Kalzerian

Last Updated: 1/11/2024

Name: Kalzerian

Humanoid: Yes

Classification: Near-Human

Homeworld: Kalzeron

Coloration: Gray

Biology: The Kalzerians were a near-Human, almost Human-passing species, although a few external aspects prevented them from fully achieving that title. They were bipedal humanoids, with two arms and two legs, possessing many of the same general traits as Humans such as facial configuration and number of digits. Where they primarily differed was in their coloration and texture, with Kalzerian skin being splotchy shades of gray and consisting of a leathery texture. They were also said to have black teeth, as well as yellow sclera within their eyes, giving the species an overall grotesque appearance. The species seemed capable of speaking Galactic Basic Standard, although any additional similarities to or differences from baseline Humans have not been recorded.

Lore: Little was ever documented about the Kalzerians, although we did at least receive one glimpse into their society. Natives of the Outer Rim world known as Kalzeron, the Kalzerians were a fierce, warrior race who valued strength, honor, and combat abilities above all else. By the collapse of the Galactic Republic, the Kalzerians had seemingly only recently evolved past being considered tribal and primitive, moving into a more civilized age with budding technologies and politics, although not nearly advanced enough to be considered in what was described as their “atomic age” yet. They were still engaged in various planetary wars, and seemed to only have just started interacting with the outside galaxy and gaining access to spacefaring vessels by the time the Empire rose to power.

Given the potential threat the Kalzerians might cause should they rally all of their warriors under one banner, the Empire preemptively occupied Kalzeron fairly early into their reign, suppressing the native population who did not go down without a fight. A number of Kalzerians militants were able to slip past the Imperial blockade with the intention of gaining outside resources, weaponry, and allies to one day return and liberate their homeworld, many of these individuals either becoming mercenaries who seemingly kept loose contact with each other or joining factions like the Rebel Alliance and learning new forms of combat and how to utilize advanced military equipment. Shortly after the Battle of Endor, however, the Empire recalled all of their forces from Kalzeron, leaving the planet free without the need for a fight. Those who had previously left were then deemed as “cowards” by the Kalzerians who remained given their lack of an expedited effort, and were not welcomed back to Kalzeron with open arms, leading to a number of independent Kalzerians roaming the stars during the eras that followed.

Continuity: Neither the Kalzerians, nor their homeworld, have ever appeared or been referenced in any Canon media.

Unexplored: In Canon, everything. In Legends, still most things. Sadly, we know very little about this surprisingly interesting species given the fact that they only ever appeared in one piece of relatively obscure EU media. This means they are more or less a blank slate, and even more so when it comes to the current continuity. So below are a few questions that could be answered within Canon, under the pretext that everything established in the EU persists. I suppose the first question we should ask, per usual, is what did the Kalzerians’ origins look like? Is it possible they evolved from a rogue group of baseline Humans some time in the distant past to deal with the environment(s) of Kalzeron, or are they simply the result of convergent evolution like a number of other near-Humans throughout the galaxy, and if so, what sort of creatures might they have come from? On that note, what was Kalzeron like, how could its general climate and landscape be best described, were there any unique or standout attributes to be found there, and what sorts of flora and/or fauna might it house?

What exactly did the species “warrior society” look like, and how might it have differed or shared traits with other similar species or peoples across the galaxy? What sort of traditions did they hold, how was their sense of “honor” defined, what kind of weaponry and styles of martial arts did they utilize, how were their castes, hierarchies, armies, and civilizations situated, and what sort of planetary conflicts did they get into, whether skirmishes between localized tribes or even all-out wars between nations or continents? When were the Kalzerians first discovered, and what sort of reputation did they gain within the outside galaxy, especially if it led to a full-scale Imperial intervention? Were they ever involved in any other major galactic wars, was it possible they were valued by various factions for warriors-for-hire or potentially even slaves, and following the Imperial invasion, just how many Kalzerians were left to roam the stars? Finally, what happened to the species after the Galactic Civil War? Did they remain isolated, or given their disdain for the Empire and shared interests with the Rebellion, might they have joined the New Republic? The basis for a ton of fascinating lore and worldbuilding tidbits regarding the Kalzerians has definitely already been laid!

Additional Notes: Nothing too worthy of note here, although I’m a sucker for the traditional Star Wars warrior culture. I wish they had done more with the species within the EU, but I suppose there’s always a chance for the franchise to breathe new life into them now somewhere within the established Canon, as long as the few elements that made them who they were remain relatively intact!

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