Krikthasi

Last Updated: 12/5/2023

Name: Krikthasi

Humanoid: No

Classification: Amphibious

Homeworld: Baralou

Coloration: Black or Brown

Biology: The Krikthasi were a bizarre and biologically unique amphibious species native to the watery world of Baralou. Adult Krikthasi were over 8 feet long, with thick, slimy bodies that extended in a serpentine fashion. Despite this, they were actually classified as “mollusks” and had a to remain in water to survive. When staying unsubmerged for extended periods of time, the mucous coating their body would eventually run out and they would dry out, shrivel up, and die. It is unclear whether they could actually breath out of water or not.

Eight suction cup-covered tentacles protruded from their bodies, four from around their tail, and the other four from their “neck.” These tentacles were very versatile, and were fantastic at either grabbing and moving objects or just propelling the Krikthasi across the ocean floor. Their tail was short, wide, and segmented, taking on the shape of a large dorsal fin or fins (the number depended upon their individual blood lines). Their heads on the other hand were rather small and triangular. They had four small (but incredibly advanced) eyes underneath two larger cavities on their foreheads. One of these cavities simply served as the Krikthasi’s mouth, while the other was similar to a vacuum. It is unclear which side served which role, whether it differed from individual to individual, or whether they were completely interchangeable.

When water was ingested through the head category, it was pushed and churned throughout their incredibly muscular bodies before being forcefully expelled through a number of small anal vents on the Krikthasi’s rear. This natural jet system could propel a Krikthasi upwards of 25 miles per hour under water, making them incredibly quick, proficient, and precise swimmers. Being struck by their brawny bodies at these speeds could cause some serious injuries or damage to submersible vessels.

Now, because of their strange mouth shape, the Krikthasi could not actually speak (although they could produce a noise). Instead, they communicated by altering the color of their body. This visual “language” was easily understood by fellow Krikthasi, but very hard to decipher and translate by offworlders (and even some translator droids). While they were naturally black or brown, but could manipulate their “chromanins” to alter the color of certain areas of their bodies, as well as the speed, shape, intensity, and movement of the color changes, each meaning something completely different in their language. However, it was generally agreed that blue and green indicated aggression or hunger, while orange and red indicated peace or inquisition, and yellow indicated defense or territorialism. They can also simply use these color changes as a means of survival and defense.

The Krikthasi had fairly long lifespans, partially due to their diets and naturally health bodies, as well as their sense of innate sense of self-preservation. Being strictly carnivores, their diet consisted of fish, as well as the eggs of their fellow species, the Multopos. Not only were they carnivorous, but the Krikthasi were instinctively violent and hostile, and it took time and experience for them to be able to conquer these overwhelming emotions. They could also emit a frequency that caused all of the nearby Treppok Fish to bend to their will, although the relationship between the two species is still unclear.

Lore: The Krikthasi dwelled entirely underwater on the planet Baralou and never left their homeworld. They were highly intelligent, but also hyper violent and easily agitated. They rarely applied their knowledge to anything in their daily lives, choosing to stay technologically primitive and sheltered. They used coral, bone, and driftwood to make tools and rudimentary weapons, and built their structures almost exclusively out of the interconnected skeletons of adult Treppok fish. They could also emit a noise known as a “Treppok Call” that hit a certain frequency used to control and manipulate smaller Treppok fish to do their bidding.

The oceans of Baralou were split into different nations known as “Junieuw.” Each Junieuw was ruled by their greatest warrior, going by the title “Osi.” The Osi of each nation had almost absolute power over their Junieuw, the individual territories within it, and their citizens. It is unclear how new Osi were determined, whether it was by challenging the old Osi or simply proving yourself with some sort of violent feat. Some Krikthasi did not live under the rule of any Osi, instead living in even less advanced tribes in the fringes of the ocean. 

Krikthasi were incredibly territorial, and Junieuw often went to war with each other over fish schools, other food sources, or sometimes just because they felt like it. Their rudimentary weapons and incredible speeds made these skirmishes absolutely brutal bloodsheds. Despite their ferocity towards each other, they despised non-Krikthasi even more. Their dual underwater and land-dwelling neighbors, the Multopos, were often the recipients of their hatred and malice. During high tides and stormy seasons, the Krikthasi would invade the Multopos settlements and slaughter them, as well as steal their eggs to use as a food source. Much like the Kubaz and Insectoid species, the Kirkthasi could not comprehend the idea that the Multopos could be even remotely sentient.

Eventually the Multopos grew tired of their actions, and acquired blasters and other modern weaponry from offworld. This changed the nature of their interactions, and they eventually drove the offensive Krikthasi into a defensive position. They could not compete with modern technology and were truly fearful for the first time in their collective lives. The Multopos then began slowly hunting and killing out the Krikthasi in ironic revenge. Sometime during the Galactic Civil War, they were visited by Imperial researchers. Instead of greeting these researchers with hostility, they actually approached them with curiosity and openness. This was mostly in an attempt to gain technology and weapons that would rival the Multopos, but it still gave the researchers the first official chance to study the species in-depth.

Legends/Canon: This species, as well as the Multopor and Baralou, are presently not Canon.

Unexplored: Now of course, because they are relegated to Legends, technically anything can be explored or rewritten if porting the Krikthasi over to Canon. However, if you would rather rely on their preestablished history and lore, then there’s not a whole lot to explore. The most interesting things may to see what they did during the Clone Wars, and if they were affected at all. How further interactions after their initial meeting with the Empire went, and would they consider themselves an enemy or ally of the galactic government. And what happened in later eras, whether that is the Canon Age of Resistance, or the Legends Dark Empire, Yuuzhan Vong Invasion, and Second Galactic Civil War eras.

Additional Notes: What can I say? This is a fleshed-out, bizarrely alien species. They’re fairly one-note, and while they have interesting lore, I’m not sure how interesting they would be to write individually. It seems that they have a very collective mindset and are characterized almost entirely by instinct. Still, if you’re a good author this may seem like more of a challenge than a limitation, so good luck! (Make sure to check out my article on the Multopos for even more expansive lore.)

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