INFO: Drochs were parasitic insects that burrowed under beings' skin and drank their life energies and intelligence. Their feeding was the source of Death Seed plague.
RACE: Droch
HEIGHT: 5 Milimeters
SKIN (CARAPACE): Green and yellow
DISTINCTION: Life-energy draining parasites, non-sentient early in lifespan
LANGUAGE: Drochian
HOMEWORLD:Nam Chorios was a rather desolate planet that still supported Human life. It was in a constant state of dusk due to its dim sun. About 752 BBY, the planet was colonized by refugees from Meridian. The Grissmath Dynasty of Meridian founded a penal colony on the world in 702 BBY. The Grissmaths introduced drochs to the planet in a failed attempt to kill the prisoners. Centuries later, a Hutt Jedi named Beldorion traveled to Nam Chorios and discovered that its Tsil crystals' energy magnified his Force abilities. Beldorion would set himself up as a petty local tyrant.
Eventually, the descendants of the original prisoners had become a tough, independent group of settlers called the "Oldtimers". In 19 BBY, Seti Ashgad was exiled to Nam Chorios by Supreme Chancellor Palpatine for opposing increased security measures, a move which upset Bail Organa. The Oldtimers came into conflict with a more recent group of settlers called the "Newcomers" in 13 ABY. Seti Ashgad planned to unleash a deadly infestation of drochs throughout the Meridian Sector called the Death Seed Plague as part of a deal with Moff Getelles of the Antemeridian sector and the Loronar Corporation. Getelles's navy would then invade the Meridian Sector. However, their plot failed because of Jedi/New Republic efforts and the intervention of Admiral Daala.
BIOLOGY AND APPEARANCE:Though they began life as non-sentient creatures, a droch could gain true sentience after draining enough intelligence from a host. Drochs could mimic the host's electrochemical fields and tissue composition, allowing them to avoid detection by essentially becoming part of the host while drawing life from them. Drochs grew and became more intelligent with each host they killed and larger drochs could absorb life through smaller ones, without having to take a host directly. When exposed to light, they were sluggish and infertile. However, once in darkness, they moved quickly and reproduced at alarming rate.
CULTURE AND HISTORY:In 702 BBY the Grissmath Dynasty founded a penal colony on Nam Chorios in Meridian sector and seeded the world with drochs in the hopes that a Death Seed outbreak would wipe out the prisoners. However, sunlight fragmented through the sentient Spook crystals found on Nam Chorios weakened the electrochemical bonds of the drochs. Smaller ones were killed outright by the light, larger ones proved unable to harm their hosts and were harmlessly absorbed by the body as nutrients. A plague never broke out and drochs were only able to grow in the dark.
In 1 ABY, research conducted by the Imperial Department for Epidemic Prevention revealed that vermin on Tatooine were possibly carrying droch eggs. These suspected creatures were all destroyed.
By 13 ABY, one droch, Dzym, grew to the size and shape of a Human and prepared the drochs for invasion. Dzym could control the other drochs allowing him to start and stop a plague at will. He conspired with Seti Ashgad to start a plague throughout Meridian Sector.
The life energy in drochs could be released by eating them, and if eaten in large quantities this could help prolong the eaters life. Hutts ate droch as appetizers. Zubindi Ebsuk was a notable provider of droch foods.
APPEARANCES:Star Wars Galaxies (Mentioned only)
Planet of Twilight (First appearance)
Vision of the Future (Mentioned only)
Agents of Chaos I: Hero's Trial (Mentioned only)
SOURCES:The Essential Guide to Planets and Moons
The Essential Guide to Alien Species
Power of the Jedi Sourcebook
The Wildlife of Star Wars: A Field Guide
The Complete Star Wars Encyclopedia
Jedi Academy Training Manual
I would like to thank Wookieepedia for this info.
