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VOSS
Region: Tion Cluster, Outer Rim
Sector: Allied Tion sector
System: Voss system
Grid Position: S-6
Orbital Position: 3
Moon(s): 1
Rotation Period: 28 standard hours
Orbit Period: 355 local days
Class: Terrestrial
Atmosphere: Type I
Climate: Temperate
Gravity: Standard
Terrain:
➵ Forests
➵ Mountains
➵ Plateaus
➵ Oceans
➵ Mountains
➵ Plateaus
➵ Oceans
Native Species: Voss, Gormak
Immigrants: Humans
Capital(s): Voss-Ka, Gorma-Koss
While both the Army of Light and the Sith Empire war for control of the galaxy, some planets have been more neutral, both in their approach to the war and in their views of the Force. Situated in the galaxy's Outer Rim Territories, in the Allied Tion sector, is one such world: Voss, a relatively unknown world, strong in the Force and inhabited by those who both revere and utilize it.
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HISTORY
Long ago, when the Gormak were the sole inhabitants of Voss, civil war was rampant on the service of Voss between the various Gormak tribes. Drawn to the planet's strong signature in the Force, the Gormak were encountered by a group of Jedi Knights, who taught the sensitive among them how to use the Force as a means to bring about peace, thus forming the first Mystics of Voss.
But the wars did not end. Instead, the Gormak mystics used their powers to slaughter their enemies and expel the Jedi Order. Overtime, these early mystics evolved, under the influence of the Force, into an entirely new species: the seer-like Voss. The Voss continued their war with the Gormak, culminating in a final battle in which the Voss used the Force to kill an entire Gormak army. The dark taint left behind from such a mass genocide resulted in the land becoming twisted by the dark side of the Force. The Nightmare Lands were born.
After this battle, the Gormak retreated into the mountains and crags of Voss, living mostly in small outposts and in their capital city of Gorma-Koss. This region of the planet became known simply as the Gormak Lands, and the Voss left them to their own devices.
The Voss, on the other hand, slowly turned away from their violent tendencies and began to study the Force, forming the Voss Mystics to act as their species' spiritual authority. Over the following centuries, the Voss became well known among other Force-traditions as healers and seers, and formed their own government—the Three—separating them from the Gormak even further, as they became more civilized while the Gormak remained stuck in their tribal traditions.
Whenever conflict seizes the galaxy, Voss traditionally elects to remain neutral, even in the few instances where their area of space was taken over by forces such as the Sith Empire, and will not render aid to either side.
CULTURE
Voss culture is split between the planet's two native species: the Voss and the Gormak.
The Voss are the more civilized of the two species. They are healers and seers who have gradually become pacifistic towards outsiders, while remaining deeply aggressive towards their Gormak enemies. The Voss are extremely individualistic, refusing aid from outsiders in all but the most desperate of circumstances and similarly refusing aid, even to other Force-sensitives. They are also religiously ritualistic and ceremonious, and are hostile towards all—both within their ranks and on the outside—who would disrespect and trod on their traditions.
Their government consists of a group of seers they call "the Three."
Gormak are mostly scavengers, and, despite their primitive living arrangements, are technologically competent. They are also miners and builders. Gormak engineers are said to rival even those found within the Empire and the Republic. However, having found a common enemy in the Voss, the tribes have united. Their hatred of the Voss equates to a hatred of the Force and anything they perceive to be "magical" in origin. They are also a space-bound species, with desires to spread their kind beyond Voss into the greater galaxy.
Their government is a monarchy, ruled by a single king to whom the tribes answer.
LOCATIONS
Gorma-Koss
Gorma-Koss serves as the crown achievement of the Gormak species and the capital city of the Gormak Lands. In reality, however, Gorma-Koss is less a city—especially compared to its Voss counterpart—and more a collection of camps that spreads out through much of the valleys and mountainous ravines that comprise the Gormak Lands. Entrances to Gorma-Koss consist of narrow caverns and canyons, heavily guarded by Gormak soldiers, which lead into the larger, wide-spread city. The king Gormak resides in an underground bunker built into the mountain situated at the back of the city.
Voss-Ka
Voss-Ka serves as the capital city of the planet Voss and the seat of both the Three and the Voss Mystics. Located high in the mountains, the city is situated far from the reaches of the Gormak and guarded by the Voss Commandos. The city is actually a series of close mountain peaks, connected by grand bridges made from durasteel and other metals. The Tower of Prophecy, the base of operations for the Voss Mystics, sits within the city's center on the central peak. The architecture of Voss-Ka is distinctive, developed from the Voss' intense enjoyment of art.
Shrine of Healing
The Shrine of Healing is a tremendous temple rising out of Old Paths, a rugged mountain pass north of Voss-Ka. The temple was a holy site for the Voss, protected by Voss Commandos from wildlife and Gormak, and a base of the healers within the Voss Mystics. The healers within are capable of using Force rituals to restore broken minds, heal ailing bodies, and even reconnect those who have lost their connection to the Force. The Shrine was also the site of the Trials: a series of tests which determine whether or not one of the Voss is capable of becoming a Mystic.
Nightmare Lands
The Nightmare Lands are a forested region of Voss which was formerly the site of a terrible battle between the Voss and the Gormak. The area is saturated with the dark side of the Force, which produces horrific visions that bring madness and twists the local wildlife into something altogether dangerous. As a result, both the Voss and the Gormak stay away from the site. A lake on the far northern border of the nightmare lands contains an island which itself is the home of a ruined Sith tomb, belonging to Galak Daggoth: a Sith who lived during the era of the first Sith Empire.
Dark Heart
Located in the Nightmare Lands, the Dark Heart is an underground ruin of tremendous dark side power, built sometime after the final battle between the Voss and the Gormak. The origin of the ruins is unknown, but multiple archeologists and scholars from the larger galaxy have noted that it bears tremendous resemblance to the Sith temples on Ziost and Korriban. The ruins are said to act as a prison an ancient dark presence. There are several entrances into the Dark Heart, embedded within the hills and cliffs of the Nightmare Lands. One such entrance is located within Daggoth's tomb at the edge of the Nightmare Lands.
FAUNA
Some of Voss' most notable fauna are mentioned in the codex entries below:
Nexu are a species of aggressive feline. Native to Cholganna, Nexu were brought to Voss sometime after the formation of the Voss government and the construction of Voss-Ka. They are an invasive species, though the Voss and the Gormak have managed to confine them mostly to the Nightmare Lands (though some still wander the Old Paths).
The dark energies of the Nightmare Land have warped these nexu, making them more aggressive and prone to attacking intruders who cross into their territory. They hunt the local kinrath.
Wingmaw are a species of reptilian carnivores capable of flight. Native to Balmorra, wingmaw, like the nexu, were brought to Voss sometime after the formation of the Voss government and the construction of Voss-Ka. They are an invasive species, and are particularly a nuisance in the marshlands on Voss, though some have known to congregate in and around the Nightmare Lands. Wingmaw are frequently hunted by the Gormak, both as a source of food and population control.
The dark energies of the Nightmare Land have also warped those wingmaw that reside there, making them more aggressive and prone to attacking intruders who cross into their territory. They compete with the local nexu and hunt the abundant kinrath.
Shaclaw are a species of large, armored, carnivorous, and toxic insects native to Voss. These beasts thrive throughout the planet, particularly in the Gormak Lands, where they are considered a delicacy. Shaclaw live underground, using their massive forearms to carve out burrows in the ground. They also live in subterranean caverns, such as the numerous caves that dot the Nightmare Lands. There are Gormak legends of shaclaw that reach sizes comparable to the zillo beasts of Malastare, but the Voss believe this to be nothing more than old Gormak nonsense.
Gormak eat these beasts during ritualistic coming-of-age ceremonies, but are forced to cook them alive, as shaclaw release deadly toxins when they die. The Voss, however, reject these ceremonies as uncivilized and cruel.
Vorantikus are the undisputed apex predators on Voss and are easily considered the most deadly creatures in the entire sector. They are solitary creatures, except when they need to mate, and reach sizes comparable to the terentateks on Korriban and other Sith worlds. During the early days of Voss civilization, a particularly large vorantikus attacked Voss-Ka, causing dozens of deaths and massive structural damage. They have been revered in Gormak culture ever since, and are heavily featured in their cave art. Many xenobiologist blame the large size and aggressive nature of Voss' wildlife on the vorantikus, citing the "arms race," as they call it, as a result of a need to defend themselves against these much larger predators.
Vorantikus live in the mountainous passes surrounding the Shrine of Healing, within the Nightmare Lands, and also within the Gormak Lands.
Other beasts native to Voss are the kinrath, arachnids which abound in nests in and around the Nightmare Lands, and mawvorrs, smaller predators which stalk the mountains surrounding Voss-Ka.
LAW & ORDER
Crime on Voss is entirely non-existent and the laws which govern Voss society are noticeably more simplistic in nature than those that govern the Republic, the Jedi, or the Sith Empire.
Laws are passed by the Voss Mystics, the spiritual authority of the Voss people, which themselves are led by the collective wisdom of the Three—the de facto rulers of Voss. The commandos then enforce these laws. A court system does exist, but it seems to be used only for off-worlders, who are more accustomed to such methods of judgement.
Two standard years of military service are required for all Voss citizens, meaning there is little distinction between the commandos and the regular populace.
INTENT
Voss is my absolute favorite planet in the entire Star Wars universe and was a tragic casualty of the Legends-Canon shift. The intent, of this, then, is to bring it back. I've left most of the Legends Voss intact, but I've changed a few minute details to fit more within the constraints of our timeline and the new Disney canon.
