Kobold Baliss

Kobold Baliss, the "Sword of the Freeworlds", was a male  of  during the.

Family History
Kobold's ancestors had been major players in Pelagia politics, but his grandfather, Lord Baliss, drove the family into dire financial straits with a combination of poor investments and ruinous gambling. Kobold's father, Jelyk, was allowed only a knighthood, as the feared he would exhibit his father's poor influence on the House's businesses; he took to drinking to cope. Kobold was the first member of his family to be Force-sensitive, and he went to the Tapani Jedi Praxeum as a young boy. Kobold's mother miscarried her second pregnancy; shortly after, Jelyk shot and killed her in a drunken stupor, then continued to drink until he succumbed to alcohol poisoning.

Kobold was aware of his family's losses, and he worked hard to prove himself different from his forebears. When he was an adolescent, Lezascan Wisté chanced to visit the praxeum, and he spoke with Kobold at length. Impressed by the boy's determination and skill, Lord Wisté took him as a second, beside his own son, Amaani.

Sword of the Freeworlds
Kobold flourished under Wisté's tutelage, developing into a skillful swordsman; he received his Jedi Knighthood at the young age of twenty-three. Kobold and Amaani were best friends and constant companions; after Amaani became engaged to Kaelora Kaivalt, he planned for Kobold to be his best man. When the Kard'ung Pirates began to plague shipping in the, Kobold and Amaani joined a Jedi force assembled to repel the pirates. In the midst of the battle, Kobold took a pair of war droids and boarded the Shindra's Secret, flagship of the pirate leader, Chak Gregan. Cutting his way through dozens of pirates, Kobold eventually challenged, dueled, and killed Gregan, capturing the Shindra's Secret. His daring and ferocity earned him the sobriquet "Sword of the Freeworlds".

Despite his achievements, Kobold maintained a humble, demure demeanor; consciousness of his family's downfall made him determined to allow no slips or faults. He completely eschewed alcohol and all other intoxicants, concerned that he might develop his father's alcoholic tendencies. Kobold credited Lord Wisté with reversing his fate and, even after coming of age at thirty, remained ardently devoted to his former master.

The Fall of Kobold Baliss
In 1,386 BBY, Sith Overlord Vedya Gasald and her fleet destroyed the Seventy-Second Republic Battle Group at the Battle of Eriadu; this, combined with her alliance with Darshkére, poised her to conquer the or endanger the Tapani sector. When a group of Jedi led by Tirien Kal-Di and Raven Kaivalt plotted to assassinate Gasald, Pelagia Chiron Brascel allowed his House's Jedi to participate. When Lord Wisté vowed to go, Kobold pledged to join him.

Over the following weeks, Kobold trained alongside the other Jedi involved in the strike team, acquiring all the skills he could despite his concern that they would not be enough. When Amaani suggested a secondary objective of destroying Gasald's flagship, the Kiss of Death, Kobold eventually agreed to accompany Harshee Nefkin on the sabotage mission, eschewing his chance to face Gasald and her Sith. As the time for the mission approached, though, Kobold was dumbstruck when Lord Wisté revealed that he had betrayed the team to Gasald in return for her sparing the Tapani sector, himself, Amaani, and Kobold. Kobold's Jedi training warred with his absolute loyalty to his former master as Lezascan asked for Kobold's support when the time came; though sickened and furious, in the end Kobold acquiesced to Lezascan's plan.

Kobold spent the remainder of the planning time brooding and unable to sleep, his competing loyalties tormenting him. He publicly announced he had changed his mind and would go with the kill team, enduring Tirien, Raven, and Yan Razam's veiled accusations that Lezascan was merely a coward and seeking to protect himself. When the mission launched, Lezascan tried to maneuver Kobold into a position to contact Gasald's forces on the, but was unable to do so.

The team made it to the Kiss of Death and entered Gasald's throne room, where Lezascan finally revealed his treachery and implored Brascel and the others to surrender. Amaani flatly refused to submit, and Kobold was wracked with guilt when his friend denounced both him and Lezascan. Kobold was not prepared for Amaani to attack Gasald, however, and was unable to stop his friend; Gaebrean Kaivalt attacked Kobold, forcing him to defend himself.

In the battle that followed, Kobold dueled Gaebrean and Tirien briefly, but was unable to prevent Amaani's death and Gasald's hands and Lezascan's at Brascel's blade. Completely unhinged by the loss of his master and surrogate father, his best friend, and his honor, Kobold had nothing left but the fight; he attempted to target Narasi Rican and Zaella Sabir, but Gaebrean resumed their duel. Pushed into rage by Gaebrean's taunts about his treachery, Kobold killed Gaebrean with a lunge through the chest, but fell into a duel with Raven almost immediately thereafter.

Raven and Kobold fought for several minutes, but in the end Raven disarmed Kobold. Having lost everything, and believing himself beyond redemption, Kobold asked Raven to convey his apology to Kaelora, then Force-pulled his lightsaber to his hand; as he expected, Raven reacted to defend himself, killing Kobold with a lunge through the heart.

Powers and Abilities
Even among the Tapani Jedi, all of whom specialized in, Kobold Baliss was considered a skillful duelist. He was able to kill Gaebrean Kaivalt, though he was defeated by Raven. He briefly held Tirien Kal-Di at bay in a conflict of Force pushes, but when he became distracted, Tirien overpowered him.

Appearance and Personality
Kobold Baliss had black hair and blue eyes, along with very fair skin. Where his friend Amaani was muscular and powerfully built, Kobold had a rangier, lithely muscular build. He tended to wear stylish clothing that allowed for dueling, and carried a lightsaber with a silver blade.

Kobold understood his family's history and the downfall of his most recent ancestors, and he was determined to live an upright life beyond reproach to redeem his family. He was humble about his own achievements and soft-spoken in conversation. He credited Lezascan Wisté with giving him the chance to change what might otherwise have been his destiny, and was devoutly loyal to his former master.

These two principles came into conflict when Lezascan betrayed the Allanteen mission to Gasald and sought Kobold's help to protect both the sector at large and Amaani in particular. Kobold agonized over his decision, and even when he supported his master, he was plagued by the suspicion he had chosen wrong. His sanity already stretched thin by the internal conflict, he lost himself completely when Amaani and Lezascan died anyway; by the time Raven Kaivalt killed him, he considered death a mercy.

Appearances

 * Revenge of the Jedi