Star Wars Universe Roleplaying Game

Selonian

Selonians are sentient mammalian beings native to Selonia in the Corellian System, where their society is organized into vast underground warrens called Dens. Each Den is built around a single fertile female "Queen," a small number of fertile males, and a large population of sterile females who make up the bulk of Selonian society. Within each Den, offspring of the same father form sub-groups called Septs, and these Septs are usually trained from birth toward particular roles: guardians, technicians, negotiators, transport specialists, or any other function the Den requires. Selonians see themselves first and foremost as members of their Den, and every skill, talent, and resource is understood in terms of how it serves the collective.

Although their culture can appear primitive to outsiders—built around communal living, tight-knit kin groups, and deeply ingrained ritual obligations—the reality is far more complex. Selonian Dens are linked by subterranean transit systems, computer networks, and industrial facilities that quietly support the greater Corellian economy. Their manufacturing capabilities help supply the famed Corellian shipyards with high-tech components, and they maintain their own fleet of system-traveling starships. However, Selonians traditionally have little interest in the wider galaxy, choosing not to invest in hyperdrive-equipped craft and instead focusing on the Corellian System they know and defend.

Historically, this inward focus and the careful selection of which Selonians were permitted to deal with outsiders kept their people relatively insulated from Imperial control. Only specially trained sterile females—educated in alien customs, languages, and social cues—were sent to represent the Dens to humans and other species. These envoys presented a friendly, charitable, and cooperative face, even when their true loyalties lay solely with the Den. When the Empire’s grip on the Corellian System fractured, Selonia was drawn into the resulting power struggles and faced the terrifying possibility of planetary devastation. That crisis forced many Dens to reevaluate their relationship with the wider galaxy.

In the aftermath, Selonian society became even more wary of external entanglements, withdrawing from many interplanetary dealings. At the same time, the shock of nearly losing their world gave rise to a small but important minority: Selonians who believe their people must adapt, communicate more honestly with other species, and engage the galaxy on their own terms. These rare individuals—often the kind who become scouts, mediators, or even reluctant heroes—walk a delicate line between loyalty to their Dens and curiosity about life beyond the tunnels.

On their homeworld, Selonians live in tightly ordered, consensus-driven communities where individual desires are secondary to the welfare of the group. Offworld, they tend to be seen as capable, efficient, and unusually focused, though sometimes emotionally distant. Adventuring Selonians are almost always outliers, either selected for specialized assignments or driven by an uncommon urge to see the galaxy, challenge tradition, or protect their people from threats that cannot be confronted from underground.

Home Planet: Selonia, a temperate Core world of scattered islands separated by countless seas, bays, and inlets.
Physical Description: Selonians are tall, slender, otter-like humanoids that stand comfortably between 1.8 and 2.2 meters in height, with females typically being larger than males. Their bodies are longer than a typical Human’s, but their arms and legs are somewhat shorter, giving them a sleek, elongated silhouette. A thick, muscular tail extends from the base of the spine and serves as both a stabilizer and a counterweight, allowing them to move with surprising agility when standing upright or running on all fours. Their hands and feet are pawlike, each tipped with retractable claws that aid in climbing, digging, and close-quarters defense.

Their faces feature a short muzzle tipped with a flat, dark nose, framed by bristly whiskers that twitch and flick in response to scents and air currents. Selonian fur is dense, smooth, and waterproof, ranging in color from deep chestnut and dark brown to beige, cream, and even white, sometimes patterned with stripes or subtle markings. Their eyes are notably light-sensitive; while they see well in dim tunnels and low-light environments, sudden bright flashes can overwhelm their vision and leave them disoriented or stunned. This vulnerability makes flash-based weapons particularly effective against them.

Selonians rarely wear clothing in their own Dens, where temperature and environment are carefully controlled and modesty is defined more by behavior than by garments. Offworld or when dealing regularly with aliens, they adapt to local expectations and wear uniforms, utility harnesses, or practical outfits tailored to their digitigrade legs and powerful tails. Their movements are fluid and precise, and even when they appear relaxed, there is a coiled, animal grace to the way they walk, sit, and shift their weight.

Average Height: Adult Selonians generally stand between 1.8 and 2.2 meters tall, with females tending toward the taller end of the range.
Average Weight: Selonians are lean but powerfully built, typically weighing between 70 and 100 kilograms depending on height and role within the Den.
Age of Adulthood: Selonians reach adulthood around 15 years of age, with most considered young adults between 9 and 14 and entering middle age in their mid-thirties.

Personality & Customs: Selonian culture is profoundly collectivist. From the moment they are old enough to understand speech, Selonians are taught that the needs of the Den outweigh the desires of any individual. Every decision is weighed in terms of its impact on the community, and most Selonians feel a deep psychological need to reach consensus before acting on important matters. Disagreements rarely escalate into violence; instead, they are channeled through layered discussions, subtle social pressures, and the weight of tradition until a shared course of action emerges.

Most Selonians have little interest in the galaxy beyond the Corellian System. Their focus is on safeguarding their Dens, maintaining their industrial commitments, and ensuring that the complex web of favors and exchanges between Dens remains in balance. They often come across as reserved or aloof in mixed-species settings, not because they lack empathy, but because their emotional framework is oriented around the Den rather than the individual. Their loyalty is fierce, but tightly aimed: a Selonian will make great sacrifices for their people, yet feel relatively indifferent to outsiders who do not threaten or aid their home.

Select sterile females are rigorously trained to serve as ambassadors, negotiators, and liaisons to other species. These Selonians learn to mimic the body language, conversational patterns, and social cues that put humans and other aliens at ease. To offworlders, they can seem warm, polite, and charitable—eager to help, quick to compromise, and unfailingly courteous. Beneath those practiced mannerisms, however, their true priority remains unchanged: everything they say and do is calculated to protect and benefit their Den.

Selonians possess an acute sense of smell and can detect pheromones and subtle scents that reveal strong emotions such as anger, fear, or shame. This makes them perceptive judges of mood, though not always of intent, and can leave them unsettled in crowded, emotionally turbulent environments. Combined with their sensitivity to bright light, this often reinforces their preference for controlled, familiar spaces. Those Selonians who take up lives as explorers, troubleshooters, or adventurers usually do so for very specific reasons—whether it is to fulfill a Den assignment, seek leverage against a perceived threat, or challenge the old ways so their people can survive in a changing galaxy.

Languages: Selonians speak, read, and write Selonian. Those accustomed to dealing with offworlders also learn to speak Basic.

Example Names: Cavisek, Chertyl Ruluwoor, Dracmus, Kleyvits, Maronea, Salculd, Vissica.