Nejma

Last Updated: 11/9/2024

Name: Nejma (or Iskalonian)

Humanoid: Yes

Classification: Amphibious/Beast/Alternative

Homeworld: Eriscot (and Iskalon)

Coloration: Brown and Red

Biology: The Nejma were an amphibious sentient species that were seemingly at least vaguely humanoid, being described as tall, though our only current look at them remains mostly obscured. We know they “stood” or at least floated upright when underwater, with two arms, though we don’t know what anything below their chests looked like, nor even their hands. Insterestingly, for an aquatic species, the Nejma were actually hairy, covered in a layer of thick brown fur, and it has been stated that they possessed a dorsal fin on their back.

Their heads almost appeared to blend into their torsos, with flabby chins, large lips, and white teeth. They also had a segmented upper lip that almost took on a mustache-like appearance, with two additional ribbed lobes above it, taking the place of a traditional nose. Their eyes were large, bulgy, and glassy, almost appearing like an insectoid’s compound eye, being dark red in coloration. Finally, they had some sort of long, pinkish-red, messy growth of hair on the top of their heads that spread out in all directions when submerged. The species had the capacity to both breath and speak underwater, and were apparently proficient swimmers.

Lore: The Nejma were one of the at least seventeen species belonging to the “Iskalonian School” by 4 ABY, brought to the planet Iskalon by mysterious forces after their original homeworld, Eriscot, suffered an extinction-level event. Eriscot had been a habitable oceanic world located within the Mid Rim, specifically nestled within the infamous area known as “The Slice.” Approximately 5,000 years before the rise of the Galactic Empire, a nondescript tragedy overtook the world, wiping out most of the species, though a handful were saved by the aforementioned benefactors, who transported them to their current home, where they took on the collective title, Iskalonian, becoming one of the most prominent species among the massive school.

During the Galactic Civil War, the Iskalonians came into contact with the Galactic Empire, who saw their planet-wide union as a threat, establishing a military presence on a neighboring planet named Gamandar, where they then launched a full out assault on Iskalon. Enslaving a number of the locals, before launching a missile at the planet that destroyed their hybrid capital city, Pavillion, and leaving death and devastation in its wake. This caused the Iskalonians, including the Nejma, to retreat entirely from the galactic landscape, even after the Imperials were driven back, ceasing nearly all communication with the outside galaxy and withdrawing from any past alliances or political influences.

Following a later attack by Nagai, the New Republic offered them all membership, though this was firmly denied, with the Nejma agreeing that all they needed were their school-brethren until the end of time. It appears at some point within the 5,000 years they were on Iskalon, various Iskalonians of all species were enslaved and taken offworld, leading to the idea that other Nejma may be occasionally across the far reaches of the galaxy. It should also be noted that the Nejma are one of the only members of the school who chose to wear clothing, potentially mirroring their most prominent peers, the Inleshat.

Continuity: The Nejma, like almost every other member species of the Iskalonian School, remain exclusive to Star Wars Legends, debuting in one of the earliest pieces of media in the franchise, the 1977 Marvel comic run, and only being referenced briefly in guides afterwards.

Unexplored: This is one of those species that has lost a lot of its individual identity as it folds into the school, meaning there’s a bit less to explore than most species I cover would have, and while that’s not necessarily a bad thing, it does mean we have to approach the Nejma a bit differently than usual, at least once we get past their earlier history. That being said, let’s start from the beginning, by asking some establishing questions including: When did the Nejma first develop sentience, and what sort of creatures did they evolve from that would cause them to develop into a hair-covered aquatic race?

When were the Nejma first discovered, was it prior to the devastation of Eriscot, or only once the calamity had begun and their rescuers arrived? What was Eriscot like prior to its collapse, what did it look like, what caused the tragedy, and what are the remnants of the world like now? Is it possible for it to ever be recolonized again? Did the Nejma have any allies prior to the Iskalonian School, and were they involved in any Old Republic era events or conflicts? What aspects of the Nejma remain, such as elements of their culture, traditions, and identity, and what had been completely replaced by the collective existence of the Iskalonians, by the time they officially retreated from the galactic eye?

Being one of the most prominent sub-schools, how much influence did the Nejma actually have? Did they hold any special roles among the Iskalonians? How many members of the species were actually still alive, either just after the destruction of Eriscot, and/or just before and after the Imperial purge of Iskalon? Who exactly was it that saved they and the other aquatic species introduced into the School? Additionally, how many of the Nejma were enslaved across their history, and how many, if any, could still be found on the various worlds they may have been distributed across? What were the Nejma up to after we last saw them in the EU, and what differences or similarities might there be if they are ever brought into the official Canon? Additionally, what were some of their other established general worldbuilding traits (see our usual list) prior to their integration into the School, and also, what did their entire bodies look like, especially across a range of different art styles and mediums?

Additional Notes: What a fascinating design for an amphibious species, it’s just a shame they were never used in or for anything else. I really want to see how the rest of their bodies appear, but I’m scared we’ll never actually know… still, the Inleshat were canonized relatively recently, so I suppose there’s still hope that someone behind the scenes at Lucasfilm has their eyes on the old issue(s) these various Iskalonian species come from, so maybe I’ll someday have a reason to revisit this article and updated it with new, officially Canon lore, and most hopefully, brand new images!

Reference Images: