It is often useful to look into your character with more than an eye to the mechanics. Everyone comes from somewhere, where does your character come from? Presented is a list of questions that can assist you in creating a complete character.

1. How would you describe your character? Start from the head and go all the way down to the toes. Is your character tall, short, wide, or slender? Is his nose short or long? How about eyes? Are they watchful and discerning, or steady and unnerving? What about neck and shoulders? Does your character have any distinctive scars or tattoos? What about your character's voice?

2. Is your character a Jedi Warrior or a Jedi Knight (or even a Jedi Scholar) This distinction can be critical in many ways. Is he just out for the action or is he the Samurai warrior/poet/scholars that Jedi are idealized to be? Or is your character simply a scoundral? How would your character describe his profession?

3. What about your character's family? Even though many characters didn't have a family life per say, what about the people that raised you? What about the other kids at the Chapter House you bunked with? What about your friends growing up? Everyone has some friends and there's almost always a singular event or type of event surrounding that relationship.

4. What is your character's motivation? All great heroes have a motivation that can be summed up in a word. It is the thing that drives them, that doesn't let them fall when the pain and despair is too much. What is your character's motivation? Love? Pride? Stubborness? In short, when everything has gone from bad to worse to entirely hopeless, and everyone else has given up, what will keep your character going?

5. Who is the one person your character trusts most? This could be your character's Master or a sibling or other family member. Or, it might be someone else, a friend from outside or even any perfect stranger because you have nothing to lose with them. Once you've determined who it is, put some thought into why. Why does your character trust this one person over all others? It could make a very interesting story.

6. What is your character's greatest strength? Greatest weakness? Is it his ability to get along with others? Ability to root out their secrets? His virtue? Devotion to the Jedi order? Skill and lying and covering up his misdeeds? His sincerity? Or maybe it's just his skill with a lightsaber or a blaster. Conversely, anything that can be a strength can be a weakness. A character's weaknesses, however, are what makes us sympathize with him. And when a hero overcomes his own weaknesses, he teaches us how we can overcome our own.

7. What does your character think of the Jedi Code or other codes of conduct? The Jedi Code is very similar to Bushido. Any other code that you are about to play will have elements similar to an earthly code. There are good quotes in the WotC? and many WEG products, I have the basic Jedi Code in my rules set. What does your character think of it? Is it a code that should be followed without question, or is it a list of guidelines? Should it be followed only when others are looking, or does it make your soul stronger? Is it completely outmoded and should be discarded?

8. What is your character's opinion of the Jedi/ Rebellion/ Empire/ Republic? This one can be tricky -- is your character completely devoted to the Order or does he feel doubt? Does he vew the organization's weaknesses with a blind eye (what weaknesses?), or does he strive to try and mend them? Does he have faith in the leadership and hope to join them one day or does he recognize their weaknesses and plan to exploit them for his own ends? Not all Jedi are completely in the light and not all Jedi are out for Force, Chancellor, and Republic. Not all rebels are for the return of the Republic.

9. Does your character have any prejudices? Of course, your affiliation will give you a certain viewpoint regarding other groups, but have you developed any on your own? Have you taken the rather bland Jedi view on everything? Is there some group you just hate? None of you have seen a Sith and probably don't even know anyone who's seen one. Many Jedi never encounter a Dark Side Force user. Most Rebels are up to their armpits in Imperials. But there are many other groups that warrent attention, including the Republic itself. If you have any of your own opinions (which I hope you do), how did you get that way? What has kept the fires of hatred burning? How have you hidden it or gotten away with it during training? What would it take to douse them, if anything? Remember, Jedi are just as human (or alien) as the next being. A Jedi can hate, it's how he deals with it that matters. Read the Brin commentary on what Lucas has done with hatred and Light and Dark. Many Jedi get at least one DSP in their careers.

10. Is your character married? Engaged? Dating? Has he ever gotten to first? Is there anyone he has a crush on? Tough question, and a good one to consider. Romance is a powerful force in human emotion and everyone falls prey at one point or another. It can lead to great things and it can lead to terrible things. (i.e. Troy) What about your character?

11. To whom does your character owe the most loyalty? Again, a difficult question. Do you owe your Master loyalty for training and bringing you up? Do you owe your parents loyalty for letting you train? Do you owe your SO loyalty out of love? Or is it someone else? A politician who has smoothed things over for you, gotten you some choice assignments? Even if there are no secred devotions, it can be a difficult question Who would the character choose between if there was a rift between his master and the Jedi Council (Qui-Gon vs. the Council, Dookoo vs. the Council, etc.)? Between his commanding officer and the Alliance High Command? Between his parents and the Alliance? All of these can come up eventually. Loyalty isn't as required, but it's still an important question. Hesitation breeds distrust on all sides.

12. What are your characters favorite and least favorite things? Everyone has quirks, things they like and dislike for completely irrational reasons. Think about them for a while. What are your character's favorite foods? Does your character have a favorite brand of speeder? A favorite mount? What about a place he would hide in as a child? Find something your character loves and hates and remember the next time you encounter it.

13. Does your character have any recurring mannerisms? Think about it for a moment. Is there something your character does when he gets nervous? Does he bite his lip, pinch his fingers into his palm, or chew on his cheek? What are his favorite ways of saying "hello" and "goodbye"? When he curses, how does he do it?

14. What about your character's psychology? When it comes to emotions, which ones does he have a handle on and which ones get the better of him? Is it hard for him to restrain his anger or hatred? Does his passion always get the better of him? Does he have a deep, resounding laughter that he just cannot keep locked in his belly? What song or movie brings tears to his eyes?

15. How would your character handle an insubordinate person in their command? This can say a lot about a character and this viewpoint may change over time.

16. How would your character's parents (or guardians) describe him? This question reveals much about both your character and his relationship with his parents. Answer this one in the voice of your character's father, then go back and answer it again for your character's mother. You may come up with very different answers.

17. What are your character's highest ambitions? Is it to be a teacher at the Jedi Academy, or perhaps leading a fleet against a Death Star? Perhaps all he looks foreward to is retirement and meditation. Impressing a parent, master, or other person is a good (if frustrating) motivation as well as winning the love of some Senator from a rather important world with annoying natives. After you've discovered the ambition, think about what lengths your character would go to gain that goal. What would they sacrifice to achieve their ambition(s)?

18. How much does your character view the Force as a religion? The Jedi are, at best, viewed as somewhat monastic and spiritual. Later, they are even less "worldly" and more set off. The roots of this separation were placed even in their founding and are very pronounced eventually. Does your character put his faith in his own abilities or in the Force?

19. If you could, what advice would you give your character? Take a good, long look at the other questions before answering this one. Speak to your character as if they were sitting right in front of you, and remember to use the proper tone. You'll want to make certain your character actually listens to you when you give him this free advice.

20. Does your character have an ultimate goal, and if so, what? Knowing what a player intends to do with a character helps the GM focus subplots and even major story-arcs. Make sure that the GM knows what you're looking to do and what subplots you want to see brought up.

21. What is your character's secret, and what will happen if it's discovered? Everyone has a secret. What are you hiding? Is it significant enough to get you kicked out of the Jedi Order? What about forced into exile until you have meditated on it? A slap on the wrist? Continual derision by your peers? A court marshal? Prison time?

22. What does your character think about the political climate in the galaxy? The Empire has brought some sort of stability to the galaxy after the clone wars and falling of the Republic, but at what price? Are the Rebels just troublemakers or are they the only cause worth dying for? What about the restoration of the Republic? Any other issues your character cares about?

23. What does your character do to relax? If your character enjoys painting, then perhaps you can be found in a very specific part of the praxeum during the morning or evening hours. Those known for drinking might have a favorite pub or dive.

24. If the character was given 100,000 credits, what would he do with it? This can offer a very important insight into the character's psyche. Would he offer it to charity, or would he hold on to it for his own ends or for a rainy day later on? What if this money was found on the street?

25. What is the character's view of Force Users? Of non Force Users? Of nobility? Of poor people? Of Refugees? Of aliens? This cannot be ignored as it will affect most everythign a player does. Some Jedi are disdainful of those that cannot sense the Force and resent the need to protect them. While not all of these fall to the dark side, it is often a way to start down that path. Other sorts of discrimination exist throughout the galaxy. It's how you deal with them that is important.

26. What are the names of the character's Parents and/or Guardians? Master? What do the parents do? What does his master do? What does he teach? Not all Jedi are the same and most are quite specialized in a certain area. Some do not teach at all, but may take students for a short period by necessity. Parents, of course, can do anything. Additionally, what the parents/master/guardian do will affect how the character has grown up and meshed with his environment. A child of diplomats going from posting to posting may lead to a very nomadic or stationary person. A child of military engineers building naval resupply yards and Rocket Jumper barracks might cause a child to grow up a bit rough and tumble and have trouble making friends later in life, having trouble in the praxeum, etc. A relative may have taken a lifepath not approved of by the rest of the family, drawing derision.

27. What reward would your character most want to recieve? Power? Glory? Station? Lightsaber crystals? A seat on the Council? Those who think a good deed is its own reward may have trouble answering this question and may have lost their focus on life as well...

28. What does the character's weapon look like? What make is it? Is it modified? Is it new or old and beat up? Is it even made out of metal or something more exotic? Was it passed down from a parent or Master or is this a cheap weapon you got as a necessity? If so, then what would your ideal weapon look like?

29. Does your character worship any outside religion? What are his opinions on religion that do not include the force (or any other tenants other religions he subscribes to)? The religious outlook of a character can determine many things -- some see this as limiting while others see it as a function of their decision making process. There are many types of religions in the galaxy, from monotheism to animism to things that humans haven't even thought of.

30. What is your character's favorite posession? A character should define the object that he most adores. He might carry it with him everywhere, or keep it in an important place at home. Give the item a backstory (i.e. "This cloak was worn by my master at the Battle of Onderon" or "My sister wrote this poem for me at my wedding")

31. Who is the character's closest friend? It may be difficult to find a friend in a galaxy torn apart by war. Heroes with adventuring lifestyles seldom tend to stay in one place long either.

32. What does your character love, hate, and fear? Remember, characters are still people. It's easier for me to create a subplot that involves you if the GM understand who you are. Emotions are the core of a person's humanity. Think about your character's emotions to combat, death, lima beans, etc.

33. Describe your character's ideal mate. True love may be hard to find, but this can illustrate what a person is really looking for. Additionally, would parents/superiors/friends/relatives approve?

34. Your character has just seen another Jedi use a Sith power. What does he do? The knee-jerk response of a character may just say more about their character than day to day. The key is to think how they would react, not just acts.

35. How does your character feel about those that subscribe to the opposing political viewpoint (Sith vs. Jedi, Alliance vs. Empire, etc.) What about other viewpoints (Hutts, Corporate Sector, etc.)?

36. How will the character die? Remember, Jedi are based on Samurai and not many eastern epics end well for the main characters (see Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon). Jedi also get the benefit of being able to see into the future... sort of. If you have the Farseeing power, you might actually see something. You might not. How would you like to die? How do you really think your character is going to die? Tied down and killed in a Sith lair isn't the best way to go, but it might just happen. Don't be afraid to give me ideas, this is more an idea on how willing a character will be to sacrifice than on how I'll kill off characters.