Selrossians were a Near-Human sentient species native to the planet of Selross. Due to their generally reserved personalities, low economic stature, and remote homeworld, Selrossians were rarely seen in the Galaxy
Appearance[]
Physically, Selrossians were imposing, with adult males standing around 2 meters in height. The adults of both genders were lean and powerfully built; although as a rule, males tended to be slightly larger.
Selrossians were typically dark-haired and most chose to wear their hair fairly long, although children and some tribal groups traditionally wore their hair shorter. Adult males usually grew a beard after the birth of their first child, with the beard serving as a symbol of the father's new responsibilities and growing maturity. This cultural tradition had a rather interesting side effect, causing Selrossians to generally be fairly respectful of any non-Selrossian individual who sported a beard.
Although Jedi were barred from having children, barring them from having facail hair under Selrossian tradition, some Selrossian Jedi elected to wear beards, considering their commitment to protecting galaxy to be the equivalent of having "a very large, very grumpy, and perpetually unruly child."
Selrossians also had unique skin pigmentation, with a subtle pattern of mottles on their arms and shoulders. Blues, greens, and browns were common colors in these patterns, however there were some very rare exceptions, since the Selrossian equivalent of albinism caused a purple-red mottle coloration. The coloration and pattern of the mottles varied between tribal groups and as a consequence, they served as an important part of a Selrossian’s cultural identity.
Selrossians had facial features very similar to those of Humans, and these Human-like traits lead some unobservant individuals to miscategorize them as such. However, Selrossians tended to have smaller, almost recessed ears and less pronounced nostrils than typical Humans. Very few Human, Near-Human, or Non-Human cultures found these facial features attractive, although the overall physique of Selrossians was admired by most galactic standards.
Biology and Physiology[]
Selrossian physiology was broadly similar to that of Humans, with most metabolic processes and physical structures being identical or similar. However, there were numerous key physical differences between the two species.
The Selrossians had a variety of unique evolutionary adaptations, many of which could be attributed to their semi-aquatic habitat and lifestyle. Their lung capacity was significant, and Selrossians had the unique ability to “supersaturate” their bodies with oxygen prior to diving. This process involved the saturation of atypical levels of oxygen in the bloodstream via and the storage of hemoglobin in the spleen.
Upon inhaling deeply, Selrossians involuntarily released a chemical into their bloodstream. This chemical activated "dormant" red blood cells within the blood stream, allowing these newly-activated cells to carry additional oxygen. However, this high red blood cell count had negative side affects, among them clotting problems later in life, and a greater propensity for a disease similar to leukemia.
Oxygen in the bloodstream and lungs was metabolized first, followed by the oxygen which was gradually released by the spleen. These unique physiological adaptations gave Selrossians a continual supply of oxygen during long periods of submergence.
Like many amphibious and aquatic species, Selrossians has a form of webbing on their digits. However, Selrossian webbing was somewhat unique in that it is only semi-permanent, and the webbing being retracted into the space between the fingers and toes. However, upon prolonged exposure to water, the webbing membrane unadhered, moving up to bridge the gap between the digits. This unique adaptation allowed Selrossians full control of their digits upon land without having to trade away increased efficiency in the water.
Although lean and athletic in appearance, Selrossians were not brawny, and as a species they lacked brute strength. Significant portions of their muscle tissue was analogous to the Type I muscle tissue found in Humans, a variety of muscle adapted for long periods of strenuous physical activity. However, Selrossian muscular tissue also had the capability to perform anaerobic respiration for an extended period of time. This physiological trait gave Selrossians remarkable endurance and stamina, a trait Selrossian fighters used to their advantage, tiring out and weakening opponents through prolonged duels. However, the high levels of lactate/lactic acid produced in this process made the period after strenuous exercise extremely painful for most Selrossians.
In order to prevent water from entering bodily orifices, Selrossians were capable of sealing off their nostrils while underwater via a small flap hidden near the nasal cavity. And, much like sharks and some species of desert animals, Selrossians had a second set of eyelids, an adaptation which acted as a set of swim goggles, allowing them to see underwater with greater clarity.
However, despite their biological uniqueness and physical robustness, the harsh conditions of life on Selross resulted in most Selrossians having an average lifespan of only forty to fifty years. Notable exceptions to this life expectancy could be found among the elders of Selrossian tribes and villages, some of whom reached ages approaching seventy or eighty.
History[]
Origins[]
As a Near-Human species, Selrossians were believed to be descended from Humans or to have shared a common ancestor at some point prior to their divergent evolution. Selrossian folklore and legend supported the former theory, telling of the mythical “Fathers of Selross,” who were though to have “fallen from the sky like stars.” These details suggested that Selross was first populated by a party of stranded spacers, a type of origin similar to that of several Near-Human species such as the Chalactan.
However, the unique physiology and biological characteristics of Selrossians lead some xenobiologists to support theories of parallel evolution or a common Human-Selrossian ancestor.
Society and Culture[]
Selrossian society was a fragmented one. Large population centers were virtually nonexistent on Selross, with most, if not all Selrossians living in small villages with their extended family units. These units were composed of parents, grandparents, young children and newly-married sons and their spouses, who would live with their family until the birth of their first child, at which point they would move to a hut of their own. However, Selrossians reproduced slowly, and so villages generally grew fairly slowly. Villages were composed of reed huts and were typically located near a lake, river or marsh.
Each individual village owed allegiance to a given Selrossian tribal group, which in turn owed its allegiance to a tribal leader. These tribal groups were fiercely competitive and as a consequence had little to do with their fellow tribes outside of the occasional raid or trading foray. These years of near-isolation further increased the difference between tribes, as tribal inbreeding lead members of each tribe to develop and share unique skin coloration and facial features.
As a culture, Selrossians placed a high value on oral traditions, and as a consequence, elders and musicians were highly respected for their storytelling skills, and families and villages would eagerly gather to hear their elders retell old legends and tales.
Outer Rim traders would occasionally stop by on Selross to purchase Selrossian fish, crafts, and during some periods in Selross’ history, slaves. These exchanges gave Selrossians access to basic technology, namely engines for their small boats, industrial fishing nets, and basic household utensils. However, there was one key piece of technology which they did not adopt. Selrossians never purchased weapons from offworlders, frowning upon the usage of blasters, preferring to use harpoons, atlatls, and elaborately carved fighting sticks.
Religion[]
Selrossian religion was polytheistic, with a variety of different deities and spirits. Each tribal groups developed its own pantheon and worship practices, although the fundamental theology was the same across Selrossian culture.
Language[]
Selrossians spoke a complex, semi-lyrical language known as Teyllik, with each tribe speaking its own unique dialect of the language. Some linguists theorized that Teyllik was descended from Old Galactic Basic, although outside of a handful of cognates between the two langauges, support for this theory was scare. For most of Selross’ history, its people did not have a written form of their language, although over time two written scripts developed
One, referred to as Keyllan, was an arcane and elegant, curling script, used primarily to record epics, genealogies, and histories. It was not widely used, and it was used only by a tiny handful of Selross’ few scholars, scribes, and storytellers. The second, and more prevalent script, Kollo, was use for basic math, accounting and inter-tribal trade, and most Selrossians had a working knowledge of the script.
Those few Selrossian who made frequent contact with offworlders were usually capable of speaking and writing a form of pidgin Basic at the very least, and in practice, most Selrossian traders spoke Basic, Bocce, and several other trade languages with reasonably fluency.
Personality[]
Selrossians tended to be strong-minded, stubborn and set in their long-established ways. However, as a people they were also methodical, hard-working, and utterly courageous. This set of traits allowed the Selrossians to survive on their harsh, resource-poor homeworld, however they also had a tendency to keep them there. Despite their bravery, Selrossians had a poorly developed sense of adventure, and outside of traders, the occasional runaway youth, and the mere handful of children chosen to be Jedi, few ever left Selross.
Behind the Scenes[]
- The culture and lifestyle of Selrossians is loosely based on those of the real-world Ma’Dan people, also known as the Marsh Arabs. The Ma’Dan lived, and to a degree still live in the reed marshes and swamps of Iran and Iraq. Although of “Persian” ancestry, Marsh Arabs follow many of the cultural and religious traditions of desert Arabs, a fact which is illustrated by their Muslim faith and fealty to their region’s Ma’Dan sheik.
- The Selrossian's ability to store slow-released hemoglobin in the spleen is actually a direct analog to human physiology and a trait real-world free divers use to extend their dive times.