- «I don't care who those guys are. Kick them out; last time they were here they roughed up some of my regulars.»
- ―Chalmun
Chalmun was a male Wookiee proprietor of the most popular spacer's bar in Mos Eisley, Tatooine, the eponymous Chalmun's cantina. A distant relative of Chewbacca, he was a large tan-and-gray Wookiee, with a scar running from his left shoulder across the left side of his chest. This was a remnant of his days as a street thug.
Biography[]
The Cantina[]
Chalmun was a beige and gray-colored Wookiee born on Kashyyyk in 157 BBY,[1] and a distant relative of Chewbacca,[2] a famous Wookiee who became a member of the Rebel Alliance.[3] Chalmun grew up as a street thug, quickly learning that his natural stature and weight as a Wookiee gave him a distinct advantage in brawls; however, he also learned first-hand that strength meant little when one was faced with a blaster.[1]
At some point in his life, Chalmun was badly scarred, with a diagonal scar running from his left shoulder across the left side of his chest.[1] Chalmun was a street fighter for a long time before he ran up a huge profit swindling hapless tourists at the casinos on Ord Mantell in just a few years. He used the funds to purchase a popular cantina—known simply as the Mos Eisley cantina—from two Ranats, the Vriichon brothers, located in the heart of Mos Eisley, largest city on the planet Tatooine in the Outer Rim Territories.[4]
The Vriichons left Tatooine post haste after the sale—they had been using the cantina as a front for an illegal spice den, and were afraid that the Wookiee would be angry with them when he discovered the numerous bodies they had buried in the building's base. The cantina, which quickly became known as "Chalmun's Cantina"[4] or simply "Chalmun's,"[2] was extremely popular with smugglers, spacers, pilots and various other shady individuals, because of its central location, wide variety of beverages, and loose rules:[1] while fighting was banned and rowdy individuals sometimes ejected,[5] the rules were rarely enforced, so muggings and shootings were commonplace.[4]
Chalmun became loyal to his regulars, and any who treated them poorly were swiftly kicked out. He also abhorred droids, refusing them entry in his cantina.[1] Chalmun rarely worked personally in the bar, instead employing bartenders such as Wuher and Ackmena to serve drinks; he spent most of his time in his office, which contained his own personal bar, tended by Nimbanel barman Husklf. Chalmun also employed security for the cantina, who used a complex listening system to eavesdrop on conversations,[4] and a bouncer named Tork.[5] Other employees included Lurval and the bartender Muna Skish.[6] The Wookiee also kept a personal pilot and escape ship, ready to flee the cantina should the need arise.[4]
Later life[]
Since coming to own the cantina, he had distanced himself from the kinds of situations that had provoked the violence he so enjoyed in his youth. However, he often provided his hospitality to beings associated with the Hutts and retired celebrity podracers.
Despite this, Chalmun was rarely seen in the main cantina; instead spending the majority of the time in his back office. Many who saw the Wookiee there mistook him for a bouncer, owing both to his formidable appearance and his tendency to physically remove anyone who caused trouble. Of course, owing to his history, he also admired people who caused trouble with style, which also meant that making friends with him was a tightrope walk.
Chalmun remained the owner of the cantina when it was visited by Luke Skywalker, Obi-Wan Kenobi, Han Solo, and Chewbacca shortly before the Battle of Yavin.
After the Battle of Yavin, Chalmun allowed Talon Karrde and Dravis to use the the back rooms of cantina to supervise the operations of the Smuggler Alliance.[7]
In 1 ABY,[8] the Quarren Gendra recruited several spacers, including a trader and an entertainer, to help his friend Chalmun who was facing several problems at the cantina. The trader crafted new glassware and was eager to prepare meat jerky and spiced tea for the customers of the cantina. The entertainer agreed with performing in the cantina, dancing and playing music for the patrons who where delighted by the shows.[6][9]
Appearances[]
- Star Wars: Galactic Battlegrounds (Mentioned only)
- Rebel Dawn (Mentioned only)
- Shadow Games
- "We Don't Do Weddings: The Band's Tale" — Tales from the Mos Eisley Cantina (First appearance)
- "We Don't Do Weddings: The Band's Tale" audio drama (First appearance)
- "Play It Again, Figrin D'an: The Tale of Muftak and Kabe" — Tales from the Mos Eisley Cantina (Mentioned only)
- "The Sand Tender: The Hammerhead's Tale" — Tales from the Mos Eisley Cantina (Mentioned only)
- "Be Still My Heart: The Bartender's Tale" — Tales from the Mos Eisley Cantina (Mentioned only)
- "Soup's On: The Pipe Smoker's Tale" — Tales from the Mos Eisley Cantina (Mentioned only)
- The Mos Eisley Cantina Pop-Up Book
- Star Wars Galaxies (post-NGE) (Indirect mention only)
- "And the Band Played On: The Band's Tale" — Tales from Jabba's Palace (Mentioned only)
- "Skin Deep: The Fat Dancer's Tale" — Tales from Jabba's Palace (Mentioned only)
- "A Line in the Sand..." — Mos Eisley Adventure Set
- "The Passage From Perdition" — Mos Eisley Adventure Set
- Young Jedi Knights: Delusions of Grandeur
- The New Jedi Order: Edge of Victory II: Rebirth (Mentioned only)
Sources[]
Notes and references[]
- ↑ 1.00 1.01 1.02 1.03 1.04 1.05 1.06 1.07 1.08 1.09 1.10 1.11 Galaxy Guide 7: Mos Eisley
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 Rebel Dawn
- ↑ Star Wars: Episode IV A New Hope
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 4.3 4.4 Star Wars: Complete Locations
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 The Star Wars Holiday Special
- ↑ 6.0 6.1 Star Wars Galaxies (post-NGE) — Trader Quest: "Crafting" on Tatooine
- ↑ Star Wars Galaxies: Jump to Lightspeed — Smuggler Alliance
- ↑ The opening crawl of Star Wars Galaxies: An Empire Divided dates the game to after the events of Star Wars: Episode IV A New Hope, and additionally, Serji-X Arrogantus, who died in Star Wars (1977) 10—the events of which The New Essential Chronology dates to 0 ABY—appears in the game. Therefore, at least a portion of Star Wars Galaxies must be set in that year. Furthermore, in the game Ruwan Tokai references the destruction of the Death Star as having occurred one year earlier, and Strongholds of Resistance also places the events of Galaxies' Chapter 9: "The Fury of Exar Kun" in 1 ABY. Lastly, while Chapter 11: "The Battle of Echo Base" features the Battle of Hoth—dated to 3 ABY by The New Essential Chronology—the developers have stated that the portrayal of that battle in the game is intentionally anachronistic. Therefore, the events of Star Wars Galaxies must span from 0 ABY to around 1 ABY.
- ↑ Star Wars Galaxies (post-NGE) — Entertainer Quest: "Entertainment" on Tatooine