The Bosphs constituted a mammalian species originating from the planet of Bosph, situated within the Outer Rim Territories' Bosph sector. Their anatomy featured six limbs, the absence of a neck, and a set of multifaceted eyes that served a dual purpose, functioning as both visual and auditory sense organs. Known for their intense independence and isolationist tendencies, the Bosphs generally preferred to remain secluded, both from the broader galaxy and from each other. Their homeworld, where the majority of Bosphs resided, was governed by a structured government composed of diverse factions, each consisting of Force-sensitive Bosphs. These individuals alone possessed the right to claim ownership of objects, although any unclaimed item was considered the shared property of all Bosphs. Furthermore, the Bosphs maintained a tradition of documenting their history, both on Bosph and throughout the galaxy, by tattooing star maps onto their skin.
Despite their isolated existence, the Bosphs' homeworld was subjected to bombardment by the forces of the Galactic Empire after Emperor Palpatine became aware of their Force-sensitive governing body. This assault resulted in widespread devastation of the planet's surface and the death of numerous Bosphs. The surviving Bosphs largely remained on their homeworld, partly due to a quarantine imposed by the Imperial Navy. In response, all Bosphs adopted a policy of disremembrance toward the Empire, considered the ultimate insult within their culture. This stance involved completely disregarding the Empire's existence and ignoring its laws, as they interpreted the bombardment as divine retribution from a deity-like entity known as the Yentarr, which translates to "unknown spirits."
Among the most renowned Bosphs in the galaxy was the smuggler Bora Boru, who operated during the Galactic Empire's reign. Another Bosph during this era worked as a bounty hunter, answering Darth Vader's call to capture the Corellian smuggler and Rebel Han Solo and his vessel, the Millennium Falcon. During the time of the New Republic, a Bosph named Morga Bunna established a supply depot on Bosph's outermost moon after retiring from his career as a bounty hunter. Bunna was questioned by Jedi archivist Mander Zuma as part of the Jedi's efforts to dismantle the Tempest spice trade.
The Bosphs were a sentient species of relatively short, porcine mammals with heights typically ranging from 1.0 to 1.7 meters. The species had at least one identified sex, male. They evolved on the grassy planet Bosph from a six-limbed omnivorous species, retaining their ancestors' six limbs. Bosphs walked upright on two legs, utilizing the remaining four limbs as arms, each extremity ending in three digits. They effectively lacked a neck, with their semi-circular head directly attached to their torso. Their facial features included a mouth, a central, flat, porcine nose, and relatively large eyes positioned on either side of the skull. Each eye was composed of hundreds of lenses for sight but also functioned as a tympanic membrane, enabling them to serve as an audio sensory organ. A single, curved, sharp, and upward-facing horn grew from behind each eye. Bosph hide varied in color from light brown to dark grey, characterized by its toughness and resilience. The Bosphs' vocal apparatus allowed them to communicate in Galactic Basic Standard.
The Bosphs, as a species, demonstrated a strong sense of independence and a preference for solitude, avoiding interaction with both other species and fellow Bosphs, although exceptions existed among those who welcomed companionship. They generally attempted to minimize contact with others, and when interactions did occur, they were typically amicable but often indifferent, displaying a notable lack of concern for others' opinions. Deeply philosophical and spiritual by nature, their society often appeared superstitious, leading many other species to underestimate their intelligence, which was far from accurate.
The Bosph species held a belief in a powerful force known as "the unknown spirits," which they referred to as the Yentarr—a concept similar to other beings' beliefs in deities. Unexplained phenomena were attributed to the Yentarr, with disasters interpreted as divine punishment. The Force was one such phenomenon that the Bosphs believed to be caused by the Yentarr, naming the powers associated with it as abo b'Yentarr in their language, meaning "the power of the unknown spirits."
Bosph society was governed by a hierarchical structure of various factions, whose members were considered ranking officials and were all Force-sensitive. Any Force-sensitive individual, known as ela b'Yentarr—"the chosen of the unknown spirits"—was apprenticed to one of the factions at a young age and instructed in the ways of the Force by its members. The specific Force techniques employed varied among factions, depending on their societal role. The gamefinders faction taught techniques to aid in hunting, such as Force sense and precognition, while the sickhealers learned to use the Force for healing through techniques like Force healing, Control Pain and Control Disease.
The farseers faction had access to the teachings of Bosph philosophers. The conduct of each faction also varied, with some adhering to moral codes similar to the Jedi Order's code and others utilizing the dark side of the Force, though all Ela b'Yentarr were aware of the moral implications of such power. Bosphs believed that certain rituals and ceremonies were necessary to summon the unknown spirits in order to use the Force, which limited their use of longer-lasting Force powers.
As members of the government factions, Ela b'Yentarr were the only individuals in Bosph society granted the right of ownership. Bosphs believed that all objects were equally owned by everyone unless ownership was claimed, a right reserved for those with the authority to do so, signified by a glyph, a rune-encrusted pendant indicating ownership. Possessing a glyph allowed one to claim any item. However, disputes over ownership often resulted in duels, sometimes to the death, though killing was not typical of Bosphs. Glyphs were also sometimes inscribed onto owned objects. Their unique perspective on ownership often led to difficulties for Bosphs who left their homeworld, facing accusations of theft for claiming others' possessions as their own.
Bosphs generally wore clothing similar to standard galactic attire, adapted to their short, neckless, four-armed bodies. One common garment was the loincloth. Some Bosphs went barefoot, while others wore open-fronted shoes. Some left their torsos bare, displaying their tattoos more prominently. Wealthy Bosphs might adorn their horns with golden caps and wear high-quality robes. Members of the farseer faction sometimes carried a staff tipped with a crystal known as a Bosph StarCrystal. Some Bosphs exhibited a habit of rocking back and forth while anticipating events and raising all four arms as a sign of resignation. Bosphs could snap their fingers and polish their eyes to a sparkling shine.
Early Bosph society consisted primarily of solitary nomads, leading to the evolution of a tradition of tattooing maps and star maps onto their skin to aid in navigating the vast grasslands of their home. This tradition persisted in Bosph culture, known as "the way of the traveler." Over time, the tradition evolved slightly, with Ela b'Yentarr, particularly philosophers, required to display such tattoos, while other Bosphs had the choice. The most severe punishment in Bosph society was 'dis-remembrance,' where the punishers ceased to acknowledge the punished's existence.
Some Bosphs who ventured off-world brought plants with them, caring for them with radiation lights. The importance of travel in their society led Bosphs to greatly respect members of other species who explored the stars. In terms of galactic society, Bosphs maintained their isolationist stance, declining membership in galactic governments and refusing off-planet trade, though they did utilize advanced off-world technologies, including hyperdrive technology. This advanced technology was integrated with their own industrial-level technology, adapted for use with their four arms. For example, Bosph musical instruments, such as the Bosphon Geddy, were designed for use with dual pairs of arms, rendering them unplayable by species with fewer limbs due to their inherent complexity.
The Bosph species evolved from six-limbed omnivores on the planet Bosph, located in the Bosph system within the Bosph sector of the Outer Rim Territories. Predation by animals known as luprisi forced them to evolve, constantly requiring them to outsmart their predators, which led to the development of sentience. Early Bosphs lived as solitary nomads, tracking animals such as umuls and favria for meat. To navigate the expansive grasslands, they began tattooing maps onto their hides, a practice that became a tradition and was maintained in Bosph society, along with the consumption of unmuls and favria.
The Bosph region was first explored between 1000 BBY and 25 BBY. When off-world scouts first encountered the Bosphs, they were offered a place in the galactic government, which they declined due to their preference for isolation. While most Bosphs remained on their planet, some chose to explore the galaxy, tattooing space charts on their hides to maintain tradition, with some exploring so extensively that their tattoos depicted star systems unknown even to professional scouts.
Approximately a year after the onset of the Galactic Civil War, Galactic Emperor Palpatine appointed Human Imperial officer Harsh as Moff of the Bosph sector, recognizing his success in the Battle of Chabosh at the war's beginning, where he suppressed a rebellion on the planet. During Harsh's tenure, the Emperor, himself Force-sensitive, became aware of the Force-sensitive factions among the Bosphs. The Empire promptly quarantined the planet and subsequently bombarded its surface from orbit, resulting in the deaths of countless Bosphs and the devastation of the planet's grasslands. Most of the surviving Bosphs remained on their homeworld, though a few managed to escape through the quarantine on available ships.
Despite the planet's obscurity due to its inhabitants' self-imposed exile from galactic society, some off-worlders were aware of its destruction, though the cause remained unknown. Rumors circulated that the Alliance to Restore the Republic had established a base on the planet or that the attack was part of a personal vendetta against Bosph "royalty." However, few other species cared about the bombardment, given the small number of Bosphs left. The Bosphs themselves interpreted the attack as a religious purge and adopted a policy of dis-remembrance toward the Empire, refusing to acknowledge its existence and ignoring its laws and blockade. They attributed the destruction to the Yentarr, viewing it as punishment for some transgression by their species. By 19 ABY, a conflict had destroyed much of Bosph's outermost moon, though what remained was transformed into a supply depot by a retired Bosph bounty hunter named Morga Bunna.
Few Bosphs ventured off their homeworld due to their isolationist tendencies and the Imperial blockade during the Galactic Empire's reign. Most Bosphs found off-world were refugees fleeing the Imperial bombardment, though a small number embraced off-world technologies and chose to travel the galaxy. Those who did join galactic society generally sought jobs that provided the isolation they preferred.
At least two Bosphs became bounty hunters, including one individual who responded to the call of Sith Lord Darth Vader, apprentice to Emperor Palpatine, to capture smuggler Han Solo, who was aiding the Rebel Alliance. Another Bosph, Morga Bunna, also worked as a bounty hunter but retired by 19 ABY to operate a storage depot on Bosph's outermost moon. His depot served as a place for clients to store dangerous goods or conduct interactions they preferred to avoid in person. Jedi archivist Mander Zuma and his companions visited Bunna's outpost during their efforts to suppress the Tempest spice trade across Hutt Space and the Corporate Sector.
Bunna's stock of Tempest had been removed, and he refused to reveal his clients to the Jedi, claiming he had no details since most business was conducted through blind drops—though he did provide a data cube recording each anonymous transaction. Upon the arrival of the Invincible-class Dreadnaught Heavy Cruiser Resolute at the depot, Bunna insisted he had no information for the Jedi but agreed to help them locate the head of the Bomu Clan of Hutts. The Corporate Sector Authority confiscated several items in his inventory stolen from Corporate Sector citizens before departing the depot. Unlike most Bosphs, Mora claimed to enjoy the company of other sentient beings.
Bora Boru was another Bosph who became a smuggler during the Empire's reign. Originally a member of the farseer faction, Boru survived the Empire's bombardment of his homeworld and developed a hatred for them, as they had denied him the chance to die with his people. Like most surviving Bosphs, he adhered to a policy of dis-remembrance toward the Empire, believing revenge to be suicidal. As a member of a government faction, Boru was Force-sensitive and possessed the right of ownership, along with the corresponding glyph pendant.
Using the glyph, he claimed ownership of the vessel Bosphon Forever, a Surronian L19 freighter, and killed its owner when the man attempted to reclaim it. He then embarked on a successful smuggling career, often aiding those who opposed or hated the Empire. His Force abilities contributed to a longer lifespan than average for his species, resulting in more heavily tattooed skin, exceptional astrogation skills, and extensive knowledge of the galaxy's star systems.
During the Galactic Civil War, the Bosph male Tay Coomsay served as a navigator aboard the Shadow Raptor, an Alliance Intelligence EF76 Nebulon-B escort frigate operating in the Trans-Hydian Borderlands. He spoke in monosyllabic, broken Basic and wore traditional Bosph star map tattoos on his arms, taking offense if anyone suggested they posed a security risk.
While the Shadow Raptor was in the Listehol system, the transport Spinster's Loom docked with the frigate to deliver a group of Alliance agents. Coomsay greeted the agents at the frigate's airlock and escorted them to the ship's bridge, providing a brief tour. On the bridge, the agents were assigned a mission to retrieve a stolen shipment of droids from the Port Tooga space station. After the group successfully returned with the droids, the frigate jumped to hyperspace; however, unbeknownst to the rebels, the droids were actually serving Imperial Intelligence and began attacking the ship and its crew. After the Imperial droids secured the bridge, Coomsay and Captain Hylo Sortuli were taken captive and led to the frigate's aft shuttle bay by TJ-11, a T-series tactical droid who intended to escape with the pair and deliver them to its Imperial masters. Before TJ-11 could escape, the agents defeated it, rescued Coomsay and Sortuli, and retook the Shadow Raptor.
The Bosphs originated in Topps' Star Wars trading cards, appearing in 1993 Topps Star Wars Galaxy Series 1, released in 1993. The card featured a Bosph bounty hunter meeting Darth Vader alongside other hunters, including Boba Fett, in an illustration by Mark Nelson. However, the species was unnamed, and no information was provided.
The species was later named and expanded upon for West End Games' Star Wars roleplaying game, with Bora Boru appearing in the fifth issue of the Star Wars Adventure Journal, in an article titled "Smugglers of the Outer Rim" by Doug Shuler and published in 1995. A Bosph then made its first appearance in the 2012 novel Scourge by Jeff Grubb.