Dav Man'Sell

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Dav Man'Sell
Biographical information
Homeworld	Commenor
Born	41 BBY
Physical description
Species	Unknown Near-Human
Gender	Male
Height	1.88 Meters
Weight	198lbs/90kg
Hair color	Dark Brown
Eye color	Dark Brown
Chronological and political information
Era(s)	Clone Wars era Rise of the Empire era Rebellion era New Republic era New Jedi Order era JvS Era Legacy Era
Affiliation	Jedi Order Galactic Republic Galactic Empire Emperor’s Hand New Republic New Jedi Order Galactic Federation of Free Alliances Yavin IV Jedi Praxeum Dragon Squadron Yavin IV Defence Force Jedi Peacekeeping Taskforce Jedi High Council
Known masters	Yoda Jo'osh Tors Cin Drallig Sora Bulq Mace Windu Ksandra Mallan
Known apprentices	Jessop Tors Joshua Kierra-Solo Alexis Karidian

[Source]

"He never raised his voice. That was the worst thing ... The Fury of a Jedi."

―A pirate describing the moment he was confronted by Dav

Dav Man'Sell was a Jedi Master, Pilot, and Lightsaber Champion, and later Jedi High Council member who lived through both the Clone Wars and the Jedi Purge, surviving even as the Emperor and his apprentice, Darth Vader scoured space for the remaining Jedi still scattered throughout the galaxy.

Dav was, at various points in his life, also a Bartender, Mechanic, Deception Detection Consultant and Private Investigator, an Intelligence Operative and notably, an Emperor's Hand, but was best known during his time as a Jedi Master and Battlemaster at the Yavin IV Jedi Praxeum, and his time seated upon the Jedi High Council. He became known as a heroic figure within the Galaxy, and among the most respected Jedi of his time.

Biography

Early Life

File:Dav-falling-duel.jpg

Dav, as a Padawan, battling with a Dark Jedi on Coruscant shortly before his Knighthood ceremony

"Great potential, in this boy, I sense. From his determination, and intelligence, his strength flows."

―Jedi Master Yoda observing Dav Man'Sell as a Youngling.

Born on Commenor to a Human Father and a Half-Human Mother, Dav was taken to the Jedi Temple on Coruscant aged four to study as a Jedi. During his time as a youngling, Dav was a part of the Katarn Clan. He was known for being bright, talented, and intelligent, learning his Force abilities and skills quickly not through talent, but through determination and careful study. At age eleven, he was taken as a Padawan learner to Jedi Knight Jo'osh Tors, having already excelled in many of his studies - especially lightsaber combat. He spent many more hours training under Jedi Battlemaster Cin Drallig and Lightsaber Instructor Sora Bulq in his Padawan years (which lead to him following in Bulq's footsteps when adopting Jar'Kai as his preferred Lightsaber form), and his enthusiasm and proficiency quickly caught the eye of many within the Order. His promise as a saber-artist and as a Jedi was exciting for many, and, aged sixteen, he was selected as one of a very few students to be permitted to study Form VII of lightsaber combat by Master Drallig, but was quickly over shadowed by the achievements of young up-and-coming Anakin Skywalker. This caused slight resentment, and a clash of personalities, between Dav and Obi-wan Kenobi’s remarkable Padawan, but eventually, as the two matured, they came to respect each others abilities, and set aside their rivalry. At the age of seventeen, Dav achieved a remarkable feat, single-handedly hunting down and apprehending a trio of Dark Jedi that had attempted to assassinate a Senator of the Republic (at the behest of, it was years later revealed, Chancellor Palpatine under his guise as Darth Sidious), defeating the last, and the most powerful, of the Dark Jedi in a spectacular aerial duel among the sky bridges, towering buildings, and traffic lanes of upper Coruscant. Deemed to have achieved enough to pass his trials, Dav Man’Sell became a fully fledged Jedi Knight of the Jedi Order.

Wrongfully Accused

Not long after his Knighting ceremony, Dav was involved in a dreadful diplomatic mix-up, and arrested by the security forces of the isolated world of El’Dirit for crimes he did not commit. Taken prison alongside Jenna SiStone, a bodyguard for one of the Republic’s diplomats, he was imprisoned on a penal asteroid. Eighteen months passed, over which time he served as a moral touchstone and guiding influence for the inmates, whilst helping protect them from meteor showers, fighting between two imprisoned organised crime factions, and abduction by scientists of an unknown species looking to experiment on Human genetics. Eventually, their names cleared, Dav and Jenna were released and given full pardons.

Having earlier developed a proficiency for Juyo, Dav spent some time following his release training again under Sora Bulq, even receiving some instruction from Mace Windu, including learning the complexities of Vaapad from the Weequay Jedi, a refinement of the seventh lightsaber form that Bulq and Windu had developed. As he had with the incomplete Juyo form, Jedi Knight Dav excelled in Vaapad, but never truly Mastered the complicated and dangerous lightsaber form at that time.

The Clone Wars

At the outbreak of the Clone Wars, Dav was called to action, and fought at Geonosis as part of Master Windu's strike team. Having survived the battle, Dav was made into a General of the Republic, commanding a legion of Clone Troopers on the front lines. A year after Geonosis, Dav, teamed up with his former master Jo'osh Tors, in leading the defence of Thyferra, a key world to the Republic since it was the source of vitally needed Bacta. Though successful in defeating the Separatists there, and gaining the upper hand over Dark Acolyte Nikkos Tyris, Dav was unable to prevent the death of over five hundred innocents held captive by the Anzati inside Zaltin Corporation's headquarters.

Dav, and his Clone Troopers, were successful in several key campaigns, often against difficult odds and through bold tactics, earning the Jedi a reputation as one of the most daring Jedi in the Republic Army. In truth, his risk-taking and boldness came about in response to the horrors he had seen in the first year of the war - the more death and destruction he saw, the more determined he became to stop it from happening, to save innocents from death, and that determination, the risks he took to take those steps, set him on a path towards the Dark Side.

In the closing weeks of the War, Dav faced a Dark Jedi on Haruun Kal, one of the worlds he was defending from the Separatists forces still fighting under the terrible General Grievous. The two engaged in a vicious lightsaber duel, stalemated for several hours, before the Dark Jedi took his blade to a group of innocent civilians. Dav flew into a fit of rage, hammering at his opponent's defenses with powerful Djem-So and Vaapad techniques. As he struck the Dark Jedi down, he touched the Dark Side himself - for that moment, he was no longer veiled to the future by the Dark Side as the rest of the Jedi were, and he foresaw flashes of the Purge, the Empire, the evil of Darth Vader - and Jedi Master Mace Windu laying dead, broken, among the streets between Coruscant's Skyscrapers. Boarding his Eta-2 Starfighter, Dav ran. Leaving his squad of Clone Troopers behind, he ran to Coruscant, to the Jedi Temple there, landing in secret, coming to capital world completely unexpected by anyone. He entered the temple, looking to speak with Master Windu about what had happened, desperate to find answers, just as the news reached them from Utapau - General Grievous was dead, killed by Obi-Wan Kenobi. Whilst others celebrated, Dav feared.... feared himself. Feared the darkness that he had touched, and foreseen. Feared what he might become. As he found himself unable to locate the Jedi Master, Dav's fear grew further.

As the 501st Legion's siege on the Jedi Temple begun, Dav's fear overwhelmed him. He located an older Delta-7 Class starfighter, the very same one that he had piloted during the Battle of Geonosis, and flew it away from Coruscant, far, far away. From the Purge, from the Dark Side in him, from the entire Galaxy. He went into hiding on the far Outer-Rim, surviving the Jedi Purge only because he feared what he might become if he stood his ground and fought.

Fallen Hero

"Emperor Palpatine sends his regards."

―Dav Man'Sell, Emperor's Hand, to his victims just before he killed them.

For several years, he moved around worlds of the Outer Rim, living under a number of different personas and hiding his former Jedi status from the Empire, with only his Astromech Droid, R2-D30 - known as Dirty -, for company. But he could not hide forever - eventually, Darth Vader, and Emperor Palpatine himself, found him. In his duel against Vader, Dav once again touched the Dark Side of the Force, temporarily gaining the upper hand over the Sith Lord. The Emperor then struck Dav down with Force Lightning, and captured him. Several months of torture and mind manipulation followed, until Dav Man'Sell, some of his memories repressed by the Emperor, became one of Palaptine's elite agents - an Emperor's Hand.

Jedi in Exile Dav Man'Sell versus the Dark Lord of the Sith, Darth Vader

Dav was successful as Emperor's Hand, becoming an incredibly capable and dangerous spy, infiltrator, and assassin. Within his first few years, he achieved several extremely difficult missions, and was secretly responsible for the death of several high-profile enemies of the Emperor. In 5 BBY, Dav was assigned, and completed, his most difficult mission so far, seeking out and destroying vital figures within the GenoHaradan, unsettling and fragmenting the ancient secret society and ensuring they couldn't stand against Palpatine in any way. Dav continued served the Empire in this way, infiltrating and assassinating, even hunting down some of the other Jedi to have survived the Purge - most noticeably, Jo’osh Tors, his former Jedi Master, who he killed in a vicious duel on Naboo. It was during this time also, in service to his master who sought to fine-tune the process by which Clones could be created using Spaarti cloning technologies (unbeknownst to the former Jedi turned Hand, so that the Sith Lord could later cheat death), that Dav created the clone of deceased Clone Wars Jedi Tonaris Phedi. Already mad thanks to the effects of the Spaarti technology, the clone became truly warped and evil when Dav and the Emperor attempted to break and re-forge the clone into a weapon for the Emperor, in the same manner that had broken Dav. Eventually, the experiment was abandoned, 'Toon' being left in suspended animation in the remote asteroid base for several decades.

The new, dark Dav trained under both Darth Vader and Darth Sidious, his lightsaber skills improving further by Vader’s training, and expanded by the Emperor’s knowledge in the ancient art of Juyo. He learned additional skills in stealth operation, infiltration, and unarmed combat, hunting and killing with greater and greater success, until one day four years after the Battle of Yavin. One key day in the history of the Galaxy.

Free Mind

The first death of Palpatine, over the forest moon of Endor, saw the return of Dav's previous consciousness, hidden and repressed by the Emperor’s indomitable will power, but impossible to fully destroy. Dav's mind suddenly became his own once more, and his memories returned to him, traumatically putting into perspective the heinous acts he had committed in the Emperor’s name. Shock, despair, and hatred hit him so hard that his connection to the Force went numb. He ran once again, this time out of fear, and loathing, of himself. Returning to the planet on which he had been captured, Dav reclaimed his Delta-7 and old companion Dirty, and once again shot off into hiding amongst the obscure and ambiguous worlds of the Rim. Gradually, as the months and years passed, his connection to the Force began to return, step by step.

It was during this time that Dav was approached, on Nar Shadaa, by a man that he had spared years earlier, when this man was just a child. The man identified himself as Jessop Tors, the son of Jo’osh, and told that he knew Dav had known his father before he died. Dav, believing that he at least owed this to his former master, took it upon himself to care for Jessop, and train him. However, Dav’s cautious approach to training the young man, combined with the confession that he had killed Jo’osh, caused Jessop to seek training elsewhere. He learned from one of Palpatine’s Holocrons, found, curiously, for sale in an antiques shop, and turned his new-found Dark Side Force Powers to theft and cheating, and ultimately, murder. Dav, recognising his failure, went to apprehend Jessop once he had returned from tasks closer to the Core Worlds, where the Empire still reigned. A duel erupted between the exiled Jedi Knight and his student, and Dav was forced to collapse a cave on top of Jessop. Believing him dead, Dav left that world, going into deeper exclusion, his self-doubts reinforced by his failure to guide Jessop and prevent his fall to the Dark Side.

Times truly had grown dark for Dav Man'Sell, his life becoming a compilation of failures; the Jedi Purge, service to the Empire, and the fall of his own student.

Reluctant steps

He met Luke Skywalker for the first time shortly after the conclusion of Grand Admiral Thrawn’s Campaign, working with the legendary Jedi, and reluctantly assisted him in locating Jedi students for his Praxeum when it was officially established, scouting out the talented and Force Sensitve Anx, Madurrin, and bringing her to Yavin IV for her training there. During this time, Dav met Jedi Apprentice Kam Solusar, who had been tortured and broken by Palpatine in the same manner as Dav, and had since found redemption under the guidance of Skywalker. This meeting lead Dav to begin reconsidering his decision to remain in exile, and following this he maintained semi-regular contact with the Praxeum, although he still refused to join the new Jedi.

Dav was present on Yavin IV again in 12 ABY, stopping by for supplies, when the Chistori Dark Jedi Desann's force of Reborn and Shadowtroopers attacked the Praxeum; Dav helped to defend the Great Temple, until Desann was defeated by Kyle Katarn. Later, finding his powers stronger, and his emotional hurt healing, Dav volunteered to help the fledgling new Jedi Order, becoming involved in, and fighting alongside the Jedi during, the Diciples of Ragnos Crisis. These two battles marked the first times Dav fought openly alongside other Jedi since the Clone Wars. Although big steps towards his psychological recovery and return to the Jedi, the occasions where he involved himself in Galactic affairs were rare – For the most part, Dav spent over thirty more years in self-imposed exile, often only getting involved when situations were desperate. His fear of his own darkness kept him blinded to his potential for good.

Dav was present at Sernpidal the day it was destroyed by the Yuuzhan Vong tactic, Yo’Gand’s Core. As a result of witnessing that horrific event, and despite his continuing exile, Dav participated heavily in the Yuuzhan Vong War, undertaking the task of watching over several locations in the Galaxy for Master Skywalker in order to protect them from Yuuzhan Vong agents. Chief amongst these was the Valley of the Jedi on Ruusan, which Luke feared could be used by the Vong to make their voxyn, and other Jedi hunting weapons, even more powerful, watching out for several strongly Force Sensitive communities, and using his abilities as a hunter and an infiltrator to pursue and rescue people captured by the invading aliens. He clashed several times with the Peace Brigade and Yuuzhan Vong Jedi hunters, rescuing his fellow Jedi from their captivity.

During the years between the Yuuzhan Vong War and the Second Galactic Civil War, Dav's activities tended much more toward helping people; he used his gift for observation, and the techniques in Lie Detection he was taught during his Emperor's Hand training, to occasionally freelance for a private investigation and deception detection consultancy, but only working on cases that matched with his Jedi morality.

Return of the Jedi

Eventually, driven by the political and military unrest during the Second Galactic Civil War, and after long years of fighting in the background and thinking on the future, he came to the decision that his time to return to the Galaxy-at-large had come. He realised that his exile alone would merely drive him further and further from the light, and that the threat to the Jedi was great enough that they needed all the numbers the could get, and so, he headed back to the larger civilizations. Still fearful of his own inner darkness, and still unable to use a number of his Force powers without resorting to Anger, Pain, and other emotions of the Dark Side, Force powers he had been able to use with the Light Side easily prior to the Emperor’s corruption of him, he sought the guidance of the New Jedi Order, hoping they could guide him back to the Light. After much travelling, he chose the rebuilt Academy on Yavin IV, which he made his new home. Having given much due consideration and reflection on his failings over the decades since the Clone Wars, Dav decided that the best step was to start afresh. He enrolled with the Praxeum as a student and became Ksandra Mallan’s padawan. An apprentice again, Dav sought to learn anew the various abilities that he had lost as a result of his fall to the Dark Side, and rediscover his confidence and faith in himself.

Dav, suddenly invigorated by the surprising acceptance and warmth of the Praxeum’s members, became an active member of the Academy quickly, being selected for a position in the Academy’s elite Starfighter squadron, Dragon Squadron, and making several friends, particularly Tonaris Phedi, who helped Dav to transfer Dirty from his hard-wired place inside the old Delta-7 Starfighter into a full Astromech body. He finally realised that all he had needed was the company of other Jedi, their compassion guiding him to his own forgiveness. He bonded with his Master, the two becoming impeccably close, and several others, including Ton, Andru Kierra-Solo, Ander Tagira, Tebana Sor, Jago Pulastra, Zuli Madoon, and Ronan Starflare.

Shortly after this return to the Jedi Order, Dav discovered the full extent of the unused finances in his name. As an Emperor's Hand, Dav had been very generously paid, including several multi-billion credit expense accounts, and the funds had remained untouched for almost four decades, surviving even through the several changes of Galactic Government that had occured. The interest he was earning on the funds alone was enough for Dav to live comfortably off of for many years. Discovering this, Dav invested a portion of the funds into something that would serve both a practical use and a personal satisfaction, buying himself a Corellian YT-1300 class Light Freighter.

Darkness looms

However, Dav's peaceful life at the Academy was quickly disturbed by an attack by one of the most powerful Sith known to the Galaxy – former Jedi Knight Jacen Solo, now known as Darth Caedus. Jacen was after Jedi Knight Andru Kierra-Solo, a relative of the Sith's, intending to take him and turn him to the Dark Side as his new apprentice. Dav fought to defend Andi from Jacen, engaging in a long and vicious Lightsaber duel with him. It was during this duel that Jacen attacked Dav with Dark Powers, plunging into his memories and learning of Dav's past. Jacen used this against Dav, employing the Sith tactic of Dun Möch against Dav, and weakening the Jedi's resolve. With a triumphant laugh, Jacen retreated from the battle, escaping them.

A few weeks after this, Darth Caedus once again came to Yavin IV and engaged the Jedi in battle. The Jedi managed to hold their own, repelling Jacen's attack, but in the process, he managed to abduct Ander Tagira. The Jedi of Yavin IV banded together, and following a rescue plan devised by Dav, they managed to free Ander from Caedus in a mission that would be known to the Jedi as the Battle of the Cron Drift. The success of the mission earned Dav a large amount of respect within the Praxeum, and paved the way for steps towards leadership in the future. However, despite the success of the rescue, Dav couldn't help but feel greatly disheartened and concerned. He could feel the darkness on the horizon, and knew that he would very soon be facing some of the greatest challenges of his long life.

The Corruption and Tebana Sor

"Danger or no danger, I couldn't let you face that alone. I'm just some messed up Jedi something from before the Clone Wars, lived well beyond my time, and I'm of no importance to the Galaxy."
"Do not dare to value yourself so lowly in my presence, Dav. You matter to me."

―Dav Man'Sell and Tebana Sor on Haruun Kal.

Some time after the battle with Jacen, and through the developing friendship with Tebana Sor, Dav faced an extra-galactic, shared consciousness entity known only as The Corruption for what would be the first of many times. The Corruption was an old enemy of Tebana’s, one that had caused countless suffering and death, one that threatened all life in the Galaxy itself. Tebana left for Haruun Kal to destroy the Corruption Seed there and recover the body of the now deceased Andru Kierra-Solo, but Dav foresaw that she would not be able to do so and survive alone. Dav flew after her in his XJ-9 X-Wing, rescuing her at the last minute from the destruction she had wrought to the Seed’s crater. Tebana chided Dav for putting himself in danger by following her there, and he stood by his actions, citing her respected status and symbolism to the Jedi, and how important she was, compared to his own, relatively minor status within the Galaxy. Her response was one of the first signs at the developing feelings between the two Jedi.

Dav would soon face the Corruption again, this time at Andru's memorial service. First he had to talk with the Corruption created Echo of Andi, which the deceased Jedi’s spirit had possessed, and then, he and Tebana discovered an infant Corruption Seed hidden in the Praxeum’s hanger. Using his knowledge of the Corruption – gained from conversations with Tebana – Dav improvised a weapon to stun the Seed, before packing it inside a remote controlled fighter craft and sending it through Hyperspace and into the Maw Cluster. Dav paid witness as Tebana managed to draw one of the Corruption's entities away from it's collective mind, guiding it in becoming rogue and self-aware, and became deeply aware of just how severely the strains and traumas that her recurring encounters with the Corruption brought were affecting her. His concern for her grew, and he made a pledge to protect her whenever he could.

Identity Crisis

Whilst Dav continued his training, growing in strength and wisdom as a Jedi, a powerful, dark Force-user stalked the academy, completely undetected, attacking several of it’s most prominent Jedi - Jedi that had all been alive during, and survived through, the times of the Great Jedi Purge. As the mystery surrounding this deepened, Dav recognised both the tactics and the targets, and realised that the assassin was trained just as he had been, and was probably a survivor of Palpatine and Vader's deadly inquisitorius. Eventually, Dav had the other Jedi set a trap for the mysterious assassin. The trap was sprung, and the truth revealed – that Dav, and the dark Force-user, were one. The repressed personality of Dav as the Emperor's Hand had been drawn to the surface by Jacen Solo time and time again to control Dav's body whilst he slept, the 'Hand' having been originally reawoken during that fateful battle against the Sith Lord so many months before.

Dav Man'Sell, under the control of his Dark Side split-persona, duels his Master, Ksandra Mallan, atop the Great Temple.

Final Conflict

"I understand now, that you are a part of me, and I accept that. You were created, warped, tainted, but you were made of me. And that is why I oppose you. And that is why I win. You are part of me, and therefore, mine to control. Mine to command. Mine... to embrace. I win, because of one thing. I'm better than you, because of one thing. Compassion! The one part of me that you lacked entirely. That is my strength, and that is what defines me. And now, that is what defeats you. Come to me. Be a part of me."

―Dav Man'Sell defeating the dark version of him inside his own mindscape.

Dav was stripped of the Force in the trap, and imprisoned so that his Emperor’s Hand personality could not surface again and hurt anyone else. Unfortunately, Jacen had other ideas. He forcibly reattached the Force to Dav, re-awoke the Hand one last time, and sent him out to kill his ultimate target – Ksandra Mallan. A vicious duel ensued, in which both were pushed to their absolute limits, whilst far below them, the Jedi of the Praxeum fought to defend the Great Temple from a vicious army of reanimated Sith slaves and vicious Sith Monsters. The duel began in the Grand Audience Chamber, where the Hand lay in wait for Ksandra, drawing her there with a summons through the Force. The battle then took them out of the Audience Chamber via the great windows there, and up onto the roof - here, a clash of Force Powers ensued, with Dav's Force Lightning clashing with Ksandra's own, unique variation on Force Combustion. Finally, Dav took off into the forest, leading Ksandra to a waterfall of particular sentimental value to her. Here, taking her by surprise, he disarmed her, cleaving her double bladed Lightsaber in two, and knocked her down, leaving her open for the killing blow. However, as the Dark Dav moved to kill Ksandra, the good Dav – the real Dav – stopped him. They wrestled for control of the body, a battle of the wills ensuing. The two personalities clashed within Dav's own mind-scape, and Dav, finally realising that the Dark Dav was a part of him, won through, defeating once and for all his Dark Side, and finally accepting his place amongst the Jedi.

Jedi Guardian, Champion, and Protector of Yavin IV

"Dav, you're a good man, and a fantastic Jedi. Trust me on that, I'd know...You've picked up after me more times than I can count."

―Jedi Master Ander Tagira to Dav shortly after Dav's Knighthood.

Shortly after this, Dav was repromoted to Jedi Knight by Luke Skywalker in an unofficial ceremony. It would be Skywalker's last visit to the Jedi on Yavin IV for some time, as the Jedi Grandmaster was headed back to Coruscant to help rebuild the Jedi Order in the wake of Jacen Solo's death at the hands of his Sister, and the end of the Second Galactic Civil War. Dav finally felt a part of the Jedi Order once more, taking to the role with pride and determination, and serving as a Protector of the Yavin IV Praxeum and Jedi.

Dav, having proven himself as a Jedi and as a Pilot, was promoted to Executive Officer of Dragon Squadron, becoming one of it's three main leaders, and helped reorganise the Squadron into a new, even more elite, crack unit of twelve. He also commissioned the design and construction of a brand new variation of the already formidable XJ9 StealthXs the Squadron flew - the T65XJ-9D Special Specification StealthX X-Wing, a state of the art fighter completely unique to the Jedi of Dragon Squadron. The fighters were well received, Dragon Squadron's pilots proving their worth in the heat of battle several times over.

Jedi Master Dav Man'Sell, protector of Yavin IV

During this time, Dav completed the modifications to his privately owned YT-1300 Light Freighter, now named the Bright Horizon. The ship's modifications had cost him over a million credits, but the financial cost of the ship was offset by the sentimental value - the ship, which had already seen use, incomplete, in a number of Dav's journeys since his return to the Jedi way, was a labour of love, having been meticulously worked upon by the Jedi Master for nearly a year. The ship had already become a familiar sight to the Praxeum's occupants, and would later become famous across the Galaxy as it grew to be a significant and important ship to the Jedi.

Dav Man'Sell was once again drawn away from Yavin IV and into the Galactic fold, thrust into the conflict between Osarian and the invading forces of Rhommamool (later known as the Crimson Skies conflict), fighting alongside Tebana Sor closely during the battle. The Jedi, and the forces of Osarian, would emerge victorious, and the heat of the battle, the danger presented to them both, drew powerful reactions from the two Jedi with regards to each other's safety. They expressed a deep fondness and concern for each other, becoming closer still.

A few months later, in preparation for the inevitable day where he would face The Corruption again, Dav went to Zonama Sekot and harvested three Lambent Crystals, bonding with them. He brought the Crystals to Yavin IV, where a rogue element of the Corruption corrupted them for him with one of its dying moments, and he then installed the Corrupted crystals firstly into the two Lightsabers that had been built by his Dark alter-ego, and then later, the third crystal was installed into a pendant.

Dav was present, a short while afterwards, at the wedding day of Ksandra Mallan and Ander Tagira, the two Jedi having fallen in love over the course of their experiences together. Dav was honoured to be one of the Groom's men at Ander's wedding, and so came proudly to it on the day. Luke Skywalker himself came to officiate proceedings, in what would be his final visit to the Praxeum prior to his exile, and Luke, Dav, Ksandra, and the other Jedi shared a wealth of stories with each other concerning the misadventures of the Groom. However, when Ander failed to appear at the Wedding, Dav and Jedi Master Bahiri Nav, who had been named Best Man, quietly left the ceremony to seek out the absentee Groom.

The two Jedi quickly discovered that Ander had headed to Commenor to investigate a (what later turned out to be false) lead regarding his long missing mother, followed closely by a Bounty Hunter seeking to claim the enormous reward on the Jedi Master's head. Dav, and several others, received a vision of Ander being captured by the Hunter. A strike force of Jedi was brought together, all of them leaving for Commenor in the Bright Horizon.

On Commenor, following severe difficulties and a brush with death for Dav, they finally located Ander, and in doing so, discovered the identity of Ander's abductor - none other than Jessop Tors, Dav's former Student. The Hunter had survived for all those years, training in Mandalorian battle techniques and joining the clans of the Warrior Race. Dav and Jessop battled, Dav finally gaining the upper hand, collapsing the wall of a building on Jessop, but refused to finish off the misguided man. Despite Jessop's cries of rage, Dav left, leaving his former apprentice. He felt saddened, and deeply introspective, over his past failures, and his future plans, as a result.

Dav Man'Sell and Tebana Sor, lovers and eternal companions

Confession of true love

"I love you Tebana Sor. I love you, and I need you. Please… come back to us. To me. I want you in my future. Help me build a future. Help me, Tebana Sor. You’re my only hope."

―Dav confessing his feelings to a comatose Tebana.

Upon their return to the Praxeum, Tebana collapsed, passing into a deep coma due to extreme exhaustion, having nearly burnt out her entire body by pouring the Force into healing a dying Dav and the other Jedi of the team. A week passed, her spirit remaining absent from her body, as visitors and well wishers came to bid what could be their final farewell to the now prone and almost lifeless Master Tebana Sor. Dav was shaken to the core by her collapse, and visited her constantly over the course of the week, barely leaving the view-port looking into her private ward once.

Finally, Dav entered the room, and spoke with her, expressing the feelings for her that had lain hidden inside him for a long time. He professed his love for her, and with a kiss, went to leave. As he did so, she woke, and replied with the truth of her feelings - that she loved him too. The two embarked upon a relationship, that grew quickly into a deep and unfaltering bond.

Dav Man'Sell facing The Corruption on Helska IV

Facing The Corruption

Ksandra Mallan, following her final and absolute split from Ander Tagira, left to spend time meditating with Aalia Ra on the ice planet Helska IV. Dav took time out to visit her there, and, whilst there, he discovered that the Corruption had a presence there, sensing it through the Lambent Crystals. He faced the Corruption – an Echo of a mysterious being known only as ‘Rundas’. After a vicious battle, Dav emerged victorious, proving his skill, resourcefulness, and strength of character, and defeating one of the last surviving manifestations of The Corruption in the Galaxy.

Trials of a Jedi Master

The years passed, and Dav, Tebana, and the other Jedi faced many challenges. Dav and Tebana's relationship, and indeed, their devotion to the light itself, was tested by the death of their unborn child at the hands of her fallen Brother, but their love survived this. The two Jedi grew stronger in their relationship, finding comfort and light in each other's arms, and eventually choosing to live together permanently.

Dav grew in wisdom and experience, training constantly, guiding and supporting other Jedi, and proving himself to be a wise and capable Jedi Knight, and his strength grew thanks to his now ingrained balance and peace with himself and his past. The Council eventually granted him the rank of Jedi Master in recognition of his achievements, and offered him a permanent seat on the Council. Dav accepted, at last taking up the path that had always laid before him, as a leader and champion of the Jedi. He became one of the most prominent members of the Academy’s Order, taking on the mantle of Jedi Battlemaster, and being elected (along with Tebana) as the official representative for the Praxeum.

Shortly after this, he lead Dragon Squadron in a risky mission to capture a long-lost Imperial fleet lead by the Imperial Star Destroyer Black Fist - a fleet that Dav had once been very familiar with, when he was Emperor's Hand. The mission was a success, and the fleet was taken to a secret location just outside the Yavin system in order to undergo repairs and refits for it's new role in the defence of Yavin IV. The timing of the capture couldn't have been better - shortly after this, Sith forces, under the command of the Dread Lord Havok, came to Yavin IV, overpowering it's defences and invading the Praxeum. Dav undertook an insanely complex and extremely dangerous manoeuvre to circumvent the blockading forces, and escaped the system undetected, returning under an hour later at the command of the captured fleet, now known as Guardian Battlegroup, the Black Fist renamed the Brilliant Guardian. The newly refitted fleet got it's trial by fire, blasting through the flanks of the Sith forces and opening up an escape route for the ships of the Jedi Praxeum. Dav's efforts in command of the new fleet proved invaluable to the evacuation, and as a result, the losses suffered by the Yavin IV Jedi were decidedly minor. Dav was lauded as a hero for his actions, as only by his efforts was the resounding defeat and total destruction of the Jedi presence on Yavin averted, literally snatching victory from the jaws of defeat. Dav was a resolute leader of the Yavin-Jedi-in-exile, not once, in the long months that followed, giving up on his belief that they would return home to the Praxeum.

Jedi Battlemaster Dav Man'Sell demonstrating his combat skills

When the opportunity to return home came, Dav lead the initial forces that went back to check on the Praxeum. Taking a team of engineers, waste, and bomb disposal experts down the the Praxeum he, with the assistance of Tebana, Zuli Madoon, and a number of other Jedi, managed to disarm all of the booby traps hidden within the Praxeum with relatively few losses, and the only notable damage to property being the destruction of the Praxeum's medical bay. Shortly after this, Dav met with Ton Phedi for a sparring session in one of the Training rooms in the Temple. The activation of their lightsabers, and the unique combination of energy output and harmonic resonance of the blades, triggered a hidden booby-trap still in the room - a pair of high-yield Thermal Detonators disguised as Training Remotes. Ton managed to disarm one of the devices, but the second exploded, threatening to kill them both and destroy a sizeable portion of the Great Temple. Dav reacted instantly and instinctively, guided by a sudden, unexplained intuition from the Force, and supplemented by a mysterious additional Light energy. He reached out with the Force, absorbing all of the destructive energy of the Thermal Detonator's explosion, and redirecting it harmlessly out of a window into the atmosphere of the moon. Dav collapsed immediately after this, suffering from deep and life threatening burns down his arms and across his chest, and the draining affects of over-exertion whilst using the Force. Taken to the temporary medical facilities set up in the Praxeum Hanger, Dav was tended to by Tebana, who desperately fought to keep him alive. His retro-metabolic abilities failed to kick in, possibly due to the combination of traumas on his body. At the moment when it looked as though Dav was going to succumb to the injuries and traumas, a sudden, phenomenal leap in Force energy in the area seemed to centre on Dav, like a literal funnel of the Light Side. This mysterious and unexplained energy, just as it had in the training room, augmented Dav's abilities, healing and strengthened him, and saving his life.

Soon after this, Tebana and Dav lead a movement to bring together the Jedi Praxeum of Yavin IV and the Osarian Jedi in a formal partnership. With Tebana as a leading member of both Yavin IV's Praxeum Council and the Osarian Jedi Council, the connection was already there, and Dav capitalised on the relationship by arranging for the construction of a new Jedi institution - the Osarian Jedi Safe Haven. As the Haven reached the final stages of construction, Dav and Tebana, seeking to escape from the efforts of a troubled Ander Tagira to have almost exclusive control of much of Yavin IV's administrative and military structure, took up residence on Osarian, making the Expansion Region world their semi-permanent home for a while. There, once joined by Ksandra, they called together the remaining members of Dragon Squadron, and begun work on a reformation of the Squadron.

Leader of the Praxeum

Dav (centre, with Tebana) as a leader of the Yavin IV Council

A short while later, Ander suddenly departed Yavin, retiring from leadership of the Praxeum and, shortly afterwards, vanishing without a trace. Amongst rumours and heresay that Ander had been captured by the Sith, turned to the Dark Side, or killed, the Praxeum entered a state of confusion and disarray. Few of the main body of Praxeum Jedi had noticed just how much of it's administrative, leadership, and military structure was reliant solely on Ander, and although the Praxeum's Council had been aware of it, they had not yet come up with a system to organise the running of the Praxeum, the Defence forces, and everything else that Ander had taken exclusive control of, in his absence. In the confusion and upheaval, Dav and Tebana worked with Aalia Ra, the ally Ander had called in to take over from him immediately after his departure, to keep the Academy's flailing administrative structure together. Once the initial disruption had settled down, a meeting of the Jedi Council elected both Dav and Tebana as the new, joint administrative leaders of the Praxeum and it's Council, and they immediately went to work on restructuring the Praxeum.

In time, the Praxeum, under Dav and Tebana's command, flourished again. Whilst Tebana lead the spiritual direction of the Jedi, guiding the Praxeum's members back to the core values of the Jedi Order, values that many had strayed slightly from and lost sight of under the later years of Ander's laboured leadership, Dav sought to make the Praxeum as an Organisation strong and safe. Over the year following Ander's departure, the Osarian Jedi Safe Haven's construction was completed - when it was done, the Safe Haven became one of the most defensible, and most secret, locations of it's kind in the Galaxy, a home in which the Jedi could be safe even through the dangerous future to come. Dav also, later, lead the restructuring of the Yavin IV Defense Force, turning it's focus away from large scale military combat, and bringing it's focus down to defensive actions and, most uniquely in the Galaxy, Humanitarian aid; Dav had the Defense Force spend billions of credits on investing in modifications and equipment to fill the holds of the various ships in the fleets, equipment which would allow them to conduct rescue, disaster relief, and refugee operations anywhere in the Galaxy. The Defense Force became a unique peacekeeping taskforce, consisting of small, elite units and specialist squads, and based out of another new construction; Yavin Station, a military and commercial Space-station built in the wake of the invasion by Dread Lord Havok. Under Dav and Tebana's command, the Praxeum's focus on training the Jedi of the future, and it's dedication to the Jedi Code, was reaffirmed; The Safe-Haven on Osarian, and the allegiance with the Osarian Jedi Council, grew to fruition; and the Defense Forces of Yavin IV became a uniquely capable, specialist peacekeeping force; one that held, at it's core, principals of defense and aid, not aggression and warfare. Of preventing deaths, not causing them. A Defense Force that held the Jedi ideals and principals as it's own.

Return of the Corruption

"This is Ptrelli Stargazer of the Mraz. Identify yourself."
"Ptrelli Stargazer of the Mraz, this is Andru Kierra on the Herald, Harbinger Fleet."
"That's impossible."

―Commander Ptrelli Stargazer and The Corruption, using the voice of Andru Keirra Solo, exchange the opening words of the Battle of Yavin IV

During the year after the disappearance of Ander Tagira, and Dav's promotion to the leader of the Yavin Jedi, a course of events begun to unfold that would herald a dark time for the Jedi, a time of protracted conflict and hardship. They had known a period of extended peace in the two years since Dav and Tebana had been given leadership of the Praxeum, but the peace did not last; in truth, the Jedi knew that it never would.

A series of challenges befell the Yavin Jedi, beginning with the fall to the Dark Side of former Praxeum Council member Nathan Malreaux. Contacted by Tyrand Khalek, Dav lead a small squad of Dragon Squadron pilots, consisting of himself, Ton Phedi, Jago Pulastra, and on her first mission as a Dragon, Tebana Sor, on a mission to locate the fallen Jedi. The mission took them first to Dantooine, and from there, on to the Dark Side infested world of Onderon. There, Dav battled with the deadly wildlife of the planet, whilst Tyrand managed to confront and capture the Jedi. They brought him back to Osarian, where the Yavin Council, Tyrand, Nathan's wife Alora Malreaux, and a young student that had taken residence on Osarian by the name of Alexis Karidian, helped in the path to recovery.

Meanwhile, unbeknownst to the Yavin Council, Ronan Starflare completed a downward spiral that had begun with Ander's final behaviour before he left the Praxeum - the young Jedi, his anger at Ander Tagira's behaviour triggering the deep set, unresolved issues he still carried, fell from the Path of the Jedi, beginning a double life as a now-distant Jedi Knight and an up and coming Sith apprentice, the corrupting influence of a mysterious ghostly figure clouding Ronan's mind and dragging him into the Dark Side. Dav's suspicions of Ronan's behaviour were peaked early on, and he and Tebana watched the young Jedi Knight closely, but failed to uncover the truth.

A little over a year and a half after Ander's final departure, an otherwise normal day on Yavin IV quickly changed when, unannounced, an Imperial II-Class Star Destroyer entered orbit around Yavin IV. Confronted by Commander Ptrelli Stargazer, commanding the Yavin command ship Mraz, the ship announced that it was the Herald, under command of Andru Kierra. Ptrelli, having been active on Yavin IV long enough to know of the real Jedi Master Andru Kierra Solo, knew the truth - that the Jedi had died some years earlier as a result of his prolonged conflict against the Corruption. Seeing through the ruse, Ptrelli instantly made contact with Dav and Tebana, and put the defences of the Jedi world into high alert.

Hearing the news over the comm, Dav and Tebana both reacted differently; Dav's response was to, instantly, gear up and prepare for the fight, taking his Corrupted Lightsabers, and the Corrupted Lambent Pendant he had also crafted, and preparing to go to all-out-war against the Corruption. Tebana, alternatively, went almost to the point of sheer terror. It was in that moment that they both realised how completely fitting the Corruption's name was. Just as she never truly feared anything, he never truly could hate; and yet, in that moment, against that enemy, they both did. Dav knew that neither could give in to what the Corruption threatened to push them towards, the fear that she felt, the anger that he felt, and so he confronted her desire to run, and asked her to join him in orbit and bring her knowledge to the fight. He left her to prepare, hoping that she would follow, and knowing that his request of her would put a strain on their relationship.

Dav led the fight in Orbit from the Cockpit of his X-Wing, joined by Ksandra, Jago, and Ton in their own X-Wings. Together, the four Dragon Squadron Pilots lead the Yavin Military Forces, primarily the Starfighter branch, against the Corruption. Tebana joined them in orbit, although the fear, the sense of foreboding did not escape her. She made her way to the Mraz, the flagship of the Jedi's defences, to co-ordinate from there. As the battled unfolded, she was joined aboard the Star Dreadnaught by Zuli Madoon, Joshua Kierra-Solo, and Syla Ulfsdottir. However, one of their own, Ronan Starflare, consumed by his unresolved anger and now referring to himself as Darth Miros, joined the Corruption in battle, reinforcing it's lone Star Destroyer with new, unseen, and powerful cruisers of his own making, cruisers he had built in secret far from Yavin. He himself boarded the Corruption's cruiser and came into contact with it allowing some of it to enter him and forge a bond between them.

Despite the odds stacked against them, the battle was eventually won by the Jedi - the Leviathan seed and Star Destroyer were both destroyed, thanks to some quick thinking and some daring tactics by Tebana and Dav; the Seed was blasted by a thunderstorm created by the massive Star Dreadnaught generating static in Yavin IV's upper atmosphere, and then torn apart by the combined spread of several fighter squadrons' torpedo and missile ordinance. Ronan too was recovered, as Tebana managed to reach out to him and help him to break the shadowy beings, and the Corruption's, hold over him. Ronan, without their influence poisoning his mind, saw what he had become, and betrayed the Corruption, granting the Jedi an opening to finish off the last of the Corrupted craft in orbit.

However, their victory was not without cost. The Echo of Tebana Sor, now with all the power of a Guardian of The Corruption, was stranded in the wilds of Yavin IV, forcing the Jedi to put the moon in a quarantine state and limit access to the surface to Jedi only. Worse still, in the depths of the battle, Tebana became again corrupted, beginning a slow and painful battle against the scourge poisoning her system, a battle that could surely only end with her death this time.

The Long Struggle

"Yes. You deserve an explanation. But you don't deserve a chance at convincing me again. I love you like I have never in my life thought possible to love someone. You are my world and my stars. And that means that I am letting you go. I am releasing you from your promise. Off the hook, so to speak. Because who are we trying to convince here? I am a walking dead."
"I don't accept that. I will not accept that. Until you lay dead at my feet, there is always a chance. Always hope. We are the achievers of the impossible. The exceptions to the rules. We have done it so many times already, and I'm not quite done achieving the impossible yet. I'm not ready to accept anything that I can still affect. The day we accept these things is the day that the Corruption wins, and it has not won anything yet.""

―Dav to Tebana in the aftermath of the battle

Convinced that the Corruption would take her fully this time, Tebana, having spent many hours meditating and trying to find some peace, resolved herself to leaving Yavin IV and her friends, in an effort to spare them the pain of watching her self-destruct at the Corruption's hands. In the midst of the night she sought to slip away, but was confronted by Dav. He presented her with the Corrupted pendant, and explained how his telepathic bond to the crystal inside worked; through it, he could touch the Corruption's mind, even control parts of it, and through her connection to him, he postulated that she, too, could could use the crystal for that purpose, using it to give her a boost in her battle against the Corruption inside of her body. They vowed to fight her infection together, to try and find an answer to an impossible question, and though she departed Yavin as she had intended to all along, it was to head for Osarian, to rest and to meditate, instead of to disappear into the Galaxy.

In the days that followed, Dav put into place strict quarantine conditions on Yavin IV. The presence of the echo of Tebana in the wild made the planet a dangerous place to be, so all travel to the planet that was not directly to either the Praxeum or one of the few remaining settlements was prohibited. The Jedi of the moon were briefed, with a warning to stay clear of the echo if she was discovered and to immediately contact one of the Praxeum's leaders. Dav begun searching for a way to cure Tebana, and Zuli begun research of his own into the life-forms pathogenic state, looking for a way to protect people from future infection. During this time, the Dav received an un-expected visitor; Caoimhin Shan, the former Jedi Knight who had first encountered the Corruption, the brother of it's original host in the Galaxy, arrived on Yavin IV. Caoimhin told of his encounter with (who he thought was) his sister, disembodied and trapped in the computer core of an old Star Destroyer. He told of where he had been hiding, out in the Galaxy, and how he was determined to make amends for the wrongs in his past. Dav, in return, told Caoimhin of the Corruption battle, and offered the wayward Jedi a home on Yavin and Osarian, with the Jedi based on the two worlds, which Caoimhin accepted.

Dav headed for Osarian to spend time with Tebana, with Caoimhin joining him on the journey. Whilst there, he and Nathan Malreaux discussed their respective falls to the Dark Side, and Dav, telling his own story to Nathan, was able to inspire him to face his fears. Nathan left Osarian in search of his own answers, but did so with a new insight in to the way that his Dark Side defined him. Dav also spent time working with Ronan on his own darkness. Together, the two Jedi came to underside the nature of Ronan's fall to the Dark Side, and his subsequent return to the light. Dav suspected that the Dark Side of Ronan had separated from Ronan's personality, and had become an entity of it's own, much as the Emperor's Hand had in him - and as they discussed this as a Council, Tebana, inspired by something Nathan said before his departure, suggested that Ronan's Dark Side may have been absorbed into the Corruption and reborn as an Echo.

Whilst on Osarian, Dav enlisted the help of Ton Phedi in creating a physical form for the disembodied spirit of Eliana Shan that Caoimhin had rescued from the Star Destroyer before it's destruction - secretly, Dav also tasked Ton with investigating the nature of the "resurrected" Eliana, as he had suspicions about the truth of her. Ton discovered that this Eliana was not the original young woman, but instead an Artificial Intelligence called LE-01, created by Eliana and based on brain-wave scans from the late, young Shan girl. Caoimhin took the news badly, disappearing into Osarian's wilderness and leaving the ship, the LE artificial intelligence, and the other Jedi behind.

COMING SOON:

Caring for Tebana.
Mission to Naboo/Battle with Seleevan Khar.
Gideon Battle.
Jago's Suicide Attempt.
Battle of Anobis (Fall of the Emerald Order).
Aftermath of Anobis with Arhiia.
Hidden Sect on Anobis.
Coruscant Battle (Sky-dive).
Teaching Tebana.
Starfighter Crash on Yavin 8 (Tashi)

Personality and traits

Early Years

Early in life, he was known to be very proud, slightly more emotional and hasty than a Jedi was supposed to be, but devout and committed to the Jedi way. His tutelage under Jo'osh Tors taught him patience, and over time, he learned to control his strong passions.

The Clone Wars saw a passionate and determined Dav, but the traumas of the early battles saw him taking on a darker persona than had been seen prior to the Clone Wars. He was deeply reflective, and often questioned both the Jedi's role within the battle and the morality of using Cloned Soldiers in the war.

Darker times

Following his life-changing duel with the Dark Jedi, he was extremely self-doubting, plagued with insecurity and an inherent fear of using of his powers. Combined with his fear of being found by the Empire and Vader, Dav was a deeply troubled man. This mind set would be seen repeated during his second, post Endor exile.

However, during both periods of exile, Dav would often, in dire circumstances, rise above his fear and self-doubt, his capacity for good and compassionate nature, and deep sense of justice, shining through, surpassing his pain and revealing his true self.

Faith Restored

When Dav returned to the Jedi, he spent some time still plagued and riddled with self-doubt. However the training provided by his Master, and the companionship of his new found friends, helped him to find faith in himself again. His confidence grew, and the darkness that had plagued him before, the him that had been born of blood and death and hate, was quickly superseded by the inherent light and compassion at his heart, and an optimistic out-look.

Following the destruction of his dark alternate persona, and as the memories of the Emperor's Hand was fully integrated into him, he went through a phase of having a slightly darker attitude about him. He became slightly suspicious, and inherently covert, constantly playing his cards very close to his chest. This was only a very short-term change, and as he adjusted to life as a Jedi Knight again, he gradually returned to the optimistic and trusting character of before.

The true Dav

Dav was a determined and strong willed individual, finding the strength to carry on even when the obstacles ahead of him seemed insurmountable, resolved to keep fighting until there was no more hope. He often demonstrated a stubborn streak, a refusal to back down, something which occasionally got him into trouble, but his skills and powers usually proved sufficient to rise to the challenge. Dav was famous for his indomitable spirit and stubborn refusal to give in or give up. His will power was enough to overcome most others, and he demonstrated exceptional abilities to resist psychological and mental attacks.

Dav was a proud individual generally, and set incredibly high standards for himself. He would always push to achieve his very best, and sought to improve himself at every opportunity, so that he would be the best he could possibly be. The high standards he set himself sometimes caused him to have issues of self-faith, most clearly demonstrated when he fell to the Dark Side. Discovering that he was not as strong and dedicated to the path of the light as he believed left Dav devastated, doubtful, and incredibly self-loathing, disappointed, even disgusted, in his failure to stay in the Light. However, after sometime, he overcame the doubts and realised that everyone needed to fail at some point, and that there was a reason that he would always have a fall: So that he could learn to pick himself up.

He was also incredibly confident, sometimes to the point of over-confidence or even arrogance, and would take the time occasionally to flex his Ego. He rarely let his self-confidence get the better of him and blind him to the truth of a situation, however, and he was not so arrogant that he wouldn't admit to his mistakes, often seen to be very introspective and reflective on the events that had come to pass, seeking to learn from the mistakes of his past.

"That's us. That's the Jedi's path - That, that is what we do. We stand on the front lines, we face the darkest of darknesses, and we fight, in the hope that, because we did, someone else won't have to. We use our talents, our gifts, to make some of the most difficult decisions in the Universe. To face some of the most horrific things in existance. Because we can. Because we must. If we don't draw the line, make the stand, and do what is right, then others suffer. That is our calling. That is our sacrifice. And that is what makes us Jedi."

―Dav in response to being asked why he took such large burdens onto himself.

Dav was deeply heroic in nature. He was often seen to be remarkably selfless, willing to sacrifice his own needs, safety, and desires for the greater good. The first into any fight, Dav was reluctant to let anyone fight in his stead, and frequently stood on the front lines of a fight, or staying behind in a rear-guard action, putting himself in danger so that his friends, companions, and innocents might have a better chance.

"Let's just say that if complete and utter chaos was lightning, he'd be the sort to stand on the roof of the Temple in a thunderstorm wearing wet copper armour and shouting 'All gods are bastards'."

―Jedi Master Ksandra Mallan, speaking of Dav's bold and seemingly reckless nature.

At times, Dav's contemporaries would often comment on his sometimes bold and seemingly reckless nature, and the frequency with which he would actively put himself in hazardous situations. He would often take what would appear to be insane risks, confronting challenging odds and impossible situations with unorthodox and dangerous tactics and methods. This was merely an extension of his strong sense of duty when it came to protecting others, meaning that he would always choose the risky path if it meant greater success in this regard. He always took these risks aware of the odds, his skills and intelligence giving him the best possible chances that circumstance allowed, and his perseverance allowing him to beat near-impossible odds with impressive frequency.

Dav was also characterised as having a very passionate and loyal streak. The friends he made would not often loose his allegiance, and he would frequently put himself in extreme, even unnecessary, dangers to assure that his friends and loved ones were safe. He was highly respected across the Jedi Orders, his wisdom, compassion, and clarity of thought and vision earning him the trust and admiration of many. He was a wise and insightful man, often able to suss people out and sense the underlying reasons behind their behaviour or troubles when even they themselves knew not why they felt as they did. Highly emotional too, he learnt to accept his passions and emotional nature as a part of him, using them to give him drive and determination, but also tempering them with calmness and thoughtfulness.

A man of principle, Dav had a strong moral compass and sense of right and wrong, adamantly defending his beliefs and what he thought to be right. He was frequently seen to take the most right path over an easier option, often creating more trouble for himself than most people thought he needed to. Dav was known to become single minded in his actions when he felt his principles threatened, and was quick to anger and demonstrated swift retribution when he thought something was wrong. Dav vehemently believed in the ideals of the light and the greater good, and although he was a fighter at heart, he would not kill when he thought it unnecessary. He would almost always offer his enemy the chance to surrender, stop their activities, or leave of their own accord, believing everyone deserved that choice, that chance at redemption. Should his offer be rebuked, Dav's response would be unrelenting and often, irrepressible.

"I'll do you a deal... let me have the scars for a while. They serve a purpose for me, one that I need them to for a while. I'll let you administer pain-meds, and dress the wounds as you see fit. Take away the pain, but let me have the scars. Let me have the introspection and contemplation they provide."
"Very well. Hmmm. Who's the Diplomat now?"
"I know. What's that about? I used to be so stubborn. You've changed me, Sor."

―Dav Man'Sell and Tebana Sor, on his surprising compromise over his refusal to receive medical care.

Dav also, later in life, demonstrated a highly developed empathic and diplomatic side, which he often credited to Tebana "making (him) go soft in (his) old age". This lead him to become a calm, insightful, master negotiator, and as he became a leader among the Jedi Orders, saw him frequently take on a role as an ambassador and diplomat for the Yavin Jedi, or the Jedi in general.

Powers and Abilities

Intellectual Skills

Dav possessed a genius level intelligence, with an incredible ability to learn and retain knowledge, and an astounding awareness of detail. He was often observed to be very insightful, incredibly astute, and able to analyse and comprehend incredibly complex situations; a master of deductive and inductive reasoning, Dav was able to reach conclusions on circumstances within moments of being given the necessary information, usually deducing the correct explanation for a situation before those around him had even started speculating. He frequently demonstrated this ability with people, able to rationally infer much about their life and circumstances from just a few seconds of observation. He often applied these analytical skills in combat, and these talents also served to give him a natural affinity for both deception detection and the philosophies embodied in the Echani combat traditions.

Languages and Communication Skills

Dav was quite the multi-lingual individual. He spoke and read with perfect fluency in a number of languages besides Galactic Basic, including Huttese, Bocce, High Galactic, Mon Calamarian, and Dosh, as well as code languages like Mon Calamari blink code, the Mistryl battle language, Smuggler cant, and Deal-slang. He was highly proficient in understanding a number of other languages that he didn't speak, with a perfect understanding of Binary Droidspeak, the Verpine language, and a number of dialects of Shyriiwook, including Thykarann, and a passing understanding of Vorese, Yuzzum (allowing him to, with a little effort, understand Ewokese), and Slithese. Dav had a basic understanding of the Mando'a language, but was far from fluent in it. He was similarly familiar, but not fluent, with a number of other languages, including Quarren, Bothese, Zabrak, Selonian, and the Jawa Trade language. He even picked up a few phrases in the Yuuzhan Vong language during the Yuuzhan Vong War.

A natural reader of facial expressions and body language, he found it easy to pick up and become fluent in non-verbal languages, such as Lorrdian Kinetic communication, Qwohog sign language, and Coruscant Charm Signing, as well as developing a basic understanding of the complex Lekku Language of the Twi'lek race and the similar, physical characteristics of the Togruti language. He had a full and intricate understanding of Echani combat traditions and the use of them for communication, through a combination of his training as an Emperor's Hand and additional studies he undertook on his own during his exile, and greatly admired and respected much of the Echani viewpoint. He was noted for being exceptionally astute when it came to reading deception, intent, and emotion through body language and micro-expressions, a talent that was expanded with formal training when he was an Emperor's Hand, and one he used to his advantage often throughout his life.

Dav also spent some time studying ancient and extinct languages. He had a strong understanding of the ancient Massassi and Sith Languages, thanks to his studies of the ruins on Yavin IV, and had a loose understanding of several other ancient tongues.

Combat Skills

Dav Man'Sell, master swordsman

"We do not know fear. It is something we inflict on others, but never suffer ourselves. But if there was one being in the galaxy we would fear, it would be Dav Man'Sell."

―The Guardian, one of the main entities of The Corruption, speaking of Dav Man'Sell

Dav Man'Sell was, first and foremost, a fighter and a warrior. Known for his remarkable - even legendary - skill with a Lightsaber, Dav was one of the most fearless and capable Jedi combatants of his era. Dav spent many years studying Lightsaber combat intensely, both before, during, and after his time as Emperor's Hand. As a young Jedi, in the years leading up to the Clone Wars, he was one of a very limited number of students permitted to study Juyo, the incomplete and restricted Form VII, under Jedi Battlemaster Cin Drallig. Having gained a strong grasp of Juyo under Drallig, he later spent a time studying the more refined version, Vaapad, with Sora Bulq and Mace Windu. His understanding and proficiency with Form VII would grow further whilst training under Emperor Palpatine, and he would later perfect his proficiency with the form shortly before becoming Battlemaster of the Yavin IV Jedi Praxeum.

During his decades of exile following the Battle of Endor, Lightsaber training was one of the very few pastimes he allowed himself, focusing intently on refining his skills and improving his abilities. As a result of the massive spiritual and psychological trauma he suffered as a response to the Emperor's death, trauma which left his connection to the Force temporarilly numb, Dav was forced to hone his body and mind to be able to wield the Lightsaber with a high degree of skill without the use of the mystical field to guide him. For a few years after this, the only time Dav was able to truly connect to the Force with any great ability was when he was using his Lightsabers as a point of focus. As a result, Dav's attunement to his Lightsabers, and his ability to use them and fight with them, surpassed almost all his other abilities combined, and far exceeded the abilities of most of his contemporaries in the Jedi Order at that time. When Dav's dark Alter-ego resurfaced, the Alter-ego was able to successfully hold off four of the Yavin IV Praxeum's most powerful and proficient Jedi simultaneously in Lightsaber Combat. The Lightsaber skills he demonstrated, and style of fighting, although more aggressive, carried all the hallmarks of Dav's Light Side persona, suggesting that this was a reflection of his true abilities. Following this event, Dav trained profusely, improving his Lightsaber skills even further.

"As much as I hate to inflate your Ego, I can't help but think you're just going easy on me."

―Tonaris Phedi to Dav Man'Sell during a lightsaber duel.

His preferred combat form was a utilisation of Jar'Kai that was combined with Soresu, Ataru, Djem So, and occasionally Juyo/Vaapad, depending on the opponent, but Dav was just as capable of fighting with a single Lightsaber, and with the other forms of Lightsaber combat. Dav has knowledge of the following forms of Lightsaber Combat:

• Lightsaber Forms
  • Form I: Shii-cho – Mastered
  • Form II: Makashi - Mastered
  • Form III: Soresu - Mastered and Perfected
  • Form IV: Ataru - Mastered and Perfected
  • Form V: Shien / Djem So - Mastered and Perfected
  • Form VI: Niman - Mastered and Perfected
  • Form VII: Juyo / Vaapad - Mastered

• Jar’Kai (Dual-Wielding Lightsaber Combat) - Mastered and Perfected
• Double-bladed Lightsaber Combat - Mastered
• Mounted Lightsaber Combat - Mastered
• Trispzest (Arial Lightsaber Combat) - Proficient
• Telekinetic Lightsaber Combat - Expert, in training
• Lightwhip Combat – Familiar

Dav was a crack shot with blasters and most other conventional firearms, was highly proficient with common melee weapons (such as Swords, Combat Knives, and staff based weapons), as well as being a master of several forms of Unarmed Combat, including the Echani Arts, The 'Broken Gate' techniques of the Old Jedi Order, and an advance knowledge of pressure point fighting. He gained detailed knowledge in many of these skills as a part of his training as an Emperor's Hand, training which also gave him detailed knowledge of stealth and infiltration techniques, knowledge that he demonstrated the ability to put into practice several times. He also demonstrated himself of being capable of very clever psychological combat, demonstrating excellence in Dun Möch as the Emperor's Hand, and it's Inverse as a Jedi.

Dav was also an expert Starfighter Pilot, having proven his talents as being exceptional during the Clone Wars, and continually expanding them, gaining experience and greater knowledge, in the decades that followed. As a Pilot, and later Flight Leader with Dragon Squadron, he demonstrated himself to be among the best pilots in the Galaxy. He also demonstrated, both at the command of Dragon Squadron, and as an Admiral and General in the Yavin IV Defense Force, that he had remarkable strategic acumen, demonstrating a resourcefulness, intelligence, and creativity as a commander in large scale conflicts that few could compete with.

Dav was a very intelligent fighter, and often employed his combat skills in very unorthodox ways, usually to great success. He was an expert on reading the tactics, behaviour, and body-language of his foes to understand their intentions and their combat style, and turn this against them.

Physiology

Dav's unique and mysterious alien heritage gave him a remarkable, natural, physiological ability to heal. His cells demonstrated a rapid ability for replication and regeneration, with old cells being replaced faster than in a human by a level of several factors. This seemed to be an automatic response to damage - the more cells that were damaged, the more surrounding cells worked to replace them, and so, Dav actually healed larger injuries faster than he did smaller ones.

This healing ability did not seem to work on his bones, leaving him vulnerable to structural damage to his skeleton more than anything else. However, his muscles did demonstrate an ability to 'grow stronger' around damaged bones to counter the structural problems. His skeleton responded to Force and standard healing techniques in the same way as any other human.

Dav, unlike many Jedi, worked to keep himself in physically good shape. He combined meditative techniques with vigorous physical training and exercise, and demonstrated remarkable physical strength and flexibility as a result. His unusual healing ability meant that he could lift heavier weights than most others and push his body harder and faster and for longer than normal. He could also function for longer without sleep.

Healing Abilities and Old Age

Dav's natural ability gave him an extremely long life span, as cell degradation through old-age was countered by the fact that the damaged cells were replaced quickly by new, fresh cells. As Dav matured through child-hood and adolescence, he appeared to age at the same rate as a normal human, but as he hit his early twenties, his aging all but stopped, seeming to age at a rate somewhere between five and ten times slower than a human.

By Dav's ninetieth birthday, he appeared to be in his early thirties, barely aging at all in over seventy years. One Scientist theorised that, potentially, Dav could live to be well over a thousand.

Healing Abilities and Poisons and Diseases

Dav showed a remarkable resilience to poisons, diseases, and toxins. His body could resist the damage from them by healing any cells that were affected by them, and in the case of illnesses, produce highly efficient anti-bodies extremely fast. There has been one example, though, of a Neuro-toxin having a prolonged minor affect on Dav. This was due to the Toxin still being present in his body, and his cells constantly repairing the damage. Eventually, the toxin broke down, as it naturally would have. Most other beings would have died long before this point, but Dav's immune system and healing factor kept him alive and functioning for long enough to 'out last' the toxin.

Healing Abilities and The Force

Although his Midi-chlorian count was never exceptionally high, Dav did show a remarkable talent for channelling the Force from other sources. This was due to his body being able to better withstand the strains of using the Force, as his cells healed the damage to them remarkably quickly.

At points, powerful infusions of Force Light or pure Light Side energy have been shown to stimulate his cells, causing their natural regenerative abilities to go into overdrive.

Force Talents

Dav always demonstrated a moderately strong talent in the Force, but his connection to, and control of, his Force Powers was inconsistent. Powerful demonstrations of the Force were not something that seemed to come naturally to him, as it did with Anakin Skywalker, but Dav learnt, as a result of this, to be efficient and intelligent in his use. He was renowned for creative applications of the Force, often achieving just as much with a subtle twitch as many Jedi would through massive and exhausting utilisations of their power.

Clone Wars Era

As a Jedi in the Clone Wars, Dav displayed moderate power in the Force. He was capable of all of the basics, demonstrating (among others) Force Push, Pull, and Telekinesis, Force Leap and Acrobatics, Battle Precognition, Crucitorn (which seemed to come almost naturally to him, due to a combination of his high durability and his strong will power), Jedi Mind Tricks, Telepathy, Force Speed, and Force Valour, all to a fairly advanced degree of proficiency. Dav was also noted to be exceptionally talented and in tune with his Lightsabers, and was able to craft them with all the skill and precision of many of an expert Jedi Artisan. His powers during his first period of exile, on the run from the Purge, remained fairly consistent with his powers in the Clone Wars, although his demonstrations of those powers became less frequent.

Emperor's Hand

When Dav was captured, tortured, and brainwashed by the Emperor, Dav utilised the Force in a considerably different way to his time as a Jedi. He demonstrated a similar proficiency to his use in the Clone Wars, but he added Force Grip, advanced Force Stealth and Force Cloak, Force Lightening, Force Fear, and Torture-by-Chagrin to his list of notably used abilities. He also demonstrated a remarkable ability to channel the Force energy provided to him by Emperor Palpatine - The Emperor discovered that Dav's body seemed more resilient to the burn out that other Force Users could sometimes suffer when he poured all his might into them. Dav's unique physiology meant that he could channel vast amounts of energy from another Force User, making him, potentially, one of the most powerful Emperor's Hands in the Galaxy at that time.

Time in Exile

"It's strange... his Force Presence feels fractured, confused. Fluctuating, one second bright, the next faded. Like it's slipping between here and somewhere else."
"Great, so he's the flickering bulb of the Jedi."

― Luke Skywalker and Kyle Katarn, discussing Dav's Force presence during the Disciples of Ragnos crisis

Following the Emperor's death, and during Dav's second period of exile, his abilities in the Force varied most of all. Immediately after the Emperor's Death, the sudden release from Palpatine's control, and regaining his memories and sense of self, sent Dav into shock - the psychological manifestation of this was his mind cutting off his ability to access the Force at all.

After around six months of total numbness, Dav started to gradually rediscover his Force sensitivity. This firstly happened through his Lightsabers, when he instinctively called one telekinetically to his hand in a moment of need. For several more years after this, he was only able to access the Force in this way, using telekinesis, and other such skills, on or through his Lightsabers. Although highly frustrating for Dav, this eventually lead to his Force bond with his weapons to exceed that of a normal Jedi.

Dav gradually found himself regaining more of his powers, particularly those focused on himself. These included Force Leap, Speed, and Valour, each of which he used at varying points over the course of the first ten years after Palpatine's death. The strength and reliability of these powers improved greatly with time - at first, he could only use them for brief spurts before they died out again.

By the time of the Yuuzhan Vong war, Dav had regained controlled use of Force Speed, Leap, Valour, Push, Pull, Crucitorn, and limited Telekinetic powers. He still remained unable to use most of the Alter school of Force Powers outside of the limited telekinetic skills he had regained, and was almost completely blind to the Sense aspect of Force Abilities, although he demonstrate the ability to 'see through' the Fallanasi illusion used to hide Yavin IV, and had the occasional, very potent, Force Vision. He was also able to engage in Telepathy with other Force Users, but at the time found it difficult, requiring extreme concentration.

Student of Yavin IV

Dav began retraining at Yavin IV, gradually finding some of his abilities - particularly his telepathic powers, which were enhanced through the various Force Bonds he developed, particularly with his Master, Ksandra Mallan. However, for a long while, he was still unable to enhance his powers much beyond the level he had achieved during the Yuuzhan Vong war, without calling on the Dark Side to do so.

Dav's dark alter-ego demonstrated phenomenal power in this time, drawing his energy from Sith Lord Darth Caedus. He demonstrated an affinity for Force Stealth and Cloak just as powerful as the ability he had during the Emperor's reign, capable of disappearing from sight and the Force with remarkable ease. He also showcased remarkable talents in Telekinesis, able to utilise the powerful telekinetic power Force Repulse. He also showed himself to use all of the powers that the Light Side version of Dav could, in remarkably powerful ways. The presence of this Dark Side version of Dav suppressed in Dav's psyche, it was revealed, was the reason for Dav's struggles in accessing the Force since Palpatine's death.

Dav lost his powers again when the Jedi sprung the trap on the assassin attacking the Jedi of the Praxeum. They blocked his access to the Force, and moments later discovered that he was the attacker.

Following the final battle between Dav's dark version, and Ksandra Mallan, the Dark version of Dav was destroyed, and Dav regained full access to the Force. He was able to access all aspects of the Force, just as he had before his torture, brainwashing, and fall to the Dark Side, and the training he had undergone since then stuck with him, giving him greater experience in the Force.

Jedi Master

Dav demonstrated many Force Skills after becoming a Jedi Master. His skills in Telepathy became significantly more potent, using Mind Tricks proficiently, and, through various Force Bonds he had developed, demonstrating the ability to communicate over vast distances. Dav's most potent use of his telepathic abilities came in combat against The Corruption on Helska IV, when he was able to firstly transmit his own memories of being tortured by electrocution into the Corruption - which had a physical and psychological weakness and fear for electric based attacks -, and then later, take control of an element of the Corruption, demonstrating his strong will power. It should be noted particularly that Dav did so through an unusual telepathic connection gained from the corrupted self-harvested Lambent Crystals in his Lightsabers, and that the Corruption's mind was profoundly alien and wildly different to most sentient beings, making his achievements in this regard all the more impressive.

His talents in Battle Precognition, once they returned, were vastly improved, and he was able to act on it almost flawlessly, as the co-ordination between the "danger sense" and his reactions became almost synchronous. He was seen to frequently use the Force to guide his actions, in an almost instinctive way, especially when piloting, feeling dangers or potential problems in his flight path, or the locations of obstacles, incredibly acutely. He was similarly skilled in Lightsaber Combat, able to make incredibly precise cuts and blocks through an almost instinctive application of the Force.

Following the destruction of the 'Hand persona', Dav's demonstrations of Telekinesis were rarely seen to be as flash or powerful as the darker him presented. However, there were a few occurrences where he displayed telekinetic abilities similar to them, including use of Force Repulse, suggesting that his lack of use of them was a personal choice rather than a lack of the talents. He did show himself to be able to use the Force for incredibly small and precise examples of Telekinesis. Dav did, however, demonstrate a remarkable talent in Telekinetic Lightsaber Combat.

Due to his exceptional attunement with his Lightsabers, he demonstrated an almost in instinctive use of all Lightsaber related powers, such as Alter Damage.

Dav first demonstrated his talents in Tutaminis when the Yavin IV Praxeum was booby trapped following it's temporary occupation by Sith Forces. He managed to absorb the energy from a powerful explosive and redirect it harmlessly into the atmosphere. At the time, this use of the Force burnt him out, nearly killing him, but an (as of yet) unexplained surge of Force Energy reinvigorating him. He later demonstrated a more controlled level of it, although not absorbing anywhere near the same level of energy. He also demonstrated the ability to use this power with Force attacks.

Dav continued to display exceptional abilities in Force Stealth and Force Cloak as a full Jedi, frequently known to seem to 'appear out of thin air'.

Dav was remarkably talented with Force Leap and Force powered acrobatics. He also demonstrate the ability to use Force Protect, Tapas, Breath Control, Force Listening, Force Empathy, Force Vision and Farseeing, and Force Deflection to some extent and varying degrees of ability, and demonstrated during a duel with Jago Pulastra's wayward, fallen former Padawan Gideon Wyeth, that he was able to 'root' himself in the Force so that he became an 'immovable object', much in the way Luke Skywalker did during his final duel with UnuThul at the conclusion of the Dark Nest Crisis.

Having traced down the self-exiled Tebana Sor, Dav found her basking in the energies of the Valley of the Jedi on Ruusan. This was the first time since his guardianship of the sacred place during the Yuuzhan Vong War that he had been in the presence of the powerful Force Nexus, and with the wisdom and knowledge he had gained since then, he was more open to it's power than before. Opening himself up as a conduit to it's full power, and opening his mind up to the Force in such a complete fashion, brought him close too a moment of Oneness with the Force. In the months following this, as he fought harder and more often than he ever had before, he discovered that this moment had made his co-ordination with the Force much easier. His talents in the Tutaminis skills increased noticeably, and his already natural talent for observation, analysis, and intuition regarding situations begun to manifest within his Force Abilities too, in the form of the rare and complicated power Shatterpoint. He studied both these abilities further, developing them and making them core to his abilities as a Jedi.

Weapons and Equipment

Main Weapons

Dav's two lightsabers.

• 2 Master-crafted Lightsabers - One (1) green, one (1) blue; styled after Obi-Wan Kenobi/Luke Skywalker); The crystals inside have been perfectly attuned to both Dav and the lightsabers themselves. The crystals help Dav focus his Force Powers even further, allowing him to use the lightsabers as a more direct conduit for his abilities, and making the blades an almost natural extension of his body and mind. The sabers are both waterproof and EM shielded, and feature a tri-phase crystal assembly for quick changes in blade length.

• 1 DL-44 Heavy Blaster - Dav is a crack shot, having been trained to be proficient with all weapons during his time as an Emperor's Hand.

Dav's equipment

Secondary Weapons

• 2 Lightsabers - (Water shielded, EM shielded): Both Purple blades, originally built by Dav’s Dark Side alter ego, the Sith Synth-Crystals have been replaced by self-harvested, Corrupted, Yuuzhan Vong lambent focusing crystals.

Other Equipment

• 1 Wrist-Comp - A unique, multi-use personal computing and communication device with advanced inbuilt sensor systems. The only known copy of the Blueprints for this device currently reside in a redundant memory system in Dav Man'Sell's R2 droid, Dirty.

• 1 Sonic Multi-tool - An entire toolkit in one, handy pocket-sized tool! Using different degrees of EM wave emission, from electrical or magnetic fields, to light, heat, and radio waves, the Sonic^© EM Multi-tool is the most diverse, and not to mention durable, multi-tool in the Galaxy! Settings include (but are not limited too): Hydrospanner function, Demagnetizer function, Plastifibe Agitator Function, Tuning Stylus Function, Finepoint Fusioncutter Function, Lock Breaker Function, and Anti-Adhesive Function.

Behind the Scenes

Please see the Appendices page to this one for various OOC Additions to Dav's article.

Dav Man'Sell is best known as the player character and Star Wars Universe proxy of British Actor, Star Wars fan, and creative writing hobbyist, Dave Mansell.

Dav Man'Sell was originally created as a nameless NPC Jedi Character for the D20 Star Wars Roleplaying Game in early 2001. He eventually took the name Master Man'Sell, and served as the method through which the Player Characters (who were playing through a campaign set in the Rebellion era) could learn about the Force and become Jedi.

Following the conclusion of the Dungeon Master's Roleplaying Campaigns, the character of Master Man'Sell went mostly unused for several years, only occasionally cropping up in various Computer Games as a Player Name, until his creator begun to Roleplay within the Jedi vs Sith Facebook Application. As a result, much of Dav's back story is well established, having been played out or referenced to in the roleplaying campaign, and remains fundamentally unchanged from this original character. This also leads Dav to be one of the longest existing characters in the JvS roleplaying community.

Although similar in many ways to his creator, and an obvious Author Proxy, Dav Man'Sell is not a direct Author-port, and differs greatly from his writer. The writer frequently and freely acknowledges that his character's name is not the most creative, and often wishes he had come up with something a little more creative when he had first made the character.

Dav's Sithies Award

At 2011 Sithies awards, the character of Dav the award for Best Lightside Character. He was presented the award by Sinistra.

There are a number of pieces of art-work centered around the character, most of which were drawn and coloured by the character's original creator. Various design elements of his clothing, and especially some of the designs of some of his equipment, are meant as either a direct reference to the writer (eg: Dav's trademark Greatcoat), or in other cases (such as the Sonic Multi-tool) as tongue-in-cheek tributes to popular British Science Fiction show Doctor Who, of which Dave is an avid fan.

On the 10th of January, 2011, Dave Chat married Mercedes Asari. There was much crying.