Post by Vroxen on Sept 4, 2013 4:52:15 GMT -5
“Carry the battle to them. Don't let them bring it to you. Put them on the defensive and don't ever apologize for anything.”
Name: Zed Pliall
Race: Lannik
Age: 73
Height: 3'
Weight: 43 lbs.
Birth place: Lannik
Appearance:
At first glance Zed Pliall looks small and weak. Standing at a measly three feet and weighing forty three pounds he is far from intimidating. His head is almost completely bald except for a portion of hair growing on the top of his head near the back. This hair is always held in a ponytail and stretches down to just above his shoulders. Two long ears stretch from the side of his head curving slightly towards the end and stops Zed from wearing hoods. Zed’s face has wrinkles forming around his eyes and the sides of his mouth; upon closer inspection the Lannik has multiple wounds on his body as well as a few burn marks that appear to be made by blasters, most received while attempting to master certain aspects of Tutaminis but not all.
In his right hand Zed clutches his sabercane which helps him conserve energy while walking. Sometimes he is found using to force to levitate himself in an attempt to save physical strength he may need in battle. He is also not opposed to traveling around the temple in the comfort of his repulsor/hover chair.
Zed wears simple robes that have a black base layer with a pure white over robe. The back of the over robe does not drag along the floor however and ends just shy of the floor. Around his waist is a light weight belt made of flexible materials, upon it is a shoto lightsaber and a small pouch containing medical supplies.
Personality:
Zed is extremely intelligent due to having an eidetic memory and is very serious especially with anything that concerns his work or his duty. He is often rigidly logical and is sometimes seen as socially inept. He is very arrogant and sometimes rude, Zed’s not afraid to state his mind or remind those of their place clearly showing that he has signs of a superiority complex. This can be seen by his use of Dun Möch which incorporates taunts while in combat that can make the opponent feel less than he or she may be. He is also known to have a distinct lack of empathy for certain things and finds it hard to deal with certain situations that revolve around emotion.
His time studying has brought him across various books that he has had to absorb in the search for answers, some of which were written by other cultures and in different languages forcing Zed to learn them in order to decipher the secrets within them.
While all this is true he possesses great leadership qualities in that he is always able to get the best out of those serving under him, not only that he is a relentless and experienced in combat giving no second thought about leading by example at the front of the group. Exemplary tactician Zed often creates plans of attack or defence that have an air of brilliance about them as well as a slight hint of crazy.
Fighting Style:
Zed is a very experienced combatant. Over his life he has been involved in numerous fights, some out of choice, others forced upon him. However his dedication to the discovery of a perfect fighting style has led to him being very revered and feared in battle. His research has led him to take an extremely defensive style and is a firm believer in the saying “The best offence is a good defence.” Zed utilized his vast knowledge of Tutaminis to absorb, deflect and even re-direct his opponents force abilities against them in an attempt to wear them down. Once his enemy has succumb to fatigued Zed can choose using electric judgment at varying power levels depending on his goal with the target. While it is easy to underestimate Zed’s lightsaber prowess due to his focus being more on the use of force powers it is a big mistake. Mastering Ataru to its highest degree his acrobatic fighting style combined with Sokan, Tràkata and Su Ma often allows him to overwhelm opponents. As old age begins to take its toll Zed has spent his recent years mastering Force Valour in order to maintain his prowess in melee combat.
Against those who are adept in the use of the force, Ataru is Zed’s first choice attempting to win quickly with superior swordplay that a lot of purely force using individuals don’t possess. However against those who adept with the use of a lightsaber he prefers to wear them down with the use of defensive force powers.
Faction: Jedi
Rank: Master
Sub-Rank Consular
Lightsaber: Two Shoto, Duel Phase Lightsabers. (One of which is carried as part of his sabercane.)
Color: Both of his Lightsabers are Silver.
Practiced Lightsaber forms:
Shii-Cho: ~Mastered~
Makashi: 0
Soresu: 0
Ataru: ~Mastered~
Shien / Djem So: 0
>>Sub-form Backhanded: 0
Niman: 0
>>Sub-form Jar-kai, or Dual Wield: 0
Juyo: 0
Double Bladed Combat: 0
Force-Sensitive Abilities or practices:
Telekinetic: 8
Telepathic: 5
Body: 8
Sense: 5
Protection: 8
Healing: 5
Destruction: 5
Specialized Skills:
- Electric Judgment/Emerald Lightning: It showed up as yellow or green energy instead of blue or white, but otherwise it was very similar in both appearance and usage to the Force power known as Force lightning.
- Force Valor: Force Valor required the user to tap into the Force. By doing so a Jedi could increase the rate at which one's capacities functioned, allowing the body to move more quickly, strike more powerfully, and fight with improved accuracy.
- Force Absorb: An ability that branch's from Tutaminis. This allowed the user to absorb energy into them. Using the absorbed energy to bolster their own force powers or to help recuperate from fatigued.
- Protection Bubble: Another ability that branch's from Tutaminis. With this ability, the user could create a defensive sphere around their body. It is described as a shimmering blue globe of energy. It could protect the user from a wide range of attacks, deflect laser blasts, defend against lightsabers, vacuums and even inflict certain amounts of damage upon contact with the enemy.
Attributes:
Physical Strength: 4
Intelligence: 8
Speed: 5
Leadership: 7
Unarmed: 8
Melee Weapons: 3
Lightsaber Proficiency: 7
Ranged Weapons: 1
“I think scars are like battle wounds - beautiful, in a way. They show what you've been through and how strong you are for coming out of it.”
Bio:
Early Life:
Zed Pliall was born on Lannik, his birth was no different to the hundreds of other children born across the planet daily other than he was born to a highly revered family... The Pliall's. The Pliall's had a renowned pedigree with many of the members serving in some of the most elite groups known to the galaxy. His father, Eian had been a loyal and respected member and head of the Lannik Royal Palace Guard for many years and was considered a brave, strong and noteworthy warrior among his people. His Mother, Suki had been a Jedi Master before she met Eian, refusing to break the code she asked the council if she could part peacefully with the order and handed in her lightsaber along with her possible future on the Jedi High Council. Finally his brother, a member of the Jedi order Zed's brother Jenta was a Jedi Knight. Although not much word arrived to the family, as was the Jedi way Suki could always sense that he was safe, maybe via the force, maybe it was mother’s intuition.
With so much force sensitivity present in the blood line, it was only natural that Zed's parents would take a blood sample to send to the Jedi on Corruscant upon their sons birth. Suki may have left the order but she still had contacts, friends and her son that could deliver the sample to those who could determine Zed's force sensitivity. There was no reply from the order; little did the family know that their son had already made a lasting impression on those who saw the Midi-chlorian readings. Zed's high Midi-chlorian count gave him a spot an exclusive database like no other, the Kyber Crystal. The Kyber Crystal had information on the most force sensitive children in the galaxy, and allowed the Jedi to keep track of them so that they could one day recruit them into the order.
With no word from the Jedi Order and no information to go on Zeds parents could do nothing but try and provide the best lifestyle they could for him, and they did. He was raised in a loving home where he received as much attention as any child could want. Although he was still young his parents tried their best to instil him with worthwhile values such as; loyalty, duty, respect and courage. Aged three Zed began to show incredible aptitude in the force being able to levitate his toys and twirl them around before losing focus and having them drop to the ground. It was incredibly rare and Suki can remember only a few times that a child had this connection to the force during her time as a Jedi.
Not long after a Jedi arrived at the Pliall family home, welcomed inside the first sight that the Jedi saw was that of Zed levitating a small block around him while giggling. That was more than enough to confirm that the child was as the data readings suggested and that he needed to be taken to the temple. After convocation with Zed's parents the Jedi was ready to leave, insisting it was easier for them to say their goodbyes at the door. The Jedi took Zed back to his ship at a local spaceport before making his way back to Corruscant.
The journey was not that long; however it felt like an eternity for Zed who couldn't yet understand why or where he was going.
The Youngling Years:
The sky seemed slightly darker on Corruscant than Zed's home planet. Maybe it was later in the day, but he wasn't even sure what day it was, how long had he been on that ship? Nevertheless Zed made his way to what would become his new home alongside the Jedi who took him. Corruscant was big, sky scrapers, flashing bill boards and speeders flying in all directions, everything looked so metallic and modern. You can imagine Zed's surprise when amidst the hustle and bustle of the city a large stone structure stood vigilant, it was the Jedi temple. It wasn't long before they arrived at its steps and began to climb. With every step Zed took he became closer to a new path and a new life. Upon reaching the top Zed faced a majestic archway, beyond that figures seemed to be walking around and when they got closer Zed could see that hundreds of Jedi were within walking around in their robes. He took his first step inside and his journey began.
It was several days before anything happened. The instructors wanted to ease the younglings in and make sure they are comfy in their clans before beginning training. Zed was quite a confident and outspoken child; he had no trouble making friends and his interests about who everyone was, where they came from helped sooth the nerves somewhat. Zed explained to everyone that he had a brother who was a Jedi Knight somewhere in the temple. It was weird how Zed found it easy to brag about someone he'd never met. During their convocations they were interrupted by a deep voice, turning around they saw a robed Lannik, on his belt a lightsaber. It was clear to everyone that this was the brother he had been speaking about, sadly he had not come to meet his brother but instead he was here to explain the rules, timetables and structure that the younglings would adhere to during their training. It was a short briefing and afterwards Zed attempted to talk to his brother, who gave him the cold shoulder and left. Zed didn't understand, but the Jedi couldn't afford attachments or ties with family which is something that he would eventually learn.
As with all youngling training it was all about getting the basics down to a tee. Younglings were not required to do anything other than improve their skills and pass certain tests to show how they were progressing. Developing an understanding of what the force is was important, the force was the reason that they were at the temple and understanding what role it plays in the universe was a good first step. Secondly they were taught what the Jedi are about, what is their roles and how they perform them. This was where the younglings had certain aspects of the Jedi code ingrained into them in order to make them understand that they are keepers of the peace, not soldiers. While this was true, all younglings learned basic lightsaber movements as well as attempting to learn the form Shii-cho, something that Zed picked up rapidly, his eidetic memory serving him extremely well. The last thing that the instructors were tasked with doing was developing younglings control over the force. For most of the younglings this was the hardest part yet Zed who already partly developed control over his use of the force was moved into a more advanced class where he would benefit more. Liking to prove his superiority he would often brag about how much better he was at aspects than the others in his clan, sometimes upsetting them. Eventually Zed found himself with very few friends then finally none. Not that Zed cared, in his eyes they had nothing to offer him and he could learn, improve and study better without them around.
The star pupil and possibly one of the most talked about Jedi younglings the instructors had ever seen Zed was passing all tests with flying colours. He was learning to control his body to a degree than some don't have until late into their apprenticeships as well as displaying an incredibly potent use of the force. The only thing that Zed found hard was making friends. As they got older people started to not care too much about his personality, he was only stating truths after all even if it did become irritating. Zed became extremely methodical and serious when it came to his training, his timetable was tight and left little room for down time however if it had not been for him being naturally gifted and a fast learner he probably would have had no time.
As his life in the Jedi began to take over, all thoughts of home began to fade. He still wished he could see his mum and dad, yet he now understood that at this current junction it wasn't going to happen. Although he wouldn't tell anyone but he would often dream about his home and returning there one day to show his parents what he had become. The dreams just gave him extra drive to pursue his training.
Zed changed a lot over the course of his time as a youngling, not all the changes were noticeable things like him being smarter and his understanding what it meant to be a Jedi however there were several noticeable changes. He became more mature, while he was still arrogant he decided to not throw it in people’s faces all the time, although if provoked he would use it to gain a foot hold in an argument. One of the most noticeable changes is that of his development of competiveness as well as him becoming socially inept due to the large amount of time he spent alone studying.
Through all his training and all his development he was still undecided on where he wanted to go in the order. He had a fond love for the developing of combat and improvement of his own abilities but that was all he knew. One thing was certain though; he had been getting a lot of attention from Jedi who were considering taking him as their padawan learner. All of them had something to offer Zed but he wasn't too sure. Never the less becoming a padawan was almost guaranteed for him. The same could not be said for some other members of his clan, who were eclipsed by Zeds shadow and weren't allowed to shine.
A Powerful Padawan:
Zed didn't expect the kind of reaction he got when he came of age. The council believed that he had great potential within the order and decided that they would assign a fitting master for him. Someone who was wise and powerful with experience and who reflected Zeds strong personality. His master Jiaddik was a wookie Jedi Master who had lived for over 200 years and served with the Jedi Guardians for most of that time. A revered and extremely powerful Jedi he had been offered a seat on the council many times. Zed was extremely lucky to have the opportunity to be trained by such a being; however Zed believed that he was being trained more through necessity than Jiaddik actually wanting to.
Jiaddik didn't just bring knowledge to the table; he brought hundreds of years’ worth of experience. Everything he spoke about with Zed he had something to relate back to, it didn't just make training more interesting but being a Jedi as a whole. Jiaddiks skills had also been honed to perfection and he knew exactly what to look for when attempting to improve someone else's style, power or strength. He could squeeze the very best out of Zed and his future was looking bright.
Zed was given a training regime that he had to adhere to completely. 3 out of the 7 days would be dedicated to improvement in lightsaber combat. Lightsaber drills that worked towards mastering Shii-Cho, cardio work needed to provide to obtain and maintain fitness, endurance running to improve stamina useful for long lightsaber duels, tabata interval training that worked on raising Zeds VO2 max and finally sparring work used mainly to assess the gains of the training. Days 4, 5 and 6 were all focused on the improvement of force powers. Control, focus and technique were all looked at and assessed during these days. Zed was lucky that he only had to be shown things once, it allowed Jiaddik a lot more freedom during these days, which he was grateful for. The final day of every week was where Zed could chill out and relax in the archives although it was not mandatory he preferred to keep learning non-stop absorbing books by the handful on a weekly basis. It was during these days that he learned about the form of Ataru which would later become his favourite lightsaber form. He also looked into more advanced force powers, their uses and even had some demonstrations. History was also a big part of his research, battles and how they were won and lost were of big interest to Zed.
After a year or so of training, a combined total of 156 days spent honing his lightsaber ability he had perfected the form of Shii-Cho. It was a proud moment for Zed, not that he said that, he remained cool and calm when he finally got it, repeating the movements multiple times to make sure it was not a fluke. Similarly he had progressed immensely in his study of the force, with the help of his master he had got down the basics of all the simplistic force powers; force push, pull, grip, jump and speed among others were all at his disposal even the slightly more slightly advanced Force barrier was strong enough to deflect a few shots from a blaster before dissipating into the air. Now all he had to do was decide where his training would go next. He'd already asked Jiaddik to perform Ataru, a form that over his lifetime he had mastered to the highest degree, so he could get a good idea of what was incorporated. While he only practiced the form in his spare time he practiced each stroke or slash singularly however the linking together of each would require a great deal more training.
Not long after his success at mastering the basics his master had a surprise for him. Making their way to the Jedi hanger he was met by multiple other padawans who began to tag along. He was confused yet remained professional as not to embarrass his master. Upon arrival at the hanger a small transport ship was waiting for them, they boarded and the adventure began. This was only Zed's second time in space and it brought back old memories, no longer were they bad though, he saw them as the beginning of his new life, a life he adored and loved. It was a moment he cherished. During the time on the ship he took the opportunity to spar with a few of the older padawans. He seemed to be of a much higher calibre than the others and eventually he ran out of people wanting to spar him. Luckily though it wasn't much longer until they arrived on the frost, ice and snow covered planet of Ilum. Zed questioned why they were here but he was happy that it was some different scenery from the temple; he would have killed for it to be a little warmer though. Marching across the snow led by Jiaddik who was seemingly unaffected by the biting cold winds of the planet they arrived at a large wall, confused the padawans looked at each other before turning to see Jiaddik thrust his palms forward and opened the ice to reveal a pathway into a dark cave.
Jiaddik led the group into the cave; Zed was right behind him while the others seemed fairly cautious. They reached a centre platform on which Jiaddik stood before addressing the padawans. He explained that this was the crystal cave that for centauries Jedi had travelled too in order to get their lightsaber crystal. He explained that there would be only one crystal each and that they would have to first figure out which one was theirs. Zed was confident as always, when entering he began jogging through the cave his eidetic memory remembering where he had been before. It wasn't long before Zed found what he was looking for, it was high up. Using the force he leapt from ledge to ledge making his way up high enough to reach it. As he leaned across his fingertips brushed against the crystals smooth surface, however he was not tall enough to grip it. Pondering for a moment he closed his eyes before reaching his hand out and gripping the crystal with the force. It was wedged it tight and it took all of Zeds concentration to wiggle it loose, as with everything though he prevailed and was the owner of his first lightsaber crystal. Remembering the way he came he walked back out, the crystal clutched firmly in his hand.
He was the first out and it was several hours until everyone else finished. He didn't have any equipment to practice with for that time so while waiting he performed some cardio workouts to make best use of the time. When they finally got back to the temple Jiaddik helped Zed create his lightsaber, the process was one of great importance and the hilt created was a shoto version of his masters. It was not uncommon to find that padawans made hilts that reflected their masters own.
Life returned to normal after the gathering. His training regime was still the same 3, 3, 1 split although it incorporated different things now. Practicing Ataru and attempting to master things like force barrier he was becoming a fine Jedi. Jiaddik would often say how of all the padawans he had trained, he had never seen one who could learn and put as much work in as Zed. The compliment was nice. But to Zed it seemed more like he was good because the others were lazy. As he got older Zed accompanied his master on a plethora of missions, none were too stressful or too hard but they gave him the required insight and the space needed to develop and grow.
That was until he was aged 21. Jiaddik had been tasked with overseeing the movements of one of the republics fleets and allowed Zed to come along. Everything was fine and he was taught about the ships capabilities and the basics of what everyone's role was. While passing though Daga Minor a semi-large fleet shot out of hyperspace. They were Mandalorian ships and while a group or so of smaller craft passed through the republic fleet before it had time to react Jiaddik managed to order the fleet into defensive positions effectively blocking the Mandalorians way on to the planet. The republic fleet was larger but the Mandalorians were fierce their heavy artillery ripping through the shields of some of the smaller craft in the fleet. At the same time a large group of Mandalorians boarded the vessel that Zed and his master were on. Handing command to the highest ranking officer on the bridge Zed and Jiaddik reached for their hilts and grabbed a number of soldiers before making their way to the breech.
Fires were rampant in certain areas of the ship as droids attempted to control the blazes. When the finally arrived at the Mandalorian breech there was around 16 - 20 of them, at a glance, who were battling their way through the ship. Bodies of republic soldiers littered the floor as the superior warriors ravaged the ill prepared soldiers. Jiaddik was not ill prepared however. Bursting into action he stood in front of his men assuming the Shien form and deflecting blaster bolts away from those behind him. Zed froze for a second, this was real and it had suddenly hit him, luckily it was only temporary and he assumed a position next to his master. As the battle raged both sides had taken casualties but now it was Jiaddik who was beginning to waver. His strength not what it once was a well-placed blaster bolt ripped through the side of the tired wookie. Falling to one knee temporarily the other Mandalorians saw an opening sending a volley of bolts in Zed and his master’s direction. Without thinking Zed turned off his lightsaber and raised his hands channelling out of them a powerful force barrier. It was the strongest he had created and he began yelling to the soldiers to take his master to safety, the soldiers quickly followed their orders and dragged the wookie to safety. Sensing an opening Zed lowered his barrier, re-taking his position at the front, he didn't have to do this for just the republic, this was personal, this was for Jiaddik. Believing the younger Jedi was weak the last of the Mandalorians pushed the attack, but were repelled by the combined efforts of the remaining soldiers and Zed. Two Mandalorians remained, sensing defeat they sent thermal charges into the group as well as around the corners before drawing their Beskar swords and charging at Zed. The blasts went off in several locations killing or wounding the last republic soldiers. It was just Zed vs. two Mandalorians. He held his ground and re-adjusted the grip on his lightsaber. Suddenly a roar came from out of the smoke as the injured Jiaddik stumbled through to help his padawan. Both of them locked in single combat they attempted to cover for each other’s mistakes but Zeds in-experience led to his master over extending to save his padawan. As he did a blade thrust into the Wookies abdomen forcing him to let out a piercing howl. Zed watched in horror as the Jiaddik grabbed the Mandalorian around the throat holding his wrists so he could not back away from his thrust. He lifted the man into the air before removing his helmet and crushing his skull with his bare hands.
The pain finally got the better of the wookie before he fell to the floor. Zed felt his anger growing, his body was reacting to the situation and he could not control it. Channelling his anger he attacked with ferocious speed switching into what he knew of Ataru. The Mandalorian who had clearly underestimated Zed had nowhere to go and was eventually struck down. Anger beginning to fade, Zed was exhausted and crawled over to his master. Sadly it was too late and his master had passed... A tear rolled down the Lannik's cheek his ears curling lightly into a droop. The battle was still raging on however and taking his master's hilt he returned to the bridge. Assuming command of the ship in his master’s stead he ordered the ships to break defensive formations and move into the Mandalorians head on. Ordering the capital ships to approach either side of the larger ships there was nowhere for them to run, a slug fests ensued as batteries fired into ships belonging to both sides. From the bridge Zed oversaw the battle using his vast knowledge from reading about battles to help direct the forces with help from high ranking officers on the bridge. Zeds orders to the pilots of star fighters helped them to swarm the larger ships wearing them down with superior speed.
The battle was long but the Mandalorians were finally defeated. Some retreated out of range before entering hyperspace. Others attempted to martyr themselves seeking a warrior’s death and glory on the battlefield. Zed did not care, he had lost the most influential and important person in his life. Not to mention one of his only friends. The remaining ships in the fleet holo communicated with Zed applauding his courage and valour during the republics hour of need. He accepted the thanks but even that couldn't cheer him up. Ordering the fleet to return to Corruscant to restock on supplies and get needed repairs he returned to his quarters where Jiaddik lay. Taking this moment to reflect on their time together he awaited his return to the temple. In his masters stead he would have to brief the council with a full report of the events and explain his actions if required.
Upon arrival at the temple he was almost immediately summoned to the council chambers. There he faced the Jedi council to whom he explained everything in detail. It was a tough thing to try and re-live he still couldn't believe it. The council explained that he should be proud of what he did... of what he accomplished and that in battle lives are lost. He saved countless lives, not just on the ships within the fleet but those on the planet’s surface. Although he was not yet old enough to begin the trials they awarded him the passing of the trial of flesh, courage and skill for he had fulfilled the criteria for each. The council would keep an eye on him as he had requested to not be given a new master, he believed that he could continue the training his master had started and be ready for what remained of his trials. The council did however stress that while they were sorry for his loss, Jiaddik wouldn't have wanted him to dwell on what happened and they offered him a week of mourning, after which point he would return fully to his training.
Zed didn't need a week, just a few hours alone to reflect upon his master. In those hours he dismantled the lightsaber that his master had once wielded, removing from it a silver colour crystal and a rubat crystal. Which he then placed within a new case fit for his own use. This blade would allow him to remember his master’s sacrifice and heroism; it would also allow Zed to celebrate it. This was the blade he would carry with him if needed in the trials.
The trials were upon him and he took the last day or so before beginning his trial of spirit, his final trial, to reflect on his time as a padawan. Firstly he looked at what he was good at, combat was his strong suit his control over the force was becoming stronger by the day and his skills with a lightsaber in his favourite form of Ataru were coming along in leaps and bounds. Then he looked to his weak points. He had noticed he was not the most diplomatic of people, strong willed and opinionated he was never afraid to speak his mind. Something not everyone liked, however he considered honestly the best policy. Finally he looked past what had changed with strengths and weaknesses, but he looked at how he had changed as a person. It was clear that his superiority complex had become more pronounced, especially after his victory in battle sunk in. Younger Jedi would stop and ask if he was the Jedi who fought the Mandalorians which didn't help his ego. Mainly though he noticed how he had a distinct lack of empathy for people emotions, after the death of his master other peoples pain became second to his own and it seemed to stick that way.
Never the less, the potential that the council saw in him all those years ago was beginning to show as he began to blossom into a respected member of the Jedi order.
The Testing Trial:
RP Sample:
