Umbaran/Legends

"I can't even see the enemy!''" "''That's why they're called the Shadow People, Tup!"

- Clone troopers during the Battle of Umbara

Umbarans, culturally known as the Shadow People, resided on the dark world of Umbara deep within the Ghost Nebula. Umbarans could see in ultraviolet (below 300 nanometers) and had the ability to read, subtly influence, and sometimes control the will of others.

Biology and appearance
Umbarans spoke the language Umbarese which was written using the Umbara alphabet. Umbarans were gaunt, frighteningly pale near-humans with sunken eyes and cold calculating stares, due to the planet Umbara having an eternal twilight. Their eyes were well adjusted to the dark, but they were easily disoriented when exposed to bright sudden flashes of light. The Umbaran militia who took part in the battle of Umbara wore sealed helmets containing a potent gas mixture, used to keep the soldiers combat-ready. It increased their reflexes and made them more aggressive.

Umbarans were highly secretive and manipulative people, who craved little else than power and influence. Many had a darker sense of humor than the average human, which would manifest in social interactions. Masters of misdirection, these creatures almost never revealed their true thoughts or intentions.

Society and culture
Umbaran society was built on a finely detailed caste system comprising almost one hundred levels. Only those in the top ten caste levels were given the opportunity to leave their homeworld, explaining their rarity outside the Ghost Nebula. The primary ambition of the average Umbaran was to ascend through the caste levels, using tactics from blackmail and subterfuge to cool assassination, thus priming them for a life in politics. Failed plots to ascend the ranks of society were met harshly with the attempted perpetrator imprisoned and their family dropped to one of the lower caste levels. Dependent upon the rank of the targeted individual, the perpetrator risked a death sentence for themselves and their entire family. Successful maneuvering however, was rewarded with prestige, making it worth the risk. They could also tell if a person was lying due to their more sensitive eyes and their ability to sense heat.

The highest caste level, known as Rootai, comprised a council that ruled Umbara, and its members were considered royalty. The Umbarans also had their own military known as the Umbaran Militia who protected Umbara and the Umbarans from invasions.

History
Umbarans had a presence in galactic affairs since the dawn of the Galactic Republic. Although few in number, they were always at the forefront of politics. During the time of the Galactic Republic, they strode eerily through the halls of power. Respected, yet feared for their ability to subtly sway others, Umbaran senators rarely met anyone foolish enough to call them an enemy.

It was a fallen Umbaran Jedi Master by the name of Phanius that touched off the first in a series of conflicts that eventually came to be known as the New Sith Wars. Nearly a millennium later, the Umbarans allied with the Brotherhood of Darkness against the Republic. An academy to train Sith assassins was opened on Umbara. Umbaran shadow spies served the Sith on planets such as Ruusan.

During the waning years of the Old Republic, Umbarans used their natural mental sway to secure positions of power. Supreme Chancellor Palpatine selected an Umbaran by the name of Sly Moore to be his Staff Aide. Moore was entrusted with some of the soon-to-be Emperor's darker secrets.

During the Clone Wars, the Umbarans seceded to the Confederacy of Independent Systems following the murder of Umbaran Senator Mee Deechi.

During the Jedi Purge, Umbarans were used as spies and thought police, with a main objective of weeding out rogue Jedi who escaped the onslaught.

During the Galactic Civil War, Umbarans would help the Emperor find Rebel sympathizers hiding within the ranks of the Imperial government and military.

The death of the Emperor at the Battle of Endor caught many Umbarans by surprise. Fearing retribution from both the Imperial Remnant and the New Republic, the Umbarans fled civilized space back to the Ghost Nebula.

Umbarans often wore Shadowcloaks.