KOTOR Files: Alora Embrul

Species:Miraluka are remarkably similar to Humans, except for two important and distinctive differences. Miraluka have no eyes, but they have a natural ability to "see" by using the Force. Since they appear Human -- including their speech and mannerisms -- Miraluka attempt to blend with Humans when traveling throughout the galaxy. Thus, estimating how often they travel or how many live off their home planet of Alpheridies is difficult, but the number is relatively low.

Personality: Miraluka are a thoughtful, cautious, and deliberative species. They have little interest in personal gain or glory. Some have a strong desire to follow their own path, because of their connection to the Force. They remain committed once a course of action is selected.

Physical Description: Miraluka are similar to Humans. They cover their featureless eye sockets with cloth or visors, especially when traveling. Traditionally, Miraluka Jedi wear plain purple or brown robes with the hood up to remain nondescript.

Homeworld: The terrestrial world of Alpheridies in the Abron system, in the Expansion Region.

Personal history of Alora Embrul: Alpheridies has been a member of the Republic almost since it's inception, and Miraluka are often selected to become Jedi. To that end, there is a Jedi enclave on that world, run for and by Miraluka with the occasional off-world Jedi to impart certain teachings. Alora was identified as having a strong connection to the Force at birth, and delivered to the enclave at age two so that she might be trained.

At fifteen, she was assigned as Padawan to Jedi Knight Joff Damaya, also a Miraluka. She studied under him for ten years, during an era of peace between the Great Sith War and the Mandalorian War. The Jedi remained ever vigilant, tracking down Sith remnants; she faced multiple Sith acolytes alongside her master.

One battle of note against a Sith sundered her first lightsaber, resulting in a scar on the palm of her left hand that has never fully healed. Her master was convinced the only reason she did not lose the hand was because she was able to instinctually use the Force to block the blow. Alora is not so sure; there have been no records of anyone doing anything similar.

After Alora's completion of the Trials at twenty-five, she was recognized by the Alpheridies Jedi Council as a Jedi Knight. Joff Damaya was promoted to Jedi Master, having seen three Padawans to Knighthood, demonstrating good judgement and a solid connection to the Force. He served on the Council at Alpheridies for twelve years, then, when the Jedi restructured their organization to have a galaxy-wide Order run from the newly constructed Temple on Coruscant, he was selected to serve on the Council there.

After a year working on her own and with other Knights breaking up crime rings and adjudicating planetary disputes, Alora was assigned a Miraluka Padawan named Cerej. They worked together for five years before they stumbled across clues indicating the existence of a terentatek -- a horrible monster fueled by the dark side of the Force, frequently used by the Sith to hunt Jedi. Cerej had not yet learned patience, and was too sure of his abilities. Though he did not die, he was so greviously injured that his connection to the Force was severed. Completely blind Miraluka are uncommon enough, but a complete lack of Force abilities is unheard of. He lives with his family, after voluntarily exiling himself from the Jedi Order out of shame. Alora was at least able to convince him not to take his own life.

Alora worked on her own for another year, refusing to take on another Padawan. While on a mission to Arkania, a world covered in snow and diamonds, she found a small community of Akranian Offshoots living in squallor. And in that region of grime and permafrost, she discovered Kistra Horain, a ten-year-old orphan with a strong connection to the Force, amusing herself by picking pockets from two meters away.

What made this all the more scandalous was that Arkania has a Jedi training academy. Alora brought the child to the Master of the Order, Arca Jeth, and demanded to know why Kistra had not been selected for training. Master Arca, a pure-blood Arkanian, admitted to genetic prejudice in the belief that Offshoots would never develop Force sensitivity; he had never visited the Offshoot camps to search for potential acolytes. Though he offered to make up for the slight, Alora took Kistra to the academy at Coruscant, believing she would receive better teaching there.

Though Alora spent the next ten years on various adventures, teaming up with other Knights and Masters across the galaxy, she always found time to return to Coruscant to check up on Kistra. It was Alora's advice that kept Kistra at the academy for an additional five years to make up for her late start. It comes to no one's surprise that when Kistra was promoted from Acolyte to Padawan, it was Alora that would step forward to become her Master.