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Here’s a seasonally appropriate gazetteer for the icy world of Rhen Var.
[embedyt] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2iLl_uusujo[/embedyt]
So yes, the musical accompaniment was written for Hoth, but Rhen Var was allegedly inspired from the same “Ice Planet” concepts from Ralph McQuarrie. Not that I’ve tracked down that piece. If you know where it is, I’d love it if you let me know in the comments!
RHEN VAR
Astronavigation Data: Tobali system, Thanium Sector, Outer Rim region
Orbital Metrics: 563 days per year / 18 hours per day
Government: none
Population: none
Languages: none
Terrain: mountains, glaciers, tundra
Major Cities: none
Areas of Interest: The Citadel, The Harbor, snow-covered ruins
Major Exports: none
Major Imports: none
Trade Routes: Salin Corridor
Special Conditions: frigid conditions requiring cold-weather gear, and some vehicles and equipment may require cold-weather modifications
Background: Said to once be a fertile world teeming with life, Rhen Var is a frozen world all but devoid of life. Little remains of the pre-Republic Rhen Varite civilization, with what ruins remain appearing to have been ancient at the time of the atmospheric cataclysm that befell the world. Archaeologists marvel at the craftsmanship of these ruins, each a cathedral-like wonder of tall towers and vaulted halls. Partially translated inscriptions tell tales of oppressors from the stars dominating the Rhen Varites and a subsequent liberation in a series of myths that match similar legends from across the galaxy.
Despite a lack of economic or strategic importance, Rhen Var has been visited and even fought over by those strong in the Force for thousands of years. It is said the ancient Je’daii Order is linked to the mythic liberation of Rhen Var, and legendary Jedi figure Ulic Qel-Droma allegedly exiled himself to the world. The Republic and the Sith would do battle on the frigid planet during the Great Galactic War, as would the Republic and Confederacy during the Clone Wars. Some wreckage remains visible, but the majority has long since been buried as heavy snow battles fierce winds across the surface.
By the height of the Galactic Civil War, Rhen Var was devoid of life. A small listening outpost was established by the Empire in its earliest days, but the installation was abandoned in favor of reinforcing Project Stardust facilities involved in the development of the dreaded Death Star. Even after the completion of Project Stardust the outpost remained abandoned, with a technical crew being dispatched occasionally to inspect and maintain the installation on hibernation mode.
FROZEN IN TIME
The cold wastes of Rhen Var lock more than just snow and ice in a frozen embrace. Relics from millennia past remain buried, from pre-Republic ruins of the ancient Rhen Varite civilization through to battlefield wreckage from the Clone Wars and the remains of many visitors in between. The world’s heavy snow eventually hides all but the largest of ruins, but both heavy winds and determined excavators have revealed much over the ages. Almost anything from galactic history could emerge from the snows of time on Rhen Var.
Rhen Var is at once a place for people and things to be lost and found. The following mini-adventure seeds develop this theme further:
- Solari Dawn: With the Imperial blockade of Ilum, the traditional source of lightsaber crystals is cut off to those who would learn the ways of the Jedi. Visions call out to the player(s), eventually leading into the mountains of Rhen Var where a cavern, once iced over, has begun to mysteriously thaw. Those who enter the cavern are struck with a series of illusory visions testing their commitment to the Light Side of the Force. After proving themselves true to the Light Side, or by overcoming the illusions by force of will or deception, explorers discover Solari crystal deposits suitable for focusing a lightsaber’s blade.
- Cold Bones: The Resistance dispatches a team to salvage military grade parts and equipment from Clone Wars era battlefields on Rhen Var. A routine scavenging operation turns into a fight for survival as First Order troops and two Knights of Ren arrive in search of relics related to Anakin Skywalker’s fall to the Dark Side.
Christopher Hunt
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