Lannik

Last Updated: 12/1/2023 (OUTDATED)

Name: Lannik

Humanoid: Yes

Classification: Dwarf/Near-Human

Homeworld: Lannik

Coloration: Pink, Orange, Red, Purple or Blue

Biology: The Lanniks were a somewhat human-like species bearing some fantasy goblin, elf, and dwarf-like characteristics as well. They stood on average around 1.2 meters in height. Lanniks have been observed with pink, orange, red, or even purple or blue skin that was rather thick and durable. Male Lanniks were noticeably squat, while females appeared to be a tad thinner and possibly taller. 

They exclusive grew long, black or dark brown hair (although it did gray with age), usually in the same places as Humans. Their faces were also rather human-like, but usually featured naturally down-turning mouths. The Lanniks’ most identifiable traits were their long, floppy ears that extended .2 to .4 meters out from the sides of their heads. They had naturally incredible hearing, only enhanced by these massive ears. Lanniks had the capacity to speak Basic as well as their own language, also named Lannik, and from what we know, they generally had longer lifespans than that of the average being.

Lore: Compared to many other species, the Lanniks were introduced to the greater galaxy rather late, being discovered by a collection of Human and Duros explorers around 15,000 BBY who reported their existence back to the Republic. Instead of attempting to colonize the planet (also referred to as Lannik), the explorers supposedly gifted the Lannik people with “modern” technology and went on their way. The Lanniks took this tech and quickly evolved their society, nearly catching up to the rest of the galaxy in regards to progress by the time of the Clone Wars. 

While surprisingly intelligent, the Lanniks were naturally aggressive and confrontational, very conflicting traits for a species to have. Despite their small stature, the average Lannik was a proficient warrior. Most Lanniks lacked much semblance of fear, and were able to keep a level head during combat regardless of how aggressive they physically became. They were very independent and headstrong, but did at least submit to their small governing body, the Lannik High Court.

When the primitive Lanniks received their first round of technology, they were quickly divided, forming different planetary factions based around subsects of tech and philosophies regarding progress. This split eventually resulted in a number of civil wars, drawing the attention of a number of criminal organizations who saw how vulnerable the world had grown. Eventually the mass bloodshed and corruption that plagued Lanniks drew the attention of the Galactic Republic, who dispatched their Judicial Forces to quell the unrest.

The Lanniks weren’t incredibly fond of their new Republic occupiers, and it is actually unclear whether they were ever given a seat in the Republic Senate or not. However, while the Republic attempted to limit the amount of advanced technology the Lannik people received, they opened up the planet to the rest of the Republic which resulted in more technology being imported than ever before. This resulted in a bit of an insurgency, and the rise of a Lannik terrorist organization known as Red Iaro. Red Iaro attempted to overthrow the current Lannik High Court, who they saw as weak and corrupt due to their dealings with the Republic. Most of their attacks were centered around meetings with offworld diplomats, but they were ultimately unsuccessful in their aspirations.

By the time of the Clone Wars, the Lanniks had become a much more common sight throughout the worlds of the Republic, many even becoming Jedi. They were also apparently eyed by the Confederacy of Independent Systems, although it is unknown if anything ever came out of this. The Galactic Empire seemed to strengthen their grip on Lannik, and almost every member of the species had returned to their homeworld by the start of the Galactic Civil War. Following this event, Lanniks became incredibly rare throughout the rest of the galaxy, and for a time, finding one offworld was considered a feat.

They did eventually join the New Republic, and Lannik became a “safeworld” for those affected by the Imperial Remnant and other dark forces. It was ultimately revealed that Lannik possessed a massive amount of untapped and unmined resources that could have been valuable to many galactic factions, however, they seemingly never knew this possibility even existed and the Lanniks just didn’t care. 

Legends/Canon: The Lanniks are Canon, but their lore has only been expanded upon so far in the Star Wars EU.

Unexplored: The Lanniks were fairly well fleshed out in Star Wars Legends, not half as much as many of the other species on the Jedi council mind you, but there is still a lot of ground covered here. In Canon, however, they can really be taken in any which direction. The most interesting thing I think that could be explored with the Lanniks is their past, and if the lore regarding their technological divide remains, exploring the final details of that event could be super interesting. It could even be scaled forward and take place during the High Republic or Clone Wars in Canon without messing with a whole lot.

Other questions to ask if you are sticking with their pre-existing lore include: What was the average lifespan of a Lannik? Could they breed with other similar sentients? Did they actually hold a seat in the Republic Senate? What happened to Red Iaro? Was there ever an uprising against the Empire, and what caused the disappearance of most Lanniks from around the galaxy during the Galactic Civil War? Were they forced to return to their homeworld, or did they return of their own volition? What was the driving factor behind their alliance with the New Republic? And what rare resources were housed on Lannik, and how did different galactic powers react to this revelation? When were they first discovered? This will help answer some questions and tie up loose ends regarding their lore, should it remain the same across continuities.

Additional Notes: My favorite tidbit of lore surrounding the Lanniks (that wasn’t important enough to include above) is that in universe, some individuals believed that Yoda was just a rare, green Lannik. And if I’m completely honest, I thought Jedi Master Even Piell was the same species as Yoda for much longer than I would want to admit when I was a kid (it was definitely the height and ears). I think learning that Lanniks were their own distinct species and just how much variety there was among sentient species in Star Wars, as well as the sheer magnitude of offscreen lore that existed regarding each one, was one of the main driving factors behind my fascination with sentient species and the eventual creation of this website!

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