Date: Sun, 8 May 1994 00:18:01 EDT Sender: Mythus Fantasy Roleplaying Game List <[MYTHUS L] at [BROWNVM.brown.edu]> From: "Rodney W. Morris" <[c s c 3 r w m] at [CABELL.VCU.EDU]> Subject: ABYSS 2: The Sol System: the Inner Planets United Corporate Systems of Sol Brief Overview The UCSS is the current name for the eleven systems under the control of the homeworld at Sol II. The predominant government has been wavering between a corporate beauracracy and a dictatorship for the last millennia or so; though in an overview, the corporate sector has been the most successful, by far, falling to rebel forces for only decades at a time. The government is based on a corporation that has existed for at least four thousand years Sol System The Sol System is composed of nine planets that circle a mainstream yellow star. Of these nine planets only one is inhabitable, Sol II or Neuva Terra, which is the center of the government. The system is very well populated, carrying a sentient population of at least 150 billion. The population of the Sol system is concentrated on Sol II, Sol IV (Mars), and the rich asteroid belt that spans the distance between Sol IV and V (Jupiter). Every planet, however, even the far flung Sol IX (Pluto) is inhabited by at least a scientific or mining team sponsored by the Corporation. Sol I (Mercury) Planetary Data: Equatorial Diameter: 4, 878 km Mass: 3.30 x 1023 kg Density: 5.43 g/cm3 Surface Area: 74, 753, 833 km Surface Material: Basaltic dust & rock Rotational Period: 58.646 d Orbital Period: 87.96 d Distance From Primary: 578, 944 km Orbit Inclination: 7.0 degrees Orbit Eccentricity: .206 Gravity: .378 G Escape Velocity: 4.2 km/s Government: Corporate Heirarchal Language: Earthen Pantheon: None Population: 3.7 B Ruler: Senior Vice President Victur Maldine Population Density: 66.88 per km2 Flag/Emblem: UCSS Starburst behind the staff of Mercury Capital: Odin Planitia Population: 1.1 Billion Other Cities (and Population): Bach: 10 M Michelangelo: 25 M Petrarch: 350 M Suisui Planitia: 900 M Tolstoy: 1.3 B Coinage: Corporate Standard Credit Important Persons: Vice President of Tolstoy, Vice President of Mercurian Trade, President of Hermetic Mines Alliances: Hermetic Mines, VagenTech Hostilities: Martian Traders Alliance Open Warfare/Rebellions: None of any consequence. Some minor problems with population density in Tolstoy Intrigues: The President of VagenTech attempting to purchase much property near Oden Planitia for the construction of a new starport controlled solely by VagenTech, to replace the massive Hermetic starport at Suisui Planitia. Rumors of some governmental support. Thumbnail Sketches: Mercury is a small planet with few resources, outside of deep nickel mining operations and the occasional wealth of hydrogen received from a stray solar flare. The planet itself is highly adverse to human life. It is composed of a basaltic crust that is constantly bombarded by heavy levels of radiation from the primary. Thus, most of the population is forced to live under the crust of the planet. The cities all began as mining colonies that eventually grew into large cities. Because of the hostile environment, there is currently only one starport on Mercury, and it is located at Suisui Planitia and under the control of Hermetic Mines. Almost all of the population lives in the protection of the large cities. It is rumored that near the crater of Vivaldi that a remnant of the Apocalypse Wars still exists in one of the many craters of the region. Legend speaks of a Hekalmi military base that was used to test biological weapons during their war with the Devians over Earth. Mercury's history is a bit clouded in history. It is known that a colony was planted in the early days of exploration from Terra, but the colony eventually died out when Terra entered rough times. It was re-colonized during the Reclamation and has been populated ever since. Senior Vice President of Mercury, Victur Maldine, is known for being a bribeable man. He has been made extremely wealthy by the rice industry on Mercury, but it is rumored that some of his money comes from the crime cartels and unions that exist among the working class. There is no agriculture to speak of on Mercury (though Odin Planitia has a large arboretum). All food substances are shipped from Venus and points beyond. The main product of Mercury is nickel and basalt. There are no indigenate life forms. There is little trade with other worlds. There are no military bases, outside of the Planetary Security Force. Sol II (Neuva Terra) Planetary Data: Equatorial Diameter: 12, 104 km Mass: 4.87 x 1024 kg Density: 5.42 g/cm3 Surface Area: 460, 264, 736.83 km Surface Material: Basaltic & Granite Rock Rotational Period: 243.01 d (retrograde) Orbital Period: 224.68 d Distance From Primary: 1, 495, 978.8 km Orbit Inclination: 3.4 degrees Orbit Eccentricity: 10.4 Gravity: .894 G Escape Velocity: 10.4 km/s Government: Corporate Heirarchal Language: Earthen Pantheon: None Population: 58 B Ruler: Senior Vice President Balrick Jonessan Population Density: 127 people per km2 Flag/Emblem: The mirror of Venus superimposed over the Corporate Starburst Capital: New Hope, Ishtar Terra Population: 25 Billion Other Cities (and Population): Alpha Regio: 500 M Americanum: 1 B Artemis Chasma: 2.5 B Atlanta Planitia Hydrology: 12.5 B Beta Regio: 1 B New London: 1.5 B Coinage: Corporate Standard Credit Important Persons: The Board of Directors; Chairman of MegaTech, the Sol Corporate Entity, Liung Chao; Senior President of the Sol System. Alliances: None due to laws regulating neutrality of the Capital World Hostilities: None due to laws regulating neutrality of the Capital World Open Warfare/Rebellions: None threatening Intrigues: Harlan Smythe, leader of the Front for the Unification of the Imperial Sol Systems, is still at large, despite the planet-wide searches. It is believed that the son of the former Emperor of the Sol Systems is planning on re-taking the proverbial throne from the corporate entity that now controls it. Various intrigues around ascension to the Board and a few assassination attempts on Chairman Chao are commonplace. Thumbnail Sketches: Millennia ago, the second planet of the Sol system, then called Venus, was a lifeless, harsh world of great pressure and heat. Its atmosphere was composed primarily of carbon dioxide, which created an incredible greenhouse effect. The gases of the planet's atmosphere were so dense, that no human could step foot on the planet itself, or be crushed by the millions of tons of gases weighing upon his ship and body. About 2500 years ago, some groups sought to attempt to change that. A Terran research corporation, whose name is now unknown, thought to seed the planet with carbon dioxide eating algae, in hopes of terraforming the world. They placed a satellite in orbit to record the results of the algae. About a century later, the plan was going so nicely, they placed a completely self-sufficient arcology on the Ishtar Terra continent. Soon, however, world wide war (then called World War V) occured, ravishing Earth and throwing its economic system into ruin. The colony was soon forgotten about. Though the colony had lost contact with Earth, the scientists there decided to attempt to etch out a new life on the hostile planet. Over the next millennia, the planet slowly changed and slowly encroached being habitable. The scientists quietly observed the Apocalyptic Wars between the Hekalmi and the Devians. They generally assumed that whatever humanity that once may have existed on Earth was long destroyed by the forces of the two super-powers. All the time they fought, they ignored the ever-bluing planet only a few million kilometers away. Eventually, Terran Humans returned to the Sol system, to find it ashambles. They founded a colony on Sol IV (Mars) and sought out a peace treaty between the Hekalmi and Devians. Finally, twenty years after the United Peoples of Old Terra had reclaimed Mars, the Venusians broke a millennia of silence and asked for all natives of the Sol system, throughout Known Space, to return to their mother system. Neuva Terra was waiting for them. The scientists, who now considered themselves a corporate entity and referred to themselves as MegaTech, administrated the Peace Talks between the Hekalmi and the Devians successfully. It was in these peace talks that the Sol system regained its autonomy. Humans flooded back to the Sol system. They discovered their home Earth to be destroyed, but the scientists of Neuva Terra had created a paradise unlike Earth had been for millennia. A few danger-filled expeditions to the crumbling Earth retrieved DNA samples of various life-forms. The scientists of Neuva Terra re-introduced that animals of Earth to Neuva Terra. Some reports suggest that there was a 90% recovery rate of life forms of Earth. The Neuva Terra of today is far from the paradise that it was a millenia ago. Since this time, the Sol system has increased dramatically from minor "savage" kingdom to technological king of an empire. It is from this world that the eleven systems that compose the United Corporate Systems of Sol are ruled and administrated. It is also from this planet that 136 of the 215 corporations of MegaTech call home. Much of the dry land of the planet is pierced with the metropolitan tunnels necessary to house the world population of 58 billion. Under the oceans are large tunnels which permit fast and easy travel from continent-to-continent, hydrology-to-hydrology, or any combination. The planet has long since been deprived of most of its resources and nearly 25% of the life forms recreated from Earth's destruction have again become extinct (though there are rumors of a vast library of life-forms where the records and a sample of their DNA is kept for future usage). Neuva Terra of today is composed mainly of two continents, Ishtar Terra and Aphrodite Terra. Ishtar Terra surrounds the northern pole of the planet, while Aphrodite Terra is situated closer to its equator. There are a few large island groups between the eastern and western coasts of Aphrodite Terra, two of which, Alpha and Beta Regio, hold large metropolises. One of the most impressive sights on Neuva Terra is the Atlanta Planitia Hydrology. This huge Hydrology is the largest arcology known to exist. It lies on the ocean floor near the northern pole of the planet. It reaches a height of 8 kilometers (which just reaches above sea level) and spans well over 200 square kilometers. In this hydrology, well over 12.5 billion people live and work. Other than the SpacePort Alpha, which covers Maxwell Mons, it is the only man-made structure that can be seen from orbit. It can also be said about Neuva Terra that it is one of the best defended planets in Known Space. The Corporate Navy obscures the planet with its fighters at times of war or incursion, with huge starcraft moving across the sky. Neuva Terra has one "moon", which is actually an orbiting station. It is large enough, however, to create its own gravity well and even has problems with internal heat and gravity. The station was created by the CrediTech corporation, which handles all moneys and exchanges in Corporate space. It was originally built to be a nearly exact replica of a similar orbital that existed in the time before the Apocalypse Wars. It has since been modernized to a fully defendable space station. Sol III (Terra) Planetary Data: Equatorial Diameter: 12, 756 km (approximate) Mass: 5.98 x 1024 kg Density: 5.515 g/cm3 (Approximate) Surface Area: 511, 185, 932.52 km (approximate) Surface Material: Granitic Soil, basaltic rock Rotational Period: 25 h 22m 14.1s Orbital Period: 369 standard days Distance From Primary: 1496234.55 km (approximate) Orbit Inclination: .5 to 1.2 degrees Orbit Eccentricity: .09 Gravity: 1 G Escape Velocity: 11.2 km/s Government: Corporate Heirarchal Language: Earthen Pantheon: None Population: 500,000 Ruler: Vice President Salvador Verace Flag/Emblem: The broken symbol of Earth superimposed over the Corporate Starburst Capital: Gamma Planetary Research Station One Population: 500,000 Other Cities (and Population): None Coinage: Corporate Standard Credit Important Persons: Chief Scientist on Terradeformation research Alliances: Sol Scientific Institute Hostilities: None Open Warfare/Rebellions: There was a small skirmish aboard the station when pirates attempted to steal some of the plutonium from their research facility, but it was put down by the System Defense Force. Intrigues: A couple of younger scientists are hoping for the Chief Scientist's position, but nothing noteworthy or dangerous Thumbnail Sketches: This research station was established about a century after the destruction of Earth. It wasn't until this time that a safe haven could be located for a station among the rubble that orbits the dead world. The station itself was established to research the deformation of a world, in hopes that advances in Terraformation could be made. Since its establishment, little has changed, though they make trips to Earth twice a year for soil and atmospheric samples. They are currently conducting an experiment that will release the trapped gases and heat within the planet, allowing it to cool and stablize geologically. If this could be accomplished, Terra could be mined without danger to crew or machinery. They have had little success in the de-warming project. There are some, more ambitious scientists who hope to actually rebuild Earth, closing the rift made by the fall of its former moon, but these theories are just that, theories. The Corporation has found it more profitable to cool and stablize the world than re-populate it. Sol IV (Mars) Planetary Data: Equatorial Diameter: 6787 km Mass: 6.44 x 1023 kg Density: 3.94 g/cm3 Surface Area: 57, 884, 936.658 km Surface Material: Basaltic rock & dust; H2O ice Rotational Period: 24h 37m 22.662s Orbital Period: 686.95 standard days Distance From Primary: 2, 273, 887.624 km (approximate) Orbit Inclination: 1.8 degrees Orbit Eccentricity: .0934 Gravity: 0.379 G Escape Velocity: 5.0 km/s Government: Corporate Heirarchal Language: Earthen, Martian Pantheon: None Official (Christianity) Population: 30 B Ruler: Senior Vice President Nael Whox Population Density: 518.2695 /km2 Capital: Olympus Mons Flag/Emblem: The spear and shield of Mars superimposed over the Corporate Starburst Population: 5 B Other Cities (and Population): Ascraseus Mons: 1.2 B Chryse: 920 M Elysium Mons: 1 B Hellas: 900 M Syrtis: 850 M Utopia: 1.7 B Valles Marineris: 3 B Coinage: Corporate Standard Credit Important Persons: Pope Urban XXII, Eyes of God and Watcher Over Utopia, TraderPrinces of the Martian Trader's Alliance Alliances: Martian Trader's Alliance Hostilities: Phobos Open Warfare/Rebellions: Under Treaty with Phobos Intrigues: The People's Resistance of Aric Influences are contstantly a problem to the Martian government. Though natives of the rebellious Phobos, they are no longer claimed as a part of the government of Phobos, though some suggest otherwise. The PRAI have been attacking high-ranking officials of Mars and important sites. Thumbnail Sketches: It is believed that, in the millennia when Earth first took its steps into space, it looked to Mars, its dwarven cousin, as a possible target of exploration and settlement. Thus, Mars became the first planet to be settled by the humans of Earth. When they arrived on the planet, it was discovered that a civilization had existed there, many eons before, that destroyed themselves through over-usage of nuclear weapons, which accounted for the extremely cold temperatures, lack of a protective ozone layer, and high levels of radiation. It was discovered, however, that Martian soil was very rich in iron. Mining colonies sprung up almost instantly and the planet became the new frontier of Earth. During the time of the Apocalypse Wars, Mars was a target for alien aggression, namely, the Hekalmi. The human colonies there were destroyed, along with everything else in the system, to make way for the war effort. When the wars began to trickle into petty skirmishings, humans returned to their home system, in the form of the United Peoples of Old Terra, to re-colonize the nine worlds of Sol. They first settled on Mars, as it seemed to be the most hospitable of planets (though some scholars claim that Europa was settled a few years previous to the Mars settlement). When Neuva Terra sent out its call for humanity twenty years later, most of the inhabitants of Mars left for the paradisical second planet. Those that remained were a hardy and violent group of people; they didn't want nor need the law and group welfare of Venus, they wanted to etch out their own existence as their ancestors had before them. Martian history is fairly unremarkable. About a hundred and twenty years after its foundation, Mars was annexed to the Neuva Terran government as a colony. The government that had existed there fled, with some of its most loyal citizens, to Phobos. Even to this day, the inhabitants of Phobos dislike and distrust the nearby Martian leaders. Finally, about twenty years ago, they were recognized as an autonomous state by the Corporation, free from Martian aggressions. One of the notable events of Martian history was the Disaster of 4527. It was in this year that Olympus Mons, seat of the capital of Mars, decided to erupt. The eruption sent the city into the bowls of Mars itself while the ash created a dust cloud that obscured the sun for over sixty years. Eventually, the effects of the disaster subsided, Olympus City was rebuilt, and everything was forgotten (the Terran League, as the government was called at the time, was busy fighting a war of conquest by 4676). Mars of today is a thriving trading and mining community. There are some very costly attempts being performed, using knowledge of the Gamma Planetary Research Project over Earth, in terraforming Mars into a non-hostile environment. It is generally believed that within three centuries, Mars will be a thriving green and blue world, just like its cousin, Earth, was before its destruction and Venus had become. Mars is also home of the Christian religon, ever since Earth was destroyed. The Pope is a powerful man among some of the outlying systems (such as Avior and Vega), who trust in his God. The Corporation does not officially recognize the existence of any higher being than itself, and considers the Pope and his followers to be a minor thorn in the side of the giant. It is the aim of the Corporation to turn itself into the people's God, making itself all-powerful, in their eyes. The Vatican City is located in the center of Utopia, Utopia Planitia. The Pope is ruler over these lands, under the supervision of the Martian Corporate Government. Sol IV A (Phobos) Planetary Data: Equatorial Diameter: 14 x 11 x 9 km Mass: 9.6 x 1015 kg Density: 5.78 g/cm3 Surface Area: 758 km Surface Material: Carbonaceous Soil Rotational Period: Synchronous Orbital Period: 14 h 20 m 32 s Distance From Planet: 14.4 x 103 km (approximate) Orbit Inclination: 1.0 degrees Orbit Eccentricity: .02 Gravity: .005 G Escape Velocity: 11 m/s Government: Dictatorship Language: Earthen Pantheon: Ancestor Worship Population: 150 Ruler: Overlord Gerai Baer Population Density: 197, 889.18 per km2 Capital: Stickney 108, 225 per km3 Population: 150 M Flag/Emblem: A broken crown super-imposed over the corporate starburst Other Cities (and Population): None Coinage: Corporate Standard Credit Important Persons: The Archprelate of Phobos; Phobean Trader's Alliance Alliances: None of repute Hostilities: Mars, the Martian Trader's Alliance Open Warfare/Rebellions: None currently claimed, though terrorist groups regularly stream towards Mars in hopes of gaining more freedoms and possibly their homeland on Mars. Intrigues: Archprelate possibly intending on overthrowing the Overking. Thumbnail Sketches: The small moon of Phobos could rarely be called a natural moon anymore. It has slowly moved outward from the planet as it has become heavier and heavier with the metal used in constructing the interior living quarters of its inhabitants. The people of Phobos where forced to flee here when Mars was taken over as part of the Terran League under the rulership of Neuva Terra. The Overking himself can trace his roots directly back to the leadership of the original Martian colony at Argyre Planitia. The people of this small moon are defiant folk, ready to act upon a moments notice. They are also reputed to be a little insane. Due to over- population, each individual is appropriated a 2 m x 2 m x 2 m cubicle in which to live. In the case of families, doors are added to the cubicles. Sol IV B (Deimos) Planetary Data: Equatorial Diameter: 8 x 6 x 5 km Mass: 6.8 x 1015 kg Density: 6.98 g/cm3 Surface Area: 236 km Surface Material: Carbonaceous Soil Rotational Period: Synchronous Orbital Period: 1d 6h 14.4s Distance From Primary: 23 x 103 km Orbit Inclination: 2.8 degrees Orbit Eccentricity: .001 Gravity: Negligable Escape Velocity: 6 km/s Government: Corporate Militaristic Language: Earthen Pantheon: None Population: 1 M Ruler: Commander Veranda DuBoise Population Density: 4237.28 per km2, 4166.667 per km3 Flag/Emblem: The Naval starship over the symbol of Mars Capital: Deimos Orbital SpacePort Population: 1M Other Cities (and Population): None Coinage: Imperial Standard Credit Important Persons: Chief Inspector Johnnes Marks Alliances: Martian Traders' Alliance Hostilities: Phobos Open Warfare/Rebellions: Some minor problems with bandits and occasional terrorists. Intrigues: Numerous plots to usurp the Commander from her position. VagenTech is looking to cut a deal with the station that will allow almost unlimited access to VagenTech traders; this would threaten the standing of the MTA. Thumbnail Sketches: The Deimos Station began as a mining colony many centuries ago that quickly ran out. It currently serves as the main orbital docking station for Mars. It can house up to one hundred medium-sized vessels in its walls and dock over two hundred on outside docking rings. Deimos Station houses most of the Martian Defense system and serves as Inner System Command. Sol A I (Sol Asteroid Belt) Planetary Data: (all data is of Ceres, the largest of the asteroids and the capital of the mining colonies) Equatorial Diameter: 1020 km Mass: 1.4 x 1021 kg Density: Surface Area: 3, 268, 512.997 km Surface Material: Carbonaceous soil Rotational Period: 0d 9h 7.2s Orbital Period: 4y 219 Distance From Primary: 414, 386, 099.9 km Orbit Inclination: 10.6 degrees Orbit Eccentricity: .08 Gravity: G Escape Velocity: 0.6 km/s Government: Corporate Heirarchal Language: Earthen Pantheon: None Official Population: 2.5 M Ruler: Senior Vice President Nika Vomurra Population Density: Flag/Emblem: A single edged sword superimposed over the corporate starburst Capital: Ceres Population: 500 Other Cities (and Population): Vesta: 230 M Pallas: 100 Hygiea: 50 M Davida: 30 M Interamnia: 1 M Coinage: Imperial Standard Credit Important Persons: Vice President Alexandre VonMouthe of VagenTech; Vice President of LodeTech on Pallas Alliances: Martian Trader's Alliance, The Centaurian Intersystem Trading Council, the Trader's Defense Corps Hostilities: Chironian Mining Colonies Open Warfare/Rebellions: None recently; periodically, however, various asteroids are taken over by irate workers or citizens. Intrigues: Some influences from Chiron seek an alliance with the Belt Mines; many pirates attempt to steal mothballed ships from the Markavian Storage Shipyards Thumbnail Sketches: The millions of floating rock that make up the Sol Asteroid Belt are very important in the Sol system in the mining of basaltic rocks, carbon-based metals and ice. Some asteroids are utilized as factories for starships. The VagenTech shipyards at and around Interamnia are one of the most productive facilities in all of the Sol Systems. Some of the best merchant vessels are turned out here. Among many of the lesser astroids are the Markavian Storage Shipyards, where many vessels are sent into mothball when their effective lifetime is finished. Many relics from as far back as the Great Apocalypse are hidden among the asteroids, moored to a piece of rock.