Salenga

Last Updated: 12/19/2023

Name: Salenga

Humanoid: Yes

Classification: Near-Human/Alternative

Homeworld: Unknown

Coloration: Pink, Purple, & Red

Biology: The Salenga were a bipedal humanoid species with the usual two arms and two legs. The species had a fairly striking appearance, with bright pink or purple pigmentation mottled with darker spots and patches, as well as just generally standing slightly taller than the average Human or near-Human species, generally around 2 meters in height due to their lanky features. While bearing thin features, Salenga were strong and agile, proving faster and more flexible than a baseline Human while not quite reaching the extent of natural abilities possessed by species like the Terrelian Jango Jumpers or the Frenk.

With two arms and two legs, the Salenga had abnormally long features, with what appeared to be five-toed feet as well as unique three-fingered hands. Said hands were sometimes described as shaped like an oven mitt, with a distinct, normal-looking thumb and index finger, while their third finger was wide, as if their middle, ring, and pinky fingers were melded together into one construct that was thin and flat. Female Salenga were also confirmed to bear a prominent breast area, and the species’ necks were elongated as well.

Salenga heads were tall and hairless, just like the rest of their bodies. They had long faces that with fairly Human-like lips and noses, as well as much more distinctive and unsettling eyes, often considered the species’ defining trait. These eyes were oval shaped, standing vertically, with a large fleshy ring around each that constituted their eyelids; two fleshy films that moved sideways across their eyes and met in the middle when they blinked. Their eyes themselves consisted of bright yellow sclera and an almost triangle shaped iris and pupil, their irises being orange while their beady pupils were solid black. Salenga also had a mouth full of small, razor-sharp teeth, as well as strange ear structures extending back and out from the sides of their heads consisting of stacked oval growths.

Salenga also possessed a sort of cranial cap, starting around their brow area and extending over and behind their head, hanging down to their upper back in a rounded fleshy lobe which resembled how long hair would look on other species. This lobe, like their face, was multi-colored, being much lighter on the underside that faces them, while a darker pink with even darker splotchy markings on the outer and upper side. On their pale faces, Salenga had darkened, curved stripes that snaked up from their jaw, across their cheeks, and met underneath their eyes. The one we’ve observed also had dark red markings overlaid on these stripes, as well as on the top of their head and forehead, all perfectly rectangular, which could mean that these were just tattoos, although we can’t say for sure until we see additional instances.

Salenenga could be very expressive, although their appearance was quite intimidating (or seductive depending on who you asked). They were also most likely a carnivorous, potentially turned omnivorous, species, given their type of teeth. They often stood in a way that would generally be considered uncomfortable for most species, possibly attributed to their flexible joints. They were seemingly reproductively compatible with a number of other species found throughout the galaxy, although to what extent remains unclear. And we do know they had the capacity to clearly pronounce Galactic Basic Standard, although what their native language was called or sounds like remains unknown (as does the answer to what their baseline midi-chlorian count was, which I usually like to point out in these articles).

Lore: Nothing is currently known about the Salenga as a species, aside from the fact that they were integrated into the galaxy sometime prior to the Clone Wars. As of writing this article, only one Salenga has ever appeared in any official Star Wars media, an individual by the name Ione Marci, who was a criminal operating out of Coruscant during the final years of the Republic.

Legends/Canon: The Salenga are Canon as they were introduced in The Clone Wars animated series, which was established as canonical from the get-go. Interestingly, however, despite originating during the Legends era, the species was never named within the EU (and didn’t receive any lore at all for that matter), remaining an unidentified species for around 11 years until they were finally given a name (alongside the Moyn, Sollux, and Halaisi) in 2021’s “Star Wars: The Clone Wars: Character Encyclopedia – Join the Battle!”

Unexplored: Everything. Out of all of the new named species introduced via The Clone Wars, I would say the Salenga are at THE bottom of the list as far as extended lore and recurring appearances go (seemingly tied with the Sollux, who many still consider to be far more interesting by nature of their first and only appearance). This means that the Salenga are not only ripe, but also begging for exploration, so here are some general worldbuilding questions to pose that would help establish them a little more as their own distinct species, even more so than their appearance already has!

So first off, where do the Salenga come from? What’s the name of their homeworld and what caused them to evolve in the manner that they did? When did they first develop sentience, and when were they first discovered and introduced into the outside galaxy? Why have we seen so few at present? Are we just observing the wrong places at the wrong times, are they potentially an isolationist species that usually relegates themselves to their homeworld, or is there a darker explanation, such as the species being rare, near extinction, or mostly enslaved and hidden away in some far off mines or civilizations? What sort of unique social traits might they have, and what did their population, communities, governments, economies, alliances, politics, arts, philosophies, religions, traditions, habits, languages, physical variations, advancements, galactic contributions, etc. look (or sound) like?

Additional Notes: I was so excited when this species FINALLY received a name! It took wayyy too long (and there are still a handful of TCW species that unfortunately remain unnamed), but I knew it would happen eventually. I mean, just look at this species, it’s such a fun and appealing alien design that really is unlike anything else in the universe. Now we just need to see more of them, and I’m still holding out hope that we’ll see them somewhere within the “The High Republic” multimedia event before it comes to an end.

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