Lur

"How are things on Lur, by the way?"
"Chilly. But the air's clearer than it is here. Not as much smoke blowing around, know what I mean?"

―Hart-and-Parn Gorra-Fiolla and Han Solo^[5]

Lur was an icy planet on the Outer Rim, known for the native Lurrian species, who were masters of genetic engineering. Located near the Corporate Sector, Lur was racked by severe storms and high winds, and the planet's dangerous wildlife forced the Lurrians to band into tight family groups as they evolved. As the planet's harsh environment limited their technological development, Lurrians advanced their society by mastering the flora and fauna around them, breeding and cloning purposely designed creatures that helped them build cities within Lur's glaciers. The Lurrians' genetic mastery attracted much attention to their beloved homeworld, especially in the aftermath of the Clone Wars, when the Galactic Empire quarantined the world due to fears their knowledge could be used for ill. That notoriety made Lur a popular target for slavers, as Lurrian genetic experts became valuable properties on the Invisible Market due to galaxy-wide restrictions on genetic experimentation.

Description[]

"How am I supposed to know how thick the ionization layer is? The instrumentation's jittery from the discharges, it doesn't show anything clearly. What do you want me to do, drop a plumb line?"

―Han Solo, during a difficult landing on Lur^[5]

Located in the Outer Rim's Aparo sector, Lur was located just a stone's throw away from the Corporate Sector, off a short detour from the hyperlane known as Etti Route Major.^[1] Lur was a frigid world covered in snowy glaciers^[2] and suffered from extremely harsh weather, including unceasing gale-force winds and intense electrical storms caused by the planet's heavily ionized atmosphere. As such, the planet was exceptionally perilous for landing spacecraft, and required attentive instrument flying to navigate safely. Humans typically had to wear thermosuits with full facebowls in order to comfortably survive in the elements.^[5] Nevertheless, Lur had a rich, abundant ecosystem, and was known for its dangerous wildlife. The sentient species known as the Lurrians over time learned to alter and manipulate these creatures' genetic code, creating many new creatures that served specific purposes in the growth of their society. Among the animals that joined Lur's food chain were the burrowing asgnats, grebnars which were bred for meat, and the fierce noahounds.^[2]

History[]

"Anyway, Sonniod told me about some job for an unnamed party on Lur. Only when we get there, we meet some low-lifes. Slavers..."
"I think I've heard something about that."
"Well, we weren't so lucky."

―Han Solo and Voren Na'al^[2]

Lurrian society flourished in the years after their evolution from nonsentient herbivores, as the diminutive humanoids learned to alter the plants and animals around them to form the bedrock of their civilization,^[2] and Lur eventually became a full member of the Galactic Republic.^[4] But despite the fact that Lurrians rarely ever left their icy homeworld, word got out about their talent for working with genetic codes.^[2] Their renowned abilities attracted geneticists from across the galaxy, including the Shi'ido Mammon Hoole, who traveled to study on Lur during the waning years of theGalactic Republic.^[6] The Lurrians' feats of bioengineering garnered much more attention during and after the galaxy-spanning conflict known as the Clone Wars. The Republic passed a decree during the war banning all non-military cloning on member worlds, and while some Separatist news reports stated that therapeutic cloning centers on Lur had been shut down,^[4] Lur was granted an exemption by the Galactic Senate.^[7] The planet was also visited during the war by the experimental Jango Fett clones known as the Null ARCs, who mined Lur's genetic research in the hopes of finding a way to stop their accelerated aging.^[8]

After the cessation of hostilities, the atrocities of the Clone Wars led to a harsh crackdown on genetic manipulation from the Galactic Empire, which quarantined Lur due to the natives' abilities, although little effort was ever made to truly enforce the act.^[2] The quarantine of Lur was a disaster for the droid manufacturer Cybot Galactica, which had created an entire line of PD-series protocol droids specifically to finally crack the difficult Lurrian market—droids were never commonplace on Lur due to the planet's harsh climate. Thousands were produced, but due to the Imperial quarantine, they were unable to sell the droids and it turned into a major loss.^[9] The restrictions put in place after the Clone Wars also ensured that Lurrian gene experts became a valuable item on the Invisible Market, and Lur became a target for slavers.^[5] One slaving group from the Corporate Sector, led by a Human named Zlarb, made several trips to Lur from 6 BBY to 2 BBY and carried off several hundred Lurrians.^[2]

Zlarb and his gang made one last run to Lur in 2 BBY, hiring an unsuspecting Corellian smuggler named Han Solo to transport a cargo that he did not realize would be living. But when Zlarb attempted to commandeer Solo's Millennium Falcon, a frenzied fight broke out which resulted in Zlarb's death at the hands of one of his Lurrian captives. Solo and his Wookiee companion Chewbacca freed the Lurrians, and turned over to them the surviving slavers to do with as they pleased.^[5] Lur's tradition of genetic engineering survived the Imperial years, through at least the era of the New Republic. During the war with the extra-galactic Yuuzhan Vong, who were themselves accomplished bioengineers, Lurrian geneticists received heavy attention from New Republic scientists.^[1]

Inhabitants[]

"Those little beauties back there are worth four, five, maybe even six thousand apiece on the Invisible Market. They're natural-born experts at genetic manipulation, and in great demand, my friend. Not everyone is happy with the rigid restrictions that were imposed after the Clone Wars. It seems these creatures like their own world too much, though, and wouldn't sign out on contract labor for anything. So my associates and I rounded up a bunch."

―Zlarb, to Han Solo^[5]

Lur's sole native sentient species, Lurrians were short, furry humanoids that evolved from nonsentient herbivores and banded together into large family units in order to better survive their homeworld's dangerous predators. The lack of readily available materials like wood or metal forced Lurrian society to develop in a different way from most: they instead became masters of the wildlife around them, learning how to genetically manipulate Lur's flora and fauna through selective breeding and experimenting with herbs, roots and natural compounds. Their knowledge of genetic manipulation soon became the basis of an advanced culture, as the Lurrians lived peacefully in cities burrowed into Lur's glaciers by one of their creations, the asgnats. These underground warrens were connected by a primitive hook-and-line system, as Lur's high winds made repulsorlift vehicles impractical.^[9] Lurrians were known to have extremely strong family ties, and had a love for their homeworld that was so strong that very few ever willingly left.^[2]