- "Pandas? Pandas!"
- ―Howlader
Howlader was a Human Dark Jedi Master born on the city planet of Coruscant. A subject of Imperial rule, Howlader studied at the Imperial Academy and went on to become an Ace pilot. After the fragmentation of the Empire, Howlader ended up joining up with the rogue Imperial fleet known as the Emperor's Hammer. There he served as a Wing Commander and eventually as an Inquisitor.
During his time with the Hammer, Howlader discovered his latent Force sensitivity and entered the Hammer's sister organization, the Dark Brotherhood. There, he quickly mastered the arts of the Force and rose through the ranks to become the Chancellor, a Dark Council position that oversaw the rewarding of members. It was near this time he also became the Operations Officer in the Hammer, a duty similar to that of Chancellor.
Most recently, Howlader served as a member of House Taldryan, having rejoined the Dark Brotherhood after the decline of the Emperor's Hammer. Though he shied away from most forms of activity, Howlader served as a pilot for members of the Old Folks' Home. He was known to be wild and ornery, but his unparalleled skills made him a valuable asset to the team.
Biography
Early Life (23 - 7 BBY)
- "How-How?"
- ―Tribe leader, trying to pronounce Howlader's name.
The man known simply as Howlader was born on the Core World of Coruscant to wealthy parents in 23 BBY. He lived a life of luxury and excess, well-cared and well-provided for. When he was six years old, he accompanied his parents on a trip to the forest world of Endor for a vacation, where the family planned to safari. However, during the trip tragedy struck and young Howlader became separated from his parents. Wandering off into the depths of the jungle on his own, he became lost and would never reunite with his parents. Eventually, the young boy was discovered by a nomadic tribe of beings closely related to Ewoks, though the color of their fur was black and white.
Many years would pass as Howlader, dubbed "How-How" by the tribe, lived in the fierce jungle forests fraught with both danger and hardship. Though he never truly lost his humanity, the boy grew to be quick and agile like a beast, hunting game with primitive weapons to feed himself and his tribe. By chance, a far-reaching Imperial patrol came across Howlader and his tribe in 10 BBY and recognized Howlader as a citizen of Coruscant from his meager, time-damaged possessions.
Coruscant
Upon encountering the strange creatures, the patrol's Lieutenant, a man named Kenson, dubbed them "Pandas" after his Aunt Pandara whom he believed bore a close resemblance the tribe's grizzly leader. All the patrol had to identify the wildling boy with was a nearly illegible garment tag that had the name "Howlader" scrawled across it.
After witnessing the teenagers incredible reflexes and fearlessness, Lieutenant Kenson decided to take Howlader with him back to civilization and make the boy a ward of his aunt and uncle. Seeing his potential for the military, they accepted Howlader and began re-schooling him. Through intense instruction at the hands of numerous tutors and droids, Howlader slowly grasped, then excelled, at his education, so much so that, for his seventeenth birthday, his guardians offered to sponsor him for study at the elite Imperial Academy.
The Imperial Navy (6 BBY - 12 ABY)
Imperial Academy
- "The finest officers of the Imperial Navy."
- ―Ad for the Imperial Naval Academy
Howlader visited the Imperial Academy on Coruscant on his eighteenth birthday (the earliest recruitment age) to apply to become a naval officer. Because of his incredible entrance exam scores, scoring in the top two percent, he was invited to join the prestigious Imperial Naval Academy—a program with a duration of thirty months, much longer than the standard one-year Academy course. Despite his savage background, or perhaps because of it, Howlader proved himself to be a very capable student, quick to grasp fundamental concepts and expand upon them in new, diverse ways. Among his classmates, he was known for his "outside-the-box" thinking and cavalier attitude which, though making him a gifted pilot, did not win the affections of his superiors or professors.
TIE Pilot Helmet
After graduating with honors and given his choice of commissions, Howlader put in a request to transfer to Flight School to undergo the intense TIE pilot training. Howlader wanted to fight and the frontlines were manned by the best the Imperial Navy had to offer. As one of the top junior officers, Howlader was given training on the in-development TIE Interceptor, which would not be put into main usage until after the Battle of Yavin.
A Born Maverick
- "But the TIE Interceptor pilot, he's suicidal and bloodthirsty. When you see a squad of those maniacs flying your way, you'd better hope your hyperdrive is operational."
- ―Kyle Katarn
As a graduate of the Navy's Flight School, Howlader was commissioned as an Interceptor pilot, flying missions across the Galaxy. He used his prodigious skills to aid the Empire in many battles against scum like pirates and smugglers and, eventually, against the Rebel Alliance. Of note, Howlader participated in the Battle of Troska, which was a huge victory for the Empire, resulting in the Empire gaining control of the planet Troska from the monarchy. He also served in a number of smaller skirmishes, Imperial victories all, in the years following the loss at Yavin.
However, Howlader's skills and wild upbringing made him a bit of a maverick, always pushing the boundaries of misconduct, to the great annoyance of his superiors. Only his abilities kept him from being court-marshaled. Instead, his commanding officer rewarded his attitude with "banishment" to the backwaters of the Galaxy, patrolling border planets in the Outer Rim. To Howlader, who thrived on the excitement that came with the thrill of battle, this was a punishment worse than death. Patrolling uselessly out on the Rim, he missed the destruction of the Second Death Star and the subsequent collapse of the Empire. Howlader didn't even learn of the Empire's destruction until two years after the Battle of Endor.
Adrift
- "Pogo?! Nooooooooo!"
- ―Howlader, discovering his dead, Panda friend
Howlader, flying a TIE Fighter
When Howlader finally returned to the forest moon of Endor, he discovered that his tribe had been killed during the Rebel's assault on the Death Star. Filled with anger and despair, Howlader rejoined the effort to wrest control of the Galaxy away from the Alliance and place it back in Imperial hands. However, this was not meant to be. Despite the skill possessed by he and his colleagues, Howlader's various commanders were foolhardy and capricious, relying on ancient tactics that had no chance of working with the Alliance controlling the majority of the Republic.
For four years, Howlader worked with different aspects of the shattered remnants of the Empire, flying in inconclusive engagements that, more often than not, ended with a victory for the New Republic. Howlader, though glad to be flying into battle again, was disillusioned with what counted for "Imperial Command" and decided to seek out other fragments of the Empire to join. Ones, he hoped, would guide him to the justice he sought and satisfy his lust for vengeance.
The Emperor's Hammer (13 - 15 ABY)
- "The 'hammer' is my penis"
- ―Howlader
Oh Howie?
Brotherhood of Dark Jedi
Path to Mastery
- "These are the most comfortable clothes I've ever worn."
- ―Howlader, basking in the glory of loose-fitting robes
Moving On Up
- "First you get the position, then you get the power, then you get the women..."
- ―Howlader, outlining his move for power
P:CHAN to Dev, Command Attache to OPS, Vice Admiral.
Power and Command (15 - 19 ABY)
Oppressor of Medals
- "DENIED!"
- ―Howlader's big, rubber stamp
Howlader, teasing the kids with fancy medals
Operations Officer
The Obvious Choice
- "You kids, shut up that damn racket!"
- ―Howlader, trying to sleep while explosions rock the Dark Hall
you slept in your office through the entire exodus, emerging weeks later to find out what happened :P
The Hammer (19 - 28 ABY)
High Court of Inquisitors
- "You want answers?"
"I want the truth."
"You can't handle the truth!"
- ―Lines from a movie Howlader memorized to be an Inquisitor
Made an INQ by Royal, the HI.
GA Ast closed the HCI.
State of Dissolution
- "You bastards! You blew it up! Damn you! Damn you all to hell!"
- ―Howlader, mourning the loss of the High Court of Inquisitors
But tragedy struck in the form of recently promoted Grand Admiral Astatine, who had a complex about people having powers he did not. To Howlader, it seemed like a case of extreme penis envy and, sadly, he was one of the people Astatine was comparing himself too.
23 ABY
where would Howie "retire" too after losing out on INQ
we could say you blew your pension going from tropical resort to tropical resort
Well, not all of it :P
I imagine admirals get paid pretty well :P
tried to blow it, then
or put a dent in it
Old Man Howlader (29 ABY - Present)
Changes when he runs into an old friend, Erinyes, who tells him she has the perfect place for him to go—The OFH.
Old Man Howie, being badass
Upon his return, Howlader was quickly targeted by ailing Clans who wished to recruit a powerful Dark Jedi Master to their cause. Esteemed members from Clans such as Tarentum and Naga Sadow sought the Elder's power, but to no avail. In the end, it was Seraine "Erinyes" Ténama, an old ally of Howladers, that convinced him to join up with Clan Taldryan.
Shortly after settling, Howlader became good friends with Home members Benevolent Taldrya Whiner and Shadow Taldrya. Together, the three of them started a mercenaries-for-hire side-business run through Karufr and manned by members of the team. As part of a team, Howlader has been on missions ranging from Grand Master assassination to interstellar whaling.
The Home for Old Folks
After leaving EH, 3 years travelling around to exotic locations, drinking and eating and being bored.
where would Howie "retire" too after losing out on INQ
we could say you blew your pension going from tropical resort to tropical resort
Well, not all of it :P
I imagine admirals get paid pretty well :P
tried to blow it, then
or put a dent in it
Physical Appearance
Artist rendition of Howlader.
His eyes were beady, black and constantly wandering as if he suffered from perpetual boredom and needed new sensory input just to keep from falling asleep. Some said his eyes resembled those of a panda, the species he had been raised by on Endor. Generally, he was pleased with this comparison.
Military dress of a high ranking, naval officer. Crisp, medals a plenty, dagger and the lightsaber indicating his Force sensitivity.
Admiral sense of fashion.
After rejoining the Dark Brotherhood, Howlader dropped the strict presentation and opted for more comfortable robes. He preferred slightly darker black tunics held together by a simple sash of Sith Order red. Unfortunately, whether due to laziness or because he was enjoying his freedoms, Howlader often forgot to add pants to his ensemble unless forcibly made to by another Old Folks' Home member.
Personality and traits
- "Can't fight... sleeping."
- ―Howlader
Howlader, attempting to teach idiots.
I think under the personality/traits section, one of your trademark characteristics will be creating heat-of-the-moment suicidal maneuvers and naming them the "Oh Howie"
Instead he opted to loaf around in loose-fitting robes, lounging in the shade or the sun (depending on his mood) and eating bamboo, a local delicacy, that reminded him of his youth spent growing up on Endor.
so instead, I've made it so you threaten annoying you people with eye gouging
Powers and abilities
Super serial commander
Force Mastery
- "...and then I convinced them both to make out. It was the best birthday ever."
- ―Howlader, regaling the team with his mental manipulation powers
He was also adept in the arts of mental manipulation—a cadre of abilities that could crush the resolve of opposition or turn enemies into allies willing to die for (or please) their master.
Combat Prowess
- "I prefer to do my fighting from a cockpit... it's got a place to hold my drink"
- ―Howlader
Dogfighting.
Focus on his main lightsaber forms, involving minimal physical effort and mostly Force-based combat. Also work on bending people to his will to fight for him.
Howie the Gambler
Other Skills
- "I could do a lot of things if I had some money."
- ―Howlader, refusing to learn new things
Navigation, strategy, sleeping a lot, Dogfighting one on one (or one on many) was his preferred method of engaging the enemy, but the Sith was also a gifted leader, capable of commanding an entire Wing of a SuperStar Destroyer.
Trivia
- The Howlader wiki page was created by Shadow Taldrya
- Has on unhealthy obsession with pandas
- From 2000 to 2002, Howlader oppressed all medal approval for both the Brotherhood and Emperor's Hammer
- Is a master of old man trivia
- A founding member of the "revamped" Old Folks' Home, suggesting the spoof of The A-Team