Krex

Name: Krex

Humanoid: Yes

Classification: Saurian/Reptilian

Homeworld: Rokirex

Coloration: Gray, Blue, Brown, and/or Orange

Biology: The Krex were a large saurian species found rather sparingly throughout the galaxy. They stood around 2 meters in height, with large, bipedal, relatively humanoid builds, possessing two arms and two legs, with five-fingered hands. Krex had bulky chests and torsos, with muscular frames, though their bodies were also covered in a layer of large, thick scales. These scales were generally split into two different colors per Krex, with the arms, legs, backs, and upper portion of the head and face being a darker color such as blue or gray, while their chests and chins were commonly a lighter tan or orange.

The Krex had rather distinctly shaped heads, being reptilian, primarily lizard or dinosaur-like in configuration. They had flat faces with drooping chins, a wide, pronounced jawline, and teeth-like scales making up their lips. They had large, upturned noses with outward-facing nostrils. They also possessed small, beady eyes that were orange in coloration, with black, vertical slit-like pupils, nestled under pronounced, spikey brows. The Krex also had a less prominent row of spikes under their eyes, though their largest spike could be found on the upper-front portion of their head, often extending out and up approximately .3 meters.

These large, cranial horns gave an almost pompadour-like appearance to the Krex, with the horn being slick and shiny in appearance, generally yellow or orange in coloration, and often possessing any number of unique chips, divots, or miniscule grooves. Behind this horn, they also had a row of similarly round spikes descending down their spine, growing significantly smaller by the time they reached the bottom of the nape. Krex possessed incredible strength due to their size, able to tower over most beings with the added help of their primary horn. They also seemed to have a notable bite strength, and were capable of speaking Galactic Basic Standard.

Lore: Little remains known about the Krex at the moment due to their limited appearances. They had been discovered some time prior to the late Old Republic era, being well integrated into the Galactic Republic by 3,630 BBY. One member of the species, Ardinondu Dipolus Daeruun, became a prolific General within the Republic Military at the time, earning a positive reputation among the members of the Republic and the Jedi Order. The species were generally known for being intimidating, lending to their choices of profession such as soldier or bouncer, though these reservations by non-Krex were commonly misplaced.

As of the Old Republic, the species hailed from the planet Rokirex found somewhere within the known galaxy, though some suspicion had been raised about their true origins. Ancient historical records and traditional stories seemed to indicate that the first Krex were only visitors who had settled in for an elongated stay on Rokirex, and that the species was actually instead related to an even older saurian species, the Chistori, though these claims remain classified as myths for now. The species also seemed to have some sort of relationship to the Daichyura species, though this link was even less evident. Part of the reason as to why the species’ history may remain so obscured comes from their usually stoic and silent personas, with many known Krex rarely if ever speaking to strangers.

Continuity: The Krex were one of the final alien species (alongside the equally humanoid-saurian species the Daichyura) to be introduced into Star Wars Legends continuity, and have yet to make an appearance in Canon despite being introduced into Star Wars: The Old Republic almost a year after the shift to the current Canon had already taken effect.

Unexplored: There’s quite a bit to discuss here, most obviously starting with their origins! What percentage of their “historical myths” are actually real? Were they truly descendants of ancient Chistori, maybe the two share a common ancestor, or were they possibly offshoots of another outside species that settled Rokirex? If not, when did they develop sentience, and what sort of creature native to Rokirex might they have evolved from? When was the species first discovered, and by whom? Was it via Galactic Republic explorers, and if so, when were they officially brought into the folds of the Republic and presumably represented on the Senate? How influential were they throughout the various eras, and was there potentially a reason as to why they were never seen in eras following the Old Republic (BTS reasons aside)?

In regards to their anatomy and biology, how strong was the species? What was the purpose of their cranial horn? What sort of diet did the species possess? What languages did they speak, and what was their native tongue called? What types of colors could the species appear as? And what was the upper extent of their lifespans; did they live incredibly long times? What was Rokirex like, and how much did its natural environment influence their evolution? What was their relationship with the Diachyura, if really any? And were there any other well known members of the species aside from General Daeruun? These questions aside, it’s definitely also worth expanding on other general worldbuilding traits relating to the Krex like their history, architecture, civilizations, advancements, arts, exports, economy, politics, governments, society, culture, traditions, habits, culturals practices, etc.

Additional Notes: The Krex commonly drift in and out of my Top 25 sentient species list, with a stellar design and unique BTS story. I think, if they remain one of the last new EU races, they are very fitting, capturing both the camp and coolness of various aspects of the Legends continuity/continuities! I really hope they get fleshed out a little bit more before SWTOR inevitably comes to an end, and maybe, just maybe, they’ll work their way into Canon. I mean, their design is distinct enough from the already varied Trandoshans, AND I could even see them being pulled off practically in live action!

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