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."

AN ANCIENT RELIGION
More than twenty years ago, then—Supreme Chancellor Palpatine wiped out the Jedi. Before he did so, the Jedi were figures of whom many people had heard, but with whom few had ever interacted. To most, they were a tiny and aloof band of warriors and peacekeepers. not people one interacted with on a daily basis.

After the purge, those few who had formerly had the most opportunity to interact with the Jedi, the people engaged in the work of galactic governance. worked directly for the man responsible for wiping out those same Jedi. Some dismissed the Jedi as a dangerous cult that had almost overthrown the galactic government. Some figured the best way to survive in the growing Galactic Empire was to forget the Jedi had ever existed. Some refused either of these paths. only to vanish quietly as they drew the attention of the Imperial Security Bureau. Many beings in the rest of the galaxy had never even seen a Jedi or experienced the Force. For them, it was all too easy to believe the Force was a hoax. and the Jedi were gone.

Now, the Galactic Empire works tirelessly to stamp out the last rumors and legends of the Jedi's existence. Many who live under the Empire's dominion believe the Force is little more than an outdated legend. Citizens who have the potential to use the Force almost never come to recognize their inborn talents. Instead, they simply attribute any signs of their ability to luck, spiritual favor, or some other natural ability. Most vigorously deny any connection to the Force, insisting that their skills and abilities are not enhanced by its influence. Learning to embrace the Force as well as to use his abilities deliberately could be a central part of a character's initial development.

OPPORTUNITY KNOCKS
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.