Vodrans
Species: Vodran
Home Planet: Vodran
Vodran
The Vodrans were a sentient egg-laying reptile species evolved on the planet Vodran, in the Si'Klaata Cluster—thus sharing homeworld with the parasite known as Dianoga. The Vodrans were anthropomorphic beings, no taller than a Human, but with several physiological differences. These included featureless eyes; hard, leathery skin; underdeveloped facial muscles; and a ring of spikes around the face. While peaceful by nature, Vodrans were good and strong fighters. Most Vodrans considered the benefits of the collective before those of the individual, showing almost no individuality; the few freethinking Vodrans were considered pariahs and rogues.
From before the onset of the Galactic Republic, the Vodrans had been slaves of the Hutts. The Vodrans, believing the Hutts to be evil deities, agreed to serve them. The legendary Vodran warrior Kl'ieutu Mutela signed his whole species on serfdom through the Treaty of Vontor and, since them, the Hutts imposed their own culture to the Vodrans, erasing any previous civilization. The Vodrans really believed that their partnership with the Hutt was profitable to both parties, and as such the reptilian aliens were ready to sacrifice their own lives, in great numbers, only to keep their Hutt overlord's ostentous lifestyle—one that the Vodrans did not emulate.
The Hutts initally recruited the Vodrans, along with their neighbor species, the Klatooinians and the Nikto, to fight the forces of Xim the Despot during the Third Battle of Vontor. After the success on Vontor, the three species were kept on retainer by the Hutts, commonly as enforcers or thugs. 21,000 years after this event, the crime lord Bogga the Hutt used Vodran slaves among his troops. The Vodrans proved to be the more loyal slave species to the Hutts, never even attempting a rebellion against their masters. During the times of the Galactic Civil War, the unbalanced Vodran Xenon Nnaksta joined and became an officer of the Alliance to Restore the Republic.
Biology & Appearance
Vodran is the name of the sentient species coming from the planet of the same name. The Vodrans were two-legged warm-blooded reptiles,humanoid in shape. Their bodies were covered with leathery skin that could be any shade between olive green and brown. The skin was such a hard covering that it protected the Vodrans from physical damage to a slight extent.
A Vodran's face showed a flat nose and two featureless black eyes. The hard skin of a Vodran, combined with underdeveloped muscles, restricted the range of emotions Vodrans could transmit through facial expressions. A Vodran's face was also ringed by horny protuberances, creating a ridge of horns.
Vodrans were oviparous beings, with their young being born from egg clutches. Each individual clutch produced two or three Vodrans. These Vodrans began their adolescence at twelve years of age, and were in their prime not before their seventeen year. At that point, the Vodran had reached a height of 1.75 meters, or even 1.80 meters, and could run as fast as a Human. At forty-five, age began to take its toll on a Vodran and, at sixty-five, a Vodran was considered to be old. With an accepted lifespan of eighty years, any Vodran reaching that age was considered to be venerable.
Vodrans were a nimble, sturdy people with acute senses. A number of them were Force-sensitive and could become users of the Force.
Society & Culture
Vodrans, having little self image, commonly showed not much individual personality. They instead believed in "the value of many", seeing the whole species as a group. The physiological restrictions they had to express emotion through their faces prompted them to express wishes and emotions using only body language and voice infliections. As they thought of the collective before themselves, they had trouble with advanced social conventions include innuendo and etiquette.
The Vodrans had served the Hutt species as slaves for hundreds of centuries with unswerving loyalty, being probably the most devoted servants Hutts have had. Vodrans belonged to a group of Hutt servants known as the Jungle Clans, also including Klatooinians, Iotrans, Nikto, Weequays and Whiphids. While exceptions existed, the greater majority of Vodrans are absolutely loyal to the Hutt institutions, mostly represented as the kajidics—Hutt families that are in charge of criminal activities. Vodrans lacked individuality, disliking it when found in a Vodran, and believed in the well-being of their Hutt masters, no matter how many Vodrans had to die to protect their masters' lifestyle. A number of Hutts settled on the planet Vodran and exploited their hard-working Vodran servants to keep up their opulent activities. Vodrans believed that their association with the Hutts had been very fruitful for the Vodran people, and the Vodran individual who made it possible, the warrior Kl'ieutu Mutela, was revered by the Vodrans.
Vodrans had developed their own culture before being contacted by the Hutts. However, as soon as the Hutts began to deal with Vodrans, the Hutts imposed their own culture on the Vodran people, replacing any previously-existing thought. A new mythology was created, suggesting that Vodrans had only existed from the moment they began their service to the Hutts. While this was historically untrue, Vodrans living after 25,098 BBY believed it wholeheartedly, and the Vodran civilization, history and art was adapted to reflect this. The Hutts also replaced the ancient language of the Vodrans with the Hutt tongue, Huttese. Vodrans used Huttese as their native language, although from the times of the Galactic Republic onward, many Vodrans also learned to speak Galactic Basic Standard. The Hutts provided the Vodrans with advanced technology, including hyperdrives, but most Vodrans would not dare travel outside their homeworld without the blessing of their Hutt masters. Besides, many Vodrans had a hard time mastering technology or advanced knowledge.
Reflecting the infrastructure of their Hutt overlords, Vodrans organized themselves in miniature kajidics, or Vodran clans, in which Vodrans lived. Each Vodran clan answered to one Hutt kajidic, and ultimately to the Hutt Clan of Ancients. However, while Hutts are known to take part in many games and fun activities, Vodrans rarely mimic their masters in that aspect. Also unlike Hutts, Vodrans had two-worded names, such as Meido Lycri, Kl'ietu [sic.] Mutela, Lakren Plooru or Saran Vydek.
Vodrans had a deep-rooted respect to authority figures, whether they were Hutts or not. A Vodran would rarely try to obtain power for him or herself. They instead would try to serve the Vodran social institutions and, through them, the greater good. Vodrans valued commitment and consensus, and they expect any individual to accept the ruling of groups. Commonly these groups included a Hutt kajidic, but also a state, clan or union.
A very small number of Vodrans had shown enough individuality to roguely reject their society and its principles, overcoming social conditioning and innate tendence to obey authority. These people tend to be loners, and escaped from their Hutt masters. Other Vodrans consider freethinking Vodrans to be pariahs, outcasts and maniacs. A number of Hutts cared little about losing a useless servant, but others resorted to bounty hunters to track their fugitives.
In general, Vodrans were naïve, peaceful and no-nonsense. However, they commonly served as enforcers, developing combat skills to hone their aggressive potential. Other commonly-learned skills were related to survival in wild, hostile environments, because most Vodrans grew up on Vodran, facing the threat of huge predators roaming at will through steamy jungles and swamps. A number of Vodrans developed a mild psychosis that made them fearless and daredevilish.
Attribute Dice: 12D
DEXTERITY 2D/4D
KNOWLEDGE 1D/3D+2
MECHANICAL 1D/3D
PERCEPTION 2D/4D
STRENGTH 2D/4D+1
TECHNICAL 1D/3D
Special Abilities:
Hutt Loyalty: Most Vodrans are completely loyal to the Hutt Crime Empire. Those so allied receive +2D to willpower to resist betraying the Hutts.
Story Factors:
Lack of Individuality: Vodrans have little self image, and view themselves as a collective.
Move: 5/9 walking, 15/22 flying
Size: 1.6-1.9 meters tall
Source: Galaxy Guide 12 – Aliens: Enemies and Allies(pages 90-91), Ultimate Alien Anthology (pages 177-178) & Wookieepedia (For the Vodran Description)