Irmenu

The dangerous location of Irmenu within the Crombach Nebula played a significant role in its separation from the greater galaxy. It was a planet almost entirely covered by ocean, save for a single, submerged continental shelf that occupied half of its surface area. This shelf was largely comprised of shallow seas, with the highest elevations protruding above the water's surface as island chains. These islands varied in size from small sandbars to towering rock formations reaching hundreds of meters into the atmosphere, adorned with forests and meadowlands.

A solitary, massive moon followed an irregular path around Irmenu. This resulted in extreme and intricate tidal patterns on the planet. Beyond the continental shelf, Irmenu's oceans were characterized by their great depths, turbulent conditions, and numerous deep-sea trenches.

Irmenu represented one of the many lost colonies scattered throughout the galaxy; the exact circumstances surrounding its initial settlement by Human colonists remained a mystery. Long before the rise of the Galactic Empire, an emperor held dominion over Irmenu for ages. However, the tyrannical imperial family was overthrown by the Irmenu nobility several years before the Battle of Yavin, leaving the imperial palace in ruins.

The planet's existence was brought back to the attention of the galaxy a few years before the Clone Wars, which spurred increased commerce and the forced expulsion of Irmenu citizens who had run afoul of the Imperius clergy. The stories recounted by these exiles turned Irmenu into a subject of fascination throughout the galaxy. Among the notable exiles were Walon Vau, son of the Count of Gesl, who was banished following a tragic romance with the princess of a neighboring province. He later became a Mandalorian warrior and a member of the Cuy'val Dar. Another exile was Natasi Daala, who was raised on Botajef but eventually discovered that she was an Irmenu princess from a family whose lands had been conquered by rivals. The rest of Daala's family were killed, but a younger son of the victorious family took pity on the infant and secretly transported her offworld, abandoning her at a Botajef orphanage.

Around the era of the Galactic Civil War, Irmenu was home to approximately 5 million Humans.

The Irmenu society was organized around feudal and caste-based systems, with people living in kingdoms, holdings, and crofts, governed by an aristocracy comprised of kings, dukes, counts, marquises, barons, and cavaliers. These nobles wielded almost absolute power over the commoners, who were bound to them by ancient oaths of blood. Ceremonial duels were a common practice among Irmenu noblemen. Outside of this rigid social order existed the Imperius's hierarchical priesthood, as well as the outcasts and excommunicates who had been banished by them. Many of these exiles became pirates, simultaneously despised as threats to peace and admired for their freedom.

The Irmenu were skilled seafarers, trained from a young age to understand the dynamics of winds and tides and to chart the shallow seas surrounding their islands. Sailing vessels with wooden hulls, such as caravels and galleons, were frequently seen in feudal navies. Disputes and wars of conquest between fiefdoms were commonplace, and Irmenu nobles were expected to be competent naval fighters and leaders. The Imperius maintained order by threatening spiritual punishment to prevent conflicts from escalating, including excommunication and exile. The Imperius also managed the Imperial Irmenu Navy, which patrolled the seas, assisted sailors in distress, and combatted pirates; service in the navy was a religious requirement for members of the aristocracy. Younger sons who were not in line to inherit wealth or titles often entered its permanent service. Ancient Irmenu military doctrine dictated that captives of war were both a burden to their captors and a liability to their own side, discouraging both taking prisoners and surrendering. Rumors suggested that this doctrine was still practiced as late as the Clone Wars.

Irmenu maintained contact with the wider galaxy through a single spaceport operated by the Imperius, which had allowed some technology, such as blasters and comlinks, to be introduced to the planet. These technologies appeared incongruous when used aboard ancient wooden caravels and galleons displaying heraldic banners. The Counts of Gesl even maintained a bank account in the Dressian Kiolsh Merchant Bank on Mygeeto to safeguard their wealth. However, both the Imperius and the Irmenu population held mixed feelings about this external contact. One advantage of contact was that Irmenu citizens who violated their society's norms could be exiled to other planets instead of being confined to inhospitable islands.

Irmenu folklore included the tale of a warrior-sailor named Darakaer. It was said that he would come to their rescue if they summoned him by playing his ancient drum. Natasi Daala drew inspiration from this story to create a coded signal that she gave to Gilad Pellaeon to use if he ever needed to summon her after her self-imposed exile from the galaxy in 12 ABY.

Irmenu was first presented in Star Wars Legends in the Republic Commando book True Colors, penned by author Karen Traviss and released on October 30, 2007. The planet subsequently appeared in several other works by Traviss, including the sequels to True Colors, Order 66 and Imperial Commando: 501st, the Star Wars: Legacy of the Force novel Revelation, and her two Star Wars: The Clone Wars tie-in novels, the film adaptation and No Prisoners.

Irmenu was briefly mentioned in the Star Wars reference book The Essential Guide to Warfare, co-authored by Jason Fry and Paul R. Urquhart, and published on April 3, 2012. Originally, the world was intended to be featured more prominently in the book, but a section on Irmenu was removed from the final version, only to later appear in the fifth installment of Jason Fry's official Star Wars Blog series, titled Star Wars: The Essential Guide to Warfare Author's Cut.