Name: Vail Lencer
Species: TinnellAge: 23
Gender: Male
Appearance: Standing at the short height of five feet, Vail gives off anything but an intimidating presence. His coat of black and white fur covering every inch of his body does little in terms of hiding the lithe nature of his frame. There doesn't appear to be any visible scars donning the feline's body hinting at either a lack of experience or a knack of getting out of trouble before shit hits the fan. There is little to show off in an impressive manner, save for maybe a set of large brown eyes that curiously peer at everything in their surrounding as if to take note of every detail. Small claws are at the end of each finger, something he is not above using in combat, especially with the force flowing through him. Fitting the rest of his colour scheme, his claws are of an obsidian black colour.
On the lower part of his back one can clearly see a long, slender tail slowly wagging from one end to the other, as if it has a life of its own. Though flexible, Vail cannot use this tail for anything of note.
When it comes to his choice of clothing, he'd prefer something simple and comfortable, rather than the typical Jedi robes. A white leather jacket rests on top of a black tank top covering Vail's chest. A pair of black, fingerless leather gloves would don both hands for better grip around the lightsaber clipped to his belt. As is common among travellers of the endless space, Vail wears long leather boots both durable and comfortable. Finally, Vail would wear a pair of simple black pants which are tucked into his black boots. Needless to say, he's not very creative when it comes to what colour he wears, though black tends to be efficient.
Vail wields a single bladed lightsaber with a white crystal. The hilt of his lightsaber is slightly longer for a better two handed grip. Vail has named his lightsaber
Serenity.Rank: Knight
Personality: Vail can be described as sarcastic and quiet, in two simple, shallow words. He doesn’t speak terribly much but has nothing against throwing out a few coy one liners and doesn’t mind being improper. One should not mistake this laid back attitude for slacking off however as Vail takes his role very seriously. He highly values the lives of everyone around him, basing his values on individualism more so than anything else. Sometimes his views can in fact conflict quite greatly with Jedi teachings as Vail highly encourages individuality, whereas the Order shies away from passion and spirit. Of course, this can be interpreted in many ways as the Jedi Code is vague at best, though Vail stays his tongue on the matter around other Jedi as to not cause unnecessary conflict.
This would bring the young man to another point. He loves philosophical conversations and gladly tosses his silence aside for a moment to engage in one, but he’d admit in secret that discussing philosophy with Jedi is a chore. He sees the Order as narrow minded and incredibly reluctant to change, not to mention new thoughts and ideas. Vail is a liberalist quite hidden behind the robes of a Jedi. He is respectful towards those he believe deserves it, even his enemies, and isn’t above reserving that privilege from those he doesn’t feel need hear it.
It is a shame that the Order has a strict view of passion as Vail has an incredibly fiery spirit within the calm, laid back and harmonic shell of his. Combat is something he never shies away from and would admit to enjoying it greatly. Of course, sparring would be preferred, but a true dual of lightsabers has a sense of satisfaction to it which he’d never share with the other Jedi.
Satisfaction, yes that is something else the Order would shun. Love, attraction and relations are strictly forbidden due to the Code as it would hamper the ability to stay objective and neutral in the face of darkness and danger. He believes this a faulty view as it goes against the very nature of organic beings filled with thought and emotion. “I fight for the Order, and I live for the Order. However, it saddens me to see the Council constantly running away from their own mortality, like a child refusing to accept their own limits. We have hearts, blood and emotions…no matter how much we’d like to control them, we can only delude ourselves.” Vail is a kind hearted young man who has through disciplined training and a calm mind learned to stay his anger even in the midst of a heated battle. He is incredibly in tune with himself and such confidence leads to a mental serenity many would enjoy. However, he would never fool himself into believing that he has mastered his emotions as such a feat is impossible.
On a more lighthearted note, Vail is a rather physically close individual and enjoys expressing his affections towards others with hugs and playful acts of friendliness. He enjoys the small things in life such as ice cream, cute and fluffy animals, flowers, and the sweet sound of music. Vail highly values friendship and fights to his utmost to protect it and the people around him, seeking to be a warming light in the darkness.
Abilities: Unlike most Force Users, Vail has expressed an inability to conjure Force Powers outwardly. He isn’t capable of even the simplest of force abilities like that of telekinesis, however this flaw was quickly turned into a strength early in his training.
While Vail is unable to conjure the force out of his body, it constantly strengthens his body inwardly. His physical prowess is greatly increased in strength, speed and reflexes which makes him an extravagant physical combatant. A great weakness for a Jedi has been turned into an impressive strength as Vail’s force enhanced frame draws him more capable than one would expect.
Physical combat is the feline creature's forte and only preferred means of combat. He is an excellent swordsman and has studied the unarmed martial combat derived from the
Force Warriors to compliment his otherwise bladed combat style with unarmed techniques. The extreme lack of force power training has given him a lot of time to hone his physical prowess.
Bio:Despite their appearance, the Tinnell are anything but a savage race. However, place a child by himself in the wilderness of Naboo and he will eventually turn to a more feral side in order to survive. Vail’s parents were travellers, merchants if you will, and a light blaster can only get you so far. They would meet their fate in the wilderness of Naboo at the end of tooth and claw, leaving their kitten to fend for himself. Managing to escape the scene, Vail was tasked by a dying breath to survive, to keep on living. While a sad story it is quite common among the Jedi. Such is an Order based around those without relations and connections, monks who are setting themselves apart from the world in an attempt to become supreme wisdom.
It is safe to say that without the Force flowing through him at such an early age, Vail would never have managed the dangers of the wilderness. He was given little time to mourn his parents and even less so to rest and recuperate but was immediately thrown into the jaws of the shark, so to speak. At the tender age of five, Vail had one preferred means of survival, stealth. His small, black and white frame allowed for silent and hidden movements throughout the jungles of Naboo where for a full year he lived on fruit, small animals and whatever he could steal from travellers. As unbelievable as it would sound, Vail managed to make a name for himself as a thief striking in the darkness, someone whom has made travellers and hunters wary of his presence. As one would expect, the boy was forced into combat more than once with the feral beasts of Naboo’s wilderness, something he would often escape from if able given his young and tender age. Though with force enhanced claws and fangs, Vail as a meagre child was able to fend for himself more often than one would expect.
The taste of sweet fruit and juicy meat became the only two things his pallet would know for quite a while, but travellers often carried food with them, something more tasty than birds and rodents, a desire which put the boy on the radar. Of course, bandits residing in forests was nothing new, but they tended to end the lives of those they stole from as to avoid being recognised whereas Vail never killed anyone. He only stole during the darkness of night.
Feral or not, you can imagine how the heavenly scent of apple pie would cage a young kitten’s senses, especially if placed by a campfire as if an invitation. One thing was clear, though. It had to be a
trap.
It had gone a year since Vail became part of the forest’s ecosystem. Despite his bipedal nature, one could even say that he fit in, that he belonged. Carefully moving through a thick blanket of trees towards a moonlit glade, Vail kept his guard up for an upcoming ambush. No one would simply leave such a tasty, beautiful piece of nourishment out in the open like that.
“I should turn back…this is a trap, that person is trying to catch me…I should turn back…” Caution would only be elevated in a situation like Vail’s. Knowledge, wisdom and logic had all been replaced with a simple instinct to survive. Merely six years of age, Vail carefully snuck closer to the campsite and kept his feline eyes on the man sitting by the fire. He was wearing a robe, dark brown and cozy. His middle aged features were clearly highlighted by the fire and he had his eyes closed, sitting in an odd legged position with his hands resting upon his kneecaps. The man’s breathing was slow, his very presence statuesque. Was he even alive? What kind of person would sit around with his eyes shut around here? He was an open target for
anything. Vail moved even closer, using the sound of a crackling fire to mask his silent steps.
“I have to move around him…I can’t be in front of him, no, no…he’ll spot me and kill me…” It wasn’t just the pie that Vail wanted. Whoever this man was, he was also in the possession of a large travelling bag probably filled with various goodies. When he fell asleep, Vail would steal it all, he wouldn’t leave a single piece.
“Is he sleeping…now…?” The thoughts kept stabbing the kitten’s mind as he circled the small campsite, moving behind the man and carefully crawled closer. The pie was close now, he just had to snatch it and could be off before returning for that bag.
“You are welcome to join me by the fire. It is quite warm here.” The sudden voice caught the boy off guard and he immediately froze up, his heart skipping a beat before he quickly jumped away into a hidden position. It was quite obvious that the feline’s quick and agile reflexes were not solely catlike, but rather enhanced by something else as well. “I mean you no harm, little one.” The man continued, not moving an inch.
“No…no he’s lying…they’re always lying…there is no way he means no harm, out here everyone means harm…” Clenching his teeth, Vail remained hidden behind a tree but his presence could be easily felt. There was nowhere the boy could hide.
“I made that pie for
you, son. Whenever you are ready, you may take it.” The calm, serene and harmonic tone to this man’s voice drew him unreal. What was he? How could he be so calm? How could he be so careless as to remain in that seated position even though he
knew that someone was there?
“Why am I still here…why, why?” Being drawn to this man’s presence was fearful in itself. The kitten wanted to dash away, to escape, but something stayed such an action. He didn’t want to leave because he had never felt like this before. It was if his very being was called to in anything but words. He was being pulled closer in a way he couldn’t describe, as if his spirit was already sitting next to this man.
“Baked…for me?” He knew about Vail? He knew that the cat was roaming the forest and in reaction to that he
baked a pie? It didn’t make sense. None of this made any sense. The feline would, against his better judgement, move closer towards the camp again, his movements slow and careful. Curiosity and cats did after all go hand in hand.
“My name is Jerio Kansaan, a pleasure to meet you, little one.” Again, his voice froze the boy to the spot but he didn’t jump away this time. If this man, Jerio, was as perceptive as he appeared, he could have killed Vail the moment the cat stepped close to the camp. Vail was at this man’s mercy and he knew it. He could try to escape but suddenly the forest seemed so much darker than before, the only piece of light Vail could keep his eyes on was the campfire. He had never feared the dark, and he had managed to avoid the large beasts for a year but suddenly that all seemed so distant. It was as if the campfire was his only destination, the only path he could take. Reaching his hand up, Vail carefully sat down and placed his fingers on his head, as if an extreme headache was forcing itself through.
“Why…why…why!? Who is he? What does he want!? Why can’t I leave!?” The thoughts were starting to get painful, but he was broken out of them by the man’s voice once more.
“Such turmoil…” He spoke, a sadness to his words. “Please, have a seat and indulge in your pie. You will not get hurt.” Turmoil? He could sense Vail’s conflict? With a trembling frame, Vail moved forward on autopilot, barely able to control his desire to get closer to the campfire. Sure the pie still tugged at his senses but now this man was so much more interesting. A full fifteen minutes passed before the small feline got close enough to camp. He stood at the very edge, peering at the man sitting on the other side of the fire. The pie was however right in front of Vail. “Hello.” Jerio greeted, his eyes still closed, his frame still as statuesque as before.
Without answering, Vail reached his hand out and grabbed the pie, quickly moving further away from the camp before he turned his head around to see the man still sitting there. He wasn’t going to pursue? Holding onto his apple pie like his life depended on it, Vail stood at a crossroads. One path lead to a warm campfire with a man radiating with curiosity, the other path lead into the dark, cold forest Vail has reluctantly called home. Carefully taking a few steps back towards the fire, the cat dropped down to a seated position and started eating his pie, his large brown eyes constantly fixed on Jerio. “Did you like it?” The man’s voice continued.
“…” Vail gulped down the last piece, his frown finally softening slightly. “L-like…” He responded, a light and weak voice making its way through the darkness of night.
“What’s your name, little one?”
“Name…” Vail repeated, still vigilant and ready to run away would the worse happen, despite the feeling of futility in such an action. “Name…Vail…”
“Vail? A beautiful name indeed. How long have you been here, Vail?” He was actually speaking to Vail as if any other sentient being? No other humanoid had ever done that, mostly because their first and last meetings with the feline tended to be hostile.
“Not…know…” Vail returned, his basic grasp on the common tongue damaged throughout his time in the wilderness.
“Come, sit with me a moment. Do you have some time to spare, my friend?” Analysing the situation deeply, Vail eventually moved closer towards the fire, close enough to feel its heat and sat down, curiously peering up at the man. “I am a Jedi, it is truly an honour to make your acquaintance.”
“Jeh…dai..?” The cat tilted his head. Finally, the two engaged in a proper conversation, the Jedi opening his eyes to look down at the fragile creature before him. So this was it, the force sensitive he could sense in the area, and a Tinnell no less. His name was Vail, a silent little creature who seemed to enjoy a conversation more so than he would let off. Perhaps he was simply starved for sentient contact, but this was the start of a new life, and everything started with an apple pie.
