Twi'lek
Twi'leks
Twi'leks are tall, thin humanoids indigenous to the Ryloth system in the Outer Rim. Their most notable feature is the tentacle head-tails called "lekku" that protrude from the back of the skull. These sensitive prehensile appendages serve both sensual and cognitive functions. In rare instances, individuals are born with more than two lekku, and this variation often affords them status.
Twi'leks are mostly hairless and their skin comes in many variations of color, spanning the rainbow. There are particular names for Twi'leks of each color:
- Yellow and Orange: Tolian
- Red: Lethan
- Purple: Tyrian
- Blue: Rutian
- Green: Tukian
- Brown/Tan: Darian
Red Lethan Twi'leks are a genetic rarity, like albinos of other species.
Twi'leks are omnivorous and possess multiple stomachs, an unusual trait enabling them to eat almost any food. On Ryloth, they cultivate edible molds and fungi and raise bovine-like rycrits, which they use for food and clothing. As the harsh climate of their homeworld is not suited to intensive standard agriculture, Twi'leks have historically found food sources wherever they can, and consequently traditional Twi'leki cuisine can seem a little 'eclectic' to outsiders.
Historically, Twi'leks do not constitute a major force in galactic warfare. As a culture, they generally prize subtlety and cleverness over direct conflict, and as such sometimes have a reputation as untrustworthy or disingenuous.
Ryloth
Ryloth is a dry, rocky world with a peculiar orbit that causes one half of the world to remain a barren, unlivable desert where the sun's rays constantly scorch the surface. The other side is always trapped in frigid darkness. Most of Ryloth's indigenous species inhabit the "twilight" section that borders the light and dark side of the world, where the climate is more temperate. Twi'lek civilization includes large, urban population centers such as Lessu and Kala'uun, as well as underground cities built in networks of caves or dug into mountains, and primitive tribes eking out an existence at the farthest edges of the planet's habitable zone. The farther one travels from the cities, blistering heat storms and armored predators pose an increasing threat.
Because home-grown technology and spacefaring industries are extremely limited on Ryloth, Twi'leks have grown dependent on neighboring systems (as well as pirates, smugglers, and merchants) for much of their galactic interaction. One of Ryloth's main exports is its own people, and the planet has used slavery as currency since the time of its entry into the Old Republic. The slave trade is deeply entrenched, and often ignored by governments in power. Ryloth's other chief export is the mineral ryll spice, blooms of which are found in abundance all over the planet. Although ryll has medicinal applications, it's more commonly refined into a recreational drug, and its mining and trafficking fuel the planet's shadow economy.
Language resources for RP
Unless it appears in a canon source, it can't be considered canon, so take it all with a grain of salt. That being said, there are some resources out there for RP flavor:
- Wookieepedia list of words/name compenents in Ryl.
- Twi'lek lore by and for RPers, but there isn't much indication of what the sources are, if any.
- A Universal Dictionary of Twi'leki Terms. That's right. Someone made this. From www.projecttwilex.com
Sources/More Info
- Wookieepedia page on Twi'leks
- Star Wars: The Essential Atlas
- Star Wars: The Essential Guide to Alien Species
