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Korhal

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"As you may know from your research, Captain, Korhal was a hotbed of anti-Confederate sentiment for years. The Confederacy hoped to contain Korhal's civil unrest by decimating it and its population with a massive nuclear barrage. Though the radiation levels on the planet are at an all time low, its surface is now nothing more than a smoldering desert."
―United Earth Directorate Vice Admiral Alexei Stukov before an assault on Korhal IV[src]
Korhal IV
Astrographical
Region

Galactic fringe

Sector

Koprulu Sector

Sun(s)

1

Moon(s)

Ursa

Physical
Climate period
  • Temperate (formerly)
  • Desert
Tileset(s)

City, desert

Species
Dominant

Terrans

Indigenous

Scantids

Societal
Affiliation

Terran Confederacy (?—2478)

Korhal Senate (?—2489)

Rebellion of Korhal (2478—2491)
Terran Dominion (2500—)

Population

4,000,000 people (just before its destruction)

Capital
Status

Terran Dominion throne world

Korhal IV is a planet located in the Koprulu Sector. Formerly a temperate world with at least one ocean,[1] it was turned into a nuclear wasteland by a nuclear bombardment.[2]

In StarCraft II, Korhal's tileset changes from desert to city.[3] It is set to appear in some missions in StarCraft II.[3]

Contents

[edit] Planetology

Korhal had a dense atmosphere[4] and used to be a lush, temperate and warm world before its destruction, possessing distinct seasons such as autumn, balmy summers and mild winters.[1] The planet orbits a single star[1] and is orbited by the moon of Ursa,[5] its size in the sky indicating that it may be tidally locked with the planet.[6] Astrogeographically, it is located at the heart of the Koprulu Sector.[4]

A Confederate nuclear strike left the surface a radioactive desert. By the Brood War radiation levels were low enough to support humans,[2]

[edit] History

[edit] Early History

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.[7] 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. However, 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 pleasent place to live.[1]

Over the course of settlement, Korhal's people came to establish many dynastic traditions with inheritance of great wealth.[1][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.[1] This spurred anti-Confederate sentiment.[7]

[edit] The Rebellion of Korhal

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.[1]

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.[1]

Umoja offered material assistance, eventually including tanks. The underground rebellion would eventually kill hundreds of marines in ambushes and explosions.[1]

At the close of the Guild Wars in 2489 Mengsk publicly declared the independence of Korhal, and the Confederates retaliated by declaring martial law.[1] 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.[7] The junior Mengsk led the Rebellion of Korhal against the Confederacy, amassing a huge army on Korhal.[4]

Main article: Destruction of Korhal

In retaliation for the alliance, the Confederacy launched a massive planetary bombardment of nuclear weaponry aimed at eliminating the dissent,[7] killing four million people,[7] transforming the planet into a nuclear desert[2] and causing mutations in surviving organisms, such as scantids.[9]

Many of the survivors of the rebellion called themselves the Sons of Korhal,[7] and some others joined other rebel organizations.[10] This attack hardened the remaining men and women of Korhal into some of the fiercest warriors in the Koprulu Sector. Due to the nuclear devastation of their homeworld, they demonstrated complete willingness to use their own nuclear arsenal against any potential enemy.[11]

[edit] The New Order

"Korhal will be great again, I have no doubt, but it will never be what it once was."
―Arcturus Mengsk[src]
The sands of Korhal

By the time of the fall of the Confederacy, the planet had detoxified enough to allow resettlement[2] at high cost, using Dominion tax dollars. In addition, it has been modernized and beautified, with statues of Arcturus Mengsk commonplace.[3]

Sons of Korhal leader Arcturus Mengsk made it the throne world of the Terran Dominion, the successor to the Sons of Korhal.[12]

During the United Earth Directorate invasion of the Koprulu Sector, the UED conquered Korhal[13] and populated it with their captive zerg.[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]

The planet fell into the hands of the Terran Dominion again when an alliance between the Dominion, Praetor Fenix's protoss refugee warriors, Raynor's Raiders and Infested Kerrigan's Zerg Swarm defeated the UED and their enslaved zerg.[14] Kerrigan left the world, but not before unleashing a surprise attack on her former allies.[16]

Arcturus Mengsk later returned to Korhal with his ragtag fleet that was defeated at Char to rebuild his glorious empire.[17]

[edit] Locations

A command center with Augustgrad in the background

[edit] Establishments

[edit] Installations

[edit] Landforms

[edit] Regions

[edit] Settlements

[edit] Space Platforms

[edit] Notes

Korhal from artwork in StarCraft: The Board Game: Brood War.

Korhal is referred to as Korhal IV in the Arcturus Mengsk section of the Roster of Heroes in the original StarCraft manual.[7] It is almost always 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,[7] while the books state that it was orbitally bombarded by Confederate battlecruisers.[4][1] The manual stats that Korhal had a population of 4 million before it was destroyed,[7] whereas other sources indicate Korhal had a population of 35 million.[18][1]

From artwork in StarCraft: Brood War, Korhal orbits a yellow star. From card artwork in its board game counterpart however, it orbits a white star.[19]

[edit] References

  1. ↑ 1.00 1.01 1.02 1.03 1.04 1.05 1.06 1.07 1.08 1.09 1.10 1.11 1.12 McNeill, Graham (December 30, 2008). StarCraft: I, Mengsk. Simon & Schuster (Pocket Star). ISBN 1416-55083-6.
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 StarCraft: Brood War. Vivendi Games. Mission: Assault on Korhal (in English). 1998.
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 2009-04-04. Samwise Didier, Dave Bergain. WWI 08 Coverage - StarCraft II Art Panel. StarCraft Legacy. Accessed 2009-06-17.
  4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 4.3 Neilson, Micky (December 18, 2000). StarCraft: Uprising. Simon & Schuster (Pocket Star). ISBN 0-7434-1898-0 (eBook).
  5. ↑ Benjamin, Paul and Dave Shramek (w), Mel joy San Juan (p), Noel Rodriguez et al (i). "Orientation." In StarCraft: Frontline: Volume 4 (paperback binding), pp. 114-161. Tokyopop, October 1, 2009. ISBN 978-1427-81698-6.
  6. ↑ StarCraft: Brood War Installation Screen Vivendi Games.
  7. ↑ 7.0 7.1 7.2 7.3 7.4 7.5 7.6 7.7 7.8 Underwood, Peter, Bill Roper, Chris Metzen and Jeffrey Vaughn. StarCraft (Manual). Irvine, Calif.: Blizzard Entertainment, 1998.
  8. ↑ Knaak, Richard A. (w), Washio, Naohiro (p, i). "Thundergod." In StarCraft: Frontline: Volume 1 (paperback binding), pp. 48–93. Tokyopop, August 1, 2008. ISBN 1427-80721-3.
  9. ↑ 1999-03-19. Scorpion Ravine. StarCraft Compendium Map Archives. Accessed 2008-06-21.
  10. ↑ DeCandido, Keith R. A. (November 28, 2006). StarCraft: Ghost: Nova. Simon & Schuster (Pocket Star). ISBN 0-7434-7134-2.
  11. ↑ 1999-08-13. Firestorm. StarCraft Compendium Map Archives. Accessed 2008-06-21
  12. ↑ StarCraft. Vivendi Games. Cinematic: The Inauguration (in English). 1998.
  13. ↑ StarCraft: Brood War. Vivendi Games. Mission: Emperor's Fall (in English). 1998.
  14. ↑ 14.0 14.1 StarCraft: Brood War. Vivendi Games. Mission: The Liberation of Korhal (in English). 1998.
  15. ↑ StarCraft: Brood War. Vivendi Games. Mission: Enslavers: Dark Vengeance bonus campaign, episode III: "Nemesis" (in English). 1999-04-09. StarCraft Map Archives
  16. ↑ StarCraft: Brood War. Vivendi Games. Mission: True Colors (in English). 1998.
  17. ↑ 'StarCraft: Brood War. Vivendi Games. Mission: Omega (in English). 1998.
  18. ↑ Grubb, Jeff (February 27, 2001). StarCraft: Liberty's Crusade. Simon & Schuster (Pocket Star). ISBN 0-671-04148-7.
  19. ↑ Corey Konieczka, Robert A. Kouba, Dan Clark (December 17, 2008). StarCraft: The Board Game: Brood War. Fantasy Flight Games. ASIN 1589945034
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