Korhal IV
Astrographical
Region	Colonial Space/Dominion Space
Sector	Koprulu sector
System	Korhal system
Sun(s)	1
Moon(s)	2 – Canis and Ursa (within an asteroid field)[1]
Orbital position	4
Physical
Diameter	12,248 km[1]
Climate	Temperate (formerly); desertic/temperate, +/- 25º Centigrade [77 Fº], low humidity[1]
Axial Tilt	6.2 degrees[1]
Gravity	0.98[1]
Tileset(s)	City, desert
Geography	6 continents 2 major oceans 72 irradiated areas[1]
Species
Dominant	Terrans
Indigenous	Scantids
Other	Glider hawk Bengalaas Rhynadon Urchin lizard Milot Shale dog[1]
Societal
Affiliation	Terran Confederacy (?—2489) Rebellion of Korhal (2478 (officially since 2489)—Late 2491) Terran Dominion (March, 2500—) United Earth Directorate (2500)
Population	Late 2491 – ~35 million terrans 2504 – Est. 6.3 billion+ terrans[1]
Capital	Styrling (?—Late 2491) Augustgrad (March, 2500—)
Settlements	8 major conurbations 5,592 residential districts 1,012 industrial zones[1]
Major space platforms/ stations	Aurora (?—2491)
Imports	Minerals Vespene gas Food Live animals Luxury goods[1]
Exports	High-technology goods Military hardware Engineering parts Media Entertainment[1]
Status	Terran Dominion throne world[1]

Korhal IV (often simply refered to as Korhal) is the fourth planet of the Korhal System in the heart of the Koprulu Sector.^[1] Formerly a temperate world with at least two large oceans,^[2][1] it was turned into a hazardous wasteland by nuclear bombardment.^[3]

During the four years since the establishment of the Terran Dominion, a large portion of the planet has developed into an ecumenopolis.^[4]

PlanetologyEdit

Korhal had a dense atmosphere^[5] and used to be a lush, temperate and warm world before its destruction, possessing distinct seasons such as autumn, balmy summers and mild winters.^[2] The planet orbits a single star.^[2]

A Confederate nuclear strike left the formerly verdant^[1] surface a radioactive desert^[6] with craters visible from space.^[7] By the Brood War radiation levels were low enough to allow humans to survive.^[3] After the war the Dominion invested significant effort to further decontaminate the planet.^[4]

HistoryEdit

Early HistoryEdit

Settled in the early years of Tarsonian expansion,^[1] Korhal was one of the founding worlds upon which the Terran Confederacy was built. A world of affluence and enlightenment, Korhal contributed greatly to the military and technological advancements of the Terran Confederacy.^[6] By 2478 it was considered an old colony. Styrling Academy itself had buildings almost a hundred years old by that point. By this stage, there was a degree of idealism and nostalgia as to Korhal's past, namely that of a pastoral world. However, there was little historical substance to this idealistic view. Despite a steady growth of industry, Korhal remained a verdant world, courtesy of investment in renewable energy sources and the enforcement of stringent air quality laws. As a result, Korhal was one of the few Confederate planets that managed to be both a hub of trade and industry and a pleasant place to live.^[2]

Over the course of settlement, Korhal's people came to establish many dynastic traditions with inheritance of great wealth.^[2][8]

Despite the planet's near-Eden status, the relationship between Korhal and the Confederacy was not mutually beneficial. The planet's wealth fueled Confederate puppet corporations while local industries withered.^[2] This spurred anti-Confederate sentiment.^[6]

The Rebellion of KorhalEdit

Main article: Rebellion of Korhal

Senator Angus Mengsk was a well-known anti-Confederate political figure. In 2478 he created a secret revolutionary movement against the Confederacy with the assistance of Umoja when the Confederacy tried to murder him. Months after establishing the alliance with Umoja, Mengsk gave an anti-Confederate Close of Session speech at the Senate's Palatine Forum, causing the Confederacy to keep him under surveillance.^[2]

The Confederacy was especially worried about a potential loss of Korhal because it was their "crown jewel", used to explain the benefits to their rivals, the Kel-Morian Combine and the Umojans, why they should join the Confederacy. The rebellion would destroy that public image. In addition, the Confederacy made a lot of money from the Korhalian colonists, and many groups tied to both Korhal and the Confederacy stood to lose a great deal of money if Korhal succeeded in declaring independence.^[2]

Umoja offered material assistance, eventually including tanks. The underground rebellion would eventually kill hundreds of marines in ambushes and explosions.^[2]

At the close of the Guild Wars in 2489 Mengsk publicly declared the independence of Korhal, and the Confederates retaliated by declaring martial law.^[2] The planet's populace rose up against the Confederacy, eventually driving away the Confederate military. The Confederates retaliated by assassinating Mengsk, but he was replaced by his more dangerous son, Arcturus.^[6] The junior Mengsk led the Rebellion of Korhal against the Confederacy, amassing a huge army on Korhal.^[5]

Two years later,^[2] the Confederacy moved to suppress the dissent with a massive nuclear bombardment of the planet.^[6] The planet was ecologically devastated; the surface was transformed into nuclear desert^[3] and black glass.^[1] Millions were killed^[6][5][2]; surviving organisms, like the scantids, suffered mutations.^[9]

The survivors joined other rebel organizations^[10]; many rallied to the nascent Sons of Korhal.^[6] They gained a reputation for being some of the fiercest warriors in the Koprulu Sector, with a complete willingness to use nuclear weapons.^[11]

The New OrderEdit

By the end of the Confederacy radiation levels were low enough to allow resettlement.^[3] With the defeat of the Confederacy, Arcturus Mengsk transformed his rebel movement into the Terran Dominion, the successor to the victorious Sons of Korhal. One of his first decrees was making Korhal IV the throne world of the Dominion.^[12][1]

Vast amounts of money were spent reestablishing Korhal IV, although some parts of the world were left as desert in honor of those who had died before.^[1]

The UED Expeditionary Fleet conquered the planet during the Brood War^[13] and based captive zerg there.^[14]

It was during this period that the Dark Templar terrorist, Ulrezaj, hid warped khaydarin crystals on the planet, protected by Schezar's Scavengers and his enslaved zerg. The Scavengers left the world when they were defeated by protoss forces led by Praetor Mojo.^[15]

A joint attack by the Dominion, Praetor Fenix's protoss refugee warriors, Raynor's Raiders and Infested Kerrigan's Zerg Swarm defeated the UED and their enslaved zerg and returned the planet to Dominion control.^[14] Kerrigan left the world, but not before unleashing a surprise attack on her former allies.^[16]

Mengsk returned to Korhal after being defeated at Char Aleph at the end of the Brood War. Korhal benefited from the post-war reconstruction efforts;^[17] Dominion tax revenues helped fund extensive decontamination, modernization, and beautification.^[4]

In 2503, Project Shadowblade spectres launched an assault on Augustgrad. During the attack, they used an AI, Lio Travski, to shut down almost all communications, severely hampering military operations. The assault was a failure, however.^[18]

Return to WarEdit

In the years after the Brood War, vast amounts of money were spent bolstering Korhal's defenses, turning it into the most heavily fortified planet within the Koprulu Sector.^[1] As the Second Great War approached, Korhal experienced a property boom. Analysts predicted it would be short lived.^[19]

This article or section contains information from the optional Rebellion Missions in StarCraft II: Wings of Liberty.

During the Second Great War, Korhal once again became a site of conflict, Raynor's Raiders used the Odin and attacked the Dominion forces in order to seize the UNN Studios and broadcast Mengsk's war crimes.^[20] The population engaged in rioting against their government, causing widespread damage.^[21]

Zerg AssaultEdit

Later in the conflict, the zerg attacked Korhal directly, causing widespread damage.^[22]

This article or section is a stub. Please expand it.

LocationsEdit

EstablishmentsEdit

• Golden Library
• Mengsk Summer Villa

InstallationsEdit

• Dominion Internal Security Division
• Dominion Mental Health Center
• Korhal Academy
• Korhal Compound
• Korhal Incarceration Facility
• Korhal IV Primary Resocialization Center
• Korhal Zoo
• Simonson Munitions Factory

LandformsEdit

• Martial Field
• Scorpion Ravine

RegionsEdit

• Broken Mesa
• Keresh Province
• Korhal Wastes

SettlementsEdit

• Augustgrad (capital)
• District 10
• Fairstens
• Metalopolis
• Styrling (former capital, also served as a military base)

Space PlatformsEdit

• Aurora (formerly)
• Numerous others^[2]

NotesEdit

Korhal is referred to as Korhal IV in the Arcturus Mengsk section of the Roster of Heroes in the original StarCraft manual^[6] as well as more recent sources.^[23] It is usually referred to simply as Korhal, however.

There are contradictions between the StarCraft manual and the books Uprising and I, Mengsk. The manual states that Korhal was destroyed by Apocalypse-class nuclear missiles launched from Tarsonis,^[6] while the books state that it was orbitally bombarded by Confederate battlecruisers.^[5][2] The manual states that Korhal had a population of 4 million before it was destroyed,^[6] whereas other sources indicate Korhal had a population of 35 million.^[24][2]

Some sources indicate that Korhal is orbited by a moon named Ursa.^[25] However, other sources indicate that Ursa is a planet, orbited by the moon Canis.^[26] Both Canis and Ursa were finally confirmed as moons of Korhal.^[1]

Korhal's tileset changed from desert (in StarCraft) to city (in StarCraft II).^[4]

Korhal loading screen art is different for StarCraft II: Wings of Liberty and StarCraft II: Heart of the Swarm.^[27]

ReferencesEdit