Izvoshra

Izvoshra
General information
Founder(s)	Qymaen jai Sheelal
Leader(s)	Warlord Qymaen jai Sheelal
Location(s)	Kalee

The Izvoshra were an elite cadre of Kaleesh warriors who served as the loyal bodyguards of the Kaleesh warlord Qymaen jai Sheelal, the man who became Grievous, on their homeworld of Kalee. The companions always accompanied him wherever he went, whom had shared his past victories and love of battle.

History

Over their years, Kalee's best warriors, the Izvoshra, traveled and fought under their military leader, Qymaen jai Sheelal, now known as Grievous, and were assembled into his elite bodyguard, each a khan in command of troops of their own. The Kaleesh were led in a ruthless all-out war against the Yam'rii with Grievous's increased ferocity and determination while on the offensive. In time, the Kaleesh forces expelled the Yam'rii from their world and launched numerous disastrous campaigns on the desolate planet Huk. However, their enemies unexpectedly requested assistance from the Galactic Republic. As a result, the Republic and the Jedi intervened and sided with the Yam'rii, which hundreds of thousands of Kaleesh starved to death.

When Grievous joined the InterGalactic Banking Clan as an enforcer, the Izvoshra were banned from joining him; he demanded that they join him, but Grievous's request was rejected and they were instead replaced by the IGBC's army. Grievous then demanded for a more intelligent bodyguard, which resulted in Count Dooku, an ally of the IGBC, to commission the creation of the IG-100 MagnaGuard combat droids. Grievous was a force to be reckoned with in his activities, and he quickly established himself as one of the IGBC's most valuable assets. By that time, his deeds had attracted the attention of both Count Dooku and his Sith Master Darth Sidious, whom had important plans for him. Eventually, their warlord leader was fatally injured in a shuttle crash that almost ended his life, and he was offered a life-saving surgery.

Legacy

After he received his cybernetic enhancements and became the General of the Droid Armies of the Confederacy of Independent Systems, Grievous replaced this group of guards with IG-100 MagnaGuard droids who would carry out his orders even more unquestioningly than his former band of supporters. He personally trained them everything he had learned, giving them Kaleesh capes with mumuu markings and head wraps as a tribute to his original Izvoshra bodyguards.

Behind the scenes

Izvoshra as they appeared in Star Wars Legends.

The Izvoshra was first mentioned in Star Wars canon in "Battle Droids and Other Droids of War" in the booklet series of Star Wars Encyclopedia published by Altaya on July 27, 2021. In the Stars Wars Legends, Izvoshra was first mentioned in the 2009 sourcebook Galaxy at War in the Star Wars Roleplaying Game Saga Edition Core Rulebook series while first appeared in "The Eyes of Revolution," a comic story written and illustrated by Warren Fu, published in the Dark Horse Comics anthology Star Wars: Visionaries, released on April 2, 2005.

Sources

• Star Wars Character Encyclopedia: Updated and Expanded (Indirect mention only)
• Star Wars: Build Your Own R2-D2 57 (Droid Directory: IG-100 MagnaGuard) (First mentioned) (Indirect mention only)
• "Battle Droids and Other Droids of War" — Star Wars Encyclopedia (First identified as Izvoshra)
• Star Wars: Character Encyclopedia, Updated and Expanded Edition (Indirect mention only)
• "The Separatists" — Star Wars Encyclopedia
• Star Wars Starships & Vehicles 55 (Starships and Vehicles: General Grievous's Speeder Wheel) (Indirect mention only)