The male Gran Barlen lived on the planet Nal Hutta during the Cold War between the Galactic Republic and the Sith Empire. During the war, he worked as a weapons seller in Jiguuna, an industrial town controlled by a Hutt crime lord named Suudaa Nem'ro. Barlen sold several varieties of blaster pistol and blaster rifle and accepted credits as payment at his stall in Jiguuna's marketplace, which was located next to Nem'ro's Palace. As all merchants in Jiguuna were, Barlen was expected to pay some of the profits from his stall to one of Nem'ro's lieutenants at the crime lord's palace. The stall included a shooting practice target which was marked from use.