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- "I have seen entire civilizations rise and fall. You mortals are but dust to me."
- ―Arvalis
Arvalis was a skilled Anzat Gray Jedi who served a brief stint as Quaestor of House Dinaari, and was part of the Tribune of the Holocrons' staff. He was an adherent of the Obelisk path and quickly rose through the ranks of the Dark Jedi Brotherhood under the guidance of Kazmir Natas, who served as his mentor.
Much of his early life was spent traveling down The Axis, until he ultimately opened a barber shop, and climbed the social ladder on Coruscant. Later in life, he reunited with his father, a Matukai, and became his apprentice. Together, the pair traveled in the Outer Rim for several years trying to put a stop to the lawlessness beyond the Core. Arvalis and his father would part ways on Mustafar. Leaving his father behind, Arvalis remained on the volcanic planet to train with the Blackguard. Sent on a mission to Dxun by the order, he escaped the Great Jedi Purge and later fled to the Unknown Regions where he entered a Force-assisted hibernation - hoping to wake up in a Galaxy that was free from persecution.
Arvalis resurfaced in the known Galaxy around 28 ABY. He traveled in a Galaxy that had changed, but still remained the same. His life would change when met a retired Imperial Admiral named Howlader over a game of Sabacc. It was the same man that would introduce the Anzat to Taldryan
Biography
Humble Beginnings
- "Honor, glory, there's no point in speaking to someone who abides by these ideals, yet does not hesitate to kill."
- ―Iskander Cinaed to Arvalis, a teacher imparting wisdom.
All Anzati were sensitive to the ebb and flow of the Force on one level or another. Jedi prejudice towards the Anzati meant that a young Arvalis was not taken to the Jedi Temple for training.
Arvalis was born on the mist-covered world of Anzat, left to the care of his forebear Iskander Cinead - an Anzat in his late 900's. From an early age, the young Anzat was taught how to live, how to fight, how to survive, on a planet filled with predators. Despite the family being well reputed, Arvalis was raised in a dark and damp cave hewn roughly into a rocky spire. Whenever his forebear allowed the young Anzat to have a few hours to himself, young Arvalis would retreat to the vast bamboo thickets in the mist beneath.
As a youth, Arvalis displayed an above-average sensitivity to the Force, being able to manipulate small pebbles and influence minds. Iskander tried his best to nourish the growing interest of his young cub - even if it was a concept Anzati do not recognize as any more correct than any of a dozen theories before. With knowledge on the Force limited and Arvalis finishing his martial training, he soon left Anzat behind. Many young Anzat pursued a life of assassination, Arvalis was not one of them.
Euceron, due to it's proximity to Anzat, was often an Anzat's first exposure to the outside Galaxy. Upon arrival, Arvalis was greeted by a female Anzat named Cassandra. She would goad the fresh arrival into taking up an assassination contract. Arvalis, short on credits, had no other option if he wanted to leave the planet behind anytime soon. In order to survive, Arvalis was taught the finer arts of consuming soup. He was however stabbed in the back - literally - by the woman that would later turn out to be his very own mother. Saved from an untimely death by a mysterious man who nursed him back to health, Arvalis set off on the Perlemian Trade Route towards Coruscant. Drawn to the Core by the concentration of Force energies surrounding the Jedi Order.
Yellow Brick Road
- "To know a man is to steal his dying breath."
- ―Arvalis on consuming soup.
File:Arvalis-Coruscant.jpgArvalis on Coruscant
With the sparse amount of credits he had, Arvalis utilized the public transport system to travel from Euceron to Taanab. It’s corporate government was too busy with logistics and exporting foodstuffs to check incoming arrivals. Even a creature such as himself had an easy time slipping passed customs and out of the spaceport. He would settle on a cattle farm deep on the southern hemisphere. Ran by a childless, elderly couple. They accepted the help of anyone that offered, without many questions. He did not even have to plant the suggestion with his natural talents. The pay would never have made him rich, but it was enough to get him to his next destination a few months later. Herding cattle was not the most adventurous of jobs, even if staga were the most dangerous of animals that Taanab had to offer. He missed the excitement, the vibe, the very presence of Anzat around him.
After gathering the needed funds and having a sufficient last meal, Chazwa was the next planet Arvalis touched down on. Another temperate world like Taanab, but much more active. It’s positioning made it a very large hub for logistics. And where goods are traded and shipped, smugglers are never far away. He figured his best chance to continue on his galactic journey was to offer his help on a smuggling run. Sadly, he didn’t have any contacts, nor any experience on a ship. He'd have to rely on his fancy talk and his mind-influencing abilities. Arvalis later strayed into a casino where he crashed the sabacc tables. Sitting on a small fortune, he found himself a smuggler that would take him to Coruscant.
Things rarely work out as planned, and the smuggler had business to attend to on Nar Shaddaa. So Arvalis found himself on Castell, a foundry world populated by a small saurian species known as the Gossam. The aura of the planet was pitiful, as were its inhabitants. Little did Arvalis know that the planet had been trapped in a decades-long depression, not that it would have changed his opinion at the time. The busy vibe and constant noise from the factories and urban settlements were a delightful change from the mind-shattering silence of Taanab. The dark plumes of smoke rising from the uncountable factories blotched out the sun on most days, not that you could venture out to explore to planet on the better days, steady acid showers sought to that. He liked the darkness – the eternal shade that covered the planet due to pollution. It cast the world in a dim light, the muted colors easy on his eyes.
Coruscant was busy, as expected – not unlike a hive of bugs rummaging around in their nest. A sudden sense of life hit his finely tuned sixth sense as he set his first foot on the planet. An incandescent organ of life, vibrating with the pulses of billions. It was overwhelming after a long trek through the vast emptiness of space and multiple backwater worlds. Short on credits, and a job, Arvalis rented a pad on one of the lower levels. Growing up in a cave on Anzat meant that he was content with the most basic of lodgings. Arvalis would then spend the next handful of years on Coruscant working a variety of jobs, some more unusual than others. Often having his fair share of trouble with local authorities and sometimes even with Jedi. Apparently whenever a missing person turned up dead anywhere near his level, the blame was subtly shifted towards him. Anzat were not welcome anywhere in the galaxy. It reaffirmed that something had to change, that he had to change. With that in mind, Arvalis tracked down an unlicensed surgeon – a face changer. Several operations, and months, later he looked more like a baseline human: his bulging nose was sleeker, narrower; his jawline and chin less square; his ears slightly more angled backwards.
With his more human appearance, and the local accent, life on Coruscant became remarkably easier. He was able to move out of the lower levels and started working as a barber for the social elite and the rich, building up a substantial network of contacts - some more shady than others - along the way. Arvalis had come to learn enough dirty secrets and political trickery to impose his will on others, to exploit and blackmail those of a higher standing in order to obtain what he desired. Even so, he continued to operate as a barber – Arvalis kind of liked the profession.
Perhaps a side effect of living on Coruscant for so long, with its billions of life forces, was that his senses sharpened at a rapid rate. Arvalis had learned of the existence of some mystical energy field that connected all living beings some years earlier from a Jedi. He called it the Force, and named it his ally. The concept of the Force was devised by a younger species so Arvalis didn’t pay much attention, or time, to it. But the years that followed the Jedi’s explanation reaffirmed his belief of its existence. Of course, the Jedi would never have accepted him for training. But that did not stop him from searching for other sources of information. No matter how limited they were.
Getting a Sense
- "I am a stone. I do not move. I do not tremble. I have no fear."
- ―Arvalis reciting a mantra during training.
File:Arvalis-Blackguard.jpgArvalis served as a Blackguard
Darlyn Boda was an unbearably humid jungle world. Especially for most humanoids. Even so, it was home to many devil-may-care shadowports – so many that the planet itself could have been called a shadowport. Arvalis didn’t come here for that reason though. He operated a network of contacts in the underworld – and some more legal, but those never gave impressive information. A Matukai had been spotted in the region days earlier. They were a cult of Force-sensitive warriors, and perhaps his best hope to gain some insight into the Force. Arvalis assumed that he, or she, was attracted to this bantha dung of a planet to curb the injustice that came paired with a lawless world where credits reigned supreme. Arvalis aimlessly wandered through the crowd, keeping his senses actively spread out. Little did Arvalis know that the Matukai he had hoped to encounter was his father, the same man that had saved his life on Eurceron so many years ago.
Reunited with his father, Arvalis apprenticed himself to the Matukai ways. His initiation started on Hoth, a barren rock of ice and snow, with a volcanic ring around it’s equator. Matukai training was a challenge, one of pitting your body against the elements, strengthening it in the most unbearable of environments. They had spent a few years on Hoth, and Arvalis' body bore the scars. But he had learned so much. No longer was he a boulder obstructing the flow of the Force for fear of losing himself in its currents. He was a leaf, drifting on its gentle stream, flowing where it willed him to go.
Vaathkree was an incredibly unforgiving world located in the outer rim. Between high gravity, a poisonous atmosphere, near constant meteor showers, and entire plains of lava composed of radioactive metals, stood domed cities built by the native inhabitants. It was in one of those domed cities, or rather around, that the next stage of his training took place. Even with closed oxygen circuits and enviro-suits, venturing outside of the dome was a terrible experience. Scorching heat clawed its way through flesh and bone, tremors and the jagged landscape made travelling by foot a laborious and dangerous task, and the radioactivity quickly became too much for even the specialized suits to handle. Yet his father was adamant that even despite these insane conditions, the Force could surround you, keep you safe. Arvalis thought he was crazy at the time, especially considering the man also wore an enviro-suit.
As a substitute for the planned training on Vaathkree, and to introduce Arvalis to a different Force tradition, his father took them to Mustafar. Home of the Blackguard. With such a name, Arvalis imagined them to have a strong tradition based on the dark side of the Force. He soon found out he was wrong. The concept of maintaining the balance between darkness and light, composure and turmoil, compassion and animosity, it spoke to him in a language more clearly than what his father had tried to teach him. His father took the Matukai traditions seriously, and often dumbfounded the inexperienced Arvalis with deeply philosophical matters that where too soon for him to grasp. The Blackguard kept things simple, slowly guiding him down their path. Ultimately, Arvalis would decide to remain with them for a prolonged time – much to the ire of his father. They would find each other again, if the Force wished it so.
The Clone Wars were in full effect when Arvalis, now a Blackguard Marauder, was sent to Dxun to investigate a rumor. A Matukai was signaled to be in the system, and despite his early training as one, and his father's frequent visits to the Blackguard, the Elite Wilders felt that there was still more to learn from the Matukai tradition. His father had a new apprentice, and together they would hunt the fierce predators in the wild jungles, sharpening their senses and instincts, while learning to let their emotions flow in a controlled matter, lest they become corrupted like the very moon itself. Arvalis decided to join them – it was his duty as a Marauder to learn from different traditions, and spending time with his father was always fun. What the trio never expected was that only one of them would leave the planet after it was all said and done. Arvalis surely did not expect to run into his mother on the jungle moon. With both his parents dead, and news of Jedi being massacred across the galaxy reaching his ears shortly after. Arvalis decided to withdraw from the known galaxy, and not to journey back to Mustafar. He ventured far into the unknown regions and entered hibernation, hoping that by the time he woke, the galaxy would be a more peaceful place.
The Brotherhood
- "Your mind was a curious mix of madness and genius."
- ―Howlader to Arvalis
Howlader, the gambling admiral
Time had passed, Arvalis was not completely sure how much. He did not really care. The dark side had tried to lure him in on Dxun, and for a moment he had given into it. But in the end he never crossed the line. He did not become irreversibly consumed by the monster lurking within. Even so, the ordeal left scars that would never heal. The memories of Dxun would define him, and he would keep the memories fresh. It made him consider the path he would walk. The light side of the Force was too strict, too haughty, inspired too much zeal. The dark side on the other hand was too savage, consuming, violent. Balance was the key, and it was fragile. Now he was all alone and in a galaxy that never really changed, and yet was so very different than before. The Force would guide him to where he needed to be.
It started as just any other innocent game of Sabacc would, at least at first. But it would turn into so much more. He was of course Human, and he looked old, very old. Arvalis was not exactly surprised when the human said he was retired, he was however surprised to find out he was a retired admiral. He was even more surprised when the admiral tried to influence his mind with the Force. Arvalis knew the man was equally surprised when it did not quite work out as the man expected it would. The admiral also had a weird preference when it came to names. He quickly shortened Arvalis to “Arvi”, and insisted that he be called Howie”, despite his name being Howlader. According to Howlader, the Republic had fallen years ago, replaced by an Empire that fragmented soon after. Howlader had been part of one of the splinter factions, and now he was retired and living the good life. Arvalis assumed that meant playing cards and drinking ale all day. Howlader confirmed it when he kept ordering pint after pint. The pair decided to keep in touch after several games and then went their separate ways. They would not be separate for more than a few months at a time as Howlader kept bothering Arvalis to play cards with him.
A Learner Once More
- "You should pay attention. You might learn something!"
- ―Kazmir to Arvalis
File:Kazmir.jpgArvalis' master, Kazmir Natas
It was about 30 years after the battle of Yavin when Howie would invite Arvalis to come play some games on Karufr. Arvalis had never heard of the planet before, but Howlader gracefully forwarded the coordinates the Anzat would need. Arvalis was greeted by a silver-haired man who introduced himself as Kazmir Natas, and who served as Howlader's apprentice. The promised card game with Howlader never came. It turned out he just wanted to introduce Arvalis to his long-time friends and to initiate him in an order called Taldryan.
- Apprenticed to Kazmir
- Does stuff
- Makes small appearances in past vendettas
- Learning!
- Poooower
The Crusade
- "Most days I live a life of quiet contemplation. Then there's today."
- ―Arvalis on Dromund Kaas
- Such travel, very crusade, much slaughter, wow
- Learning from Kazmir
- Stuff?!
Fading Light
- "Oops. I took too much off the top."
- ―Arvalis after beheading a One Sith
- All this light is fading, gotta change the bulbs.
- Kazmir retires to Kalus for "stuff"
- Becomes Quaestor
Gathering Darkness
- "I don't need to have the perfect plan. My foe just has to have an imperfect one."
- ―Arvalis
Physical Description
Standing just under 6'1" and weighting in at about 159lbs, Arvalis is fair-skinned, fairly tall, and sports an athletic frame. Devotion to physical excellence has sculpted his body, though he does not carry to overall bulk of many of his peers.His black hair is kept long and drapes from his scalp in natural waves. Combined with his blue eyes, he has pleasant, if not attractive features from a human standpoint. In order to better assimilate in what is predominantly a Human Galaxy, the Anzat has had some minor facial surgeries to change his appearance to something more "suitable" for hiding in the plain sight.
Personality and traits
- "Cease your struggles, count your blessings, and get out of my way."
- ―Arvalis
Arvalis is well-spoken and well-behaved in social situations. His slick Coruscanti accent, easy smile, and rudimentary understanding of psychology allows him to persuade many that he is in fact not a major threat. Lulling would-be-enemies into a false sense of security has it's advantages, but those of more cautious natures and keen eyes can often see through it and reveal his true intentions.
Despite his species’ love for “soup”, and the accompanying susceptibility to addictive substances, Arvalis abstains from such practices. Stretching the time between mandatory feedings as long as possible, and even then only hunting down sentients that live on the edge of society. This tendency means he suffers from a perpetual hunger, making him weak and susceptible to fits of hunger-driven rage.
While young, for an Anzat, Arvalis has spent more than a human lifetime surviving in a galaxy that would rather see his ilk dead. He has grown to hold a certain stubbornness when it comes to survival, whether in battle or in every day situations. This survival instinct stems from a distrust of humanity, as such he distances himself from all but a select few.
Seemingly a pacifist, Arvalis is fully aware of the political games that naturally occur in the Brotherhood. While he would prefer not to get too involved in these internal struggles, he regards battle and subsequently the killing of fellow Dark Jedi as a necessary evil for the survival of Taldryan. As such, he holds no qualms over taking a life in battle.
Powers and abilities
- "Unsheathe your sword and unleash your heart."
- ―Arvalis
Arvalis excels at augmenting his physical abilities with Amplification, and is able to push himself far beyond the limits of what his body would naturally be capable of. Furthermore; he is also adept at using the Force to perceive threats. This heavy reliance on the Force will quickly sap his stamina in prolonged battles.
Arvalis is a very well practiced warrior. A purist in the art of lightsaber duels, he is able to quickly discern and abuse flaws in his opponent's fighting style. This keen insight is aided by an above average athletic ability. While fully capable of dazzling feats of acrobatic twists and turns, the Anzat prefers to keep a balanced posture. He does have trouble dealing with multiple opponents at once, the cost of being too focused on a single enemy.
Possessions
Apparel
Weapons
- Inherited stuff from Kaz?
Trivia
Outstanding Achievements