Species Focus: Arkanians

Intend to do a number of these on the different alien species that we see in the GFFA. Just threads on that race to discuss them for a bit and note any possible retcons or other issues about them.

Anyway, thought I would start with the Arkanians mostly cause I just was reading their entry on Wookieepedia. Mostly made famous I think because of Arca Jeth. Now what do we know about them? Well Arkania was a world of the Sith Empire which dates back to the Tales of the Jedi Companion which said that it was a lore library world until that structure was destroyed by the Jedi. Which is curious since its so far from Sith Space... one can presume that perhaps the Sith used Rakatan hyperdrives to colonize it by homing in on its Force signature the same way that the Kissai exiles did to Tund following the death of King Adas. But amongst all this material about a Sith occupied Arkania, there is little reference to the Arkanians themselves. So, were they Sith subjects? Or did they immigrate to Arkania following it being freed from Sith rule?

Two things to suggest that that they might not be native to the planet are the WotC Online page which was Arkanian Chill and the second is The Essential Guide to Alien Species. Both say that the Arkanians are not residents or natives of Arkania but explain little about this. So, again the question remains; is Arkania their homeworld or did this immigrate to it? Perhaps they were displaced from somewhere else and settled Arkania by the Republic? Another thing to note is that the Arkanians are noted geneticists and scientists, now its interesting to note that since Arkania was a Sith library world; did the Arkanians pillage it of data which they used to ascend themselves as scientists?

Beyond that, we know that they had a somewhat infamous history during the reign of the Republic. They caused the split in the Xexto and also uplifted the Yaka as well. The latter of the two acts led to the Arkanian Revolution against their own government which was stopped by the Jedi Order. So, another question, what is their military like? Do they even have an adequate military? There is of course the Arkanian Offshoots so perhaps they employ Offshoots as soldiers that answer to Purebloods? Sources say that they also used cybernetics so did they use other races astheir cyborg soldiers? Another thing to note is that there seem to be some big Arkanian corporations like Adascacorp and Arkanian Microtechnologies with sources indicate that Arkanians do suffer from corporate greed as well as use their talents to gain profit. So how is their society structured? Are there corporations and Houses in command of the Arkanian Dominion? Houses seem to relate to the House of Adasca that was seen in the KotOR comics.

The Alien Anthology I believe now mentions that the Arkanians always were distant in galactic politics. Partly cause of their own arrogance and because of their infamous reputation caused by their scientists. Now, it also says that a number of their scientists helped the Galactic Empire and they did not formally join the New Republic after Palpatine's death. I suppose thats one way of explaning why one doesnt see many Arkanians in the post-Endor era. But after such numerous impacts, I do wonder how big are they on the ladder of races that were members of the Republic.

Thats all I got. So, hopefully this thread gets some replies... if not, I hope at least I intrigued people on the subject. Wookieepedia page: http://starwars.wikia.com/wiki/Arkanian

 

Arkanians are no more native to Arkania than the Zeltros are to Zeltros, the Kiffar are to Kiffu, the Chiss are to chissila or the Nemodians are to Nemodia.

Offshoot races adapted to their adopted planets, but their root species did not originate there.

 

Wow... What a fortuitous post. I'm about to start playing an Arkanian in an RPG and was looking up whatever I could on this race, so I'm also very interested in how this plays out. You're right, though... There doesn't seem to be any information once the New Republic was formed.

I know it says they never joined the New Republic, but does that mean they stayed with the Empire or simply removed themselves from either side? All things considered, it seems the best move for them would to remain neutral and go back to more private dealings, but I can't seem to find any information about it.

 

Well, hopefully this thread can be useful to you The Alien Anthology and Ultimate Alien Anthology seem to be the only sources on Arkanian activity by the Imperial era. I believe its the one that states that Arkanian scientists worked for the Empire and many people blamed them for bioweapons used in the Clone Wars. When the New Republic was formed, it simply says that the Arkanians did not join. Havent checked the novels yet but thats the guides at least so far.

Now, in the Legacy of the Force era, you hear about Arkanian Microtech with a Kaminoan cloner defecting to them. But you never see any Arkanians in that time. Not do I recall hearing about Arkanian activities in the reign of the Empire and after it. Personally, I would say that they decided to remain neutral and live their own lives though I would imagine that the scientists would be conducting experiments or travelling still.

 

Interesting, I mean it would explain things if the colony died out and that the Republic absorbed it and just believed that the creators of the library were long dead which is why, as you said, people mocked the Daragons on the Sith being a myth. But, having said that, I think was it Jedi vs Sith that some Dark Jedi did leave the Sith Empire against Ajunta Palls wishes and tried to attack the Jedi again. And that it was from this earlier expedition that led to the Republic and Jedi learning of the existence of the Exiles among the Sith but not where they were located. My assumption would be that being remembered by people who dismissed the Sith as being a myth.

However, is there any indication that the colony died out? The Tales of the Jedi Companion makes it almost seem that it was an active colony which was why the Jedi destroyed the library. Though I suppose one could always say the colony died out and after the Great Hyperspace War, the Jedi noted that the library was a Sith one and destroyed it as part of their purge of Sith culture.