Dur Sabon

Last Updated: 10/10/2024

Name: Dur Sabon

Humanoid: No

Classification: Amphibious/Giant

Homeworld: Dur Sabon

Coloration: Green, Purple, & Blue

Biology: The Dur Sabon were a sentient sea serpent-like species. They were massive beings, with long bodies estimated to be at least 8 meters long, though we do not have an exact measurement. They rested on a lower portion of their serpentine frames, so when sitting “upright,” they were seemingly between 3 and 4 meters tall, though their postures were always “hunched,” with the thickest portion of their bodies situated around this back/shoulder area. The species was incredibly muscular, covered in what appeared to be a layer of scales. Dur Sabons were very colorful, with light green, ribbed underbellies, darker green backs, large, dark purple spots on said back, and pale green fins, as well as a green-to-purple gradient near their faces, hands, “ear fins,” and the tips of their tails.

They possessed two thin arms with large, pointed, five-fingered hands possessing spotted webbing between each finger. Because we have never seen their full bodies, it is impossible to rule out the presence of additional limbs, though only two have currently been observed. The species had a pair of small fins on the tip of either side of their tails, as well as a dorsal fin that sprouted from the upper back portion of their neck and extended down their back, diminishing in size. Dur Sabon had three distinct pairs of fins behind their face. The backmost of these “ear fins” were the largest, extending outward over half a meter and consisting of webbing between six line spines. The second set extended out from the backs of their “chin” areas, being much smaller and semi-circular in nature, with only four bony portions surrounding the fin. The final was the smallest, located above the species eyes, being wispy and almost hair-like, curving upwards with thin grooves.

Dur Sabon faces were relatively fast, situated on the front portion of their serpentine bodies. These faces were wrinkled, with bulging solid eyes that were a glossy black, almost dark orange in coloration. The species seemed to lack any sort of noticeable nostrils, though they still had a bit of a defined nose ridge. Their mouths were large, with wide lips, and a gaping maw that did not reveal any immediate teeth. The species seemed capable of breathing on land, though they were also implied to be amphibious, able to survive both above and below the surface of their homeworld’s oceans. The species had the capacity to clearly pronounce Galactic Basic Standard. They displayed no specific evidence of Force Sensitivity during their brief appearance, though nothing to deny the possibility either.

Lore: Little remains known about the mysterious yet benevolent Dur Sabon. Hailing from an ocean-covered, pink-and-purple-skied world of the same name found within the Outer Rim Territories, the Dur Sabon had constructed massive platforms that jutted up from beneath the oceanic surface. In fact, they had developed many technological marvels outside of their stone-based platforms. These included massive, winding, glass-like structures covered in ornate designs, all rising to tall points and no two buildings appearing to be the same. They also created some form of floating glowing orbs of various sizes that served a currently unknown purpose outside of illumination, also semi-translucent and colorful, perched above their various other structures. Dur Sabon cities appeared to be made up of multiple far-spread, unconnected platforms, some serving as landing pads while others housed clusters of buildings, making the cities only traversable by air or sea.

The Dur Sabon themselves seemed rather amicable, though they had a certain regalness to themselves, arms and wrists with golden bands covered in pearlescent jewels. They spoke in a very formal manner, and presented themselves as though they possessed great wealth, accentuated by their massive statures. The species had some sort of existing relationship with another aquatic species, the Ootoolans of the nearby planet, Ootoola, who possessed noticeably similar architecture, though vastly different biology. Following the treacherous Ootoolan revolution that took place around 33 BBY, the Dur Sabon made their worlds safe haven for the surviving princess, Foolookoola, offering to protect her until the rebels could be eradicated and she could be safely returned home. Like the Ootoolans, the Dur Sabon fell within the Galactic Republic’s jurisdiction during this time, though there is little evidence that the governing body paid much attention to Dur Sabon System, despite the greater Morshdine Sector being a historical hotspot for galactic conflict.

Continuity: The Dur Sabon exist only from a lone appearance within the Star Wars Expanded Universe, not yet making their way into Canon, though their homeworld was referenced a few additional times within supplementary EU media back in the day.

Unexplored: Given they only appear on one page within the entirety of the Star Wars universe, I’m surprised I was even able to get multiple paragraphs out of the species for the “Biology” and “Lore” sections above. That being said, there’s still quite a bit to speculate about, so that’s what we’ll begin doing now! So, for starters, when did the Dur Sabon first develop sentience? What sort of presumably sea creatures did they evolve from, and why did they remain so large and serpentine when so many other species grow to be more humanoid in nature? How fast did it take the species to begin developing their various structures, and when did they first adapt to breathe above the surface of their oceans (or were they first land creatures that moved underwater)? What prompted the unique buildings and other constructs that they created? And how plentiful were the planet’s resources, for construction, riches, or otherwise?

When did the species first make contact with the outside galaxy? Who first discovered them, and when did they first develop a connection with the neighboring Ootoolans? Were they the ones who inspired Ootoola’s architecture, helping them to advance through benevolent assistance, or did they possibly derive their inspiration from the Ootoolans instead? Were the species adamant members of the Galactic Republic, potentially holding a seat on the Republic Senate, or were they more passive participants, under the Republic’s rule but with little actual involvement like many other citizens of the Outer Rim? Were they ever involved in any major galactic conflicts? And why were they so invested in the wellbeing of the Ootoolan Princess? Was it some long-held loyalty, maybe they viewed the Ootoolans as their progeny, was it the returning of a favor they owed the royal family, or were they truly just a selfless people?

How long did they serve host to Foolookoola, and did they face any backlash for this? Were they ever forced to physically defend the princess, or simply ward off threats through sheer intimidation? Did the species ever travel to Ootoola themselves during this time, and what happened to the species following this particular violent event? What were the species up to during future events such as the Clone Wars, Dark Times, Galactic Civil War, Cold War, and beyond. How exactly did the species travel? Did they possess unique spacefaring craft suitable for their shape and size, or was it possible they never left their homeworld? What sort of perspectives and philosophies did they hold regarding various galactic ongoings, both near and far? And how large was their population, as similar species were sometimes few and far between? Aside from these specific questions, we can also always look into our other usual worldbuilding traits such as the species governments, society, economy, exports, languages, arts, diets, unique anatomical or biological traits, habits, traditions, religions, technologies, etc.

Additional Notes: I adore this design in particular (though all of the aliens from “Star Wars Tales 3 – Deal with a Demon” are fantastically creative), and the briefly shown world that surrounds them is equally as enticing. I would love to see them resurface in something within Canon, despite being such an obscure concept within the EU. Maybe this article could even help bring them more into the public eye, in turn bringing them to the attention of official Star Wars creators. Regardless, I need to see them further, though I don’t want their design to change too much, which may limit their capacity to appear given the restrictions brought up by their aquatic nature and size. I guess we’ll have to wait and see if they’re ever revived, and I’ll update this article if and when they do (but feel free to feature them in your own fan work in the meantime)!

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