After the Empire conquered Kashoon, the native Kashoonara rebelled, only to be brutally put down. With a series of guerilla assaults, the Alliance helped free Kashoon and left the savage humanoids to their own devices. The humbabas were essential in that war effort.

Ancient Kashoonara folklore portrays the humbaba as the steed of Hurrungat, bringer of twilight. Hurrungat, it is said, rode from the underworld to bind the day and night together into morning and dusk. He came forth slowly, riding upon a giant humbaba, a good six Kashoonara tall at the shoulder.

A real humbaba, it should be noted, is much smaller, typically about two meters or so at the shoulder. Despite its great bulk, the humbaba moves fairly quickly. Its claws, though dull, are large and designed to dig through dirt, rock and mud. Its prehensile snout functions as both a limb and a sensory organ. Hurrungat could have chosen worse for a mount.

A natural burrower, the humbaba prefers soft swampland to the harder soil of Kashoon's forests. Nevertheless, four distinct species have evolved from humbaba migrations across the planet. Two variations thrive in the soggy swamps of the southern continent, while a third inhabits the thick and dangerous forests and a fourth tunnels beneath the ice and snow of Kashoon's poles.

Like their legendary rider, humbabas sleep beneath the ground (or marsh, or snow) during the day, emerging at twilight to forage. Though not strictly solitary, they do not gather into groups of more than five. Their rumbling cries dissuade many predators from attacking, although large forest hunters do feed regularly on the massive omnivores.

Humbabas are not without protection; their speed is surprising and their teeth can do serious damage if the beast manages to grab a good hold on a target. Because of their size and strength, humbabas are difficult to hurt. If all else fails, a humbaba can simply rear up and land on an attacker, mashing it flat.

A humbaba's "nose" is actually prehensile and surprisingly strong. The rough knobs along its shaft allow it to grip and hold objects, although such a grasp is clumsy at best. Some humbabas are rumored to use simple tools with their trunks, but most simply break obstacles or brush aside debris with them. In combat, a humbaba can swing its trunk like a flexible mace, battering nearby targets, or grab a foe and drag it down for a good solid bite. Despite these impressive weapons, humbabas rarely instigate a fight.

The earth-toned fur of the humbaba provides an excellent form of camouflage; the snow-bound variety tends towards bluish-white hues, while the swamp-dwellers' coats reflect the many colors of their homes. Debris from burrowing clings to a humbaba's fur, blending it further into its surroundings. As the humbaba usually walks abroad at night, the beast is rarely seen unless it wants to be.

Despite their great size and obvious food potential, humbabas have never been hunted in the recorded history of Kashoon; the Kashoonara regard them as sacred and will even defend them against off-worlders. Many a stormtrooper is said to have regretted shooting a humbaba during the Imperial occupation. Nevertheless, a great many humbabas fell to blasters before the Imperials were driven from Kashoon. The remaining beasts, though far from endangered, have become more reclusive (or aggressive) since the Empire's invasion. Visitors to Kashoon are advised to avoid humbabas; the customs of the Kashoonara protect these beasts more powerfully than any armor.