Many of the alien species in Star Wars: The Old Republic are familiar to fans, both casual and hardcore. Creatures like the Hutts and Twi-leks are common in Star Wars fiction, stretching all the way back to the original trilogy. While it is always nice to learn more about these mainstay species, SWTOR pulls from a wider net and the lesser known players may be just as important. Join us as we take a closer look at a species that could be new for many of you: the Rattataki.
If the Taris dueling ring is the pinnacle of legitimized fighting, The Cauldron of Rattatak is its earliest ancestor. Much like the great arenas of Geonosis, The Cauldron and the other arenas throughout Rattatak are the sites of fierce gladiatorial combat and capital punishment. The difference between these arenas is that the battles confined within The Cauldron are a microcosm of the rest of the planet and its primary inhabitants, the Rattataki.
The origins of this near-human species are similar to that of the Chiss. It is believed they are descendants of a Republic expedition into the Outer Rim. Since that time, they have evolved into a race of warriors who stand out in a crowd due to their white skin and typically baldheads. After settling the rocky terrain of Rattatak, it became apparent that the planet's conditions were harsh and its resources limited. These factors were not the only aspect of life on Rattatak nearly drive its people to extinction; they seemed bent of destroying themselves as well.
Image from Wookieepedia
Instead of setting up an economy that supported trading for the planet's scarce resources, the Rattataki took to violence in order to obtain what they needed to survive. These skirmishes evolved over generations into worldwide war that eventually became a way of life. The travelers who frequented the Outer Rim - namely mercenaries and slavers - eventually stumbled upon the Rattataki and found them to be difficult to deal with. The slavers were unable to mold them into obedient servants and the mercenaries found them difficult to negotiate with when it came to the price of a contract.
The relations with the mercenaries and slavers eventually became beneficial to the Rattataki warlords, who purchased slaves and hired mercenaries to fight their wars for them. The only obstacle was finding slaves and mercenaries who were talented enough to be worth the price. Within one of the planet's rare neutral zones, generals created the first gladiatorial area to judge potential warriors before signing them to a contract. These fights quickly evolved into a bloody spectator sport where wagers bet on potential winners.
The galactic community mostly ignores the Rattataki, but there are exceptions. One freelancer in particular is on radar of the Corellian Security Force during The Old Republic. Labeled as being extremely dangerous, Kaliyo Djannis is known to be an associate of numerous criminals over the years, affiliated with a half-dozen criminal organizations. Her criminal record and list of successful assassinations demonstrate her potency to the galaxy at large. It is evident that she is a perfect representative of a race that finds pleasure in spending an evening in the blood-covered atmosphere of The Cauldron.
Sources
http://swtor.com/info/holonet/biographies/kaliyo-djannis
http://www.starwars.com/databank/location/rattatak/index.html
http://starwars.wikia.com/wiki/Rattataki
http://starwars.wikia.com/wiki/Rattatak
http://starwars.wikia.com/wiki/The_Cauldron
http://starwars.wikia.com/wiki/Gladiator
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Posted 2/10/2011 8:04:52 PMI really think Lucas should relinquish control of Star Wars - he may have come up with the original idea but writers such as Timothy Zaan and his Thawn Trilogy and Drew Karpyshyn and his Darth Bane Trilogy showed us what good Star Wars writers are capable of - the Prequels are crap compared to those books and more, and they would make very good films. What professionally writer/director lets their daughter write the odd episode - Lucas....
If only FOX had faith in Star Wars from the start, they wouldn't have given him such control over the franchise as they don't to most films they are associated with.
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Posted 2/10/2011 9:00:35 PMI, for example, liked the episodes with the Zabrak killer, and also the episode when Ventress tried to kill Doku.
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Posted 2/10/2011 8:24:25 PMI'm just waiting for him to re-make the original trilogy with Vader as either the hero or as the emperor.
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Posted 2/10/2011 12:21:06 AMWhen BioWare said Ventress was Rattaki she still was, as the episode of 'the Clone Wars' hadn't been aired.