Chelidae

Last Updated: 09/11/2025

Name: Chelidae (Shell Folk)

Humanoid: No

Classification: Reptillian (Chelonian)

Homeworld: Castilon

Coloration: Green, Gray, Red, Brown, Tan, and/or Orange

Biology: The Chelidae are a unique, turtle-like species. They are short, with a hunched back, as well as long arms dropping past their knees. Their feet have three toes, and their hands have three long fingers. Their skin is thick, and usually takes on a darker green, gray, or orange pigmentation, while their faces, under bellies, underarms, and a few other places are a much lighter shade of the same color. They only stand around 1.5 meters tall at their highest, and their knees are perpetually bent.

Chelidae have an enormous, almost impractical shell on their back that extends from their knees to well above their heads. This shell is loose fitted, and you are actually able to see inside. Unlike some turtle-like species, Chelidae cannot retract into said shell fully, although they can lay on their backs and tuck their limbs inside to rest. The majority of their front and stomach is also covered with a shell-like material, although somehow they were able to tuck clothes underneath it. This makes them seem more tortoise-like, although their amphibious nature debunks that. Their shells often have unique designs on them, although it is unclear if these were painted/etched or are natural.

The Chelidae’s head is very turtle-like and their neck extends up and forwards at an angle. The top of their head is very wrinkled, and their eyes are set on the sides of their head, limiting their full fields of view. Their ear canals are located towards the back of their head, and are usually obscured by their clothing, however, they have an incredibly keen sense of hearing which more than makes up for their eyesight. Their nostrils are very wide set, and their wide mouths extend all the way from one side of their head to the other, although they don’t seem to be able to open them very wide. Male Chelidae are capable of growing facial hair similar to the color of their skin, while the female Chelidae are not.

The Chelidae have the ability to slow down their entire network of bodily functions, allowing them to go into a temporary state of hibernation. The Chelidae also have the ability to breath underwater, and their thick skin in combination with their pseudo-hibernation abilities allow them to swim in some of the coldest and hottest watery environments of any species. Even when not intentionally slowing themselves down, the Chelidae are one of the slowest sentient species found in the known galaxy due to their bulky size, weight, and evolutionary ancestry. They walk, talk, blink, and move all of their appendages at a speed slow enough to annoy or outright frustrate most other species. Their superior hearing and brain functions, however, allow them to hear more and process things incredibly quickly.

They are also proficient swimmers, although as on land, they move incredibly slow underwater. They can also make themselves buoyant, allowing them to rapidly float to the surface and use their shells as miniature boats. The pseudo-hibernation states they enter allow them to better process things, as well as get the periodic but powerful rest they need to continue their generally busy daily duties. Chelidae speak a language consisting of short, low moans (reminiscent of Shyriiwook in a few ways, albeit slower), and do not have the ability to speak Basic.

Lore: The Chelidae were master engineers, and were incredibly smart, but were discredited due to their extremely slow movements. This often allowed them to slip completely under the radar and act as inadvertent spies. Because of their technical genius, most Chelidae live in engineer colonies in or under technologically advanced cities. They hardly ever see the light of day, any outsiders, and definitely not water, although they actually prefer living on land than their watery homes. They do value loyalty, and if you befriend a Chelidae clan, you’re most likely their ally for life. They are proficient workers, even if they are slow, as instead of sleeping for long hours of the day, they go into hibernation for a short time periodically, which saves time in the long run. They have incredible stamina, and are very efficient, eliminating any extra steps in favor of fixing things quickly but still satisfactorily. The Chelidae generally remained neutral during any galactic war, but did lend their expertise to the Resistance during their fight against the First Order. (Almost all Chelidae wore what appears to be a form of nose ring, although it is unclear whether this was to side them biologically, part of their culture, or simply a fashion choice, although the latter seems unlikely as they hardly ever interact with other beings.)

Continuity: The Chelidae only exist within the current Canon, introduced in the animated series “Star Wars Resistance.”

Unexplored: So since we have only truly seen on group, albeit a massive one, of this leisurely species, there is a lot to explore in regards to the rest of their kind. Are all of them adept techno wizards or engineers/mechanics, or do they rely on other professions to fuel their economy as well? Are the nose rings an indication of some form of tribal culture? How long are their lifespans, as everything else about them is slower so they will most likely age much slower? What do you Chelidae look like, and when do they start to develop their massive shell? Why does their shell appear as though it is “removable?”

We can also explore their relationship with the rest of the galaxy further. Were they invoke at all with the Clone Wars? Did the Republic and Jedi find them during their expansion, or were they located and introduced to the outside galaxy much later? Did the Chelidae have the resources, tools, and knowledge to design and craft weapons, or even better yet, spacecraft? Were they ever targeted by the Zygerrians or Galactic Empire, especially for their labor capacity and the Death Star? Did they ally themselves with the Rebellion, and how many actually assisted the Resistance? Were they present at the battle of Exegol aboard their own finely-tuned vessels?

Additional Notes: Ultimately, this species is pretty unique, and fits right in with the rest of the Star Wars universe. It has a memorable design and a sought after skill set, but they are also slow. Really slow. Which is perfectly fine for a turtle-species. But for a character in your story? It’s a hurdle that will have to be tackled one way or another! They may not have potential to be much in the role of a story protagonist, but they would be an interesting species to visit, a great background character to reference, or even a recurring mechanic that can fix up a ship in a jiff!

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