The Vaathkree people evolved on the planet of Vaathkree. They were covered by armored plates, making them appear to be made from stone and metal. Vaathkree were well-known for their devotion to trade and bartering. In fact, the name of their religion (roughly translated to Basic) was "The Deal."
Vaathkree had a long lifespan (300 to 350 standard years) and a two-staged life cycle. They began their lives as small, shapeless non-sentients called Stonesingers. Stonesingers roamed the lava flats of Vaathkree, incorporating bits of stone and metal into their body structure. Their metabolism allowed them to absorb minerals which would be turned into tough armor scales on the outside of the skin. At about nine years of age, the Stonesingers were about one meter tall, but still had a fluid form. They also began to develop rudimentary intelligence, and were instructed by adult Vaathkree into the ways of The Deal.
As their minds developed, the young Stonesingers lost their fluidity, and had to choose a particular form. Since the Vaathkree had been active in the Galactic Republic for several millennia, this was usually a Human-sized humanoid form. Others chose variant forms suited to their chosen professions. Stonesingers became adult Vaathkree at about twenty years of age.
Concepts such as barter, haggling, sales technique, and supply and demand were deeply ingrained in Vaathkree culture. As a result, they were one of the most renowned trading species in the galaxy. A trade route, the Vaathkree Trade Corridor, was named after them. Over time, the Vaathkree had developed a complicated trade language for discussing business matters. Non-Vaathkree found this language especially hard to decipher, which usually worked in the Vaathkree's favor.