Alrand Horano

Home

• Profile

  Name: Alrand Horano
  
  Race: Human
  
  Age / Date of Birth: Born some thirty years before the Treaty of Coruscant
  
  Homeworld: Alderaan
  
  Affiliation: The Jedi Order and the Galactic Republic
  
  Jedi Discipline: Jedi Guardian
  
  Rank: Jedi Master
  
  Master(s): Almen Too
  
  Apprentices / Padawan(s): Fenol Brox and Nim Aluroon
  
  Lightsaber Colour: Green

• Biography

  Initiate
  
  Shortly before the outbreak of the Great Galactic War, some thirty years prior to the signing of the Treaty of Coruscant, Alrand Horano was born on the Apalis Coast of Alderaan, a leading planet of the Galactic Republic. A family of minor nobility, the Horanos were vassals to the Organas, one of the Great Houses of Alderaan. His father was a stern and dutiful man, unwaveringly loyal to the house that his family had served for generations. He had expected, by this tradition, that his own son would one day inherit his responsibilities and duties. However, unbeknownst to his parents, Alrand was born sensitive in the Force. When the boy was only two years of age, a Togruta Jedi Master named Almen Too came to Alrand’s parents to inform them of their son’s gift. He requested that the child be taken to Coruscant in order to be trained and inducted into the Jedi Order. Knowing that this would mean permanent separation from their son, Alrand’s parents were grieved at Almen Too’s revelation. But so too were they proud that their child had been born strong in the Force. Although Alrand's father believed that his son's place was in service to House Organa, he came to understand that his heir was blessed with a much higher purpose. Now that the Great Galactic War had begun, they believed that their son would be safer under the protection of the Jedi, for Alderaan, as a leading member of the Republic, would surely be targeted by the Sith Empire. Tearfully, they handed Alrand over to the Jedi Master, never to see him again.
  
  An infant arriving at the Jedi academy, Alrand was placed into an Initiate clan under the care of Heniel Lezch, a Mirialan instructor, who would become a surrogate mother to the young children of the clan. Growing up and learning together, these young Initiates would come to see each other as a family. Throughout his time at the academy, Alrand would demonstrate much promise as he proceeded through his training. From an early age, he demonstrated a clear understanding of the Jedi Code and the Three Pillars of the Force, Knowledge and Self-Discipline. Aware of his Alderaanian heritage, he took a particular interest in lessons concerning politics, which prompted him to study the Galactic Constitution in time that was otherwise designated for leisure. Throughout his life, Alrand would hold the principles and ideals of the Republic in the highest regard. His inclination towards politics, law and diplomacy gave his instructors reason to believe that he would train as a Jedi Consular, to one day serve the Order as an Ambassador or Diplomat. Although held in high regard by his instructors, concerns were raised at the academy over Alrand's constant expectation of recognition and praise for any accomplishments. When this behaviour began to take the form of arrogance, his instructors ordered that he meditate on his lack of humility. Guided by Heniel Lezch, he soon saw the error of his ways. When he had completed the training provided by the instructors of the academy, Alrand undertook the Initiate Trials. Although determined to become a Padawan, Alrand was overwhelmed by a fear of failure. Those who did not pass the Trials would be sent to serve the Council of Reassignment, in the Jedi Service Corps. Honour could still be found in the Agricultural, Educational, Exploration or Medical Corps, but this would be poor consolation for Alrand's broken dreams of becoming a great Jedi. In the days and weeks preceding his Trials, Alrand would spend his nights studying within the Archives, appealing frantically to the holobooks and Lore Keepers in anticipation for the Trials.
  
  Despite his fears, Alrand passed all three tests of the Initiate Trials with distinction. He was now determined to impress prospective masters, in order to be taken on as a Padawan. Despite his best efforts, he felt as though the Knights and Masters barely noticed him. Many of his friends from his clan had already been selected by masters, leaving the academy to train as true Jedi. Despite passing the Trials, Alrand knew that if a master could not be found for him then he would be sent to the Council of Reassignment. For a time he became jealous and envious of those friends who had been successful in their selection, but upon meditating he purged such thoughts from his mind. He then considered returning to Alderaan, to be with the family he had never known. But in his heart he knew that the Jedi Order was his true family, regardless of the capacity by which he served it.
  
  Shortly passing his Initiate Trials, Alrand entered the Apprentice Tournament. This competition was an opportunity for Initiates to demonstrate their combat skill in the presence of many Masters and Knights, who had come to the Temple in search of a new Padawan. As he entered the tournament, he noticed that Almen Too, the Togruta Master who had taken him from Alderaan as an infant, was spectating. Revered throughout the Order and the Republic, Alrand was keen to impress Master Too. He was placed against a friend from his Initiate clan, who Alrand had always considered weaker than himself. As the match began, he was confident that he would guarantee himself a master, once he was victorious. This arrogance was to be his undoing, as he soon found himself soundly defeated. Defeat in the Apprentice Tournament generally resulted in service to the Council of Reassignment, as vanquished apprentices were not likely to appeal to any spectators. Alrand’s prospects in the Order were diminished as he lay, humiliated and bruised, on the floor in sight of the many Masters and Knights who might have chosen him as their Padawan - had he been victorious. For a moment he felt great anger towards the victor, his friend, who had almost certainly impressed many prospective masters. Alrand found it in himself to conquer any ill feelings he possessed, congratulating his friend with sincerity and dignity. Before he could depart the tournament chamber, barely able to hold back his tears, Master Almen Too halted him. Master Too explained that he had observed the child for many years now. His inner conflict and subsequent resolution during the duel had proved to Master Too that Alrand had found humility, and was therefore ready to leave the academy as his Padawan. Alrand’s first lesson under Almen Too was that victory can often be found in defeat.
  
  Padawan
  
  Alrand would train as Almen Too’s Padawan for twelve years. It was not considered an ideal apprenticeship, as the Great Galactic War against the Sith Empire still engulfed the Republic. His master’s assignments would often take them both deep into hostile Imperial territory, in which Alrand would find himself caught up in the middle of a battle. As an Initiate, he hoped to one day take the path of the Consular; to become a Jedi Ambassador or Diplomat. During the Great War, however, he was encouraged by the his militant master to train as a Guardian, so to serve and defend the Order on the field as Almen Too had done. These were unfortunate times when a Jedi's lightsaber was considered worthier than his sagacity. By training in the midst of war, Alrand became a skilled and accomplished warrior. From his master, he became adept in Form III, or Sorseu, of lightsaber combat. Almen Too became distinguished during the war, particularly for his actions against the Empire in the Outer Rim. Although Alrand was often commended alongside his master, it was Almen Too alone who became a decorated war hero. A familiar sensation from his Initiate days, of feeling overshadowed and under-appreciated, began to stir in Alrand's mind. However, when Master Too was rewarded with the Chancellor’s Service Medal, Alrand felt pride for his mentor instead of envy. He finally came to realise that recognition or rewards do not change the intrinsic good of one’s actions. Only then did he truly understand the righteous purpose of the Jedi.
  
  The time came when Almen Too had nothing more to teach is Padawan. He therefore put Alrand forward to take the Jedi Trials, so to ascend to the rank of Knight. The old traditions of the Trials were not considered practical in this time of war. Alrand’s Trial of Skill, Courage and Flesh were all accepted by the Council from his feats in battle and other operations during the war. For his Trial of the Spirit, Alrand spent a day in silence and isolation. Through meditating, he delved deep into his own mind and thoughts. There he saw death: the many lives that he had claimed during the war. He recognised each of the staring, cold faces. But then many more faces appeared, which he did not recognise. These unknown faces were in much greater number than those he remembered. He then understood; these were the faces of those whose lives he was yet to take. Then, beyond the pale faces, he saw the Jedi Temple – his home – in ruins, lifeless Jedi scattered throughout its crumbling floor. Among the dead was Almen Too. These visions caused Alrand much pain and grief, yet he mustered all his strength to maintain focus. When he emerged from his meditation, Almen Too, alive as ever, informed him that he had passed the Test of the Spirit.
  
  In the dark and silent Hall of Knighthood, Alrand kneeled as members of the Jedi High Council formed a ring around him. Grand Master Zym recited the ancient oath of the ceremony, whilst passing his blade from one shoulder to the other. When the oath was complete, the Grand Master severed Alrand’s braid. When he rose, he did so as a Jedi Knight. Although leaving the Hall of Knighthood in silence and solemnity, Alrand was overcome with joy at finally reaching such a rank within the Order. At last, he now felt the fulfilment which he had craved since childhood.
  
  Knighthood
  
  In the decade that followed his knighting, Alrand fought alongside the legions of the Republic in the war against the Sith Empire, with the Council assigning him to a number of battles and campaigns. One such assignment paired Alrand with the Ithorian Jedi Consular Den Orbura, a former apprentice of Almen Too, along with her own Anaxsi Padawan Fenol Brox. Their mission was to sabotage the spy network coordinated by Commander Artinech, an agent of the Imperial Ministry of Intelligence. Artinech’s sophisticated web of espionage threatened the confidentiality of the Republic’s new developments in military technology. Cautiously navigating through the intrigue of Artinech’s network, the Jedi were eventually able to confront the spymaster aboard his command ship, covertly orbiting the Republic planet of Ord Mantell. Feigning surrender, Artinech allowed himself to be arrested by Orbura, only to cut her four throats when presented with the opportunity. Restraining the Ithorian’s Padawan from avenging his master, Alrand instead took the Imperial spy as his prisoner, to be taken in for interrogation by Republic intelligence. To honour Denp Orbura, his friend, Alrand took Fenol Brox as his own apprentice, so that he might complete the Padawan’s training in place of his late master.
  
  Alrand had not intended to take an apprentice at this time, and had expressed his desire to wait until the Great War ended before assuming the responsibility of a master. But Fenol Brox reminded Alrand of himself as a Padawan; striving to prove himself worthy of knighthood, to a point where he felt entitled to recognition for any accomplishments. Alrand had spent his years of knighthood as a warrior against the legions of the Sith, fighting with ferocity and fortitude from one battlefield to the other. Fenol Brox reminded him of the true purpose of the Jedi Order. Now he was no longer a warrior, but a teacher; passing along the lessons and knowledge that Almen Too had instilled in him during his own apprenticeship. Soon enough Alrand came to realise that a master learns as much from their apprentice, as the apprentice learns from their master. Although he passed his own Trials years before, his time with Fenol Brox made him understand that a Jedi’s training never stops; even the wisest Masters on the High Council still had lessons to learn.
  
  Throughout his years of service during the war, Alrand often operated alongside Major Jasper Ulgo, a decorated commander of the Republic Army and fellow Alderaanian. The two first met on one of the moons of Vanqor, in the Uziel system of the Outer Rim. Interrogation of the Imperial spymaster Artinech had revealed the location of a secret Imperial base, which posed the threat of Sith expansion in that system. The Jedi Knight and Ulgo, then a Captain, coordinated a surprise assault on the Imperial base. Although outnumbered by the defending force, the small regiment commanded by Ulgo and Alrand was able to successfully secure a decisive victory on the moon of Vanqor. The elimination of the Imperial base prevented the Empire from establishing a foothold in the Uziel system. Although seldom remembered by most, the Strike on Vanqor was a significant victory for the Republic during the Great War, for which Ulgo was promoted to the rank of Major. Afterwards, Alrand and Major Ulgo were assigned together during a number of battles, with the two becoming close friends. From Ulgo, a brilliant strategist and tactician, Alrand came to better understand the finer art of warfare and command. Earning the rank of Jedi General in the latter years of the war, he would lead soldiers into battle on numerous occasions.
  
  The Sacking of Coruscant
  
  Following a victory in the Mid Rim, Alrand received summons from the High Council on Coruscant. Arriving at the Jedi Temple, he was informed that Almen Too, aged and sick, would soon pass away. Surrounding his bed were four other Jedi – all former apprentices to the Togruta Master. One was now a Master in her own right. Almen Too lamented that he would not see the end of the war before his death. Although dedicated in his decades of military service during the Great War, the Togruta sought only to return peace to the galaxy. Alrand informed his old master of the upcoming peace talks on Alderaan, which would finally bring the war to a close. Such tidings gave peace to the dying Almen Too, and he peacefully became one with the Force shortly afterwards. Whilst at the Temple, Alrand put his Padawan, Fenol Brox, forward to undertake the Jedi Trials. His sorrow at the passing of his master was alleviated when Brox passed his trials, after which he ascended to the rank of Jedi Knight. Feeling great pride for the accomplishment of his apprentice, Alrand now looked upon Brox as an equal and a friend. Many now believed the Great War to be in its final days, with the negotiations on Alderaan now underway. Although the Jedi Council urged caution in seeking a truce with the Empire, not even the wisest of them could foresee what was to come.
  
  Alrand was meditating in the gardens of the Temple when the Sacking of Coruscant began. The Republic, and the Jedi, had been deceived. The peace talks on Alderaan, proposed by the Empire, had been trap – now sprung. Darth Malgus and his Sith followers had already begun their massacre of the Jedi when Alrand arrived. Many had been slain, with the Temple around them falling into ruins. Soon enough, he found himself fighting not only for his own survival, but that of the Jedi Order. In the ensuing battle, Alrand defeated a number of Sith warriors before his lightsaber - the blade that he forged as a child - was broken. Relying solely on the Force as his weapon, Alrand came across a group of Initiates and Padawans who had escaped the initial slaughter. These Younglings would not be spared, for many brave yet fated apprentices had already been mercilessly cut down by the Sith. Close by was the body of Heniel Lezch, the Mirialan instructor who had cared for Alrand as an Initiate. Despite her advanced age, she had fought fiercely to defend her Younglings, at the cost of her own life. Leading the children away to safety, he found a suitable place for them to hide before returning to the Temple’s defence. He found that the Empire had been victorious, with all those defending Jedi now slain, scattered lifelessly across the broken floor as the Sith continued to profane the sanctity of the ancient Temple – Alrand’s home.
  
  Disarmed, Alrand would would have fought on to avenge the fallen until he joined them in death. However, he knew that such efforts would be in vain, and vengeance is not the Jedi way. All of Coruscant was now being sacked, with the Imperial invasion spreading far beyond the levelled Jedi Temple. His home may be lost, but there were still those in need of protection. Returning to the hidden apprentices, he guided them from the ruins to avoid the onslaught of the Sith. Imperial bombardment of the planet’s surface forced Alrand and his charges into the lower levels of Coruscant. There, along with other survivors from the Temple, he defended those Coruscanti who had also sought shelter from the Imperial bombing. After two days of Sith occupation, Imperial forces withdrew from the devastated planet following the signing of the Treaty of Coruscant, on Alderaan. Although the treaty brought an end to the Great Galactic War, promising a cessation of conflict, it was hailed as a great victory for the Sith. Returning to the desecrated and ruined Jedi Temple, Alrand found that Fenol Brox, his former Padawan, was among the fallen. Years of careful training had allowed Brox to ascend to the rank of Jedi Knight only days before the sacking.
  
  Tython
  
  The surviving members of the Jedi Order, now under the leadership of Grand Master Satele Shan, found themselves as scapegoats for the Sacking and subsequent Treaty of Coruscant. The Senate spoke fervently against the Jedi, distancing themselves from any blame, and soon enough public opinion began to turn against the Order. Their ancient Temple had been levelled, with much of its knowledge lost forever. Alrand, with the rest of the Jedi under Shan, withdrew to the forgotten planet of Tython, that the Order could recover from the near-annihilation that they both faced at the close of the Great War. The homeworld of the original Jedi Order, Tython was considered an opportunity by many to reconnect with the original principles and ideals put forward by the Tythonians over twenty thousand years ago. Reconciling with the monastic lifestyle of the early Jedi, Alrand reflected on his own mistakes, as well as those of the Jedi Order throughout its history. Many came to believe that the Order’s involvement in the politics of the Republic had distorted their true purpose of understanding the Force, but Alrand continued to hold that the duty of the Jedi Order is in service to the Republic in upholding its democratic and peaceful principles.
  
  Following the death of Fenol Brox during the Sacking of Coruscant, Alrand was reluctant to take another apprentice. He considered himself unworthy of the task, believing that his failure to defend Brox, although no longer his Padawan, was the reason for his death. However, the massacre of the Jedi Temple had left many Initiates and Padawans without masters or training. The Council urged him to put aside his misgivings for the sake of the Order, as there were now but a few surviving Jedi who remained to take apprentices. Obeying the will of the Council, Alrand began observing Initiates during their instruction,. After several months of careful consideration and meditation on the matter, he elected to take a young Twi’lek named Nim Aluroon as his Padawan learner. She had been one of the Initiates whom Alrand had saved during the Sacking, and Alrand believed the Force had willed them together. Training Nim Aluroon returned Alrand from the cynicism and doubt that he had harboured since the attack on the Temple, for he once again understood the true purpose and virtues of the Jedi.
  
  Although many Jedi, following the Treaty of Coruscant, distanced themselves from the Republic, Alrand and his new apprentice dedicated the decade following the Great Galactic War to rehabilitating relations between the Jedi Order and the Republic, working closely with the Council of Reconciliation. Visiting many planets and systems that had become disillusioned with the incapacitated Republic, Alrand is determined that the liberal principles of the Galactic Constitution shall endure the onslaught of the Sith Empire. This brings Alrand Horano, Jedi Guardian, to the present day.