Trandoshan/Legends

"Man, you Trandoshans are ugly up close."

- Han Solo

Trandoshans (T'doshok in their language) were large, bipedal reptilian humanoids from the planet Trandosha (or Dosha). They had supersensitive eyes that could see into the infrared range and the ability to regenerate lost limbs, although very slowly, and were anatomically built heavier and stronger than most humanoids, including Humans. They would also periodically shed their skin. Unlike another race of reptilian humanoids, the Barabels, Trandoshans had no tails. The Trandoshans were a warlike species who allied early with the Empire, taking Wookiees as slaves. A notable Trandoshan was Bossk, who was a longtime enemy of Han Solo, Chewbacca the Wookiee, and Boba Fett, as well as the infamous slaver Pekt.

As a species, they were renowned across the Galaxy for great strength. This is evidenced by several members of other species boasting physical prowess and power by having defeated a Trandoshan, either in battle or in a contest of strength.

Culture
Trandoshans worshiped their goddess, the Scorekeeper (a deity who exists beyond time and space), whom they appease through acts which increase their jagganath points. This was done by living a lifestyle which was, by non-Trandoshan standards, overtly aggressive, leading many Trandoshans to become bounty hunters, mercenaries, or slavers. Trandoshans especially prized Wookiee pelts, which consequently played a large part in earning jagganath points—capturing the pelts of rare Wookiee breeds (such as silverbacks) or particularly infamous Wookiees would give the hunter a large increase of jagganath points. To be shamed or captured during a hunt would zero one's jagganath points—effectively making their life forfeit in the eyes of the Scorekeeper. Like their neighbors, the Wookiees, the Trandoshans also honored life debts. The recipient of a Trandoshan life debt was referred to as a ghrakhowsk. Trandoshans are known to eat bowls of still live worms as a favorite meal. A traditional Trandoshan food is a Trandoshani flatcake.

There were rare cases of Trandoshans not adhering to their millennia-old cultural traditions. One such was the mercenary and assassin Nakaron whose self-confidence caused him to disregard the Trandoshan class system, being rude and disrespectful towards the Elders of the Dosha city of Forak, causing him to be banned from that city, and subsequently more cities until he was virtually exiled from Dosha.

Weaponry
The Trandoshan arsenal was composed of a variety of unique weaponry. For ranged weaponry, the Trandoshans designed Accelerated Charged Particle Guns which resembled various slugthrowers used throughout the galaxy. Examples of these were seen during the Clone Wars; quite common were the Accelerated Charged Particle Array Gun, the Accelerated Charged Particle Repeater Gun, and the LS-150 Heavy Accelerated Charged Particle Repeater Gun. When they wished to take their prey alive, Trandoshan Bounty Hunters favored the Slavemaster Stun Carbine. They also made use of the LJ-50 Concussion Rifle.

Most cultures long ago abandoned the primitive sword in favor of the more lethal Vibroblade. Trandoshans, however, wielded such archaic weapons as badges of honor. Both the Trandoshan Sword and the Trandoshan Double-Bladed Sword were traditionally forged using the rare ore Chalon which made them sharper and heavier than Republic blades.

History
The Trandoshans originated on Trandosha, also known as Dosha or Hsskor. It was in the same star system as Kashyyyk, the homeworld of the Wookiees. In 7,000 BBY, the Trandoshans joined the Galactic Republic. Despite this, they were only indirectly represented in the Galactic Senate by the Wookiee Yarua, much to the Trandoshans' dismay. In response, Trandoshan terrorists attempted to assassinate Yarua in 32 BBY. In 23 BBY, a Wookiee vessel was attacked over a moon of Trandosha, resulting in a Wookiee blockade of Trandosha. Peace talks to resolve the issue were conducted 22 BBY and failed when it was revealed that the Trandoshans were pushing for Senatorial representation with Trade Federation backing.

Prior to the Clone Wars, Trandoshan bandits also invaded and occupied the planet of Jabiim before later moving on. During the Clone Wars, some groups of Trandoshans involved themselves on the side of the Confederacy of Independent Systems in several engagements. One such example occurred more than one year after the onset of the Clone Wars when the Acclamator-class Assault Ship Prosecutor was taken over by a joint force of Trandoshan slavers and CIS battle droids. Later, the Trandoshans, with the help of CIS forces, invaded the planet of Kashyyyk to subsequently enslave the Wookiee natives. The invasion of Kashyyyk by the CIS led towards an expeditionary team of clone commandos being sent to Kashyyyk by the Galactic Republic, this act ultimately led to the Battle of Kashyyyk itself.

After the Clone Wars, the Trandoshans suggested to the Empire that they use the Wookiees as slaves. The Empire, seeing cheap labor (and possible retribution for Yoda's survival and subsequent attack on Emperor Palpatine) agreed, and hired the Trandoshans to lead slaving raids on Kashyyyk and locate runaway slaves. After the Battle of Endor, the New Republic liberated Kashyyyk, yet the Trandoshans continued the raids. In response, the New Republic placed economic sanctions on Trandosha backed by a fleet of warships. Though the Trandoshans ceased the raids, hatred between the two species still continued.

Force Sensitives
It was uncommon but not unheard of, that some Trandoshans were Force Sensitive. Because of their reputations as bounty hunters they weren't usually accepted as Jedi or even Sith; one exception, however, was the Jedi Lissarkh, a Padawan of Plo Koon. Normally they would use their Force Sensitivity to their advantage as bounty hunters.

Saurin Subspecies
At some time in their history, a population of Trandoshans became isolated for unknown reasons, and eventually adapted along a separate lineage and became the subspecies Saurin.

They were notably different in their physiology for featuring translucent eyes, and having adapted five-fingered hands, with shorter fingers than their genetic cousins.

It is unknown if Saurins carried the Trandoshan ability to regenerate lost limbs, or held any of the same basic traditions and beliefs, such as bounty hunting, and scoring kills to appease the deity The Scorekeeper.

Saurins claimed the planet Durkteel as their homeworld.

Notable Trandoshans

 * Bossk
 * Cradossk
 * Hadocrassk
 * Jungen
 * Karniss
 * Nakaron
 * Osskski
 * Pekt
 * Porg
 * Sish Sadeet
 * Ssoh
 * Vossk

Behind the scenes

 * There are several types of Trandoshans in Star Wars. The tall, brown-skinned Trandoshans as seen in episodes 5 and 6, the tall, brown-skinned, misshapen-headed Trandoshans as seen in the Jedi Knight game series, the short, green, and stubby Trandoshans working as slavers in Republic Commando, the massive giant Trandoshan heavy mercenaries also from Republic Commando, and the medium-sized, green-skinned Trandoshans seen in various places in the Expanded Universe.
 * Star Wars Complete Locations revealed that Saurins are a Trandoshan subspecies.