Xer VIII

Xer VIII, a Tionese aristocrat born around 25,200 BBY, rose to prominence as a buccaneer commander, eventually becoming the ruler of Cron. He established an empire by uniting the scattered factions of the Tion Cluster. Fueled by the wealth acquired through piracy, Xer began to seize territories, creating the Kingdom of Argai stretching from Dravione to Panna. This expansion drew the attention of Cron, whose monarch, Ferece, attempted to buy Xer's loyalty with titles. Insulted by the offer, Xer instead conquered Chandaar, the Cronese seat of power, and declared himself king.

Subsequently, he launched the Cronese Sweeps, expanding his dominion and solidifying his new empire. His offspring, Xim, proved to be a remarkably effective and ruthless leader, devastating numerous planets and achieving a level of notoriety that surpassed even his father's. After Xer had brought together three of the Four Thrones of Cron, his sights turned toward Desevro and the lands of the Livien League. However, he faced a setback and chose to concentrate on reinforcing his existing territories. In due course, he ceded his position as ruler to Xim. His son would go on to significantly enlarge the territories his father controlled, before ultimately warring with the Hutt Empire later on.

Biography

Ascension

Born around 25,200 BBY, Xer VIII was a Human Tionese member of the aristocracy. Originating from Argai, he became a pirate commander. This was a common path for the sons of Argai, a harsh world renowned for producing resilient pilots and merchants prone to resorting to piracy. The play The Pirate Prince recounts that upon discovering his father's infidelity towards his mother, Xer used his blade to kill him.

Xer and his fleet hid within the Ihala Spiral.

Xer directed his armadas to explore the Ihala Spiral, where they successfully established new clandestine routes and shelters. The commander then concealed his armadas within the Spiral, from where they attacked shipping in the more remote areas of the Kingdom of Cron. They also launched raids on distant planets like Caluula and Rudrig. Xer's forces exploited the "lighthouse network" of hyperspace beacons scattered throughout the Tion Cluster to navigate between planets. By leveraging the vast navigational data available, they could vanish into the interstellar void between solar systems and await their targets. Xer's pirates scattered ice chunks in the hyperspace lanes, forcing unsuspecting travelers to drop out of hyperspace due to collision warnings, allowing the pirates to attack. Xer's men would then melt the ice using their energy weapons. The prosperity and achievement of these attacks attracted more raiders to Xer and his fleet. The pirate commander fathered a son, Xim, who followed his example and became a raider.

Over time, Xer amassed immense wealth from the extensive looting conducted by him and his crew. This fueled his ambition, leading him to seek territorial control. Having already been proclaimed the leader of Argai, he launched an assault on Dravione. Upon conquering the planet, he carved out a personal domain, which became the Kingdom of Argai. An early triumph involved Xer defeating raiders from Algor, an event celebrated throughout the kingdom for years. However, the Kingdom of Cron, preoccupied with internal conflicts, paid little attention to Xer's advances. This emboldened the pirate commander, who began to cut a path through the Ihala Route, overpowering the satrapies of younger Cronese nobles and the weak descendants of long-dead generals. Over a decade, Xer expanded the Kingdom of Argai, progressing toward Panna via Corlass. By the time the kingdom extended from Davione to Panna, the Cronese rulers on Chandaar finally took notice of Xer.

In response to Xer's rapid expansion, King Ferece of Cron summoned the "leader of Argai" to Chandaar. There, Xer was presented with noble titles in exchange for pledging allegiance to Ferece and Cron. Xer rejected the offer, unimpressed by Ferece's court and Chandaar. He vowed to return within a month with a fitting tribute for the court. Departing, he assembled a large fleet at Panna and initiated a campaign toward Chandaar. The Lord of Argai fought a Cronese fleet at Duinarbulon and crushed the opposition, allowing him to advance. Pasmin, Soruus, and Barancar fell to Xer's forces, leaving him free to attack Chandaar. His forces stormed the capital, causing King Ferece and his entourage to flee. Xer was declared the new King of Cron, vowing to his new, cowering court that he would instill fear and respect in the cosmos.

The Cronese Sweeps of the Pirate King

Xer launched the Cronese Sweeps, a campaign to subdue various minor kingdoms, including Nuswatta, Eibon, and Pasmin. Feared throughout Cron, Xer reformed the lands to his liking. Those deemed useless were swiftly executed along with their families and followers. However, warlords considered valuable were sent to suppress rebellious Cronese planets and independent territories on the kingdom's fringes. To ensure their loyalty, Xer had his warlords seize the heirs of rebel leaders as hostages. The warriors of Duinarbulon served Xer with particular zeal. During the Sweeps, Xer's reputation was overshadowed by his teenage son, Xim, who emerged as a warlord. Xim became infamous throughout the kingdom, devastating the Timber Palace of Pasmin and the High Fane of Xo on Nuswatta.

Xer moved against the the Three Allied Kingdoms.

By the end of the Cronese Sweeps, Xer had significantly expanded and reinforced the Kingdom of Cron. With a battle-hardened fleet at his command, he sought further expansion. From Dravione, he targeted Jaminere, Cadinth, and Barseg—the Three Allied Kingdoms bordering Xer's existing territories. His next targets were the planets along the Back Spiral. He carved out new territories through Caluula, Brigia, Eredenn Prime, Rudrig, and Tion, constructing lavish palaces on Raxus Prime, also known as the Circlet of the Tion. Only the Livien League, a confederation of Livien, Desevro, and Kanaver, stood against Xer in the Tion Cluster. He attacked the League from Corlax and Barseg, but the Cronese fleets were defeated at both Amarin and Lorrad.

The Livien campaign proved costly, and Xer learned from his mistakes, realizing he had overextended himself. Retreating from the League's borders, he focused on solidifying his existing territories, transforming the Kingdom of Cron into an empire. He extended the network of navigational beacons along the Back Spiral and the Cadinth Run, establishing an efficient bureaucracy for commerce and warfare. Xer made it clear that his ambitions were merely deferred to his successors, not abandoned. He reorganized his empire into three provinces, with Chandaar, Cadinth, and Raxus Prime as capitals. Court rituals referenced Four Thrones of Cron, including the three capitals and the independent Desevro. Raxus Prime received Xer's special attention, eventually being deeded to his concubines and their retainers.

The son, the Despot

Conquests of Xer

In 25,130 BBY, Xer VIII abdicated the throne to Prince Xim and retired to Raxus. Xim unified Deservo under his father's empire, leading to the creation of the Xim Empire. Despite Xer's capable bureaucracy, integrating new planets remained challenging. The conquest of Deservo allowed the Tionese to replace their logographic writing with an alphabetic system. According to The Pirate Prince, Xer had four other sons with Queen Hylei Indrexu Cortess: Xic, Xil, Xom, and [Xuc]. Direus'pei's play Evocar identifies Indrexu as Xer's eighth spouse. Xim, after killing King Ferece and seizing the crown of Cron, learned of these half-brothers and murdered them, before killing his father, allowing him to declare himself Emperor.

Xim employed the skilled individuals of the former Livien League to launch campaigns that surpassed Xer's conquests, earning him the title "the Despot." He greatly expanded the Tionese borders and plundered some of Xer's former territories, eventually clashing with the Hutt Empire. Xim's treatment by the Hutts reminded him of the Cronese nobles' scorn for his father, inspiring him to emulate Xer's response, sparking the Xim Wars. Xim eventually perished in a dungeon of the Hutt lord Kossak Inijic Ar'durv. The Tion Cluster suffered an invasion by the Hutts. However, Xer's strong foundations ensured that the Xim Empire endured for nearly a century before collapsing.

Xer was later mentioned in The Despotica, a drama about Xim's life, although scholars debate the accuracy of its tales. A character based on Xer VIII also appeared in The Pirate Prince, by Lisst'n playwright Lyechusas. Over millennia, the history of Xer's and Xim's reigns became unclear, making it difficult for academics to distinguish their accomplishments. Xer's achievements were largely overshadowed by his son's later exploits. Xer's name became a popular exclamation in the Outer Rim Territories: "Son of Xer!"

Personality and traits

Xer was a ruthless and aggressive warrior who conquered numerous territories. Despite his noble background, he chose a pirate's life, common for those from Argai, a world known for producing tough raiders and spacefarers who often turned to piracy. He felt insulted by the Cronese King's offer of titles for fealty, and reportedly glared at the perceived simpering courtesans of Chandaar's court. In response, he launched a bloody campaign against the Cronese, vowing to inspire fear and respect after seizing the capital.

His ruthless governing style allowed him to solidify his reputation, eliminating those he deemed weak while utilizing the talents of those he considered valuable. Under his rule, the Kingdom of Cron expanded greatly, though he was angered by his defeats against the Livien League. He learned from these setbacks and realized he had overextended himself. He then decided to allow his successors to achieve future glories, while he focused on solidifying his empire. Xer also showed respect for others; the people of Eibon, in particular, earned his consideration.

Behind the scenes

Xer VIII was first mentioned as Xim's father in The New Essential Chronology, by Daniel Wallace and Kevin J. Anderson, published in 2005. He was later identified in 2008's The Complete Star Wars Encyclopedia.

Sources

Notes and references

External links

  • Daniel Wallace's Geekosity — Endnotes for Star Wars: The Essential Atlas (part 4 of 5) on Blogspot (backup link)
  • The Essential Atlas and Galactic Cartography: Official Discussion on the Jedi Council Forums (Literature board; posted by Dan_Wallace on August 24, 2009 at 8:07pm) (backup link)

Appearances