Star Wars Universe Roleplaying Game

Nautolan

Nautolans are an amphibious, sentient species native to the oceanic world of Glee Anselm. Evolved in the crushing depths and murky waters of their homeworld, they are perfectly at home in both sea and air, moving between the two with an ease that baffles more landlocked Species. Their most recognizable features are their large, dark eyes and the crown of long, flexible head-tentacles that drape from their skulls. These tendrils are far more than decoration—they are sensitive sensory organs that read chemical traces and pheromones in the water and air, allowing Nautolans to interpret the emotional states of those around them with uncanny precision.

Though perfectly capable of living on land for long stretches, Nautolans always carry the sea with them in spirit. They speak of the “ocean’s will” or “ocean spirit” as a guiding force in their culture, a metaphor for balance, flow, and consequence. Their myths tell of ancient conflicts with their land-dwelling neighbors, the Anselmi, who ignored Nautolan warnings about upsetting the balance of nature. When the Anselmi’s hubris led to ecological catastrophe and ruin, the Nautolans internalized the lesson: defy the natural balance, and the sea—or the galaxy—will eventually reclaim its due.

Over centuries, Nautolans built gleaming underwater cities that sprawl across the seabed, illuminated by bioluminescent flora and subtle artificial lighting suited to their dark-adapted eyes. Their society tends toward prosperity and mutual support, with a strong emphasis on community, cooperation, and respect for the environment. Nautolans are generally generous with their resources and slow to anger, but once their home, family, or ideals are threatened, they prove themselves tenacious defenders who do not back down easily.

As the galaxy expanded around them, many Nautolans took naturally to roles that married their physical resilience and social intuition: starship captains who can read a tense negotiation before words are spoken, Jedi Knights whose calm presence is backed by an empathic awareness of others, scouts and soldiers who excel in both aquatic and terrestrial theaters. Despite the turmoil of galactic history, Nautolans are widely respected as loyal allies, levelheaded mediators, and surprisingly fierce warriors when pushed too far.

Those who leave Glee Anselm often do so in search of adventure, purpose, or service. A Nautolan might join the Jedi Order, enlist in a planetary defense force, serve as a ship’s engineer or navigator, or become a diplomat whose quiet insight cuts through a room’s unspoken tension. Wherever they go, they bring their deep-seated sense of emotional resonance, their affinity for teamwork, and a worldview shaped by currents, tides, and the knowledge that no storm lasts forever.

Home Planet: Glee Anselm
Physical Description: Nautolans are amphibious Near-Humans with thick, smooth skin that can appear in shades of green, blue, gray, purple, yellow, or orange, often mottled or speckled with darker spots. Standing around 1.8 meters tall on average, they have powerful, well-supported frames reinforced by extra cartilage, which allows them to endure pressure changes and harsh environments that would overwhelm many other Species. Their large, dark eyes are adapted to low-light conditions, granting them excellent vision in dim and underwater environments where details would be lost to most surface dwellers. The most striking feature of a Nautolan is the crown of long, flexible head-tentacles that hang from the back and sides of the scalp. These tresses are packed with highly sensitive olfactory and chemical receptors, originally evolved to read currents and pheromones in the deep oceans of Glee Anselm. In practice, these tentacles allow a Nautolan to subtly interpret the emotional states and stress levels of nearby beings by detecting hormonal and pheromonal shifts. Many Nautolans decorate their tendrils with beads, leather bands, metal rings, or braided wraps that indicate personal style, family traditions, or cultural affiliations. Their physiology is fully amphibious: Nautolans can breathe both air and water, and they are exceptional swimmers with strong limbs and an efficient, fluid swimming style. On land they move with a grounded, confident gait, but in water their full grace becomes apparent. Despite their aquatic origins, Nautolans tolerate a wide range of climates and can function comfortably in environments that would trouble other amphibious Species. However, prolonged desiccation or extreme aridity is uncomfortable and potentially dangerous, and most Nautolans prefer at least occasional access to water or high humidity.

Average Height: 1.8 meters
Average Weight: 75 kilograms
Age of Adulthood: 15 years

Personality & Customs: Nautolans are loyal, emotionally attuned, and often surprisingly expressive. They tend to wear their feelings openly—joy, sorrow, anger, and excitement all manifest vividly in their posture, tone, and the subtle movements of their head-tentacles. At the same time, their empathic awareness means that they are heavily influenced by the emotions of others; a Nautolan surrounded by laughter will naturally grow more relaxed and cheerful, while one immersed in fear and hostility may become tense, impatient, or even aggressive. Many Nautolans learn to manage this empathic feedback through discipline, meditation, or training, but the pull of others’ emotions is always present. Culturally, Nautolans value community, balance, and mutual support over individual glory. They are courteous and generally peaceful, preferring negotiation and cooperation to unnecessary violence. However, when pushed into conflict—especially when defending their home, creche-mates, or ideals—they can be relentless fighters with a strong sense of duty and commitment. Once a Nautolan chooses a cause or ally, they are famously steadfast, often staying loyal long after others might have abandoned the effort as hopeless. Their native language, Nautila, is a complex blend of sounds and pheromonal signaling originally designed for underwater communication. Within the oceans of Glee Anselm, Nautila can convey rich emotional nuance, layered instructions, and even detailed coordinates or strategies through carefully modulated chemical cues. Out of water, much of this subtlety is lost, so Nautolans commonly learn Basic or Anselmian for everyday use offworld. Socially, they maintain distinctive customs such as pressing cheeks or drawing close when saying farewell—a gesture that reinforces emotional connection and allows their tresses to read another’s mood one last time. Nautolan adventurers are drawn to roles where their resilience and empathy shine. They make excellent Jedi, diplomats, scouts, naval officers, and shipboard specialists. Many gravitate toward careers that involve protecting others, exploring the unknown, or bringing balance to volatile situations. Even when far from Glee Anselm’s oceans, they carry its lessons: every tide turns, every storm passes, and those who listen to the currents around them can survive even the harshest seas.

Languages: Nautila, Basic, often Anselmian

Example Names: Hiskar Dorset, Kit Fisto, Ploss Niklos, Renko Losa, Pin Mako, Setel Yast