Bespin

See also: Galactic Gazetteer

Bespin is an immense gas giant located in the vicinity of the Anoat system, a desolate sector of the galaxy. Bespin has several moons, and its gaseous mass contains a thin stratum of habitable atmosphere. Its layers are a source of rare Tibanna gas, which is harvested and refined in several mining complexes, including Cloud City, an opulent metropolis suspended in the planet's huge billowing clouds. The Ugnaught city of Ugnorgrad is also located over the planet, ruled by King Ozz in the time after the Battle of Endor. During the Galactic Civil War, Bespin remained unaffiliated, but that did not prevent the Galactic Empire from garrisoning the planet and seizing Cloud City. However, with the Empire's defeat at Endor, the gas giant and its prosperous mining colony ended up recovering their freedom.

Swimming pools are considered a rare luxury on Bespin.

Bespin Statistics Edit

Region: The Outer Rim

Climate: Temperate (In the Life Zone)

Gravity: Standard

Moons: 2

Length of Day: 12 Standard Hours

Length of Year: 5,110 Standard Days

Sapient Species: 68% Human, 8% Ugnaught, 6% Lutrillian, 18% other Species

Government: Guild

Capital: Cloud City

Major Exports: Tibanna Gas, Tourism, Cloud Cars

Major Imports: Foodstuffs, Technology

Additional Cloud City Edit

Reference Book: Star Wars Saga Edition Rebellion Era Campaign Guide

Floating high above the gas giant Bespin, Cloud City remains as it was during The Dark Times. The Tibanna Gas mining colony is too small to interest the Empire, and it serves as a refuge for those who wish to escape the Empire while maintaining their commercial and social legitimacy. Two years before the Battle of Hoth, the infamous scoundrel Lando Calrissian wins control of the city from then Baron Administrator Dominic Raynor in a high-stakes sabacc game. Calrissian later discovers that the anonymous benefactor who helped him cover the enormous bet was, in fact, Lobot and thousands of Ugnaughts willing to put up their own credits to dethrone Raynor.

Lando proves to be a natural administrator, and the 6 million inhabitants of the city enjoy years of profit and stability. The city maintains strict neutrality in the Galactic Civil War and enforces a no-weapons policy for visitors and inhabitants, with some exceptions.

Cloud City still serves as a haven for underworld activity, but it has a low profile until the arrival of The Millennium Falcon and its Imperial pursuers. Although Lando Calrissian attempts to broker a deal with Darth Vader, handing over his friend Han Solo in the process, the effort ultimately fails. Lando and much of the population flee the city before an Imperial garrison is installed. The Empire maintains control of Cloud City until after the Battle of Endor, when Calrissian evicts the Imperial with the help of Lando's Commandos.

Planetary Updates Edit

Familiar planets undergo significant changes over the centuries. The updates in this section should provide Gamemasters with enough information to use these planets in their respective sourcebooks' eras.

The Old Republic Era Edit

Reference Book: Star Wars Saga Edition Knights of the Old Republic Campaign Guide

The gas giant Bespin has not yet been colonized during this time period, and will not be until 1,989 BBY when Cloud City is first commissioned. However, hyperspace scouts discover Bespin years before the Galactic Civil War, and a number of corporations try- and fail- to establish Tibanna Gas mining operations above the world. With the decline of pulse-wave weapons and the ascension of blaster weapons, the undeveloped world of Bespin is rising in importance to the galactic economy. A number of corporations continue to lobby the Galactic Senate for mining rights to Bespin, though corporate lobbies keep the Senate tied up in procedures as each company jockeys for position.

The carbonite-rich planet Empress Teta stakes an extremely strong claim to Bespin, because explorers from The Hyperspace Navigators Guild- whose guildhouse is on Empress Teta- discovered the world. No permanent outposts are established above Bespin, and Tetan mining operations consist mainly of large repulsorcraft dipping into Bespin's atmosphere to scoop up gas where they can. During The Mandalorian Wars, a fleet of Mandalorian warships destroys most of the Tetan mining infrastructure, hoping to break up the Tibanna Gas supply chain for the Republic. Following this attack, few companies have the time or resources to attempt to mine Bespin, and the planet remains nearly unheard of until the founding of Cloud City.

The Clone Wars Edit

Reference Book: Star Wars Saga Edition Clone Wars Campaign Guide

While Bespin has always been an important source of Tibanna gas, its economic and strategic importance is only truly realized at the start of the Clone Wars. The Republic and the Confederacy, desiring a stake in Bespin's resources, dispatch forces to secure their interests. A number of small orbital battles, punctuated by lengthy dogfights in Bespin's upper atmosphere, ultimately end with the Republic having a slight edge over its Separatist foes. Even though the Battle of Bespin is considered a loss for the Separatists, occasional skirmishes continue to occur between the two enemies throughout the entirety of the Clone Wars.

One of the most popular tourist hubs on Bespin prior to the Clone Wars is Tibannopolis. Tibannopolis's only true competition is Cloud City, and the rivalry between the two settlements only fuels their popularity. As the Clone Wars intensifies and tourists are less inclined to travel to Bespin's resorts, Tibannopolis ceases to be a significant economic factor. Cloud City's ability to mine Tibanna gas on behalf of the Republic is its salvation, enough to keep it functioning until the official end of hostilities.

The Legacy Era Edit

Reference Book: Star Wars Saga Edition Legacy Era Campaign Guide

Largely untouched by the Yuuzhan Vong Invasion, Bespin continues to profit and prosper after the rise of The Galactic Alliance. Still a major shipper of Tibanna Gas, Bespin's location makes it less than ideal for most large-scale mining operations to attempt to control, allowing smaller operations to set up shop and reap a tidy profit. However, with the return of The Galactic Empire, restrictions on the sale of Tibanna Gas to non-government entities come back in force. This, in turn, forces many small operations out of business, driving their owners off of Bespin to seek cheaper places to make a living.

As a result of this exodus from Bespin, Cloud City is somewhat in decline. Coupled with the surging popularity of more mobile shadoports and fringe-friendly locales such as The Wheel, Cloud City has become a darker and more dangerous place. With fewer wealthy, respectable citizens capable of supporting Cloud City's government, cutbacks have eliminated much of The Wing Guard, leaving the city even more lawless than before. With much of the city abandoned, the current Baron-Administrator (A shrewd Ithorian named Ormo Haddon) has attempted to revitalize the economy by ordering all of the businesses and residential areas to move to more central locations, creating a populated nexus of commerce surrounded by abandoned outskirts. The outskirts of Cloud City are dark, empty places where shady dealings take place, and the honest citizens of Bespin avoid them.