Planets

These are short descriptions of the worlds of the Fading Suns universe.  Most of the information available concerns the Known Worlds.

Known Worlds: Empire of the Phoenix Throne

Throne Worlds

Byzantium Secundus

While the capital of the Known Worlds suffered some damage during the Emperor Wars, it no longer bears any marks of the strife. Indeed, Emperor Alexius has embarked on an ambitious building plan, and even more construction is turning what was once known as the "concrete capital" back into its old gray, metal-covered self.  Every major faction in the Known Worlds (as well as the Vau) maintains a presence on this world, and all have interests at stake on a daily basis.  See Byzantium Secundus sourcebook.

• Imperial Eye headquarters
• Imperial City
• Veridian spaceport

Nowhere

Stigmata

Tethys

Al-Malik Worlds

Aylon

Originally colonized by the Ur-Ukar, Aylon was later conquered by a Church-lead humanity. The al-Malik later seized it from the Keddah governor, further straining relations between the two families. Surviving Ur-Ukar dwell on reservations in the northern province of Mwerrid Mokta, where they possess vast subterranean holdings. The Ur-Ukar rebelled during the Emperor Wars. This rebellion was finally crushed, and "friendly" Ur-Ukar were chosen by their conquerors to lead the clans. Zebulon the Prophet first preached on Aylon after his vision, and pilgrims annually flock to the site (known as Prophet's Hill). The northern cities of Navarre, Ryoko and Sunval are trading zones, with Sunval boasting a reputation for one of the finest casino's in the Known Worlds. Recently, interest in Vr-Ukar culture and art has increased. Mwerrid Mokta is mostly a mountainous and desert region. The southern region of Mwerrid Na'al is a temperate zone, holding vast agricultural estates and hunting reserves. Here nobles pay handsomely for the privilege of hunting the most challenging wild game animals of the Known Worlds.The older generation of Aylon al-Malik are provincial but competent business people. Largely independent from court, they run their own affairs. The younger generation have appropriated certain Ur-Ukar ideas and survival skills. They are the house's greatest warriors. Proud, self reliant, and toughened by experience, they disdain the worldliness of the Istakhr court. Some believe that the next cycle of al-Malik rebellions will lead an Aylon alMalik to the throne.

Aylon is renowned for being the first world where the Prophet began preaching and for its great hunting reserves. Among these, the most mysterious is a vast plain located in the Dehorz-ha continent, in the Southern Hemisphere.  Long-time hunters call these plains "The Living Land" since its features seem to change from night to day.  One day you find yourself in a green prairie, but if you dare to spend the night there you might awake in a tundra, or a barren wasteland, or a swamp, regardless of actual latitude or season. Moreover, compasses don't seem to work there, and Aylon musk does not grow on the Northside of local trees. Even the sun seems slightly different, changing subtly in heat, size and colour. Satellite reports revealed nothing. 

Some Engineers think that an unknown, powerful type of terraforming engine, gone mad for some unknown reasons is buried somewhere in this region, while Eskatonic monks think that a powerful demon, maybe imprisoned there by Prophet Zebulon himself, lies there, awaiting the unwary traveller and cursing the Land. Others think of a strange disease, maybe of Symbiot origin.  Fact is, no one knows the real causes behind the Living Lands. 

However, some strange and rare animals have been spotted there: the Gliding Green Gyepard, a leopard-like feline, whose spots are green-coloured and, when running, it seems to hover in the air, or the Foursome Furball, a furry, slow bear-resembling animal that splits itself in four vicious autonomous part when attacked, each of these parts sporting a huge mouth with teeths whose sharpness rival Amen'ta's.

Even weirder animals have been reported, but most of these reports are actually fake, since only a handful of guides and hunters have entered the Living Lands and managed to find the way out.  There guides are widely sought out by young noble hotshots, willing to prove themselves they are good hunters, but they rarely take such wimps to the Lands.

• Pilgrimage: First planet the Prophet set foot on after his miraculous vision, gained on a Lost World beyond Aylon
• Ukari colony
• Plants: Klaj – Root used to create the combat drug Klaj.
• Animals: Grolla Crawlers FL:T 23 Large many-legged ant-like bugs used as dray-beasts. Pherizces "Spitters" FL:T 25 Desert lizard mounts and dray beasts. Sometimes ridden as war-mounts by Li Halan desert scouts. Spits acid. Runner Birds FL:T 23 Large emu-like dray-beasts.
• A night road is said to exist between Aylon and Cadavus.

Criticorum

No al-Malik would ever deny this planet’s value, nor would they deny the extreme problems it has caused the House. Once considered for the capital of the Second Republic, it has jump routes to seven other worlds, and travellers from Byzantium Secundus, the Church worlds, the al-Malik planets, the Decados Hegemony, the Li-Halan worlds and Kordeth regularly stop there.  The League has also established a sizeable presence here, and the guilds maintain a number of vehicle and weapons plants. As a result, the world hosts legions of ambitious schemers and spies from around the Known Worlds. Intrigues here may lack the subtlety of those of Byzantium Secundus, but they are at least as common.

A vibrant planet with a rich economy, Criticorum's main city of Acheon is a den of plotting factions. The province of 0st holds the main ports and population centers.  Refugees fleeing the Symbiot Wars have fled to the cities of Acheon, Larrane and Ostgard, overburdening the social services.  Civil services have their hands full with relocation and policing.  Holding Criticorum, with all its intrigues and problems, is no small task.  Once a proposed site for the Second Republic capital, Criticorum has fallen out of al-Malik hands on many occasions. Unfortunately, the Criticorum al-Malik tend to be the most decadent of the House.  Pleasure seeking and remote, they enrich themselves with bribes and periodic shake downs of the transient population.  Mainly centered in the southern city of Tabrast, they resent the authority of the court-appointed governor. They also claim to be the "true" al-Malik.  The al-Malik governor must rely on his own spy networks and soldiery, increasing the tension between the court and local al-Malik.  The southern provinces hold the great house estates and scenic areas of wondrous beauty.

• Republic, Criticorum (House Hazred), and Nalhin (Indepedent guild) Shipyards
• Ukari colony
• Good spot for more unusual encounters
• A lot of not-too-subtle intrigues 

Istakhr 

Istakhr boasts not only one of the greatest bazaars in the Known Worlds, but some of the most stupendous buildings.  The al-Malik rulers have used much of their wealth to build pleasure palaces for themselves, awe-inspiring cathedrals and even museums open to their serfs.  The vast amounts of wealth floating around this world have attracted all sorts of people to Istakhr, from the most ambitious to the most unscrupulous.

Uninhabited when the First Republic discovered it, there were some preadamite ruins found in the region of the southern pole.  Settled largely by people of mid-eastern extraction, it was the homeworld of the al-Malik and became their power center after Rahimat's Reconquest.  The famous Istakhr Market in the capitol city of Samarkand is the second largest open bazaar in the Known Worlds.  Here a teeming economy thrives in the vast mazes of the market.  To "know the Market" is a compliment on Istakhr, for it is labyrinthine in the extreme.  Great palaces, cathedrals and museums have been built from the proceeds of the Market Tax, making Samarkand "mistress of beauty."  The old parliament building remains, and a parliament of representatives can be called at the duke's discretion.  Old Second Republic codes survive in the Istakhr legal system, and even serfs possess the right to free legal representation.  Civil codes and representation are one thing, but the noble code of the al-Malik is above common law.  Only members of the House may sit in judgment of a family member.Najran, the northern province, holds the temperate zone.  Here, the city of Tioch overlooks Lake Harat.  The Afid Desert, south of Samarkand, is home to wanders desert clans.  The southern province of Grenada product agriculture and holds great family estates. Native Istald . al-Malik are the most traditional, and retain the legacie of Tarif. The more provincial branches of the family posess more family traditions and lore.  See Weird Places sourcebook.

• Market
• Ukari enclave

Shaprut

This mineral-rich planet has avoided much of the intrahuman strife that has plagued other worlds, but it has suffered from Symbiot invasions. The few times the Symbiots have broken through Stigmata they have ravaged Shaprut. Indeed, part of the justification used to continually ferry off Shaprut's native race, the Shantor, to reservations on other worlds is the fear that the Symbiots would contaminate them. Of course, some Shantor remain on the planet, but most of them serve as slaves in the mines.

Home to the ungulate Shantor, the mineral wealth below the surface attracted the First Republic. The inevitable Shantor rebellion was swiftly crushed. During the Second Republic, Shaprut fell into the al-Malik purview,and the Shantor received  representation. Yet with the coming of the New Dark Ages this was withdrawn as, one-by-one, republican institutions languished. The remaining Shantor dwell on reservations in the northern province of Pamott. Some suffer slave labor in the mines, an argument house enemies use against the republican ideals of the al-Malik (the sale of slaves on the Istakhr Market being the other).The al-Malik rule from the southern city of Tabriz inYathrid Province. Native Shaprut al-Malik are highly re-fined, cultivating the arts. They cultivate the singing poets of Shaprut, the bakEshi. Their beautiful music, recognized throughout the Known Worlds, finds inspiration on Shaprut. During the Symbiot Wars the planet suffered from raids.   New garrisons on the planet disrupted the sedentary solitude once enjoyed by the people of Shaprut. Vestiges of Second Republic rule, such as the Shaprut Congress, remain. There is representation, but the congress can only be called by the Planetary Governor. Traditionally, the governor is chosen from the Shaprut al-Malik.

Decados Worlds

Cadavus

The Decados are blessed with possession of Cadavus, arguably the poorest planet in the Empire.  Decados forces seized Cadavus during the Emperor Wars, seeking a cell of anti-Decados terrorists, and no one wanted the planet back. In time, the house began to wonder why it kept the planet, because its resources are almost depleted.  Still, the Decados obviously have something to eke out of the planet, or they would have abandoned it long ago.Cadavus also has the distinction of having been home to almost every known (and maybe even unknown) faction within the Empire.  Prior to Decados rulership, it was owned by the Merchant League, which had used it as a major shipping Port - a remnant from the days when Cadavus still had resources and reasons for ships to stop there.  The most visible reminder of previous ownership is seen in the proliferation of monasteries that dot the surface.   Representatives of almost every religious group, major and minor, can be found here, and rumors of a Sathraist monastery still persist.  Some of these monasteries date back to the planet's early colonisation, and their records are filled with rich details about the history of spacefaring, bringing many scholars to the planet.  There is a Xanthippe Moonhaven on the largest of Cadavus's two moons.

• A night road is said to exist between Aylon and Cadavus.
• Masseri holdings, granted by the Decados to control the house and, through a series of treaties, House Keddah.

Cadiz

Cadiz is an enigma - massively built up with metropoli for the Known Worlds elite, it is now an enormous tenement. The Second Republic had chosen this planet for diplomatic negotiations with the Vau, and, along with the Decados, poured money and labor into building and beautifying the cities that covered this planet. When the Vau chose another site, the Decados were disgusted, and abruptly ceased their construction efforts, leaving many partially-finished structures in place— structures which now house the poor and starving occupants of the planet. The cities of Cadiz are now known as harbours for activity illegal among Decados planets, for the house seems to have abandoned the world. Decados dragoons do sporadically sweep the planet in security searches.Cadiz is also home to the Hironem, the reptilian natives of the now-conquered world. The Hironem live on a reservation at the center of which is Turaz, their capital city. Scholars from across the Known Worlds come to Turaz (for a hefty fee, of course) to study Hironem culture and ways, which bears a few distinct similarities to Vau culture.Persus: Due to its toxic atmosphere, Cadiz' sole moon is uninhabitable, except for a controlled - atmosphere military base. The base acts as a giant dockyard for old Decados ships, either for repairs or scavenging. Ruins of an unidentified culture exist on the dark side of Persus, with entrances to sublunar caverns. But this entire region is cordoned off by the Decados, with entry forbidden to all except by Prince Hyram's personal request.

The 5th planet in the Cadiz system is a gas giant known as Golyth, it's just an ordinary gas giant, except for he fact that between it and the system's 6th planet, an iceball named Teruman, lies an area of space which has come to be known as "The Lost Region." There have always been reports of strange radio transmissions and missing ships in that area, as the two planets orbit in perfect synchronicity. Recently the Decados reported finding a 200 year-old luxury liner which was reported missing, and just as the Imperial Eye was about to look into rumors of odd glyphs engraved on the outer hull, the ship was reported missing again (this time, most likely hidden by the Decados). Some have speculated that it is all a trick manufactured by the Decados, using fleets of stealth-ships in an effort to hide something greater, and if it is so, then it has worked, as nobody knows what is really going on.

• Visions of ruined grandeur, squatters, Cyberpunk meets Atlantis

Malignatius

The arctic planet Malignatius is something of an anomaly among Decados holdings: nowhere else among the Decados does such religious fervor run through the populace. The variance in sects and beliefs that regularly crop up and disappear on Malignatius lead viewers to one observation: it doesn't matter what the religion is, the Malignatians are simply, innately religious. Take any religion away from them and another will take its place.This of course vexes the Church, but it amuses the Decados. The planet has developed something of an unfortunate reputation among Decados nobles; incurring Prince Hyram's wrath could lead you to exile on Malignatius (assuming it does not lead you to death), and for some unfortunates, this has become a cold and bitter prison.A number of gulags have been established on Malignatius for Decados dissidents and troublemakers. Their lives are often short. The frozen wastes of this planet are also homes to a number of monastics - some members of the Universal Church, and others claiming no religious affiliation whatsoever - who spend their days in quiet isolation, meditating and studying texts often believed lost to time.Julka: Malignatius's single moon is even more inhospitable than Malignatius. Julka is the setting of a large, heavily protected subterranean gulag, where the house's most notorious criminals go. There is no escape.
 

Pandemonium (Grange)

Grange Station: Of equal importance near Pandemonium is the uncompleted jumpgate contested by House Decados and the Charioteers.  Count Enis Sharn arranged for a marginally functional Second Republic starbase, originally in orbit around Pandemonium, to be towed near the uncompleted jump gate - to plant the Decados banner near the jumpgate.  Unfortunately, his plan has backfired.  The Emperor has decided that  "Grange Station" would be an excellent exercise in cooperation, and has called for the station to be jointly staffed by the League and House Decados, collaborating to discover the secrets of the jumpgate, and overseen by an Imperial monitor to maintain the peace (unfortunately, he has no ability to enforce his suggestions).   Whether this forced compromise is merely a farce which will exacerbate the tension has yet to be proven.Grange Station is an old Second Republic monitoring station, capable of housing nearly 500 people. All but the largest ships can dock at any of its five working bays, and shuttlecraft can dock at its numerous small bays.  It is marginally operative, with Engineers constantly trying to revive failing Second Republic systems and repair its decaying superstructure. Glyphs of unknown origin have been found in one recently discovered access tunnel, which some people believe have Sathraist origins.
 

Severus

The jungle planet Severus is the homeworld of the Decados - and some would say that a more fitting place could not exist. It is a harsh, treacherous planet with dangers lurking everywhere. The flora and fauna of Severus can be beautiful, almost intoxicating - but just as often it may be carnivorous and simply fatal. The similarity between the Severan buorka-flower, with its brilliantly coloured and beautiful petals but painfully toxic oil, and the effete and treacherous Decados nobles is not easily dismissed.  Despite the many hardships associated with Severus (especially the Severan hull rats), many call Severus home. Mining for rare trace-minerals still takes place, but most Severan residents are not miners—they are refugees and expatriates (called elsewhere "criminals") from the rest of the Empire, offered sanctuary at Severus in exchange for loyalty to House Decados.   Now these upstanding citizens support every facet of life on Severus, from farming to merchantry. Some continue the activities which led them to flee their homeworlds (assassination, black marketing, drug trafficking, etc.), but, provided these services are rendered for House Decados and not against it, there is little problem from the local lords.  Hyram Decados maintains Manse Decados, the ducal palace for the entire house; he resides here with his entourage and many supporters, running House Decados with a tight fist.Edenya: Severus has a small moon which, like itself, is covered by jungle. Edenya is inhabitable, but only barely so. Flora and fauna are equally venomous, and a cloying haze of humidity makes the already acrid air difficult to breathe. Edenya is owned and run by the Jakovian Agency; all that the public knows is that the kossack training camp is on Edenya, and everything else is classified. The Jakovians monitor all entry and egress to Edenya.

Hawkwood Worlds

Delphi

Massive terraforming has made Delphi similar to old Urth in its terrain, with a wide variety of climates ranging from arctic to tropical and a diverse biota. In a few places, notably on the island continent of Courai, indigenous flora and fauna have been preserved.Princess Victoria Hawkwood exercises sovereignty over the planet, which boasts a population of over two billion humans and nearly a hundred thousand aliens. Some rare minerals are found on Delphi and a long-standing agreement with House Justinian allows that minor house to oversee the mining interests on the planet.The homeworld of House Hawkwood enjoys a relatively high level of technology, with several large cities boasting Second Republic technology.  Most of the world, particularly in the less settled regions, exists in less sophisticated conditions: electricity is available to freemen classes, but the serfs who are responsible for most of the planet's food production live mediaeval lives.  This planet is the center of Hawkwood activity and most nobles, even if they have holdings elsewhere, maintain individual residences in the capital.
 

Gwynneth

Much of this world is still covered by old growth forests, simulating the ancient woods that once reportedly blanketed Holy Terra.  Although its population numbers nearly a billion, this does not include the uncounted groups of pagan peoples residing in the deep backwoods of the planet.  The lumber industry provides Gwynneth with its major export, both in raw material and in finely crafted furnishings.  The Hawkwood nobles who maintain estates on Gwynneth also keep a constant watch for signs of Vuldrok interference with the planet.  Gwynneth suffered major losses of life and property from the Vuldrok Raiders. unfortunately the pagan population of the planet saw the Raiders as liberators come to free them from the yoke of a Church-dominated Empire.  House Hawkwood, in order to bolster its military presence on the planet, has hired Muster mercenaries from Bannockburn, thus giving the Chainers a less than welcome inroad on the world and resulting in some friction between the locals and the auxiliaries.  Even in the larger population centers such as the capital city of Llanfyrth, technology rarely exceeds Victorian age capabilities.  The exceptions are, of course, found in those places where the Hawkwoods actually maintain estates and residences, where Second Republic technology maintains house members in comfort.  The "forest people," a Hawkwood euphemism for the pagans, dwell in hovels that barely approach mediaeval standards of sophistication.
 

Leminkainen

Closer than any of the Known Planets to the Vuldrok Border, Leminkainen presents House Hawkwood with a bureaucratic and military nightmare. Overrun at one point during the Barbarian Invasions, Leminkainen is still playing catch-up, trying to recover f rom the damage done to its cities and farmlands. Although House Hawkwood was able to retake their planet and drive out most of the invaders, many barbarians remained behind after their armies left and now form their own enclave on one of the three major landmasses of the planet. While claiming sovereignty over what they call Valdalla, these tribes maintain a tenuous truce with the Hawkwood "overlords," whom they refuse to acknowledge as such though they pay tribute to them anyway.  Leminkainen is valuable to House Hawkwood because of the presence of rare deposits of Pygmallium. An entire Hawkwood garrison resides on the site where this precious metal is extracted in order to protect the area from possible attack. The population of Leminkainen is less than 500,000 (not counting the barbarians, who have never submitted to a census).  Most of the inhabitants of the planet live in small villages where they spend their time labouring long hours to make the land produce once more and to help it recover from the hardships and depredations caused by long years of pitched battles. The city of Hakkonen, the largest on the planet, lies near Leminkainen's only starport and the Pygmallium mines.The Engineers have an agreement with House Hawkwood that allows them access to the Pygmalliun produced on planet in return for reduced rates for acquit ing and repairing advanced technology. They also maintain a minor guildhouse on the planet.
 

Ravenna

This planet contains some of the most striking geographic features to be found on any of the Hawkwood controlled worlds: towering mountains and arid deserts vie with lush woodlands and sprawling plains. Although it supports a human population of less than half a billion, its mineral resources provide House Hawkwood with vital income. Many of the inhabitants work the mines of Ravenna and the planet houses several fine smiths and L artisans who shape the metals extracted from the earth into tools, weapons and decorative objects. Swords of Ravennan steel are among the favored weaponry of Hawkwood knights.  As the birthplace of Emperor Alexius, who comes from Sardonia, its capital city, Ravenna has recently become inundated with visitors eager to see for themselves the place that gave birth to the Savior of the Empire. Hawkwood nobility often gathers on the grand estates that surround the environs of the capital to enjoy such pastimes as hunting, falconry contests and to test their prowess at riding the magnificent urrocs trained on the planet by members of House Trusnikron.  In many ways, Ravenna is a showcase planet: technology levels for the peasantry are kept deliberately low to preserve the idyllic atmosphere of the villages that dot the countryside near the Hawkwood estates and preserves. The annual Craftsman's Fair held in the Agora in Sardonia draws visitors from throughout the Known Worlds to admire the local talent and purchase for  themselves some unique example of "peasant craft.  "If the peasantry is unhappy  with its enforced backwardness, it gives no sign of it, seeming content to toil under the gentle rule of its Hawkwood rulers.
 

Velisimil (Obun)

The natural beauty of this planet is accentuated by Obun architectural philosophy, which strives to complement rather than overpower its surroundings. As planetary rulers, House Hawkwood maintains a governmental enclave and a small military presence here but otherwise leaves Velisimil to its indigenous population. A few members of House Juandaastas also reside here with their Obun spouses.The bulk of the Obun live here, and their laws take precedence over those of the Empire in purely internal matters. The technology level is relatively sophisticated; though it differs in design, it falls somewhere between Diaspora and Early Second Republic in complexity. Nevertheless, students of architecture make pilgrimages to Velisimil to marvel at the alien sense of design and come back with a new sense of how to blend nature and technology into a harmonious whole.

Hazat Worlds

Aragon

The crown jewel of the Hazat is Aragon, home of shining spires, ancient castles, famous diamond mines, glorious battles and some of the most legendary warriors ever to walk the Known Worlds. What is less well known are the wretched slums of unemployed legionnaires, the violent desert nomads, and the constant feud between the Eduardo and Justus branches.The center of Hazat power is the glorious palace and war college on the west coast of Quechua, the planet's largest continent. The center of Quechua is desert and the east coast has some of the planet's richest farm land, owned by theJustus branch of the family. The Eduardo branch controls the west coast, including the planet's main industrial holdings. This industrial section is still retooling from the massive military buildup of the Emperor Wars, when almost the entirety of the planet's resources were turned over to the war effort.Most of the serfs who were called away from their jobs to serve in the armed forces have returned to their earlier callings. Most work the land, but more  than a few have ended up in the growing slums around Aragon's factories. Crime has leapt incredibly in the past three years, turning these tenements into hot beds of violence and dissent. The Hazat have not made any effort to bring them under control Aragon's dangerous slums have always been a breeding ground for excellent soldiers, and the Hazat believe current conditions are just part of that process.

• Castle Furias:  This is the main palace of the Hazat. It once belonged to the Justus branch, but when the Eduardos broke away, they took the palace as one of their holdings. This breathtakingly beautiful complex is as defensible as it is gorgeous. Its battlements are an intrinsic part of its architecture, and its armor glistens like crystal.  For generations the Justus branch spent vast sums making the building even more sumptuous, and the Eduardos have continued this process. During the Emperor Wars several Hazat knights found St. Bernado's Globe of Infinite Wonderment in a Diaspora-era ruin on Vera Cruz. The Eduardos smuggled it off planet and brought it to Castle Furias, where it now sits in the center of the main chapel. No one can deny that the castle has appeared more resplendent since its additions, and serfs have begun to visit the globe as a pilgrimage. Rumor has it that those who view the stone become both more aware of their deepest desires (+8 Introvert while in its presence) and more committed to those desires (+4 Passion while in its presence).

Sutek

Originally known as Sathra's Boon, Sutek has had the longest human habitation of any world other than Holy Terra. The Sathra movement had its greatest strength here, and this is where the earliest battles against its adherents took place. The First Republic claimed to have completely destroyed all traces of the movement, and took extra care to annihilate its adherents here, but rumors persisted that the heresy had survived.  House Chauki claimed this planet during the Diaspora, swearing to protect humanity from any renewal of the Sathra threat.  By the time of the Second Republic the house had lost much of its hold on the world. It became an industrial center during that period and benefited greatly from its proximity to Urth and Byzantium Secundus. The collapse of the Second Republic devastated Sutek. The Hazat renewed the old Chauki claim to the planet, and the Castenda branch moved in. The Church adamantly objected but was in too much disarray to stop this move.Over the years the Castendas solidified their hold on the planet, though many claim Sutek has solidified its hold over them. Indeed, there have been many times when the Castendas appeared ready to break off from the Hazat and form their own house. Only the threat of a Church move on the planet has kept them from doing so. The Church has always had a strong distrust of anything associated with what was once Sathra's Boon, and many Castendas fear that if they did break off from the house's protection, nothing would stop the Patriarch from moving in.

• A night road is said to exist between Sutek and the Kurgan Caliphate.

Vera Cruz

Vera Cruz lacks many of the industrial problems which afflict Aragon, but that is because it also lacks that planet's industry. The only important industry on the planet is agriculture, though there is a little bit of mining on the planet's only sizable continent. The Bursandra branch of the family owns most of the planet's land, and they have built a gorgeous palace on Dorado, a beautiful island just off the coast of the main continent.  Vera Cruz suffered almost no damage during the Emperor Wars but is now threatened by the Kurga Caliphate. The Hazat know that the Kurgans desperately want to seize Vera Cruz. Indeed, those prisoners the Hazat have captured have told them that they feel it is their holy duty to "liberate" the planet. A number of Eskatonic and Avestite priests have established a monastery on the planet's arctic continent. There they research Kurgan claims regarding the planet, but nothing of note has been reported.  The Hazat like to promote Vera Cruz as their least military-oriented planet, but this is changing as the Kurgan conflict becomes more active. Many landless knights have flocked here trying to earn a piece of the lost world, and Vera Cruz's nobles have begun to call in troops from their underlings on other planets. On top of this, a number of Hazat, especially those of the Rolas and Dulcinea branches, are secret practitioners of the Soma psychic path. They have a hidden training facility on Vera Cruz, well away from prying eyes.

Li Halan Worlds

Icon

Icon was founded by a splinter sect of Urth Orthodox, who settled in the northern part of Ithica. Other religious groups soon followed, including New Style Muslims and the Brethren of the Stars (Xianists), who settled in the region of Famater (originally Fatima). Although the people of these sects converted to the Prophet's message, vestiges of the earlier religions remain and have inter mixed with the rites of the Universal Church.  The southern region of Urtata holds a large population of later arrivals.  Small farms and huge Li Halan estates dot Urtata. Many Ur ruins were found here.  The population of the southern continent is conservatively Orthodox and looks askance at the strange ways of them cousins in the northern hemisphere.  Surprisingly, many of the best artisans of the Li Halan worlds are found on the planet, and Urtata dancing and poetry have been mimicked on many worlds.  The conversion of the Li Halan took place in the Twerrid Mountains on Famater, a place feared by the local inhabitants.
 

Kish

 A desert planet, it was here that the Li Halan rose to power.  Escoral is the capital city, marked by the grandeur of the Prophet's Cathedral and the Li Halan palace.  Most of the rural population work on the large Li Halan estates, or are small farmers huddled in the Greenswarth, the temperate region along the coast of the Rwellim Sea, south of the great deserts.  The Greenswarth is the only agricultural region on the planet, save for the northern city of Calgirn (originally New Calgary).   Desert tribes, the Ishwin Confederacy, live in the harsh interior.  Tied to House Li Halan by blood and oath, they make the fiercest warriors of House Li Halan.   Originally independent, their power was largely crushed by Cardano. Now the tribes have limited autonomy, many of them having become herdsmen.  Yet there exists no violence between them and the other inhabitants.  Li Halan rule is strong and the planet lives peacefully under their hand.  Rural outbreaks of discontent are swiftly crushed, and little word of these has reached other worlds. The entire population is Orthodox in belief.

• Pilgrimage: the location where Saint Maya, after arguing with the Prophet, struck a rock in anger, miraculously causing a spring to flow.

Midian

The homeworld of Patriarch Palamedes, House Li Halan was invited in to quell a violent civil war between the Northern League and the Orthodox Unionists. The Northern League dwelt in the northern region of Lyonesse. Descendants of free thinkers, small democratic townships and those seeking escape from the overcrowded First Republic, they were hated by the settlers of Zujan in the south, who were Orthodox believers. Ruled by small despots after the decline of House Alecto, the Orthodox despots of Zujan joined in an attempt to conquer Lyonesse.  While they possessed the larger armies, the Zujan Union suffered from the higher technological development and hit-and-run tactics of the Northern League.  However, after 11 years and a crushing defeat at the Battle of Vout, the Northern League appealed to the Li Halan for aid. The Li Halan crushed the southern despots and remained as lords of Midian. The Northern League they left largely alone, merely acknowledging a sworn oath to House Li Halan. Zujan they divided into large estates, despoiling the minor noble houses there, a few of which were assimilated through marriage.Alone among provinces of the Li Halan worlds, Lyonesse remains governed by a democratic constitution. Orthodox belief finds more liberal interpretation here, and the Li Halan have never been harsh in their rule.   That is because the greatest scientists, weapon builders, engineers and doctors tend to come from this continent. The citizens are treated well and in return, they have been loyal, if somewhat resented by others. The two times that zealous reformers attempted to crack down on Lyonesse, they were met with resistance by those house members who worried that such censure would cost the house vital tech innovation. Lyonesse holds the weapon factories and manufacturing plants of House Li Halan, and the technicians from here supervise fleet construction in Zujan, at the Lextius shipyards. Ironically, the religious fervor which caused uprisings on Midian swept through the Orthodox populace of Zujan. Lyonesse, with its democratic traditions, remained untouched.
 

Rampart

This League world was seized by the Li Halan during the Emperor Wars to increase their technological base. Despite Li Halan reforms (often an attempt to civilize largely unruly frontier people), there are seeds of rebellion in the air. Small skirmishes between the Li Halan military authorities and "Leaguers" have occurred in the Nordrist region of the tundra world. The technology gained from Rampart has greatly added to the strength of the Li Halan fleet.
 

Ungavorox (Vorox)

Church Worlds

Artemis

De Moley

• Brother Battle monastery

Holy Terra (Urth)

Pentateuch

• Weltgeist phenomenon (Weird Places)
• Basilica of Saint Paulus and Horace

Pyre

League Worlds

Bannockburn

• Symbiot Island (Weird Places)

Kordeth (Ukar)

• Ukar main world
• League-controlled

Leagueheim

• Agora: Emporium
• Garrison: 8
• Capital: Kesparate
• Jumps: 2
• Solar System: Midget 1, Leaguehiem 2 (Racer), Darkside 3, Gasbag II 4, Gasbag (The Nuggets) 5, Asteroid Belt 6, Ghost 7, Niven 8.
• Tech: 7 (some 8).
• Human Pop: 4 billion
• Alien Pop: 4 million 
• Resources: Mineral ore, oil, manufacturing, trade
• Exports: Industrial goods, financial services 

Madoc

Vau Worlds

Apshai

Manitou

In theory anyone can be elected to a seat on the Joint Administrators' Guild, but in practice open elections never take place anyway.  Seats are created or deleted on a vote from current JAG members, votes and seats are constantly traded as favours, and some seats carry more votes than others.  As a result, it is difficult to known who really controls the JAG at any given moment. 

• Haunted Chapel (Weird Places)
• Edward Perkins' The Dark Between the Stars notes on Manitou
• T'shrang'ameen – the arcology where Vau presence is concentrated

Vau (Shaduveen'Lan Tuomani)

• War in the Heavens: Hegemony

Vril-Ya

Plus a bunch of planets in the Hegemony which no player character will be invited to for a while.

Symbiot-Controlled Worlds

Absolution

Abydos

Chernebog 

Daishan

Independent Worlds

Grail

Grail is the only planet held by the Keddah. Hardwoods from their vast estates, especially the beautiful red-gold Baryana, are much prized on Kish, Pyre, Cadavus and other planets whose wood resources are severely limited. Blue veined marble from the Etyriani Mountains is sold throughout the Known Worlds, and even appreciated by the barbarians of the Kurga Caliphate. Keddite, a rare metal, was once used extensively in Second Republic manufacturing, but is now used to make adornments.

House Keddah has ruled Grail since the Fall, but its other holdings have been consistently eroded.  Now it only has Grail, and a few other minor fiefs on other planets.  The Keddah are determined to defend their last world against all those who would rob it from them. Taxes are presently high, fueling the build-up of the navy and army.  The Keddah are aware that the Jacobian Agency has its tentacles firmly wrapped around every level of government.  They have begun a program of counter-intelligence, rooting our the cancer.  It is slow work, but already they have had some small successes.

The cathedral, situated in the capital, Copher, is a beautiful structure, the second highest in the city.  Although not as large as some of the cathedrals on more prosperous worlds, some of the tapestries are preserved from the time of Nicholas the Second, the famed artisan-king.  Many pilgrims stop by here on their way to the site of the healing of the Prophet.

The agora is quite large, and very rambling.  There is much in the way of spices, and Etyri curiosities.  The Muster have a firm grip on the economy at large, due to the massive labour requirements due to the extensive mining and ship-building programs.

The garrison is quite respectable for a minor house, although many of the ships date back to the Second Republic, and are in desparate need of repair or replacement.  A small force hunts smugglers and pirates through the asteroid rings, a dangerous and underpaid task.

The route from Pyre carries much traffic from Byzantium Secundus and Criticorum.  Despite the slight increase in the level of Avestite scrutiny, the Keddah largely manage to avoid the worst suspicions.

• Dais 1, Grail 2 (Kale, Aragol), Old Man Red 3, Agamemnon (Spire, Marshall Station, Orb) 4
• Edward Perkins' The Dark Between the Stars notes on Gemini Station
• Pilgrimage site: the Prophet's Healing
• Etyri homeworld

Kurgan Caliphate

Al Fashir 

Beliah 

Vuldrok Star Nation

Fingisvold 

Frost 

Hargard (Vuldrok)

Raven 

Wolf's Lament 

Lost Worlds

Antioch

Aspiration

Dashwood 

Transportation on the planet is as problematic as the question of living space and has been solved by a number of ingenious expedients.  Only the wealthy are able to afford the various skimmers, flitters and flightsuits constructed in the flying cities. For the more humble inhabitants of the planet the main recourse for moving between the island-mountains is to turn to a number of guilds have arisen on Dashwood.  These guilds are famous for training various native and imported flying creatures as riding and cargo animals. 

The culture of Dashwood differs from that of the Known Worlds in several respects. The major differences stem from the closely-packed nature of life on the planet, the lack of a monolithic and persecuting church, the endurance and common acceptance of some Republican technologies and institutions, and the acceptance of psychic abilities. The native language of the Dashwooders is a varient of the Urthish spoken in the Old Republic, but has deviated from the standard under the influence of the mathematically-based 'Perfect Tongue' of the Choronese cult. As a result it is considered sufficiently different from Urthish to constitute a distinct language (much as do Vuldrok and Kurgan).  The nearest Dashwood has to a single ruling body are the talking shops of the Council of Cities and the Freemans Council which have always been run on a basis of the consent of the governed.

• Article on Empire of the Phoenix Throne -

Dogen 

Egg

Epiphany

Eridol

Gizeh

Heaven's Ridge

Iver

Nominally ruled by House Chauki, but controlled by an elected senate, Iver is a fiercely independent world and hotbed of contention and intrigue between many of the Known Worlds' factions.  With its equal-rights treatment of aliens, and Incarnate-dominated religious base, Iver has caused further consternation among Known Worlds' factions, because most of its population actually live like freemen, irrespective of their thinly held serfdom to House Chauki. 

Iver has a significant population of aliens, primarily Etyri.  The teachings of the Prophet remain strong, spearheaded by the Incarnate sect although it is not recognized by the Universal Church of the Pancreator as of yet.  But atheism is also very popular on the planet, creating another danger in the process of integration with the Known Workds.  Although the majority of the population is loyalist, a small but significant anti-royalist faction exist as an underground current of rebellion. 
 

Khotan

Most lowfolk live a tough life as farmers or nomads, but one lowfolk stronghold is seen as a utopia of sorts, united by good works and faith in the Lumina religion, a liberal version of Universal Church doctrine. This democratic settlement, Freehold, is open to all lowfolk of good heart and faith.  All Freeholders, young and old alike, are educated in literacy, science, and Lumina doctrine.  Luminous Ministers are the clergy of the Lumina faith, and preach a doctrine of mercy, inclusiveness, and the importance of good deeds.  The Sidanzi are the holy defenders of Freehold, similar in many regards to the Battle Brothers of the Known Worlds, though they are notably more selfless, and obviously far, far smaller.

Practically unknown to the lowfolk and highfolk above, the ground beneath their feet is riddled with ancient tunnels, disused mineshafts, and so on that are home to a motley array of humans, Changed, and Ur-Ukar underfolk, dwelling together without conflict, and only rarely venturing to the surface at the behest of their hidden masters.  The changed underfolk are the descendents of miners genetically-altered to work well in the subterranean environment, and are a short, powerful folk, with hulking torsos, and yellow-umber skin.

The seafolk of Khotan stand apart from the divisions of highfolk and lowfolk, living as sea-going nomads, trading with coastal lowfolk settlements.
 

Kun Lun

Kun Lun's psychics are trained to utilize their powers from an early age, joining specific castes that focus their particular talents, laying the basic foundation for their further psychic development.  Kun Lun psychics have no Urge.  Kinetics use their powers to perform much of Kun Lun's manual labor, especially in cases where the direct handling of an object or substance is perilous, or dangerous construction work is being carried out.  Although slow to develop their powers, Oracles are the leaders of Kun Lun society, using their powers to aid them in their decision making.  Seers use their powers as part of Kun Lun's defense force, determining threats, and operating as scouts and security specialists.  Speakers stand a little apart from much of Kun Lun society, but use their powers to operate as skilled investigators.
 

Lamorak

Novgorod

Pandora

Paradise

Ransom 

Rimpoche

Sargasso (Collier's Landing)

Sherkaven

Sky Tear

Trikola 

Twilight

Ustar

Yathrib