| Biography: |
Name: Raziel
Age: 35
Height: 5'
Weight: 140lbs
Hair Colour: black
Eye Colour: green
Place of Birth: Nal Hutta
Who am I? You may have seen me around the barracks. I am short, slender and pale, with jet black hair and striking green eyes, yet despite my appearance I doubt you will have paid me a second glance. For that is how I wish it. You may have talked to me, you may have fought beside me, yet you will find yourself unable to describe the character of me. Most of the time I am of few words, when the situation calls for it, I may take on personalities that I feel are required: Bold, courageous, inspirational, emphatic, nervous, brash . . .
I could have been anyone, but I am no one.
Whenever you may talk to me, the conversation will fade from your memory quickly. You may remember me instead by my actions. My aim is poor, I tire quickly and my arm is weak. My strengths lie elsewhere. If you ever come up against me, I would advise you not to get too close. I am faster than you could probably react to, the only thing I have ever known is how to kill and my mind is as sharp as my blade.
I have been trained to kill with the point of my knife.
I am still unable to come to terms with my past, but there are a few things I am certain of. I have never been able to discover myself, from birth I have been downtrodden until my will was broken. Someone invested a great deal to turn me into a killing machine and I have known nothing else. I can remember nothing but training and killing, pausing only for basic needs. It has even been suggested that I was designed to kill before even my birth.
Following orders is my only nature.
So you see the question of 'Who Am I?' is one I cannot answer. Every night now my mind struggles with that very question. I have a wealth of experiences beyond my years and I am capable of feats beyond most men, but that is all I can tell you about me. All is not lost though, for I know that I am not what someone designed me to be. I rebelled and that is why I am here, my emotions showed through and I disobeyed a direct order. So I know I am here by my own decisions, not someone else's. I also know that there are people out there who know more. More about where I came from and possibly who I am. I know I can find them and that I can find out who I am. I can only hope this disturbed, hollow killer is not all I can ever be. I will be myself.
Intercepted Imperial Intelligence Report:
***Secure Transmission Received***
***Category 4 encryption***
***Decoding . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ***
***Message Follows***
From: Message source withheld
Recipient: Project Trident Cell Contact
Priority: Delta
Subject: The Lion in our midst.
I am responding to your recent request for the full compilation of all archived information on subject: Darkblade, with reference to SGM Raziel of Pheonix company.
It was only brought to light recently, the possible link between the soldier in our stormtrooper corps and the open case file on classified subject Dark Blade. As you well know our file on the latter was extensive, yet strangely lacking in tangible information. However our information on the former was virtually non existent. It was only through his actions in recent campaigns and first hand accounts of what he had mentioned about his past that made us consider opening a file on the subject.
As you may know DarkBlade was the call sign used for an assassin from Nar Shaddaa, in the Hutt's employ. He became well known throughout the region over a relatively short time period, partly because of his anonymity and partly because of his penchant for using a calling card in his case a small black blade at each scene.
It was our understanding, when we initiated project filtration against the Ancient Huttese clans on Nar Shaddaa, that DarkBlade was really a generic term for a large band of hired killers on the moon. It soon became obvious that this was not the case and in fact the call sign referred to one highly trained individual employed by the Ancient Clans. [For more information on project Filtration, or on the Huttese ancient clans, request archive files GF68a through GF79e and section CF. Clearance level Gamma] Most of the setbacks suffered in the campaign were casualties to this individual. Whilst we considered the Hutts ability to gather information, we underestimated their lethal resources with dire consequences. Project Filtration, an attempt to slow the Huttese spice smuggling operations was abandoned after only three months after the project leader was terminated. A single, black blade was left on his body.
That is enough background information, which I am sure you are already aware of. We have recently managed to gather a great deal of information on the individual himself. A file was opened on Lance Corporal Raziel when the link was first suggested and we have since managed to illuminate a great deal of his past.
He was born on the swamp ridden planet Nal Hutta, home planet of the Hutts. As a human member of the population he would have experienced lower than standard living conditions. As we well know, harsh environments often breed the most efficient killers.
Much of our information is patchy, but we have managed to string a long series of events together to trace back to his earliest years.
As a child he worked in a bar, possibly in one of the slum-towns surrounding the city Arduan. The human population is centred here so this location seems most probable. Early on he must of begun to understand his physical talents, for at the age of eleven he was brought into the employ of a local thieves guild. The guild was run by a human known as Ma'Honds, and whilst not important, his employers are known to us.
The thieves guild quickly exploited the subjects natural talents. Over a period of years the subject was exposed to situations not befitting a child of his age, the subject quickly mentally adapted and his morals became skewed and he would have learned to block out emotions and feelings. The process is well known to us and a similar, if artificial program, is often used to train new agents.
We have little information on what happened over the coming year. We do know that he was removed from the thieves guild. I can only theorise that he was spotted by a huttese agent and was recruited. A year after his disappearance a string of killings was linked to the subject and the 'calling card' technique had begun. The subject was no longer a naturally talented child forced to do a small time crooks dirty work, but a fully trained and supported assassin. I believe that during the previous year the child was exposed to a long and gruelling training program of a Hutt clan's devising.
Over the coming years the subject was traded up from one clan to the ruling Clan of the Ancients. It is possible that the Ancient clans had been organising the boys training from the start.
After being reallocated to Nar Shaddaa the subjects reputation spread quickly, it was over this period that our agents were quickly succumbing to our talents. After we pulled agents out from Nar Shaddaa we only have a trickle of information coming from the region. A rumour did reach us however that the Hutt police forces were chasing down a rogue agent of theirs, but this cannot be directly linked to subject. What is certain, is that Trooper Raziel signed up with a recruiting agent who was visiting Nar Shaddaa shortly after Endor. The only trooper we had access to from the recruiting mission described him as "In a hurry to leave." The Trooped barely scraped through basic training, and was described as "below par" by commanders over the first training missions. However once settled in a squad within wildcard platoon the subject began to display skills that had not been demonstrated during training. It was after several mission analysts reported an unusual talent for infiltration and close quarters combat befitting a storm commando that we took notice.
The trooper is now in command of "Wraith Squad" which he has been moulding into a special forces squad, it's members displaying certain skills that cannot be found in any stormtrooper procedure manual.
Finally a recent dialogue between one of our agents and the subject confirmed the link. However, before we could consider any action one of our allies from Lopen divulged an interest in the subject.
We have been keeping tabs on the individual - despite being forced to back off as it is often the case that humans subjected to these sort of conditions as a child will become mentally unstable later on in life.
***Message Ends***
***Authentication Completed: Result Positive***
***Next Action? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .***
***Deleting***
***Message Erased***
History: Born on the swap ridden and lowly planet of Nal Hutta Raziel had a
very painful and hard upbringing, especially as he wasnt one of the hutt
population. Fortunately Raziel found that he had a natural talent for pick
pocketing and thieving.
By the time he was 8yrs old he had stopped working in his fathers dirty
bar and had taken up his new occupation in the streets of the nearby port.
Being a port filled mostly with smugglers and scum Raziel could get away
with his trade mostly unhindered, except for the fact that the population
were a weary bunch. Raziels incredible dexterity and quick wits were up to
the task.
When he was 11yrs old he was caught by what appeared to be a local, wealthy
merchant. To Raziels fortune he had been caught by the head of a local
thiefs guild. He was now able to work under protection and in teams of
thieves like himself. However it became apparent that Raziels talent to
make the guild leaders very rich, they had him breaking into wealthy
merchants homes and into high security buildings by the age of 12.
It was when Raziel was 14 that he was asked to make his first kill. Raziel
was young and didnt have much of a conscience having been downtrodden his
whole life, so readily agreed. The murder had been a simple knifing in a
quite area of town, but lead Raziel right the way down that path.
Over the next few years Raziel learnt to master the skills of the assassin.
He already had the base of breaking into top security buildings and the
naturally quick wits and dexterity. He was taught how to make a quick kill
and how to blend into the shadows. His small but powerful frame allowed him
to strike at people from almost any angle and hide in any corner even
in a sliver of a shadow.
When he was just 16 years of age the largest hutt family in the region
hired him as their personal assassin. He was paid a great deal of money for
his trade and soon found that his life had changed so very much from
sweeping the floor in his fathers bankrupt bar.
He soon had a reputation as the dark blade, because of his fondness for
the knife over more common weapons of silent death. He left behind the
powerful family that he had worked for and was taken by the Clans of the
Ancients, the most powerful family on Nal Hutta. They gave the two expensive
monomolecular daggers as a gift. He still uses those perfectly balanced
weapons in the army.
Eventually he was taken to the moon of Nar Shaddaa. Raziel was shocked by
the sheers size of the vertical city, but found that the inhabitants were
not unlike those on Nal Hutta.
By the time he had fully developed his skills at the age of 20 he was the
most feared assassin across the planet. He even had many assassin try to
bring him down and take a cheap route to fame. None of them came near
succeeding.
Life had become good for Raziel, he now chose his clients and was paid in
enormous sums of money, but it only lasted for 5 sweet years.
It became known that he had fallen into disfavour with the most powerful
guild on Nar Shaddaa and the master assassin was forced to go into hiding
just to stay alive. He was forced to leave most of his money behind and try
to leave the planet.
Unfortunately this proved difficult and he, in a fairly distraught and
drunken state ended up signing up for an army. He couldnt remember exactly
where he had been at the time, but he remembered being on the shuttle to
Nodriss B. He lacked the strength and true aim that was normally associated
with the elite troopers of the empire. After a year of fitting in and hard
training Raziel managed to finally shrug off all thoughts of his old way of
life and learn to adapt to life in the vast empire army.
Raziel has changed a lot in his time in the Vast Empire, not the least of which has been his move to the Dark Jedi Order. He has learned to trust people a lot more during his time in the army, but still hides behind his shroud of secrecy and is still always on the look out for an attack from behind. After all, the Ancient Hutt clans have upped the bounty on him again.
Strengths/Weaknesses
Raziel draws on a wealth of knowledge and training that he received during his time on Nar Shaddaa, when he wasn't out on a mission he was being lectured by his mentor Jamel or great swordsmen from around the galaxy, even including the great Zulirian Swordmasters . Aside from the extensive weapons training he was educated in many infiltration and intelligence techniques, he was kept up to date on all current security systems and Jamel spent years teaching him how to manipulate people to his own advantage. Much more than a quick hand was required in his job.
Raziel is possessed of a natural dexterity and speed that stuns most creatures throughout the galaxy. Even as a child he could sift through someone's pocket, pick out any interesting articles and move away in the blink of an eye. Raziel also has a nearly photo perfect memory, to this day he can recall the face of every one of his targets, faces that often haunt him at night. The fact that the memories of his past are all the clearer and will never leave him disturbs Raziel deeply.
What Raziel has in speed he severely lacks in strength and endurance, he is only five feet tall and whilst powerful he could be considered physically weak. Even after his time in the army, his aim is poor. With the exception of light pistols he still finds himself outgunned on a regular basis, mostly relying on his quick draw to get through most confrontations alive. He is not very tenacious, or even particularly brave. He has always been a fervent calculator, weighing up the odds before any confrontation. He tries to go into every situation confident of victory and only takes calculated risks - thus when things do not go according to plan he is often indecisive and chooses to hide and escape. The brave assassins often lead very short careers.
Fighting styles. Raziel utilizes ten years of weapons training, spending most of his childhood with a blade in his hand. His masters sparred no expense in hiring the best to train him, it would not be cost effective to have their new weapon of fear die young. He draws on the many styles he trained in during his youth to create his own, ever changing style.
Rodian knife - this street fighting style from Rodia relies heavily on deception. The free hand is held in front of the knife to block and to obscure the blade's movements.
Corucsanti Rapier - A one handed duelling style used by the nobility of Corucsant, relies on balance and speed over strength. Recently Raziel got a taste of this style first hand from the master assassin Vandross.
Jar'Kai - an ancient two sword duelling style. The forms involved are complex and graceful, with each move flowing into the next through many elaborate motions. This ancient art has a strong philosophical and religious side to it, none of which concerns Raziel.
Ithorian flatblade - a total defence style using short, efficient movements to parry and block. It uses the minimum amount of effort in defence. Whilst not in the original philosophy of the style Raziel saves his energy saved for rapid counter attacks.
Raziel's preferred style is with a pair of daggers, he uses forms from all of the styles he knows and combines them to create and ever changing and unpredictable style.
Raziel has now joined the Dark Side and is now a fully fledged Jedi Knight, having created a pair of dual-phase lightsabers which can form a dagger length blade. Whilst he is very sensitive to the living world and excels in telepathy and mind alteration he lacks any control over the physical world, with almost no skill in telekinesis. He believes that his success as an assassin had a lot to do with his special sensitivities. |
