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Dathomirian

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Dathomirian

Biological classification

Designation

Sentient^[1]

Classification

Zabrak^[1]

Physical characteristics

Skin color

Blue(females only)^[2]
Gray(females only)^[2]
Orange(males only)^[3]
Red(males only)^[4]
Tan(females only)^[5]
White(females only)^[1]
Yellow(males only)^[3]

Hair color

Various(females only)^[2]

Eye color

Teal^[6]
Silver^[7]
Green^[7]
Brown^[8]
Yellow^[4]
Red^[9]
Violet^[9]
Gold^[3]
Black^[8]

Distinctions

Cranial horns(males only)^[10]
Facialtattoos^[4]

Sociocultural characteristics

Point of origin

Peridea^[11](originally)^[12]
Dathomir^[10](later)^[12]

Dathomirians, also known asDathomirian Zabraks and culturally asDathomiri orDathmiri, were asubspecies ofZabrak native to theplanet Peridea in adistant galaxy. On Peridea, the Dathomiri established a society known as theWitch Kingdom of the Dathmiri and learned to ride thepurrgil, creatures able to survive in the vacuum ofspace and travel throughhyperspace. Although their kingdom collapsed in the end, the Dathomiri who traveled into theknown galaxy across theintergalactic void were able to reestablish themselves on a new planet,Dathomir. Tales of Peridea and its galaxy would go on to become nothing more than fairytales spoken amongJedi, andthe map containing thePathway to Peridea was long hidden in astronghold on the planetArcana.

The Dathomiri were renowned for their use ofmagick, an aspect ofthe Force which manipulatedmagical ichor, which was found on Dathomir. By thetime of theClone Wars, theNightsisters of Dathomir—a clan of magick-wielding Dathomiri witches—were led byMother Talzin, and her sonMaul was trained as theSith apprentice of theDark Lord Darth Sidious, while the DathomirianAsajj Ventress became anacolyte of the apprentice who replaced Maul,Dooku, leading theSeparatists. During the war, much of the species waseradicated under Talzin's leadership as she earned the ire of theSith.

By the time of theGalactic Civil War, the last known survivors of the Nightsister clan were the DathomiriansShelish,Yenna,Jerserra, andMerrin, as well as thehuman Morgan Elsbeth—although other Dathomiriwitch clans were also known to have survived. Later, during theNew Republic Era, three Dathomirians known as theGreat Mothers were found on Peridea—living proof of the existence of the old Dathmiri kingdom since its abandonment by the majority of its populace.

Biology and appearance[]

"There was a woman. With bone-white skin."

―Jedi Padawan Dooku, after having a Force vision of his eventual apprentice Asajj Ventress^[13]

Dathomirians,^[1] also known as Dathomirian Zabraks and culturally as Dathomiri^[14] or Dathmiri,^[12] were a subspecies of Zabrak^[1] native to theplanet Peridea^[11] in the distant past^[12] and the world of Dathomir^[1] afterward.^[11] Dathomiri showed considerablesexual dimorphism. Female Dathomiri hadwhite, blue, or gray skin with various hair types.^[2] Male skin was commonly orange or yellow.Few had red skin.^[3]^[4] Male Dathomirians had horns, whereas females did not.^[3]

The Dathomiri hadtattoos on their body that represented their tribal heritage. The maleZabraks, particularly those belonging to theNightbrothers, had natural striping which they embellished with tattoos. The females, particularly those belonging to theNightsisters, had more subtle tattoos that were in contrast to their pale skin.^[1] Tattoos were made using themushling. The pods of the mushling were boiled down into ayellow paste, and then mixed with pigments, likeclay and ash, to create a variety of colors.^[8]

Many Dathomiri wereForce-sensitive, including the witches that lived on their native planet.^[14] Some male Dathomiri were capable of rudimentaryForce abilities,^[8] while a few, likeSavage Opress andMaul, were exceptionally good at manipulatingthe Force due to their training.^[3]^[4]

Society and culture[]

Dathomirians were a reclusive people and hid dark secrets.^[1] Female Dathomiri lived aswitches. Their society was matriarchal in nature and the Nightsisters were particularly dominant in society.^[14] Nightsisters titled their leadersMother.^[15] Nightsisters were particularly skilled in usingdark side magick andvoodoo, which had such powers asraising the dead,^[7] or making one invisible.^[9]

Some female Dathomirians lived in clans,^[2] while others were of no clan.^[16] There were different witch clans on Dathomir, which included theNightsisters,^[9] theNardithi Nightsisters,^[17] theBlue Coral Divers Clan, theSinging Mountain, theHowling Crag,^[16] and theMountain Clan.^[18]

A ritual known as theSelection happened when females wanted to choose a mate. Males would undergo brutal trials to prove themselves. The winner would become the Nightsister's mate and servant.^[3]

Males, particularly the Nightbrothers, were non-dominant in society, and lived separately from the females. They were tribal in nature, and lived a violent and brutal life.^[3] Sometime after theBattle of Dathomir, the NightsisterMerrin made the Nightbrothers her servants.^[8]

Nightbrothers were accustomed to engaging in rites of passage; one such practice involved covering their faces with thin, dark tattoos. The best and boldest of the Nightbrothers faced another sort of rite of passage in which they battled beasts known aschirodactyls. Those that faced these behemoth creatures and survived were deemed worthy.^[8]

Nightbrothers practiced paintingglyphs using acid fromhydraatis on hard rock surfaces. Their usage of it was deliberately careful to preserve accuracy and damage to themselves. Those who were master calligraphers—rare positions within the society—were extremely valued for their talents.^[8]

The Nightbrothers respected power and honor, often fighting in acombat arena to demonstrate their strength with intent to win. Although hostile to outsiders, one that proved powerful could be given substantial influence over the group, be it through respect or fear, even allowing them to gain leadership over the society and worship.^[8]

History[]

Children of Dathomir[]

"I see what once was the great Witch Kingdom of the Dathmiri. The existence of the Great Mothers confirms this."

―Baylan Skoll toShin Hati^[12]

On the planetPeridea inanother galaxy, an ancient civilization known as the greatWitch Kingdom of the Dathmiri eventually fell, and its existence became only rumors and tales among theJedi Order, a group of Force-sensitive guardians of the peace. Nevertheless, thePathway to Peridea across theintergalactic void had been established from ahenge on the planetSeatos, and the reflex point required the use ofstar map that was stored in aNightsister stronghold on the planetArcana.^[12] TheNightsister witches who descended from the Dathomiri eventually discovered a world they would dub "Dathomir" and kicked out itsFromprath inhabitants.^[19]

With the Fromprath forced into exile, the cultural group who would become known as the Dathomirians,^[20] with the Nightsisters among them, claimed the planet. Having secured a new homeworld for themselves,^[19] the Nightsisters ruled over the planet^[9] as the most dominant clan on Dathomir. They used the Zabrak Nightbrothers as mates and servants.^[14] One mother,Talzin, gave birth to three sons,Savage Opress,^[21]Feral,^[22] andMaul. Talzin lost Maul to theSith Lord Darth Sidious, who took him as hisapprentice.^[23] Later, Talzin was forced to giveHal'Sted a child,Asajj Ventress, in order to protect her clans.^[24]

Disciples of destruction[]

Mother Talzin, leader of the Dathomiri Nightsisters.

Following Ventress'betrayal at the hands ofCount Dooku, Talzin and Ventress planned their revenge upon Dooku.^[9] Talzin allowed her son, Savage, to become Dooku's apprentice^[3] with the intention to kill the Count. However, Savage and Ventress failed.^[14] In response, Sidious and Dooku orderedGeneral Grievous towipe the Nightsisters out. Only Ventress, Talzin,^[7]Shelish,^[25]Yenna,^[16]Jerserra,^[17]Morgan Elsbeth, and youngMerrin^[8] survived Grievous' onslaught. Savage, discovering his brother Maul was alive,^[26] brought him back to Dathomir. There, Talzin was able to restore Maul's mind, memories, and body, building him a new set of metal legs.^[27] Following the death of Savage,^[28] Maul and hisShadow Collective joined forces with BrotherViscus and his Nightbrothers.^[29] However, theNightbrother village came underattack and only Maul was able to escape.^[30] The survivingNightbrothers retreated toanother village.^[8]

Survivors[]

Strong willed and defiant, Dathomirian Zabraks fought against theGalactic Empire's escalating attempts to subvert them. Rather than surrendering, many joined theAlliance to Restore the Republic, fearlessly fighting their oppressors. A number served in theAlliance Military asHeavy Soldiers.^[31] However, a youngJerserra was found on the planet by afemale Inquisitor of the Empire and taken for secret training.^[17]

During the age of theEmpire, the NightsisterMerrin, a survivor of the Battle of Dathomir, encountered theJedi Master Taron Malicos, who crashed on Dathomir followingOrder 66. Malicos, who fell to the dark side of the Force on Dathomir, manipulated Merrin, wishing to learn their magick. When the formerJedi Padawan Cal Kestis visited Dathomir in search of theTomb of Kujet, Merrin realized Malicos was deceiving her. She was reluctant to fight alongside Kestis as all she knew was that an armored-warrior brandishing alightsaber had killed her people. Kestis reassured her that he was on her side, and he had shared his own story of a grief-stricken past. After working together to defeat Malicos, Merrin joined Kestis' crew aboard theStinger Mantis.^[8]

Heir to the Empire[]

After the fall of the Empire and the founding of the New Republic, the NightsisterMorgan Elsbeth worked in conjunction with the DathomiriGreat Mothers on Peridea—who collaborated with the stranded ImperialGrand Admiral Thrawn—to reach Peridea with anintergalactic vessel, theEye of Sion that could deliver them through theintergalactic void and re-establish control over the galaxy that the Empire once had.^[12]