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- "You know, I don't think I ever heard how Chiss families are set up. Especially those who make up the Ruling Families."
"The Nine Ruling Families are like any other families. Blood and merit create siblings and cousins and ranking distants. Some are released, others are rematched, others are born to trial. The same as any other family." - ―Dean Jinzler and Aide Chaf'ees'aklaio
Chiss families were a social unit of the Chiss species. The families were made up of a hierarchy of family ranks,[1] which included from least to greatest, the merit adoptive, trial-born, and ranking distant,[2] cousin, and sibling.[1] A family rank of shadow child also existed, which kept an individual with that rank completely secret, to prevent the complete extermination of a Chiss family by their enemies.[3] Individuals of the family could be considered senior members, as was the case with Aristocra Chaf'orm'bintrano, core name "Formbi," of the Fifth Ruling Family[1] in 22 ABY.[4] In the other case, Aide Chaf'ees'aklaio, core name "Feesa," was too young to be considered a senior member of the Ruling Family.[1]
A Chiss individual belonging to one family could be rematched to another. In some cases, an individual could also be released to their original family.[2] Members of the Chiss Defense Fleet were recruited from every Chiss family, which was signified by the black Defense Fleet uniforms.[1] Upon promotion to a senior officer in the Defense Fleet, a Chiss officer was stripped of family name and privilege and made part of the Defense Hierarchy in order that they may serve all Chiss without deference or prejudice.[2]
According to a study in The University of Sanbra Guide to Intelligent Life, the Csapla, Nuruodo, Inrokini and Sabosen families represented bloodlines said to have predated modern Chiss civilization. Every Chiss claimed affiliation with one of the four families, determined by both tradition and place of birth. In reality, these family names were more of a cultural holdover: the bloodlines had grown so co-meddled that any Chiss could claim affiliation to any of the four families.[5]
Behind the scenes
Chiss families were first mentioned in the 1998 novel Vision of the Future, written by Timothy Zahn.[6]
Appearances
- Outbound Flight (and unabridged audiobook)
- Vision of the Future (and unabridged audiobook) (First mentioned, in book)
"Red Sky, Blue Flame" — Star Wars Gamer 7 (as House)- Survivor's Quest (and unabridged audiobook) (First appearance, in book)
- The New Jedi Order: Dark Tide II: Ruin (as Chiss House)
- The New Jedi Order: Dark Journey (as household)
- The New Jedi Order: Force Heretic I: Remnant (Mentioned only)
- The New Jedi Order: Force Heretic II: Refugee
Sources
"The University of Sanbra Guide to Intelligent Life: The Chiss" — Star Wars Gamer 5- Legacy Era Campaign Guide
- The Unknown Regions