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What a desolate place this is. This article would greatly benefit from the addition of proper images.
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You plan to take them on.. with just those? This article does not contain very many links to other articles, which would be of use for easy navigation.
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History
Approximately 12,000 years BBY, the Core expansion, into what would later be known as the Tapani Sector, had begun in full force. The primary Colonies in the Pelagon, Obelia, and Bethal systems had successfully taken root, and the time was ripe for further exploration into the uncharted regions of the sector.
The first tales of the Ricaldi explorations date to approximately 11,300 years BBY. Most likely originating from the Cauper system, Danel Ricaldi, and his two children Phayta (Fay-TAH) and Rokir (Ro-KEER), set out to make their own mark in the galaxy. They explored the unknown paths through hyperspace, meeting with many failures to find hospitable worlds. But on their 7th attempt, they came upon a lush green world with two moons: one, a small and forested sphere in a very close orbit to the larger planet, the other a dense and dead moon, far away from its parent.
The trio landed and encountered a group of native Herglics who, though not space travelers themselves at that time, had heard of the explorers from the core by other Herglic traders. Danel Ricaldi struck a deal with the natives, and a trade agreement was formed.
Much of the intervening history of Ricaldi has been lost. Not long after the tales of the discovery of the planet cease, the infamous clan wars began across the sector. From these wars, the surviving clans either grew or merged into the Twelve Kingdoms, Ricaldi eventually falling under the protection of House Melantha. However, the legends of where the planet and moons received their names give clues to the fate of the exploring trio:
The primary Planet was named Ricaldi, after the man whose efforts discovered and began its prosperous growth. The small forest moon close to Ricaldi was named Phayta because “in his ailing years, delicate and beautiful Phaeta remained by his side to the very end, giving comfort to the wise and benevolent Ricaldi.”
The distant, dead moon was named Rokir, for “abandoning his family and his home in the pursuit of power, mighty Rokir cut a bloody swath through his enemies in the War of the Clans, and returned to his dying father a cold and scarred warrior.”
With the end of the clan wars, and the unification of the Twelve Kingdoms by Shay Tapani, Ricaldi thrived and prospered. Though, again, much of the details of the planetary events have been lost (or as of yet undiscovered). It is not until shortly before the Rise of the Empire that full records surfaced again.
The Royalty of Melantha, ever seeking to pander to the “winning” side, allied with the Republic almost immediately upon the start of the Clone Wars. Nothing if not experienced gamblers, House Melantha foresaw the Republic’s eventual domination of the Separatists and supported the Republic with both people and money to aid the war effort. Upon Palpatine’s declaration making himself Emperor, members of House Melantha almost immediately became regulars of the Imperial Court.
Thus Ricaldi, as well as the other systems in the region, invariably opened their arms to the Empire for protection from the threat of the Rebels. The moon Rokir was “gently” annexed for use as a site of production facilities and classified weapons research. The moon Phayta was proclaimed the Royal residence of the system, and the entire moon became the property of the overseeing Melantha emissary, Lord Symon Dela’Concransta.
Upon the death of the Emperor and the fractionalization of the Empire, the Imperial presence in the Melantha region quickly shrunk away as the rising influence of the New Republic crept into the Sector. The Royals of Melantha, fortunately, remained stalwart in their position as backers of the Imperial ideal, if no longer actually housing their ranks. Thus the Melantha region, and within it Ricaldi, have remained largely independent.
Ricaldi’s largest city, Ricaldi Center, remains one of the most economically viable hubs of commerce in the region. The outer farmlands are vast and fertile, and the majestic mountain ranges attract tourists from around the sector.
The moon Phayta remains the private residence of the ever-present Lord Symon, and is marked as restricted territory to any incoming vessels.