Approved NPC Cuddles the Rancor

[Sterling Kinslayer]

Spoiler

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OUT OF CHARACTER INFORMATION

• Intent: A long since bonded pet/companion for Azure Djitred
• ​Image Credit: Here
• Role: A guardian/companion and War Mount
• Links: Azure Djitred, Rancor

PHYSICAL INFORMATION

• Age: 14 years
• Force Sensitivity: Non-Force User
• Species: Dathomiri Rancor
• Appearance: By far not the tallest of rancors, at around 8 meters tall, Cuddles is still a towering figure over, you know just about anyone. The brown skinned rancor has a few battle scars across its thick skin, and has markings from the Bright Sun clan on Dathomir.

SOCIAL INFORMATION

• Name: Cuddles
• Loyalties: Azure Djitred
• Notable Possessions: Very basic armor that covers vital points. Saddle for Azure.
• Personality: Cuddles is exceptionally, anti social is the best word. She distrusts anyone that isn't Azure herself, and can be quite angry and aggressive, animistic even,especially when they mistreat her bonded rider. She isn't beyond learning to trust them, as she learned to tolerate other rancors as well as Azure's clan mates, but isn't quite there yet. On the other hand, the closest things the Rancor feels of affection and nurturing nature come out when handling Azure, as the semi sentient creature knows it owes much to her and cares deeply about her. But really, only her. And that, again, can be attributed greatly to the force bond they share. Much of the lack of that general animistic behavior can be attributed to her upbringing on Dathomir, as Dathomiri clan rancors are notoriously more closely sentient, and the bond with Azure limiting her rage and outbursts.
• Training: Due to being a Dathomiri rancor mount, Cuddles is remarkably intelligent, for a rancor. She knows how to read and write, to a certain extent, and comprehends Basic relatively well. She is also knowledgeable enough to make and use basic armor and weapons

COMBAT INFORMATION

• Combat Function: Being the smart, well educated Rancor, Cuddles's first plan of action is to smash something with a club or mace. If there is no weapon, a fist will do. Maybe claws, or teeth, to rip and tear something apart. All of course while her rider does whatever her rider wants on top, directing her on any more complex tasks that need accomplishing. Brute force, essentially, until the problem is mush.

Strengths:

• Strength of a Rancor: You want to avoid being subjected to a Rancor's strength. It is not going to end well.
• Endurance of a Champion: Being trained by Azure for a mount means Cuddles has a very, very sizable endurance.
• Smarter than an Animal: Cuddles isn't going to come to some incredible, super creative solution to a problem. But she will be able to think "Well this plan isn't going so well, perhaps instead of my hands I should use this club to break the tank".
• Force Bonded: Thanks to the connection with Azure formed while young, Cuddles can communicate with her rider without words, instinctively. This means Azure can relay tactics generally too complex in a manner that Cuddles can comprehend
• Blaster Resistant: Due to, you know being a rancor, Cuddles's hide is somewhat resistant to blaster bolts. Not enough to stop thirty thousand, or a big old turbolaser, but enough that she can charge into someone trying to shoot her, or a squad, provided they're using standard weapons.

Weaknesses:

• Tactical Blunder: Despite being capable of problem solving, complex subjects such as tactics are... not going to be a strong suit for a Rancor. Azure is needed to tell her where to go.
• Big Fish: Basically, you're not gonna be an indoor pet if you're bigger than the freaking house. So getting around can be a problem.
• Bigger Fish Principle: Being a relatively middle of the range Rancor means that even other rancors can outmatch her in size, scale, strength, etc.
• Lightsabers: Blasters? Can handle. Lightsabers? That's gonna be a hurtful time. Especially right through the head, that's where the brain is and it doesn't take a lot of effort to stab a lightsber there.

HISTORICAL INFORMATION
Cuddles was an unfortunate Rancor, at first. There was much misfortune surrounding her birth, including her mother's second child being killed in a freak accident and her own life nearly ending not too long after. Were it not for a young Azure Djitred, it is doubtful that she would have made it through the night. As it was, the two were still quite young when Azure saved her, and healed her from the incident, making the bond that formed unintentionally quite strong. Cuddles knew she was indebted to the young witch, and considered her to be as close as imprinted could be. She followed her anywhere she could, the bond shared between master and mount growing stronger as the years progressed.

Cuddles was also quite intelligent, for a Rancor. Learning from other, also more intelligent rancors some basic skills, as well as picking up details of things from the instinctual force bond she shared with Azure, the turn around of fortune proved to be highly beneficial. By the time it came for Azure to find a suitable mount, frankly the only real option for her was the bonded companion she'd accidentally found.

So naturally, wherever Azure goes, if possible, Cuddles follows.