Squalris

"Slick as a Squalris."

- Saying common among traders along the Perlemian Trade Route, referring to a hard bargainer

The Squalrises were humanoids indigenous to the colonies world of Ifmix VI. Above all else they desired social interaction and success which brought increased personal wealth and status. They were famous along the Perlemian Trade Route for their love of making deals. Traders often used the term "slick as a Squalris" to describe a proficient deal maker or haggler.

Biology and appearance
Squalrises were heavy-set humanoids who averaged 1.6 meters in height. They had thick, yellow skin that gave them some resistance to injury. They had five fingers per hand, and each of these had a hard fingernail on the back. A fringe of thick, coarse, yellow hairs grew from the Squalris chin and jowls, framing the broad face. The mouth was broad, with thick lips stretching just below the small, flat nose. Two eyes&mdash;yellow with either a yellow or red iris &mdash;were set deep within a bony brow, nude in some members of the species but trimmed with black eyebrows in others. A narrow crest ran from just behind the eyes to the back of the head along the top of the skull. A floppy ear fringed in bristly hairs hung from both sides of the head.

Squalrises entered adolescence at 11 standard years of age, entering majority at 19 standard years. Middle age began at age 55. Squalris life expectancy was 90 standard years.

Society and culture
Typically, Squalrises were gregarious gadabouts, known for their easy-going and generally non-violent demeanors. As charismatic beings with a gift for getting their way in negotiations, Squalrises were unrepentant capitalists who loved to haggle and dicker over business transactions. The species was so renowned for their hard-nosed bargaining that traders along the Perlemian Trade Route used the phrase "slick as a Squalris" to characterize a deft dealmaker. In fact, the surest way to nettle a Squalris was to threaten his or her business deals. This acumen made the average Squalris wealthier than his or her counterparts among other species, which was only in keeping with the general Squalris desire for success, money, property, and social status. Members of the species advertised their riches by bedecking themselves in foppish clothing: boots and jewelry, as well as luxurious tunics, trousers, overcoats, and robes, all bedizened with elaborate embroidery and gemstones.

The Squalrises claimed the planet Ifmix VI as their homeworld. Their native language was also known as Squalris, which had both spoken and written forms. Most members of the species also learned to read and write Basic. Many Squalris names had only a single part, such as Feemus, Irallish, Klabelon, Muaago, and Sanglui. Others had two parts, such as Zlorr Uluj.

History
The Squalrises evolved on Ifmix VI, a planet known for its unforgiving weather: turbulent winds and tornadoes ravaged the surface in an unending cycle. The Squalrises joined the galactic community soon after the formation of the Galactic Republic; outsiders reached their world sometime between 27,500 and 25,000 BBY. After the invention of advanced hyperdrives in 25,000 BBY, Ifmix VI became part of the newly blazed Perlemian Trade Route, situated between Yabol Opa toward the Core and Shulstine toward the Rim. Squalris merchants soon became common in spaceports and trading posts, especially those lying along the Perlemian. The Ifmix system became part of the Colonies region. The Squalrises' homeworld remained in an area of space controlled by the Galactic Republic through a litany of conflicts, ranging from the Great Sith War of 4,000 BBY to 3,996 BBY to the Clone Wars of 22 to 19 BBY. By 137 ABY, the Squalrises' home system fell within territory controlled by Darth Krayt as part of his Galactic Empire.

Appearances

 * Gambler's World