Tirracles (Star Wars)
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Tirracles (tiˌrəˌklēz) is a fictional planet in the Star Wars Universe, known for its vast oceans, enormous volcanoes, and destructive storms. Its most prominent life-forms are fluorescent plankton, Tirraclesian maw-mouth crabs, aureate coral, and a small population of humans, seeing as the planet's surface is comprised of 83% water, 14% mountainous forests, and 3% volcanic island chains. The atmosphere is similar to that of Earth's, although the planet's diminutive size generates a force of gravity that is slightly weaker than the average Mid Rim planet.
It can be found in sector H-16 of the Moddell sector, located near the edge of the galaxy's Mid Rim Territory. It was previously forgotten until around 32 BBY, around the time of the Naboo conflict. Tirracles's relative seclusion is due in part to it's small size, the wave-scrambling side effects of its frequent thunderstorms, and its surrounding field of meteors. Both inter- and intraplanetary scientists suspect that an age-old collision with a dwarf planet resulted in this geological shield. The Rattatak-Tirracles Asteroid Belt, dubbed by residents of neighboring planets as the "R-TAB", have recently proved to be rich in metallic ores that were previously only found in sectors H-7 and F-8.
Description
edit| Tirracles | |
|---|---|
| Star Wars location | |
| First appearance | The Phantom Menace |
| Last appearance | Star Wars: The Phantom Menace |
| Created by | George Lucas |
| Genre | Science fiction |
| In-universe information | |
| Type | Gaia-world |
| Race(s) | Human |
| Population | 19,058 Humans |
| Terrain | |
| Oceans | 3 |
| Sun(s) | 1 |
| Standard Galactic Grid Coordinates | H-16 |
While most of the planet's surface is perpetually battered by storms, two distinct landmasses offer contrasting environments: the mountainous continent of Nantor and the volcanic archipelago of Kital.
Nantor, the larger continent to the southeast, boasts towering peaks like the Kishil Mountains, home to the only pass (Eh-mitsu Pass) connecting the eastern and western sides. The Taiakara River carves a path through the heart of the continent, eventually feeding into the Sabbakk Plains, a brutal desert landscape. The Sennana Coast to the south offers calmer waters and diverse marine life, a vital source for Tirracles' export industry.
Kital, in contrast, is a land of fire and rock. Dotted with volcanic islands like the Kazna Archipelago, it's home to the Jensaarai, a secretive group who harness the heat of the volcanoes for their metalworking and martial arts traditions. Their largest village sits on Katiagonejim, the northernmost island, known for its proximity to the Katiagones, magnificent storm eagles and close relatives of the legendary iliagones.
People
editDespite their shared planet, the Tirracles-Nantor and Tirracles-Kital populations have limited interaction. Tirracles-Nantor, with its larger population and bustling capital Mach-irshk, thrives on commerce and resource extraction. Tirracles-Kital, focused on their traditions and self-sufficiency, maintains a smaller footprint. The people themselves share common physical traits – light brown skin, dark hair, and brown/gold eyes – but their diverse lifestyles foster distinct cultural identities.
The Tirraclesian language reflects this duality. It employs feminine and masculine articles (iht, la, sha versus aht, lo, shoh), with less common androgynous articles (oht, li, sheh) used in situations when a person has no gender identity, or when a person’s gender identity is fluid or unknown. Their language's fast, rhythmic flow features hard "k" sounds and strong vowels, softened by the letter "H" used almost like a whisper. Notably, their word for "northeast" (hoktor) is pronounced "ohktor," highlighting the emphasis on breathy delivery. Due to the diminutive human population, Tirraclesians forego the use of last names, instead identifying themselves by what region they live in. Intraplanetary conversation removes the “Tirracles'' from names (ex. when introduced to another Tirraclesian, the name Eh-ma Iht La Kital is given as opposed to Eh-ma Iht La Tirracles-Kital). Off-worlders who come to visit are also given a regional descriptor (ex. Noat Koldaun, a man from Hoth, would be Noat Koldaun Aht Lo Hoth).
One thing unites all Tirraclesians: their resourcefulness. They export a variety of goods beyond the planet's borders, including sealife, harvested from the abundant oceans found of the Sennana coast; phosphorites, crucial for creating glowrods (often sourced from the Nantor continent); and metalworks, a specialty of Kital's Jensaarai and their volcanic forges.
The Jensaarai, numbering around 200 in Kital's main village, are a secretive Force-sensitive group similar to the Jedi or Mandalorians. The Jensaarai are known for their claim to walk in perfect balance with the Force, and their ability to call upon both compassion and anger for their power. However, the truth to their strength remains largely unknown, due to their fierce aversion to conflict of all kinds. Their unique bond with the Force revolves around their "enkh-ardia," a personal spirit animal or natural element.
The Arah-zítsi, their rite of passage, sees young Jensaarai venturing into their enkh-ardia's habitat for a year to earn its trust, learn life lessons, and craft their armor. Depending on the enhk-ardia's habitat, this may entail traveling off world. Upon returning, they receive their cloak, signifying their transition into full-fledged Jensaarai. Some return to their communities, while others choose to live near their enkh-ardia.