Mandalore

**Mandalore** was the fifth planet in the Mandalore system of the Outer Rim Territories, not far from the Hydian Way trade route. The homeworld of the multi-species cultural group known as the Mandalorians, the planet was known as ***Manda'yaim*** in the Mandalorian language, and was named after the legendary conqueror of the vibrant world, Mandalore the First.

## Description

Mandalore was located the Outer Rim Territories, near the Hydian Way trade route, where it occupied the fifth orbit of the Mandalore sector's cognominal Mandalore system, between the orbits of Kalevala and Mandallia. It sat at the end of the hyperspace lane known as the Mandalorian Road, an ancient route that connected Mandalore with the planet Corsin in the Inner Rim. A terrestrial world spanning 9200km in diameter, Mandalore possessed standard gravity and two moons, including the one time mining base and agricultural center, Concordia. Unique to Mandalore and the Concordia moon was *beskar* iron ore, a nearly indestructible metal capable of withstanding blows from even a lightsaber, and used by Mandalorian metalsmiths to forge armor, weapons, and starships. A year on Mandalore comprised three hundred and sixty-six days, and each day was made up of nineteen hours. Mandalore possessed a breathable atmosphere, and a climate that varied by region.

Before the rise of the Mandalorians, Mandalore was dominated by the gigantic mythosaurs who would be hunted to extinction by the Taung. Native veshok trees covered much of Mandalore's northern hemisphere, such as the Olankur region of its northern continent, forming a dense forest that stretched nearly as far as the polar ice caps. Winters in the north of Mandalore often saw significant snowfall, and bitter cold temperatures. The herbivorous animals called shatuals could be found living within the veshok forests, as could the intelligent, six-legged strills that preyed upon them for food. Tall, long-lived galek trees with their silver-colored leaves were also a common sight on Mandalore, as were the golden amber ferns that grew in and around galek groves. Wild mushrooms were known to grow on and around Mandalore's trees, and a number of a serpentine rawl could be found in the Mandalorian wild, transplanted from their natural habitat on Naboo.

Forty-five degrees north of Mandalore's equator, atop a flat granite hill nestled along a bend in the kilometers-long Kelita River, sat the city of Keldabe. Since at least 3960 BBY, Keldabe had served as the capital of Mandalore, and the center of government for much of Mandalorian space. However, following the foundation of the New Mandalorian faction, the reformist sect declared the domed city of Sundari, located in one of Mandalore's expansive and inhospitable white-sand desert regions, to be their capital. Positioned out on the flat desert plain, Sundari was constructed over a large, active *beskar* mine. Keldabe, however, found itself surrounded by woodland and the waters of the Kelita, along with gentle green hills that spread outward to fertile grassland the more agriculturally-minded Mandalorians took advantage of for farming.

Other cities and settlements littered Mandalore's surface, including the Keldabe suburb of Bralsin near the Kelita valley, and the small town of Shuror. Most of Mandalore's settlements were built within a heavy fortification that contributed to the ease with which they could be defended from potential invaders. An example of such a settlement was the hill-fort town of Norg Bral, home to several members of Clan Bralor, or the traditional fortified settlement of Kyrimorut, the home of Clan Skirata. Further south and away from Keldabe, Mandalore's tropic regions boasted warmer weather and was where varos fruit could be found growing. Roads on Mandalore were rarely straight, designed so as to grant Mandalorians the advantage in ambushing and pinning down hostiles as they traveled. Traditional dwellings known as *vheh'yaime*—made from wood, woven vines, and matted mud—were a common choice for the homes of Mandalore's warrior clans and numerous *vheh'yaime* of varying sizes could be found across Mandalore.