Dromund Kaas Planet - Star Wars: The Old Republic

Dromund Kaas is the capital of the Sith Empire, founded a millennium ago in the aftermath of the Great Hyperspace War. Since then, the sleek metropolis of Kaas City has grown into a symbol of Imperial power, towering over the surrounding jungle and looming dark against the stormy skies.

The military and the Sith have authority here, under the eye of the Emperor himself. Aside from the wildlife, the greatest threats are internal--slave revolts, feuding Sith Lords and the like. Planetary defenses are formidable, as the Empire still remembers its defeat and exile long ago.

• faction: Sith Empire, levels: 10 - 16
• location: Sith Space, status: Imperial Capital
• terrain: Swamps, Jungle, and the Metropolis of Kaas City
• key facts: Rediscovered by the Sith Empire following their defeat in the Great Hyperspace War. Home to the Emperor and his Dark Council

Locations

Grathan Estate

The estate of the rogue Sith Lord Grathan is a miniature fortress, reinforced by cutting-edge weapons technology and experimental shielding. Lord Grathan's cadre of scientists are constantly upgrading the defenses to ensure that air strikes fail to do harm--only ground-based attacks can do real damage. It's the perfect place for a rogue Sith Lord to make his stand.

Lord Grathan has been reinforcing his territory and adding sublevels to his manor for years, suggesting that his plan to declare himself the thirteenth Dark Council member has been in progress longer than many assume. Any number of traps and treasures may exist deep underground, guarded by Grathan's personal guards and automated war droids.

Imperial Intelligence

Behind the Sith and the powerful Imperial military is the vast network of agents, information gatherers, deception specialists and strategists that makes up Imperial Intelligence. Part spy organization, part secret police, Imperial Intelligence handles all of the Empire's covert operations--guarding the Empire's secrets, acquiring valuable intel from the Republic, hunting down traitors and cleaning up messes created by unhinged Sith Lords.

Imperial Intelligence reports to the Minister of Intelligence, who in turn reports directly to the Dark Council. Not a military organization, Imperial Intelligence officers are nonetheless viewed with respect by military and civilian personnel--it's Intelligence that can judge a person as loyal or traitorous, arrange the advancement of a career or the blacklisting of a powerful leader.

A place in Imperial Intelligence is a coveted rank, reserved for some of the best of the Empire's non-Force sensitive subjects. In some cases, officers are "poached" by Sith Lords seeking to build their own specialized intelligence networks; for the most part, however, Intelligence personnel go unnoticed by anyone outside the organization. The best agents are the ones no one's ever heard of.

Kaas City

The capital city of the Imperial homeworld of Dromund Kaas is one part massive skyscrapers and one part impenetrable fortress. It is host to the Citadel, where the Sith of the Dark Council (and those who aspire to the Dark Council) lord over their followers, and the headquarters of the Imperial military and Imperial Intelligence.

Kaas City was founded by the first Sith to arrive on Dromund Kaas, who saw the gorges and ravines of the jungle world as the perfect place to build their eternal sanctuary. Over the following centuries, its population grew into the millions--proud Imperials working toward the glory of the Sith and slaves submitting to Imperial will. Kaas City is also where the Emperor is believed to make his home, keeping a watchful eye on his Empire.

Revanite Compound

Outsiders in Sith society, followers of the philosophies of the mysterious Darth Revan meet in a hidden enclave in the jungles of Dromund Kaas, submitting any who want to join them to rigorous tests to establish their loyalty and sincerity.

Originally, the Revanites met in Kaas City to study Revan's teachings, but as suspicions arose about the Revanites' loyalties to the Emperor and the Dark Council, they were forced to conceal their activities. At first, they took shelter in the compound of a prominent Sith Lord, but when that Sith was assassinated (presumably for supporting the Revanites), they were forced to relocate their sacred texts and relics and build their sanctuary in the jungle.

Revanites inside the Imperial military and the Sith have kept the compound from appearing on most scans of the area. Explorers who stumble upon the compound are rarely heard from again.

The Citadel

The Citadel stands at the heart of Kaas City, a monument to the Sith Empire's strength and home to its most powerful Dark Lords. The Ministries of War, Intelligence and Logistics are all headquartered here, along with a Mandalorian enclave. The Emperor's Dark Council gathers to meet in the Citadel when not on the Sith holy world of Korriban.

The original Citadel mimicked the designs of Korriban's Sith Academy and the Great Citadel on Ziost, but it was destroyed four hundred years ago when two members of the Dark Council fought an ancient Sith duel, called the Kaggath, on its grounds. The duel was a draw, and both of the combatants were executed by the remaining Dark Council members, who oversaw the rebuilding of the Citadel in its current form.

The Dark Temple

Hundreds of years ago, the Sith Emperor ordered the construction of the Dark Temple as a burial place for his dead and defeated enemies, "to aid them in becoming one with the Force." Little is known of what rituals the Emperor performed there, but the Dark Temple has become a nexus of powerful dark side energy, and a place where ancient weapons and ancient secrets of the Sith lay sealed away in cavernous chambers.

Although the Dark Temple grounds have always been a dangerous place for the weak-willed (the expansion of the Kaas City power grid into tunnels beneath the temple drove a thousand slaves mad), the temple itself remained sealed until recently, when an expedition of power-hungry Sith Lords and their servants breached the gateway.

The Dark Council did not sanction this intrusion, nor did it punish the rogue Sith; no one returned from the expedition to punish. Violent electrical storms surrounded the temple for the first week after it was opened, and since then, additional expeditions have been sent by the council to determine the temple's status. Their reports have not been made public.

The Mandalorian Enclave

The most recent architectural addition to the Citadel, the Mandalorian enclave is reserved for the Empire's allies among the mercenary Mandalorian warrior clans. Although it may appear to be a simple embassy from the outside, the proceedings inside are anything but diplomatic. The enclave is a place where new warriors come to test themselves against the Mandalorians and compete in violent (and often deadly) tournaments, as well as where the best among the Mandalorians help plan the Empire's next strikes.

The Sith Sanctum

The Sith Sanctum is the heart of the Sith Order on Dromund Kaas, where lords gather and where the Dark Council meets when not on the Imperial burial world of Korriban. The Emperor himself is believed to have chambers in the sanctum's lower levels, though none save the council and the Imperial Guard are allowed into its depths.

The original Citadel, like the Sith Academy on Korriban, was off-limits to everyone but the Sith. After the Citadel was rebuilt, the headquarters of the three Imperial ministries were added; more recently, the Mandalorian enclave was given a wing within the sprawling building. As a result, chambers in the Sith Sanctum have become an increased source of conflict and backstabbing among aspiring Sith. A place in the Sith Sanctum signifies aspirations to the Dark Council, or a prominent role in the direct governing of Dromund Kaas.

The Unfinished Colossus

A massive, unfinished statue towering over the jungles of Dromund Kaas, the colossus was the project of Dark Council member Darth Vowrawn's ambitious apprentice, Lord Qet. In a bid to advance in prestige within the Sith Order, Lord Qet commissioned the construction of the colossus--a statue of his master--in secret, bringing in offworld slaves to do the work. The slaves rebelled, and now the colossus stands unfinished while the slaves search for a way to destroy it and win their freedom through force. Lord Qet has been trying to end the rebellion and finish the colossus, but other Sith Lords have seen the chaos as an opportunity to advance their own reputations in the Empire.

The Wilds

When the Sith discovered Dromund Kaas, it was an untamed jungle world, uninhabited by any sentient species. Over centuries, gleaming and orderly Imperial cities have spread to cover most of the planet, but stretches of harsh, untamed wilderness remain. Populated by violent predators such as the gundark and jurgoran, the wilds separate Kaas City from its spaceport and are best navigated at a safe distance, by speeder, rather than on foot.

Datacrons

Galactic History 18: The Hutt Cataclysms

Galactic History 19: The Pius Dea Crusades

Galactic History 20: Chancellor Blotus

Galactic History 21: The Birth of the Mandalorians

Galactic History 22: The Second Great Schism

Organizations

Grathan Forces

The rogue Sith Lord Grathan has declared himself the thirteenth Dark Council member, with his own power base and sphere of influence within the Sith hierarchy. Although his claim has not been widely recognized, he controls a substantial private army on Dromund Kaas. The Dark Council has authorized all-out warfare against Lord Grathan and anyone who supports him.

After being driven from the Citadel, Lord Grathan holed up in his estate outside Kaas City. His forces there are made up of apprentices, loyal Imperial troops and cybernetic supersoldiers he developed in his secret weapons labs. His cadre of elite scientists--some volunteers, others kidnapped and forced into service--manufactures a seemingly endless number of war droids, as well, reducing attrition in Grathan's army to near zero.

Hadra Forces

The twelve members of the Dark Council preside over twelve pyramids, or spheres, of influence within the Empire. The Dark Council member who presides over Dromund Kaas, Darth Hadra, is currently embroiled in a conflict with the Dark Council member in charge of ancient Sith secrets and history, Darth Arctis.

Darth Hadra's forces discovered an ancient Sith shrine outside Kaas City and claimed it in her name. Darth Arctis quickly challenged her claim to the discovery, arguing that the contents of the shrine were his domain. While the conflict over the shrine has not yet come to all-out warfare between the two Dark Council members, Darth Hadra has positioned her forces in the area around the shrine, with orders to attack anyone who trespasses. The rest of the Dark Council is turning a blind eye toward any fighting with Hadra's forces while Hadra and Arctis "negotiate" for control of the shrine.

Mandalorians

An interspecies warrior culture stretching back thousands of years, the Mandalorians live for one purpose: to challenge the greatest opponents in combat and claim victory, for honor and glory. The best are proud fighters driven by a noble code, while the worst are bloodthirsty killers always looking for the next battle.

While many act as independent mercenaries, the Mandalorians are divided into clans each answering to their own leader. From time to time in history, a single leader of all clans appears and is called "Mandalore." Each new leader of the Mandalorians takes the name and mask of Mandalore and determines whether the clans will scatter or unite against a great foe. Initiates can be born into Mandalorian society or inducted from outside; either way, new Mandalorians face harsh trials as they prove themselves worthy and learn the secrets of Mandalorian weapons and armor.

The Mandalorians have been loosely allied with the Sith Empire since the Empire's return to the galaxy and played an instrumental role in the Sacking of Coruscant. Though not Imperial subjects, the Mandalorians have an enclave in the Citadel on Dromund Kaas. Their relationship with the Empire is sometimes strained, but the alliance offers one undeniable advantage: ample opportunity to face the galaxy's greatest warriors, the Jedi.

Rebelling Slaves

Brought from off-world by Lord Qet to build a massive monument to Qet's master, Darth Vowrawn, these slaves quickly rebelled, seizing industrial drills to destroy the unfinished statue and killing all who came to suppress their rebellion.

Many theories abound as to how the rebellion started, and its duration suggests that other, more powerful parties have become involved in secretly supporting the rebels. This is the largest slave rebellion in Dromund Kaas history, and second only to the rebellion led by Dakar Sol on Malachor Five in the history of the Empire.

Efforts have been made to contain the rebellion and keep it from spilling over into Kaas City, but the Dark Council has yet to act decisively on the matter, preferring to let the rebellion continue as a warning to overambitious Sith.

Revanites

The secret society known as the Order of Revan is known only to its members and a few inquisitive outsiders. The society is believed to be several hundred strong, ranging from powerful and influential Sith Lords to military officers and alien slaves--low status is no barrier to entry, but personal power and fervor are everything. Some so-called Revanites devote their lives to the cult's teachings and exist outside of mainstream Imperial society; others study and meet in secret while maintaining ordinary lives.

The Order of Revan takes its name from an ancient Sith Lord--a fallen Jedi who used both the dark side and the light side of the Force during his lifetime. Revan drew strength from passion, as well as tranquility; took allies who were human and alien, weak and strong. Revanites seek to emulate Revan's ways, seeing him as the greatest of all teachers.

Persons of Note

Darth Jadus (Imperial Agent)

Darth Jadus is reclusive and enigmatic, even among the Sith. He is cold, seething, and brilliant, and of all the members of the Dark Council is the least prone to rage, to laugh, to show any sign of the passions that fuel the dark side. Whatever passion Jadus has, whatever fuels him, only he knows. His humanity has long since been purged.

Since his ascension to the council, Jadus has remained removed from the power struggles of his peers, instead concentrating his influence on Imperial Intelligence. Although other Sith control their own spy networks, it is Jadus who oversees the galaxy's largest espionage organization (albeit primarily through advisors and intermediaries). Jadus's servants are never Sith; instead, his favored agents are ordinary citizens uplifted to greatness, terrified of their lord but possessed of an almost religious zealotry.

Species

Chevin

Natives of the planet Vinsoth, the Chevin are long-snouted, stubby-legged aliens known for their quick intelligence and underworld dealings. The most famous Chevin gangster was the slave Adamar Kirb, who managed to establish his own cartel on the Hutt-dominated world of Nar Shaddaa. While his cartel eventually broke apart into many smaller gangs, his influence is still felt.

Because of their business savvy, underworld connections and starship expertise, the Empire considers the Chevin a useful, if weak, potential ally in the ongoing galactic conflict with the Republic, though as with most aliens, most of the Chevin within the Empire are slaves.

Duros

Duros are among the most common and well-traveled aliens in the galaxy. One of the founding species of the Galactic Republic, they are known for their role in mapping the earliest hyperspace routes and pioneering hyperdrive technology; to this day, the Duros diaspora is rich and varied, and modern Duros are as frequently soldiers as they are mechanics or moisture farmers. The Duros homeworld, Duro, is located on the Corellian Trade Spine, at the nexus of two vital trade lanes.

Famous Duros include the smuggler Sol Vara, who outraced Exar Kun's forces during the Great Sith War to bring food to the refugees of Aduba Six. Not all Duros are wildly successful, however; on Nar Shaddaa, many Duros live in poverty under the rule of the Hutt Cartel, and on Dromund Kaas and other Imperial worlds, Duros are often used as slaves.

Kubaz

The Kubaz are long-snouted aliens renowned for the secretive hand signals they use to communicate with each other. These signals, combined with their ability to see even with very little light, make them experts at covert communications, and as a result, they are commonly employed as espionage agents by forces on both sides of the galactic conflict.

Even in the underworld, Kubaz are used to broker deals in silence, in the shadows. One of the most famous Kubaz was a triple agent who worked for the Hutt Cartel, providing them with information on both the Republic and the Sith Empire so the Hutts could reap the rewards of the conflict.

Selkath

Selkath are a sleek, amphibious species native to the oceans of the planet Manaan. Diplomatic and family-oriented, they have traditionally been advocates of peace in the galaxy, taking a decidedly neutral political stance. Their homeworld is a major exporter (and formerly the sole source) of the medicinal fluid kolto, and it is the kolto trade that made the Selkath an influential force in the past.

However, when the Empire first returned to the galaxy and launched its attacks on Republic worlds, Manaan was one of the first worlds to be devastated. A massive bombing destroyed most of the planet's surface infrastructure, driving the Selkath to their underwater cities. Since then, the Selkath have mostly been cut off from the larger galaxy; those who were offworld when Manaan was attacked have largely been stranded, and only a few Selkath--mainly ambassadors seeking aid for their devastated planet--have left Manaan since.

Bestiary

Gundark

The gundark is among the most feared of all species. Its strength is matched only by its resilience and keen senses, and it is a favorite target of big game hunters and a featured attraction in gladiatorial arenas galaxy-wide. Gundarks rarely last long in captivity, however; many beast tamers tell of letting their guard down for a half-second in the presence of these mighty creatures, only to be attacked and horribly mauled. They are the lucky ones. Anyone encountering a gundark in the wild knows to give this monster a wide berth or else be prepared for a fight; the gundark is known to attack unprovoked.

Jurgoran

These large amphibious creatures are known for their sharp claws and tough hides. They are found primarily on Dromund Kaas, where they are challenged only by the gundark for a position at the top of the food chain.

The jurgoran quickly became an image of vicious, unrelenting strength among the Sith who first came to Dromund Kaas, and there are several instances of Sith taking the name "Lord Jurgoran" throughout the histories.

Sleen

Sleek and web-footed, the sleen is among the fastest creatures that crawl through the Dromund Kaas jungle. It feeds primarily on the eggs of other Dromund Kaas lizards, but it has been known to hunt small prey and can be vicious in protecting its territory against intruders.

The early Sith were known to keep sleens as guard animals and pets, but the practice went out of favor as Dromund Kaas became more densely populated and the sleens proved difficult to keep in close quarters. Hunting sleens are still kept among certain high-ranking Imperial military officers, bred and trained by generations of family servants.

Vine Cat

The heavily armored, sharp-toothed vine cat can pounce up to eight meters and has been known to tear a sleen apart in less than ten seconds. Its armored frill and hide protect it against larger predators such as the jurgoran, and its claws make it an expert climber when it needs to get away. The vine cat was introduced to Dromund Kaas by the early Sith from the dark forest world of Ziost and is responsible for wiping out three of Dromund Kaas's native herbivorous species to date.

Yozusk

Yozusks were originally referred to as "rock wardens" by the Sith when they arrived on Dromund Kaas, because they nested in the cliffsides around the jungle and because of the hard, rocky protrusions on their backs. Though they are extremely territorial, they primarily feed on animals living beneath the ground, which they dig up with their long arms. They are nocturnal creatures and rely primarily on their sense of smell in the darkness. They are incredibly strong, and many young thrill-seekers cut their teeth fighting the yozusks before moving on to the larger, more powerful gundarks.

Lore

Lord Parnax's Lost Recordings

The Sith Lord Parnax vanished forty years ago, leaving no one to mourn his passing. Deeply unpopular even among his own family, Parnax spent his brief career betraying every ally while acquiring an impressive list of highly placed enemies. Whether consumed by arrogance or simply too stupid to predict his eventual fate, he appears to have deliberately invaded the Dark Temple long before the most recent incursion, seeking the key to the Emperor's power.

According to the last few entries of his journals, Parnax found himself unable to leave the Dark Temple after entering it, becoming lost and disoriented. His recordings descend into mad, incoherent ramblings about an all-consuming darkness extinguishing all life in the galaxy. Convinced he could survive this coming doom by merging with the Force, Parnax illogically schemed to end his own life.

Monument to Lord Ergast

The early Sith Lord Ergast is more myth than historical fact, and the statue named for him in Kaas City does little to clear up any misconceptions. Commissioned by a follower of Ergast's teachings two centuries after the Sith Lord supposedly lived and using that follower as its model, a small inscription near its base claims that Ergast "invented the methods used by all inquisitors to wring life from the living and the dead." Computer records contain little information on Ergast, suggesting only that he was among the first Sith to permanently settle on Dromund Kaas, and that he was probably buried there.

Sithspawn

In the ancient past, the Sith Lords of Korriban perfected an art they called alchemy--a synthesis of scientific lore and dark side philosophy. Sith alchemy was a tool to transform life itself, to reshape flesh and bone and create terrifying servants out of mere animals.

Creations of Sith alchemy are called Sithspawn. Each is unique, crafted by the hand of a Dark Lord with monstrous intent. Most are ancient, as few Sith continue to practice alchemy; although the art is not lost, it has fallen out of favor. A Sithspawn is unnatural by definition, built for near-immortality and typically violent beyond measure; a perfect weapon, and if bound, a perfect guardian.

The Blade of the Sith Executioner

Forged in a time before Sith wielded lightsabers, the ceremonial executioner's blade was later used by Sith Lord Koval Renge who preferred the tactile weapon over his traditional lightsaber. Lord Renge used the blade to dispatch hundreds of the Emperor's enemies and earned the title of Sith Executioner.

As the Emperor's power grew, so did Renge's fear of his master. Fear turned to betrayal, but Renge's plot did not escape the Emperor's notice. As punishment, the executioner's blade was turned on its owner. Renge resisted, but the blade struck true and broke off in his chest.

Renge was not permitted the escape of death. His wounds were healed, and the tainted splinter of his blade remained buried inside him. He was then cast into the Dark Temple, the agonizing splinter a constant reminder of the Emperor's cruel benevolence.

The Obliteration of Kressh

Since before the Great Hyperspace War, the Kressh bloodline was a proud and noble one in the Empire. Pureblooded Sith Lords, strong in the Force, were born to the Kressh line generation after generation. Statues and monuments to Kressh champions could be found across Dromund Kaas--until the Emperor declared the Kressh name an abomination and ordered all evidence of the family obliterated.

The reasons why are no longer clear, if they ever were. Once the task is complete, the order itself will be wiped from history. Some believe that the last scion of the Kressh bloodline somehow betrayed the Emperor--but anyone who knows the full truth keeps it to himself.

The Phobis Devices

Fear is a powerful weapon, and those who wield it can rule the galaxy. The Phobis devices were constructed for just that purpose. Brimming with dark energy, their mere presence was enough to spark crippling horror in the bravest of minds. Many Sith who meditated on the devices were driven mad by their attempt. Only the lost Sith Dread Masters successfully harnessed and perfected the Phobis devices' frightening power.

Three known Phobis devices exist, and the Emperor sealed one of them--the Core--within his Dark Temple. Although its dormant components have been scavenged, the Phobis Core remains active and will likely spread fear and hysteria for generations to come.

The Spires of Victory

This strange, suspended monument was commissioned by the late Dark Council member Darth Gorgos in celebration of the Empire's victorious return to the galaxy and the Sacking of Coruscant. It is the work of the Empire's finest engineers and took three hundred slaves to build. The cascading prisms symbolize both the ascendancy of the Sith and the downfall of their enemies. The split centerpiece that supports the edifice represents the Emperor. Darth Gorgos was murdered by her apprentice before the statue was finished, but her successor oversaw its completion.