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	<div style="width:22em;float:right;margin: 0px 0px 2em 2em;">__TOC__</div>		<div style="width:22em;float:right;margin: 0px 0px 2em 2em;">__TOC__</div>
	=Places Visited=		=Places Visited=
		+	==Darcke==
		+	System: Kalidasa<br />
		+	Moon orbiting Newhall, a water planet. The moon has extended light and dark phases due to the moon being hidden by its planet.
		+	===Yong Yewan===
		+	A bustling corporate shipping town.
		+	[[File:YongYewan.png|thumb|left|200px|Yong Yewan]]
		+	*A. Control Tower and Warehouse - Houses the control tower for ensuring smooth flying for all incoming and outgoing ships. Also a supply warehouse for the repair yard.
		+	*B. Landing Pads: Ships are given a designated landing pad where they can rest and refuel.
		+	*C. Repair Yard: Surrounding the Control Tower and surrounded by chain linked fences, are yards designated for repair and maintenance of ships.
		+	*D. Corporate Warehouse Row: On either side of main street are rows of corporate warehouses.
		+	*E. Business District: Two long rows of businesses to support the people living and working in Yong Yewan as well as those who are just visiting. Businesses from supermarkets, to doctors, to electronics, to building materials, to entertainment, there is a plethora of stores to keep the average citizen with all the comforts of the core out on the border.
		+	*F. Residential District, these are the apartments and homes for those that live and work in Yong Yewan.
		+	*G. Shipyard Checkpoint: Used as a place to check Identification for crew of arriving ships. Usually patrolled by local staff but occasionally staffed by the Alliance Military.
		+
	==Kuan Lo==		==Kuan Lo==
	System: Kalidasa<br />		System: Kalidasa<br />

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Latest revision as of 01:04, 20 March 2017

Places Visited

Darcke

System: Kalidasa
Moon orbiting Newhall, a water planet. The moon has extended light and dark phases due to the moon being hidden by its planet.

Yong Yewan

A bustling corporate shipping town.

• A. Control Tower and Warehouse - Houses the control tower for ensuring smooth flying for all incoming and outgoing ships. Also a supply warehouse for the repair yard.
• B. Landing Pads: Ships are given a designated landing pad where they can rest and refuel.
• C. Repair Yard: Surrounding the Control Tower and surrounded by chain linked fences, are yards designated for repair and maintenance of ships.
• D. Corporate Warehouse Row: On either side of main street are rows of corporate warehouses.
• E. Business District: Two long rows of businesses to support the people living and working in Yong Yewan as well as those who are just visiting. Businesses from supermarkets, to doctors, to electronics, to building materials, to entertainment, there is a plethora of stores to keep the average citizen with all the comforts of the core out on the border.
• F. Residential District, these are the apartments and homes for those that live and work in Yong Yewan.
• G. Shipyard Checkpoint: Used as a place to check Identification for crew of arriving ships. Usually patrolled by local staff but occasionally staffed by the Alliance Military.

Kuan Lo

System: Kalidasa
Desert moon orbiting Sho-Je Downs. Used to be owned by Astrolabe until the corporation decided to pull out.

Jie Jie

Small town revolving around a modest shipyard. Felix Gary is the de-facto leader of the town and the owner/head mechanic of the Fix-N-Fly.

Mei Mei

Having never truly lost its corporate culture, this town hosts the only Hospital and Research facility in the area.

General Planets and Moons

Core

White Sun System

Ariel

Like the rest of the Core worlds, Ariel is a paradise of technology. Tall buildings constructed of gleaming glass and steel reach into the sky. Holographic billboards advertise all manner of wonders. The night is filled with light. The day with the hustle and bustle of business. Ariel is known among the central planets for its excellent medical facilities. The technology in Ariel’s hospitals is the very latest, featuring such fancifications as holographic scanners and lots of machines that you gotta shout “clear!” to use. The restaurants on Ariel are so good that folk travel here from other worlds just to have dinner. All the famous chefs come from Ariel or go to Ariel to open their own restaurants. It is said that even the hot dog vendors on Ariel are gourmet. As with most planets in the Core, Ariel is a restricted landing zone. Only those with legitimate business (such as bringing in a Companion for a yearly check-up) are allowed to land. (Though, in most cases, if you look like you belong on a Core world, no one asks many questions.)

Bellerophon

Bellerophon is a world home to the private estates of the system’s wealthiest folk. Anything they want is shipped in from off-world, so they have no need for shops or local color. The estates themselves are each the size of a small town and float gracefully a mile above the clear waters of Bellerophon’s oceans. Each estate is a selfcontained world of its own. They all share a similar basic design and standardized amenities—such as a rubbish collection system. The wealthy pay well for their privacy and the skies above Bellerophon are patrolled by both the Feds and private security companies. Visiting the estates is by invitation only. Those who come to work on the estates have to provide a damn good reason why they’re here. (Fresh flowers anyone?) However, there is a lot of empty desert on this planet—a nice, quiet place.

Bernadette

After the initial colonization of Londinum and Sihnon, Bernadette was the first planet to be terraformed and settled by humanity. The only remaining ship that brought the folk who made the Exodus stands in the capital city of New Paris as a monument to their courage. The ark is a monstrous starship, at least five times the size of an Alliance cruise. The sheer sight of the ark inspires all manner of awe and jaw-dropping. The inside of the ark is a museum containing information about the journey, and also information on the cultures and history of Earth-That-Was. The great ark is named Prometheus, after the legendary god who gave man fire. Bernadette is a traditional launching point for those leaving to settle on other worlds. Settlers arrive here from other planets on the Core and make preparations to set off for a new life on the Rim. Many businesses cater to these settlers, selling tools and supplies. Best watch your step here. There is an underground slave-trade on Bernadette. Settlers are captured and hauled off to work on terraforming stations. The slavers are smart enough to leave locals alone. They figure outsiders won’t be missed. Bernadette is also home to many churches and religious groups. Buddhists and Christians rub shoulders with Islamic clerics and Hindu fakirs. In addition, the planet is home to a number of fringe cults and fanatical devotees. The Lu-Tsung temple also resides here, home of one of the original Earth-that-was sects of buddism, the one practiced by Shan-Yu. Bernadette is a restricted landing zone. However, if you claim to be a settler or you have a group of kiddies on board for a field trip to see the ark, you’re usually welcome. Bernadette is also the home office of the Alliance Colony and Settlement Authority. The majority of settlement ventures to the border and r worlds start with a form CSA-0010B Request for Resettlement and Homestead being waved to the central office at One OK Corral Plaza, New Tombstone, Bernadette.

Gonghe

Gonghe is considered the entertainment hub of the Chinese worlds. Whereas Sihnon is unrivaled for its natural beauty, Gonghe is known for man-made elegance. First-time visitors are generally awe-struck when seeing Gonghe’s capital, Gongbuei, from the air for the first time. Majestic theater complexes, graceful studio towers and vibrant hillside holo-promos epitomize modern architectural genuis. A rigid, intolerant Commission runs the city. All new buildings in the major cities must comply with the Commision’s meticulous standard of Eastern aesthetics and feng shui. Every design must blend harmoniously with all existing structures to form one congruous, gigantic work of art. Gonghe was originally intended to be a chief Chinese agricultural world, to take full advantage of its fertile environment and temperate climate. But when the Chinese-owned Ruby Phoenix Multimedia was looking for a place to film another of its blockbuster new series, they chose Gonghe for its rustic beauty and inexpensive labor. Hu Dieh Yin became one of the most popular (and profitable) dramas of all time. Other studios came to Gonghe to try to cash in and, as their margins continued to stay healthily in black, they drove the world’s economy in a totally unforeseen direction. Patches of rice paddies and pastures still exist on Gonghe, though farming has unquestionably become a distant also-ran to the booming entertainment industry. Currently fifty-five percent of the populace either works for or help support the major studios. Gonghe’s diverse terrain provides the production companies with the perfect backdrop for almost any scene without going off-planet. Underneath the glitz and glamour, the local flavor is strongly Hokkien, a modernized rural culture better associated with Taiwan on Earth-That-Was. Thus, the Minnan dialect is almost as prevalently spoken as Chinese and English, to the extent of approaching tradespeak status among insiders. Naturally, Gonghe attracts prospective starlets and anyone with show biz aspirations. There’s no shortage of the star-struck wandering the big cities, seeking to meet the big media celebrities and producers as dreams of stardom shine in their eyes. Who knows? A future celebrity might even wait on your table tonight. Gonghe is also famous for holding the grandest, most lavish Chinese New Year celebrations in the ‘Verse. Metropolises such as Gongbuei, Suhduong, or even Lo Mi Ta on the Xing Yun moon spare no expense in staging amazing parades, fireworks, star-studded operas, sumptuous street fairs and festive block parties (often hiring off-world talent for the occasion). All this plus the mega-parties the entertainment conglomerates throw, featuring their star performers, makes up for one shiny weeklong shindig.

Liann Jiun

iann Jiun is the gateway to Chinese commerce. The enormous skyplex, Gowye, circles high above the planet and is home to hundreds of import-export outlets, suppliers and affiliates. Gowye is so well known that the Sihnon guilds send special regulatory attaches to monitor and adjudicate all the skyplex’s business transactions. The surface world boasts numerous port towns. The biggest, Shing Hong Kong, has perhaps the toughest, most powerful union of dockworkers anywhere, making it costly to unload a haul. Unfortunately, it’s almost inevitable that every serious merchant will have to consummate deals here someday. A great many corporations have their headquarters in this city of five million people, which is also home to the primary Chinese stock exchange, the Luxia Index. The other notable corporations, Haimun, Mongku and Loon Se, aren’t much easier to negotiate with either, plus there are whispers of tong infiltration in regard to these three. Things do go smoother once you have made whatever deal you can with the union bosses. Liann Jiun’s municipalities are home to many legal and illegal retail operations (some are both!). If you’re in the mood to buy, you’re bound to find goods of nearly all kinds, especially of Chinese manufacture. If you’re in the mood to sell, you’re bound to find buyers for just about anything. Just remember that on this world, everyone loves to bargain. Folk here haggle for haggling’s sake, either selling or buying. Another caution: scams are provinces of the locals. If an outsider tries run the same scams or pass off the same shoddy knock-offs as a local, the outsider will be the one who ends up in the hoosegow. Lastly, Liann Jiun is famous for fantastic cuisine, heavily influenced by folk of Cantonese descent who dominate the planet’s population. Sealing a deal over a full-course meal is not only obligatory, but often more binding than any contract on a personal level. Note: monkey brains are considered a delicacy. And if you don’t eat them, you could offend your host.

Londinium

Of all the planets, Londinum is the most like Earth-That-Was and was therefore one of the first two planets to be settled, since it needed little work to make it ready for human habitation. Most of the original colonists from the European and American continents came to Londinum, where they honored their roots by combining old tradition with new technology. All the buildings are constructed of the most modern material, but they look as if they were built of stone and are of archaic design. The general look of the cities is what book-smart folk call the “imperial gothic” style of London from Earth-That- Was. May not look so shiny to those from the Rim, but it still makes the place popular with looky-loos and picture-snappers. The Parliament building and government complex that surrounds it are the most impressive sights on the planet. As big as a small city, the Parliament building contains the great debating chamber (“The House”), while the surrounding building complex provides offices for all the ministers and civil servants. It also features a huge clock tower that has become the planet’s symbol. Seems like almost everyone on Londinum works for the government or for businesses who deal with the government. Government is not the only business of Londinum, however. The planet is also home to some of the greatest collections of western art in the system. The Londinum Museum, which contains the Museum of History and the Museum of Art, is a splendid building that holds all manner of treasures. Most come from the early days of colonization, but the most valuable pieces are the ancient artifacts from Earth-That-Was. As the center of Alliance control, Londinum has a strong military presence. The Alliance flagship, Victoria, patrols its space. The planet is home to the elite SAS (Special Alliance Support) troops. The Ministry of Intelligence also has its headquarters here. Londinum is heavily restricted with “no fly” zones above and around government buildings. Any ship venturing near these areas is shot down, no warning given. Tourists arrive on Londinum via authorized shuttles that travel to and from the other Core worlds. Tourists may visit only those areas that are approved. Anyone caught venturing outside the approved areas without proper ID is immediately arrested.

Osiris

Osiris is the heart of the Alliance’s judicial branch. Here the High Court hears important cases. Their decisions affect the interpretation of parliamentary law with repercussions throughout the system. The Court is housed in a large pyramidshaped building (honoring the Egyptian god of the dead for whom the world was named) in Capital City. The most important law firms are also based here, linked to their branch offices on other worlds by the Cortex. The University of Osiris boasts the most prestigious law school in the Core, as well as a fine medical school. The corporate offices of the Blue Sun Corporation are also on Osiris. Originally on Sihnon, they were recently moved into a massive structure that is attached to a combined manufacturing plant, distribution center, and spacedock. The Corporation complex is off-limits to everyone except employees. No one enters, even on business, without first undergoing a thorough background check. The very latest in security Systems makes this complex nigh impossible to break into. Landing on Osiris is restricted, though not as heavily as some planets (just so long as you don’t go near Blue Sun). If you claim you need to see your lawyer, you’ll usually be permitted to set down. University students and their parents are always welcome.

Persephone

Persephone is an interesting mix of people and cultures. The world’s environment is much like Earth-That-Was: desert, rainforest, plains, tundra, and such. While not as heavily populated as the worlds of the Core, Persephone still seems a very big place to those from the Rim. Persephone has a tradition-oriented aristocracy, a small but thriving middle class, a fair share of the poor and desperate, and a shadowy underworld. The Eavesdown Docks is the largest spaceport on Persephone. Even folk who think themselves hotshot pilots are confused now and again by its chaotic layout. (And woe to the new pilot trying to make his way to a dock for the first time!) Ships often touch down only a few yards from street vendors selling cheap goods to the crews and potential passengers. The docks are situated in the poor section of town (the nobles and other rich folk have their own private airfields), but it’s just a short drive or a long walk to the business district—in which just about anything in the ‘Verse can be bought for the right price. The docks are home to several criminal “lords,” who collect illegal salvage, move contraband offworld and have hundreds of other ways to make quick, if not Alliance-approved, easy cash. A good crew with a flyable ship could make good coin here, so long as their morals aren’t overly high and they don’t mind avoiding the Feds. Not far away is a famous racetrack that is home to a famous derby that brings in folk from throughout the system (not to mention the throngs of Cortex-viewers), offering a huge cash prizes to the winning horse. Like the horses, the aristocracy of Persephone all lay claim to a pedigree. Then again, anyone with the right stack of coin can purchase his own lordship, what with its fancy sash and all. Noble families live on large estates, attending to business, dancing at opulent balls, playing golf or tennis, and settling matters of honor in formal duels. Persephone is an impressive cross-section of humanity, which is just another way to say that it’s a world with an over abundance of opportunity and danger. Persephone’ s Chinese community is reminiscent of the city of San Francisco back on Earth-That-Was. Surrounding the Eavesdown Docks, the district features old-fashioned Chinese architecture in even older disrepair. The people practice many of the ancient traditions. You can find food prepared the way it was thousands of years ago, aged storytellers who are living annals of the Eastern lore, herbs and medicines and practioners of the old medical arts. Unfortunately residents of the Chinese community have declared it off-limits to non-Chinese outsiders. Seems that after a nephew of a local nobleman was found severely beaten following a drunken binge in the area, the noble has threatened to seek revenge. Like most everyone else on Persephone, the Chinese are barely scraping by. A lot of folk eke out a living pushing hot buncarts or pulling rickshaws through the streets. Those seeking employment stake out spots on the pads and wait for offers of temp work off world. Needless to say, the tongs are very active on this world.

Santo

One of the great triumphs of terraforming is the planet Santo. The planet is picture-perfect, with clear blue seas, azure skies and ideal weather. Though it has a thriving agricultural base, Santo was once known for the tourists who thought it a paradise. The rich flocked to the planet as an exclusive vacation spot, and resort communities commanded every good view to be had. The war ended Santo’s glorious days as a destination for the rich and beautiful. Though the planet escaped destruction, no one from the Core worlds dared travel here while the fighting was about. Hotels and casinos were abandoned. Those that stayed open did so by finding other ways to Attract customers. Brothels, strip clubs, and other ventures catering to less savory appetites opened up. Santos has become known as a “fun” place, no matter what pleasures you’re into. After the war, casino owners found that they could avoid Alliance restrictions by operating in this out of the way place. The world became a Mecca for high rollers (and those who were not so high). Santo’s resorts are now beginning to recover. No longer a playground exclusively for the rich, Santos attracts a more middle-class crowd. Its resorts are still beautiful, its small towns picturesque, its casinos open twenty-four seven. You’ll have a good time here, but you might not want to bring the kiddies. Chinese are a gambling people and Santo is a gambler’s paradise. Elderly and retired Chinese arrive by shiploads every day to try their luck in the casinos of Santo. This influx of cash has had a very positive effect on Santo’s economy. Astute resort owners have started catering to their swelling Chinese clientele, featuring popular Eastern gambling games and employing Chinese to serve as table bosses and host/hostesses. It is now increasingly common to see Chinese players participating in high-stake tournaments. There may be trouble brewing, however.

Sihnon

The world of Sihnon is known for its beauty. Words alone won’t do the great city itself justice. At night, it is said to be an ocean of light. Sihnon is the heart of the Buddhist religion, a fact made obvious by the many monasteries and temples located here. Those seeking to learn more about Buddhism travel here to study. Sihnon is also the central hub for the guild system. The Companion’s Guild is based here, with multiple houses in the large cities, and a massive temple dedicated to the schooling of young girls and boys. All other guilds have headquarters on Sihnon or maintain a large presence here. Guild business takes place behind closed doors. Disputes are handled by registered arbitration houses. The city of Chang’Pei is given over completely to trade administration, making it the largest civil bureaucracy in the ‘Verse. The penalties for bribes, taking or giving, are harsh, but that doesn’t stop some folk. Officers of the Sihnon Trade Commission work undercover to root out the worst offenders. The officers know that they cannot stop the corruption completely, but they work tirelessly to see that it doesn’t get out of hand. These folk take their jobs seriously. They are well trained in combat and interrogation procedures, as well as espionage and accounting. The capital of Sihnon is Lu’Weng. Local legend maintains that Lu’Weng was once a fire-breathing dragon that fell from the sky and was bound to the planet with silken ribbons. The numbers of hot springs here seem to bear this theory out, and every home traditionally has a silken awning or a curtain across the door to keep the dragon bound. Lu’Weng (the city) is one of the largest producers of silk in the system. Raw silk is farmed all over the planet and then sent to Lu’Weng, where it is refined and bolted or made into beautiful clothing that never falls out of favor with the rich throughout the system. Landing on Sihnon is restricted, though there is so much traffic coming and going on this busy world that the government issues passes to those who come here on a frequent basis. Such passes aren’t hard to get, nor are they hard to forge. Sihnon is undisputedly the shining prototypical center of Eastern culture, epitomized by the Tian Bao Guan: a splendid repository of priceess Asian antiques, nestled at the foot of Falsim Mountain. These artifacts made their trek to the New World on a Chinese ark dedicated to their preservation under the watchful care of historians and guardians, many of whose progenies still work for the museum. Visitors can behold the wonders of Earth-That-Was, displayed safely inside secured steel-glass cases within the original ark. Sihnon is also home to revered Ching Shian University, the dean of educational institutes, which has produced esteemed alumni from prime ministers to billionaire philanthropists. There is still no better place to study Eastern history, law, culture, and philosophy. Unlike what is often portrayed on vid screens, the temples and monasteries on Sihnon do not teach or practice martial arts. Taifei is the lone exception. Monks of this secluded convent in the Three Moon Valley north of the Piaoyen Village are said to be trained in ancient deadly fighting styles that they teach only to those few who have proven themselves worthy. Whether this is true or mere myth, no one knows, for those who learn these arts are sworn to secrecy and may use them only in the defense of themselves or the innocent.

Border

Georgia System

Athens

Located in the Burnham quadrant, Athens is a world known for rapidly changing weather and winds that blow constantly. Aside from that, the climate is relatively mild. Certain crops thrive here, and there’s plenty of beautiful marble to be quarried and shipped off-world. One of the few outer planets to fully support Unification, Athens was captured by the Independents. “Ownership” of the world changed hands several times during the course of the war. Finally, running low on manpower and weary of ground battles on this otherwise minor rock, the Alliance took to bombing the world’s major cities to drive out the Browncoats. ‘Cept for the piles of dead civilians and heaps more hurt and homeless that lost everything, the strategy worked. Recently, the Alliance opened up the bombedout cities for legal salvage operations. Licenses for these operations can be obtained from United Reclamation or (more slowly) from the Alliance. Then again, these cities are so chaotic that it’s not so hard for the unlicensed to sneak in and out. The world’s farmers were more fortunate than the city dwellers. Those dwelling in rural areas found it easier to scratch by during the war. It’s taken time, but they’re slowly reconnecting their ties to the rest of the ‘Verse. Athens has four moons, all terraformed and a lot nicer to live on than the planet they circle. Folk on the moons live by farming and ranching. Everyone keeps an eye out for Reavers, since undefended moons are easy prey for the nearby marauders. On Whitefall, the fourth moon, the threat of Reaver raiding parties has made the settlers over-protective and perhaps a bit paranoid. There is also a rumor currently circulating that the Blue Sun corporation has a hidden factory or complex located in the mountains on one of the moons, though what they manufacture or why they would come here is anyone’s guess.

Boros

Ares, one of Boros’ moons, is home to Iskellkian’s primary military shipyards. It’s no wonder then, that the planet is crawling with all manner of government agents and bureaucrats and military folk. Ares is restricted to Alliance personnel and Iskellian technicians. However, anyone who travels near to Boros can lay eyes on the Alliance cruisers being built in orbit around Ares. There are usually five cruisers in production at any one time, since it takes roughly six years to complete one. A full battalion of Alliance troops is barracked here, as the moon is a target for terrorist attacks and corporate raiders seeking the newest technology. Few ever manage to penetrate this perimeter, as the Alliance is more vigilant here than anywhere outside the Core. The planet Boros is not as industrialized as Beaumonde. It has a lot of prairie land where you find sprawling ranches and farms. Boros’ cities have some factories that manufacture goods, though the products are meant mostly to be used on the planet. The major industry of Boros is scrap metal. Parts that didn’t meet the Alliance’s rigorous standards, castoffs, damaged parts, and plain old junk find their way from Ares to Boros. Smaller and less reputable tech-companies hoping to pick up the scraps of Alliance contracts keep outlets on Boros. Small wonder that folk see Boros as a good place to find parts for almost anything, often at a good price. Better still, the planet has few landing restrictions. Ares is, of course, off-limits unless you can prove that you have a damn good reason to be there. Assuming the patrolling Alliance doesn’t just shoot you first to be on the safe side.

Di Yu

“Di Yu” is Chinese for hell, an apt name for this fiery world. A cloak of thin gray smoke hugs this world, visible as soon as you break into atmo. It’s always overcast here, the sun appearing like dim, hazy coin on a good day. Di Yu has a small population; the bulk of the inhabitants are of Mongolian ancestry, not Chinese. They claim the Chinese lured them into settling here with promises of technological aids. About the only tech they got was the portable hydroponic farms they use to grow the vegetables and feed for the animals to sustain themselves. Folk here are resilient nomads who have banded together to form large tribes that roam the countryside, forced to keep moving before the local sulfuric cycle builds up to unbearable levels. The world has no capital or discernible “modern” city. Instead huge tents dominate the harsh landscape. Water is a precious commodity on Di Yu, to the point of being the unspoken currency. Water is more valuable than credits or platinum, both virtually worthless to the natives. They typically equate each gallon of fresh water to one credit in value in trades. Foreign traders coming primarily to barter for the indigenously raised “fire goats” which are considered an exotic delicacy, are advised to “adopt” a tribe and travel with them during their stay. People of religious dedication journey here as well with one purpose in mind: to test their faith and devotion by visiting “hell”. Access to Di Yu is heavily restricted due to the fact that the Alliance built the infamous Hong Shing Penitentiary here. The prison is the largest in the Georgia System and one of this wor’s rare permanent structures. Prisoners are shuttled here from all over the ‘Verse on a regular basis and incarcerated alongside local inmates (some repeat offenders have even picked up the Mongolian language). Security is fairly lax since it’s much preferable to be on the inside than out! (Not that any escapees will roam far with the fully armed IAV Khangoya patrolling the world.) The prison authority, incidentally, also performs the background checks of all travelers to Di Yu prior to landing and issues time-sensitive passes at 10 credits per daily pass, 30 per weekly.

Ezra

A planet in the Georgia system, Ezra is currently in transition. Once Ezra was a relatively peaceful world known for farmers and ranchers. Then, near the end of the war, its governor died unexpectedly, throwing the planet in chaos. (Conspiracy theorists alternately blame either Alliance or Independent assassins, but in truth the man choked on a piece of chicken.) The lieutenant governor was ill-equipped for the job. To make matters worse, thousands of war refugees and former soldiers from both sides were pouring into Ezra. Jobs got real scarce, the ranks of unemployed swelled, and the economy went belly up. Criminals flocked to Ezra as word spread of overwhelmed law enforcement and the potential to hide under the larger problems. It was during this chaotic time that a crime lord, one Adelei Niska, moved his skyplex into Ezra’s orbit and set himself up as the local power. Using some legitimate businesses as a front, he manages to avoid prosecution through the use of bribes, assassination, and the threat of his torture chambers. The Alliance Parliament is currently considering what to do about the “Ezra situation.” A new governor is needed, but he or she would have to confront Niska, and thus far there have been no candidates willing to take on that task. Farming and ranching are still common pursuits.Ezra’s business enterprises have at least provided jobs for some folk. The law of the gun is absolute on Ezra: if you can’t defend yourself or what you’ve got, someone will take it from you. That rule applies to people as well as property, since many slavers come here to pick up a little extra cargo. Despite the risks, there is now work to be found on Ezra, though it may not be to everyone’s liking.

Hera

Hera is a largely agricultural world, considered the breadbasket for the entire system. Food is grown, processed and packaged on Hera. The planet is also the home of the infamous Serenity Valley, where the bloodiest battle of the war was fought. Lying midway between the Core and the outer planets on a major shipping lane, Hera was of great strategic importance during the war, making it an important staging ground for both sides. Taking Hera was a key to winning the war, and Serenity Valley became the turning point for the conflict. The war devastated Serenity Valley. Seven years past, the valley is still blackened and charred by the fire storm that swept through it. The only landmark is a graveyard on the hills next to the valley. Over half a million men and women—Alliance and Independent alike—are buried here, each with his or her own small identical headstone. Some have names. Most don’t. The graveyard is located on the opposite side of the valley from the town of Serenity View. Families and friends of the fallen come to Hera to visit the graves, which bloom with flowers, photos and mementos. Even the unmarked graves have their share. Plenty of families never saw their children return, and many have picked an unnamed grave and honor it, hoping someone else is doing the same for their son or daughter. Serenity graveyard is one of the most hallowed and sacred pieces of ground in all the ‘Verse. In the years since the war, a great deal of industry has sprung up here, on the fertile “soil” of the Alliance’s need for military equipment in this critical sector. Many defense contractors have opened at least offices here, if not actual manufacturing facilities and the Alliance does a good portion of its ship refitting for the quadrant here. Many feel this desecrates the memory of the Independents that died here.

Prophet

Currently being terraformed, private contractors, often need equipment/supplies.

Regina

The mineral-rich planet of Regina is known for its massive mining operations. Over three-quarters of the population work in one part of mining industry or another. Most of the mines are run by the Corone Mining Consortium, although there are still a few local owners hanging on. Corone’s workers are underpaid and their working conditions can be extremely dangerous. The miners of Regina take a stoic pride in their work and the suffering they endure. As if things were not hard enough, the ore-processors and atmospheric conditions of Regina have created conditions for a disease called Bowden’s Malady, a degenerative affliction of the bone and muscles that leaves victims weak and in constant pain. While there is no cure, regular treatment with Pasceline-D halts the progression of the disease and makes life tolerable. The Alliance sponsors regular shipments of the expensive drug to Regina. The drug is drop-shipped to central location and delivered by train to the individual mining towns. The people of the world are dependent on this government handout, though shipments are not as frequent as they should be.

Shadow

One of the orignal worlds used by the Independants during the war of Unification, the Alliance bombed it into inhabitability as a warning to any other worlds who chose to harbor the rebels. Rumours abound of atrocities committed by the Alliance on this world during the war, but no evidence has surfaced to support these claims.

Red Sun System

Aesir

Corporate-owned, some alliance traffic, sector home for every major corporation in the ‘Verse. Blue Sun has a huge skyplex here, sitting over all others. New London is the capital, New Dublin, New Paris, etc.

Greenleaf

The world has a large tropical belt, creating massive jungles and rainforests. Tropical plants provide a variety of life-saving drugs that cannot easily be synthesized in a laboratory. Major drug companies set up shop on Greenleaf, providing the bulk of work for the locals. Some of Greenleaf ’s residents, seeing the enormous profits that were being made, began to make “clippings” of pharmaceutical plants and grow them privately to sell on black market. The problem became so great that the drug companies began engineering new plant strains with traceable genetic tags, so that confiscated merchandise could be traced back to the origin point. The technique has not yet led to any major arrests, mostly because there are dozens of small cartels, and they are difficult to track down in the jungle. The Alliance is aware of the drug-smuggling problem out of Greenleaf, and they are clamping down on enforcement. Landing is more restricted on Greenleaf than on other Rim worlds, though smugglers who know the jungle can always find ways to sneak through.

Harvest

Harvest has become known as the Verse’ Breadbasket, producing more natural and manufactured foodstuffs than any other world. Corporate owned and operated, it uses the most advanced agricultural technology ever developed to genetically enhance the products and automate their harvesting. The vast majority of this planet’s output are used to feed Londinium and Sihnon. Superfreighters travel to and from here to the Core regularly to carry it’s bounty. Alliance security in the area is especially tight, and landing on Harvest is strictly regulated by Alliance law.

New Melbourne

New Melbourne is to fishing what Harvest is to crops. Massive fisheries and algae farms cover this lush, oceanic planet and the majority of it’s citizens are devoted to sustaining them. As with Harvest, the Alliance’s presence here is extensive and landing is strictly regulated.

Paquin

Known far and wide as the “gypsy planet,” Paquin is home to more carnivals and sideshows, galleries and theatres than you could shake a cruisersized stick at. It also seems to be home to every conartist and swindler in the system. When it was being terraformed, Paquin was chosen to host a grand opera house. Paquin’s unique atmosphere produces sunrises and sunsets the likes of which would lift even the burden of death, with colors ranging from purple to blue to red to orange. This stunning display provides a wonderful natural backdrop for the opera house, which is located on the shore overlooking a vast ocean. As the new opera house brought theater lovers to the planet, more theatres were built to take advantage of the new trade. Paquin is the place to see all manner of entertainment from Noh theatre to experimental dance. Many new plays debut here, and those that become popular travel to the Core where they play for the elite. Artists and writers make Paquin their home to be “closer to the muse.” Paquin is the artistic center of the Border worlds and rivals Sihnon in terms of culture (though the people of Sihnon will get all manner of indignant denying this!). Like other worlds, Paquin has a dark side. Countless carnivals and sideshows dot the world, providing good honest entertainment for the prairie folk, featuring circus acts and magic shows, freaks and jugglers. But there are those carnies who exist purely to fleece their patrons of all their cash or use their bright lights as cover for even darker activities.

Saint Albans

One of the coldest planets in the ‘Verse, St Albans’ terrain is almost entirely mountainous. What really makes St Albans a whole lot of unpleasant is the gorram weather, for it snows almost continually. The entire planet is covered in drifts, even during what some laughingly call summer. The people here are a hardy folk. The principal work is mining the world’s rich mineral deposits. The Consortium’s not interested due to the harsh climate. The planet is divided into claims that the inhabitants prospect for whatever they can find. Theirs is a tough and lonely life, so the folk have developed a very strong community. If you offend one of them, you have offended all of them. The reverse is true, however: if you make one friend on St. Albans, the entire community will look out for you.

Triumph

Triumph is a tiny moon in orbit around the Heinlein gas giant near edges of the system. With little to offer other than small areas suitable for farming, the moon became a refuge for folk who wanted nothing to do with modern life. The Triumph settlers live like the Amish of Earth-That- Was, using little in the way of advanced technology (though they do have the ability to contact the outside world if they are in need of aid). The people follow their own customs. For example, in one town, the young girls are raised in a convent called the Maiden House. Trained to be subservient and to respond to a man’s needs, girls are married off in trade—a form of currency for settlers who have little else to offer. Thugs and bandits find the settlements easy pickings, since the people are pacifists. The thieves steal goods and rough up the locals. The people of Triumph sometimes arrange with bands of mercenaries to protect them.

Rim

Kalidasa System

Angel

Manufacturing, mostly pharmaceuticals.

Beaumonde

The heavily industrialized planet of Beaumonde is the manufacturing hub of the system. Its cities are surrounded by factories that produce everything from computer parts to ceramic coffee mugs. Some of the factories are owned by Blue Sun, though there are rumors that a few of these are not really factories at all or, if they are, that they’re turning out something other than canned beans. Security is tight at all Blue Sun plants, so no one has ever been able to get inside one of these buildings to find out. Or Least if they did, they never got back out to tell the tale. Due to the high industrial output, pollution is a problem. Beaumonde’s cities are covered in a perpetual haze. Weather control systems process the worst of the pollution, but the science-minded reckon the long-term effects may not be quite so simple to take care of. Every year more pollutants find their way into the water and the soil, causing all manner of difficulty for those who live off the land. Some people have moved their homes and businesses underground to escape the air pollution. Once you get away from the cities and out into the countryside, the air quality improves a mite. Farmers and ranchers manage to make a good living. There is also a thriving spaceport on Beaumonde, much like the more famous port on Persephone. New Dunsmuir is the capital of Beaumonde. The city is the only one on the planet that has no factories. Located on an ocean, New Dunsmuir is a popular tourist destination. Many wealthy factory owners make their homes here, as do those who work in the tourist industry. New Dunsmuir is a beautiful city with avenues of trees and carefully maintained flower gardens.

Beylix

While the planet has many large farming communities, Beylix has the distinction of being the system’s garbage dump (make that “reclamation and recycling center”). The scrap yards and refuse centers are managed by United Reclamation, which owns property all over Beylix. Soon after the company began to dump trash here, its agents reported that scavengers were coming to pick over the remains, since there was little to no security. It turned out that what was trash to people on the Core was treasure to the folk out on the Rim. United responded by licensing junk dealers. Some entrepreneurs began selling rebuilt ships— everything from old Starfinders to out-of-service Fireflies. Others devised creative uses for scrap, either jury-rigging old technology into something useful or turning it into art and selling it back to the Core where it decorates office lobbies. Beylix is a place to start a new life, as you can often find some old ship and the parts to get her flyin’. Beylix is also a good place to drop off smuggled goods. It’s not as if the Alliance or the corporations want to pay any attention to this gorram heap of feh wu.

New Kasmir

Manufacturers terraforming equipment, large-scale industry.

Newhall

Newhall is a newly-terraformed planet with large oceans. Stands to reason that water is the planet’s primary commodity. Newhall’s people live on small island chains or on floating stations on the oceans. Newhall’s water plants are always in need of workers, hence the Alliance’s generous incentives for settlers who move here. Terraforming new worlds requires a lot of fresh water, and Newhall has water to spare. Processing the water and preparing it for shipping isn’t an unproblematic job, though. The water needs to be collected, desalinated, purified, packaged, then loaded for transport. Those of Newhall don’t want to work the water plants can make a good living fishing. And there’s always the tourist centers, for those who like to swim and cavort—or who want to tend to those who do.

Salisbury

Mostly livestock and ranching, some farming, bit backwards, corrupt magistrate. Strange Tong presence.

Sho-Je Downs

Consists of two orbiting moons, Miyazaki and Kuan Lo. Kuan Lo is a desert moon with many small towns seemingly barely able to keep afloat. Rumor has it that the moon is host of a smugglers haven though the Alliance has not been able to confirm such rumors and the residents of Kuan Lo aren't about to tell.

Verbana

Verbana is a lush world of thick forests., making the land difficult to clear and farm, though several fruit-producers have done well with large orchards. The world was largely underdeveloped until the Alliance made it a centerpiece of its “rejuvenation after Unification” campaign. Government incentives funded new construction, including a factory to supply parts for military vehicles. The factory seemed a promising start for Verbena, but that ended when a former Independent soldier-turned-terrorist bombed the factory, killing hundreds of people and destroying the structure. The bombing sent the world into an economic depression and—far worse—created an atmosphere of paranoia, fear, and hatred for Browncoats and the Independence movement. There were riots, lootings, burnings, as both sides lost their heads. The Alliance has pledged to help the people of Verbena, but the appropriate legislation and resolutions are trapped in parliamentary committees. The world is low on the government’s list of priorities. Some folk have fled, hoping to find a better life elsewhere. Many more would like to leave, but don’t have the means, and so remain trapped. A small security force is more or less permanently stationed on Verbena. While ostensibly there to guard against more terrorist action, it is really there to watch a restless population. In the years after the war, the Alliance turned Verbena around and its industry is thriving, providing commercial and military goods for the quadrant, in addition to its agricultural produce.

Blue Sun System

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