Talk: Ossan

Appearance

I removed the sentence "They have small, inflexible mouths, and no noses or ears", as it doesn't agree with the illustration in Galaxy Guide 4: Alien Races. In that book, the Ossan shown has a prominent toothy snout with a single nostril and ears like a beagle. Are they described differently in Cloak of Deception? — Silly Dan 02:30, 30 Sep 2005 (UTC)

• Yeah, the "small, inflexible mouths, and no noses or ears" comes from COD. Which one takes precedence? Kuralyov 03:13, 30 Sep 2005 (UTC)
  • COD, I suppose, since it's more recent. Guess the old puppy-dog description goes in "Behind the scenes" as a retcon...d'oh. Maybe the old description is accurate for non-bioengineered Ossan? — Silly Dan 03:30, 30 Sep 2005 (UTC)

CSWE

Looks like the CSWE follows the original source instead of the Cloak of Deception. Contradiction? Or is the older source canon? Zakor1138 02:21, 6 January 2009 (UTC)

• Because the CSWE has used the WEG artwork, I feel it is perfectly legit for us to use that as an official depiction of the species. It is the most current, and the most prevalent description of the species - only one source disagrees. --Eyrezer 00:16, December 4, 2009 (UTC)
  • Unless The New Jedi Order: Star by Star or Leland Chee say differently, I guess so. —Silly Dan _(talk) 01:38, December 4, 2009 (UTC)
    • It's possible that there are simply two species called "Ossans" and that we should create another article for the bioengineered one. Does Cloak of Deception describe its Ossans as coming from any named planet? That might give us a clue whether they are supposed to be the same folks. ~ SavageBob 01:39, December 4, 2009 (UTC)
    • Actually, answering my own question, here is what Cloak of Deception says about Ossans: When the characters visit Asmeru, in the Senex sector, they are told "The current population is composed of Ossan slaves created on the Vandron world of Karfeddion, but banished here owing to defects of one sort or another. Bred for agricultural work, the slaves have managed to make a life for themselves, though we doubt that you will find them especially welcoming." This is from a Human servant (apparently) of Lord Crueya and Lady Theala, greeting Qui-Gon, Yaddle, Obi-Wan, Saesee Tinn, Vergere, and Depa Billaba via a hologram while they approach the world in the Prominence. (p 174). There may be more, but the planet of origin appears to be different at least. ~ SavageBob 01:49, December 4, 2009 (UTC)
      • That says nothing about them being genetically engineered then. Created just equates to "slaves bred on the Vandron world of Karfeddion". "Defects" could just mean birth-defects. - JMAS ^{Hey, it's me!} 01:52, December 4, 2009 (UTC)
        • This from p. 188: "a humanoid who looked as if he, or perhaps she, had risen from the ground itself. The being's thick skin was certainly impervious to wind, snow, or high-altitude solar radiation. Its four hands and bare feet were configured for digging and scooping, and its back was built for carrying loads. Eyes clearly capable of seeing in the dark were prominent in a mere suggestion of a face, lacking ears or nose, with a mouth barely suited to speech." I'd say we have two different species called "Ossans". ~ SavageBob 01:57, December 4, 2009 (UTC)
        • Sorry; I'm typing this as I read: We later learn they have no fingers on their hands (p. 204). ~ SavageBob 02:00, December 4, 2009 (UTC)
        • And, finally, this from The Essential Atlas (p. 211): "Asmeru is . . . populated largely by defective Ossan slaves." Again, either heavily genetically modified, or another species altogether. ~ SavageBob 02:03, December 4, 2009 (UTC)
        • Uh, and finally finally, The Essential Atlas (p. 213) places the Ossel system just outside the Senex sector, and a short hyperjump away from Karfeddion, where these slaves were supposedly bred. I take it back; it appears these are just heavily modified Ossans of the puppy-dog type. ~ SavageBob 02:08, December 4, 2009 (UTC)
        • Star by Star calls them "flop-eared Ossan," clearly following the GG4 description. (p. 127). OK, I'm done for now. Gotta get back to work! ~ SavageBob 02:21, December 4, 2009 (UTC)
        • Anybody? I think we should remove the "conflicting canon" template, since the evidence seems to indicate the Senex-Juvex Ossans are just bred to be weird and different. ~ SavageBob 20:23, December 10, 2009 (UTC)
          • I think anything explaining the discrepancy would be speculative at this point, but keeping it more or less how it is now should be fine. I'll remove the template, though. —Silly Dan _(talk) 13:24, December 11, 2009 (UTC)