Shaggy Slaves: The Gentle Talz

A Sneak Peek at the Alien Anthology

By Steve Miller and Owen Stephens

The Talz are a culturally and technologically primitive species

native to the frigid world of Alzoc III in the Outer Rim system of
Alzoc. They stand an average of 2 meters tall and are completely
covered in thick, shaggy white fur, with sharp talons capping
oversized hands. The only obvious feature of their furry faces is
their four black eyes, but it also holds a proboscis through which
they speak their buzzing native language and feed. They are
gently, kind-hearted beings who are slow to anger.

The four eyes of the Talz are perhaps his or her most remarkable
feature. One pair is adapted to see clearly in light so blinding
that it might burn the corneas of most other beings, while the
other pair can see in near total darkness. The end result is that
Talz can see in virtually any lighting conditions and are not
blinded by bright flashes.

Most Talz are unaware that a vast galactic civilization exists

beyond their world. Imperial scouts discovered them as the New
Order was putting a final end to the Republic. The Empire
recognized that they had discovered a ready-made slave labor
force to extract the mineral wealth of Alzoc III. But all the Talz
know is that one day, "rocks fell from the sky," and out of these rocks stepped strange beings who
forced them to give up their normal routines to "make caves." The Talz live in the hope that the strange
beings will leave someday so that life can return to normal.

Due to the timing of the world's discovery, the New Order didn't log the existence of the Talz, not
wanting to be burdened by the Senate regulations relating to the treatment and handling of primitive
sentients. Even after the Empire was firmly entrenched, they kept the mines on Alzoc III and the
enslaved Talz a secret. As such, the Talz are very rarely encountered anywhere but Alzoc III, and those
who do show up elsewhere tend to be in the service of Imperial officials. A few Talz have fled their
homeworld and escaped Imperial custody through a variety of means, but those who stray too far from
loosely controlled systems on the far fringes of the Outer Rim tend to be captured and sent back to
their homeworld.

Most Talz professionals are thugs, although their gentle nature tends to cause them to refrain from
actively bullying others. Talz heroes are almost exclusively fringers; once introduced to the concept of
high technology, they often take to it well.

Usually, only the rare Talz encountered off Alzoc III will understand Basic, but his proboscis makes it
impossible for him to speak it. Although protocol droids are not typically programmed with the Talz
language, it is possible to program one with the ability to translate it given a successful Computer Use
check against a DC 15.
Talz Commoner: Init +0; Def 10; Spd 10 m; VP/WP -/12; Atk +1 melee (1d3+1, talon) or +0 ranged; SQ
Darkvision, primitive; SV Fort +1, Ref +0, Will -1; SZ M; FP 0; Rep 0; Str 12, Dex 10, Con 12, Int 8, Wis 8,
Cha 10.
Equipment: Variety of personal belongings.
Skills: Craft (varies) +1, Read/Write Talz, Speak Talz, Survival (arctic) +1.
Species Features: +2 Str, +2 Con, -2 Int, -2 Wis.
Automatic Language: Talz.

To learn more about the enigmatic Talz -- or to find more exciting species than you can shake a
lightsaber at -- check out the Alien Anthology accessory for the Star Wars Roleplaying Game!