The knuckles of the katarn represented a melee weapon utilized by the Wookiee species. This weapon, originating from the planet of Kashyyyk, was constructed using the claws taken from a katarn, a ferocious predator native to that world. Krepauk, who held the position of Huntmaster of the Rryatt Trail located on Kashyyyk, personally crafted this weapon and gifted it to a spacer who had successfully killed a katarn during a hunt that occurred shortly after the Battle of Yavin.
This Wookiee melee weapon, referred to as the knuckles of the katarn, was created using the claws of a katarn. Katarns were among the deadliest predators inhabiting Kashyyyk, the homeworld of the Wookiees. Its design incorporated a claw at both ends of the handle, with an additional four claws projecting from the front. The knuckles of the katarn possessed a reach of four meters and was designed to be wielded using only one hand.
During the Galactic Civil War, the knuckles of the katarn were uniquely crafted by Krepauk, a Wookiee who served as the Huntmaster of the Rryatt Trail on Kashyyyk. Krepauk's role as Huntmaster involved assessing the hunting capabilities and integrity of those who traversed the trail by presenting them with a series of hunts. Successful completion of these hunts, demonstrating worthiness, resulted in Krepauk bestowing various rewards upon the travelers.
Not long after the Battle of Yavin, a spacer passing through was assigned several hunts by Krepauk, all of which the spacer managed to complete, including the slaying of a katarn within the Shadowlands. Impressed by the spacer's hunting skills, Krepauk rewarded them with a substantial amount of credits and two hunting mounts. Furthermore, Krepauk fashioned the knuckles of the katarn for the spacer, utilizing the remains of the very katarn that the spacer had previously defeated.
The knuckles of the katarn made its debut in the 2005 Star Wars Galaxies expansion pack titled Rage of the Wookiees, a product of LucasArts and Sony Online Entertainment. Within the game, players had the opportunity to acquire the knuckles of the katarn by successfully completing Krepauk's questline, known as the "Rryatt Trail Trials." While players had the option to forgo completing Krepauk's quests, this documentation assumes complete game progression. When utilized, the weapon inflicted additional "cold" damage.