Later referred to as the Lorrd Artifact, the collection of tassels were fashioned by Lumiya using ancient pattern-based communication methods from diverse species and societies across the galaxy. These tassels encapsulated the principles of both the Jedi and the Sith. Wedge Antilles and Tycho Celchu came across them and subsequently entrusted them to Jaina Solo and Zekk shortly after the attack on Kuati Toryaz Station. During this assault, drugged assassins infiltrated the station with the intent of assassinating Jedi and politicians from both Corellia and the Galactic Federation of Free Alliances, aiming to undermine peace negotiations designed to resolve the Corellia-Alliance conflict. Luke Skywalker tasked Jaina with continuing the inquiry into the artifact, but Jacen sensed a Force connection to the tassels. Without informing Luke, Jacen persuaded Jaina that he should be the one to pursue this lead.
Jacen managed to interpret one tassel using the Force, yet he required assistance from experts in tactile communication to decode the remaining ones. This necessitated transporting the tassels to professor Heilan Rotham on Lorrd.
While awaiting Rotham's completed translations, Ben Skywalker, Jacen's companion, noticed a shuttle matching the description of one seen fleeing Toryaz Station during the attacks. Secretly observing the shuttle, they discovered a woman identifying herself as Brisha Syo. They failed to realize that Syo was actually Dark Lady of the Sith Lumiya, who was aware that any investigation would inevitably lead to professor Rotham on Lorrd.
Although the tassels were merely a component of Lumiya and Vergere's long-term strategy to entice Jacen to the dark side, once he committed to the Sith path, the prophecies within the tassels functioned as a roadmap for the actions he needed to take to become a Sith Lord.
Each tassel held an encoded message in a unique tactile language. These messages are presented below in the order they were translated, generally from top to bottom—except for the final one, which Jacen deciphered independently after Rotham had read the others.
- He will remake/rename himself—originating from the endangered Firrerreo culture.
- He will ruin those who deny justice—originating from the Bith Aalagar race.
- He will choose the fate of the weak—originating from the prisoners of Kessel.
- He will immortalize his love—originating from the dark-sided sentient mynock species native to the Home.
- He will choose how he will be loved—originating from the Alderaanian flower language.
- He will win and break his chains—originating from the homeless subculture of Coruscant.
- He will shed his skin and choose a new skin
- He will strengthen himself through sacrifice—originating from the Prophecy of the Sith.
- He will crawl through his cloak
- He will know brotherhood
- He will make a pet ("make" as in fabricate)
- He will strengthen himself through pain—originating from the Twi'lek Tahu'ip culture.
- He will be drawn from peace into conflict or possibly His life will be balanced between peace and conflict—originating from the Sith statuary language of Ziost.
As Jacen embraced this destiny, he realized that many of the prophesied events could be fulfilled in various ways. However, Lumiya was either unwilling or unable to provide him with clear explanations.
A different arrangement of the Tassels was later discovered, known as the Prophecy of the Sith, seemingly following the sequence in which Jacen realized the prophecies:
- He will strengthen himself through sacrifice—Jacen had fortified his resolve through multiple ruthless actions, while simultaneously sacrificing the approval of those close to him.
- He will ruin those who deny justice—Jacen had employed extreme methods to achieve justice through his involvement with the Galactic Alliance Guard (among other endeavors).
- He will immortalize his love—This was Jacen's subsequent action: to eliminate those he held dearest. Initially, he believed this to be Tenel Ka and Allana. However, upon seeing Allana, he changed his mind, feeling that his parents should be his sacrifice. Ultimately, Mara Jade Skywalker became his true sacrifice. Following killing her, he contemplated that by murdering Ben's mother, he had sacrificed the affection and admiration of his cousin, which he valued.
Some prophecies, like "he will make a pet," remained unfulfilled before his death.