Starwars!Verse: Eyes of Mandalore
Born in 32 BBY, Baribus Thatch served as member of the Videre Houses of Esverr, highly trained, force-sensitive skillsmen who filled a variety of capacities—most notably as Scourmen (trackers, hunters and marksmen), and Truemen (mind readers, truth-seers, negotiators), and Veilmen (truth-seers, force users, spiritual guides). One of the best Scourmen in Esverr, Baribus served one of Esverr’s Noble Houses, the Heraldy family. As the personal guardian of Viscountess Lavinia Heraldy and secondary factotum of her father, Viscount Charles Cornelous Heraldy, Baribus was trained to be both guide, bodyguard, and ambassador.
Baribus was known for his excellence in both his work and moral character, but nothing could have prepared him for 15 BBY when agents of the Empire finally overturned the Esverrean Noble Houses and overtook the planet’s sovereignty. Assassins had been set out to silence rebellious nobles, further solidifying Imperial power in the vacuum of the House Nobles. Careful to retain their power through commerce, the Heraldy family managed to stave off execution until 7 BBY when evidence was discovered that proved Viscount Charles Heraldy’s secret financial support of the Rebel Forces—a crime punishable by death.
Afraid for his family, Charles evacuated his brother Cornelious, son and heir, Charles II, and his daughter, Lavinia. With them came Baribus and an unexpected ally—a Jedi by the name of Lan who’d been hidden away in the depths of the Esverr forest. But as he did, his wife—who had revealed his secret to begin with—was killed for trying to stall the troopers and let her family escape. Charles perished running to his wife’s aid and never got to see his children’s craft lift off.
What should have been a quick escape quickly became a race for their lives, but even the most stalwart noble could not withstand the Imperial grip. The ship was shot down and with their enemies expecting no one to survive. By some miracle, Baribus survived the crash and had been found and recovered by an Emergency Response Droid who transported him to the nearest medical center. Those in the staff who knew him, rushed to hide him until he could recover, marking him off as “dead on arrival” to avoid anymore Imperial executions.
When he was finally recovered, Baribus was sent away from his homeworld as the Empire began its extermination of the Videre and their people.
Having lost his home, his family, and his people, Baribus fell into despair and let his feet lead him to wherever they would. Following the flow of Providen’s will (The Force), found himself collapsing before an altar he didn’t recognize in a place he didn’t know. There he prayed to know the path Providen had for him and for Providen to show him the way he should go.
It was there he was found by a Mandalorian armorer who asked who was and what he was doing there. Baribus gave his name and confessed that he had been praying, that he had been left without home or kin, the last of his people and was searching for the way he should go. The Amorer ponders this and remarks that his journey had led him to her forge. Baribus admits that it seems that it had. She asks if he is desires to continue the path he has found to which he answers, “If this is the way Providen has led me, then I will walk it, but I do not know the way.” The Armorer nods sagely and replies to him, “Then I shall show it to you. This is the way.”
The year is now 5 ABY and Baribus Thatch has donned the armor of a Mandalorian, following closely to his new religion’s culture and tenants. While some may call the members of his sect “Zealots”, he will forever know them as “Saviors”, for it was they who found, gave him purpose, saved him from his own spiraling, hopeless abyss.