Zaris Tane
Character
Z A R I S T A N E
GENERAL INFORMATION
Full name: Zaris Isha Tane
Alias': 'The Wanderer'
Age: 25
Location of Birth: Umbara
Species: Umbaran
Gender: Female
Faction: N/A
Title: N/A
APPEARANCE
Skintone: Pale purple
Eye color: White
Build: Ectomorphic
Height: 6'6'' - 200cm
Weight: 160lbs
Notable features:
Slave brands (back of head/upper back), Neuronic Whip scars (full back), intricate laceration scars (stomach & abdomen), Lightsaber Strike Scar (Face)
Physical Description:
Like most Umbarans, Zaris appears as a tall, ectomorphic, gaunt, and pale figure, someone one would be forgiven for mistaking as a ghost. Even among Umbarans Zaris remains unusually tall, towering over most humanoids though to no shocking degree. Despite this size, Zaris remains thin and slender, almost to the point of disproportion with her impressive height, once again fitting with the typical image of an Umbaran, however this is an effect of circumstance rather than aesthetic cultural choice. In contrast, Zaris' face is not typical of Umbarans, her features are relatively rounded rather than angular as her kin, and less gaunt. This is only noticeable via comparison to others of her species however, and by comparison to the majority of humanoids, Zaris still maintains a gaunt, almost skeletal appearance, her eyes sunken into dark purple sockets. As well across her body are numerous markings, the most immediately obvious being the numerous slave brands which adorn her upper back as well as the back of her head. These brands identify through symbolry many things, primarily physical information true of her at the time of selling. Primarily however they identify her as a slave of the Sith Empire, and more importantly, of the Sith themselves. As is common with most slaves, Zaris' back is crisscrossed with the scars of Neuronic Whip strikes, these in contrast to the delicate, intricate, and almost artistic laceration scars which cover her abdomen and stomach. Marking her face is a disgusting facial burn, obviously caused by a lightsaber strike. It crosses the left side of her face in a deep gash, the skin stretched over the back of her mouth strandy thin, and the corner of her lips on the left side melted away into a permanent sneer.
PSYCHOLOGICAL INFORMATION
* Vengeful * Impulsive * Strong Willed * Compassionate *
Strengths:
Strong Willed - It is difficult to break Zaris, as her hardships and life have only hardened her mind.
Ultraviolet Vision - Umbarans are capable of seeing Ultraviolet light as well as human visible light, giving them excellent low light vision.
Force Sensitivity - Even among force sensitives Zaris is unusually strongly connected to the force, however nowhere near the point of being the 'chosen one' of anything.
Large Size - Being physically imposing has a host of advantages, as well as drawbacks. For example, whilst she has a much farther reach than most, she is as well a much larger target, and difficult to conceal.
Weaknesses:
Compassionate - While many would count this as a positive trait, in the context of the Sith, it is a significant weakness. Zaris is good natured, and while she is no paladin, she has no desire to do harm for the sake of harm.
Impulsive - Zaris tends to act without thinking
Under Weight - Zaris is unusually underweight for her size, and as such, she is much weaker than one might expect, as well as frail.
Slave - Zaris has no prior connections, titles, authority, or even possessions.
Grim - Zaris' recent history has not passed without leaving it's marks, both physical and otherwise. Some might even go so far as to call her deranged.
INVENTORY
Concealing Robes
Zaris wears a set of matte black thin robes, mostly to contain her identity and provide some travel storage. They are light and breathable, allowing a full range of movement comfortably, but offer little protection against the elements and no protection from attackers.
To cover the face, Zaris wears this featureless, bland black mask. It is a finely made thing, but relatively simple none the less. The backside of it is covered in a screen, to which is transmitted a crystal clear image of what lies beyond the mask, essentially making it transparent on the inside. It does nothing to protect the user beyond hiding their identity in as neutral a way as possible.
One of two Lightsabers made by Zaris, the first being a failure, this saber is simple and form fitting. It lacks frills or fancy construction materials and is as simplistic as a lightsaber can be. It's curved hilt favors a Makashi style of light saber combat, offering a wider array of grip positions with which to control the blade. As is the typical case with Sith lightsabers, it's focusing crystal is red.
Zaris' offhand saber is a relic stolen from her former overseer in the Sith Academy. It is an old thing, an heirloom hundreds of years old, and is designed in a cold, brutal simplicity. Four iron bands wrap around it's hilt to form four sharp points as a blade shroud. These bands are purposely curved not to be flush with the hilt, the right edge of each band is raised to present an uncomfortable edge to dig into the users hand. This is based on the old Sith philosophy that one can draw from their pain, physical and non physical to create power. As such, the saber is a painful thing to hold, four edges digging into the users hand, although, at least, these ridges provide a solid grip.
BIOGRAPHY
Zaris was born to parents she has no memory of, on a world she has no memory of, part of a culture of people she does not know. As part of a higher ranking caste, her parents were one of the few Umbarans allowed to leave their homeworld and venture into the galaxy. They did so shortly after having their infant, her birth name lost to time and circumstance. What little memory Zaris has of her family are sensory, sounds, smells, feelings, having spent only two years with them, this is all she can force herself to recall. Whilst traveling from somewhere to somewhere else, most likely for some political or diplomatic cause, though the reason matters little now. Their vessel had been set upon by pirates wanting to take the high caste family hostage for ransom, although some altercation had turned sour, resulting in the deaths of her family. Unwilling to murder an infant, the lieutenant of these pirates took Zaris from the burning vessel. The plan was originally to abandon her on some backwater where she would either sink or swim, though plans change, and this Lieutenant had grown fond of the girl, perhaps out of regret and remorse for taking her life from her. He was a Rodian by the name of Zek, and he is responsible for granting Zaris the name 'Zaris Tane', though she had chosen Isha as a middle name for herself later in life. Zek was responsible for raising Zaris through the majority of her life, as well as her survival among the other less compassionate members of the vessel's crew. Zek had become the only father figure Zaris would have.
He had taught her how to speak, not only Galatic Basic but Huttese as well. How to walk, and dress herself, the basic skills necessary to live. He had even begun to teach her basic blaster use and mechanics by the time she had turned 14, though this training was cut short in a way not so unfamiliar. A chance meeting with a small fleet of Trandoshan slavers resulted in the complete annihilation of the priates vessel and the majority of their crew, those few survivors becoming slaves, including Zaris, whilst Zek was killed during her defense. The next 10 years would be spent as a slave, passing between various sets of hands and through various roles. First she had been set as a dancer, and after her resistance to this occupation she was forced into a role as an escort slave. Following her continued resistance against this she found herself in more laborious roles such as factory and construction work. She had a brief return to her previous purposes under the ownership of a uniquely depraved crimelord within huttspace, although it would be through her that Zaris found herself sold into Sith Imperial ownership. Purchased as part of a bulk load of slaves intended to work as laborers, Zaris was quickly sieved out of the ranks among a tiny number of other force sensitives. Despite her age Zaris was chosen by the Sith for training due to her natural strength with the force, as well as for her seemingly unbreakable will.
The Academy was a hard, unloving environment, one which suffered neither the weak or the unworthy. A place where treachery, foul play, and underhanded tactics were all not only allowed but encouraged. Such is the breeding ground of the sith, and their weakness. A place made to instill an acolyte with fear and anger, but often at the cost of rational thinking for the favor of cruelty for cruelty's sake. As a slave, Zaris was one of many potential apprentices trained in classes by an overseer, a system designed to weed out the weak and feed them to the strong. This environment did not suit Zaris in the least, but she was a survivor, and survive she did. Through treachery and murder, the loss of friends and the only comforts life could provide her with here, all it served was to bitter her. Growing grim and reclusive in nature, Zaris was misinterpreted as weak by the Overseers, whom time and time again attempted to weed her out over challenges increasingly more implausible to complete, but Zaris was a survivor, and persevered longer than any other acolyte in her class. By the end of her near year long training, Zaris stood along in an empty class, elevated to the power and prestige common of true Sith apprentices, and ready to be claimed by a dark master. But with this, Zaris was not satisfied. During a dark dusk Zaris elected to decide her own fate for the first time in years. Freshly constructed saber in hand, Zaris confronted and engaged her hated Overseer, and after a brutal back and forth struggle, Zaris was defeated. Lying on the floor, her Overseer sought to punish her for her failure and arrogance. With a single lash like strike he scarred her face with his blade, melting flesh and searing skin. As he prepared another torturous blow, Zaris became filled with rage. Unwilling to ever be treated like a slave again, she tackled her cruel teacher with viscous fury, and with bear hands beat him until she could not tell who he was. Her vengance satisfied, a brief horror overtook her. Taking both his and her own lightsaber, she stole a docked transport ship and fled the academy. From there she has wandered the Galaxy, in search of truths, light and dark, beliving that it is through knowledge of the Force that she may find peace.
