Post by Katar the Madclaw on Mar 19, 2009 0:53:43 GMT -5
Name: Zaaltarr
Alias: Zaaltarr the Madclaw
A title placed upon
Zaaltarr after he was
exiled from his village
for using his claws
in battle.
Race: Wookiee
Gender: Male
Age: 176
Height: 6'6''
Weight: 370 lbs
Birthplace: Kashyyyk
Appearance:[/u]
As a Wookiee, Zaaltarr is a tall furry humanoid with
razor-sharp claws perfect for scaling wroshyr trees
and rending flesh from bone. Zaaltarr's fur is dark
red, appearing almost black in dim light or when he
stands under the cover of shadows. Zaaltarr is fairly
young for his race, but spending many decades as a
sentry trooper and hunter has given him an impressive
mastery of his muscular physique, a requirement for
surviving in the Shadowlands of Kashyyyk.
I do not own / take credit for this image.
Faction: Sith Order
Rank: Initiate
Previous Faction: Dark Jedi
Rank: Prophet
Bio:[/u]
Birth - Age Twelve[/b]
The Youth[/color][/b]
Zaaltarr was born into the world at a relatively peaceful time for
Kashyyyk. There were many pups born that year, and his village
was on its way to becoming one of the largest and most
prosperous. Zaal (as his parents and other villagers often called
him) was a robust infant, strong and maturing quickly, just as he
should have. Within one standard year, Zaal was fully conscious
and able to walk without needing assistance. A few years after
that, he was running around and playing with the other children.
Like all Wookiees, Zaaltarr was quick to pick up on language. He
was able to speak Shyriiwook and the other two dialects (Xaczik
and Thykarann) quite well by the time he reached ten years of
age. It was around this time that Zaaltarr discovered he could do
things others of his village could not. As if it was some kind of
powerful secret, Zaal would quite often head off alone to explore
his Force sensitivity or stay up at night to experiment with his
telekinesis, making objects float in the air around him. These
habits made it seem like the youth was developing a pattern of
anti-social behavior and many started to think that something
was wrong with him. The odd looks and whispered comments
wounded Zaal to an extent, and he in turn began to think that
something was wrong with everyone else. The youngling's
confusion started to lead him down the path of suspicion and
resentment and he soon found that he could reach new heights
in his Force powers even as his emotions did the same. The
eleventh year of Zaal's life was spent learning about the
Hrrtayyk coming-of-age ritual as well as the meaning of many
other Wookiee traditions.
The Hrrtayyk Ceremony[/b][/size]
When Zaaltarr turned twelve, it was time for him to complete the
coming-of-age ceremony called the hrrtayyk. He, along with
many other youths, were lead down into the Shadowlands
(Kashyyyk's ground level). The soon-to-be adult Wookiees were
taught a great many survival skills. Which plants and insects
were edible or not was the first lesson, and the second was how
to use various plant products and foilage to make utensils, rope,
tents, and other useful tools. The third lesson Zaaltarr and the
others learned was how to avoid certain dangers -especially
predators- and how to recognize the signs of approaching danger.
As a group, the youths were taken on a hunt to clear out a nest
of Netcasters that had strayed too close to the village. Since they
were as of yet without weapons, they were shown how to beat
the arachnids down with their fists and how to utilize the rocks
and other materials around them as weapons. The hunt went
well, without any major injuries or incidents. Zaaltarr had shown
promise in unarmed combat, particularly because he hadn't
much cared for using the blunt objects around him to attack the
Netcasters. In fact, Zaal was rather envious of the adult carrying
a double-handed Ryyk kerathorr that was leading them. He had
always been fascinated with kerathorr blades, and he wanted
very badly to have such a weapon to call his own.
The Holocron[/color][/b]
After hunting the Netcasters the group split, each individual
Wookiee youngling was to head off on their own for a time to
explore and practice the things they had just learned. Since it
had been a large group, Zaal had ended up going quite deep
into the dense jungle; he wanted to prove that he could brave
the Shadowlands, both out of sight and of hearing from any of
the others. Most his age left Zaaltarr to his lonesome, and he
had now become determined to prove that he was fine with it -
he didn't need them anyways.
It was on this solo excursion into the strangled depths of the
jungle that Zaaltarr came across some ruins left over from a
conflict long ago. The Wookiee felt something strange in the
Force as he probed the ruins, and he followed the feeling until he
uncovered several artifacts. The first one was a strange triangular
device that he would later find out was called a holocron. He also
found two crystals, one formed from an ingot of Barab ore, and
the other a Dragite.
Age Thirteen - Twenty Five[/b]
After completing the Hrrtayyk ceremony, Zaaltarr spent several
years developing various skills and abilities. The newly-instated
adult would often descend into the Shadowlands, where he
could listen to the voices on the holocron and watch its images,
slowly gaining comprehension of the device's contents. In this
way, Zaaltarr drew closer to the Dark Side and learned to view
the Force as a tool and a weapon to use as he pleased. No evil
plots took root in his mind just yet however; Zaaltarr merely
found ways to increase his potency as a hunter and a fighter.
I do not own / take credit for this image.
Hand-to-Hand Velocities[/b][/size]
At the age of eighteen, Zaaltarr signed up for extensive training
in different methods of combat and physical prowess. The first
leg of his instructions taught him to be a better hand-to-hand
combatant, able to either grapple or pummel an advisary with a
much more tactical and disciplined approach. Zaaltarr (few
referred to him as Zaal any longer) faired well in the training
matches and even went on to compete in small competitions
where young-and-upcoming fighters could display feats of
strength and tactical skill.
The Ryyk Blade[/b][/size]
The next leg of the trainees' instruction was Zaaltarr's favorite -
blades. The young Wookiee took to the training with zeal and
enthusiasm, arriving early and leaving later than the rest of the
trainees. Zaaltarr became skilled in wielding the Ryyk kerathorr
blades, both singular and dual. The competitions continued to
run on, now adding blunted blades into the mix. This made the
matches a much more rigorous work-out, but Zaaltarr took the
extra strain to his body in stride and never gave up, even after
he had been bested a few times. Eventually, Zaaltarr's artistry
with melee weapons surpassed his artifice in unarmed strategy.
After finally becoming recognized as one of the best Ryyk blade
and unarmed fighters in his village, Zaaltarr's instructors awarded
him a double-handed kerathorr blade and a unique bowcaster to
practice with in the final part of his training course.
The Bowcaster[/b][/size]
The final leg of the extended training course covered the history
and proper use of the bowcaster. Of the three parts, this was
the one to challenge Zaaltarr the most. He was proficient in close-
to-medium range strategies of combat, but long range was
different and he couldn't feel the Force fuel his movements the
way he could when he held a blade. At first, Zaaltarr lagged
behind the rest of the group, but as time went on, his ability with
the ranged weapon became more average for someone of his age.
Age Twenty Six - Forty Five[/b]
The Hunter[/b][/size]
At twenty six, Zaaltarr had completed his training course in the
use of his bowcaster and he and the other recently graduated
trainees went on frequent hunts. This too was a competition of
sorts, each young hunter challenging the next by attempting to
catch more prey or make more prestigious kills. Zaaltarr had
been in association with most of this hunting party for years by
now, and his ability to make friends and enjoy their company was
largely rekindled.
Soon enough the majority of the hunting party were making
regular trips into the Shadowlands, searching for new feats to
attempt. One such feat was to make the journey to the Well of
the Dead and harvest fibers from the carnivorous Syren plants.
One the way there, the Wookiee hunting party was often
swarmed by various wildlife, and constantly had to contend with
the "layered deathtrap" of Kashyyyk's numerous species of
deadly flora. It was on this journey that Zaaltarr increased his
aptitude with the Force skill he had come to know as Battlemind.
With the group's advanced training and Zaaltarr's ability to focus
so intently on the combat, they were able to coordinate rather
well and reach their destination.
Several of the hunting party made it back to the village bearing
the Syren plants' fibrous appendages. The group's excitement
was however dampened by the fact that several more of them
had been badly wounded by the Katarn lizards and one of their
pack had lost an arm to the Syrens after forbidding Zaaltarr to
strike the plant down with his blade. The group of hunters broke
up after that, none of them willing to venture out into the
Shadowlands that far ever again.
Age Forty Six - Sixty Five[/b]
The Dragon Keeper[/b][/size]
Intrigued by the so-called dragons, Zaaltarr spent most of the
next two decades learning about the Katarn lizards and how to
tame them. Zaaltarr was almost a natural at this; not only had
he learned respect for the creatures, but he had the power of
the Force to assist him. Through his efforts, the dying art of
creature taming was revitalized in the village.
When he wasn't helping to tame Katarns, Zaaltarr brushed up on
his combat techniques, with a particular focus on steadying his
ability with his bowcaster.
Age Sixty Six - Eighty Seven[/b]
The Sentry[/b][/size]
Zaaltarr once again signed up for training, this time to become a
sentry guarding the borders of his village. Zaaltarr learned to use
the Force to augment his senses with greater success during this
peroid of time, there was almost no shadow deep enough to best
his dark-vision.
During these decades, slaver activity had spread to the area of
Zaaltarr's village, posing a threat to any and all Wookiees in the
surrounding villages as well. A formidable force of sentries and
warriors gathered and clashed with the foreigners on numerous
occasions. The Wookiees prevailed each time, but their village
was in effect no longer hidden from enemy eyes.
During his many engagements with the slaver's own scouting
parties, Zaaltarr learned how to scare, choke, and even drain the
life from his opponents (to some extent) with the Force. These
years of near-constant threat made Zaaltarr realize that while
his blades and his bowcaster were deadly, the Force was his
most powerful weapon of all. He discovered that pouring his rage
into his blade increased its destructive power, allowing him to
cleave through the slaver's armor and flesh alike with ease.
Age Eighty Eight - One Hundred Twelve[/b]
The Shadowlands Patrol[/b][/size]
Eventually, the slavers changed their tactics and started
attacking via the Shadowlands. The Wookiees had not expected
such a risky maneuver on their part and was hard pressed to
change the focus of their defense. It was decided that elite
patrols would be deployed to constantly scour the nearby section
of the Shadowlands and slowly branch out until they could find
the slaver's base of operations. Zaaltarr was there in the middle
of it all, taking a group of Katarn he had helped to train with the
patrol he was in to sniff out the invaders. His skills in battle were
honed like a razor's edge, and sometimes he would even use the
Force outright to attack the enemy, often using Force Scream as
he charged a group of them. Most of his patrol party were far too
busy with their own opponents to notice much, but the fierceness
with which Zaaltarr dispatched his opponents eventually served to
distinguished him, and once again he made those around him
uneasy with speculation and rumor.
Age One Hundred Thirteen - One Hundred Twenty [/b]
The Trandoshan Slaver Raids[/b][/size]
Soon enough it was made clear that the Wookiees' old nemeses
-the Trandoshans- were behind the slaver's bold change in tactics.
Zaaltarr eventually developed a habit of venturing out on his own
to search for slavers while the patrol parties were either taking a
break of shifting the composition of their members.
The Madclaw[/b][/size]
One fateful night while he was tracking down a group of
Trandoshan slavers, Zaaltarr was drawn into a trap. Out-
numbered and surrounded, the Wookiee flew into a Dark
Rage and proceeded to once again energize his favorite blade
with his fury, hacking through the majority of them before they
had a chance to use their nets and other devices to capture him.
When the slaughter was over and their bodies littered the
ground around him, Zaaltarr snapped out of the Force Rage,
suddenly realizing that in the course of the battle he had used
several Force Screams to prevent his enemies from coordinating
their efforts. What was much, much, worse was the fact that
he had also used his claws to slay them. Now a Wookiee patrol
would find him there, dismembered slavers around him in a
bloody swath, his blade in one hand, and his extended claws
dripping blood on the other. According to culture and tradition,
any Wookiee who dishonored his race by resorting to using their
claws in battle was to be labeled a "Mad Claw" and exiled to the
Shadowlands.
And so it was. Zaaltarr was allowed to speak for himself, but the
evidence was impossible to ignore. Rumors of other strange and
freightening things others had seen him do was brought up
during the trial, further fueling the decision to exile him.
Age One Hundred Twenty One - One Hundred Seventy Six[/b]
The Shadowstrider[/b][/size]
At first Zaaltarr was angry, terribly angry at being sentenced to
exile. He had been defending the village hadn't he? Didn't that
count for anything? And what of the loyalty and the services he
had provided to the village in all the previous years of his life?
Zaaltarr would brude over such thoughts as he hunted for meat,
and for more cursed slavers to kill. For a time after his
sentencing, Zaaltarr plunged deep into the wildlands of the
planet's surface searching for ways to vent his anger and desire
to crush something's life out of existence.
Zaaltarr spent more than four decades stalking the depths of
the Shadowlands, becoming just as deadly as his surroundings.
He feared almost no creature of the wildlands, trusting in his
instincts, combat training, battle experience, and the Dark Side to
preserve him alive. Survival in the Shadowlands was not all that
difficult for the exile however; he had probably spent more time
hunting in the dense jungles than he had spent in the village.
And so for nearly five decades Zaaltarr walked the shadows of
Kashyyyk's surface, waging his own personal war against the
slavers and their Trandoshan allies and hunting for game when
he needed.
The Dark Jedi Arrive[/b][/size]
Throughout all of those years, Zaaltarr became resigned to the
fate he had been sentenced to and focused instead on punishing
the invaders whenever and however he could. Zaaltarr also
spent time unlocking the contents of the holocron he had found.
In time, he came to find himself wishing that he could leave
Kashyyyk and pursue other philosophies and practices of the Force.
There had to be someone out there that could teach him or make
use of his skills.
One day, after inflicting another heavy strike on an encampment
of Trandoshans, someone who looked similar to the men in the
images that were on the holocron appeared. Zaaltarr usually
would've attacked, but the human wasn't trying to hurt him and
looked like a Jeedai, so the Wookiee held off on any violent
actions, deciding instead to hear the human out. Apparently, the
man was in fact a Jedi, a Shadow that specialized in tracking down
any hint of the Dark Side and eliminating it if necessary. The Jedi
had been drawn to Kashyyyk, sensing the great unrest, conflict,
and even outright savagery that pervaded the region. Zaaltarr
answered the human's questions and asked a few of his own,
he was thoroughly familiar with Galactic Basic by this time, having
learned it from his holocron. The Jedi stayed with Zaaltarr for
several months, investigating the situations surrounding the
Wookiee's exile and listening to the tales of his many battles
against the slavers and their Trandoshan allies. Eventually the
Jedi Shadow determined that it was time for him to leave; Zaaltarr
posed no threat to anyone except to those who deserved death.
In fact, the Wookiee was so deep in the Shadowlands that it had
taken the Jedi years to gather enough information to be able to
locate him. And so the human left, allowing events to unfold as
the Force willed it, leaving Zaaltarr to live or die in the shadows
of the wildlands that had become as much a part of him as the
Force or his blade.
Zaaltarr took some time out from his campaign against the
invaders and contemplated what he had learned from the Jedi
Shadow. The two of them were much alike, doing what was
needed to root out an evil and protect those who could not
defend themselves from it. During this period in time, Zaaltarr
crafted for himself a set of black robes in imitation of both the
Force-users the holocron displayed and the Jedi Shadow that
had visited him. From that moment on, Zaaltarr was determined
to somehow become a true student of the Force.
The Life Debt[/b][/size]
Roughly ten years later, Zaaltarr would meet the human Jedi once
again, only this time something was different about him. The man
had a teenage boy with him and they both had a darker presence
about them. Zaaltarr learned from them that they were on the
run and looking for a place to lay low, so the Ex-Jedi Shadow had
thought of Kashyyyk, bringing his nephew Xerron who had been
living with him for some time by then with him. Zaaltarr would
spend four years with the humans, he teaching them about the
Shadowlands and they in turn teaching him about the Jedi Order,
the Force, and lightsabers.
Zaaltarr and the two Dark Jedi (for this is what they had become)
spent a few years beating back a new wave of Trando slavers,
until one day when Zaaltarr had been so badly outnumbered that
Xerron's uncle gave his life to save him. Zaaltarr and Xerron were
able to escape, to live to fight another day. Unable to repay the
Ex-Jedi Shadow, Zaaltarr pledged a life-debt to Xerron and the
two of them started looking for a way to leave Kashyyyk behind.
The Darksider[/b][/size]
Eventually Zaaltarr and Xerron were able to locate one of the
larger slaver encampments and take it by surprise. Armed with
the advantage of stealth and Xerron's lightsabers, the two were
able to infiltrate and take command of one of the slavers' military-
class combat shuttles (an MCS-13) and escape the Shadowlands
before a counter-attack could be mounted against them.
From there, the two Darksiders headed for Korriban. Xerron had
remembered hearing about some kind of academy there and
hoped the two of them could resume their Dark Side education
so that they might be able to one day take vengeance on their
respective enemies, the ones that had shattered their lives.
Lightsaber: N/A
Zaaltarr has yet to obtain
one to call his own, but he
often borrows one of Xerron's
sabers to practice with.
Color: N/A
Lightsaber Forms:[/u]
Shii-Cho: 3
Makashi: N/A
Soresu: N/A
Ataru: N/A
Shien / Djem So: N/A
>>Backhanded: N/A
Niman: N/A
>>Jar-kai: N/A
Juyo: N/A
Force-Sensitive Practices:[/u]
Telekinetic: 8
Telepathic: 8
Body: 4
Sense: 5
Protection: 6
Healing: 1
Destruction: 7
Specialized Force Skills:[/u]
Force Cloak
Force Attunement: -7
Attributes: [/u]
Strength: 8
Intelligence: 7
Speed: 6
Leadership: 5
Unarmed: 8
Melee Weapons: 7
Ranged Weapons: 5
Equipment:[/u]
Ryyk Kerathorr Blade:
- 6'' hilt, 3'0'' blade
A truly awe-inspiring weapon
that Zaaltarr employs with
terrifying severity.
Serrated Hunting Knife:
- 6'' hilt, 10'' blade
A workman's blade, sturdy,
sharp, and trusty. Zaaltarr often
used this blade to skin prey or
as a back-up weapon.
Twin-Barrel Bowcaster:
- The Primary Barrel fires multiple
quarrels to produce a spread-fire effect.
- The Secondary Barrel fires charged
shots to inflict high-impact damage
over a broader area.
Barab ore:
- Zaaltarr discovered this crystal
while exploring some old ruins on his
homeplanet. He plans on using it for
when he is able to craft or receive his
own lightsaber.
Synth & Dragite crystals:
- Zaaltarr found these crystals buried
in an ancient ruin in the Shadowlands.
He will put it to use when it comes time
for him to make his lightsaber.
Ancient Holocron:
- The Force enabled Zaaltarr to uncover
this holocron at the same place he found the
two crystals. He has unlocked a good portion
of the holocron's contents and has put it to
good use in his Force training.
Wookiee Ammo Belt:
- Zaaltarr wears this belt at his waist,
it holds a good amount of extra ammo for his
bowcaster.
Custom Baldric:
- Zaaltarr made this customized strap
with the attached sheath to hold his main Ryyk
kerathorr in place so that he can quickly draw
it from the small of his back. A smaller strap
secures his bowcaster on the upper portion
of his left shoulder so that he can pull it over
his shoulder and down into firing postion.
Sith Mask:
I do not own / take credit for this image.
Zaaltarr's mask.
Sith Robes:
I do not own / take credit for this image.
Zaaltarr's robes are in imitation of the robes the
Dark Jedi Prophets on his holocron wore. They drape around
him like shadows, making it impossible to tell what is beneath
their folds. Zaaltarr's true features are almost never seen, as
he prefers to shroud them with the deep hood of his cloak.
RP Sample:[/u]
[glow=maroon,1300]- The Hunter and the Hunted -[/b][/glow]
Zaaltarr crouched, inching forward under the cover of the jungle's
shadows and thick foilage, invisible to the eyes of his enemies.
The Trandoshans ahead of him were too busy bragging about
their previous slaving exploits to even think about the fact that
they could be in danger, even if they did have their camp with its
fire and various weapons laying about.
Arrogant filth, I shall enjoy ridding the galaxy of your existence.[/i]
Zaaltarr growled mentally. The Wookiee waited for an opening so
that he could drag one or two away, taking note of their armor
and the weapons they carried with them. At present, the Trandos
only had their traditional swords on them, their nets and blasters
were laying over by some crates that probably contained
grenades or extra ammo. Fools. This will be even easier than
I thought.[/i] Finally Zaaltarr had an opening as one of the
slavers moved away from the camp and tried to reach the rest of
their group on the radio. The Shadowstrider (as some from his
village now referred to him) stalked around the edge of the
encampment and then stretched out with his Force senses to
confirm his prey's positions.
A moment later Zaaltarr swiftly and silently charged in from the
side at the Trandoshan who was still adjusting the signal on his
radio. This approach blocked the Wookiee from the rest of the
camp's view, since he would be moving behind one of the tents.
Letting his hooded cape slip from his shoulders, Zaaltarr drew his
mighty double-handed blade and reared his arms back for the
swing. The Darksider focused all of his hate into his Ryyk kerathorr's
blade in a Force skill called Force Weapon and swung, letting
the momentum of his movement transfer to his right arm and
catching the Trandoshan in the throat just as the unfortunate
slaver was just beginning to turn towards him. Zaaltarr took a
brief moment to savor the look his prey had had on his face
before crouching low behind the the tent off to his right. The
slaver's head had flown out into the jungle, but the thud from
the body hitting the ground and the smell of blood alerted the
rest of the camp. Zaaltarr turned and stalked around the
opposite side of the now blood-splashed tent and rested his
blade on his shoulder as he hunkered down in a slow walk.
Just as Zaaltarr emerged from around the corner, he saw two of
the Trandoshans rush off towards their fallen comrade's corpse.
Zaaltarr sped forward through the middle of the camp, ignoring
the shouts of surprise and headed straight for the two he had
just seen. Just as he had expected, the two slavers were facing
the jungle, their backs fully exposed for Zaaltarr's blade to slice
its way through and out their chests. The Wookiee spun around
as he heard another slaver approaching from across the camp-fire.
Zaaltarr reached out with his telekinesis, sending the fiery logs
into the Trandoshan's face and propelling the lizard backwards.
Then the Wookiee had to rotate his shoulder out of harm's way
as the last slaver tried to get in a lucky strike. Zaaltarr was far
too aware of his surroundings for this however, having engaged
his Force technique Battlemind. Zaaltarr blocked the slaver's
sword again and again, temporarily unable to sheath his blade in
Dark Side energy again and push through his enemy's weapon.
Zaaltarr knocked the Trando's sword aside once again, stepping
into the block and finally unleashing a blast of what his holocron
referred to as 'Sith Wind' into the slaver's face with his left
hand. The Trandoshan was knocked to the ground, dazed and
feeling around for his sword. Zaaltarr sheathed his own weapon,
stepping forward and lifting the lizard up in a powerful Force Grip.
Zaaltarr held his prey there for a second, enjoying the fear that
was now bleeding out of him. And then the Madclaw, or "Zaaltarr
the Crazed" as he had become known, extended the razors on
his left hand and ended the Trandoshan's life in a brutal, Dark
Side fueled slash. Then Zaaltarr let the body crumple to the
ground and collected his hooded cape, letting the darkness of its
deep hood embrace him once more.
Ship Name: Neither Zaaltarr nor Xerron have yet given a
name to the MCS-13 Military Combat Shuttle they have come into
possession of.
Alias: Zaaltarr the Madclaw
A title placed upon
Zaaltarr after he was
exiled from his village
for using his claws
in battle.
Race: Wookiee
Gender: Male
Age: 176
Height: 6'6''
Weight: 370 lbs
Birthplace: Kashyyyk
Appearance:[/u]
As a Wookiee, Zaaltarr is a tall furry humanoid with
razor-sharp claws perfect for scaling wroshyr trees
and rending flesh from bone. Zaaltarr's fur is dark
red, appearing almost black in dim light or when he
stands under the cover of shadows. Zaaltarr is fairly
young for his race, but spending many decades as a
sentry trooper and hunter has given him an impressive
mastery of his muscular physique, a requirement for
surviving in the Shadowlands of Kashyyyk.
I do not own / take credit for this image.
Faction: Sith Order
Rank: Initiate
Previous Faction: Dark Jedi
Rank: Prophet
Bio:[/u]
Birth - Age Twelve[/b]
The Youth[/color][/b]
Zaaltarr was born into the world at a relatively peaceful time for
Kashyyyk. There were many pups born that year, and his village
was on its way to becoming one of the largest and most
prosperous. Zaal (as his parents and other villagers often called
him) was a robust infant, strong and maturing quickly, just as he
should have. Within one standard year, Zaal was fully conscious
and able to walk without needing assistance. A few years after
that, he was running around and playing with the other children.
Like all Wookiees, Zaaltarr was quick to pick up on language. He
was able to speak Shyriiwook and the other two dialects (Xaczik
and Thykarann) quite well by the time he reached ten years of
age. It was around this time that Zaaltarr discovered he could do
things others of his village could not. As if it was some kind of
powerful secret, Zaal would quite often head off alone to explore
his Force sensitivity or stay up at night to experiment with his
telekinesis, making objects float in the air around him. These
habits made it seem like the youth was developing a pattern of
anti-social behavior and many started to think that something
was wrong with him. The odd looks and whispered comments
wounded Zaal to an extent, and he in turn began to think that
something was wrong with everyone else. The youngling's
confusion started to lead him down the path of suspicion and
resentment and he soon found that he could reach new heights
in his Force powers even as his emotions did the same. The
eleventh year of Zaal's life was spent learning about the
Hrrtayyk coming-of-age ritual as well as the meaning of many
other Wookiee traditions.
The Hrrtayyk Ceremony[/b][/size]
When Zaaltarr turned twelve, it was time for him to complete the
coming-of-age ceremony called the hrrtayyk. He, along with
many other youths, were lead down into the Shadowlands
(Kashyyyk's ground level). The soon-to-be adult Wookiees were
taught a great many survival skills. Which plants and insects
were edible or not was the first lesson, and the second was how
to use various plant products and foilage to make utensils, rope,
tents, and other useful tools. The third lesson Zaaltarr and the
others learned was how to avoid certain dangers -especially
predators- and how to recognize the signs of approaching danger.
As a group, the youths were taken on a hunt to clear out a nest
of Netcasters that had strayed too close to the village. Since they
were as of yet without weapons, they were shown how to beat
the arachnids down with their fists and how to utilize the rocks
and other materials around them as weapons. The hunt went
well, without any major injuries or incidents. Zaaltarr had shown
promise in unarmed combat, particularly because he hadn't
much cared for using the blunt objects around him to attack the
Netcasters. In fact, Zaal was rather envious of the adult carrying
a double-handed Ryyk kerathorr that was leading them. He had
always been fascinated with kerathorr blades, and he wanted
very badly to have such a weapon to call his own.
The Holocron[/color][/b]
After hunting the Netcasters the group split, each individual
Wookiee youngling was to head off on their own for a time to
explore and practice the things they had just learned. Since it
had been a large group, Zaal had ended up going quite deep
into the dense jungle; he wanted to prove that he could brave
the Shadowlands, both out of sight and of hearing from any of
the others. Most his age left Zaaltarr to his lonesome, and he
had now become determined to prove that he was fine with it -
he didn't need them anyways.
It was on this solo excursion into the strangled depths of the
jungle that Zaaltarr came across some ruins left over from a
conflict long ago. The Wookiee felt something strange in the
Force as he probed the ruins, and he followed the feeling until he
uncovered several artifacts. The first one was a strange triangular
device that he would later find out was called a holocron. He also
found two crystals, one formed from an ingot of Barab ore, and
the other a Dragite.
Age Thirteen - Twenty Five[/b]
After completing the Hrrtayyk ceremony, Zaaltarr spent several
years developing various skills and abilities. The newly-instated
adult would often descend into the Shadowlands, where he
could listen to the voices on the holocron and watch its images,
slowly gaining comprehension of the device's contents. In this
way, Zaaltarr drew closer to the Dark Side and learned to view
the Force as a tool and a weapon to use as he pleased. No evil
plots took root in his mind just yet however; Zaaltarr merely
found ways to increase his potency as a hunter and a fighter.
I do not own / take credit for this image.
Hand-to-Hand Velocities[/b][/size]
At the age of eighteen, Zaaltarr signed up for extensive training
in different methods of combat and physical prowess. The first
leg of his instructions taught him to be a better hand-to-hand
combatant, able to either grapple or pummel an advisary with a
much more tactical and disciplined approach. Zaaltarr (few
referred to him as Zaal any longer) faired well in the training
matches and even went on to compete in small competitions
where young-and-upcoming fighters could display feats of
strength and tactical skill.
The Ryyk Blade[/b][/size]
The next leg of the trainees' instruction was Zaaltarr's favorite -
blades. The young Wookiee took to the training with zeal and
enthusiasm, arriving early and leaving later than the rest of the
trainees. Zaaltarr became skilled in wielding the Ryyk kerathorr
blades, both singular and dual. The competitions continued to
run on, now adding blunted blades into the mix. This made the
matches a much more rigorous work-out, but Zaaltarr took the
extra strain to his body in stride and never gave up, even after
he had been bested a few times. Eventually, Zaaltarr's artistry
with melee weapons surpassed his artifice in unarmed strategy.
After finally becoming recognized as one of the best Ryyk blade
and unarmed fighters in his village, Zaaltarr's instructors awarded
him a double-handed kerathorr blade and a unique bowcaster to
practice with in the final part of his training course.
The Bowcaster[/b][/size]
The final leg of the extended training course covered the history
and proper use of the bowcaster. Of the three parts, this was
the one to challenge Zaaltarr the most. He was proficient in close-
to-medium range strategies of combat, but long range was
different and he couldn't feel the Force fuel his movements the
way he could when he held a blade. At first, Zaaltarr lagged
behind the rest of the group, but as time went on, his ability with
the ranged weapon became more average for someone of his age.
Age Twenty Six - Forty Five[/b]
The Hunter[/b][/size]
At twenty six, Zaaltarr had completed his training course in the
use of his bowcaster and he and the other recently graduated
trainees went on frequent hunts. This too was a competition of
sorts, each young hunter challenging the next by attempting to
catch more prey or make more prestigious kills. Zaaltarr had
been in association with most of this hunting party for years by
now, and his ability to make friends and enjoy their company was
largely rekindled.
Soon enough the majority of the hunting party were making
regular trips into the Shadowlands, searching for new feats to
attempt. One such feat was to make the journey to the Well of
the Dead and harvest fibers from the carnivorous Syren plants.
One the way there, the Wookiee hunting party was often
swarmed by various wildlife, and constantly had to contend with
the "layered deathtrap" of Kashyyyk's numerous species of
deadly flora. It was on this journey that Zaaltarr increased his
aptitude with the Force skill he had come to know as Battlemind.
With the group's advanced training and Zaaltarr's ability to focus
so intently on the combat, they were able to coordinate rather
well and reach their destination.
Several of the hunting party made it back to the village bearing
the Syren plants' fibrous appendages. The group's excitement
was however dampened by the fact that several more of them
had been badly wounded by the Katarn lizards and one of their
pack had lost an arm to the Syrens after forbidding Zaaltarr to
strike the plant down with his blade. The group of hunters broke
up after that, none of them willing to venture out into the
Shadowlands that far ever again.
Age Forty Six - Sixty Five[/b]
The Dragon Keeper[/b][/size]
Intrigued by the so-called dragons, Zaaltarr spent most of the
next two decades learning about the Katarn lizards and how to
tame them. Zaaltarr was almost a natural at this; not only had
he learned respect for the creatures, but he had the power of
the Force to assist him. Through his efforts, the dying art of
creature taming was revitalized in the village.
When he wasn't helping to tame Katarns, Zaaltarr brushed up on
his combat techniques, with a particular focus on steadying his
ability with his bowcaster.
Age Sixty Six - Eighty Seven[/b]
The Sentry[/b][/size]
Zaaltarr once again signed up for training, this time to become a
sentry guarding the borders of his village. Zaaltarr learned to use
the Force to augment his senses with greater success during this
peroid of time, there was almost no shadow deep enough to best
his dark-vision.
During these decades, slaver activity had spread to the area of
Zaaltarr's village, posing a threat to any and all Wookiees in the
surrounding villages as well. A formidable force of sentries and
warriors gathered and clashed with the foreigners on numerous
occasions. The Wookiees prevailed each time, but their village
was in effect no longer hidden from enemy eyes.
During his many engagements with the slaver's own scouting
parties, Zaaltarr learned how to scare, choke, and even drain the
life from his opponents (to some extent) with the Force. These
years of near-constant threat made Zaaltarr realize that while
his blades and his bowcaster were deadly, the Force was his
most powerful weapon of all. He discovered that pouring his rage
into his blade increased its destructive power, allowing him to
cleave through the slaver's armor and flesh alike with ease.
Age Eighty Eight - One Hundred Twelve[/b]
The Shadowlands Patrol[/b][/size]
Eventually, the slavers changed their tactics and started
attacking via the Shadowlands. The Wookiees had not expected
such a risky maneuver on their part and was hard pressed to
change the focus of their defense. It was decided that elite
patrols would be deployed to constantly scour the nearby section
of the Shadowlands and slowly branch out until they could find
the slaver's base of operations. Zaaltarr was there in the middle
of it all, taking a group of Katarn he had helped to train with the
patrol he was in to sniff out the invaders. His skills in battle were
honed like a razor's edge, and sometimes he would even use the
Force outright to attack the enemy, often using Force Scream as
he charged a group of them. Most of his patrol party were far too
busy with their own opponents to notice much, but the fierceness
with which Zaaltarr dispatched his opponents eventually served to
distinguished him, and once again he made those around him
uneasy with speculation and rumor.
Age One Hundred Thirteen - One Hundred Twenty [/b]
The Trandoshan Slaver Raids[/b][/size]
Soon enough it was made clear that the Wookiees' old nemeses
-the Trandoshans- were behind the slaver's bold change in tactics.
Zaaltarr eventually developed a habit of venturing out on his own
to search for slavers while the patrol parties were either taking a
break of shifting the composition of their members.
The Madclaw[/b][/size]
One fateful night while he was tracking down a group of
Trandoshan slavers, Zaaltarr was drawn into a trap. Out-
numbered and surrounded, the Wookiee flew into a Dark
Rage and proceeded to once again energize his favorite blade
with his fury, hacking through the majority of them before they
had a chance to use their nets and other devices to capture him.
When the slaughter was over and their bodies littered the
ground around him, Zaaltarr snapped out of the Force Rage,
suddenly realizing that in the course of the battle he had used
several Force Screams to prevent his enemies from coordinating
their efforts. What was much, much, worse was the fact that
he had also used his claws to slay them. Now a Wookiee patrol
would find him there, dismembered slavers around him in a
bloody swath, his blade in one hand, and his extended claws
dripping blood on the other. According to culture and tradition,
any Wookiee who dishonored his race by resorting to using their
claws in battle was to be labeled a "Mad Claw" and exiled to the
Shadowlands.
And so it was. Zaaltarr was allowed to speak for himself, but the
evidence was impossible to ignore. Rumors of other strange and
freightening things others had seen him do was brought up
during the trial, further fueling the decision to exile him.
Age One Hundred Twenty One - One Hundred Seventy Six[/b]
The Shadowstrider[/b][/size]
At first Zaaltarr was angry, terribly angry at being sentenced to
exile. He had been defending the village hadn't he? Didn't that
count for anything? And what of the loyalty and the services he
had provided to the village in all the previous years of his life?
Zaaltarr would brude over such thoughts as he hunted for meat,
and for more cursed slavers to kill. For a time after his
sentencing, Zaaltarr plunged deep into the wildlands of the
planet's surface searching for ways to vent his anger and desire
to crush something's life out of existence.
Zaaltarr spent more than four decades stalking the depths of
the Shadowlands, becoming just as deadly as his surroundings.
He feared almost no creature of the wildlands, trusting in his
instincts, combat training, battle experience, and the Dark Side to
preserve him alive. Survival in the Shadowlands was not all that
difficult for the exile however; he had probably spent more time
hunting in the dense jungles than he had spent in the village.
And so for nearly five decades Zaaltarr walked the shadows of
Kashyyyk's surface, waging his own personal war against the
slavers and their Trandoshan allies and hunting for game when
he needed.
The Dark Jedi Arrive[/b][/size]
Throughout all of those years, Zaaltarr became resigned to the
fate he had been sentenced to and focused instead on punishing
the invaders whenever and however he could. Zaaltarr also
spent time unlocking the contents of the holocron he had found.
In time, he came to find himself wishing that he could leave
Kashyyyk and pursue other philosophies and practices of the Force.
There had to be someone out there that could teach him or make
use of his skills.
One day, after inflicting another heavy strike on an encampment
of Trandoshans, someone who looked similar to the men in the
images that were on the holocron appeared. Zaaltarr usually
would've attacked, but the human wasn't trying to hurt him and
looked like a Jeedai, so the Wookiee held off on any violent
actions, deciding instead to hear the human out. Apparently, the
man was in fact a Jedi, a Shadow that specialized in tracking down
any hint of the Dark Side and eliminating it if necessary. The Jedi
had been drawn to Kashyyyk, sensing the great unrest, conflict,
and even outright savagery that pervaded the region. Zaaltarr
answered the human's questions and asked a few of his own,
he was thoroughly familiar with Galactic Basic by this time, having
learned it from his holocron. The Jedi stayed with Zaaltarr for
several months, investigating the situations surrounding the
Wookiee's exile and listening to the tales of his many battles
against the slavers and their Trandoshan allies. Eventually the
Jedi Shadow determined that it was time for him to leave; Zaaltarr
posed no threat to anyone except to those who deserved death.
In fact, the Wookiee was so deep in the Shadowlands that it had
taken the Jedi years to gather enough information to be able to
locate him. And so the human left, allowing events to unfold as
the Force willed it, leaving Zaaltarr to live or die in the shadows
of the wildlands that had become as much a part of him as the
Force or his blade.
Zaaltarr took some time out from his campaign against the
invaders and contemplated what he had learned from the Jedi
Shadow. The two of them were much alike, doing what was
needed to root out an evil and protect those who could not
defend themselves from it. During this period in time, Zaaltarr
crafted for himself a set of black robes in imitation of both the
Force-users the holocron displayed and the Jedi Shadow that
had visited him. From that moment on, Zaaltarr was determined
to somehow become a true student of the Force.
The Life Debt[/b][/size]
Roughly ten years later, Zaaltarr would meet the human Jedi once
again, only this time something was different about him. The man
had a teenage boy with him and they both had a darker presence
about them. Zaaltarr learned from them that they were on the
run and looking for a place to lay low, so the Ex-Jedi Shadow had
thought of Kashyyyk, bringing his nephew Xerron who had been
living with him for some time by then with him. Zaaltarr would
spend four years with the humans, he teaching them about the
Shadowlands and they in turn teaching him about the Jedi Order,
the Force, and lightsabers.
Zaaltarr and the two Dark Jedi (for this is what they had become)
spent a few years beating back a new wave of Trando slavers,
until one day when Zaaltarr had been so badly outnumbered that
Xerron's uncle gave his life to save him. Zaaltarr and Xerron were
able to escape, to live to fight another day. Unable to repay the
Ex-Jedi Shadow, Zaaltarr pledged a life-debt to Xerron and the
two of them started looking for a way to leave Kashyyyk behind.
The Darksider[/b][/size]
Eventually Zaaltarr and Xerron were able to locate one of the
larger slaver encampments and take it by surprise. Armed with
the advantage of stealth and Xerron's lightsabers, the two were
able to infiltrate and take command of one of the slavers' military-
class combat shuttles (an MCS-13) and escape the Shadowlands
before a counter-attack could be mounted against them.
From there, the two Darksiders headed for Korriban. Xerron had
remembered hearing about some kind of academy there and
hoped the two of them could resume their Dark Side education
so that they might be able to one day take vengeance on their
respective enemies, the ones that had shattered their lives.
Lightsaber: N/A
Zaaltarr has yet to obtain
one to call his own, but he
often borrows one of Xerron's
sabers to practice with.
Color: N/A
Lightsaber Forms:[/u]
Shii-Cho: 3
Makashi: N/A
Soresu: N/A
Ataru: N/A
Shien / Djem So: N/A
>>Backhanded: N/A
Niman: N/A
>>Jar-kai: N/A
Juyo: N/A
Force-Sensitive Practices:[/u]
Telekinetic: 8
Telepathic: 8
Body: 4
Sense: 5
Protection: 6
Healing: 1
Destruction: 7
Specialized Force Skills:[/u]
Force Cloak
Force Attunement: -7
Attributes: [/u]
Strength: 8
Intelligence: 7
Speed: 6
Leadership: 5
Unarmed: 8
Melee Weapons: 7
Ranged Weapons: 5
Equipment:[/u]
Ryyk Kerathorr Blade:
- 6'' hilt, 3'0'' blade
A truly awe-inspiring weapon
that Zaaltarr employs with
terrifying severity.
Serrated Hunting Knife:
- 6'' hilt, 10'' blade
A workman's blade, sturdy,
sharp, and trusty. Zaaltarr often
used this blade to skin prey or
as a back-up weapon.
Twin-Barrel Bowcaster:
- The Primary Barrel fires multiple
quarrels to produce a spread-fire effect.
- The Secondary Barrel fires charged
shots to inflict high-impact damage
over a broader area.
Barab ore:
- Zaaltarr discovered this crystal
while exploring some old ruins on his
homeplanet. He plans on using it for
when he is able to craft or receive his
own lightsaber.
Synth & Dragite crystals:
- Zaaltarr found these crystals buried
in an ancient ruin in the Shadowlands.
He will put it to use when it comes time
for him to make his lightsaber.
Ancient Holocron:
- The Force enabled Zaaltarr to uncover
this holocron at the same place he found the
two crystals. He has unlocked a good portion
of the holocron's contents and has put it to
good use in his Force training.
Wookiee Ammo Belt:
- Zaaltarr wears this belt at his waist,
it holds a good amount of extra ammo for his
bowcaster.
Custom Baldric:
- Zaaltarr made this customized strap
with the attached sheath to hold his main Ryyk
kerathorr in place so that he can quickly draw
it from the small of his back. A smaller strap
secures his bowcaster on the upper portion
of his left shoulder so that he can pull it over
his shoulder and down into firing postion.
Sith Mask:
I do not own / take credit for this image.
Zaaltarr's mask.
Sith Robes:
I do not own / take credit for this image.
Zaaltarr's robes are in imitation of the robes the
Dark Jedi Prophets on his holocron wore. They drape around
him like shadows, making it impossible to tell what is beneath
their folds. Zaaltarr's true features are almost never seen, as
he prefers to shroud them with the deep hood of his cloak.
RP Sample:[/u]
[glow=maroon,1300]- The Hunter and the Hunted -[/b][/glow]
Zaaltarr crouched, inching forward under the cover of the jungle's
shadows and thick foilage, invisible to the eyes of his enemies.
The Trandoshans ahead of him were too busy bragging about
their previous slaving exploits to even think about the fact that
they could be in danger, even if they did have their camp with its
fire and various weapons laying about.
Arrogant filth, I shall enjoy ridding the galaxy of your existence.[/i]
Zaaltarr growled mentally. The Wookiee waited for an opening so
that he could drag one or two away, taking note of their armor
and the weapons they carried with them. At present, the Trandos
only had their traditional swords on them, their nets and blasters
were laying over by some crates that probably contained
grenades or extra ammo. Fools. This will be even easier than
I thought.[/i] Finally Zaaltarr had an opening as one of the
slavers moved away from the camp and tried to reach the rest of
their group on the radio. The Shadowstrider (as some from his
village now referred to him) stalked around the edge of the
encampment and then stretched out with his Force senses to
confirm his prey's positions.
A moment later Zaaltarr swiftly and silently charged in from the
side at the Trandoshan who was still adjusting the signal on his
radio. This approach blocked the Wookiee from the rest of the
camp's view, since he would be moving behind one of the tents.
Letting his hooded cape slip from his shoulders, Zaaltarr drew his
mighty double-handed blade and reared his arms back for the
swing. The Darksider focused all of his hate into his Ryyk kerathorr's
blade in a Force skill called Force Weapon and swung, letting
the momentum of his movement transfer to his right arm and
catching the Trandoshan in the throat just as the unfortunate
slaver was just beginning to turn towards him. Zaaltarr took a
brief moment to savor the look his prey had had on his face
before crouching low behind the the tent off to his right. The
slaver's head had flown out into the jungle, but the thud from
the body hitting the ground and the smell of blood alerted the
rest of the camp. Zaaltarr turned and stalked around the
opposite side of the now blood-splashed tent and rested his
blade on his shoulder as he hunkered down in a slow walk.
Just as Zaaltarr emerged from around the corner, he saw two of
the Trandoshans rush off towards their fallen comrade's corpse.
Zaaltarr sped forward through the middle of the camp, ignoring
the shouts of surprise and headed straight for the two he had
just seen. Just as he had expected, the two slavers were facing
the jungle, their backs fully exposed for Zaaltarr's blade to slice
its way through and out their chests. The Wookiee spun around
as he heard another slaver approaching from across the camp-fire.
Zaaltarr reached out with his telekinesis, sending the fiery logs
into the Trandoshan's face and propelling the lizard backwards.
Then the Wookiee had to rotate his shoulder out of harm's way
as the last slaver tried to get in a lucky strike. Zaaltarr was far
too aware of his surroundings for this however, having engaged
his Force technique Battlemind. Zaaltarr blocked the slaver's
sword again and again, temporarily unable to sheath his blade in
Dark Side energy again and push through his enemy's weapon.
Zaaltarr knocked the Trando's sword aside once again, stepping
into the block and finally unleashing a blast of what his holocron
referred to as 'Sith Wind' into the slaver's face with his left
hand. The Trandoshan was knocked to the ground, dazed and
feeling around for his sword. Zaaltarr sheathed his own weapon,
stepping forward and lifting the lizard up in a powerful Force Grip.
Zaaltarr held his prey there for a second, enjoying the fear that
was now bleeding out of him. And then the Madclaw, or "Zaaltarr
the Crazed" as he had become known, extended the razors on
his left hand and ended the Trandoshan's life in a brutal, Dark
Side fueled slash. Then Zaaltarr let the body crumple to the
ground and collected his hooded cape, letting the darkness of its
deep hood embrace him once more.
Ship Name: Neither Zaaltarr nor Xerron have yet given a
name to the MCS-13 Military Combat Shuttle they have come into
possession of.
