Howlrunner/Legends

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For other uses, see Howlrunner (disambiguation).

"They'll take you out when you're not paying attention."
―Jo Ewsli[3]

Howlrunners were predatory creatures native to the deserts of the Wild Space planet Kamar who were renowned for their ferocity and dedication to the hunt. Known for their unsettling, Human skull-like face, howlrunners were regarded as the most dangerous of Kamar's beasts, hunting in packs and chasing down prey with incredible stamina. Howlrunners were known throughout the galaxy as uncommonly tenacious predators, although by the era of the New Republic they had become endangered on Kamar, as they had become a popular target for big-game hunters. Their reputation was widespread enough that during the Imperial Period, the Incom Corporation named the I-7 Howlrunner starfighter after the beast.

Biology and appearance

Omnivorous predators native to the desolate deserts of Kamar,[2] howlrunners were named after the loud howling sound they made while hunting their prey. Canine in appearance, howlrunners were distinguished by their heads, which had a resemblance to a Human skull that many considered unnerving.[1] The "skull" was actually a layer of cartilage and bone covering the flesh underneath—scientists believed that it evolved to better allow howlrunners to burrow through the rocky ground of Kamar.[3] The beasts averaged about 1.1 meters in length, and despite their relative lack of speed, were effective hunters due to their incredible stamina.[1]

Behavior

"I was on Kamar several years ago and witnessed a pack of howlrunners chasing down their prey. They ripped it apart, not necessarily because they outpowered their prey, but because they were quicker and more agile than their opponent. They took small nips out of the creature until it finally fell."
―Jo Ewsli[3]

Considered to be the most dangerous of all the beasts of Kamar,[3] howlrunners hunted in packs, working cooperatively on their hunts to track and overtake much larger creatures. Howlrunner packs could reach great numbers, as they migrated together to find new hunting grounds and carve extensive dens out of the rocky terrain.[3] Although they were native to the Kamar deserts, they could thrive in any habitat, and were known to travel great distances in search of prey. Howlrunners preferred to ambush their prey, lying in wait within the scrub plants of the mountains before attacking and wounding passing animals. Once the chase was on, howlrunners were victorious because of their tireless persistence, making up for their lack of speed by simply chasing their targets until they collapsed.[1] They also used the characteristic howl that gave them their name to disorient their prey and make them easier to track.[3]

History

"As I sat watching the howlrunners, the walls of the safari dome seemed to melt away. For a brief moment, I was part of the pack, hunting and howling with these magnificent predators. I have spent the rest of my life trying to recapture that feeling, from the cockpit of a starfighter."
―Excerpt from The Anthropology of Engineering by Jo Ewsli[4]

For many years, howlrunners were renowned for their tenacity and ferocity, with their reputation extending far beyond Kamar. In the waning days of the Jedi Order, the Jedi Knight Sharad Hett earned the moniker "Howlrunner" due to his dedication and bravery.[5] Later, during the Galactic Civil War, the Incom Corporation developed the I-7 Howlrunner starfighter for the Galactic Empire, designing it in a way that the manufacturer felt reflected the fierceness of its namesake.[2] Engineer Jo Ewsli, inspired by a personal experience watching a pack of howlrunners on the hunt while on a trip to Kamar, directly chose the name "Howlrunner" in their honor. However, by the era of the New Republic, howlrunners had become an endangered species on their homeworld, owing to their popularity as big game—hunters traveled from far and wide to Kamar to hunt howlrunners for their famous skulls. Many howlrunners were also carried off to be placed into fighting rings, which were widely illegal across the New Republic.[3] In addition, Howlrunners were hunted by the native Kamarian Badlanders, to whom boiled howlrunner was a valuable delicacy.[6]

Behind the scenes

The howlrunner was first mentioned in Han Solo's Revenge, a novel written by Brian Daley and released in 1979.[6] It later received an entry in 2001's The Essential Guide to Alien Species, which provided extensive background information on the creature along with its first illustration, by R. K. Post.[3]

Appearances

Sources

Notes and references

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 1.6 1.7 Han Solo and the Corporate Sector Sourcebook
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 Dark Empire Sourcebook
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 3.4 3.5 3.6 3.7 The Essential Guide to Alien Species
  4. ↑ The New Essential Guide to Vehicles and Vessels
  5. ↑ Jedi vs. Sith: The Essential Guide to the Force
  6. ↑ 6.0 6.1 Han Solo's Revenge
In other languages
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