Kedorzhan

Last Updated: 1/11/2024

Name: Kedorzhan

Humanoid: No

Classification: Beast (Rodent)

Homeworld: Kedorzha

Coloration: Pink or Brown

Biology: The Kedorzhan were a little known rodent species with a somewhat ill-defined anatomy, which will make this section fairly interesting. While their appearance seems to give off pinniped or canine vibes, they have been described as rodent-like, potentially invoking elements from species such as moles, rats, or even capybaras. Kedorzhans were bipedal, possessing two arms and two legs, with four digits on each hand, while we only know their feet were disproportionately large. Compared to baseline Humans, they were on the shorter and squatter  side, seemingly standing around 1.6 – 1.7 meters in height, not quite short enough to be classified as diminutive. Kedorzhans were covered in a thin layer of brown, tan, or pink fur, which appeared thickest on the tops of their head and around their upper lip.

Kedorzhans had little in the way of necks, with their bodies running directly into their rounded heads. They had incredibly wide mouths that snaked all the way around to the sides of their cheeks, housing massive teeth. They also had a somewhat elongated snout that ended with wide, darkened nostrils that were said to grant them a complex sense of smell. The furry patch on their upper lip also produced a few dozen whiskers that were much longer than their normal hair, but also varied in length themselves. The species had large eyes that were dominated by what appeared to be huge, black pupils, although the slightest bit of white sclera seemed visible just under their enlarged eyelids. These eyes were weak and not well suited for low-light environments, making them virtually blind in all but the brightest of areas, forcing them to rely on their sense of smell for navigation instead. Kedorzhans appeared to have the capacity to pronounce Galactic Basic, but often relied on their native tongue, also known as “Kedorzhan.”

Lore: Very little was ever revealed about this species. We do know that they had been discovered by the later days of the Old Republic era, with a large number of their population taking up residence on the planet Taris until circa 4000 BBY when it was ravaged by the Sith Empire. There, the Kedorzhans had established a flourishing mining industry that seemed to fuel their economy back on Kedorzha, partnering with the SoroSuub Corporation were seemed able to lend the species the help of Sullustan workers, a species much better suited for employment within subterranean environments. Seemingly not long after their presence was removed from Taris, one of the Ancient Houses of the Outer Rim “Senex Sector” (where Kedorzha was located) known as “House Garonnin,” invaded the Kedorzhan’s homeworld and enslaved many of their people, using them as an unwilling workforce to strip-mine nearby asteroids. The species would remain in this unfortunate situation for the foreseeable future.

Continuity: The Kedorzhan have yet to be referenced in Star Wars Canon, and were only mentioned a handful of times within the EU, leading to the very limited information we have regarding them at present.

Unexplored: There’s so much I would have loved to have seen further explored regarding the Kedorzhan within the EU, although they would be a blank slate should they make the jump into Canon (unless whoever decides to add them also makes sure to maintain their previously established lore to some degree). So the following are a number of questions that were never answered regarding this species’ lore and history that I hope, by some miracle, might be further expanded upon someday, even if elements need to be tweaked to fit better within the current continuity. At the very least we have more than many obscure species plucked from the recesses of Star Wars Legends, and the fact that this species just barely beats the “one-off” allegations makes these questions slightly easier to format.

Anyway, like usual, we’ll start by simply asking what the overall historical timeline of the species looked like. When did the Kedorzhan first develop sentience, and given how established they were by 4000 BBY, were they possibly ancient denizens of the galaxy, previously possessing much more influence in a galaxy of far fewer sentient races? When were they first discovered, and by whom? How advanced were they in relation to the rest of the galaxy? Were they ever members of the Galactic Republic, possibly represented on the Senate, and/or have they ever allied themselves with other galactic factions throughout the ages, or had they always remained independent?

What were their thoughts regarding Darth Malak’s conquest of Taris? Were the species previously pro-Sith, were they possibly fans of the Jedi, or did they hold not true strong feelings towards Force-wielding factions one way or the other? How long after the Taris tragedy was it before House Garonnin encroached upon their territory? Just how much of the Kedorzhan population was enslaved, and for how long? If the House was active from the latter days of the Old Republic until at least the days of the Galactic Empire, was it possible the species served as their workforce for millennia, and had it simply become the lifestyle they had come to expect? If so, what would happen to the species after they were eventually liberated and given a new shot at freedom? Would the concept have been so foreign that they would have struggled with what to do with themselves for some time? And what ultimately became of their homeworld?

What sort of Canon events or eras might the Kedorzhan have been involved with, and how much of their EU lore could and should remain intact? Would they have still been prominent during the High Republic era, and if the Houses never existed, would they remain a free people, expanding their intergalactic mining operations, or would a different group like the Zygerrian Empire conquer them instead? And how might they have interacted with the main players of Canon conflicts like the Cold War? Finally, we are in desperate need of additional illustrations or artistic interpretation of the Kedorzhans’ design as the few depictions we’ve received so far just aren’t cutting it.

Additional Notes: For a moment I actually thought the image I used for the cover photo was the only known illustration, although I did manage to track down a few more within the KOTOR comic run. Still, I really want to see more of them, and hopefully if we do, their appearance will become more refined and distinct so that we’re able to clearly pick them out of a crowd!

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