Ord Mantell

"Well, the bounty hunter we ran into on Ord Mantell changed my mind."

―Han Solo^[21]

Ord Mantell was a planet of the galaxy's Mid Rim that served as the capital of the Bright Jewel system. It was the homeworld of the Mantellian Savrip species. Ord Mantell was colonized around 12,000 BBY by Corellian settlers during the expansion of the Galactic Republic, where it became an Ordnance/Regional Depot outpost. In the waning days of the Republic, Ord Mantell City housed a base of operations for the Black Sun crime syndicate. It later came under control of the Galactic Empire and became home to an Imperial deepdock.

Description

Ord Mantell was the terrestrial capital planet of the Bright Jewel system^[4] at grid square L-7 on the Standard Galactic Grid,^[3] and was the second planet to orbit the blue star Bright Jewel. Orbited by at least fifteen moons,^[4] including the moon of Quantxi,^[5] Ord Mantell was 14,050 kilometers in diameter and served as the sector capital for the Mid Rim's Bright Jewel sector, which in turn was the capital for the Bright Jewel Oversector.^[4] In close proximity to the gas giant Wynkahthu,^[22] Ord Mantell was situated in the northern New Territories portion of the Mid Rim, lying on a cross-section between the Bright Jewel, Qiilura and Dohu sectors along the Celanon Spur,^[4] Burke's Trailing^[6] and Entralla hyperspace routes.^[4] The Burke's Trailing hyperspace route connected the planet to the moon of Jedha in the nearby Terrabe sector.^[6]

A planet of temperate climate, Ord Mantell maintained a breathable Type I atmosphere and standard gravity, and it presented a pinkish hue when viewed from space as a result of its thick clouds, which littered its skies. On the surface, every landmass on Ord Mantell was dotted with mountain chains, but its population of four billion lived on its arid equatorial continents amid the foothills of its mountains and plains. Ord Mantell was home to many different species, with no single one representing more than five percent of the planet's population.^[4]

History

Colonization of Ord Mantell

Around 12,000 BBY, the planet Ord Mantell was colonized by settlers from the Core World planet Corellia during the middle era of the Galactic Republic's expansion, in which it became one of many Ordnance/Regional Depot outposts. At the time, Ord Mantell was isolated in what was known as the Wild Space of the northern quadrant, and was only accessible through an intricate network of frontier hyperspace routes. As the Republic grew in territory size, the planet's strategic significance was lost, but civilian cargo trade began to grow due to the presence of a military-grade shipyard and drydocks.^[4]

After 3700 BBY, Ord Mantell became notable as a trading post for spacers who traveled west of the Hydian Way super-hyperroute. As the population grew, an increasing percentage of the arriving settlers began to include less savory visitors, such as tax evaders, smugglers, and those working on the black market. The lawless and adventurous spirit of such groups, combined with the Corellians' independent nature, served to create a culture of criminal activity that lasted on Ord Mantell thereafter.^[4]

Sometime before the outbreak of the Clone Wars between the Republic and the Confederacy of Independent Systems, the Republic attempted to create several other trade hubs across the galaxy, in hopes of rivaling Ord Mantell's success as a trading port. However, the Republic was unable to create a world that could compete with its success, despite Ord Mantell's reputation as a criminal shadowport.^[4]

Republic Era

During the tenure of Finis Valorum as Supreme Chancellor of the Republic, the Quaraxian thief Phaedra robbed Galactic Senator Beka's account from the Bank of Coruscant. After faking her death on Nar Shaddaa, Phaedra hid out on Ord Mantell but was quickly discovered by Jedi Knights Qui-Gon Jinn and Shaak Ti, who turned her over to Marshal Buck Vancto of the Benelex Marshal Service.^[23]

In 23 BBY,^[24] the bounty hunter Jango Fett took a job with fellow hunters Needla, Rinn, and Tiver, also bringing along his son Boba to teach him about working with new people. Together, they traveled to Ord Mantell and staked out a cantina, eventually cornering their target, a Twi'lek woman who was the daughter of their client, on a balcony. After capturing her, Rinn and Tiver betrayed the others, with Tiver drawing his swords and taking Boba hostage, although the young hunter ended up killing both Tiver and Rinn.^[25]

Clone Wars

"Lead your fleet to Ord Mantell. Your allies—Black Sun—have a stronghold there."

―Mother Talzin, to Maul^[19]

Tear-Them-Apart — The Shadow Collective and Confederacy of Independent Systems battled on Ord Mantell.

By the time of the Clone Wars, Ord Mantell became home to a large base for the Black Sun crime syndicate. Nevertheless, in the years following the Battle of Geonosis, the planet housed a storage facility, barracks, and fleet support base for the Republic's Grand Army and Navy. Additionally, Ord Mantell served as the headquarters for the Republic's 8th Sector Army. All of this served to define Ord Mantell as an important planet for the Republic,^[4] much to the annoyance of the Black Sun.^[26]

Black Sun would go onto join the rogue Sith Lord Maul's Shadow Collective on the hope that it would give them the power needed to reclaim Ord Mantell.^[26] In the waning days of the Republic,^[27] a battle was fought on the planet between the Shadow Collective and the Confederacy of Independent Systems.^[19] The assault was launched by the Dark Lord of the Sith Darth Sidious,^[4] Count Dooku, and General Grievous as part of their campaign against the Shadow Collective.^[19]

During the war, the Trandoshan informant Ciddarin Scaleback worked with the Jedi Order while based on Ord Mantell. The clone trooper Echo was aware of such activities but was not aware of Cid's identity, only knowing her by name.^[14]

Imperial Era

During the early days of the Galactic Empire, the rogue Clone Force 99, which Echo had joined, traveled to Ord Mantell to locate Cid, hoping she would be able to help them. They were able to locate Cid's Parlor and with the shrewd observation of the young clone Omega, learned that Cid was the Trandoshan that owned the establishment. The clones would agree to undertake a mission for Cid in exchange for information, traveling to the ruins of Old Ord Mantell City to rescue Muchi, who was being held captive by Zygerrian enslavers operating there at that time.^[14] Clone Force 99 would continue to be based out of Ord Mantell as they worked several missions for Cid^[28]^[29] until Imperial forces^[30] assumed control of Ord Mantell^[31] upon being alerted to the Bad Batch's location by Cid.^[30]

In the reign of the Empire, the Bright Jewel sector became the capital of the Bright Jewel Oversector, which also housed the Yavin system located in the Gordian Reach.^[4] Hyperspace lanes in the sector were of interest to the Empire, with Imperial Security Bureau Major Lio Partagaz tasking Supervisor Lonni Jung with making a full audit on each of the lanes leading to Ord Mantell.^[32] Following the destruction of the first Death Star at Yavin, the Empire attempted to increase its control in the sector,^[4] eventually coming to establish a deepdock,^[20] but Ord Mantell still managed to maintain neutrality during the Galactic Civil War.^[4]

At one point, Crimson Dawn leader Qi'ra, the pirate Hondo Ohnaka, and the bounty hunter IG-88 hunted each other down on Ord Mantell, with the latter two partnering with each other to capture Qi'ra. The pair succeeded in capturing the woman, but when Ohnaka accidentally revealed that the bounty on his head was worth more, IG-88 turned on the Weequay. Following a brief scrap, IG-88 was handcuffed by Ohnaka, but after Qi'ra managed to free herself, she then captured Ohanka as well.^[33] The Devaronian pirate Melos was hunted down by three bounty hunters—Viktor Hel, Koshka Frost, and "Doctor" Krandak—on Ord Mantell.^[34]

Beyond the Empire's early deployment of troops and walkers to Ord Mantell during the hunt for Clone Force 99,^[30] the Empire began to blackmail and bribe the ruling government to absolve fears that the planet's lawlessness would encourage rebel activity. They monitored the world by staging nearby fleet maneuvers nearby instead of attempting total Imperial subjugation. However, as the Empire built up its ground forces, the Mantellians began to see more and more Imperial stormtroopers appear around their cities.^[4] Amid the civil war, prior to the Battle of Hoth, Rebel Alliance member and former smuggler Han Solo had a run-in^[21] with bounty hunter Skorr^[35] on Ord Mantell's surface.^[27]

At one point, the Gran criminal Heelt stole a rare silvercore speeder from the Black Sun boss Lord Gyuti and attempted to sell it in Ord Mantell City. A crew led by Boushh, who were working for Gyuti, were able to recover and return the speeder following a brief shootout.^[36] In 3 ABY,^[37] a shuttle departed for Ord Mantell from transport bay four at the spaceport on Kijimi.^[38]

Inhabitants

Species

After its colonization, Ord Mantell became the homeworld of a variety of different species—commonly referred to as Mantellians—and no particular species on Ord Mantell represented more than five percent of its total population.^[4] The planet was also home to the Mantellian Savrip, a species whose appearance was used for a holographic piece in the game of dejarik. It was also inhabited by Bith,^[11] Falleen, and humans.^[12]

Government

Main article: Ord Mantell government

Ord Mantell was ruled by a planetary government of which was led by several governors. The planet's governors and representatives were no strangers to Ord Mantell's illicit activities that happened frequently across the planet, and were known to accept bribes or turn a blind eye to them. The Mantellian courts also respected the rights of bounty hunters, viewing them as a free-market approach to law enforcement on the planet.^[4]

Entertainment

As a result of the planet's lawlessness, Ord Mantell helped in the rise of a thriving gambling and entertainment industry. Along the Worlport continent's southern coast, a series of cities provided the necessary services for gambling and other games. The cities were modern and billions of tourists who traveled from the Core could expect to find any luxury to which they were accustomed in their home region. Of the planet's casinos, the most popular was Lady Fate Casino; however, more professional gamblers were found in the side streets and alley casinos such as the Chance Cube, Throw Me a Bone, or Lucky Detooa's in the city of Savroia. Several of the casinos had the highest payouts along the Celanon Spur.^[4]

Locations

Ord Mantell's surface was home to several cities, such as the capital city of Worlport,^[4] Ord Mantell City,^[19] Freelonn, and Savroia, all of which were known for their fringe activities. The planet's open markets sold nearly everything, and nothing was ever truly illegal on Ord Mantell. Its coastal cities, including Worlport, seduced visitors into spending their credits at the casinos' gambling tables. Cities on the planet's outskirts were much less developed, littered with outstretched junkyards, mountains, and mines. Small fishing communities existed along the continental shores, which preferred not to interact with outlanders.^[4]