Difference between revisions of "Anzati"

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{{Infobox Race
 
{{Infobox Race
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| image = [[File:Teniel_Djo_avatar.jpg]]
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| image = [[File:Anzati1.jpg|150px]]
 
| name = Anzati
 
| name = Anzati
 
| homeworld = [[Anzat]]
 
| homeworld = [[Anzat]]
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| language =
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| language = old Anzat language, [[Basic]]
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| aveheight = Ranging from 1.5 to 1.7 meters [1]
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| aveheight = Ranging from 1.5 to 1.7 meters <ref name="SW Wiki">[http://starwars.wikia.com/wiki/Anzati SW Wiki on the Anzati Race]</ref>
−
| skincolour = Grayish-hued [1]
+
| skincolour = Grayish-hued <ref name="SW Wiki" />
−
| haircolour =
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| haircolour = brown, black, blonde, etc.
−
| distinctions = Hidden proboscises, exceptional longevity , high regenerative capabilities [1]
+
| distinctions = Hidden proboscises, exceptional longevity , high regenerative capabilities <ref name="SW Wiki" />
−
| avelife =
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| avelife = up to millennia <ref name="SW Wiki" /><ref name="UOEncyclopedia">[http://www.cuswe.org/newdescr.asp?search=1535 The Completely Unofficial Star Wars Encyclopedia on the Anzati Race]</ref>
 
}}
 
}}
  
 +
The '''Anzati''' (singular: '''Anzat''') race is sometimes described as near-[[human|humanoid]] <ref name="AC Holosite">[http://www.anzat.org/races.html Anzatan Commonwealth Holosite on the Anzati]</ref>. Native to the planet [[Anzat]] in the [[system]] of the same name in the [[Maldrood]] [[sector]], they differ the most from their human counterparts because of the two tentacle-like proboscises that extend from their cheeks. An extremely longlived and [[Force]]-sensitive species, the Anzati are mainly known (and feared) for their ability to feed upon the "soup" of others. Derogatory sometimes referred to as "brain suckers" or "snot vampires", they are often persecuted and discriminated against in Galactic Society because of this.<ref name="SW Wiki" /><ref name="AC Holosite" /><ref name="SWC">[http://www.swcombine.com/rules/?Races&ID=3 SWCombine on the Anzati Race]</ref>
  
 
== Biology and Appearance ==
 
== Biology and Appearance ==
 +
[[File:Anzat.jpg|left|thumb|An Anzat with retracted proboscises]]
  
−
The Anzati race is a unique species in the galaxy as they do not exist in a similar fashion to other species. They are ancient, rumoured to be one of the first to ever roam the galaxy. With the average Anzati reaching 1.7m in height, they look almost exactly like humans, except they do not have a biological rhythm. They live off the life essence of other sentient beings; this is also referred to as Soup or Luck. It is believed that Anzati are one of the oldest species, one of the original, yet because of their reclusive mannerisms and desire of the essence much has contributed to the myth of the Anzati.
+
The Anzati are a unique species in [[the Galaxy]] as they do not exist in a similar fashion to other species. They are ancient, rumoured to be one of the first to ever roam the galaxy.<ref name="SWC" /> Anzati do not have a biological rhythm, in the sense as they don't have a pulse and as a result no body heat. Their circulatory system therfore still remains a mystery<ref name="SW Wiki" /> They live off the life essence of other sentient beings; this is also referred to as their "Soup" or "Luck". It is believed that Anzati are one of the oldest species, one of the original, yet because of their reclusive mannerisms and desire of the essence much has contributed to the myth of the Anzati.<ref name="SWC" />
  
−
The Anzati (singular: Anzat) were a dangerous and mysterious Force-sensitive near-Human species with two tentacle-like proboscises that curled out and extended from their cheeks, with which the Anzati were able to feed upon the brains of their prey. With the tentacles retracted into seams along each side of their nose, Anzati were indistinguishable from any other humanoid species in the galaxy. [1]
+
They are an extremely long-lived race, also possessing regenerative capabilities beyond those of the average [[human|humanoid]]. The Anzati are also telepathic, growing more adept at the talent as they age, allowing them to dominate someone's mind to give them a chance to feed. <ref name="SW Wiki" />
  
−
They were an extremely long-lived race, also possessing regenerative capabilities beyond those of the average humanoid. The Anzati were also telepathic, growing more adept at the talent as they aged, allowing them to dominate someone's mind to give them a chance to feed. [1]
+
The youngest Anzati are, by most standards, ancient. The ages of the eldest can be measured in eons. They roamed the galaxy when the [[Galactic Republic]] was just a dream of the [[Core Worlds]]. The Anzati can live for millennia, sustained by the life essence they draw from others. An Anzat who does not feed at least once every few days merely grows hungry. Lack of sufficient meals has no more of a supernatural aging effect on an Anzat than it does on a [[Human]]. <ref name="SW Wiki" />
  
  
−
Scientists and xenobiologists had little opportunity to study the Anzati, but sketchy medical reports found on the species indicated that they had no natural biorhythm; that is to say, no pulse, and as a result, no body heat. Therefore, it was a total mystery as to how their circulatory system functioned.[1]
 
  
−
The youngest Anzati were ancient. The ages of the eldest could be measured in eons. They roamed the galaxy when the Galactic Republic was just a dream of the Core Worlds. The Anzati could live for millennia, sustained by the life essence they drew from others. An Anzat who did not feed at least once every few days merely grew hungry. Lack of sufficient meals had no more of a supernatural aging effect on an Anzat than it did on a Human.[1]
 
  
−
Because the Anzati preyed upon those whose life force was strong, they must be stronger. While Anzati tended to possess exceptional might and often startling reflexes, they were not supernaturally endowed. At best, they reflected the pinnacle of Human athletic ability; at worst, they merely had the attributes of an ordinary Human. However, physical strength was only a small part of the equation. To sense the presence of a strong life essence in others, they had highly developed sensory organs unknown in other sentient species. To physically drain this life essence's connection from living beings, they had to be physically adapted to do so. For the Anzati, these things were interconnected.[1]
+
===Feeding===
  
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The Anzati were natural predators, preferring to hunt sentient races of all shapes and sizes and kinds. To this end, they possessed two long, prehensile proboscises similar in appearance to tentacles. They kept these proboscises coiled in their twin cheek pockets for feeding on unsuspecting victims; when their proboscises were retracted, they were practically visually indistinguishable from Humans. They fed in a unique way that was described as grotesque.[1]
+
Because the Anzati prey upon those whose life force is strong, they must be stronger than their prey. While Anzati tend to possess exceptional might and often startling reflexes, they are not supernaturally endowed. At best, they reflect the pinnacle of Human athletic ability; at worst, they merely have the attributes of an ordinary Human. However, physical strength is only a small part of the equation. To sense the presence of a strong life essence in others, they have highly developed sensory organs unknown in other sentient species. To physically drain this life essence's connection from living beings, they have to be physically adapted to do so. For the Anzati, these things are interconnected. <ref name="SW Wiki" />
  
−
Using a kind of mind control, which Jedi who had encountered them claimed was akin to Force manipulation, they bewitched their victims in a manner similar to a Jedi mind trick. Using this telepathy, the Anzat lured in their unsuspecting targets by mesmerizing them with their telepathic control. This control strengthened at close range and was even further augmented and honed with age and use. [1]
+
[[File:Anzati_feeding.jpg|thumb|right|200px|An Anzat feeding with their proboscises extended out]]
 +
The Anzati are natural predators, preferring to hunt sentient races of all shapes and sizes and kinds. With their two proboscises that can re- and extract, they "suck" out their prey's life force. This has been described as grotesque.<ref name="SW Wiki" />
  
−
Once a victim was within their power, the Anzati would uncoil their thin proboscises from their cheek pouches located on either side of its nose and usually inserted them into the subject's nostrils and into the cranium, where the brain was sucked out of the organism, though the Anzati fed by drawing soup out of wherever it resided in a victim, as it varied by species. In most humanoid races, it laid within the brain cavity. Almost of their own, the proboscises sought the victim's soup, and began draining it into the Anzat. The victim could struggle, though often the Anzat's attack was so sudden, so perfect, that it was too late. This action, however, required time and could not be rushed. This behavior led to the nickname of "snot vampires." They also had been known to grasp the victim's head to hold it in place close to them as they fed.[1]
+
Using a kind of mind control, which [[Jedi]] who have encountered them claimed is akin to [[Force]] manipulation, they bewitch their victims in a manner similar to a Jedi mind trick. Using this telepathy, the Anzat lure in their unsuspecting targets by mesmerizing them with their telepathic control. This control strengthens at close range and is even further augmented and honed with age and use. <ref name="SW Wiki" />
 +
 
 +
Once a victim is within their power, the Anzati would uncoil their thin proboscises from their cheek pouches located on either side of its nose and usually insert them into the subject's nostrils and into the cranium, where the brain is sucked out of the organism, though the Anzati feeds by drawing soup out of wherever it resided in a victim, as it varies by species. In most humanoid races, it lays within the brain cavity. Almost of their own, the proboscises seek the victim's soup, and begin draining it into the Anzat. The victim can struggle, though often the Anzat's attack is so sudden, so perfect, that it is too late. This action, however, requires time and can not be rushed. This behavior led to the derogatory term of "snot vampires." They also have been known to grasp the victim's head to hold it in place close to them as they feed. <ref name="SW Wiki" />
 +
 
 +
==="Soup"===
 +
 
 +
The victim's life force is called either the "soup," "luck," or the "Sea of Memory." The actual substance they drain out of living beings—the gelid, mucoid medium for the luck or life essence—they referr to as soup. In Anzati traditions, the term referrs to the life essence, or spiritual power, of the victim. As well, the Anzati believed that this life essence governs a living being's personal presence. Thus, the more presence a victim has, the more potent the luck is likely to be. Particularly fortunate individuals ware tasty meals for the Anzati. It is reputed that Anzati can keep their victims alive for several feedings, taking great pleasure in the fear and terror their prey feels throughout the ordeal. <ref name="SW Wiki" />
 +
 
 +
Though life essence and luck are manifestations of the [[Force]], the luck upon which Anzati feed is only peripherally related. Certainly, beings who are particularly gifted in the Force are appetizing to an Anzat, but this is usually because their close connections with the life energy of the universe presents the appearance of a great personal presence. Of course, experienced Jedi usually have both powerful personal life essence and a close connection with the universe's through the Force. The Anzat who makes a meal of such a Jedi is a rare and terrible creature indeed. <ref name="SW Wiki" />
 +
 
 +
[[File:Anzat_feeding2.jpg|thumb|left|200px|Another depiction of an Anzat feeding. Close-up of the proboscises extending]]
 +
The Anzati, of course, consider such discussions academic. "The Force" is a concept developed by younger species. It is a concept Anzati do not recognize as any more correct than any of a dozen theories that existed beforehand. They know only that weak-willed beings are as unsatisfying as table scraps. To subsist on the average sentient, an Anzat would have to feed on a dozen beings every day; and since the meal rarely survives the feast, the Anzat would leave a trail of corpses. On a world without sentient beings, or in a place where soup is in short supply, an Anzat can easily starve to death. Most of the galaxy, however, is unfortunate in this regard: the Anzati are not liable to die off so easily&mdash;sentient beings are plentiful enough to feed a legion of them. <ref name="SW Wiki" />
 +
 
 +
Despite myths to the contrary, victims of the Anzati do not become Anzati themselves.<ref name="SW Wiki" />
  
−
They called this meal "soup," "luck," or the "Sea of Memory." The actual substance they drained out of living beings—the gelid, mucoid medium for the luck or life essence—they referred to as soup. In Anzati traditions, the term referred to the life essence, or spiritual power, of the victim. As well, the Anzati believed that this life essence governed a living being's personal presence. Thus, the more presence a victim had, the more potent the luck was likely to be. Particularly fortunate individuals were tasty meals for the Anzati. It was reputed that Anzati could keep their victims alive for several feedings, taking great pleasure in the fear and terror their prey felt throughout the ordeal.[1]
 
  
−
Though life essence and luck were manifestations of the Force, the luck upon which Anzati fed was only peripherally related. Certainly, beings who were particularly gifted in the Force were appetizing to an Anzat, but this was usually because their close connections with the life energy of the universe presented the appearance of a great personal presence. Of course, experienced Jedi usually had both powerful personal life essence and a close connection with the universe's through the Force. The Anzat who made a meal of such a Jedi was a rare and terrible creature indeed.[1]
 
  
−
The Anzati, of course, considered such discussions academic. "The Force" was a concept developed by younger species. It was a concept Anzati do not recognize as any more correct than any of a dozen theories before. They knew only that weak-willed beings were as unsatisfying as table scraps. To subsist on the average sentient, an Anzat would have to feed on a dozen beings every day; and since the meal rarely survived the feast, the Anzat would leave a trail of corpses. On a world without sentient beings, or in a place where soup is in short supply, an Anzat could easily starve to death. Most of the galaxy, however, was unfortunate in this regard: the Anzati were not liable to die off so easily—sentient beings were plentiful enough to feed a legion of them.[1]
 
  
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Despite myths to the contrary, victims of the Anzati did not become Anzati themselves.
 
  
  
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According to most reports, because Anzati are loners, it has thus contributed to the false impressions that they are vampires. They access the essence through prehensile proboscises they keep coiled in pockets in each of their cheeks. They are predators who mesmerize victims through a telepathic mind control, which gets stronger the closer they are. Habitually the Anzati stalk their prey and corner them. The extraction of soup begins when they uncoil the proboscises, insert them through the victim's nostrils and then attach to the brain. Some Anzati are known to keep their prey alive for future feedings. The need for this is believed to be related to the fact Anzat cannot sustain life. This drive to fill the void for soup is something that consumes the Anzati way of life. Some Anzati regard other species as cattle and a meal, while others try to control their needs. They do not reproduce often and their parents do not name their offspring. Anzati often adapt human names to blend in with their surroundings. Youthful Anzati reach puberty at approximately one hundred years of age and leave Anzat to hunt for soup. This soup gives the Anzati race a perceived form of immortality, seemingly never succumbing to old age, able to sustain life for over a thousand years with little resemblance of aging. However, as the Anzat ages, the urge for soup grows, often resulting in isolation from their peers, self-destruction and increased feedings.
+
According to most reports, because Anzati are loners, it has thus contributed to the false impressions that they are vampires. This drive to fill the void for soup is something that consumes the Anzati way of life. Some Anzati regard other species as cattle and a meal, while others try to control their needs. They do not reproduce often and their parents do not name their offspring. Anzati often adapt human names to blend in with their surroundings. Youthful Anzati reach puberty at approximately one hundred years of age and leave Anzat to hunt for soup. This soup gives the Anzati race a perceived form of immortality, seemingly never succumbing to old age, able to sustain life for over a thousand years with little resemblance of aging. However, as the Anzat ages, the urge for soup grows, often resulting in isolation from their peers, self-destruction and increased feedings. <ref name="SWC" />
 +
 
 +
 
 +
As the Anzati's hunger grows as they age, and because they live for such a long time, they end up becoming more and more isolated in their need. The older the Anzati, the more unstable and obsessive they become, often to the point of insanity. They will lose focus on the world around them and in many cases wwill make a crucial mistake, leading to their ultimate destruction. <ref name="SW Wiki" />
 +
 
 +
===The Silent Voices===
  
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The drive to hunt for "soup" seemed to be the central factor of Anzati life; one could almost have considered them an addicted people. Once they began the hunt, they thought of nothing else but to satisfy this hunger, a hunger that grew stronger and more powerful with each passing year. Anzati were reported to view all other peoples as livestock to be harvested to fulfill their needs, although some were known to try and stave off the craving for as long as possible between feedings.[1] Anzati were known to be creatures of a single-minded purpose, they spent their long lives surviving from one meal to the next—in the process, depriving living beings of their own lives.[7]
+
Some Anzati believe that feeding on live vessels ives them eternal youth and energy. This belief can be traced to the Silent Voices, luminescent bands of gases that glow in the [[Anzat]] atmosphere at night. Ancient Anzati believe that these are the life essences of their ancestors. Although such a possibility is not scientifically viable, it illustrates the level of importance that "soup" plays in Anzati culture, morals, and belief structures. <ref name="SW Wiki" />
  
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Either way, because the hunger grew as they aged, and they lived for such a long time, they ended up becoming more and more isolated in their need. The older the Anzati, the more unstable and obsessive they became, often to the point of insanity. They would lose focus on the world around them and in many cases would make a crucial mistake, leading to their ultimate destruction.[1]
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===Anzati Arts===
  
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Some Anzati believed that feeding on live vessels gave them eternal youth and energy. This belief can be traced to the Silent Voices, luminescent bands of gases that glowed in the Anzat atmosphere at night. Ancient Anzati believed that these were the life essences of their ancestors. Although such a possibility was not scientifically viable, it illustrated the level of importance that "soup" played in Anzati culture, morals, and belief structures.[1]
+
Though it is easy to picture the Anzati as heartless predators, that was no more true of them than it was of any species that eats another species to live. With their long lives, Anzati have plenty of time to develop and pursue all manner of interests; many are devoted patrons of the arts. A few have even produced works of art of their own: books, music, paintings, sculpture, films, and holos. Few have created more than one example in any given medium, however. For a being so long-lived as an Anzat, perfection at a craft is pointless; reaching the pinnacle of an art is no real accomplishment if its only becazse other practitioners died off a thousand years ago. <ref name="SW Wiki" />
  
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Anzati reproduced infrequently, and usually lived for many centuries. Parents did not typically give their children names, instead allowing them to seek names that best blended in with their chosen prey. Youthful Anzati reached puberty at approximately one hundred standard years of age, and, when that time came, they left Anzat to hunt for "soup" and continue their so-called eternal existence.[1]
+
===Anzati Scholars===
  
−
Though it was easy to picture the Anzati as heartless predators, that was no more true of them than it was of any species that ate another species to live. With their long lives, Anzati had plenty of time to develop and pursue all manner of interests; many were devoted patrons of the arts. A few had even produced works of art of their own: books, music, paintings, sculpture, films, and holos. Few had created more than one example in any given medium, however. For a being so long-lived as an Anzat, perfection at a craft was pointless; reaching the pinnacle of an art was no real accomplishment if its only other practitioners died off a thousand years ago. [1]
+
A common misconception among those who study tales of the Anzati was that they are hyper-developed scholars, experts in fields of knowledge and craft long since forgotten by younger species. While Anzati can remember things that happened centuries earlier, they have little or no interest in pursuing mastery of any given area of expertise or knowledge—other than feeding. To the Anzati, the important skills to pass on to their offspring are the arts of stealth and the kill; everything else is just amusing diversion, hardly worth the effort of committing to memory. <ref name="SW Wiki" />
  
−
A common misconception among those who studied tales of the Anzati was that they were hyper-developed scholars, experts in fields of knowledge and craft long since forgotten by younger species. While Anzati could remember things that happened centuries earlier, they had little or no interest in pursuing mastery of any given area of expertise or knowledge—other than feeding. To the Anzati, the important skills to pass on to their offspring were the arts of stealth and the kill; everything else was just amusing diversion, hardly worth the effort of committing to memory.[1]
+
===Anzati Bounty Hunters===
  
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The Anzati were accomplished hunters, tracking their quarry silently, invisibly and efficiently. Their abilities served them in avoiding notice as well. Despite occasional noticeable individuals, all Anzati diligently maintained as low a profile as possible, disappearing into the galaxy's crowds as soon as anyone appeared to notice their activities, abilities, or longevity. An Anzat used his or her sense of personal presence to hunt—to detect prey's soup. The stronger the target's soup, the more the target stood out to the Anzat's senses.[1]
+
The Anzati are accomplished hunters, tracking their quarry silently, invisibly and efficiently. Their abilities serve them in avoiding notice as well. Despite occasional noticeable individuals, all Anzati diligently maintain as low a profile as possible, disappearing into the galaxy's crowds as soon as anyone appears to notice their activities, abilities, or longevity. An Anzat uses his or her sense of personal presence to hunt or to detect prey's soup. The stronger the target's soup, the more the target stands out to the Anzat's senses. <ref name="SW Wiki" />
  
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Anzati were also difficult to capture. Because of their secrecy, hunting skills, and training, Anzati were often employed by organized crime factions as assassins. The Anzati simply dwelled among the sentient species of the galaxy, blending into the dizzying myriad of cultures—invisible because, until one revealed its true nature to a victim, an Anzat was just another alien; and, of course, once the victim saw the Anzat, it was too late to warn anyone else.[1]
+
Anzati are also difficult to capture. Because of their secrecy, hunting skills, and training, Anzati are often employed by organized crime factions as assassins. The Anzati simply dwell among the sentient species of the galaxy, blending into the dizzying myriad of cultures&mdash;invisible because, until one reveals its true nature to a victim, an Anzat is just another alien; and, of course, once the victim sees the Anzat, it is too late to warn anyone else. <ref name="SW Wiki" />
  
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Their anonymity was frequently used to their advantage, so they rarely, if ever, worked in groups. It was only in the capacity of a bounty hunter that they would abandon their lonely tendencies and band together to form a corporation or guild. On these exceptionally rare occasions, they would sometimes share prey and the financial rewards of their hunts. These corporations were temporary, often existing for only one hunt, as they typically ended up killing each other to eliminate competition for a very "soupy" victim.[1]
+
Their anonymity is frequently used to their own advantage, so they rarely, if ever, work in groups. It is only in the capacity of a bounty hunter that they will abandon their lonely tendencies and band together to form a corporation or guild. On these exceptionally rare occasions, they will sometimes share prey and the financial rewards of their hunts. These corporations are temporary, often existing for only one hunt, as they typically end up killing each other to eliminate competition for a very "soupy" victim. <ref name="SW Wiki" />
  
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Thousands of worlds across the galaxy had legends of the Anzati, yet no culture's myths included their origin. To some, this implied that the Anzati had been around longer than any other species, or that they survived, by thousands of centuries, the only other species to share their homeworld. Others believed that the Anzati evolved simultaneously with Humankind, somewhere beyond the knowledge of sentient races, only to enter galactic society at large when hyperspace exploration put the Anzati homeworld within reach of the Republic. When the planet was later found, it was usually avoided for the race's tendencies. [1]
+
===Myths about the Anzati===
  
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==Famous Anzati==
+
Thousands of worlds across the galaxy have legends of the Anzati, yet no culture's myths include their origin. To some, this implies that the Anzati have been around longer than any other species, or that they have survived, by thousands of centuries, the only other species to share their homeworld. Others believe that the Anzati have evolved simultaneously with Humankind, somewhere beyond the knowledge of sentient races, only to enter galactic society at large when hyperspace exploration put the Anzati homeworld within reach of the Republic. When the planet was later found, it was usually avoided for the race's tendencies. <ref name="SW Wiki" />
  
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[[Teniel Djo]], former leader of the Eidola Pirates, is probably the most famous of the Anzati. She carried on a reign of piracy for over a decade before dying in [[The Maw]] on Year 12 Day 207. It is she who is pictured above.[2]
+
==Death of Teniel Djo==
  
 +
[[File:Teniel_Djo_avatar.jpg|thumb|right|150px|Teniel Djo as she was last depicted]]
 +
[[Teniel Djo]], former leader of the [[Eidola Pirates]], is probably the most famous individual of the Anzati. She carried on a reign of piracy for over a decade before dying in [[The Maw]] on [[Year 12|Year 12 Day 207]] by choice with a group of pirates all wanting to commit suicide. <ref>[http://www.swcombine.com/community/news/gnsarchive.php?display=2&postID=29071&category=20 GNS Post by Teniel about her suicide mission]</ref>
  
  
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References: [1] - http://starwars.wikia.com/wiki/Anzati
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==References==
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            [2] - http://www.swcombine.com/community/news/gnsnews.php#gnsarea
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{{Reflist}}
  
  
 
[[Category:Races and Species]]
 
[[Category:Races and Species]]

Revision as of 19:50, 6 April 2012



Anzati1.jpg
Anzati
HomeworldAnzat
Languageold Anzat language, Basic
DistinctionsHidden proboscises, exceptional longevity , high regenerative capabilities [1]


The Anzati (singular: Anzat) race is sometimes described as near-humanoid [2]. Native to the planet Anzat in the system of the same name in the Maldrood sector, they differ the most from their human counterparts because of the two tentacle-like proboscises that extend from their cheeks. An extremely longlived and Force-sensitive species, the Anzati are mainly known (and feared) for their ability to feed upon the "soup" of others. Derogatory sometimes referred to as "brain suckers" or "snot vampires", they are often persecuted and discriminated against in Galactic Society because of this.[1][2][3]

Biology and Appearance

An Anzat with retracted proboscises

The Anzati are a unique species in the Galaxy as they do not exist in a similar fashion to other species. They are ancient, rumoured to be one of the first to ever roam the galaxy.[3] Anzati do not have a biological rhythm, in the sense as they don't have a pulse and as a result no body heat. Their circulatory system therfore still remains a mystery[1] They live off the life essence of other sentient beings; this is also referred to as their "Soup" or "Luck". It is believed that Anzati are one of the oldest species, one of the original, yet because of their reclusive mannerisms and desire of the essence much has contributed to the myth of the Anzati.[3]

They are an extremely long-lived race, also possessing regenerative capabilities beyond those of the average humanoid. The Anzati are also telepathic, growing more adept at the talent as they age, allowing them to dominate someone's mind to give them a chance to feed. [1]

The youngest Anzati are, by most standards, ancient. The ages of the eldest can be measured in eons. They roamed the galaxy when the Galactic Republic was just a dream of the Core Worlds. The Anzati can live for millennia, sustained by the life essence they draw from others. An Anzat who does not feed at least once every few days merely grows hungry. Lack of sufficient meals has no more of a supernatural aging effect on an Anzat than it does on a Human. [1]



Feeding

Because the Anzati prey upon those whose life force is strong, they must be stronger than their prey. While Anzati tend to possess exceptional might and often startling reflexes, they are not supernaturally endowed. At best, they reflect the pinnacle of Human athletic ability; at worst, they merely have the attributes of an ordinary Human. However, physical strength is only a small part of the equation. To sense the presence of a strong life essence in others, they have highly developed sensory organs unknown in other sentient species. To physically drain this life essence's connection from living beings, they have to be physically adapted to do so. For the Anzati, these things are interconnected. [1]

An Anzat feeding with their proboscises extended out

The Anzati are natural predators, preferring to hunt sentient races of all shapes and sizes and kinds. With their two proboscises that can re- and extract, they "suck" out their prey's life force. This has been described as grotesque.[1]

Using a kind of mind control, which Jedi who have encountered them claimed is akin to Force manipulation, they bewitch their victims in a manner similar to a Jedi mind trick. Using this telepathy, the Anzat lure in their unsuspecting targets by mesmerizing them with their telepathic control. This control strengthens at close range and is even further augmented and honed with age and use. [1]

Once a victim is within their power, the Anzati would uncoil their thin proboscises from their cheek pouches located on either side of its nose and usually insert them into the subject's nostrils and into the cranium, where the brain is sucked out of the organism, though the Anzati feeds by drawing soup out of wherever it resided in a victim, as it varies by species. In most humanoid races, it lays within the brain cavity. Almost of their own, the proboscises seek the victim's soup, and begin draining it into the Anzat. The victim can struggle, though often the Anzat's attack is so sudden, so perfect, that it is too late. This action, however, requires time and can not be rushed. This behavior led to the derogatory term of "snot vampires." They also have been known to grasp the victim's head to hold it in place close to them as they feed. [1]

"Soup"

The victim's life force is called either the "soup," "luck," or the "Sea of Memory." The actual substance they drain out of living beings—the gelid, mucoid medium for the luck or life essence—they referr to as soup. In Anzati traditions, the term referrs to the life essence, or spiritual power, of the victim. As well, the Anzati believed that this life essence governs a living being's personal presence. Thus, the more presence a victim has, the more potent the luck is likely to be. Particularly fortunate individuals ware tasty meals for the Anzati. It is reputed that Anzati can keep their victims alive for several feedings, taking great pleasure in the fear and terror their prey feels throughout the ordeal. [1]

Though life essence and luck are manifestations of the Force, the luck upon which Anzati feed is only peripherally related. Certainly, beings who are particularly gifted in the Force are appetizing to an Anzat, but this is usually because their close connections with the life energy of the universe presents the appearance of a great personal presence. Of course, experienced Jedi usually have both powerful personal life essence and a close connection with the universe's through the Force. The Anzat who makes a meal of such a Jedi is a rare and terrible creature indeed. [1]

Another depiction of an Anzat feeding. Close-up of the proboscises extending

The Anzati, of course, consider such discussions academic. "The Force" is a concept developed by younger species. It is a concept Anzati do not recognize as any more correct than any of a dozen theories that existed beforehand. They know only that weak-willed beings are as unsatisfying as table scraps. To subsist on the average sentient, an Anzat would have to feed on a dozen beings every day; and since the meal rarely survives the feast, the Anzat would leave a trail of corpses. On a world without sentient beings, or in a place where soup is in short supply, an Anzat can easily starve to death. Most of the galaxy, however, is unfortunate in this regard: the Anzati are not liable to die off so easily—sentient beings are plentiful enough to feed a legion of them. [1]

Despite myths to the contrary, victims of the Anzati do not become Anzati themselves.[1]




Society and Culture

According to most reports, because Anzati are loners, it has thus contributed to the false impressions that they are vampires. This drive to fill the void for soup is something that consumes the Anzati way of life. Some Anzati regard other species as cattle and a meal, while others try to control their needs. They do not reproduce often and their parents do not name their offspring. Anzati often adapt human names to blend in with their surroundings. Youthful Anzati reach puberty at approximately one hundred years of age and leave Anzat to hunt for soup. This soup gives the Anzati race a perceived form of immortality, seemingly never succumbing to old age, able to sustain life for over a thousand years with little resemblance of aging. However, as the Anzat ages, the urge for soup grows, often resulting in isolation from their peers, self-destruction and increased feedings. [3]


As the Anzati's hunger grows as they age, and because they live for such a long time, they end up becoming more and more isolated in their need. The older the Anzati, the more unstable and obsessive they become, often to the point of insanity. They will lose focus on the world around them and in many cases wwill make a crucial mistake, leading to their ultimate destruction. [1]

The Silent Voices

Some Anzati believe that feeding on live vessels ives them eternal youth and energy. This belief can be traced to the Silent Voices, luminescent bands of gases that glow in the Anzat atmosphere at night. Ancient Anzati believe that these are the life essences of their ancestors. Although such a possibility is not scientifically viable, it illustrates the level of importance that "soup" plays in Anzati culture, morals, and belief structures. [1]

Anzati Arts

Though it is easy to picture the Anzati as heartless predators, that was no more true of them than it was of any species that eats another species to live. With their long lives, Anzati have plenty of time to develop and pursue all manner of interests; many are devoted patrons of the arts. A few have even produced works of art of their own: books, music, paintings, sculpture, films, and holos. Few have created more than one example in any given medium, however. For a being so long-lived as an Anzat, perfection at a craft is pointless; reaching the pinnacle of an art is no real accomplishment if its only becazse other practitioners died off a thousand years ago. [1]

Anzati Scholars

A common misconception among those who study tales of the Anzati was that they are hyper-developed scholars, experts in fields of knowledge and craft long since forgotten by younger species. While Anzati can remember things that happened centuries earlier, they have little or no interest in pursuing mastery of any given area of expertise or knowledge—other than feeding. To the Anzati, the important skills to pass on to their offspring are the arts of stealth and the kill; everything else is just amusing diversion, hardly worth the effort of committing to memory. [1]

Anzati Bounty Hunters

The Anzati are accomplished hunters, tracking their quarry silently, invisibly and efficiently. Their abilities serve them in avoiding notice as well. Despite occasional noticeable individuals, all Anzati diligently maintain as low a profile as possible, disappearing into the galaxy's crowds as soon as anyone appears to notice their activities, abilities, or longevity. An Anzat uses his or her sense of personal presence to hunt or to detect prey's soup. The stronger the target's soup, the more the target stands out to the Anzat's senses. [1]

Anzati are also difficult to capture. Because of their secrecy, hunting skills, and training, Anzati are often employed by organized crime factions as assassins. The Anzati simply dwell among the sentient species of the galaxy, blending into the dizzying myriad of cultures—invisible because, until one reveals its true nature to a victim, an Anzat is just another alien; and, of course, once the victim sees the Anzat, it is too late to warn anyone else. [1]

Their anonymity is frequently used to their own advantage, so they rarely, if ever, work in groups. It is only in the capacity of a bounty hunter that they will abandon their lonely tendencies and band together to form a corporation or guild. On these exceptionally rare occasions, they will sometimes share prey and the financial rewards of their hunts. These corporations are temporary, often existing for only one hunt, as they typically end up killing each other to eliminate competition for a very "soupy" victim. [1]

Myths about the Anzati

Thousands of worlds across the galaxy have legends of the Anzati, yet no culture's myths include their origin. To some, this implies that the Anzati have been around longer than any other species, or that they have survived, by thousands of centuries, the only other species to share their homeworld. Others believe that the Anzati have evolved simultaneously with Humankind, somewhere beyond the knowledge of sentient races, only to enter galactic society at large when hyperspace exploration put the Anzati homeworld within reach of the Republic. When the planet was later found, it was usually avoided for the race's tendencies. [1]

Death of Teniel Djo

Teniel Djo as she was last depicted

Teniel Djo, former leader of the Eidola Pirates, is probably the most famous individual of the Anzati. She carried on a reign of piracy for over a decade before dying in The Maw on Year 12 Day 207 by choice with a group of pirates all wanting to commit suicide. [4]


References

  1. ↑ 1.00 1.01 1.02 1.03 1.04 1.05 1.06 1.07 1.08 1.09 1.10 1.11 1.12 1.13 1.14 1.15 1.16 1.17 1.18 1.19 1.20 Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; no text was provided for refs named SW Wiki
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 Anzatan Commonwealth Holosite on the Anzati
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 SWCombine on the Anzati Race
  4. ↑ GNS Post by Teniel about her suicide mission
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