Name: Lothal
Region: Outer Rim Territories
Sector: Lothal sector
System: Lothal system
Suns: 1: Lothal's sun
Moons: 2
Atmosphere: Type I (breathable)
Climate: Temperate
Primary terrain: Mountains, Prairies, Rock formations, Semi-arid savannah, Marshes
Surface water: Shallow seas
Points of interest: Boo Boo barn, Clustered rock spires, Dinar, Easthills, Far Hiradne, Haven, Imperial Armory Complex, Imperial Communications Center, Kinpany Gap, Krai family farm, Lando Calrissian's farm, Lothal cliff dwelling, Lothal Jedi Temple, Lothal re-settlement camp 43, Lothal resistance camp, Lothal wolf den, LothalNet comm tower E-272, Monad Outpost, Morad Sumar's farm, Pelamir Gorge, Pretor Flats, Ryder's camp, Sienar Advanced Projects Laboratory, Stel's uncle's repair shop, Tangletown, Westhills
Native flora: Spine tree
Fauna: Bloodfly, Edgehawk, Loth-bat, Loth-cat, Loth-rat, Loth-wolf, Nek, Nerf, Sabercat
Immigrated species: Aqualish, Anx, Balosar, Bardottan, Chagrian, Devaronian, Feeorin, Gotal, Houk, Human, Ithorian, Rodian, Ruurian, Sakiyan, Ugnaught, Xexto
Primary language(s): Aqualish, Galactic Basic, Huttese, Ithorese
Government: Lothal's planetary government, Imperial governorship
Demonym: Lothalian, Lothalite
Major cities: Capital City, Jalath, Kothal
Major imports: Agricultural equipment, Industrial machinery, Raw materials
Major exports: Doonium, Foodstuffs, Starfighters, Starship components, Technology

Description: Lothal is a planet in the Outer Rim Territories. During the early years of the Galactic Empire, Lothal was in a state of economic disrepair and invited the Empire to take over the planet's industries, with the promise of prosperity and security. Although many people said the Empire would bring doom, the ones preaching new jobs and prosperity were vindicated. By 5 BBY, Lothal became the nesting ground for the Spectres, a small rebel cell which operated from the starship Ghost. After harrying Imperial forces and disrupting Imperial activities for at least a year, the Spectres eventually attracted the attention of Grand Moff Wilhuff Tarkin and Darth Vader, who tried unsuccessfully to stamp out these rebels. Vader even imposed a blockade on the planet, but the Spectres managed to slip through and rejoin the larger rebellion.

In 4 BBY, a prison revolt led to the escape of several prisoners, including former Governor Ryder Azadi, who would go on to start another rebel cell on Lothal. By 3 BBY, the Imperial blockade had caused severe hardship and led Princess Leia Organa to undertake a mercy mission to Lothal. However, this mission was a ruse for the Organas to deliver ships to the rebellion. In 2 BBY, the ongoing rebellion led Azadi's successor, Arihnda Pryce, to invite Grand Admiral Thrawn and his Seventh Fleet to establish a presence on Lothal. Ryder's rebel cell's efforts to sabotage Imperial vehicles at the Capital City Imperial Armory Complex drew Thrawn's attention.

By 1 BBY, the planet was under both heavy Imperial blockade and occupation, with her once pristine environment ruined and on the brink of collapse. Almost all traces of natural resources had been stripped from the planet. With fires scattered throughout, extreme pollution covering the planet was visible from orbit. Though pockets of resistance remained, the planet was by-and-large under Imperial control and those who remained who had not willingly joined the Empire pressed into service or simply killed. However, a ragtag group of rebels led by the Spectres spearheaded a daring move which completely expunged the Imperial presence on and around Lothal. For a time, the planet's citizens lived with the concern that the Empire might attempt to retake it, but the Empire was now fractured by the threat of the Rebel Alliance. This allowed the planet to be restored to its former glory by the end of the Galactic Civil War.

The Lothal system was located on the frontier of the Outer Rim and was several minutes away from the planet Garel via hyperspace travel. The Lothal sector as a whole was located in the "northeast" of the galaxy, on the extreme edge of the Outer Rim, directly bordering the Calamari sector (noted for containing Mon Cala).

The planet Lothal itself was primarily terrestrial, known for its grassy plains, spine tree forests, farmland, long, low mountains, and shallow freshwater seas. The planet also had marshes, which were said to house will-o'-the-wisps. Some notable fauna included the loth-cats and the loth-wolves. By the Imperial Era, loth-wolves were widely believed to be extinct but could manifest themselves to Force-sensitive individuals. They were connected to the planet through the Force and Kanan regarded them as messengers warning them that the Empire was doing something "malevolent" to the planet.

Besides the administrative and metropolitan center Capital City, Lothal was sparsely populated; other farming towns were located amid the plains and rock formations across the planet. Distinctive conical spires punctuated the skylines of Lothal's plains, ranging in height and often found in large clusters. Lothal was also known to contain several types of precious minerals, including scarce kyber crystals.

The Galactic Empire established several factories and mines which polluted and marred much of the planet's previously pristine natural environment. Imperial business even disrupted the planet's varied weather, which had once brought natural wonders such as thunderheads rolling over its mountains and the sound of the wind. Even those who only knew the Empire still came to miss things such as the smell of jogan blossoms on the breeze since the Empire destroyed many orchards to make way for mines. By 1 BBY, much of the planet's surface had been strip-mined to harvest minerals for the Empire. The planet was also polluted by Imperial factories.

Lothal also had a southern hemisphere which was covered in grassy plains. Individuals and animals could use a network of caves and tunnels to travel from the northern to southern hemispheres.

Society and economy

Prior to the coming of the Galactic Empire, Lothal was governed by a legislative body that was based at the Lothal City Capitol Building in Capital City. Under Imperial rule, Lothal was ruled by a Governor who commanded the planet's armed forces and political affairs. Several years before the Battle of Yavin, Lothal was governed by Governor Ryder Azadi, until he was arrested for treason. Arihnda Pryce then became governor and was supported by several ministers, including Minister Maketh Tua and Assistant Vice Minister Sarkos. Lothal was also home to several Imperial government departments including the Ministry of Agriculture, the Imperial Agricultural Collective, the Transportation Ministry, the Security Ministry, the Education Ministry, and a substantial Imperial Military garrison. Lothal pilots could find work as crop dusters before moving into other flying careers throughout the galaxy.

Known Imperial industrial operations including several mines in the Westhills, multiple Sienar Fleet Systems factories, and a BlasTech weapons laboratory in the Easthills near Capital City. Lothal was chosen by several Imperial corporations as a base since the planet provided plenty of open space for testing new spacecraft and weapons. These factories provided jobs for many of Lothal's citizens. Under Imperial rule, Lothal's previously self-sufficient farming communities were displaced as the Imperial Mining Institute evicted farmers to excavate their lands for metal deposits. Lothal's communications with the wider galaxy were handled by an Imperial Communications Center near the town of Jalath.

Lothal hosted several educational institutions including the Academy for Young Imperials, a one-year junior academy in Capital City that prepared Imperial cadets for further training offworld at senior academies throughout the Outer Rim. Other known educational institutions included the Technical Institute for Agricultural Research, the Pretor Flats Academy, the Junior Academy of Applied Sciences, and the Vocational School for Institutional Security. Schools and academies were used by the Imperial authorities to indoctrinate the planet's young people and to train them to contribute to Lothal's economic development.

Early History

In ancient times, the Jedi Order discovered a vergence amid the tundra on northern Lothal. Establishing a Jedi Temple hidden beneath the planet's surface, the entrance could only be exposed through use of the Force. According to the Lothal Calendar, the planet was settled at least 3,245 years before Sheev Palpatine's rise to the position of Supreme Chancellor of the Galactic Republic.

Colonization

Settled by ranchers and farmers as an agricultural world, Lothal had an unremarkable early history. As Lothal became established as a sustainable ecosystem for farming, more and more immigrants trained as technicians and laborers flocked to the planet to support the needs of the farming community. As the colonies grew exponentially, the colonists established Capital City on the site of the planet's largest shipping port. As the population grew, Lothal's prosperity took hold on the world.

Clone Wars

Due to the location of Lothal far from any prominent hyperlane, the planet never became a destination for galactic travelers, and was therefore ignored during times of war. When the Clone Wars erupted throughout the galaxy, Lothal avoided invasion, but suffered a severe drought and a plague which swept through the herds of livestock which grazed across Lothal. As the crops died and entire herds of livestock perished, the economy of Lothal began to crash as the import/export trade slowed. Petitioning the Galactic Senate of the Galactic Republic for aid, the Lothalian government was constantly rebutted as the Senate was more concerned with the war effort. When the Galactic Empire supplanted the Republic, Lothal once more requested assistance from the Imperial Senate, and were relieved to obtain a confirmation that Imperial relief would be sent to the planet. The Empire was interested in Lothal as it seemed to be a great location for an outpost, and so a survey team was dispatched and, at first, discovered nothing of value except vast crops. As the survey team further investigated however, they discovered extensive starship-building materials beneath the surface along with the valuable discovery of kyber crystals. Within a week of the discovery, mining facilities and droid factories were dispatched, along with an Imperial garrison, and the planetary government sought to maintain sovereignty.

Imperial occupation

The Empire drastically changed the appearance of Capital City, evicting large amounts of people and demolishing existing buildings to pave the way for Imperial-style structures, and overnight, large sectors of the city were depopulated. These actions were met with mass protests, which ensued in large-scale arrests and crackdowns, allowing the Empire to cement their leadership and eventually establishing a governorship. What began as a simple loan of credits and supplies quickly became a fully fledged occupation. The Empire soon began plundering the minerals from Lothal with no regard to the people, and the environment became heavily polluted as the skies became clouded in smog, and the rivers were filled with factory waste.

As the Empire's mission on Lothal became more and more apparent, citizens grew increasingly upset and uneasy about the drastic negative changes to Lothal, which eventually led to individuals and groups to resist the Empire, only for them to be defeated. One of the earliest revolutionaries were Ephraim and Mira Bridger, who transmitted messages of rebellion and hope. Despite being secretly supported by several high-level government officials, the Bridgers eventually were arrested and imprisoned.

Rise of Governor Pryce

During the early Imperial Era, the corrupt Governor Ryder Azadi tried to force Arihnda Pryce into allowing him to buy a controlling stake in her family's company Pryce Mining. After Governor Azadi framed her mother Elainye Pryce for embezzlement, Pryce sought out Senator Domus Renking for help. Senator Renking agreed to help in return for the Pryces giving the Empire a controlling stake in their mines. As a sop, Senator Renking found Pryce's parents jobs at the mines of Batonn. Pryce herself found work at Senator Renking's citizen assistance services on Coruscant.

After exposing the illegal activities of the Higher Skies Advocacy Group and Moff Ghadi, Pryce convinced Grand Moff Wilhuff Tarkin to give her the governorship of Lothal, as revenge against Azadi for forcing her parents out of their mine. Azadi had already incurred the wrath of the Empire by supporting rebellious broadcasts made by Ephraim and Mira Bridger. After Azadi was removed from office and arrested for treason, Pryce was named acting Governor, and spent a year on Coruscant learning the skills of her new job before fully assuming the governorship and returning to Lothal. Upon her arrival, she liquidated Pryce Mining after learning that Senator Renking had exhausted the mine's doonium reserves.

Governor Pryce later lobbied for Lothal to host the expanded Imperial Navy facilities for that region of the Outer Rim. Lothal's bid faced competition from Governor Sanz of Kintoni. Pryce then convinced her rival Senator Renking to "persuade" Governor Sanz to withdraw her bid. Renking was subsequently arrested for bribery, entrenching Governor Pryce's power base on Lothal. Due to Pryce's efforts, Lothal won the bid to host the expanded Imperial naval facilities, turning the planet into an Imperial center in that region. As Governor, Pryce oversaw the expansion of the Imperial industrial, mining, and military presence on Lothal.

Imperialization

Most of the inhabitants of Lothal initially welcomed the Empire's presence on their planet since Imperial investment seemed to promise an economic boom for the beleaguered Outer Rim agriworld. Arriving on the planet, the Empire viewed Lothal as a world rich in resources to power the fledgling government. As the survey team made a quick scan of the planet, they initially dismissed the planet's resources until deeper scans revealed a wealth of ores and precious stones like kyber crystals. When the Imperial garrison landed in Capital City, they quickly began establishing modular mining facilities and droid-run foundries to begin strip-mining the world, destroying the few remaining successful farms and orchards. Almost overnight, Imperial industrial plants and mines polluted the planet's skies and waterways. Stormtrooper patrols restricted the freedoms of the citizens, who began turning to crime as joblessness and poverty skyrocketed. While some like Beck Ollet's family were compensated for the use of their lands, others were violently evicted from their property. Despite protests from local farmers who lost their lands to Imperial industrial, mining, and military operations, Pryce was unmoved and saw these as sacrifices in the name of progress.

When the Empire made plans to establish a new hyperspace route to the planet, industry and the Imperial government bureaucracy on Lothal expanded rapidly, in turn leading to significant offworld migration from the Core Worlds. The Leonises and the Spanjafs settled on Lothal to work as agricultural scientists and data-security experts respectively. Sienar Fleet Systems established a test facility that took advantage of the large swaths of uninhabited spaces for flight testing purposes. With a weakened planetary government, the average citizen was left at the mercy of the Empire and forced to work on some projects, many with Sienar, others in mines. As the local population grew increasingly disillusioned with the Empire's policies, a rebel insurgency developed on Lothal. Their activities including planting explosives on Imperial mining droids and attacking Imperial personnel and facilities.

About six years before the Battle of Yavin, Imperial forces under Lieutenant Piers Roddance massacred several peaceful demonstrators in the Westhills, who were petitioning Governor Pryce. The Empire covered up the massacre by claiming that the demonstrators were insurgents who had attacked Imperial mining equipment and personnel. One known rebel cell was a three-man cell that included Beck Ollet, a former Junior AppSci student who was angry that the Empire was destroying Lothal's orchards and murdering several unarmed protesters in the Westhills. Ollet's cell was captured after Imperial authorities managed to identify their landspeeder following an attempt to blow up an Imperial mining camp.

About five years before the Battle of Yavin, the Trandoshan bounty hunter Bossk visited Lothal to collect a bounty on the Dug criminal Gronson Takkaro, who owed a lot of money to the Imperial Senator Hack Fenlon. Bossk enlisted the services of a local youth named Ezra Bridger. The two unlikely companions were then drawn into a conspiracy that involved the corrupt Imperial Security Bureau Lieutenant Jenkes, who was protecting Takkaro and running an illegal sporting event known as Gladiator Night. Despite Jenkes' efforts to eliminate Bossk, the Trandoshan bounty hunter succeeded in exposing the ISB agent's corrupt dealings to local spectators and the Imperial authorities.

Sparks of rebellion

By 5 BBY, Lothal's standard of living had significantly dropped, and once Imperial supporters and loyalists slowly began to have a change of heart. With the environment poisoned and the people having lived in poverty while Imperial officials grew wealthier, combined with cruel behavior and the deceitful offering of assistance by the Empire, outbreaks of insurgent violence and sparks of rebellion ensued, and tensions had reached tipping points. Insurgent attacks began on Imperial assets, including large-scale thefts and an outbreak of insurgent violence took root despite curfews and crackdowns in Capital City.

Inhabitants

A very frontier-oriented world, Lothal was home to a diverse mixture of species including, but not limited to, humans, Xexto, Ithorians, Rodians, Aqualish, Gotals, and Ugnaughts. As such, the world's inhabitants spoke a variety of languages in addition to Galactic Basic, including Aqualish, Huttese, and Ithorese. Some humans such as athletic director Janus Fhurek harbored xenophobic attitudes towards alien species, who believed that the Empire should ascertain which alien and immigrant species were desirable and undesirable and objected to the presence of aliens in his school's grav-ball team, but the majority of Lothal's human inhabitants coexisted harmoniously with the aliens. Lothal was also home to several criminals and crime syndicates including the Devaronian crime lord Cikatro Vizago and Yahenna Laxo's Gray Syndicate.

The sport grav-ball was also popular among Lothalians and was played by two opposing teams. In the Lothalian version of the game, a grav-ball grid was divided lengthwise into eight zones, called octets. The team that won the chance cube toss started at the center of the grid. They had three drives to move eight meters into the next octet. If they succeeded, they got three new drives to continue for another eight meters. If they failed, the ball went to the opposing team, who played in the other direction. Grav-ball was played during the winter season and several schools fielded teams. One notable team was Junior AppSci's AppSci SaberCats, which won the championship several years before the Battle of Yavin.