The city was accessible via a twenty kilometer-long bridge, accommodating four lanes of traffic. Upon entering the city, the bridge expanded into a six-lane highway, stretching forty kilometers to the surrounding farmlands.
The city was encircled by a wall that was originally white. However, between 5 BBY and 5 ABY, the wall gradually turned grey, and even black in certain areas. The wall featured a gate on its western side, along with other gates in various directions. In the nearby countryside, herders would graze their gras just outside the city gates.
The city's layout was centered around the elevated Barons Knoll. Its structure resembled a layered cake, with a general division into High Town, which housed the opulent residences of the wealthy, and Low Town, inhabited by the city's poorest residents. Atop the Knoll stood the Government House. Rimmer's Alley was one of the city's streets. Barons Hed was once adorned with pyro flower gardens, but these were neglected during the occupation, or transformed into weapons emplacements and antenna farms.
The Sulonese people constructed the city around the natural landmark of Barons Knoll, which ultimately inspired the city's name.
After the Galactic Empire assumed control of the city, many businesses rapidly failed. Locals often quipped that "everything but the river dried up." Only a select few resilient businesses managed to stay afloat, primarily to cater to the needs of Imperial officers and mercenaries who frequented the area. A once-thriving space refueling port located outside the city limits experienced a significant decline in business following the Imperial takeover, becoming reliant on Imperial ships as customers, whenever any were nearby.
Prior to 1 BBY, a group of Sulonians voiced their grievances regarding Imperial policies, eventually staging a public, non-violent protest within the city. They successfully dispersed before Imperial forces could react, much to the embarrassment of the local Commandant, who was unable to make any arrests. He resorted to using recorded holovids and the assistance of a traitor to identify and apprehend the protesters.
During the Subjugation of Sulon, under the command of the enigmatic Emperor's Hand and Dark Jedi Jerec, along with Captain Thrawn, the Imperials crushed the local Rebel resistance. They then "decorated" the city walls with the heads of the "traitors," including their leader, Morgan Katarn, impaled on a stake.
A massive administration tower, the Government House, was erected at the center of the Knoll, serving as the residence of the governors and law enforcement officials. For a period, it was home to Jerec, who oversaw its construction during his governorship. The subjugation led to the neglect of certain areas of the city, such as the walls and gardens. As Rebel attacks intensified, the once-vibrant gardens were repurposed to house military equipment.
This situation persisted even after the Battle of Endor. In 5 ABY, Jerec returned to Sulon in search of the Valley of the Jedi. At that time, the city was teeming with troops, mercenaries, and bounty hunters hired by the Empire. Imperial forces blockaded the gates, subjected residents to eye-scans, and conducted interrogations to locate Katarn, resulting in long queues outside the wall gates. This was primarily due to the detection of Morgan Katarn's son, a defector, Rebel agent, and Jedi novice named Kyle Katarn, on the moon. Patrols consisting of commandos on speeder bikes, troops on hoverscouts, and AT-STs regularly departed the city.
However, Katarn successfully infiltrated the city and fought his way through Barons Hed, which was heavily guarded by troops and other unsavory characters, to infiltrate the Palace.
Barons Hed is featured in Jedi Knight: Dark Forces II primarily as a playable map, allowing players to navigate and explore the city. An overview of the city is presented in one of the cutscenes, where Kyle Katarn observes it using his electrobinoculars.
In the game, level 5 takes place within the town, while levels 6 through 8 are set inside the administration tower. Originally, levels five and six were conceived as a single, continuous level, but it was later divided into two due to its extensive size.
A small portion of the level 5 map is directly inspired by a previously unused concept painting by Ralph McQuarrie, known as 'Gamorrean Commons'.
Players who choose the Dark Side path in the game have the option to attack and eliminate both enemy combatants and innocent civilians residing in the city.
Barons Hed reappears in Dark Forces: Rebel Agent, the novelization of the game. The narration provides additional background information and features that are inconsistent with the in-game depiction. For example, the canyon and bridge leading into the city are absent when Kyle observes the city, and the city itself does not appear to be built around a hill, although the Government House is visible in the cutscenes and the game.