Character History
"History is something that is never to be forgotten. The second we forget where we came from is the second that we forget where we are going, not to mention the path that was set before us in order to get there."
Starting from Scratch
Simple Beginnings
Raised by Voren and Talia Demona, they were very good parents who taught him a sense of honor and respect for those around him. A natural student, he did well in school and had no difficulty making friends with others his age or around his own age. A bit of a rowdy sort at times, he liked to roughhouse with his buddies from school and generally get into trouble as most younger kids do. Well liked by his teachers and by many parents of his friends, he generally had no trouble getting through life without somebody giving him some sort of advice.
Overall, he had a great life...he and his parents didn't live well, but they made enough for them to take some time off if they wanted to and not worry about where the next credit was gonna come from, lots of friends and a loving family. However, that happy and blissfully ignorant childhood was destined to come crashing down around him....
Bal's Homeworld of Nar Shaddaa
The Walk Home...
On the way home from a friends house after school, he was supposed to meet up at the place of his father's employment to go out to dinner with he, his dad and his mom. After getting done eating, dad said that he had some great news...he had gotten promoted at work, and that was a big deal for him because he believed that hard work will get you places if you want it bad enough. The walk home was a happy one, everybody laughing and talking and generally having a good time.
They had felt so happy that they took the long walk home, something that was only done on the occasions where the family wanted to spend just time together...his dad often brought work home with him. It eventually started to get darker, they must've taken a lot longer than they had originally planned because they should have been home by then. Their joyful evening came to a screeching halt not far from the home when they were attacked by two muggers. Pulling blasters and pointing them at his father, they demanded all that he had. His father, a noble man and no coward, saw the reason behind giving them all they wanted, he didn't want his family to get hurt at all. Even after the sacrifices of his father, they were to no avail and his two parents were killed on the spot. The two had their blasters leveled at him as well, but it was to his own luck that a few others had taken the same route home because the muggers heard them and fled back into the night.
Aftershock
After the killing of his family, he had nobody left on Nar Shaddaa that would help him survive. Unfortunately, at the age of seven, he was forced onto the street when their landlord kicked him out of his parent's home, saying that, since there was no steady income, he couldn't allow him to stay. Quickly, his blissful ignorance turned into an overly aware sense of just how harsh life can be at times. Even though he retained some of the qualities that his parents had instilled in him, some quickly went by the wayside in order to survive the hard and sometimes deadly streets of the Smuggler's Moon. He grew up quickly, finally finding just what you have to do in order to keep alive amongst thieves, muggers and murderers. He had to resort to stealing, petty theft and even breaking and entering...but he would never allow himself to carry a weapon. His honor, while still there, had shrunk a little...but his memory of what happened the night he was walking home never faded.
Eventually, he managed to dig up a terrible job at a secondhand parts store. His boss, a very paranoid man, was constantly threatening to fire him because he though that he had stolen things. Luckily, he wasn't around very much to be a nuisance. He scratched up enough money to get his own place...dirty and small, but it was an improvement over the street. It was in this apartment complex that he met the future Mrs. Demona...a beautiful woman named Octavia.
Octavia
Octavia
"Beauty is indeed in the eye of the beholder, but in Octavia's case...there is no denying that all who look upon her are awed by her beauty, her character and her intellect"
Ah yes, Octavia, the most beautiful woman he had ever seen. While he knew of her, he had never really seen her before. Perhaps by coincidence, she had just taken her own apartment not too far away from his own. Finally mustering up some courage, he spent a lot of money on some very nice flowers for her and walked to her apartment. Knocking on the door tentatively a few times, Octavia answered the door with a questioning look. He remembered the first words out of her mouth..."Who are you?" he had always gotten a chuckle out of that. But, he offered her the flowers and shyly asked if she was available for a date some time. She had said yes and eventually their relationship blossomed into full-blown love. Getting married eventually, it was the happiest moment of his life...she didn't mind being called Mrs. Demona either.
Back to School
The Force-Strong Ocatvia had noticed the Force-Sensitivity in Bal in passing...even before they started dating. She always told him that she could feel his presence when they were both in the building. She started to teach him what little she knew about their mutual talent and, along with some experimentation, they managed to get some of the basics down themselves. However, as is with most every prodigy, they sought to refine their skills and learn some new ones. Doing a little research here and there, they eventually stumbled upon a lost item about a school that might be able to foster their talents. With a lot of effort, and not to mention and generous credit donation, they managed to catch a transport to Antei and the Shadow Academy. From the day that looked at it, they knew it was going to be an interesting experience.
Dark Jedi Brotherhood: The Early Days
The Order of the Obelisk
"You know, you've hit your head enough in the past...why do it again?" - Octavia
"Because I'm stubborn sweetheart...I figured you knew that already" - Bal
Despite his wife's objection, he ended finding himself drawn to the Obelisk Order. She had been right, a few too many knocks on the head back home had made her tend to worry, but he knew that she knew that he would be supported no matter what he chose. His wife had always been smarter than he, hence her choice to the Krath order. Must've been the guardian nature in him that possessed him to do what he did. His hard knocks on Nar Shaddaa had made him quite good at what he did in this order, making combat an almost second-nature to him with the Force making it more his nature than he thought.
Braecen
His progress through the Brotherhood had been steady, one marked by academic success for the most part...making him wonder if his wife was right, as was the case a great many times. His success had drawn the attention of Braecen Kaeth, who shortly became his teacher and guide along the way of the Dark Side. Not a large man in any respect, his focus and attentiveness to any detail...be it large or minuscule...gave him a great amount of knowledge and wisdom. A man of great power, Bal was sincerely honored to have been blessed with his master and, if he had his way, would not fail the man who was going to sacrifice much of his time to training somebody that seeks what he has attained. Bal had, honestly enough, been searching for a master for a while, planning ahead until the time came to where he would choose and/or be made an offer. Luckily, he found Braecen...a boon to be most assured.
A Falling Out
As his career progressed, he found himself more and more away from Octavia on his own assignments while she was on her own. In the beginning, this was no hindrance as instant communication allowed them to stay in touch almost all the time. A lot of messages back and forth kept them in touch, and that was enough in the beginning. Over time, however, it became harder and harder to keep up with his wife as his own assignments kept him farther and farther away from her presence. The distance eventually started to erode on their relationship and, despite efforts on both their parts to keep it together, it eventually became too much to handle. They were officially separated later on.
Having lost his life-long love, he started to become harsh and severe and it had started to wear on his own friendships with the others of his clan. Becoming more withdrawn from his friends, he found himself becoming less and less trusting of others. This ended up coming to a head while Braecen was teaching him, lashing out at him verbally in a fit of rage over a tiny remark. Eventually coming to terms with Octavia's leaving and his childish display with Braecen, he decided that he would be better off with a fresh start...
A Change of Pace
Having alienated most of his friends in Plageius during the time immediately following his separation from Octavia, he decided he would be best off with a fresh start somewhere new. After a bit of research and a few recommendations later, he finally settled on a few places that he would want to end up. Taking a bit of time away from his constant training regimen, he made a few field trips over to where his primary options were to be found. Eventually though, he decided on one place: Clan Naga Sadow.
Starting Over
"Men generally fear change, becoming complacent and comfortable with their current situation. In general, they only see the opportunity to change about six inches before it hits them square in the face."
Quickly getting settled in, he set out to make new friends and colleagues within his new clan and his new house, that of Marka Ragnos. Quickly making an impression on more than a few of the members, including some of the higher ranked members, he found himself among a circle of good friends in a very short period of time. Consorting with his fellows on a regular basis, he learned the ropes of his new home as quick as he could, learning who the leaders were and to whom he should go if he ever felt the need to practice his fighting techniques. After a while, he was immersed in his new place...totally giving himself to his new clan. However, he never forgot the lessons he learned in Plageius having always thought history was the most important aspect of a person's existence. Among his new friends, some were quite influential and, despite his own shyness and lack of any real desire to lead, he found himself eying the reins of office.
File:LightsaberBal.jpgBal's Lightsaber
Knighthood
It was during his internal debate to try for a prominent leadership position that some of the best news he had ever heard came to him: He was finally becoming a Dark Jedi Knight. He was overjoyed by this as it was something that he had wanted from day one. Watching all of his superiors toting their lightsabers on their belts had made him quite envious as he had only his armory lightsaber. As soon as the ceremony were over, he set out to find the materials that caught his eye in order to make his own weapon. Choosing his components carefully, he spent a great deal of time constructing his primary weapon. He spent the better part of a week going over designs in his head, trying to find the best balance between how he liked to hold his lightsaber and cosmetic style. After finally coming to a decision, he carefully selected the crystal he was going to use to project the blade. After all was said and done, he was satisfied with how his work had turned out.
Still having his eyes set on a position in office, he wasn't ready to consider being a teacher quite yet. His patience paid off however, as the opportunity arose...the Aedile position of House Marka Ragnos had come open, and he was intent on applying.
Personal Information
Physical Description
Not overly intimidating or large, Bal has a rather slim frame and is of a little above-average height. The scar that runs along the left side of his face was the result of a close scrape back on Nar Shaddaa, the guy who decided to try it didn't last long...the streets managed to teach Bal a few things. Not a heavily-muscled guy, he's well toned and his weight is evenly distributed amongst his entire body. Relaxed a lot, he doesn't seem to get too upset about much of anything outside of a few select items. As such, he doesn't talk a whole lot but is quite likable when he does. Very fit and able to run for an extended period of time is the product of evading the law on Nar Shaddaa when he was younger. His hair is generally neat but laid back to match his mannerisms and his eyes are his most intimidating feature, many a man has been unnerved by his soul-searching gaze. In battle, his mindset changes to that of cool fire, his body tensed slightly to move in whatever fashion that is required to defeat his enemy.
Attire
Hot blooded by nature, he prefers loose fitting clothing that is made from lighter materials instead of heavier ones. The loose fitting style makes it easier to move about when fighting and/or any mid-combat athletics. His color choice usually revolves around neutral colors and simple designs, mostly dark colors are his preference. When working out, he usually sheds his usual clothes for more workout-oriented clothing instead of his usual wardrobe choices...usually something that's a little tighter to keep him from getting caught up in them.
Personality
"I was once asked by somebody to describe their personality...I told them to look in a mirror, reflect on the past, open their eyes to the present and think about their plans for the future as that is all the personality that one could hope for..."
An easygoing guy, he's more laid back than some of the people he's known throughout his life. More calm than one would expect from somebody who's supposed to let emotion fuel his ability in combat, he exhibits more Jedi-like self-control until necessary, which usually means his opponent is on the ropes or he needs to in order to even the odds. Even then, it's a very controlled display of emotion...he's not one to let his emotions run rampant. There are, however, a few things that will plunge him into an uncontrolled rage...try and harm his wife Octavia and you'll see just how upset he can really get.
He has never accepted the notion that looking out for yourself at the expense of others is the right thing to do and he has also never accepted that one should not help somebody who needs it. While he might not go out way out of his way to help somebody, he will help those who need it. His loyalty to his house, his clan and his order his undeniable and second only to his loyalty to Octavia. He is an honorable sort and won't cheat even if the odds are stacked against him...if he's going to go down, he's not going to cheat to win...he's going to acknowledge that he was beaten by the superior foe.
Thoughts on the Force
"What is the Force?" - Maol Nor Lexu, Force Philosophy instructor
"Sir, asking what the Force is is akin to asking what a life journey is...you will ask one million different people and receive an equal amount of answers." - Bal Demona
Bal always viewed the Force as something that is to be studied rather used than used overtly often, however that didn't mean it was off-limits by any stretch of the imagination. The Force can be a tool, but he believed that the tool that the Force can be used for is more elaborate than any one man could hope to comprehend. Sure, there have been many Dark Jedi in the past that have accumulated a vast amount of knowledge, but there was never any doubt in Bal's mind that they had failed to obtain EVERY piece of knowledge about the energy field that the Jedi can control. He was somewhat content with what he had discovered so far...but that didn't mean that Bal was not willing to learn more, nothing could be farther from the truth. Though he preferred knowledge that was applied knowledge rather than that was used for the sake of knowing. While things that are in the past of the Jedi are worth knowing for they tell of the present day, they are...according to his belief...few and far between.
Hobbies and Time-Killers
Bal enjoys reading all sorts of things, but mainly history texts as he is a believer that the past can dictate the future. He enjoys academics, a sharp contrast to the idea that he's in the Order of the Obelisk. He was too quiet to be much of a great leader and it wasn't in his nature to be more of an academic. He likes to stay in shape, it clears out his mind and helps him to think better when he's out and running. Now that he's got his lightsaber, he likes to get used to how it feels in his hand and getting used to the gyroscopic effects that come along with it.
DJB Facts
Positions Held
Outstanding Achievements
Anything you're proud of.
Trivia
Interesting or important facts that do not fall under the other two categories.