DUG

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Dugs were an aggressive mammalian species native to the planet Malastare that used their upper limbs for locomotion and their lower limbs for grappling.

Dugs were slender, powerfully built beings with a somewhat humanoid build and a unique method of walking that hailed from the high gravity world Malastare. Their primary means of locomotion were their strong arms, and their lower limbs and feet were used for grappling and other fine motor manipulation. They hardly ever walked on their lower limbs. Sebulba was only once seen standing on his legs. Although most Dugs may walk on all four limbs, others liked to use their strong arms as legs and their feet as hands like they would normally do.

Dugs had smooth skin, which hung loosely around their tall necks, only to inflate during mating season calls. They also possessed fin-like ears and pronounced snouts. They lived mainly in the forests of the western continent of their home world in primitive tree villages called "tree thorps". On their home world Malastare, the Dugs were arboreal beings. They brachiated among the canopies at high speed using all four limbs.

Due to their oppression under their Gran rulers who colonized Malastare, many Dugs often felt the need to throw around their strength in bids to establish dominance. As a result, they were known for their ill-tempered demeanor, and many were bullying thugs.

On their home world of Malastare, the vast majority of Dugs were little more than laborers toiling for the enrichment of the Gran. With the species excluded from much of the power and money on Malastare, many Dugs, such as Sebulba, turned to podracing as their only means to achieve fame and fortune. In all other areas, the Dugs were exploited and disenfranchised.

Dug mating is very reminiscent of some reptiles, which may indicate their ancestry. The loose folds of skin around the males neck inflated during the mating season, showing a display of color. An interested female may pester or disturb a male in a few different ways until his balloon-neck deflates with a screech. After this, the two are considered mated. Mates remain loyal to each other, even though they may bully each other through their time together.

Because of their experiences with the Gran, the Dugs were xenophobic and rarely left their home world. If they were seen off-planet, they were often seen in groups of their own kind. Most Dugs in the galaxy were criminals or risk-takers, leading many Dugs into podracing and gambling.

In ancient times, the Dugs were first to fight for their lives against the massive Zillo Beasts, which were their primary predators. However, they eventually managed to use the planet's fuel reserves to kill off all but one of the creatures, which would remain hibernating underground for thousands of years.

Circa 8000 BBY, the Galactic Republic established an outpost on Malastare since it was located at a key spot along the Hydian Way trade route. Later, in ca. 1000 BBY, a contingent of Gran colonists settled on the planet. First contact between the Gran and the Dugs was bloody, and a long, brutal war ensued.

Because of the power and influence the Gran wielded in the Galactic Senate, the Republic settled the violence in the Grans' favor. The Gran Protectorate was established and Dugs were demilitarized, stripped of political power, and relocated to the western continent of their own planet. The Gran ruled Malastare and represented the planet in the Galactic Senate. Dugs were little more than subservient laborers treated as slaves and paid minute wages. An organization called Dugs-for-Democracy protested against this treatment and would go on to oppose the Military Creation Act.

During the Battle of Malastare in 22 BBY, the Separatists deployed a large droid army that outnumbered the local Dug and Republic defenders. In response, Republic forces deployed a new superweapon, the electro-proton bomb, which quickly obliterated the droid forces but awakened the planet's last surviving Zillo Beast. The Zillo Beast devastated the Republic and Dug lines, resulting in heavy losses. Doge Nakha Urus, the leader of the Dugs, and his comrades demanded that the Republic destroy the beast, in exchange for signing the Treaty of Malastare, giving the Republic access to Malastare's fuel supplies. However, rather than killing it outright, Supreme Chancellor Palpatine and Jedi General Skywalker secretly planned for the beast to be stunned in order to obtain its hide for scientific research while appeasing the Dugs. The Zillo Beast was stunned using Republic stun tanks, and the beast was transported to Coruscant for controlled research. However shortly after arrival, the Zillo Beast escaped and proceeded to wreak havoc, endangering the lives of millions and forcing the Jedi to eliminate it.

Under the New Republic, a Dug diplomat lived on Coruscant. By the time of the Second Imperial Civil War in 137 ABY, at least one Dug, Andurgo, served as a starfighter pilot in the Galactic Alliance Remnant's Rogue Squadron, which saw extensive service.

**DUG SPECIES TRAITS**

• • +2 Dex, -2 Wis, -2 Cha

• • Small as a small size category creature Dugs gain a +1 size bonus to their Defense Class, a +1 size bonus to attack rolls, and a +4 to Hide checks.

• • Base speed is 6 meters

• • +2 bonus on Climb and Jump Checks.

• • Dugs gain the lightning Reflexes Feat at character creation.

• • Automatic Languages: Dug.