Vorzydiak

Last Updated: 1/31/2024

Name: Vorzydiak

Humanoid: Yes

Classification: Near-Human

Homeworld: Vorzyd IV and/or Vorzyd V

Coloration: Gray, Green, or Yellow

Biology: Vorzydiaks were a fairly near-Human species who, upon closer inspection, did possess some noticeable differences from the baseline Human. They had the same average height, weight, build, and frame, with similar general features such as number of limbs and digits, as well as facial components and hair colors. One of the primary ways they differed was simply their pigmentation, with Vorzydiaks usually being either yellowish-green or greenish-gray in coloration. Their faces were also slightly different, with much larger eyes than Humans, while their pupils were noticeably beady. Additionally, they had a pair of antennae extending from the top of their head, presumably acting as extrasensory organs. The Vorzydiaks were known for being incredibly healthy and fit. They also had the capacity to clearly pronounce Galactic Basic, but also often spoke in their own native tongue, also known as “Vorzydiak.”

Lore: The Vorzydiaks hailed from the Vorzyd System (found within the Vorzyd Sector), believed to have either originated from the worlds Vorxyd IV or Vorzyd V, and were fairly prominent members of the Galactic Republic. They had been discovered and introduced into the galaxy some time prior to the Invasion of Naboo, the catalyst of what would eventually become known as the “Clone Wars.” The Vorzydiaks were pretty well-known throughout the galaxy, garnering a reputation for their extreme work ethics and no-nonsense attitudes. The Vorzyd System was quite the established location within the galaxy, with Vorzyd IV being a profitable dedicated manufacturing world that developed various products distributed across Republic space, while Vorzyd V (also called the “Gambler’s World) was known for being a vacation and party hotspot, covered almost entirely by cities that operated at full capacity all 22/7 (Vorzyd V has 22 hour days).

While the tourism industry on Vorzyd V was bustling, the Vorzydiaks historically never participated in the antics the world was known for as the species generally avoided the concept of “fun.” Valuing health, cleanliness, intelligence, and discipline above all else, Vorzydiaks parents were known for being very strict on their young. From the moment they showed any signs of awareness, Vorxydiak young were enrolled in extensive schooling which lasted almost all day every day. By the age of ten, each Vorzydiak’s profession had been selected for them, and they began dedicating one day to their burgeoning career while the other six days remained allotted for school. Each subsequent year a day of work was added to their schedule, until they were weaned off of education and were working full time by the age of seventeen.

The species had little use for concepts such as downtime or recreation, and instead devoted their entire life to sleeping and working. Social interaction was not explicitly encouraged among the Vorzydiaks, and so it was unusual to see them engaging in casual conversation. They were known for being a quiet and reserved species, not hostile towards offworlds but never overly friendly either. Vorzydiaks were also incredibly stubborn, rarely if ever approaching new concepts with an open mind, nor ever changing their opinions or traditions. Vorzydiaks would work every day until they reached the age of seventy, when they were allowed (and encouraged) to retire. Vorzydiaks over seventy were viewed as less than optimally productive, and would usually waste away and die out of sheer purposelessness and boredom shortly after retiring as they had absolutely no idea what to do with all of their newfound free time. This led to a relatively low elderly population among the various Vorzyd colonies.

While the Vorzydiaks were represented on the Republic Senate and were fairly influential when it came to their political standing, they never made any efforts to form strong ties with other worlds or races, and placed no value in allyships outside of those who could serve as potential clients. They were also not overly interested in galactic conflicts, although they were inadvertently pulled into the Clone Wars when the CIS declared the entire Vorzyd Sector part of their independent territory. The Vorzydiaks themselves held no allegiance to the Separatists, and did not choose to secede from the Republic, however, for a few years they were considered among the list of Separatist Alliance species.

Because of how young Vorzydiaks were when they were indoctrinated into their busywork-centric lifestyles, the species had really never collectively questioned whether their methods were the best way to spend their living existence. That was until the various pleasure amenities really began to take off on Vorzyd V at around 40 BBY. Many young Vorzydiaks were introduced to concepts like “fun” and “entertainment” for the very first time as the new attraction and gambling industries began to garner incredible offworld attention. This led to a budding movement of Vorzydiaks who advocated for the freedom to choose their own paths, as well as less restrictive lifestyles and overbearing work cycles for the entire species, known simply as the “Freelies.” They felt that the best way to begin to bring about a societal shift was to sabotage various Vorzydiak places of employment to disrupt their workflow, including coordinated attacks on the factories of Vorzyd V.

These borderline terroristic disruption attempts did not bring about the desired effects at first, and instead warranted an investigation by the Jedi Order who, upon discovering the existence of the Freelies, did sympathize with their plight but could not assist them given their immature and often reckless methods. Still, the Freelies only grew in influence over the years, and by the time between the destruction of the first and second Death Stars, they had become somewhat more coordinated, shrewd, and even acknowledged as a pseudo-political movement at least worth consideration, although there is no evidence that they were ever able to bring about any real forms of change. They also began to recruit non-Vorzydiak local youngsters to their cause, who too were affected by the harsh expectations forced upon them. Their efforts may have been slowed as the Empire subjugated the system especially harshly given their short stint among the CIS, and began to heavily regulate and tax the Vorzydiaks, primarily due to the thriving revenue that the Gambling World consistently generated.

This increasing oppression led to Vorzyd V’s president, one of the most influential Vorzydiak leaders at the time, to reach out to the Rebel Alliance for assistance. She intended to pledge their resources to the cause in exchange for liberation, though they feared their defection would bring the wrath of the Empire down upon them. Sadly, the Rebellion’s efforts never fully succeeded as the Imperial Remnant claimed and fortified the Vorzyd System on multiple occasions after the Empire’s official defeat. Still, the New Republic tried what they could to assist the Vorzydiak people (as well as the various settlers who had taken up full-time residence on Vorzyd V by this time), and the Vorzydiaks considered themselves to still be allies of the new government, showcasing at least a slight shift in their attitude towards associating with outside factions. Unfortunately, history shows that the Vorzyd Sector would continue to suffer as they were conquered by the destructive Yuuzhan Vong invaders, and later occupied by Darth Krayt’s new Galactic Empire.

Continuity: The Vorzydiaks currently remain a concept exclusive to Star Wars Legends, and as you can tell, at least a few of their final bits of lore cannot be adapted into the Canon timeline.

Unexplored: As you can tell, we know quite a bit about the Vorzydiaks, although I suppose a fair bit of what’s established actually comes from lore regarding their home system and worlds, which we can use to infer the status of the species. The fact that they’re also such a restrictive species does close a lot of doors in regards to possible exploration, at least in their present state, although I can still think of a few questions that, if answered, would help us better understand this species just a little bit better (also, given that they’re an EU-exclusive species at present, they’re can be a blank slate when it comes to Canon). For starters, how long had the Vorzydiaks been members of the Republic, just how much sway within it did they truly have, when were they first discovered, and by whom? Which planet exactly did they originate from, when did they first develop sentience, and what sort of beings might they have evolved from that could have influenced their current anatomical traits, such as their mysterious antennae?

How expansive was the species among their home system and sector, and was it possible there were dozens of Vorzydiak colony worlds, some even found outside of Vorzyd space? Had there ever been any movements similar to the Freelies in the past, or were they truly the first group to attempt to rebel against the controlling nature of their culture and bring about change? What was the full catalog of items produced on Vorzyd IV, and how lucrative was it as opposed to the budding entertainment industry found on Vorzyd V? What did the Vorzydiaks think of Vorzyd V’s fun-fueled environment? Did they view it with disgust or apprehension, or did they find the folly amusing and the wealth it raked in more than worth turning a blind eye to the time wasting that the visitors partook in? Were the Freelies’ efforts ever successful, did future generations slowly but surely grow further divorced from their need to constantly stay occupied, and what did the future of the species look like after suffering so much at the hands of tyrant after tyrant?

Additional Notes: This species falls on the middle of the line for me as far as interest and potential goes, as I don’t consider them really an iconic Legends race by any means, but do find some elements of their lore fairly unique. I think they could use a bit of a visual overhaul in Canon, especially in making their antennae more of a prominent element, but overall I do want to see them reappear in something soon, especially in a project like the High Republic before Phase III comes to its rapidly approaching end!

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