INFO: The Gazaran (singular, Gazar) were arboreal sapients indigenous to Veron. Friendly and eager to please, the Gazar were capable of gliding on the skin-flaps between their arms. Making their homes in the Veron rain forests, they had minimal technology by the time of the Galactic Empire's rise to power.
RACE: Gazaran
HEIGHT: 1.5 Meters Tall (Max)
SKIN: Gray or brown
DISTINCTION: Gliding
LANGUAGE: Veron
HOMEWORLD:Veron was a planet located within the Mektrun Cluster; it was the second planet in the Veron system. The native Gazaran were ruled by an ancient noble house of Humans. The planet attracted many tourists.
On 1 ABY or 2 ABY, bounty hunter Kal-tan-shi killed two Rebel Alliance Mon Calamari envoys plus a seven-member entourage on Veron. Afterwards, Rebel lieutenant Tole Warren was assigned to track Kal-tan-shi because Warren was the only non-droid fluent in Yiss'shar. Warren never captured Kal-tan-shi, but he found his ship, the Accuser, and noticed a failure in the starboard thrust converter.
Veron's governor, apparently allied with Roganda Ismaren, disappeared on 'vacation' in 12 ABY.
BIOLOGY AND APPEARANCE:Planet Veron's consistently warm climate has encouraged the evolution of several life forms that are cold-blooded. The most intelligent are the Gazaran - short bipedal creatures with several layers of scales. They have very thin membranes extending from their ribs, feet and hands, which they use to glide among the trees. Specialized muscles line the ribs so that they can control the shape and angle of portions of the membranes, giving them the ability to perform delicate maneuvers around trees and other obstacles. Their bodies are gray or brown in color, and each limb is lined with a crest of cartilage. Sharp claws give them excellent climbing abilities.
CULTURE AND HISTORY:Veron is a popular tourist site in the Mektrun Cluster, with an economy driven by the whims of wealthy visitors. Gazar cities welcome tourists with open arms, and each visitor is made to feel as if he has become a personal friend of every native he meets. Despite a firm military presence, the Empire has allowed the Gazaran to retain their traditional lifestyle and government - to keep them happy and eager to please the world's important resort clientele.
The tropical rain forests of Veron are known for the fevvenor trees, which cover over three-quarters of the planet's land mass (only the mountains and shore areas don't support the trees). Reaching a height of nearly 50 meters, the trees are merely the crowning feature of a complex biosphere that supports many unusual life forms. The Gazaran require higher temperatures than most other creatures on the planet and live comfortably in elevated cities built in the upper canopy.
With the arrival of space travelers, the creatures learned all they could about other societies, taking particular interest in the "extremely large family groups" that tended to form with advances in technology. Since the Gazaran desperately wanted to join the galactic society, they decided to model themselves around more advanced cultures and call their home territories "cities."
They have learned some aspects of industry and have mastered the use of steam engines, powered primarily by wood, wind or rain. They are developing small-scale manufacturing, such as mass-produced crafts for tourists (primitive glow rods, fire-staring kits, climbing gear, short-range distress beacons, and clothing). They also use portable steam engines to assist in engineering projects. There are traces of a more advanced culture in some of the oldest cities, and some theorize that the Gazaran once had a much higher level of technology.
The Gazaran culture doesn't even acknowledge the existence of the world below their treetop cities. They see the area below their homes as an impenetrable dark mist waiting to bring them to an early death. The Gazaran have built up an elaborate and extensive collection of folk tales detailing the horrible monsters that lurk below.
While the Gazaran themselves have no interest in visiting the "dark land," they know that tourists love a mystery. Exploring the ground level of the world has become a major part of the tourist trade, and as always, the Gazaran have readily adapted: many young Gazar earn their living telling tales of what is below to eager tourists.
APPEARANCES:None
SOURCES:Planets of the Galaxy, Volume One
Alien Encounters
The Complete Star Wars Encyclopedia
I would like to thank Wookieepedia for this info.
