Shalyvane was a world located within the Outer Rim Territories, serving as the original homeworld of the Em'liy species.
During the time of the Galactic War, it was foretold that a unique lunar eclipse would reveal the location where the Em'liy god, named Kavaan, supposedly left his mark upon Shalyvane.
In the year 1 ABY, amidst the Galactic Civil War fought between the Galactic Empire and the Rebel Alliance, Shalyvane suffered a violent attack at the hands of the Galactic Empire. This attack forced the Em'liy natives from their capital city, Chinshassa, turning them into a nomadic people. The true purpose of the attack was to bolster the fabricated backstory of Imperial agent Shira Brie as she infiltrated the Rebel Alliance. Shira Brie falsely claimed to be a Shalyvane native, alleging that the planet's Human population had been eradicated by the "barbaric" Em'liy and their Imperial allies.
Following the Battle of Hoth, Shira Brie, accompanied by fellow pilots Luke Skywalker, Hanc Thorben and Wald, made a visit to Chinshassa under the guise of a pilgrimage, but they were attacked by a large contingent of Em'liy warriors, compelling them to flee the planet. After the Battle of the secret armada and Shira Brie's supposed demise, Luke Skywalker made a return trip to Shalyvane. The Em'liy people then revealed the true history of their people to him, and Luke discovered a holographic message left in Chinshassa by Darth Vader, exposing Shira as the double agent she truly was.
Subsequent to the Battle of Endor, an Em'liy representative was present at the First Conference of Free Peoples, which ultimately resulted in the Declaration of the Alliance of Free Planets.