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Carosite

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Carosite

Biological classification

Designation

Sentient^[1]

Classification

Mammal^[1]

Physical characteristics

Average height

1.3–1.7meters^[1]

Average lifespan

120standard years^[1]

Sociocultural characteristics

Point of origin

Diet

Seafood^[2]

Language

Carosite language^[1]

"Eat right and live right."

―A Carosite philosophy^[2]

TheCarosites were amammalian,sentient species who hailed from theplanet Carosi IV in theOuter Rim Territories. However, when thestar Carosi began to rapidly expand, they were forced to evacuate their entire population to the outer planetCarosi XII and rebuild their civilization from scratch.

Carosites were renowned throughoutthe galaxy for their medical skills. Their medical academies attracted some ofthe galaxy's greatestdoctors to study and teach, drawn by their significant advancements in the treatment of mental illnesses and inmedical droid technology. Carosites were generally pacifists, although on occasion they flew into berserker rages to protect their patients. Their reverence for life and medical acumen culminated in their famoushospital ship, theSudden Restoration. Throughout theGalactic Civil War, it provided free health care to all, without regard topolitical affiliation.

Biology and appearance[]

Carosites were aspecies ofsentient,humanoid mammals, standing between 1.3 and 1.7meters tall. Their heads, on unusually long necks, sported long snouts and small beadyeyes. Carosites were slim in build and had extremely nimblehands due to the peculiar arrangement of their digits; two opposable thumbs flanked three central fingers. Their bodies were covered in short, finefur that kept them warm, and they often grew long goatees on their chins. Carosites had particularly acute senses.^[1]

Carosites could onlyreproduce twice in their lifetimes, on each occasion producing a litter of up to six young. Families were the only social unit in their communities, and often included older relatives unable to live independently. The Carosite lifespan was 120standard years.^[1]

Society and culture[]

Healing and medicine[]

"The business is ailing, but may be healed with proper treatment."

―An example of how medical terminology influenced all Carosite culture^[1]

Due to their infrequent reproduction, the Carosites developed a great reverence for life; each being's life was regarded as sacred. The attitude influenced their society in numerous ways, most particularly in their strong medical tradition. They made advances in the recognition and treatment of mental illnesses, with their sanitariums known for their emphasis on healing the individual rather than confinement. They also made innovations in the field ofmedical droid programming. As such, upgrading medicaldroids on theplanet Carosi XII cost only a fraction of what it did elsewhere.^[2] To maintain their medical facilities, the Carosites traded heavily with theEbranites forlu-ramin, anoil vital for several of their medicines.^[3] Carosites charged for their healing services commensurate to the patients' ability to pay. One distinctive feature of their care was their refusal to installcybernetic enhancements, but they were willing to install prosthetics which did not enhance patients' abilities.^[2]

Carosites enjoyed passing on their medical heritage, so medical academies were established on their planet, such as theCarosi XII Academy of Medicine.^[4] These institutions attracted famousdoctors,scientists, and surgeons to study or teach. TheCarosite language was influenced by such heritage, with medical metaphors commonly used to describe business deals, galactic politics, and other non-medical areas of life.^[1]

Their reverence for life produced a strongly pacifist culture, although an exception was made for the protection of the feeble, the helpless, and their patients. Under such circumstances, Carosites were known to fly into a berserker state, sometimes called a "life-saving fanaticism."^[2] Furthermore, the Carosites abhorred any form of interrogation orbrainwashing, regarding private thoughts as inviolate. However, a vocal minority argued for more aggressive action against oppressors such as theGalactic Empire. This group called themselves "The Preventers," and argued that assertive action would save lives in the long run.^[1]

The Carosites were aware ofthe Force, and desired to learn more about it. However, no Carosite was ever trained as aJedi, as their curiosity revolved around using it to promote healing and recovery, rather than for other purposes. Their attitude toward the Force was typical of the innovative species, some of whom even tried to find ways to harnessblaster technology to promote healing.^[2]

Government[]

The Carosites developed a form of democracy whereby every ten years they elected a leader who held absolute authority. This leader relied on eleven counselors for advice, selected from the species' eleven major families.^[1] Carosite society valued truth, and so considered verbal and written agreements completely binding. As a manifestation of their eternal optimism, they extended this expectation to offworlders, who frequently abused such trust and failed to uphold their bargains.^[2]

Carosites dislikedalcohol due to its harmful effects on sentients, both in the short and the long term. The disdain led their government to tax liquor sales heavily and minimize the number of liquor outlets on their planet.^[1] Their paternalistic attitude led Carosites to frequently offer unsolicited dietary advice. Visitors often regarded such doting as worse than that typical ofprotocol droids.^[2]

The sole city on Carosi XII wasNewlife Point, which was home to most of the two million Carosites living on the planet. The city was established on the shores of theAvuae Sea, where the original refugee ships had landed. The sea was rich in marine life, which provided a good source of protein, and the Carosites were fond of swimming in the icywaters. Just south of this city were a number of hot pools, heated by underground volcanic activity. The hot springs were known to aid in the healing process and so the Carosites linked it to Newlife Point with an underground transrail system.^[2]

History[]

The Carosite species evolved on the planet Carosi IV in theCarosus system,^[2] part of theNembus sector of theOuter Rim Territories.^[5] Their homeworld was located near theHydian Way, a vitalhyperlane through that part ofthe galaxy, and in an area ofspace that was explored between5,000 to3000 BBY.^[6] Carosites traveled offworld^[7] as early as3638 BBY,^[8] a period that included theGalactic War between theGalactic Republic and theresurgent Sith Empire.^[7]

In200 BBY, thesun in the Carosites' home-system began an unusually rapid expansion that threatened theirhomeworld. The situation led to a major upheaval in Carosite society, and over the course of twenty years, they evacuated their entire civilization to Carosi XII, an ice planet further out in thesystem. The expanding sun consumed the first five planets of the system and soon increased the temperature of Carosi XII to merely "cool," rendering the world more hospitable.^[2] The Carosites slowlyterraformed Carosi XII over the next two centuries, making use of scientists and other specialists to rebuild their world.^[1]

The Carosites were deeply affected by their turbulent dislocation and struggled to find their bearing in the galaxy for many generations. It caused many to value old traditions and rituals, producing a veneration of the past. However, a small fragment of their society pushed for the forging of new traditions to meet their new circumstances. This caused heated debate among the population.^[2]

During theGalactic Civil War, the Carosites were loyal to theRebel Alliance, but their respect for life led them to be undiscerning in whom they treated, prompting Carosite physicians to provide medical care for Imperial survivors as much as Rebels. The Carosites had little military strength and maintained only a small navy and merchant fleet.^[2] In0 ABY, the Alliance made a significantstrike against the Empire in the Carosus system.^[6] After the Rebel Alliance transitioned into theNew Republic, the Carosite relationship with that government was further strengthened byOmo Taj, the Carosite leader at thetime. He authorized the construction of asecret base on Carosi XII, and he subsequently maintained good relations with the basecommander,Balderik Rajana. However, the base did draw Imperial attention to Carosi XII. On one such occasion, anagent trainedrinacats, native predators, tohunt the base operatives.^[2]

Later during the New Republic era, the Carosites establishedpleasure domes on Carosi XII, some making use of expensivesynthdroids, which increased travel to the planet such that thestarport was in constant use.^[9] TheLoronar Corporation established a synthdroid factory on themoon of Carosi XII, which was visited byChief of State Leia Organa Solo.^[10]

Carosites in the galaxy[]

Carosites were most frequently encountered in the galaxy as physicians and doctors, such as the pair that worked as medics at theGalactic Outdoor Survival School.^[4] A notable Carosite physician wasTamo Lan. Trained in medicine on Carosi XII, Lan joined the Rebel Alliance after killing aTwi'lek who threatened one of his patients. He served the Alliance onBaes Logia and theMassassi Temple onYavin 4 before joiningShroud Team as a medic. When his best friend, theAqualish Karlon, waskilled onBresnia, he took in Karlon's sister,Gondara.^[11] Another esteemedCarosite doctor went on a mission during the Galactic War, and disappeared. He resurfaced more than five years later, around 3638 BBY, without any memory of where he had been, and was thought to have been kidnapped.^[7]

Not all Carosites were so selfless; the cyberneticist Dr.Parnath was a notorious exception. Exiled from Carosi for his unethical practices and relentless pursuit ofcredits, he moved to theVergesso Asteroids where he performed any cybernetic enhancements requested of him, provided the payment was good.^[12]

Even more prominent than these individuals were the Carosite physicians aboard thehospital ship theSudden Restoration. A modifiedKuat Drive Yards HS-1 hospital ship, it traveled the galaxy providing free medical care to all, and acquired a legendary patient recovery rate. It was given its name because it often visited the sites of recent battles, appearing out of nowhere to care for the wounded and civilian populations. Theship's reputation was tarnished somewhat whenone of its physicians was blackmailed by the Empire into serving as their agent. He was putting Republic officers into comatose states and then jettisoning their "dead" bodies intospace, where the Imperials later picked them up for interrogation.^[2]

TheSudden Restoration offered medical care to the sick and wounded, regardless of their political affiliations. Because of this liberal approach, it was largely free from attack, withpirates known to hunt down any who dared menace the ship. However, on one occasion the ship was attacked by abounty hunter. He had been hired by acrime lord to assassinate anImperial officer who was receiving treatment on the ship. Afterward, the New Republic insisted on stationingX-wings aboard to provide small fighter cover to the ship. The ship was so successful that the Carosites considered producing more like it. Many of its patients were later transferred toCarosi Alpha Hospital on Carosi XII itself.^[2]^[13]

Carosite physicians worked aboard the . — Carosite physicians worked aboard theSudden Restoration.

TheSudden Restoration was open to different methods of healing, and for a time theEwok shaman Keoulkeech served aboard it. A Carositetransport on its way toYir Tangee had encountered the Ewok while on a stopover atSalfur's Trading Post onEndor. Recognizing his ability, they had transferred him to theSudden Restoration.^[14]

During the Galactic Civil War, the Empire captured aCarosite smuggler.Darth Vader then used the dark side of the Force to burn his mind, transforming him into a feral beast, driven by fear, and used him as a fanatical guard. In12 ABY, New Republic agentsHan Solo andChewbacca encountered him onBelsavis in the underground catacombs.^[15] Carosite beakers were also used by the genetic terroristZeta Magnus during his occupation of the planetSkye during theClone Wars.^[16]

Behind the scenes[]

The Carosites first appeared inPlanets of the Galaxy, Volume Two, produced byWest End Games in1992. The species then received mentions in a succession of other sourcebooks produced for WEG'sStar Wars: The Roleplaying Game. TwoBantam Spectra novels,Children of the Jedi andPlanet of Twilight, also referenced the species and their homeworld.

In2009, the Carosi system was placed byThe Essential Atlas; this placement shed light on the context of the species and planet's history.Star Wars: The Old Republic: Rise of the Hutt Cartel, an update released in2013, created a Carosite doctor as a possible quest for players to assign one of their companions on individual quests.