INFO: Kowakian monkey-lizards were bipedal reptilian-simian species native to a jungle-like Outer Rim planet called Kowak. Although they had no established culture, Kowakian monkey-lizards were quite intelligent, and despite their silly, cruel nature, they were considered sentient by many sentientologists in the galaxy, although there was much debate over its possible sentience.
Standing roughly seventy centimeters tall, Kowakian monkey-lizards had small, spindly bodies, two large, floppy ears and a beak-like nose, with tufts of thick hair growing around their neck and on the tops of their heads. Some subspecies had long, prehensile tails.
Kowakian monkey-lizards were rarely found off their homeworld, although it was not uncommon to find a monkey-lizard in the service of a crime lord. One such individual was Salacious B. Crumb, a court jester on Tatooine for Hutt gangster Jabba Desilijic Tiure. Crumb perished along with his master when Jabba's sail barge was destroyed in 4 ABY. At least one Force-sensitive monkey-lizard was known to exist—a mutated Dark Jedi named Picaroon C. Boodle, who served under Jerec. Pic was ultimately killed by Rebel agent Kyle Katarn above the Sulon Star.
RACE: Kowakian Monkey-Lizard
HEIGHT: .7 Meters Tall
SKIN: Brownish yellow, red, green
DISTINCTION: Reptilian-simian
LANGUAGE: Kowakian
HOMEWORLD:Kowak was a tropical planet in the Outer Rim and the homeworld of the Kowakian monkey-lizard species. Kowak was a planet completely covered in tropical rain forests. Kowak was literally a jungle world. There were many animals that inhabited Kowak, but the dominant species on the planet were the Kowakian monkey-lizards.
A group of University of Coruscant zoologists once visited Kowak hoping to conduct a study on the sentience of the planet's monkey-lizards. The zoologists noted that at first the monkey-lizards were apprehensive towards them, and seemed to be trying to keep to themselves. After about a week of being watched from afar with macrobinoculars, the monkey-lizards began to wander into the group's camp, inspecting their equipment and looking around.
The zoologists eventually began to offer the creatures some of their food; that was when the Kowakians's cruel streak came out. They hid a snake in one of the zoologist's bags, destroyed their expensive equipment, ate all their food, played in their tents and even left barrels of water on top of branches, pouring their contents down on anyone who walked below. The zoologists had no choice but to leave the planet.
BIOLOGY AND APPEARANCE:Kowakian monkey-lizards were reptilian bipeds, with thin, almost twig-like limbs, and a small, triangular head atop slender shoulders. They had two large, floppy ears, which curved backwards and narrowed into a thin, hairy point, and often had several small holes in them, though not always. In place of a nose, monkey-lizards had a dark colored, extremely wide beak, which could be opened to reveal a large, toothless mouth. They had two wild, yellow eyes, which were usually very close to each other, although this varied. Their skin color was typically a light brown or tan color, though you could also find monkey-lizards with red or green skin. Each monkey-lizard had tufts of thick hair growing around their neck, on the tops of their heads and at corners of their jawbones. The color of this hair varied: it was usually black or dark brown, though a lighter brown, green, as well as a slightly orange shade were also known to exist. Kowakian monkey-lizards generally had long, thin tails, though some variants of the species had no tail. Immature monkey-lizards were once described by Darth Vectivus as being the "ugliest larvae in the galaxy".
CULTURE AND HISTORY:Monkey-lizards resided mainly in large tree nests, and enjoyed swinging through the green rain forests of Kowak. Their diet consisted largely of various insects, worms and small rodents. They ate quite regularly, as their small bodies required much nourishment. They were also scavengers, choosing to eat carrion instead of fresh meat or vegetables. Rotting flesh was quite unhealthy to eat, so many in the galaxy speculated as to why they chose it. It may have been because they preferred to have others do their work, or else because they wished to avoid predatory animals.
Monkey-lizards were extremely destructive and curious, and loved to explore, rarely leaving the packs they moved around in for protection against predators. They often used their ceaseless, loud laughter to scare off any potential attackers. They traveled in groups, making as much noise as possible in an attempt to intimidate other creatures in the jungles. After finding a corpse, monkey-lizards spent time fighting over the food instead of sharing it. Kowakians were known to be extremely cruel and mean-spirited to both other monkey-lizards and to members of other species. They had a clear sense of mischief and humor, and were known to mock others, laugh at them, and even fling objects towards them simply because they found it amusing. They were able to perfectly mimic almost any language, and according to certain studies, communicate in those languages if they wished. Monkey-lizards were also known to laugh at appropriate times during conversations, and could often repeat back what they heard fairly accurately.
The sentience of Kowakian monkey-lizards was a highly debated topic among the greater galactic scientific community. The issue was never officially decided, though many declared them sentient; they believed this as although monkey-lizards were cruel, they were also quite intelligent.
Monkey-lizards had very little culture or structured society to speak of. They had a sort of hierarchical boundary within each group of nests, with the oldest female acting as leader. Each monkey-lizard was given a specific role: some were assigned to gather food, others would maintain the nest, while yet others scouted for predators. Nothing was known about how the monkey-lizards reproduced; in the wild, monkey-lizards usually chased away those who attempted to study them and their behavior, and those in captivity had to be separated from other members of their species due to the noise levels they exhibited when left together. Sentientologists estimated that monkey-lizards laid eggs as a group about once a year, with only a few of the eggs surviving to hatch.
Monkey-lizards played no real part in galactic society; they rarely left their homeworld and were considered too wild to be let loose in proper society. Various scientists had attempted to study them in the wild, but all of these attempts proved fruitless; the monkey-lizards did not take well to being observed. A group of University of Coruscant zoologists once visited Kowak hoping to conduct a study on the planet's spindly inhabitants. The zoologists noted that at first the monkey-lizards were apprehensive towards them, and seemed to be trying to keep to themselves. After about a week of being watched from afar with macrobinoculars, the monkey-lizards began to wander into the group's camp, inspecting their equipment and looking around. The zoologists eventually began to offer the creatures some of their food; that was when the Kowakians's cruel streak came out. They hid a snake in one of the zoologist's bags, destroyed their expensive equipment, ate all their food, played in their tents and even left barrels of water on top of branches, pouring their contents down on anyone who walked below. The zoologists had no choice but to leave the planet.
IN THE GALAXY:Early on in the galaxy's history, Kowakian monkey-lizards were rarely, if ever found offworld. Despite this, they occasionally wandered onto a visiting ship and could end up almost anywhere. Later on, a large number of monkey-lizards could be found in the galactic underworld, often tied to criminal organizations, because of their ability to repeat things exactly as they heard them, as well as the fact that they made excellent spies. Although monkey-lizards were quite popular with some among the upper classes, who kept them as pets for their own amusement, they were usually frowned upon in civilized society, and no matter how much time and effort was devoted to it, or what method used, monkey-lizards proved to be completely untrainable. Monkey-lizards bought as pets were usually sold on after their owners realized that they couldn't control them. Their owners often complained of how they had a tendency to smash valuable items, deface art and furniture, and rummage through garbage compactors. Most people thought monkey-lizards were extremely obnoxious, and it was considered an insult to call someone a Kowakian monkey-lizard. Monkey-lizards who were taken as pets became extremely lazy, and they usually starved if returned to the wild. In very rare cases, a monkey-lizard served as a mechanic or engineer; one such being once repaired Boba Fett's armor at a workshop in Ma'ar Shaddam. He was later killed by Risso Nu. A Kowakian monkey-lizard also served as a companion of the famous pirate known as Reginald Barkbone, and another was known to occupy StarForge Station. The monkey-lizard Gibberous Crumb was raised by a Hutt, but was abandoned by it's master and entered the care of the Oblee crime lord Nirama, who considered Crumb to be an annoyance. During the Clone Wars, a monkey-lizard named Pilf Mukmuk was part of a gang of pirates led by the Weequay, Hondo Ohnaka.
Salacious B. Crumb was a Kowakian monkey-lizard from Kowak itself who served as Jabba Desilijic Tiure's court jester at his desert palace on the Outer Rim world of Tatooine. Although he spoke in laughs and cackles, Crumb was in fact intelligent; his silly nature was something of a facade, and he was smart enough to survive in Jabba's Palace. Crumb came to be in Jabba's possession after he sneaked onto the Hutt's ship and attempted to steal his food. Jabba was amused by the tiny creature, and allowed him to live on the condition that Crumb had to make the Hutt laugh once a day. Crumb stayed in the Hutt's citadel for over four years, creating havoc and becoming one of the most disliked members of Jabba's court. During his time there, Salacious liked to play jokes on visitors and court members; one example of these jokes was when Crumb led two professors into the rancor pit. Crumb was present when Jedi Knight Luke Skywalker arrived in Jabba's Palace to negotiate the release of carbonite-encased Han Solo with the crime lord. The monkey-lizard was on board the Khetanna when it exploded and died as the ship exploded during Skywalker's escape.
Picaroon C. Boodle, or Pic for short, was the only known Force-sensitive monkey-lizard. Early in his life, he traveled the galaxy with a smuggler named Az-Iban; however, sometime during the reign of Emperor Palpatine he was quarantined on Eriadu after being suspected of suffering from Cyborrean rabies. He eventually came into Imperial custody, and because of his Force-sensitivity, he was used as a research subject by Imperial scientist Tuzin Gast. Pic, as well as a Gamorrean named Gorc, was a subject in the experimental Project Chubar. Eventually, the two creatures were transferred to the service of Dark Jedi Cronal, who wanted two Force-sensitive "animals" to run tests on. Cronal used Sith alchemy on the two "animals," until they became mutated Sithspawn, sharing each other's genes and personality, as well as having a link in the Force. The two mutants worked well as a team, and developed a friendship of sorts, with Pic looking out for the dim-witted Gorc's safety. The two joined Jerec's group of Seven Dark Jedi, who aimed to discover the lost Valley of the Jedi. Kyle Katarn foiled the group's plans, killing Gorc aboard the Sulon Star. Pic was devastated by this, and attacked Katarn with his Sith dagger in a frenzy, before having his head bashed in by the Jedi.
APPEARANCES:Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic (Mentioned only)
Jedi Apprentice: The Deadly Hunter (Mentioned only)
Jedi Apprentice: The Evil Experiment (Mentioned only)
Nomad
Jedi Quest: The Dangerous Games (Mentioned only)
Precipice (Mentioned only)
Shatterpoint (Mentioned only)
MedStar I: Battle Surgeons (Mentioned only)
Yoda: Dark Rendezvous (Mentioned only)
Star Wars: The Clone Wars – "Dooku Captured"
The Clone Wars: Switch
Star Wars: The Clone Wars – "The Gungan General"
Star Wars: The Clone Wars: Republic Heroes (Mentioned only)
"Open Aarms"
The Last of the Jedi: The Desperate Mission (Mentioned only)
The Last of the Jedi: Underworld (Mentioned only)
The Last of the Jedi: A Tangled Web (Mentioned only)
The Last of the Jedi: Secret Weapon (Mentioned only)
The Last of the Jedi: Master of Deception (Mentioned only)
A Hunter's Fate: Greedo's Tale webstrip
The Force Unleashed novel (Mentioned only)
This Crumb for Hire
"Spare Parts" - Star Wars Adventure Journal 11
Rebel Force: Target (Mentioned only)
Rebel Force: Renegade
Star Wars Missions 10: Showdown in Mos Eisley
The Rebel Thief
Galaxy of Fear: The Doomsday Ship (Mentioned only)
Galaxy of Fear: Clones
Star Wars Galaxies – An Empire Divided
Star Wars Adventures Volume 2: Princess Leia and the Royal Ransom (Mentioned only)
Shadows of the Empire comic
Battle of the Bounty Hunters
The Gambler's Quest
Star Wars: Demolition
Number Two in the Galaxy
The One That Got Away
A Boy and His Monster: The Rancor Keeper's Tale
Fortune, Fate, and the Natural History of the Sarlacc
Star Wars Episode VI: Return of the Jedi novel (First appearance)
Star Wars Episode VI: Return of the Jedi
Star Wars: Return of the Jedi 1: In the Hands of Jabba the Hutt
Star Wars: Return of the Jedi 2: The Emperor Commands
Super Star Wars: Return of the Jedi
That's Entertainment: The Tale of Salacious Crumb
Mara Jade: By the Emperor's Hand (Appears in flashback(s))
X-wing Rogue Squadron: The Rebel Opposition
The Lost City of the Jedi (Mentioned only)
Mission from Mount Yoda (Mentioned only)
Queen of the Empire (Mentioned only)
Prophets of the Dark Side (Mentioned only)
Dark Forces: Rebel Agent / audio drama (Retcon)
Star Wars: Jedi Knight: Dark Forces II (Retcon)
Star Wars: Jedi Knight II: Jedi Outcast (Mentioned only)
Star Wars: Union (Mentioned only)
Agents of Chaos I: Hero's Trial (Mentioned only)
Dark Nest III: The Swarm War (Possible appearance)
Betrayal (Mentioned only)
Exile
Fury (Mentioned only)
Millennium Falcon
SOURCES:Star Wars Gamemaster Handbook, Second Edition (Picture only)
The Movie Trilogy Sourcebook
Star Wars Trilogy Sourcebook - Special Edition
Galaxy Guide 5: Return of the Jedi
The Essential Guide to Characters
Star Wars: Chronicles
The Far Orbit Project
Hideouts and Strongholds (Picture only)
Star Wars Encyclopedia
Star Wars: The Action Figure Archive
Star Wars: Power of the Jedi
The Essential Guide to Alien Species
Alien Anthology
Ultimate Adversaries
The New Essential Guide to Alien Species
"Who's Who in Jabba's Palace" - Star Wars Insider 60
The Official Star Wars Fact File 73
The Dark Forces Saga, Part 5 on Wizards.com (article)
"Cularin at Night"
"All Comers"
Threats of the Galaxy (Picture only)
The Complete Star Wars Encyclopedia
Salacious Crumb in the Databank
I would like to thank Wookieepedia for this info.
