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Garganath is an old world. The endless mountain peaks that reach for kilometers high will remind you of the grandiosity of that place.
—Unknown
Garganath (Garganese: "Home of the Guide"), originally known as Tyrrha ((pronounced /tɪərɑ/) Tier-ah), was an alpine world and the third planet of the Gargan Prime system. It was the foremost political center of Gargan Space in the Outer Rim Territories and served as the capital world of Gargan's Empire, which was founded on Garganath.
Garganath was a planet with a rich biodiversity. The high amount of oxygen in the air gave rise to gargantuan animals and plants, but also provided a very comfortable atmosphere highly suited for colonization. Garganath was first inhabited by the Khul, a pre-industrial civilization, who called the planet Ad'dwa ("the world") in their language. After the Khul civilization's mysterious disappearance, the planet remained uninhabited for millennia until the Galactic Republic discovered it again through Sullustan explorer Peelo the Pilot. It was fully colonized by 5000 BBY and named Peelo Colony in honor of its discoverer. Garganath suffered during the Great Hyperspace War when it fell in the infamous Decimation of Peelo Colony, which resulted in a mass blackout and cultural stagnancy of the local colonists, who by time evolved into the Tyrrhans. Most of the planet's population was concentrated on the metropolis of Myrra and its few surrounding cities, meaning that almost ninety percent of the planet was untouched wilderness, safe for a few minor hamlets and villages.
In 2320 BBY, the planet was conquered by Reuel Ahlcain and Sandro Moore - who established Gargan's Empire upon the city of Myrra. Through the following years, Garganath played a pivotal role in galactic politics and remained an economic powerhouse through much of the Empire's existence.
Description
Geology
The mountain peaks of Garganath with the city Myrra in the distance.
Garganath was a terrestrial planet in the Gargan Prime system of the Outer Rim Territories of the galaxy, occupying the third orbit from the star Gargannar and located at the junction of the Big Brother and the Lonely Brother. Garganath was orbited by two moons; Tipalin and Avinter, and had a diameter of 12,120 kilometers. The planet maintained basic seasonal periods, with most regions on the planet experiencing summer, autumn, winter, and spring.
Garganath was composed of a molten core with a rocky mantle and silicate rock crust. Garganath had many tectonic plates strewn over the planet's surface - which created enormous mountains and cavernous hills that dominated the landscape. This also caused for regular earthquakes, though their severity varied. Mountains on the planet often reached kilometers in height, including Mount Alder which as the highest point on the planet reached 22 kilometers high.
Garganath had eight main continents, though the surface of the planet predominantly consisted of oceans, which comprised about 68% of the planet's surface. The lowest point in Garganath's oceans measured about 12,000 meters deep, though it had been theorized to be much deeper. Garganath's north and south poles were frozen wastelands inhospitable to most life.
Climate
Garganath had an alpine climate and the surface primarily consisted of mountainous valleys with varying hillsides. The climate in the mountainous regions was cold and often frigid, though there were fertile grasslands and farms situated in valleys between the mountains. Garganath had a thick oxygen-nitrogen atmosphere and a rich ecosystem. The high amount of oxygen in the air made it possible for colonization on even the highest mountain tops, though it also allowed for the growth of unnaturally large insects. A day on Garganath lasted 24 standard hours and a year lasted 365 local days.
Garganath was the capital of Gargan's Empire and imported resources including minerals, metals, and computer parts from other Garganese colonies. The largest city and administrative capital of Garganath was Myrra, a massive city-palace that covered an entire continent on the planet. Aside from being the political capital of the Empire, Garganath was also an economic powerhouse and was situated on the center of all the trade lanes within the Empire.
History
Formation
Garganath was believed to have formed at around 4,000,000,000 BBY, or nine billion years after the formation of the galaxy, as the oldest material found on Garganath dated back to around this period. Garganath and the other surrounding planets in the Gargan Prime system were made of the leftover gas from the nebula that made Gargannar, the system's star. The moons surrounding Garganath were believed to have formed after a collision between Garganath and a smaller rogue planet.
After gaining a terrestrial form Garganath became bombarded by asteroids and comets carrying condensed water vapours, which formed the planet's oceans. Within the next billion years life first began to evolve on the planet. The naldyl trees were believed to be the oldest extant flora on the planet, with the Tyrrhan sky leviathan believed to be the oldest known animal species. Some early bacterial lifeforms developed photosynthesis which released oxygen into the atmosphere.
Highly active tectonic activity suggested that Garganath's trademark mountain ranges had grown within 3,000,000,000 to 3,500,000,000 BBY, which also suggested that the planet may once had a single supercontinent.
Khul era
A humanoid species called the Khul emerged on Garganath at around 15,000 BBY. They were a pre-industrial sapient race with an unusually strong connection to the Force. It was generally believed that they were both able to commune, and live alongside with, the elusive Tyrrhan sky leviathans. By time, their race had spread throughout the entire planet - though their heartland and main metropolises were focused around the same area where one day the city of Myrra would be located. The Khul were separated into various states and polities, culturally similar but politically divided. Most of their civilization was united behind the worship of their gods, which were later discovered to in reality be exceptionally-powerful Force-sensitives initially revered as heroes and elders, then later worshipped as gods.
Sometime at around 7000 BBY, the Khul became extinct. For millennia, the reasons and circumstances behind their disappearance have become a hotly debated topic. It was generally accepted that their civilization was wiped out before they could achieve faster-than-light travel. Some scientists, however, proposed several theories behind the Khul's disappearance. Some claim they fled underground to escape a natural disaster, others claim a spacefaring race extracted them from Garganath, while others persist that they simply killed each other out after a brutal war. The noticeable lack of bodily remains of any Khul - despite the fact that their ruins were still standing - did not help the matter further.
After the Khul died out, their planet remained uninhabited for centuries. It would take at least two millennia for the planet to be discovered by the wider galactic community.
Early colonization
Tyrrha was a fairly insignificant world up until the 5000s BBY. It was first discovered by Peelo the Pilot, a moderately successful charter and explorer. His discovery prompted several Human colonists to settle on this remote, majestic planet. It was soon discovered that Tyrrha was abundant in exotic flora that produced great ingredients for cooking and seasoning. Furthermore, Tyrrha was also home to indigenous plants that produced a hallucinogenic substance, which became frequently used as a drug by the colonists.
By the time the Great Hyperspace War began, Tyrrha had become the personal property of Lord Regis Panteer of Alderaan, who had been exiled from his homeworld following accusations of dealings with the Slaver's Republic. Regis was influential in Republic politics, and his friends within the Galactic Senate approved his application for lordship of the relatively young colony.
The Decimation
Following the outbreak of the Great Hyperspace War, Lord Regis attempted to shield his colony from the Sith insurgents by foolishly cutting off all access to the HoloNet and any other forms of communication. This cut off the colony from the rest of the galactic community, though Regis believed this to be the best course of action should the Sith decide to invade his insignificant colony. However, despite all that, Tyrrha was not impervious to the violent conflict when a downed Republic vessel carrying precious intel on Sith operations crash-landed on the planet.
Regis attempted to have the Republic squad team driven off his world, but they could not call in for a rescue ship because all communication lines had been cut. Sometime later, the planet was invaded by the Sith who wreaked havoc on the relatively undefended colony for harboring the Republic officers. This resulted in all but the complete decimation of the planet, and the Galactic Republic were left unaware of what had transpired since no one had any means of communicating with the rest of the galaxy.
This near-apocalyptic event resulted in the planet's inhabitants gradually devolving back into tribal communities over the next centuries. Small settlements were built over the ruins of the colonies that preceded them, and an entirely new cultural identity had developed itself as the millennia passed by.
Gargan Conquests
In 2320 BBY, a group of Human scientists from Coruscant led by esteemed anthropologist Bor Kovats were sent to the planet to attempt to reintegrate the fractured Tyrrhan tribes back into the Galactic Republic. Among the scientists were Reuel Ahlcain and Sandro Moore, the former being - unknowingly to the other scientists - a Tyrrhan native who had long since desired to reunite and rebuild his people. The scientists were allowed to stay in the lands of the Kingdom of Myrra, under the apparent protection of its king Adamos.
However, Adamos did not keep to his promise and attempted to have the Coruscanti scientists driven off his planet. Ahlcain saw his moment and gave himself to the Tyrrhans, teaching them how to properly wage warfare and how to make use of modern technology. His teachings allowed the Tyrrhans to properly drive the scientists off the planet, and by time Ahlcain's renown within the Kingdom of Myrra allowed him to become the new King of Myrra.
Shortly afterward, Ahlcain had reorganized the kingdom into Gargan's Empire, waging war against the other tribes and nations on the planet. Within a few years, Tyrrha had all but fallen under Ahlcain's control - who had begun calling himself the Gargan. When the Tyrrhans reactivated the derelict mining equipment scattered across the planet, they gathered enough resources to begin construction on starships meant to colonize the other planets in their vicinity. Tyrrha was also renamed to "Garganath", meaning the "Home of the Guide" in reverence to Ahlcain's new chosen title.
Society
Garganathi society was largely derived from the dominant culture of the inhabitants of Gargan's Empire. The Garganathi enjoyed the pursuit of knowledge and wisdom, while their main focus was complete and utter devotion tot the state and to its head – the Gargan. The inhabitants of Garganath also valued the preservation and conservation of its world, and attempted to leave much of the planet's terrain as untouched as possible. They founded recreational parks meant to protect the many indigenous wildlife, while also offering a chance for visitors or inhabitants of the planet to take in the majestic beauty Garganath's nature had to offer.
The average Garganathi was highly sophisticated and educated. The citizens enjoyed vast educational opportunities funded by the state, while an emphasis was put on military education first and foremost. Male Garganathis were involved in the defense of their empire and were taught much on military strategy and logistics. Women, in the meantime, devoted their time to less martial pursuits and often served in custodian or priestly capacities. Nevertheless, both sexes had equal opportunity to devote time to study and learning.
Government
For much of its unified existence, Garganath was ruled by an elective monarch called the Gargan. The Gargan was considered the epitome of the Garganathi ideal and they were worshipped as divine reincarnations of the child of Ur, the god of the Tyrrhans. The Gargan himself was advised by the religious-political council of the Order of Gargan, who also served as proxies should the Gargan not be available. Garganath could also be considered a magocratic theocracy, as male Force-sensitives within the Empire - considered the divinely-blessed "Ur-Touched" - were the only people capable of either joining the Order of Gargan or be made Gargan.
The Gargan was usually appointed from members of the Order of Gargan. In exceptionally rare cases a non-Order member could be also be elected as the new Gargan, though this had only happened once during the Empire's history. Elections for a new Gargan required a 5-4 majority within the nine-member council, though if elections proved to be exceedingly long without any clear consensus, the Mordan - the Gargan's right-hand man - could veto the Order and choose a new Gargan himself.
Inhabitants
Garganath was inhabited by approximately 9.4 billion sentients and was the homeworld of the Tyrrhans, who comprised about 77% of the population. The Tyrrhans were a near-Human race who descended from colonists of Coruscant who due to isolationism and long-time separation from the rest of the galaxy had come to develop their own language, culture, and religion.
The rest of the planet was inhabited by Neimoidians (5%), other Human or Near-Human races (12%) and other non-Human races (6%).