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The Pau'an Noble

Physical Appearance: Vordum stands approx 6'5" with an extremely thin appearance. His body is covered by a large all weather cloak, that also covers his head. Under the cloak, he wears a dark, ordinary outfit, though the long neck reaches up over his face and covers the customized black breath mask that covers his thin mouth filled with sharp teeth. Above that, helping to cover his pale, grey face, or more specifically his deep, dark, sunken eyes, are large customized goggles, darkened to help his eyes against their light sensitivity. At the end of long sleeves are long, slender hands, wrists adorned by a variety of jewelry, mostly tight fitting bracelets of varying appearances.

History (Pau'an):
(Known History): Though not exactly a secretive race, little seems known about the Pau'an from the outside species. What is publicly known is their frightening appearance, their kind demeanor, and their dominance over the shared species of their planet, the Utai. Their planet is Utapau, which due to a brutal climate with high winds, the Pau'an have been forced underground.

(Unknown by Others): Humans have different reputations depending on which part of the galaxy you're on. This is primarily because of their outstretched presence throughout the entire galaxy. Were they primarily stationed on one planet, like the Pau'an, they would probably have a much more narrowed reputation. One of the most common perceptions of the Pau'an is that they tend to be a lot nicer than their appearance would suggest. There are multiple reasons for this. For one, their extended lives have given them a greater understanding of patience and tolerance. They seem exceptionally kind towards outsiders, having learned that those visiting their planet can often lead to a variety of great advantages if properly addressed. But, perhaps the biggest factor is that they are not a species of laborers. Rather, they depend on the Utai for the majority of their labor. To keep the Utai working under peaceful conditions, the Pau'an had developed great diplomacy skills, and those more familiar with the Pau'an may know them more as manipulators. But, because of their patience and tact, they are also considered strategists and thinkers, often planning for their rather extensive lives.

Their education starts at a very young age of ten, where beforehand they are simply taught in soft skills, like empathy and tolerance. From ten to thirty, most Pau'an find themselves in some form of institution or another, taking longer for their education than most species (as by thirty, most species end up at the halfway point of their lives and are considered full adults). This doesn't make them especially intelligent, so much as it makes them fairly well rounded. Something not specifically taught, but is learned more passively through their race in comparison to most others, is the ability to speak to others, not just of their own species, but of any species. This leaves them particularly persuasive.

The Pau'an have built their entire infrastructure underground, leading to their low light vision. This is well known. But living underground for generations can have an adverse effect on a species. Though there is a sensitivity to light, it's not so extreme that it causes any significant disadvantage. It also has left the species somewhat isolated from the outside culture. However, it does make them particularly at home in outer space, which is almost equally dark. Unlike races that live above ground that are used to sunlight and outside air, the Pau'an are very comfortable in indoor surroundings.

Perhaps the greatest trait among the Pau'an is their diplomatic capability. This has led to their greatest presence off world being bureaucrats of varying degrees. Even within the Empire, a Pau'an is placed in a position of high authority. When it comes to matters of society and government, the Pau'an are excelled. Because of their appearances, the positions they hold are rarely public ones, but tend to be great advisers to those that are willing to tolerate their frightening visage in exchange for the diplomatic wisdom. Despite their kind reputation, not all Pau'an hold positions of prestige. Even the Hutt's have been known to occasionally hire a Pau'an to assist in their planning of their 'business structure'. Though not every Pau'an is known as a tactful diplomat, even the crudest and tactless Pau'an is still considered to be more refined than your typical galactic scoundrel.

Despite their kind reputation, very few Pau'an actually leave Utapau. Though they are known to be a friendly race, they still endure a great deal of racial prejudices, mostly due to their tall thin forms, sunken eyes, and sharpened teeth. To those that are able to get past these appearances, the Pau’an are found to be exceptionally tolerant. But, even to those that have a hard time dealing with these issues, the Pau’an have learned that through greater tolerance and patience, they can eventually overcome the prejudices and still accomplish their goals. But, for most Pau’an, this effort is not worth they pay out. It is hoped that in time, enough of their kind will inhabit the galaxy enough to where those that follow no longer have to deal with such prejudices.

On the planet, though they are good with diplomatic relations and governmental control, they are not beyond the ever present troubles of crime and protest. One of the largest rebellion groups on Utapau is a resistance group that insists that the Pau’an have manipulated and enslaved the Utai. There have been bombings against government buildings and other violent acts of aggression against the Pau’an government to encourage a reduced labor to be forced upon what is seen as the ‘inferior species of Utapau’. Though the resistance movement has received little support from the Utai that they seek to free, those of the resistance insist this is because of the level of manipulation that they have fallen to. Still, many of the Utai have claimed it is more because they appreciate the joy of their labor well done and hold little to no interest in the workings of government.

Entertainment on Utapau is varied and of great quality. When not dealing with the structure of society, the Pau’an enjoy many of the comforts as any other species within the galaxy. Some of their underground casinos are considered of high quality, and often welcoming to visitors to the planet. Unlike the more simple and rowdy festivities of the Utai, the Pau’an take pride in their more refined taste in both food and entertainment. Though, there are certain less savory forms of entertainment, such as Utai death matches and a kind of lizard like animal match that’s akin to ‘rooster fighting’. There are sects of the Pau’an that do love gambling, and though games of chance are reasonably popular, games of deception are even moreso. Though against each other, there’s no real advantage, Pau’ans that either meet with visitors to their planet or go out among the stars themselves have found themselves to be excellent gamblers, especially when it comes to persuading their opponent to play a certain way. To put it more simply, Pau’an’s have a great ‘poker face’.

In regards to family, the Pau'an believe in the philosophy that it takes a village to raise a child. Despite being a fairly advanced race, their habits of raising children stem a great deal from what one might see common in ancient tribes. Some believe this is because of their extensive lives, which have led them to a certain wisdom that a greater sense of community can foster a better childhood. Of course, immediate family members still hold the greatest sense of responsibility. But, parents are often considered too young to properly raise children, and so children are often cared for by the more elderly, like the grandparents. This allows the parents to establish their lives, still have children in their prime, allow the more mature to raise the children, and create a better situation for all involved. This is easier for the Pau'an than it would be for most species, as children are born when the Pau'an are still relatively young, even as elders. However, because of their extensive lives, and how easy it would be for members of the species to have several generations of children within their single life, there are rules and regulations regarding reproduction. The normal gestation period of an unborn child takes nearly two years. But despite that, there is still plenty of time in the normal life of a Pau'an to have a child, completely raise them to adults, and have another, multiple times over, long before they even hit middle age. For this purpose, unless there are certain exceptions, there are certain limitations on the number of children a couple is allowed to have.


History (Backstory): Vordum Zoden started out life as a typical member of society. He attended classes and education until he was 30. After that, he spent a bit of time studying under certain Masters of Ceremony to learn how to be a greater diplomat. But, from a very young age, he always had a desire to travel, to set off among the stars. He often heard about others of his race that had made it off planet (not an all too common thing, as his race was not always greeted with welcoming attitudes), and he desired to be among one of them. He understood that to other races, his form would come across as more frightening, and he began to work to consider that to his advantage. In school, he always thought how the lessons he was studying could be applied to other-worldly situations. But, for the longest time, the only thing he had to go on were stories that he had heard from others that had made it to where he wanted to be.

In addition to his wandering spirit (or maybe even because of), he had developed a penchant for gambling, as Pau’an’s that are fascinated by the outer galaxy tend to do (particularly those that required the ability to read others, such as sabaac, as opposed to games of pure chance, like the Jubilee Wheel). He didn’t start out very good, but was a quick learner. In time, he did eventually find a way off the planet. There was a small group of wanna-be explorers that discovered an opportunity to smuggle some cargo from one planet to another. Through their gifts of persuasion, they managed to get involved on the job. Unfortunately, the job entailed more physical labor than they were used to, and they were miserable in the process. But, through dedication and persistence, they did accomplish the job and began to establish themselves. It didn’t take long for them to learn how to simply organize the dealings, to take a cut of their profits and hire workers to actually commit the labor that needed to be done. They simply moved from place to place. When they had established a bit more, they started to build a reputation, and even a small company working to grow and expand through the galaxy. Vordum had a particular love for the planet Socorro, a smuggler and gambling haven. Here he made some great deals for the organization and practiced his gambling skills against some of the best. By the time he was 50, they had established a decent empire on a few of the outer rim planets. But, Vordum had a weakness in his gambling, and though he was fairly good against the average space-farer, luck could only carry a gambler so far. In a major hand of sabacc, he lost his share of the business. Not one to be discouraged, however, he took the loss in stride and decided to set out to build up his own empire for himself. Though, his experiences had left him with a sense of questionable morals in how this would be accomplished. That’s when he had convinced one small ship carrier to take him out to a more major space station out in the middle of nowhere…

History (Alternate Backstory): Not all creatures are born the same as the rest of society. Sometimes, a rogue gene can make a member of a species completely different and unacceptable to that species. On paper, Vordum Zoden is a well-respected member of the Pau'an society. He went to school for medical training, is a well-respected member of the community, is social with many friends and a loving family. But something more lies underneath the surface, a secret hidden by his family. Vordum was born to prominent parents. His father was a prominent diplomat within a major city in their underground world. His mother was a notable scientist, whose focus was on physical sciences. But, as is tradition in the society, his grandfather was more responsible for his raising, who had been a diplomat for a better part of his life, but by the birth of Vordum he was an instructor for other upcoming diplomats, teaching business discourse, ethics, and behavior. At a young age, Vordum was found, almost always by his grandfather, dissecting small animals in a very medical fashion. At a young age, the dissection was very crude, as would be expected. It would happen on whatever small creature Vordum was able to get a hold of. The process was messy. It started with a simple beheading, or a slice down the torso, or perhaps a limb was removed. Yet, there never seemed to be any malice in the project, just a simple curiosity. What was inside an animal? How did they work? There was no anger. The eerie part was that there seemed to be virtually no emotion at all. Over time, the carvings got more precise, more clinical. Gradually, Vordum even started moving up to larger creatures. Rather than dissuade or discourage the curious youth, his grandfather attempted to direct a better understanding of the medical profession. Vordum had an instant fascination with the Pau’an body and how it worked. He read up on many different procedures, a good ten years earlier than most would even begin to take an interest in such studies.

It wasn’t only the vivisection of animals that was a problem, however. Vordum seemed to hold no concern or regard for others. At first, he seemed to have no qualm with pushing another child out of his way. It wasn’t that his grandfather, parents, or others in his social circle had taught him this kind of behavior, nor was it like these people didn’t present a good example. The example of those around him just didn’t seem to apply to him, it didn’t seem to relate to him in any way. And if something didn’t apply to him, he held little to no interest in it. There was simply something missing in his chemical makeup that left him purely self-serving. Because of this, his grandfather also worked a bit harder to teach Vordum about diplomacy and tact. The earliest example was when his grandfather pushed Vordum on the ground for being in his way. At first, Vordum didn’t understand why someone else would treat him this way, as so many others have typically gone out of their way to be extraordinarily kind to him. His grandfather explained that when he was cruel to others, it would give others justification to be cruel to him. Thus, kindness soon became a self-serving feature. Once Vordum understood the concept of being kind to others so that they would not be mean to you, it drastically changed his outlook on life. His grandfather knew that any concern Vordum showed, any sympathy he expressed was not sincere and almost always held some more sinister connotation to it. In time, Vordum learned that by keeping others happy, they would be more willing to serve him in other ways. A well placed compliment would make another far more pliable and more easily manipulated. In Vordum’s eyes, this was why everyone was kind. There was nothing as true empathy and no one really cared for one another, they simply acted in such a way so as to establish a reputation that would help them in the social hierarchy. As time marched on, Vordum’s social skills increased as much as his medical abilities flourished. He realized he was considered not only an acceptable member of society, but actually a well-respected member of his society.

Through his interactions with others, he discovered gambling. For him, this was a perfect past time activity. It gave a rush knowing that either person involved could instantly destroy the life of the other with nothing more than a well-placed hand of cards. When he first started gambling, he started with caution, always betting low, learning the games, and figuring out the system. Eventually, however, he gained a reputation for placing high stakes, and found the only reason to play a low stakes game was because constantly betting high stakes made people nervous and less likely to participate. So, low stakes games, like most of his social etiquette, were simply a means to an end. Because of the nature of play, he only enjoyed playing against other players, those that he could manipulate or attempt to read in how they played. Games like the Jubilee Wheel, that were simply pure chance, had no interest for him. There was also no one else to take from at that point, other than the casino. And that was a far less personal touch.

Though he was good at gambling, he wasn’t unbeatable. Though he usually refused to play, or at least refused to bet high, if he thought he could be beat, there was an occasion where he made a big play and still lost. After one such event, he smiled at the winner’s face, shook his hand, and congratulated him on a good game played. However, after the winner left the facility, Vordum stalked after him and killed him in a dark alley, regaining his lost possessions. But, the kill wasn’t enough. He took the opportunity to dissect the gambling winner and splayed out the body in what reports called ‘the most gruesome murder ever recorded’. Vordum thought the statement seemed a bit dramatic, as the site was very clean, and the autopsy was nearly professional level. It was far from brutal. Though, the mention of certain missing organs, he had to admit, might be concerning to some. Still, such organs were indeed delicious. Others didn’t know what they were missing. That was something his grandfather never realized after seeing all those years of dissection. Eating raw meat was not unusual for a Pau’an. However, most of the meat would be prepared, or at least raised specifically for the intention of slaughter. It was unheard of to see such a medical procedure to be followed up as being a meal. Most would find such work unsettling.

Upon seeing the body on the news reports, his grandfather recognized the work. After the event, his grandfather suggested that Vordum might do well as a traveler among the stars, and that he should look for better opportunities off the planet. Truth was, his grandfather was quite afraid of his grandson. But, he was a master of diplomacy and his fear never showed. That level of diplomacy, Vordum had well learned. It was unlikely Vordum would ever be connected to the murder. Vordum was intelligent, even by the standards of the typically intelligent Pau’an. But, above that, he had a great deal of wisdom. Wisdom did not necessarily denote empathy. Vordum had taught his grandfather that you can be a self-serving monster, and still be wise. But, above all that, he was charismatic. He would be able to convince any authorities that he had no involvement, and may even convince them he was nowhere near the murder site at the time. And this victory over the authorities would only further encourage Vordum to become a greater murderer. The grandfather could see all this play out in his mind, and decided it was time to remove his grandson from the planet before more Pau’an were killed. But, before he assisted Vordum off planet, he left him with one idea that Vordum held on to for years to come… “All creatures are disturbed by a cannibal. But, it could be argued, if you must eat the meat of a sentient being… One is only a cannibal if they eat of their own species.” Hoping that even if he did just set loose a sociopathic serial killer into the galaxy, at least he could keep those of his own kind safe.

Moving across the galaxy was no easy task. Nor was it a cheap one. Even gaining transport on a barge was costly. The medical tasks he had performed on Utapau, along with some of his gambling winnings, left him with a nice bit to travel on, at first. But, it took much less time to go through them than he realized. Not only were things more expensive than he had been used to, but he also learned there was a certain disdain for his kind among other species. As he went, those familiar with the Pau’an, he found, were good to him. They understood the reputation that his species held of being a kind and hospitable race. But, those less familiar with the Pau’an found them to be terrifying creatures, and treated him with increased hostility. To those that were in a position to be able to listen to him for a few moments, he was able to put at ease and even endear them to him. Truly, he left an increase in his race’s reputation wherever he went. Again, in public, on paper, he was a respectable member of society. This translated well into other cultures. He found it profitable to learn the rituals and mannerisms of others, and found himself increasingly capable of blending in where he went. But, there was a definite disdain for the ignorance of other races, and every time someone looked on him in horror, it was like a knife twisting deeper into his heart.

For a time, he was able to move from place to place, making money by either helping resolve social, and at times even governmental, issues. Sometimes he would make good money from emergency medical requests. And, other times, he took what money he had and attempted to increase it through gambling, with mixed results. He applied to multiple different hospitals on several different planets, but most found his appearance too unsettling to treat the sick and disorderly. After an effort in Coruscant, he found himself at a particular low. He had spent the last of his credits on a meal, and he had neither enough for another flight off planet, nor to gamble to try and make more money. It was only fortune that led him into some back alley, scrounging for his next meal, when he stumbled across a man that laid next to a build, dying. Using some scraps and trash that he found nearby, he was able to stabilize the Rodian. The Rodian was conscious, and Vordum offered to take him to the nearest medical facility, the one he had just recently been rejected from. As he mentioned the offer, the Rodian refused, insisting ‘no hospitals’. Vordum was able to suspect the reasoning, especially given the armor and weaponry on the victim, not to mention that the wound was clearly a gun shot. So, Vordum improvised with what he could to stop the bleeding. It was far from his best work, but it did fix the injury enough to save the life.

It could be asked why the sociopath saved the life instead of just watching it fail. One could assume a number of reasons. The injury was a challenge to test the Pau’an’s ability. Saving the life would put the Rodian in Vordum’s favor and at his mercy. There is the less likely possibility that as a medical professional, Vordum held an ethical responsibility to help one in need. Whatever the reason, the fact remained that he had provided aid to the Rodian, and it was not forgotten. As the Rodian survived, he was able to report to his superiors o the work performed by Vordum. And, as his organization was one of bounty hunters and trackers, finding a medical professional that didn’t ask questions was certainly a high priority, and quite a relatively simple task. The organization was small, but highly profitable. They were able to offer Vordum an office to work out of, and as they were used to some truly terrible sights, the appearance of Vordum not only didn’t both them, it was kind of a relief in comparison to the normal creatures they had grown suspicious of in most medical centers. The accommodations were barely suitable, and hardly sanitary, but it was better than what the organization had to deal with beforehand, and certainly a step up from what Vordum had been used to having to deal with since leaving Utapau. As time went on, he was better able to establish himself as a medical profession for the slums of Coruscant. People paid a little extra to be able to be seen by someone that didn’t ask questions and seemed to have no ties to any form of authority. Ultimately, his business was funded by a secretive bounty hunting organization, and their people always got seen first. But, when business was slow for them, there were no problems with him picking up some side jobs from anyone that needed it. He got to know many of the hunters quite well, and was often fascinated by their stories of murder, often taking notes of his own. But, even in that, there was a certain respect for the organization, and as the Republic slowly started to turn more towards an Empire, the organization refused to do any work for any governmental body.

And those notes weren’t just idle curiosity. He had not given up his other passions. With some of the extra earnings he made, he still went out and gambled. But, this time, he also made investments, preparing more for his extensive future. He knew he wouldn’t always be a doctor to the bounty hunters. Within him, he longed for so much more. This was only a stepping stone. But, for his desire for murder, he turned to his patients. Oh, he took good care of the patients themselves, of course. But, for those that performed heinous crimes against his patients, he felt much less loyalty. Really, what it came down to was the idea of getting away with his cravings while at the same time, had he been caught at any point, at least he would gain a reputation for doing what needed to be done with those that deserved it. A child that was found beaten and molested would sleep easier at night after the one that did so ended up found in a gutter somewhere, internal organs displayed to the world. A woman who had to endure a rape would find herself at peace when the rapist ended up looking like a medical research project. A man that couldn’t pay the scum landlord who kept increasing the rent in his unkempt apartment building would suddenly find far less issues when the landlord turned up on the news in a most gruesome way. With so many deaths and murders in the lower streets of Coruscant, few if any seemed to care when a couple came up missing. It probably wouldn’t have even made the news were it not for the unique fashion in which the bodies were displayed… Or maybe it was the missing internal organs. Either way, even then, the stories were little more than a blip on the radar. And it wasn’t a daily event. Just once a month or so, to feed that desire, yet stay under the radar. With this practice, he became more confident in his abilities. Not that he was a particularly good fighter, or even a good shot with a gun. But, he was able to utilize his talents at getting into places and making his victims feel at ease before ultimately taking their lives.

And with this, he wanted to do more than just save lives. With his good standing with the organization, he worked to where he was able to even take some of their missions. Again, his medical duties always came first, though even that started to be less urgent as he had trained a couple of others to assist, and at times even take over, some of the tasks he had been involved with. After all, he had learned a great deal regarding delegation and corporate organization from his time on Utapau, as well as his grandfather. Despite taking on certain jobs, Vordum’s methods were often found to be quite a bit more unorthodox, for the most part. When he started, he worked towards just shooting his intended targets, but found that this method was hit or miss. Rather, he found the same methods he used to hunt people in the lower streets of Coruscant worked just as well everywhere else. There was still the initial distrust upon his appearance, but he was often able to work past that. After a while, he found other ways to get around the initial appearance. He had special goggles built for him that not only helped his eyes in bright atmospheres, but also hid the dark sunken eyes that others had problems with. He acquired a shirt that allowed his mouth and nose to be covered, or sometimes just wore a kind of bottom face mask, that would also help in otherwise harmful atmospheres. The hood of a cloak over his head also helped hide his form, though one whose face was so well hidden wasn’t always easy to trust, either. But, trust wasn’t the only form of persuasion that could be used. At times, intimidation would also be required. Either way, he was effective and found himself effectively rising through the ranks. He was considered, at best, an average bounty hunter. His skills at fulfilling a contract were hardly what helped him move up in the organization. Rather, between his diplomatic skills and his understanding of bureaucracy, he was able to help gain greater efficiency within the organization and made the entire company far more profitable. This is what ended up placing him as something of a low level boss. It wasn’t long before he realized that he could have ambition to be at the top of the organization, and spread his influence across the galaxy, seeking to increase their power and influence far beyond their current scope.

But, like all things, even these times had to come to an end, and long before Vordum was able to come even close to his long term ambitions. By the time Vordum was at a young age of nearly 50, barely outside of being considered a ‘young adult’ for his species, the organization had been raided. That was a story that had made the top of the news reports, far more noticed than any of the killings he had committed. It was suspected that the long period of rejection of the organization towards the Empire was finally being met with retaliation. Of course, it could also have been the murders, or the funding of an illegal medical facility. Most suspected it had something to do with the rejection of the Empire. Whatever the case, the Empire raided the organization’s headquarters and killed every bounty hunter they could come across. The battle wasn’t completely one sided, but they had caught the organization by surprise and were very well equipped, where the members of the organization usually found the headquarters grounds a relatively safe place to relax, and were far less on alert than most might otherwise be. Despite that, there were still heavy casualties on both sides of the conflict that ensued. Yet, when the dust had settled, it was the Empire that held the victory.

Fortunately for Vordum, he was completely off planet, at that point. A communication with the organization’s leader came through to let him know that he was still alive, however the organization was no more. By this time, Vordum had amassed a reasonable sum of cash, and decided to use it as an investment, as the organization’s leader’s accounts had been frozen. Vordum offered up a sizeable amount of money to allow the leader to restart, though this time with Vordum as a silent partner, his financier. The leader agreed, and decided to rebuild off Coruscant, though the actual destination of where he was going to rebuild remained a mystery. Undoubtedly, other bounty hunters that had been under the organization’s employ and still survived would end up finding the leader and would help with the rebuild. For the time, Vordum had decided it may be time to find other means to establish himself. He took his remaining ten thousand credits, paid two hundred to get to the nearest space station, and decided he would rebuild as best he could from there.