Pochi
Pochi, a habitable but arid world, existed within the Parthovian Cluster of Wild Space. Specifically, it was situated in the Faarlsun system. The planet's landscape consisted of expansive plains dotted with sparse trees and short grasses, along with modest mountain ranges.
The Tulvarees, semi-intelligent avians organized into tribes and known for their hunting practices, regarded Pochi as their homeworld. Sometime in the distant past, a mysterious group erected a massive structure on Pochi called Fortress Baarlos, their identity subsequently fading from memory.
A full ten millennia later, the Human pirate and warlord Faarl chose Pochi as the location for his base of operations, from where he governed his empire, operating out of Fortress Baarlos. Faarl utilized the Tulvarees as soldiers. This arrangement was disrupted when the bounty hunter Boba Fett assaulted Faarl's fortress, successfully claiming the bounty that had been placed on the warlord.
Description
Within the Parthovian Cluster in Wild Space, the Faarlsun system hosted Pochi, a terrestrial planet accompanied by three moons. This planet followed the fourth orbit around its star, a yellow-white celestial body known as Faarlsun, completing one revolution every 350 local days. Each of these days consisted of 25 standard hours.
Pochi possessed a Type I atmosphere suitable for breathing, along with standard gravity. Despite its aridity, Pochi was habitable. Temperature variations across the seasons were minimal, except near the poles, resulting in mostly temperate to warm conditions. Moisture levels were higher along the planet's coastlines.
The surface of Pochi presented a landscape of vast, dry plains, modest mountain ranges, and caves. Forests could be found along the coastlines. The flora populating Pochi's plains comprised short scrub grasses and clusters of small trees. The mountains served as habitats for grazing herbivores.
History
Fortress Baarlos was at some point erected on Pochi. Roughly ten millennia afterwards, the pirate and conqueror Faarl seized control of Pochi, using the fortress as the central hub for his empire. Recognizing the potential of the native Tulvarees as [soldiers](/article/soldier-legends], Faarl maintained a steady supply of food, medicines, and other goods for the avians in exchange for their loyalty. Consequently, they learned to obey the Human's commands and operate weaponry.
In 7 ABY, General Airen Cracken of the New Republic, within an entry of the datafile Wanted by Cracken dedicated to Faarl, observed that the pirate leader directed his operations from a concealed base within the Parthovian Cluster. Ultimately, the bounty hunter Boba Fett launched an assault on Fortress Baarlos, catching Faarl off guard. Fett utilized a Wing-Blast rocket pack to overcome the Tulvaree guards of the fortress and claimed the bounty that had been offered for Faarl's capture.
Inhabitants
Pochi was a world of primitive nature. It was the home of the Tulvarees, a species of semi-intelligent avians who hunted the herbivorous creatures inhabiting the planet's mountains. While the Tulvarees could comprehend language, they did not employ tools or produce artistic creations. Instead of constructing buildings, they resided in caves or other naturally occurring shelters. The Tulvarees lived in sizable tribes comprising extended families and engaged in continuous warfare amongst themselves.
At one point, Pochi was inhabited by a group who constructed Fortress Baarlos upon the world. However, with the passage of time, knowledge of the identities of these builders vanished, though it was believed they were warlords.
Eventually, the Human warlord Faarl gained control over Pochi, establishing his operational base within the fortress, and employing Tulvarees as soldiers in exchange for food provisions. Other Humans also inhabited Pochi during that period, bringing the total population of the planet to six million individuals.
Locations
Pochi was the location of Fortress Baarlos, a towering citadel that had endured the ravages of time and the environment, potentially for as long as ten thousand years. The hatching caves utilized by the Tulvaree were situated far from the tower, yet remained visible from its vantage point.
Faarl had the fortress modified to serve as his operational headquarters. The bedrock foundation upon which the tower stood also underwent extensive alterations, with plasma drillers employed to excavate caverns. These caverns housed dungeon cells, power generators, living quarters, and even docking bays for Faarl's fleet of aircraft and smaller starships. The generators powered planetary shields, and all of Pochi's defenses were managed from within the central section of the tower.
The city of Vindru was also located on Pochi, as was a spaceport providing limited services. Pochi had no significant exports to offer the wider galactic community, and low-level technology, raw materials, and luxury goods were all imported from other worlds.
Behind the scenes
Pochi received mention in the 1993 sourcebook Wanted by Cracken, authored by Louis J. Prosperi for West End Games' Star Wars: The Roleplaying Game. In one instance, the book described Pochi's climate as humid, a detail that contradicts several other instances—both within Wanted by Cracken and in the 2008 reference book The Complete Star Wars Encyclopedia—where the world is portrayed as dry. This article assumes the humid description to be an error. The 2009 reference book The Essential Atlas placed the Faarlsun system, and therefore Pochi, within grid square T-4.
Sources
- Wanted by Cracken (First mentioned)
- The Complete Star Wars Encyclopedia
- Back from the Drawing Board: Recycled Star Wars Aliens on StarWars.com (backup link) (original link is obsolete)