The Coway were a race of humanoids considered primitive, originating from the planet of Mimban. Due to their strong aversion to outsiders, the majority of their existence was spent within the cavernous systems situated beneath the mist-laden swamps of their world.
Coway individuals possessed a bipedal form and were covered in a delicate, reddish fuzz. Their eyes, though small, were protected by proportionally large eyelids and were adapted to perceive infrared light, a crucial adaptation for navigating the pitch-black subterranean environment. The Coway diet typically consisted of fruits, lichens, raw meats, and fungi that would be toxic to other species, but their robust digestive system with strong amino acids allowed them to consume these items.
In stark contrast to the technologically advanced societies scattered throughout the galaxy, the Coway exhibited a relatively unsophisticated culture. Their primary technological accomplishments included the mastery of fire and the creation of weapons from flowstone. They displayed a limited understanding of advanced learning or technology and held a fondness for talismans. Death was regarded as a common and unavoidable aspect of daily life.
Coway tribes resided in expansive villages where order was enforced through physical dominance. Any outsiders who dared to approach were met with hostility. Males held a dominant position within Coway society, and each village was governed by a group of three chiefs who were subject only to the will of Canu, their warrior deity.
In instances where the ruling triumvirate of chiefs reached an impasse in their decision-making, they would defer the matter to Canu. Given the Coway belief that Canu demanded strength from his followers, the most formidable warriors from each opposing side would engage in a duel until one yielded or perished. The victor of this contest was considered to be favored by Canu, and the chiefs would then rule in favor of the party represented by the winner. Should the loser have surrendered, both the loser and their championed party would accept Canu's judgment and demonstrate respect by striking the victor in the face. The victor, in turn, was expected to reciprocate this gesture, lest they risk incurring Canu's wrath—and facing another physical challenge.
The largest documented Coway village was home to a population of at least 200 individuals. It was situated within a vast underground amphitheater, near an ancient Thrella city located next to a subterranean lake. The village also contained two Thrella structures that the tribe maintained in at least a basic state of repair.
The cave paintings created by the Coway, along with the pictographs of the Mimbanites—another intelligent species indigenous to Mimban and genetically related to the Coway—bore a striking resemblance to those discovered within the Temple of Pomojema. This similarity has prompted numerous New Republic xenoarchaeologists to propose a connection between the two species, the temple, and the ancient civilization responsible for its construction.
The Coway typically accessed the surface world via Coway shafts that connected to Thrella wells, sinkholes, and other openings. In earlier times, they could freely move between the surface and underground. However, when the Galactic Empire discovered the abundance of dolovite on Mimban, they established a mining operation there. Rather than submit to Imperial rule like their genetic cousins, the Coway sought refuge deeper within the subterranean realm, hoping to escape the reach of the Empire's energy drills.
The Coways' period of relative peace proved to be temporary. The Empire's mining activities further disrupted their way of life. In response, the Coway initiated a rebellion characterized by sporadic acts of unpredictable violence. Following the establishment of a significant Imperial presence, Coway would only occasionally venture into the outskirts of the five mining towns. When confronted, they would retreat. This behavior led many local residents and miners to mistakenly perceive the Coway as timid and harmless.