244Core

*Reference Book: Star Wars Saga Edition Unknown Regions*

*See also: Galactic Gazetteer*

244Core enjoys legendary status within its sector of The Unknown Regions. The world is said to contain an abundance of riches, raw materials, and precious metals. Although the planet has been mined for centuries, none of The Unknown Regions companies that compete for control of the world make a significant dent in its considerable resources. Far from the powerful interstellar corporations of known space, these smaller companies battle one another for resources and profits.

### 244Core Statistics

**Region:** The Unknown Regions

**Climate:** Arid

**Gravity:** Heavy

**Common Hazards:** Meteorite Storm, Meteor Shower

**Moons:** 2 Moons, 3 Major Companion Asteroid Clusters

**Length of Day:** 32 Standard Hours

**Length of Year:** 244 Local Days

**Sapient Species:** 10% Human, 30% Near-Human, 60% Other Species

**Government:** Corporate

**Capital:** Relaali Zone One

**Major Exports:** Precious Metals, Raw Ore

**Major Imports:** Foodstuffs, Manufactured Items, Technology

Knowledge (Bureaucracy)
 15
 20

Knowledge (Galactic Lore)
 15
 20

Knowledge (Social Sciences)
 15
 20

## History

Fifty years before the outbreak of the Jedi Civil War, the Systino crime syndicate stumbles across the world that someday will be called 244Core but which they refer to as Sraato, or "Center of Wealth." Best known for large-scale criminal action in the sector, Systino recognizes the advantages of controlling a source of wealth that can be taken at will. The syndicate soon ships hundreds of slaves to the planet, opening mines on the southern continent, where it detects large, accessible deposits of precious metals, crystals, and gems. Powered by this secret treasury world, the syndicate expands its reach dramatically through bribery and corruption and the purchase of better ships and weapons.

For the next 200 years, the Systino syndicate dominates most of the sector's criminal enterprises, wielding profound influence on local and regional governments. The operation on Sraato expands across the southern continent and onto the island chains at the southern pole. However, one day, the world's regular shipments to and communication with Systino headquarters abruptly stop. Concerned that its secret source of wealth has finally been discovered, the syndicate dispatches a command ship to investigate. Upon arriving in orbit, the ship's crew learns that Sraato has sustained massive damage from a meteor storm that pulverized much of the planet's southern hemisphere. The Systino operation is wiped out, and the dust and debris thrown into the atmosphere cause environmental chaos that lasts for 500 years. The crime syndicate is forced to abandon the planet.

Following the departure of Systino from the world, occasional treasure hunters arrive, and although a few grow personally wealthy, none is able to turn the planet into a viable commercial concern and all eventually abandon the world. Only tales remain about Sraato, the planet of impossible wealth.

Two hundred years before the Battle of Yavin, competing scouts dispatched by rival mining and manufacturing companies rediscover the world simultaneously. Tor-Ro-Bo Industries and Eeook Mining and Reclamation both claim the planet as their own, quickly establishing settlements and mining operations to back up their assertions. With no local government able to exert control over either company, the world becomes a chaotic free-for-all. The rivals undermine each other's outposts, recruit and kidnap each other's workers, and sabotage each other's facilities. Amid the disarray, other companies gain footholds elsewhere on the planet, but no single company wields enough power to take over completely. Since the competitors cannot agree on a name, the world becomes known as 244Core, a shortening of its local stellar catalogue number.

With violence and chaos on the rise, profits plunge. The corporations come to realize that continued conflict will bankrupt them all. A skilled negotiator named Relaali agrees to broker a deal between the rivals. Unknown to anyone, Relaali is member of The Omenada Force Tradition and has visions of the future. In accordance with these visions, he arranges to mediate the dispute, then uses his abilities to guide the negotiations. It takes years, but Relaali is successful. By 100 years before the Battle of Yavin, the newly united planet is nominally led by a Chief Administrator, who is elected by the Corporate Committee, a group made up of representatives of every company operating on 244Core.

Although the violence is much reduced, rival organizations still scheme to gain a controlling interest in the world. Political intrigue and industrial espionage become common. However, the companies are profitable once again. The agreement remains relatively stable until the time of Yuuzhan Vong invasion of known space.

Near the end of the Yuuzhan Vong war, a prolonged meteor storm strikes 244Core, raining meteorites every day for several months. Although there are thousands of impacts, the meteorites are quite small. The meteor storm does not create the environmental disaster of the past, but most facilities are severely affected. The rescue and recovery efforts shatter the balance of power. Although the planet attempts to rebuild, law and order deteriorate.

By the time the Galactic Alliance falls to the resurgent Empire, a new order emerges on 244Core. The Eeook Corporation, a successor to Eeook Mining and Reclamation, consolidates its operations in the south and establishes a security force to protect its holdings. Eeook intends to take over the rest of the planet slowly, making small gains while it secures what it already has. The remaining companies continue to battle politically and physically in the major population centers of the rest of the world.

## Points of Interest

244Core includes the following significant or interesting locations:

### Eeookko

Home to Eeook Corporation's southern regional office, Eeookko is one of the most productive mining centers in the southern hemisphere. The city is located in Zone 210 in the middle of an enormous crater, 120 kilometers across, that was created by an asteroid strike thousands of years before the rise of the Empire. The impact exposed veins of precious metals, as well as a useful amount of exotic ore from the shattered asteroid itself. Because this region of the planet is struck by more meteorites than other locations, Eeookko's most critical facilities and living quarters are located more than 5 kilometers underground. Only about 5 percent of the city is located on the surface.

### Relaali

Located near the equator in the northern hemisphere, in the center of a massive island continent, Zone One is the planet's oldest, most heavily populated and industrialized zone. It is the traditional capital of the world, home to the local offices of every major corporation on 244Core. The central sector of Zone One is named after Relaali, the mediator who successfully negotiated the first power-sharing agreement between rival companies. Relaali is a large city surrounded by industrial mining facilities, company-owned living quarters, three major ground and speeder transportation hubs, and the most sophisticated starport on the planet. Over the centuries, Zone One and Relaali have been struck by meteorites, and the impact craters are visible in the city's layout. The administrative center, located deep under Relaali, is the hub of corporate politics. It is also the planet's primary cultural center.

### Skyscan 6

Located in geosynchronous orbit directly above Eeookko, the small Space Station Skyscan 6 operates as part of the Skyscan early warning system, set up to detect meteorites and asteroids that threaten the planet's surface. Skyscan 6 is operated by the Eeook Corporation and manned by 30 beings. They keep a constant vigil on the sky, as well as on the operations of their neighbors. The station is lightly armed for self-defense against pirates, but it also carries heavy missiles for destroying or altering the courses of incoming asteroids.

### The Dump

The Dump is one of the earliest Systino strip mines, located in a giant valley (200 kilometers long and 15 to 30 kilometers wide) near the planet's equator. After the best veins in the area were played out, Systino moved into the mountains, dumping abandoned compounds, derelict machinery, and hazardous waste into the valley. Later operations added to the danger by dumping their own broken equipment and hazardous waste into the valley, usually from high-flying speeders or cargo freighters.

## Factions

Systino dominates the early history of 244Core, although elements within the syndicate fight one another for power. In the century before the Battle of Yavin, corporations large and small battle for control of the planet's resources. Following are descriptions of a few major players, but you should feel free to create more as desired.

### Eeook Mining and Reclamation

*Affiliation Page: Eeook Mining and Reclamation*

Eeook M&R is one of the two most powerful mining corporations on 244Core. It is best known for moderate pay and harsh working conditions, and it survives by restricting the movement of its employees, often keeping them from leaving or defecting to other companies. When these tactics fail, Eeook settles labor unrest by bribing the most troublesome leaders among its workforce. Many of Eeook's operations are located in isolated areas of the planet, including islands near the south pole. Eeook has the best and most professional security force on the planet. The other corporations work together to counteract Eeook's attempts to take over the position of Chief Administrator. At about the time of the Empire's resurgence, Eeook M&R is reorganized into the Eeook Corporation.

### Systino

*Affiliation Page: Systino*

Systino is the richest and most powerful criminal syndicate in this area of space. The leader of the syndicate is known as the Sio. While financing itself with Sraato's resources, the Systino syndicate wields great power over local governments, mainly through bribery. Thanks to its great wealth, Systino also hires the best smugglers and other associates to run its operations. Although higher-ranking lieutenants in the syndicate are aware of the existence of Sraato, only the lead bosses and some highly compensated pilots know the planet's exact location. Merely confirming the world's existence to the wrong people earns the informant a death sentence.

### Tor-Ro-Bo Industries

*Affiliation Page: Tor-Ro-Bo Industries*

Tor-Ro-Bo Industries is much smaller than Eeook M&R, but wields considerable power thanks to its nearly simultaneous discovery of 244Core. Tor-Ro-Bo and Eeook are engaged in a constant struggle for control of the resources of 244Core. In fact, it is Tor-Ro-Bo that convinces the other corporations to invite Relaali to mediate the power-sharing agreement. Using the accord to keep rivals in check, Tor-Ro-Bo works behind the scenes to gain additional advantages through other means. The company is rumored to be the most active employer of smugglers, industrial spies, and, some say, saboteurs. Thanks to these methods, Tor-Ro-Bo (or one of its allied corporations) often holds the position of Chief Administrator. Tor-Ro-Bo's operations are most active in the icy mountains of the northern hemisphere.

## Adventure Hooks

Adventures on 244Core should be influenced by the ongoing struggle among the corporate factions. New arrivals to the world are treated with suspicion, even if they have been hired for legitimate business by one of the corporations. The following are some ideas for adventures on 244Core.

You should review the effects of High Gravity environments when planning an adventure on the planet.

### Bad Timing

The heroes arrive on 244Core just as one of the seasonal Meteor Showers begins. While descending to the planet's surface, they are surprised by incoming meteors and must dodge the fiery rocks. Alternatively, the heroes are in a meeting on the planet when they are surprised by a sudden strike smashing into the building, or they must dodge disintegrating meteorites while traveling across the planet's surface. (These meteorites should be quite small, since even moderately sized stones can create large craters, and massive rocks can wipe out large areas in an instant.)

### Industrial Espionage

Tor-Ro-Bo Industries hires the heroes to conduct espionage against the Eeook Corporation and pays them to keep their employer's identity a secret. The heroes sneak into an Eeook research and development lab, where they discover that the corporation is plotting to deflect an upcoming Meteor Shower into the operations of its rivals, including Tor-Ro-Bo. Upon delivering the information, the heroes are retained to help Tor-Ro-Bo stop the scheme and expose Eeook. The heroes might destroy the ships and Droids intended to be used in the operation, or they might persuade other corporations to stand against Eeook, making the scheme politically untenable.

### Power Grab

The heroes are hired by a Systino lieutenant to transport a small number of mercenaries to Sraato. The lieutenant plans to use the mercenaries to assassinate a rival in the syndicate so he can take the rival's place. If other syndicate leaders learn of the plot, they send bounty hunters after the heroes. If the heroes are captured but can convince the syndicate that they were duped into helping the lieutenant, they might strike a deal with Systino to make up for their part in the Power Grab. On the other hand, if the lieutenant's plot succeeds, the heroes have a powerful ally in the crime syndicate. Of course, if their ally believes that the heroes might reveal his deeds, they find themselves pursued by silent assassins.