I have already mentioned the Selkaths in the Holocron section's Custom intro article. I have even depicted a manaanian creature with the help of my own handmade custom Selkath figure. This time we will take a closer look on this race, and discuss why are they important, and what role they have in the Star Wars Expanded Universe.
Selkath story
The
Selkath were an aquatic species with two cephalic lobes, native to the ocean-covered planet of Manaan. These fish-like, frog-like, (or I don't really know what kind of terran animal to mention) were peaceful, and hard-working creatures. (The race makes me associate the Gungan civilization in some aspects.) In ancient times, the Selkath's ancestors were conquered and were slaves of other races. During playing the KotOR 1 game you'll have to speak to a guardian droid at the Dantooine ruins. The droid speaks a manaanite-like language, and it will tell you that the "Creator" used primitive races as slaves in order to build the Star Forge. Controlling Revan you'll realize that hundred thousands of Selkath slaves were working, sweating, and dieing in order to build that dreadful Sith space
monster...
In the era of the game the Selkath civilization has grown up, made a good progress, and developed high-technologies during the centuries of the Old Republic.
Their architecture is stunning,
Ahto City was a tremendous, shell-shaped structure that floated on top of the water's surface, a modern mega
complex, with some docks, an airport,
an own swoop track, hotel, shops, and other recreational facilities. The different regions of the
mega complex
were connected with long corridors; and the Sith Embassy and Republic Embassy were located in Ahto City's two opposite corners, well separated, and far away from each other.
Planet Manaan had a strategic importance.
Not only because of its location, but also because of its very valuable natural resource, since Manaan was the only naturally occurring source of kolto. Kolto is very similar to bacta. Kolto was a liquid that contained unique healing properties, it was a rare, and valuable raw material, which couldn't been artificially
synthesized, or copied. Both great Empires (the Sith and the Republic) are racing to be the only "friend" of Manaan, but every diplomatic efforts, and every will or act is just about to grab the kolto sources. Manaan does not want to involve the politics, they held tightly to their neutrality, but they can maintain this state harder and harder every other day. Due to the intergalactic race of the Sith Empire and the Old Republic
harsh sanctions were imposed
by the Selkaths, just to protect themselves, their world, and the kolto. Manaan refused to condone violence of any sort, whoever violated the rules would be punished. The streets of Ahto City are being monitored with security cameras, and their recordings can be used as evidence in a trial. Yet, the Sith often goaded Republic soldiers into street fights, but at least shoot outs were rare.
Manaan treated to the needs both of the Republic and the Sith, throughout the war. But neither the Sith Empire nor the Galactic Republic were
satisfied with their portion, and attempted to get an upper hand in the war by creating secret deals that would give them more kolto, and to prevent the other civilization to get any, if possible. For that the Sith Empire were
preparing to overthrow the Manaan government, to get the control over the whole planet of Manaan
and get the monopoly over the whole kolto source. The Selkaths feared the Sith, but they thought they can keep them in check with the kolto. But the Old Republic keeps the Selkaths in distrust, claiming the Sith are cruel. They suggest that the Sith will turn against Manaan pretty soon, and the Selkaths will need the help of the Republic. They are ready to help out Manaan, of course for an extra amount of kolto...
The Republican diplomacy will be successful, the Selkath set up a deal with the "good guys" to secretly build a Republican extractor on the ocean floor, and to mine extra kolto from the Hrakert Rift.
But that is still not enough for the Republic, they send down scientists, they have to make experiments with the raw kolto to be able to copy or
synthesize it. But suddenly the connection with underwater base lost, and the scientists, the soldiers, the crew disappears. Like in Alien 2, when the connection was lost with the planet LV-426, because the Aliens started to behave nasty...
Revan arrives 
Manaan at this historical moment. After inspecting the plot he gets a (gungan) bongo like submarine from the Republic to travel down the Hrakert station, and to find out what had happened. Many squads tried the same before him, but they all failed or died. But the player will find out everything controlling Revan, that is for sure. We will find out that the hired teams of mercenaries were killed, as well as the whole crew of the base. The Selkaths were driven insane down there at the Hrakert Station, and killed everybody. These peaceful looking slim creatures with their long limbs can be a very formidable opponent, especially if they use their retractable, venom-tipped claws. Most of the Republic scientists were killed by the crazed
Selkaths, and the production was ceased. Their saint Progenitor, a large female firaxan shark, who was seen as something of a deity to the Selkath, and believed to be their evolutionary ancestor was in danger because of the activity of the underwater Republican base. (For a reason the Firaxa mom and its broods became very
aggressive.)
Revan meets two survivor scientist down there. He was informed about the two possible chances. He can make an attempt to disable the kolto Harvester and the whole complex by detonating it, causing a large property damage, or he can release a chemical into the water to poison the firaxa creature and her younglings, but this method would threatened and polluted the pure kolto.
The
player has a difficult choice, but either way Revan will be questioned by
The High Court. The High Court consisted of twelve respectful, wise, and strict Selkath justices. (I feel the
Gungan Elders very similar to the Selkath Justices again.) If he rescues the shark's life and the kolto, he will be cleared from charge, but if he poisons both of the shark and the kolto he will be sentenced, but finally graced, but will be banished for good from Manaan.
Previously Revan has helped them to shed light on
the Sith Empire's cruel plans, since the Sith kidnapped several Force sensitive Selkath youths and trained them in the ways of the Force, to bind them to the Sith and enable them to take over the government one day. Revan found the lost manaanites, and with Bastila the
renegade Selkaths were redeemed, who were warned no to listen to the Sith lies, and were called upon to return to the Light, and to their homes. One of these young Selkaths was Shasa, who will be a Jedi later on, and the one who found the Order of Shasa. This Order secretly trained some Force-sensitive Selkath for the Republic, and some Selkath Jedi will even survive Darth Vader's "search and destroy" campaign, too.
But not only Selkath youths were found, but Revan found the next piece of the Starmap down there on the Manaan sea bed. Anyway, Manaan has a lot of exciting
adventures, and that is one of the most beautiful planet of the game, and an interesting experience to chat with the Selkaths, because their voice is unbelievable awesome! Their have a sloshing gurgling voice, the developers have made a terrific work when they created the Selkath outlook, the
Selkath sound, their story, and everything!
Selkath speech 1
Selkath speech 2
Selkath
specialties, peculiarities
The manaanite creatures have long arms, and thin legs. They have a large head, with lateral eyes in large
eye sockets. Their skin are similar to a fish, blotchy. I could distinguish two different race, the first
had grey-colored skin with blue patterns, the other race had greenish-colored skin with interesting brownish-dark green patterns. I liked these, so I made a custom Selkath figure from this race, a greenish-colored skinned, orange-blue outfit
Selkath. The Judges are from this species, and look the same. The other race wear a yellow-brown, or bourdon-brown clothing. The most of the local citizens standing about the streets wear this kind if uniform. You can watch a bourdon and a yellow Selkath in this
illustration.
Their posture is weird, humped, loose build, they loll their arms down to the knees,
and they lift their legs like Bud Spencer in the Double Trouble film, when they wore a flippers in the beach sand. Also, their move makes me remember (and maybe you too,) a grouchy cartoon Hillbilly bear - Paw Rugg, whose walk was pretty the same. :)
This might be just enough to introduce the Selkath race, and a custom figure. I hope you liked the article, if so, join us next time too, because there are going to be some more cool protagonists,
bad guys, soldiers, species, creatures, robots, and neutral NPC-s here at CustomStarwars!
Take a look at my custom Selkath figure!
custom Selkath figure front
custom Selkath figure back
custom Selkath figure side
Thanks for your attention, visit back soon!
