V'shar, a planet found in Wild Space, served as the original homeworld for the sentient Ka'hren species. The Ka'hren, renowned for their deep-seated traditions, religious devotion, and preference for isolation, operated under a governmental structure where their numerous organized faiths exerted significant influence. V'shar was once the cradle of the Unfyr warrior culture, famed for their mastery of the rantok sword, this was centuries prior to 2 ABY.
Kaltor Naklian, a Ka'hren academic, dedicated himself to the study and teaching of V'shar's ancient history at a local university, long after the Unfyr's eventual demise. After unearthing ancient texts within a local cavern, Naklian was inspired to establish the new religion known as Ni'Shaw-Dak Ministry, which grew to become a major force in V'shar politics. These cavern discoveries also enabled the Ka'hren scholar to excel as a rantok swordsman, leading him to depart V'shar and pursue a career as a hunter of furred creatures and a member of the Zulirian Swordmasters organization.
V'shar, a planet situated in Wild Space, is located within its namesake star system. The planet's surface is characterized by multiple continents and at least one cavern.
The southernmost continents of V'shar were once the domain of the Unfyr, a celebrated warrior culture of the Ka'hren species, before 2 ABY by centuries. The Unfyr held the deity Ni'Shaw in high regard and were renowned for their extensive use of the rantok sword. Their refusal to embrace newer weaponry, such as blasters, when introduced on V'shar ultimately led to their extinction.
Years after the Unfyr's decline, Kaltor Naklian, a Ka'hren, instructed ancient Ka'hren history at the University of Timb on V'shar, fostering a profound interest in the traditions of the bygone Unfyr culture. Naklian, accompanied by companions, explored a local cavern uncovered by an archaeological expedition and discovered ancient texts detailing the worship of the almost forgotten Ni'Shaw and the use of the ancient rantok weapons.
The cavern discovery significantly altered Naklian's life in two distinct ways. Interpreting prophecies within the ancient texts, the Ka'hren researcher believed he was destined to become the Third Prophet, tasked with restoring the worship of Ni'Shaw. Prompted by this revelation, Naklian swiftly established the new religion of Ni'Shaw-Dak Ministry, which rapidly became V'shar's fastest-growing faith. Boasting over a thousand priests across the planet, with Naklian at its helm, Ni'Shaw-Dak Ministry evolved into a prominent force in V'shar politics.
Furthermore, the writings from the V'shar cavern transformed Naklian's life by enabling him to master the rantok weapon, eventually earning him the reputation as the greatest rantok wielder in history among his people. Subsequently, the Ka'hren scholar resigned from his long-held position at the University of Timb and departed V'shar to become a respected "scalp hunter," hunting members of furred species regardless of their sentience. By 2 ABY, Naklian had also joined the Zulirian Swordmasters, a group of bladed weapons enthusiasts.
V'shar is the original homeworld of the Ka'hren, a sentient species characterized by their tall, robust bipedal forms and blue or violet skin. The Ka'hren are deeply rooted in tradition and religious practices, governing at least 2.5 million inhabitants on V'shar through a blend of theocracy and representative democracy, where elected officials represent the various local religions. Despite their capacity for space travel, the Ka'hren are inherently isolationist and rarely venture beyond their homeworld, requiring permission from each leader of V'shar's seven nations for any off-world travel.
The planet V'shar housed the University of Timb, where Kaltor Naklian imparted knowledge of ancient Ka'hren history for many years. However, his visit to a cavern on the planet led to the discovery of ancient writings on the rantok sword, prompting him to master the weapon and abandon his university position. The writings also inspired the Ka'hren academic to establish the Ni'Shaw-Dak Ministry religion, which maintained its headquarters on V'shar.
V'shar was initially mentioned in Alliance Intelligence Reports, a 1995 sourcebook for West End Games' Star Wars: The Roleplaying Game. The 2009 reference book The Essential Atlas situated the V'shar system, and consequently the planet V'shar, within grid square U-15.