Post by Otterling on Aug 11, 2008 7:08:04 GMT -5
Name: Mon’vuuem (Pronounced - Moan-vu-em)
Race: Kaminoan
Age: 43
Height: 7’ 1”
Weight: 193 lbs
Appearance: Mon’vuuem is typical of her race in most respects. She is lithe and lanky, setting a tall but willowy figure, and she bears the bald head that tells of her race’s rise from the oceans. Her eyes are a dark slate grey with silvery irises, a trait that would place her among the diplomats of her world, and her skin is a muted and slightly mottled grey. The mottling on her skin is the Kaminoan version of freckles. She wears the Jedi robes though hers have had to be slightly modified to fit her taller form. The leggings stop just above the juncture of her knee and the outer tunic stretches down to the floor, reminiscent of the fashions of her home world and giving her robes an almost dress-like appearance. The fabric of her robes is a lighter material than normal to prevent hindering her movement and her voluminous hood is tailored to allow for her elongated neck while staying light enough not to weight down her head. When standing still, the robes almost hide her digitigrade legs. She wears a long cream colored neck wrap beneath her robes that terminates in a small mother of pearl shell pendant just below the left side of her jaw. The pendant is a gift from a former padawan. The only ornament to her dress besides the pendant is a small thin circlet that wraps around the top of her head. Three strands of leather descend from the left side and each is decorated with a small silvery ball that chimes quietly when she walks. She can prevent this noise by buffering the stands with the force or removing the headdress entirely during missions.
Birth place: Kamino/ Tipoca City
Faction: Jedi
Rank: Jedi Master / High Council Member
Bio:
Birth: Mon’vuuem was born on Kamino as a normal child of a good class family. At birth, the color of her eyes marked her place in society and preparations were begun right away to lay out the path of her life. Master Tarv Melfit had been visiting the Outer Rim planet for a diplomatic meeting, an attempt to bring the Kaminoans into the Republic and gain a representative for the Senate. It was entirely by accident that he happened upon Mon’vuuem. Unable to sleep, the Jedi had taken to walking down the many seemingly featureless halls and in short order, had gotten himself entirely lost. He found himself in the residential quarters of the city’s diplomats and as he struggled to find his way back to his own room, he passed an unmarked door and felt the pull of the Force from within. He noted his position as best he could and at the end of the next day’s predictably unproductive meeting, Tarv spoke of his encounter and politely asked to meet those living in the apartment. His request was granted and it was by the Force alone that he found his way back to the unmarked door.
The pair that met him after he knocked were, to say the least, a bit surprised when the Jedi showed up requesting to come in. He was granted access however, mostly due to the fact that the Prime Minister was with him. Right away, Tarv knew the parents were not who he was looking for and his senses led him to the infant girl cradled in one of the unremarkable rooms. Luminous grey eyes stared up at him from within the folds of white swaddling clothes and right away, the Jedi knew this child was the one he’d been seeking. He tested her midi-chlorian count with permission and found her to be more than adaquate for Jedi training. The trick then became trying to convince her people and her parents to let her go to Coruscant. With few if any Kaminoans in the Jedi order, Tarv Melfit felt it would do worlds of good to bring her in as a possible future diplomat to this world. He had hoped her training would help bring the normally isolated and wary race into the Republic by acting as a liaison of sorts and while it might take some explaining to the High Council why he was returning with a baby and not a new Senator, he knew seeing her force abilities properly honed would be good for both her home world and the Jedi.
It took two weeks of negotiations and subtle politics for the Master Jedi to convince the parents to release their child to him but by pressing home the fact that her eyes marked her for politics anyway, and what better place to gain glory as a politician than Coruscant, Tarv was finally able to gain Mon’vuuem for the Jedi order. He rushed her to the Jedi temple on Coruscant and watched quietly from a distance as she grew.
Youngling: Life was difficult in the creche for Mon’vuuem in her early years. Due to her race’s rapid maturation at early ages, she was forced to spend longer hours than most trying to learn as much as she could in time to be taken on as a padawan. Reaching full adulthood at eleven, the Creche teachers and Jedi instructors agreed that she would have to be ready for apprenticeship at no later than seven years of age to be able to still take on a padawan role. After adulthood, it would be harder for her to learn as quickly. Through tireless training, Mon’vuuem proved that she was adept and a fast learner. Her race’s natural penchant for hiding their feelings made her well suited for Jedi life and concentrating on the force came easily to her though she had a difficult time fitting in with the other children. While those in her age group were still thinking with the minds of five year olds, already Mon’vuuem had matured into adolescence. Her penchant for diplomacy became clear however as she soon became a sort of volunteer aid to the creche nursemaids, helping with the other children and becoming a sort of foster mother in her own right. The others tended to turn to Mon’vuuem for resolutions to arguments ranging from the sharing of toys to who was better with lightsabers. She settled all disputes with a fairness none could argue due to her lack of emotional attachment and the Jedi instructors she worked with noted her progress with growing interest. She was moved into higher level classes at an early age and while this caused even more of a rift between her and those of her age group, her lack of emotional attachment meant it was easier for her to deal with.
The majority of her struggles came from lightsaber training where her still growing body often proved her to be a tad clumsy during her formative years. She often ended up in a tangle of limbs and her taller stature meant she was often pitted against older students who were in need of a sparring partner but whose skills she could not match. Mon’vuuem was frustrated but kept her emotions mostly in check and with every burn she took from the blows that passed her defenses, she simply learned and carried on.
It seemed that fate intervened for Mon’vuuem when Jedi Master Kem Po Net, a Quermian, came looking for a new Padawan. He noticed her struggles with lightsaber training and right away understood her frustration. Impressed by her determination to continue regardless, the Master took great interest in the youngling but it was her skill with areas such as telepathy and telekinesis that impressed him most and the Jedi Master knew all she needed was someone who could teach swordplay to someone of her stature.
Apprenticeship: The similarities in build and temperament between their peoples marked Mon’vuuem as a perfect choice for Master Kem Po Net and it is due to this fortunate circumstance that Mon’Vuuem was able to learn the ways of the Jedi with such skill. Her Master taught her how to use her long form to her advantage and showed her ways to fight with a lightsaber that wouldn’t end with her pulling a muscle or tripping over her own feet. After she gathered the basics of Shii-Cho, Kem Po turned her skills toward the less offensive styles of combat. Her thin frame did not allow for much in the way of pure muscle and the more offensive forms simply left her unable to follow through. He concentrated his teachings on the forms of Makashi , Soresu, and Niman. Mon’vuuem’s longer reach made these styles work in her favor, allowing her to keep her enemies at a distance while she used the Force to defend herself through other means.
The pair’s apprenticeship lasted until Mon’vuuem reached seventeen years of age. Her single minded focus upon learning the ways of the Force, aided by her complete lack of interest in any extracurricular activities such as most children would seek out, meant that she gave herself over completely to absorbing every ounce of knowledge she could from her Master. Kem Po watched as she threw herself into her studies and excelled in the ten years of her apprenticeship, becoming a devoted student and a talented negotiator. Their time together saw many different missions but, perhaps owing to Kemp Po’s own skill with diplomacy, they saw little in the way of real battles.
Mon’vuuem learned the lessons of her Master well and only on one occasion did she find herself critically injured when talks failed. On the Outer Rim world of Tattoine, Master and Apprentice found themselves on the wrong end of the Hutt. They’d been sent to speak with a Rodian who claimed he was in possession of a Jedi secret that was capable of rending apart the very order itself. It was known from the outset that this would be an exaggeration at best but owing to the Rodian’s position as a close associate of the Hutts, the Council felt it best to at least send an emissary to speak with him. Upon arrival, however, what Kem Po and Mon’vuuem discovered was little more than a torrid love affair gone wrong and a desperate man in search of protection. The Rodian had apparently fallen in love with a Twi’lek slave girl and the two had consummated an affair. The dancing girl had been with child before the short love affair began and she gave birth two days before the tryst was discovered by the Hutts. Sadly, the mother was killed for her betrayal while the Rodian fled with the infant.
Kem Po was entirely set to leave the man to his own devices rather than get involved in such a civil dispute which could cause more issues between the Hutts and the Jedi, but the Twi’lek child showed signs of force sensitivity and the Master could not bring himself to abandon the infant to its fate. This decision confused the young Mon’vuuem who struggled to understand why her master would be willing to risk their lives and potentially cause even more harm in the meager relationship the Hutts had with the Jedi Order. Kem Po explained that as those who have more power than average, it was their duty to defend those who could not defend themselves. The Rodian had brought about his own pain but the child had done nothing to deserve a death at the hands of gangsters and so they had an obligation to save the infant if they could for what good was diplomacy without compassion? Power without temperance? Though she had spent her life refusing to acknowledge feelings, Mon’vuuem was not without them and she learned that day how powerful a thing empathy can be.
As Kem Po and Mon’vuuem hurried to smuggle the child off the planet, a hired Mandalorian mercenary ambushed them and a full on fight ensued. Multiple Hutt reinforcements were brought in, wave after wave. The ship managed to take off with Kemp Po, Mon’vuuem, and the infant aboard though the Rodian was killed in the struggle. Mon’vuuem had suffered a blaster shot to her lower right abdomen and was rushed to the nearest Republic friendly planet for aid. She nearly died of the bloodloss and due to the length of time it took to get her to medical aid, she still bears a scar to this day. The bloody and violent lesson of this mission only served to cement her desire for achieving diplomatic resolutions whenever possible and she renewed her studies as soon as she was able, throwing herself into learning the arts as best she could. She never blamed her Master for the incident and indeed still thinks on it as a learning experience. Mon’vuuem had learned first hand that there was a possible price for being a Jedi and as she laid the infant Twi’lek into its crib in the creche, she decided that the price was more than worth it.
It saddened Mon’vuuem that so much sadness and violence was the result of races letting their emotions dictate their actions and as she went on mission after mission, she became more and more certain that the majority of the pain in the world came from a lack of proper emotional control on the parts of others. Compassion could be had without becoming too attached, pain could be released into the force, and anger was a waste of time. So much peace could be had if only sentient beings could bring themselves to think of things outside of their own turmoil. She devoted her studies to the understanding of what made people so susceptible to their emotions and through her own disconnection to them, she proved more and more invaluable as a diplomat. By the end of her tenth year beneath his tutelage, Kem Po set her forth for her Knighthood trials. She passed all areas though her people skills far exceeded her lightsaber techniques and she was soon awarded Knighthood.
Knighthood: For the next seven years, Mon’vuuem traveled the Galaxy as a well respected diplomat. Her natural tendency to leave her emotions checked at the door allowed her to operate under even the most strenuous of circumstances and her natural aura of calm, coupled with the almost musical quality of her soft spoken voice made her a prime candidate for disputes where the Jedi were not necessarily well loved. She earned a reputation slowly as someone who could be sent to areas where all hope for peaceful resolution had been abandoned. Her race’s reputation for non-emotional involvement proceeded her and it gained her some additional leeway in talks that others may not have had until the time came that her own reputation exceeded that of her lineage.
At only nineteen years old, Mon’vuuem took on her first padawan learner. She chose a young Selonian named Tappas. Training was difficult for both due to Tappas’ struggles with maintaining an emotional distance from those they interacted with but Mon’vuuem was not the kind to shy from a challenge. The girl had come from a tightly knit family and she needed a certain level of constant reassurance during her youth to feel that she was making progress and though Mon’vuuem could never bring herself to be overly affectionate, she learned as much about kindness and compassion from her student as anything Tappas learned from her. High strung and headstrong, Tappas was a handful for even the most experienced of Jedi but Mon’vuuem’s refusal to become angry or irritated with her allowed the girl to come about on her own and over time, she calmed under Mon’vuuem’s influence. Her codependence lessened more and more with each passing year until she finally reached the maturity needed to stand on her own.
In her third year of apprenticeship, Tappas suffered a horrible blow. Her home village had become embroiled in a battle with a neighboring clan and were being wiped out. Against the orders of her master and the High Council, Tappas fled the Jedi Temple and returned to Selonia to aid her biological family. Mon’vuuem followed her to Selonia, determined not to lose her student to the battle, but when she arrived, it was to find a critically wounded Tappas. The village had already been razed to the ground and no soul was left alive save for the barely breathing Tappas who had gone down fighting. Mon’vuuem collected her student and brought the young Selonian to Alderaan. There the Jedi Knight continued her teaching of Tappas even as she nursed the padawan back to health. Many days were spent in the clear waters of the planet’s oceans where both Master and padawan could feel a sense of peace. Over the course of that year, the emotional scars left on Tappas slowly healed with Mon’vuuem’s help and the girl learned to keep her emotions under better control.
Mon’vuuem spent eleven years with Tappas before the young Selonian took her trials for the second time. After an initial failure due to her over excitement at being allowed to try after she’d thought the opportunity lost back on Selonia, Tappas finally passed and moved into knighthood. Her time with Mon’vuuem was good for both Master and Padawan as it taught Tappas to seek calm and peace and taught Mon’vuuem to be at least a little lenient with her emotions when dealing with those closest to her. On the day of her graduation to Knighthood, Tappas approached Mon’vuuem and gave her a small wrapped gift. Within it’s folds was a beautifully carved pendant in the shape of a shell, a symbol of her gratitude for her teachings and patience and most importantly, for the slow mending of her soul after Selonia.
Mastership: Having proven her ability not only as a well skilled emissary but a teacher as well, Mon’vuuem was awarded the title of Master at the age of thirty. She took this title with a grave seriousness and then immediately set out for the archives to seek out the Holocron of Grand Master Bolo Drev'ya. She spent a full two years of almost constant time sitting before the holocron, firing question after question at it, seeking further understanding of the force. The act became a ritual of sorts for her with each morning starting at precisely four AM and ending at nine PM. She would sit, mediate for two hours to bring herself into focus and then activate the holocron. At first, the Jedi Master offered little in the way of real knowledge, poking fun instead and generally trying to dissuade Mon’vuuem from continuing these attempts but after her third straight week of patiently trying again and again without showing any signs of anger over his rebuttals, the Master seemed to relent and find worthiness in that sort of dedication.
As the two years went on, Mon’vuuem’s time spent with the Grand Master was only interrupted by the occasional mission and she gleaned a great deal of information from him; ways to focus one’s thoughts better, how to truly devote oneself to the force, and the like. Still, even to this day, Mon’vuuem is humble about what she knows and admits freely that she will never know as much as the Grand Master until the day comes that she becomes one with the force. She does not often speak of that time and while she will gladly guide those who seek help in the ways of the force, she refers many to go seek the Grand Master out themselves if they wish to know what was said between them for two years.
After the graduation of Tappas and her two year mediation and learning voyage, Mon’vuuem took on a new padawan, a young orange Twi’lek by the name of Sapien Kum. The apprenticeship lasted ten years and Sapien has just recently graduated to Knighthood. The apprenticeship was normal by all standards and Sapien happily attributes his abilities as a mediator to his time with his Master. They had their share of fights and close missions but Mon’vuuem’s refusal to draw weapons until all other avenues had failed led them out of many situations that might have turned violent otherwise. Sapien was a quiet and diligent boy who stayed close to Mon’vuuem and absorbed her knowledge like a sponge. He dedication and loyalty to her were unbreakable owing to the fact that he’d been almost too old to become a padawan when she’d chosen him. On the day of his choosing, Sapien had been told to pack his things and be prepared to go to the argifarms should he not be picked this time but his eagerness to learn and silent plea to ascend to the rank of Jedi brought him to Mon’vuuem’s attention. Despite the warnings by the teachers that he might be too old for proper training, the Jedi Master refused to relent and Sapien became her second apprentice. The two still maintain a quiet friendship though Mon’vuuem is careful not to let her former padawan get too attached.
At fourty two years of age, Mon’vuuem was granted the title of High Council member for her peacekeeping work and her natural leadership qualities.
Lightsaber: Single Bladed, Single-phase with underwater capabilities. Curved hilt.
Color: Green
Practiced Lightsaber forms:
Shii-Cho: 5
Makashi: 5
Soresu: 4
Ataru: 2
Shien / Djem So: 2
Niman: 5
>>Sub-form Jar-kai, or duel Weild: N/A
>>Sub-form Backhanded: 3
Juyo / Vaapad : N/A
Double Bladed Combat: N/A
Force-Sensitive Abilities or practices:
Telekinetic: 8
Telepathic: 9
Body: 5
Sense: 8
Protection: 5
Healing: 6
Destruction: 2
Specialized Skills:
Enlightenment
Attributes:
Physical Strength: 3
Intelligence: 7
Speed: 5 (7 - only when running)
Leadership: 8
Unarmed: 6
Melee Weapons: 7
Ranged Weapons: 3
Force Attunement: +7
RP Sample:
With a heavy heart, Sapien began to pack his bags one by one. He had little in the way of any personal possessions all told, a few changes of civilian clothes, a small hand made toy that his best friend and crechemate Neppian made for him and a tiny journal that boasted the results of his time spent cataloging the many plants in the Jedi observatory gardens. He thumbed over the rough hewn hemp that made up the journal’s cover and swallowed down the threatening storm of tears. He would NOT cry here. With his thirteenth birthday not far off, Sapien was quickly reaching the upper limit of an acceptable age for a padawan and if he failed to be chosen in today’s meeting with the Jedi Masters, then he would be sent away to the agrifarms. Farming just wasn’t in his blood and he swallowed hard at the idea that such an ignoble fate would befall him. In all the years he’d spent here in the creche, he had never thought such a thing would happen. Oh so many nights he’d spent awake, talking to Neppian of the most recent return of some Master or another in hushed whispers. He regaled the other boy with the exploits of Jedi Knights who had just earned their place in the Order and talked of his own knighthood some day with a sense of awe and excitement. Packing his things and facing a life of farming simply hadn’t been a part of that.
Neppian himself was facing the farms as an option though he seemed to be taking to the idea with something akin to relief. He’d always paled a bit at the idea of traveling around and risking his life for people he didn’t even know but Sapien didn’t care. Defending the weak was what a Jedi did. He’d memorized the Jedi Code from as early as he could read and he believed in it with all his heart. Now it was just a matter of finding a Master who would see that. The young Twi’lek’s head snapped up at the whoosh click sound as the door to the dormitories opened. A pleasantly chubby faced woman stood in the doorway, her silvering hair pulled back in a stern bun but belied by the warm smile she wore. Mrs. Ishii. She was one of the creche nursemaids and her arrival meant only one thing.
“All right younglings,” she stated, clapping her hands to gain everyone’s attention and quieting the rowdy excitement of the day. Twenty four pairs of eyes turned to her with a myriad of emotions etched across them; some were fearful, some resigned, but most were excited. “The Jedi Masters are here and the time has come for the choosing of new padawans. Remember your manners, do your best, and good luck. If you’re chosen, we’ll have your things moved to your Master’s quarters.” With that, she turned and pressed her back to the doorframe, gesturing to the younglings and ushering them outside. Sapien took a deep breath and slowly stood up. His knees felt like jello and his stomach was trying to crawl into his feet but he steadied himself the best he could and then followed the others into the main room. “There is no emotion. There is peace. There is no ignorance. There is knowledge…” he murmured the code beneath his breath over and over, trying to release his fear into the force the way the teachers had instructed but his breath hung as he finally laid eyes on the heavily robed figures standing against the opposite wall. Only three. There were only three Jedi Masters here today. That didn’t leave him much in the way of chances and Sapien’s heart fell a little.
Against the opposite wall stood the three Master Jedi who had arrived to pick new apprentices. The tallest of these was Mon’vuuem, the Kaminoan, whose shoulders easily topped the diminutive human standing next to her. She watched, unflinching and utterly still, as the younglings were led out and lined up for the beginnings of their tests. Master Pengo, the smaller human male beside her, glanced up from the corner of his eye and offered a fleeting smile. The two had met a few times before around the temple and she found his company to be pleasant enough. A minute inclination of her head marked her own response to the smile and it was accepted for the compliment it had been meant as. Luminous grey eyes turned back to the gathering before her, the small silver bells of her headdress chiming as they struck the side of her throat, and she watched in utter silence as the students performed various tasks of telekinesis, read cards, and dueled with small practice droids. Among the group, her attention fell to an older student, a Twi’lek, who was obviously coming up on the end of his time here in the creche. She could feel his nervousness from across the room, and she was certain the other Masters could sense it as well, but with it, she could feel a sense of determination and devotion that would serve him well; the boy simply needed to be guided and that pesky self doubt erased.
When the class had finished, the children lined up and waited with baited breath to see who, if anyone, the Masters would choose. Mon’vuuem waited patiently, showing no outward signs whether she’d been impressed or was ready to leave without an apprentice while the Jedi Master to the left of Master Pengo stepped forward. He strode forward purposefully and placed his hand upon the shoulder of a fairly young Radnoran boy. The child’s face lit up with the excitement of seeing a dream realized and the pair walked calmly from the room. Master Pengo glanced up once again at Mon’vuuem and gestured toward the students but she politely bowed and extended an arm to wordlessly show that she was deferring to his seniority. He smiled again and sauntered over to a Caamasi girl, or, at least, Mon’vuuem was fairly certain that was a girl. Regardless, she watched as Master Pengo walked his new padawan past her. He paused and once again smiled up at her, as if determined to get a smile in return, and with all good nature stated “We really should meet some time. I’ve heard you have a particular insight into the Havaas flowers in Master Volvic’s garden. I would love to discuss them with you.”
Mon’vuuem finally relented, the slit of her mouth turning up ever so slightly at the corners, and she offered a deep bow. “Nothing would please me more, Master Pengo.” For all the lack of emotion on her face, Mon’vuuem’s voice was a thing of beauty. Soft spoken, her tones were none the less clear and held a singular refined gentleness to them that made it all too clear why when she spoke, others listened. Master Pengo’s smile returned tenfold and he nodded his pleasure to her before striding from the room, his student in tow. Finally, it was Mon’vuuem’s turn. Her movements were as fluid as her homeworld, the thin fabric of her robes rustling and shifting about her, and she gracefully glided across the room toward the waiting lines. Sapien couldn’t take his eyes off her. The way she moved seemed half dance and half floating. Each step set the small silver ornaments of her circlet to jingling and the music seemed to him like the most peaceful thing he’d ever heard. This would not be a master of fighting. This master would not teach him to become the most powerful swordsman ever, but he was certain without doubt, that she could lead him right to the path for pure inner peace.
Mon’vuuem scanned the eager faces before her once again, making certain that she had chosen wisely before disregarding the others, and she could sense the fluctuating emotions of the youngling she’d been watching. Hope fell to worry and rose to hope again as she moved to each new face. Finally, she stopped before him. Sapien held his breath, certain that she would pass by as the others had all while praying she wouldn’t. Huge grey eyes stared down at him, ever so slowly blinking as she thought over her decision, and he tried his best not to get too caught up in them. There is no emotion. There is the Force…his thoughts turned once more to the dogma that had brought him this far and he directed his attempts inward, trying to cling to that code regardless of her decision. Little did Sapien know this would be his salvation. The other students had tried much the same thing but most directed the thoughts outward, bombarding Mon’vuuem with their desire to be chosen and repeating the words more for her benefit than theirs. Her face broke into a genuine smile of approval and she placed a hand on Sapien’s shoulder, her long fingers curling into the fabric of his tunic as she stared down at him. “Will you be my padawan? Will you learn from me?” she asked in her singsong tones.
Sapien could have gladly cried out at that moment but he held himself in check and managed an enthusiastic nod before catching himself. “Y-yes Master.” His smile would not be reigned in and he beamed at her as if she were an angelic being sent straight from the Force itself.
“Very good,” Mon’vuuem purred. She turned to the nursemaid and nodded a bow of respect, a gesture appreciated by those who did not hold a Jedi ranking, and then quietly turned and headed for the door. Sapien hurried after her, pausing only once to look back at Neppian. The other boy merely nodded in excitement for his friend and held up two thumbs. A Sith could not have wiped the smile from his face as Sapien turned on his heel and rushed to catch up to his new master. She lifted her arm as he came up beside her and placed her hand against his back, guiding with the barest of pressure to let him know which way they were headed. She glanced down at him as her senses were buffeted by an overwhelming sense of joy and relief and found him staring up at her with pure gratitude in his eyes. Mon’vuuem slowed her stride to allow for Sapien’s much shorter legs and led him to the elevator. As the doors began to slide shut, she placed a hand on his shoulder. “My name is Master Mon’vuuem. What is your name, padawan?”
Sapien, in his relief and happiness, beamed up at her.
“Sapien….Master.”
Race: Kaminoan
Age: 43
Height: 7’ 1”
Weight: 193 lbs
Appearance: Mon’vuuem is typical of her race in most respects. She is lithe and lanky, setting a tall but willowy figure, and she bears the bald head that tells of her race’s rise from the oceans. Her eyes are a dark slate grey with silvery irises, a trait that would place her among the diplomats of her world, and her skin is a muted and slightly mottled grey. The mottling on her skin is the Kaminoan version of freckles. She wears the Jedi robes though hers have had to be slightly modified to fit her taller form. The leggings stop just above the juncture of her knee and the outer tunic stretches down to the floor, reminiscent of the fashions of her home world and giving her robes an almost dress-like appearance. The fabric of her robes is a lighter material than normal to prevent hindering her movement and her voluminous hood is tailored to allow for her elongated neck while staying light enough not to weight down her head. When standing still, the robes almost hide her digitigrade legs. She wears a long cream colored neck wrap beneath her robes that terminates in a small mother of pearl shell pendant just below the left side of her jaw. The pendant is a gift from a former padawan. The only ornament to her dress besides the pendant is a small thin circlet that wraps around the top of her head. Three strands of leather descend from the left side and each is decorated with a small silvery ball that chimes quietly when she walks. She can prevent this noise by buffering the stands with the force or removing the headdress entirely during missions.
Birth place: Kamino/ Tipoca City
Faction: Jedi
Rank: Jedi Master / High Council Member
Bio:
Birth: Mon’vuuem was born on Kamino as a normal child of a good class family. At birth, the color of her eyes marked her place in society and preparations were begun right away to lay out the path of her life. Master Tarv Melfit had been visiting the Outer Rim planet for a diplomatic meeting, an attempt to bring the Kaminoans into the Republic and gain a representative for the Senate. It was entirely by accident that he happened upon Mon’vuuem. Unable to sleep, the Jedi had taken to walking down the many seemingly featureless halls and in short order, had gotten himself entirely lost. He found himself in the residential quarters of the city’s diplomats and as he struggled to find his way back to his own room, he passed an unmarked door and felt the pull of the Force from within. He noted his position as best he could and at the end of the next day’s predictably unproductive meeting, Tarv spoke of his encounter and politely asked to meet those living in the apartment. His request was granted and it was by the Force alone that he found his way back to the unmarked door.
The pair that met him after he knocked were, to say the least, a bit surprised when the Jedi showed up requesting to come in. He was granted access however, mostly due to the fact that the Prime Minister was with him. Right away, Tarv knew the parents were not who he was looking for and his senses led him to the infant girl cradled in one of the unremarkable rooms. Luminous grey eyes stared up at him from within the folds of white swaddling clothes and right away, the Jedi knew this child was the one he’d been seeking. He tested her midi-chlorian count with permission and found her to be more than adaquate for Jedi training. The trick then became trying to convince her people and her parents to let her go to Coruscant. With few if any Kaminoans in the Jedi order, Tarv Melfit felt it would do worlds of good to bring her in as a possible future diplomat to this world. He had hoped her training would help bring the normally isolated and wary race into the Republic by acting as a liaison of sorts and while it might take some explaining to the High Council why he was returning with a baby and not a new Senator, he knew seeing her force abilities properly honed would be good for both her home world and the Jedi.
It took two weeks of negotiations and subtle politics for the Master Jedi to convince the parents to release their child to him but by pressing home the fact that her eyes marked her for politics anyway, and what better place to gain glory as a politician than Coruscant, Tarv was finally able to gain Mon’vuuem for the Jedi order. He rushed her to the Jedi temple on Coruscant and watched quietly from a distance as she grew.
Youngling: Life was difficult in the creche for Mon’vuuem in her early years. Due to her race’s rapid maturation at early ages, she was forced to spend longer hours than most trying to learn as much as she could in time to be taken on as a padawan. Reaching full adulthood at eleven, the Creche teachers and Jedi instructors agreed that she would have to be ready for apprenticeship at no later than seven years of age to be able to still take on a padawan role. After adulthood, it would be harder for her to learn as quickly. Through tireless training, Mon’vuuem proved that she was adept and a fast learner. Her race’s natural penchant for hiding their feelings made her well suited for Jedi life and concentrating on the force came easily to her though she had a difficult time fitting in with the other children. While those in her age group were still thinking with the minds of five year olds, already Mon’vuuem had matured into adolescence. Her penchant for diplomacy became clear however as she soon became a sort of volunteer aid to the creche nursemaids, helping with the other children and becoming a sort of foster mother in her own right. The others tended to turn to Mon’vuuem for resolutions to arguments ranging from the sharing of toys to who was better with lightsabers. She settled all disputes with a fairness none could argue due to her lack of emotional attachment and the Jedi instructors she worked with noted her progress with growing interest. She was moved into higher level classes at an early age and while this caused even more of a rift between her and those of her age group, her lack of emotional attachment meant it was easier for her to deal with.
The majority of her struggles came from lightsaber training where her still growing body often proved her to be a tad clumsy during her formative years. She often ended up in a tangle of limbs and her taller stature meant she was often pitted against older students who were in need of a sparring partner but whose skills she could not match. Mon’vuuem was frustrated but kept her emotions mostly in check and with every burn she took from the blows that passed her defenses, she simply learned and carried on.
It seemed that fate intervened for Mon’vuuem when Jedi Master Kem Po Net, a Quermian, came looking for a new Padawan. He noticed her struggles with lightsaber training and right away understood her frustration. Impressed by her determination to continue regardless, the Master took great interest in the youngling but it was her skill with areas such as telepathy and telekinesis that impressed him most and the Jedi Master knew all she needed was someone who could teach swordplay to someone of her stature.
Apprenticeship: The similarities in build and temperament between their peoples marked Mon’vuuem as a perfect choice for Master Kem Po Net and it is due to this fortunate circumstance that Mon’Vuuem was able to learn the ways of the Jedi with such skill. Her Master taught her how to use her long form to her advantage and showed her ways to fight with a lightsaber that wouldn’t end with her pulling a muscle or tripping over her own feet. After she gathered the basics of Shii-Cho, Kem Po turned her skills toward the less offensive styles of combat. Her thin frame did not allow for much in the way of pure muscle and the more offensive forms simply left her unable to follow through. He concentrated his teachings on the forms of Makashi , Soresu, and Niman. Mon’vuuem’s longer reach made these styles work in her favor, allowing her to keep her enemies at a distance while she used the Force to defend herself through other means.
The pair’s apprenticeship lasted until Mon’vuuem reached seventeen years of age. Her single minded focus upon learning the ways of the Force, aided by her complete lack of interest in any extracurricular activities such as most children would seek out, meant that she gave herself over completely to absorbing every ounce of knowledge she could from her Master. Kem Po watched as she threw herself into her studies and excelled in the ten years of her apprenticeship, becoming a devoted student and a talented negotiator. Their time together saw many different missions but, perhaps owing to Kemp Po’s own skill with diplomacy, they saw little in the way of real battles.
Mon’vuuem learned the lessons of her Master well and only on one occasion did she find herself critically injured when talks failed. On the Outer Rim world of Tattoine, Master and Apprentice found themselves on the wrong end of the Hutt. They’d been sent to speak with a Rodian who claimed he was in possession of a Jedi secret that was capable of rending apart the very order itself. It was known from the outset that this would be an exaggeration at best but owing to the Rodian’s position as a close associate of the Hutts, the Council felt it best to at least send an emissary to speak with him. Upon arrival, however, what Kem Po and Mon’vuuem discovered was little more than a torrid love affair gone wrong and a desperate man in search of protection. The Rodian had apparently fallen in love with a Twi’lek slave girl and the two had consummated an affair. The dancing girl had been with child before the short love affair began and she gave birth two days before the tryst was discovered by the Hutts. Sadly, the mother was killed for her betrayal while the Rodian fled with the infant.
Kem Po was entirely set to leave the man to his own devices rather than get involved in such a civil dispute which could cause more issues between the Hutts and the Jedi, but the Twi’lek child showed signs of force sensitivity and the Master could not bring himself to abandon the infant to its fate. This decision confused the young Mon’vuuem who struggled to understand why her master would be willing to risk their lives and potentially cause even more harm in the meager relationship the Hutts had with the Jedi Order. Kem Po explained that as those who have more power than average, it was their duty to defend those who could not defend themselves. The Rodian had brought about his own pain but the child had done nothing to deserve a death at the hands of gangsters and so they had an obligation to save the infant if they could for what good was diplomacy without compassion? Power without temperance? Though she had spent her life refusing to acknowledge feelings, Mon’vuuem was not without them and she learned that day how powerful a thing empathy can be.
As Kem Po and Mon’vuuem hurried to smuggle the child off the planet, a hired Mandalorian mercenary ambushed them and a full on fight ensued. Multiple Hutt reinforcements were brought in, wave after wave. The ship managed to take off with Kemp Po, Mon’vuuem, and the infant aboard though the Rodian was killed in the struggle. Mon’vuuem had suffered a blaster shot to her lower right abdomen and was rushed to the nearest Republic friendly planet for aid. She nearly died of the bloodloss and due to the length of time it took to get her to medical aid, she still bears a scar to this day. The bloody and violent lesson of this mission only served to cement her desire for achieving diplomatic resolutions whenever possible and she renewed her studies as soon as she was able, throwing herself into learning the arts as best she could. She never blamed her Master for the incident and indeed still thinks on it as a learning experience. Mon’vuuem had learned first hand that there was a possible price for being a Jedi and as she laid the infant Twi’lek into its crib in the creche, she decided that the price was more than worth it.
It saddened Mon’vuuem that so much sadness and violence was the result of races letting their emotions dictate their actions and as she went on mission after mission, she became more and more certain that the majority of the pain in the world came from a lack of proper emotional control on the parts of others. Compassion could be had without becoming too attached, pain could be released into the force, and anger was a waste of time. So much peace could be had if only sentient beings could bring themselves to think of things outside of their own turmoil. She devoted her studies to the understanding of what made people so susceptible to their emotions and through her own disconnection to them, she proved more and more invaluable as a diplomat. By the end of her tenth year beneath his tutelage, Kem Po set her forth for her Knighthood trials. She passed all areas though her people skills far exceeded her lightsaber techniques and she was soon awarded Knighthood.
Knighthood: For the next seven years, Mon’vuuem traveled the Galaxy as a well respected diplomat. Her natural tendency to leave her emotions checked at the door allowed her to operate under even the most strenuous of circumstances and her natural aura of calm, coupled with the almost musical quality of her soft spoken voice made her a prime candidate for disputes where the Jedi were not necessarily well loved. She earned a reputation slowly as someone who could be sent to areas where all hope for peaceful resolution had been abandoned. Her race’s reputation for non-emotional involvement proceeded her and it gained her some additional leeway in talks that others may not have had until the time came that her own reputation exceeded that of her lineage.
At only nineteen years old, Mon’vuuem took on her first padawan learner. She chose a young Selonian named Tappas. Training was difficult for both due to Tappas’ struggles with maintaining an emotional distance from those they interacted with but Mon’vuuem was not the kind to shy from a challenge. The girl had come from a tightly knit family and she needed a certain level of constant reassurance during her youth to feel that she was making progress and though Mon’vuuem could never bring herself to be overly affectionate, she learned as much about kindness and compassion from her student as anything Tappas learned from her. High strung and headstrong, Tappas was a handful for even the most experienced of Jedi but Mon’vuuem’s refusal to become angry or irritated with her allowed the girl to come about on her own and over time, she calmed under Mon’vuuem’s influence. Her codependence lessened more and more with each passing year until she finally reached the maturity needed to stand on her own.
In her third year of apprenticeship, Tappas suffered a horrible blow. Her home village had become embroiled in a battle with a neighboring clan and were being wiped out. Against the orders of her master and the High Council, Tappas fled the Jedi Temple and returned to Selonia to aid her biological family. Mon’vuuem followed her to Selonia, determined not to lose her student to the battle, but when she arrived, it was to find a critically wounded Tappas. The village had already been razed to the ground and no soul was left alive save for the barely breathing Tappas who had gone down fighting. Mon’vuuem collected her student and brought the young Selonian to Alderaan. There the Jedi Knight continued her teaching of Tappas even as she nursed the padawan back to health. Many days were spent in the clear waters of the planet’s oceans where both Master and padawan could feel a sense of peace. Over the course of that year, the emotional scars left on Tappas slowly healed with Mon’vuuem’s help and the girl learned to keep her emotions under better control.
Mon’vuuem spent eleven years with Tappas before the young Selonian took her trials for the second time. After an initial failure due to her over excitement at being allowed to try after she’d thought the opportunity lost back on Selonia, Tappas finally passed and moved into knighthood. Her time with Mon’vuuem was good for both Master and Padawan as it taught Tappas to seek calm and peace and taught Mon’vuuem to be at least a little lenient with her emotions when dealing with those closest to her. On the day of her graduation to Knighthood, Tappas approached Mon’vuuem and gave her a small wrapped gift. Within it’s folds was a beautifully carved pendant in the shape of a shell, a symbol of her gratitude for her teachings and patience and most importantly, for the slow mending of her soul after Selonia.
Mastership: Having proven her ability not only as a well skilled emissary but a teacher as well, Mon’vuuem was awarded the title of Master at the age of thirty. She took this title with a grave seriousness and then immediately set out for the archives to seek out the Holocron of Grand Master Bolo Drev'ya. She spent a full two years of almost constant time sitting before the holocron, firing question after question at it, seeking further understanding of the force. The act became a ritual of sorts for her with each morning starting at precisely four AM and ending at nine PM. She would sit, mediate for two hours to bring herself into focus and then activate the holocron. At first, the Jedi Master offered little in the way of real knowledge, poking fun instead and generally trying to dissuade Mon’vuuem from continuing these attempts but after her third straight week of patiently trying again and again without showing any signs of anger over his rebuttals, the Master seemed to relent and find worthiness in that sort of dedication.
As the two years went on, Mon’vuuem’s time spent with the Grand Master was only interrupted by the occasional mission and she gleaned a great deal of information from him; ways to focus one’s thoughts better, how to truly devote oneself to the force, and the like. Still, even to this day, Mon’vuuem is humble about what she knows and admits freely that she will never know as much as the Grand Master until the day comes that she becomes one with the force. She does not often speak of that time and while she will gladly guide those who seek help in the ways of the force, she refers many to go seek the Grand Master out themselves if they wish to know what was said between them for two years.
After the graduation of Tappas and her two year mediation and learning voyage, Mon’vuuem took on a new padawan, a young orange Twi’lek by the name of Sapien Kum. The apprenticeship lasted ten years and Sapien has just recently graduated to Knighthood. The apprenticeship was normal by all standards and Sapien happily attributes his abilities as a mediator to his time with his Master. They had their share of fights and close missions but Mon’vuuem’s refusal to draw weapons until all other avenues had failed led them out of many situations that might have turned violent otherwise. Sapien was a quiet and diligent boy who stayed close to Mon’vuuem and absorbed her knowledge like a sponge. He dedication and loyalty to her were unbreakable owing to the fact that he’d been almost too old to become a padawan when she’d chosen him. On the day of his choosing, Sapien had been told to pack his things and be prepared to go to the argifarms should he not be picked this time but his eagerness to learn and silent plea to ascend to the rank of Jedi brought him to Mon’vuuem’s attention. Despite the warnings by the teachers that he might be too old for proper training, the Jedi Master refused to relent and Sapien became her second apprentice. The two still maintain a quiet friendship though Mon’vuuem is careful not to let her former padawan get too attached.
At fourty two years of age, Mon’vuuem was granted the title of High Council member for her peacekeeping work and her natural leadership qualities.
Lightsaber: Single Bladed, Single-phase with underwater capabilities. Curved hilt.
Color: Green
Practiced Lightsaber forms:
Shii-Cho: 5
Makashi: 5
Soresu: 4
Ataru: 2
Shien / Djem So: 2
Niman: 5
>>Sub-form Jar-kai, or duel Weild: N/A
>>Sub-form Backhanded: 3
Juyo / Vaapad : N/A
Double Bladed Combat: N/A
Force-Sensitive Abilities or practices:
Telekinetic: 8
Telepathic: 9
Body: 5
Sense: 8
Protection: 5
Healing: 6
Destruction: 2
Specialized Skills:
Enlightenment
Attributes:
Physical Strength: 3
Intelligence: 7
Speed: 5 (7 - only when running)
Leadership: 8
Unarmed: 6
Melee Weapons: 7
Ranged Weapons: 3
Force Attunement: +7
RP Sample:
With a heavy heart, Sapien began to pack his bags one by one. He had little in the way of any personal possessions all told, a few changes of civilian clothes, a small hand made toy that his best friend and crechemate Neppian made for him and a tiny journal that boasted the results of his time spent cataloging the many plants in the Jedi observatory gardens. He thumbed over the rough hewn hemp that made up the journal’s cover and swallowed down the threatening storm of tears. He would NOT cry here. With his thirteenth birthday not far off, Sapien was quickly reaching the upper limit of an acceptable age for a padawan and if he failed to be chosen in today’s meeting with the Jedi Masters, then he would be sent away to the agrifarms. Farming just wasn’t in his blood and he swallowed hard at the idea that such an ignoble fate would befall him. In all the years he’d spent here in the creche, he had never thought such a thing would happen. Oh so many nights he’d spent awake, talking to Neppian of the most recent return of some Master or another in hushed whispers. He regaled the other boy with the exploits of Jedi Knights who had just earned their place in the Order and talked of his own knighthood some day with a sense of awe and excitement. Packing his things and facing a life of farming simply hadn’t been a part of that.
Neppian himself was facing the farms as an option though he seemed to be taking to the idea with something akin to relief. He’d always paled a bit at the idea of traveling around and risking his life for people he didn’t even know but Sapien didn’t care. Defending the weak was what a Jedi did. He’d memorized the Jedi Code from as early as he could read and he believed in it with all his heart. Now it was just a matter of finding a Master who would see that. The young Twi’lek’s head snapped up at the whoosh click sound as the door to the dormitories opened. A pleasantly chubby faced woman stood in the doorway, her silvering hair pulled back in a stern bun but belied by the warm smile she wore. Mrs. Ishii. She was one of the creche nursemaids and her arrival meant only one thing.
“All right younglings,” she stated, clapping her hands to gain everyone’s attention and quieting the rowdy excitement of the day. Twenty four pairs of eyes turned to her with a myriad of emotions etched across them; some were fearful, some resigned, but most were excited. “The Jedi Masters are here and the time has come for the choosing of new padawans. Remember your manners, do your best, and good luck. If you’re chosen, we’ll have your things moved to your Master’s quarters.” With that, she turned and pressed her back to the doorframe, gesturing to the younglings and ushering them outside. Sapien took a deep breath and slowly stood up. His knees felt like jello and his stomach was trying to crawl into his feet but he steadied himself the best he could and then followed the others into the main room. “There is no emotion. There is peace. There is no ignorance. There is knowledge…” he murmured the code beneath his breath over and over, trying to release his fear into the force the way the teachers had instructed but his breath hung as he finally laid eyes on the heavily robed figures standing against the opposite wall. Only three. There were only three Jedi Masters here today. That didn’t leave him much in the way of chances and Sapien’s heart fell a little.
Against the opposite wall stood the three Master Jedi who had arrived to pick new apprentices. The tallest of these was Mon’vuuem, the Kaminoan, whose shoulders easily topped the diminutive human standing next to her. She watched, unflinching and utterly still, as the younglings were led out and lined up for the beginnings of their tests. Master Pengo, the smaller human male beside her, glanced up from the corner of his eye and offered a fleeting smile. The two had met a few times before around the temple and she found his company to be pleasant enough. A minute inclination of her head marked her own response to the smile and it was accepted for the compliment it had been meant as. Luminous grey eyes turned back to the gathering before her, the small silver bells of her headdress chiming as they struck the side of her throat, and she watched in utter silence as the students performed various tasks of telekinesis, read cards, and dueled with small practice droids. Among the group, her attention fell to an older student, a Twi’lek, who was obviously coming up on the end of his time here in the creche. She could feel his nervousness from across the room, and she was certain the other Masters could sense it as well, but with it, she could feel a sense of determination and devotion that would serve him well; the boy simply needed to be guided and that pesky self doubt erased.
When the class had finished, the children lined up and waited with baited breath to see who, if anyone, the Masters would choose. Mon’vuuem waited patiently, showing no outward signs whether she’d been impressed or was ready to leave without an apprentice while the Jedi Master to the left of Master Pengo stepped forward. He strode forward purposefully and placed his hand upon the shoulder of a fairly young Radnoran boy. The child’s face lit up with the excitement of seeing a dream realized and the pair walked calmly from the room. Master Pengo glanced up once again at Mon’vuuem and gestured toward the students but she politely bowed and extended an arm to wordlessly show that she was deferring to his seniority. He smiled again and sauntered over to a Caamasi girl, or, at least, Mon’vuuem was fairly certain that was a girl. Regardless, she watched as Master Pengo walked his new padawan past her. He paused and once again smiled up at her, as if determined to get a smile in return, and with all good nature stated “We really should meet some time. I’ve heard you have a particular insight into the Havaas flowers in Master Volvic’s garden. I would love to discuss them with you.”
Mon’vuuem finally relented, the slit of her mouth turning up ever so slightly at the corners, and she offered a deep bow. “Nothing would please me more, Master Pengo.” For all the lack of emotion on her face, Mon’vuuem’s voice was a thing of beauty. Soft spoken, her tones were none the less clear and held a singular refined gentleness to them that made it all too clear why when she spoke, others listened. Master Pengo’s smile returned tenfold and he nodded his pleasure to her before striding from the room, his student in tow. Finally, it was Mon’vuuem’s turn. Her movements were as fluid as her homeworld, the thin fabric of her robes rustling and shifting about her, and she gracefully glided across the room toward the waiting lines. Sapien couldn’t take his eyes off her. The way she moved seemed half dance and half floating. Each step set the small silver ornaments of her circlet to jingling and the music seemed to him like the most peaceful thing he’d ever heard. This would not be a master of fighting. This master would not teach him to become the most powerful swordsman ever, but he was certain without doubt, that she could lead him right to the path for pure inner peace.
Mon’vuuem scanned the eager faces before her once again, making certain that she had chosen wisely before disregarding the others, and she could sense the fluctuating emotions of the youngling she’d been watching. Hope fell to worry and rose to hope again as she moved to each new face. Finally, she stopped before him. Sapien held his breath, certain that she would pass by as the others had all while praying she wouldn’t. Huge grey eyes stared down at him, ever so slowly blinking as she thought over her decision, and he tried his best not to get too caught up in them. There is no emotion. There is the Force…his thoughts turned once more to the dogma that had brought him this far and he directed his attempts inward, trying to cling to that code regardless of her decision. Little did Sapien know this would be his salvation. The other students had tried much the same thing but most directed the thoughts outward, bombarding Mon’vuuem with their desire to be chosen and repeating the words more for her benefit than theirs. Her face broke into a genuine smile of approval and she placed a hand on Sapien’s shoulder, her long fingers curling into the fabric of his tunic as she stared down at him. “Will you be my padawan? Will you learn from me?” she asked in her singsong tones.
Sapien could have gladly cried out at that moment but he held himself in check and managed an enthusiastic nod before catching himself. “Y-yes Master.” His smile would not be reigned in and he beamed at her as if she were an angelic being sent straight from the Force itself.
“Very good,” Mon’vuuem purred. She turned to the nursemaid and nodded a bow of respect, a gesture appreciated by those who did not hold a Jedi ranking, and then quietly turned and headed for the door. Sapien hurried after her, pausing only once to look back at Neppian. The other boy merely nodded in excitement for his friend and held up two thumbs. A Sith could not have wiped the smile from his face as Sapien turned on his heel and rushed to catch up to his new master. She lifted her arm as he came up beside her and placed her hand against his back, guiding with the barest of pressure to let him know which way they were headed. She glanced down at him as her senses were buffeted by an overwhelming sense of joy and relief and found him staring up at her with pure gratitude in his eyes. Mon’vuuem slowed her stride to allow for Sapien’s much shorter legs and led him to the elevator. As the doors began to slide shut, she placed a hand on his shoulder. “My name is Master Mon’vuuem. What is your name, padawan?”
Sapien, in his relief and happiness, beamed up at her.
“Sapien….Master.”