Twi'lek

Twi'leks (pronounced /'twilɛk/ or /'twaɪlɛk/), sometimes referred to disparagingly as "Tail-heads," were an omnivorous humanoid species originating from the planet Ryloth. They tended to eat cultivated molds, fungi, and rycrit meat. Their distinctive features included colorful skin, which varied in pigment from individual to individual, and a pair of shapely prehensile tentacles that grew from the base of their skulls. The tentacles, called "brain-tails," "lekku," "tchun-tchin," or "head-tails," were advanced organs used for communication and cognitive functions. Twi'leks possessed a fairly standard humanoid vocal structure and were capable of learning most alien languages; however, they usually preferred their native language of Ryl, which incorporated subtle movement of the lekku. When they wished, they could even communicate in complete secrecy using their versatile brain-tails. Twi'lek females were often used as slaves or dancers because of their beauty.

### Biology and Appearance

The Twi'leks were a sentient species of mostly hairless mammals. They were humanoid in form, with two legs and two arms.

Males had humanoid ears, and among females there was equal biological evidence for humanoid ears and ear "cones." While some headdresses were cultural decoration to denote status, quite a few were originally introduced as "muzzles" to prevent the slaves from having access to a language that non-Twi'lek handlers could not understand.[*source?*]

Both males and females had little to no body hair, with the only notable exception being eyelashes to aid in keeping out the sand and heat of Ryloth. Females typically had painted eyebrows or had their eyebrows tattooed on, in order to appear more palatable and less alien to more baseline humanoid offworlders. Boc Aseca had body hair under the armpits and on his chest, and Hawk Ryo had a beard and eyebrows, though it is unknown whether this was the result of some genetic mutation, a rare subspecies, or something else.

Female Twi'leks were considered especially attractive and slender, which made them favorite subjects for slavery and entertainment. The beauty of female Twi'leks was well known throughout the galaxy, and as a result many young Twi'leks were sold into slavery, becoming dancers or status symbols, most notably by Jabba Desilijic Tiure.

The Twi'leks were omnivores. This diet was essential given that food was scarce on their homeworld, Ryloth. Twi'leks possessed multiple stomachs, an unusual trait that enabled them to eat almost any food. When traveling off their homeworld, Twi'leks rarely refused food, which frequently led to obesity among starfarers. Twi'lek society also associated obesity as a sign of affluence and success. In obese Twi'leks, ear flaps enlarged to store fat.

Although unsubstantiated, some in the New Republic speculated about a possible relation between the Yevetha and Twi'leks.

### Lekku

The two most striking features of a Twi'lek were their broad range of skin coloration within the species, and a pair of brain-tails. The brain-tails, also called "tchun-tchin" or "lekku," protruded down the back of the skull and contained part of a Twi'lek's brain. The very word "Twi'lek" was believed to be derived from semi-Basic "twin lekku." A Twi'lek's brain-tails served many purposes in their daily lives and culture, storing fat and being used as erogenous zones. The Twi'leks' native language of Ryl was spoken using a combination of words and subtle movements of the lekku. Newborn Twi'leks had no lekku, as they presumably grew out during childhood.

A Twi'lek's brain-tails were highly sensitive, and grabbing them forcefully was so painful that it could easily incapacitate almost any Twi'lek. Sometimes, damage to the brain-tails caused lasting damage to the Twi'lek's brain. They could be replaced by cybernetics, however, as in the case of Rianna Saren.

Long or shapely lekku were considered great status symbols, and often went hand in hand with respect, influence, and wealth. A Twi'lek's brain-tails could be likened to phallic symbols, and for both sexes, larger lekku brought with them some indistinct positive connotations.

Their brain-tails were a source of great pride to Twi'leks, especially when confronted by other species. The name "tchun-tchin" actually referred to each lekku—"tchun" being the left lekku and "tchin" the right. In casual conversation the Twi'leks would usually refer to their lekku as "tchun" or "tchin."

### Subraces

The Twi'lek species developed and mutated in such a way as to provoke changes in their skin pigmentation, which resulted in many races and subraces. These races were all physically identical, except for their skin color. The wide and vivid variety of skin coloration included many variations of blue, red, yellow, orange, deep green, white, pale brown, pink, and lavender. Some Twi'leks even exhibited varied phenotypes, including stripes, orange with red mottling, red with pink palms, and blue with pink lips.

There was not an even distribution of skin colors across the Twi'lek population. The Lethan Twi'leks, red in coloration, were a rare subgroup, perhaps even the most rare. In contrast, the Rutian Twi'leks, which exhibited a blue phenotype, were more common among the population.

## Game Statistics

* +2 Dex, +2 Cha, -2 Wisdom
* Medium Size
* Base speed 30 ft
* Low-Light vision
* Social Acumen: +2 bonus on Diplomacy and Sense Motive.
* Saved it: Once per day before the result is determined, a Twi'lek may reroll a Charisma based skill check.
* Naturally lucky: Gain a +1 bonus on all saves.
* Languages: Basic, Ryl, bonus: Lekku