Entymal

Entymals were sentient insectoids from Endex, an Outer Rim world of many canyons. They had a hardened exoskeleton, with chitinous membranes that enabled them to glide. The species functioned as a hive, with one fertile queen, numerous infertile females, and rare male drones. The Entymal had reputations as skilled pilots, but were enslaved by the Galactic Empire due to their strength. That slavery continued under the auspices of the Pentastar Alignment.
==Biology and appearance==
The insectoid Entymals were bipedal in form, their lanky frames covered in a hardened exoskeleton that averaged 1.2 to 2 meters tall. The exoskeleton shimmered a metallic-jade color in sunlight. They had pronounced heads, which were small and bulbous in form, dominated by two large jewel-like eyes.
Extending from their abdomen to each wrist joint was a thin chitinous membrane. It could unfold into a para-wing providing limited gliding capacity. Under standard gravity conditions, an Entymal could glide somewhere between 60 and 100 meters, depending on wind conditions. A large landing area was required, with an Entymal typically requiring approximately 6 meters of flat surface to make a successful running landing. Entymal hands ended in numerous fingers, and their legs were double jointed. Entymals could walk either upright or hunched over, using all four limbs for locomotion. Entymal commonly had spikes extending from their exoskeletons; on their heads, torso and limbs.
==Society and culture==
Entymal society followed a classic hive arrangement of a fertile queen served by barren females and a court of rare male drones. Male drones coupled with the queen in an elaborate mating ritual to produce the next generation of Entymal. That ritual also served as a death ritual for the males, who died shortly after mating. That terminal courtship gave the Entymal little capacity to comprehend the displays of affection common among other species. As a result male Entymals found Human romantic endeavors disquieting and disagreeable.
As a species, Entymals were technically adept, earning an unprecedented reputation as brilliant pilots and navigators. That was possibly due to finely honed spatial senses, enabled by their particular brain patterns.
==History==
The sentient Entymals were located on Endex, an Outer Rim world of many canyons. Once renowned as pilots throughout the galaxy, the species suffered great oppression with the rise of the Galactic Empire. The Empire and its corporate allies enslaved thousands of hulking drones, forcibly removing them from their hive homes. They were then forced to work for Amber Sun Mining Corporate as scoop ship pilots or as satellite miners in their gas mines on Bextar. A few Entymals managed to obtain shipping licenses from the Bureau of Ships and Services during that period, but otherwise, they were forbidden to leave Endex, except as slaves. During the Galactic Civil War, two Entymals met with Prince Xizor, the head of the powerful crime syndicate Black Sun.
After the fall of the Empire, the Entymal's subjugation continued under the auspices of the Pentastar Alignment. Elta Besk, head of Dynamic Automata—which owned the Amber Sun Mining Corporation—supported the formation of the Alignment, precisely because she feared that the New Republic's pro-freedom ideals would lead to the revolt and liberation of her Entymal workforce.
==Behind the scenes==
The Entymal first appeared in "The Pentastar Alignment"—Star Wars Adventure Journal 3. Much of this information was then reprinted in Alien Encounters. The Best of the Star Wars Adventure Journal, Issues 1-4 then reprinted the "The Pentastar Alignment" picture in color. They also received an entry in the Star Wars Encyclopedia and The Complete Star Wars Encyclopedia.
==Sources==
* 
*The Best of the Star Wars Adventure Journal, Issues 1-4 
*
*Star Wars Encyclopedia 
*Alien Encounters
*The Complete Star Wars Encyclopedia
==Notes and references==
Category:Avian and airborne sentient species
Category:Enslaved species
Category:Insectoid sentient species
Category:Outer Rim Territories species