Darth Hater

Sullustans may not be as memorable as races like the Hutts, Jawas or Twi’leks, but anyone who’s seen Return of the Jedi will remember black eyed, jowly Nien Nunb, who co-piloted the Millennium Falcon for Lando Calrissian while Han and Chewie were down on the forest moon of Endor. What are these mouse-eyed people like, where do they come from, and how will they be present in Star Wars: The Old Republic? Join us past the jump as we answer these questions.

Sullust is an Outer Rim planet on the Rimma Trade Route. The planet surface is not a particularly pleasant place; it’s very volcanic, which causes intense electrical storms, and large clouds of hot, potentially toxic gasses. Given that, it’s no surprise that the Sullustans evolved to a subterranean existence. They have an extensive network of caves and cities carved out of the rock of Sullust. The construction of new cities and caverns also affords plenty of opportunity for extracting the planet’s significant mineral wealth.

Sullustans are a small species, with adult height ranging from 1.0 to 1.8 meters. They are generally hairless, though scalp hair is rare but not unknown among females, and some males may sport facial hair. They have large ears, black eyes and prominent jowls known as dewflaps. Sullustans also show an impressive resistance to the effects of alcohol.

Underground life has had a great influence on Sullustan biology. They have incredible low-light vision—able to see in places where other species would be completely blind. Unfortunately, many Sullustans suffer from corneal defects at about age 30. They also have a very finely-tuned sense of direction, which is almost as critical as low-light vision to a species that spends its entire life in underground passages. This sense of direction has served them well in the greater galactic community; Sullustans are renowned navigators and scouts.

Culturally, Sullustans are notable for their friendly good nature and their drive to explore the galaxy. They are quite accepting of other species, curious about others and the galaxy around them, and ready traders. Despite being such an outgoing species, though, they are very traditional and clan-oriented. The central figure of each clan is a single female, who takes several husbands and bears children by them all.

Sullustan recorded political history is, at the time of The Old Republic, entirely democratic, though some family names make reference to noble titles, which would imply an ancient history of feudalism.

Sullust has been part of the greater galactic community for thousands of years; certainly, by 2,000 years Before the Treaty of Coruscant (BTC), Sullustan merchants were widely known. There are even records pointing to Sullustan scientists being central to the development of lightsaber technology in the fledgling Jedi Order. Sullustan navigational ability was crucial to the establishment of the Rimma Trade Route that passes near Sullust.

Sullustans beyond the Old Republic

By the rise of Emperor Palpatine, a single corporation dominated Sullustan society: SoroSuub. This company specialized in mineral processing, but expanded into most other facets of life on Sullust and employed over 50% of the population in one way or another. By two years before the Battle of Yavin, SoroSuub had become so powerful that the corporation ran the government; the CEO and the Council President were the same person. Corporate interests aligned with the goals of the Galactic Empire, so the planet allied with the Empire, despite the Rebel sympathies common to the population.

Sullustan resistance to the unfair working conditions and policies that inevitably came with corporate control of the government eventually led to SoroSuub’s restoration of the Sullustan Council, just before the Battle of Yavin. Sullust turned away from the Empire and backed the Rebel Alliance, supplying it with many ships and materials.

Sullustans in SW:TOR

Although Sullust is not a planet players will visit at launch, and Sullustans are not a playable species, we will still see Sullustans in-game. The Holonet lists Diab Duin, a notable Republic diplomat who is the representative of a small but strategically important mining world on the Outer Rim. More Sullustans are certain to be in the game as well; hopefully this article has provided some useful insight into this fascinating species.

Sources
Star Wars Encyclopedia
Wookieepedia: Sullustan
Wookieepedia: Sullust
SW:TOR Holonet