The O'reenians, once Humans, underwent an evolutionary divergence to become a unique sentient species of near-Humans. They populated the planet O'reen located within the Unknown Regions. A key physical trait distinguishing them from baseline Humans was their orange-tinted skin. However, their societal structure and cultural norms were markedly different. The O'reenian populace was organized into distinct social tiers, with placement determined by service in the military. O'reenians who dedicated a minimum of six years to military duty were afforded full citizenship rights and associated privileges. Those who did not meet this requirement were relegated to performing mundane tasks, typically handled by droids on more technologically advanced worlds. Only slaves held a lower social standing than these non-citizens. The O'reenian government was led by a military autocrat known as the Magnus, who also commanded the armed forces. This system created a society that was highly structured and valued martial skill. Even O'reenian scientists were known to carry sidearms while conducting their research.
Descended from colonists dispatched by the Galactic Republic to O'reen following the Great Hyperspace War, their homeworld's remote location in the Unknown Regions resulted in millennia of isolation and self-reliance. Encounters with offworlders revealed that their technology lagged behind the rest of the galaxy. Consequently, the government initiated a policy of raiding neighboring star systems to acquire advanced weaponry and technology for reverse-engineering by O'reenian researchers. These operations, typically executed by pilots of the O'reenian Star Corps, served to provide the species with a sense of security against perceived external threats. Both the Galactic Republic's policies and the O'reenians' own actions generally favored maintaining this isolation. However, during the Yuuzhan Vong War, the then-Magnus considered exploiting the conflict to expand O'reen's influence.
The O'reenians, having evolved from mainline Humans, are classified as near-Humans. Their physical structure closely mirrors that of mainline Humans. Each O'reenian possesses a humanoid form, featuring two arms with five-fingered hands, two legs, and a head. Similarly, their facial features include two eyes, eyebrows, a nose, ears, and a mouth. The primary differences lie in their orange-tinted skin and black eyes. O'reenians commonly have dark-brown hair. Some males of the species kept their hair cut short, while others had short goatees.
O'reenian society was characterized by its highly militarized and stratified nature. The Magnus occupied the highest position, serving as both the military dictator and supreme military commander of O'reen, the species's homeworld. Beneath the Magnus were the soldiers of the planet's militia, who gained full citizenship rights and privileges after serving for at least six years. Civilians, with limited rights, occupied a lower rung on the social hierarchy, often forced to work as indentured laborers for the planetary government. Slaves were relegated to an even lower status. The lowest social standing was reserved for soldiers dishonorably discharged from the army for dereliction of duty. Their punishment involved the loss of all rights and mandatory exile from any settlement on O'reen. This rigid caste system fueled discontent among the lower classes, leading to frequent, though generally unsuccessful, rebellions throughout the species's history.
While non-O'reenians were uncommon on O'reen, their society allowed them to attain citizenship through military service or by proving membership in another military organization. Outsiders who did not meet these criteria were treated as civilians, with corresponding rights. Non-O'reenians lacking military affiliation faced significant restrictions on their movement within the world.
Within the military class, O'reenians were further categorized by rank. The Magnus, as the supreme commander, was elected by a council of peers. They were protected by a personal guard of four elite guards and possessed the authority to mobilize the O'reenian military. The O'reen Star Corps, a unit of pilots, patrolled the O'reen system, safeguarding it from external threats. The Star Corps denied access to the planet to any outsiders lacking proper clearance. A defensive fleet of starships maintained a constant orbit around O'reen.
Life for the O'reenians was highly structured and disciplined. Combat and military skills were taught from a young age, ensuring that every O'reenian could function as a competent soldier if necessary. Even scientists maintained a militarized mindset, carrying small sidearms beneath their lab coats in the laboratory. O'reenians were generally more perceptive and physically fit than comparable Humans, but those officially serving in the military were required to demonstrate ideological commitment and maintain peak physical condition. Military life instilled strict protocol, and a lack of such knowledge was viewed with disdain by civilian O'reenians. Criminal activity was rare and typically confined to the foggy outskirts of civilization.
The O'reenians possessed relatively primitive technology compared to much of the galaxy. Many tasks performed by droids elsewhere in the galaxy were instead carried out by O'reenian civilians. However, they did utilize items such as datapads and cargo lifters. Weaponry was an exception. Through raids on nearby star systems, the military acquired advanced weapons and armaments, which they analyzed and adapted. These aggressive incursions allowed them to develop a sophisticated arsenal, including blaster weapons, sublight drives, shield generators for starships, turbolasers, and ion drives. Security satellites in orbit provided early warning of attack, and orbital defense mines presented concealed, target-seeking hazards to outsiders with hostile intentions or lacking the correct transponder codes.
O'reenian settlements were built atop tall, flat, natural landforms, like mesas and plateaus. Their buildings were constructed from stone and often reached impressive heights. These cities tended to be isolated due to the thick fog that enveloped O'reen, making travel through the wilderness perilous. The planetary capital was Fort Maximus, the most heavily garrisoned city. Designed to withstand extended sieges, it housed arms factories within underground bunkers. The Magnus resided in an estate at the city's center, and the majority of Fort Maximus's population consisted of citizen-soldiers. Epsilon Garrison was similar, functioning more as a military base than a city, though it supported a large farming community that supplied food to the nearby garrisons and Fort Maximus. The civilians at Epsilon Garrison were among the more rebellious in O'reenian society, often engaging in non-violent protest. Orbital Deployment Center served as a hub for operating and monitoring the satellite network that orbited O'reen, detecting distant threats and spying on nearby regions of the galaxy to identify potential raiding targets.
Despite O'reen's location just beyond the Outer Rim Territories in the Unknown Regions, the O'reenians were a resilient and self-sufficient people with limited interest in the wider galaxy. Their planet had no exports, but they imported military weaponry. They were somewhat distrustful and even fearful of aliens. Their military doctrine included the belief that preemptive strikes were sometimes justified, posing a threat to nearby systems. For example, the Star Corps periodically raided neighboring systems.
The language they spoke evolved from an ancient Bocce dialect. Despite diverging over time, the two languages remained largely mutually intelligible. Some O'reenians also learned Galactic Basic Standard and Minnisiat.
Following the Great Hyperspace War in 5000 BBY, the Galactic Republic initiated a program of military colonization, establishing fortress worlds in realspace beyond the borders of galactic civilization. The initial plan called for full support with Republic matériel and troops, along with two-way communication via the HoloNet. However, the Galactic Senate deemed the proposal too costly. The project was scaled down to self-sufficient colonies offering limited protection. The Republic sought volunteers to colonize twelve worlds, but only five, including O'reen, received sufficient interest.
Soon after the Great Sith War, concluding in 3996 BBY, the Human ancestors of the O'reenians traveled to O'reen as part of the Republic's program. Situated in the southwestern quadrant, O'reen was intended as a defense against a feared extragalactic threat. A satellite network was deployed to monitor nearby systems. However, the anticipated threat never materialized. Over time, four of the Republic's fortress colonies failed, leaving O'reen as the sole success. Eventually, financial constraints forced the Republic to sever all ties with O'reen and its people.
O'reen's abundant resources enabled the O'reenians to survive independently. During the tenure of the son of a dandyish Republic functionary, a military officer and starship captain named Magnus seized control of O'reen in a bloodless coup. With popular support, Magnus and his advisors implemented a new system based on military discipline and widespread martial training. "Magnus" became the title for O'reen's supreme ruler.
Over time, the O'reenians forgot their connection to the Galactic Republic and the circumstances of their settlement. Their society became rigidly stratified, with citizenship granted only to those with at least six years of military service. Non-citizens were relegated to menial labor. The O'reenians evolved into a distinct species, resembling Humans but with orange skin and dark eyes. A language derived from archaic Bocce became their primary tongue.
Centuries before the Clone Wars, a corporate exploration vessel rediscovered O'reen. The offworlders attempted to claim the planet for their corporation through technological superiority, but the O'reenians responded with force and seized their starship. This encounter convinced the Magnus that O'reen was vulnerable to technologically advanced and aggressive forces. He ordered the reverse-engineering of the ship to improve the O'reenian military. The O'reenians then began conducting secret raids on nearby planets to acquire further technological advancements. They gradually achieved technological parity with the rest of the galaxy in military hardware. However, they were careful to keep O'reen's location secret.
During the Clone Wars, from 22 to 19 BBY, a Republic military exploration ship discovered O'reen while searching for Confederate supply planets. The O'reenians captured the crew and enslaved most of them. Jedi General Morningfire, supported by clone troopers from Vornskr Company, arrived to rescue them. The Magnus ordered resistance, but died during the assault. The subsequent Magnus advocated for greater isolation. The Galactic Senate voted to isolate O'reen to prevent aiding the Separatists and to curb expansionism.
The O'reenians remained isolationist until the Yuuzhan Vong War, beginning in 25 ABY. The reigning Magnus adopted a policy of observing the conflict between the New Republic and the Yuuzhan Vong while remaining vigilant and seeking opportunities to expand O'reen's influence. After the Battle of Coruscant in 27 ABY, all records of O'reen were lost to the New Republic.
On one occasion, spacers arrived on O'reen seeking emergency assistance. Evading orbital defenses, they landed in the wilderness, but an O'reenian patrol impounded their starship. The spacers infiltrated Orbital Deployment Center to retrieve the ship. After repairing it, they launched, only to discover O'reenians stowed away, attempting to force a landing. The spacers subdued them and departed the O'reen system.
In another instance, an offworld O'reenian hired spacers to transport high-tech weapons and armor to O'reen, falsely claiming the cargo was miscellaneous goods. The couriers evaded security, landed, and were arrested for treason and smuggling. They were released only after revealing their on-world contact, the O'reenian smuggler, who was then arrested.
On yet another occasion, O'reenian forces attacked a vessel in the Outer Rim, confiscating military hardware and transporting it to a research post near Orbital Deployment Center for analysis. An O'reenian military supervisor was assigned to protect it until analysis was complete, after which he was ordered to move it to Fort Maximus.
Later, a group of offworlders, hired by a navy lieutenant named Amalia to investigate the disappearance of the hardware—a prototype tactical computer and tactical data core for a capital ship—traveled to O'reen. Attacked upon arrival, they evaded a rebuilt battle cruiser and infiltrated the analysis center. The military supervisor detected them, and in the ensuing skirmish, the offworlders defeated a dozen researchers and recovered the data core. The supervisor's datapad revealed the orders to move the items to Fort Maximus, so the offworlders pretended to comply, then fled to their ship and escaped.
The O'reenians remained isolated from the galaxy as late as 137 ABY.
Aside from the Star Corps' raids, the O'reenians were largely isolationist, with little inclination to travel beyond their atmosphere. However, some O'reenian exiles left their homeworld, often finding work as soldiers. One O'reenian smuggled weapons to O'reen, hiring pilots for the task, but was considered an outlaw and traitor by the O'reenian government.
The Unknown Regions, a 2010 sourcebook by Wizards of the Coast, describes the O'reenians and their society as part of its entry on O'reen. Written by Sterling Hershey, Rodney Thompson, and Daniel Wallace, it includes three adventure outlines for player characters to visit O'reen and interact with the O'reenians. However, it provides no timeline for these adventures. The history above includes these scenarios, but their placement is arbitrary. Also in 2010, The Essential Atlas Online Companion placed the O'reen system and provided context on the O'reenians' relations with the galaxy.