Harsh gravitational waves from the system's collapsing star tore the planet of Epsom apart, killing every resident who had not fled and scattering most of the mantle across the system to form the Epsom asteroid belts. What is now called Epsom is the remnants of the former planet's core. After losing most of its mass, the planet's pressure is no longer sufficient to sustain a molten core, leaving the entirely solid body tidally locked to the system's star in an orbit millennia longer than it previously had.

The planet itself is covered by a thin veneer of crushed jet, quartz, and obsidian glass—the remnants of the igneous rock that once surrounded the core. While beautiful, the crystalline sand is incredibly dangerous, making traversing the open terrain of Epsom a daunting task for the unprepared. The crystalline dust is not only abrasive and destructive to unprotected servos and any form of filtration; the quartz contained within the dust conducts electricity, causing many electronic devices to fail quickly if not modified and protected.

Despite the hostility of the planet towards life, the incredible wealth of raw material potential of a nearly exposed metallic core would draw invitations to those strong enough to claim it. Several mines across the planet use fusion generators to re-liquify large portions of the surface of the planet, purifying and processing the metal on site. A palace complex large and bright enough to be seen from orbit, rumored to be controlled by a Mandalorian warlord known as the "Butcher of Kathol," suggests the planet has been soundly tamed, with laser batteries and shield generators openly covering the planet's surface.