Dathomirian
Dathomirians, alternatively referred to as Dathomirian Zabraks and culturally recognized as Dathomiri, constituted a subspecies of Zabrak who were native to the planet Peridea, situated within a distant galaxy. Upon Peridea, the Dathomiri people founded a civilization known as the Witch Kingdom of the Dathmiri and mastered the art of riding the purrgil, entities capable of existing in the vacuum of space and traversing through hyperspace. Despite the eventual downfall of their kingdom, those Dathomiri who journeyed into the known galaxy across the intergalactic void successfully re-established their presence on a new world, Dathomir. The tales of Peridea and its galaxy would evolve into mere fables recounted among the Jedi, and the map that held the secret Pathway to Peridea remained concealed within a stronghold located on the planet Arcana for an extended period.
The Dathomiri were celebrated for their utilization of magick, a facet of the Force that manipulated magical ichor, a substance indigenous to Dathomir. During the time of the Clone Wars, the Nightsisters of Dathomir—a group of Dathomiri witches wielding magick—were under the leadership of Mother Talzin. Her son, Maul, underwent training to become the Sith apprentice of the Dark Lord Darth Sidious, while the Dathomirian Asajj Ventress rose to the position of an acolyte under Dooku, the apprentice who succeeded Maul, and took part in leading the Separatists. During the conflict, a significant portion of the species was eradicated under Talzin's command, as she incurred the wrath of the Sith.
By the era of the Galactic Civil War, the last known survivors of the Nightsister clan included the Dathomirians Shelish, Yenna, Jerserra, and Merrin, along with the human Morgan Elsbeth. However, there were indications that other Dathomiri witch clans had also managed to survive. Later, during the New Republic Era, three Dathomirians, recognized as the Great Mothers, were discovered on Peridea, offering tangible proof of the enduring existence of the ancient Dathmiri kingdom following its abandonment by the majority of its population.
Biology and appearance
The Dathomirians represented a Zabrak subspecies with ancestral ties to the planet Peridea and, subsequently, the world of Dathomir. Dathomiri exhibited pronounced sexual dimorphism. Female Dathomiri commonly possessed skin tones of white, blue, or gray, alongside a diverse range of hair types. Conversely, males typically displayed orange or yellow skin. A minority presented with red skin. A distinguishing trait was the presence of horns in male Dathomirians, a feature absent in females.
Dathomiri often bore tattoos that symbolized their tribal affiliations. Male Zabraks, particularly those within the Nightbrothers, had natural stripes, which they enhanced with tattoos. Females, especially those within the Nightsisters, had tattoos that were more subtle, contrasting their pale skin. The mushling was used to create tattoos. The pods of the mushling were boiled down into a yellow paste, and then mixed with pigments, such as clay and ash, to create a variety of colors.
Many Dathomiri showed Force-sensitive traits, notably including the witches residing on their home planet. Certain male Dathomiri were capable of basic Force abilities, while a select few, such as Savage Opress and Maul, demonstrated exceptional proficiency in manipulating the Force due to their training.
Society and culture
Dathomirians were generally secretive, concealing dark secrets. Female Dathomiri lived as witches. Their society was matriarchal, with the Nightsisters holding a particularly influential role. The leaders of the Nightsisters were known as Mother. The Nightsisters had great skill in using dark side magick and voodoo, with powers such as raising the dead, or making one invisible.
Some female Dathomirians were part of clans, while others were not. Dathomir had different witch clans, including the Nightsisters, the Nardithi Nightsisters, the Blue Coral Divers Clan, the Singing Mountain, the Howling Crag, and the Mountain Clan.
The Selection was a ritual that occurred when females wanted to choose a mate. Males would undergo brutal trials to prove themselves. The winner would become the Nightsister's mate and servant.
Males, especially the Nightbrothers, had a non-dominant role in society, living separately from the females. They were tribal and lived a violent and brutal life. Sometime after the Battle of Dathomir, the Nightsister Merrin made the Nightbrothers her servants.
Nightbrothers traditionally engaged in rites of passage, including covering their faces with thin, dark tattoos. The best and boldest of the Nightbrothers faced another rite of passage in which they battled beasts known as chirodactyls. Those that faced these behemoth creatures and survived were deemed worthy.
Nightbrothers painted glyphs using acid from hydraatis on hard rock surfaces. Their usage of it was deliberately careful to preserve accuracy and damage to themselves. Those who were master calligraphers—rare positions within the society—were extremely valued for their talents.
The Nightbrothers valued power and honor, and they often fought in a combat arena to demonstrate their strength with intent to win. Although hostile to outsiders, one that proved powerful could be given substantial influence over the group, be it through respect or fear, even allowing them to gain leadership over the society and worship.
History
Children of Dathomir
On the planet Peridea in another galaxy, an ancient civilization known as the great Witch Kingdom of the Dathmiri eventually fell, and its existence became only rumors and tales among the Jedi Order, a group of Force-sensitive guardians of the peace. Nevertheless, the Pathway to Peridea across the intergalactic void had been established from a henge on the planet Seatos, and the reflex point required the use of star map that was stored in a Nightsister stronghold on the planet Arcana.
The female Nightsisters were the most dominant clan on Dathomir. They used the Zabrak Nightbrothers as mates and servants. One mother, Talzin, gave birth to three sons, Savage Opress, Feral, and Maul. Talzin lost Maul to the Sith Lord Darth Sidious, who took him as his apprentice. Later, Talzin was forced to give Hal'Sted a child, Asajj Ventress, in order to protect her clans.
Disciples of destruction
After Ventress' betrayal by Count Dooku, Talzin and Ventress plotted their revenge on Dooku. Talzin let her son, Savage, become Dooku's apprentice with the intention to kill the Count. However, Savage and Ventress failed. Sidious and Dooku responded by ordering General Grievous to wipe the Nightsisters out. Only Ventress, Talzin, Shelish, Yenna, Jerserra, Morgan Elsbeth, and young [Merrin](/article/merrin] survived Grievous' attack. Savage, discovering his brother Maul was alive, brought him back to Dathomir. There, Talzin was able to restore Maul's mind, memories, and body, building him a new set of metal legs. Following Savage's death, Maul and his Shadow Collective joined forces with Brother Viscus and his Nightbrothers. However, the Nightbrother village was attacked and only Maul managed to escape. The surviving Nightbrothers retreated to another village.
Survivors
Displaying resilience and defiance, Dathomirian Zabraks actively opposed the Galactic Empire's growing attempts to control them. Rather than succumbing to surrender, many aligned themselves with the Alliance to Restore the Republic, bravely confronting their oppressors. Numerous individuals served within the Alliance Military as Heavy Soldiers. However, a young Jerserra was discovered on a planet by a female Inquisitor of the Empire and was taken for secret training.
During the era of the Empire, the Nightsister [Merrin](/article/merrin], a survivor of the Battle of Dathomir, encountered the Jedi Master Taron Malicos, who had crash-landed on Dathomir following Order 66. Malicos, succumbing to the dark side of the Force while on Dathomir, manipulated Merrin, seeking to acquire their magick. When the former Jedi Padawan Cal Kestis journeyed to Dathomir in search of the Tomb of Kujet, Merrin realized Malicos was deceiving her. She hesitated to fight alongside Kestis, as her only knowledge was that an armored warrior wielding a lightsaber had been responsible for the deaths of her people. Kestis reassured her of his allegiance and shared his own story of a grief-stricken past. After working together to defeat Malicos, Merrin joined Kestis' crew aboard the Stinger Mantis.
Heir to the Empire
Following the collapse of the Empire and the establishment of the New Republic, the Nightsister Morgan Elsbeth collaborated with the Dathomiri Great Mothers on Peridea, who were working alongside the stranded Imperial Grand Admiral Thrawn, to reach Peridea with an intergalactic vessel, the Eye of Sion, which could transport them through the intergalactic void and restore the Empire's former dominance over the galaxy.
Behind the scenes
The initial appearance of Dathomirian Zabraks was in Star Wars: Episode I The Phantom Menace. They also made an appearance in the 2017 video game Star Wars Battlefront II as playable skins for the Heavy classes of the Rebellion and Resistance.