Jak Sandrow
"Nobody cares for the woods anymore."
OUT OF CHARACTER INFORMATION
- Intent: To bring the history of the (canon) planet Ithor up to date with Chaos canon.
- Image Credit: NASA
- Canon: Ithor
- Links: N/A
- Planet Name: Ithor
- Demonym: Ithorian (emigrated)
- Region: Mid-Rim
- System Name: Ottega System
- System Features:
- Core: Ithor, 5 other planets
- Outer: 69 planets, asteroid belt
- Coordinates: AA-18 (M-6)
- Major Imports:
- None (modern)
- Technology, raw materials (historic)
- Major Exports:
- None (modern)
- Botanicals, medicine, foodstuffs, rare goods, spices (historic)
- Gravity: Standard
- Climate:
- Humid (historic)
- Temperate (modern)
- Primary Terrain: Forests, jungles, swamps, mountains, canyons, caves, lakes
- Major Locations: None
- Native Species: Ithorians (emigrated), native species (killed)
- Immigrated Species: Genetically modified species introduced post-Vong
- Population: Minimally populated
- Demographics: Sight-seers, backpackers, scientists (no permanent sentient species)
- Primary Languages: None
- Culture: None
- Government: Off-planet: Ottega system goverment
- Affiliation: None
- Wealth: Low (minor profit from those who wish to visit Ithor International Park)
- Stability: High
- Freedom & Oppression: Permit required to land on-planet - no weaponry, no smuggling of items allowed. Other than that, people are free to come and go as they wish.
- Military: None
- Technology: None
Wookieepedia entry:
Ithor joined the Galactic Republic prior to 8000 BBY. In 3963 BBY, when Republic fleet encountered a Mandalorian raiding force in an asteroid field near Ottega system, Dace Golliard predicted they would attack Ithor next, although it turned out to be a ruse set up by Zayne Carrick and Cassus Fett to capture Golliard. In 439 BBY, scientists attempted to bond the telepathic capabilities of the bafforr tree with another, more vicious tree on the planet surface. The result was a new parasitic life form named "Spore," but its parasitic hostility forced the Ithorians to lock it away in an asteroid 300 BBY. It was long afterwards discovered by miners. In 19 BBY, Grand Master Yoda of the Jedi Order, was reported dead in an incident on Ithor.
Sometime before the Battle of Yavin, Ithor came under siege by the Galactic Empire, which demanded access to Ithorian agricultural techniques and technology in an attempt to locate biotech for military applications. Lead by Captain Alima he threatened the Ithorians with the destruction of their sentient forests, the Cathor Hills. However the Empire was ousted from the planet through a deal formulated by Momaw Nadon, where he bargained with the Empire to reveal the secrets of the Ithorians' technology and agricultural ceremonies, in return for the protection of their 'mother jungle'. Sometime after the Battle of Yavin, the Galactic Empire planned to attack the planet. The Rebel Alliance heard of these plans prior to the attack and dispatched Han Solo to rescue a group of Ithorians wishing to evacuate. Just a few minutes before the attack, Han and his co-pilot Chewbacca were able to rescue the Ithorians. A small battle raged afterwards, with many TIE Fighters. Han and Chewbacca managed to dodge space slugs in a nearby asteroid field and place the Ithorians on Bimmisaari.
Umwaw Moolis represented the planet in the New Republic Senate.
Destruction
However, by 25 ABY, Ithor's tranquil existence came to an end. The Yuuzhan Vong War blazed a trail from the Outer Rim, and Ithor lay directly in their path. Retreating from Dantooine and Dubrillion, the New Republic made a stand at the planet, hoping to resist the invasion long enough to make use of the bafforr tree pollen, which had somehow reacted violently with the living armor of the Yuuzhan Vong. The battle entered into a state of stalemate, until Jedi Knight Corran Horn dueled Shedao Shai, the leader of the Yuuzhan Vong forces, with the planet Ithor at stake. Though Horn was victorious, Shai's subordinate, Deign Lian, was ordered by Warmaster Tsavong Lah to unleash a plague of toxins upon the planet, in order to eliminate any chance of a pollen-based bioweapon. The virulent biochemicals (a biological gray goo) rapidly turned Ithor's verdant forests and animal life into a black ooze which spread and destroyed everything it touched. In retaliation, the assembled Remnant and New Republic forces fired massive barrages of concussion Missiles and proton torpedoes at the Yuuzhan Vong command ship, Legacy of Torment, which broke into three sections. The rear end of the massive warship tumbled into the now hydrogen-oxygen rich atmosphere and ignited it, turning Ithor into a firestorm ridden inferno of a planet.
Ithor's legacy
As of 35 ABY, when the Dark Nest Crisis began and ended, the Ithorians were attempting to relocate to Borao. This attempt almost failed due to the presence of the RePlanetHab organization, who claimed the rights for the world. Chief of State Cal Omas was able to block RePlanetHab's attempts at the "suggestion" of Leia Organa Solo. By the end of the Swarm War in 36 ABY, some scientists were residing on the planet, studying it in hopes of rehabilitation, but most Ithorians settled on Borao along with Felucia, Oetrago and the worlds of the Upell system.
However, considering the Ithorians' skills in ecology and their previous experience in re-terraforming worlds such as Telos IV, they hoped that Ithor could have been reinhabited one day. Abandoning the Ossus Project of Jedi Master Kol Skywalker, the Ithorians decided to rebuild their world using the same technology as during the Restoration of Telos IV. By 137 ABY much of the planet's surface remained rocky and dry, but genetically engineered dangerous plants and animals began to slowly transform the planet's soil and atmosphere into livable state. Visitors to the planet surface were still required to wear breath masks to avoid a large number of toxins in the atmosphere, but environment suits were no longer necessary.
Wookeepedia entry ends here.
Over time, Ithor slowly regrew, its surface slowly becoming covered in more natural plants and animals, though its original species are permanently extinct, save for those which have returned from being removed from Ithor-spheres before the Vong attacked. Now, in 851 ABY, it is a much cooler, less humid planet. Ice caps have formed on the poles, and the forests are primarily more coniferous than deciduous, and has a lot fewer jungles these days. Those jungles are far less dense than their historic counterparts, and it will be a while before Ithor grows back into its resplendent self.
In the meantime, scientists constantly monitor Ithor's return to its greener state, keep a close eye on the species running all over the planet, and care for the planet's environment as a whole. Pollution is kept to an absolute minimum, with hydroelectricity and wind power being the only harvested resources, and those are hardly used at all.
With slowly growing interest in the planet, a small park was set up to accommodate those interested in visiting it. Visitors can get permits to come to the planet, but they are limited to within the Ithor International Park, or, if they purchase property, are required to keep their 'footprint' to as close to zero as they can.
Currently, Ithor is slowly regrowing, but it will take time. The future shall see whether Ithor keeps growing, or burns again.
