HO’DIN

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Ho'Din were tall aliens, renowned throughout the galaxy for their botanical and healing abilities.

The Ho'Din people were tall, multi-color-skinned humanoids native to the planet Moltok. Ho'Din had long, suction cup-tipped fingers used for climbing trees and, on their heads, red-violet snake-like "hair" (fleshy tubes covered in scales) which acted as thermal sensors. They claimed to have evolved from plants—in fact, "Ho'Din" translated as "walking flower" in Basic. They were noted for possessing two hearts.

Their claims to botanical origins was probably a consequence of the nature-worshiping religion most Ho'Din followed, known as Dinante Fli'R. Most non-Ho'Din scientists found such claims unlikely, classifying them as reptilian instead. Whatever their origins, the Ho'Din were among the galaxy's greatest botanists and ecologists. Master Gardener was a title of respec

In 5000 BBY, a female Ho'Din going by the name of Lohjoy served the Sith Empire as a starship engineer.

Around 300 BBY, the tree-dwelling Ho'Din gave up their low-technology lifestyle and moved to the forest floor. There, they began mining, farming, and manufacturing. However, their understanding of ecology was rudimentary, and they did not foresee the consequences of deforestation. The decaying organisms which formerly accelerated the decay of plant life on the forest floor became parasites which caused disease and malnourishment in their Ho'Din hosts. The Ho'Din were forced back to the trees, where they refocused their resources on ecological and botanical research. Ho'Din referred to this period as the "Great Rape of the Land."

The Ho'Din eventually developed herbal therapies which rid themselves of parasites. Their pharmacological techniques, combined with the eventual restoration of Moltok's ecosystem, allowed them to survive and prosper as a civilization. Other forms of technology were strictly regulated on Moltok, though off-world Ho'Din accepted them as a necessary evil when used on other, already "damaged", planets. Exports of Ho'Din plants and medicines made Moltok a very wealthy planet. Much of this wealth was spent in rejuvenating planets with damaged ecosystems, or creating "garden worlds" where all could commune with nature. Reverence for nature dominated Ho'Din society, with the Dinante Fli'R priests ruling Moltok.

Most Ho'Din who lived away from Moltok were botanists. A few took advantage of their natural beauty and grace to become models or dancers. Many Ho'Din tended to be vain about their personal appearance.

In 32 BBY, a Ho'Din slave of Gardulla the Hutt named Oo Wen, conspired with a brave cadre of enslaved children from Tatooine—Anakin Skywalker, Kitster Banai, the Bothan Dorn, and the Twi'lek Pala Kwi'teksa—to protect several Ghostling children from the Hutt in her new pleasure garden, the construction and maintenance of which Wen was charged with to oversee. After being introduced to the Ghostlings' peril, Wen, within the confines of his garden (which was itself, for the unwary, extremely perilous), secured safety for these delicate creatures of Datar until they could be smuggled off world.

The healer and botanist Baji and the smuggler Par'tah were Ho'Din. Two Ho'Din Jedi survived the Clone Wars and escaped Order 66—the Jedi Knight Iwo Kulka (who died later in the Great Jedi Purge), and Plett, a Jedi Master who escaped to Belsavis.

During the Yuuzhan Vong War, the Ho'Din were mostly left alone by the Yuuzhan Vong. This was primarily due to the Ho'Din's aversion to technology and reverence for plant life, but many have also been influenced by the Ho'Din's similarity to the Shapers.

Common Ho'Din names included Kutu and Usta.

**HO’DIN SPECIES TRAITS**

• • Ability Modifiers: +2 Strength, -2 Dexterity.

• • Large: As large creatures, Ho’Din suffer a -1 size penalty on defense, a -1 size penalty on attack rolls, and a 4 penalty on hide checks. They have a face/reach of 2m x 2m/4m. Their lifting and carrying limits are double those of medium-size creatures.

• • Speed: Ho’Din base speed is 12 meters.

• • Cold-blooded: Ho’Din cannot abide cold temperatures. They suffer a -4 penalty on Fortitude saves to resist the adverse affects of extreme cold.

• • Skill Bonuses: Ho’Din gain a +2 species bonus on Climb checks and a +4 species bonus on Knowledge (wilderness lore) checks. They gain a +4 species bonus on Survival checks made in forests.

• • Free Language: Read/Write and Speak Ho’Din.