Post by Jenno on Dec 5, 2007 15:00:03 GMT -5
The Anzati (singular: Anzat) were a dangerous and mysterious Force-sensitive near-Human species with two tentacle-like proboscises that curled out and extended from their cheeks, with which the Anzati were able to feed upon the brains of their prey. With the tentacles retracted into seams along each side of their nose, Anzati were indistinguishable from any other humanoid species in the galaxy.
They were an extremely long-lived race, also possessing regenerative capabilities beyond those of the average humanoid. The Anzati were also telepathic, growing more adept at the talent as they aged, allowing them to dominate someone's mind to give them a chance to feed.
According to the Jedi Master Zao, the soup that Anzati drank was the future, and thus, the Force. Because of this, a Force sensitive Anzati who drank the soup of another Force sensitive would strengthen his connection to the Force.
The Anzati were Human in appearance, with bulbous noses, flared nostrils, and grayish-hued skin. Their height ranged from 1.5 to 1.7 meters. Scientists and xenobiologists had little opportunity to study the Anzati, but sketchy medical reports found on the species indicated that they have no natural biorhythm; that is to say, no pulse, and as a result, no body heat. Therefore, it was a total mystery as to how their circulatory system functioned.
The Anzati were natural predators, preferring to hunt sentient races of all shapes and sizes and kinds. To this end, they possessed two long, prehensile proboscises similar in appearance to tentacles. They kept these proboscises coiled in their twin cheek pockets for feeding on unsuspecting victims; when their proboscises were retracted, they were practically visually indistinguishable from Humans. They fed in a unique way that was described as grotesque.
Using a kind of mind control, which Jedi who had encountered them claimed was akin to Force manipulation, they bewitched their victims in a manner similar to a Jedi mind trick. Using this telepathy, the Anzat lured in their unsuspecting targets by mesmerizing them with their telepathic control. This control strengthened at close range and was even further augmented and honed with age and use.
Once a victim was within their power, the Anzati would uncoil their proboscises from their cheek pouches and insert them into the subject's nostrils and into the cranium, where the brain was sucked out of the organism. This action however, required time and could not be rushed. This behavior led to the nickname of "snot vampires." They also have been known to grasp the victim's head to hold it in place close to them as they fed.
They called this meal "soup," "luck," or the "Sea of Memory." In Anzati traditions, the term referred to the life essence, or spiritual power, of the victim. It was reputed that Anzati could keep their victims alive for several feedings, taking great pleasure in the fear and terror their prey felt throughout the ordeal.
An Anzat attempting to extract the "soup" from Quinlan Vos.The drive to hunt for "soup" seemed to be the central factor of Anzati life; one could almost have considered them an addicted people. Once they began the hunt, they thought of nothing else but to satisfy this hunger, a hunger that grew stronger and more powerful with each passing year. Anzati were reported to view all other peoples as livestock to be harvested to fulfill their needs, although some were known to try and stave off the craving for as long as possible between feedings.
Either way, because the hunger grew as they aged, and they lived for such a long time, they ended up becoming more and more isolated in their need. The older the Anzati, the more unstable and obsessive they became, often to the point of insanity. They would lose focus on the world around them and in many cases would make a crucial mistake, leading to their ultimate destruction.
Some Anzati believed that feeding on live vessels gave them eternal youth and energy. This belief can be traced to the Silent Voices, luminescent bands of gases that glowed in the Anzat atmosphere at night. Ancient Anzati believed that these were the life essences of their ancestors. Although such a possibility was not scientifically viable, it illustrated the level of importance that "soup" played in Anzati culture, morals, and belief structures.
Anzati reproduced infrequently, and usually lived for many centuries. Parents did not typically give their children names, instead allowing them to seek names that best blended in with their chosen prey. Youthful Anzati reached puberty at approximately one hundred standard years of age, and, when that time came, they left Anzat to hunt for "soup" and continue their so-called eternal existence.
They acted as patrons of the arts, but few had actually contributed with works of their own. Because they were a long-lived species, they tended to view mastering an art as a pointless goal, since all of their competitors died before they did. An art that did fuel their interest enough to participate in was the art of stealth. The Anzati were considered masterful hunters, incredibly sly and crafty, as well as being difficult to capture. Because of their secrecy, hunting skills, and training, Anzati were often employed by organized crime factions as assassins.
Their anonymity was frequently used to their advantage, so they rarely, if ever, worked in groups. It was only in the capacity of a bounty hunter that they would abandon their lonely tendencies and band together to form a corporation or guild. On these exceptionally rare occasions, they would sometimes share prey and the financial rewards of their hunts. These corporations were temporary, often existing for only one hunt, as they typically ended up killing each other to eliminate competition for a very "soupy" victim.