Yanibar

Yanibar was a planet in Wild Space known for its blistering, dry summers and wet, frigid winters. Barely habitable by Humans and other similar species, it was nevertheless colonized by a group of Jedi and their relatives seeking refuge from the predations of the Sith. The planet remained isolated for years, as it was forgotten by the Jedi who remained in the galaxy and many of the colonists did not survive Yanibar's harsh conditions. Those who did formed their own Force tradition, Zeison Sha, which developed decidedly anti-Jedi traits. Yanibar eventually became somewhat known to the galaxy as a stopping point for fringe traders, developing a spaceport and a well-populated city that served as a crossroads between the Outer Rim and Unknown Regions. The world resisted attempts at Imperial occupation and remained inhabited by the Zeison Sha into the Yuuzhan Vong War.

Astrography
Yanibar was located in Wild Space, though some accounts placed it in the Outer Rim. The planet was located in one of the trailing parts of the galaxy's spiral arms. There were no major hyperroutes that linked Yanibar to the rest of the galaxy, which gave it a reputation for being remote and isolated.

Description
Yanibar was habitable by Humans, but it had harsh weather and seasonal extremes that made it less than hospitable. Many considered the planet too hostile to support colonization, but some settlers were able to eke out an existence in the unfriendly environment. They endured Yanibar's dry, hot summers and frigid, wet winters, as well as its violent storms. This combination of inhospitable characteristics and climate cost many of the early colonists their lives.

History
"If not for self-reliance, our ancestors would have died shortly after your ancestors left them here."

- Zeison Sha warrior speaking to emissaries of the Jedi Order

Yanibar was first settled prior to 4,000 BBY by friends and family of the Jedi Order fleeing a conflict with the Sith. Yanibar was remote enough to serve as a refuge from the war, as anyone allied with the Jedi would be susceptible to Sith attacks. The original plan of the colonists was to find a remote world to hide upon until the war was over and they could return to their homes. However, all of the Jedi who were aware of the refuge's existence perished in the war, stranding the colonists. The early years of the refuge saw thousands die due to the harsh conditions on Yanibar. Those who survived were aided by those strong in the Force, who developed their own Force-using tradition, the Zeison Sha. The Zeison Sha were responsible for the survival of the colony, protecting it from the natural hazards present on Yanibar.

As long years passed since Yanibar's initial colonization, the Jedi Order was blamed for the abandonment of the Zeison Sha, who became embittered toward them. Consequently, the Zeison Sha developed into a self-reliant tradition that was designed to endure the rugged and harsh conditions on Yanibar. The talents and strength of the Zeison Sha eventually allowed the colony to not only grow, but also prosper. The Zeison Sha Force-users also constructed a temple that acted as a center for their organization, called the Sha Kalan.

Several centuries after its original colonization, Yanibar was discovered by spacers flying near the edges of known space. The world developed a small town and spaceport as part of increased relations with these fringe traders. As visits by offworlders became more frequent over the years, some of Yanibar's inhabitants likewise left the planet and traveled the stars. This interstellar exchange brought numerous other individuals of varying species to the planet, though Zeison Sha who left the planet remained hostile to the Jedi Order. A visit to Yanibar by a delegation from the Jedi Order in 590 BBY led by Jedi Master Bodo Baas did little to improve relations. Despite years of planning by the Jedi, the Zeison Sha were suspicious and hostile towards the Jedi, particularly when it came to the Jedi practice of taking children from their parents for training. The mission ended without open conflict, but the Zeison Sha firmly refused to hear any talk of reunification with the Jedi.

Those Zeison Sha who left Yanibar after it gained access to interstellar travel did so incognito for fear of the Jedi, and later Imperial Jedi hunters. The port and outpost remained intact as late as the Galactic Civil War, and the Empire at some point landed troops on Yanibar, including speeder bikes and scout troopers. This Imperial presence was resisted by the Zeison Sha.

The colonists on Yanibar and their Zeison Sha protectors endured the Galactic Civil War and even the Yuuzhan Vong War that devastated the galaxy only five years after the Galactic Civil War ended. The Zeison Sha living during the latter conflict were glad to see the New Jedi Order weakened by the invaders, but also wished to avoid discovery by the alien invaders, who were virulently opposed to all Force-users.

Inhabitants
Yanibar was the home of the voorcat, a predator that hunted in packs. Packs of voorcats sometimes posed a threat to the colonists and had to be fended off by Zeison Sha warriors.

The original colonists were of numerous species. Besides Humans, Duros, Rodians, and Twi'leks all called Yanibar home several hundred years after its colonization. The arrival and expansion of the spaceport brought additional diversity to the settlers on Yanibar.

Behind the scenes
The first appearance for Yanibar, Hero's Guide, listed the planet as being in the Outer Rim. Knights of the Old Republic II: The Sith Lords and the Jedi Academy Training Manual also stated the planet was in the Outer Rim. However, in the more recent The Essential Atlas, the planet is definitively shown to be in Wild Space. This article assumes that the Atlas is correct in its placement.

Hero's Guide also states that the refugees who became the Zeison Sha first arrived on Yanibar circa 2,000 BBY. This conflicts with Knights of the Old Republic II, which has the Zeison Sha established well before that time by approximately two thousand years. Later sources, including the Jedi Academy Training Manual and The Essential Guide to the Force, add to the confusion by agreeing with Hero's Guide in stating that Yanibar was first colonized during the New Sith Wars. No official explanation has been given for either of these discrepancies.

Appearances

 * Star Wars Knights of the Old Republic II: The Sith Lords

Notes and references
Yanibar