Bas neral

"We'll eat bas neral if we have to."

- Neth Bralor

Bas neral was a coarse grain. Grown on the planet Mandalore by a number of Mandalorian farmers, bas neral was commonly used for brewing and as feed for animals. Though most Mandalorians considered bas neral unfit for eating, the grain could be eaten if circumstances necessitated it. Vhe'viine, rodents native to Mandalore, had a taste for the Mandalorian grain, frequently pilfering the stock of local farms.

In Mandalorian society, the phrase "sowed his bas neral" took on the colloquially informal meaning of having had children.

Behind the scenes
Bas neral was first introduced to the Star Wars universe via a mention in the Legacy of the Force novel, Sacrifice, written by author Karen Traviss and published May 29, 2007. It was later mentioned again in Traviss' follow-up novel, Revelation, published the following year on February 26, 2008. Later that year, bas neral was again mentioned in the fourth entry of Traviss' Republic Commando series of novels, entitled Order 66, released on September 16. Star Wars: The Old Republic, an MMORPG created by BioWare and released December 20, 2011, made further mention of bas neral.

Appearances

 * Star Wars: The Old Republic
 * Order 66: A Republic Commando Novel
 * Legacy of the Force: Sacrifice
 * Legacy of the Force: Revelation