INFO: The Amanin (singular, Amani), were a primitive race from the planet Maridun. Amanin stood two to three meters tall, and had bright yellow and green skin, arms long enough to reach the ground, and very short legs. They were found in the galaxy at large as mercenaries, heavy laborers and wilderness scouts.
RACE: The Amanin
HEIGHT: 2 to 3 Meters High
SKIN COLOR: Yellow and Green
DISTINCTIONS: Tall, with long arms and short legs
LANGUAGE: Amanese
HOMEWORLD:Maridun was the grassy and forested homeworld of the Amanin species. Maridun went unnoticed for many years, and so was considered a haven by those who knew of of its existence. The planet would serve as a haven for the Lurmen who sought to escape the Clone Wars, and was home to a battle when Confederate General Lok Durd arrived on the planet to test an experimental weapon.
The planet was officially discovered by the Galactic Empire around 11 BBY after the Amanin made contact with them. The Empire created several mining colonies on the planet. When the Empire had reduced its presence following the Battle of Maridun, the Hutt Empire moved in and enslaved much of the planet.
Clone WarsA group of Lurmen under Tee Watt Kaa settled on the planet during the Clone Wars to escape the destruction of the war. A strongly pacifist society, Kaa had a strong belief in nonviolence and neutrality in the war. Nevertheless, the war would be brought to them when a Galactic Republic cruiser carrying Anakin Skywalker, Ahsoka Tano, Aayla Secura and a squad of clone troopers crash-landed on the planet after a hyperdrive malfunction.
At the same time, a separatist force led by General Lok Durd landed on the planet claiming to be at their aid. Maridun was, in fact, a prime location to test fire the Defoliator weapon the Confederacy had just constructed.
Kaa nearly accepted the Lurmen "destiny" to be destroyed by this weapon, but the Jedi went against his orders to leave the planet and set up a shield defense around the village and disable the Defoliator, capturing Durd.
Galactic EmpireThe Galactic Empire began mining operations around 11 BBY. Shortly after the Battle of Yavin, those colonies fell under attack by local Amani tribes, resulting in heavy casualties. Janek Sunber, who had taken over the Imperial forces following the death of Ziering, would soon discover the Amani concept of takital- and that they were an intelligent species capable of negotiating.
Following the Battle of Maridun, the Imperials made a deal with an Amanin lorekeeper in which his tribe would help slave traders capture Amanin from other tribes as slaves.
This battle would later be something of a legend amongst Imperial infantry, the Imperial propaganda machine having made the battle into a heroic struggle for survival—and of course, a success—from the display of officer ineptitude it had in fact been.
After the Empire moved its attention towards other systems, smaller private interests, especially those associated with criminals like the Hutts, began to take control of the slave trade. After only a few years of Imperial and private slave trading, Amanin were spread through much of the galaxy. Some of these Amanin returned to Maridun with blasters and other advanced technology, taking control of local tribes.
BIOLOGY AND APPEARANCE:Amanin were a sentient Planarian species. They were tall with wrinkled deep yellow skin at the front and a dark green rear hood that ran from the neck to their feet and tail. Their skin coloration helped them blend in with their forest and grassland environment as well as being a signal of the skin's poisonous nature. It secreted a poisonous slime that served to keep the skin moist as well as serving to deter predators on their homeworld. The only creature from Maridun that was not discouraged by the slime was the Charnoq, which was consequently the only predator that the Amanin feared. Due to the susceptibility of their skin to drying, the Amanin preferred to build their shelters in humid environments such as rain forests.
They had small red eyes that were adapted to see well in Maridun's dim light and a small mouth that widened to engulf raw game and contained numerous sharp teeth and a long tongue. Like other worm species, Amanin expelled their biological wastes through their mouth (although when off world they tended to do this in private after they learned how it disturbed other species). Amanin also had a small nose that provided them with a keen sense of smell, such that they were said to be able to detect strangers from ten kilometers away.
Their arms and fingers were long and thin, while their legs were comparatively short and thick with large feet. Males and females were virtually indistinguishable by other species. Although they appeared ungainly when walking, their large hands and feet were ideally suited for an arboreal lifestyle on their homeworld where they made their homes in the high treetops.
While their walking speed was painfully slow, the Amanin's flexible body allowed them to curl themselves into a ball and roll at speeds of up to 50 kilometers per hour across flat terrain. In this form they could not perceive the world around them but were able to use the technique to hurtle past a target and uncoil to deliver an effective attack.
Amanin had small vital organs spread throughout their body and employed a redundant organ systems that included multiple versions of major organs such as the heart, liver, and lungs. Their brain consisted of multiple nerve clusters spread throughout their body. These characteristics meant that an Amani could withstand devastating injuries and still survive—and, in theory, if one member was bisected, two identical Amanin would reform.
Amani childhood lasted up until they reached the age of twelve when they would enter into young adulthood. They could live beyond ninety years and were considered middle-aged between fifty and seventy-six years.
CULTURE AND HISTORY:On Maridun, Amanin lived in tribal groups* led by lorekeepers. Their natural habitat was jungles and forests, where they lived primarily by hunting; these small forest were separated by open savanna land the Amanin called gruntak. When a forest was too crowded, Amanin would roll out onto the plains for another stand of trees, battling any other Amanin tribes who may already have been living there in a ritualistic battle called a takital.
In 22 BBY, a colony of Lurmen attempted to establish themselves on Maridun. They were met with hostility from the Amanin, who attacked their ship and ruined its engines. The Amanin seemed to both hate and venerate the vessel, and the Lurmen leader, Tee Watt Kaa, decided to give it to them, by ejecting an escape pod containing all his people.
Around 10 BBY, the Galactic Empire began mining operations on Maridun. The Imperials, corporate slave traders, and criminal interests began taking Amanin slaves offworld. During the Galactic Civil War, Maridun was occupied by Galactic Empire forces. When Imperial forces commanded by General Ziering unwittingly crossed a border to sacred Amani battlegrounds, the local Amani tribe declared them to be participants in a Takital, a conflict that is known as the Battle of Maridun. A young officer called Lieutenant Janek Sunber distinguished himself during the conflict and eventually brokered an accord with the tribal lorekeeper.
In the deal, all captives taken from other tribes during Takitals would be given to the Empire as slaves and in return, Imperial forces would keep off the tribal lands. Similar agreements were subsequently struck with other tribal leaders and as a result many Amani slaves were forced to work in the mines on Maridun or scattered throughout the galaxy as laborers for the Imperial machine.
Soon, Amanin were spread throughout the galaxy as slave laborers, mercenaries, or wilderness scouts. One such Amani, known only as "Amanaman," was part of Jabba Desilijic Tiure's court. There was also an Amani among Kavil's Corsairs.
* The tribal base was very much like the Zulus in the movie Zulu.
APPEARANCES:Star Wars: Jango Fett
The Clone Wars: Neighbors (Appears in flashback(s))
Coruscant Nights II: Street of Shadows
Coruscant Nights III: Patterns of Force (Mentioned only)
A Hunter's Fate: Greedo's Tale webstrip
The Emperor's Court (Non-canonical appearance)
Star Wars Empire: To the Last Man
Star Wars Empire: The Wrong Side of the War (Mentioned only)
Star Wars Episode VI: Return of the Jedi (First appearance)
SOURCES:Star Wars: The Power of the Force (1985)
Star Wars: Power of the Jedi
Galaxy Guide 12: Aliens — Enemies and Allies
Wretched Hives of Scum and Villainy
Handbook 1: X-wing Rogue Squadron (Picture only)
Star Wars Encyclopedia
Ultimate Alien Anthology
Ultimate Adversaries
Star Wars: The Action Figure Archive
The Essential Guide to Alien Species
The New Essential Guide to Alien Species
Star Wars Customizable Card Game – Jabba's Palace Limited (Card: Amanin)
Star Wars Miniatures: The Force Unleashed
The Complete Star Wars Encyclopedia
Rebellion Era Campaign Guide
Amanaman in the Databank
Tee Watt Kaa in the Databank
Lurmen in the Databank
Maridun in the Databank
I would also like to also mention a thank you to Wookieepedia for this information.
