Who keeps the lights on? Who keeps the power flowing, the buildings maintained, the public spaces free of... whatever they are free of?

Is there a government on Nar Shaddaa?

Every source I've read (which does not include the Hutt book which is temporarily out of my reach) says that the Hutts rule Nar Shaddaa from nearby Nal Hutta. Fine, but I cannot find information as to how. Is there a resource that will guide me?

I hired my players to go blow up a power station/generator and told them it was high in a building. I've made the place a local power company owned by a conglomerate run by Borga the Hutt and her family. But now I'm wondering. Is there a government on Nar Shaddaa that supplies power? Or police to protect such things? Or is it more like extraterritoriality like you might find in Shadowrun where there are precious few government run operations and everything and everyone is a private company that recruits private security? Are there any actual Police on Nar Shaddaa, or is it all private companies/individuals that monitor security issues on their own properties/districts? I never really see an Imperial presence when looking at Nar Shaddaa information, ... is there one?

Thanks for all your help.

Assume it's anarchic capitalism. Some guy builds a generator and exchanges the power it produces for money or goods. Some of that money goes toward buying protection. Pretty much everything can be found, but it's decentralized and unregulated.

Highly recommend getting Lords of Nal Hutta. It's one of my favorite source books.

Officially the government for Nar Shaddaa is the Hutt Ruling Council. But their influence only goes so far. There are different 'sectors' or areas of the city that are controlled (or not controlled) by different groups/organizations. Staying within the Hutt controlled areas, you might see typical public services provided (such as energy, water, law enforcement). But going to different areas of the city, there may only be private security or no security at all. Like HappyDaze mentioned, anarchic capitalism is the base culture of Nar Shaddaa.

Where there isn't a group controlling a part of the city, people do whatever they have to to make a living and get by. There is definitely an Imperial presence on the planet, but I believe it is more in the form of an intelligence network with spies and such.

In the case of how specifically a planet is run, I default to "however it needs to run for the story or adventure ".

54 minutes ago, Nevermind said:

Highly recommend getting Lords of Nal Hutta. It's one of my favorite source books.

Officially the government for Nar Shaddaa is the Hutt Ruling Council. But their influence only goes so far. There are different 'sectors' or areas of the city that are controlled (or not controlled) by different groups/organizations. Staying within the Hutt controlled areas, you might see typical public services provided (such as energy, water, law enforcement). But going to different areas of the city, there may only be private security or no security at all. Like HappyDaze mentioned, anarchic capitalism is the base culture of Nar Shaddaa.

Where there isn't a group controlling a part of the city, people do whatever they have to to make a living and get by. There is definitely an Imperial presence on the planet, but I believe it is more in the form of an intelligence network with spies and such.

Yeah, I saw one online for $150!

Aside from that supply nonsense the book does have Nar Shaddaa featured pretty heavily. But as mentioned above the Goverment is an Oligarchy, Hutts in charge of everything, but other wise an out of control free market with no centralized services where everything costs you upfront. So services happen but it's all done for profit.

Honestly after you look heavily at it it makes you rethink economics and what an out of control free market could be like without any regulations. Nar Shaddaa is not a pretty place and is very harsh for almost everyone who's not a Hutt. But if you need the trash picked up some maintenance droids will be along if you pay up front, just don't be surprised if those droids don't do some surveillance while there.

Also the Empire made an attack on Nar Shaddaa not too long ago and the Hutts beat them back. It was a false flag attack made by the Emperor to take out a Moff but the Hutts didn't know that. So no Imperial Ships patrol the region and the Hutts are in control but the Empire does spy on them.

Though not an answer to the question, I do have a potential answer to the supply problem.

Just going to leave this here. https://www.funagain.com/control/product?product_id=031877

I really struggled to come to grips with the culture of Nar Shaddaa, when our group visited. I had to ask the group subject matter experts for a lot of help with analogies and questions so that I could begin to come to an understanding.

First, the Hutt's do not practice Capitalism. Not even close. As others have alluded to, there is extensive bribery, extortion, and underhanded double-dealing that goes on in Hutt society so it in no way resembles classical Capitalism.

I think one analogy that I was most comfortable with was that of ancient Rome; with its system of patronage. In a like manner, the Hutts control all of the real wealth on Nar Shaddaa and Nal Hutta, so the 'capital' needed to get anything real done on either planet will require the approval and tacit support of a patron Hutt. If you try to set up operations without Hutt approval you will 'not succeed.'

What we consider normal civil services may also be handled very differently. Power may come from a local power grid that is manned by a "Power Gang" (reminiscent of how power operations started in Europe). If you want service, you need to get signed up with the local gang. This service might work a lot like the power companies that you are familiar with.

Power may also be provided by a group installing a small local power generator (Like a gas or diesel generator that we use for emergencies or remote temporary power) and then they sell you the "special mix fuel."

Water service could work the same way, but you're probably going to see a lot of bottled drinks. There may even be public and private bath houses where people go to get showers and baths. (Just like they did in Ancient Rome).

During our visit, there weren't police. There were local gangs for each sector, each demanding "protection."

We were 'lucky' because we were recognized by the Imperials as 'friendlies' and they let us use the military star port and provided security for our ship while on system. Civilian operations will be . . . costly.

Some places will be grimy and dirty, but upper scale establishments will do what is needed to keep their streets clean and their fronts presentable.

Also, don't just land your ship just anywhere without approval. You'll never see it again.

Another analogy would be to think of these planets as being run by Sicilian/Italian Mafia gangs or pre WW-II "Yakuza." But again, these both resembled the earlier mentioned "Patronage" system.

There will be independent enclaves, but they will be dominated by former and abandoned slaves or "second class" lesser aliens. Think about minority dominated Ghettos. These areas will be destitute. If you're looking for sympathy, these might be the areas to check out. But either that sympathy will cost you or it won't be available for sale.

So that's what I understand about Nar Shaddaa from our one visit. We don't have plans to return. Actually we have plans to not return!

And to belabor the point. "Capitalism?" Bah! If your Hutt world resembles any part of the USA in the past 250 years, you're doing it wrong.

I've actually thought about this a lot myself, as my group has spent a lot of time on Nar Shaddaa. The players are a very unscrupulous bunch, the idea of the Smuggler's Moon was extremely appealing to them (And me too). I've approached it as others have suggested, with very fragmented, decentralized control over the various sectors of the city. I usually make it fairly obvious to them who's zone of control they are in through the architecture, slang, dress-style, etc. I think you have the right idea with private security/ corporate employees providing the bulk of your enemies for your upcoming game. You could always throw a monkey wrench in it with enough Despairs and Threat though, perhaps have a rival family looking to hurt Borga's influence by sending a team of their own to complicate matters while your players are in the building.

Capitalism refers to much more than just the modern United States. A ruling Hutt oligarchy can profit greatly from a mix of direct and underhanded manipulation of a anarcho-capitalist economy, just as organized crime profits greatly in real-world capitalist markets.

At risk of getting too political here, since when have underhanded double dealings excluded something from being capitalism? I think that excludes most first world nations

It's largely an extreme form of Crony Capitalism, of the sort practised in Russia and fetishised by the new US President.

Hutts very much resemble the wild west oil, railroad barons and land speculators. Many wild west movies are based off a real phenomenon of banks or rich people hiring goons, sheriff's and mayor's, and company towns. Many mining companie's employees rarely saw the outside of a company town. Nar Shaddaa is one big company town.

8 hours ago, TheShard said:

Hutts very much resemble the wild west oil, railroad barons and land speculators. Many wild west movies are based off a real phenomenon of banks or rich people hiring goons, sheriff's and mayor's, and company towns. Many mining companie's employees rarely saw the outside of a company town. Nar Shaddaa is one big company town.

Correction: Nar Shaddaa is countless company towns bordered right up against one another. The Hutts are not a monolithic entity, and even a single Kajidic is not necessarily unified. Beyond that, not every power player on Nar Shaddaa is a Hutt.

Your absolutely right. And some areas are so absolutely wretched that company town is probably too nice a description. Some of it is straight up post apocalyptic.

The problem with the "Wild West" analogy is that even back then, there was Federal oversight and control. If someone went off the rails too badly, there were people out there to fix things.

Take the Utah war for example; You had a very venal evil group set on destroying the colony in the Salt Lake Valley and even convinced parties to use the US First Army to do so. However, the colonists did have the opportunity to seek higher recourse, which they successfully did.

Nal Hutta and Nar Shaddaa don't have that option. It literally is an environment where people can and will do whatever they can get away with.

Yeah, there is a "Hutt Council" but they're operating exclusively to promote themselves exclusively.

The analogy is correct when the federal government act as agents if business. Slavery, native American genocide and forced relocation, first 100+ years of labor organizing. Sure the federal government might step in to prevent a conflict from spreading, so would the Hutt council if their interests were threatened.

Since it was asked about in the original post, there is an Imperial presence on Nar Shaddaa. Or in orbit at least. The Imperials operate an orbital dockyard that manufactures TIE fighters for the sector. The Hutts hated it at first then loved it when they realized how much they could overcharge the bloated Imperial war machine for raw materials.

Hutt space is also technically part of the Empire but as long as the Hutts continue bribing who needs bribing and keeping the worst of their business to the outer rim, Hutt space remains basically semi-autonomous with the Hutts ruling however they see fit.

The different class playthroughs of Nar Shaddaa in Star Wars: The Old Republic gives a great deal of insight into how the planet is run.

I'd recommend playing through the game (for free) at least once on each side just to get a feel for alot of the planets.
Remember, just because it takes place 3.600 years before when EotE takes place, doesn't mean that the governing of those planets have changed much (other than the obvious exceptions like the planets under Sith Empire control).
Especially those non-aligned planets are likely to have stayed the same (like Tatooine, Nar Shaddaa, Hutta and Rishii).

Also, it's kinda cool to be able to go to Alderaan and other planets that kinda "don't exist" in EotE (including Korriban, Taris, Illum, Dromund Kaas and the like).

Sure, it's not exactly a stellar MMO, but for a star wars fan, it's a fountain of information and lore.