Draethos (species)

Draethos were a predatory humanoid species from the planet Thosa, notable for their long natural lifespans.

Biology and appearance


Draethos possessed large teeth, which grew outside of their mouths in what appeared to be an overbite. They also had no lips, further exaggerating the appearance of an overbite. Their scaly skin ranged in color from blue to purple to black. Their hands retained an interstitial web between the fingers. Their fingers ended in narrow tips which resembled claws. They possessed low-light vision, springing from their cave-dwelling ancestors.

The Draethos could live to be a thousand years and older. Despite their long lives, their childhood was quite short. They matured quickly, grew out of adolescence at 18, then enjoyed a healthy adulthood which lasted approximately four hundred years. At four hundred a Draethos was considered middle aged. It was not until age seven hundred that a Draethos was considered elderly.

Draethos, warrior and intellectual alike, possessed telepathy, including the ability to communicate with any sentient being in a radius of approximately five hundred meters. The ability was limited to communication; a Draethos could not invade the thoughts of others.

Society and culture
Partly due to their long lives, Draethos society was slow to evolve and relied heavily on tradition. The Draethos was a warrior culture. Those living on the homeworld were expected to demonstrate their martial or hunting prowess. Life on Thosa was harsh, with arrogant aristocrats squabbling among one another for social standing and wealth. Warriors were perpetually in high demand as gladiators, mercenaries, hunters, and soldiers.

Pacifistic philosophies were despised on Thosa. Those who made a conscious decision to abandon the way of the warrior were exiled to seek a new life among aliens. Therefore, paradoxically, despite their reputation as fierce combatants, most Draethos encountered offworld were peaceful and intellectual.

Draethos in the galaxy
Draethos traveling offworld were usually exiles who chose not to become warriors as their culture demanded and thus were highly intelligent and pacifistic. They were usually enthralled with learning as much as they could, even if they might never apply their detailed knowledge of a given subject. The stability of the Draethos culture caused exiled Draethos to have troubles while understanding the complex and relatively rapid changes in other societies.

The most notable Draethos was Odan-Urr, a legendary Jedi Master who founded the Great Library of Ossus. In the time of the Galactic Civil War this species yielded a number of talented starfighter pilots.

Appearances

 * Tales of the Jedi: The Golden Age of the Sith
 * Tales of the Jedi: The Fall of the Sith Empire
 * Tales of the Jedi: Dark Lords of the Sith
 * Tales of the Jedi: The Sith War
 * Iridonian Darkness
 * Firestorm
 * Firestorm

Notes and references
Draethos Draethos