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Description
I wrote this up some time ago -- it must have been this past summer -- but I thought I'd post it here since there were people who voiced interest in hearing more about Taloombray's backstory last time I told some of it.

Backstory to the Backstory
I originally created Taloombray when I was seven or so, and worked with him up until I was about fourteen. As one might expect from a character created by a young kid, Taloombray in his original version suffered from a lot of Mary-Sueish issues. I recently "re-met" him after all these years and, seeing him for the god-awful Sue he was, totally overhauled his character with the goal of making him a believable, realistic character who nonetheless remained true to the core intent of him. I will not present you with his original form; suffice it to say it would be painful for you and highly embarrassing for me. But here that follows is the work-in-progress that is his overhauled backstory. In presenting it to you, I hope that you can suggest details that might fill in the historical gaps, notice remaining Sueish elements that I might have missed, and generally give suggestions for a deeper, more psychologically real character.

Understand that though he is a very old character of mine and, as I mentioned, I am trying to remain faithful to his original core intent, I am very open to suggestion.

Do note also, that this is not a complete history. The below is about half of his relevant history such that I have devised it. I haven't had time or memory to write the rest of it since.

So, without further adue...

Origins -- Family, Clan Background, Ancestors
Taloombray was born in 240 BBY on Kashyyyk in a small satellite settlement just outside of the capitol city of Rwookrrorro. He was the first son of his father Arrizarry and his mother Kalliacquine. In 232 BBY, Taloombray's younger brother Granoth was born, thereby completing the direct family. Taloombray and his family were members of the Dewurra branch of the Rihhoon Clan, with the members of Rihhoon Clan being traditionally known for their works and actions and the Dewurra branch specifically being known for their relatively short, stocky stature and traditional employ as soldiers and military involvement. Taloombray took well after his father in both appearance and interests, bearing both the family build and martial interests. Granoth on the other hand took more after their mother's distant family. Though a member of the Rihhoon Clan herself, a majority of Kalliacquine's recent ancestors had been transplants from a friendly clan which was traditionally known for their tall lanky builds and taking on the role of artisans and fine craftsmen.

Kalliaquine's ancestors had been of the Rwook subspecies while nearly all of Arrizarry's ancestors had been of a less common subspecies, meaning that there was an odd difference of fur colors and patterns among the family. Kalliacquine was of average build and a solid caramel tan and was a half-head taller than her mate. Arrizarry was relatively short, very broad and stocky, and had an odd pattern of silver-tipped black and an almost red-roan. Granoth, in keeping with his usual taking after the non-Rihhoon ancestors, eventually became the tallest in the family, is very skinny, and has the more usual Rwook earth-tones in a pattern of seal-point red-brown on dark brown. In all appearances, Taloombray took directly after his paternal grandfather. He is very short for a Wookiee, not as burly as his father but still stockier than is the norm, and is a solid silver. Technically, he is "silver-tipped black" like his father dominant patches, but the resulting effect is the appearance of total silver.

Youth -- Activities, Lewlonnie, Friends
From a very young age, Taloombray took very readily to his family's militaristic habits. With his father as a career soldier in Kashyyyk's ground forces, and his mother as an ace assault and escort pilot in Kashyyyk's atmospheric flying forces, Taloombray's early martial interest was well met and quickly fostered. Whenever possible he would learn anything and everything his father could teach about hand to hand combat, techniques, and especially weaponry. When Arrizarry was occupied and could not teach his son, Taloombray sought out his paternal aunts who were each in their own differing ways, fearsome forces on the battlefield. When no one was around to train or teach the young Wookiee, he seemed to revel in the mere act of physical activity; running, jumping, climbing with no apparent goal, and playing or scuffling with his amiable age-peers. He was very rarely in the family house, preferring almost without question to be out doing something -- anything -- so long as it was some sort of action. Coupled with his near-hyperactivity, on the social scope, he had a very dominant and sometimes aggressive personality. Within his spheres of friends he was usually the ringleader.

All this was of course countered by Granoth who preferred a slower and more contemplative childhood, and was not the socialite that his brother represented. Where Taloombray took pleasure in learning fighting skills and the practicals of melee combat, the closest Granoth came to interest in the family's traditional line of work was research into battle strategies and historical tactics. He was the scholar and later craftsman of the family. In their mutual youth, Taloombray was ever-ready to defend his little brother against the ridicule of their peers -- wasn't it the duty of a big brother to look after his little brother? -- but could not really empathize with Granoth's lack of interest in all those things that he himself found so engaging. Eventually, even in their youth, they grew increasingly apart.

As was expected, Taloombray completed his Hrrtayyk ceremony without much difficulty, though it did not go as planned. The ceremony had originally been planned along traditional lines with a small group of four age peers going on a quest for the fibers of a Syren Plant at the Well of the Dead. However, while the four were camped during the arduous process of making their way down to the Shadowlands, they were ambushed by a wild katarn which had been apparently following them for some time. The creature carried off their smallest and youngest member, the ginger and tan Ranon, and the remaining trio tore off in an enraged pursuit. Ranon had always been a close acquaintance of Taloombray who enjoyed his playful, amiable, and ever-engaging personality, so the young Taloombray was bent on saving the younger Wookiee, or, in the worst case, reclaim the body to return to the family. When Taloombray and the other two Hrrtayyk participants reached the katarn they found Ranon wrestling with its face in an attempt to release its grip on one of his legs. They joined the fray and eventually Ranon was freed from the jaws of the katarn, though not before its mate also appeared to help reclaim the lost prey. Ultimately, the four returned with the carcasses of the two katarn they'd killed. Though not the planned course of the ceremony, the Clan elders deemed it a satisfactory substitution with the desirable skills of loyalty to one's companions in the face of danger, bravery, and ingenuity in trying situations. They did, however, chide them strictly for not having noticed the katarn while it was stalking them. All participants took a different trophy from the carcasses; Ranon took the skull of the one who carried him off, Taloombray took the hide of the same one which he later made into his bowcaster bandoleer. Ranon was left with a perpetual limb as a result of the damage the katarn had done to his leg, but it was nothing serious or affecting. Through the experience, Taloombray and Ranon became the closest of friends.

In terms of favored activities, as he grew through his youth, Taloombray maintained his love of action and the learning of martial skills. As he got older, however, he began to show interest in mechanics and machinery. From his mother's occupation with speeders, transports, and low atmosphere fighters, Taloombray had the opportunity to learn to work on, repair, and modify small crafts. Though not the all-consuming obsession that it frequently is with some young Wookiees, Taloombray's love and dedication to mechanics was a major hobby as he reached early adulthood. The particularly enjoyable element of learning to work on small crafts was, of course, the ability to race them against the modified crafts of his friends in amiable, if less-than-totally-safe, races outside of town. Though he wasn't well known for his racing abilities -- he would have been better suited to driving a battering ram with an ion engine strapped to it based on his driving strategy -- he did have a knack for building up a craft's stamina and durability, which was good, once again considering his somewhat destructive driving habits.

In terms of cultural involvement, Taloombray discovered a love of signing and dancing and would, as a result, preform in events where energetic participants were required. He had no particular talent for singing in terms of vocal quality, nor particular grace in terms of dancing, but what he lacked in ability he made up for in sheer passion for the activity. War dances and other morale-/energy-boosting dancing were his favorite as they were a sort of epitome of pure action on a personal sense. His favored singing fell along similar lines; high-energy and mainly dealing with tales of glory in battle and stories of freedom. At one such performance, Taloombray was paired off with a young female named Lewlonnie from the same friendly clan as his mother's ancestors as primary dancers for the event. From their work together, first a friendly competitive relationship developed, then later a romantic relationship. Lewlonnie was the only child of a pair of generally quiet engineers and had a flair for being exceedingly socially outgoing as well as a growing reputation as a trick pilot. Their relationship, which early on was blessed as a perfect match by both clans, was predicted by all concerned to result in a very influential continuation of the two families.

Intergalactic conflict halted plans Lewlonnie and Taloombray had for marriage. As war seemed imminent, they decided that marriage and building a family at the time was unwise and postponed their plans until intergalactic tensions eased.

Early Adulthood -- Wars, Family Strife, Father, Capture
Though Taloombray had fought alongside his father and kin as a soldier on a variety of small skirmishes and the routing of Trandoshans preying upon outlying Wookiee villages for quite a while, his first true experience of war came with the Battle of Kashyyyk in 28 BBY. Arrizarry, Kallicquine, Taloombray, and most all of Arrizarry's siblings and relations went into battle against the repressive Trade Federation. Granoth, notably, declined his family's call to action and remained home. He did, however, try to make a sort of peace offering in sending out the works of his growing craftsmanship; ryyyk blades especially designed to be particularly light and fast in battle. When Granoth presented Taloombray with his gift of a pair of these ryyyk blades (as he did with each member of the family going to war), it was likely the last, most civil interchange between the two brothers. The first battle of the quickly approaching Clone Wars to touch Kashyyyk and the resulting death it began to wreck on the extended family drove a wedge between the two that would never be mended.

By the close of the Battle, three aunts and uncles, as well as about half of Taloombray's and Granoth's friends had fallen. While Taloombray dedicated himself to continuing and redoubling the fight in the interests of Kashyyyk's independence and moved ever onwards in the direction of rabid nationalism, Granoth delivered the ground-shaking pronouncement that he was a pacifist. Too many had died in what he called "pointless economic squabbles which could be settled in the Senate" and he would not be a part of it. Though it was evident Arrizarry didn't approve of his younger son's position he did not raise the issue within the family. Kallicquine, who had always been the one to come to the defense of Granoth and his breaking from their family's tradition, remained silent on the matter. Taloombray, however, did not have the good tact of his parents and reproached his brother for his position. On frequent occasion he implied cowardly intentions were at the root of Granoth's position and claimed it was tantamount to a betrayal of Clan and race. Relations were further strained between the brothers when Arrizarry fell in an ambush a year later. Though he had suggested as much in the past, Taloombray flat out accused Granoth of cowardice and all but blamed him for their father's death because of his refusal to be at his side. These somewhat unfair accusations were lobbed during a heated argument following immediately on the heels of their father's funeral ceremonies. Since then, their relationship was forever marred and there appears little hope of salvaging it beyond the tensest civility. Through the sum total of the Clone Wars, the following Galactic Civil War, and the rise of the New Republic, Taloombray has never apologized for his harsh words and Granoth has maintained that all the deaths of the wars could have been prevented with a greater dedication to diplomacy and due process.

During one of the many escalating skirmishes involving the Separatist push into Wookiee colonies in the Kashyyyk system, Taloombray and the small scouting band he was a part of was taken captive and were interrogated by the Separatists on the Wookiee powers and resources in the colonies. After some months of being held with their captors holding out hope that one or another of them might break and reveal relevant information, their status as political prisoners fell by the wayside and they all eventually found themselves dumped into the ever-growing ranks of Wookiee slaves scattered across an unstable galaxy. This was in 26 BBY.

I will -- sometime -- write up and present the rest of his backstory's overview. Some of the sections that are missing are enslavement, freedom and the Rebellion, privateering, New Republic, and so on...

Description
I wrote this up some time ago -- it must have been this past summer -- but I thought I'd post it here since there were people who voiced interest in hearing more about Taloombray's backstory last time I told some of it.

Backstory to the Backstory
I originally created Taloombray when I was seven or so, and worked with him up until I was about fourteen. As one might expect from a character created by a young kid, Taloombray in his original version suffered from a lot of Mary-Sueish issues. I recently "re-met" him after all these years and, seeing him for the god-awful Sue he was, totally overhauled his character with the goal of making him a believable, realistic character who nonetheless remained true to the core intent of him. I will not present you with his original form; suffice it to say it would be painful for you and highly embarrassing for me. But here that follows is the work-in-progress that is his overhauled backstory. In presenting it to you, I hope that you can suggest details that might fill in the historical gaps, notice remaining Sueish elements that I might have missed, and generally give suggestions for a deeper, more psychologically real character.

Understand that though he is a very old character of mine and, as I mentioned, I am trying to remain faithful to his original core intent, I am very open to suggestion.

Do note also, that this is not a complete history. The below is about half of his relevant history such that I have devised it. I haven't had time or memory to write the rest of it since.

So, without further adue...

Origins -- Family, Clan Background, Ancestors
Taloombray was born in 240 BBY on Kashyyyk in a small satellite settlement just outside of the capitol city of Rwookrrorro. He was the first son of his father Arrizarry and his mother Kalliacquine. In 232 BBY, Taloombray's younger brother Granoth was born, thereby completing the direct family. Taloombray and his family were members of the Dewurra branch of the Rihhoon Clan, with the members of Rihhoon Clan being traditionally known for their works and actions and the Dewurra branch specifically being known for their relatively short, stocky stature and traditional employ as soldiers and military involvement. Taloombray took well after his father in both appearance and interests, bearing both the family build and martial interests. Granoth on the other hand took more after their mother's distant family. Though a member of the Rihhoon Clan herself, a majority of Kalliacquine's recent ancestors had been transplants from a friendly clan which was traditionally known for their tall lanky builds and taking on the role of artisans and fine craftsmen.

Kalliaquine's ancestors had been of the Rwook subspecies while nearly all of Arrizarry's ancestors had been of a less common subspecies, meaning that there was an odd difference of fur colors and patterns among the family. Kalliacquine was of average build and a solid caramel tan and was a half-head taller than her mate. Arrizarry was relatively short, very broad and stocky, and had an odd pattern of silver-tipped black and an almost red-roan. Granoth, in keeping with his usual taking after the non-Rihhoon ancestors, eventually became the tallest in the family, is very skinny, and has the more usual Rwook earth-tones in a pattern of seal-point red-brown on dark brown. In all appearances, Taloombray took directly after his paternal grandfather. He is very short for a Wookiee, not as burly as his father but still stockier than is the norm, and is a solid silver. Technically, he is "silver-tipped black" like his father dominant patches, but the resulting effect is the appearance of total silver.

Youth -- Activities, Lewlonnie, Friends
From a very young age, Taloombray took very readily to his family's militaristic habits. With his father as a career soldier in Kashyyyk's ground forces, and his mother as an ace assault and escort pilot in Kashyyyk's atmospheric flying forces, Taloombray's early martial interest was well met and quickly fostered. Whenever possible he would learn anything and everything his father could teach about hand to hand combat, techniques, and especially weaponry. When Arrizarry was occupied and could not teach his son, Taloombray sought out his paternal aunts who were each in their own differing ways, fearsome forces on the battlefield. When no one was around to train or teach the young Wookiee, he seemed to revel in the mere act of physical activity; running, jumping, climbing with no apparent goal, and playing or scuffling with his amiable age-peers. He was very rarely in the family house, preferring almost without question to be out doing something -- anything -- so long as it was some sort of action. Coupled with his near-hyperactivity, on the social scope, he had a very dominant and sometimes aggressive personality. Within his spheres of friends he was usually the ringleader.

All this was of course countered by Granoth who preferred a slower and more contemplative childhood, and was not the socialite that his brother represented. Where Taloombray took pleasure in learning fighting skills and the practicals of melee combat, the closest Granoth came to interest in the family's traditional line of work was research into battle strategies and historical tactics. He was the scholar and later craftsman of the family. In their mutual youth, Taloombray was ever-ready to defend his little brother against the ridicule of their peers -- wasn't it the duty of a big brother to look after his little brother? -- but could not really empathize with Granoth's lack of interest in all those things that he himself found so engaging. Eventually, even in their youth, they grew increasingly apart.

As was expected, Taloombray completed his Hrrtayyk ceremony without much difficulty, though it did not go as planned. The ceremony had originally been planned along traditional lines with a small group of four age peers going on a quest for the fibers of a Syren Plant at the Well of the Dead. However, while the four were camped during the arduous process of making their way down to the Shadowlands, they were ambushed by a wild katarn which had been apparently following them for some time. The creature carried off their smallest and youngest member, the ginger and tan Ranon, and the remaining trio tore off in an enraged pursuit. Ranon had always been a close acquaintance of Taloombray who enjoyed his playful, amiable, and ever-engaging personality, so the young Taloombray was bent on saving the younger Wookiee, or, in the worst case, reclaim the body to return to the family. When Taloombray and the other two Hrrtayyk participants reached the katarn they found Ranon wrestling with its face in an attempt to release its grip on one of his legs. They joined the fray and eventually Ranon was freed from the jaws of the katarn, though not before its mate also appeared to help reclaim the lost prey. Ultimately, the four returned with the carcasses of the two katarn they'd killed. Though not the planned course of the ceremony, the Clan elders deemed it a satisfactory substitution with the desirable skills of loyalty to one's companions in the face of danger, bravery, and ingenuity in trying situations. They did, however, chide them strictly for not having noticed the katarn while it was stalking them. All participants took a different trophy from the carcasses; Ranon took the skull of the one who carried him off, Taloombray took the hide of the same one which he later made into his bowcaster bandoleer. Ranon was left with a perpetual limb as a result of the damage the katarn had done to his leg, but it was nothing serious or affecting. Through the experience, Taloombray and Ranon became the closest of friends.

In terms of favored activities, as he grew through his youth, Taloombray maintained his love of action and the learning of martial skills. As he got older, however, he began to show interest in mechanics and machinery. From his mother's occupation with speeders, transports, and low atmosphere fighters, Taloombray had the opportunity to learn to work on, repair, and modify small crafts. Though not the all-consuming obsession that it frequently is with some young Wookiees, Taloombray's love and dedication to mechanics was a major hobby as he reached early adulthood. The particularly enjoyable element of learning to work on small crafts was, of course, the ability to race them against the modified crafts of his friends in amiable, if less-than-totally-safe, races outside of town. Though he wasn't well known for his racing abilities -- he would have been better suited to driving a battering ram with an ion engine strapped to it based on his driving strategy -- he did have a knack for building up a craft's stamina and durability, which was good, once again considering his somewhat destructive driving habits.

In terms of cultural involvement, Taloombray discovered a love of signing and dancing and would, as a result, preform in events where energetic participants were required. He had no particular talent for singing in terms of vocal quality, nor particular grace in terms of dancing, but what he lacked in ability he made up for in sheer passion for the activity. War dances and other morale-/energy-boosting dancing were his favorite as they were a sort of epitome of pure action on a personal sense. His favored singing fell along similar lines; high-energy and mainly dealing with tales of glory in battle and stories of freedom. At one such performance, Taloombray was paired off with a young female named Lewlonnie from the same friendly clan as his mother's ancestors as primary dancers for the event. From their work together, first a friendly competitive relationship developed, then later a romantic relationship. Lewlonnie was the only child of a pair of generally quiet engineers and had a flair for being exceedingly socially outgoing as well as a growing reputation as a trick pilot. Their relationship, which early on was blessed as a perfect match by both clans, was predicted by all concerned to result in a very influential continuation of the two families.

Intergalactic conflict halted plans Lewlonnie and Taloombray had for marriage. As war seemed imminent, they decided that marriage and building a family at the time was unwise and postponed their plans until intergalactic tensions eased.

Early Adulthood -- Wars, Family Strife, Father, Capture
Though Taloombray had fought alongside his father and kin as a soldier on a variety of small skirmishes and the routing of Trandoshans preying upon outlying Wookiee villages for quite a while, his first true experience of war came with the Battle of Kashyyyk in 28 BBY. Arrizarry, Kallicquine, Taloombray, and most all of Arrizarry's siblings and relations went into battle against the repressive Trade Federation. Granoth, notably, declined his family's call to action and remained home. He did, however, try to make a sort of peace offering in sending out the works of his growing craftsmanship; ryyyk blades especially designed to be particularly light and fast in battle. When Granoth presented Taloombray with his gift of a pair of these ryyyk blades (as he did with each member of the family going to war), it was likely the last, most civil interchange between the two brothers. The first battle of the quickly approaching Clone Wars to touch Kashyyyk and the resulting death it began to wreck on the extended family drove a wedge between the two that would never be mended.

By the close of the Battle, three aunts and uncles, as well as about half of Taloombray's and Granoth's friends had fallen. While Taloombray dedicated himself to continuing and redoubling the fight in the interests of Kashyyyk's independence and moved ever onwards in the direction of rabid nationalism, Granoth delivered the ground-shaking pronouncement that he was a pacifist. Too many had died in what he called "pointless economic squabbles which could be settled in the Senate" and he would not be a part of it. Though it was evident Arrizarry didn't approve of his younger son's position he did not raise the issue within the family. Kallicquine, who had always been the one to come to the defense of Granoth and his breaking from their family's tradition, remained silent on the matter. Taloombray, however, did not have the good tact of his parents and reproached his brother for his position. On frequent occasion he implied cowardly intentions were at the root of Granoth's position and claimed it was tantamount to a betrayal of Clan and race. Relations were further strained between the brothers when Arrizarry fell in an ambush a year later. Though he had suggested as much in the past, Taloombray flat out accused Granoth of cowardice and all but blamed him for their father's death because of his refusal to be at his side. These somewhat unfair accusations were lobbed during a heated argument following immediately on the heels of their father's funeral ceremonies. Since then, their relationship was forever marred and there appears little hope of salvaging it beyond the tensest civility. Through the sum total of the Clone Wars, the following Galactic Civil War, and the rise of the New Republic, Taloombray has never apologized for his harsh words and Granoth has maintained that all the deaths of the wars could have been prevented with a greater dedication to diplomacy and due process.

During one of the many escalating skirmishes involving the Separatist push into Wookiee colonies in the Kashyyyk system, Taloombray and the small scouting band he was a part of was taken captive and were interrogated by the Separatists on the Wookiee powers and resources in the colonies. After some months of being held with their captors holding out hope that one or another of them might break and reveal relevant information, their status as political prisoners fell by the wayside and they all eventually found themselves dumped into the ever-growing ranks of Wookiee slaves scattered across an unstable galaxy. This was in 26 BBY.

I will -- sometime -- write up and present the rest of his backstory's overview. Some of the sections that are missing are enslavement, freedom and the Rebellion, privateering, New Republic, and so on...