The compound had been in the family's possession since before the birth of Kyle Katarn. After the death of Patricia, the workshop became the heart of the homestead, where Morgan Katarn spent many hours with his son Kyle.
Using stones from a quarry north of the estate, Morgan made the kitchen counters. With them, around 1 BBY, Morgan embedded a complex map to the Valley of the Jedi in the ceiling of his workshop after the instructions of the Jedi Qu Rahn.
During the Subjugation of Sulon, the Ghost Battalion stormed into the house in order to capture Morgan, although their target was outside at that moment, and only witnessed as they left; Brazack, Koyo and Santo opened the door to the workshop, and then threw an Anti-Personnel Grenade to disable WeeGee. The Imperial commandos then ransacked the house and put fire before leaving; the house was saved in time thanks to its sprinkler system. They were followed by people who learned about Katarn's death and came to steal. During the next four years others also came, writing graffiti on the walls, stealing Morgan's tools, camping in the living room and filling it with trash. WeeGee remained there disabled, covered with plaster.
Years later, during Jerec's quest for the Valley, 8t88, working for Jerec, also searched the house and found several holodiscs once belonging to Morgan; most were about farming or agriculture, or were family holos, but he also salvaged one that was encrypted. Unable to read it, he lured Morgan's son Kyle to Rimmer's Rest, but instead of cooperating, Katarn retrieved the disc for himself. In the meantime however, Jerec had probed Rahn's mind and learned about the existence of the map, and sent Sariss, Yun and Boc there to investigate; locating the map, they removed the roof from the workshop. Several corridors, including the one to the workshop were caved in by the remnant forces. Maw had left Grave Tuskens in the vicinity and inside the complex to hinder whomever visited the compound before Jerec had reached the Valley of the Jedi.
Kyle Katarn investigating his abandoned home.
Kyle returned to the compound just as the Dark Jedi left, and fought his way through the Grave Tuskens to his father's workshop. In the workshop he discovered the family droid WeeGee, whom he reactivated, a message from his father about the Valley of the Jedi, and Qu Rahn's lightsaber left for him.
He would return later with Rebel agent Jan Ors and WeeGee, to find some equipment in order to connect him with the severed head of the droid 8t88. Doing so, they were able to view a digital version of the map to the Valley of the Jedi. In celebration, he hugged Jan and they shared their first kiss, before apologising. Kyle then confessed that this place where he had left his heart, and it was the proper place to have feelings again. Right then, an X-wing landed outside, it was Luke Skywalker, who checked on their investigation about the Map; he confirmed that Kyle's training was complete, and as a Jedi Knight he should go to Ruusan and fulfill the Poem of Ages.
The home remained abandoned once more when Luke, and eventually the agent duo soon after, left to continue their quest for Ruusan.
Half of the house was built underground both for economy and insulation, and surrounded by earth.
The compound consisted of several structures that were connected via passageways and some built into the natural terrain. The rooms in the structures included a kitchen, living room, courtyard, workshop and garage. The house was built around a small waterfall which gave the compound a private dam and water reservoir. The compound was powered by a live battery trench, a pool filled with battery acid.
The kitchen had a back door; its counters were made of stone from the quarry north of the estate. From the same quarry the Map to the Valley of the Jedi was made.
While Morgan was living alone, the living room was largely unused and abandoned; the workshop was the place where Morgan spent most of his time, being an agro-tech mechanic, full of tools, blueprints, schematics and monitors. After his death most of his tools had been stolen.
The complex had many data ports scattered, allowing Wee Gee to connect and monitor the entire farm. The household computer controled several facilities of the house, including the sprinkler system (fed by the ).
In Star Wars: Jedi Knight: Dark Forces II, level 3: "The Return Home to Sulon" and level 4: "The Jedi's Lightsaber" is played in and outside the Katarn family compound. Despite the illusion in the novellas that the Katarns were not particularly wealthy, the Katarn estate is actually very large as seen in the game. The compound contains many rooms and the irrigation system seems to stretch for miles. The Katarn family compound name was first mentioned in the Star Wars: Jedi Knight: Dark Forces II: The Official Strategy Guide.
- Star Wars: Jedi Knight: Dark Forces II: The Official Strategy Guide
- "Game Room: Game Knights" — Star Wars Galaxy Magazine 13