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Post by Ysmir on Jul 31, 2019 15:18:18 GMT -5
  "We will persevere." - Mandalore the Vigilant Full Name • Mandalore the Vigilant (Hal of Clan Kelborn) Title • Lord Mand'alor, Al'Ori'Ramikade, Kyr'werda (The Shadow of Death) Race • Morellian/Human Hybrid Birthplace • Manda'yaim (Mandalore) Age • 116 (born 3708 BBY) Gender • Male Sexuality • Heterosexual (Asexual Tendencies) Faction • Clan Kelborn, Mandalorian Clans Concept • A ruthless and highly experienced Mandalorian supercommando and hunter (Rank 3) active in the galaxy for over a century. Having claimed power during the Mandalorian Dark Age, Mandalore the Vigilant seeks to lead his fractured people in a Galaxy rife with uncertainty and despair. Languages • Basic, Mando'a Assets •
Appearance  Face Claim • Josh Brolin (Armor image credit to Mandalorian Mercs Costume Club.) Height & Weight • 5'9", 224 lbs. Overall Looks • Imposing and stoic despite his average height, Hal Kelborn is marked by an air of superiority and overwhelming self-confidence that follows him wherever he goes. With streaks of silver dotting his grey hair present since childbirth as a result of a light form of albinism, he combines a mixture of traits that at once cause him to appear both youthful and aged -- traits both inherent and earned. His physique is typical of the Mando'ade, hardened and trained by decades of non-stop combatative experience. Although standing below six feet tall, Hal's incredibly dense musculature and cybernetic enhancements cause him to weigh in at over 220 pounds. His athletic, warrior-like build affords him strength and dexterity uncommon amongst most individuals, allowing him to perform feats of physicality that are beyond the norm. Despite his advanced age (well over one hundred years old), Hal appears to be a man in his physical prime, no more than his late-40s at the oldest. This is a result of his Morellian heritage on his father's side. His physical stature aside, Hal is often remarked as roguishly handsome. He possesses a squared, strong jawline to accompany his other masculine features, including defined cheekbones and a thick neck indicative of his stout nature. Hal keeps his beard shaven for the most part, only rarely letting it grow out to a thick stubble. Dotting his weathered face are prominent browline wrinkles, and a Y-shaped scar across his left brow, eye, and upper cheekbone received in combat with a Tuk'ata. Generally, Hal dresses tactically and conservatively; he pays little mind to "blending in", and often bears the mark of Clan Kelborn proudly and openly on his attire. As a Mandalorian, Hal is prone to almost always wearing his personal Beskar'gam, painted red and white with the mark of Clan Kelborn on its right shoulder, and his own personal insignia on the chest. Adorning his neck is a chain looped with various metallic pendants; all of these were taken from the lightsabers of fallen Jedi and melted down into ornamentation. Perhaps the most notable aspect of Hal's overall appearance are his cybernetic enhancements, most visible of which is his left arm. Injures sustained during the Mandalorian Uprising of Mandalore the Betrayer caused Hal's left arm to be amputated and replaced by a prosthesis, as well as his left eye. His left arm is composed of a Beskar-Durasteel alloy that allows it to be flexible but highly durable, even capable of withstanding blows from a lightsaber. It affords him a greater degree of physical strength than an organic limb, allowing him to lift fully grown men off the ground with a single hand and break concrete with his blows. The arm can also be electrified at will, allowing him to stun his opponents even without a visible weapon. Further, it is outfitted with a very brief but versatile energy shielding device that can deflect potentially fatal attacks in a pinch, though it requires recharging after use (approximately five minutes). His left eye allows him to see in the ultraviolet as well as infrared spectrums, and is immune to vision-impairing devices such as flash grenades. It appears no different from an organic eye at first glance, but has a tendency to glow a bright yellow colour when in use. Subsequent cybernetic surgeries stabilized his bodily functions but offer no further advantages. Personality Profile  Hal is, in a word, driven. His mother, Genoa, died at childbirth, leaving him in the care of his Morellian father, an incredibly traditional and difficult Mandalorian Commando named Averic. Brutal and unforgiving training from a very young age instilled within Hal traits and beliefs that are unwavering to this day, marking him as a resolute and staunch traditionalist in his own right. Hal is first and foremost a warrior and hunter, a glory-seeker who refuses to rest a day in his life until he feels as though he has successfully conquered the ultimate challenge -- given his absurdly high standards, however, this day is unlikely to come anytime soon. In his goal to become the best possible version of himself and to bring honor to the Mando'ade, Hal has always found himself in the thick of wherever fighting can be found; whether beating back galactic governments to win back worlds for his people or traversing the most dangerous and unforgiving jungles in search of legendary beasts to claim a trophy from, Hal is most comfortable when his life is on the line. This tendency for self-destructive and haphazard adventure has led to numerous people branding him as foolhardy, reckless, and even suicidal; however, these people are often outsiders who have little to no grasp on what it means to be of the Mando'ade. While in combat, Hal often enters what he refers to as "the flow"; he develops laser focus and determination on decimating whatever worthy foe lies before him, saving for later or outright ignoring lesser opponents in favor of the challenging prey. Thus, he will usually charge headlong into the fray during large-scale conflicts with the objective of disabling a large vehicle, downing an important commander for the opponent's side, or even engaging a Sith or Jedi in one-on-one combat purely to intimidate and demoralize. In this "flow", he very rarely communicates with his allies unless absolutely necessary, and can often be seen shrugging off and resisting the debilitating effects of even the most grievous bodily harm. Such is his intense assimilation into the heat of battle that even the pained screams of his allies fail to deter him from his objective -- not due to lack of empathy or care for his comrades, but because of sheer thrill of combat. This blatant disregard for anything other than the kill extends to his ruthless nature; if a worthy opponent challenges him, he will fight to the end no matter who it is. However, his dual morality is lopsided in its virtue -- with direct and unflinching willingness to kill those who he meets on the battlefield, he is similarly disdainful of unworthy or unchallenging kills. He refuses to fight or put down the weak, unarmed, physically ill, or young, and will reprimand, sometimes violently, any who do so needlessly. Fittingly for his competitive nature, Hal takes great pride in his ability to overcome any obstacle -- he wears the title of "Jedi Killer" like a badge of honor. Due to his traditionalist mindset and heartfelt devotion to the cause of the Mando'ade, Hal often has difficulty relating to those who are not cut from the same cloth as him and his people. He views the stresses of modern life through a lens of ignorance, and is viciously against the idea of politic and peaceful coexistence. Negotiation is about as useful to him as a dull knife, and Hal would rather see himself die than ever think to surrender or bargain his way to safety. Such views extend to the Mandalorian Clans as a whole; Hal was among the most vocal resistors toward the multiple pacts and treaties that the Mandalorian people have been forced into during the last six decades. However, this has brought about a rather fluid nature in Hal's way of thinking, in that he has come to accept that change is merely a part of life. Having been alive to witness the rise and fall of four Mand'alors in his lifetime, Hal is no stranger to the concept of morphing idealogies. Thus, although outspoken about his deep-seeded beliefs, Hal nonetheless has grown to become adaptable and mallaeable when it comes to his service to the people. Personally, Hal is, unsurprisingly, a man of few words unless the talk is on subjects relating to his people and to his religious beliefs. Surprisingly, on the other hand, Hal is also predisposed to dispensing of words of wisdom to those he feels need it, or to those who ask. He is not at all above playing the role of mentor to younger Mandalorians or people seeking to improve upon themselves in some way, shape, or form, so long as they heed his words and his experience carefully. Although very rarely at home due to his adventurous and spirited desire for challenge, the time he does spend amongst his Clan usually consists of him assisting in instruction of the younger warriors-to-be. Because he lacks a son or a wife, this is generally the closest thing Hal receives to any sort of "affection" from another being, especially considering his lack of tact in anything other than battle or war theory. Although as stated above to have lone wolf tendencies, he can still manage to be a terrific team player when he keeps his bloodlust and excitement in check. He is also known to take a great deal of amusement in the ever-present absurdities of life; he will often comment upon the ill fate of himself or others with dry wit, much to the chagrin of others. These moments are the few that he ever portrays himself as something less than serious. Lastly, one of the most important aspects of somebody's person to Hal is honor and respect. To Hal, lack of these two qualities means lack of substance. He is never one to mince words in anything he says, and has a complete and utter disregard for the notion of authority when it comes to anybody besides Mand'alor himself. His blunt and brutal honesty is a trait that he expects to receive in kind, and his reactions range from rage to outright violence if somebody ever deigns to misle or misdirect him with their words. Alongside this, Hal believes wholeheartedly that honor in the face of failure is the only way to react to such a thing; he has never once attempted to redirect or dodge his involvement in any personal shortcomings (of which he, like all people, has had many), and will often be the first to submit himself to disciplinary action if his abilities fall short of expectation. To Hal, this is how one improves oneself and grows to become stronger -- mentally and physically. Notably however, his experiences during the Dark Ages and subsequent claiming of the title of Mand'alor have brought about significant changes in the way Hal thinks and plans. No longer merely a warrior, his status as Mandalore the Vigilant means he must also be a leader and a mediator when the need arises. As a result, he finds himself in precarious situations where, more often than not, simply fighting his way out isn't an option. While still growing used to his position in the prestigious role, his prior experience in battle and strong ties with many Mandalorian Clans have established Hal as a strong and capable general, often forgoing instruction and orders in favor of leading by example. He uses his sharp wit and determination as weapons against insurrection and disobedience. All in all, Hal is an efficient, dedicated, traditional warrior who has some hyperviolent tendencies, but tempers these with decades upon decades of experience and wisdom. Background Father • Averic Kelborn, 203, Morellian Mandalorian Commando (Deceased) Mother • Genoa Kelborn, 22, Human Mandalorian Artificer (Deceased) Siblings • N/A Other Important Connections • Asami Vizsla, 44, Mentor (Deceased) Hagen Vox, 70, Exchange Contact (Deceased) Ordrick Kelborn, 44, Mandalorian Armorer & Mechanic Genthus Sigurd Deshra, 31, Mandalorian Warrior and Frienemy Overall History • Chapter 1: Early Life & Training Born to Averic and Genoa of Clan Kelborn on the Mandalorian homeworld of Mandalore in 3708 BBY, Hal's early life was characterized by a brutal and systematic installation of the Mando'ade's core tenets into his very being at the hands of his staunch traditionalist of a father. His mother, an Artificer and Engineer, died in childbirth, leaving nothing behind for her only son other than a legacy that he would learn very little of before coming of age. As a Commando and one of the most accomplished and decorated hunters of Clan Kelborn, Averic wished to establish his son as not only a successor to his esteemed position within the clan, but also as his eventual superior in both combat and renown. To this end, Hal's combat training began almost as soon as he learned how to walk. His highly experienced and utterly detached father expected nothing less than perfection from the young Hal, lending him his first vibroblade when the boy was just six years of age. Perhaps to no one's surprise, Hal took to combat like a fish to water, with the child's mind being moulded to revel and thrive in the midst of combat. Even when Averic would leave the adolescent Hal to his own devices in the lush and thick southern hemisphere where they resided, Hal would often undergo individual forays into the jungle to hunt and hone his combat skills against the wild. As part of his coming-of-age around the time of puberty, Averic left his son with nothing but a vibroknife and a canteen and instructed him to survive -- on his own -- in the jungle for two weeks' time before finding his way home. Such "games" would become something of a trend between the two, and as Hal grew older and more experienced in his own right, they would often undertake competition to see who could bring him the largest predator in a contest of wits, or attempt to outdo each other in shelter building. Eventually, when Hal turned sixteen, Averic had such respect for the skill and instincts his son had developed that the two would undertake no-holds-barred spars with one another to test their mettle. Hal never once defeated his father in combat. At the dawn of his adulthood, Hal was taken by Averic to the Mandalorian capital city of Keldabe to be fitted for his own personal suit of Beskar'gam. Upon its construction, Hal chose the colour green in honor of two things; the virtues of duty and glory and for his mother Genoa, whose favourite colour was green. Although he spent almost every waking moment in the new armor during his teens and early twenties, typical of a Mandalorian, he would soon find fault in the sheer protection it offered and began an unusual trend of only donning the traditional outfit when the situation demanded it. Chapter 2: The Mandalorian Fall From Grace & Mercenary Life During his twenties and thirties, Hal lived life according to the Resol'nare with very little variation in his day-to-day routines. Around his thirtieth birthday, his father, Averic, finally passed away peacefully of old age. Hal held a traditional funeral for his sole parental figure in life. He would often reflect in positive light on the relationship the two shared with one another, despite the harsh and often unforgiving mannerisms with which Averic taught his son in early life. Despite these undesireable traits, Hal nonetheless thanked his father for hardening him to the trials and tribulations that life would no doubt levvy his way in due time. Given freedom to pursue his own desires and interests now that his father's personal estate belonged to him, Hal chose to stay on Mandalore for a time. This downtime, mainly spent hunting and furthering the cause of the people, was when he would meet Asami Vizsla, a Mandalorian Scout who would become the mentor who taught Hal the secretive and specialized martial art of Teräs Käsi. Having sought out further training under an experienced warrior, Asami instructed the young warrior in the art while also broadening his mind more on the idea of the Force and the dangers of those who wield it; the Sith and the Jedi. Through several months of intense training sessions (in exchange for access to some of his deceased mother's private build plans), Hal learned how to enter a meditative trance-like state even in the midst of combat that he would come to refer to as "the flow". In doing so, and with further practice of the martial art, Hal hoped to become a more efficient Jedi-killer and to lessen his fear and ignorance of the Force. Such ideal existence on their home was not to last, however. In 3653 BBY, Hal and a number of other experienced warriors from the few gathered Mandalorian clans were led in a hopeless expedition against the encroaching Galactic Republic by Mandalore the Betrayer. Suffering perhaps the most humiliating defeat in the history of their people, the Mandalorian clans were scattered across the galaxy and the planets under their rule stripped from beneath their feet. During fierce battle, Hal received a number of wounds at the hands of Republic Commandos, losing an arm and most of the left side of his face, among other minor injuries -- during this same battle, Asami Vizsla perished at the hands of a Jedi, in a twist of fate. It was only through the actions of a young medic that Hal later found and thanked that his life was saved, albeit with horrific and extensive scarring across his body. Unwilling to accept his handicap, Hal, now forcefully a "citizen" under the Republic's rule, alongside all his people, sought out the assistance of the galaxy's most advanced medics. He would spend what little of his father's estate he had left in order to fund the procedure, which granted him a cybernetic prosthesis of significant potential and skin grafts across his body to cover up the extensive scarring he had received. Jobless, without direction, and only his blaster and Beskar'gam to his name, Hal took up the occupation almost all Mandalorians did in the wake of this most heinous disaster; mercenary work. Hal established a foothold in the criminal underworld through an alliance with the Exchange boss known as Hagen Vox. Hal would become his unofficial right-hand man and lead enforcer, a stoic and overwhelming presence both in meetings and whenever utilized as an assassin and saboteur of rival operations. Although Hal viewed such menial and trivial things as wholly beneath a Mandalorian warrior such as himself, he took the opportunity for challenge as a positive, while also justifying his actions as merely necessary for his own survival, which was a paramount concern in these trying times. His work under Vox often saw him traveling to various different worlds in the galaxy, wearing his Beskar'gam proudly and enduring racial stigma from those on these worlds who saw the Mando'ade as nothing more than hyperviolent, lumbering brutes. Hal was more than happy to prove such people wrong. During his work under Vox and others, Hal amassed something of a personal fortune from his fortuitous and meteoric rise through the criminal underworld. Bolstering his growth, he also hunted dangerous megafauna throughout the galaxy on the side, keeping some trophies on his starship and selling others where it benefitted; mainly, this was to keep his most important and coveted skills sharp as he anticipated the eventual return of the Mandalorian people. Although he wasn't entirely certain if or when this would happen, he held the hope that a new leader would soon restore the Mando'ade to their former glory. Little did he know, such hope wasn't a long ways off. Chapter 3: Mandalorian Uprising Hal had become somewhat less active in galactic affairs by 3602 BBY. He disposed of Hagen Vox personally after growing tired of the man's vanity, arrogance, and lack of ambition, not to mention his tendency to hide behind words. Having slaughtered the man whom he helped into his position of power, the Exchange offered a significant bounty on Hal's head which forced him into a form of semi-retirement. However, he remained just as visible as always, unflinching in the face of adversity as bounty hunters from the galaxy over attempted to claim the price on his head to no avail. One such bounty hunter, a Nagai whose name Hal never learned, left him a parting gift in the form of dual Tehk'la blades. Hal took the weapons to a friend by the name of Ordrick Kelborn and had the Mandalorian smith reverse-engineer the blades for Hal's own personal use, alongside his truly massive and unsubtle assault blaster. Likewise, he had upgraded his cybernetic arm and eye over the years to the ever-changing medical standards of the galaxy, as to ensure he never fell behind the curve at any point. Over a century old at this point in his life, Hal had a painted a name as an accomplished and proud warrior of the struggling Mandalorian people. As such, it was not by happenstance that he was chosen among a select few others to work in the shadows under a secret Mandalore, the very same one he had envisioned would rise to lead their people to greatness. After this Mandalore perished in an operation, Hal turned his eyes and lent his blaster toward the new leader who would form a controversial and uneasy pact with an unlikely ally; the Sith Empire. Although hesitant and uneasy about the new alliance with an ancient and inherently deceptive conglomerate, Hal nonetheless invested his time and energy into the perceived wisdom of his leader. Hal crusaded willingly and vigorously across the galaxy during the short yet effective tenure of two new Mandalores, working alongside the Sith Empire to bring Concord Dawn, Shogun, Ordo, and his homeworld of Mandalore back under the control of the Mandalorian clans once more. Feeling proud of his people and their accomplishments for the first time in decades, Hal was wholly unconcerned with the perceived notions of their alliance with the Sith; he was simply glad to have his home back. All of this came to a head when the Republic -- having officially recognized the Sith and Mandalorian people as allies, and thus their enemies -- ambushed Mandalore the Liberator and defeated him and his warriors in naval combat. It seemed like all of their progress was for naught. But the war had not yet ended there. Under the tenacious and ambitious leadership of Mandalore the Reclaimer, Hal of Clan Kelborn was among the first to throw his lot in with the young warrior and back her denial of the hated Arasuum Treaty. Serving as a commando in the largest force of Mandalorians assembled in generations, Hal was a frontline warrior in the Gargon Blitz. After claiming the planet for the Mando'ade, Hal took fully to fighting most battles in his Beskar'gam against his own wishes; he sacrificed personal glory and challenge for the sake of representing, without question, the pride he took in his people. For years, their triumphs would seem unstoppable. Hal eagerly served under the Reclaimer's rule as the clans crusaded against the Republic, with Hal eventually coming to respect her as the greatest Mandalore he had ever seen -- or perhaps ever would see. Thus, when the Reclaimer was assassinated in her sleep, Hal mourned for three days over the loss of their great leader. Considerably downtrodden for a time, Hal's spirits were once again lifted by the reminder of the progress he had seen done in his lifetime, especially when such progress seemed nothing but a fleeting hope. In less than a Galactic Standard Year, a new Mandalore was crowned -- The Regulator. Chapter 4: Golden Age Among the commandos sent to the Republic world of Onderon as vengeance for the murder of Mandalore the Reclaimer and the oppression of the Mando'ade as a whole, Hal would prove his mettle in combat through a great personal victory; the slaying of a Jedi whose name he never learned. Hal took the lightsaber of the fallen warrior as a trophy, and although the saber had marked his armor with its blows, Hal chose not to repair it as a reminder of what they are capable of. Filled with nothing but anger still over the long and storied hardships his people had faced, Hal was overall displeased with the Pact of Kad Ha'rangir. However, despite his desire to see the skulls of their enemies crushed beneath their heels, Hal understood the priorities that were in place; with this pact, and their growing power, the Mando'ade were free to do within their space as they saw fit, no longer persecuted and recognized as an independent nation. Their Clans more tight knit than ever before, Hal was officially recognized by Clan Kelborn for his contributions to the reestablishment of their presence. Although tempted by the status of Chieftain and the prospect of a somewhat simpler existence, Hal politely rejected the honor in favour of continuing to serve on the frontlines until his body no longer permitted it. Chapter 5: Golden No More While the Mandalorians prospered in the Galaxy, nefarious doings broiled in the shadows, threatening to unravel the fabric of their society and destroy the foundation Mandalore the Regulator had established. Bitter over the Mandalorian takeover of Onderon, resistance fighters began to spring attacks on footholds throughout their space with coordination that made them difficult to trace down. Written off as terrorist extremists, their actions weren't seriously persecuted until a fateful day -- the destruction of the Par'jila. Infiltrating the Mandlorian's pride made manifest, the imposters successfully sabotaged a majority of the flagship's systems and even managed to apparently eliminate Lord Mandalore himself. Although a Mando'ade strike team, including Hal himself, were able to mount a devastating counterattack and retake the burning remnants of the ship from its captors, the damage had been done; after evacuating, the Par'jila's flaming remains were left to burn away in the atmosphere of their homeworld. The Mando'ade were fractured and leaderless once again. Having seen the rise and fall of no less than six Mand'alors in his lifetime, the embittered and vengeful Hal put forth his name to lead the Mandalorian Clans in this time of strife. Opposed by others -- including his comrade, Genthus -- a civil war was sparked. What followed was a bloody and decisive conquest between Hal and his contemporaries. Although swift as wars come, the destruction wrought upon the Mandalorian people as a whole is still being dealt with to this day. Over the course of months, Hal systematically eliminated or subjugated the competition, leading Clan Kelborn and their allies as Mandalore the Vigilant. Officially, the civil war ended with the Stand at Aay'han Keep, where Hal defeated his final opponent, Genthus Sigurd Deshra, in a decisive victory that left Clan Deshra on the brink of extinction. Recognized by the majority of Mandalorian space as their worthy leader, Hal was christened as Lord Mand'alor in the eyes of Galactic Space. However, the true conflict is far from over. Now, Mandalore fights daily battles to keep his people in check amidst growing chaos in the Galaxy. With a revolving door of allies and enemies, his trust is difficult to earn and even harder to keep as he navigates the intricacies of Mandalorian politic in the hopes of eventual union. |
