The Star Forge
Space Factory. |
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 | | Production Information: |
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| Manufacturer: | Rakatan Infinite Empire. |
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| Type: | Space-based factory. |
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| Culture: | Rakatan;
Revan's Sith Empire. |
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| Creators: | Rakatan Builders. |
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| Created: | Prior to 25,200 BBY. |
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| Destroyed: | 3,956 BBY in the Lehon system. |
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| Discovered: | 3,960 BBY by Revan and Malak;
1,000 BBY by Darth Bane;
Palpatinian Order;
Geh 'Dia Order (inert). |
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| Owners: | Infinite Empire;
Revan's Sith Empire;
Palpatinian Order;
Geh 'Dia Order (inert). |
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| Known Locations: | Lehon system. |
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| Physical And Technical Specifications: |
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| Protection Type: | Ability to quickly produce new spacecraft for defense;
Shield;
Turbolasers. |
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| Capacity: | High, production limits not documented. |
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| Usage And History: |
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| Purpose: | Super massive factory. |
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| Heritage: | Rakata. |
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| Eras: | Pre-Republic Era;
Old Republic Era;
UGC Era. |
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| Affiliation: | Infinite Empire;
Revan's Sith Empire;
Palpatinian Order;
Geh 'Dia Order (inert). |
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 | | A hologram of the Star Forge. |
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| "The Star Forge is the glory of the Builders, the apex of their Infinite Empire. It is a machine of invincible might, a tool of unstoppable conquest."-The Overseer droid, quoted in Knights of the Old Republic. |
The Star Forge was a giant automated shipyard, designed to create the most powerful army of all time, constructed by the Rakatan Infinite Empire in 30,000 BBY, five thousand years before the rise of the Galactic Republic. The Star Forge drew energy and matter from a nearby star which, when combined with the power of the Force, was capable of creating an endless supply of ships, droids, and other war matériel. The Rakata, also known as "The Builders," constructed the massive space station through the use of slaves from many subject worlds including, but not necessarily limited to, Corellia, Coruscant, Dantooine, Drall, Duro, Kashyyyk, Manaan, Selonia, Sleheyron and Tatooine. This technological marvel came at a terrible cost as the Rakata were by nature a cruel and savage species and the Star Forge began feeding off of these negative traits inherent in its creators. As a result the Star Forge became an immense tool of dark side power.The Star Forge, now a fusion of technology and dark side energies, began corrupting the Rakata in order to gain the immense power it required to operate itself and ultimately caused the collapse of the Rakatan Empire. The semi-living superweapon's ability to corrupt its users forced Darth Revan to limit his contact with the dark side artifact to avoid allowing it to control him as it did the Rakatans.Characteristics| "The Star Forge... I've never seen anything like it."- Carth ONASI quoted in Knights of the Old Republic. |
The size of the Star Forge was extraordinary for its time. Capital ships could easily move between the gaps of the three "fins" that radiated outwards from the central spherical structure. The fins extended downward to draw energy and matter from the star of the Rakata system, using it to produce weapons and armament. It is unknown what would happen if the Rakatan star ran out of energy. While having few apparent docks for capital ships, many fighter craft and smaller freighters were able to dock at bays located on each of these fins.Externally, the Star Forge possessed very little defensive weaponry, save for several turbolaser batteries positioned near its hangar bays. Instead it depended entirely on its massive ship production capability as a means to defend itself. Internally, it was also capable of manufacturing thousands of battle droids for defense, and possessed several heavy blast doors that ran throughout the entire factory. It was also protected by a deadly ship-disabling energy field projected from Lehon's Temple of the Ancients on the Rakata home world nearby. The field caused ships to malfunction and be captured in the planet's gravity well, sending them spiraling down to the world below.HistoryConstruction and early usageAs was the case with all apparent products of Rakatan dark side energy engineering, the Star Forge managed to survive several tens of thousands of years idling and without an operational crew by relying on its built-in automated repair systems. This trait was replicated in certain artifacts, such as the Star Maps. The Rakatan Builders destroyed the Star Maps after the completion of the Star Forge, but these slowly repaired themselves with the Star Forge's technology. While the data in each one was incomplete by the time the reformed Revan discovered them, their combined information was enough to reveal the location of the Star Forge.As an artifact of the dark side, the Star Forge corrupted those who used it, feeding its desire for death. Ajunta Pall hinted that it may have been known to, and used by, the early Sith. After the Mandalorian Wars, it came into the service of Revan and Malak, who had been powerful and honorable Jedi Knights until discovering the Star Maps leading to the location of the ancient dark space station, thus resulting in the rebirth of the Sith.Jedi Civil WarAfter having his memory erased by the Dantooine Enclave Council, Revan was directed to rediscover the location of the Star Forge, while it was under Malak's control who used it to strengthen the Sith fleet with a massive number of ships. It was destroyed at the end of the Jedi Civil War (3,956 BBY) by a Republic fleet aided by Bastila Shan's battle meditation.Darth Malak's experiment | "The Star Forge is more than just a space station. In some ways, it is like a living creature. It hungers. And it can feed on the dark side that is within all of us."- Darth Malak, quoted in Knights of the Old Republic. |
Immediately prior to his defeat at the hands of Revan, Malak attempted to harness a heretofore ignored property of the Star Forge. Using Jedi captured from the destroyed enclave on Dantooine, Malak was able to incorporate them into the Star Forge itself, which was seemingly capable of harnessing the power of Force-sensitives and channeling the power into a particular subject- In this case, Malak himself. The Jedi in the Star Forge were unable to become one with the Force while in this state, and Malak could use the energy inside the nearly lifeless bodies to regain his strength. The drained Jedi were apparently killed in the process. Revan sabotaged the system during his battle with Malak on the Star Forge Viewing Platform and it was subsequently destroyed along with the rest of the Star Forge.DestructionLegacyAfter its destruction, the Star Forge fell into obscurity within the galactic community. The Republic, at the urging of the Jedi, felt it was unnecessary and detrimental to the rebuilding of the Republic to have the knowledge of the previously unknown Rakata surface. In their opinion, a reemergence of a culture that had once enslaved much of the known Galaxy would incite panic or fear. As a result, the Lehon system, with the wreckage from the final battle of Jedi Civil War, including the remains of the Star Forge, were quarantined. Only scant and obscure mention of the system and the Star Forge were known.In 1,000 BBY, Darth Bane had begun traveling the galaxy looking for information about the Sith predecessors to the Brotherhood of Darkness. His inquiries took him to the Valley of the Dark Lords on Korriban and then to the Lehon system while seeking information regarding Revan and Malak. During his approach to the Lehon system, he saw the still untouched remains of the Star Forge and the wreckage of the final battle. Large pieces of metal had fused together, creating a ring-like construct around the planet Lehon. The remaining pieces littered the system similar to an asteroid field.Important locations on the Star ForgeDeck 1Deck 1 was a hangar in the Star Forge. During the Battle of Rakata Prime, the redeemed Jedi Revan, aboard the Ebon Hawk, landed on Deck 1. There, several Jedi told him to find Bastila Shan, but were soon attacked by Dark Jedi. Revan helped defeat the Dark Jedi, and continued deeper into Deck 1 until Darth Malak sent droids to kill the Jedi on board. Revan defeated the droids and more Dark Jedi, before proceeding into Deck 2. When Malak learned that Revan was on board, Malak sent all available troops to fight Revan. After defeating Malak on the Viewing Platform, Revan returned to Deck 1, where he informed the crew of the Ebon Hawk that Malak was defeated. Revan escaped the Star Forge aboard the Ebon Hawk.Deck 2Deck 2 was a deck on the Star Forge next to Deck 1, and had an elevator leading up to the Command Center.Although the Star Forge was an artifact of the dark side, a console on Deck 2 could create light sided Star Forge Robes. Shortly after the redeemed Jedi Revan entered Deck 2, Darth Malak was told that Revan was on board. In response, Malak sent a garrison of Sith troopers and Dark Jedi to attack Revan.Malak knew that his Sith underlings would be no match for Revan, but they would be able to slow Revan down, giving Malak enough time to set up the Star Forge's defenses, which were infinite battle droids constantly created by the Star Forge. Revan defeated the garrison, and took the elevator to the Command Center. Before the final battle, Revan managed to use the unique powers of the Star Forge to construct a set of robe that would distinctly power Revan to greater heights in the force than Malak even knew was possible.Command CenterLocated on the Star Forge, the Command Center which had elevators connected to Deck 2, and the Viewing Platform. It contained a large hologram of the Star Forge itself.After being turned to the dark side of the Force by Darth Malak, Bastila Shan used her battle meditation from within the Command Center, to aid the Syhith fleet in the Battle of Rakata Prime. However, Revan fought his way into the Command Center, and, after a lightsaber duel, was able to convert Bastila back to the Jedi. She then used her powers to help the Republic Navy, and turned the tide of battle in the Republic's favor.The Command Center was ultimately destroyed along with the rest of the Star Forge at the conclusion of the battle.Viewing PlatformBuilt near the summit of the Star Forge, the Viewing Platform was used to observe what was going on outside the space station. It was accessible via turbolift from the Command Center.During the Jedi Civil War, Darth Malak brought Jedi he had nearly killed on Dantooine to the Viewing Platform, placing their bodies into cells to prevent them from becoming one with the Force and augmenting his own dark power. When the redeemed Revan confronted Malak on the Viewing Platform, Malak used the captured souls to replenish his life, killing them in the process. To defeat Malak, Revan allowed the Jedi to become one with the Force, and mortally wounded his former apprentice. Malak died on the platform, which was destroyed shortly thereafter, along with the rest of the Star Forge, following Revan's escape.Current Status; Geh 'Dia and SyhithBoth the Geh 'Dia and Syhith have one, and although both suspects the other has one neither knows for certain.Both factions followed the same clues that Revan and Malak followed to find theirs, and both factions found one who's hull was largely intact, plus parts of several more- enough to rebuild a working model. |
