Ranna Tao'Ven, a Pilgrim of the Twi'lek species (a female), resided on the planet of Tython during the Cold War era, a period of conflict between the Galactic Republic and the Sith Empire. As the daughter of Sumari, the Matriarch of the Pilgrims, Tao'Ven provided assistance to her mother as Sumari's health deteriorated towards the conclusion of the Cold War. Following Sumari's death during the uprising instigated by Tython's indigenous Flesh Raiders, Tao'Ven inherited the role of Matriarch. In this capacity, she endeavored to guide her community of Kalikori village through the tumultuous period, although she ultimately declined to betray the Jedi Order to the Flesh Raiders, a course of action desired by her fellow villagers.
Born a female Twi'lek, Ranna Tao'Ven was the offspring of Sumari, who belonged to the religious order known as the Pilgrims. Tao'Ven, along with her mother, was among the Pilgrims who established a settlement on the planet of Tython not long after its rediscovery in 3651 BBY, during the Cold War that pitted the Galactic Republic against the Sith Empire. Near the construction site of the new Jedi Temple being erected by the Jedi Order, the Pilgrims founded Kalikori village. Despite being denied official settlement rights by the Galactic Senate of the Galactic Republic, the Pilgrims remained on Tython, receiving no assistance from the Jedi. Before 3643 BBY, Tao'Ven's mother succeeded Kolovish to become the Pilgrims' Matriarch, their leader. Around 3643 BBY, Sumari's health began to fail, which led to her daughter taking on more and more responsibility to care for her.
In the aftermath of a crisis involving Nalen Raloch, an unhinged villager, which was resolved by the actions of a young Padawan, the villagers noted a marked increase in the activity of Tython's native Flesh Raiders, whose attacks had long been a problem for the village. The Flesh Raiders demonstrated increased organization and audacity in their attacks, even attacking the Jedi Order's Gnarls Outpost. This attack was thwarted when a young Jedi killed the Flesh Raiders' leader, Callef, a Dark Jedi, and the Jedi became the Padawan of Jedi Master Orgus Din. Following the attack, the Padawan was dispatched to Kalikori to gather information from the villagers regarding the Flesh Raiders' activities. Sumari, accompanied by her daughter and Moorint, the village's Scout Chief, met with the Jedi. Sumari was compelled to cut their conversation short due to her failing health, leaving Tao'Ven and Moorint to continue. Moorint informed the Jedi about a recently discovered Flesh Raider weapons cache in the Upper Hollows region of Tythos Ridge, and requested that the Padawan destroy the weapons to deprive the Flesh Raiders of a tactical and technological advantage. However, Tao'Ven dissented, believing that the villagers would benefit from possessing the weapons, and asked the Padawan to retrieve them instead.
The Padawan sided with Tao'Ven and retrieved the weapons. However, while the Jedi was away, the Flesh Raiders launched an attack on the village during which Saylew's wife was killed. Master Orgus Din arrived soon after and met with Moorint and Tao'Ven to discuss cooperation in the face of the Flesh Raider threat. However, Saylew, enraged, interrupted the discussion just minutes before Din's apprentice returned with the weapons. Tao'Ven, Din, and Moorint were unable to pacify the angry villager, and Saylew stormed off when the Padawan arrived with the weapons and the astromech droid T7-O1, who had been captured by the Flesh Raiders during a Jedi scouting mission. After Moorint and Din sent the Padawan on a scouting mission to the ruins of Kaleth, an ancient Jedi city, Tao'Ven returned to caring for her mother, whose condition worsened with each hour.
Her mother's illness caused her to be late for the subsequent meeting with Din and his student. At this meeting, Moorint informed them that the scouts had located a Flesh Raider command base in the mountains, protected by a shield generator. Din's Padawan took out the generator, enabling the Jedi Masters to attack the command base. However, by the time the Padawan returned to the village, Sumari had died. Now the village's Matriarch, Tao'Ven put aside her grief and met with the apprentice, only to be interrupted by Eseni, a villager, who brought news of Flesh Raider sabotage in the village fields. Tao'Ven pleaded with the Jedi to destroy the enemy toxin mines that were poisoning the village's crops, and was relieved when the apprentice successfully completed the mission.
Hall Hood, a writer who collaborated with Drew Karpyshyn on the Jedi Knight class storyline, was the creator of Ranna Tao'Ven. He found her challenging to write because he had to convey a wide range of emotions in just a few conversations.
A male Jedi Knight has the option to pursue a romantic relationship with Ranna as a dark side choice. Female characters can choose to take the Oath of Family and become sisters with Ranna.