Gorsh was discovered by explorers for Genetech Laboratories, and the Galactic Empire granted them all rights to the system. Genetech quickly built an orbital laboratory above the planet, guarded by moderately powerful weapons systems. The scientists on the orbital lab were working on developing various pharmaceuticals.
The surface of Gorsh was dominated by water. Nearly the entire surface was covered by massive oceans and small groups of swampy archipelagos. The climate was warm and muggy most of the year, with an average temperature of 25 to 40 degrees centigrade. The atmosphere of Gorsh consisted mostly of carbon dioxide, and as such Humans and most other species capable of surviving in a Type I Breathable Atmosphere had a hard time and often become ill or incapacitated unless they made use of a breath mask.
The few islands on Gorsh were small and swampy, formed millions of years BBY by volcanic peaks and sedimentary deposits. The tallest volcanic mountain on Gorsh was approximately 260 meters above sea level. The swamps covered the islands up to the rocky, ash-peaked mountain peaks, and waterways and streams crisscrossed the small tidal planes on the base of the islands. Some of the swamps had drastically varying water depths, and as such could be hazardous to those not willing to probe the water before traveling across it.
Storms often ravaged the swampy, humid coasts, blowing in from the ocean, and the active volcanoes often erupted, causing massive ecosystem reactions.
A Gorshian swamp.
Many types of plants and animals could be found on Gorsh. Most had strong defense mechanisms to survive the harsh jungle and swamp terrains, and many were poisonous. Plants and animals were also usually very well camouflaged so as to blend in with their environment.
The Gorshian hands of death was one plant of note. Its three-meter-wide leaves supported a carnivorous flower that was known to consume Human heads on more than one occasion. Another dangerous plant was the Darkkoninn, which sported luscious-looking, yet poisonous, black berries.
Insects and amphibians were the most common animals. The insects on Gorsh often carried infectious diseases that could ravage a Human. One such creature was the Tesfli piercer, which passed the Rotting disease on to victims through its bite. Another animal found on Gorsh was the Forntarch, which were edible, arboreal, carnivorous swamp rodents. The Thevaxan Marauder was easily the most formidable animal on Gorsh. Long black, brown, or green hunters, many times longer than a man, the Marauders topped the Gorshian food chain.
The Genetech corporation discovered many lucrative options to exploit on Gorsh, most notably mining and the refining of special gases in the planet's upper atmosphere produced by special animals on the surface. There were also many beneficial plants, animals, and gases on the surface that could be used to create new and better medicines. The Orbital Lab was an operational headquarters for Genetech, and as a result had sparse space for comfort, but every necessary piece of equipment was there, and the base was quite profitable for the company.
The Orgons, a race of intelligent plants, were a sentient species native to Gorsh. Their vital organs were housed in a hard shell usually a half meter in diameter. Around the shell are six to eight tentacles with were used for locomotion as well as the absorption of nutrients. The Orgons often laid clusters of red goo on berries and other plants which ruptured upon contact, causing irritation to Human skin.
- Planets of the Galaxy, Volume One
- The Star Wars Planets Collection
- Alien Encounters
- The Complete Star Wars Encyclopedia