Topic: The Givin

[Cimter]

INFO: The Givin were the indigenous people of the planet Yag'Dhul. They were best known for their natural mathematical ability which made them expert starship builders and astrogators, for their skeletal appearance, and for their ability to survive in vacuum.

The Givin are heavily involved in the transport of goods and can be found throughout the galaxy, and they posses some of the sleekest fasted starships in the galaxy. However, these ships are of little use to other species, as the Givin take full advantage of their peculiar physiology to save weight and increase cargo space, pressurizing only their sleeping quarters.

Other species also find it impossible to use the highly proprietary Givin navigational equipment. All available space in the computer is dedicated to data storage, because the Givin make their navigational mathematical computations - even for hyperspace jumps - in their heads.


RACE: Givin
HEIGHT: 1.7 to 2.0 Meters Tall
SKIN: Pale white
DISTINCTION: Skeletal appearance, able to survive in vacuum for short periods
LANGUAGE: Givin


HOMEWORLD:
Yag'Dhul was the home world of the Givin and capital of the Givin Domain. Small and barren, Yag'Duhl's three large moons produced tidal forces so extreme that often the planet's water and atmosphere were drawn to different parts of the planet, leaving the rest of the world in vacuum. The planet was at the intersection of the Rimma Trade Route and the Corellian Trade Spine, ensuring a heavy amount of traffic.  For further please see post below.



BIOLOGY AND APPEARANCE:
Givin appeared to be living humanoid skeletons, because of their hard, pale white "skin" and deep sunken black eyes. Though they had four-fingered or five-fingered hands, they had three-toed feet. They carried their arms and legs "held out" from their bodies, making their appearance even more bizarre. Some likened their stance to Twi'lek string puppets.



Due to a complex system of moons that created atmospheric tidal upheavals on Yag'Dhul, the Givin evolved a hard exoskeleton that could seal all external orifices to protect against sudden depressurization and temperature changes. It also provided protection from physical harm. Thus, Givin had a phobia of exposed skin, and would avoid seeing it in others whenever possible. In order to maintain this sealed system, Givin needed to eat approximately three times more than Humans of the same mass. Givin could easily survive in total vacuum for a standard day.

CULTURE AND HISTORY:
Givin were highly intelligent, and had such a propensity for mathematics that their society was ruled over by a mathematical theocracy, or mathematocracy, with the greatest mathematicians serving in the ruling Body Calculus. Their mathematical skills were, like their sealed exoskeletons, adaptations to Yag'Dhul's complex tidal systems—their mathematics were developed to predict Yag'Dhul's randomly shifting oceans and atmosphere. The planetary governor of Yag'Dhul was decided by contests that involved calculations of complex multidimensional differentials, and all political decisions were based on null-modal probability.

They spent as much time designing their starships mathematically as it took to build them, and so created some of the most impressive, complex, and sleek ships in the galaxy. Often, other species would need to modify a purchased Givin starship, installing a navicomputer or pressurization system which would often be left out as unnecessary by the Givin (who could survive in vacuum and calculated navigational vectors in their heads).

During the Clone Wars, the Givin lent their mathematical, engineering, and navigational talents to the Confederacy of Independent Systems, producing such designs as the Wavecrest-class frigates. Givin theoretical astrogators were highly sought after and some were recruited by the Republic during the conflict. The shipyards of the Givin were apparently destroyed during or after the Clone Wars.[source?] By the time of the Yuuzhan Vong War, the Givin shipbuilding industry had recovered and was producing highly advanced ships for both military and civilian purposes. Yag'Dhul was attacked once by the Vong, but never again. Afterward, ambassadors to the planet made sure they underwent extensive education in mathematics before negotiating with the Givin.

IN THE GALAXY:
While they respected other shipbuilding species such as the Verpine and the Duros, they disliked the Mon Calamari due to differences in design philosophy. They also tended to be subtly arrogant towards other species who could not survive in vacuum (Duinuogwuin being the major exception.) Finally, since non-Givin often failed to solve the simple quadratic equations used as introductions in polite Givin society, Givin found most aliens to be rather rude.

APPEARANCES:
Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan: The Aurorient Express
Darth Maul: Shadow Hunter
Star Wars Republic: Twilight
Star Wars Republic: Infinity's End
Star Wars Republic: Darkness
Coruscant Restricts Immigration—HoloNet News Vol. 531 51 (Picture only)
Would-Be Saboteur Captured—HoloNet News Vol. 531 53
Yag'Dhul Secedes—HoloNet News Vol. 531 54
Boba Fett: Crossfire
Star Wars Republic 49: Sacrifice
Star Wars Republic 50: The Defense of Kamino
"CIS Shadowfeed Dispatch 15:01:15 Edition" - Star Wars Insider 73
"CIS Shadowfeed Dispatch 15:2:29 Edition" - Star Wars Insider 74 (Mentioned only)
"CIS Shadowfeed Dispatch 15:3:21 Edition" - Star Wars Insider 76 (Mentioned only)
MedStar II: Jedi Healer (Mentioned only)
It Takes a Thief
Coruscant Nights I: Jedi Twilight
Star Wars: The Force Unleashed comic (Appears in flashback(s))
Death Star
Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope (First appearance)
Star Wars Infinities: A New Hope (Non-canonical appearance)
Star Wars: Rebellion (Mentioned only)
The Emperor's Court (Non-canonical appearance)
To Fight Another Day (Mentioned only)
A Favor Done... (Mentioned only)
"Combat Moon" - Star Wars Adventure Journal 9
X-wing Rogue Squadron: Masquerade
X-wing: The Krytos Trap (Mentioned only)
X-wing: The Bacta War (Mentioned only)
Crimson Empire
Crimson Empire II: Council of Blood
Murder in Slushtime (Mentioned only)
Dark Tide II: Ruin (Mentioned only)
Edge of Victory II: Rebirth
Force Heretic II: Refugee (Mentioned only)
Force Heretic III: Reunion
The Final Prophecy (Mentioned only)
The Unifying Force
Star Wars Legacy: Fight Another Day
Abyss

SOURCES:
Galaxy Guide 4: Alien Races
The Essential Guide to Alien Species
The New Essential Guide to Alien Species
Ultimate Alien Anthology
The New Essential Chronology
Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Praji
The Complete Star Wars Encyclopedia
The Essential Atlas
Slyther Bushforb in the Databank
Givin in the Databank
Ottegu Grey in the Databank

I would like to thank Wookieepedia for this info.

[Cimter]

HOMEWORLD:
The planet and the Givin Domain was represented in the Galactic Senate by Daggibus Scoritoles until seceding from the Galactic Republic in 22 BBY shortly before the Clone Wars. The native Givin served as mathematicians for the Confederacy of Independent Systems, discovering new hyperlanes for the war effort and contributing Wavecrest-class frigates from their well-regarded shipyards. The planet served as the base for the First Fleet of the Confederate Navy. Its shipbuilding capabilities were apparently destroyed during or after the Clone Wars, but the industrious Givin rebuilt them by the time of the Yuuzhan Vong War.

The planet's politics were complex, but certain factions in the government supported resistance against the Galactic Empire. An Empress-class space station named Yag-prime was built by the Rebel Alliance over Yag'Dhul during the Galactic Civil War. Warlord Zsinj held the station in 6 ABY. However, the station was captured from his forces by the New Republic, and became (with the permission of the Givin government) the site of Rogue Squadron's orbiting base for training during the Bacta War. The New Republic maintained official possession of the station until the Givin demanded that it be ceded a few years after the Pellaeon-Gavrisom Treaty.

The planet was contested during the Yuuzhan Vong War at the Battle of Yag'Dhul and possibly other battles, the Yuuzhan Vong's intention being to take Yag'Dhul to use it as a staging ground for an assault on Thyferra. With Thyferra, Yag'Dhul was said to have been secured by Galactic Alliance forces before the retaking of Coruscant. This may have been merely a reinforcing action, or the system may have been conquered at one point and then liberated.