Saurton

Last Updated: 11/8/2023

Name: Saurton

Humanoid: Yes

Classification: Reptilian

Homeworld: Essowyn

Coloration: Yellow, Brown, and Tan

Biology: Saurtons were a large crocodilian sentient species known for their intimidating visage. They could stand anywhere from 1.8 to 2.2 meters in height, although they had naturally hunched backs. They also had wide, bipedal bodies that were incredibly muscular and covered with a thick layer of scales. These scales were often described as golden in color, with a somewhat metallic sheen, although the color could vary greatly across parts of their body, ranging from bright yellow on their torso to a dark brown near their nose. Saurtons had three-fingered hands as well as three-toed feet, all of which sported large, sharp, often crooked claws.

Their hunched backs gave way to elongated, alligator-like heads. They had extended snouts with six nostril holes, three on each side of the tip of their face. Their jaws were very pronounced, with the skin of their neck surrounding it being fairly wrinkled. Saurtons generally had a noticeable overbite, with small razor sharp teeth visible at the very tip and towards the base of their jaw even when their mouth was closed. Their small beady eyes were also tucked away under their extended brows, and usually had yellow irises surrounding black, slitted pupils. The top of Saurtons snouts were also noticeably ridged.

Saurtons had immense natural strength, and were known for their surprisingly quick movements. They also had an incredible bite strength. In addition, they had a superb sense of smell, although their eyesight was somewhat lacking given how their eyes were situated. Saurtons were also resistant to generally light damage thanks to their scales. Similarly, Saurtons also had a high resistance towards illness, disease, and infection, although, due to their natural tendencies accentuated by an aversion to basic hygiene, Saurtons were infamously known for being disease carriers. They were also just naturally aggressive as a species, with the concept of patience difficult for their brains to come by. It is believed that they possessed elongated lifespans as well as the ability to clearly speak Galactic Basic, although neither can officially be confirmed as of yet.

Lore: Saurtons were pretty well known across the galaxy, possessing a reputation for being filthy, angry, and scary. Very few sane species attempted to come in contact with the Saurtons, for fear of being murdered on a whim or catch a whole host of diseases. Despite this reputation, much of their infamy was greatly overexaggerated. While they were short-tempered, they weren’t murderous brutes. They were usually filthy and could carry diseases, but weren’t the plague-bearers that many assumed they were. And they were also surprisingly intelligent, bearing many prolific inventors and visionaries.

Hailing from the oceanic world of Essowyn, the Saurtons developed small settlements on the planet’s many islands, quickly discovering that below the surface Essowyn was rich in strong metals. They would take these metals and develop various structures and technologies with them, although they could not yet grasp the concept of interstellar travel. The Saurtons would thrive during the period of innovation, feasting on the planet’s abundance of fishes and Hoskas. They would quickly grow from tribal primitives to a rather advanced civilization, establishing four distinct continental regions across their homeworld (known as Baslar, Macor, Sorontill, and Steltout).

During this time, however, the Saurtons would grow more and more filthy, never developing any real need nor desire for sanitary practices. This meant that personal hygiene and cleanliness were almost never practiced, and their cities began to fill with trash and waste. They, of course, developed a near-instant tolerance to the diseases and smells that plagued their home, but that would not be the case for anyone who visited Essowyn. And visitors they would soon receive, as the Galactic Republic’s expansion fleet eventually reached their borders. Researchers and explorers would travel down to the surface to meet with the locals, who they found to be most unpleasant. Still, the Saurtons would be welcomed into the folds of the Republic and would be left with even more advanced technologies than they had previously imagined.

Mining corporations would quickly learn of Essowyn’s untapped potential and arrive in droves, making deals with the natives to establish mines across the various islands. The most prolific of the groups, the “Messert Mines Corporation,” actually sought to seed dissension among the natives, as it benefited their expansion across the planet’s surface. Through some shady business deals, they found a weak link between two Saurton religious groups, the Tresycht and the Yistze, purchasing a mine that both groups believed they own. This would cause them to butt heads, resulting in a growing split and eventually a mass planetary civil war.

The weakness caused by these conflicts resulted in the collapse of the planet’s known government known simply as the “Elitist Council” and the near-total rule of the Messert Mines Corporation, using the now prominent Tresycht group as their face. The role of “leader” in the new world would end up falling to Tresycht’s High Priest, Gellack, who was fairly influential but ill-prepared for everything that was to come. In an attempt to restructure the planetary government at the whims of Messert, Gellack would religious leaders and priests to oversee the planet’s newly established “sectors.” Unfortunately, this would not go over well with the now united groups and continents, who rejected this governmental system and the overall religion of the Tresycht.

Over the next few centuries, the government would more or less revert to its original state, with the eventual establishment of a planetary “Council of Elders,” almost all of which were members of the former Tresycht group and direct descendants of Messert’s puppet, Gellack. In this way, the Saurtons were eased back into a sense of normalcy, while Messert remained the grand puppeteers behind the scenes. Essowyn would never truly recapture any of its former glory, becoming even more filthy, running rampant with spices, and selling away what little available land they had left to any number of mining groups, who bled the world dry as the entire unsubmerged surface became littered with gaping holes.

During all of this, the Republic seemingly never intervened, and it is unclear if the Saurtons ever really held any power, or even a seat, on the Republic Senate. We do know, however, that they were working behind the scenes during the collapse of their empire to secure space faring technology for themselves. Using what was brought by the Republic as a basis, they quickly developed their own style of starship, as well as hyperspace capable technologies. This meant that many Saurtons would flee to the stars, bringing their reputations with them. Most Saurtons observed among the greater galaxy were loners, many of which had become criminals, bounty hunters, and the likes. Their aggression and skill with weaponry and technology made them fairly capable combatants, and because they often proffered melee weapons such as axes (as well as due to their naturally imposing physical strength), they often ended up in gladiatorial pits.

As of the last time they were explored, the Saurtons of Essowyn had established some level of normalcy on their homeworld. They had even begun cleaning their streets and structures in an attempt to welcome outsiders and bolster their economy. Because of the extensive mining efforts, cities began to be built in the now vacant subterranean caverns, which welcomed a new host of outside colonists and miners such as the Sullustans and the Verpines. There was clearly a species-wide effort to become “better,” but so much of their home and reputation had long since been tarnished, and they had a long and hard fight ahead of them.

Legends/Canon: The Saurtons are currently exclusive to Star Wars Legends.

Unexplored: If you couldn’t tell, the species has been explored quite in-depth. However, that is only within lore regarding Star Wars Legends. As it stands, the Saurtons are a blank canvas within Canon, and as such, can be expanded upon in any way imaginable. Still, Legends lore is often adapted in varying levels into Canon, so using it as a base, here are some questions that, if answered, would really help establish this species within the current Star Wars continuity. The first and most prolific of these questions would be, what needs to be changed and what can stay the same?

In regards to the Saurtons, almost none of their preexisting lore conflicts with anything established in the current Star Wars Canon, so this process should be fairly easy. Still, canonically, is their homeworld still Essowyn and are they still found within the Mid Rim? Are they still a mining hub, were they really first discovered by the Republic, and do elements regarding their temperamental nature and lack of hygiene still remain true? In addition to exploring these aspects of the Saurtons, there are also a lot of completely new avenues to expand upon?

What was the extent of their relationship with the Republic, did they hold any power in the Senate, did they ever ally with groups such as the Separatists or Empire, and how did the rest of the galaxy look at the species barring some basic stereotypes rooted in truth? When did the Saurtons first develop sentience, what did they evolve from, and were they ever an amphibious race? How did they first discover the precious metals of the world, and how did they excavate and utilize it? What did their cities look like, and to what extent were they covered in filth? Did anyone ever attempt to enslave the Saurtons, and were they ever wrapped up in a major galactic conflict? What was their early history like, and what were some details regarding their governmental system and various religious groups?

Finally, it would be incredibly beneficial to explore them in an updated style as the few illustrations we do have are old and often incomplete. Did they have any additional anatomical or biological traits that we do not know of? What gives them their golden sheen? And could they appear in different colors such as dark brown or green? Seeing them in newer comics, animation, or even live action would be pretty great! And it would really help bring them into the modern fandom or even the public’s eye where the desire for them to be explored further would be greatly increased!

Additional Notes: I absolutely love the Saurtons! The idea of hulking, trashy alligator people is just so fun and Star Wars-y to me! Everything about their lore is fascinating and fairly unique, their story in Legends was surprisingly fleshed out and heartbreaking, and their design is so simple yet appealing. I could definitely see them being a great contender for a species to appear in The High Republic media, but until then, this article is all we have to work with with this species. Still, I think it’s enough to serve as a basis for your own fan project, and who wouldn’t want to take a crack at exploring the situations and ideas belonging to these unhygienic crocodilians!

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