BEGINNINGS:
The Down and Out - The player may decide that the character comes from humble or hardscrabble beginnings. Perhaps he was a moisture farmer on some barren world, an indentured servant working for the Hutts, or abandoned from a young age to survive in the depths of Coruscant's underworld. This character starts out knowing that life is nasty, brutish, and short and probably has seen friends and family members die from malnutrition, disease, or violence and witnessed tremendous injustice done to the weak or vulnerable.

Despite (or because of) this harsh, early view of the universe, characters from this type of background strive to better themselves and do their utmost to escape their plight. The character either trains incessantly, picking up knowledge any way that he can, or simply is tough and resourceful enough to go out on his own.

However, leaving this rough-and-tumble life might not be as easy as it seems. The character may still have family left behind in squalor, former comrades that take a dim view of him leaving a gang, or former "employers" that want the character to finish up their "contracts."

ATTITUDE TOWARDS THE FORCE:
PRAGMATIC POWER - Characters who recognize their Force potential do not always readily acknowledge its spiritual associations. Some see their powers and talents as tools they can use to advance their lives or accomplish their goals. This may help them to be more successful in their career of choice, enabling them to transform the world in a way that fits with their personal philosophies.

Many deny the fundamental goodness or evil of the Force. insisting that consequences for success and failure are far more important than any spiritual elements. Such characters are no more or less likely to make choices or perform actions that could be classified as "good" than those that could be classified as "evil." However, in their minds, their preference for a certain moral choice is independent of the powers they wield. This can prove problematic if. for example, a character believes his righteous anger is a reasonable motivator for his actions. Such a character may constantly flirt with the dark side of the Force and never realize it.

Learning or denying Force philosophies and histories invariably plays into the stories of characters from this background. Eventually, the character likely learns of the truth of the Force. Whether he embraces this knowledge or denies it and continues on his chosen path can prove to be a very Interesting opportunity for character development.

REASON FOR ADVENTURE:
The simplest reason for a character to live on the fringes of society is the basic desire to grasp some opportunity or challenge oneself. A character from a hard, poor background may strive to better himself and jumps at the first chance to improve his lot. A well-off character may be bored with the steady rhythms of high society or realizes that his chances for advancement must come from his own hard work rather than waiting for things to occur. Lastly, this could be as simple as making a spur of the moment decision to board a starship bound for some far-flung part of the galaxy.

GLORY
Fame and the spotlight beckon to this character. He wants to perform great deeds, and be celebrated for them.

LOVE
The character is driven by love or intimacy. The character already has a true love or strives to find the one he is meant to be with.

WEALTH
Money motivates this character. Often, his choices are based less on the consequences of right and wrong, and are based more on what will be best for his credit account.

DEBT (10): The character owes someone a great deal, whether that debt consists of money or something else. Perhaps the PC has a huge gambling debt to a Hutt, is indebted to the Czerka Corporation for his starship, owes a wealthy family for patronage, or has some other serious financial obligation. To make matters worse, depending on who owns the debt, even fully paying it off might not get the character completely off the hook - if the character can get that money, he can surely get more.

PHILANDERER (5): Colonies tend to be small places, and if a being gets around, word about it has a tendency to follow close behind. This Colonist has no shortage of scorned lovers still furious over his or her never committing. Former flames have a habit of showing up at the worst moment, or causing delays when the chrono is ticking. The worst is when two or more flings team up to make life miserable for a serial seducer, or when spouses find out and decide the Colonist is deserving of punishment. Nothing is off limits, as all is fair in love and war.

HIGH RISK (5): The Smuggler just can't help it, he has to take the most dangerous jobs and play for the highest stakes. He is a victim of his own pride, and his ego often lands him in trouble. This Smuggler has something to prove and, when challenged, he cannot help but take the opportunity to display his bravery, even if this puts himself and his party in harm's way.