Cephalons represented a race of sentient aliens with extraordinary lifespans, characterized by their unique ganglionic intelligence. Their cognitive structure involved a network of sub-brains that transmitted information to a primary central brain. Lacking conventional sensory organs, Cephalons relied on computers for thought translation to communicate with other beings. Furthermore, their perception of the galaxy extended to four dimensions, which rendered them incapable of expressing ideas in terms of past or future tenses.
By 19 BBY, Cephalons had established their presence within the galactic community. Notably, at least one Cephalon aligned themselves against the Empire, joining the resistance group known as Whiplash.
Cephalons were a sentient alien species exhibiting ganglionic intelligence. This meant they possessed a substantial, stationary, central brain interconnected with several semi-independent sub-brains. These secondary brains functioned as data collectors, relaying information to the main brain, which served as the sole center for conceptual thought. These beings were immobile and spherical, adorned with a diverse assortment of tentacles, antennae, and chelae. Devoid of typical sensory organs like eyes or noses, they perceived their surroundings via electroceptive matrices. Their habitat consisted of large tanks filled with sulfate and methane, and they possessed a baleen plate-like mouth used for filtering microorganisms from their surrounding tank environment.
The Cephalon species was known for its longevity. A Cephalon's consciousness experienced the galaxy as a four-dimensional hypermanifold, perceiving time akin to how other species perceived space. This unique perspective granted them the ability to predict near-future events with remarkable precision. However, their temporal perception hindered their ability to articulate past or future tenses. To facilitate communication with other beings, computers were used to translate their thoughts and display them on a monitor. Nevertheless, the complexity of their four-dimensional perception often led to ineffective translations, resulting in statements that were frequently perplexing to non-Cephalons.
Cephalons had integrated into the galactic community by the year 19 BBY. Their inability to verbally communicate resulted in them being referred to as Cephalons—a term meaning "head" in Oldspeak Basic—by other galactic inhabitants, as they lacked a self-designated name. The Galactic Empire conducted extensive studies on them, with their scientists identifying nine distinct emotional states within Cephalons, only three of which bore resemblance to those experienced by humanoids. Rumors also circulated about an Imperial Inquisitor who reportedly suffered mental breakdown while attempting to comprehend the fluctuating states of the Cephalons' four-dimensional minds.
The Cephalon known as Aoloiloa resided on the galactic capital of Coruscant around 19 BBY. This Cephalon opposed the newly formed Empire and joined Whiplash, an underground resistance movement operating on Coruscant, dedicated to assisting enemies of the Empire in escaping the planet. Laranth Tarak, a Gray Paladin, and Den Dhur, a former journalist, both members of Whiplash, visited Aoloiloa seeking assistance in identifying the optimal routes for transporting their clients off-world. However, the Cephalon's intricate perception of the galaxy impeded their ability to effectively communicate with the pair.
Michael Reaves was the mind behind the Cephalons, introducing them in his 2008 novel, Coruscant Nights II: Street of Shadows, which served as the second book in the Coruscant Nights trilogy. Later, the species received mention in the novel Shadow Games, a collaborative work by Reaves and Maya Kaathryn Bohnhoff, which saw its release in 2011.