Post by astalakio on Oct 23, 2011 14:50:11 GMT -5
Name: Melyk
Race: Kushiban
Age: 16
Height: 1’6’’ on hind legs
Weight: 16 Lbs
Appearance:
As with all Kushiban, Melyk is covered completely with fur which changes in colour depending on his mood. When he is calm and content, his fur will usually be a pure white, however if he should feel more negative emotions, such as fear, anger or anxiety, the shade of his fur turns darker, eventually arriving at a complete black. This rarely ever occurs, since being raised by the jedi he has developed a firm control over his emotions. His eyes are large and green, with darker green pupils, and he has two tall rabbit-like ears. There is also a characteristically unruly tuft of fur on his forehead which always seems to stick out (a cause of minor irritation to him, though others have said to find it endearing). His tail is about nine inches long. Melyk’s tail is almost always moving – never still, usually just hovering about behind him making circles in the air (a subconscious action that Melyk himself hasn’t actually noticed). Although a small harness would perhaps serve the purpose better, Melyk wears a more conventional jedi belt, though it has been customised and tightened so that it doesn’t simply slip off of him. He doesn’t keep anything on the belt, apart from his lightsaber.
Personality: It often surprises those he meets for the first time to discover that Melyk is very mature for both his appearance and his age. His strict adherence to the rules of the jedi order since he was old enough to understand them and his belief in the power of wisdom has led to him becoming a very thoughtful and responsible creature. Even as a child Melyk showed maturity beyond his years, and was always certain to plan out his actions with caution before leaping into any situation. Due to this, he was often called a wet blanket by those of his peers who expected him to be a lot more fun and cuddly, as they assumed he would be based on his appearance. It is worth noting, however, that he does not seem to be irritated by those who think he is cute, unlike many of his kind. Instead he understands the fact that he may one day use this to his advantage, as his parents did before him.
Melyk’s belief in the jedi way is unwavering, and he values life above all else. He spends much time in meditation in an attempt to better connect to the living and unifying force, and looks up to the members of the High Council, little daring to hope that one day he might rise to be among them (though, he reminds himself, rank and title is of little importance, as long as he can serve the cause). When not trying to uncover the mysteries of the force, he can be found trying to understand the mysteries of the universe around him. He spends much time in the libraries and archives of the temple, absorbing the collected knowledge there like a sponge. He is enthusiastic when it comes to life in the universe, and wishes to keep learning as long as he lives.
There is another side to Melyk’s personality beyond that of the eager young student of the force, however. He has been described as ‘eccentric’. Creative by nature, he often comes up with strange ideas for everything from inventions to methods of study, and though he doesn’t seem to have any close friends, he tends to mutter to himself as he scurries about the halls and rooms of the temple. He usually has a look about him as if he is thinking about something extremely important – a distracted, faraway look that has become his signature to those who know him. He may not look like he’s listening while others talk to him, but he is taking in every word… we hope. He doesn’t suffer fools gladly, but is always ready to listen to the problems of anyone who needs help, and is glad to offer his counsel and advice – something that his peers have come to appreciate, as he is almost always right.
Birth place: Kushibah
Faction: Jedi
Rank: Padawan
Lightsaber: Melyk uses a shoto which, despite its lessened length, was still difficult for him to get to grips with, as its total length is about the same as his own height. The hilt is non-descript, a sleek silver grip with a segmented emitter and darker grey pommel. The activation switch is one which requires sliding to activate.
Color: Green
Practiced Lightsaber forms:
Shii-Cho 3
Makashi
Soresu
Ataru 3
Shien / Djem So
>>Sub-form Backhanded
Niman
>>Sub-form Jar-kai, or Dual Wield
Juyo
Double Bladed Combat
Force-Sensitive Abilities or practices:
Telekinetic: 2
Telepathic: 4
Body: 2
Sense: 4
Protection: 5
Healing: 4
Destruction: 0
Specialized Skills:
Attributes:
Physical Strength: 2
Intelligence: 6
Speed: 4 (6 on all-fours)
Leadership: 5
Unarmed: 1
Melee Weapons: 3
Ranged Weapons: 1
Force Attunement: +4
Bio:
EARLY LIFE
It was not long after his birth that Melyk’s parents knew he had the potential to interact with the living force. As all Kushiban are force-sensitive to some small extent, it was very clear to them before long that their child was something more than the usual infant. The new parents deliberated over what to do about this fact for some time. They were upstanding citizens, and, while they desired only the best and happiest life for their son, they also felt it would be selfish to keep him on their remote planet, getting him to work on their humble farm and spend his life weaving silkweed when he had the capability to accomplish so much more.
And so it was that Melyk’s parents left Kushibah for the first time in their lives. They had heard tales of adventurous travels through deep space, and the places that warriors and heroes had been, but the two of them had been born on their homeworld and had been content to remain there until now. They understood, however, that the chances of their child being discovered by a wandering jedi or sensed by one from across the stars were less than slim, and so they were forced to take matters into their own small and furry paws.
They found that it was not difficult to travel without one’s own spacecraft when one was considered adorable by many of the species of the galaxy. Together, the three of them hitch-hiked from port to port, scrambling for food where they could and relying almost entirely on the kindness of strangers to get them where they needed to be. Some of Melyk’s earliest hazy memories are of the metal interiors of a hundred different spacecraft, and of his parents constantly watching over him with loving eyes. As for them, they found that they became less and less willing to travel as their journey went on. Not only were the planets they visited becoming busier and more dangerous as they neared the core worlds, but they knew that the time would soon come when they would be forced to give up the child that they loved so much. Yet it was because of their love, and their hopes for his future, that they pushed on.
The journey was long and, at times, hard, but eventually the end came into sight. Coruscant was a single space shuttle away when things took an unfortunate turn. Melyk and his mother were tired when they arrived at the space port, and so his father instructed them to wait in what they thought was a safe spot while he attempted to find some food. The port was busy and chaotic, and, even huddled into the most secure corner she could find, Melyk’s mother was wary of the men and women of all shapes and sizes – but all taller and more imposing than them – passed this way and that. Then came the strangers who took an interest in the bedraggled looking creatures they noticed as they walked by. Before long, both the young Melyk and his mother had been plucked from the street and taken away. Although the family had heard tales of Kushiban being captured and kept as pets by hostile aliens, they were not prepared for what came next. They were not being taken away to be pets, but instead to be a new and exotic food for an existing pet – one with both a much larger appetite and set of teeth than they had.
When he returned to find his family missing, Melyk’s father almost broke down through fear and guilt. He had lost them. He had failed his wife and son and there was no way he would be able to find them.
And then he noticed it: the fluctuation in force energy. It was hard to trace on a planet full of living creatures, but he recognised it. It was the same pattern of energy that had made them notice Melyk’s potential in the first place. It was stronger than ever, and even though Melyk’s father was no more sensitive to the force than any other one of his species, the spikes of force-fuelled emotion coming from his son could not be clearer as they grew out of his fear. His father was able to follow it like a paper trail to Melyk and his wife, and it took only a minor feat of life-risking rescue to save them from their captors before the ignorant creatures had even noticed they were gone.
Despite all odds, the little family who had kept each other safe over the course of their treacherous journey finally arrived at their destination, and it took all their strength to do what they came to do. They let their son go.
INITIATE
The world was big, and everything in it was tall. That was what Melyk discovered during his upbringing in the jedi temple. He could not properly remember the planet he was born on, and yet he knew it could not have been this overwhelming. Everywhere he looked there was danger (not least of all of being trodden on), but, as he was soon taught, in the middle of it all was the force. Here was an oasis of energy that he did not understand, but he knew it was all-important, and he elected to study it with his utmost vigour, even as a youngling. The more he was told about the force, and the more meditation he undertook, the more he felt it inside him, and surrounding him, calling to him. Soon, the lessons of the jedi erased any traces of fear of his new environment, and before he knew it, Melyk was traversing the temple with ease, and conversing with his peers as equals. No longer did he fear the world, but through his studies he realised that he should admire it, observe it, and learn everything there was to learn.
He dedicated little of his time to socialising, though he did not shun his peers, and did everything in his power to become a perfect student of the force. He would spend hours in the archives discovering knew truths, and would sometimes settle into a deep meditation, opening his eyes only to discover that an entire day had passed. His teachers noticed this dedication, and were impressed by it, but equally his peers noticed his studious behaviour and, in the manner of younglings, decided that he needed to lighten up.
When he appeared unresponsive or distracted during the conversations they tried to start, they tried games, however Melyk was much too serious, acting too maturely for his age to be interested in such frivolous pastimes.
There came in instance when two of his clan members decided they would sneak out of the temple for a day to see the sights of Coruscant. Melyk, being Melyk, was quick to inform them that such an activity would be in violation of the rules, and that no, he would not like to join them, thank you very much. Knowing that he would immediately run and tell his superiors of their plan, the two younglings made him swear he wouldn’t, claiming that the entire clan would excommunicate him if he got them into trouble. Melyk therefore found himself in a difficult position, but since he did not want his classmates to dislike him any more than they already did, he made one of the few mistakes he can claim to have ever made, and agreed to let them go. He did, however, force them to take a communicator with them so that they could contact him at the temple should anything happen.
As things transpired, something did happen. Coruscant is a dangerous place, and the jedi are not accepted by all as the protectors of peace they attempt to be. The two younglings found themselves in deep trouble, and made the call back to Melyk at the temple. Melyk immediately went to one of his teachers, who took him into Coruscant to find and retrieve the two missing pupils. To do so was of little difficulty for a jedi knight, and both the younglings were returned home safely to face proper punishment for their little stunt. Despite this, they were relieved to be alive and still own the correct number of limbs, and they, along with the whole of their clan, were much nicer to Melyk after that time. They still thought him strange though.
PADAWAN
At the age of eleven, Melyk already knew the path that he was meant to take. The Jedi Guardian, he reasoned, would save thousands of innocent lives over the course of their career. The Consular, however, might save millions in a single day in the prevention of war through peacemaking between two or more parties. That was what he wanted, to help as many people as possible, and this, combined with the fact that he had always been more at home in using the force than a lightsaber, meant that he was not participating in the Apprentice Tournament that was being held in the temple. If a master was looking for a future Guardian, he would certainly start there, and pick a student with impressive combat skills. On the other hand, there were bound to be masters who wanted force-users and thinkers by their sides, and since these types of jedi would likely not start their search at the tournament, neither would Melyk. He instead resolved to keep his focus on learning, as it always had been, and eventually he knew that the will of the force would lead him to his future mentor.
Still, he found it hard to concentrate in the library during that time. Though he scorned himself for it, he couldn’t help but cast curious glances over his shoulder to see if any wandering knights who were looking for new apprentices had spotted him.
Time passed, and one by one Melyk watched the members of his clan slip away. Routinely, his friends would come up to him with wide smiles on their faces, to tell him in delighted tones that they were to become padawans and leave Coruscant to travel the galaxy in the service of the order immediately. Knowing that jealousy was a dark emotion that he was well above, Melyk would smile back and congratulate his friends, wishing them the best in their endeavours. He could not, however, stop the growing concern that was festering in his mind, that although he had passed the initiate trials with ease, he would never find a mentor and be left behind to wander the temples he had grown up in for the rest of his long life.
Such negative thoughts and a desire to cleanse himself of them were what led Melyk to the Room of a Thousand Fountains. There were many chambers in the temple designed specifically for meditation, and Melyk frequented these often, but on that particular day, at that particular time, he felt he needed the calming sound of nature about him. That was what led him to the room, and that room was where he met his future master. His name was Alarez Bur, and he was an accomplished jedi master. He had already trained several padawans to knighthood, and was an esteemed member of the order. Melyk knew this about him as soon as he saw him upon entering the room, because he had admired the tales of the master’s exploits as they had been recorded in the archives. He almost didn’t dare to hope that perhaps this man, one of his greatest inspirations, was looking for a new padawan to take on and to whom he might pass on his considerable wealth of knowledge and experience. He wanted to speak to the older jedi, but appeared to be in deep meditation, and interrupting him would definitely not give the impression he wanted to make. Instead he took a space in the room and sat down, centering his mind and preparing to go into a state of empty meditation while he decided what to do about the situation. Almost immediately, the sounds and sensations of the world around him became a distant trickling in his perceptions, and the presence of Master Bur was extremely prominent. Melyk could sense the energy radiating from the older jedi – perfectly controlled, of course, but of such an inspiring intensity that he felt it even heightened his own control of the force and of himself from where he sat several metres away. He removed his mind for a moment from matters of the other jedi in the room and his current situation, and simply let his mind open up. He began to sense the ripples of the wider force, the distant echoes of voices that signified that he was connecting with the unifying power that binds the universe… And that was when he felt a hand on his arm.
With a start, he opened his eyes, his concentration dissipated like scattered smoke, and he fell out of the air and hit the floor. Hard. This surprised the diminutive jedi to no end, as he hadn’t realised that he had been in rising meditation at all, and that he had been unconsciously floating some way off the ground. Such a sudden shock was this to him that it took him a few moments to collect himself and look up, only to find Master Bur stood over him, his face hard, his brow furrowed in the serious expression Melyk had seen many times in holoprojections. Bur had come over to mention to Melyk that he was demonstrating superb concentration and focus on the force that it was enough to magnify his presence and disturb the older jedi from his own meditation. Feeling very much a fool, Melyk apologised, and found that he had to restrain himself from grovelling, as from what he had read of Bur, he was not one to take such behaviour lightly. Quite bluntly, Bur then declared that he was, indeed, looking to locate a new apprentice. He then instructed Melyk to restrain his emotions, as his coat of fur took on an almost blindingly white shine. Bur invited the younger jedi to walk with him, and they began a discussion about many things – Melyk, Bur, the adventures Melyk had read about, what Bur was looking for in his new padawan, what Melyk hoped to achieve in the future. Master Bur was an infamously difficult man to read, as he had that same dark frown covering his features the entire time, and his emotions were so bolted down that, at times, Melyk would swear he was conversing with a droid. They came, eventually, to the end of their walk, and quite plainly Bur informed Melyk that he was prepared to take him on as his apprentice, as long as he was certain that he would be able to dedicate his every waking moment to studying harder and working more rigorously than he ever had before. Melyk accepted the terms offered to him in a heartbeat.
In the archives in the temple on Coruscant, Melyk read about how brave, heroic and wise Alarez Bur was. He did not read about how strict. Every day spent by his idol’s side was taxing. He would be allowed only a few hours’ sleep, and sometimes be woken up at ungodly hours of the night for no other reason than to do drills. They never spent a single second longer in one place than they absolutely had to, and when not striding along on diplomatic missions (not slowing to allow his tiny-legged apprentice to catch up even once), Bur was putting Melyk through his paces in the ways of the force and physical exercises. This was not how Melyk imagined it would be. He thought he would be Bur’s partner, there to witness his acts of bravery and learn from him as he had learned from the books he so loved as a youngling. Instead, it was like Melyk was a side-project for the jedi master, sometimes little more than an annoyance. Not once did the man crack a smile or say anything apart from to deliver a two-or-three-word sentence in instruction every now and then. The new padawan was at first baffled by this, and how he should deal with it. He was sure that not all master-apprentice relationships were like this one. He was sure that not a single student among his clan that he had known growing up would be able to deal with such tough training and such a strict tutor as this.
Very quickly, the tales that inspired Melyk as an initiate began to fade into the background. This Bur was a different person to the one he had always envisioned, and before long the idea of being alongside his hero was no longer motivation for him. But he had found new inspiration. Melyk was an intelligent creature, and soon he had figured out exactly what his hard-faced teacher was doing. When they had met and talked on Coruscant, Bur had seen that Melyk was at the top of his class, that he had taken on every lesson he had been taught and come back ready for more. He had seen his confidence, and perhaps he had seen in the furry little student a reflection of his own relentlessness and thirst for something better. And Bur knew that for him to get better, he would have to be pushed. He would have to be challenged. And that was what he was doing. Once Melyk had figured this out, that their relationship was in fact an unspoken contest of who would relent first – the master or the apprentice – he set aside his doubts and began to put all of his efforts in proving that he meant every word of the promise he made to Bur before they left Coruscant.
After this revelation, it was, in turn, a short while before Master Bur noticed his student’s renewed determination, and though he did not let up on the difficulty of the training he put him through, he began to show that he approved in the smallest of ways – a nod here, a rough pat on the head there. In the most peculiar fashion, their bond had progressed like a game of chess, each one coming to understand the other through a single agreement: ’You push me, and I’ll push back’.
It took time. It took years, but their seemingly distasteful banter toward each other began to hide a real mutual fondness. They began to understand how the other thought, and the trust that formed did so slowly, but when it was complete, it was unbreakable. Finally Melyk had become more of a sparring partner than a punching bag.
Melyk learned volumes from Master Bur – more valuable lessons than he could have learned from reading all the books in all the temples in the galaxy, and he still had so much to learn, when his master was taken from him.
LOSS
Master Bur had not said why they needed to visit Coruscant. Melyk didn’t think that this was unreasonable, however, most of the time his master wouldn’t even tell him where they were going at all, he would just set the course and leave it to him to figure out. They had not been back to Coruscant since leaving it four years ago, and although Melyk knew that the jedi were forbidden to have emotional attachments to anything, he was secretly looking forward to going back and seeing the familiar places and faces again.
When they arrived, Bur told Melyk that he was to go and spend his time as he would, and that he had an errand of his own to run. There was nothing unusual about this – Bur had always been secretive to some extent, and Melyk had come to accept this as just another aspect of his personality. Besides, he was glad to have the opportunity to spend the day how he wished – it was a gift that did not come often. As the two of them – teacher and student – parted ways, only one of them knew that it would be the last time they would ever speak with one another.
Melyk spent the day in various places around the temple. He caught up with his old instructors and the librarians he was especially fond of. He visited the Room of a Thousand Fountains, where he had first met his master, and went back to the dormitories of his clan to see if they had changed. They hadn’t. Nothing seemed to change in the jedi temple, as if the entire place was frozen in time. It was comforting.
The sun was beginning to set on Coruscant, and Melyk was starting to wonder when his master would reappear and they would leave the planet, when the most peculiar incident occurred. The white-furred padawan was perched upon a ledge in the entrance chamber, waiting to meet his master in the same spot in which they had parted, and a jedi he recognised as a student he had once asked advice from as a youngling walked past. Noticing his friend, he struck up a conversation with him, and it was pleasant enough, until the older padawan was suddenly overtaken with an expression of sympathy, and told Melyk that he was sorry to hear the news about Alarez Bur. Amused and more than a little bewildered, Melyk enquired as to what he meant, exactly. At once, the other padawan became very startled, as if realising that he had become the one to break some bad news to him. The change in the boy’s emotions was unsettling for Melyk (not least because, for his part, he had learned to control his own emotions to a fine point), and he became impatient as the boy deliberated on how to tell him whatever it was he didn’t know. And that was when Melyk learned of his master’s betrayal.
He had, apparently, fallen in love with some woman living on his home planet. It was not a new occurrence, but instead they had been very much in love with one another for several years. Knowing that it was foolish to try and hide a forbidden love from the High Council, and reportedly willing to do anything for his newfound love rather than deny himself, he had come to Coruscant today to turn in his lightsaber to the council and declare that he was leaving the order. All of this, the older padawan said, he had learned from rumours alone that same day.
Melyk did not believe the nonsense, of course. It was ridiculous – almost amusing! Master Bur, the stone-faced, unforgiving taskmaster he had come to know so well a secret romantic? If gossip was going to spread, Melyk reflected, perhaps it should be more realistic. But the student he was speaking to remained sombre and apologetic, and this attitude was enough to set Melyk off without another word towards the council chamber. It was ridiculous – the most ludicrous thing he’d ever heard… but Master Bur did ludicrous things all the time. He had to hear it from someone more trustworthy before he did anything rash. He came to the door of the chamber very quickly in his haste, and was stopped by guards, who refused to let him through. An elderly jedi who was passing, one of Melyk’s old teachers, noticed that there was some sort of conflict going on, and, realising the cause was the young Melyk, and putting two and two together, the teacher supposed the padawan had heard the news. He escorted the kushiban away from the doors and settled him down to inform him that yes, what he heard was true. Alarez Bur had indeed left the order, and, furthermore, had left the temple shortly before sunrise. He had left no mention of his regret for Melyk’s abandonment, but his old teacher promised him that, being such a promising student, it would not be long until another knight or master found him and took him on to continue his studies.
Melyk said that he understood, and thanked the elder for his help, before leaving to meditate on the matter.
Since that event, he has roamed the temple corridors, busying himself in the archives and meditation rooms and training grounds, waiting for a new master to take the place of his old friend. To those who do not know him, he seems completely at peace – a picture of serenity, a model jedi taking a hard loss in a most respectable way. But to those who do know him, there is something more at work. Melyk has always been able to control and conceal his emotions expertly, proving himself since he was a youngling to be as mature as any adult. But there are some things that no young student can take – jedi or not – and the conflicting emotions, the feelings of being betrayed and abandoned, that dwell just below the surface of Melyk’s mind are slowly eating him up, no matter how well he hides it. There is no telling how long he can avoid facing his own feelings and carry on pretending they don’t exist.
RP Sample:
Race: Kushiban
Age: 16
Height: 1’6’’ on hind legs
Weight: 16 Lbs
Appearance:
As with all Kushiban, Melyk is covered completely with fur which changes in colour depending on his mood. When he is calm and content, his fur will usually be a pure white, however if he should feel more negative emotions, such as fear, anger or anxiety, the shade of his fur turns darker, eventually arriving at a complete black. This rarely ever occurs, since being raised by the jedi he has developed a firm control over his emotions. His eyes are large and green, with darker green pupils, and he has two tall rabbit-like ears. There is also a characteristically unruly tuft of fur on his forehead which always seems to stick out (a cause of minor irritation to him, though others have said to find it endearing). His tail is about nine inches long. Melyk’s tail is almost always moving – never still, usually just hovering about behind him making circles in the air (a subconscious action that Melyk himself hasn’t actually noticed). Although a small harness would perhaps serve the purpose better, Melyk wears a more conventional jedi belt, though it has been customised and tightened so that it doesn’t simply slip off of him. He doesn’t keep anything on the belt, apart from his lightsaber.
Personality: It often surprises those he meets for the first time to discover that Melyk is very mature for both his appearance and his age. His strict adherence to the rules of the jedi order since he was old enough to understand them and his belief in the power of wisdom has led to him becoming a very thoughtful and responsible creature. Even as a child Melyk showed maturity beyond his years, and was always certain to plan out his actions with caution before leaping into any situation. Due to this, he was often called a wet blanket by those of his peers who expected him to be a lot more fun and cuddly, as they assumed he would be based on his appearance. It is worth noting, however, that he does not seem to be irritated by those who think he is cute, unlike many of his kind. Instead he understands the fact that he may one day use this to his advantage, as his parents did before him.
Melyk’s belief in the jedi way is unwavering, and he values life above all else. He spends much time in meditation in an attempt to better connect to the living and unifying force, and looks up to the members of the High Council, little daring to hope that one day he might rise to be among them (though, he reminds himself, rank and title is of little importance, as long as he can serve the cause). When not trying to uncover the mysteries of the force, he can be found trying to understand the mysteries of the universe around him. He spends much time in the libraries and archives of the temple, absorbing the collected knowledge there like a sponge. He is enthusiastic when it comes to life in the universe, and wishes to keep learning as long as he lives.
There is another side to Melyk’s personality beyond that of the eager young student of the force, however. He has been described as ‘eccentric’. Creative by nature, he often comes up with strange ideas for everything from inventions to methods of study, and though he doesn’t seem to have any close friends, he tends to mutter to himself as he scurries about the halls and rooms of the temple. He usually has a look about him as if he is thinking about something extremely important – a distracted, faraway look that has become his signature to those who know him. He may not look like he’s listening while others talk to him, but he is taking in every word… we hope. He doesn’t suffer fools gladly, but is always ready to listen to the problems of anyone who needs help, and is glad to offer his counsel and advice – something that his peers have come to appreciate, as he is almost always right.
Birth place: Kushibah
Faction: Jedi
Rank: Padawan
Lightsaber: Melyk uses a shoto which, despite its lessened length, was still difficult for him to get to grips with, as its total length is about the same as his own height. The hilt is non-descript, a sleek silver grip with a segmented emitter and darker grey pommel. The activation switch is one which requires sliding to activate.
Color: Green
Practiced Lightsaber forms:
Shii-Cho 3
Makashi
Soresu
Ataru 3
Shien / Djem So
>>Sub-form Backhanded
Niman
>>Sub-form Jar-kai, or Dual Wield
Juyo
Double Bladed Combat
Force-Sensitive Abilities or practices:
Telekinetic: 2
Telepathic: 4
Body: 2
Sense: 4
Protection: 5
Healing: 4
Destruction: 0
Specialized Skills:
Attributes:
Physical Strength: 2
Intelligence: 6
Speed: 4 (6 on all-fours)
Leadership: 5
Unarmed: 1
Melee Weapons: 3
Ranged Weapons: 1
Force Attunement: +4
Bio:
EARLY LIFE
It was not long after his birth that Melyk’s parents knew he had the potential to interact with the living force. As all Kushiban are force-sensitive to some small extent, it was very clear to them before long that their child was something more than the usual infant. The new parents deliberated over what to do about this fact for some time. They were upstanding citizens, and, while they desired only the best and happiest life for their son, they also felt it would be selfish to keep him on their remote planet, getting him to work on their humble farm and spend his life weaving silkweed when he had the capability to accomplish so much more.
And so it was that Melyk’s parents left Kushibah for the first time in their lives. They had heard tales of adventurous travels through deep space, and the places that warriors and heroes had been, but the two of them had been born on their homeworld and had been content to remain there until now. They understood, however, that the chances of their child being discovered by a wandering jedi or sensed by one from across the stars were less than slim, and so they were forced to take matters into their own small and furry paws.
They found that it was not difficult to travel without one’s own spacecraft when one was considered adorable by many of the species of the galaxy. Together, the three of them hitch-hiked from port to port, scrambling for food where they could and relying almost entirely on the kindness of strangers to get them where they needed to be. Some of Melyk’s earliest hazy memories are of the metal interiors of a hundred different spacecraft, and of his parents constantly watching over him with loving eyes. As for them, they found that they became less and less willing to travel as their journey went on. Not only were the planets they visited becoming busier and more dangerous as they neared the core worlds, but they knew that the time would soon come when they would be forced to give up the child that they loved so much. Yet it was because of their love, and their hopes for his future, that they pushed on.
The journey was long and, at times, hard, but eventually the end came into sight. Coruscant was a single space shuttle away when things took an unfortunate turn. Melyk and his mother were tired when they arrived at the space port, and so his father instructed them to wait in what they thought was a safe spot while he attempted to find some food. The port was busy and chaotic, and, even huddled into the most secure corner she could find, Melyk’s mother was wary of the men and women of all shapes and sizes – but all taller and more imposing than them – passed this way and that. Then came the strangers who took an interest in the bedraggled looking creatures they noticed as they walked by. Before long, both the young Melyk and his mother had been plucked from the street and taken away. Although the family had heard tales of Kushiban being captured and kept as pets by hostile aliens, they were not prepared for what came next. They were not being taken away to be pets, but instead to be a new and exotic food for an existing pet – one with both a much larger appetite and set of teeth than they had.
When he returned to find his family missing, Melyk’s father almost broke down through fear and guilt. He had lost them. He had failed his wife and son and there was no way he would be able to find them.
And then he noticed it: the fluctuation in force energy. It was hard to trace on a planet full of living creatures, but he recognised it. It was the same pattern of energy that had made them notice Melyk’s potential in the first place. It was stronger than ever, and even though Melyk’s father was no more sensitive to the force than any other one of his species, the spikes of force-fuelled emotion coming from his son could not be clearer as they grew out of his fear. His father was able to follow it like a paper trail to Melyk and his wife, and it took only a minor feat of life-risking rescue to save them from their captors before the ignorant creatures had even noticed they were gone.
Despite all odds, the little family who had kept each other safe over the course of their treacherous journey finally arrived at their destination, and it took all their strength to do what they came to do. They let their son go.
INITIATE
The world was big, and everything in it was tall. That was what Melyk discovered during his upbringing in the jedi temple. He could not properly remember the planet he was born on, and yet he knew it could not have been this overwhelming. Everywhere he looked there was danger (not least of all of being trodden on), but, as he was soon taught, in the middle of it all was the force. Here was an oasis of energy that he did not understand, but he knew it was all-important, and he elected to study it with his utmost vigour, even as a youngling. The more he was told about the force, and the more meditation he undertook, the more he felt it inside him, and surrounding him, calling to him. Soon, the lessons of the jedi erased any traces of fear of his new environment, and before he knew it, Melyk was traversing the temple with ease, and conversing with his peers as equals. No longer did he fear the world, but through his studies he realised that he should admire it, observe it, and learn everything there was to learn.
He dedicated little of his time to socialising, though he did not shun his peers, and did everything in his power to become a perfect student of the force. He would spend hours in the archives discovering knew truths, and would sometimes settle into a deep meditation, opening his eyes only to discover that an entire day had passed. His teachers noticed this dedication, and were impressed by it, but equally his peers noticed his studious behaviour and, in the manner of younglings, decided that he needed to lighten up.
When he appeared unresponsive or distracted during the conversations they tried to start, they tried games, however Melyk was much too serious, acting too maturely for his age to be interested in such frivolous pastimes.
There came in instance when two of his clan members decided they would sneak out of the temple for a day to see the sights of Coruscant. Melyk, being Melyk, was quick to inform them that such an activity would be in violation of the rules, and that no, he would not like to join them, thank you very much. Knowing that he would immediately run and tell his superiors of their plan, the two younglings made him swear he wouldn’t, claiming that the entire clan would excommunicate him if he got them into trouble. Melyk therefore found himself in a difficult position, but since he did not want his classmates to dislike him any more than they already did, he made one of the few mistakes he can claim to have ever made, and agreed to let them go. He did, however, force them to take a communicator with them so that they could contact him at the temple should anything happen.
As things transpired, something did happen. Coruscant is a dangerous place, and the jedi are not accepted by all as the protectors of peace they attempt to be. The two younglings found themselves in deep trouble, and made the call back to Melyk at the temple. Melyk immediately went to one of his teachers, who took him into Coruscant to find and retrieve the two missing pupils. To do so was of little difficulty for a jedi knight, and both the younglings were returned home safely to face proper punishment for their little stunt. Despite this, they were relieved to be alive and still own the correct number of limbs, and they, along with the whole of their clan, were much nicer to Melyk after that time. They still thought him strange though.
PADAWAN
At the age of eleven, Melyk already knew the path that he was meant to take. The Jedi Guardian, he reasoned, would save thousands of innocent lives over the course of their career. The Consular, however, might save millions in a single day in the prevention of war through peacemaking between two or more parties. That was what he wanted, to help as many people as possible, and this, combined with the fact that he had always been more at home in using the force than a lightsaber, meant that he was not participating in the Apprentice Tournament that was being held in the temple. If a master was looking for a future Guardian, he would certainly start there, and pick a student with impressive combat skills. On the other hand, there were bound to be masters who wanted force-users and thinkers by their sides, and since these types of jedi would likely not start their search at the tournament, neither would Melyk. He instead resolved to keep his focus on learning, as it always had been, and eventually he knew that the will of the force would lead him to his future mentor.
Still, he found it hard to concentrate in the library during that time. Though he scorned himself for it, he couldn’t help but cast curious glances over his shoulder to see if any wandering knights who were looking for new apprentices had spotted him.
Time passed, and one by one Melyk watched the members of his clan slip away. Routinely, his friends would come up to him with wide smiles on their faces, to tell him in delighted tones that they were to become padawans and leave Coruscant to travel the galaxy in the service of the order immediately. Knowing that jealousy was a dark emotion that he was well above, Melyk would smile back and congratulate his friends, wishing them the best in their endeavours. He could not, however, stop the growing concern that was festering in his mind, that although he had passed the initiate trials with ease, he would never find a mentor and be left behind to wander the temples he had grown up in for the rest of his long life.
Such negative thoughts and a desire to cleanse himself of them were what led Melyk to the Room of a Thousand Fountains. There were many chambers in the temple designed specifically for meditation, and Melyk frequented these often, but on that particular day, at that particular time, he felt he needed the calming sound of nature about him. That was what led him to the room, and that room was where he met his future master. His name was Alarez Bur, and he was an accomplished jedi master. He had already trained several padawans to knighthood, and was an esteemed member of the order. Melyk knew this about him as soon as he saw him upon entering the room, because he had admired the tales of the master’s exploits as they had been recorded in the archives. He almost didn’t dare to hope that perhaps this man, one of his greatest inspirations, was looking for a new padawan to take on and to whom he might pass on his considerable wealth of knowledge and experience. He wanted to speak to the older jedi, but appeared to be in deep meditation, and interrupting him would definitely not give the impression he wanted to make. Instead he took a space in the room and sat down, centering his mind and preparing to go into a state of empty meditation while he decided what to do about the situation. Almost immediately, the sounds and sensations of the world around him became a distant trickling in his perceptions, and the presence of Master Bur was extremely prominent. Melyk could sense the energy radiating from the older jedi – perfectly controlled, of course, but of such an inspiring intensity that he felt it even heightened his own control of the force and of himself from where he sat several metres away. He removed his mind for a moment from matters of the other jedi in the room and his current situation, and simply let his mind open up. He began to sense the ripples of the wider force, the distant echoes of voices that signified that he was connecting with the unifying power that binds the universe… And that was when he felt a hand on his arm.
With a start, he opened his eyes, his concentration dissipated like scattered smoke, and he fell out of the air and hit the floor. Hard. This surprised the diminutive jedi to no end, as he hadn’t realised that he had been in rising meditation at all, and that he had been unconsciously floating some way off the ground. Such a sudden shock was this to him that it took him a few moments to collect himself and look up, only to find Master Bur stood over him, his face hard, his brow furrowed in the serious expression Melyk had seen many times in holoprojections. Bur had come over to mention to Melyk that he was demonstrating superb concentration and focus on the force that it was enough to magnify his presence and disturb the older jedi from his own meditation. Feeling very much a fool, Melyk apologised, and found that he had to restrain himself from grovelling, as from what he had read of Bur, he was not one to take such behaviour lightly. Quite bluntly, Bur then declared that he was, indeed, looking to locate a new apprentice. He then instructed Melyk to restrain his emotions, as his coat of fur took on an almost blindingly white shine. Bur invited the younger jedi to walk with him, and they began a discussion about many things – Melyk, Bur, the adventures Melyk had read about, what Bur was looking for in his new padawan, what Melyk hoped to achieve in the future. Master Bur was an infamously difficult man to read, as he had that same dark frown covering his features the entire time, and his emotions were so bolted down that, at times, Melyk would swear he was conversing with a droid. They came, eventually, to the end of their walk, and quite plainly Bur informed Melyk that he was prepared to take him on as his apprentice, as long as he was certain that he would be able to dedicate his every waking moment to studying harder and working more rigorously than he ever had before. Melyk accepted the terms offered to him in a heartbeat.
In the archives in the temple on Coruscant, Melyk read about how brave, heroic and wise Alarez Bur was. He did not read about how strict. Every day spent by his idol’s side was taxing. He would be allowed only a few hours’ sleep, and sometimes be woken up at ungodly hours of the night for no other reason than to do drills. They never spent a single second longer in one place than they absolutely had to, and when not striding along on diplomatic missions (not slowing to allow his tiny-legged apprentice to catch up even once), Bur was putting Melyk through his paces in the ways of the force and physical exercises. This was not how Melyk imagined it would be. He thought he would be Bur’s partner, there to witness his acts of bravery and learn from him as he had learned from the books he so loved as a youngling. Instead, it was like Melyk was a side-project for the jedi master, sometimes little more than an annoyance. Not once did the man crack a smile or say anything apart from to deliver a two-or-three-word sentence in instruction every now and then. The new padawan was at first baffled by this, and how he should deal with it. He was sure that not all master-apprentice relationships were like this one. He was sure that not a single student among his clan that he had known growing up would be able to deal with such tough training and such a strict tutor as this.
Very quickly, the tales that inspired Melyk as an initiate began to fade into the background. This Bur was a different person to the one he had always envisioned, and before long the idea of being alongside his hero was no longer motivation for him. But he had found new inspiration. Melyk was an intelligent creature, and soon he had figured out exactly what his hard-faced teacher was doing. When they had met and talked on Coruscant, Bur had seen that Melyk was at the top of his class, that he had taken on every lesson he had been taught and come back ready for more. He had seen his confidence, and perhaps he had seen in the furry little student a reflection of his own relentlessness and thirst for something better. And Bur knew that for him to get better, he would have to be pushed. He would have to be challenged. And that was what he was doing. Once Melyk had figured this out, that their relationship was in fact an unspoken contest of who would relent first – the master or the apprentice – he set aside his doubts and began to put all of his efforts in proving that he meant every word of the promise he made to Bur before they left Coruscant.
After this revelation, it was, in turn, a short while before Master Bur noticed his student’s renewed determination, and though he did not let up on the difficulty of the training he put him through, he began to show that he approved in the smallest of ways – a nod here, a rough pat on the head there. In the most peculiar fashion, their bond had progressed like a game of chess, each one coming to understand the other through a single agreement: ’You push me, and I’ll push back’.
It took time. It took years, but their seemingly distasteful banter toward each other began to hide a real mutual fondness. They began to understand how the other thought, and the trust that formed did so slowly, but when it was complete, it was unbreakable. Finally Melyk had become more of a sparring partner than a punching bag.
Melyk learned volumes from Master Bur – more valuable lessons than he could have learned from reading all the books in all the temples in the galaxy, and he still had so much to learn, when his master was taken from him.
LOSS
Master Bur had not said why they needed to visit Coruscant. Melyk didn’t think that this was unreasonable, however, most of the time his master wouldn’t even tell him where they were going at all, he would just set the course and leave it to him to figure out. They had not been back to Coruscant since leaving it four years ago, and although Melyk knew that the jedi were forbidden to have emotional attachments to anything, he was secretly looking forward to going back and seeing the familiar places and faces again.
When they arrived, Bur told Melyk that he was to go and spend his time as he would, and that he had an errand of his own to run. There was nothing unusual about this – Bur had always been secretive to some extent, and Melyk had come to accept this as just another aspect of his personality. Besides, he was glad to have the opportunity to spend the day how he wished – it was a gift that did not come often. As the two of them – teacher and student – parted ways, only one of them knew that it would be the last time they would ever speak with one another.
Melyk spent the day in various places around the temple. He caught up with his old instructors and the librarians he was especially fond of. He visited the Room of a Thousand Fountains, where he had first met his master, and went back to the dormitories of his clan to see if they had changed. They hadn’t. Nothing seemed to change in the jedi temple, as if the entire place was frozen in time. It was comforting.
The sun was beginning to set on Coruscant, and Melyk was starting to wonder when his master would reappear and they would leave the planet, when the most peculiar incident occurred. The white-furred padawan was perched upon a ledge in the entrance chamber, waiting to meet his master in the same spot in which they had parted, and a jedi he recognised as a student he had once asked advice from as a youngling walked past. Noticing his friend, he struck up a conversation with him, and it was pleasant enough, until the older padawan was suddenly overtaken with an expression of sympathy, and told Melyk that he was sorry to hear the news about Alarez Bur. Amused and more than a little bewildered, Melyk enquired as to what he meant, exactly. At once, the other padawan became very startled, as if realising that he had become the one to break some bad news to him. The change in the boy’s emotions was unsettling for Melyk (not least because, for his part, he had learned to control his own emotions to a fine point), and he became impatient as the boy deliberated on how to tell him whatever it was he didn’t know. And that was when Melyk learned of his master’s betrayal.
He had, apparently, fallen in love with some woman living on his home planet. It was not a new occurrence, but instead they had been very much in love with one another for several years. Knowing that it was foolish to try and hide a forbidden love from the High Council, and reportedly willing to do anything for his newfound love rather than deny himself, he had come to Coruscant today to turn in his lightsaber to the council and declare that he was leaving the order. All of this, the older padawan said, he had learned from rumours alone that same day.
Melyk did not believe the nonsense, of course. It was ridiculous – almost amusing! Master Bur, the stone-faced, unforgiving taskmaster he had come to know so well a secret romantic? If gossip was going to spread, Melyk reflected, perhaps it should be more realistic. But the student he was speaking to remained sombre and apologetic, and this attitude was enough to set Melyk off without another word towards the council chamber. It was ridiculous – the most ludicrous thing he’d ever heard… but Master Bur did ludicrous things all the time. He had to hear it from someone more trustworthy before he did anything rash. He came to the door of the chamber very quickly in his haste, and was stopped by guards, who refused to let him through. An elderly jedi who was passing, one of Melyk’s old teachers, noticed that there was some sort of conflict going on, and, realising the cause was the young Melyk, and putting two and two together, the teacher supposed the padawan had heard the news. He escorted the kushiban away from the doors and settled him down to inform him that yes, what he heard was true. Alarez Bur had indeed left the order, and, furthermore, had left the temple shortly before sunrise. He had left no mention of his regret for Melyk’s abandonment, but his old teacher promised him that, being such a promising student, it would not be long until another knight or master found him and took him on to continue his studies.
Melyk said that he understood, and thanked the elder for his help, before leaving to meditate on the matter.
Since that event, he has roamed the temple corridors, busying himself in the archives and meditation rooms and training grounds, waiting for a new master to take the place of his old friend. To those who do not know him, he seems completely at peace – a picture of serenity, a model jedi taking a hard loss in a most respectable way. But to those who do know him, there is something more at work. Melyk has always been able to control and conceal his emotions expertly, proving himself since he was a youngling to be as mature as any adult. But there are some things that no young student can take – jedi or not – and the conflicting emotions, the feelings of being betrayed and abandoned, that dwell just below the surface of Melyk’s mind are slowly eating him up, no matter how well he hides it. There is no telling how long he can avoid facing his own feelings and carry on pretending they don’t exist.
RP Sample:
…In such sectors, belief that the power we now understand as the living force was, quite literally-
A scrabbling sound intruded upon his reading, scattering his concentration like a house of cards. He shook his head at the sound, casting it from his mind, and forced his eyes to continue scanning the page.
…a living creature, or something more resembling a deity, would be vastly due to the visiting of sensitives by apparitions during-
More scrabbling. The sound of footsteps on the marble floor.
Melyk closed his large green eyes slowly in an expression of exasperation. Did ‘silence’ and ‘library’ mean nothing to some people?
The sound disappeared again, and, believing he was safe from such interruptions for now, he opened his eyes and found the line again.
…dreams-
That clattering sound again. With a restrained sigh, Melyk shut the heavy tome and hopped down from his seat, his nimble paws touching down soundlessly on the hard floor. His white tail swept behind him, he adjusted his belt, and, with an air of (perhaps misplaced) authority, he walked off toward the sound.
He located the culprit down one of the aisles of journals that had been collected onto datapads. He knew this section well. The shelves on either side were stacked high – almost all the way to the ceiling of the library, each one emitting a faint blue glow that Melyk had long ago come to find a reassuring sight; the sight of lessons to be learned.
About half-way down this aisle was a youngling, a human, and the clattering sound was coming from his jumping up and down, arms outstretched, feet continuously hitting the floor. When he noticed Melyk was standing at the entrance of the aisle, the boy stopped with a start, and a look of apologetic guilt passed over his face, though he said nothing. Since Melyk didn’t wear the standard jedi uniform, he supposed the youngling thought he was library staff come to scorn him for making such a noise. Well, he was half-correct.
But he didn’t scorn the boy. Instead he stood looking at him, trying to comprehend him. Then his shimmering green eyes slid up to the shelf that was just out of the youngling’s reach. Then he looked back to the boy himself.
“I was just-“ The youngling started, his voice echoing distressingly, before Melyk cut him off.
“Shh!” He shushed, holding a digit up to his mouth to signify silence, and then slowly and calmly walked up to where he was standing, closing the distance between them. He lowered his paw from his mouth, and gestured for him to continue. When the youngling did speak again, his tone was more reasonable.
“I was just trying to get the journal of F. Zerrani. It’s…” He looked up forlornly at the shelf that was slightly too tall for him. Melyk followed his gaze, his own sight falling on the volume in question. “…Just there…” The youngling sighed, his shoulders falling in hopelessness. Melyk observed this expressive body language, before enquiring,
“Why don’t you ask one of the library staff? It is what they’re there for, to help us.”
The youngling looked at him.
“Us as in students of the temple.” Melyk clarified, not wanting the youngling to think he was trying to create some sort of solidarity between them based on their shared inability to reach high shelves.
“I know I should.” The human replied, “It’s just that…” He hesitated, “It’s nothing. It’s stupid.”
Melyk said nothing, and waited for him to continue, sensing that he had something to say. Sure enough, the youngling went on eventually,
“I was never a great student when it comes to books and stuff, but I feel like I’m getting better. I’m really trying hard and I think I’m getting there, but… then I get stopped by something as dumb as a high shelf…” The youngling sighed again sorrowfully, turning defeated eyes onto Melyk, who listened with a respectful silence. “It’s stupid, I know, but… these things just bring you back down, you know? Forget it.”
The boy waved a hand dismissively, and turned from Melyk, starting off at a disheartened trudge down the aisle toward the exit. Melyk kept his eyes on him as he began to leave, contemplating what the boy had said.
Then he looked over his shoulder, making sure nobody else was around, and crouched down, before springing up silently, gripping the edge of the shelf above him. He swung his body up, over the edge, and scooted along a little further, before giving another little jump and pulling himself up to the next shelf. He took hold of the journal by F. Zarrani and then pushed away from the shelf, backflipping down through the air to the floor. The entire performance was swift and silent, and the youngling didn’t see it at all. He was surprised when Melyk caught up to him and tugged on the leg of his uniform.
He held the datapad out to him, and the student looked at both it and him before breaking into a smile of understanding and taking it from him gratefully.
“Thank you.” He said, and Melyk returned the smile and bowed his furry head in a way that he had seen the masters do, and had always thought looked wise.
The youngling turned from him again and hurried off to find a seat so that he could begin his reading, and Melyk paused for a moment in consideration of the event. The youngling’s problem was not ‘stupid’. He understood the feeling of being brought down by real life when one had been feeling taller than ever. He knew the sensation well. He hadn’t realised before now that others might just feel the same way, and, with this newfound knowledge, he considered that it was important for them, the youngest members of the order, the future of the jedi, to be there for each other in such times.
As he padded his way back to where he had left his book, he thought about how much one can learn in libraries, even in the ways you might not expect.
