Belgaroth

Belgaroth was a remote planet that was located within the Core Worlds region of the galaxy, situated near the Rimma Trade Route. The planet was used by the Galactic Empire to test new weapons and combat maneuvers. It was also the homeworld of the droidbreaker, a species of hulking creatures that fed on plasteel and refined metals.

Description

Geography

Belgaroth was a small, polluted world on the edge of the Core Worlds region. Most of the planet consisted of rocky, rugged, and inhospitable mountains, with occasional hills, plains, and valleys. The bodies of water that passed for oceans were a pair of large seas of murky mustard-brown color, caused by heavy mineral sediment. The world had one city, Belgar, and several large scrapyards. The locals classified their seasons as «cold-wet», «mud», «heat and humidity», and «more rain»—but travelers did not come to Belgaroth for the weather. If they could help it, respectable travelers did not come to Belgaroth at all.^[4]

Astrophysically, the planet orbited a binary sun. Matanya A was an orange star, while Matanya B was a smaller yellow star. The first set over Belgaroth fifteen minutes later than its companion. Two moons orbited Belgaroth, Tregan and Tyrel. The only other notable satellite was a small repair yard that could barely accommodate an Imperial-class Star Destroyer.^[4]

People

The vast majority of Belgarians were Human descendants of the original settlers. Most of the rest were refugees, runaways, fugitives, and wanderers. The species mix varied from year to year, but a significant number of Rodians, Twi'leks, and Sullustans moved through the system.^[4]

The typical Belgarian philosophy could be summed up in three words: «Fine by me». Belgarians did not expect much out of life, and thus were rarely disappointed. They simply cruised through the years, working toward financial security and safety as best as they could. To the average Belgarian, governments rose and fell, and occupying armies came and went. Nothing changed except the flags and bureaucracy. Belgarians could not care less about politics, preferring instead to concentrate on the ongoing struggle for financial security, or even better, passage offplanet. In keeping with the Belgarian «live and let live» philosophy, not much in the way of government existed. Belgar had a City Boss, whose orders served only as suggestions. The best way to describe Belgaroth's government was «benevolent anarchy».^[4]

The Belgarians’ mindset was reflected in their terminology. «ABH» (pronounced «ab») stood for «Anywhere But», the ultimate goal of all Belgarians. «Living at the Scrapyard» was a local euphemism for the recently deceased. «WYS» (pronounced «wiss») stood for «Whatever You Say», the central philosophy of every self-respecting Belgarian.^[4]

History

Early centuries

Around Six hundred years before the rise of the Galactic Empire, Belgaroth was discovered and colonized by two freelance explorers. After naming the planet, Belgar Overlord and Roth Skimm worked diligently to turn it into a bustling waystation and center of trade. However, before they could realize their greater ambitions, they killed each other during a «friendly» card game – an ominous foreshadowing of the hard times the planet would face in the future. Even centuries later, little had changed: Belgaroth remained an insignificant waystation with a single miserable town and a barely functional spaceport. Together they formed a dreary cluster of buildings, cheap bars, flophouses, and a handful of scattered trading posts. Because of the rains, filled with mineral deposits, most of the structures appeared rusted and muddy.^[4]

During the Clone Wars, a Republic Czerka Arms factory was located on the planet. Its staff secretly made illegal chemical weapons for the InterGalactic Banking Clan and their Separatist clients. The operation was exposed by a team of clone trooper scouts, most of whom died attempting to deliver this information to the Republic. The single survivor, Marrt, destroyed the factory and then relayed the information he had gathered, and two senators were implicated in the double-dealings.^[5]

Imperial Control

When the Galactic Empire came to power, the Naval Department decided that it needed an insignificant world for testing new weaponry and conducting training maneuvers. Belgaroth became the «lucky one» chosen for this purpose. The planet’s sluggish and constantly shifting population offered even less resistance to the Empire’s arrival than the inhabitants of most other worlds. Moreover, for some, the Empire was a welcome guest: with it came money, ships, and jobs. Although stormtroopers were steadfast and difficult to intimidate or deceive, the average Imperial technician, low-grade officer, or laborer was an easy target for the Belgarian criminal element.^[4]

One year after its arrival on the planet, the Empire built a small repair yard in orbit, which served for the inspection of Imperial ships engaged in test runs on the nearby moons or in the course of military maneuvers. However, the station’s size barely allowed it to accommodate a single Star Destroyer.^[4]

Belgaroth was a vivid example of a small, insignificant world that the Empire ruined for its own foul purposes. The local flora and fauna evolved, adapting not only to the harsh climate and landscape but also to the ecological catastrophe wrought by the Empire. Most native organisms learned to process aggressive chemicals, refined metal slag, and toxic waste with ease. Among them were the swamp predators known as droidbreakers, which adapted within a single generation to feeding on inorganic materials. Their habitat also changed as a result. The Droidbreakers roamed the planet’s junk fields, prowling among heaps of obsolete equipment, worn-out starship parts, discarded weapons, burned-out droids, and toxic refuse.^[4]

Twelve years before the Battle of Yavin, command of the orbital shipyard was assumed by Imperial [Llieutenant/Legends|lieutenant]] Brivyl Goss, who had no objections to being assigned to such an unpromising and remote post as Belgaroth. During the time of the Rebellion, Belgaroth was maintained by a simple garrison of Imperial fleet personnel. Whenever military exercises or weapons tests were announced, the size of the garrison increased. Typically, the tests were conducted every three months and lasted for about two standard weeks. During these periods, the star system literally swarmed with TIE fighters, Star Destroyers, and other Imperial vessels.^[4]

Fall of the Empire

After two years, Lieutenant Goss received orders to destroy the orbital station and evacuate from the planet. Instead of carrying out the order, Goss selected several trusted junior officers and left the system aboard a requisitioned shuttle. Despite this, the shipyard continued to orbit Belgaroth even after the formation of the New Republic. The station was used for scheduled repairs and maintenance of the few ships that entered the Belgaroth system. This was, fortunately, enough to sustain the local economy – albeit sluggishly.^[4]

After the defeat at the Endor, local warlords took the place of the shattered Empire.^[6] At that time, Belgaroth was nearly forgotten, and news of the Empire’s fall reached the planet only much later – surprisingly so, given Belgaroth’s proximity to Coruscant.^[4] Abandoned Belgaroth became the fortress world of Zero Command, an Imperial faction established by Lord High Admiral Blitzer Harrsk.^[6] Belgaroth was regularly patrolled by a small squadron of TIE fighters, and from time to time visited by a Star Destroyer.^[4] A short time later, around 5 ABY, the New Republic moved its fleet here as part of its counteroffensive in the Core Worlds, which forced Harrsk’s forces to retreat from Belgaroth toward the Deep Core.^[6] On the planet, the Republic discovered an abandoned Imperial base, several wrecked TIE fighters, and a single dilapidated city. The population greeted yet another change of rule with the same indifference as they had shown to the rise of the Empire many years earlier.^[4]

Behind the scenes

The planet Belgaroth was created by the author John Terra for the sourcebook Coruscant and the Core Worlds (2003) for the Star Wars Roleplaying Game published by Wizards of the Coast. The sourcebook provided a brief informational article about the planet and also included descriptions of locations where game scenarios could take place. In addition, the publication presented three possible scenarios: «An Unexpected Stop», «Let's Pick through Garbage!», and «A-Hunting We Will Go».

The first scenario began with the player characters’ ship breaking down, leaving them in Belgaroth’s binary system. Upon arrival, they witnessed four Imperial Star Destroyers bombarding one of Belgaroth’s moons. A squadron of TIE fighters approached their ship, after which a local commander contacted them. He informed them that landing was permitted only at designated coordinates and provided guidance for the landing. The commander also warned that any deviation from the assigned course would result in the ship being fired upon and seized. At the spaceport, the characters encountered a spy from the Alliance, who was trying to determine what the Empire was testing on the moon’s surface. If the characters agreed to assist the Alliance, they were tasked with covert observation and a daring flight near the Star Destroyers to gather intelligence. The Empire was testing targeting systems for a new superweapon – possibly even for the Death Star itself. However, the name of the military project remained unknown to them.

The second scenario forced the player characters to search for a redundant hyperdrive governor unit – a rare and hard-to-find part without which their ship could not return to space. The dispatcher suggested that the best chance of finding the part was to go to the Scrapyard and attempt to locate it among the debris of thousands of ships accumulated there over many years. The Scrapyard covered a vast area, meaning the search would be long and complicated by aggressive local wildlife. Additional challenges came from a gang of smugglers who had buried some contraband there until they could safely move it. When the heroes became unwelcome witnesses, the smugglers decided to get rid of them.

The final scenario again required the players to return to the Scrapyard. The heroes’ presence on the planet angered the local crime syndicate, and soon their ship was confiscated under the pretext of violating a local codes – though careful observation could reveal that the accusations were fabricated. To reclaim their vessel, the player team had to complete a task for the syndicate. The local crime lord wanted to acquire the carcass of a wild droidbreaker, and only after that promised to return the ship.

Appearances

• "A Trooper's Tale" — Star Wars: The Clone Wars Comic 6.8 (In flashback(s))

Sources

• Coruscant and the Core Worlds (First mentioned)
• The Complete Star Wars Encyclopedia
• The Essential Atlas

Notes and references