- Joined
- Nov 21, 2015
- Messages
- 75
- Reaction score
- 36
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[tr2][td] Rank: [/td][td]Knight[/td][/tr2]
[tr2][td] Age: [/td][td]45[/td][/tr2]
[tr2][td] Height: [/td][td]5'11"[/td][/tr2]
[tr2][td] Eyes: [/td][td]Brown[/td][/tr2]
[tr2][td] Skin: [/td][td]Olive brown[/td][/tr2]
[tr2][td] Force Sensitive: [/td][td]Yes[/td][/tr2]
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Innate confidence is the most outstanding aspect of Aleem’s personality. After travelling and experiencing the galaxy for over half of his life, building relationships, as well as losing many close friends over that period, Aleem’s perspective on the Galaxy is one of understanding and acceptance. What will be, will be. Overall Aleem cannot be said to be reactionary, but rather deliberately spontaneous. Some within the Order consider Aleem to be a “Grey” jedi for his willingness to disagree with Council decisions, believing that heterodoxy and “pure” values do not exist. Rather, Aleem believes these values are ever-changing, and stand in the way of understanding the Force. Consequently, while well respected by upper-echelons of the order, Aleem is unlikely to ever be invited to join the council.
Aleem lives a very Spartan lifestyle. His clothes woven by his own hands are made of a rough and sturdy black wools and brocaded silks. Indeed the seemingly primitive appearance of these robes perfectly describes Aleem’s character. While looking as though he’s seen better days, the robes represent a lesson he teaches to all of his students: “One must persevere and be patient, and regret not blemished work - strive to become a better version of yourself.” Often joked about as a nomadic scholar-saint by those who know him, his charisma imbues with others to uplift their troubles and supports them to find new avenues.
Yet, for his ascetic lifestyle, Aleem is considered among the best teachers within the fledgling order. His flexibility in tandem with a keen intuition of emotions allows Aleem to adapt to the needs of his pupil, as well as push them to their potential.
Despite these features, others have a tendency to label him arrogant due to his age and clear breadth of experience. Always having an opinion on issues, to some Aleem might seem almost condescending for trying to explain how things work or what happened. Aware of this reaction, Aleem resorts to personal interactions to clear the air, where his charisma is at its peak. At larger meetings, Aleem is usually more deliberate and prefers listening rather than directing events unless he sees it necessary. Most of his time in the archives both at the former Jedi Academy and around the galaxy resembled his lifelong pursuit of knowledge.
Never feeling completely at home with the Jedi Order, the majority of his life has been spent around the galaxy to understand its various natures and personas. Considered Aleem’s biggest weakness by the same echelons who respect him, while believing the Force to be the glue to the universe, in exploring the galaxy’s various peoples he became becalmed by the uncertainty of life, and critical of both the Order’s and the Sith’s myopic binaries. Rather, he promotes a more tolerant view on matters which make the Jedi Order heterodoxy. Some have even gone so far to call Aleem a heretic within the order. Yet, in the more turbulent history of the Order, his perceptions have become a necessity which makes young padawans more aware of the complexity of the universe, and therefore more realistic. In its hour of need, Aleem remains a valuable asset to the Order in spite of his heretical tendencies.
Aleem is unusual in his attire being that he primarily wears black. Although typically attributed to the Sith, Black for Aleem symbolically represents the "absence of color" and therefore the absence of a particular penchant. He's never worn the traditional robes of the Jedi, and only further abstains from such cultic practices as he ages. Additionally he typically wears a black turban which may sometimes have additional fabric to cover his face and sometimes drapes down to his calves. He wears no jewelry, and has no markings on his body.
Aleem's face is one of stone. Rarely does he show any emotional reaction to a given situation, preferring the unpredictability associated with it. With his sunken, wise looking brown eyes, dark olive skin, long nose, sunken cheeks, rough greying beard and long greying curly hair, in combination with his attire one would more often confuse him with a mystic than a Jedi. Despite his rough appearance, he gives the impression he can be trusted.
This was an almost magical time for Onderon. The strife was almost entirely focused on the planet’s capital, Iziz. The ascension of Queen Nour – the first female ruler since the Civil War of the Old Republic – was unpopular. It’s worth noting that the socio-cultural underpinnings of Onderon were far different from those of the Civil War over four thousand years earlier; the integration of the beast-taming culture led to a cultural renaissance, and the acceptance of other species into Onderon was considered a blemish on the planet’s history. Most importantly, people were far more spiritual than ever before. The integration of the beast-tamer culture imbued with older traditions into the society gave rise to astrological studies becoming almost complementary to other sciences in tandem with the rise of a mystic class. Queen Nour’s ascension fell on a very bad reading of the future for her reign by the mystics, and any bad actions thereafter was seen as only further proof of her inauspicious rise. The mystics said the reign would be relatively short, and awaited the arrival of the Lord of Conjunction (in essence the One who would bring a new era of progress and change to the planet, and, potentially, other planets). In Onderonian, the title translates to sahib-ı kirān.
One day in Winter, news reached the Spaceport of Iziz that a Privateer ship had attacked a transport ship coming from Nar Shaddaa attempting to help slaves escape Hutt control. Once entering Onderonian space, the navy fended off these Privateer ships but not before the transport began plummeting toward the surface. Unfortunately, only one pod made it out before the ship exploded. The pod headed straight for the Unifar Temple - the Queen's residence in the center of Iziz. The mystics had already predicted based on the positions of the moons that the Lord of Conjunction would arrive. Thus, they gathered on top of the Temple, and using their powers collectively brought the pod to safety. Once opened, there was only a pregnant woman inside. Although the mother ultimately died in childbirth, the baby boy was saved. They presented the boy to the people, knowing not only of his force sensitivity which they could feel, but also because of the earlier readings, dubbing him sahib-ı kirān. The Lord of Conjunction had arrived.*(see note at the end)
The boy was cared for by the Mystics and the Temple's chief Librarian. The Queen and her less spiritual aids begrudgingly funded the boy's stay, while the court's keen interest in this baby gradually increased over time. They, similarly acting as the Voss Mystics, believed they'd predicted the future by the boy's arrival, but rather than actually seeing the future, they believed their readings of the planets and their adept mysticism was a messianic reading. The arrival of the boy, in the midst of the political struggle, caused the Queen to question her power further - and her secular beliefs for the first time. Over the course of five years she conspired with her aids to discredit the mystics via propagandizing a deceitful nature they had on the monarchy, and the Queen led a cultural war against their rise. The people dwindled away from their beliefs in the mystics. Though some remained due to the to the boy, the rest resorted to worldy issues to justify turning away - yet there was a nascent belief in the Conjunction.
Age five at the turning point, the boy was already speaking Basic and Onderonian at a fairly advanced level, As he grew older, he showed an immense ability with telekinesis and practiced meditation as well as the scholarly practices of the mystics, and followed asceticism with ease. As the Queen felt her misguided approach toward the situation - focusing on the mystics - she turned her attention to the boy. She forced the Mystics out and dismissed the chief librarian. A warrant was sent for the boy, who the mystics had taken with them. The Librarian escaped with the boy and headed for Coruscant, where he had connections to the Jedi Order. Telling the story to his friend Selim, a Jedi Consular who'd just been promoted to Knight, Selim took the boy before the council. Revealing to the council the ordeals of the Queen, along with the boy who had a fairly serious and usually sharp intellect for his age, the Council allowed the boy to join their ranks. Prior, the boy never had a name - only the title of sahib-ı kirān. Allowed to choose his own name, the boy called himself Aleem - after the Librarian who'd reared him.
Little has been written about the Jedi Order between 127 and 1,011 ABY. Most of what was known is now lost or only resides in the minds of those left who read about or experienced it. When Aleem arrived the Jedi Order in 983 ABY, he recalls, was "insular, sure of itself as a cohesive order, and highly hierarchical." Hierarchical to the point where the High Council only occasionally spoke to Knights - reflecting an almost Post-Revan/Pre-Nihilus period of exceptionalism. Nevertheless the boy was to be trained by Selim, who from then on connected the two by saying "the Force brought us together."
Selim was a warm, outgoing, clear-headed person. He also wasn't afraid of showing his emotions or doubts. Coming from Dantooine, Selim had a different background. Although he was still very dedicated to the Order, he kept an independent mind and encouraged Aleem's already balanced mind to retain it's "healthy skepticism." Throughout his training Aleem was encouraged to explore new ideas and his master often opened doors for him to explore things that should have perhaps waited for a later age. Among these theories which Aleem continues to contend with are the Unifying and Living Force, both of which he thought have aspects which need to be explored more in-depth, but still believed they were valuable. Today he spends much more time thinking about and trying to embody the "Unifying" theory of the Force, which was more in tune with his "mystic" tendencies. Aleem's early training through the age of 15 was spent through not only Selim, but also other masters who Selim suggested Aleem learn from. During this time it wasn't as common, believing with the large size of the Order that a singular master would suffice. Selim exposed Aleem to many different Jedi traditions, history, mystic locations, beliefs - essentially allowing Aleem's independent mind to mold itself with some guidance. Additionally they travelled a great deal around the galaxy to expose Aleem to other worlds and different beliefs, as well as occasionally dangerous situations. Experiences of independence and exploration fueled and defined Aleem's direction, and enabled him to only grow.
At age 15, while Aleem had been a very able swordsman due to a keen eye for details not only in a book but also in a person's stance and movements, and expressions to a point of intuition, Master Selim finally believed it was time to have him build his own lightsaber. There they travelled to Dantooine, where Aleem traversed the caverns to find his crystal. Ultimately green, and a quite rare composite, Aleem's affinity with it was clear - the line of spiritual-magic and deliberative thought quite literally glowed in the crystal's choice. Upon assembling the pieces, he also spent considerable effort in crafting the hilt, which still - perhaps unwittingly - has Onderonian motifs. Spending many weeks, once assembled, Master Selim subjected Aleem to the Order's best skilled swordsman to hone his skills - which at the time were still novice at best. For years, swordsmanship remained both a rewarding experience but also took the most adaptation. His quick mind learned to read the body and the mind as both separate yet combined entities which required focus on the opponent to understand. While dealing with blaster fire was almost a natural reaction to retort, swordsmanship became something of a hobby for Aleem. Like anything else, he studied the book history before anything, then grew his knowledge before practicing these maneuvers to experience the knowledge he'd gained. It was obvious by the age of 18 (995 ABY) that he favored Form IV (Ataru), because due to his relatively thin body - a result of his ascetic tendencies - he found the form enabled him to use his entire body to respond to attacks. Philosophically, Aleem believed in attacking the enemy. His ability to hide his emotions whenever he so chose often made him an exceedingly difficult opponent. Combined with his aggressive spirited attacks resulted in confusion and disarray. Later in life he became the preeminent expert on the form.
Here Aleem was already joining his master for various missions. From diplomatic (often Aleem excelled with these), to accompanying prestigious members of the congress as well as more dangerous missions such as investigating corruption within the congress-underworld lines, Aleem relished a kind of hunt for knowledge anywhere he could get it. At age 23 (1000 ABY), Aleem apparently began his trials. Both Master Selim and Selim's colleagues had watched Aleem, often conversing about his progress. When the boy seemed at the highest point of his training, Selim gained the Council's permission to begin Aleem's Trials of Knighthood. Unlike most trials which were based on knowledge and culminating with an independent mission, Aleem's Master held a higher standard to his apprentice, knowing Aleem's precocious spirit. Instead, there was no formal mentioning of the Trials having begun at all to Aleem. Simply, things were as fast-paced and unpredictable as the universe often was. Sometimes planned events, but also close observation of his apprentice while on a so-called "independent mission" (meaning the mission was real, but that Selim was kept abreast of Aleem's actions). Aleem had even from a relatively young age a sense of maturity and gracious spirit which many forms of life respected. He knew where to tread, and when. His keen social awareness, in tandem with his knowledge - of which he was expert both in performance and in contemplation - resonated strongly with others, often enabling them to trust Aleem with sensitive or personal knowledge. They felt he took them seriously, regardless of what they were thinking. For his solo mission, Selim sent him to the place he knew Aleem would be most vulnerable: Onderon.
Indeed, Aleem rarely felt excitement. He focused himself on the task at hand, often missing or simply reacting to the needs of the mission. This time, he felt a slight distraction. He was reconnecting with memory. The objective was not Onderon, but required going there to get to his main objective on Dxun. On several interactions with civilians, there was an almost magical interaction with locals which caused them to linger their gaze upon him - as though they'd known him their entire lives. He continued his mission. On Dxun, he was to collect a Sith holocron from a recently discovered temple leftover from the Sith Empire nearly three thousand years earlier. The thing about these moons, he recognized, was that their flora and fauna had changed in character very little. The Mandalorian base which the Exile talked about in their account was no longer, but the remaining fortifications stood and some systems operational - allowing Aleem to collect data available before moving onward. Once finding the former Temple, Aleem found it'd already been opened. Strongly independent, instead of conferring with his Master he continued. Once in the inside, he found a young Acolyte. Although normally one was to show a clear dominance, Aleem believed the situation called for exploration. He therefore spoke with the Acolyte at-length about the Sith discussing heterodoxy and the Force before delving into the specifics about the Acolyte. They shared information, both unusual yet coincidentally curious about one another's paths. Suddenly with the Acolyte received a message from his master, whom also on a nearby planet (like Selim), was infuriated his pupil had even engaged with Aleem, ordering him to kill Aleem. Almost immediately they engaged, with the watchful eyes of the Master. The battle was initially disadvantaged with the Acolyte surprising Aleem, nearly literally disarming him. Instead, Aleem turned the tables, relying on Ataru to send the Acolyte into disarray with a volley of strikes intended to make the young Sith question his maneuvers. Eventually subduing his opponent, the Sith Master by some connection to his pupil killed the student, choking him to death. Almost immediately the body disintegrated, later found to be a charge within his body - this Sith meant to hide the evidence. Aleem ultimately extracted the Holocron and returned to his Master, explaining the events except for their lengthy interaction. The interaction would eventually serve as an ethos for Aleem during the war. While the Council largely dismissed their report about the Sith, thinking it only another account of boasting power (of which there had been other accounts), Aleem took the claims seriously. Regardless, Aleem was promoted a Knight ceremoniously by the council. From that time on, he focused his studies on war, strategy, and learning of a Battle Meditation.
Five years after his promotion (1005 ABY), most of Aleem's time was spent teaching, researching, and writing. He maintained a close relationship with the Chief Librarian of the archives, who often showed Aleem new texts and manuscripts. Meanwhile, he was considered among the favorite teacher among his students for his quiet warmth and determination to improve their knowledge. He often questioned their logic - indeed something he often did when higher echelons of the Order met to debate aspects of the Force, resulting in an eminent reputation as an envoy and skilled debater. For his students, he used his ability to question their logic in order to help them gain confidence. Sometimes this practice resulted in internal controversy heightened by new of the coup of Imperial forces at Bastion by the Sith. The council, however, never called Aleem back to ask about his interaction half a decade earlier. Instead, Aleem took his first Padawan, Sufiya, a Selkath from Manaan, as his first apprentice. He used similar techniques as his former Master had, although usually he directed Sufiya - who was fifteen at the time - with more guidance. He offered her the same openness to new concepts, engaged her ideas and beliefs, and questioned her logic to test her confidence. Additionally he often debated with her about matters of the force in relation to events of the Cold War. For some of her training, they spent time on the Jedi flagship Will of the Force, where she received some of her best swordsmanship training. With the flagship's destruction in 1,011 ABY, it was clear Sufiya felt the loss deeply. Aleem, on the other hand, remained almost ambivalent.
Once the Alliance, and by extension the Jedi, declared war on the new Sith force, Aleem believed it crucial for he and his apprentice to remain almost frontline agents. Using his vast network of informants and connections throughout the galaxy, Aleem leveraged himself as important to the Order's intelligence. Given the authority to act independently, Aleem and Sufiya travelled the border regions and sometimes ventured into besieged planets to gain further information as well as establish functioning rebel cells. Although Aleem aspired to formal military command, the early phases of this conflict - given the sheer relentlessness of Sith invasions - required Aleem to focus on subaltern groups. In the midst of the Council's struggle for who should lead the Order, Aleem again seemed ambivalent. His focus on larger-scale efforts was his priority. He also set about searching for his former Master, who had gone missing after the Battle for Coruscant in 1013 ABY (Aleem now aged 36).
Overall, Aleem became known as an able commander and coordinator, as well as agent of the Order. His relatively low status enabled much more maneuverability than a Master or the Force forbid a council member. With his apprentice they focused their efforts on strategist with the military, itself in flux and lacking leadership. Aleem's near archive mind of galactic wars, tactics, and strategy enabled him to balance his equally mystical status within Alliance ranks, accruing a devoted force which followed his path despite not being under his command. His dark appearance, commanding presence, and firm accented voice built the reputation of a warrior-jedi harkening back to the Old Republic. After the Battle of Coruscant, when the Order ceased to be a cohesive entity, Aleem stuck with elements of the military which had formed the Alliance Remnant. With fighting the Mandalorians, for the first time he successfully utilized a Battle Meditation which briefly turned the tide over the Battles of Kashyyyk. Yet, the meditation was ultimately broken by the interruption of a familiar face - his former Master. Aleem was not surprised, it made sense that because of his questioning the council he might be willing to turn sides, Aleem however would have preferred he had died. The ensuing battle between them and his five disciples ended with Selim and Sufiya dead, along with the disciples dead or incapacitated. Aleem was severely wounded and transported elsewhere - ultimately away from the Remnant. Aleem found himself on Onderon, only to be relocated again before the ensuing battle which resulted in another Alliance defeat. This time he escaped to Nar Shaddaa, where he remained for a number of years building a network as well as a new ethos for self-preservation. If the order was to survive, it would not be through his efforts. Instead, he focused on growing mystical groups at various places on the planet before having to relocate to Tatooine in 1017 ABY (then 40 years old), where he currently poses as a nomad mystic healer, living among a variety of groups and tribes.
Having heard of different cells attempting to reorganize the Order, filled with more youthful leadership, Aleem has begun the process of reconciling himself to join the Order once more...
*Although these mystics are force adepts, they are not future-seeing such as the Voss. Instead, they based their predictions on astrological readings which as we know today have dubious results. Hopefully it's shown later now the character's seen how flawed this mentality is, and refutes it.
Lightsaber: Many who have seen his lightsaber in person believed it to be a mixture of ornate yet worn. Decorated in Onderonian motifs, flora, sterling silver, gold, gems and turquoise, with a base of Alabaster, the blade when lit is a pure-green hue. Personally crafted by Aleem, he often keeps it hidden beneath his robes to further conceal his identity. (Image below is the hilt)
Robes: Made of black wool and brocaded silks, Aleem has only a few which he now wears. Never known to be particularly stylish, Aleem preferred the simplicity of fabrics and colors which he often wove himself as part of his training (teaching patience). He almost always wears a black turban made of a relatively light fabric which allows maneuverability and protection from the sun.
Torso armor: Assembled and gifted to him while he fought with the Alliance against the Sith Empire, the scaled and chainmail torso combination are made of Orbalisk carapace on the torso and lightsaber-resistant Cortosis chainmail. He rarely wears such things, preferring the simplicity of his robes.
| Affiliation: | NJO |
| Species: | Human |
| Gender: | Male |
| Weight: | 155 lbs. |
| Hair: | Black (Graying) |
| Attribute: | Value: |
|---|---|
| Strength: | ■■■■■■■■■■ |
| Constitution: | ■■■■■■■■■■ |
| Wisdom: | ■■■■■■■■■■ |
| Skills: | Value: |
| Computer: | ■■■■■■■■■■ |
| Ship maintenance: | ■■■■■■■■■■ |
| Ship Cannon: | ■■■■■■■■■■ |
| Survival: | ■■■■■■■■■■ |
| Onderonian (Language): | ■■■■■■■■■■ |
| Dueling: | ■■■■■■■■■■ |
| Force Abilities: | Value: |
| Force Empathy: | ■■■■■■■■■■ |
| Battle Meditation: | ■■■■■■■■■■ |
| Force Valor: | ■■■■■■■■■■ |
| Revitalize: | ■■■■■■■■■■ |
| Force Deflection: | ■■■■■■■■■■ |
| Force Lightening: | ■■■■■■■■■■ |
| Force Choke: | ■■■■■■■■■■ |
| Force Jump: | ■■■■■■■■■■ |
| Force Speed: | ■■■■■■■■■■ |
| Force Barrier: | ■■■■■■■■■■ |
| Telepathy: | ■■■■■■■■■■ |
[tr2][td] Rank: [/td][td]Knight[/td][/tr2]
[tr2][td] Age: [/td][td]45[/td][/tr2]
[tr2][td] Height: [/td][td]5'11"[/td][/tr2]
[tr2][td] Eyes: [/td][td]Brown[/td][/tr2]
[tr2][td] Skin: [/td][td]Olive brown[/td][/tr2]
[tr2][td] Force Sensitive: [/td][td]Yes[/td][/tr2]
[tr2][td] Dexterity: [/td][td]■■■■■■■■ ■ ■ [/td][/tr2]
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Personality
Innate confidence is the most outstanding aspect of Aleem’s personality. After travelling and experiencing the galaxy for over half of his life, building relationships, as well as losing many close friends over that period, Aleem’s perspective on the Galaxy is one of understanding and acceptance. What will be, will be. Overall Aleem cannot be said to be reactionary, but rather deliberately spontaneous. Some within the Order consider Aleem to be a “Grey” jedi for his willingness to disagree with Council decisions, believing that heterodoxy and “pure” values do not exist. Rather, Aleem believes these values are ever-changing, and stand in the way of understanding the Force. Consequently, while well respected by upper-echelons of the order, Aleem is unlikely to ever be invited to join the council.
Aleem lives a very Spartan lifestyle. His clothes woven by his own hands are made of a rough and sturdy black wools and brocaded silks. Indeed the seemingly primitive appearance of these robes perfectly describes Aleem’s character. While looking as though he’s seen better days, the robes represent a lesson he teaches to all of his students: “One must persevere and be patient, and regret not blemished work - strive to become a better version of yourself.” Often joked about as a nomadic scholar-saint by those who know him, his charisma imbues with others to uplift their troubles and supports them to find new avenues.
Yet, for his ascetic lifestyle, Aleem is considered among the best teachers within the fledgling order. His flexibility in tandem with a keen intuition of emotions allows Aleem to adapt to the needs of his pupil, as well as push them to their potential.
Despite these features, others have a tendency to label him arrogant due to his age and clear breadth of experience. Always having an opinion on issues, to some Aleem might seem almost condescending for trying to explain how things work or what happened. Aware of this reaction, Aleem resorts to personal interactions to clear the air, where his charisma is at its peak. At larger meetings, Aleem is usually more deliberate and prefers listening rather than directing events unless he sees it necessary. Most of his time in the archives both at the former Jedi Academy and around the galaxy resembled his lifelong pursuit of knowledge.
Never feeling completely at home with the Jedi Order, the majority of his life has been spent around the galaxy to understand its various natures and personas. Considered Aleem’s biggest weakness by the same echelons who respect him, while believing the Force to be the glue to the universe, in exploring the galaxy’s various peoples he became becalmed by the uncertainty of life, and critical of both the Order’s and the Sith’s myopic binaries. Rather, he promotes a more tolerant view on matters which make the Jedi Order heterodoxy. Some have even gone so far to call Aleem a heretic within the order. Yet, in the more turbulent history of the Order, his perceptions have become a necessity which makes young padawans more aware of the complexity of the universe, and therefore more realistic. In its hour of need, Aleem remains a valuable asset to the Order in spite of his heretical tendencies.
Strengths & Weaknesses
- Strengths: Self-motivated, innovative, noble, purposeful, communicative, strategist, very pious, visionary, resourceful, adaptable, a problem solver.
- Weaknesses: Not keen on teamwork, sometimes opportunistic, not very optimistic (or pessimistic, for that matter), determined/stubborn, sometimes perceived as arrogant.
- Other: Not particularly ambitious (only if it suits his needs), tolerant, exceedingly curious, a reluctant leader.
Appearance
Aleem is unusual in his attire being that he primarily wears black. Although typically attributed to the Sith, Black for Aleem symbolically represents the "absence of color" and therefore the absence of a particular penchant. He's never worn the traditional robes of the Jedi, and only further abstains from such cultic practices as he ages. Additionally he typically wears a black turban which may sometimes have additional fabric to cover his face and sometimes drapes down to his calves. He wears no jewelry, and has no markings on his body.
Aleem's face is one of stone. Rarely does he show any emotional reaction to a given situation, preferring the unpredictability associated with it. With his sunken, wise looking brown eyes, dark olive skin, long nose, sunken cheeks, rough greying beard and long greying curly hair, in combination with his attire one would more often confuse him with a mystic than a Jedi. Despite his rough appearance, he gives the impression he can be trusted.
Biography
The Coming of the Lord of Conjunction: Birth & Infancy
What’s it like to be born in unknown circumstances? Although most Jedi might be able to answer this question with their own record, for Aleem that’s impossible. Born by medical records forty-five years ago, Aleem’s actual birth remains a mystery. Nevertheless, his story began aboard a transport ship plummeting toward Onderon’s surface…
This was an almost magical time for Onderon. The strife was almost entirely focused on the planet’s capital, Iziz. The ascension of Queen Nour – the first female ruler since the Civil War of the Old Republic – was unpopular. It’s worth noting that the socio-cultural underpinnings of Onderon were far different from those of the Civil War over four thousand years earlier; the integration of the beast-taming culture led to a cultural renaissance, and the acceptance of other species into Onderon was considered a blemish on the planet’s history. Most importantly, people were far more spiritual than ever before. The integration of the beast-tamer culture imbued with older traditions into the society gave rise to astrological studies becoming almost complementary to other sciences in tandem with the rise of a mystic class. Queen Nour’s ascension fell on a very bad reading of the future for her reign by the mystics, and any bad actions thereafter was seen as only further proof of her inauspicious rise. The mystics said the reign would be relatively short, and awaited the arrival of the Lord of Conjunction (in essence the One who would bring a new era of progress and change to the planet, and, potentially, other planets). In Onderonian, the title translates to sahib-ı kirān.
One day in Winter, news reached the Spaceport of Iziz that a Privateer ship had attacked a transport ship coming from Nar Shaddaa attempting to help slaves escape Hutt control. Once entering Onderonian space, the navy fended off these Privateer ships but not before the transport began plummeting toward the surface. Unfortunately, only one pod made it out before the ship exploded. The pod headed straight for the Unifar Temple - the Queen's residence in the center of Iziz. The mystics had already predicted based on the positions of the moons that the Lord of Conjunction would arrive. Thus, they gathered on top of the Temple, and using their powers collectively brought the pod to safety. Once opened, there was only a pregnant woman inside. Although the mother ultimately died in childbirth, the baby boy was saved. They presented the boy to the people, knowing not only of his force sensitivity which they could feel, but also because of the earlier readings, dubbing him sahib-ı kirān. The Lord of Conjunction had arrived.*(see note at the end)
The boy was cared for by the Mystics and the Temple's chief Librarian. The Queen and her less spiritual aids begrudgingly funded the boy's stay, while the court's keen interest in this baby gradually increased over time. They, similarly acting as the Voss Mystics, believed they'd predicted the future by the boy's arrival, but rather than actually seeing the future, they believed their readings of the planets and their adept mysticism was a messianic reading. The arrival of the boy, in the midst of the political struggle, caused the Queen to question her power further - and her secular beliefs for the first time. Over the course of five years she conspired with her aids to discredit the mystics via propagandizing a deceitful nature they had on the monarchy, and the Queen led a cultural war against their rise. The people dwindled away from their beliefs in the mystics. Though some remained due to the to the boy, the rest resorted to worldy issues to justify turning away - yet there was a nascent belief in the Conjunction.
Magic Lost, Finding the Force: Childhood & Adolescence
Age five at the turning point, the boy was already speaking Basic and Onderonian at a fairly advanced level, As he grew older, he showed an immense ability with telekinesis and practiced meditation as well as the scholarly practices of the mystics, and followed asceticism with ease. As the Queen felt her misguided approach toward the situation - focusing on the mystics - she turned her attention to the boy. She forced the Mystics out and dismissed the chief librarian. A warrant was sent for the boy, who the mystics had taken with them. The Librarian escaped with the boy and headed for Coruscant, where he had connections to the Jedi Order. Telling the story to his friend Selim, a Jedi Consular who'd just been promoted to Knight, Selim took the boy before the council. Revealing to the council the ordeals of the Queen, along with the boy who had a fairly serious and usually sharp intellect for his age, the Council allowed the boy to join their ranks. Prior, the boy never had a name - only the title of sahib-ı kirān. Allowed to choose his own name, the boy called himself Aleem - after the Librarian who'd reared him.
Little has been written about the Jedi Order between 127 and 1,011 ABY. Most of what was known is now lost or only resides in the minds of those left who read about or experienced it. When Aleem arrived the Jedi Order in 983 ABY, he recalls, was "insular, sure of itself as a cohesive order, and highly hierarchical." Hierarchical to the point where the High Council only occasionally spoke to Knights - reflecting an almost Post-Revan/Pre-Nihilus period of exceptionalism. Nevertheless the boy was to be trained by Selim, who from then on connected the two by saying "the Force brought us together."
Selim was a warm, outgoing, clear-headed person. He also wasn't afraid of showing his emotions or doubts. Coming from Dantooine, Selim had a different background. Although he was still very dedicated to the Order, he kept an independent mind and encouraged Aleem's already balanced mind to retain it's "healthy skepticism." Throughout his training Aleem was encouraged to explore new ideas and his master often opened doors for him to explore things that should have perhaps waited for a later age. Among these theories which Aleem continues to contend with are the Unifying and Living Force, both of which he thought have aspects which need to be explored more in-depth, but still believed they were valuable. Today he spends much more time thinking about and trying to embody the "Unifying" theory of the Force, which was more in tune with his "mystic" tendencies. Aleem's early training through the age of 15 was spent through not only Selim, but also other masters who Selim suggested Aleem learn from. During this time it wasn't as common, believing with the large size of the Order that a singular master would suffice. Selim exposed Aleem to many different Jedi traditions, history, mystic locations, beliefs - essentially allowing Aleem's independent mind to mold itself with some guidance. Additionally they travelled a great deal around the galaxy to expose Aleem to other worlds and different beliefs, as well as occasionally dangerous situations. Experiences of independence and exploration fueled and defined Aleem's direction, and enabled him to only grow.
At age 15, while Aleem had been a very able swordsman due to a keen eye for details not only in a book but also in a person's stance and movements, and expressions to a point of intuition, Master Selim finally believed it was time to have him build his own lightsaber. There they travelled to Dantooine, where Aleem traversed the caverns to find his crystal. Ultimately green, and a quite rare composite, Aleem's affinity with it was clear - the line of spiritual-magic and deliberative thought quite literally glowed in the crystal's choice. Upon assembling the pieces, he also spent considerable effort in crafting the hilt, which still - perhaps unwittingly - has Onderonian motifs. Spending many weeks, once assembled, Master Selim subjected Aleem to the Order's best skilled swordsman to hone his skills - which at the time were still novice at best. For years, swordsmanship remained both a rewarding experience but also took the most adaptation. His quick mind learned to read the body and the mind as both separate yet combined entities which required focus on the opponent to understand. While dealing with blaster fire was almost a natural reaction to retort, swordsmanship became something of a hobby for Aleem. Like anything else, he studied the book history before anything, then grew his knowledge before practicing these maneuvers to experience the knowledge he'd gained. It was obvious by the age of 18 (995 ABY) that he favored Form IV (Ataru), because due to his relatively thin body - a result of his ascetic tendencies - he found the form enabled him to use his entire body to respond to attacks. Philosophically, Aleem believed in attacking the enemy. His ability to hide his emotions whenever he so chose often made him an exceedingly difficult opponent. Combined with his aggressive spirited attacks resulted in confusion and disarray. Later in life he became the preeminent expert on the form.
Here Aleem was already joining his master for various missions. From diplomatic (often Aleem excelled with these), to accompanying prestigious members of the congress as well as more dangerous missions such as investigating corruption within the congress-underworld lines, Aleem relished a kind of hunt for knowledge anywhere he could get it. At age 23 (1000 ABY), Aleem apparently began his trials. Both Master Selim and Selim's colleagues had watched Aleem, often conversing about his progress. When the boy seemed at the highest point of his training, Selim gained the Council's permission to begin Aleem's Trials of Knighthood. Unlike most trials which were based on knowledge and culminating with an independent mission, Aleem's Master held a higher standard to his apprentice, knowing Aleem's precocious spirit. Instead, there was no formal mentioning of the Trials having begun at all to Aleem. Simply, things were as fast-paced and unpredictable as the universe often was. Sometimes planned events, but also close observation of his apprentice while on a so-called "independent mission" (meaning the mission was real, but that Selim was kept abreast of Aleem's actions). Aleem had even from a relatively young age a sense of maturity and gracious spirit which many forms of life respected. He knew where to tread, and when. His keen social awareness, in tandem with his knowledge - of which he was expert both in performance and in contemplation - resonated strongly with others, often enabling them to trust Aleem with sensitive or personal knowledge. They felt he took them seriously, regardless of what they were thinking. For his solo mission, Selim sent him to the place he knew Aleem would be most vulnerable: Onderon.
The Mystic Knight: Early Adulthood
Indeed, Aleem rarely felt excitement. He focused himself on the task at hand, often missing or simply reacting to the needs of the mission. This time, he felt a slight distraction. He was reconnecting with memory. The objective was not Onderon, but required going there to get to his main objective on Dxun. On several interactions with civilians, there was an almost magical interaction with locals which caused them to linger their gaze upon him - as though they'd known him their entire lives. He continued his mission. On Dxun, he was to collect a Sith holocron from a recently discovered temple leftover from the Sith Empire nearly three thousand years earlier. The thing about these moons, he recognized, was that their flora and fauna had changed in character very little. The Mandalorian base which the Exile talked about in their account was no longer, but the remaining fortifications stood and some systems operational - allowing Aleem to collect data available before moving onward. Once finding the former Temple, Aleem found it'd already been opened. Strongly independent, instead of conferring with his Master he continued. Once in the inside, he found a young Acolyte. Although normally one was to show a clear dominance, Aleem believed the situation called for exploration. He therefore spoke with the Acolyte at-length about the Sith discussing heterodoxy and the Force before delving into the specifics about the Acolyte. They shared information, both unusual yet coincidentally curious about one another's paths. Suddenly with the Acolyte received a message from his master, whom also on a nearby planet (like Selim), was infuriated his pupil had even engaged with Aleem, ordering him to kill Aleem. Almost immediately they engaged, with the watchful eyes of the Master. The battle was initially disadvantaged with the Acolyte surprising Aleem, nearly literally disarming him. Instead, Aleem turned the tables, relying on Ataru to send the Acolyte into disarray with a volley of strikes intended to make the young Sith question his maneuvers. Eventually subduing his opponent, the Sith Master by some connection to his pupil killed the student, choking him to death. Almost immediately the body disintegrated, later found to be a charge within his body - this Sith meant to hide the evidence. Aleem ultimately extracted the Holocron and returned to his Master, explaining the events except for their lengthy interaction. The interaction would eventually serve as an ethos for Aleem during the war. While the Council largely dismissed their report about the Sith, thinking it only another account of boasting power (of which there had been other accounts), Aleem took the claims seriously. Regardless, Aleem was promoted a Knight ceremoniously by the council. From that time on, he focused his studies on war, strategy, and learning of a Battle Meditation.
Five years after his promotion (1005 ABY), most of Aleem's time was spent teaching, researching, and writing. He maintained a close relationship with the Chief Librarian of the archives, who often showed Aleem new texts and manuscripts. Meanwhile, he was considered among the favorite teacher among his students for his quiet warmth and determination to improve their knowledge. He often questioned their logic - indeed something he often did when higher echelons of the Order met to debate aspects of the Force, resulting in an eminent reputation as an envoy and skilled debater. For his students, he used his ability to question their logic in order to help them gain confidence. Sometimes this practice resulted in internal controversy heightened by new of the coup of Imperial forces at Bastion by the Sith. The council, however, never called Aleem back to ask about his interaction half a decade earlier. Instead, Aleem took his first Padawan, Sufiya, a Selkath from Manaan, as his first apprentice. He used similar techniques as his former Master had, although usually he directed Sufiya - who was fifteen at the time - with more guidance. He offered her the same openness to new concepts, engaged her ideas and beliefs, and questioned her logic to test her confidence. Additionally he often debated with her about matters of the force in relation to events of the Cold War. For some of her training, they spent time on the Jedi flagship Will of the Force, where she received some of her best swordsmanship training. With the flagship's destruction in 1,011 ABY, it was clear Sufiya felt the loss deeply. Aleem, on the other hand, remained almost ambivalent.
Once the Alliance, and by extension the Jedi, declared war on the new Sith force, Aleem believed it crucial for he and his apprentice to remain almost frontline agents. Using his vast network of informants and connections throughout the galaxy, Aleem leveraged himself as important to the Order's intelligence. Given the authority to act independently, Aleem and Sufiya travelled the border regions and sometimes ventured into besieged planets to gain further information as well as establish functioning rebel cells. Although Aleem aspired to formal military command, the early phases of this conflict - given the sheer relentlessness of Sith invasions - required Aleem to focus on subaltern groups. In the midst of the Council's struggle for who should lead the Order, Aleem again seemed ambivalent. His focus on larger-scale efforts was his priority. He also set about searching for his former Master, who had gone missing after the Battle for Coruscant in 1013 ABY (Aleem now aged 36).
Overall, Aleem became known as an able commander and coordinator, as well as agent of the Order. His relatively low status enabled much more maneuverability than a Master or the Force forbid a council member. With his apprentice they focused their efforts on strategist with the military, itself in flux and lacking leadership. Aleem's near archive mind of galactic wars, tactics, and strategy enabled him to balance his equally mystical status within Alliance ranks, accruing a devoted force which followed his path despite not being under his command. His dark appearance, commanding presence, and firm accented voice built the reputation of a warrior-jedi harkening back to the Old Republic. After the Battle of Coruscant, when the Order ceased to be a cohesive entity, Aleem stuck with elements of the military which had formed the Alliance Remnant. With fighting the Mandalorians, for the first time he successfully utilized a Battle Meditation which briefly turned the tide over the Battles of Kashyyyk. Yet, the meditation was ultimately broken by the interruption of a familiar face - his former Master. Aleem was not surprised, it made sense that because of his questioning the council he might be willing to turn sides, Aleem however would have preferred he had died. The ensuing battle between them and his five disciples ended with Selim and Sufiya dead, along with the disciples dead or incapacitated. Aleem was severely wounded and transported elsewhere - ultimately away from the Remnant. Aleem found himself on Onderon, only to be relocated again before the ensuing battle which resulted in another Alliance defeat. This time he escaped to Nar Shaddaa, where he remained for a number of years building a network as well as a new ethos for self-preservation. If the order was to survive, it would not be through his efforts. Instead, he focused on growing mystical groups at various places on the planet before having to relocate to Tatooine in 1017 ABY (then 40 years old), where he currently poses as a nomad mystic healer, living among a variety of groups and tribes.
Having heard of different cells attempting to reorganize the Order, filled with more youthful leadership, Aleem has begun the process of reconciling himself to join the Order once more...
*Although these mystics are force adepts, they are not future-seeing such as the Voss. Instead, they based their predictions on astrological readings which as we know today have dubious results. Hopefully it's shown later now the character's seen how flawed this mentality is, and refutes it.
POSSESSIONS
Lightsaber: Many who have seen his lightsaber in person believed it to be a mixture of ornate yet worn. Decorated in Onderonian motifs, flora, sterling silver, gold, gems and turquoise, with a base of Alabaster, the blade when lit is a pure-green hue. Personally crafted by Aleem, he often keeps it hidden beneath his robes to further conceal his identity. (Image below is the hilt)
Robes: Made of black wool and brocaded silks, Aleem has only a few which he now wears. Never known to be particularly stylish, Aleem preferred the simplicity of fabrics and colors which he often wove himself as part of his training (teaching patience). He almost always wears a black turban made of a relatively light fabric which allows maneuverability and protection from the sun.
Torso armor: Assembled and gifted to him while he fought with the Alliance against the Sith Empire, the scaled and chainmail torso combination are made of Orbalisk carapace on the torso and lightsaber-resistant Cortosis chainmail. He rarely wears such things, preferring the simplicity of his robes.
Profile code by Turana
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