Givin/Legends

"A Givin"

- Galaxy Guide 4: Alien Races (First Edition)

The Givin were the indigenous sentient species of the planet Yag'Dhul. They were best known for their natural mathematical ability which made them expert starship builders and astrogators. Other notable features of the Givin were their skeletal appearance, and their ability to survive in a vacuum.

Biology and appearance


Givin appeared to be living humanoid skeletons, because of their hard, pale white "skin" and deep sunken black eyes. Though they had four- or five-fingered hands, they had three-toed feet. They carried their arms and legs "held out" from their bodies, making their appearance even more bizarre. Some likened their stance to Twi'lek string puppets.

Due to a complex system of moons that created atmospheric tidal upheavals on Yag'Dhul, the Givin evolved a hard exoskeleton that could seal all external orifices to protect against sudden depressurization and temperature changes. It also provided protection from physical harm. Thus, Givin had a phobia of exposed skin, and would avoid seeing it in others whenever possible. In order to maintain this sealed system, Givin needed to eat approximately three times more than Humans of the same mass. Givin could easily survive in a total vacuum for a standard day.

Culture
Givin were highly intelligent, and had such a propensity for mathematics that their society was ruled over by a mathematical theocracy, or mathematocracy, with the greatest mathematicians serving in the ruling Body Calculus. Their mathematical skills were, like their sealed exoskeletons, adaptations to Yag'Dhul's complex tidal systems&mdash;their mathematics were developed to predict Yag'Dhul's randomly shifting oceans and atmosphere. The planetary governor of Yag'Dhul was decided by contests that involved calculations of complex multidimensional differentials, and all political decisions were based on null-modal probability.

They spent as much time designing their starships mathematically as it took to build them, and so created some of the most impressive, complex, and sleek ships in the galaxy. Often, other species would need to modify a purchased Givin starship, installing a navicomputer or pressurization system which would often be left out as unnecessary by the Givin, who could survive in a vacuum and mentally calculated navigational vectors.

Sample Givin names

 * Lersia Narth
 * Na-Soth Larr
 * Nisil Alarin
 * Daggibus Scoritoles
 * Sladru Nalas

History
During the Clone Wars, the Givin lent their mathematical, engineering, and navigational talents to the Confederacy of Independent Systems, producing such designs as the Wavecrest-class frigates. Givin theoretical astrogators were highly sought after and some were recruited by the Republic during the conflict. The shipyards of the Givin were apparently destroyed during or after the Clone Wars. By the time of the Yuuzhan Vong War, the Givin shipbuilding industry had recovered and was producing highly advanced ships for both military and civilian purposes. Yag'Dhul was attacked once by the Yuuzhan Vong, but never again. Afterward, ambassadors to the planet made sure they underwent extensive education in mathematics before negotiating with the Givin.

Givin in the galaxy
While they respected other shipbuilding species such as the Verpine and the Duros, they disliked the Mon Calamari due to differences in design philosophy. They also tended to be subtly arrogant toward other species who could not survive in a vacuum (Duinuogwuin being the major exception.) Finally, since non-Givin often failed to solve the simple quadratic equations used as introductions in polite Givin society, Givin found most aliens to be rather rude.

Behind the scenes
According to the Elis Helrot action figure by Hasbro, the Givin physiology features three-toed feet.

The PC game Star Wars: Rebellion refers to the species as "Yag'Duhls."

A Givin might have also appeared in "Escape Into Terror," an episode of the animated series Star Wars: Droids. This possible Givin has a long head and yellow skin.

Appearances
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 * Star Wars: Dawn of the Jedi: Force War 1 {{Flash}}
 * Star Wars: The Old Republic {{Mo}}
 * Star Wars: Knight Errant: Aflame 3
 * Star Wars: Knight Errant: Aflame 4
 * Star Wars: Knight Errant: Aflame 5
 * Knight Errant novel
 * Millennium Falcon {{Mo}}
 * Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan: The Aurorient Express 1
 * Darth Maul: Shadow Hunter
 * Star Wars: Republic 21: Twilight, Part 3
 * Star Wars: Republic: Infinity's End
 * Star Wars: Republic 33: Darkness, Part 2
 * Star Wars: Republic 43: Rite of Passage, Part 2
 * {{Hnn|51|news/13411_1.html|Coruscant Restricts Immigration}} {{Po}}
 * {{Hnn|53|news/13425_1.html|Would-Be Saboteur Captured}}
 * {{Hnn|54|regional/1352_1.html|Yag'Dhul Secedes}}
 * Boba Fett: Crossfire
 * Star Wars: Republic 49: Sacrifice
 * Star Wars: Republic 50: The Defense of Kamino
 * {{InsiderCite|73|CIS Shadowfeed Dispatch 15:01:15 Edition}}
 * {{InsiderCite|74|CIS Shadowfeed Dispatch 15:2:29 Edition}} {{Mo}}
 * {{InsiderCite|76|CIS Shadowfeed Dispatch 15:3:21 Edition}} {{Mo}}
 * MedStar II: Jedi Healer {{Mo}}
 * {{CWACite|6|It Takes a Thief}}
 * Coruscant Nights I: Jedi Twilight
 * Coruscant Nights III: Patterns of Force {{Mo}}
 * Star Wars: The Force Unleashed comic {{Flash}}
 * Death Star
 * Nightlily: The Lovers' Tale audio drama
 * Star Wars: Episode IV A New Hope {{1st}}
 * Cantina Communications
 * "Nightlily: The Lovers' Tale"
 * Star Wars: Rebellion {{C|Mentioned only, as "Yag'Dhuls"}}
 * {{Journal|6|To Fight Another Day}} {{Mo}}
 * "Doctor Death: The Tale of Dr. Evazan and Ponda Baba"
 * {{WEGCite|book=Secrets of the Sisar Run|text=Secrets of the Sisar Run|story=A Favor Done...|stext=A Favor Done...}} {{Mo}}
 * {{WEGCite|book=Secrets of the Sisar Run|text=Secrets of the Sisar Run|story=Running the Sisar|stext=Running the Sisar}}
 * {{Journal|9|Combat Moon (short story)|Combat Moon}}
 * Star Wars: X-Wing Rogue Squadron: Masquerade
 * X-Wing: The Krytos Trap {{Mo}}
 * X-Wing: The Bacta War {{Mo}}
 * Star Wars: The Mixed-Up Droid
 * Star Wars: The Mixed-Up Droid (comic)
 * Crimson Empire
 * Crimson Empire II: Council of Blood
 * Murder in Slushtime {{Mo}}
 * Before the Storm {{Mo}}
 * The New Jedi Order: Dark Tide II: Ruin {{Mo}}
 * The New Jedi Order: Agents of Chaos II: Jedi Eclipse {{Mo}}
 * The New Jedi Order: Edge of Victory II: Rebirth
 * The New Jedi Order: Force Heretic II: Refugee {{Mo}}
 * The New Jedi Order: Force Heretic III: Reunion
 * The New Jedi Order: The Final Prophecy {{Mo}}
 * The New Jedi Order: The Unifying Force
 * Dark Nest I: The Joiner King
 * Millennium Falcon {{Mo}}
 * Fate of the Jedi: Abyss
 * Star Wars: Legacy: Fight Another Day
 * Star Wars: Legacy 44: Monster, Part 2 {{Pos}}
 * Star Wars: Legacy 47: The Fate of Dac
 * Star Wars: Legacy 48: Extremes, Part 1
 * Star Wars: Legacy 49: Extremes, Part 2
 * Star Wars: Legacy 50: Extremes, Part 3

Non-canon appearances
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 * Star Wars Infinities: A New Hope