Kaleesh
Species Data
Attribute Dice: 12D (+6D for PC)
DEXTERITY: 3D/5D
PERCEPTION: 2D/4D
STRENGTH: 2D+1/4D+1
KNOWLEDGE: 1D+2/3D+2
MECHANICAL: 2D/4D
TECHNICAL: 1D+1/3D+1
Size: 1.3 - 1.7 meters
Move: 11/15
Homeworld: Kalee
Description:
Kaleesh are reptilian humanoids from the planet Kalee. They have reddish-brown scaly skin, four-clawed hands, and clawed toes.
General Grievous, a cyborg Kaleesh, had a digitigrade stance, but this does not appear to have been representative of the Kaleesh
as a whole and may derive from his reconstruction based on a Krath War Droid. Each Kaleesh hand features two opposable thumbs.
They also have protruding tusks that jutted from their upper jaw. Behind the mask the kaleesh have large pointed ears, two stubby
tusks on their chin, two tusks pointing upward off their mandible, and nostrils that stretch close to their eyes. Their society
is divided into numerous tribes, including the Lig, and the Kaleesh are known to take multiple wives and have many children.
Society and Culture
The Kaleesh are a spiritual people, believing that those who performed great deeds in life became gods in death. Therefore, burial
places are sacred to them. A large number of temples dot their world devoted to their ancestor gods, the holiest of which is
called Shrupak.
Abesmi, a great monolith of stone in the Jenuwaa Sea, is the place the Kaleesh believe the gods ascended to the heavens. Pilgrims
take the perilous voyage to Abesmi to beseech the gods on an anual basis.
War is viewed as an essential and sacred practice, and the culture's large emphasis on honor is known to spur many acts of
vengeance among the various tribes. However, when necessary, the tribes wili put aside their differences and bond to fend off a
common enemy.
Typical Kaleesh weaponry includes a Czerka Outland rifle, a Lig sword, and a Shoni spear.
History
The Bitthævrian Threat
At least five decades before the Battle of Yavin, the Republic had had strained relations with Guiteica, homeworld of the
Bitthævrians, due to its non-membership. After a few years of failed negotiations, a Republic-backed soldier attempted to stage a
coup against Guiteica's leader in order to force the planet to join the Republic. The attempt failed, however, and caused a
massive surge of violence and hostility toward all Republic stations within the surrounding Kadok Regions.
Kalee, near the edge of Bitthævrian space, though a mostly unnoticed planet considered backwater by the Republic, would have had
nothing to fear from the m'Yalfor'ac Order, as the Bitthævrian military was known. However, Republic administration wished to
keep the rebellion a secret, and rather than making noise by having their own forces terminate it, convinced the Kaleesh that
they were indeed in danger. Quietly sending a group of military instructors to the planet, the Republic trained and armed multiple
Kaleesh tribes (resulting in the introduction of the popular, projectile-firing Czerka Outland rifle on Kalee), who with the help
of a small group of Knights sent by the Jedi Council, were able to end the perceived threat for the Republic.
Notably, the grandmother of Qymaen jai Sheelal participated in the Kaleesh assault.
The Huk War
The Huk War was a long conflict prior to the Clone Wars, beginning when the Yam'rii of the neighboring planet Huk, having
overpopulated their own planet, began taking over and colonizing nearby worlds, eventually arriving at Kalee. The Kaleesh, led by
Sheelal and Ronderu lij Kummar, rebelled against their invaders in a bloody series of battles that would leave multitudes dead on
both sides.
After obliterating the Yam'rii presence on Kalee, Sheelal led his warriors back to the Yam'rii colony worlds, massacring civilians
as well as soldiers. The Yam'rii petitioned in the Senate for Republic intervention, and received as much when a dispatch of Jedi
arrived to end the war. The Senate imposed harsh sanctions on Kalee, plunging the world into an economic crisis. However, this
crisis eventually came to an end when the Intergalactic Banking Clan helped the planet in economic repairs in exchange for the
services of Grievous. Years afterwards, Grievous would be worshiped as a deity on Kalee.
Special Abilities:
Climbing Claws: +2D to climbing, STR+1D+1 damage.
Special Skills:
Climbing: All Kaleesh are good climbers. For every 1D placed in this skill add 2D during
character creation only.
