Name: Esseles
Region: Core Worlds
Sector: Darpa sector
System: Essesia system
Suns: 1: Essess
Orbital position: 3
Moons: 1
Grid coordinates: L-9
Trade routes: Perlemian Trade Route
Rotation period: 22 standard hours
Orbital period: 405 standard days
Class: Terrestrial
Diameter: 14,783 km
Atmosphere: Type I (breathable)
Climate: Temperate
Gravity: Standard
Primary terrain: Urban, Ocean
Points of interest: Esseles starport, Tralee, Togatto Speedway, Esprix Estate, Grande Hyet, Amander Public School, Qua family's villa
Fauna: Esseles bird
Immigrated species: Bothan, Herglic, Human
Primary language(s): Galactic Basic Standard
Government: Empire (c. Pre–25,053 BBY), Empire (c. 25,053–19 BBY), Representative democracy (19 BBY—), Esselian Hall
Population: 24 billion (historic), 1.5 billion (modern); 86% Human, 8% Herglic, 2% Bothan, 4% other
Demonym: Esselian
Major cities: Alabar, Calamar (capital), New Calamar, Nurrale
Major imports: High technology, Starships
Major exports: Foodstuffs, Raw materials

Description: Esseles was a planet in the galaxy that had been contested territory throughout the Galactic Civil War and had a secret Imperial listening post concealed in its icy rings.

Esseles was under constant volcanic activity by 10,000,000 BBY.

The planet had a population of 24 billion and was covered in many high, steep, rugged, volcanic mountain chains. The atmosphere was heavy, and so it has a warm, wet climate. It was a large planet, with a diameter of 9,186 mi (14,783 km). Its capital city was Calamar, a cultured city that served as a center for education, art, recreation, and holoproduction. Esseles was known for its beautiful architecture.

It served as headquarters for Caldrahlsen Mechanicals, DynaCorp, Trinkatta Starships, and Damorian Manufacturing Corporation. Esseles was also the site of one of the Core Worlds' few podracing courses, the Togatto Speedway.

History
Old Republic era
For millennia, Esseles was the hub of a once grand empire known as the Esselian Empire that at one point contained nineteen planets spanning the Darpa Sector.

It had evolved into a military fortress world by the time the planet became one of the Core Founders of the Galactic Republic. A Jedi Watchman, named Nuck Lyu was on the planet around 25,000 BBY.

Rise of the Empire
During the later decades of the Republic, Esseles was represented in the Galactic Senate by Senator Gabrial Atanna.

During the Clone Wars, an Esselian Separatist-funded government faction declared that the planet had joined the Confederacy of Independent Systems. The planet was retaken from the CIS by a Republic loyalist resistance movement in 21 BBY. Griff Takel was then appointed as Governor of Esseles by the Republic.

After several millennia of existence, the Esselian Empire eventually collapsed just after the end of the Clone Wars.

Soon after the Declaration of a New Order, Jedi Master Dass Jennir and the crew of the Uhumele raided Dezono Qua's villa in order to rescue the daughter of Bomo Greenbark.

Galactic Civil War
Esseles was formally ruled by President of the Esselian Hall Cambira Ralle in 0 ABY, but the planet's Imperial governor was still Griff Takel. It was also home to a very active Rebel cell. Although Esseles did not directly contest Imperial rule, the people had a high sense of nationalism with enthusiastic optimism for the future.

In 1 ABY, Esseles was the site of a series of terrorist attacks that was considered to be the worst atrocities to hit the planet since the Algeran Faction attacks during the rise to power of Emperor Palpatine.

After the Battle of Endor, Imperial Navy forces were retreating from Esseles when a battle erupted in the outer Essesia system. This battle was the only major battle in this star system during the Galactic Civil War. The Imperials eventually retreated and the planet Esseles joined the New Republic without suffering any damage. It emerged from the Galactic Civil War as a major high-tech industrial center. The planet later returned to Imperial control during Operation Shadow Hand.

Places of Interest
Esseles listening post
A listening post of the Galactic Empire was concealed within the icy rings of Esseles during the Galactic Civil War.

Alabar
Alabar was a city on the planet Esseles. Esselian New Order Party leader Jamson Freller held a press conference in the city urging incumbent president Cambira Ralle to step down due to his failing health.

Calamar
Calamar was the capital city of Esseles. The planet's pleasant climate and rich history conspired to make Calamar a center of high culture, and its suburbs were dominated by vast parks, art centers, holo-production companies, and places of higher learning such as the Darpa Center of History at Calamar. The Hall of Esseles was the government headquarters, located within the city.

A large cell of the Rebel Alliance was based out of the entertainment district.

Hall of Esseles
The Hall of Esseles, located in Calamar, was the name of both the administrative headquarters of Esseles and the government itself.

Curamel Intergalactic Spaceport
The Curamel Intergalactic Spaceport, also known as the Calamar Intergalactic Spaceport or simply the Calamar Spaceport, was a spaceport on the planet Esseles.

It was the location where Jango Fett docked Slave I during his pursuit of Senator Rodd and Hurlo Holowan. It was also the location where Bounty Hunters' Guild head Cradossk and his son Bossk were stationed in pursuit of the same individuals. Bossk captured Boba Fett who had left Slave I, but not the docking bay, while looking for a scrap piece of durasteel. The young Fett was eventually recovered by his father on the ship of Cradossk.
Upon returning to the vessel, the Fetts were greeted by bounty hunter Zam Wesell, who was in disguise as an old woman. Wesell joined the Fetts on their ship and took a subcontract to hunt Holowan. Wesell then commandeered a StarNailer-class fighter from the space station and piloted it toward Kuat.

Jatz musician Fitz Roi once awaited the processing of his immigration visa to the planet at Calamar Spaceport.

Darpa Center of History at Calamar
The Darpa Center of History at Calamar was a museum on Esseles. On 14:2:3—22 BBY—, it hosted the "Cradle of the Galaxy" exhibit.

Nurumbal Shrine
The Nurumbal Shrine was located in Camalar. Esselian New Order Party leader Jamson Freller gave a press conference in front of the building after his party won a majority in the Esselian Hall.

Ion Sandbox
The Ion Sandbox was a cantina in the city of Calamar on Esseles.

Calamar Power Plant
The Calamar Power Plant was the primary energy provider to the city of Calamar on Esseles. In 1 ABY, the plant was shut down by Rebel agents as a diversion to escape capture. The resulting blackout threw the city into chaos.

Gabrial Atanna's estate
Gabrial Atanna lived in an estate in a quiet suburb of Calamar on the planet Esseles with his wife following his retirement from the Imperial Senate. After Atanna's arrest by Imperial forces on charges of spying for the Alliance to Restore the Republic, his wife and grandchildren were held under house arrest in the estate until rescued by Alliance forces.

New Calamar
New Calamar, also known as Camalar, was a city on the southern continent of the planet Esseles. It was named for the capital of Esseles, Calamar. New Calamar was the location of the Empire's Terril Naval Base.

When the Jatz musician Fitz Roi performed in Camalar, he wore the clothes of a Jedi Knight, which nearly led to his sponsor, Flangth-2-Go, ending their sponsorship.

Nurrale
Nurrale was a tropical city located on the planet Esseles. It was home to the famous Togatto Speedway.

Togatto Speedway
Togatto Speedway was a podracing arena located in the tropical city of Nurrale on the planet Esseles. Owned by Luthus Ferlani and his family, it was considered the single most spectacular sporting arena in the Darpa sector of the galaxy during the waning years of the Old Republic. The arena hosted the Annual Jatzday Race as well as several other lesser-known events. The track itself was well known for its hairpin turns and torturous spirals.

Fort Cravus
Fort Cravus was an immense citadel located in the city of Nurrale, on the planet Esseles. The base of operations for Lord Cravus, it was from here he led his battle droids with which he conquered the world during the earliest days of civilization on the planet. As Cravus' empire faded away, the Fort remained standing, aging very little over time. Fort Cravus was later renovated and turned into a museum, displaying artifacts and information from Lord Cravus' reign. Unknown to the new owners, however, was that fact that several of Lord Cravus' ancient battle droids were stored beneath the surface in a sealed vault, waiting to be reactivated.

Esseles starport
Esseles starport was a spaceport facility on the planet Esseles. The repair droid LE-BO2D9 originally served the spaceport's portmaster, ensuring freighters were meeting starship safety regulations, but was ferried away during one inspection when a freighter captain blasted off with the droid aboard.

Tralee
Tralee was a location on Esseles and the site of an Imperial Navy base. It provided air cover for Navy troopers deployed from the Star Destroyer Indomitable following an attack by the Faceless on a DynaCorp refinery in Grande Hyet in 1 ABY. Tralee was itself attacked shortly thereafter.

Esprix Estate
Esprix Estate was the official residence of the Republic Senator of Esseles. The palace was built in an ornate style reminiscent of the Naboo school of architecture. It was also the base of Esseles's Spynet. From there Esseles's spymasters directed an extended network of operatives.

Grande Hyet
Grande Hyet was a polar island that was located on the planet of Esseles. It served as the headquarters for the DynaCorp mining corporation.

Amander Public School
Amander Public School was an educational institution on the planet Esseles. The school had a fan club dedicated to Jatz musician Fitz Roi. The clubs president was fourteen-years old Aliea Tanner.

Qua family's villa
Qua family's villa was located on the planet Esseles. Until 19 BBY, Dezono Qua lived alone in this villa with a small army of droids as his only companions. He had a small army of IG-series droids, an H2 pilot droid, and a protocol droid nicknamed "E-10."