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Tonttu
NAMES
► Tonttu, Totattu and Nissu
DESIGNATION
► Sentient
HEIGHT
► 1'5 to 2'8 ft. Average is 2'0 (0.4 to 0.8 meters. Average is 0.6 meters)
LIFESPAN
► 180 Galactic Standard Years
HOMEWORLD
► Tantara
DIET
► Technically omnivorous
Table of Contents
Biology
Breeding
Strengths
Weaknesses
Diet
Behavior
Communication
Society
Culture
History
Planet
Technology
Intent
Tonttu are small creatures that had two arms, two legs, a torso and a head; making them humanoid. Unlike many species, there was hardly any sexual dimorphisim, beyond the typical biological differences, between male and females. On average they reached a height of 2'0. Generally they had a light white-pink skin colour but its possible for them to have darker skin tones, they could also tan but this was rare due to not being good with super hot weather. Their main and most distinctive feature was their large bushy tail that came out from the lower back. Generally this tail is a fair bit bigger than even their torso but it depended on how tall or old the Tonttu was. The head of a Tonttu was quite large in comparison to their body, giving them an oddly proportioned look. Noses were quite long and pointy. Like many humanoid & near-human species, Tonttu grew hair on the top of their heads and males could even grow beards later in life. The colour of the hair could be anything, including black or blond but also could rarely be very unusual colours like bright blue and pink; their tail was always the same colour as this hair but could also be a darker or lighter shade.
Due to their small size, beings that were not familiar with them would believe them to be weak and fragile, this was very different from the reality. Tonttu's skin and bones were thicker and tougher than they looked/seemed, due to the very high gravity, atmosphere & pressure of their homeworld requiring them to be very tough to not break/be crushed etc. They were also physically stronger than they look, but nowhere near the same level as their durability; Tonttu would have still lose to most species in physical strength. The tail was thick enough to be used as a weapon but would require the Tonttu to swing their body a bit as it can't be moved beyond a certain point using muscles; it was also not prehensile so wasn't that useful for things beyond its main use. This main use was balance, as having their proportions on a high gravity world would make it difficult to stay upright etc. without the tail to counterbalance. On planets with much less gravity, Tonttu could find it hard to move at first but would eventually adapt; their body structure allowing them to have quite high agility on some worlds as they can move faster in the reduced gravity, their tail also allowing them to help change directions easily & stop quickly etc.
While they had an average lifespan of 180, they could have quite easily reached 200; the oldest known Tonttu was 221 when he died. Like most species, Tonttu started to deteriorate at advanced ages. Generally this happened when they were around 190. Until this time a Tonttu would remain nearly in their prime; only having a smaller amounts of stamina and physical ability. Like many other species, Tonttu can be Force Sensitive.
Tonttu required a male and female to breed like many other species. Where they differ from most species was the fact that the female is only pregnant for 4 months and then gave birth, resulting in what would be a very premature baby in other races. This happened for a variety of reasons; they aren't very big themselves so having a baby inside them would cause them to struggle to support both for a long time and made moving in the high gravity/atmosphere difficult. Another reason was Tonttu moved around a lot, or at least they did many generations ago so pregnant Tonttu had to keep up and fight etc. Thus they evolved/adapted to have a very quick pregnancy. Modern tribes didn't wander as much but the species were still very active.
Once born, a baby Tonttu was originally placed in a special sling that was then sometimes carried around by the mother or father but 80% of the time was carried by a Tonttu in a special role/job called a Carer/Navatti; whose entire job was protecting and carrying several babies. Created using special material and techniques, the baby was somewhat protected from the gravity and movement of the carrier so they could grow up and get used to both etc. This was quite archaic however and instead babies were now placed in technological pods that helped protect them and also helped to get them used to the planet by simulating the gravity at a lower level and increasing overtime etc. Most pods had a basic computer system and repulsorlift, allowing them to be programmed and easily moved around or go over most terrain; but some had wheels or had to be manually pushed. Generally only a few tribes or Tonttu unable to get/create these pods still used the slings. A Tonttu left the pod/sling around one year and three months after being born but still slept in it and generally went back in quite often until they could fully walk; which they could usually do by the time they were 2 and a half years old. Off Tantara pods could be quite different as they didn't need to simulate the gravity; although many did so their child could go to their homeworld without any problems etc. They were considered children until they 26-30 but became fully grown at 15. The exact age differed depending on tribe and circumstances; the difference between a child and adult Tonttu was culturally based as they were required to go through a certain ceremony to be an adult, most of them acted like adults long before they were 26/30.
They could breed once they were 15, but generally didn't until they were considered adults. A female could have another baby 3 weeks after giving birth. Tonttu could breed with several canine species such as Amarans, Kudons, Shistavanens, Ranth and Geelan; as well as some humanoid and near-human species like Kages, Bimm, Patitites, Ewoks and Zabrak. They could only breed with a couple of human species/offshoots. Despite this, only males generally could successfully create offspring as the size and pregnancy cycle of female Tonttu made it near impossible for hybrids to survive.
Tonttu had very durable skin and bones, making them more difficult to damage than many other species. They were also highly intelligent and skilled when it came to technology. Due to their small size, they could be hard to hit and could easily hide or get into places larger species couldn't.
While stronger than their size would suggest, they were still less physically strong than most other species. Tonttu took time to adapt to more normal gravity and atmospheres; they also could take time to adjust to some planets even after being on normal gravity planets for decades. Tonttu were also quite easy to knock off balance due to their small frames making even minor changes to what they were standing on affect them, their large heads in proportion to their body etc.; they heavily relied on their tails to help walk and keep their balance. These tails also gave them a separate weakness, if pulled or greatly injured it caused extreme amounts of pain and made Tonttu unable to concentrate or even move momentarily; this weakness could be somewhat mitigated with training however but never fully disappeared.
Tonttu were technically omnivorous but generally only ate meat on special occasions like festivals/events or if there was nothing else. As such their diet was vegetarian. A few tribes were fully omnivorous, eating meat all the time.
Their most eaten foods were berries, a plant called 'caston', certain tree nuts and freshly laid Havoshou eggs. Due to their small size they didn't need as much food as other species.
Generally Tonttu were very energetic and sociable, spending most of their time doing something or talking. Most were also generally quite naive or ignorant, even those who had been out in the galaxy for a long time could be quite naive as they were just naturally quite trusting and lacking judgement in certain things etc.
Tonttu were also very often quite gifted with technology, allowing them to create and repair things quite easily. They were often even able to learn how to build/understand sophisticated technology like starships in a surprisingly short amount of time; not all Tonttu focused on technology however.
Almost all Tonttu knew Basic as they were often heavily involved with other species of the galaxy, generally only very young or isolated tribes didn't know it. Many also knew other common languages like Binary (droid), Huttese and Bocce etc.
They also had their own language, Tont. It was mostly an oral language but also made use of body language, especially using the tail. Generally only used when in the tribe or when Tonttu want to speak privately, it could be learned by other species but some words/phrases couldn't be done without having a large tail. Had a few 'dialects' due to some tribes developing the language different; but were similar enough that they could usually still be understood by a different dialect.
The Tonttu generally lived in tribes, although individuals and small groups could be part of the society of other planets. Although they were called tribes, they were usually very large and more like large towns in terms of population; very small tribes also existed and were quite isolated. The tribe had multiple major roles/jobs:
- Chief/Latern: The leader of the tribe that generally made the most important decisions and managed the entire tribe. Chiefs were usually chosen by voting, originally done quite crudely it was now done using special devices that recorded the vote and counted in real time. Anyone could become the chief but due to its importance and the jobs they had to do, only the Tonttu who fit the best would get high amounts of votes. There would be a period of mourning (although a party/celebration would also happen) after a Chief died and then the voting for the new would start; if a Chief retired or stepped down there would only be the party.
- Elder/Avosari: The advisors of the tribe, they helped the chief make decisions and generally provided advice to people who wanted it etc. Many of them were often former Chiefs/Laterns. Generally only older Tonttu were made an Elder/Avosari, which was why it was named this rather than advisor.
- Captain of the Guard/Fforo: Leader of the guard, often also served as the leader of the whole military; if the tribe even had one. If they guarded someone it was usually the Chief or an Elder but mostly just managed the guards and did other related tasks.
- Forger/Ba: A Tonttu that created metal and items from it. Only strong Tonttu were able to be Forgers as their small size made it impossible to be one without being very physically strong. Also worked with other roles such as cyberka/Vercam and techer/verc to create technology etc.
- Head Cyberka/Verctam: Manager and leader of the cyberka, a usually very large group of Tonttu who experimented, researched and generally messed about with technology etc. Very often left the tribe to work with technology elsewhere and many of them were also techers/vercs.
- Techer/Verc: The Tonttu tribes version of engineers, technicians and similar jobs/roles. They did many jobs and tasks related to technology, including repairing, upgrading and designing it. Techers/Verc also could do other related jobs like creating/repairing droids and even specialize in an area etc.
- Carer/Navatti: The name for Tonttu who protected and carried babies, due to now using pods; they were much less common and were generally only used by parents who were in an area where they need the protection, traditionalists or tribes/individuals without the means to create a pod. The role was now more about providing advice, useful items and other things parents needed rather than directly looking after their child.
- Priest/Asong: While commonly associated with the Irrula religion, they could also be part of other faiths. Some tribes had them be a large part of them, very often doing services and blessings etc. Others only had priests do things during big festivals such as the Tura.
Despite Tonttu themselves being decently common and being well known for generally being good with technology; Tantara itself was quite isolated and wasn;t visited very often. As such individuals from the tribes on it could differ from Tonttu who live on other planets. They also often sold or even giae away some of the technology they made, as such communities close to a Tonttu tribe could have a lot of powerful and advanced technology. Individually they were not seen as that big of an asset/threat but once there was more than a handful they could quickly become it, as even a small group could create or improve technology a lot; plus their small size could be a benefit or problem depending on what side they were on etc. But generally they could be quite welcome in most societies for a variety of reasons; even if was just because of the chance to get some technology from them.
Inside a tribe Tonttu were very peaceful and helpful; while they all had a job/role or two they do, they also helped out with other jobs if needed. Due to their naivety and ignorance, arguments and disagreements could happen but they were also quite easily solved, with Tonttu quickly making up and even being good friends within hours. As they were usually all very collaborative and friendly, tribe members were usually quite close but usually didn't know everyone due to the size of the tribe. Outside of a tribe Tonttu could be more nervous but were usually still quite friendly and helpful. They usually would have a small group of close friends and a larger group of people they knew from work or the larger community. Even when they were not in a technical role, they could be approached for help/advice; which for Tonttu who weren't very good at it or didn't focus on it could be quite annoying etc.
The Tonttu usually respected both the environment and technology, trying not to destroy areas when gathering resources or taking too many plants etc. They also tried to incorporate trees and other things into houses and other parts of the tribe; disliking cutting them down/destroying them. This was also a major part of why they didn't eat meat outside of special occasions/had to as there was nothing else; the Tonttu didn't want to disrupt the ecosystem or take the lives of animals for no big reason etc. They saw technology as something to try and improve upon but also knew when to stop, as going too far could be dangerous for themselves and everyone else. The Tonttu also tried not to let it dominate their lives, which was why despite their heavy association and skill with it; they could sometimes have less technology than even small towns being used for jobs and other things. Droids could be uncommon and were generally built by the tribe themselves; and they were never the only thing to do a job as Tonttu themselves still helped.
Overtime the Tonttu created a variety of cultural pass times, ranging from competitions associated with technology to telling stories to a large crowd with interactive elements such as singing/dancing. Other pass times from places in the galaxy were also quite common such as holochess, holo-darts, Pazaak, space poker and certain sports. Generally Tonttu disliked violent pass times/hobbies like sport shooting/dueling as they didn't serve any purpose and were very likely to lead to injuries and death. As such arguments would only end up in an actual fight in rare situations, preferring to verbally argue or find an alternative way to solve it; they also would quickly make up due to their personalities and general temperament. Some tribes could differ however, with some isolated tribes and Tonttu from certain upbringings being very violent and enjoying very different things.
Each tribe had a different style of clothing but most Tonttu wore quite brightly colored clothing and accessories; most of them were also quite simple and had to have a hole for their tail. Some tribes and individual Tonttu even had special clothing or accessories on their tail, others felt that the tail shouldn't have anything on it as it would make balancing harder.
Names
Tonttu had a large range of first names as well as ones from other species and cultures that slowly started to be used once they went off into the galaxy. While some were considered male or female, many Tonttu would use any name for any gender. Their name was always chosen by their parents; if for whatever they can't choose it, an Elder or a person of otherwise suitable authority would choose it. Example names that originated from the Tonttu were: Boma, Rampo, Kabu, Biann, Inhei, Nubon, Pellni, Tarara, Gancho, Marsherry, Vioma, Jaballi, Jur, O'dox, Eiken and Asirica.
Some tribes did not use second names/surnames, so Tonttu from them only had the one name. Others used the name of the tribe or had a word that was made from it; such as the tribe being called Davoc and having the second name Davo or Cadavoc. Some Tonttu also use dsecond names from other species or even just invented their own. Families usually kept the same surnames and their child could choose whether to use their mum or dad's if they had different ones. Middle names were uncommon and were generally only used by Tonttu not on Tantara.
Many tribes or individuals also had 'special names' that were used and were generally in Tont rather than Common. These names were earned by doing some sort of feat or achievement and then were usually used as a sign of respect/closeness but could also be used by the entire tribe. For example someone who had built a very fast spacecraft might 'earn' the name Tessiel (lightning speed). They were often seen as a sort of nickname by other races, but were actually more of a honorific or 'rank' and those with them usually had more authority than people without etc.. A Tonttu could give a name to non-Tonttu but these were usually more personal and wouldn't be used by other Tonttu/people. Examples: Eri Oka (master cook), Hasturn (strategiser), Jivan (golden), Isihrin (dashing), Saronin'ha (good friend or role model), Fiopp (jumper), Gi'lt Tsta (fast thinker) Roh Mak (great gardener), Kulo (vibrant), Werma (infiltrationer), Optom (chronicle) and Ffuo (protector).
Coming of Age
To be considered an adult, a Tonttu must go through a rite called Tura. The exact age depended on the tribe and even certain circumstances; most went through it when around 26-30 but it could be earlier or later. The rite involved several tests to determine if the Tonttu was ready in both mind, body and spirit; ranging from answering questions from an Elder, fixing something that was broken, meditating and joining/helping someone with their job etc. They then had to go into the forest or some other area and survive with one or two other people also doing the Tura for several days; adults would watch them but wouldn't interfere unless they had to. Tribes could have slightly different things Tonttu had to do and could also have extra tests/tasks. Once they had passed they would have the Tura Ceremony, which involved the one who passed and their family being blessed by multiple priests/asongs, general celebrating, eating meat and ended with them drinking a special wine that was only ever drunk by the person who passed.
Certain tribes had particular times of the year where they did the Tura such as the middle and the end of the year, so often have quite a few Tonttu would be going through it. Others did it whenever a minimum amount of people was reached; which could be as low as two. It could be done even when not in a tribe or near any other Tonttu, as long as someone had the means to do some of the tests, a priest and the special wine; but most Tonttu would go to their tribe or home to do it. If someone failed they had to wait a certain amount of time before they could try and again; usually a year. Most tribes were quite lenient and would let you pass as long as the Tonttu shows willing and there were no major problems with their answers or actions; it also helped that the vast majority of Tonttu were ready/mature way before 26.
It was heavily frowned upon by Tonttu to never go through it, as you would then technically always be a child. A few isolated tribes got rid of it entirely and had another way to become an adult or they were just one at a certain age etc. In rare cases a Tonttu could be considered to have gone through the Tura if they had already proven themselves such as going through a situation that showed the kind of things the Tura tests etc. Examples were having to survive/live alone for a good amount of time, going through a very traumatic experience and even passing the Jedi Trials.
Festivals & Holidays
Tura wasn't the only major event that the Tonttu had, they also had several others that usually originated from one tribe and slowly to spread to others. One of the first major tragedies created a remembrance day called Volsag; the first major ship they created exploded before leaving the atmosphere, killing the entire crew of 5 Tonttu as well as several others due to the debris. Usually celebrated with a feast and dancing, it also had multiple times in the day that Tonttu would stop and just be happy they are alive, remembering the ones they had lost or just reflecting on the people that lost their lives in the pursuit of something etc.
The Sun Festival was a massive celebration that happened during the hottest part of the year, usually several tribes would come together to celebrate it. Mainly about having fun; it involved various traditions like swimming or being on boats, feasting, dancing at dawn and dusk, multiple special sports/games etc. Most tribes on planets without seasons/hot weather just celebrated it around the same time of year. Although less celebrated, many tribes also had the Moon Festival that was done during the coldest part of the year; traditions varied but often involved telling stories around a large campfire, racing with small/medium sized vehicles and multiple special sports/games.
Near the start of the year, most Tonttu had a week long tradition called Res. The first two days were spent doing jobs without using technology at all and they generally avoided using it to instead socialize and have fun other ways instead. After that they only ate one meal a day until Res ends (5 days), usually the entire tribe ate together while listening/watching something; such as a priest/asong doing a service or something from the Holonet. Each day was then spent focusing on improving something, some improved multiple things while others only focus on a single thing for the entire time; ranging from creating a new device, getting better at a certain skill or becoming friends with some new people etc. On the final day there was a big party that usually lasted so long it went into the next day; similar to other festivals, many tribes also came together for this party.
When a Tonttu died, many tribes would have a celebration/party as they know the one who died wouldn't want them to be too sad and would rather see them celebrate their life and accomplishments etc. They were generally cremated and their ashes spread so they can be 'free forever'. A Tonttu could also wait to be spread until their partner or children etc had also died and then all of their ashes would be spread together. A priest/asong would often say some words before spreading the ashes/burying them but it could also be done by a friend/family member. After a chief died, the tribe would have a time of mourning; but also often had a very large party/celebration which could last several days before they chose a replacement; a similar thing could happen for an elder as well.
Various tribes also had their own smaller and more personal traditions and holidays. They could also celebrate ones from other species or many of the ones that the whole galaxy had traditions for. An individual or group of Tonttu could often have a party/celebration for minor reasons or even no reason at all due to their personality and their main religion etc.
Religion
While they could be in a variety of religions or follow one of many different faiths, Tonttu had a religion of their own that had been around since about 5500 BBY. Called the Tantarian Impulsa or just Impulsa by many people in the galaxy and known as Irrula by most Tonttu; it was a religion that focused on following your ideas/thoughts, urges, random impulses, having fun and general free will. This fitted very well with the personalities of the species and helped to make them even more carefree and capricious etc.
Had no set practices but generally priests and other religious figures did services and blessings that focused on following your heart and being free. Most Tonttu tribes had some sort of church or other building but was rare to find a Irrula church outside of one due to the very nature of the religion and it being more about following impulses than worship.
The main belief of the religion was that the entire galaxy had a will of its own, called the Will of World. People were guided by it and it helped to give everyone their urges and free will; many also believed that coincidences and getting help from random/unlikely sources were also connected to it. Priests and members of the religion advocated giving into urges and random ideas, as the Will of the World wanted you to use them, they were there for a reason and were obviously something you want to do etc. The only ones the religion didn't advocate for was evil and destructive ones, as they inflicted pain on others and Irrula was mostly about having fun and having no regrets. Technically someone could still follow the religion while doing these things as they were still following their urges and having fun; but Tonttu or other followers wouldn't like it however and would try and arrest them etc. Some impulses and practices might be frowned upon but it varied between individual followers, so some might not like screaming, swearing, gambling or hunting but others would be fine with some or all of them etc.
Due to somewhat having a similarity, The Force and the Will of the World were sometimes seen as connected; and could even be seen as the same exact thing. Some who knew of both saw them as completely separate; as the Force was often seen as creating a predisposed destiny, which was somewhat the opposite of free will and the religions beliefs.
The early history of the Tonttu was mostly lost to time due to tribes not keeping record until a long time afterwards as well as things like tribes disappearing and frequently moving around etc. What was known was that they most likely evolved from some sort of canine animal and quickly came together to form large groups, that eventually became similar in structure to the tribes seen in the present. Around 9,000 BBY is generally when the history and timeline of the Tonttu started, as anything before that was too unknown, although the existence of them went back to at least 32,000 BBY
Timeline
- Around 9,000 BBY: Several small tribes come together to form a larger one, which would become the normal size for them over the next 2000 years.
- 7,800 BBY: A large meteor hits Tantara and destroys multiple tribes, takes a chunk out of a small mountain and levels about a 50 miles of forests and grasslands. Also creates a large crater that partly fills with water.
- 6,100 BBY: A ship crash lands and the travelers eventually repair it after a few months with the help of few Tonttu who provide supplies and tools, this is the first interaction with something outside the planet and drastically alters how the Tonttu see the world.
- Around 5500 BBY: Tantarian Impulsa/Irrula starts to gain traction and becomes the main religion of the Tonttu within 150 years.
- 5234 BBY: The fist Tonttu ship leaves Tantara but explodes before leaving the atmosphere, the day it happened becomes a holiday that most tribes have; known as Volsag.
- 5174 BBY: A group of Tonttu travel quite far from the planet and eventually meet some humans from the Galactic Republic
- 5162 BBY: Tantara is approached by the Galactic Republic, but choose to remain completely neutral
- 3300 BBY: The Tonttu can be found quite rarely throughout the galaxy and there are even a few tribes on other planets
- 2267 BBY: Tantara is invaded but the attackers are repelled within a few months, this incident and the advanced technology the Tonttu are known to create helps the planet to remain neutral while wars happen across the galaxy.
- 321 BBY: A Tonttu Jedi falls to the dark side and takes over a tribe on a certain planet.
- 324 BBY: The fallen Tonttu is defeated by his brother who then becomes a Jedi Knight.
- 240 BBY: A group of Tonttu create a new type of technology and start selling it using the small company Icon Incorporated.
- 99 BBY: After seeing the incidents that happened with other species such as war and destruction, a Grand Gathering/Masseng is held and come to the conclusion that they need to remain isolated by blocking the Hyperspace route that is being planned to go through the Tantara Sector.
- 97 BBY: A Tonttu representative is present at the Galactic Senate for the first time, convincing the Senate to not create the planned Hyperspace route.
- 3 BBY: The Galactic Empire attempts to conquer Tantara but after doing so they are constantly attacked and eventually retreat as the Tonttu would rather die than surrender/be forced to join or help them.
- 35 ABY: Several tribes and individual Tonttu are part of the Citizen's Fleet and participate in the Battle of Exegol
Although basically all of their early history was unknown it is known that the tribal society had been around for a very long time with most being nomadic, roaming Tantara and only settling for a year at the most. Trying to live in harmony with nature, its believed many Tonttu were killed by wildlife as they had yet to really develop their strong bones and tough skin. This harsh life possibly helped to establish their main personality traits such as being friendly and helpful as fighting among themselves would just make things even worse etc.
Once the tribes started to become bigger, various roles started to be established and they stopped being so nomad; although many tribes still had multiple 'settlements' which they moved between depending on the season.
First Contact
A certain incident drastically changed the Tonttu, to the point that if it didn't happen they might have died out or just been a somewhat sentient species on this one planet. Before this they hadn't changed much, only moving away from smaller 'tribes' to more town-like ones and created some advancements like irrigation, language (Tont) and metal.
After suffering some kind of malfunction, a ship crashed landed on the planet; this was observed by many tribes and the resulting interactions with the inhabitants of this ship would slowly spread to nearly the entire species, due to several factors like already being friendly with anyone else they met, tribes meeting for social and other events etc. Initially weary, the travelers found the species to be very friendly despite not being able to understand each other. The tribes close to where it crashed tried to help with something they couldn't understand but were fascinated by; thus starting their affinity for technology.
Being allowed to keep several things from the ship, the Tonttu rapidly developed 'scientists' and other roles that advanced them in technology quite rapidly; at least compared to the vast majority of species. This made them go from a sort of early copper age to the space age in around a 1000 years. Due to concentrating on technology for such as long time, it was ingrained into most Tonttu; although later tribes usually had 'less' technology as they don't focus on it as much anymore.
Into the Galaxy
While the first Tonttu launch was unsuccessful and a holiday was created to remember it, they were traveling in space about 60 years later. Although going to several planets, it would take a while before the Tonttu met another sentient species. A scout ship of humans met a vessel of Tonttu and not recognizing the ship, made contact. They were actually part of the Galactic Republic and decided to take the time to explain it and several other things to the ignorant group. Years later Tantara would be approached by the Republic to join but decided they would rather stay free and not have to deal with the politics etc.
Due to their personality, many Tonttu would leave the planet over the next few centuries; slowly integrating into the surrounding galaxy and eventually even distant planets. By 3300 BBY they could be found rarely as part of many different societies, groups and communities. Tribes were also now on other planets as well, but were generally not that large or were part of towns or other settlements.
Modern History
In modern times they could be found fairly often; generally in roles or places associated with technology. Although obviously not as common as species like Twi'leks or Rodians; most people were still at least somewhat aware of them.
Tantara was still neutral and had mostly moved away from creating new technology and were generally just a peaceful and fun loving world. Some events like the Galactic Empire and First Order did affect it but generally affected the Tonttu on other planets much more; such as several being part of the Empire/First Order and others fighting against them etc.
Tantara was a large planet with one moon that was quite isolated due to having no other inhabited planets or Hyperspace routes near it. It had a breathable atmosphere but very strong gravity, generally requiring special equipment to not be crushed by it. It was located in the Inner Rim, Tantara System and its grid coordinates were K-8.
It had a large amount of biomes including; mountains, forests, oceans, grasslands and deserts. Plants and animals were usually quite small and quite durable due to the high gravity compressing them; this included the Tonttu sentient species. It wasn't visited that often due to its isolation and neutrality but travelers were always welcomed by the inhabitants.
Tonttu were known for having and quite easily creating advanced technology, as such their level of technology was generally very high. Most tribes didn't rely on it however, with many jobs that could have been fully automatic still being done manually by Tonttu and things like droids not being very common etc. As a species they had the means to create Hyperdrives and powerful ships, but due to their nature they didn't very often. Tonttu generally focused more on creating fun and helpful technology rather than weapons and other dangerous things.
To add a somewhat common, new and interesting species of a small height with a distinct feature and some focus on technology, but also allows them to be associated with other things and be found doing any sort of job/role. It will hopefully be a species that people will find fun to write about/interact with and add some interesting dynamics. Also adds a carefree religion focused on having fun and following your urges.
