I'm not a Jedi anymore.
—Sorani Tillin
Sorani Tillin was an expelled Jedi Padawan who lived in the Old Republic era after the death of Darth Traya. She never returned to the Jedi Order, instead working as a bodyguard and occasional vigilante.
Biography[]
Sorani was raised as a Jedi, primarily by her master, Sunaj Aldrenn (unknown to Sorani until well into adulthood, Aldrenn was also her father). Due to a shortage of available masters, Sunaj took a second Padawan alongside Sorani, a boy named Tyus Fox, and the two became fast friends. Master Aldrenn, however, proved to be a poor choice of a master for Sorani; their laid-back, chaotic personalities were too similar, and Sorani never learned the level of emotional control the Jedi Council deemed necessary for Jedihood. Aldrenn's disappearance in 3,938 BBY, long before Sorani was ready to take her trials for Knighthood, worsened the situation, and Sorani never attained the rank of Jedi Knight. More than a year and a half after Master Aldrenn's disappearance, Sorani still had not been placed under a new master, and the Jedi Council called for drastic measures: Sorani was asked to turn in her pair of lightsabers, and sent on a journey of self-discovery as a friend, but not a member, of the Jedi Order. Given time, Sorani would be welcomed back, she was told.
Not knowing exactly what to do, Sorani labeled herself a protector and behaved as little more than a vigilante, though a decidedly benevolent and merciful one. Having never been told not to, she rebuilt her lightsabers and carried them openly. She made her home on Ryloth with a friend of hers, an absentminded Twi'Lek mechanic named Loctho Peylo, until she signed on as a crew member of the freighter Crimson Banner under captain Teyno Darna. Loctho signed on with Teyno as well. As fate would have it, Sorani soon found herself reunited with Tyus, who had resigned his position on the Jedi Council in protest of Sorani's expulsion from the Order and was working for Teyno at the same job as Sorani: Carrying crates and repelling pirates.
Sorani's personal quest officially lasted more than six years, but did not truly begin until she was reunited with her old master. She met Maraz Vax on Nar Shaddaa, and took him as a project of sorts. It shocked and saddened her that the noble Jedi she had once known from afar had fallen so hard, and she vowed to redeem him, and bring him back to the Light. By treating him as a sort of a wayward, but valued, son (despite his being two years older) or brother, treating him with kindness, and placing her trust in him, she hoped to show him the Light's quiet strength, but her efforts were in vain, possibly due in part to her other companions' loud distrust and disapproval of Maraz's presence. Despite this, Sorani kept Maraz around, determined to bring him back. She increased her firmness with him when she discovered him sexually harassing and assaulting Loctho, and confined him to her visual presence when he was not in his quarters, which he shared with Tyus.
It was a mutual hunt for Darth Ductra that finally pitted Sorani and Maraz against each other. Maraz had escaped Sorani's surveillance and gone hunting for Ductra alone, opting for escape from Sorani rather than violence knowing that he would not get far if he attacked another crew member. Sorani, anxious to go after him and prevent a looming violent rampage, was detained by both Sunaj, who did not believe Sorani capable of defeating Maraz, and Tyus, who did not want to see her hurt. Tyus surprised Sorani by confessing his love for her; Sorani was resistant at first not because she did not return his affections but because she did not know Tyus had left the Order of his own accord and was no longer bound by the emotional restrictions of the Jedi. She reassured Tyus and forced her way past Sunaj, following the guidance of the Force to find Maraz. Their paths crossed in an abandoned temple, where Maraz hit Sorani with a cowardly attack from behind. Had Sorani been a man, she would have died there, but Maraz kept her alive out of lust long enough for her to feign unconsciousness and fool him into dropping his guard, allowing her to strike the killing blow.
Two years later, after the deaths of both Maraz and Ductra, Tyus and Sorani formally discarded their Jedi vows of chastity and were married, at 26 and 29 respectively.
Personality and traits[]
Sorani remains cool in the face of an angry Maraz
Sorani was driven largely by hope. She believed in the good in all people, and that no man or woman was undeserving of respect and compassion. She tried to be a diplomat, but her tendency to make decisions too quickly hindered that ability greatly, as did her stubbornness. This stubbornness also manifested as intense loyalty to her friends and her ideals. She had a tendency to be blunt (albeit respectful), both in social and in combat situations, which annoyed some but garnered the respect of others.
Though Sorani did not bother to hide her emotions, she sometimes had difficulty recognizing when they surfaced. This was exemplified during her travels with Tyus, in which neither she nor Tyus realized they were attracted to each other, but their behavior made it clear to the rest of the crew.
Talents and abilities[]
Sorani fought with a dual-wielding defensive style based largely around the Shii-cho lightsaber form with elements of Soresu. Her opening stance was her longer, right-hand lightsaber held almost vertically in front of her with her hand at waist level, and her shorter lightsaber held horizontally behind it at shoulder level; viewed from the front, the two blades formed a cross shape. She avoided striking living, sentient opponents with the lightsabers and preferred to use them to feint and parry as she struck with her feet. Most of Sorani's blade strikes that actually connected were deliberately superficial.
Appearance[]
Sorani had straight brown hair which she kept tied back in a low ponytail reaching no further than her upper back. She had a strong chin, full lips, and a straight but prominent nose. There was a small birthmark on her left cheek, near her mouth. She made sure to keep her body, face, and clothing clean, and preferred to wear shades of blue. Due partially to her severed ties to the Jedi Order, Sorani wore an unconventional close-sleeved robe with light armor plating.
Behind the scenes[]
Sorani Tillin started as a Knights of the Old Republic II character. The design of Sorani's armored robe was born of an inability to remember the exact appearance of the Zeison Sha armor in that game.