how did Zarsh'a end up joining the Jedi? Did someone "convert" her, or was it her own decision? How does her Sith Master feel about this? (apologies if you've already talked about this, i don't remember either way)
OH MYYYY, thank you for this question!! It's been so long since I've talked about my characters. I actually never fully explained her backstory 👀 (mainly cuz I wasn't so sure about it then) but now I definitely can tell you about it.
So, for the first part of her life it was her and her mom. She comes from a long lineage of force sensitive people, often aligning with the dark side but suprinsgly neutral. But they are NOT imperials, they would be allies but not part of the Empire per say. Her mom always thought that the Empire appropriated the Sith culture causing most ancient traditions to vanish. Zarsh'a and her mom lived secluded on Korriban (or maybe another sith desert planet), their home was a small mud house surrounded by the desert, filled with trinkets and relics of force sensitive nature. Nearby there were tombs of their ancestors, that's why the lineage never moved out somewhere else. ANYWAYS, even if her mom isn't too keen of the Empire, she did fight in the war as a Sith Lord but she retired to raise her daughter. Fun fact, she met Zarsh'a's father on the battlefield, a Jedi Knight 👀 her mom was winning the battle but the Empire retreated, a normal Sith would've done the killing blow but she couldn't be bothered by it so she left. It definitely intrigued him, she also fought barefoot which he kept teasing her about (and was always suprised when she wore shoes). She's always barefoot due to Togrutan culture, it strengthens her bond to the Force. She's truly a Force witch, she's amazing and that Jedi Knight thought the same 😏 they really had a big gap between them, not really because of the Jedi/Sith thing but also cuz he wasn't really connected to his culture since he was probably sent to the Jedi really young, whereas for her family and culture are like pillars of her life. And yet, they fell in love. When Zarsh'a was born, it shook them up, because her mom wanted to raise her on the land of her ancestors and obviously her dad wanted to be there for her but none of them was willing to change their lives for each other. I don't have a lot of details because of the political state of that time (like technically it should be during the treaty? So technically Republic and Empire are at peace? Anyways I haven't figured that part out yet, SORRY). But they came to an arrangement of like going back to their own lives, Zarsh'a's mom promised him that if the Sith would cause a treat to their daughter, she would send her to the Jedi. She thought it was better that way rather than having her raised as a Jedi and never learn about her culture. So Zarsh'a was raised and trained by her mom, didn't know much about her father, but she learned how to study the force and fight. Her mom gave her first crystal and lightsaber.
Zarsh'a was now in her early teens, 12-14 perhaps, and the tensions between the Empire and the Republic were just starting so a lot of recruitment was happening. Zarsh'a's existence was kept a secret but a jealous Lord or maybe even a Darth, tried to go for her mom. They eventually learned she had a daughter and wanted to kill them both as they were "defying" Sith existence (since they're not officially part of the council) and also them being alien and owning land on Korriban didn't sit right with them. So 2 Sith went to Zarsh'a's mud house, her mom sensed them miles away and told her to reach the spaceport and seek help from the Jedi. Zarsh'a was confused, like, the Jedi? The guys we're supposed to be enemies with? But her mom told her that there isn't good or bad sides, just the Force and that the Jedi valued the Force like them too. So Zarsh'a did like her mom told her to and went in the search to find shelter at the Jedi. Her mom fought the Sith by herself, Zarsh'a didn't know her fate for years, but I like to believe she finally decided to leave Korriban. Maybe thinking that it was her time to live her life.
Back to Zarsh'a, she arrived at a Jedi temple on some random planet I haven't chosen yet, and of course they were wary of her for a while. They took take of her, they were kind with her but they knew about her heritage. So she was tested more than the average Jedi, she would be like 14 years old in the same room as 8 yo younglings lol. Obviously it frustrated her but it's not like she really had a choice, so she chose patience. Then slowly but surely she was shaped by the order's ideals, learning about the light side of the Force but she never got brainwashed in any way. She still valued her mother's teachings and respected the way of the Sith. The Order tried to get rid of her lightsaber and the crystal, saying it was tainted with the dark side but ultimately they understood it was the only thing she had left of her mom. So instead they made her remove the crystal from the lightsaber, she could keep both, just as long she didn't wield the crystal. So she turned it into a necklace to remember her mom. Later on, she puts blue crystals into the lightsaber and gets a second lightsaber, kinda a way to symbolize her two heritages.
So yea! Basically I wanted to explain how she could've become a Jedi Master so young and quickly, and I thought the only thing that would make sense is that she's been trained well before the average Padawan. And that she was slowed down and tested beforehand. But ultimately, her insight in the Force is what makes her so powerful, she might not be the best diplomat (she never fully got rid of imperial mannerisms lol) but her powers is what makes her so "useful" to the Jedi Order.
