Noghri/Legends

Noghri were a primitive humanoid species. They had steely gray or blue skin, and were extremely skilled assassins due to their abilities in stealth and hand-to-hand combat. Despite their small size, they were efficient killing machines, with claws, fangs, and a sense of smell so acute, they can smell one's bloodline (as exemplified when Khabarakh used it to determine Leia Organa Solo as Darth Vader's daughter and heir). They were much like the Wookiee species culturally, in that they respected honor above all else. Noghri society was clan-based, revolving around the dukha, or community building, at the center of each village.

History
"Oh, yes, Noghri &mdash; I know what you and your people are. The Emperor's private Death Commandos; killing and dying at the whim of ambitious men like Darth Vader and the Grand Admiral here."

- Joruus C'baoth

The Noghri were natives of the planet Honoghr. Long before the Clone Wars brought devastation to their world, the Noghri were enslaved by the Rakata of the Infinite Empire. While the empire itself eventually faded into history, the ex-slaves soon began worshipping the memory of the Rakatans, viewing their ancient structures as evidence of the gods' time on Honoghr.

The Noghri entered the galactic spotlight during the Clone Wars when their planet was ravaged by the Separatist toxin Trihexalophine1138. The contaminant had come from a downed Lucrehulk-class Core Ship destroyed in the spaceborne Battle of Honoghr, and decimated a vast majority of the planet's flora.

Soon after the conclusion of the Clone Wars, Darth Vader discovered the planet, and was dramatically impressed with the warrior skill of the Noghri when they slew his stormtrooper escort. Under the guise of "helping" the planet recover from the ecological disaster, he received the homage of the Noghri, as a result of which most of the young males of the planet became Death Commandos - the personal assassins of Emperor Palpatine.

The Noghri stayed in the lesser-known sides of the Empire that required Assassins, bodyguards, and generally shady occupations. Darth Vader appointed several to guard the planet Yalara's cloaking device, after subsequently taking out the previous guards. These Noghri would stay there until called upon. They were attacked long after their call, by two parties at once: the Disciples of Ragnos, and the Jedi Knight, Jaden Korr. These Noghri were faithful to the last, showing their loyalty. None were known to have survived.



The Noghri remained in service to the Galactic Empire after the death of Palpatine. Lord Cronal captured some and created mutated branches of Noghri assassins, to guard Dromund Kaas

About five years after the death of the Emperor, Grand Admiral Thrawn ordered the Noghri to kidnap the pregnant Leia Organa Solo. Realizing that neither she nor her children would be truly safe as long as the Noghri served the Empire, she went to Honoghr in order to convince the Noghri to leave the Empire's service. She was able to use the fact that she was the daughter of Darth Vader to convince the Noghri that the Empire had been lying to them and kept them in virtual slavery for many years. As a result, the Noghri turned against the Empire. Grand Admiral Thrawn died when his Noghri bodyguard Rukh turned on him and stabbed him.

Following the death of Thrawn, the Noghri came into the service of the New Republic. The New Republic helped resettle the Noghri to other planets, including Wayland, to give Honoghr time to heal. Leia and her entire family became very highly respected figures in Noghri society. Leia was later assigned two Noghri bodyguards, Cakhmaim and Meewahl.

Attributes and Society
"But it was so artistically done..."

- Grand Admiral Thrawn's last words, after being stabbed by his Noghri bodyguard, Rukh

As mentioned above, Noghri were notorious assassins. They also made outstanding bodyguards. In battle, they were exceptional in hand-to-hand combat. Their speech was very guttural and scratchy in nature, comparable to Trandoshan's. They had a clan-based, honor-based society and referred to someone by their family. Leia Organa Solo was known by them to belong to the same family as Darth Vader. She was then referred to as, "Lady Vader", or, in the Noghri tongue, Mal'ary'ush. Each clan had a Matrakh, or matriarch, the storyteller, leader, and lore keeper of the clan. A clan also had a dukha, or meeting place at the center of a village, where the Matrakh usually resided. Dukha were considered somewhat sacred, belonging also to the ancestors of the clan. Noghri were also very loyal, as shown in examples where the Death Commandos and similar groups often willingly went to their deaths to fight against those they considered enemies. A conflict of loyalty was a major event in a Noghri's life.

Notable Noghri clans

 * Clan Bakh'tor
 * Clan Baikh'vair
 * Clan Eikh'mir
 * Clan Kihm'bar
 * Clan Hakh'khar
 * Clan Tlakh'sar

Notable Noghri

 * Adarakh
 * Barkhimkh
 * Basbakhan
 * Bolpuhr
 * Cakhmaim
 * Gruk'ti
 * Ir'khaim
 * Jhordvar
 * Kahr'corvh
 * Khabarakh
 * Khakraim
 * Meewahl
 * Mobvekhar
 * Mushkil
 * Olmahk
 * Ovrekhem
 * Plakhmirakh
 * Sakhisakh
 * Sirhka
 * Rukh
 * Vor'corkh

Behind the scenes
Author Timothy Zahn originally intended for the Noghri to be the Sith, thus making Darth Vader "Dark Lord of the Sith"; this idea came into conflict with Lucasfilm and was thus forced to change.