VARMAN HALE
^{Jedi Knight}

Species: Human
Gender: Male
Appearance:
Those who knew Varman Hale before he swore the Barash Vow would not soon recognize him now. For five years years he has been gone from the Jedi Temple, living out the majority of his self-imposed exile on the frozen planet of Ilum. Physically, Varman has not changed much: even when he was a young Padawan, he was a Jedi more inclined towards battle than towards scholarly pursuits, evident in his strong grip and knuckles calloused from decades of martial practice. Despite years in exile, he still retains much of his fighting prowess both in swordplay and the use of the Force. But to anyone who had known him previously, it is clear that his manner has changed entirely; where once was a man unafraid to rush into the unknown now is one who carries himself with an uneasy reticence he did not before, quiet and hesitant and careful beyond the point of prudence with every new step that he takes.

His newfound weariness is readily apparent from his appearance: though he once kept his black hair fastidiously short and his lightsaber impeccably well-maintained, his locks now have grown long, necessitating the high topknot he now wears, and his weapon is battered from careless use. He seems older than his years would warrant, a certain wounded haggardness in his gaze.

Despite his weariness, however, he has never abandoned his Jedi robes: upon his return from Ilum, he wears a ceremonial white-and-gold tabard over a tunic of pale green and a pair of sturdy trousers tucked into well-worn boots. The most curious part of his apparel is the red sash about his waist, seeming better suited for ceremonial wear or for a Padawan’s garb save its color—in truth, it resembles the vestments of other orders devoted to the Force far more than those of the Jedi.

Personal effects:
Like most Jedi, Varman keeps few things on his person: a handful of spare credits, his lightsaber, and a datapad with a heavily-annotated copy of Kozem Pel’s Collected Poems, Prayers, and Meditations on the Force.

Varman’s lightsaber is the most valuable of his few possessions, though it has been ill-maintained in his exile: the dark wrapping about its grip has become tattered from regular use and its brass crossguard and decorations have tarnished in his years away from the Jedi Temple. At its heart, however, remains a flawless crystal of blue kyber, its potent energy thrumming pure and strong in the Force.

Personality:
Varman is a cautious and wary Jedi, careful to the point of overcautiousness. Before his exile, he charged into battle without thinking, relying on the Force and his intuition to carry him through; in recent days, however, he has been changed, reticent and indecisive where once he would act without thought at all. He is warm and thoughtful but taciturn and slow to speak, readily letting others speak first before himself. Other Jedi would recognize the doubt gnawing at him, weakening his connection to the Force.

View of the Force:
When he peers into the Force, he sees the world as a valley filled with endless cairns, each cairn of differing provenance and composition and each stone of the cairns teeming with a long memory stacked together to form a greater and magnificent whole.

Background:
Varman Hale was sent to Coruscant as soon as he displayed his first signs of Force-sensitivity—the induction of a child into the Jedi Order was a high honor for his Gatalentan family and they were proud to serve the Republic’s defenders. At the Jedi Temple, Varman proved to be an athletic youngling skilled in lightsaber combat but less diligent by far in his studies. He was never the cleverest student or the strongest disciple of the Force, but he proved to be disciplined, courageous, and driven to do good in the galaxy.

When Varman became a Padawan, he apprenticed under Master Renara Dal, a proud warrior tempered by decades of experience. Under her influence, he became a skillful warrior, scoring numerous times at the top of the Jedi Order’s lightsaber duelist rankings. Theirs was a close relationship in which she would temper his straightforward nature with her thoughtfulness, urging the young Jedi to think before acting and attempting to reel in his naïveté to little avail. Varman remained rash and trusting and boisterous to the end, running into trouble no small number of times when Master Renara would be forced to bail him out of jail after bar-fights in the cantinas of Coruscant. Still, given Varman’s readily-apparent devotion to justice (and aided in no small part by the recommendation of Master Renara), Varman soon passed his Jedi Trials and was made a Jedi Knight at the age of twenty-five.

In the year 220 BBY, Varman acquired a Padawan learner of his own, a young and spirited Rodian by the name of Yugo Tsothl. Though Varman had not initially desired a Padawan so soon after his knighting, he took the boy under his wing on the recommendation of his former master. It would be a learning experience for the Jedi Knight, Master Renara had said—and indeed it was. Varman was frustrated with the boy’s inability to fight at first, attempting to be supportive but unsure of how to actually offer a boy so unlike him any help. Before long, however, Varman grew fond of Yugo despite their differences. Though Yugo was always a Jedi more inclined towards study, dithering when it came time for actual lightsaber combat, Varman pushed the young Padawan towards a greater sense of assertiveness, urging him to trust in the will of the Force, to feel rather than think. Yugo grew more assertive and more relaxed under Varman’s tutelage over the next few years, arguing more easily in his written and oral exams and fighting more fluidly than he had before. The two grew as close as Varman and Master Renara had been in their past, and with their closeness, Yugo became deeply familiar with Varman’s mantra: Trust in the Force.

But this trust would prove dangerous in time. After three years together, the pair were sent to rectify a hostage situation high above the skyscrapers of Hosnian Prime: aboard the pirate vessel The Black Blurrg, bandits held a young son of Alderaan’s House Alde for a billion-credit ransom. Trust in the Force, Varman had told Yugo before they sneaked aboard the enemy ship, sure of his apprentice’s success. They easily dropped onto The Black Blurrg, and made their way aboard, dismembering security droids and incapacitating bandit gunmen with precision only Jedi could muster. The master and apprentice made short work of the kidnappers and easily freed the son of House Alde—but their return journey proved treacherous. Varman let Yugo go on ahead, letting the Padawan trust his feelings and lead the freed prince to freedom while Varman secured their extraction point. But just as Varman was returning to Yugo, a cadre of security droids trapped the Padawan and the Alde boy and rained blasterfire upon them both—though the Padawan successfully defended his charge, he himself was blasted beyond recognition. After returning the prince to House Alde, Varman cremated what was left of Yugo in the traditional Jedi fashion and returned to Coruscant in sorrow.

Afterwards, a guilty Varman swore the Barash Vow, a penitent oath to refrain from involvement with the Jedi Order and close himself to things other than the Force. He journeyed to the holy sites of Lothal and Jedha, speaking with Jedi and with other orders of the Force—for a time he was a Disciple of the Whills, spending his time in solitude save when he spoke with pilgrims and priests. He remained restless, however, and continued to move from place to place until at last he settled at last on the isolated planet of Ilum and lived alone near its frozen Jedi temple. Being a source of the kyber crystals which power the Jedi’s lightsabers, Ilum was a powerful font of the Force—it was there, he decided, where he would recenter himself and find his path to come.

But months passed and then years, and still Varman found no answer when he reached out into the Force. He deliberated in solitude until Jedi on Coruscant decided that this period could not last: with the last group of Younglings who travelled to Ilum in search of their lightsabers’ crystals came Varman’s former master. Finding his abode in the snow, Master Renara spoke with him, telling him before she left with the next shuttle out:


Still ill-at-ease but mindful of his former master’s message, Varman prepared for the long journey back to Coruscant in the week after her departure, still unsure of himself after Yugo’s death but still ever devoted to the ideals of the Jedi Order.

YERIN KHA
^{Jedi Knight | Researcher}

Species: Togruta
Gender: Female
Appearance:
When most citizens of the Galaxy imagine a Jedi Knight, they imagine a stern pillar of strength with an aura of gravitas. Yet Yerin—with her cheerful demeanor and general lack of cool stoicism—couldn’t break that expectation more if she tried. She is quick to smile and slow to frown; her soft features and her short stature tend to belie her true age. Her cheeks are high and rounded; her lips are full; her brown eyes are large and inquisitive. Yerin walks quickly to compensate for her short strides, carrying herself with quiet poise and a gentle sway in her step.

Though she always carries her lightsaber in the field, Yerin eschews more martial attire in favor of flowing golden robes; she has a penchant for stowing odds and ends in her ample sleeves. The leather vest and belt which she wears over her robes are both tooled with a pattern of interlocking scales. Unusually for a Togruta, she wears shoes: high, soft-soled boots that rise past her knees. As a Jedi, she indulges herself with few luxuries, but her montrals are crowned with a headdress of beads and gilded teeth. The necklace she always wears, a shard of polished akul bone on a simple leather cord, is another gift from home.

Personal effects:
The handle of Yerin’s lightsaber is carved from wood sourced from her homeworld, Shili, and inlaid with akul bone. Its crystal is yellow-green. Like the rest of her few possessions, she cleans it meticulously; to do otherwise would be poor practice for a scientist.

In addition to her lightsaber, she keeps the bare essentials for her research: her datapad, a collection of small tools for extracting samples, and a commlink. Yerin also carries a portfolio where she keeps tiny sterilized samples of flora, bones, shells, and fossils from the worlds she has visited.

Personality:
On first acquaintance, Yerin is warm and amiable, even sanguine for a Jedi; she is ever quick to offer a kind word, a listening ear, and a helping hand to those in need. Though she has learned to keep her composure, she is deeply empathetic and has a tendency to take on the woes of the world as if they were her own. She struggles to abide suffering and is particularly sensitive to discord, but internalizes her worry and strife for fear that revealing her emotions would make a poor example for younger and less experienced Jedi. Putting the needs of others—and indeed, the whole Galaxy—before her own is simply her duty; she does not shrink from it.

Her friendly exterior belies a keen and curious intellect. Having long sought to understand the Force through means other than meditation alone, she is quietly proud of her accomplishments as a scholar. However, recent events have caused her confidence to fray; seeds of guilt have begun to grow in her mind. Yerin secretly worries that the Jedi are growing callous and forgetting the importance of compassion; she fears that their obligation to eschew attachments may only exacerbate such a change for the worse.

View of the Force:
Yerin sees the Force as a branching river delta whose rushing waters—the lifeblood of the universe—flow through all living beings and all that will live, just how it once flowed through those who lived before.

Background:
Born on Shili in the year 205 BBY, Yerin remembers little of her childhood save a constant feeling of warmth and love. Like most Togruta, she was surrounded by family and community since the day she was born. She was taught to revere nature from a young age, for friends and family alike echoed the same teaching: ”Through the Force, all living things are interconnected.” When her Force-sensitivity was discovered, her family sent their beloved daughter off with the Jedi with bittersweet excitement. Yet Yerin was so upset that she hardly spoke for days. Separated from her home and family—the close-knit community that had been her entire world—she felt loneliness for the first time in her life.

Isolation had made her shy and reticent, but Yerin managed to adjust to life at the Jedi Temple. Though she was neither the boldest youngling nor the most naturally athletic, Yerin was curious, clever, and eager to please. Her shyness prompted her to withdraw into her lessons, but all the time spent in silence had taught her to listen well; she quickly came to excel in her studies. Determined to honor the legacy of the Jedi who had come before her, Yerin grew disciplined and strong in the Force, exceeding the expectations of her teachers yet remaining gentle. In time, the quiet, studious girl drew the attention of Ras Sharvil, a Nabooan Jedi Knight who saw that she was keen to learn and took her on as his Padawan.

Almost immediately after he took her under his wing, Yerin discovered Ras Sharvil was a Jedi Consular and researcher who was willing to let his Padawan be his research assistant. Under his tutelage, she quickly came out of her shell, excitedly rambling about her studies and asking endless questions. Ras often reminded her that knowledge could just as easily be used for evil as for good, telling her that she must take it upon herself to use what she learned to serve justice. He tutored her in combat, but he always insisted that no lightsaber lesson was more important than the study of compassion, honor, and virtue. Yerin, whose hunger for learning bordered on impatience, came to understand him when he took her to his homeworld.

Though they had visited Naboo to collect Force-sensitive creatures from the swamps, the two Jedi had hardly arrived planetside when they noticed a plume of dark smoke rising from the green earth. “Our mission can wait,” Ras said, “but they cannot.” They approached the wreckage to find that a farmhouse and the terraced field nearby had suffered a crash; the farmers who lived there explained that their home had nearly been destroyed by a Jedi craft whose trajectory went astray, as the pilot had not accounted for the effect of Naboo’s watery core. Yet the two Jedi who had crashed their ship into the farmhouse had insisted that their business was too important to wait; now they were nowhere to be found, leaving the farmers and their family behind to try to pick up the pieces of their livelihood. Instead of proceeding to collect his samples, Ras insisted that he and Yerin stay to clean up the mess that the other Jedi had left behind. Master and Padawan spent a week using the Force to rebuild what they could of the farmers’ home; Yerin visited the nearest Republic outpost for supplies while Ras used the rare Consitor Sato technique to restore the damaged terraces. When he asked her if she was disappointed not to have seen the swamps yet, Yerin could truly say that she had learned something far more important.

Yerin continued to follow her master as he collected and catalogued Force-sensitive flora and fauna throughout the Galaxy. Ras dreamed of using their findings to create better medicines; Yerin hoped that their discoveries could help see an end to disease and scarcity in the Republic, freeing people throughout the galaxy to chase gentler pursuits instead of having to fight and fear for their survival. Between her journeys and her keen listening, Yerin quickly acquired a penchant for languages; she thought it was only right to try to understand each species in the galaxy on its own terms if she was to study the Force in all living things. As she traveled, she tutored aliens in Basic so they could more easily advocate for themselves in negotiations with the Republic. With a diverse and rigorous education, she grew into a disciplined and diligent scholar, quietly confident in the Force. She passed her Trials and became a Jedi Knight at the relatively young age of twenty-two, only for her former master—fearing that his research would be used for ill—to leave the Jedi Order within a year.

At first, Ras Sharvil’s departure confused her; she only came to understand his disillusionment after a mission to Kashyyyk years later. Yerin had left the jungle planet with the hope that her research could be returned to the Jedi Archives, where it might inspire young Jedi to treat the world around them with gentleness and compassion. When the Republic seized her findings, she optimistically assumed they would use her work to create antivenoms and other medicines. She was soon invited to a symposium on Coruscant where Republic scientists credited her work in the creation of new bioweapons to be used against the Republic’s enemies in the Outer Rim. Leaving Coruscant in shame, Yerin embarked on a pilgrimage to Ilum—ostensibly to study Force-sensitive cryofauna, but truly out of penitence. Meditating in the barren cold, Yerin realized that she could only redeem herself through action; she has yet to shake off the yoke of shame.

Name: Sunao Zimtara
Rank: Padawan
Age: 21
Species: Mirialan
Gender: Male

Personal appearance:

Sunao is a handsome, fresh faced and fit member of the Mirialan species. With an innocent look in his eyes and a charming, yet cheeky, grin, it’s easy to see why the young man is often the centre of attention. As a diplomatic aid to the Republic, most of his time is spent among high society folks and so he must look the part. His hair, a caramel brown, is neatly trimmed, straightened and swept back, rigorously maintained throughout the day by the man himself. Standing at 5’8 and weighing in at 170lbs, the man is of average height and has decent muscular tone. Each morning Sunao wakes and follows a meticulous skin, nail and teeth care routine, followed by calisthenics training and meditation several evenings a week.

In addition to his recognisable emerald green skin, Sunao’s nose, cheeks and chin have all been adorned with his people's traditional geometric tattoos. Despite the short time spent on his homeworld, the Mirialan takes pride in his culture, often more than happy to discuss the importance of the designs and why the body art means so much to them. In fact, it’s actually quite difficult to catch Sunao in a bad mood. Oozing with a cheerful, glowing aura, there’s almost a bounce in every step as he darts from interaction to interaction.

Despite their humble tradition, the Jedi have agreed to allow their diplomats don flashier robes. Under pressure from the higher ups in the Republic, Diplomats are expected to wear layers of flawlessly made garments. Starting with a white tunic that tightly hugs the body, an extensive and elegant robe is draped over the top, it’s bottom dress and sleeves falling dramatically long off the body. Clinched in the middle by a golden belt, a single patterned lappet falls down past the knees, stylised with various symbols of both the Jedi Order and the Republic. A darker, medallion yellow hooded cloak finishes off the ensemble, so vast it’s able to totally envelop the Jedi. While Sunao is not overly fond of all the layers (especially in warmer climates), he is appreciative of the time and effort that went into the design and execution of such a collection.



Lightsaber/other personal effects:

Like most Jedi, Sunao has precious few possessions. A datapad for notes and translation, a small bag of goodies from the Republic to look and smell good, and his lightsaber.

Sleek, matte black and double bladed, the Mirialan’s lightsaber holds two standard green kyber crystals. The design is very ordinary with the blade almost appearing to be factory made. In fact, it’s only been ignited a handful of times, acting more as a symbol as it gathers dust on Sunao’s hip.



Personality:

Sunao is the life of the party. Warm, outgoing, charismatic and emotionally intelligent, the Mirialan is a social chameleon, able to blend into any type of crowd and sway them with his words. He’s open, unafraid to admit his feelings but doesn’t share them in a way that is overbearing or awkward. He sees life as a series of emotional connections, overseen and guided by the Force itself.

For Sunao, the Jedi, and by extension the Republic, are intermediaries to that which watches over all life. As such, their intervention in the goings on of the galaxy are paramount to both positive change and outcomes for every creature on every world. The Mirialan does his best to lead by example, helping wherever and whoever he can, always in search for the deeper meaning in the action of life around him.

Viewing himself and others in the Order as conduits, he believes that the more in tune you are with the Force, the better translator you make. When it comes to his own abilities, it’s not that the young man doubts himself, more that he knows that expertise takes time to cultivate and his path is a lengthy one. Having lived a relatively straightforward and comfortable life, his learnings have come much more gradually than others, few and far between.

Despite being entrenched in constant morning and evening routines, Sunao doesn’t actually enjoy adhering to them. He finds it difficult to focus for long periods of time, so all things routine, paperwork and other monotonous tasks are the antithesis to who he is deep down. Nor does he enjoy the flashier side of diplomacy. The lavish lives of the opulent often leave him feeling empathetic for their citizens who are less fortunate. Though quite stressful, most of the time he is able to rationalise such things through his work in diplomacy and as a Jedi, truly believing that what they do is for the greater good and the Force will reward all eventually.

Sunao has a particularly unique distaste for using his lightsaber. While he can understand an argument for defence in the wilder parts of the galaxy, he cannot get past the fact that it is a weapon. Something created for the very specific reason of destruction and death. He believes most Jedi are over-reliant on such a thing and advocates for its removal from the Order, visually a day where they’re no longer needed.

View of the Force:

Sunao sees the Force as colour, representative of emotions, actions, extension of thought, beings and things both living and non-living and so on. Warm colours such as red, orange, and yellow are the colours of fire, autumn leaves, of sunsets and sunrises, and are generally energising, passionate, and positive. Cool colours, green, blue, and purple, are often more subdued than their warmer counterparts . They are the colours of night, water, nature, and are usually calming, relaxing, and somewhat reserved. Neutral colours like black, white, grey and brown are all consuming, straight, specific and to the point. They tend not to mix or change shades by significant degrees like the others and are often quite rigid in their meaning.

But the spectrum of colour is finite and the same colour, or even shade, can take on different meanings. Red, for example, is a very hot colour. It’s associated with fire, violence, and warfare but it’s also associated with love and passion. As such, that is the learning curve for Sunao when it comes to the Force. To decipher the spectrum and master reading what the galaxy at large is trying to tell him and all those around.

Backstory:

As with most Jedi, Sunao was adopted into the Order as a child after being discovered on his homeworld, Mirial, by a Jedi scouting party. His species' basic understanding and respect for the Force ensured there was no issue in giving the young boy up with his family firmly believing their son had been chosen for a higher purpose.

His time in the academy was most enjoyable for the growing boy. Ever the centre of attention, Sunao always got along with the majority of his youngling trainee’s, often proving to be quite popular. His teachers, on the other hand, weren’t overly fond of the boy's ability to distract others or his distaste for academic work. Though he did excel when it came to matters of mediation and the Force, becoming infatuated with the binds of the galaxy, coerced by its mystery and fascinated by its connection to all living things. His own connection proved to be a strong one, with the Mirialan coming to rely heavily on its use during his training. That wasn’t to say he was unable to use his lightsaber, he just believed it to be a weapon whose sole purpose was to destroy, whereas the Force had so many applications for almost any situation.

It was this kind of attitude that saw the now young man fall under the tutelage of Master Yennifer, a skilled Jedi Consular and one of the most revered Diplomats in all the Order. Together the two bonded well as teacher and student with Sunao travelling around the far reaches of the Republic, helping found new colonies and negotiating treaties for those who wish to be inducted into the flourishing Empire. Sunao would see first hand how the Republic enabled each world to move forward, meeting with politicians and other members of the elite for over one hundred worlds, elevating them from what seemed like a backwater and stagnant people to a new galactic stage. There was almost never any push back, no deal that they couldn’t work around and every time a species was inducted, they were nothing but grateful for the Jedi’s and Republic’s presence.

After a time, his Master devised a test for him. They were to be sent to Mirial to oversee the coronation ceremony for a new leader of the Mirialan people, representing both the Republic and the Jedi Order. Though Sunao was certain he had no memory of the world, and therefore no connection, his Master cautioned him that things might not be so simple.

Sure enough she was right. There was something about being among his own people that tugged at something deep inside. He was of course connected to the Jedi by their belief and code but both were intangible things. There on his homeworld, the connection was physical, he had never been among so many of his own people before.

Feeling her students' confliction, Master Yen pushed the young man into connecting with his people and understanding their culture.

“If you cannot find peace within yourself, how do you expect to spread it throughout the Galaxy?”

Sunao spent the next few months among his people, visiting various landmarks, partaking in local customs, seeing villages and wouldbe cities. His face was tattooed in line with cultural traditions and finally, a missing piece of who he was, was filled. Eventually the time came to say goodbye and although it was a sad event, Sunao felt more whole, ready to take on whatever lay ahead.

As a final part of this side of his training, Master Yen had organised a trip to Ilum so Sunao could reaffirm his connection to the Order, just as he had with his people. The two spent several months in the sacred temples on the planet's surface, strengthening their connection to the Force, meditating and studying. Now was time to move onto the final bit of Sunao’s training, helping oversee the official expansion of the Republic into the far reaches of the Outer Rim. A task not so simple as before but with renewed energy and confidence in his teacher, the two set out from Ilum for Sunao’s final leg of his apprenticeship.

MONTON DELSTE
^{Cynical Padawan}

Goes by "Delste"

Species: Human
Gender: Female
Appearance:
Monton is a young human who has recently passed her nineteenth year of age. Warm olive skin and an angular face are framed by tight tresses of dark hair. Her hair is pulled back high on her head in a ponytail, with the only loose strand being the Padawan braid that falls on her right shoulder.

Her ceremonial armor is less on the refined side and leans more to the dramatic: white garments with bold and gilded lines, though tastefully done to deter scorn from those who would offer it. Her leather armors echo a feminine touch, falling into a skirt rather than long robes and trousers. Around her waist is a sash of soft pink, further emphasizing her unique choices of attire. Upon leaving Ilum, it is the leathers and armor that she chooses to wear, despite the disapproving glance that it warrants from her master.

She takes pride in her work and her appearance, maintaining a level of aestheticism at all times, even when donning her armor. Although vanity is discouraged among the Jedi, Monton opposes this notion by presenting her outward appearance as a reflection upon her rank, and as the Jedi Order as a whole - that to carry herself with such maintained cleanliness, beauty, and dignity should show to others the values that she holds inwardly.

Personal effects:
Monton carries her saber, in the style of the “pike” or “staff”, in a sleek leather case slung at her hip, or she otherwise carries it in her hand. It is never used as anything but a weapon; not as an aid or a walking stick. She would never let it touch the ground. The surprisingly simple hilt of the lightsaber is kept meticulously pristine. She also keeps credits on hand in case of an emergency. Wrapped tightly in a leather pack on her left hip is an ornate mirror, though it is rusted and tarnished unlike the rest of her equipment.

Personality:
On paper, Monton would read as a Padawan rapidly approaching the skill and maturity required to take on her trial and become a Jedi Knight. Studious and talented, she excels (due to her long years of training) at nearly every task that her master puts her to. However, it is her emotional reactions that prevent her from advancing.

Monton is head-strong and willful. She takes her years of study as gospel and does not stop to listen to others when, in her mind, she can do what must be done even if others oppose it. When reason supports her means, she sees the ends as justified. And although she takes offense when others question her, she sees it as a personal prerogative to question others, including her own master and those who she should show respect to as superior to her. Though some may see this as youthful obstinance or prideful disrespect, it comes from a deeper sense of skepticism to how the Jedi approach interpersonal situations as they enact their duties.

Monton is loud and boisterous; she is not afraid to make her opinions publicly known, and she is more prone to trying to outwit her enemy than to try and out-fight them. Her intellect and emotion often conflate and result in inward conflict; it is easy for her to rationalize her own desires and make moves to act on them, even if it is not the acceptable course of action for a Padawan to be taking. Due to this, she is almost as consistently in conflict with her master, Nikdoris, a Twi’lek who is growingly exasperated at attempting to promote cooler heads to prevail in his apprentice.

View of the Force:
Monton sees the Force as the harsh wind that brings a thunderstorm in tow, saturating the world around her with wetness.

Background:
Raised in the Jedi Temple at Coruscant, Monton was, from her youth, intelligent in her studies and the ways of the force. Even as a youngling, her intelligence and tutoring alone were never enough to temper her skepticism and aggressive boldness. Nikdoris saw potential in her, however; or at the least, that is what he claimed when he took her on as his Padawan. Monton strongly suspects that her master thought that he could reason with her in the logic of the Jedi ways, and mold her into the true knight he envisioned; this cynical thought of her own master has gnawed at the depths of her heart and is the silent root of their strained relationship.

As for Nikdoris, Monton is not the first apprentice that he has chosen to mentor. Previously he had taken another Padawan, a fellow Twi'lek named Cew'crihu, who had been elevated to the ranks of the Jedi Knights several years prior. Although Nikdoris speaks fondly of his former apprentice and condones the work he has done since leaving his mentorship, Cew'crihu maintains that Nikdoris was a harsh master whose expectations were impossible to meet, and that little he could do could ever please him. When confronted with such rumors, Nikdoris was quick to assuage them with a reminder that "what happened is not always what you remember, but what you remember may, in one's mind, become what happened". When the same was asked of Monton, she merely expressed a desire to speak personally with Cew'crihu about his experiences.

During the many hours she spent in the depths of the Jedi Archives (be it for studying or cleaning for punishment), she made the acquaintance of another young Padawan, Bleys Cardon. Monton and Bleys became close, although unusual, friends during their training. While the former was boisterous and demanding, Bleys was quiet and unassuming and took her oaths to the Jedi Order with the utmost solemnity. They were a pair who balanced each other out and they learned from each other as much as they learned from their masters. Unfortunately, between their masters was a history of shared strife that the young Padawans knew not about, and it was Monton's perceived slight against Bleys's master that resulted in her own having to send her away on a solitary assignment to do penance.

At Ilum, she was sent by Nikdoris to assist with younger Padawans arriving for their Gathering, and to help upkeep the temple and its ancient secrets. Although this solitary task was only supposed to last for six months, Nikdoris was kept busy by other pressing assignments, and Monton remained at the temple for a year longer than her initial punishment. Many expressed their sympathy to the young Padawan's plight as they traveled through to do business, but some implied to her that they thought she deserved the extended punishment. This thought has stirred more than idle ire in her heart. Even though Nikdoris has now arrived to retrieve her and they make to depart from Ilum, he realizes that his apprentice has only become even more jaded in his absence and her temporary exile.

"I would take this memory from you, that you might find peace."

Species: Ithorian

Gender: Male

Age: 30

Appearance:
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 voice 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.


Lightsaber/other personal effects:
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.

Personality:
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 let go, 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.

View of the Force:
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.

Backstory:
Quillow was born a 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 that one simply could not let go.

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 why 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 why, 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 Master 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:



Quillow took the sentiment to heart. In helping others grow, he denied himself the same service. Through dedication and focus, he became just 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.



Quillow still struggled when it came to combat. His literal ability with a lightsaber was average, he simply lacked the intent 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.