Jomark
Appearance
- Jomark
Type: Terrestrial
Temperature: Temperate
Atmosphere: Type I (Breathable)
Hydrosphere: Moist
Gravity: Standard
Terrain: Ocean, island (varied terrain)
Length of Day: 23 Standard Hours
Length of Year: 312 Local Days
Sapient Species: Humans
Starport: Limited Services
Population: 2.8 million
Planet Function: Colony, subsistence
Government: Cooperative communities
Tech Level: Industrial
Major Exports: None
Major Imports: None
- The planet Jomark is the second of six worlds orbiting a medium-sized sun. It is the only world in the system capable of supporting life, and the only planet which has been colonized. There is not even so much as a transmission relay station on any of the other worlds.
Jomark is a colony world that has not had much contact with the galaxy (even its last star chart update, over 15 years ago, was little more than a cursory fact check). It was the perfect place for Joruus C'baoth to set his trap for Luke Skywalker, for it is j ust the sort of world a Jedi Master would choose to hide on. The planet is mostly ocean, with one small continent and an endless number of smaller islands.
The Jedi Master ruled the world from the "High Castle," though he did not believe it deserved its name. It was a short, dirty castle, as alien as the long-gone species that had built it before the human colonists had arrived; its intended purpose remains a mystery. The castle was nestled uneasily between two large crags on an ancient volcanic rim. He appreciated the location, for the rim provided a good view of the brilliant blue waters of the Rim Lake four hundred meters below. He moved into the castle because the colonists held the place in awe. The dark island in the center of the crater also made a well-hidden landing site for the Imperial shuttles continuously sent by Grand Admiral Thrawn.
The bulk of Jomark's land area is taken up by the small continent of Kalish. There are thousands of even smaller islands scattered in clusters around the ocean world. Most of the population of the main continent lives along the coast, but there are a few smaller settlements in the interior. One such settlement lies on the southern shore of the almost perfectly ring-shaped Rim Lake. The lake itself had formed inside the remains of a cone-shaped volcano, and a smaller cone formed an island in its center. This wilderness region, thick with mountains, provided isolation and secrecy for Joruus.
The colonists came to Jomark during one of the Old Republic expansions a few thousand years ago. Like many colonies of the period, it was quickly forgotten, precipitating the slide into a state of primitive technology and superstition. The human colonists found a rich world full of paradise islands and crystal water. The colonists stay away from those relics the aliens left behind; they consider these places haunted, and do not wish to disturb whatever alien spirits may still reside within the strange constructs.
The colonists have had only minor contact with the galactic community, but that suits them fine. Even after all these generations, they still call themselves colonists, though few understand exactly what the term means. To them, it identifies who they are—the second intelligent species to make its home on Jomark. They have an industrial level of technology, and many turn to the sea for sustenance. The Jomark colonists are excellent fishermen, sea farmers, and sailors. They have no spaceport facilities other than the temporary one set up in the Rim Lake for Joruus C'baoth. Few visitors come to their world, and most colonists do not believe in starships and other worlds (though all of their legends and histories tell them they came from space sometime in the past).
The Jomark colonists are content with their world. They care nothing about the far-away events of the galaxy, for the concerns of their island paradises are enough for them. They lack the knowledge to develop beyond their current tech level, looking upon the magical wonders of Joruus and his Imperial visitors with awe and fear. They are a superstitious lot, eager to explore the islands that dot their seas but afraid to sail too far into unknown waters. To date, they have settled only a quarter of the world's land mass, and only those areas closest to the continent of Kalish.
After a short visit to the world, Luke Skywalker left Joruus C'baoth to accompany Mara Jade on a rescue mission. Now Joruus has also abandoned the world, leaving it the way he found it so that he can set his own plans into motion — whether the Grand Admiral approves of them or not. The colonists were more than glad to see him leave.