mean that the characters or narrator are correct about everything they conclude. 4. Some-or-All of the Above: You determine what works best in each given scenario. This allows you to take each on a case-by-case basis. The Grand Unification Theory is meant to provide potentialities for fans to have fun with, whether in their own imaginations, RPG adventures, stories, artwork, etc. The Skyriver galaxy is mammoth and its history is long and old; and as much as is revealed in SE, there’s room to spare for much more.
Was Supernatural Encounters printed?
Supernatural Encounters exists as a free PDF to the public. But until LFL says otherwise, it cannot be sold commercially, though contributors at a certain level have received physical copies as a perk; second editions were made available at cost by a third party on Amazon who did not profit from the endeavor. A third edition will be made available at LegendsCon II in Arlington, Texas on March 15-16.
How did you become involved in Star Wars? What was your involvement before SE?
My timeline was solicited and submitted to Bill Smith of West End Games and Bob Cooper of Dark Horse Comics. I first wrote fiction for West End Games when Bill Smith invited me to write an RPGA for them (my first credit appeared in the Star Wars Gamemaster Screen, Revised Edition; 1996) initially for No Disintegrations. It was called "The Temple of Shadows" (or The Temple of Ooradaal) and was being held for the next RPGA (you can find that here). I went on to contribute to the Star Wars Insider by Titan Magazines and Star Wars Gamer by Wizards of the Coast (who gained the license for Star Wars role-playing material after WEG went belly-up). Rich and I wrote introductions for the reprinted Marvel series (with an illustration by Robin Pronovost), and I provided Dark Horse with all the rare material published in the Wild Space omnibus. Other projects came and went. Abel G. Peña, Rich Handley, and I began work on Star Wars: The Essential Reader's Companion, which went to Pablo. You win some, you lose some...
Most recently, I've written non-fiction Star Wars essays for various publications, including Secrets of the Force, edited by Edward Gross (St. Martin's Press, 2021), A More Civilized Age: Exploring the Star Wars Expanded Universe, A Galaxy Far, Far Away: Exploring Star Wars Comics and A Long Time Ago: Exploring the Star Wars Cinematic Universe for Sequart Books.
Who else worked on the Encounters duology?
There were several amazing contributors to thank. Rich Handley co-wrote Cult Encounters with me. Kyle Rawlings, my lead editor; Edward Dodds, lead editor and go-to Sith historian, Ryan "Sinrebirth" Shepherd, editor and former contributor to The Essential Atlas and The Essential Guide to Warfare, Corey Carter, editor and cartographer, as well as Harry Thornton, Robert Newnham, Greg Mitchell, Luke Van Horn, Matt Wilkins, Derek Stevens, Abel G. Peña, Neil Farnum, Michael Steinberg, Patrick Maes, Chayim Mescher, Stuart Bailey, Arthur Lowrey, and others.
What is the future of Supernatural Encounters?
The Atlas Appendix is out, but there is more coming down the pike, including a full-cast audio-drama and soundtrack, by Kyle Rawlings, The Supernatural Encounters Alien Guide, by Kevin Beentjes, and Otherworldly Encounters, which will include SE-related short stories by fans! There are also numerous analysis videos on Youtube, essays on Wordpress, and an immersive visual audiobook that is adapting chapters of SE. You can find all of the videos on my playlist here and links to all of the content right here on this page.
Will Supernatural Encounters lore appear on Wookieepedia?
That's for the fans to decide. As far as I'm aware, many had already begun chronicling lore on Wookieepedia when it's current leadership took the stance that the work was "cancelled" (which it never was) or "unlicensed" (which is also untrue) and have labeled it as such. I'm not involved with any of that, though I did forward my emails with Lucasfilm to the administrators so as to help the folks at Wookieepedia properly categorize the work; they appear to have disregarded it.
Is Supernatural Encounters canon?
It was written and intended to be an Expanded Universe work, and would have been categorized as C-canon in the old classification system. Of course, "Canon" means something quite different now than when I wrote the work. Matt Martin understood it to be "Legends" and approved it for publication as such; I did incorporate some elements of lore from the newer material since SE puts forth what I call a "One Canon: Three Universes" approach, which allows the EU, DU, and even Infinities to coexist, thus providing room for all fans under the larger Star Wars umbrella. |
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For those curious about the chronological reading order, either for scholarly or reading purposes, here is a summary (if you need to see the dates, head over to the Complete Saga page). Suffice it to say that the frame story in Cult Encounters immediately precedes the frame story of Supernatural Encounters, which occurs after the Dark Nest series and before the Legacy of the Force series. -Book III (Chapters 20-33) |
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Supernatural Encounters came to me almost fully formed in November 2007, when it poured out over the course of a few days, a dense, lengthy dissertation on metaphysical subjects, esoteric races, and obscure histories, with subjects ranging from time dilations and realm distinction to ontology, cosmogony, and theology, all embedded in the tale of Arhul Hextrophon and his droid’s search for the origin of life in the Star Wars galaxy. Their quest into the ancient world matched my own, as I too set out to find the truth amongst the many myths and fables that have been revealed over the long years of the Expanded Universe's existence.
To help you better understand the context of the events that play out in Supernatural Encounters, I recommend the following EU and extra-EU stories:
This is by no means a comprehensive list, but it should suffice to bring readers up to speed. |
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Corey Carter's Supernatural Encounters Atlas is included here and in the Amazon copy of Vol 3. |
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Not to be confused with the forthcoming full-cast audiodrama, this is a visual-audial adaptation of various chapters of the book with imagery and music. Akin to the immersive adaptations done for H.P. Lovecraft, Clark Ashton Smith, Lord Dunsany, and Robert E. Howard by AGM Storytime (and others), this is a treat for the senses and an incredible way to experience this story anew or for the first time! Star Wars: Supernatural Encounters--Chapter 20: Visual Audiobook is available here! Star Wars: Supernatural Encounters--Chapter 21: Visual Audiobook is available here! More to come! |
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Stories and Art inspired by Cult Encounters & Supernatural Encounters
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Note: Page numbers reflect the first edition.
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Joe Bongiorno is the creator of the Star Wars Expanded Universe Timeline (www.starwarstimeline.net), which publishes lost stories in the universe begun by George Lucas. He is the author of the eight-volume series Black Sabbath: The Illustrated Lyrics. Joe also runs a small-press publishing company called the Royal Publisher of Oz (www.theroyalpublisherofoz.com) and is the creator of the Royal Timeline of Oz (www.oztimeline.net) and the X-Files Chronology (www.xfilestimeline.net). Joe has co-edited the Cyberpunk Nexus: Exploring the Blade Runner Universe, and has written essays on science-fiction and fantasy for several Sequart Books anthologies, Wizard of the Coast’s Star Wars Gamer magazine, short stories for Oziana magazine, and has contributed material to West End Games, Star Wars Insider, and Dark Horse Comics. Joe currently lives in an ever-expanding library on Long Island where he caters to the demands of five cats and two dogs. Thanks to George Lucas for encouraging others to expand his universe, for hiring a team to oversee it, and for supporting their efforts for 35 years! Thanks as well to the early contributors of the Expanded Universe, from Roy Thomas, Archie Goodwin, and Alan Moore, to the writers of West End Games. Upon these early works was this story built. Thanks to Rich Handley for his work on Cult Encounters, the Marvel Aliens in Gamer #1, and his friendship over the years, and Abel G. and Susie Peña for their insight and friendship (and Waru!) Special thanks to my proofreaders, editors, helpers, and promoters to whom I owe a debt: Steve Bardin Al Bernardi Michael Brennan Corey Carter Edward Dodds Neil Farnum David Grahame Arthur Lowery Alex Maciel Patrick Maes Benjamin McDonnell Marcus Mebes Chayim Mescher Greg Mitchell Maxine Morrell Liisa Mountain Robert Newnham Kyle Rawlings Brennan Renwick Marcel Ryan Alex Salcedo Nick Schuessler Ryan "Sinrebirth" Shepherd Michael Steinberg Derek Stevens Harry Thornton Luke Van Horn Matt Wilkins
Thanks to my French, Spanish, and Russian language translators Alban Leloup Mario Alberto Escamilla Alexander Vinogradov Thanks also to Pablo Hidalgo for the initial opportunity, Matt Martin, Dan Brooks, Wookieepedia, the guys over at the Jedi Council Forums, and all the amazing contributors who supported this book over the years!!
"The Architects" by Natalie Asplud (https://linktr.ee/NadlyJ) |
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Note: Unpublished. rare. or out-of-print Star Wars stories will be taken down if/when officially released/reprinted |
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Cult Encounters
Previously unpublished duology intended for Hyperspace and the Star Wars Blog. |
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Lightsider
Tom Veitch's unpublished bridge story between Dark Empire I and II |
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Much More over at |
