Rhen Var

Rhen Var was a planet situated near the Tion Cluster in the Outer Rim Territories and one of the former Thanium Worlds. It was the first planet in the Tobali system. Throughout the history of the Galactic Republic, Rhen Var was covered in ice, rendering it almost uninhabitable. Remains of an ancient civilization and old Jedi artifacts were found beneath the ice on the planet, remnants of a former population.
==Description==
Rhen Var was once a fertile paradise filled with vegetation and wildlife. Thousands of years before the War of the Ring, an atmospheric cataclysm turned it into an icy hibernal surface. Since then, it had been a frigid world of frozen tundra and snow swept mountains.
The planet, located in the Outer Rim's Thanium system, orbited the star Tor, had a day of 18 standard hours and the year was 563 standard days. The planet was at galactic coordinates R-6.
==History==
After the Great Sith War in 3986 BBY, former Jedi Ulic Qel-Droma sought refuge on Rhen Var, and there trained Vima Sunrider. He ultimately found peace in the snowy wastes, and was redeemed and then was later murdered by Hoggon. During his stay he found a cave where the rare Solari crystal grew, of which was located near where he taught Sunrider.
Later, Jedi Grand Master Satele Shan and a large Republic army battled Darth Mekhis and a force of Sith during the last months of the Great Galactic War.
Prior to the War of the Ring, the Republic set up a small supply base and listening post on Rhen Var. At the start of the War of the Ring in 1981, the Confederacy of Independent Systems seized Rhen Var with an army so large that the Republic base had to evacuate the planet. Sam Gamgee informed the Jedi High Council about the seizure of the planet. The Separatists' motives in taking the world were unclear until Gamgee and Frodo Baggins discovered Saruman the White uncovering the Force Harvester on Raxus Prime. The answers to its power would be located in the tomb of Ulic Qel-Droma on Rhen Var. After the liberation of Alaris Prime, the Republic retook Rhen Var in the Battle of Rhen Var. During the battle, Frodo learned from Qel-Droma's Force ghost how to defeat the Force Harvester which would power the Dark Reaper located on the ancient Sith world of Thule.
Later, around the time of the Battle of Yavin, Rebel Alliance troops attacked and secured an Imperial listening post. The Galactic Empire soon struck back and eliminated the Rebels. They soon abandoned the listening post and the last presence of civilized life was removed from Rhen Var.
==Behind the scenes==
When Ralph McQuarrie created conceptual art for the Ice Planet which became Hoth, he included illustrations of ruins emerging from the snow. While this did not become a part of the film, the concepts of the ruins of a lost civilization choked in snow and ice may have influenced the development of Rhen Var. Images reflecting this were reprinted in The Illustrated Star Wars Universe.
==Appearances==
*Star Wars: Tales of the Jedi - Redemption 
*The Old Republic—The Lost Suns 1 
*The Old Republic—The Lost Suns 2 
*Star Wars: The Old Republic 
*Star Wars: Battlefront
*Star Wars: Battlefront II 
*Star Wars: The War of the Ring video game
*Tarkin 
==Sources==
*
*Star Wars Battlefront: Prima Official Game Guide
*The Essential Chronology
*The New Essential Chronology
*
*Starships of the Galaxy, Saga Edition
*Knights of the Old Republic Campaign Guide
*The Complete Star Wars Encyclopedia
*The Essential Atlas
*
*Star Wars: Edge of the Empire Core Rulebook
*Enter the Unknown
*Star Wars: Age of Rebellion Core Rulebook
*Star Wars: Force and Destiny Core Rulebook
==Notes and references==
Category:Confederacy of Independent Systems planets
Category:Galactic Empire planets
Category:Galactic Republic planets
Category:Ice planets
Category:New Republic planets
Category:Rhen Var locations
Category:Tobali system planets