Kind of an eleventh hour submission, but here goes. I'm admittedly not [i]massively[/i] up to snuff on my Star Wars lore; I hope this is okay, I took a little bit of a liberty. Willing to change anything if need be. [hider=Quillow Noonot] [center][color=A5D48A][h3][b]QUILLOW NOONOT[/b][/h3] [sup][i][h3]Pacifistic Knight[/h3][/i][/sup][/color][/center] [i][sup][center]"I would take this memory from you, that you might find peace."[/center][/sup][/i] [color=A5D48A][b]Species:[/b][/color] Ithorian [color=A5D48A][b]Gender:[/b][/color] Male [color=A5D48A][b]Age:[/b][/color] 30 [color=A5D48A][b]Appearance:[/b][/color] Quillow looks like most Ithorians- the species' physical differences are slight, and Quillow fits the bill of a standard member; standing at seven feet, a wide-ended, snail-like head (More unscupulous folk tease them as "hammerheads") protrudes from a rougly humanoid torso. His long, lanky arms end in four spindly, segmented, twig-like fingers, and the toes on either of his feet are thick, squat, and arched, almost like the roots one may see poking up at the base of a trunk. In fact, with his branch-like limbs, outwardly sluggish demeanor, and mossy-brown skin tone, Quillow exudes an aura like that of a creaky, overgrown indyup tree. He doesn't stand so much as loom, and he lumbers moreso than walks. His [url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XZaEFW1-h_8]voice[/url] is deep and croaking, and as Ithorian speech is stereophonic, strangely melodic. Thin bands of skin around Quillow's black sphere eyes are several shades darker than the rest, almost giving him the appearance of having eyelashes. Quillow garbs himself alike his Master, in loose fitting, layered robes, belted at the waist. The bottom layer is deep beige in color, and a forest-green tabard is pulled over it, its hood usually pulled up and resting atop Quillow's head, obscuring his Ithorese translator (situated on the hump of his neck) from view. From the leather belt dangle various bits and bobs secured by string; if pressed, he describes these as "memories". The state of his dress leaves a lot to be desired, which could be why he prefers earthen colors. [color=A5D48A][b]Lightsaber/other personal effects:[/b][/color] Quillow's lightsaber is near-pristine, not from dedication to any sort of maintenance, but rather from a distinct lack of use. A shining silver bauble, it is more often seen decorating his belt than in his hands. Its handle is plain and cylindrical, with grooves cut to make it look almost like three segments stuck together. On the occasion it is activated, one will find it emits a deep green blade. His more unique feature are the trinkets that hang off of his belt in an almost defiant contrast to the Jedi coda of forbidding posessions. Moreso, he will openly relent that he carries them as "memories" and that he has an attatchment to them. After the crash, there are three: a string of beads, a burnt scrap of a datapad, and a section of black leather. [color=A5D48A][b]Personality:[/b][/color] First and foremost, any conversation will quickly reveal that Quillow is a soft and sensitive soul. He wears a mild demeanor which makes him slow to anger, but being meditative and introspective, Quillow can often be sorrowful. He is supremely polite, if a little dull. Still, Quillow makes efforts to not outwardly exude his more negative emotions, giving him an air of false stoicism. A philosophical sort, Quillow often tries to engage others in like conversation, a byproduct from his late Master. While Quillow was never the sort to hold one view above another, the perishing of Master Welck has made him reluctant to accept other viewpoints, if only so Quillow may continue Welck's memories. The second thing one will notice about Quillow is his fixation on memories. Following the teachings of Welck, who himself was influenced by Ithorian lifestyle (or perhaps even Mother Jungle), Quillow has dedicated himself to the removal of 'painful memories' of others, which he believes fuel malcontent and may even prevent one from transcending into the Force after death. As Quillow would put it, "The donar flower does not remember the foot that felled it; in forgetting, it blooms." But merely forgetting a painful memory isn't enough; to achieve peace, one has to [i]let go[/i], in this, Quillow seeks to aid others. This manifests as him taking a trinket from someone struggling, usually something tied to the memory in question, and taking it far away from them, so they might forget and thus grow tranquil. While it was never their immediate reaction to do so, Welck and Quillow weren't opposed to mind tricking or mind rubbing to force someone to forget. Quillow does not destroy his trinkets, for doing so would destroy the memory they hold, and destruction and consumption are the things of the dark side. He ultimately believes there is a set amount of suffering that will always pervade the universe- seekings its doom leads one down a dark path, but absorbing it from others less equipped to handle it is a virtuous thing. From these beliefs stem Quillow's pacifism. He adheres to nonviolence so that he may avoid making painful memories for others or himself. He uses his lightsaber in a purely defensive manner- if absolutely driven to conflict, he will do his best to (relatively) harmlessly disarm his opponents. Even then, his physical faculties were always below average, buffeted by his ease of use of the Force, particularly mind tricks and telekenetics. [color=A5D48A][b]View of the Force:[/b][/color] The Force is a flowing autumnal river; muddied leaves occasionally pass by, practically begging they be plucked from the stream, cleaned, and observed as they are set back on their course. [color=A5D48A][b]Backstory:[/b][/color] Quillow was born a [img=https://static.wikia.nocookie.net/starwars/images/b/b7/Pypey.jpg/revision/latest/scale-to-width-down/697?cb=20151205042604]pupa[/img]amongst a massive pool fathered by a single Ithorian. Quillow remembers naught from this time; not because the memories are painful, but becasue there's simply nothing to remember. He was one amongst thousands- a glassy-eyed, appendageless tadpole merely existing and wondering. As he metamorphosized, Quillow gained a hump on his back, a crater in his cranium, and a healthy appetite for ant-flies. As a young and healthy Ithorian denizen of a great herdship above Ithor, he was taught the benevolence of the Mother Jungle below and of the Law of Life; that for every life taken, two more must be planted. Before he could even read and write, he was told by his herd's cleric that he would be now be travelling with a Human, one who was dressed in long and flowing robes, a disarming smile frozen on his bearded face. Quillow often wonders if this was perhaps a subterfugal move- Quillow was confirmed force sensitive, and force sensitive Ithorians are often selected to oversee a herd as a cleric. Perhaps [i]that one[/i] simply could not [i]let go[/i]. During the journey from Ithor to Coruscant, Quillow learned his benefactor's name was Welck, a Knight of the Jedi order. He had been visiting the herdships above Ithor in a scholarly pursuit; Ithorian society and their respect for their environment made them skilled ecologists, and the Order saw a future in terraforming techniques could potientially be developed with them. While Quillow knew not of what the Jedi spoke, he made clear he had chosen Quillow because of a willingness to learn and sprout. This made Quillow happy, for a facet of the Law of Life stated that all things have a right to grow. The young Ithorian sought to share what he knew to the Knight, as well, but he merely smiled and offered endearing glances. Upon arrival at Coruscant, Quillow as taken from Welck and placed with a group of unfamiliar faces and shapes. A mild mannered Ithorian, Quillow got along well with the other members of his Initiate clan as they began their journey of learning. He was taught to read and write Galactic basic, and with the help of a translator, could speak it as well, albeit with a heavy accent. Instructors would find Quillow to be lacking in most things physical, but extremely attentive and naturally skilled when it came to mental acuity and the Force. A few noted that the young Ithorian had a heightened sense of wisdom and curiosity- always asking the other Initiates [i]why[/i] even when he fully understood, seemingly attempting to reach some higher level of understanding with them. In truth, Quillow took to heart the Ithorian teaching that all things have a right to grow, and he had noticed that in asking [i]why[/i], people would grow to view him or themselves amicably, in most cases; Quillow was regularly told he was an astute listener, even if he had little to say. His time amongst his Initiate clan fostered a healthy social growth, though some may have seen him as too empathetic. He was naturally curious and truly had a hunger to learn about others' ways of life and the life of a Jedi. His skills in the saber were lacking; while Quillow had continued to excel in meditation, mental discipline, and self-control, these did not translate into physical acuity. Quillow's reactions were slow, he overtly avoided pain, and failure did not seem to bother him. He was nearing adolescence now, and had he stayed on this path, Quillow probably would've failed his Initiate trials. But it was then that Welck would again enter Quillow's life, though he was [i]Master[/i] Welck now. While Quillow was elated, Welck seemed disappointed in the young Initiate. Luckily, he knew the strings to pull with the young Ithorian, and spoke with him: [center][i]"You believe all things have a right to grow, yes?" Quillow nodded in reply. "Then why do you deny youself such? Does not a toal tree seek to spread its own roots? Or does it merely ask the leaves to grow over it, retreating within itself and withering away? Should [b]it[/b] fade, what would become of the life it helped grow?"[/i][/center] Quillow took the sentiment to heart. In helping others grow, he denied himself the same service. Through dedication and focus, he became [i]just[/i] average enough to pass his Initiate trial. Now a Padawan, he was of course taken underwing by Master Welck. Quillow perpetuated an extremely positive- albeit, almost submissive- relationship with Welck, who conditioned the young Padawan to the teachings of the Jedi Code, and always turned an attentive ear to Quillow when he had a refute. [center][i]"There is no death, there is the Force. Is that similar to the Law of 'We wither to bloom'?" The young Ithorian had asked. His master thought a moment. "Perhaps. Do not take the meaning of death to be the opposite of life, it is moreso the opposite of birth. Life is something eternal- it continues on not only in the Force which connects us, but in our memories of each other, and the legacies we leave."[/i][/center] Quillow still struggled when it came to combat. His literal ability with a lightsaber was average, he simply lacked the [i]intent[/i] to use it, even against droids, whom Quillow believed had a soul simply because they had a semblance of conscience and memory, even if it was programmed; and where there was a soul, there was a living being. Under Welck's tutelage, Quillow was taught that one needn't seek to harm with the blade, but rather it could be used as a tool for guidance, albeit a forceful one. To Quillow, guidance was essential to growth. Still, Master Welck frequently reinforced that his weapon's use should be a last resort, when all other options for understanding have been exhausted. Eventually, Welck had seen enough growth in Quillow that he felt he was ready for the Trials. The Ithorian was twenty-four, and in Welck's teachings he found the success to become a Jedi Knight. As the two worked well together, Quillow still largely worked with Master Welck, and continued to view himself as his pupil. The two spent the next three years on Felucia, as a remote illness had taken a few tribal lives and threatened to spread. They aided a multi-cultural contingent sent to study it and hopefully develop a cure. It was here that Quillow would watch as Master Welck changed. First came the woman; Quillow thought his Master higher than such temptations, but more than once he pretended not to notice Welck stealing glances. As if the universe sought to prove the Code, the relationship did not end well. Quillow remembers vividly the feeling of sorrow he sensed from Welck as he exited her hovel, shaking his head, a child's toy gripped tightly in one hand. Welck blinked away tears, but Quillow saw them. The woman was interred, and neither Quillow nor Welck saw her again, sickness had taken her. Quillow had still looked to Welck for wisdom during this time, and he noticed when his teachings changed. It was at the behest of a member of the research team; the child's toy finally left Welck's ownership, and a weight was lifted from his shoulders- that researcher left the planet shortly afterwards. Welck spoke to Quillow about memory often, then, as he had before, but his views had shifted; he now spoke of how they bound people to discontent and wroth and struggle, and how neither should be afraid to pass them off to someone better equipped, a sentiment Quillow found odd at first, as Welck was a Master Jedi. Quillow pondered and accepted what Welck had said; after all, if living, thinking beings perpetuated suffering, then surely there was only a finite amount present in the Galaxy at any given time. He took his revelation to Master Welck, who seemed to agree. Shortly thereafter, Welck admitted he wished to travel far from Felucia, but not before he spoke to some of the tribals, offering to 'take their memories from them'. Quillow also took up the practice, seeing how much comfort and peace it could bring, as it had to his Master. Now decorated in various baubles, the two planet hopped, collecting painful memories from others so that they might reach an inner peace, taking them far away. And so the two ended up on Ilum when they received notice to return to Coruscant. Master Welck did not survive the crash. In the wreckage, Quillow located his datapad; it was a personal work, cataloguing the words of the memories of others. Welck was afraid he would forget. Quillow is unsure of what to do with it. [/hider]