Ryn

Last Updated: 1/24/2024

Name: Ryn

Humanoid: Yes

Classification: Near-Human/Beast

Homeworld: Unknown

Coloration: Yellow, Green, Black, Blue, Purple, Gray, and/or White

Biology: The Ryn were a fairly near-Human species found occasionally across the Star Wars galaxy. They have the same general height, weight, and build as Humans, as well as the same average lifespan, number of limbs and digits, eye colors, and hair growths. Where they differed started with their coloration, with Ryn possessing yellow, green, blue, purple, gray, or black pigmentation. They also always had white hair, which was not indicative of age as with many other species. Additionally, Ryn had prehensile tails that could grow up to nearly 1 meter tall, which were covered in fur that was dark at the base but grew whiter by the tip, ending in a fluffy tuft. Oftentimes Ryn were seen with fairly hairy forearms, as well as sharp fingernails, although this wasn’t a constant element among their appearance.

While Ryn faces generally resembled that of Humans, they were known for their “beak-like” noses that were usually sort of pinkish at the ends. They had naturally downturned mouths, as well as defined cheekbones and brows. Their hair grew much firmer than many other species, allowing it to naturally stand in unique styles that would otherwise droop. Ryn ears were pointed, which at one point, hinted at a distant relationship with the Sephi. Ryn were generally surprisingly muscular despite not having distinctive frames. They could also control their tails quite impressively, nearly allowing it to act as a fifth limb. The Ryn were known for having beautiful voices and being great singers. They could pronounce Galactic Basic with ease, although they usually preferred their melodic native tongue, also known as “Ryn.” The species could also produce high-pitched whistles from their noses, able to play them like flutes or even proficiently communicate with various droids through forms of “droidspeak.”

Lore: The Ryn were an ancient race of intergalactic vagabonds known throughout the galaxy but rarely ever encountered. During or prior to the earliest days of the Old Republic, something caused the Ryn to leave their homeworld, primarily taking up residence across various worlds within the Galactic Core. Due to being spread out, over time much of the Ryn’s early history was completely lost, to the point that in the later days of the Galactic Republic, not a single Ryn knew where they originally came from or what their homeworld might have been called. Numerous Ryn colonies had popped up across the galaxy by this time, while many other Ryn traveled by themselves from place to place, each with their own vague path and agenda. The species generally also only went by single names, not adopting the traditions of surnames or middle names.

The lack of a recorded history did bother many Ryn, leading to a handful of theories as to what may have happened to them millennia in the past that caused them to abandon their home and scatter among the stars. Given their great skills as both warriors and performers, two primary ideas were held. According to most Ryn, long ago they had either all been hired as a collective species to perform in places where music wasn’t practiced, leading to a sort of traveling troupe culture which influenced their “modern” lifestyles. The other, even more popular theory, was that the Ryn used to be a warrior race who were employed as a secret army of mercenaries to infiltrate various worlds throughout the Inner Rim to help someone or something conquer the galaxy from the inside, their homeworld and early existence wiped from the record for the sake of this mission. Neither historical account could be verified, although bits of evidence cropped up that may have supported the latter idea.

Supposedly, according to Ryn tradition and legend, the species was also responsible for creating many of the galaxy’s early musical styles and recreational games. These acts of art were supposedly developed for spiritual reasons, the most famous among them was purportedly the infamous gambling dice-and-card game “Sabaac,” claimed to have originally been used in fortune telling. Partially given their “flutey” noses, the Ryn were said to possess incredible musical abilities, proficient in many instruments, generally pleasant vocalists, and writers of many famous galactic folk songs. Members of the species were known for adorning themselves in jewelry, including large earrings and especially ornate nose coverings that seemed to also assist in their natural abilities to play them like wind instruments.

The Ryn were a huge fan of playing games, especially when big prizes or punishments were on the line. While diligent workers, Ryn were known for being sly and cunning, usually practicing hard to be able to rig any game of chance in their favor. Known manipulators, to win a gamble against a Ryn was rare and so most people simply chose never to play when one was involved. Most Ryn who earned a living in this way saw it as a legitimate lifestyle, and didn’t do it out of a strong malicious intent. Still, their conniving ways led to a high degree of discrimination from non-Ryn. Even speaking their native tongue was considered a legal offense in many locations, and outside of their cunning personalities, the general mystery surrounding their species as well as ties to a potentially violent past that could still be evidenced in the present, led many to take drastic measures to keep Ryn away out of sheer fear.

When the species was at the peak of their nomadic existence some time in the past, their largest (yet fluctuating) colony could be found within the Corporate Sector, while most of the pockets of Ryn civilization were located on planets within the Core Worlds, such as Duro and Coruscant. Unfortunately, after their reputation grew and the galaxy’s anti-Ryn-prejudice alongside it, their population galaxy-wide would begin to diminish. Many parts of the galaxy deemed the Ryn lesser beings, making it free game to kill, maim, or enslave them without limit. It was especially common to see Ryn women as “breeding slaves,” making them a prized commodity among groups like the Zygerrian Empire and leading to a number of hybrid Ryn offspring who hated that side of their lineage. There were few places the Ryn could go for refuge, meaning they often traveled in secret, concealing their identities and forming secret, temporary communities.

Still, some Ryn remained more out in the open, with a number becoming high-value assassins and mercenaries. Given their natural strength and aptitude for combat, the Ryn made fine warriors. Their slyness also allowed them to enact covert operations, or simply get in close to targets without alerting them to the threat they posed. It was noted that the Ryn language contained numerous words and phrases specifically detailing military and combat acts, one of the reasons why a certain version of their potential history was accepted, although the Ryn could not trace the root or origin of these terms. Your average Ryn wasn’t overly violent, however, and many found themselves in positions as healers or medical personnel.

The Ryn continued to face persecution at the hands of the Empire, although some did come out of the woodwork to befriend and ally themselves with members of the Rebel Alliance. It wasn’t until the EU-exclusive event that was the Yuuzhan Vong Invasion, however, where the species really shined. One of their primary remaining colonies based out of Duro stepped up to serve as one of the greatest anti-Vong info networks during the entire conflict, proving invaluable to the survival of the galaxy. Following the Vong’s retreat, the intergalactic opinion surrounding the Ryn changed drastically, and much of the prejudice surrounding them was dropped, honored among the Galactic Alliance for their heroism. Many of the species attempted to reconvene and start a new civilization among the Senex-Juvex region within the Mid Rim, however, they had become such a rare site by this time that there was a very real chance the Ryn were facing imminent extinction.

Continuity: While all of the lore above remains exclusive to Star Wars Legends, some of it always relegated to the EU due to its nature surrounding never-Canon events such as the Yuuzhan Vong War, the species has been mentioned at least once within the current continuity. While we have yet to receive any sort of official illustration, their canonical physical description matches up exactly with how they originally appeared in the EU, meaning there’s a good chance the species will mostly be adapted into Canon more-or-less one-for-one!

Unexplored: This is one of a number of species whose homeworld remains unknown, not because it simply hasn’t been established yet, but as an intentional aspect of their characterization. That mystery, along with other ambiguous elements designed for the Ryn within the EU, makes this section a bit trickier to tackle as the question changes from simply “what are the answers?” to “should there be answers?” Still, for the sake of worldbuilding, especially if the Ryn should be adapted into Canon, we’re going to look at some blunt questions that, if answered, would help us understand this species quite possibly better than they understood themselves. And if you could guess, our first question is: Where did the Ryn originally come from? We could know the answer without the species having to know it in-universe, so is it true it was a Core World, potentially one we already know about? Additionally, given the pre-Canon adage that “any species with pointed ears was somehow related to the Sephi,” would that have been true for the Ryn as well, or would they have been considered a special exception before this concept was abolished?

What was the real reason why the Ryn all but abandoned their homeworld and never went back, and was there any truth to any of the rumors? In fact, how many of their tales were true, including their supposed creation of Sabaac? What sort of influence did they have over the galaxy and its musical landscape, and did they possibly have a hand in things we never realized? At what point did they really start to develop an unsavory reputation, who were the first species, planets, groups, or areas to form an anti-Ryn mindset, and where were the Ryn free to be killed versus where they were saved from the almost universal oppression? How large was their involvement with the Galactic Republic? And were their efforts to reform a united colony within Senex-Juvex successful, or were they already doomed going into the major conflicts that succeeded the Yuuzhan Vong Invasion? Exploring some of the answers to these questions, as well as worldbuilding traits regarding their early civilization pre-exodus, might help us even better understand or characterize the Ryn in our own works!

Additional Notes: This is a pretty interesting species we’ve got right here. Ignoring their dubious real-world inspirations, there’s a lot of unique lore here that I haven’t seen among really any other species I’ve written about so far! I’ll be interested to see how they’re integrated into Canon, and which elements are changed or preserved. It feels like they should be a much more iconic EU species than they actually are, but I guess it’s just due to how many other similar species dwarfed them in popularity, in part due to being much more frequently featured.

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