Ysalamir

An ysalamir (plural ysalamiri) was a furry, lizard-like tree-dweller (on average, about 50cm/1.6ft in length) from Myrkr, most known for its ability to repel the Force by creating a Force-neutral bubble. This ability evolved in response to predation by the Force-sensitive vornskrs. Several ysalamiri together would expand their force-neutral bubble by exponential distance - sometimes miles.

Anatomy
Adult ysalamiri grew up to 90 or 120 centimeters and hatched their young from bubble-like eggs.



Ysalamiri sank their claws into the olbio trees on which they lived and drew nutrients. It was very difficult to remove a ysalamir from its tree without killing it, although Talon Karrde's smugglers found a way, enabling Grand Admiral Thrawn to do it as well. Thrawn used ysalamiri for defense by attaching them to a back harness which allowed Grand Admiral Thrawn and his men to remain safely inside the ysalamiri's force repelling bubble. He used this trick to gain the attention of cloned Dark Jedi master Joruus C'baoth and accelerating the Spaarti cloning process without the usual side-effects (which occurred when similar Force imprints interfered with one another).

Ysalamiri do not actually negate the Force; since all existence is infused with Force energy this would not be possible. Rather they project a Force bubble inside which it is completely neutral and cannot exert any influence.

Former Imperial Grand Admiral Demetrius Zaarin used ysalamiri placed into the cargo hold of Emperor Palpatine's Star Destroyer, Majestic, as part of his plot to assassinate Palpatine and take his place in a coup.

Miriskin was a commodity supposedly made from ysalamir skin.

Ysalamiri in culture
Having long admired the tenacity of the ysalamiri, the Jedi Order named a form of lightsaber combat, Makashi, after the creature.

Appearances



 * Star Wars: Empire at War: Forces of Corruption
 * Star Wars: TIE Fighter
 * A Credit for Your Thoughts
 * Heir to the Empire
 * Dark Force Rising
 * The Last Command
 * Jedi Knight: Mysteries of the Sith
 * I, Jedi
 * Jedi Knight II: Jedi Outcast
 * The New Rebellion
 * Vision of the Future
 * Dark Tide II: Ruin
 * Edge of Victory I: Conquest
 * Star by Star
 * Enemy Lines II: Rebel Stand
 * Force Heretic II: Refugee
 * Fury