May the 4th 2024 be with you: Star Wars Tales
All Images used in this story are taken from Google Images, I do not have copyright use for these images and if requested I shall happily remove them.
I do not intend to make any profit from this story as it is solely for the purpose of entertainment and enjoyment.
The Warriors of Helios:
A world of severity, hardship and extremes breed incredibly dangerous and incredibly powerful beings.
In a Galaxy with a history filled with turmoil, warfare and mysterious abilities found through the understanding of the fabric of the universe, a power that holds many names, though many would recognise it most through the name of the Force. Through legends and tales of warriors wielding such powers alongside blades of pure energy, warring in the name of the Ashla and Bogun, the Light and the Dark.
But in a galaxy that holds so many stars that it is impossible to properly count them, no world is the same, some are considered beautiful. Like Alderaan with its beautiful mountains and forests, to Coruscant and the endless city that makes the world the capital of the known galaxy, to the endless sands of Tatooine. But often such worlds are able to be settled regardless of the hardships the people face.
Yet there is one system along the Hydian Way just a short Hyperspace jump from Mustaphar in the Galactic South, that is known not for being pleasant or enjoyable, not even remotely habitable, the System of Helios where the planet itself is a landscape of endless hardships, difficulty and almost certain death. The Planet has a total of four circling moons with a nearby giant asteroid belt alongside six other planets and planetoids orbiting the systems star.
Dividing the two is a large band of sand and sun baked rock, where life is near none existent with the only survival being around the scattered oases where fresh water rises from deep underground. The Divide as it is known on Hellion literally makes the passage between the northern and southern hemisphere near impossible unless one knows the locations of the oases as well as the safest paths through them. For all three regions have dangerous wildlife that have adapted to survive in the harsh environments of the planet, these include large and small herbivores to carnivores of varying size.
Great beasts include the dreaded Hydra, a giant creature that holds three or more serpentine heads and is a ferocious predator.
There is little to no interest in Helios throughout Galactic history, mostly due to the Planets harshness but also due to the lack of resources that would be of any use to outsiders. Whilst common metals can be found beneath the soil and within the mountains, it is not in significant amounts to make any mining efforts worthwhile.
Biology:
The Hellions are a human like species that originated from Humans millennia ago, however they are now classified as their own species after countless centuries of selective breeding and genetic alterations and manipulations.
Biologically speaking they are still very similar to humans and other humanoid species, they have a single heart, a pair of lungs, intestines, stomach, two kidneys, a liver etc. At first glance one might mistake a Hellion for a human, but to call them such is regarded as an insult for them, [So be careful].
However unlike other humanoid species, the Hellions are exceedingly adaptable, since their home world has three distinct environments, they are able to persist and survive in all three climates. They have no issue living in extreme colds, extreme heats or even in places with excessive amounts of turbulent weather. Their bodies are able to clot their blood in an almost imperceptible amount of time, this ensures that they do not lose too much moisture when injured, their bones are naturally and genetically reinforced to withstand greater damage and have a great capacity to heal.
They have increased reflexes which when coupled with their more attuned senses give them greater room to manoeuvre in difficult situations, this can in turn be coupled with their larger lung capacity when compared to most other species that obviously grants more oxygen to their muscles. A Hellions stomach and intestines have a greater ability to get more from whatever it is they are eating, so less is wasted.
Long History and Culture:
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| The city of Halcyon |
It is upon this harsh and unforgiving world that the Hellions came to settle, originally colonists from an unknown human world, the Hellions landed on the planet following a mechanical malfunction in which they had no choice but to establish themselves on the world. Over countless years the number of colonists dwindled until only the strongest remained, from these few hundred survivors came the rebirth of a new culture.
The Hellions began to embrace the hardships of their new world as a means of harnessing their future, they started to view weakness not just as a point of view but actually existed as both Physical and Mental. As such in order to ensure that they could properly ensure the survival of their people, they began to actively work to ensure that no form of weakness could threaten their continuation. They did so both in physical forms in training and weeding out physical disabilities, they did the same mentally by carefully watching out for psychological issues and quickly seeing them cured or eliminated.
But weakness was also removed on a genetic level, Hellion scientists altered the genetic codes of the populace to ensure that no dangers could come on the microscopic level. This was split into the removal of genetic faults and the implantation of genes that would strengthen the population both physically and mentally, whilst also gifting the Hellions an extended life span.
By the time of the Old Republic and the rise of the First Sith, the common life span for a single Hellion was put at around 300 years with some possibly going even further.
This involved all areas of life, including on the genetic level, where tying the knot, a couple would undergo careful examination of one another to ensure that should they have children then there would be no danger of the offspring being unable to contribute to society. The Hellions do not regard marriage as a literal sense as in other cultures, though marriage remains a matter of the heart, being that two people love one another. Its doesn't mean that marriage is held in a physical sense, should for instance a husband be unable to properly produce children with his wife due to an issue on his part. It is common for him to invite his partner to find a viable alternative in order to have children and vice versa.
The education of all children on Hellion is the purpose of the Planets Government, the High Council, which is made up at this moment of time 9 Years after the Battle of Yavin, 12 powerful noble families or Great Houses that rule different areas of the planet. The lessons taught were carefully crafted to bring out the strengths of the students and weed out all forms of weakness, with a explicit point of making clear the purpose of contributing to society in many forms to ensure the continued strength of the Hellion people.
Over centuries the Hellions have become more attuned with their home-world, to the point that they were able to tame some of the great monstrous beasts that walk the planets ecosystems, turning them either into beasts of burden and livestock or into predatory war mounts. And further still their careful selectiveness in regards of the baring of children and the genetic manipulation by scientists over the centuries, the Hellions have become incredibly powerful people.
Their bodies became exceedingly strong, with some saying that they could very easily wrestle with some of the strongest species in the galaxy such as the wookiiees and trandoshans. But even their mental strength became renowned, with some stories saying that a Hellion warrior could consciously ignore pain even if it was from a life threatening injury.
Art and Culture:
Even the position of contributing to society influenced their aspect of cultural expansion and exclusiveness, unlike nearly every other culture across the galaxy, the Hellion do not have any form of artistic expression. Though they do have arts and cultural actions such as plays, theatres etc, these are not really used for expression, there has never been throughout known history, a Hellion Philosopher, abstract artists, fictional writers, fictional creators of any kind.
Every method of art known, from painting, architecture, literature, theatre and even music have been used by the Hellions to tell the stories of the past. Plays are in their culture, re-enactments of past events, songs are ballads of events long past, sculptures and architectural will portray events of importance and paintings are used to show the histories of their people. The reason for this is again due to the harshness of their world and the belief in contributing to society, the Hellions believe those said above are contributing to their society as it ensures that their histories nor their heroes of old are forgotten.
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| City of Windswept Peaks |
In fact whenever a Hellion has been invited to see a play or listen to some opera, they have asked what the event is being portrayed, they do not believe in fictional tales. Instead they see such matters as a waste of time and resources, time and resources that could have gone to something better, something that could actually contribute to their people.
A strange abstract sculptural piece of art could have been better used in building a home or being part of an irrigation system. The timer required for someone to write out a play or song that holds no importance in retelling the histories, could have gone to helping keep those histories alive. So should anyone visit Helios, walk the cities of the planet and look upon their paintings, architecture or even just gaze upon the finely carved statues. A Hellion would say that this is how they honour their ancestors, by ensuring that their memory and their history never be forgotten.
Paintings and architecture show the identity of the different Great Houses or depict moments of history that are of great importance to their culture. Statues are made perfectly to show the person whom it is meant to honour and they all individuals or people that are honoured by the Hellion for their contribution to their people and their culture.
Even in Death does a Hellion not contribute, since the planet is excessively hard to live on, the Hellions have a practice of using the bodies of the dead to aid in the future, according to their beliefs, a persons soul is theirs, but their flesh belongs to the planet. So as custom dictates, when a Hellion is close to death either from age, illness or injury, they will be asked what they wished for their body. After their death their vital organs will be harvested to be used in medical transfers for those who need them, so the heart, liver, lungs, kidneys, pancreas, stomach and intestines are harvested from their corpses even their blood is siphoned after death to be used in symbolic uses such as the fertilising of the soil.
Then they can either have their remains cremated and the ashes scattered over the farm lands to help fertilise the soil, or they can have their remains given to the carnivorous livestock. All in all their bodies shall be given back to the planet, in doing so ensuring that the people can have food on their tables that shall give them the strength to go on.
The Hellions are so focused internally on their planet that they have a long standing tradition of limited interference with the rest of the Galaxy, though they will work with others for a shared goal. They find it more suitable to be left alone to manage their own affairs, this goes into matters of their solar colonies, though the Hellions have established colonies on worlds and moons within their own system, they have never looked beyond their home system for habitation or expansion.
Military:
This goes even into the position of their military, each of the Great Houses is by tradition to have a sizeable force under their direct command, to enforce law and order as well as to serve as Guards and soldiers. However since the greatest belief of the Hellions is that one must contribute to the people, it involves the military structure, although both men and women can serve in the military of their ruling House.
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| A Call to the Armies of the Great Houses |
Should a threat emerge or an attack be committed, then all of the Great Houses shall amass their forces into a single force to repel any enemy, however there is some resemblance militarily with some other cultures of the Galaxy both in reality and legend. There are clearly defined rules in place at certain times, such as open warfare and or crisis, which could involve Hellion armies being sent off world to engage in any threat to Helios.
Then only those who have children are permitted to join these outgoing armies, this to ensure that bloodlines do not properly die out or that those who have yet to properly contribute to the Hellion way of life is not placed in any danger.
The Laws on Helios in regards to active war are very clear, Helios and the High Council cannot be the aggressors of a conflict without viable cause. Though they are always defensive in nature, Helios can launch a pre-emptive attack if the danger is clear and unavoidable, if a conflict can be avoided then a pre-emptive attack cannot be allowed.
As said each of the Great Houses that serve as members of the High Council are granted permission to host a large force of their own, to enforce laws and serve as protectors. However whilst most would expect the Houses to fight amongst each other, this is hasn't been seen since the planets unification under the High Council. To prevent the violence that plagued the planet many millennia ago, the High Council established the prospect of tournaments that are hosted each and every Cycle of the planet around the sun.
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| The Carrock Coliseum |
However the rules of such are clearly defined, whilst gladiators are permitted to wield their swords and deal in injuries, both contestants are to leave the Arena still breathing.
And it is not just the Hellions themselves that are force to be reckoned with on Helios, millennia of living on the planet has given the Hellions the insight to domesticate a number of local species. From the multi headed Hydra to the inquisitive Seekers of the Divide.
The Invasion of the Sith:
The Planet of Helios and its people have for thousands of years been regarded as extreme and often avoided when possible, though this does not mean it has not appeared in the annuals of galactic histories over the many millennia.
It is recorded that during the time of the Sith Empire, the Hellions were not properly unified under a single government, though there was relative peace, the Great Houses were constantly vying for power amongst each other. That was until the Arrival of the Sith Empire.
The first Sith invasion came as a surprise to the Hellions who were at the time still divided internally with the different Great Houses feuding amongst each other. It wouldn't take long however for the threat of the invaders to provide cause for some to rally into a single unified front, House Aro for example rallied a number of Great Houses into a new High Council to reaffirm the position that regardless of where an individual was from they were all Hellions and present a unified front. But one particular warrior showed great promise and zeal to drive back the invaders.
His name was Kilr Moraluck and he with a contingent of warriors from the South that the tide was turned. He personally lead the Hellions into a number of selective battles that played on the weaknesses of the Sith, Moraluck recognised that the Sith were prideful and easy to manipulate. So he would give them shows of weakness and let them get comfortable, in the south he used the very nature of Helios to his advantage. He ordered his men to build fake villages in the path of the Sith advance, villages in places that he knew Snow Shifters lived and when the Sith and their forces arrived and began to use the location as a base or outpost.
Kilr would give the signal and have his warriors break small chunks of ice and snow across the mountain slopes, which already weakened by the Snow-Shifters caused great avalanches. Eventually the Sith surrendered the entire southern Hemisphere deciding to focus on the North, but Moraluck followed gathering more and more as he went, until finally he cornered the entire Sith Invasion force laying siege to Halcyon. In one decisive battle the Sith were defeated and in recognition for his efforts and leadership, the newly formed High Council gifted Kilr Moraluck permission to establish his own Great House.
A second invasion followed and again it was driven back, as the Hellion forces under House Moraluck put up a brave defence. He ordered the combined armies of Helios to meet the Sith when they landed, Showing their martial prowess and their fierce determination to defend their home, it is said that the Sith Lord that was responsible for leading the invasion, felt true fear for the first time, so much so that he ran when he saw the battle was lost.
Instead of attempting another invasion, the Sith Empire opened talks with the High Council wishing to make a deal. At first the High Council believed it to be a deal for subjugation, the Sith actually asked to use the planet as a prison planet, where they could dump those that wanted, such as prisoners of war and even captured Jedi. The Sith would even hired the Hellions to serve as the guards of the planet during its usage as a planet wide prison system, a task the Hellions took pride in.
Upon the arrival of prisoners whether they be P.O.Ws or just dissidents, the Hellion warriors would take them to enclosed settlements and leave them to their own devices. No food was given to the prisoners, instead they were given seeds for crops and farming tools and told, if they wanted to eat then should contribute meaning that if the prisoners wanted food then they should grow it themselves or perform work in service of the community. With the fall of the Sith Empire, the planet was quickly seized by the victorious galactic Republic and the Jedi who immediately demanded the release of all prisoners.
Wishing to stay out of the politics, the High Council agreed and wilfully allowed Republic ships down onto the planet to retrieve the surviving prisoners of war. Though they were granted sovereignty by the Galactic Republic and eventually offered a place, the Hellions accepted as they offered their continued services as a prison planet which again was accepted by certain planetary governments within the Republic.
Beliefs in Force Sensitivity:
Though ideas like the Force are somewhat known to the Hellions, they do not see it as a straight line, they do not believe in the ideals of what they refer to as the Ashla and Bogun, the light and Dark, instead seeing those who follow one or the other to be flawed. They saw the Sith as weak for being selfish and focused on their own greed, whilst they also saw the Jedi as flawed for a different reason. Hellions often regarded as the Jedi as "Vey Zklintoga" No contribution. They recognised that the Jedi were often separate from society and according to the cultural traditions of Helios, not working to the betterment of society.
It was for this reason that whenever a force sensitive was discovered on Hellion and its later colonies in its own system, the Hellions vowed that no child shall be taken by the Jedi. Each time Jedi have come to the planet, the Hellion warriors with strong Electro or Plasma weapons that can challenge the Jedi Lightsabres were there to meet them and see that they leave the planet immediately.
Children of force sensitivity born to the Hellions are carefully trained in their own form of schooling known as the Ashan, though they are taught similar lessons that are used by the Jedi, lessons learned from the Jedi once held as prisoners during the time of the Sith. But unlike the Jedi where the students would be expected to live with strict rules, the Hellion Force Wielders were raised according to the same beliefs of everyone else, their strengths are to serve for the betterment of society.
Some have often compared the Ashan to the witches of Dathomir using strange force abilities through incantations and rituals, these rituals are seen as extreme and borderline obscene by outsiders, as some require the sacrificing of ones own blood. However the Ashan are regarded with a level of respect and honour among all Hellions, unlike the Jedi who remain secluded in their temple on Coruscant and are very rarely seen by the populace they are sworn to serve. The Ashan are required to work with the people on Helios to better serve and contribute to society.
Sisters of the Ashan are given respect as force wielding healers and teachers, as Brothers of the Ashan are known for using force abilities to better aid the people such as using the force to calm raging beasts. Both however perform rituals when required and always according to tradition, when Hellion dies it is the brothers and sisters of Ashan who perform the act of removing the internal organs, siphoning of the blood as well as performing funerary rites on behalf of the families.
According to a tradition a funeral cannot be singular for most people, this honour is reserved for those deemed worthy of the act, so instead Hellions and notably the Brothers and Sister of Ashan perform grouped Funerals with the blood letting being a time honoured tradition witnessed by the family members of the deceased.
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| Funerary Blood Letting |
The Crusades of Mandalore:
Again Helios would face aggression from the galaxy, this time in the form of the Mandalorians who in their time of military expansion or Crusades, began to amass for an attack on Helios. However recognising the danger to their people, the High Council ordered a pre-emptive strike against the Mandalorian forces mustering in a nearby system. The force of Crusaders, numbered near 3,000 of their best, by the end of the attack less than a hundred were alive.
Wanting to avenge their defeat and redeem their honour, the Mandalorians launched an invasion expecting an easy victory, it was anything but. Despite an early success in taking the supposed planetary capital city, the Aron the planets largest city, the Crusaders soon found themselves facing a battle for each and every inch of ground they took.
The Hellions fought fiercely and ferociously, the Crusaders were forced to engage in a year of constant warfare in which they were driven into fight in some incredibly harsh conditions, in the South in the frozen wastelands. The Hellions here conducted a series of attacks in which they used the mountains and the frozen plains to force the Mandalorians into positions where their numbers worked against them. Then when caught in the right positions, the Hellions created false settlements and left them open, knowing full well that the Mandalorians would take shelter.
But since they didn't know the planet very well and the landscape, when they looked for warmth and found the apparent abandoned settlement, they used it to weather a "White Out". However as they began to rest and relax in the relative comfort of the basic homes with warm hearths, the Hellions set off their trap, causing a massive avalanche to rage straight down the mountains on both sides and directly onto the "Settlement".
Things were not any better in the other parts of the planet, in the North, the Hellions again used the mountains to ensure that they always had the advantage in position. Whilst in the Divide, the Hellions turned each and every oasis into a literal fortress, protected by powerful shields that made it so bombardments were impossible. With no direct access to water, the Crusaders were forced into near never ending sieges that lasted through the entire campaign.
The final battle came when just as things were about to break, the Hellions launched simultaneous counter attacks across the entire planet. Cities thought secure rose up as warriors that had been hiding there for months came out of hiding and began to systematically annihilate the enemy where they could be found.
Every Mandalorian not able to get onto a shuttle was either captured or killed, and those killed were deemed the lucky ones, for the Hellions used the captured Mandalorians in ritual sacrifices. Some say the rituals performed by the Ahsan made every Mandalorian ship in orbit suffer a systematic power failure just before they began to collide with one another.
Post Mandalorian Crusades:
Following the end of the Crusades by the Mandalorians, the interest in the Hellion warriors grew with many wishing to recruit these renowned warriors whom even the mighty Mandalorians and dreaded Sith were unable to conquer. Everyone from Senators wanting a Hellion bodyguard or Crime lords wanting Hellion enforcers in their employ.
Over the Millennia, Hellions have primarily kept to themselves and away from everyone else, they have little care to get involve with anything they don't believe to be of any worth or contribution to their Society at home. Though Hellion warriors have ventured beyond their home world, these usually are individuals seeking a means of contributing to society back home, this usually means that end up working as bounty hunters, mercenaries, bodyguards as well as employed by Crime Lords across the Galaxy such as the Hutts, the Black Sun and the Pykes.
Regardless of the times however, the Hellion people have remained strong and unified by their beliefs of societal contribution and the strength of their minds and bodies ready to face any threat that might come their way.
Post Sith History:
Following the supposed ultimate defeat of the Sith, the Hellions were cordially invited to join the Galactic Republic as a provisional member, many systems were cautious as they knew that the Hellion had dealings with the Sith. But the High Council negotiated and were accepted into the Republic provisionally and then later fully, the terms of their acceptance into the Republic were clear.
By this point Helios was very much reliant on the system of prisons to provide for their people, though they were very much self sufficient in terms of food and security. Helios did not provide a quantity of materials that were required to maintain a space faring species, as such Helios often had to import such materials from other worlds and corporations and such require credits. And by this point the best way Helios could gain such credits was through its prisons.
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| Helgat Prison |
Though Hellion would remain a prison planet for the Galaxies criminals, the Republic made very clear that changes would need to be made to how the Hellions treated them. To an extent the Hellions agreed but made clear that they would not sacrifice their beliefs nor their cultural norms for the satisfaction of off-worlders, they agreed to feed the prisoners in their charge but only until they were able to grow their own or took on a form of work within the prison. As well as this a Committee would be established to oversee the prisons and prisoners across Helios to ensure that no rights under Republic law were being violated or that the prisoners were not being mistreated. The High Council accepted such terms but made clear that though the Republic may have command over the prisons it would not involve itself or try to influence their culture or traditions.
The Senate agreed and Helios once more became a place for members of the Republic to send their worst criminals. The hope was of course that the harshness of Helios as well as the infamy of the Hellions themselves would ensure the prisoners would not try anything. And it has worked, there has been no escapes from the planet.
However the greatest example of success beyond their home world, can be found upon the planet of Ravcor, where a great leader arose from the shadows to seize control over a planet known for being hub of organised crime. Known now as the Lord of Ravcor, Moran' seized power with the support of his followers, Hellion warriors who are firmly loyal to him and him alone. Despite his placement as the Ruler of a galactic wide criminal enterprise, Moran has not forgotten his duty to the Hellion belief of contribution.
Though he may live in splendour he continues to honour his ancestral beliefs, sending resources and credits back to Helios with the blessing of the High Council. It is even said that without Moran as the ruler of Ravcor, Helios would be once again a planet solely for the use as a planet wide Prison. Despite the comforts of his palace on Ravcor, Moran has made annual pilgrimages to Helios in order to ensure that he remains true to the beliefs of his ancestors. During these same Pilgrimages he invites Hellion warriors from across the planet to join his Underworld Empire, an invitation that many take on as a means of contributing to society in the same way that Moran himself does.
In gratitude for his contributions to Helios, the Great Houses of the High Council formally permitted Moran to establish his own House on Ravcor with the warriors he had recruited over the years, this new Great House was even granted a seat on the High Council itself on the condition however that House Ravcor raise all their children according to tradition on Helios itself rather than on Ravcor.
The Clone Wars:
Through the time of the Clone Wars, the Hellions formally decided to withdraw from the politics and joined the Council of Neutral Systems telling both sides that they would not become involvements in either side of the conflict. A decision that surprised both the Republic and the Confederacy who wished to see the strong warriors of Helios on their side, But the High Council made clear between the two dictating that their planet is heavily reliant on open and free trade and to choose one side of the war would mean bringing harm upon their people.
Though they made clear to both sides that their position as a prison planet would continue, however under the status of their neutrality they would not accept any prisoners of war nor would they accept political prisoners from either side. The terms were accepted by both the Galactic Senate and the Confederate Parliament, though Helios would officially remain a member of the Galactic Republic, their representative would merely sit in their station and watch never once casting a vote regarding anything to do with the military or war effort.
Another point that was made in regards of the conflict was the terms of this neutrality, the Great Houses made very clear. Although Helios itself and the Great Houses will not take part in the war for either side, they would not also deny any who wished to join the war effort for either side, meaning the planet would be neutral as would its government. But Hellions were free to join up and fight for either the Republic or the Separatists of their own choosing.
Rise of the Empire:
Following the formal end of the Clone Wars and the establishment of the Empire, Helios formally remained with the new Imperial Senate and in a meeting with the Emperor. Formally requested to have their status as a neutral prison planet be maintained, wanting to keep such a viable prison with a famed reputation for no escapes open, he agreed.
Though he did wish for the prisons to be expanded on to involve work in the form of factories and refineries, the High Council accepted again on the condition that they be the ones to maintain and guard said facilities. Soon factories and refineries were constructed and very quickly started churning out refined metals, materials, weapons, munitions, armour, vehicles etc.
And Helios remained firmly according to its traditions, unlike the rest of the galaxy where Imperial Stormtroopers began to patrol every street and alleyway. Helios remained free of overt Imperial Presence, though Imperial ships visited often bringing in new prisoners, taking away those who had served their time, dropping off resources etc. Helios' orbit and skies had no star destroyers ever, which suited the Hellions perfectly fine.
However one particular Great House that grew to promise during the period of the Empire would show its loyalty by actively altering its name to reflect the Empire, becoming House Imperial and actively showed its loyalty by altering the armour of its forces to reflect the armour of the Imperial Stormtroopers. Unlike the other Great House, House Imperial began to shrug off the traditional beliefs and customs of the Hellion people in favour of Imperial rule, they also had no qualms taking in political prisoners of the Empire in violation of the High Councils decision.
For most of the Imperial rule over the Galaxy, Helios remained relatively free, being a productive prison planet for the Empire made it one of the few places that the Empire required constant overwatch and control over. The Imperial Moffs and Governors that were technically responsible for the planet and the sector it was within very rarely set foot on the planet, preferring instead to live on one of the more pleasant planets or moons within the system.
In fact the only reason the Imperial Moff of the Helios Sector ever came to Helios itself was for the purpose of propaganda as they would attend the annual tournaments the Great Houses hosted. However most imperial officers merely saw the Tournaments as a means of lining their pockets by gambling amongst each other. Only one officer ever showed any kind of respect to the Hellions and he would become a respected individual in turn.
His true name was Mitth'raw'nuruodo, but everyone only truly regarded him by his core name "Thrawn", this Imperial Officer from the Unknown regions was a blue skinned alien known as a Chiss and was serving in the Imperial Navy. Thrawn showed respect and honour to the Hellions as he recognised that they were to an extent similar in respect to his own people, both in the hardship of their planet but also in their form of government and the wish to be left alone.
Thrawn even offered to the High Council a means of Hellions to improve their position in the Galaxy whilst also providing a means of contributing to their people. By joining the Imperial Navy they could show the Galaxy who the Hellions were and how their culture lived and thrived regardless of the harshness of their home world. Many followed Thrawns lead and decided to join the Imperial Navy, Thrawn made them a promise that he would make sure to the best of his ability that all would serve under him.
The Galactic Civil War:
As times grew worse and worse across the Galaxy and the Empire tightened its grip on the populace, Helios found itself accepting more and more prisoners whose sentences seemed extreme for the crimes they had been convicted of. Some of the Great Houses started asking questions, but they never received any answer that was satisfactory to their opinions, such was followed by rapidly spreading rumours of growing rebellions across the Empire which were becoming more and more organised.
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| Arrest of Rebel Sympathisers |
The rebellion replied by honouring that as long as Helios remained neutral in the conflict then no fleet or soldier of the Rebellion would pose any threat to their people. The Empire on the other hand decided to solidify its hold, when the Emperor dissolved the Imperial Senate permanently the Imperial Governor formally cemented Imperial Rule, he kept the High Council but made clear that they were only a figure head government and that all decisions were now his responsibility.
As the Galactic Civil War grew worse and worse however, a number of the Great Houses began making plans, together they formed an underground movement. The only great house that was not apart of this movement was the only house truly prospering under the Empire, House Imperial, the others however, began to secretly smuggle arms and weapons onto Helios as well as secreting Rebels and sympathisers who were being held on Helios off world and back to the fight.
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| Imperial Crackdown |
And since the Empire was arresting these people for treason, the High Council found it insulting as in their minds these people were not traitors since they were still loyal to the High Council and the laws of Helios. But that mattered little to the Empire, as they declared this individuals as actual rebels or their sympathisers, either way both would find themselves in Imperial Prisons just not on Helios. What was making it worse was that one of the Helios' own Great Houses was aiding this effort, House Imperial was actively providing information to the Empire on the names and locations of Rebel Sympathisers as a show of loyalty, the Empire responded by gifting greater privileges to House Imperial in other parts of the Sector.
This would continue until the Battle of Endor and the death of the Emperor, as the Empire reeled from the death of Emperor Palpatine, it began to systematically break apart into rival warlords as Grand Moffs, Moffs and local commanders began carving up their own territories. On Helios the High Council agreed that the time had come to reclaim their world.
At the exact same moment across the entire planet, Hellion warriors began to attack the Imperial Forces on the planet, whilst shuttles and other craft were taken up to board and seize the Imperial ships in orbit. House Imperial were declared traitors for their willingness to throw off the ancestral traditions but also for actively and full knowingly violating the laws of the High Council and choosing the Empire over their own people.
In just a few weeks, Imperial Control of Helios was crippled with the Empire holding a grip on a few cities whilst the Hellions had managed to reclaim nearly 97% of the planet back into their control. Despite the efforts of the Empire to regain control of a planet along the Hydian Way, the Hellions made it harder and harder, their constant attempts at boarding the Imperial Ships in Orbit lead to a number of ships being seized.
By the end of the occupation, the Hellions had managed to successfully capture a total of 7 Gozanti Cruisers, 2 Imperial Light Cruisers and even a full Star Destroyer. This small flotilla was backed up by a fleet of various vessels sent by House Ravcor to aid their planet in its time of need, these included one or two munificent class frigates, several interceptor class frigates, Corona armed saucers, Mere Cruisers as well as a number of fighter squadrons.
The final assault took place at Halcyon the Planet defacto capital, where the combined armies of the Great Houses finally broke into the city and overwhelmed the forces of both the Empire and House Imperial. In a desperate attempt to save themselves a number of Imperial officers and officials fled the planet at the first opportunity, but nearly two and half thousand imperial units were left behind and were forced to accept an offer of surrender by the High Council.
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| The Final Surrender of the Empire on Helios |
The surviving Imperial ships in orbit were facing a similar fight when the various ships of Helios launched an attack from different directions. Once all escapers from Helios got aboard those ships that could activated their hyperdrives and jumped as soon as they had an opening.
Following the final retreat, the High Council sent word to the New Republic and offered the planets surrender to the new Government.
The New Republic:
As with all worlds, Hellion was offered the opportunity to become an independent world rather than a member of the New Republic. The High Council deliberated and decided that to ensure the future of their culture, then they would become an independent world with connections to the New Republic.
Again Hellion became a prison planet for countless star systems, only this time instead of building things, the prisoners would work to take things apart. Imperial Ships, vehicles, equipment and so on were brought to Hellion to be taken apart for scrap and salvage, the New Republic reaffirmed that any prisoners sent by them would be overseen by a Committee, as well as that the New Republic pointed out that many former Imperials would be sent to Hellion for life imprisonment for their crimes over the course the Empires Rule.
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| Satrial Prison |
Now after countless millennia, the Hellions have barely changed culturally, they remain steadfast to their traditions and beliefs, the way of life remains as it was for their ancestors and their world remains just as harsh as it was when their ancestors first arrived. Even after offers were made to terraform the planet to make it more suitable for habitation, the Hellions made clear "This world made us who we are, we cannot sacrifice who we are".
However in more recent years the growing danger of the Imperial Remnant has left some members of the High Council concerned, Imperial Remnant forces having long been little more than a nuisance to the still rebuilding new Republic have grown more dangerous. And now worse rumours are spreading of the Return of the last Imperial Grand Admiral, a person the Hellions know very well Mitt'raw'nuruodo.
When asked in private by General Hera Syndulla of the new Republic Fleet, whether or not the Hellions would back Thrawn, Ambassador Fenrig was uncertain. He remarked:
"A number of the Great Houses hold great respect for Mitt'raw'nuruodo enough for us to use his true name, for he showed respect to us.
More than any Imperial ever did, and more so than anyone in the New Republic has.
Would we support him, I cannot say, Helios will always stand for itself, we joined the Old Republic for the sake of our people, we remained neutral in the Clone Wars to protect our people, we let the Empire use our prisons because it allowed us to prosper. We threw off Imperial rule because it was destroying our culture.
Many joined the Empire to serve under Thrawn, many lost family members when at the Battle of Lothal when the Rebellion won, a number may wish to see Thrawn return if it means finding the truth of those they had lost.
It is very likely that some of the mercenaries working for Morgan Elsbeth are Hellions wishing for his return or the return of family members who served under him.
So I cannot say whether we would support him or the New Republic, it is very likely that the High Council will decide to remain neutral, but that doesn't mean individuals won't want to join either side. "
The Beasts of Helios:
Helios is a landscape of extremes in every sense of the word, not only the environment and weather but in the creatures that have adapted to this harsh planet. In each of the three environments of the planet, life has persisted through the ages, whether it be in the rain covered mountain forests of the North, the scorching deserts of the Divide or in the snow and ice mountains and frozen lakes and oceans of the south.
The Bongs:
Partly territorial, Bongs would maintain a series of burrows across their territory where they would retreat to during the day, coming out only at night to avoid the larger predators that ruled the day, the number of burrows they possess in their territory can range dependent on the location, in the desert Divide the territories are of much greater size due to the availability of food which requires Bongs to have more burrows that those that live along the belt. As an added protection, Bongs possess a shell of overlapping plates of natural armour which is a combination of solid skin and reinforced keratin.
When threatened they will roll up into a solid ball to protect themselves, the shell is exceedingly difficult to break through even for larger predators and even if the shell doesn't work. the Bongs would produce a powerful obnoxious odour that even the biggest animals could not stand. The smell would be so bad that they would give up in an effort to spare their nostrils of the odour overpowering it.
Although they are known to sometimes come out during the day, Bongs much rather prefer the night when they can move around much better and be able to hide in the darkness as well as in the undergrowth. Primarily solitary, Bongs very rarely came together, with the exception being during the breeding season when males would venture into the territories of receptive females, but after season ended the pair would separate and the females would find a suitable place to construct a nesting burrow to give birth, where they would care for their litters of 3 to 5 pups.
The pups would stay with their mothers for 6 to 12 months before leaving to establish their own territories, but whilst with their mother they would learn the requirements of survival on Helios.
The Carpek:
Large and hulking creatures found in the Northern Hemisphere, Carpeks are large 4 legged omnivorous reptiles with adults standing at around 23 feet at the shoulder but with their long necks their heads stand higher at near 30 foot. Although Carpek are oddly enough technically a reptilian species they have avian characteristics, notably the long bill which is actually reinforced bone and a body covered in very dense downy feathers that form a layer of insulation whilst also protecting the skin from irritation and parasites.
Connecting their fore and rear limbs is a thin membrane similar to those used in many flying animals across the galaxy, however this is not used for the purpose of flite as Carpeks are too heavy for such. Instead the membrane serves two purposes, its primary use is as a means of regulating body temperature, when the animal needs additional heat, they contract the blood vessels within the membrane to push all the blood back into its body, when they want to cool they release the tension and allow the blood to enter the membrane. The membrane itself being thin enough to feel the shift in temperatures when even simple air currents hit it, which in turn cools the blood as it passes through the vessel.
Its sheer size serves primarily as a force of muscle to help them move through the tough trees and vegetations across the Northern Hemisphere, using their long muscular limbs to push through the branches. This same muscle was also used to actively push over trees in clearings which is where they were mostly found, Carpeks actively keep these clearings open and free of trees with their sheer power as well as create active paths through the forests as they move through them.
Their primary source of food was in the nutrient rich ferns and cycads that grew among the trees and out on the clearings but they would also feed on the seed pods, nuts and fruits that grew among the branches. Despite being primarily herbivorous they would sometimes scavenge fresh carcasses when they came across them but it was not a true predator and never actively performed hunts, it would merely be a matter of them stumbling upon a carcass and feeding on it.
Adults were mostly safe from predation themselves as their size and muscle were good deterrents against even adult Hydras and living in small herds of five or six meant extra eyes and ears. Whenever danger does present itself however, the adults would use their long bills as weapons against any would be threat, the solid build of the bill often meant terrible injuries, nearly all Hydra have at least one or two scars from the bills of an angry Carpek.
Not limited by territory, Carpek herds were constantly on the move, never staying a single place for any length of time, their constant movements created viable paths through the mountain forests, these paths were used by every animal in the ecosystem. This also led to a following of insect eaters, as the giants moved through the undergrowth they churned up the soil and broke open logs and branches. Leading to various insect like creatures to become easy prey to insectivores.
The only time Carpek would gather in numbers would be during the breeding season, when herds would come together at breeding sites that had been used for generations. Here males would display using their long bills to show their prime as well as use the membranes to give displays, flushing blood into the membranes to present different colourations as a means of impressing the females. females would then select the males they find the most impressive and begin nesting later laying clutches of 2 to 4 eggs. Such breeding sites were also common ground for predators who would lurk at the edges of the "Colonies" to pick off the weaker males stuck on the edge.
Such locations are usually along the niche between the northern Hemisphere and the central divide, where the warmer soil and more open shrublands allow the males to throw their weight around during bouts over the best places to display. But also where the females are able to build sizeable nests in which to lay their clutch, the females will then watch over the nests and protect them from egg thieves whilst the Males return to the forests.
The Grater:
Large herbivorous reptiles, that got their name from the Old Hellion word for Greater, were among the first animals the original colonists of Helios encountered and were quickly recognised for the their muscle but also their meat.
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| Northern Grater |
Graters possess a unique adaptation to help them in feeding on the tougher parts of plants when compared to other herbivores on Helios, they possess a form of chewing which when added on the constant regrowth of their back molars means that they can constantly feed on, this chewing allows them to gain more nutrients from their browsing. Another adaptation that separates them from most reptiles is the ability to produce milk, it is unknown how this adaptation has come about for a reptile but has served the Graters well. The rich milk gives the young a better chance during the early weeks of their lives and allows them to build up the jaw muscles they will need as adult to chew the tough food.
The two subspecies of Grater are divided in more than just where on the planet they live but also in physical and behavioural points as well. The Northern Grater is much larger standing at around 2 metres at the fore shoulder and 3 at the hip, is 12 metres long and weighs close to 5 tonnes, whereas the Southern stands close to 1 metre at the fore shoulder at 2 at the hip but is similar in length from nose to tail and weighs only 3 tonnes. The easiest way to identify the two is by their colourations, the Northern Grater is a mix of greens and other colours, whereas the Southern is a firm brown with white marking along its back and down its legs.
Northern Graters are also more social, living in larger herds than their southern relatives, this is believed to be due to both a wider abundance of food as well as protection from Predators. Whilst in the South sufficient food was harder to find and there are fewer predators to contend with, so the need to get bigger and have more members in the herd was more of a hinderance than a help.
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| Southern Grater |
Southern Graters are also more selective with their foods as in the frozen forests between the divide and the mountains are not as nutrient rich as those in the north. It is the likely cause for them being smaller than their northern cousins, since the plants they eat are not as good as in the north they can't sustain larger bodies. More than that Southern Graters are not as muscular than those in the North, relying more on speed and quick reflections to escape predators.
Due to their size Northern Graters are common prey for a number of predators on Helios, notably the dread Hydras, but this does not mean that they are without a form of protection, if they are unable to escape by running from the threat they will actively attempt to face it.
With adults forming a wall of bodies that will constantly give out load roars, such roaring often gives predators like Hydras a moment of pause as the strong chorus shows the determination of the herd to protect itself. And if the chorus doesn't work, it has been known for adults to actively harass and attack even adult Hydra should they have young to protect, it has been known for Graters to actively raise and slam their bodies against predators that present themselves, such a battering more often than expected forces the predator to retreat and save their energy.
In fact the only time that a Hydra is likely able to get a kill is if it can get the herd to stampede, where the Graters are more focused on escaping that challenging the threat..
Hellions have long domesticated Graters for the purpose of livestock, with villages and towns having herds of their own, where they are used as both dairy animals but also for their meat. As well as this they are used as pack and riding animals for those not wishing to use speeders.
The Desert Grater:
A cousin of the Grater but is technically speaking its own separate species, as its name implies, the Desert Grater is found only in the deserts of the Divide, living in herds of around 10 to 20 individuals. These herds are primarily made up of both males and females respectively but this is not always a family collection, whenever herds meet it is common for young males and females to change herds if they are old enough.
The Desert Grater stands roughly the same size as the Northern Grater and weighs roughly the same, however for any onlookers they appear to be somewhat more bulky than their southern and northern cousins. The reason is due to the placement of their fat reserves, unlike their cousins which spread their weight around their bodies, the Desert Grater focuses its fat reserves in its tail the rest of its body doesn't actually have a layer of fat beneath the skin. This adaptation helps them in regulating their body temperature allowing them to reduce heat more easily when both on the move as well as resting as there is nothing stopping the heat escape.
Another adaptation that helps them in the desert is an oddity among reptiles, they shed small amounts of sweat from their back that runs down the scales that cover their bodies. Some may find this a hinderance in a place with so little water, but again the Desert Graters have gotten rid of such a danger, they are able to take in extreme amounts of water when it is available. In one go a single Desert Grater can drink over 30 gallons.
Desert Graters are also strange in their movements, although it would be said to be easier to survive in and around the Oases and fresh water springs that are dotted across the Divide, The Desert Graters are constantly on the move, never staying at one Oasis for more than a few days. Its believed that this is a natural form of resource conservation, the herds don't spend too much time at one location to avoid eating too much that regrowth is impossible.
For Hellions that live in the divide, the Desert Graters are a source of both knowledge and food, since the Desert Graters always travel the routes that are safest as well as quickest when it comes to moving from water to water. Seeing a herd means that water is assured, as one can either back track the herd to water or follow them. For House Visok, the Desert Grater is both a source of food in meat but also a viable pack animal that is perfect for the harsh deserts they traverse and live within.
The Hydra:
By far the largest predatory creature on Helios, Hydras are incredible large and most notably possess a number of heads. The size of the Hydra depends entirely on its gender as well as its age, males were significantly smaller than females and possessed fewer heads.
Females were the larger of the genders and had five heads whilst the males had only 3, the females are required to be larger due to the necessity of protecting their nests and their young from males that are known to be partly cannibalistic when it came to their young.
Living solitary lives, Hydras were originally very territorial with the only time they came together was during the breeding season when the males would enter the territories controlled by the females. Females would construct a single nest and would attend their clutch for several weeks until the young hatched after which they would run for the deep forest for safety from the adults including their own mother, a considerable difference between adults and young was the possession of a venomous bite.
Since the young were unable to tackle properly sized prey like their parents, they relied instead of a powerful venom within their fangs to take down prey, primarily lizards and small animals that lived in the deepest parts of the forest where larger animals never ventured. This same venom was also the youngsters primary form of defence, any would be danger would face many fangs filled with venom that could easily kill within minutes depending on the amount of venom administered. But as they grew to adult size the Venom production in their fangs ebbed away as the adults relied more on their sheer bulk for the success of their hunts.
Despite their size and the strength they possess, Hydra hunts are not always certain with the average being around 1 in 6 hunts being successful and even with their power and many heads. The Hydra prefer to launch surprise ambushes to catch their prey unaware as they launch their attack with the extra hope that they can get the prey to run rather than turn and fight back. Despite their ferocious demeanour Hydra try to avoid facing getting themselves into any form of a hunt that could lead to injury as being a solitary hunter means that any injury could result in greater difficultly in getting a meal.
Hydra are believed to have once lived across the entire planet, with various subspecies existing in the three different environments of Helios. However when the first colonists arrived, only a single species was found to still exist, the Scarlet Head Hydra was the largest of the different species and is the only survivor of its Genus. They live in the Northern Hemisphere predominantly however populations are known to live in parts of the Divide including into the southern belt where the divide comes along the southern belt where cold forest exist before giving way to the snow and ice covered mountains.
Today Hellions however have managed to domesticate the great Hydras where they serve a mixture of roles for Hellion society, in some parts they are used as pullers used in lieu of speeders, where the creatures pull along large transports across the landscape. Whilst at the same time, when any danger comes to Helios, the Hellions are known to use the large predators as war mounts and war beasts, unleashing them upon their enemies, an act that has always sowed fear and chaos among the ranks of their enemy.
The Little Missive:
They are also common among the various settlements and cities of the Hellion people, where they are known to go into the rubbish dumps in search of scraps. Their small nature makes them easy prey to a number of predators that wander the landscape, as such they are constantly on watch and are never seen alone. They are commonly found in packs that can range from 8 to 20 individuals, all sharing the responsibility of keeping an eye out for danger.
Whenever danger was spotted they would dart into the nearest form of cover, usually thick brush and undergrowth that they could hide in or use to cover their escape. Regarded as little more than a nuisance for the Hellions, the main interaction between them and the Little Missives, is simply shooing them off or away from whatever task they are doing, primarily tasks such as farming and butchering of meat.
The Loan Whale:
In the frozen mountains of the south there is a deep ocean at the southern most pole, this vast ocean encompasses the entire South Pole but from the outset it is just another plain of snow and ice, the Ocean is covered in a solid layer of ice that very few animals are capable of breaking through. But this does not mean that the water beneath is frozen as well.
If anything the waters beneath the ice are rich in life, large swarms of plankton that thrive in the nutrient rich slow moving currants under the ice, these plankton are in turn food for other animals, schools of Antarctic fish and above all the giants of the frozen waters, Loan Whales. These hulking giants are the largest creatures on Helios ranging from 15 to 30 metres from the tip of their nose to the end of their flukes. Though their flukes are powerful enough to propel them through the waters, it is actually the pair of fins they have that is their primary form of motion, acting like a pair of wings to push them through the water.
Despite their name, Loan Whales are their own genus, their own unique branch of evolution on Helios, they are neither mammals nor are they fish. Their manner of lifestyle is similar to whales in that they gulp down swarms of plankton and crustaceans into their large mouths before filtering the water out before swallowing. An added benefit they have to survive in a place where there is a solid layer of ice above them, is a paid of thermal tendrils on the tops of their heads.
These tendrils are thermal and are able to melt through the ice, small pockets of open water are found in certain places across the southern hemisphere. These breathing holes are found in the rivers, lakes and ocean, all of them were created by Loan Whales to serve as places for them to catch their breaths and are kept open by them during their travels, there are even theories that suggest that these breathing holes have been managed by the Whales for generations perhaps even thousands of years.
The Hellions have specific names for certain places in the frozen south due to the presence of Loan Whales, certain frozen rivers are referred to as nurseries due to the greater likelihood of spotting calves whereas some frozen lakes are referred to as the graveyard. This is due to deep sea exploration that discovered the skeletal remains of countless adult Loan Whales.
Though the Hellions do not properly hunt them for their thick blubbery meat, the open patches of water in the ice are of importance to communities that rely on them to access the bounty of the frozen ocean beneath them.
The Mountain Tusks:
Large hulking herbivores, Mountain Tusks are the second to largest herbivores in the Northern Hemisphere, though the Graters are larger in length, the Mountain Tusks are larger in sheer size and muscle mass. Standing at roughly 3 metres at the shoulder and roughly 4 metres from nose to the tip of their tail.
This adaptation came in two forms, one being the need for their type of food, though they are known to browse the bushes, shrubs and trees with their strong beaks they also dig up roots and tubers beneath the earth. Their tusks proving useful in digging up the plants whilst their muscular frame and build gives greater power in the motions required to dig. Another cause for their posture is the addition of muscle needed for defence against predators, the sheer muscle of their bodies backed up by the strong forward facing tusks present a powerful adversary to even adult Hydra which is amplified in the fact that Mountain Tusks live in small herds of 5 to 12 individuals.
When danger threatens the Herd would circle together and present a circle of muscle and tusk against the danger, a strategy that has the added benefit of ensuring that the Hydra can't use its different heads to strike from another direction.
Primarily found in the higher mountain plains where the forested valleys and hills open up into open mountain sides covered in shrubs and grasses. Here on the open areas the Mountain Tusks have little threat of predation as they stay clear of the forests where the predators lurk, the only time they either enter the forest or come close is to either go down into the valley to drink or during the breeding season when males and females move closer to the forest.
The Night Stalkers:
The Terror of the dark nights, Night Stalkers are small synapsids (Mammal like Reptiles) that are vicious night time hunters of the Borderlands, the belts where the dry and intensely hot deserts of the divide met either the wet mountain forests of the North or the frozen tundra of the south. Living in packs that are never any more than 10.
Their long thin bodies were adapted for lighting strikes against their prey as their small stature makes them unable to properly tackle their prey when they attack. But they have a secret weapon in the form of their canines possessing a deadly venomous bite that kills quickly, for small prey this was not required as they would perform a sudden ambush and quick strike to kill swiftly.
When it came to large prey though like Graters, they would lay in wait and a single stalker would strike usually from above upon their prey and give a quick bite before retreating. The pack would then follow and watch from a safe distance until the target had collapsed from the effects of the venom after which they would approach for the final kill.
During the day, Night Stalkers actively avoid the open world preferring to find shelter in and among large rock formations where they sit out the heat of the day in relative safety. This is also required due to their keen night vision which makes being active in the day more of a hinderance than a help as they are unable to properly focus and only become active should a possible threat come to close to them.
Semi Nomadic by the needs of the environment they lived in, Night Stalkers were partly territorial constantly moving around their territory usually as they followed the large herds of animals as they migrated. They only came static when it came time for the dominant pair to give birth to their pups which would be born and cared for in a underground den usually nestled in a collection of rocks and hidden away from any would be egg thief. And even if the den was found Night Stalkers were vicious in the protection of the young readily attacking any that dared threaten them.
The Nocturne:
A small mammal found along the belts of life on the outskirts of the Divide in the shrublands and forests of the North as well as the frozen forests of the south. Nocturnes a mammals that are strictly nocturnal hence the name, they venture out only in the darkest hours of the night when they feel the safest, finding shelter during the day in hollows in the largest trees. Their dark fur and good night sight gave them an advantage over any animals below being able to avoid being spotted among the branches by any would be predator.
Primarily Nocturne tuck into the fruits and nuts of the various trees that they lived in but when scarce they would burrow into the bark for grubs and insects and often part take in the eating of the most succulent leaves. Preferring to stay in the relative safety of the branches, Nocturnes almost never came to the ground, if ever they did they would quickly return to a place of safety in the trees and usually because they had fallen due to breaking branches or misjudging a jump.
Although having good eye sight their best asset was their noses and their sharp sense of smell, they were able to pick up the distinct smell given off by the fruits of Helios that were ripe for eating. This is often a point for other animals who often follow the night time calls of the Nocturnes in their own quest for food, it has often been seen for Graters to be found going in the directions of the calls they heard during the previous night.
Many Hellion households have Nocturnes as pets in their homes where their loving and playful nature is well known and loved by their owners.
The Seekers:
Inquisitive and smart, Seekers are small feathered reptiles that live in the divide moving across the landscape from Oasis to Oasis in the heartland to the more plentiful areas north and south. Standing roughly 3 foot high when standing up and approximately 3 to 4 feet in length from nose to tail, they are rapid and swift in the movements, , where they live in packs that vary in size. Along the edges of the divide where larger herbivores live, Seeker packs are known to be between 13 to 19 adults due to the availability of larger prey as well as security due to larger predators. Whilst packs deeper in the desert are smaller never being more than 7 adult mainly due to the lack of sufficient prey to support a large pack.
Their feathered bodies serving as both insulation in the cold nights and protection during the day. During the heat of the day, they would constantly shiver as a means of creating currents of air through their feathers to help them keep cool and their long feathery tails help in the same manner by bobbing them up and down as they move. Predominantly carnivorous Seekers will eat whatever they can get their teeth into, whether it be Graters and their young, to smaller animals like lizards and birds if they can catch them.
And on top of that they are not above eating rotting meat with strong stomach acids to help them digest even the most grotesque of rotten foods, they are also known as Egg thieves and are often known to haunt the nesting sites of large herbivores. Lurking in the shadows waiting for the opportunity to dart into the nesting ground to snatch an egg when the mothers weren't looking.
Though their feathers are mainly meant for maintaining their body temperatures, they are also used for display, to avoid getting into fights they would use various displays with their feathered arms and tails alongside a number of postures both to impress but also to deter others. Whenever packs meet there is very rarely any actual confrontation, the meeting usually consists of the Packs either looking at one another before one moves away or if that fails the packs would get into a showing off display until one backs down.
They are also known to be very vocal in their communication with distinct clicks, whistles and calls that are used to pass on information between individuals. A certain number of clicks can tell the mood of the animal, whilst whistles are more playful and longer calls are for long distance communication between pack members, in essence a means of saying "Where are you?, I am over here".
The Hellions were quick to identify the inquisitive and intelligence of the Seekers very early on, domesticating the small carnivores into working beasts for tasks such as herding of livestock as well as for hunting and protection. Small villages and towns across the Divide have their own domesticated seeker packs to provide a form of safety, if any danger is present the Seekers would screech out an alarm that is sure to wake the residences.
And if any would be intruder can get past the screeching they will have to get past the sharp teeth and claws when the pack defends their home.
The Sand Shifter:
Among the sands and rocks of the Divide there is very little life due to the limited availability of water, but on Helios life always seems to find a way to persist. Though large animals are not common there are some that actually live for the sandy world, chief among them is the giant Sand Shifters, by far the largest animals on Helios adults can be near 10 metres from the tip of their snout to the end of their tail.
The movement of them going through the sands actually makes it easier for Sand Shifters to collect more food, as the loose sand makes their small prey easier to sieve from the sand. The most common sighting of Sand Shifters is what is known as a blow out, this is due to Sand Shifters not always being able to avoid taking in sand when they sieve through it for the krill and plankton and so to avoid having their gut holding quantities of sand they use a pair of nostrils at the top of their heads to blow it out, thus freeing their stomachs to digest their food.
A frightening sight for offworlders when they first arrive, a number of reports have been given by visitors to the Planet and the Divide saying that they saw Sand Shifters following them when racing across the deserts on their speeders. The Hellions made clear that this is not predation, due to the manner in which the Sand Shifter finds prey by churning up the sand, they see the after wave of a speeder throwing up sand and soil as a place to get more food with less effort.
So its not a Sand Shifter seeing the speeder and its occupants as prey but seeing more as the speeder and the occupants giving them an easy meal.
Despite their size however, Hellions refer to the Sand Shifters as the docile, gentle giants of the divide, never in the whole history of Helios has there ever been a deliberate death by a Sand Shifter, all instances of people being killed as a result of a Sand Shifter has been accidental. Usually a person in a speeder or on a speeder bike being hit by a fast moving shifter as it moves by or in some cases being caught in a blow out.
The Snow Shifter:
However there are considerable differences between them and their larger cousins, the primary being the position of their mouths which is similar to those of other beasts across the galaxy upon the snout. But by far what makes them unique compared to other life forms is their biological ability to produce concentrated heat, primarily through a form of chemical reactivity within certain parts of their bodies notably the tip of their long snouts.
They use this biological marvel to melt snow and ice as they move, the snout melts the snow and ice whilst their multiple legs push them forward. These various limbs are at first glance parts of their shell like back but there orangish colouration and slight glow give them away as their actual limbs. The melting of the snow and ice is also a means of them collecting their food, rather than swallowing quantities of cold snow and ice in an effort to get their meals, which presents a danger when it reaches the guts.
So instead they melt the ice and they move with their mouths open wide swallowing mouthfuls of melted water alongside their food and then later conducting blow outs near the surface where they bring their heads up out of the ground, before in less candid terms regurgitate the excess water their bodies don't need.
Compared to their Desert Cousins that grow enormous, Snow Shifters very rarely go beyond the boundaries of 4 to 7 metres, it is presumed that this is due to how much lesser snow plankton is when compared to the Sand Plankton. For the Hellions the presence of Snow Shifters is usually a point of knowing where not to set up a camp or begin a settlement, as the constant movement of Snow Shifters can easily cause avalanches as well as created crevices and weaken the ice over frozen rivers.
It is because of Snow Shifters that all the major cities in the South are in protected mountains where Snow Shifters either can't or won't enter. Such as Wind-Swept Peaks, the largest city in the Southern Hemisphere which is built in a mountainous circle with a frozen lake being on the opposite, being that despite their lifestyle Snow Shifters can't actually swim so avoid getting into places where they can face drowning.
The Xunu:
Small and compartively weak, the Xunu are not really creatures expected to be found on such a harsh planet, but their greatest strength isn't in their power or their size, being now bigger than 3 metres long and only a metre in height at the hip. The power of the Xunu is their adaptability as they are found in nearly all parts of Helios, from the wet mountain forests of the North to the Desert Divide and into the frozen forests that border the ice covered mountains of the South.
On a planet of various vicious predators, the Xunu are not helpless, being fast at their top speed, with thin ribs and hips that prove a help in moving between the trees in the forest or among the rocks of the desert. And to top it off, they are very cautious and have been known to extremely skittish and are difficult to sneak up on when they are alert.
Strict vegetarians, the Xunu are low level grazers as well as mid level browsers, feeding on the small growth low to the ground whilst also cropping leaves and branches from shrubs and bushes. Their strong beaks proving more than sufficient to break off the twigs of plants for extra nutrients, they are also known to dig with both their fore limbs and their legs for roots and tubers for minerals they can't get elsewhere in their diet.
For the Hellions, the Xunu is a principal livestock, being raised for both their plentiful eggs as well as their meat, as in order to protect their true nesting season, Xunu females are capable of laying infertile eggs whenever they so desire to throw off egg thieves. However when it does come for them to have young, the females would construct a small nest hidden away and camouflaged in order to protect their true eggs. Something that is recognised by Hellion farmers, who understand that when they see their Xunu herds building then they need to stay clear of these points to avoid stressing the mothers.
The Great Houses of Helios:
Across the history of Helios, there have been a number of Great Houses that have ascended and a number that have been excommunicated due to their crimes.
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| Painting of the 1st High Council |
To become a Great House, one must perform an action or actions that are seen as incredible contributions to the people, this can be leading in a time of war, negotiating a lasting peace, bringing great wealth and prosperity to the planet. They can also be recommended for ascendancy by the other Great Houses, if all agree then the family will be given the opportunity to join the Great Houses but always under conditions. Notably the requirement of them performing an act that contributed to the people and the planet.
Yet a Great House can also lose their place, the most common crime committed that leads to a Great House being Excommunicated is the forgoing of the Hellion tradition and culture, such as not providing a contribution to society, living a life of extravagance without earning it or sharing it.
The duty of the Great Houses is clear, each House rules over a section of the planet, this includes laws, taxes, military, infrastructure and of course the Prisons. Whilst each of the Great Houses are in some sense partly independent having their own local laws and taxes, it is the duty of the High Council and the Great Houses to govern over the entire planet and ensure peace between each other.
To date there have been a total of 178 Great Houses of promise through Hellions history, but this not a set number, the current number is 12 Great House ruling over Helios with each being given a seat in the High Council, the planets ruling body. As said the number is not set, it can be as small as 4 but has never been any higher than 56, Houses rise and fall like the sun and the moons.
House Aro:
Founder: Lady Asana Aro I
Founding: Establishment of the first City on Helios, Creators of the High Council
Current Lord: Lord Asunda Aro VIII
Region: Vegar - Northern/Divide Border - Helios
Capital: Halcyon
Population: 14.7 Million
Ruling from the Planetary Capital, House Aro are among the oldest of the Great Houses, being established during the infancy of the Planets settlement by the Hellions ancestors. The city of Halcyon was not placed by mistake either, it is placed in one of the most fertile regions on Helios, making farming considerably easier for its population.
The House was founded by Lady Asana Aro during the early history of Helios, when the colonisation of the planet by humans was in its infancy. At the time there was no unified governance over the planet, which made it all the more important for House Aro to solidify its control, by using the fertile ground as a hostage as well as a bread basket they were able to form a powerful army at their command which kept any would be aggressors back.
It was House Aro that proposed the creation of the High Council to the various ruling families of the time, marking out the constant fighting between the families weakened their people. The other houses agreed and formed the High Council, at first as a means of maintaining peace on Helios and following the invasion of the Sith the planets absolute government.
Ever since House Aro have played host to the gatherings of the High Council in their city of Halcyon which has since become the defacto planetary capital. Since the city is by far the largest and richest of all cities on Helios and also has the planets largest space port, all of which is a product of House Aro' prestige and wealth.
However the laws and traditions of Helios are clear, although House Aro are a very rich House and are among the oldest noble families on the High Council, they are solely one among many, one voice on the Council and only one vote. Though they have influence, they are not allowed to perform any act that would see them hold more power over the others.
Despite this very few Great Houses come to a decision without first discussing the matter with House Aro and on top of that at least three Great Houses were founded by individuals who were loyal servants of House Aro before being deemed worthy of establishing their own House as members of the High Council.
House Aro were divided when it came to the matters of the Empire, though they wished to see the planet continue its growing prosperity and it knew that the Prisons the system operated were key to that and the Empire would surely continue to keep those prisons working. But as time went on and the growing control of the Empire got to the point that the High Council was nothing more than a symbolic form of government for Helios as the Imperial Governor was in charge. House Aro decided that something needed to be done to ensure that the continuation of the Hellion customs, traditions and culture be assured.
Despite the High Council not having any real power for the final years of the Empire, House Aro continued to host more secretive meetings to discuss the growing discontent many Hellions had over the Empire. House Aro were in favour of caution, as at that moment the Empire was too strong to challenge, they deemed that Helios must ready itself for when the opportunity arises.
House Carrock:
Founder: Lord Calin Carrok I
Founding: Founders of the Tournaments
Current Lord: Lord Calik Carrok III
Region: Sand Belt - The Divide
Capital: Cairn
Population: 4.2 million
But following the unification of the planet under the High Council, it was still clear that a number of families were still conflicted in their past rivalries and feuds that had gone back centuries. The Carrock family was fortunate as they were under the protection of a Great House so were relatively safe from attacks from more powerful families. But were always afraid of the subterfuge that was always used when open fighting was of no advantage, they actively sought an alternative.
Calin Carrock the ruling lord of the family at the time came up with the idea of constructing a large coliseum where he proposed the noble families could partake in contests when in dispute rather than reigniting the old conflicts that divided their people. At first a number of families refused to even listen to the idea, until House Visok and House Lakan had a feud that neither side wished to ignite. So when they learned of the Coliseum that Carrock had built they decided it to be the best solution.
Following the successful resolution of the feud, more and more houses requested the Coliseum to end their rivalries in a manner that would be beneficial to them in the long run. Soon House Carrock was running out of time and had to request aid of the Great Houses across the planet, House Carrock recommended the idea of Tournaments every year, which would play host to all kinds of sports and games including gladiatorial games, pod and speeder racing.
The idea was accepted and House Carrock quickly gained more and more recognition to the point that House Djinn formally recognised them as a Great House in their own right. When the High Council was formed and accepted as the governing body of Helios, House Carrock was offered a seat.
To this day many regard House Carrock as the "Referees" of the Tournaments regardless as to where they are held, primarily because it was House Carrocks true founder that wrote the rules of the Gladiatorial Coliseum notably the rule that both must come out alive.
House Corlow:
Founder: Nevis Corlow
Founding: Founding the Helios Defence Fleet
Current Lord: Lord Signet Corlow IX
Region: Sudcuo - Northern Hemisphere
Capital: Corlun
Population: 12.9 Million
Corlow took direct charge of what types of ships the Defence fleet would have, some wanted large impressive cruisers and destroyers. But Curlow pointed out that Helios lacked the resources to support such large vessels and their small shipyards couldn't produce them, so instead he ordered the construction of several smaller cruisers and escort frigates that could be supplied more easily and respond to dangers more rapidly.
By the time Corlow as done, the High Council had named him Admiral of the Helios Defence Fleet which was close to 20 ships of varying sizes supported by a dozen shuttles and a whole fleets worth of Hellion Starfighters.
Today House Corlow continue their ancestors traditions, with the city of Corlun which was founded by the family after their ascension, hosting an academy for naval training. Although they are required to go through the proper channels and go through the same hurdles as others, it is a common sight to see officers with the emblem of House Corlow on their shoulders.
Primarily however, House Corlows greatest contribution in the modern sense is the continue supporting and maintaining of the docks used by the Defence Fleet to repair, refit and update their ships. With Corlun hosting not only an academy but also the factories that produce the materials needed to keep the ships defending the system and the surrounding stars in top condition.
House Corlow were fervently against the Encroachment of the Empire in the Helios System, as the Empire stripped the Helios Defence fleet of its ships and then the facilities that were used to service them. House Corlow has practically lost that which gave it its purpose and main way of contributing to the planet and its people. When the Uprising of Helios began, House Corlow were those leading the charge in boarding and seizing control of the Imperial ships in orbit.
House Djinn:
Founding: Lord Sarn Djinn
Founding: Established the first permanent Divide City
Current Lord: Lord Var Djinn XIII
Region: Carrion - The Divide
Capital: Djinnar
Population: 1.3 Million
But then a single noblemen discovered something, he found a large mountain collection within which was a massive natural aquifer, a place where fresh water constantly came up from deep beneath the surface. This noblemen rallied individuals that desired to establish a complete settlement within the Desert that could strengthen the path through the Divide and grow in wealth and prosperity from the trade that crossed the desert each day.
Based on a tale he had read years before of demonic spirits known as Djinn that dwell in the desert luring travellers to their deaths, he named his new house and the city after it. Eventually Djinnar grew to become an anchor of the path through the Divide, its connection to the path made it very wealthy as resources, goods and materials being transported on the monorails through the Divide all connected at the central hub in Djinnar making it much easier to travel across the desert as well as transport goods.
Due to this rapid growth in power and wealth, House Djinn were soon recognised as a Great House as the city of Djinnar and the region around it grew only more and more powerful. And ever since House Djinn and Djinnar have been a stable point on Helios maintaining the strong connections between the North and South until the formal creation of the High Council with House Djinn being given a seat.
House Fenrig:
Founder: Lord Kalid Fenrig
Founding: Negotiated Peace and Membership with Old Republic
Current Lord: Lord Kalin Fenrig XV
Region: Sarda - Northern/Divide
Capital: Fenrial
Population: 10.9 Million
Lord Fenrig offered the Republic a complete repatriation of all prisoners of war that had been sent to Helios by the Sith as well as offering the same service for the Republic to use the prisons on the planet to house the criminals of its members. Recognising that the Republic was more morally and ethically bound when compared to the Sith, he told the Republic senate that if so desired then Helios would grant a committee of the Republic to oversee the care of the prisoners in their charge.
Some members of the Senate were against the idea, pointing out that Helios had become willing subjects of the Sith, treating the prisoners of war in their charge not as the soldiers they truly were. But Lord Fenrig made clear that Helios faced two Sith Invasions and repelled them both, they served the Sith in an effort to prevent a third which would bring greater pain and suffering upon their people. The knowledge that the Sith were forced to acknowledge of the Hellions martial prowess not once but twice, made those who would question the resolution quiet.
The vote was put forward and the resolution passed, in exchange for the repatriation of the prisoners then Helios would be permitted to continue to accept prisoners systems of the galaxy including members of the Republic and was even offered a chance to join the Galactic Republic. Fenrig recognising the benefits a membership would bring brought it to the High Council which was accepted.
For his service in ensuring the peace between Helios and the Republic, Kalid Fenrig was granted the right to ascend to the High Council as a Great House. He formally accepted but remarked that he wished to continue serving Helios in the Senate, no one had any qualms, to this day it is common for members of House Fenrig to serve the High Council and Helios as ambassadors and representatives of the High Council.
As a means of ensuring their duty to Helios and the High Council, those members of House Fenrig serve as ambassadors or representatives and in the past as members of the Republic Senate, before the Empire of course. They wear a specific robe that marks them as neutral in Hellion culture and hide their upper faces when performing their service, this is to ensure that they cannot be recognised as an individual. The motto is a representative of Helios from House Fenrig are not individuals but merely speakers of the High Council, so much so that when they introduce themselves they do not use their personal names, instead only referring themselves as Representative Fenrig of the Helios System.
When the Republic became the Empire, House Fenrig continued to serve as the emissaries for Helios in the Imperial Senate, but each year, the Senator for Helios sent back information detailing that the Senate was holding less and less power. Eventually the Imperial Senate was formally dissolved permanently, the Senator returned home to Helios and reported the matter to the High Council, as time passed House Fenrig opened the possibility of opening talks with the Rebellion.
Following the final victory of the Rebellion and the formation of the New Republic, House Fenrig was again asked to serve as emissaries to the New Republic, with the House funding the establishment of an embassy on Coruscant.
House Lakan:
Founder: Lord Gillin Lakan
Founding: First City in the Frozen South
Current Lord: Lady Ghill Lakan V
Region: Lairn - the Southern Hemisphere
Capital: Wind Swept Peak
Population: 3.9 Million
It was for this reason that for generations, the south was primarily temporarily inhabited, settlers would establish temporary encampments to mine the mineral rich mountains before retreating at the first threat of a storm or avalanche. But this changed when Gillin Lakan discovered a prime location for a proper city in the South.
He discovered that the mountains provided the ideal protection from the worst of the weather and that the Avalanches could be avoided with proper placement in protected areas. As well as that he studied the danger of the Snow Shifters in relation to the avalanches, he figured out that Snow Shifters stayed clear of certain areas and most especially in places where there was flowing water like lakes and rivers even if those lakes and rivers were frozen over they would stay clear.
So he and a considerable following found the ideal site, named the Wind-Swept peaks as they were encircled on three sides by mountains that surrounded a large relatively flat area with a large frozen lake on the other such a place was perfect for habitation. And over many years the city began to grow more and more to the point that House Lakan became a Great House in the fullest sense of the term. To better help in the maintaining of their control, the House even created their own specialised armour that allows their warriors and workers to go out beyond the heated and insulated cities they control.
These special armours keep the wearer above freezing, the helmet warms the air as they breath it in and when working hard or fighting, the suit actually produces a mixed effect. Whilst it continues to maintain its wearer proper temperature, it will when it detects the wearer beginning to sweat, it will rapidly extract any moisture and use it to cool the body, preventing the danger of hypothermia.
Today House Lakan control much of the Southern Hemisphere interior maintaining control of the mineral rich mountains as well as factories and facilities that support them. Cities that have a great innovation that ensures that the people within never feel the dangers of the cold, the city actually uses the industrial and resource districts to provide the heat.
The smelters and furnaces used in factories and other industries are connected to a series of special power systems, that directly serve the cities heaters. In essence whilst some would hate having factories in their cities on other worlds, for the Hellions in the south, they are the givers of warmth.
House Marav:Founder: Lord Atrad Marav
Founding: Defeat and expulsion of the Mandalorian Crusaders
Current Lord: Lady Senu Marav X
Region: Marna - The Divide/Southern Hemisphere
Capital: Mora
Population: 5.1 Million
When the threat of the Mandalorians was present and unavoidable, it was Atrad Marav alongside his following that volunteered to go on what was at the time believed to have been a suicide mission, the pre-emptive strike against the Mandalorian forces gathered in a nearby system. Many expected such an attack to fail with extreme loss of life, but at least could give Helios more time to prepare for the eventual attack.
But Atrad Marav lead a successful assault catching the Mandalorians off guard and making them impossible to use their strengths like their jetpacks and their famed beskar, an armour that could stop a blaster shot, but the gaps in the armour presented a good place for a Hellion to drive his sword or a electro-staff. The battle was so decisive that it was decided upon his return without a shadow of a doubt that Atrad be given the right to found his own Great House.
When the Mandalorians returned to avenge their defeat, House Marav was at the forefront of the battle to ensure that the enemy did not gain a foothold on the planet. House Marav fought in full force either within or around their own dominion that was the region of Marna, however the Marav also sent out warriors to other parts of the planet to assist other Great Houses in fighting the invaders.
Ever since House Marav are known for their expert sword masters whose skill has yet to be outmatched, today House Marav continue to hold respect for the duty their ancestors fulfilled. As such House Marav are often requested to provide the protection detail and security for delegates visiting the Helios system as well as by the High Council when an ambassador of Helios is to leave the system.
For House Marav, the decision on whether or not to support or resist the Empire was a difficult one, according to the laws of the High Council, a war that can be avoided must be avoided. And House Marav honoured this belief, they remarked that their ancestors fought the Sith because they couldn't avoid it, they fought the Mandalorians because they couldn't avoid it. They only deemed open conflict viable when it was clear that following the Emperors death, the Empire was fragmented and that to keep their people safe, Helios had to be freed.
House Moraluck:
Founder: Lord Kilr Moraluck
Founding: Defeat and Repulsion of Sith Invasion
Current Lord: Lord Kiln Moraluck XI
Region: Mordus - Southern Hemisphere
Capital: Morad
Population: 2.8 Million
Following the successful repulsion of the Sith forces from Helios, House Moraluck were given a land to settle on of their own choice, oddly enough Kilr Moraluck chose a stretch within the Southern Hemisphere away from what he thought was the manipulations of the Sith.
Following the ultimate defeat of the Sith and later the Mandalorian Crusaders, House Moraluck have been looked on the defenders of Helios as every single threat that has presented itself to Helios has been met by the warriors of House Moraluck.
A strange custom that House Moraluck olds onto is the practice of blood marking, this is when a member of a family passes away or dies, then a drop of their blood is placed upon the foreheads of all their loved ones. The belief being that this will ensure that the strength of their ancestors can be passed on giving the future the spiritual strength of all those who came before them.
Very stringent and controlled, the people of House Moraluck are very strict in their daily routines, a strict regime of organisation has been built up for centuries. Each day of a set week is clearly marked with certain duties that an individual is expected to perform, this includes their work placement. Rather than the individual deciding where they wish to work, their employment is decided by the domain and is based on their strengths, skills, abilities and their ethos.
Some have akin House Moraluck and their domain as a massive military boot camp as the strict routines are heavily enforced with free time carefully observed and maintained according to the schedules. House Moraluck are also one of the largest of the Great Houses when it comes to Exiles, individuals that the House has deemed criminal or unworthy, for the other Great Houses this usually means that the individual has committed a crime that demands they be branded as an outsider and exiled from their home under pain of greater punishments.
However many of the exiles of House Moraluck are often just people that have failed to live up to the expectations of their Houses extreme customs. Such individuals often end up leaving Helios all together and finding work with another Great House.
During the time of the Empire, House Moraluck were heavily against the allowance of Imperial control over Helios, especially when word spread of the Emperors Inquisitors. As far as House Moraluck was concerned the Empire were just as bad as the Sith their ancestors fought and defeated, they wanted to resist and deny any further control of the Empire on Helios. But being one voice on the High Council, they lacked the support and to an extent even their lord recognised that alone Helios could not openly fight the Empire. Yet when word spread of the death of Emperor Palpatine, the Moraluck readily took up arms against the Imperial Forces on Helios and the traitors that supported the Empire.
House Ravcor:
Founder and Current Lord: Lord Moran
Founding: Provision of wealth and resources to Helios
Region: Rana - Southern Hemisphere/Divide
Capital: Racyilin - Planet Ravcor
Population: 947'000 Hellions - 591,000 Droids
Compared to most of the other Great Houses that have seats on the High Council, House Ravcor is relatively new, having been accepted as a Great House for only 30 years and as such is relatively small but still holds considerable influence and respect for its contributions to the Helios System.
Founded by a Hellion called Moran whose was an exile of House Moraluck who had taken to travelling the Galaxy as a bounty hunter in order to sustain his own life. He eventually settled on the planet of Ravcor, a system known for being a hive of scum and villainy, a planet practically ruled by the Criminal Syndicates of the Galaxy.
At some point 25 years before the battle of Yavin, Moran seized control of the planet and established himself as the Lord of Ravcor, the ruler of the planet and the head of his own crime syndicate. He achieved such power through the employing of Hellion Exiles like himself, individuals that had been thrown out of House Moraluck for perceived failures. These Enforcers were fiercely loyal to Moran due to the opportunity given to them to be more than just bounty hunters, bodyguards and mercenaries, they were able to contribute to their families back home through serving Morans syndicate.
Moran himself honoured his ancestry and tradition by using the credits he gained from operating his crime syndicate to obtain resources that Helios required on an almost daily basis. Such contributions were always greeted as cargo freighters arrived on a precise schedule came into the system and unloaded their cargo in full. For such contributions Moran was formally greeted by the High Council to establish his own House on the planet of Ravcor, however terms were clearly set, all those who serve House Ravcor of Helios were to raise their children according to the traditions and culture of Helios on Helios. This included Moran himself later in life as he married and had three children, two daughters and a son.
House Ravcor although holds a small domain on Helios holds court in Morans palace on the planet of Ravcor, a world that has flourished under Morans rule. Despite being a planet for the Criminal syndicates of the galaxy to openly do business, all the citizens of the planet enjoy a standard of living that no other planet controlled by syndicates. This has made House Ravcor a Hellion Great House of immense wealth and respect, not only from the other Great Houses, but also from the other syndicates across the galaxy from the Hutts Clans to the Pyke Syndicate.
One oddity of House Ravcor is its usage of ex separatist battle droids, although House Ravcor has a considerable number of Hellions serving it, they also have a great number of droids that serve the same duties, these include, Commando Droids, Magna Guards and even a few Droidekas.
During the Reign of the Galactic Empire, House Ravcor maintained its neutrality, since the planet of Ravcor was a difficult planet to control for any outsider, the Imperial Moff of the sector practically just left the planet be as well as House Ravcors criminal enterprise as long as the House paid its imperial taxes. Whilst at the same time using his knowledge of the Criminal underworld to support small but growing rebel groups, for example he used a syndicate on Lothal to purchase weapons stolen by a local rebel group, only to then pass these weapons onto another rebel faction.
Moran had nothing against certain individuals of the Empire he just didn't trust the Empire itself, for example when a Commander of the Imperial Navy called Thrawn came to visit him, he found the Chiss to be a good person and worthy of his respect so much so that when his children asked to serve under Thrawn in the Imperial Navy, Moran had no issues.
But when he learned that one of his children had vanished with Thrawn during the liberation of Lothal, Moran and his other children were devastated. He began to work both sides, though he reaffirmed to the High Council that House Ravcor would stand with Helios when the time came and it did following the Emperors death, in which House Ravcor sent warriors, droids and an entire fleet of refitted pirate vessels to drive the Empire of Helios. He also secretly funded Morgan Elsbeths efforts to find and bring Thrawn back from exile, though he considered Thrawn a friend, he made clear to Elsbeth that he only wanted his child back.
House Imperial: Disavowed
Founder: Zsun Impier
Founding: Gaining Imperial Favour
Last Lord: Lord Zsun Imperial - Disavowed and imprisoned for High Treason.
Region: Ineral - Southern Hemisphere/Divide
Capital: Corusca
Population: 803,540
The last of the Great House to fall from station, House Imperial was founded following Zsun Impier negotiated a formal agreement with the newly formed Galactic Empire and Emperor Palpatine. Although Helios had been operating as a prison planet for centuries by this point, during the time of the Galactic Republic, the Senate had installed a committee to oversee all of the prisons within the Helios system to ensure that the convicted criminals being sent were being properly treated.
However with rise of the Galactic Empire, these committees were slowly removed in favour of Imperial expectations from the factories and refineries that the Prisons operated with Convict labour. One of the families that gained Imperial favour during this early period was house Impier who through political manoeuvring and by working more closely with the Imperials gained much influence.
Eventually the Empire "formally requested" the High Council accept House Impier now House Imperial as a Great House and a member of the High Council, at first the Council refused stating that only those that have performed service to Helios can ascend to such a station. But such was the power of the Empire that eventually the High Council wishing to avoid provoking the Emperor which was made more prominent when Emperor Palpatine formally declared to the Galaxy that House Imperial would serve as the Viceroys of the Helios system.
However as more and more time passed, House Imperial began to grow in power and wealth as they openly and actively worked more for the power of the Empire rather than contributing to Helios and their people. House Imperial despite having a region under their control of Helios, the family holds court on a different planet within the System a more garden world known as Prima. They ruled the planet as Imperial Governors until they were made the Regional Governor of the entire system when the Emperor dissolved the Imperial Senate permanently.
This made House Imperial enemies back on Helios especially in the High Council and the other Great Houses, when word came that the Emperor had been killed during the battle of Endor, House Imperial were suddenly without the protection of their Patron. When the Liberation of Helios began, they sided with the Imperial forces in the system in trying to hold onto power but eventually they were forced to surrender when the Imperial Garrison surrendered.
Several commanders and generals of House Imperial were executed for war crimes as well as treason, House Imperial were stripped of all lands, properties, wealth and many members of the family including Lord Zsun Imperial were sentenced to life imprisonment without any possibility of release.
House Siak:
Founder: Asara Siak
Founding: First Hellion Force User and founder of Temple of Ashan
Current Lord: Lady Nia Siak VII
Region: Volcun - Southern Hemisphere
Capital: Siana
Population: 3.4 Million
Asara Siak was the first ever known force sensitive child born on Helios and the first ever to be a true Hellion wielder of the force in the same magnitude as the Jedi and Sith. Being only a young girl during the invasion of the Sith and later the establishment of the first prisons on Helios, Asara spent much time learning from the prisoners on the matter of the Force, there had been some knowledge of the Force given to her by her elders but she was the first ever Hellion ever able to properly wield it.
When she was old enough she went to the elders of her house and requested permission to establish a school for those who may be Force Sensitive. Her belief in the Force and her ability to wield it only grew when following an accident she suffered from permanent blindness in both her eyes, yet she was able to continue living normally. She explained that her connection to the Force allowed her see what the Hellions refer to as the Ashan meaning "Soul", in essence she had learned to see through the Force rather than through her eyes.
This prompted the Elders and the High Council to formally grant her the right to build her school and as more Hellions began to show Force Sensitivity, the need for a school was becoming greater. But Asara learned from the Jedi and their ideals and to an extent melded them with the beliefs and traditions of Helios. The Temple of Ashan would treat the Force as a sacred like the Jedi, but unlike the Jedi the Hellions of the Temple of Ashan deem that to separate themselves from Society meant destroying a part of themselves and forgoing the traditions they were meant to serve and protect.
That is why that the Temple of Ashan differ greatly from the Jedi Order of the Old Republic, Asara didn't see the danger of having attachments as it fermented bonds with those the Temple were to serve and show that even those with the force can contribute.
As gratitude for what the Temple of Ashan gave to Asara and her children the honour of becoming a Great House of their own, who would rule over the region surrounding the Temple of Ashan itself. The number of members of the Temple varies due to the temple only taking in Force Sensitives who are Hellions, on average there are a few hundred Full members with many hundreds more none wielders serving in the temple as well.
During the Reign of the Galactic Empire, House Siak was forced underground to an extent, though they continued to rule the region they controlled, the Temple of Ashan was forced underground to avoid the eye of the Imperial Security Bureau or worse the Emperors Inquisitorious who actively hunted down any and all force sensitives across the galaxy. Helios was not spared, so any child identified as capable of wielding the force as well as all members of the Temple went into hiding on Helios or elsewhere in the Galaxy to remain safe.
House Siak and the Temple of Ashan only returned to Helios properly following the death of the Emperor during the Battle of Endor, Ashan knights using conventional weapons as well as the force proved more than a match for the Imperial forces that had been hunting them for years.
Today House Siak continues to rule over their domain with the Temple of Ashan fully rebuilt and continuing their training of the next generation and continuing to serve the Hellion people as a whole.
House Visok:
Founder: Arashok Visok
Founding: Creators of "the Path"
Current Lord: Lord Abar Visok
Region: The Divide
Capital: None
Population: 1,998
For any outsider, House Visok does not seem worthy or even the idea of a Great House for the Hellions, they resemble a tribal band of rough warriors that wear equipment fashioned from scavenged outdated pieces of tech. But as far as Helios is concerned, it matters not how large a House is but their contribution to Helios as a whole. House Visok is regarded by the Hellions as a Founding House, a ruling family that has been around since the first settlement of Helios. Despite not having a large number of "subjects" under their direct rule, House Visok is still deemed worthy of being a Great House and a member of the High Council.
This is because during the early generations in which the Hellions were first properly settling on Helios, the settlements in the Northern Hemisphere and the temporary encampments of the South were unable to properly transport goods back and forth, the deserts of the Divide made that near impossible by usual methods of the time, basic speeders and walkers. The lack of any real maps of the Divide meant that most of the attempts made to cross it by speeder and walker tried the most direct route, all of which failed as those taking part often got lost in sand storms and later died of dehydration or heat stroke.
It wasn't until Arashok Visok that things began to change, a hardened desert survivor Arashok had survived a number of attempts at crossing the Divide. He discovered that there was a path across the Divide that ensured that one could not become lost, nor would they suffer from the heat for very long. He set off with a number of followers from the North and arrived weeks later in full strength and good health in the south, amazed people questioned how he done it. Arashok explained that the path through the Divide wasn't by going direct, it requires one to travel a path that twists and turns from one sheltered location to another, although this is not the most direct route, it is the route that is safest and surest.
House Visok was born from this as other hardend desert survivors pledged themselves to Arashok Visok and his family. Today House Visok are still the keepers of the "Path" through the Divide, although industrialisation has made it considerably easier to travel across the planet, such as large hovering trains that can easily traverse the the Desert with ease. By law and tradition all transportation must continue along the Path that was created by House Visok, the same path that they continue to protect and patrol through the ages, even though the members of House Visok do not require the Path to travel through the Desert for a very very long time, having learned all the routes through the .
Unlike other Great Houses, House Visok does not hold a domain or region under their control, instead their entire House and following are semi nomadic, constantly travelling across the desert of the Divide from one oasis to another, never staying in one location of more than a few days to avoid using all the resources in one place. But they are rather odd in their method of travelling, even though they do use speeder bikes, they only ever use them for scouting ahead. The actual caravans that make up House Visok hardly ever use or have speeders even though the planet uses all kinds these days.
Instead House Visok continue to use their very own domesticated herds of Desert Graters to act as their forms of transport as well as carry all the good they intend to trade.
Throughout the ages, House Visok has never really changed much, which they deem an honour, they remember what life was like when the Hellions struggled and so they like to serve as reminders of where their people come from. During the reign of the Empire, House Visok never really cared, they didn't seem to care that the Empire was becoming stronger across the galaxy, they only started to care when the Empire came for Helios.
When the uprising and liberation of Helios began, House Visok used their knowledge of the Desert to harass Imperial supply lines and make it impossible for the Imperials and House Imperial to travel across the Desert.
The Students of Thrawn:
As the Empire grew in power and strength, there was one oddity among its military an humanoid alien known as Mitt'raw'nuruodo or Thrawn who rose through the ranks of the Imperial Navy in a manner never seen, he rose from Lieutenant to the command of his own ship in little time despite the resistance he faced from those who didn't like that an alien was doing what they couldn't.
But there was always some that showed and held respect to Thrawn, among them was the House of Ravcor, Lord Moran, the Crime Lord of the planet Ravcor and the head of House Ravcor, actively showed friendship to the Chiss. So much so that he openly welcomed Thrawn more than he did the Imperial Moff that ran the sector, something that didn't get him any friends.
But Ravcor was part of the Empire at least officially, Moran always ensured that pockets were filled and palms greased to ensure that the Empire never really came to Ravcor. And the Empire didn't care, as far as they were concerned Ravcor was a stable place to purchase slaves for the many laborious projects that they were working on. But there is always a price to be paid eventually.
Moran as the Lord of Ravcor has three children, two daughters and a son.
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| Asshai Ravcor |
She serves to this day as one of her fathers prime advisors as well as the one in command of the dreaded Defilers, the warrior elite of House Ravcor and the Criminal Syndicate that they command. She is skilled in various forms of martial arts as well as numerous types of weapons, this was a request by Moran himself as he wanted to make sure that all his children could defend themselves should the need arise.
Despite her fierce zeal, Asshai is somewhat open in her opinions, she doesn't really care what government rules the Galaxy, Republic, Empire, New Republic, it matters very little to her. All she cares about is the prosperity of House Ravcor. This openness is even present in how she presents herself to others, she very rarely holds her tongue to any insult and on one occasion she even openly threatened an Imperial Officer that "Dare Insult" her father.
Regardless though Asshai is noted for her beauty and is often the centre of attention from many males of different species, against trying to stop such attention she actually flaunts it. She often wears clothing that can be regarded as alluring and seductive, in her own words this is "They are so busy looking at what I want them to see, they don't notice the blade or blaster I have hidden".
Deeply heart struck, Asshai was hurt when her younger siblings chose to leave House Ravcor and join the Imperial Military to serve under Thrawn, she felt that they were abandoning their family in favour of outsiders. But this ended when she learned of her brothers disappearance during the Liberation of Lothal, her Brother Rius was serving as a Lieutenant aboard the I.S.D Chimera, Thrawns flagship when it vanished. With her father blessing and support, Asshai has been working ever since with her little sister to see Thrawns return, not out of any loyalty to the Empire, but because "We just want our Brother Back".
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| Naria Ravcor |
Naria loved four things, her family, her books, her theories and her art, rather an oddity among most Hellions, she found an interest in artistic expression, though she always explained that she understood and honoured the art of Helios. When she could she asked to attend a proper prestigous university on Coruscant which her father allowed. Whilst there she encountered a young ensign of the Imperial Academy named Eli Vanto, who was an aid to Lieutenant Thrawn, Vanto introduce her to Thrawn and the Chiss recognised a keen eyed intellect in the young woman, Naria invited Thrawn to visit her home on Ravcor and meet her father, Thrawn accepted detailing that although it may be difficult he would consider it an honour.
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| Left: Eli Vanto, Right: Admiral Ara'lani |
It would a good period of time before she would meet Thrawn and Vanto again, being when Thrawn was given his first proper command, the light cruiser Thunder Wasp. It was during this first meeting that the friendship between House Ravcor and Mitt'Raw'Nuruodo was formed, Naria became a student of Thrawn when it came to matters of art, which he showed an interest in during his stay at the Grand Palace of Ravcor. Naria would later be invited to serve aboard Thrawns flagship the I.S.D Chimera as an aid to the newly promoted Commodore Thrawn and would not serve a military role.
After the defeat of the Rebel forces on Batonn, Thrawn decided to offer both Eli Vanto and Naria secretly met with the Admiral Ara'lani of the Chiss Ascendancy and offered their services. Technically speaking, they had both been sent by Thrawn due to the danger that existed in the Unknown regions that threatened his people and as such his supposed exile from the Ascendancy was about finding allies or weakening others to make them easier targets than the Chiss.
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| Plami'tet'tatha |
Whilst working as an aid and confidant of both Eli Vanto and Admiral Ara'lani, Naria got close and began a relationship with a Chiss woman who also served aboard the Springhawk Ara'lani's flagship. An officer named Plami'tet'tatha or Itett for short, the two started as a friendship fling but rapidly became much more.
Naria would maintain contact with her family whilst serving in the Chiss Expansionary Defence Fleet upon learning of her brothers disappearance she formally requested permission to return to be with her family in their mourning. But when it was discovered that there was the chance that her baby brother could still be alive, Naria immediately sent a message to Admiral Ara'lani informing her that for the sake of her own people she had to leave the service of the Chiss Expansionary Defence Fleet, but she did invite Itett to come live with her on Ravcor, it was agreed and today Itett lives in the Grand Palace on the planet Ravcor with her new family.
After this she began working with her father and her older sister in helping Morgan Elsbeth in finding Thrawn and bringing him back, not out of any loyalty to the Empire, but solely because "We just want our Brother Back".
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| Rius Ravcor |
He actively sort out challenges and opportunities to challenge himself where ever he went, which often lead him into trouble to the point that his father had to practically reel him in after an incident where Rius picked a fight with a ruthless pirate gang. The fight that followed lead the deaths of several Ravcor guards who died protecting their lords son.
Moran was furious at what his Son had done and decided that now was the point to reel him in, he reminded his son that as a Hellion he has a duty to the future of their people and remarked that Hellions had given their lives to save his and "Gambling their sacrifice by performing foolish and suicidal acts of stupidity, looks like a pretty poor way to repay them!". He made clear to his son that if he wasn't more appriecative of his life then trouble would come down on all of them not just him, could "You live with yourself if your glory seeking led to your sisters getting hurt or worse?".
Following this talking too, Rius changed his ways and began to show more discipline, when he could he asked his father to follow his sister Naria and serve under Thrawn for the Empire, although uncertain at first he relented when Thrawn promised that he would ensure that Rius would serve under him when possible.
Though Rius spent most of his time guarding the door of Thrawns office and quarters, Though this mattered very little to Rius, as far as he was concerned he was performing the duty expected of him. Though whilst Thrawn was tasked with defeating the Rebels of the Lothal Sector, he felt disgraced when he was manipulated by a Jedi mind trick by the Rebel Ezra Bridger a manipulation that lead to an attempt against Thrawns life.
However the Grand Admiral deemed that Rius could not have resisted such mind tricks without the proper training and reminded the young man that "A Mistake is not one if you are able to... learn from it".
A heart break gripped his family when during the Liberation of Lothal, Thrawn, the I.S.D Chimera and all onboard including Rius were sent into exile by Ezra Bridger to the planet Peridea in a separate galaxy. Upon their arrival, Thrawn recognised that the hard world and its various nomads that preyed on each other meant that the troopers onboard would require a level of training different than what they were used to. He asked Rius to train them in more extreme ways, the same manner in which he was taught as a child on Helios a world harsher than the one they were on.
Rius accepted and began to instil a greater level of discipline and training into an elite force of troopers that would become the first Night Troopers. After Thrawns alliance with the Night Mothers, Rius and his unit of troopers became Thrawns personal bodyguards for the duration of their exile. He would serve under Captain Enoch and remained fiercely loyal to the Grand Admiral.
Now after the successful return of Thrawn from Exile, Rius is facing a conflict of worlds, his loyalty had not changed, he was still determined to follow Thrawn in his future campaign to reunify the Empire but he also recognised that his first loyalty is to his family and Helios.
Thrawn however reaffirmed his friendship to the Hellions and made clear that he had no wish to drag Helios into a war, he noted that he was fully aware of the Hellion tradition of avoiding conflict when possible and only undertaking aggression should the need arise. So upon their safe return to the Galaxy, Grand Admiral Thrawn sent a message to both House Ravcor and the Helios High Council making clear that for as long as Helios remained an independent planet from the New Republic and remained Neutral then he would have no desire to violate their territory.
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