Star Wars Universe Roleplaying Game

Kaleesh

The Kaleesh are a fierce, red-skinned reptilian species from the harsh world of Kalee in Wild Space. Recognizable by their slit-pupiled yellow eyes, elongated ears, bony facial ridges, and fearsome lower-jaw tusks, they are among the most formidable warriors in the galaxy. Nearly all Kaleesh conceal their true faces behind traditional war masks—grim visages carved from the skulls, teeth, and bones of Kalee’s deadliest predators such as mumuu, erkush, and karabbac. These masks serve as symbols of identity, pride, lineage, and victory, and outsiders who imitate or mock them quickly learn how little mercy a Kaleesh shows.

Their culture is primal but deeply spiritual. The Kaleesh worship their ancestors as gods, believing every fallen warrior ascends to divine status. Honor, blood-debt, and clan loyalty form the bedrock of their society. Kaleesh warriors are raised in environments of constant struggle, hunting monstrous beasts to prove bravery and fighting ceaseless conflicts—none more infamous than their brutal war against the Yam’rii of nearby Huk. Though technologically inferior, the Kaleesh devastated their insectoid oppressors until the Republic intervened in favor of the Yam’rii, crippling Kalee with sanctions and embargos that starved countless civilians.

Though outsiders view them as savage warmongers, the Kaleesh are fiercely protective of family, tradition, and sacred burial grounds. They respect honorable strength and repay loyalty with absolute devotion. When a Kaleesh bonds to an offworld ally—rare, but not impossible—that bond becomes as strong as blood.

A few Kaleesh rise to galactic prominence, most notably Qymaen jai Sheelal, the warrior who would become General Grievous. His legendary ruthlessness, strategic brilliance, and unmatched martial skill reflect the intense discipline of Kaleesh battle traditions, some of which were later adapted by Jedi martial arts instructors into the form known as Na Jang.

Kaleesh adventurers are hardened survivors shaped by loss, war, and ancestral duty. Their instinctive hunting reflexes, honed senses, and natural agility make them exceptional Scouts and Soldiers, though their disdain for technology and difficulty trusting outsiders can complicate their journeys beyond Kalee.

Home Planet: Kalee (Wild Space)
Physical Description: Kaleesh possess red or yellow-toned scaly skin, elongated pointed ears, flat or snub noses, and piercing yellow eyes with vertical pupils. Their lower jaws feature two prominent tusks, and their hands have four long fingers—two of which are fully opposable. Digitigrade leg structure and sharp claws give them predatory agility. Out of cultural tradition and reverence for ancestral hunts, they almost always wear ornate bone masks crafted from dangerous beasts native to Kalee.

Average Height: 1.6–1.8 meters
Average Weight: 75–80 kilograms
Age of Adulthood: 25 standard years

Personality & Customs: Kaleesh are proud, disciplined, and warlike. They value honor, ancestral duty, and clan loyalty above all else. Outsiders see them as merciless, but among their own people they respect bravery, sacrifice, and strength of will. Their spiritual beliefs revolve around ancestor-gods, heroic martyrdom, and sacred battle rites. Though slow to trust non-Kaleesh, those who earn their respect gain lifelong loyalty.

Languages: Kaleesh; most also speak Basic due to historic conflicts with the Huk and the Republic.

Example Names: Qymaen jai Sheelal, Ronderu lij Kummar, Bentilais san Sk’ar