Sriluur/Legends

Sriluur was a planet in the Tharin sector of the Outer Rim. Homeworld to the sentient Weequay species, Sriluur held a key position along the Sisar Run, one of the many important hyperlanes connecting Hutt Space with the rest of the Outer Rim. The planet was orbited by five moons, most notably Ruul, the only one of the five able to support life. It was an arid world covered in deserts, volcanoes and acidic seas. Despite this, the planet was almost entirely self-sufficient thanks to an unlikely but very productive agricultural sector. The planet had enormous reserves of copper, but this resource went largely untapped by miners. Historically, the planet was part of Hutt Space, which meant Hutt crime lords and representatives of the Black Sun criminal organization were a common sight on Sriluur.
The planet was colonized by a large group of Houk around 282 BBY, an event that was met with resentment from the Weequay. The ensuing Houk–Weequay conflicts lasted until the Galactic Empire, fearing growing smuggling and Rebel tendencies, occupied the planet shortly before the Battle of Yavin. Even though the Empire established a sizable military presence, crime continued to rise in the sector. Sriluur was invaded by the Yuuzhan Vong Empire in 26 ABY, and its inhabitants were enslaved. By 137 ABY, the world had been claimed by Darth Krayt's Galactic Empire.
==Description==
Sriluur was an important world along the Sisar Run hyperlane, which connected the Outer Rim Territories with some of the oldest portions of Hutt Space through the Ac'fren Spur branch. The planet also served as a nexus for numerous other local trade routes, making it a popular destination for traders. Sriluur was orbited by five moons; of particular note was Ruul, a habitable world that was almost fully owned by the Weequay Bulq clan.
The dominant topographical features of Sriluur were white deserts, dry scrub-lands and rocky fields, and sandstorms were frequent. Secrets of the Sisar Run, p. 81. The planet had enormous copper reserves, but these were never exploited through large-scale mining, with miners instead preferring to focus on other metals, minerals and gems—exports vital to Sriluur's economy. Its oceans were high in acid content, but still home to some lifeforms. Ultimate Alien Anthology, p. 182. Nearly all of the planet's northern hemisphere was covered by the Great Cueva Expanse, an enormous desert consisting mainly of crater holes. The southern hemisphere, littered with dormant volcanoes and black transparisteel canyons, was home to most of the planet's inhabitants. Despite the harsh environment, Sriluur was almost entirely self-sustaining, with an extensive agricultural sector centered around the Cupric Islands. Clean water was a very valuable commodity on the planet, with most of the supply originating on nearby Sedri. The largest settlements on the arid world were the Meirm City, the main trading port Dnalvec, and the administrative center of Al-Campur. At the center of each Weequay city was a thal, a black stone shrine to their gods. The New Essential Guide to Alien Species, p. 177.
Politically, Sriluur was under Hutt hegemony for much of its history.Based on the planet's location on political maps throughout the The Essential Atlas. While it maintained strong trade relations with the rest of Hutt Space, the Hutts never truly attempted to subjugate or conquer the planet, nor did they make efforts to enslave the Weequay. The enormous criminal organization Black Sun was also heavily represented on Sriluur, but it was not until the Galactic Empire seized control of the planet that it officially became part of a major political power.
Many non-sentient predators were native to Sriluur. The bandigos of Temptation Canyon were known for their distinctive howls, which many Weequay falsely attributed to "water nymphs"—the subject of at least one native myth. Bandigos hunted in packs of up to twenty individuals, and would often throw rocks at their prey. The dark wolves, referred to as raquor'daan in Sriluurian, were stealthy canines who employed poison claws and a stinger tail to kill their prey. They were considered natural enemies of the bandigos, and as such were well respected by the Weequay, who sometimes tamed the beasts to aid them in hunting. The Unknown Regions, p. 64.
==History==
===Early history===
The planet experienced an early period of intense tectonic activity, which was responsible for Sriluur's abundance of volcanoes. Its harsh, predator-ridden ecosystem originally forced the Weequay to roam the planet's deserts. Not until the species' technology advanced to an industrial level Ultimate Alien Anthology, p. 181. some time before 25,100 BBY did they establish their first cities along the shores of Sriluur's acidic oceans. This development was vital to Weequay civilization, as the cities helped protect them from the planet's many predatory species, and gave them easier access to the bountiful seas.
Sriluur remained undiscovered by the galaxy at large until around some point before 25,100 BBY. Even then, it was not frequently visited by other species aside from the occasional trader, and managed to avoid the expansion of the Human conqueror Xim's empire during the last years of the Pre-Republic era. The Essential Atlas, p. 117. Weequay mercenaries were among the thousands of troops recruited by the Hutt Empire to combat Xim in the Xim Wars. Following their victory in that war, the Hutts began pressing their interests on Sriluur, to the extent that it was considered to be part of Hutt Space. The Galactic Republic did not discover the planet until somewhere between 15,000 and 8000 BBY. The Essential Atlas, p. 120. The Weequay homeworld went untouched by all major galactic conflictsBased on the planet's location on war maps throughout the The Essential Atlas. up until the Galactic Civil War, though Sriluur was the target of the six Sith Lords known as the Dread Masters during the Galactic War between the Republic and the Sith Empire. As part of their conquest of sections of Hutt Space, the Dread Masters used the Force to induce a mass exodus from Sriluur, though it eventually fell back under the control of the Hutts.
===Houk colonization===
Thousands of Houk from the planet Lijuter colonized Sriluur in 282 BBY. They established their settlement in what came to be known as the Houk Territories near Sriluur's equator, not far from Dnalvec, though many chose to live in Weequay cities. Secrets of the Sisar Run, p. 29. Although far from the first non-native settlers on the planet, the Houk became regarded as cultural enemies by the Weequay. The ensuing Houk–Weequay conflicts would last for centuries, until, in approximately 10 BBY, all-out civil war erupted. Martial law in the Houk Territories was declared by the Weequay, while Houk militants attacked Weequay settlements. Several Weequay militias were formed, including the formidable Dnalvec Militia. The civil war ended when the Houk initiated a peace agreement, Galaxy Guide 12: Aliens — Enemies and Allies, p. 42. though minor hostilities between the factions continued until the Galactic Empire took control of the planet shortly before the Battle of Yavin.
===Travel advisory===
In 22 BBY, prior to the start of the Clone Wars, the Nikto Cult of M'dweshuu—a deadly religious sect from Kintan—launched a series of homicidal attacks along the Sisar Run. At least twenty–seven individuals were killed by the M'dweshuu, and the Bureau of Ships and Services announced an advisory for the region. Dorosii the Hutt, the region's Appointed Intermediate to the Galactic Senate at the time, told the Republic that the local authorities could solve the cult violence without Republic interference, although the Jedi Council was examining the situation. The string of attacks was later reported on by the HoloNet News.
===Galactic Civil War===
The Empire established a military presence on the planet, first and foremost to put an end to smuggling and Rebel activity in the sector, but also as a hostile political gesture to the Hutts. The Essential Atlas, p. 30. Garrisons were established along Sriluur's Copper Coast, as well as in Meirm City, and the inexperienced Newen Streeg was installed as governor of the sector. Secrets of the Sisar Run, p. 15. Two Imperial-class Star Destroyers—the Annihilator and the Ruthless—and one Strike-class medium cruiser—the Ion Storm—were assigned to the area, but crime still flourished on Sriluur under Imperial rule. This was largely due to Imperial officials accepting bribes from Black Sun operatives. The Dnalvec Militia provided many recruits for the Alliance to Restore the Republic and various Hutt crime lords around this time. Sensing a problem, the Empire bombed most militia outposts in the area surrounding Dnalvec.
===Later history===
Following the defeat of the Black Sun leader Czethros during the Battle of Kessel in 24 ABY,Young Jedi Knights: Crisis at Crystal Reef the crime syndicate was all but disbanded, including its cells on Sriluur.
When the Yuuzhan Vong War broke out in 25 ABY, The New Jedi Order Sourcebook, p. 5. it was not long before Yuuzhan Vong spacecraft such as coralskippers were spotted in vicinity of Sriluur.The New Jedi Order: Agents of Chaos II: Jedi Eclipse This led to a mass exodus of people who feared an imminent invasion of the planet. Many Weequay clans chose to stay behind and form militias to fight for their world. The Yuuzhan Vong-aligned Peace Brigade infiltrated Sriluur, harassing its inhabitants and attempting to rid the world of technology in preparation for the Yuuzhan Vong invasion. When the Yuuzhan Vong finally invaded in 26 ABY, the relatively low-tech defense put up by the natives was quickly overrun. The entire planet was conquered in a matter of days, and its inhabitants were enslaved. Even though their homeworld was terraformed by the occupants, the Weequay adapted and continued to live on Sriluur after the war ended. By 137 ABY, Sriluur was a subject world of Darth Krayt's Galactic Empire.
==Inhabitants==
===Weequay===
The planet's dominant species were the native Weequay, a technologically simple people. The species worshiped a pantheon of hundreds of gods, most of them inspired by natural forces and Sriluurian creatures. One example was Am-Shak, the god of thunder for whom the city of Al-Campur was named, as well as the moon god Quay, the most important in the Weequay religion. Weequay used a complex system of scents to communicate with members of their own clans; their Sriluurian language was developed chiefly to facilitate communication with other clans and off-worlders. Traditional Weequay culture had no concept of individuality, rendering the idea of naming individuals alien to them. Typically, only those who chose to leave Sriluur took names. These expatriates often found themselves working as mercenaries, Galaxy Guide 12: Aliens — Enemies and Allies, p. 94. and some, such as the Jedi Master Sora Bulq and the pirate Hondo Ohnaka,Star Wars: The Clone Wars – The Official Episode Guide: Season 1 felt a large disconnect with Sriluur culture and religion.
===Immigrated species===
Sriluur was also home to a sizable population of Houk, a humanoid species that was noted for its great physical strength. Galaxy Guide 12: Aliens — Enemies and Allies, p. 41. A guiding principle in Houk culture was seeing violence as the preferable means to solve a conflict, which meant that they often found themselves at odds with the Weequay. Many Humans, Hutts, Nimbanels, and Toydarians were also present, though in far lesser numbers than the Houk.
==Locations==
===Al-Campur===
Al-Campur was the administrative center of Sriluur, and home to a monastery devoted to Am-Shak, the Weequay god of thunder. The criminal underground of the city hosted several battle arenas. It was the capital of Sriluur for several years, but was replaced by Meirm City in this capacity by 137 ABY.
===Dnalvec===
Dnalvec was the main trading port of Sriluur, and home to three of the planet's four large-scale spaceports. It was also the site of the Bureau of Ships and Services office responsible for the entire Sisar Run hyperlane, and had the most Houk inhabitants of all the Weequay cities.
===Meirm City===
The capital of Sriluur since approximately 137 ABY, Meirm City was situated along the shores of the copper-rich Meirm Sea. This proximity caused the city to constantly be covered in a layer of copper sand which, coupled with the constant acidic fog drifting in from the ocean, made erosion a big problem. The city was considered the heart of Weequay culture, and was littered with statues of the various Weequay gods, especially Quay. Tension between the Houk and Weequay ensured it was a necessity to separate the city into distinct enclaves for each species. Meirm City was home to the Xizor Transport Systems-owned Gricul Salvage Yards, one of the best known repair yards in the Outer Rim.
==Behind the scenes==
Sriluur was first introduced by Craig Robert Carey in the article "The Greel Wood Haven" in Star Wars Adventure Journal 6 (1995) as the homeworld of the Weequay species. The planet was substantially expanded upon in the roleplaying game sourcebooks Galaxy Guide 12: Aliens — Enemies and Allies (1995), Secrets of the Sisar Run (1997), Star Wars Trilogy Sourcebook, Special Edition (1997) and Geonosis and the Outer Rim Worlds (2004), three of which featured Carey on their writing teams. The New Jedi Order: Agents of Chaos II: Jedi Eclipse (2000) was the first novel in which Sriluur actually appeared. Most other appearances have been either brief glimpses of the planet, casual mentions, or, in the case of reference books, added little new information. The Essential Atlas (2009) finally pinpointed Sriluur's location.
===Conflicting sources===
Galaxy Guide 12: Aliens — Enemies and Allies and Geonosis and the Outer Rim Worlds both state that a standard year on Sriluur consists of 270 days. This is contradicted by the Legacy Era Campaign Guide, which claims the year has 295 days. Seeing as the Legacy Era Campaign Guide is the most recent source, this article assumes it to be correct.
==Appearances==
*Star Wars: The Old Republic 
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*Jedi: Mace Windu
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*Tatooine Ghost 
*The New Jedi Order: Agents of Chaos II: Jedi Eclipse
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*The New Jedi Order: Force Heretic I: Remnant 
*The New Jedi Order: Force Heretic III: Reunion 
*Millennium Falcon 
*Fate of the Jedi: Allies 
==Sources==
==Notes and references==
Category:Darth Krayt's Galactic Empire planets
Category:Desert planets
Category:Galactic Empire planets
Category:Hutt Empire planets
Category:Periphery planets
Category:Si'Klaata Cluster planets
 
Category:Terrestrial planets
Category:Type I atmosphere planets
Category:Yuuzhan Vong planets