Exovar's Emporium was a dining and lodging facility on the frozen planet Neftali, and was frequented by explorers, smugglers, and other fringers. Its founder, owner, and administrator was the legendary retired scout Luskin Exovar. The Emporium was considered "neutral ground" for the wide variety of criminals who frequented it; brawls and blaster fights were prohibited. Due to its clientele (and Exovar's anti-Imperial opinions), the Emporium was well-hidden and visitors kept its location a closely guarded secret. The Emporium was famous for its immense collection of memorabilia from Exovar's scouting days. Equally noteworthy was its status as the favored hangout of Kaori Batta (considered the galaxy's best big-game hunter), who hired himself out to visitors for hunting expeditions in Neftali's hostile wilderness.
During Luskin Exovar's scouting days, he became acquainted with several remote Outer Rim systems. One, the Socorro system, contained Neftali, an insignificant world possessing only one permanent settlement, Cordel Cove. Exovar chose Neftali for the site of a new Emporium and constructed it entirely underground, at great personal expense. To ensure its secrecy, the Emporium was built beneath a valley on the opposite side of Neftali from Cordel Cove.
At some point during the Galactic Civil War, Exovar's Emporium was the target of a takeover attempt by the Snivvian merchant Thasca Knarr, who desired to use the facility as a base for piracy, bounty hunting, and slaving operations.
"Ion Alley"
Visitors to the Emporium could only access it through "Ion Alley," a tunnel lined with ion cannons in an uninhabited valley on the far side of Neftali from Cordel Cove. The tunnel's entrance was disguised by a holographic generator, meaning visitors had to have been given the coordinates beforehand to avoid crashing onto Neftali's rocky surface. Proper clearance codes were also required before a ship was granted a docking stall in the Emporium's starport (called Luskin's Landing). The entrance to the Emporium was guarded by a fully functional dismembered AT-AT head, which Exovar claimed he had severed using a laser cutter. First-time visitors to the Emporium tended to react visibly to the unexpected appearance of an AT-AT's head, and those who didn't were rewarded for their composure with a free drink. Exovar could often be seen cleaning or hanging from the AT-AT head, and he frequently recounted the story of its acquisition to willing and unwilling listeners.
Entrance to Exovar's Emporium, guarded by an AT-AT head
The main dining and socializing area of the Emporium was characterized by a sunken bar pit, an expanse of dining tables, and a collection of full-size vehicles and starships, including a Z-95 Headhunter and an Orlean Star Explorer, suspended from the ceiling with transparent . On one wall, Exovar displayed antiques like a full set of Imperial Royal Guard armor and six lightsabers. Exovar did not divulge the means by which he acquired some of these items. The display case was well-shielded against theft attempts. Guests to the Emporium could leave behind items of their own to commemorate their visit.
The Emporium also featured over 24 private sitting rooms, some of which developed individual themes for those who visited them most often. Some of the rooms were The Explorer's Guild, The Exchange, Chasers, The Library, and The Trap, which was frequented by Kaori Batta and decorated with trophy creatures including a stuffed ice modrol. The Rebel Alliance was even rumored to have its own room, used for clandestine meetings and exchanging information. Lodging was available at the Emporium in the form of 100 modest suites with bathrooms and living rooms.
Beneath the main floor of the Emporium was the off-limits staff section, which included Exovar's private quarters and a secret emergency escape tunnel.
Luskin Exovar (left) with Redeye (right)
Exovar laid down strict rules of conduct for Emporium visitors to prevent trouble. Anyone who broke the rules faced the harsh punishment of banishment to the frigid wilderness above, where they would face death by frostbite or attacks from native predators like jexxels or ice modrols.
A Turazza known as Redeye (or "Deadeye" to those who had seen him in action) was the Emporium's head of security. Normally reticent, Redeye could usually be seen accompanying Exovar, who was among the only beings that behaved congenially with the Turazza. A capable combatant, Redeye had lost an eye in one of his adventures and wore an eye patch to cover the wound.
Two modified TX-1118 Series "Terminax" Assassin Droids designated BT-X2 and NT-X2 provided additional security. Hulking behemoths, Entax and Botax had been acquired under suspicious circumstances and reprogrammed by Exovar to enforce the Emporium's code of behavior. They personally delivered noncompliant guests to Neftali's surface whenever necessary.
Exovar's Emporium was overwhelmingly staffed by droids. Exovar himself had a strong affinity for droids and would reproach anyone he caught disparaging them. It was believed that his experiences as an explorer had engendered this distrust of sentient beings, though Exovar was perfectly friendly with visitors who abided by the Emporium's rules.
Exovar's Emporium was created by Bill Smith, and made its first and only appearance in Wretched Hives of Scum & Villainy, a supplement for West End Games' Star Wars: The Roleplaying Game.
- Wretched Hives of Scum & Villainy