Rynn Mariel was a Jedi Crusader in the New Imperium's Jedi Division. She advanced quickly through the ranks but was known for her dedication to non-violent use of the Force, which put her at odds with much of the Order. She was later instrumental in discovering the movements of the Altarin'Dakor using her abilities as a Cognizent.
Background[]
Born in 13 BBY, Rynn grew up in a fairly affluent family on the planet Kryos. Her parents were zoologists, and Rynn developed a love of animals and wildlife since she was small. She always had an affinity with animals due to her latent Force abilities, and her family kept it a guarded secret for fear of the Empire finding out. Eventually, however, the Empire did find them, but more different reasons entirely. Always outspoken against the Imperial atrocities, her parents attracted the Empire's attention when the planet was subjugated. Her father received word that assassins were after them, and her father arranged for Rynn and her brother Jen to escape. Shortly thereafter, despite their best efforts to stay protected, the Empire's assassins eventually found their mark.
For a year Rynn and Jen lived on the run, using their savings and the goodwill of family friends to stay one step ahead of the bounty hunters sent after them. Then finally the Imperials caught up to them and killed Jen, as well. As he lay dying, Rynn promised her brother that she would use her powers to protect the innocent and to become a Jedi. At the time, Luke Skywalker's Jedi Academy was just starting out and under heavy attempts by Imperials to flush them out. Instead, Rynn traveled to the edge of Wild Space on a rumor that the New Imperium had begun a safe haven for those seeking peace and for would-be Jedi as well. After nearly a year of searching and traveling, Rynn arrived on Varnus and joined the Jedi Division, to become a guardian and defender of the galaxy.
In The New Imperium[]
After joining, she was assigned to Atridd Xoan as her mentor. She advanced quickly due to her innate talents and athletic ability, and Grand Master Xar Kerensky chose her to accompany his team to Dathomir, a mission that went awry and ended up on Hijarna in a battle to stop the Jedicon Turles and save young Derek. During the battle, Rynn killed Dark Jedi Master Estod. Though she saved her comrades in the process, the fact that she'd taken another life horrified her. From that point onward, she dedicated herself to non-violent use of the Force, a move that earned her the mark of a pacifist among the warrior-minded members of the Order. She sharply disagreed with Kerensky's increasingly ruthless persona and training of the Order into warriors, and his no-mercy, no-prisoners attitude. This caused a rift between them that saw Rynn become something of an outcast, unknowingly starting a sect of the Order that eschewed combat and sought more peaceful ways. Rynn found she had few allies, and became disillusioned with the Order.
However, Rynn found an unexpected friend in Jedi Adept Jacob Skipper, also known as Jinx. They were assigned on a number of missions together, including the one to Mizar that freed Jedi Master Nico Flygras from captivity by the Altarin'Dakor. Though Jinx was a member of Grand Master Xar Kerensky's "cadre", he sympathized with Rynn's views as well. The two became close, and over time they eventually fell for each other. Though it was a tumultuous time to begin a relationship, both were committed to making it work, as much as feasibly possible in the face of all-out war.
As the war progressed, Rynn worked hard to develop her skills at Battle Meditation, a skill she believed would enable her to assist the NI without directly engaging in combat. She worked alongside with Bren, who shared her ideals, and together they made progress toward their goals. Jinx was also there to assist and encourage them. However, Rynn began to be sidetracked by an ability that began to manifest itself within her - she could sense the Altarin'Dakor and their location, something that no one else was able to do. She fought this feeling as she continued to work on the meditation, until finally during the Battle of Varnus Bren realized what her true skill was. Rynn was actually a Cognizent, someone able to sense the enemy and work with the Battle Meditation coordinator to determine the enemy's location and bolster one's allies against them. Though Rynn initially hated her ability, with its discovery she began to work harder for the NI as the war progressed on, though she was once again devastated by the loss of young Derek.
Personality and Traits[]
Rynn was a tall and slim human woman, with long, straight auburn hair, light-toned skin and emerald-green eyes. She had very attractive features and was quite athletic and a skilled fighter, despite her avoidance of violence and direct combat. The New Imperium gave Rynn the cause she wanted, and she was found to have tremendous Force potential. She grew disillusioned after the Altarin'Dakor came and Xar’s attitude toward Jedi training changed, though she found redemption in the Order through Jinx, whom she came to love. The status of the war made progress slow, however, and she had her reservations about considering marriage until after the war was finished. Rynn continued to love animals and children, and she maintained her search for true friends within the NI.
Lightsaber color: crimson (Dasok Krun's lightsaber, a gift from Grand Master Kerensky)
Age as of Battle of Varnus: 27 years