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T H E S A G E
NAME: Lúa’Katal Vōd
FACTION: The Jedi Order
RANK: Knight | Shadow
SPECIES: Half Kiffar, Half Sephi
AGE: 36
SEX: Male (He/They)
HEIGHT: 6’3”
WEIGHT: 223 lbs
EYES: Emerald with Hazel Specks; occasionally obscured by a visor of Miralukan craft
HAIR: Dark Mahogany, 3A-3B hair type
SKIN: Tanned
FORCE SENSITIVE: Yes
STRENGTHS
Roots of Clan Vōd: The time on Kiffu laid the groundwork for Lúa’Katal to become proficient in the use of hand to hand combat and a wide array of weapon forms throughout his developing years and into his Adolescence. Growing up among the tribal clans of Kiffu and in close proximity to Kiffex and those who oversaw the sister planet exposed much to the general populations. Warring periods have made physical combat a staple in every Clan and home, whether the Clan was a militant or less attached to warfare and more communal or scholarly.
Despite the largely militaristic cultures of the Clans and the years of hardship directed at the Kiffar and their populations of Force-Sensitives, Clan Vōd was known for their connection to the land and their reverence for protecting one another. Comradery and Community meant more to them than producing a Sheyf or being the leading Clan. Producing more children connected to the Force than others, Clan Vōd felt it best to remain focused on teachings of the Light and martial prowess through which they channeled much of their innate hyperactive emotion that otherwise drove many Kiffar to participate in confrontations, politicking, and even warfare.
The shift to cultivate their domain on Kiffu was one that ultimately yielded an exposure to some of the rawest and most ripe locations on Kiffu; spaces full of life and energy, strong in the Force and impressing upon the denizens who frequented them. The elements, the physical world, and the expanses the Spirit could make were all heavily revered and utilized; Force-Sensitives across Kiffu congregated often to be together despite differences between their Clans. A safe space to uphold the Light.
Attuned: With his cultivated values in his youth, the path of the Sentinel had delivered a strong connection to the Force and the people around him, while the Consular Path he took until Knighthood only further tempered his mind and spirit. His stranding and the following years spent on Tython, Coruscant, Ilum, and Kashyyyk — his connections to the Force are further drawn in by his sharp focus and eagerness to continue learning.
Exotic and Improvised Weapons: Long Handled Sabers, Jar’Kai, Double-sided Lightsaber, as well as Poles and Spears among other melee weapons. War-time and the constant threat of Sith enemies have broadened his already vast horizons regarding diversity and improvisation as far as familiarity with firearms and technologies of war and security. Kiffu, being the sister to Kiffex - a prison planet - also bore high measures of expectation and exposure in mind with one another. Warfare as he knew it came in all forms and one must be prepared to make do with whatever is present. Kiffu was a planet with much electrical energy, storms frequent and disaster even more frequent.
WEAKNESSES
Guarded and Cautious: The Knight has a hard time allowing his guard to rest after the period of involuntary isolation and the deception that comes with political mingling. The weight of one’s character is often observed through lenses facilitated by the Force and through their actions. Joining the Shadows amidst times of unease have set him up for much reservation, especially impacting his foundational values as a Sentinel’s Padawan.
Alternative Thinker: Lúa spends much time finding alternative ways to apply the Force, as well as unconventional conflict resolution. Despite fruitful outcomes, the Council continues to question his methods and views him as an eccentric. A close eye is kept for his opinions on a Balance of Dark and Light rather than outright conforming to All is Light. This can draw tension in diplomatic and philosophical endeavors and serves to set him apart from some of his brethren. Suspicion and inspection are often cast upon him, generally only quelled by his intended outcome being achieved and thus showing where his intentions lie. It can also be seen in his indulgence in battles and exploration beyond what is assigned.
Lacking Bias: Lúa is not one for softening the blow unless it serves him diplomatically. He is honest to a fault. What the Jedi observes, he retains and responds most often with honesty regardless of the consequence. It is not unusual for another to demand that the Sage explain himself or further defend whatever statement he had made. Even in the presence of leaders and folk of authority, the monk is one to question them as if they were just another living being bearing no title or influence.
| Lightsaber Proficiency |
| Shii-Cho, Form I : Traditional bladework, with an intent to disarm despite the pull to kill and drawing of emotion from the combat form 3.5/5 |
| Makashi, Form II : Fluidity, timing, accuracy, skill, precise swordplay 2.5/5 |
| Soresu, Form III : Quick reflexes, geared toward prolonged battles, defensive techniques, quick positional transitions, observation and wearing down the opponent long enough to divine the upper hand 3/5 |
| Ataru, Form IV : Agility, speed, and aggression on the field and within one’s body and mind. Drawing upon the Force for physical and mental empowerment, practitioners often make use of the space around them and seek to overwhelm their enemies 3.5/5 |
| Shien / Djem So, Form V : Physical strength, dominating one’s opponent, defense followed by immediate counterstrikes, power attacks, redirect attacks and blasts, reduce the potential of countering and break an opponent’s defense 4/5 |
| Niman, Form VI : Saber and Force techniques blended into a technique allowing the full spectrum of Skills to be used against one’s opponent. Built up from Forms I, III, IV, and V, Niman styles of combat culminate into a powerful blended style of combat where users often find themselves improvising and practicing moderation in the previous Forms to avoid favoring a singular Form and, by extension, predictability. 3/5 |
| Juyo / Vapaad , Form VII : Ferocious, Fast and Powerful Attacks, Allowing the Dark Side energy to be utilized without succumbing to it. 2.5 /5 |
| Pike, Saberstaff, Spear, and Long Handled : A series of forms fashioned from the forms most familiar to the practitioner. Often acrobatic or powerful attacks paired with utilization of the Force. Highly compatible with this category of weaponry are the Forms III, V, and VI 3/5 |
| Jar’Kai : The practice of wielding two weapons in combat. Notable is the use of two lightsabers by Jedi. At times and with progressions of proficiency some utilize shoto and double sided lightsabers as well as saberstaffs and pikes in tandem with sabers and other weapons mentioned. 4/5 |
APPEARANCE:
Despite being nearly forty, Lúa has a youthful appearance and air about him. Some would consider it disarming, even, were it not for his missions of goodwill and a penchant for the preservation of balance. In some instances, this goodness in him was paired with a general kindness, but most often it came with a lack of bias and a firm hand when it came to decision-making and mediating. Offering counsel was often his duty, as was minding the well-being of Tython where and whenever possible. When tending to his own affairs, he was often found meditating. After years spent on Kashyyk, Ahch-To, Ilum, and Dorin, he found himself more and more aligning himself with the planets he visited and with every aspect of the Force he encountered. This attunement, as well as the times of temporary residence among the other Major Temples, gave him a deeper understanding of his surroundings and often served him later on by means of a strengthened connection to the Force.
His Mahogany tresses were most often seen braided back and up into a large bun when not left down to hang in wild and loose lengths trailing well past his shoulders, following the matting and dreading he endured on Dathomir in his youth.
Commonly worn by the Near-Human Jedi are loose breeches, a tight sleeveless black top going up the neck beneath a black tunic that reaches near the knees. His overtunic of dark brown sets beneath a tabard of cream tucked under a brown-almost-black waist wrap. He wears a reversible robe, black on one side and light brown on the other, overtop his general apparel. Openings for his arms to escape the sleeves of the robe exist and are often utilized for freedom of movement and disorientation.
Despite his hospitable nature he dons a durasteel and leather cuirass as well as bracers and metatarsal protection along his insulated and reinforced inch-high-heel leather boots when worn– bare feet and simple woven sandals are employed in all applicable situations that do not require he wear his boots. Most times, wraps are employed along the torso and extremities, worn beneath his bracers and bound at the bottom of his trousers for an out-of-the-way and bloused effect.
A utility belt sits over his waist wrap, guarding his abdomen from above the navel down to the hips is worn, an overskirt spilling down and around his form to further obfuscate his movements. The gear worn involved compartments for metal spheres, stones, cartridges, space for a breather in the event of underwater, gaseous, or otherwise unbreathable environments. Not everything is adorned at once, just as there are hooks where it seems one might hang lightsaber hilts or other utilities. A Satchel and a small journal are bound to his person, as is a baldric that allows for a long-hilted lightsaber to be secured to his back beneath his cloak. Whether it is in use or not depends on the situation that draws Lúa to action.
BIOGRAPHY:
| Childhood | Lúa’Katal was born on the planet Kiffu to a father of Sephi descent and a Kiffar mother, Ayah, who was renowned for the utilization of the rare and innate Kiffar quality of Psychometric Touch; her use of the skill meant that her clan relied on her often to find aid in hunting, whether it be individuals, animals, or great beasts. What the clan did not enjoy was the company she kept— her lover and partner, Lúa’s father. He was a mechanically inclined explorer moving through the system when they had met; a poor landing had him stuck for some time while trying to reach out for aid and falling upon deaf ears meant he had to ride out his issues. Ayah sheltered the stranded Sephi, as she was among the more capable in her Clan due to their support and reverence for the rare quality she bore. He was untrusted by them for being an outsider and the fact that he had received no aid from his own people. Something was amiss with him, many claimed. Matters soured though when their pregnancy was announced and the disapproval of elders and family were voiced. Worse so, following the death of Ayah during Lúa’s birth which came while she was tending to the graves of their most revered — the healers and leaders and trackers of her old who were known as notable Force-sensitives and respected members — his birth among the spirits and the energies of past Force users was revered by his people as an omen that served to reinforce their negative view of his mother’s passing and the implications regarding her Sephi lover brought on. Why would the ancestral spirits fail to preserve and watch over her if she was on the right path? Despite the drama, the alleged nexus permeated the boy and it was as if he had the attention of his ancestors, according to the Clan. Many said, in opposition to any implication that he had their support, that they gazed down upon him for the misfortune his Mother’s death had for their people. The young hybrid was raised by his father and reluctantly by his people for a short period of time. Unwilling to throw the child away with the Father who they did not care for, and out of respect for his Late Mother, the Clan had made the decision to support the two despite their reservations. Training had begun for him with the older boys of the Clan, but trances and fits had taken the boy more than a handful of times and it was becoming dangerous for others. Thankful for the familiarity with electricity and Force-sensitives, his people did well enough to stabilize or insulate the situation. He was an emotional youth, and it showed. Bullying and animosity for his origin had been prevalent from those around him, but it had not stopped him from earning his Qukuuf on his seventh birthday. His clan used an aged metallic gold for their coloration. His face and arms were adorned with tattoos indicative of his Clan, much to the chagrin of some. Over time Lúa would flourish. The boy’s spirit was strong and his movements had become graceful despite his youth. Signs of a steel-trap mind eventually showed in his ability to digest information and recall it well enough that obstacle courses, extended reading material, and in the way that he rarely forgot something he observed or experienced. Lúa’Katal was eventually relinquished to the Jedi Order at the age of thirteen by Clan Elders when they realized that the Force was indeed suffusing the child in ways they were unable to handle. His father had left to serve in the beginnings of the war or had been killed by previous suitors or supporters of Ayah; each was a common rumor, but Lúa did not believe his father would simply up and leave those years ago and assumed something terrible or important had taken him away. Then again, he had not entered the teenage years and he could only comprehend so much about a situation without simply accepting it or stewing. A go-with-the-flow sort of aloofness was present, almost detached in that he was unfazed by much of the tensions in his life and went along surviving despite hardships. This being said, when his efforts were applied it was as if a switch was flipped– demonstrations were generally followed by instruction and then meditation for the sake of reflecting on how he carried himself and handled a situation. His first years on Tython as a Jedi Youngling were something of a rocky transition as he came to know the accommodations of Republic-funded quarters and amenities. He had gone through the Gathering on Ilum with his Tythian brothers and sisters, and the truth of his spiritual entanglement was expressed in a pair of amethyst hued kyber crystals that had split from originally one large cluster. Journeys to other spaces like Coruscant, Kashyyyk, and even Ilum once or twice more that year impressed upon him and influenced his mind. The result of his interests became a brylark wood based lightsaber, aided by Kashyyyk Artisans in the design. |
| Adolescence | When the Jedi Council was made aware of Lúa and the Clan’s warning when allowing the Jedi to take him and the two others, they had thought themselves confident to handle the issue to come. He had been placed with a Jedi Master who bore the Class of a Sentinel for the purpose of exposing him to the world rather than the isolation of warring Clans. Believing a strong set of values, care for hands on work, and firm instruction would be good for him, the Adolescent took to his Master with ease, for he had always longed for a caretaker. He applied himself heavily, more so than other Padawans in many ways; most notable was his endearment for the world around him, people included when the opportunity for kindness or helping was presented. His passion was hard to quell; his eccentric ways were what had drawn initial concern from the Council in the first place. As a Tythian Initiate, his Master pushed for placing Him in a more integrated residency so he might not squander the softer skills and drive a solely martial lifestyle like those taken to and by the Guardians. Sparring events and training with the various vocations and his own had taken him as far as comfort would allow, and in one instance even further than it should have been allowed. A spar allowed to go on for too long resulted in Lúa’Katal being incapacitated by a foul strike. For some time it deterred him, unable to fathom why he would be brutalized with an abuse of the Force. The Padawan’s time away from the sparring circles resulted in interests of the softer variety. Once again a period of time passed where the young Padawan honed the skills of a Sentinel and was given the chance to see just what his Master’s duties were. Beside the qualities every good Jedi might seek to cultivate, martial prowess and ingenuity were exposed to him over the years and the urge to replicate or learn in earnest from his Master grew and grew. The adaptability and collected demeanor of his Miralukan master was admirable and was often the driving inspiration for Lúa in his endeavors; as he saw it, if his Master could do something, he ought to be able to do it as well. It came to a point that Lúa eased back into his combat training, and from their the two worked tirelessly to reinforce the Padawan’s confidence and fighting spirit. Over time, the pair succeeded in getting Lúa ready to socially engage once again. With their eventual decision to draw Lúa back into combat readiness, he and his Master began training even harder. Calculated levels of endangerment were employed to produce the know-how he would need to catch up to his peers and restore the necessary confidence. At some point he challenged the same Padawan he had lost to, who had remained among the upper ranks of the sparring community. An agreement to engage a zone of Dampened Force during the spar was agreed upon and the fruit of his labors exposed itself in a heated spar and victory over his mind and his long-time adversary. The hatchet was buried between the two, though something in Lúa was sparked by the culmination of his training and effort. His Will made Manifest… He felt the Force in ways he could not have understood before. Things were going as smooth as one would expect from the hard working Master-and-Padawan duo, or at least it had been until their time together ceased on Dathomir. Pursuing an investigation as to the whereabouts of a “missing” Jedi brought them to the planet in an effort to find any information possible. Brought for his own skills in tracking, the landing had been right into the crooked, gnarled forestation inherent to Dathomir. After days moving through the forests, things had opened up toward the foothills ascending to the mountain ranges and the cavernous chasms that lie beneath. Dathomir, by nature, had seen progressively less direct channeling of Dark Energies in the last two centuries, and yet it still had inklings, connections, traces of tampering contrary to popular belief. And when someone is documented entering a system only to vanish, especially a Jedi, those capable heed the call. The Order never wished to condemn anyone to an allegation of Falling or betrayal before weighing every bit of context, and so rather than elites, it had been Lúa and his Master. Lúa had been told it was search and rescue-or-retrieve more than anything and had not been given the full context. It was their exit from the forests that heralded them being set upon by a particularly cunning Bull Rancor not hours after fighting back massive arachnids in an effort to pass through the previous biome. Lúa’s Master alleged that the energies surrounding the creature were foul, malignant — Dark. And their stealth did naught to hide the touch of the Light. It did make the Rancor seek them out further as they attempted to utilize their skills. Their failure brought on one of the darkest moments in Lúa’s life and bore a recurring theme ever present in his life. Loss. Thwarted by the Dark-suffused Rancor’s endowments of cunning and thoroughly directed ill intent, the Master and Padawan found themselves locked in the heat of survival as they attempted to flee the tree line and ascend the cliff face guiding them to what would have been safety. The darkness of the Planet took its toll on the spirit of the Padawan and now stood before him another time in his life where the outcome seemed uncertain, whittling his Will down to the likes of a tree branch liable to be mangled and discarded. And what would happen amidst this downward fall into fear and a lack of confidence could only be taken personally. As the two began attempting their escape into higher grounds, Lúa was arguably beaten down. Having bore witness to the hardship of his Master fending off and attempting to injure the Rancor while defending his Padawan, time eventually had come to feel like it stopped altogether. An endless moment brought on by the felling of his Master right before his eyes. In the whir of plasma and claw, Lúa fell to a dreadful battering as the Rancor swept the earth to dredge the two Force-Sensitives into imminent death. It was the resourceful mind of the Miralukan Master to try and Pull Lúa from the death dealing sweep, disregarding his own position in the path of the attack. Snatched up, the beast immediately began to crush his body. Upon impact, there was a telekinetic explosion resulting in the destruction of the right hand of the Rancor. It was this moment of caring and love that ultimately brought upon the Jedi Master’s death. In fact, it was this moment that both broke his Padawan and eventually aided him with his issues with attachment and fear of loss. But that would not be for some time. Now? In the minutes that followed, the long hilted lightsaber of his Master had hit the ground with the rest of his garments and armaments, no body to be found. This left disbelief washing over the youth paired with the outward wave of Light Side Energy blowing back debris and vegetation and to a lesser degree the young Lúa. Tumbling and rolling, he caught himself and came to his knees to try and get up before the Rancor adjusted to the missing hand and charged again. The hilt of the Master had been pulled into Lúa’s grip as his emotions proved to overwhelm him in ways hailing back to his childhood. Unleashing all of his emotions from the situation with the Rancor, the saber of the Padawan and the longer saber of his Master’s came to life. They wavered at first as if the blades might cut out, only for them to flourish, plasma rushing forth and reaching out inches further than usual with an unstable brilliance that seemingly broadened the blades like radiant torches. If one were to ask him about the experience he would say his Master was there, lending what he could. The Padawan served as a bright flame against the Darkness permeating from Dathomir and the Rancor before him that was now prepared to crush the remainder of his quarry, lacking a hand and suffering lacerations all over. Rather than lick his wounds, the Padawan screamed into that red night and charged the beast that was now pounding after him. Surrounded in the Force, he drove the blades through the sweeping fingers of the Rancor. As it reared, Lúa’Katal leapt from the ground and plunged the lightsabers crudely into the chest of the monstrosity, dragging his way down to the ground through the inches of fat and flesh and skin. The final berserk thrashing of his great enemy landed squarely into the momentarily-triumphant Padawan’s flank and he was nearly flattened on impact, or would have been, had it not been for the aura of Force energy enveloping his form. Instead of dying, his connection to the blazing sabers was severed as his consciousness left him upon impacting the stone of the rocky face that had been their initial escape path– before he had fallen behind and before his Master had to expend his own life to prolong his Padawan’s. Hours later, Lúa would awaken to the crumble of stone as bottom feeders and scavengers fed on the remains of the Rancor he had cut open and left to die in his passing out. He had dreamed and had counsel with his Master, sobbing for a while as he gathered what he could. His Master’s corpse was absent, which troubled the young Near-Human. He gathered everything of his Master, bundling it all and dragging himself into a nearby crevasse in the foot of the mountain; it was there that he worked to complete the repair of the wounds he had endured. The Miralukan had always sought to have Lúa able to take care of himself, and his mother’s prowess seemed to shine through rather well in skills like this and his connection to the Force. The mending left him weakened, but taking the time to ensure he did not suffer intoxicating statuses from the wildlife and the Darkness; for these reasons he meditated for two days to draw out what Light he could to maintain himself with. Reinforcing, Preserving what was left of his mental fortitude was crucial among the Darkness existing upon and within Dathomir, with all that one could fall victim to inside and out of oneself. Were it not for his late Master fighting the Darkness of the planet and abstaining from a oneness with the Force, he would be directionless and without comfort. The next few weeks to come consisted of gaining insight from his late Master, who still was intent on aiding his Padawan however he could and getting him off of the planet he was stranded on. This retention of the self was born out of giving his life for the sake of preserving his ward and the intent to be able to guide the Adolescent thereafter until he could be rescued or made for his own escape. It all culminated into a powerful spirit staying by the Kiffar’s side. The whole ordeal left Lúa with pain and guilt on top of fear and anger, yet the Padawan worked hard to survive. The remote distress beacon had been destroyed on his Master’s belt and so the only option was to trek back to the ship they’d arrived on and hope for the best. Those weeks went by slowly at first, with the Dark Side weighing heavy on his Spirit and his Master’s; this impeded him in all that he attempted. Lúa’Katal took to the lower gravity rather well in his time spent under those red skies and gnarled canopies, utilizing it to maximize his mobility without relying on the Force for such when he did not have to and in times where he could not call upon his prowess with the Force much at all due to the Darkness present. At first he was drawn toward the chasms below the surface and mountains, but agreed with his Master’s ghost that it was best he not delve while weak. It took him days to trap a boar or even pull a fish in. Thankful for his arguably simple and traditional upbringing in these moments, Lúa remained reverent of the toils Nature operated through and endured. He, like any other part of Nature, was subject to hardship and prosperity– opportunity was often the defining facet, though. Opportunity could be gained, or taken for oneself in many instances, and it was his time on Dathomir that reminded him of this parcel of insight. Lua was thankful for the learnings he had received from his Master and the Order, like being able to recognize concentrations and disturbances in the Force. The disturbances in the wetlands and the mountain’s unders harboring such foul energies deterred him and in truth likely saved him from unfavorable conflict with Dathomirian denizens. He familiarized himself with the land a bit in that time and even fought off the likes of Nydaks and Chirodactylae in his eventual plunders below the surface. With the guidance of his Master’s Ghost, Lúa survived well enough not to starve and came away with a few defensive measures and offensive as well. He did away with the guilt of failing to swiftly end the Rancor and his perceived fault for his Master dying. Taking a bundle of his Master’s remains and some of the Rancor’s teeth, claws, some bone, and the skin which was the makeshift container of sorts for all of his newfound belongings, hair and sinew being fashioned into cordage enough to bind it all together. The pack had slowed him, but preserving a bit of his time on Dathomir was of import to him. He knew that great Artisans found exotic components to be highly coveted and wished to make a sort of memorial piece if possible. Something to remember Him by. Those weeks went by, and he finally neared his Master’s ship, he could feel it.. his Master’s ghost had waned in what had become two months spent and he was capable of little more than appearing or drawing Lúa with the wind by that point. Dreaming and meditation were viable for communication but ultimately the Padawan was dealing with being alone more and more as Dathomir attempted to smother the Light with all its strength. Finding the vessel they had arrived in was a sad affair, as the accommodations his Master had made to the vehicle were all so in his face when he came to board. More tears came as he loaded the ship with his belongings. It was bittersweet to end his time on Dathomir, but he knew it best not to linger. After all the enemies he had faced, he could not help but thank the Force he was alive, and thanked his Master for the ability to live his life. It would be another day before he would take off with the ship being locked and the Padawan falling asleep in his seat. When the time came, he did not hesitate, recalling enough about the controls to set the ship towards takeoff into orbit and how to engage emergency protocols so he could be traceable and be retrieved. He left with grim reminders of survival, of combatting the weight and torpor of the Dark Side. That ugly and foul malediction that very nearly filled the vessel that was Lúa’Katal to the brim in his time spent on Dathomir. Under its four moons each night was where he found it hardest to allow time to pass and to keep his mind a solid and fortified space. Parts of him fell away, and yet the monks would find the Padawan to be more driven than ever before; tempered, and refined like iron to steel. A certain detachment came following the shedding of guilt, fear, anger and other aspects of Darkness within him. Believing Dathomir would always be shrouding him, he took a hard look at his name, the stories of his birth, and this event. It was an unfortunate entanglement, but it was one he began to pick apart to understand the dangers he allegedly bore within and without. He would not fall to the Dark but perhaps he could observe it and know the ways of his enemies.. There was much to reflect on, and even more to work through. He had come out in one piece, refined skills of the unarmed and unattuned.. It was a cruel trial by any means. |
| Adulthood | Over the next few years, Lúa went on very few missions, at first finding himself without a Master when he had first been brought to safety. The Kiffar Youth was returned to Tython like escaped or displaced cattle; he was placed with the Artisans and Ritualists who worked to draw away the Dark enveloping his weakened form. Reserved, collected, intense in his learning and passions and developments; he was not terribly different beyond his reclusion from social interactions and his diving into his studies more than before. Following this period of “decontamination”, his engagement with the common ranks of Padawanas remained estranged. Many hailed him and received him well on his return, but others clung to the facts: he had gone missing, his Master was no longer present, and he could not discuss the final weeks of his absence that had been below the surface of Tython, where his time on Dathomir was shared and his body, spirit, and vestments were cleared for public exposure. It had been among the first notable times he had ever met the higher echelons of the Temple, and it wasn’t exactly positive. It was rare that a Padawan survived their Master, even more rare that the Padawan would survive on Dathomir by themselves. Fear and a terribly low tolerance for the Dark Side had resulted in them taking the Padawan and placing him where they pleased. Sending him to Tython was the lesser action when compared to the suggestion that he was corrupted and should die or face isolation in a prison like his home world’s sister planet of Kiffex. In addition to his time in decontamination on Tython, certain altercations months into his return home prompted the Council to place the Near-Human Padawan on Ilum with a Kel Dor Master from the small resident Order, spending upward of two years dealing with his own hardships and receiving private instruction on the softer half of the world of a Jedi. The Ilum sect wished to Knight him for his trials and tribulations, but the events that followed his homecoming proved to push minds in another direction. His isolation was based on speculation from the other Temples despite objections from Ilum’s sect that they would be fine to oversee his re-integration, the other sects of monks went about petitioning to withhold his Knighthood. It was there on Ilum that he began fixating on maps, planets, astrogation and major governments in various sectors to drown his mind from the issues at hand. Those two years moved slowly. Every lesson of the mind the young man entertained and came to digest was reciprocated with the ability to freely train on a physical level as he pleased and even opened avenues to lesser known arts among the monks of the Order. Many suggested removing the Lightsabers from his possession and curriculum until a later time, but after how poorly the first three attempts to strip him of his personal items had been when he arrived, they believed it best he be allowed his keepsakes in the pursuit of easing the tension. The Consular path was set before him now, rather than that of a Sentinel as his last Master had himself been and intended for Lúa. It took time, but eventually the resident Council felt comfortable to allow him to socialize and learn among others on the islands. A brown cloak, rather than the black he had sported for so long, had been given to him upon his entry to Ilum’s care, and he would not see his other cloak for some time. Growing up was hard, but studying and training in isolation seemed to rub salt in the wound. As always, though, he trusted in the Force and worked to understand the road set ahead of him. It would go like this and in due time further refinement would be obtained. Seeking insights beyond those living around him, the young Jedi had taken to wearing his old Master’s headdress during meditation rituals. This bled into training and public interactions, a polished mask of a material as smooth as glass and as hard as steel; Force Sight was a notable tool of his and an inheritance of skill he sought to maintain in respect to the Miralukan who had reared him and made him the youth that was able to survive a stranding on Dathomir. Anonymity and Selflessness were exemplified traits done by donning the covering on the excursions when he was allowed to accompany his Master. Lúa preferred to unmask himself in private company or in leisure periods, but otherwise did not wish to be observed. Despite hiding his appearance for some time, his hair would often be ornately braided but obscured by the headdress until he came to the age that his hair came to be nearly waist length when weighed down by metal and wood ornamentation. The time eventually came for the Near-Human to be released, as he has always referred to it, from Ilum. In his time he had been Knighted in lieu of all he had gone through both on Dathomir and on Tython and all that he came to know on Ilum, though it had not come without its own delays. He had spent considerable time with his Kel Dor Master and had been taught much about attuning himself to the whims of the Force and the environment around them. When Tython and Ilum proved insufficient in testing the Padawan, his master took them to other planets, such as his home of Dorin and all over the Unknown. The worlds of the Outer Rim and the great beasts and entities deep within those vast waters, the storms, the volcanic activity.. So it was that Lúa’Katal reached adulthood surrounded by water and quiet teachings before ever being released unto the galaxy once more. After years, finally he had been exposed to more and more environments. It all worked to further temper the mind and body which would someday serve as an unyielding Will against the Dark Side, which his Master recognized as one of his innate features; the will to fight the Dark. He had many a challenge set before him and each time he came out alive and persevering. The liberation of Lúa’Katal was bittersweet in that he himself felt as though he was alone again. It was not far from the truth, either, sadly. An example of this aloneness was on his first return to Tython and it set in the fact that he was no longer a Padawan.. No longer to be paired with another Master unless seeking the general insight of their Order. Remembered as notably unpleasant for the fact he came to be informed that he had inherited what his Master had left behind; a dying wish of his should he ever perish in the position of having a Padawan. Never before had he owned his own things beyond what clothing he wore and equipment he maintained. A dated starfighter within the banged up freighter, relics in their own right, would be his to invest his time in. A chamber within Tython remained to be filled by Lúa and the Knight merely obliged. It took time to comb through the Miralukan’s works and his chamber, resulting in the decision of spending a few years traveling between the major temples at Tython, Coruscant, and Ilum without a time of exploration beyond the mental scape and the icy domain wherein the Jedi fortress resided. Much refinement came out of these years surrounding Lúa’Katal and the Force and his own depth of knowledge as he essentially studied abroad for the first years of Knighthood. Such a time would pass and while the young man failed to reconnect and follow the conventional paths of his once temple-mates, he worked as hard if not harder than the rest of his peers to ensure he was not lacking for his absence or falling behind them. Being reminded that the privilege of a continued education was not his to bear was constant, and it pushed him to take on more than he knew for certain he could handle. All of the expectations set upon himself to propel forward despite the hardships and unknowns geared him toward major successes and even decisive victories in the diplomatic and combat-oriented fields. When he did eventually step offworld, it had largely been to the Core and surrounding sectors that he would begin in. He proved himself a worthwhile escort and confidant over time, gaining a reputation for upholding peace, justice, order, and unbiased honesty. Protection and insight were his to offer when one was in need. Conflicts rose and fell before his eyes often and mended or halted with his skills. More and more often his work took him from the Core to the outer and unknown regions, which only served to expand his mind. Settling himself somewhere between a Sentinel and a Consular with his skill set, he ruminated upon outcomes of many a hardship and weighed in where he could when present for the deliberations. Throughout his time, he came to wear the headdress less and less in major congregations and public spaces, finding confidence in himself and gaining the trust of others by showing vulnerability and that there was in fact a Man beneath the mask and a trustworthy Jedi rather than simply an entity of Justice. He did, however, don his Master’s covering during covert and combat operations and times where recognizability was not preferred. Despite being intent on cultivating good will and peace, Lúa would become more and more invested in the martial half of preserving the Balance of the Natural Order. It was the Second Great Hyperspace War that kept everyone on their toes. In his years spent working Tython and Coruscant among the rest of the Core and colonies, his unconventional upbringing proved to cause him to be seen as a maverick. On top of shamelessly speaking out as needed, he had extended the training of his saber forms to have familiarity all around. He went as far as learning the ways of refining his Form V, he had also taken to ignoring the recommendation that he cease practicing Form VII something that even various Masters discouraged Knights from familiarizing themselves with, as it was deemed too dangerous to take upon themselves to learn. Knowing his beginnings with the Dark Side, the Knighted Sage felt he owed it to himself and others to know how he might understand his own Spirit more deeply and know how to expel or utilize potentially foul aspects. Preserving the Light within himself was and would continue to be his greatest motivation. Despite the hardships and what people came to think they understood about him, Lúa’Katal had never given in to the Dark Side of the Force. Had he felt it on Dathomir and his youth and even his first year on Ilum? Surely. And it was that same sensation he could feel applying itself with his motivations. A rampant mind eager to be stilled, yet seeking to flourish and to be nourished. It was why he had been given the privilege of roaming the galaxy in the pursuit of doing what was necessary rather than pushing paper or sitting in a single sector or star system. His time spent studying philosophical works, warfare, machines and astrogation, the History of the Order, working alongside Researchers, Artisans, and Seers — it all accumulated in a way that proved his determination was not for nothing, and every day he proved why he deserved to live in the dwindling shadow of misfortune. In lieu of his contributions and providing of successful teachings and guidance, the Jedi was revered highly among his comrades– especially in regard to providing aid and support during the crises throughout the Galaxy and his sense of Justice and Fairness. Overcoming the assumptions of his Clan and the intolerance of the Order had not skewed him in a way that disillusioned him, only serving to fuel his curiosity and his hopes to better the communities he came into contact with. For all the work the Kiffar Sage had put in, it still proved to not be enough at times and somehow he always ended up in humbling situations. On a mission to recover an artifact and examine old ruins in the Unknown Regions, the research team happened upon another Force user who was in fact a Sith Warrior. Unknown to the Jedi who were present, it eventually resulted in Lúa taking on another years-long refinement period and adopting a new series of points to work on. Alteration became complicated with only having had ours on the planet. His Form VI had been spread too thin and his space had been invaded. His own Form V was outmaneuvered with an aggressively honed version of Form IV.. it was wild to think back on and always would be. The hostility, the malice, the urge to dominate.. It was right in front of him and looking back was always enough to make him stop and break the moment down thousands of ways. The cretinous tactics of the Sith had been unleashed upon his form and left him barely alive were it not for his comrades at the time. Following his time of learning he focused on his proficiency with the environment each time he encountered a new world, working to better analyze and understand the physical as well as he had worked to understand the Force. In his recovery, he chose isolation for the first month and meditated for days at a time with breaks to record thoughts, insights on paper and via hologram. When it felt right, he came out mentally prepared to train with Ilum Masters and to investigate the resurgence of the Dark Side and its followers and users. Hunting locations and artifacts connected to the Dark Side and Sith became a more recurring aspect of his life, with the practice being taken on alongside his combat and Force training, continued learning, exploration and protection missions. It came to the point that Lúa’Katal was brought onto missions to track and investigate as well as support other Knights and Masters more and more often. In due time, his efforts in working to understand their ancient enemies and provide details and support had not gone unnoticed. Approached by the Contingent of the Shadows, Lúa’Katal was brought into the fold, inducted below Tython’s surface. Years would pass and under the guise of a traveling Jedi instructor, as well as a diplomatic entity, Lúa operated expressly along the needs and interests of Galaxy and the Shadows themselves. Foiling assassinations, securing peace talks, and outright infiltration and destruction or retrieval of content or targets; it mattered not so long as the Natural Balance of the Force was upheld. His existence as a Jedi was not all conflict, though. Just as he was a weapon, he was a resource to his people, to all people on the side of the Light. His skills were used to educate and protect the upcoming Jedi generations rather than take on a consistent flow of Padawans unless mentoring with Healing and the Environment were necessary. An aversion to becoming close with another purely for the sake of protecting them from His upbringing had developed. The loss of a Master was something so deep and resonant that it would follow one to their own grave. The closeness with the Force and between themselves made it all the more difficult to process and shake away in his youth; for the longest time he mentored and instructed where he felt he could not provide personal work like overseeing a Padawan and potentially putting them through his own past. Otherwise, he traveled and did as the Order asked of him. When Lúa was pulled into the Shadows, he found himself with less time for mentoring and education and prioritized his time to train and pour over information with his fellow Knights in an effort to be ready, to protect his people. When he was not working to better the condition of the galaxy, he sought to help educate the youth when possible or sit in on teachings and training sessions. With each experience endured as a Shadow, his perception of the Universe became more and more broad. Things he had never seen or encountered.. Rarities others may never come across. Findings that would have every Researcher foaming at the mouth.. And he could do naught but marvel at all that he came to know and see and feel.. His understanding brought much reflection on his own place in living in accordance with the Force and serving the Jedi Order. On how they helped and yet seemed to cause waves that bore negative repercussions. It highlighted the reality of a balance in the Force and that Darkness can be stomped out, for all Light casts a shadow. It was the ever-whirling dervish of creation and destruction. Avoiding stagnation, imbalance, and unnatural order was paramount and often was a driving factor in his penchant for deep and thorough investigations. While remaining ready for conflict, preserving the history of the Jedi and the Force as well as their collective posterity came to be a higher motivator, pushing Lúa’Katal to try and balance his time at and away from the Temples more rather than continue a habit of spending extended durations in various locations to root out all that was able to be unveiled and exposed. Life went on like this for some time until more recent years when the Kiffar hybrid had been dragged into the fray when the Core and the innocent were attacked more directly. The call to arms was great and terrible, and yet it allowed for the Shadow Sage and his comrades to move more easily across the galaxy in their investigations and conflicts with the emerging Sith. The Near-Human had often been utilized for his tracking ability and his potential to pull another Jedi out of danger and provide healing or support with ease. Altering the environment for the support of his comrades and for in-depth investigation made for quality skills in the pursuit of those thinking themselves capable of escaping judgment. His versatility with Forms and level of knowledge from years of isolated periods filled with learning and training only served to protect him and his fellow monks on their exploits, and proved to beat down the assertions of the Dark Side and those who coveted such foul energies. Lúa began to focus more on recovery missions and humanitarian aid, applying his retinue of Consular and Sagely skills while also gaining contact with the various Temples to provide an in depth and firsthand account of just what was going on in the Core. Presently, He anticipates crossing paths with the Dark again soon, and hardens himself in his free time by means of reading, meditating, and training as forms of preparation. |
SHIP:
Organic Vessel - Zel
Zel is an organical vessel from the planet Waluhka; the domain of these companion-ships is a planet covered dominantly by what the natives refer to as “The Forest” in their tongue. In truth, this “forest” expands along the entirety of the supercontinent it is found on, with topographic shifts and locations relating to equatorial nearness being the only variables. A massive expanse of water covers about half the planet, with archipelagos spattered about. It seems as though most if not all of the land available to the planet is touched and influenced by “The Forest” and its sway over life, with the mainland having the highest degree of influence.
The vessels, known as the “Children” or “Seeds”, are creatures of complex beginnings. If one were to try and isolate just what type of organic qualities the entities have, it would be confounding in that they represent a sort of amalgamated species. Features and qualities of the five major kingdoms of living organisms are present, in that the body of the “Seed” is more a harmony of life. Animal qualities, as well as plant and fungal, present themselves as the creatures host microorganisms that serve the Seed in a symbiotic way.
At the early stages, the Children begin with an almost cnidarian or cephalopodic existence. Some poorly versed sods would at times call them “space jellies” or “Ghost jellies” due to their innate ability to fly and float and otherwise defy gravity. As they consume matter and energies within the Forest, they develop more and more physical bodies that eventually come to encompass the entirety of the creature. Much like a snail or other mollusk creates their own shell, so too does the Child of the Forest accumulate more coverage and protection. Predated upon by larger, sometimes aggressive Seeds and predators among other major predators, not every Child will make it into the juvenile and mature stages.
What becomes a shell ends up developing into more sections of protection kept within a malleable embrane. The core of the Children that get referred to as jellies end up developing within the true body and remains a safe space to be vitally protected; serving as a brain, heart, and nervous system, it is imperative that the core, the very “Seed” itself, remains unharmed and hidden flawlessly within the growing body of the organic vessel. Able to rearrange its mass and determine where its core is safest, it is safe to say that every ship is different in its weak points and that one should pay close attention to well guarded locations should they come to face one of these potentially terrible beings.
Less a phantom of the Forest and more a roving beast, many natives nurture and occasionally Bond with the young Seeds. At times, though, it has been noted as limiting their own development while at other times the influence a Bond and its Bondmate offers is a heavily nourishing factor; many prefer to let “nature do its thing” and leave them be, though many would argue these naysayers are simply fearful. The planet itself is teeming with Life Energy, as the Force is strong within and around the Forest. It is no surprise, then, that these creatures that fly, travel through space, influence gravity upon themselves and that which surrounds, hunt elements and creatures alike, and grow to become massive living organisms would bear the potential for telepathic communication, environmental influence, and tapping into the energies of the Force. Many do not see the life of a mature and profound Seed because often the cycle of life and death claims them and returns them to the Forest, or they escape the sphere of influence and travel beyond their home system.
It is the juvenile and adult stages that many would recognize the most, as the beings become larger and harder to conceal themselves – unless it is their habit or choice, of course. Without outside influence, the bodies of these organic vessels remain funnily similar to the seeds one would find from plants. Broad ovate shapes, nearing a leaf or egg (shrouded vegetation and spines and tendrils) in some cases, are the natural shape that many begin with. The potential for slimmer body types, with side profiles of evenly elliptic or lance shaped leaves also being noted. Crude referencing makes it all the more unexpected when a Waluhkan holds up a leaf and suggests you try and imagine it as a three-dimensional object. Many Seeds do not leave the Forest or explore beyond their spawning territory until their juvenile stages, finding comfort in the familiarity of their “mother tree” and other spawnmates.
Adult Seeds, hardly Children anymore, range from elephant sized creatures capable of rearranging their mass to beings the size of light freighters and beyond. Once a suitable environment and an acceptable amount of resources are made available, there is a question as to just what would inhibit the growth factor. Many settle on the prospect that if resource availability were to diminish, so too would the growth rate stagnate until proper nourishment was ascertained.
With regard to relationships with other creatures, there is a good portion of these creatures that choose to Bond with Force-Sensitives and at times the Insensitive – the key difference is that the latter delivers a more basic bond generally relying on emotional and physical interaction whereas a Force-Sensitive would be able to share more of itself and understand the Children on a more mental and spiritual level. The amount of shared experiences and the amount of information allowed to be passed over to the Seeds through a Force Bond is much greater and easier to understand for both parties, whereas the Insensitive are essentially working to bond with sentient beasts. Highly intelligent Children begin to identify in ways, though as far as the natives of Waluhka can tell it is a largely crude and nonbinary understanding of the self for quite some time. Reliant on the Bond with their Bondmate( or Pilot, as the less subjective tend to refer to themselves as), These Companion-Ships are an investment of time and self as well as a reflection. Motivated, explorative individuals will promote a very active and eager to engage mentality about their Ship while the more reserved may even find their ship becoming averse to long periods of travel, navigation, and hyperspace maneuvering.
Many natives utilize the Children in ways similar to companion animals and beasts of burden, with some preferring a more terrestrial life or aerial, and then others delving toward navigating the waters of the planet and the outer space that surrounds their homeworld. Many do not choose to leave the Star System with their ships, but those that have recounted impressive travel times, a new confidence and drive within the Ship, and even a bit of wanderlust in themselves. The size and abilities of the Ships depend largely on what is available to them, if they survive their own kin and the dangers of the Forest.
The overall composition of the vessels are largely impacted by the Will of the Bondmate and the Seed itself. One would think they were purely botanical, but the way that they consume other living things as well as raw elements brings one to think differently; the presence among some specimen to bear orifices lined with teeth and ridges only serves to further draw questions of just how diverse the organisms are and how influenced they can become by other creatures. Depending on the level of exposure and information shared with these Seeds, they have the propensity to become more sapient than many animals one might come across, though it is largely assumed that without Bonding to a sapient being its ceiling for learning is relatively lower.
Amorphous to a degree in that their overall interior layout and exterior appearance can be largely modified of the Child’s own volition; the Bondmate can have some or in extreme cases all of the say so regarding the way their organic vessel looks. A person’s strength in the Force greatly empowers the Ships and their abilities to adjust; whether the Force-User is aligned toward the harmony of the Light or the dominance and assertion of the Dark can impact the Child of the Forest as well.
A safe space and a wholesome Bond can promote rapid developments with the interactions gearing toward the Light. For the Dark Side, though, there is little more needed than to dominate these magnificent creatures and force change upon them. Forced alterations can be uncomfortable and even painful to the Children, but Sith who have commandeered or stolen these Ships pay little heed to such trivial things as the pain of a mode of transport.
Zel specifically has likened itself to traveling in extreme environments, prepared for air land sea and space unlike some of its kin who merely bear properties fit for one or few environments. This is due to the level of exposure and experience Lua’Katal has shared and witnessed with his Companion-Ship. Fleshy membranes layer the overall body of the Seed, supported by strong yet flexible foundations one might say were the “bones” of the beast. A system of root-like veins make up a sort of vascular system for the creature, with its core being tucked away safely without any means of access to the organ beyond the way in which the body of the vessel tends to itself or by directly exposing the organ by force. Protrusions and hardened sections along the strong and contorting membrane work to produce dermal protection while a psionic sphere is passively projected. It is with this area of effect that information is distributed and received, as well as influence is exerted by the Seeds.
Zel, as an organic vessel is shaped more traditionally, broadly ovate and rounded with sections of obvious defense measures and amenities suited more for the Pilot than its own convenience. Often the conveniences for the Bondmate are easily deployable and stowed, such as conventional ports or openings within the vessel’s outer membrane to provide physical sight from within. Between the layers
Write-up Coming Soon
KILLS:
None
BOUNTIES COLLECTED:
None
ROLE-PLAYS:
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E x t r a s
The Sage’s Qukuuf, or Clan Markings, come across the eyes and span from just above the eyebrow down to the cheekbones and over his nose, accompanied by five points coming from the jaw and chin. Passed down maternally, they represent his Clan on Kiffu. The color of the markings is that of a metallic gold color, bearing an aged tone and casting a fine contrast against his tanned flesh.
Lúa’Katal is built as a blend of a traditional Sentinel, blended with the Consular paths of the Sage and the Healer; he had relinquished much of the formermost lifestyle at one point due to a transition in Masters. With a Miralukan Master rearing him into adolescence, Lúa’s senses beyond the mundane were cultivated in efforts to keep up with him. His second Master chose to invest in his abilities to help others and do so without the Lightsaber. His affinity with Telekinesis, Natural Elements, Flora and Fauna, paired with his innate Psychometric skill deliver massive support to his allies. His skill with the saber, although downplayed by his Kel Dor Master, flourished with the way his control over his body developed throughout time and his training in spite of the Kel Dor’s instruction.
The Ilum Master drove him to great measures in an effort to have him understand the world around him and to listen when it mattered most. Exposing him to storms and natural events and disasters on other planets allowed him to bear witness to the sheer power and how it would feel should he ever abuse a situation and lose control of the environmental impact he was intent on bringing on. The helplessness felt in those lessons proved to drive him toward harnessing the worlds around him for the sake of preserving Life.
Often coming along with Researchers and Archeologists or spending time with Artisans, he has developed a well rounded perspective and a highly maintained respect for his comrades in the Order. His high degree of Spirit and Will translates into his efforts well, and he does his best to provide for others and offer insight when appropriate. The reverence for the Living and Cosmic Forces is expressed all over and even in runes of old, even as far as his own garments and belongings venerating the Order.
As a relatively newer Shadow and a long time scholar toward the dangers of the Dark Side, Lúa’Katal applies himself to these new threats with valor and even a dangerous curiosity as the Councils would see it. With alternative studies used and indulged and the prospect of encountering Sith, Lúa has delved into dark side tactics in an effort to know them and his enemy better and prior to engaging in combat with Dark Side Users he often observes with the Force those before him. Recounting their form and their applications of the Force offers as much insight as instances that gear or equipment or bodies after a conflict do. Attempting to analyze techniques in real-time combat with the Sith has and would continue to be a practice of his own with the goal of eventually turning their power on themselves and redirecting or mimicking a tactic with a Light-filled mind and spirit. He would understand them, he would overcome them, and he would do whatever it took to ensure his victory over the Dark Side.
Physical contact is an intimate thing for Lúa and one will often find him gloved but not shoed. His barefootedness allows him to better navigate and remind himself of the toils the physical world has to offer.