The Ithorian Diaspora

[Ashin Varanin]

Dear Priest Moolis,

I can confirm your suppositions. The current centres of Ithorian population are as follows:

• Ithor -- The great homeworld, rebuilt before the Dark Age. As a native of that world, you would know more than I. So far as I am aware, it has returned to its stable pre-cataclysm population of two billion.
• Borao -- Our homeworld after the cataclysm, population figures readily available to you.
• Felucia -- I grew up here. Population figures readily available.
• Oetrago -- Another major colony, population figures readily available to you.
• Upell System -- Several colony worlds, population figures readily available.

Those are the classical colonies, as you well know. The following are other locations where the diaspora has entrenched itself. Some have only recently re-connected with the galaxy.

• Gonnos -- A small but locally influential population dating back around 2,400 years.
• Athos IV -- Home to twenty million Ithorians.
• Roviane -- There are nearly a quarter of a million Ithorians living on Roviane.
• Baalia -- A token population I have encountered, no more than two hundred souls.
• Last Eden -- A token population, no more than twenty or thirty.
• Mellaniphe -- A strong Ithorian minority community out of a total population of 3 billion. I estimate several million Ithorians live on Mellaniphe.
• Lyrae -- Ithorians are a substantial minority population, and the planet is home to roughly 70 billion. I would wager that between 5-7 billion Ithorians live on Lyrae.
• Sancre Mora -- Several thousand Ithorians and many Bafforr groves were resettled here after the cataclysm, and our ideals have proven immensely influential. Current Ithorian numbers are unknown, but they represent a substantial percentage of the planet's six billion inhabitants.
• Kyrikal -- The remote moons of Kyrikal, recently rediscovered, are home to roughly one billion Ithorians.
• Varunda IX -- Nearly as remote as Kyrikal is the moon of Varunda, at the edge of Wild Space, home to over half a billion Ithorians.
• Wayland -- Home to a small herd.

Cordially,

Chodo Murr

 

[Ashin Varanin]

Dear Priest Moolis,

Surely a galactic atlas would be more reliable than my humble notes, but I will endeavour to outline the galactographic dispersal of our people.

• Borao - M-14, located near Yag'Dhul and several major hyperlanes. Borao is extremely well-connected. It lies in neutral territory, near the Galactic Alliance.
• Felucia - Located near the Perlemian and the Daragon Trail, between SSC, Primeval, and Mandalorian territory.
• Oetrago - M-18, located in the heart of Galactic Alliance space, near Eriadu and Sluis Van.
• Upell - K-18, located near a major route, Coreward of Bespin and Anoat. Currently in neutral territory.
• Gonnos - V-13, far past Hutt Space.
• Athos IV - Very close to Oetrago.
• Roviane - The Unknown Regions, beyond Yaga Minor.
• Baalia - Near Metalorn, on the Perlemian.
• Last Eden - The Unknown Regions, beyond Bespin.
• Mellaniphe - Wild Space, beyond Hypori.
• Lyrae - Unclaimed Inner Rim territory near Antar.
• Sancre Mora - I-16, near Cerea and Riflor, unclaimed territory.
• Kyrikal - Near SSC territory, Wild Space, unclaimed.
• Varunda IX - Near the Sanctuary Pipeline, not far from Sancre Mora.
• Wayland - Near Ithor.

Cordially,

Chodo Murr

 

[Ashin Varanin]

Dear Priest Moolis,

There is not, I fear, enough information to make similar estimates about the galactic population of our near cousins the Ottegans. Their population on the third planet of our home system is, of course, significant, but beyond that we have little of reliable quality. There is anecdotal evidence about Takodana and so forth, but the plural of anecdote is not data. In broad terms, I believe most of the galaxy thinks Ottegans and Ithorians are one and the same, so an unknown proportion of the above figures may potentially refer to mingled Ottegan-Ithorian populations. Books could be written on the subject; alas, I am unequal to the task.

In regards to your question about the legacy of my esteemed relative, I currently believe that the holocron of Boolon Murr passed into the stewardship of one Jorus Merrill. Merrill is known to our community through his rediscovery of the Kyrikal system, allowing our cousins to re-connect to the rest of the diaspora. It is believe that Merrill has stepped down as a caretaker of holocrons in general. As a result, I suspect the Boolon Murr holocron is in the hands of the Jedi Order. We should make inquiries.

Cordially,
Chodo Murr

 

[Ashin Varanin]

Dear Priest Moolis,

Apart from the great ancient herd ships with which we are all familiar, the so-called Chodo-class is quite prevalent. I believe it is named for the Healer of Taris, Chodo Habat, as was I. The Chodo-class can operate with as little as forty-five persons, though it is ideal to staff a Chodo-class with four hundred fifty souls and a Bafforr grove. Such a vessel can be home to an additional eleven hundred souls in extremis.

Glasteel curtains and redundant atmospheric retention fields protect a mobile jungle, much as with the much larger Tafanda Bay-style herd ships. In Ithorian spacefaring engineering, the jungle appears to be growing in vacuum, and the Chodo-class miniature herd ship is no exception.

The Chodo-class is not a new design. This style of smaller herd ship was pioneered by the Ithorian diaspora in the decades between the destruction and revitalization of their world – both processes having come at the hands of the Yuuzhan Vong. As such, the Ithorian diaspora prioritized mobility for a time. The modern Chodo-class vessels were constructed while Ithor was under the protection of the Echani. A few were even built to Ithorian specifications by Eshan Drive Yards.

At nearly a quarter of a kilometre in radius, the Chodo-class is ideally home to a few hundred Ithorians. If necessary, though, the ecosystem can support over fifteen hundred ecologically conscious individuals, depending on proximity to a suitable star. Virtually all available surfaces support growth platforms and trellises.

Equidistant pairs of tractor and pressor beams form the vessel's only substantive defense, apart from the point-defense weapons that are optimized for shooting down incoming missiles.

The great virtue of a Chodo-class vessel is its relative affordability. A fraction the size and cost of a Tafanda Bay-class, the Chodo-class can be operated by small merchant guilds. Chodo-class vessels are the backbone of the diaspora.

Cordially,
Chodo Murr