Draedan

The Draedans were a species of sapient amphibianoids with a reputation for constantly fighting one another. Their homeworld, Sesid, was divided into many different nations, ranging from democratic republics to military dictatorships.

Draedans had scaled silver to green skin, red eyes, and long, prehensile tails which they twitched when upset. Their finned tails and webbed hands were used in swimming, while their claws and sharp teeth were testament to their carnivorous nature. They had both lungs and gills, and were at home in fresh or salt water down to two kilometers deep. Though they could also survive on land, they needed to keep their skins moist. They were also cold-blooded, and could not tolerate temperature extremes. On land, they stood 1.3 to 1.7 meters tall, and walked with a slightly hunched gait, using their tails for balance. Draedans made their homes in coral reefs, underwater lataren forests, or in moist forests on land.

While the Draedans' warlike reputation was exaggerated, they did tend to be somewhat high-strung, particularly when insulted. The political situation of their homeworld also meant that most Draedans had military experience. The Galactic Republic had tried for decades to try and help the Draedans develop a more peaceful culture, but without success. The Republic colonists ended up standing aloof from Draedan conflicts, though they managed to coexist peacefully with them. When the Galactic Empire came to power, the Imperial Governor Arvel Trace continued this policy — for a time.

Sesid's trade products included coral, jewels, and wood products from both oceanic and land forests. Their most valuable resource was Sesid's relatively unspoiled biosphere, which was a treasure trove for the pharmaceutical industry. When the Empire decided to exploit these resources, they gave Imperial weapons to the forces of two Draedan dictators (Feynir and Maeril). In return, they sent the Empire a share of the spoils from newly subjugated nations. Unfortunately for the Empire, several Draedan nations retaliated by declaring allegiance to the Alliance to Restore the Republic. Many smugglers traded weapons to anti-Imperial nations for medical supplies. Governor Trace's forces were spread too thinly to effectively stop this trade.

Draedan technology during the Imperial era included various underwater vehicles, environmental suits they used to regulate body temperature and moisture on land, and primitive energy weapons. They did not have hyperdrive technology, and greatly coveted it. Few Draedans were able to leave their world legally, and those who did often found unsavory jobs as smugglers, bounty hunters, or the like.