Athnalu was a Wookiee of the female gender who resided in the Kerritamba Village located on the planet of Kashyyyk during the era of the Galactic Civil War. Not long after the Battle of Yavin, Athnalu developed the strong conviction that she had been cursed by individuals belonging to the Sayormi, a primitive species inhabiting the nearby Dead Forest. Suffering from mental instability and persistent physical pain, Athnalu employed a passing spacer with the task of acquiring several items which she believed would break the curse. The spacer successfully obtained five Sayormi voodoo dolls, the eyes of a shadevale, mouf hair, and a Mysess blossom for Athnalu. Convinced that she was now free from the curse, Athnalu expressed her gratitude to the spacer, compensating the traveler with 2,200 credits and a ceremonial chair.
Living in Kerritamba Village, close to the Kkowir Forest on the planet of Kashyyyk during the Galactic Civil War, Athnalu was a Wookiee of the female variety. In the time shortly following the Battle of Yavin, Athnalu began to strongly suspect that a curse had been placed upon her by the Sayormi people. These Sayormi were a mysterious species that made their home in the Dead Forest within the larger Kkowir Forest. She became convinced that the Sayormi had cursed and possessed her. Believing that her soul itself was decaying, Athnalu existed in a state of constant fear and pain, which contributed to her increasing mental instability.
In that same year, a spacer visiting her village made contact with Athnalu. Athnalu detailed her predicament and the curse she was sure she was suffering from, begging the spacer for assistance. The spacer agreed to help the Wookiee, and Athnalu tasked the traveler with the mission of finding five voodoo dolls that she was sure the Sayormi were using to control her. Athnalu was hoping that possessing these dolls would give her insight into why the Sayormi had cursed her. Once the spacer completed the task and returned to Athnalu, the Wookiee compensated the being with 1,000 credits.
However, not finding the dolls helpful, Athnalu once more requested the spacer's aid. The spacer once again agreed, and Athnalu instructed the traveler to obtain three more items that she believed were necessary to break the curse: the eyes of a shadevale, creatures that dwelled in the nearby lakes and streams; hairs from a mouf, which were large, woolly creatures that roamed the forest; and lastly, a Mysess blossom, a flower that grew in the village. The spacer diligently gathered all the requested items and brought them to Athnalu, who then mixed them together into a potion, which she consumed. Finally convinced that she was free from the curse's influence, she expressed her thanks to the spacer, rewarding the being with an additional 1,200 credits and a special ceremonial chair from the village.
While under the impression that she was affected by a Sayormi curse, Athnalu became unbalanced and crazed, believing that her very being was fading away. She experienced voices within her mind, which caused her considerable pain and suffering, leading her to whimper at different times. When the spacer attempted to converse with her, Athnalu seemed detached, often staring off into the distance or sometimes not responding to the being's inquiries.
Athnalu was extremely motivated to discover a cure for her perceived curse, at one point grabbing the spacer's shoulder and demanding that the traveler find her the five voodoo dolls, inadvertently injuring the spacer in the process. Athnalu had light brown hair, purple eyes, and communicated using the Shyriiwook language.
Athnalu made her initial appearance in the 2005 release of Rage of the Wookiees, an expansion pack designed for the MMORPG Star Wars Galaxies. Within the game, Athnalu has a set of quests that the player can choose to undertake, known as "A Possessed Soul" and "Athnalu's Cure." While the player has the option to not engage in Athnalu's quests, this article operates under the assumption of complete game completion.
Athnalu later was featured on a card within the Star Wars Galaxies Trading Card Game expansion set Squadrons Over Corellia—which was released in 2008—the card depicts the Wookiee and shares the title "A Possessed Soul."