Togruta

Orange

Yellow

Green

Blue

Purple

Yellow

Green

Blue

Purple

Black

Head-tails

> "*Ghe vee tah, ehtr.*"
> ― A formal Togruta greeting/farewell
>
>

The **Togruta**, known as 'the People' in their native tongue of Togruti, are the carnivorous native population of the planet Shili. The species exhibited head-tails which were similar to those of Twi'leks, but unlike Twi'leks, a Togruta's head-tails ran parallel to the head as opposed to behind, making it appear as though they were wearing a headdress. Togruta were also distinguished by montrals, large hollow horn-like projections from the top of their heads, that gave the species a form of passive echolocation.

## Biology and Appearance

Togruta had rusty skin tones ranging in hue from blue to red to green, with white pigmentation on their faces, and greyish lips. While not all have this feature, white stripes also adorned various parts of their bodies, including their chests, legs, backs, arms and montrals. which include the horns to the lower head tails all are one, not to be mistaken with the Lekku of Twi'leks, The pattern of stripes varied from individual to individual. This red and white pattern was a phenotype left over from their ancestor's camouflage that helped them to blend in with their natural surroundings, especially the red-and-white turu-grass which dominated Shili's scrublands. They possessed many humanoid features.

Their heads bore two montrals, with three, and on rare occasions, four head-tails, whose stripes were darker than those of the montrals. Togruta had the ability to sense the proximity and movement of physical objects around them by means of their hollow montrals, which detected space ultrasonically. Young Togrutas' montrals and posterior head-tail did not fully grow until adolescence, when their montrals become curved and their third head-tail grew to the length of their two main head-tails.

As predators, Togruta had sharp canine teeth, which they used to painlessly kill thimiars, their primary prey, causing the creatures' post-mortem death spasms. This gave outsiders the false impression that Togruta were venomous. However, Togrutas did nothing to dispel this misconception and even took advantage of the intimidating presence it gave them.

There appears to be a distinct but as-of-yet unknown biological advantage given to the females of the Togruta species as more appear to survive to adulthood compared to males.

## Culture

Togruta had a strong sense of unity and togetherness. On their native homeworld of Shili, they relied on each other and would band together to take a stand against the massive monsters that hunted them, such as the akul. It is said that the creatures of Shili most often attacked in groups, which was even more reason for the native Togruta to work together. While most of Shili was covered in the scrublands where the Togruta hunted their herbivorous prey, the Togruta lived in small communities in the forest valleys, where the canopies kept them out of sight.

Togruta were known for their habit of not wearing shoes; they believed that the land was spiritually connected to them, and wearing shoes cut themselves from a bond with the land. In the pack, every able Togruta was expected to contribute his or her own share, as any food attained was distributed equally. Togruta were also known for their belief that those who could not keep up should be left to fend for themselves, because that is nature's way. Other sentient species found this particular belief quite barbaric. As hunters, the Togruta showed off the pelts and teeth of their game as a sign of pride and maturation. Special pride was taken in the teeth of akul that a Togruta had taken down as an individual. These teeth often were made into jewelry such as an akul-tooth headdress or a necklace, which also incorporated metals, stones, and pearls found on Shili. Togruta spoke the Togruti language, which had a few elements of Basic.

Togruta culture has a heavy emphasis on the astrological cycle of their homeworld. Solar and lunar events were unusually common on Shili and thus held importance to the Togruta, and those born during those events appear to have a higher rate of high Midichlorian counts and subsequent sensitivity in the Force. The cause of this correlation is unknown. Togruta born under these abnormal spacial events are branded as 'Grre Och'sa' which roughly translates to 'beyond stars', and these children are rejected by the forest tribes of Shili and sent to the mountain-dwelling clans, where the mystics and spiritual leaders of the Togruta people reside, to join the ranks of the Y'grriti, a celibate monastic order not unlike the Jedi that worships their ancestors and the spirits of the planet itself, often depicted as a fearsome akul and a gentle convor.

Togruta native to Shili are also, typically, primitive by choice. They reject most modern technology in their daily lives though they are aware of it and make use of it when necessary, but for the most part leave a relatively rustic lifestyle.