Yerbol Massani

(likeness provided by Jason Bartha)

Yerbol Massani is one of the few Qyaari Champions ordained by the Council of Elders as well as a former Jedi Knight and commander of Republic forces in the final war between Republic and Sith. His actions were pivotal in destroying Lord Bracknell's attempts to wipe out all Force users and eliminating the Xiis threat spawned by Renso Kator's failed genetic experimentation. He is considered a vital asset by both the Qyaari and the Alliance, working alongside his partner and wife Aria Massani(Saal).

## Early life/recruitment to the Jedi Order

Born on Taris, Yerbol and his sister Lysa were raised by Tabitha and Volgorl in a small settlement that provided the siblings plenty of room to explore their budding powers granted to them by the blood that ran through their mother's veins. Although painfully aware of their children's abilities, the parents attempted to keep them away from any mention of Jedi or Sith, desiring for the duo to create their own identities independent of the Orders that threatened to tear the galaxy apart. Eventually the siblings were discovered by Master Syo Bakarn, who was touring the Republic settlements and sensed the power the duo had. At the ages of twelve and ten, Bakarn took the children with their parents relenting only when they realized that the siblings would have to come to terms with their lineage apart from the guidance they sought to give.

Naturally the siblings were terrified at first, Yerbol especially, but when the boy was settled into a training regiment, he began to exceed in almost every venture his teachers gave him. Quickly flagged as potential for Knight candidacy at a young age, he was given over to Master Unca Solus, a strict but benevolent instructor that disciplined the boy's naturally emotional tendencies. Within a matter of five years, the boy was given the title of Padawan.

## From Padawan to Knight

Master Solus and Yerbol went on several missions together to help Republic forces stem the tide of various threats, the latter's battle mastery growing with every conflict. Sola ensured that the young Padawan studied philosophy and history to balance out the violence that he saw on a consistent basis. This gave Yerbol a kind of scholarly awareness that was odd to see in a Padawan, but refreshing(and relieving) for Solus, who was all too wary of the young man's inclinations to let his emotions get the better of him.

At age eighteen, Yerbol proudly watched his sister be inducted as a Jedi Knight, only to see her leave the Order a few months later, proclaiming that she was tired of the Orders "short-sightedness" and wanted to "actually take action!" instead of being a "passive scholar". Their last exchange together was an argument of ideals in his quarters, Lysa storming out to never be seen again alive. This was jarring for the Padawan, who took out his frustrations on the battlefield, carving through opponents with vicious tenacity that prompted Sola to force Yerbol to stay on Tython until "his mind was cleared'. It took two months of meditation, reading, counseling and the support of his closest circle of friends to break through the malaise of leaving his sister. Through this two month period, he drew close to an apprentice by the name of Yipka Ewsi. He and Yipka began a secret relationship that was not discovered for almost a year after Solus took Yerbol back with him on the battlefield. Once uncovered, he and Yipka were forced apart by their respective Masters, rebuked severely for their formation of attachments.