Coruscant Planet - Star Wars: The Old Republic

The proud capital of the Republic, Coruscant is the largest, the oldest and the most diverse city-world in the galaxy. Kilometer-tall buildings cover virtually all of the planet's surface, with the wealthy and powerful living at the top and the poorest and the most desperate dwelling near the foundations.

Coruscant is only now recovering from the attack by the Empire that led to the eventual cease-fire. Many buildings were reduced to rubble; a few still burn, the fires fueled by chemicals and uncontrolled reactors. During the Empire's attacks, the criminal underworld increased its power base as well, and remains a formidable threat.

• faction: Republic, levels: 10 - 16
• location: Core Worlds, status: Capital of the Republic
• terrain: Cityscape
• key facts: Sacked by the Sith Empire several years ago, Coruscant is still recovering. Many sectors in the lower levels have fallen under gang control

Companion from this world: Kira Carsen (Jedi Knight companion)

Locations

Jedi Temple Ruins

Although the Jedi Temple was destroyed by the Empire during the Sacking of Coruscant, its ruins still speak of its former glory. After the temple was bombed in the initial attack, the upper floors were deliberately collapsed on Darth Malgus's orders. The Jedi Temple's tower, once a Coruscant landmark, broke free during the bombing and fell to the city's lower levels. The old Jedi Council chamber is the only room left largely intact, but it is still considered dangerous and prone to collapse.

The temple ruins have continued to see strife even after the Sacking of Coruscant. They were the site of a duel between Darth Malgus and the Jedi empath Aryn Leneer before Imperial forces were withdrawn from the planet. Exceptionally brave and lucky looters have also disturbed the ruins, hunting--and often finding--valuable Jedi artifacts.

Old Galactic Market

Twenty years ago, the old Galactic Market was a bustling center of commerce where the goods and wealth of the galaxy flowed freely. Since the Treaty of Coruscant, however, the market has become a shadow of its former self.

The old Galactic Market was the site of extraordinary scenes after the war. Thousands of homes in the lower reaches of Coruscant--most belonging to poor families--were destroyed during the Imperial invasion. The homeless families squatted in the marketplace; when ordered to leave by Republic military forces, the squatters rioted in protest.

The market has never been truly safe since, and the criminal Migrant Merchants' Guild has gradually established its own control over the area. While careful and well-armed visitors can still find useful technology or rare weapons there, most are advised to stay away.

Senate Tower

No visitor to Coruscant can fail to be awed by the majestic Senate tower. Built to house the thousands-strong Galactic Senate, it is also home to the offices of the Supreme Chancellor, numerous embassies and the headquarters of Republic Special Forces.

The interior of the Senate tower is open to the public, though Coruscant Security and the Republic military patrol the corridors. While it survived the Sacking of Coruscant, the Senate tower was later damaged when a number of Senators, supporters of the Treaty of Coruscant, were targeted by a bomb.

Entrance to the Senate tower is via the Avenue of the Core Founders, a famous concourse flanked by the statues of the Core Founders themselves. Inside, visitors to the Senate tower are encouraged to enjoy the guided tours or peruse the holographic statues of famous Senators.

The Works

Impressive as Coruscant's shining towers are, they could not exist without the less-glamorous Works, the heavy industrial complex deep below in the lower levels. The Works is home to Coruscant's hydrosupply stations, pollution-processing plants and electrical generators, staffed by droids who can survive accidents in the Works' dangerous machinery.

Some of Coruscant's more desperate homeless hide in the Works, tapping the pipes for water and sleeping under the power conduits to keep warm. Occasionally they will break a major pipeline, causing blackouts and water shortages on the levels above. One Senator, while demanding harsher penalties for vagrancy, found his water supply mysteriously cut off forty times in a month.

Datacrons

Galactic History 4: King Adas

Galactic History 5: Rise of the Infinite Empire

Galactic History 6: The Infinite Empire Collapses

Galactic History 7: The First Spaceflights

Galactic History 8: Hyperspace Cannons

Organizations

Black Sun

Black Sun is a powerful crime syndicate that rose to prominence on Coruscant in the latter days of the war. Taking advantage of the chaos and rioting in the city after the planet's sacking, several gangsters joined forces and began seizing control of lower-city neighborhoods. The origin of the syndicate's name is unclear, but a common phrase among despairing Coruscant citizens was "better a black sun than none." Alas, hopes that Black Sun would bring order instead of anarchy died quickly.

For Black Sun, the rioting and looting never really stopped. Although the gangsters have profitable spice- and weapons-trafficking operations, their members, almost to a man, have an extraordinary taste for violence. Civilians are extorted until they have nothing left to extort; afterwards, they're used for target practice. City blocks are incinerated for the pleasure of demolitionists.

Despite the efforts of the Justicars' Brigade, Black Sun has become a force to be reckoned with. The Republic Senate has begun to realize the threat Black Sun represents, but with the syndicate's influence already beginning to stretch beyond Coruscant, stopping it may be impossible.

Coruscant Security

Republic member worlds are required to maintain civilian law enforcement organizations, overseen by their planetary governments instead of the Galactic Senate. Coruscant Security is one of the oldest planetary police forces in the Republic and has a reputation for effectiveness, diversity and (on the whole) positive relations with Coruscant's population.

The Sacking of Coruscant took a toll on Coruscant Security--both in lives lost and burnout as years of rebuilding, riot control and military intervention followed. The rise of major criminal syndicates on Coruscant has embittered many young recruits, and frustrated veterans who were trained to track and arrest individuals, not fight block by block to reclaim territory from gangs.

Some say that unless Coruscant Security is given quasi-military training and heavy equipment, it will eventually be overwhelmed by the planet's problems. Few security officers favor such extreme measures, however--they joined the force to keep the peace, not to fight a war in the streets of the planet they love.

Migrant Merchants' Guild

On paper, the Migrant Merchants' Guild is a legitimate trade consortium that advocates for refugee rights and supports the Coruscant reconstruction effort. In reality, the Migrant Merchants' Guild is a highly organized crime syndicate that seized power during the riots at the old Galactic Market after the war.

Even before the war's end, the guild served as a front for money laundering and goods smuggling, but kept mostly to nonviolent crime. Its membership was primarily nonhuman, and represented a powerful economic force inside Coruscant's nonhuman immigrant population. When riots broke out, the guild saw an opportunity to claim real power; after security forces withdrew, it was the guild that re-established "order" with its armed goons and provided food and supplies... at a price.

Since then, the Migrant Merchants' Guild has expanded into bribery and extortion, with the old Galactic Market at the heart of its territory, all the while keeping a thin veneer of respectability. Republic security patrols often clash with members of the Migrant Merchants' Guild in an attempt to keep the peace, but recently the guild has been moving its influence from shaking down local businesses to Coruscant politics.

Strategic Information Service

The Strategic Information Service (SIS) is the Republic's premiere intelligence and espionage agency. Chartered and overseen by the Galactic Senate, the SIS is responsible for information gathering and covert operations both inside and out of Republic space, as well as for assisting the military, local law enforcement and the Jedi Order.

The SIS is the latest in a long line of Republic espionage agencies founded and disbanded over the centuries. Originally a monitoring and decryption arm of the Senate library, the SIS rapidly expanded during the war against the Empire. It remains smaller, more focused and comparatively underfunded in comparison to Imperial Intelligence, but has proven its effectiveness many times over.

Although by no means a secret organization, the SIS keeps a relatively low profile. SIS operations are rarely revealed, and its administrators almost never appear alongside Senators or other officials. This is a public relations gambit--the SIS believes that the Republic citizenry would be uncomfortable with the nature of its work, and so avoids attracting attention and unwanted questions.

The Justicars

Formally known as the Justicars' Brigade, this militia was formed in the years after the Sacking of Coruscant, when a crime syndicate began seizing control of Coruscant's lower regions. The Republic Senate lacked the resources to challenge the syndicate--later called Black Sun--and withdrew its security forces.

Outraged at Black Sun's treatment of the local citizens, a group of ex-military individuals formed the Justicars, intending to retake their neighborhoods. However, eliminating Black Sun and regaining control proved more difficult than the Justicars had expected. They took extreme measures to restore order, beginning with a simple curfew and culminating in the imposition of martial law.

The Justicars have now instituted checkpoints and armed guards throughout their territory, acting with lethal force against anyone lacking "proper clearance." Their unshakeable belief that this is necessary to keep people safe only makes the Justicars more dangerous. Coruscant's government has declared the Justicars a threat to be dismantled, and the Justicars have cut off all communication with outsiders.

Persons of Note

Darmas Pollaran

Inveterate gambler and unrepentant ladies' man Darmas Pollaran is an information broker operating out of Coruscant's old Galactic Market cantina. If something important is happening in the Republic capital's chaotic criminal underworld, Darmas either knows about it or can find someone who does. His network of informants and confidantes extends to Coruscant's meanest, roughest and deepest levels.

Darmas charges a high premium for his data and contacts, supplementing that sizable income with his impressive winning streak gambling at the card game known as sabacc. Although more than one poor loser has quietly accused Darmas of cheating behind his back, no one would dare make such an accusation to his face. Darmas doesn't take insults to his gentlemanliness lightly--and he has the blaster-handle notches to prove it.

Darth Angral (Jedi Knight)

A militaristic and maniacal Sith warlord famous for his brutal tactics, Darth Angral led the Imperial fleet that sacked Coruscant during the last war. Angral personally executed the Supreme Chancellor and was preparing to force an unconditional surrender when the Emperor unexpectedly signed a peace treaty with the Republic.

Darth Angral was furious to see his victory dissolve into a protracted and unresolved cold war. Although his success on Coruscant opened a path to the Empire's fabled Dark Council, Angral abandoned Sith politics to pursue a private agenda. He spent years after the war consolidating a significant power base.

The culmination of Darth Angral's plans to finally destroy the Republic unraveled on Coruscant when his son Tarnis was exposed as an undercover Sith infiltrator and killed by Jedi. Seeing his only son cut down drove Darth Angral over the edge, setting him on a path to utterly annihilate the Republic or die trying.

General Garza

One of the most experienced officers in the Galactic Republic military, General Garza is a tactical and strategic genius with a near-flawless operational record. She served with distinction in the war against the Empire and played an instrumental role in the formation and training of the army's elite Special Forces division.

Although her achievements are numerous, Garza has become a figure of increasing controversy. She has a reputation for being ruthless and uncompromising, and is often accused of authorizing secret assaults against Imperial interests throughout the galaxy. These accusations remain unproven, but few doubt the lengths that Garza will go to secure victory for the Republic.

General Var Suthra (Jedi Knight)

A Mon Calamari war veteran who fought alongside Jedi Master Orgus Din against the Sith Empire during the Great War, General Var Suthra is now in charge of developing new military technology for the Republic. Var Suthra oversees all the top secret military facilities where new weapon prototypes are being developed. Cool-headed as a strategist, Var Suthra is nonetheless passionately committed to defeating the enemy once and for all.

General Var Suthra has no family but the Republic he serves. He saw the devastation of Coruscant when the Sith Empire sacked it and vowed "never again." Var Suthra is merciless towards the Empire, sympathetic to the Jedi and always seems to be carrying the weight of the galaxy on his shoulders.

Kira Carsen (Jedi Knight)

• Companion of: Jedi Knight
• Melee Damage
• Crew Skills Bonus: +5 Critical Synthweaving, +1 Critical Research
• Primary Weapon: Polesaber
• Secondary Weapon: Focus

Prone to cynicism and a stubborn independent streak, Kira Carsen is an improbable recruit to the Jedi Order. This is partially excused by the fact that she began her Padawan training as a young adult; Kira had spent most of her life up to that point as a homeless drifter, scraping out a miserable existence on some of the galaxy's most unpleasant worlds.

Thanks to her hard-luck upbringing, Kira has considerably more life experience than most Jedi--and a world-weary sophisticate's attitude to match. In the eyes of her peers, Kira is someone who refuses to take anything seriously or fully commit to the Jedi path.

Those who look more closely, however, might detect the glimmer of an optimist peeking through Kira's sarcastic facade. Despite her insistence on questioning its teachings, she has a deep appreciation for the comfort and relative safety she obtained by joining the Jedi Order.

Species

Gand

The Gand are a keen-eyed and sturdy species of insect-like humanoids. Comprised of over a dozen subtly distinct subspecies, several types of Gand require breathing apparatuses to survive outside the ammonia-rich atmosphere of their homeworld.

Despite this handicap, Gand make some of the best bounty hunters and trackers in the galaxy, and the art of the hunt is an integral part of Gand culture. The most revered Gand profession is that of Findsman: Part-shaman, part-bounty hunter, a Findsman uses a combination of ritual and skill to track his prey and bring him to justice.

Under other circumstances, the Gand's skill as hunters and natural physical hardiness might have led them to become a proud race. However, Gand are noted for being humble and self-deprecating. Most Gand refer to themselves in the third person, as Gand culture dictates that an individual's identity must first be earned. Only the most notable Gand ever call themselves "I."

Gree

Known for their bizarre and wonderful technology as much as their unusual cephalopodic anatomy, the Gree are one of the oldest species in the galaxy. Their civilization once flourished in the Outer Rim, though the glory days of their people ended thousands of years before the rise of the Republic.

In modern times, with much of their history forgotten and the greatest achievements of their people lost, most Gree live in seclusion in the Enclave--a mid-sized region of space carefully isolated from outside contact. However, the Gree reputation as engineers and artisans is still unmatched. Genuine Gree technology is worth a fortune to collectors and researchers--though few Gree would part with such treasures, preferring to lend their skills instead.

Nautolan

Amphibious humanoids from the planet Glee Anselm, Nautolans are distinguished by their tentacle-like head-tresses. Because of its primarily aquatic surface and its location off the major hyperlanes, only a handful of outsiders have ever visited Glee Anselm; as a result, little is known about Nautolan culture on their homeworld, though extrapolations can be made from those individuals who venture out into the greater galaxy.

Despite their aquatic origins, Nautolans can breathe air and are completely at home on land, and they can be found in a wide variety of professions. They have a reputation for being both smart and practical, and the existence of several Nautolan Jedi speaks to an affinity with the Force. With the arrival of the Empire, the Nautolans fought alongside the Republic, although some among them fear this will lead to unnecessary suffering for their people.

Sullustan

Adventurous and outgoing, Sullustans are as comfortable seated at the controls of a ship as they are in the underground cities of their homeworld. Whether their affinity for navigation and exploration is genetic or cultural is a matter of some debate, but the end result is that Sullustans are found throughout the galaxy where they are heavily recruited as crew members on both civilian and military vessels.

The planet Sullust is currently under Imperial control, a fact that does not sit well with the Sullustans themselves. Due to Imperial censorship of planet-wide communications, little is known about resistance efforts on the surface. However, Sullustans in the rest of the galaxy are almost universal in their support of the Republic, with most eager to do anything they can to aid in the eventual liberation of their homeworld.

Ugnaught

Ugnaughts are small, hardworking humanoids with a knack for mechanical work. Living in close-knit tribes, they are native to the volcanic world Gentes, where they build cunning devices to help them survive Gentes's inhospitable conditions. Living in Gentes's thick atmosphere gives Ugnaughts some natural resistance to toxic gases, meaning they can work happily in industrial environments without protection.

The Ugnaughts' small size and impressive technical expertise unfortunately make them prime targets for slavers. The Hutt Cartel alone is responsible for displacing entire Ugnaught tribes, putting them to work in droid factories or to maintain the Hutts' extravagant palaces.

Bestiary

Cthon

Cthons are vicious humanoids that have plagued the underworld of Coruscant for centuries, though some have found their way or been smuggled offworld. Swift to mutate from generation to generation, nearly blind despite their unusual eye structure, cthons find their prey by listening for movement and feeling vibrations through Coruscant's substructures. Many of the lower level's more superstitious believe the cthons were originally Coruscanti criminals, banished from the upper levels and left to devolve. There is no scientific evidence for this belief.

While they usually scavenge from the huge piles of garbage that accumulate in Coruscant's lower levels, cthons are vicious hunters, capable of bringing down security patrols. Coruscant's reconstruction has been particularly beneficial to the cthon population, providing new lairs and breeding grounds, not to mention a surfeit of lost and easily preyed-upon refugees.

Salky Hound

Many know the salky hound for its acute senses, unbreakable claws and exceptionally powerful bite; few know this vicious beast was actually designed in a laboratory. The Republic military contracted a bioengineering firm to breed a dangerous but intelligent creature, able to protect remote bases in the Outer Rim without the expense of droids or troops.

Unfortunately, the scientists weren't able to make their creation obedient. Salky hounds turned out to be ferocious and impossible to train for military action. After several accidental deaths, the Republic military canceled the contract, and salky hounds were banned from the Core Worlds.

However, many breeding pairs were sold quietly on the black market, and the hounds have appeared on dozens of worlds since. Many mercenary and criminal organizations deploy salky hounds when they have no need to capture someone alive.

Skyslasher

Skyslashers are flying predators with a gruesome appearance, compact masses of bone, muscle and wings. Although they have poor eyesight, skyslashers have evolved a powerful sense of smell that allows them to not only detect victims at a distance, but tell whether they are injured or exhausted enough to be easy prey.

The bad eyesight of skyslashers may be no accident. The Sith Lord Erindax had an interest in creating new species and bred the first skyslashers centuries ago as a hobby. He overestimated his control of the creatures, however, and was blinded in one eye when the flock suddenly turned on him. Afterward, Erindax engineered his skyslashers to be almost blind; either out of fear for his remaining eye, or to avenge himself on his wayward pets.

Lore

History of Coruscant

For over 200,000 years, Coruscant has been one of the most important planets in the galaxy. It has seen and survived dozens of wars, suffered under the control of alien species, served as the capital of the Republic and--according to common wisdom--ushered in the birth of the human species.

In ancient times, before the planet became a city, Coruscant was a world covered mainly in oceans. Over millennia, humans spread out over the land masses, covering them with structures--and as technology developed and overpopulation grew more troublesome, the Coruscanti people sought ways to house their ever-growing numbers. Eventually, the seas themselves were drained, and the humans spread into the empty basins.

It has been over 100,000 years since sunlight last reached the lowest levels of the city. Now, Coruscant stands as a marvel of engineering and sentient triumph, home to thousands of species and countless billions of individuals. Archaeologists spend their whole lives descending through the city's layers, searching for answers about its distant past, and no one in the universe knows Coruscant's full story.

Reconstruction of Coruscant

The Republic capital was the Empire's final target during the war, and the bombs dropped in the Sacking of Coruscant left large swathes of the city in ruins. The reconstruction effort began almost immediately after the Empire's withdrawal, but in a crowded city-world where skyscrapers can be kilometers high, simply demolishing one safely can take months.

Although donations flowed freely from the Republic, corruption and political squabbling caused further delays. Finally, Vanara Kayl, Senator for Coruscant, gave an impassioned speech claiming that deliberate interference in Coruscant's rebuilding verged on treason. Impressed by her fervor, the Supreme Chancellor gave Senator Kayl full authority over the reconstruction efforts, which have proceeded relatively smoothly ever since.

Republic Government

Democracy and fair representation are at the core of Republic government. Every member world in the Republic is entitled to a seat in the Galactic Senate and the right to vote on legislation. Due to the sheer size of the Senate, which represents thousands of worlds, Senators negotiate alliances--occasionally through backroom deals--to strengthen their position on important issues.

Large-scale military deployments must be approved by the Senate. Jedi activities are officially outside the Senate's jurisdiction; unofficially, the Jedi Council prefers to be in harmony with the Senate's wishes, and avoid a threat to their independence from Senate action.

The head of the Galactic Senate--and therefore the Republic itself--is the Supreme Chancellor. The Supreme Chancellor is elected by the Senate and serves a four-year term. In recent years, campaigns to become Supreme Chancellor have become more and more low-key, as candidates fear assassination by the Empire.

The Sacking of Coruscant

A pivotal moment in recent galactic history, the Sacking of Coruscant was a swift and merciless attack on the Republic capital that began with an offer of peace. The Sith Empire, having fought the Republic for decades since its surprise return, suddenly contacted the Republic Senate to propose a treaty. Although the Republic was suspicious, the war had stretched its capabilities and resources to a breaking point. Peace seemed the only hope of survival.

Diplomats from both sides traveled to Alderaan to discuss the treaty, but the Empire was already making its move. An Imperial fleet descended on Coruscant and launched a massive orbital bombardment against the city. As the Sith Lord Darth Malgus marched into the Jedi Temple, other Imperial forces captured the Senate tower. The entire planet was effectively held hostage.

Knowing that "peace negotiations" were over, the Supreme Chancellor reluctantly signed the Treaty of Coruscant, dictated by the Empire. Although years of uneasy peace have followed, the Sacking of Coruscant remains a vivid and painful memory for the Republic; for the Empire, one of its greatest victories.