Saraask'ar is a Guild of Trandoshan Slavers loyal to Clan Plagueis. Originally hailing from their homeworld of Hsskhor, the reptilian warriors set out toward the stars in the hopes of gaining Jagannath points to appease their goddess, the Scorekeeper. Saraask'ar originally operated as mercenaries, siding with the CIS in the Clone Wars.
After the separatists lost the war, the Guild had to turn to slavery to make a profit. They made considerable profits by selling to the Galactic Empire and its Remnant factions - in particular the Emperor's Hammer - and managed to stay successful until the Vong War. Following the devastation of the Vong, Saraask'ar fell upon hard times, only to find a new ally and a new source of credits - as allies of the then Ascendant House.
History
A Matter of Honor (33 BBY - 31 BBY)
Originally the heir apparent of his Clan, the Firescale, the warrior M'radossk was orphaned when his father's Clan split the city of Varic in two in a civil war. The Firescales attempted to take the city by force of might, fighting off Trandoshan groups loyal to the Republic in a bid to begin taking over the planet. Massacring thousands, both sides entrenched themselves within the city and fought a brutal civil conflict for two and a half years. The Firescale Clan's plan was to use Varic as the center for their planet-wide insurrection, replace the current government of Dosha with a Firescale leader, and launch attacks on Kashyyyk with the final goal of replacing Senator Yarua in the Galactic Senate. While this insurrection never grew to its destined size, it ranged between petty guerrilla action by a few terrorists and full-blown conflict depending on the neighborhood involved.
Outraged over the turn of events and wanting the bloody conflict ended, the Wookiees of Kashyyyk petitioned the Senate for permission to intervene, finally receiving it alongside the assistance of a Jedi Knight named Mauriss Talmod. Begrudgingly, the local government of Varic allowed Wookiee warriors and peacekeepers to land alongside Talmod, and the groups quickly worked with the local authorities to enforce a ceasefire and stop any further deaths due to the conflict. It was in one of these preventative actions that the Firescale Clan's patriarch decided to make a bid on the Jedi ambassador's life, and saw his end on a lightsaber blade as his forces were fought off. After a few weeks of arrests, the de facto leaders of the Firescale Clan came to the table and negotiated a surrender, with some tried for crimes while others were pardoned to return to their lives.
Infuriated by the death of his father, and far from alone in his sentiments, M'radossk attempted to enforce his will as the rightful heir to the Firescale. However, those who had returned to the Republic's good graces refuted him, and he and his followers - roughly ninety Trandoshans - disowned him and dubbed him Saraask'ar, a Firescale term for the honorless. The group declared that the Scorekeeper had forsaken M'radossk, and that he was without Jagannath points and thus without honor.
Dishonored and without a home, M'radossk and his followers took to the stars, seeking a return to the Scorekeeper's favor as mercenaries.
The Enemy of my Enemy (22 BBY - 19 BBY)
For eight standard years, M'radossk and his group, now calling themselves Saraask'ar as a proud title, had grown in strength and wealth. The bloodthirsty Trandoshans had worked for the Hutt Cartel and its various cronies, as enforcers for the Black Sun, and for many other groups over the years. In 23 BBY, the now middle-aged lizard's mortality caught up with him, and he was killed during a job undertaken for the Trade Federation. It was in his wake that his own son, Hssk'osh, would rise to prominence with cutting-edge ideals and a mind for solidity.
While M'radossk had been intent upon remaining as raiders and thugs until the end of his days - a goal he accomplished - Hssk'osh dreamt of the future, and of Senate representation for a Trandoshan private military corporation. These dreams were not to come to fruition, however, as Saraask'ar found itself branded an outlaw group for its dealings with the now-Separatist Federation, as well as the Techno Union and IGBC. With his dream destroyed, his people still burning with resentment of the Republic for their actions against the Firescale coup attempt, and his employers on the Separatist side, Hssk'osh made the only sensible move; he began operating as a mercenary leader in the employ of the CIS.
The next three years were turbulent for the Separatists, but Saraask'ar's profits saw an explosive increase; CIS organizations from all over the galaxy hired them for assaults, kidnappings, and their first slave operations. However, despite their successes, they were but one group in a galaxy-wide war, and ultimately they lost their mercenary status as the fledgling New Order took power.
Faced with no other option, Hssk'osh fell back on the only skill his crew had that was still in demand - slavery. As he would soon discover, the Empire offered no shortage of business.
New Order, New Rules
The rise of the Empire saw a massive increase in the enslavement of non-humans. Among the slavers to profit from this were the reptiles of Saraask'ar, whose strength, brutality, and combat experience allowed them to capture groups from such species as whiphids, talz, and even the powerful wookiees to supplement projects like the Death Star.
The Empire's opinions also allowed the group - longtime enemies of the Republic and the Jedi - to gain some work on the side hunting down suspected former members of the Order. These dealings were the source of their first dealings with the strike fleet of the Emperor's Hammer, which, though minor, would leave their names in the books of influential admirals and Dark Jedi.
During the rebellion, especially as cloning soldiers fell out of practice, Saraask'ar saw even more business gathering slaves and operating as mercenaries, feeding off of a galaxy in turmoil. It was not until after the Vong War that the group lost most of its income, though by that time an interested individual had contacted the leader of the slavers for a new purpose.
The Dark Side
With the death of Hssk'osh at the hands of his son, Tress'kar, the group would soon find their profits increasing rapidly, alongside their standing with the Scorekeeper. After the destruction of Jusadih, they would return to a level of activity and strength not seen since the Old Republic had fractured decades before, in gathering slaves for the hordes of House Plagueis.
Skills and Capabilities
Every reptile in the Guild is fluent in Dosh and Basic, while many have a third or even a fourth language as well. They train in arts that emphasize their size and power, such as the Wookiee art of Wrruushi and the gungan art of Paonga. Recently, since their interactions with Plagueis, they have also begun studying the ancient art of Broken Gate. This, added to the firearm and melee weapons training they ritualistically take part in, makes them deadly in combat.
In addition, the slavers are experts in squad combat and stealth, allowing them to quietly coordinate ambushes and traps with great efficiency. Though they don't hesitate to kill armed enemies, they make a point of capturing anyone they can alive; their devotion to their work is outdone only by their devotion to the Scorekeeper.
Weapons and Equipment
The Trandoshans of Saraask'ar are known to prefer projectile weaponry over blasters, and carry a variety of such weapons. It is common to see them with LS-150 chainguns, scatterguns of various makes, their own slugthrower rifles, and even bowcasters. They will use disruptor weaponry and flamethrowers as well, while carrying a wide array of vibroweapons for close-quarters combat. On the occasion that they do use blasters, they stick to heavy repeaters, and they often utilize fragmentation and incendiary grenades. In short, they aim to kill as many targets as possible.
However, as death sells poorly on the slave market, they also use a wide variety of stun rifles and batons. Dart guns and a variety of electrified nets are utilized, as well as cryoban and glop grenades. Many grenade launcher variants loaded with smoke and metal ball rounds are used to slow and detain slaves, while electric weaponry is used to overload their nervous systems.
The Trandoshans of the Guild wear heavy armor during nearly every waking moment; their natural strength and size lends itself to power armor and durasteel plating. They often decorate their armor with blood-red paint, battle scars, and the bones of their kills.
Organization
Saraask'ar is divided into sub-groups of 85 Trandoshans each. These lesser guilds function under the command of Tress'kar's captains, each being the strongest and best of any particular guild. Tress'kar leads the command group, but will often dispatch the guilds to complete different goals.
Though their primary role is assault, these guilds are used for slaving, raids, separate missions, ambushes, scouting, and even as black market intermediaries. This allows them to operate all over the galaxy, and often imitate pirates to disperse suspicion of organized activities.
The leader of a guild commands respect through strength; his standing with the Scorekeeper must be high and he must prove his worth in battle. As these conflicts end by guile as often as brute strength, and honor is not considered, this typically sees powerful and cunning leaders rise to the top. This ascension is one of the primary reasons Plagueis covets their business, and is assisted by the Dark Jedi whenever necessary.