Species: Askajian
Home Planet: Askaj
Attribute Dice: 12D
DEXTERITY 1D/3D
KNOWLEDGE 1D+2/4D
MECHANICAL 2D+1/4D
PERCEPTION 2D/5D
STRENGTH 1D/2D
TECHNICAL 2D/5D
Special Abilities:
Water Storage: Askajians can effectively store water in their bodies. When traveling in desert conditions, Askajians reqiure only a tenth of a liter of water per day.
Move: 10
Size: 1-2 meters tall
Background: Askajians were a sentient, mammalian humanoid species from the planet Askaj in the Outer Rim Territories.
Externally, Askajians appeared very similar to humans, mainly differing in the thick, wrinkled skin on their foreheads, their six breasts, and their girth. Internally, the mammalian species was adapted to desert survival with large epidermal sacs for water storage. This allowed them to go for several weeks without water. An Askajian could shed up to sixty percent of the water in his or her body with no effect other than tremendous slimming. Askajians like Yarna d’al’ Gargan were normally slender, and imbibing huge volumes of water increased their girth considerably. Askajians also had two hearts.
Askajians lived in a primitive, tribal society, living mostly by gathering plants and hunting herds of large, woolly beasts called tomuons. Askajians used their meat, milk, fat, wool, hooves, and bones for fabric, food, shelter, and other essential items.
One of the most important figures in an Askajian tribe was the weaver, who knew the secret techniques to create tomoun cloth. Tomoun cloth was a strong, yet soft and wrinkle-resistant fabric that was a high-demand luxury item as far away as the Core Worlds. It was rumored that even Palpatine’s robes were made of tomuon wool. As this was the only export the Askajians had, their tribes had been known to fight wars over the services of especially skilled weavers.
The main political organizations among the Askajians were nomadic tribes composed of several extended families. These tribes were led by male or female hereditary chieftains, depending on the region. Many tribes formed loose military alliances with one another in order to make war on other tribal federations.
Dancers were also important in Askajian culture. A skilled dancer acted as a shaman and loremaster, re-enacting tribal history and legend and leading worship of their main goddess, the Moon Lady, which was the moon of Askaj. The shamans of the Moon Lady taught that joy could be found in just about everything, and that tragedy was the best time for mirth. They encouraged folk to laugh even as they die.
In the Askajian language, “Yarna” meant “pretty”. An early version of this language was known as ancient Askajian. The Song of the Dongtha Slayer was a musical piece in ancient Askajian, containing a whopping 722 known verses.
Askajian younglings were called “cubs” or “cublings”.