Topic: The Gurlanin

[Cimter]

INFO: The Gurlanins were a polymorphic species native to the planet Qiilura.


RACE: Gurlanin
HEIGHT: 1.5 Meters Long
SKIN (FUR): Black
DISTINCTION: Polymorphic abilities (normally a canine predator)
LANGUAGE: Galactic basic standard

HOMEWORLD:
Qiilura was a temperate planet in the Mid Rim, 40 light years away from Ord Mantell. It was the home world of the Gurlanins—a race of shapeshifting intelligent predators, but by the time of the Clone Wars, Human colonization had been well established, with a population of two hundred thousand farmers. The economy of the planet mostly revolved around agriculture, specifically the production of barq, kushayan, and other luxury foodstuffs, Merlie meat was a known export and source of income & food for the farmers of this planet. Qiilura produced a large proportion of the luxury foodstuffs and beverages in the galaxy. However, the planet was controlled by Neimoidian merchants who passed little of the profit on to the farmers, thus most inhabitants lived in squalor and would sell information and outlaws to the warlord Ghez Hokan and his militia for a couple of credits or a bottle of urrqal.

Qiilura had many islands with fertile soil, deep river inlets, rolling plains, deciduous forests, lakes, and gameboard fields. The planet also had gem mines, sources of zeka quartz and green silicates. The planet was home to a number of native non-sentient species such as Gdans, Merlies and Vheks.

Mission to Qiilura
During the Clone Wars, Qiilura was the location of a CIS biological weapons lab that was developing a pathological agent specifically designed to kill clones. During the Mission to Qiilura, Omega Squad—a squad of Republic Commandos, was sent to destroy the biological weapons lab and, if possible, locate Jedi Master Kast Fulier and his Padawan Etain Tur-Mukan. Although Master Kast Fulier was already dead prior to their arrival, Omega Squad were ultimately successful in destroying the lab after joining up with Padawan Tur-Mukan and enlisting the help of the native Gurlanin, Jinart.

Due to the Separatist droids burning the Barq fields in the search of one of Omega's members, there was a galactic shortage of the food causing economic problems for the Trade Federation, and more so for farmers who lost their crops.

Occupation by the Republic
After the success of the mission to Qiilura, an agreement was made between the Republic and Gurlanins to remove the human colony. The terms of the agreement specifically where that the Gurlanins, with their special espionage skills, would act as spies for the Republic, while the farmers would cease to chase away the prey upon which they depended for survival, the gdans. For the members of the dwindling population of Gurlanins, this meant the complete removal of the colony. Instead, a Republic garrison was established to train the human colonists to look after themselves.

The decision to withdraw the garrison was finally made by the Senate Committee on Refugees after it was discovered by Omega Squad that Jinart, and possibly a number of other Gurlanins, had infiltrated Coruscant, where they were well-placed to inflict significant damage to the Republic in retaliation to the continued occupation.

BIOLOGY AND APPEARANCE:
Gurlanin at their normal state, were canines with black fur all over their bodies. They had extremely sharp teeth that ran along the length of their snout, with four fangs protruding over their lower lip, each ending in a double point. All members of the Gurlanin race had orange eyes that were quite disconcerting to other races. However, the average Gurlanin had the ability to assume almost any form, including that of a Human. Gurlanins were generally considered to be marsupials, and the females had a pouch on their belly in which they carried their young. Their ears were located in their snouts, so that they could use a loud snuffling as echolocation. Their voices were very smooth, and had been remarked upon as being hypnotically soothing, almost like liquid. In addition, Gurlanins were strongly telepathic to other members of their race, and could communicate without speech among themselves, although they could not read the minds of beings not of their race. This ability was a natural manifestation of the Force among their kind.



CULTURE AND HISTORY:
Although the Gurlanins had no love for the Galactic Republic, they agreed to assist it during the height of the Clone Wars, after the Separatists established a base of control on Qiilura. Throughout their history, the Gurlanins had been feared or abused by the settlers of Qiilura, and they viewed the Separatists as the worst of the lot. Their assistance to the Republic's forces was given with the singular goal of removing the Separatists and freeing the Gurlanins.

After the removal of the Separatist, the Gurlanians then demanded the removal of the Republic settlers who helped dislodge the Separatist as well. If the Republic refused to remove the settlers, the Gurlanians threatened to use their natural abilities to sabotage the Republic's war effort. In response, Etain Tur-Mukan led a detachment of clones under Commander Levet to Qiilura to remove the settlers by force if necessary. Complications arose when the settlers — earlier trained and armed by Etain — felt betrayed by the Republic. When two thousand settlers refused to leave after continued deadlines set by Etain, the Gurlanians supplied information to the Separatist which resulted in the loss of a troop transport with over 10,000 men on board. Etain then ordered Levet to remove the settlers by force, an operation that would take several weeks.

When all the settlers had been removed, all Gurlanin spies also returned to Qiilura.

APPEARANCES:
Republic Commando: Hard Contact (First appearance)
Republic Commando: Triple Zero
Republic Commando: True Colors
Order 66: A Republic Commando Novel
Imperial Commando: 501st (Mentioned only)

SOURCES:
The Complete Star Wars Encyclopedia

I would like to thank Wookieepedia for this info.