Ord Mantell

Located at grid square L-7 on the Standard Galactic Grid, Ord Mantell was the terrestrial planet that served as the main world of the Bright Jewel system. It was the second planet in orbit around the blue star known as Bright Jewel. With at least fifteen moons orbiting it, including Quantxi, Ord Mantell had a diameter of 14,050 kilometers and acted as the capital of the Bright Jewel sector within the Mid Rim, which itself was the capital of the larger Bright Jewel Oversector. Situated near the gas giant Wynkahthu in the northern New Territories section of the Mid Rim, Ord Mantell was positioned at the intersection of the Bright Jewel, Qiilura, and Dohu sectors along the Celanon Spur, Burke's Trailing, and Entralla hyperspace routes. The hyperspace route of Burke's Trailing provided a connection between the planet and the moon of Jedha, located in the neighboring Terrabe sector.

Ord Mantell had a temperate climate, a breathable Type I atmosphere, and standard gravity. Due to its dense cloud cover, the planet appeared pinkish when viewed from space. The surface of Ord Mantell was characterized by numerous mountain ranges across all landmasses. Its population of four billion resided on arid equatorial continents, nestled amid the foothills and plains. Ord Mantell was inhabited by a diverse array of species, with no single species constituting more than five percent of the total population.

Settlers originating from Corellia, a Core World planet, colonized Ord Mantell around 12,000 BBY during the Galactic Republic's expansion, which resulted in it becoming one of several Ordnance/Regional Depot outposts. At the time, Ord Mantell was isolated in the region known as Wild Space in the northern quadrant, accessible only through a complex network of hyperspace routes along the frontier. As the Republic's territory expanded, the planet's strategic value diminished, but civilian cargo trade grew because of the presence of a military-grade shipyard and drydocks.

After 3700 BBY, Ord Mantell gained recognition as a trading hub for spacers traveling west of the Hydian Way super-hyperroute. As the population increased, the proportion of less-than-reputable individuals among the new settlers grew, including tax evaders, smugglers, and participants in the black market. The combination of the lawless and adventurous nature of these groups and the independent spirit of the Corellians fostered a culture of criminal activity that persisted on Ord Mantell thereafter.

Before the outbreak of the Clone Wars between the Republic and the Confederacy of Independent Systems, the Republic attempted to establish several other trade hubs across the galaxy to compete with Ord Mantell's success as a trading port. However, despite Ord Mantell's reputation as a criminal shadowport, the Republic was unable to create a world that could rival its success.

At one point, the bounty hunter Jango Fett accepted a job alongside fellow hunters Needla, Rinn, and Tiver, and brought his son Boba to teach him about teamwork. They traveled to Ord Mantell, staked out a cantina, and eventually cornered their target, a Twi'lek woman who was the daughter of their client, on a balcony. After capturing her, Rinn and Tiver betrayed the others. Tiver drew his swords and took Boba hostage, but the young hunter killed both Tiver and Rinn.

By the time the Clone Wars began, Ord Mantell had become a major base of operations for the Black Sun criminal syndicate. However, in the years following the Battle of Geonosis, the planet also housed a storage facility, barracks, and fleet support base for the Republic's Grand Army and Navy. Furthermore, Ord Mantell served as the headquarters for the Republic's 8th Sector Army. All of these factors contributed to Ord Mantell's importance to the Republic.

As the days of the Republic drew to a close, a battle occurred on the planet between the Shadow Collective, which included Black Sun, and the Confederacy of Independent Systems. The assault was initiated by Darth Sidious, the Dark Lord of the Sith, Count Dooku, and General Grievous as part of their campaign against the Shadow Collective.

During the war, Ciddarin Scaleback, a Trandoshan informant, collaborated with the Jedi Order from his base on Ord Mantell. Echo, a clone trooper, was aware of these activities but did not know Cid's identity, only knowing her by name.

During the early years of the Galactic Empire, Clone Force 99, a rogue group that Echo had joined, traveled to Ord Mantell in search of Cid, hoping she could assist them. They located Cid's Parlor and, through the keen observation of Omega, the young clone, discovered that Cid was the Trandoshan who owned the establishment. The clones agreed to undertake a mission for Cid in exchange for information, venturing to the ruins of Old Ord Mantell City to rescue Muchi, who was being held captive by Zygerrian enslavers operating there. Clone Force 99 continued to operate from Ord Mantell, performing several missions for Cid, until Imperial forces took control of Ord Mantell after being alerted to the Bad Batch's location by Cid.

During the reign of the Empire, the Bright Jewel sector became the capital of the Bright Jewel Oversector, which also included the Yavin system in the Gordian Reach. The Empire was interested in the hyperspace lanes in the sector, and Partagaz, a major in the Imperial Security Bureau, tasked Lonni Jung with conducting a complete audit of each lane leading to Ord Mantell. Following the destruction of the first Death Star at Yavin, the Empire sought to increase its control in the sector, eventually establishing a [deepdock](/article/deepdock]. However, Ord Mantell managed to maintain its neutrality during the Galactic Civil War.

At one point, Qi'ra, the leader of Crimson Dawn, the pirate Hondo Ohnaka, and the bounty hunter IG-88 hunted each other on Ord Mantell, with Ohnaka and IG-88 forming an alliance to capture Qi'ra. They succeeded, but when Ohnaka accidentally revealed that the bounty on his head was higher, IG-88 turned on the Weequay. After a brief struggle, Ohnaka handcuffed IG-88, but Qi'ra freed herself and captured Ohnaka as well. Melos, a Devaronian pirate, was hunted down by three bounty hunters—Viktor Hel, Koshka Frost, and "Doctor" Krandak—on Ord Mantell.

Beyond the Empire's initial deployment of troops and walkers to Ord Mantell in the search for Clone Force 99, the Empire began to blackmail and bribe the ruling government to alleviate concerns that the planet's lawlessness would encourage rebel activity. They monitored the world by staging nearby fleet maneuvers instead of attempting full Imperial subjugation. However, as the Empire increased its ground forces, the Mantellians began to see more and more Imperial stormtroopers in their cities. During the civil war, before the Battle of Hoth, Han Solo, a member of the Rebel Alliance and former smuggler, had an encounter with the bounty hunter Skorr on Ord Mantell.

On one occasion, Heelt, a Gran criminal, stole a rare silvercore speeder from Gyuti, the Black Sun Lord, and tried to sell it in Ord Mantell City. A crew led by Boushh, who were working for Gyuti, managed to recover and return the speeder after a brief shootout.

Following its colonization, Ord Mantell became the homeworld for a diverse range of species, commonly referred to as Mantellians. No single species on Ord Mantell accounted for more than five percent of the total population. The planet was also home to the Mantellian Savrip, a species whose likeness was used for a holographic piece in the game of dejarik. It was also inhabited by Bith, Falleen, and humans.

Ord Mantell was governed by a planetary government headed by several governors. These governors and representatives were well aware of the illicit activities that frequently occurred across the planet and were known to accept bribes or ignore them. The Mantellian courts also respected the rights of bounty hunters, viewing them as a free-market approach to law enforcement on the planet.

Ord Mantell's lawlessness contributed to the growth of a thriving gambling and entertainment industry. Along the southern coast of the Worlport continent, a series of cities offered the necessary services for gambling and other games. These modern cities provided the same luxuries that billions of tourists from the Core were accustomed to in their home regions. The most popular casino on the planet was the Lady Fate Casino. However, more professional gamblers could be found in the side streets and alley casinos, such as the Chance Cube, Throw Me a Bone, or Lucky Detooa's in the city of Savroia. Several of these casinos offered the highest payouts along the Celanon Spur.

Ord Mantell was home to several cities, including Worlport (the capital), Ord Mantell City, Freelonn, and Savroia, all known for their fringe activities. The planet's open markets sold almost anything, and nothing was truly illegal on Ord Mantell. Its coastal cities, including Worlport, enticed visitors to spend their credits at the casinos' gambling tables. Cities on the planet's outskirts were less developed, characterized by sprawling junkyards, mountains, and mines. Small fishing communities existed along the continental shores, preferring to avoid contact with outsiders.