Summary
Naezathi, a criminal hideout on the planet Uush'tuore in the
Seswenna sector, is one of those
locales which manages to attain an almost legendary status among the
dregs of the galaxy. Few know of its existence (including some of
its visitors), and a tiny handful know its location. This secrecy is
the end result of the cleverness of Naezathi's master, a Black Sun
Vigo named Lonay. The elaborate facade which so effectively hides
Naezathi from the universe was Lonay's idea, and is one of his more
fondly remembered accomplishments.
Uush'tuore
Most of Uush'tuore's surface is dominated by oceans, and the three continents predominantly consist of gently rolling plains, punctuated in spots by small mountain ranges. Uush'tuore's only jungle is situated in the equatorial region of the middle-sized continent, Dipheist, and is avoided by all sensible Uush'tuorians due to its savage ecosystem. The history of Uush'tuore (the name of which comes from the old Corellian for "marginally pleasant") is brief and uninteresting, the first farm colonies having been established mere decades ago. Its inhabitants are for the most part the hardy, simple type; not one of them are aware of the importance their world holds for Black Sun. |
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The Uush'tuore "Sarlacc"
Less than a quarter of the Uush'tuorians are aware of the
existence of a Sarlacc monster near the heart of the jungle --
and very few of the farmers have dared venture near enough to
see it for themselves. Those who do know of its presence assume it developed from
a Sarlacci spore over the course of several centuries. Little do
they know that the creature's twisting tentacles and cavernous
maw are all a hoax.
In his early years as a Vigo, Lonay, the loyal servant of Prince Xizor, was charged with the task of creating a safehouse for members of Black Sun. Such hideouts were not uncommon to the organization, but Xizor specifically requested "100% security." Lonay's subsequent brainstorming and design resulted in Naezathi.
The mouth of Uush'tuore's "Sarlacc" is in fact an elaborate mock-up designed to fool even the most enterprising -- and daring -- xenobiologist. Consisting of fluid droid-controlled tentacles, a massive mechanical beak, and rows of realistic but harmless inner teeth, the mouth of the Sarlacc is the only entrance or exit from the Naezathi base. As an added precaution against short-range lifeform scanners, Lonay arranged for the mouthparts to consist of a layer of "synthedermis," a rubbery plant-like lifeform specially engineered for such purposes. Thus far it has not proven necessary -- no one has gotten close enough to investigate.
Visitors who are cleared (through Lonay personally) to stay at Naezathi are dropped through the mouth as if they were enemies being cruelly punished. When local jungle wildlife (and, rarely, curious local farmers) snoop near the pit, a set of low-grade sensors alerts the mouth's controller. This individual grabs the intruder and drops him/her/it into the mouth, after which the intruder is dealt with accordingly.
Beneath the mouth is a long, pitch-black shaft which eventually opens into what Naezathi's staff refer to as "the Vestibule." The gymnasium-sized room consists primarily of a wide pool of water designed to catch individuals who fall through the mouth. When the visitors are welcome, they are fished out and shown to their quarters. When the visitors are unwelcome, they are generally harpooned and incinerated. (Naezathi's administrators reason that anyone or anything last seen heading for the Sarlacc wouldn't be expected to return anyway.)
The thick walls of the inner structure are magnetically shielded to reduce escaping traces of energy from Naezathi's small reactor. The outer layer of the walls is also covered in the same biological coating as the mouth, so that even the most tightly-focused orbital scans will register one big lifeform containing several smaller lifeforms -- like any other Sarlacc.
Being essentially a big safehouse, Naezathi has no anti-vehicle weaponry or shields; it relies on its virtual undiscoverability to protect it. The bulk of the inner structure of the base -- which is fairly small -- consists of living areas and storage, with some space reserved for offices, meeting rooms, rudimentary medical facilities, and a small brig (just in case). The construction of Naezathi was long, difficult, and expensive, but Lonay's vision proved rewarding: Xizor gave Lonay a tropical continent in the Expansion Region in recognition of his successful efforts.
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Life in Naezathi
Naezathi's staff and residents live in small dormitory-style rooms which can accomodate anywhere from one to six individuals, depending on the resident's species, status, and preference. (The standard number of residents per room is three; the entire facility is designed to house around 270 beings, though currently has less than 200 residents.) Decoration of rooms is permitted and encouraged, provided shared rooms aren't dominated by one resident's knick-knacks. The climate in Naezathi is somewhat cold, owing not only to the base's subterranean construction but also to the need for the lowest possible energy emissions. Members of species who require sunlight or frequent warmth are seldom approved for delivery to Naezathi. Mealtime is taken in shifts, as on a warship, though the menu is far superior to military-grade food. While still designed to last for decades, the foodpacks shipped regularly to Naezathi are meant for both nutrition and appeal. "Black Sun takes care of the loyal," incredulous Naezathi newcomers are often told over a plate of boiled virpau-root or a bowl of garnished gornt stew. Fights are extremely rare in Naezathi -- its denizens realize and value their good fortune, and a true community spirit (however rough-around-the-edges) blossoms as a result. A modest security contingent of wary Esoomians provide an added safeguard against internal strife. Leaving Naezathi is considerably more difficult than arriving. Due to the high need for security (which inhibits communication with the galaxy considerably), Lonay is generally loath to allow a visiting ship to hover long enough to extract an individual from the Vestibule. When this procedure is necessary, arrangements are made to extract as many individuals as possible at the same time, in order to minimize the number of times extractions must be made. A resident who wishes to leave must sign up on the Extraction Waiting List and will often have to wait years before a ship takes the chance of getting caught pulling people out of a "Sarlacc," which would look odd to anyone. To help reduce the need for this moderately risky undertaking, many Naezathi denizens are retirees or other permanent residents. Naezathi and the Galaxy
The few who actually go to Naezathi know better. Though not the hedonistic paradise some inflated stories purport it to be, the base is a comfortable, quiet retreat for those for whom fringe life has become temporarily (or permanently) hazardous or impossible. Virtually everyone in Naezathi is an affiliate of Black Sun, although Lonay's other underworld connections allow him to slip in beings from other organizations. Clane Stebrikson
Clane values cleanliness and order, and does his best to keep his small Ugnaught staff busy with the public areas of Naezathi. Residents' rooms are their responsibility, and Clane tolerates all but the most chaotic living arrangements. He often compares his job to that of a hotel manager or a university resident assistant, though never grudgingly: Clane covets his position and intends to oversee Naezathi until he dies. |
Clane Stebrikson
Gelninukk
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Settings for Naezathi
Though the information presented here is set in the Classic Star Wars era,
Naezathi can be used by gamemasters in the post-Return of the Jedi
timeframe as part of Black Nebula, or later still as part of Lonay's own
fragment organization. The information can also easily be adapted to a
Tales of the Jedi- or Prequel-era campaign, as long as the criminal
organization behind the base has sufficient resources to construct and
maintain it.
Naezathi Diagrams with Key (Note: Several large images -- may load slowly!)
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