Scalvi

Last Updated: 11/9/2023

Name: Scalvi

Humanoid: Yes

Classification: Alternative

Homeworld: Turrak

Coloration: Purple

Biology: Scalvi were a humanoid species notable for a few distinct visual traits. They stood approximately the same general height as the average Human, with a similar build and the same number of limbs, although, while they could be fairly muscular, fully-grown adults had a tendency to come across as slightly heavyset, even at peak physical health. Scalvi had smooth, purple skin that was much darker on their limbs and lightest around their chest and stomach. They were also almost completely hairless, save for their heads, which almost always sported solid black or occasionally dark red hair that grew white with age. Scalvi bodies were known for their sheen, almost seeming as if they were always wet or covered in mucus, despite this not being the case. And on occasion, mottled white spots could also be found across their bodies.

Scalvi sported thick calf muscles and three-toed feet with large white toenails that could be white, black, or dark purple. They also had relatively long arms and four-fingered hands. Their fingers were thick and muscular, featuring wide, flat fingernails and rounded fingertips. Scalvi possessed prominent hips and well-defined navels, with males having much broader chests and lacking nipples, while females possessed much more slender waists and evident breasts. If a Scalvi possessed the mottled white dots present on some of their kind, they were usually clustered around the shoulder and neck area, as well as often on the face.

Scalvi heads were relatively humanoid in shape, although their mouths were slightly smaller than those of Humans, with many members of the species, especially adults, bearing slight fangs protruding from their upper jaw, while the rest of their teeth were flat and white. They had slightly protruding noses, although from the front they were barely visible, their nostril slits resting on the outer sides of the nose ridge. Scalvi eyes were large and solid black, protruding enough that when they close their eyes, their eyelids seem bulbous. Scalvi don’t appear to have any eyelashes, but do have barely visible eyebrows that usually manifest as a few thin lines of black hair growing up and outwards from the innermost portion of their brow.

It was possible for Scalvi to grow hair, although it was usually aligned in rows on their head, their hairline forming into a number of points. Some Scalvi also only grew a single patch of hair on the upper center portion of their head. Male Scalvi were capable of growing facial hair, including full mustaches and beard, while females usually just had much thicker and longer hair sprouting from the top and back of their head. Scalvi ears are one of their most distinctive features, which featured a double-pronged growth sprouting from their upper jaw area and a secondary ear portion tucked away behind them. This secondary, cartilaginous area had a lobe attached to the bottom and apparently contained the aural cavity, although it was usually hidden behind the forked segment. The elongated double spikes have blunt tips when young, but appear to grow pointier with age, especially “sharp” on adult males.

Scalvi had the capacity to speak Galactic Basic, although the name of their native tongue remains unknown. Their lifespans and lifecycles seemed to be similar to that of the average Human, as did their general mating process. The Scalvi’s natural strength and dexterity is noteworthy, especially for their overall size. Their diet seemed to consist of fruits, berries, breads, and sweets, and it is currently unclear whether or not they consumed meat (especially fish), although their fangs definitely seem to indicate so. Currently there are no instances of a Force Sensitive individual among their people, although that’s not entirely to say it’s rare or unheard of.

Lore: The Scalvi were a relatively primitive species native to the swampy, mostly water-covered world of Turrak, a little known planet found in the Outer Rim’s “Galactic Frontier” territory. Turrak and its local population had been discovered some time prior to the start of the High Republic era (at least circa 500 – 350-ish BBY), and while their planet saw few visitors from the outside galaxy, they weren’t completely in the dark and did possess, at the very least, technologies advanced enough to send a distress call. Much of their tech seemed to be recovered, salvaged, or kitbashed, possibly due to a past war or just from visiting vessels that had crashed. However, the Scalvi did possess more than the technological wherewithal to operate radios, blasters, and what appear to be water pumps and generators.

Still, the majority of Scalvi society, at least in the main civilization that we’ve observed, remained relatively technology free. The Scalvi were a peaceful people who spent their days farming and possibly fishing, living in rudimentary homes constructed from materials taken from the planet’s grassy fields and dense forests.This species were shown to be resourceful and skilled builders, working hard to keep their communities well maintained so that they could prioritize fun and carefree lifestyles. Family and fellowship was incredibly important to the Scalvi, as were lineages and their history. Because of their naturalistic existence, the Scalvi were athletic, often traveling on foot, and able to swing or slide from ropes and jump impressive distances.

Scalvi architecture was asymmetrical, their tools cobbled together, and their clothing loose. Both men and women wore knee-length sarongs with openings that allowed for their legs to escape, allowing for freer movement as opposed to a skirt closed all the way around. They also all wore colorful waist bands, wrist bands, and ankle bands that were often accentuated by jewelry or fur. Women wore tight wrappings around their chest, as well as large, ornate earrings, and both men and women adorned themselves with embellished necklaces and bracelets. Both males and females could sometimes be found wearing a scarf-like head covering, with it seeming more common among the females, although the reason or purpose remains unknown. It also seemed Scalvi expressed themselves with the style of their hair and the color of their garments.

The Scalvi enjoyed community-wide ceremonies and celebrations, preparing sweet desserts, shish kebabs, and pizzas, sharing fruits and drinks, singing, dancing, or just sitting around bonfires, and playing large, loud, multi-person percussion instruments known as the “Taratti.” Taratti were permanently fixed to wooden stages, featuring at least four main components, including to massive drums, what looks like a large guitar body, and a smaller block in the center, each bearing a series of thin, elongated metal sheets strapped to the front. The instrument required at least 4 percussionists to play, all adorned in red, ceremonial, full-body uniforms wielding twin drum sticks with ornate plumes extending from the bottom.These performers would jump around in musical, acrobatic displays, with one even being suspended upside down playing the top of one portion. These musical sessions were a major part of Scalvi culture, serving as a celebration of freedom, and involved those who attended by having them dance or play accompanying instruments such as tambourines.

For an indeterminable amount of time the Scalvi enjoyed peace with very little unnecessary progress. That was until a certain group of offworld raiders decided to take up residence on another portion of Turrak, the terrifying Crulkon species. These raiders terrorized the locals, forcing them to take up arms in an futile attempt to defend their villages. The Crulkon would invade by sea, attacking the Scalvi settlements which appeared to be coastal constructs or island settlements, pillaging, killing, and burning everything and everyone they came across. Due to the flammable nature of Scalvi buildings, fire was especially devastating, although their impressive building abilities did mean they were quick to recover, if they weren’t all wiped out during the attacks.

The Crulkon were brutal, with devastating weaponry, vehicles, and armor, a stark contrast to their marks. The attacks eventually grew so dire that the Scalvi were forced to attempt to reach out to the stars for help. Fortunately, their cries were intercepted by the Jedi Order and Grand Master Yoda came to their aide. Helping to drive back the invaders and put a little fear in them, the tides would turn, the raids would slow down, and after one young Scalvi named Bree Menaren killed the raider leader, Riak, the attacks would cease almost indefinitely. The Crulkon would continue to dwell on Turrak, eventually settling down and calling their former bastions home. After a number of years, with a little additional involvement from Yoda, a now adult Bree, and his nephew, Tren, the Scalvi and the Crulkon would eventually make peace, forming shared societies and breaking bread together indicating their closeness.

Legends/Canon: The Scalvi are a new species introduced within Canon “Yoda” limited comic series, their debut set during the “High Republic” era, but not actually originating from a THR multimedia title.

Unexplored: The small glimpse we got into the lives of the Scalvi in the early days of the High Republic does give us an in depth look into the species, their communities, and their homeworld, however because it was so limited and brief, there are still a lot of way the Scalvi could be expanded upon in history and lore. We just need to ask some key questions such as: When did the Scalvi first develop sentience, and what sort of animal might they have evolved from, whether land or sea creature? How slow or quickly has the species progressed, and when did they first gain metals or their makeshift technology? Was their planet host to some sort of war or maybe a large cruiser crashed that they salvaged or is it possible they slowly integrated it from Crulkon attacks throughout the years? On that note, how long have the Crulkon been on Turrak? How many others visited the Scalvi before that? And how have various offworlder interactions impacted their views of the outside galaxy?

How many Scalvi were there? Were their villages sparsely spread out across Turrak given it’s primarily water colored? And were there much larger settlements than the one we saw, were they pushed to the brink of collapse due to the Crulkons, or was there maybe actually only one small settlement of them on the whole planet; the only bastion of a miniscule species that just developed sentience and has not had a chance to spread out yet? When did the Scalvi first learn how to utilize firearms and throw together makeshift radio systems? And just how much did they know about the greater galaxy as a whole?

Did the Scalvi form a strong relationship or allyship with the Jedi Order as the years went on thanks to Yoda’s effort? And were any Force Sensitive Scalvi ever born and made Jedi? Was Turrak ever integrated into the Galactic Republic, and were the Scalvi (and Crulkon) ever given representation among the Senate? Would they even need to? How much or quickly did the species advance following the High Republic era? Did they ever take to the stars, and were they involved in major conflicts such as the Clone Wars or Galactic Civil War? Would their ties to the Jedi make them a prime target for subjugation by the Empire or were they considered so little a threat that it wasn’t even worth the regime’s time? Given all of their ornate, often golden clothing and jewelry, was Turrok secretly home to valuable mining resources, and if so, would that lead to unforeseen problems with the Mining Guild or other conquerors in the future?

How did the Crulkon and Scalvi integrate their societies after their allyship, and was this seen as the new universal norm, or was it strenuous and volatile? Were there ever times the relationship failed, small or large disputes, or is it possible they went back to being enemies? Were there factions of either side that held onto their disdain and didn’t abide by their armistice? And just in general, what happened to the Scalvi during future eras? There is so much you can explore with the species in the “current day” or time periods of the Skywalker Saga! Of course, going into more depth about concepts such as their diets, arts and music, traditions, philosophies, religions, economical structure, political systems, habits, languages, cultural practices, innovations, produce or exports, and/or historical events, both past and future! Seeing them animated (2D or 3D) or in live action would also be interesting, although we’ve already got a much more thorough look at this species than most.

Additional Notes: I REALLY like the Scalvi! They’re humanoid, but also distinct enough to stand out. They’re illustrated in a very satisfying manner with a variety of hair styles, body types, and other small traits, they are very expressive and have a consistent but creative manner of dress, and the gradient used for their coloration is really nice. I have very similar feelings about the Crulkon, and I believe both species’ designs really compliment each other and help to serve as a contrast that works both visually and narratively. It is very likely the Scalvi may never appear again, they did serve their purpose as the catalyst for the Yoda comic series, but I would still love to see them more, and fortunately the nature of the Star Wars franchise (and especially The High Republic specifically) could more than accommodate that!

Additional Images: