The Darkleich Galaxy is a strange place, an endless constellation of star systems that make up its complex form. Home to trillions of inhabitants, it is full of life and activity. The United Alliance of Interplanetary worlds and numerous other independent planets hold the Galaxy together in unity.
Monumental leaps in technology, trade, commerce and culture have taken place over the years as the Galaxy evolved from an empty wasteland to a glorious paradise all thanks to the reclusive Kanakim.
Sentient life in the Galaxy is mainly attributed to the Kanakim, a solitary race that resides on the very fringes of the Galaxy. Technology, evolution, growth and exploration in the Galaxy developed under the watchful eye of the Kanakim until life was ready to continue its own.
TECHNOLOGY
Technology in the Galaxy is highly advanced, but its distribution is uneven. Planets with great economic wealth or natural resources often tend to be hubs of highly advanced technology. At the same time, distant and inaccessible worlds are usually left in the dust with obsolete and often primitive tools and machinery.
TRANSPORT
Transport is one of the most important aspects of life in the Galaxy. Transportation could be between two cities on a world, a trip to one of its moons, or even travel to entirely different planets.
However, as with technology, the level of transport efficiency varies between worlds. While the richest planets such as New Earth might travel across the heavens in powerful nuclear-powered luxury space yachts, a peasant from Corealine might have to contend with cheap oil-based cruisers.
Transport within worlds is an entirely different concept compared to space travel. Most means of travel are usually divided into three segments: land, air and water, as it has been since the dawn of time.
ROADWAYS
On most planets, long and wide motorways crisscross across the planet’s surface, cutting through varying topography, be it forests, oceans, landmasses, deserts and the like connecting all parts of the world. These roads are often of supreme importance to the economies of their respective worlds. Recreational, business, commercial, and goods transport occur extensively on the motorways.
THE STORM-RAILS
The storm-rails, a highly advanced form of the ancient railroad train transport system, is a large vehicle composed of numerous connected carriages and a primary engine moving on tracks. Usually powered by self-cycling electricity or nuclear fusion, these behemoths of transport can carry enormous cargo across a world’s surface within mere hours.
The storm rail is by design a very cheap mode of travel, requiring minimum fuel or maintenance due to its repetitive and often monotonous operation. The rail system in New Earth or the more advanced worlds such as Azarion are operated by automated droids. These tracks are usually built within toughened glass canopies upon high-rise platforms hundreds of feet above the ground, held up by concrete or metallic pillars.
These peculiar and efficient trains are almost always employed to carry cargo such as foodstuff, spacecraft parts, or industrial output. However, in the more remote regions of these worlds or even other underdeveloped worlds, the storm rail is also the primary means of transport for people.
AIR TRAVEL
Atmospheric travel within the worlds of the Alliance and others is surprisingly underwhelming compared to the land or water. Air travel occurs mainly through generic space cruisers. Most spacecraft are capable of atmospheric movement, especially those used for commercial purposes.
Air travel on atmosphere-only vehicles such as airplanes and high-speed jet cruisers is common in the Galaxy’s more remote and underdeveloped planets.
THE MAG-TUBE
The Mag-Tube is a complicated network of undersea tubes stretching across the world’s seas and oceans, connecting various ports and settlements. These tubes’ insides are composed of powerful electromagnets that push along submarine vehicles that range from small submersibles to massive transports at unimaginable speeds. The Mag-Tube operates using hydrogen fission generated from the water surrounding it, making the system practically self-sustaining.
The tubes are made of reinforced transparent metal or toughened glass. In the more scenic regions of the oceans, massive floodlights illuminate the waters to display the diverse marine life therein for the pleasure of the traveler’s that pass through.
The Mag-Tube is an incredibly fast mode of undersea travel, with vehicles achieving speeds as high as fifteen thousand kilometers per hour. The vacuum-sealed interior allows for little to no resistance to movement, and the electromagnetic forces continually accelerate the object moving through. At maximum speed, the Mag-Tube can transport a medium-sized cargo carrier across a distance of, say, twenty thousand kilometers in the matter of a standard hour.
The Mag-Tube was initially designed to be constructed over land to replace the Storm-Rail system. However, when objects moved at the advertised speeds within them, an incredible amount of heat was generated.
Operating at full capacity, an average meter of the system produced approximately 1.5 megajoules of heat residue. Radiation of such intense heat to the surroundings could irreversibly damage ecosystems within a significant radius. This problem was solved by submerging the system entirely within the ocean, where the heat could harmlessly dissipate into the virtually infinite body of water.
SPACE TRAVEL
Space travel is one of the Galaxy’s most integral aspects of life. Useful for the transport of cargo, goods and people across the stars, Space Travel has advanced from poorly made single-use shuttles to sophisticated cruisers capable of rapid interplanetary travel. Most space cruisers are powered by either nuclear fusion, solar capture or conventional fuels. Rapid leaps in the development of fuels have occurred over the years as concepts of antimatter and plasma-based engines became theoretically possible.
Omicron Class Light Cruiser
The Omicron Class Light Cruiser is a medium-sized spacecraft constructed by the Taminax Interstellar Corporation and has been in active service for more than twenty years. The Light Cruiser is a reliable and capable vessel with a tonnage of around four thousand tons and a passenger-carrying capacity of two hundred.
The cruiser is almost exclusively used to transport cargo in the more developed parts of the Alliance. At the same time, in some places, it is a specialized passenger vessel carrying people to almost every planet in the UAIW. The ship isn’t heavily armed but sports a set of highly capable deflector shields that is enough to veer off any possible threat.
XA-47 STAR CARRIER
The XA-47 Star Carrier is a small-sized nuclear-powered personal spacecraft. First constructed by the Parallax Foundation, the design blueprints were made public. Subsequently, over the years, numerous other companies churned out many iterations of the design in massive numbers. The XA-47 is a swift and deadly vessel, holding only two passengers and a small living and storage space.
The Xa-47 Star Carrier is well-armed and features three preliminary laser cannons on the front, while three heavy incendiary weapons adorn its bottom. Deflector shields cover almost all exterior and provide a robust sheath of protection. Yet, one of the most glaring flaws is its small size.
Encountering a threat with larger weapons or tonnage could prove fatal if not handled carefully. Nevertheless, it's incredible speed and reliable engine systems make it a favorite among criminals and, in contrast, the police.
OLYMPIA CLASS HEAVY DESTROYER
The Olympia Class Heavy Destroyer is a massive spacecraft built for space warfare and defense. Around one thousand meters in length, the Destroyer appears like a behemoth of destructive power. The enormous vessel is powered by a hybrid of solar collectors and nuclear fusion. Propelled by over twenty heavy-power space boosters, a number almost double the requirement of a similarly sized ship, the Olympia Class can travel at speeds matching tiny Star Carriers.
The Olympia Class is heavily armed with hundreds of heavy laser cannons and fifty more ion weapons on the bow, all of which could be focused on singular targets with devastating results.
Twenty bay doors affixed on the bottom of the hull open up possibilities for the release of star carriers to aid in battle. A destroyer at the full operational stage can carry up to one hundred XA-47 Star Carriers, all primed to be deployed at a moment’s notice. Heavy deflector shields surrounding the ship are powered by two massive nuclear fusion engines deep within the ship’s bowels.
These heavily armed vessels are used in most cases to patrol and secure the regions within the UAIW from pirates, pillagers and other hostile entities. They are very effective at what they do, to say the least.
THE GOLDEN CREDIT
The Golden Credit was the answer to the economic crisis put forth by the Alliance. It was a gold-based currency, the golden Credit. Over the following years, the golden Credit, usually simply called the Credit, became a universally accepted currency within the United Alliance of Interplanetary
THE GOLDEN CREDIT
The Golden Credit was the answer to the economic crisis put forth by the Alliance. It was a gold-based currency, the golden Credit. Over the following years, the golden Credit, usually simply called the Credit, became a universally accepted currency within the United Alliance of Interplanetary Worlds.
WORLDS
The golden Credit appears in both digital and physical forms. The physical form of the golden Credit appears as small disc-shaped coins. Each coin weighs around one and a half ounces and is made of polished dura-steel with a small golden center. Coins are usually minted in denominations starting at 1 up to even 5000.
The Credit can be stored in digital format within small digital data discs. An average data disc can store up to approximately ten million credits, while more specialized containers can store billions of them. A data disc is a small rectangular device with a screen and numerous buttons. Some of the more advanced data discs have biometric security locks that prevent anyone other than their respective owners from accessing the credits within.
Weaponry
The Galaxy is a dangerous place. The infinite beauty of the heavens and the fascinating worlds might get you engrossed, but danger lurks in every corner. Criminals, pirates and dangerous individuals often wait for you in the shadows. Excitement and risk go hand in hand, and a good weapon at one’s side is invaluable for their continued existence in a galaxy of adventures.
A few of the most iconic weapons are listed below:
THE DX-13 PLASMA BLASTER
The DX 13 Plasma Blaster is a handheld energy-based weapon. The blaster can release a devastating blast of one hundred thousand joules in one shot upon impact. Deadly and silent, it is a perfect weapon for a lonely traveler in a vast galaxy. The blaster is powered by a unique plasma-cycler, providing a long accurate range and a magazine capacity of two hundred blasts.
The DX 13 is manufactured by Taminax Interstellar and is one of the most popular sidearms in the history of the Galaxy. It has retained the same design, albeit with slight improvements over ninety years. The blaster also possesses a self-destruct toggle which can be activated to turn it into a handheld grenade of deadly power.
THE AR-13-Z REPEATING BLASTER
The AR-13-Z is a majestic weapon with devastating capabilities. The blaster is held with two hands and can be fired with an automatic setting, unleashing a deadly three hundred rounds a minute blast. Nothing less than a deflector shield or reinforced door can withstand the power of this beast of a weapon. Each round releases an energy blast of approximately fifty thousand joules, and a repeating burst of, say, fifty continuous rounds is enough to utterly obliterate anyone that might stand in one’s way.
Manufactured by Gladion Industries, the AR-13-Z is a highly restricted piece of weaponry requiring cumbersome permits and licenses to legally operate. Worth over ten thousand credits, the blaster isn’t easy to buy either. However, as all things regulated by the law, a rampant black market exists where a single blaster could be acquired for just over five thousand credits.
DX-51A CHEMICAL DETONATOR
The DX-51A is a handheld incendiary grenade manufactured by Taminax Interstellar and part of the iconic DX weapon line. The bomb is shaped like an almost perfect sphere studded with numerous indentations to reportedly increase its aerodynamics. With a double-click firing pin, there is no chance for the grenade to go off unexpectedly. The detonator within is a small hydrogen catalyst which works similar to a tiny neutralization.
When the pin is fired, the detonator activates, and a chemical reaction sets off the hydrogen catalyst, practically tearing apart the atoms, electron by electron. Such a reaction, as expected, releases an incredible amount of energy which bursts out in the form of explosively heat, noise and radiation. A point-blank explosion of a DX-51A releases a burst of five hundred thousand joules.
PLANETS THAT ARE PART OF THE UNITED ALLIANCE OF INTERPLANETARY WORLDS
The Darkleich Galaxy is a vast place, made up of an infinite number of endlessly complicated star systems. Accounting for trillions of beings and billions of planets, it’s often easy to get lost in the depths of the stars. Within the Galaxy, one might come across rare forms of sentient life, species populating an entire planet, or sometimes numerous worlds. Some are underdeveloped, living in dusty huts in an undulating desert, while others reside in vast ecumenopolitan that rise to scrape the heavens. The United Alliance of Interplanetary Systems is an organization dedicated to bringing together sentient beings within a cohesive Government to promote peace, prosperity, and interplanetary cooperation. Yet sometimes, unity in diversity doesn’t always work as expected.
Crieronite
Planet Size: Medium
Goldilocks Class D
Crieronite is a world of contrast, of stark opposites. Most of the planet’s surface is covered in a vast permafrost, coating every sliver of land in frosty snow. Despite the freezing cold and the endless ice, majestic cities dot the landscape. Made out of the most modern and sophisticated technology, these cities are nothing less than massive palaces.
Yet not all of the planet is coated in a layer of indomitable ice. Lush rainforests are on the far side of the planet, in a thin ring around the equator, home to enormous trees, deadly predators, and venomous insect life. So dense as to not even allow sunlight to penetrate, these forests boast temperatures far higher than the rest of the planet, with frequent showers being common. Such stark contrast gives Crieronite its unique reputation.
Common sense might indicate that a world like Crieronite might have nothing of value to trade with their neighbors, yet such couldn’t be far from the truth. The planet holds endless reserves of potable water within its deep glaciers. A resource of immense value in the worlds of the United Alliance, water has been a bargaining chip they utilized time and again with undeniable success.
Trinanium, a rare ore found deep within the frozen oceans of Crieronite, is a highly sought-after material. Its trade generates billions of credits in profit for the planet’s monarchy. Trinanium is a vital ingredient in Interstellar engine fuel.
A planet as wealthy as Crieronite needs to be able to defend itself against unwanted visitors, be it pirates, ice smugglers or a full-fledged invasion force. An impressive fleet of hundreds of armed spacecrafts, a capable ground force, and a grid of orbital plasma batteries make the planet nigh impenetrable.
Raptarian Prime
Planet Size: Large
Goldilocks Class E
Raptarian Prime is a single-biome world, with lush rainforests covering the entirety of its surface. The climate remains almost unchanged for most parts of the year. The weather doesn’t see much difference in most parts of the year, with torrential rains and hair-raising heat making up most of it. The forest canopies are dense, allowing little sunshine or rain to directly reach the forest floor. Old-growth trees, considered sacred by the native Raptarian species, dominate the plant life, some stretching over hundreds of feet tall.
The Raptarians are an arboreal warrior race. Made up of numerous sub-races part of a complex hierarchical social setting, Raptarian society is very strictly organized. Raptarian races adapt to their environment, with each race possessing unique and often conflicting biology with special features, limbs and even life processes.
Complimenting their strictly hierarchical society, the Raptarians consider anyone who isn’t part of their species genetically inferior, with some alien species being considered ugly and repulsive. This sense of superiority grants them a narrow view of life in the Galaxy. They know little and fear even less of the outside world. It often becomes difficult to digest how they even came to join the United Alliance.
Raptarians being a race of deadly warriors have developed an eerily strong sense of battle instinct where even the most inexperienced of them can hold their own in a fight. Yet, however much advanced the Raptarian species are, their battle tactics haven’t changed in the better part of several centuries.
An average Raptarian warrior is equipped with a spear, a crossbow and a short blade. As the weapons themselves remain unchanged, their make and use improve with the introduction of technology. For example, a Raptarian spear which has historically been a weapon used once in battle, became available for multiple uses with the introduction of loaded spearheads. Crossbows evolved from wooden arrows to plasma bolts powered by an energy pack. A blade might be forged from duranium steel and coated in electropotential material. Weapons don’t change with time but merely improve.
Raptarians are a mainly arboreal species. While some races might prefer to live in an aquatic habitat, most reside in treetops. They live in specialized living pods- a bioengineered living space which adapts to its inhabitants. These pods are nothing less than luxurious residences with them, containing everything from living amenities to entertainment facilities. For example, a pod of a scientist might change itself to present scientific equipment and materiel, while a warrior’s pod might contain an arsenal of the latest weaponry.
Gareshkin
Planet Size: Medium
Goldilocks Class B
Gareshkin is a Goldilocks-Class-B planet, one that is suitable to support the majority of sentient life discovered in the Galaxy. Its surface is vast and diverse, featuring undulating plains, dense forests, excruciating deserts, and liquid oceans. The only instance which kept it from achieving Class A status is its immensely thick atmosphere. The atmosphere in Gareshkin is approximately six times as dense as a standard biosphere making it difficult for many non-native species to survive without protective equipment.
The inhabitants of the planet are a significantly technologically advanced people. Believing in the superiority of advanced technology and the possession of knowledge to be the way forward for society, the Gareshkin are a theological race.
Disease and sickness are a thing of the past, with doctors having instantaneous cures to virtually any ailment that could plague their species. Their incredible leaps in medical research have made them a topic of interest in the Galactic Senate, and the planet earns a tidy sum selling their highly sought-after cures.
Governed by an ancient Gerontocracy, the planet is overseen by a group of capable elders. Achieving power in the Gareshkin Government is a humongous task, often considered nigh impossible to anyone but the wealthiest and most influential.
Gareshkin sports an impressive armed force of thousands of offensive destroyers, corvettes and star carriers, a force rivalling the mighty Raptarians. Gareshkin forces are often seen deployed in important Alliance bases and military facilities.
Proximatory
Planet Size: Small
Goldilocks Class A
Proximatory is a multi-biome Goldilocks Class A planet capable of hosting all forms of known sentient life in the Galaxy. Proximatory is one of the older members of the United Alliance. Its populace was given access to technology far more advanced than their own, some of which they didn’t even understand.
Still an underdeveloped society in its early medieval era when the first explorers from the other surrounding planets stepped on its soil, Proximatory was war-torn, with petty conflicts between warlords and kingdoms being commonplace. The populace took to one piece of technology with great vigor: cybernetics. Enhanced cybernetic armor, limbs and weaponry greatly aided their lust for conflict and further aggravated it.
Over millennia, the entire genetic make-up of the Proximatorian species changed, being tweaked, edited and engineered to the individual’s will. Cybernetics became a part of life and limb. They weren’t any longer supplements; they became a vital part of the self. At this point, it is difficult to understand what a Proximatorian pureblood might look like.
The fate of Proximatory is often considered a prime example of what might happen when superior technology is introduced to a population with inferior ones. As is often the case, the receiving party has no idea how to properly use it nor the intellect to understand the implications of doing so. Raising several moral and ethical dilemmas, Proximatory isn’t an isolated case. This has led to raging debates in the senate about the Alliance’s exploration policies, but no concrete conclusion has been reached as of yet.
Killabeet Prime
Planet Size: Large
Goldilocks Class D
Killabeet Prime is a mono-biome planet with its entire surface covered in a vast sandy desert. Scorching heat and low humidity make the climate almost impossible to survive in for long. The planet holds little moisture in the form of open water bodies, and plant life is virtually extinct. The atmosphere is mainly composed of oxygen and nitrogen, attributed to forests and algae that existed on the planet several hundred million years ago. The general lack of life, and as a result, civilization is believed to have been caused by a planet-wide extinction event.
Killabeet Prime is part of a ternary solar system and orbits a set of three suns. Its desert landscape creates a peculiar weather phenomenon common to deserts- scorching days and freezing nights. With temperatures rising to eighty degrees Celsius in the daytime, they drop to thirty below freezing at night. This fluctuation makes the short windows of dawn and dusk the only times one can venture out without protective equipment.
The planet is a high-security military facility of the United Alliance and houses one of the largest fleets of offensive spacecraft in senatorial control. Military personnel, their families and a hand-picked group of civilian experts reside. The underground facility stretches hundreds of miles underground, connected by tunnels and storm-rail routes. Air-conditioned and water-cooled, the facility might be one of the only habitable places in the world of Killabeet Prime.
Toucunay
Planet Size: Small
Goldilocks Class B
Toucunay is a scattered ecumenopolis, with technology and population matching the likes of New Earth. An early space-faring race, the Toucunay people were one of the founding members of the United Alliance of Interplanetary Worlds. The planet is also home to the headquarters of one of the largest space corporations in the Galaxy, Taminax Interstellar.
The people of Toucunay possess a powerful ability that distinguishes them from the rest of the Galaxy, the power of telepathy. Every Toucunay male is a telepath capable of reading minds, eavesdropping on thoughts and communicating without using their voice. Due to such a rampant lack of privacy, the people have developed eerily honest personalities and the ability to suppress their thoughts with surprising efficiency.
Their powerful telepathic abilities caught the attention of the Special Investigation Corps, the closest thing the Alliance has to an Intelligence Agency. Toucunays make excellent recruits, and young males are often indoctrinated to the SIC at ages as low as eighteen months.
Toucunay is ruled by a Gerontocracy composed of the oldest and wisest of the populace. Their governance mainly revolves around the ancient text “Palomea.” written by the Kanakim. Changes to the social order are approved or denied by popular referendums of the population, where all vote by telepathy.
Taylon
Planet Size: Small
Goldilocks Class A
Taylon is a multi-biome Goldilocks Class A planet subject to experimental settlement two centuries ago. Under the watchful eye of the Kanakim albeit from a distance, human settlers from New Earth arrived in Taylon in an attempt to terraform the planet into a colony.
Taylon is governed directly by the UAIW and is yet to form a cohesive Government of its own. Over the years, the world has become a popular destination for alien settlers, refugees, and immigrants. It is a melting pot of diverse cultures, races, and languages.
Taylon went through rapid and extensive industrialization under the rule of the senate. Manufacture of spacecraft parts, living spaces and military armament is a specialty of the planet, and its factories provide much trade to the Galaxy.
Alligaten Six
Planet Size: Medium
Goldilocks Class C
Alligaten Six is a relatively new member of the United Alliance of Interplanetary Worlds. A Class C mono-biome world, Alligaten six doesn’t have much to offer in trade, commerce or military. The entire surface of Alligaten six is covered in derelict swamps and marshlands. With unstable climates and frequent flooding, Alligaten Six isn’t on anyone’s travel list just yet.
Almost left behind and looked down upon by most members of the United Alliance, the world is isolated and serene. Travel in and out of Alligaten Six is rare, and a spaceship flying out of its atmosphere is a sight seen once in a blue moon.
The planet’s situation isn’t helped by the stance of their own populace towards the rest of the Galaxy. Isolated and secretive, most people on Alligaten Six prefer to keep to themselves. Little is known about their traditions and culture, and such is aggravated by the fact that nobody seems to care enough to look.
Buchean Prime
Planet Size: Large
Goldilocks Class A
Buchean Prime is one of the founding members of the United Alliance of Interplanetary Worlds and one of the Galaxy’s most prominent trade and tourist destinations. The planet is multi-Biomed with giant oceans and diverse landmasses. Buchean Prime is home to the most extensive old-growth forests in the Galaxy, and vast swathes of the massive planet’s surface are covered with them.
Once the lifeblood of commerce in this corner of the United Alliance, the timber trade has now slowed down to a trickle as Buchean Prime slowly attempted to move away from commercial deforestation and focused its attention on the tourist trade. The major attractions include adventure sports, forest resorts, wildlife safaris, and extreme activities.
Believed to be the first planet terraformed by the Kanakim to support life, Buchean Prime holds immense respect in the senate and has one of the most robust representations in the senate. The government has been spending massive amounts of money, amounting to hundreds of millions of credits in archaeology, to unearth their rich Kanakim heritage.
Corealine
Planet Size: Medium
Goldilocks Class A
Corealine, called the Galaxy’s food bowl, is a predominantly agricultural world with massive industrial-scale farms dotting its surface. The planet has been terraformed over the years, and most of its geographical features are nigh indistinguishable from the undulating plains that make up most of the landmass. Mountains have been carved out to make way for farms, rivers blocked by massive dams to feed thirsty crops, glaciers tapped into for water, and deserts have been reforested. Corealine is one of the primary producers of food crops, fabric, edible oils, and essential biotic utilities in the Galaxy. Its produce is shipped to all parts of the United Alliance and beyond.
Corealine is a planet of little activity, with its people preferring to tend to their fields and water their crops rather than invest themselves in the going-on of the larger Galaxy. The government is laid-back, and most of its polity hinges on social development or the improvement of its farms.
The major cities of Corealine better resemble the vintage villages of old than the ecumenopolitan in the more advanced worlds of the Galaxy. The numerous spaceports are the only semblance of modern infrastructure in the world other than their farms. Spaceports capable of holding, launching and receiving even the largest cargo and military vessels dot Corealine, and they are almost always busy. A cargo carrier carrying thousands of metric tons of food grain to a faraway world is a common sight in the grasslands of Corealine.
New Earth
Planet Size: Medium
Goldilocks Class A
New Earth is the capital of the United Alliance of Interplanetary Worlds and the host of the galactic senate. Located in the metaphorical center of the Galaxy, it is a hub of trade, commerce, business, military and anything else one can think of. With a population of over a trillion residents, the planet’s wealth and resources are unparalleled.
New Earth is a partial ecumenopolis with most of its surface covered in towering cities that scrape the skies. Being the capital of the United Alliance, New Earth sports one of the most powerful space navies in the Galaxy, enough to take back the entirety of its allied planets from the clutches of an interstellar threat.
Another distinctive feature of New Earth is the orbital shipyards, massive factories kept in geostationary orbit around the planet capable of manufacturing and deploying almost any spacecraft. Famous for its Delta Class Heavy Corvettes, the shipyard is partly owned by Taminax Interstellar, while the rest is controlled by the New Earth Government and the senate.
Faerun
Planet Size: Large
Goldilocks Class E
Faerun is a Class E planet, which translates to its surface being dangerous to most species of the United Alliance, and survival is impossible without protective equipment, even for short amounts of time. The world’s entire surface is covered in volcanoes and unfavorable geographical phenomena. The atmosphere is toxic, and noxious gases such as carbon dioxide, sulfur, and agent X make the planet uninhabitable.
Geothermal eruptions and earthquakes regularly spew enormous amounts of volcanic ash into the atmosphere, further aggravating the situation. Some reports suggest that hundreds of cubic kilometers of volcanic ash, made up of minutely small and highly sharp rock particles, are launched into the atmosphere every hour.
It is believed by many scientists that the conditions of Faerun weren’t the same thousands of years ago, and this phenomenon of unforeseen destruction began due to a rare geological disaster, most commonly considered a massive earthquake of a magnitude of sixteen on the Richter scale. Such is often affirmed by the native population of Faerun, who claim their world to have been a utopia of a planet before its untimely demise. The native Faerun live in high-altitude cloud cities tens of thousands of feet in the atmosphere with its own artificial weather system. The case of Faerun is often considered a prime example of what could befall a planet that does not prepare for the eventuality of climate change or disasters.
Azarion
Planet Size: Medium
Goldilocks Class B
Azarion is one of the oldest and well-respected worlds in the entire Galaxy. Biologically and technologically advanced than most races in the United Alliance, the Azarion have little interest in the petty happenstance of the Galaxy. Being fairly new members of the United Alliance of Interplanetary Worlds and also a powerful military and economic force, the Azarion command massive reverence in the more underdeveloped planets and are considered God-like to some.
More calm than excited and more curious than frightened, the Azarion find themselves in a queer spot in the galactic society. They find war and conflict worthless, an activity carried out by the depraved and savage. Preferring to maintain an air of unquestioned elegance, they are in no way helpless nor defenseless if the time comes. Sporting one of the most sophisticated defense navies in the known Galaxy, Azarion can be a fearsome foe if triggered.
Another aspect of the dazzling planet is its secrecy. Little is known about Azarion culture or social traditions. A highly homogenous and close-knit race, the populace does not take well to outside intervention or contact, preferring to keep their thoughts and agendas to themselves, only to be revealed at the opportune moment. Azarion natives are known to be exceptional diplomats, economists and artists.
Morgenite
Planet Size: Large
Goldilocks Class C
Morgenite is a massive mining planet located on the very fringes of United Alliance territory. The world is one of the largest producers of radioactive fuel, namely plutonium, uranium and thorium, substances essential to nuclear space travel. Fuel matter extracted from enormous mines scattered over the surface of Morgenite is refined into usable fuel in specialized refineries before being shipped out to every corner of the Galaxy.
The planet itself is a difficult one to survive. Low humidity, massive amounts of greenhouse saturation, extreme heat, and little to no change in seasons make it difficult for many to stay in the sun for too long. Extended exposure to sunlight on the surface can easily cause UV poisoning. Extreme industrialization and mining have slowly turned the planet into a wasteland, only to be emptied of its resources as soon as possible without caring for local ecosystems or settlements.
The planet is sparsely populated, with most of its natives immigrating to other worlds looking for a new life as living conditions on Morgenite deteriorated every day. At one point, mine and refinery workers outnumbered Morgenite residents, an event that single-handedly serves as a reminder of what happens when greed and the lust for more take precedence over the lives of millions. Little is left of the local wildlife or forests on Morgenite, and whatever remains is destroyed mercilessly with scientific efficiency, all in the name of resource collection.
Shinai
Planet Size: Large
Goldilocks Class C
Shinai is a class C planet located in the inner regions of the United Alliance, embedded deep within its territory. With a surface covered by ice-capped mountains and an average temperature just a few degrees above freezing, Shinai orbits a dying star. Its residents live in underground cities buried deep within the rocky confines of enormous mountains, tapping into the geothermal reserves of their planet.
Rugged terrain and extreme climates have a peculiar effect on people. One can go any two ways in such an environment, either get comfortable in front of a cozy fire in their mantlepiece or become one of the most formidable and adaptable beings in existence. The people of Shinai chose the latter. One of the most feared warriors in the United Alliance, they make up a significant fraction of the United Alliance’s naval personnel.
The planet is governed by a strict gerontocratic clan council, with the oldest members of all clans brought together to rule and oversee affairs of the desolate world.
PLANETS THAT ARE NOT PART OF THE UNITED ALLIANCE OF INTERPLANETARY WORLDS
Kandarin
Planet Size: Small
Goldilocks Class C
Kandarin is a mono-biome class C planet with a vast sandy desert covering most of its surface. Jagged mountains often break up the monotonous landscape and tower over ten thousand metres tall. Massive six-lane roadways crisscross the desert connecting many settlements across the world. Technologically advanced, the people of Kandarin have made a hellish piece of rock floating in the middle of deep space a beautiful home. Kandarian cities appear as oases with lush green vegetation, towering structures and abundant water in stark contrast to the land beyond their high walls.
Preferring to stay away from the happenings of the rest of the galaxy, Kandarian’s are openly xenophobic and refuse to make contact with anyone other than people of their race. The United Alliance has often attempted to learn more about Kandarin by sending envoys to the Capital, only for them never to return.
Safite
Planet Size: Massive
Goldilocks Class B
Safite is a mono-biome class B world, a common occurrence in planets outside of the United Alliance. With a surface covered in deep oceans, Safite is a civilisation residing within enormous undersea cities stretching over thousands of miles. Exceptionally industrious, Safites are vigorous miners. Their impressive undersea mining infrastructure to extract ores and mineral resources from the seabed are comparable to the mines of Morgenite. Trade in rare ores has made the people of Safite wealthy beyond measure, and the planet is one of the most economically robust in the outer galaxy.
With the expansive inflow of wealth, the planet’s economy shot up through the roof, and so did threats of invasion and subjugation. Over the last two centuries, the Safite government has invested hundreds of billions of credits in modernising and expanding its already powerful military force. Rapid militarisation was a cause for great concern in the Galactic Senate, but the United Alliance remains powerless, as the Safites have refused their partnership repeatedly.
Naktarian Major
Planet Size: Medium
Goldilocks Class A
Naktarian Prime is one of the most technologically advanced outside the confines of the United Alliance of Interplanetary Worlds. A multi-biome class A planet, Naktarian Major is similar to New Earth. Massive cities dot the planet’s surface, with huge settlements the size of entire landmasses being common.
Sporting a set of defensive orbital plasma batteries and a fleet of more than twenty thousand attack spacecraft, Naktarian Major is one of the few military superpowers outside the United Alliance.
Not part of the United Alliance of Interplanetary worlds but preferring to remain neutral in the simmering political climate of the galaxy, Naktarians play a vital role as diplomats and mediators between the Alliance and the greater galaxy. Many of their cities are homes of massive palaces, halls and amphitheatres, all for the sole purpose of entertaining intergalactic visitors of significant influence.
Kacertian Minor
Planet Size: Small
Goldilocks Class D
Kacertian Minor is a fringe planet on the far edges of traversable space, far from the galactic center. A mono-biome marsh planet, Kacertian Minor’s entire surface is covered in marshland swamps. Not in any way as technologically advanced as the other planets of the galaxy, Kacertian Minor has little to no advanced settlements. Higher technology is greatly controlled by the authoritarian government that oversees the world, and most advanced gadgetry in Kacertian Minor was concentrated in the Government installations in the Capital.
Humans are not allowed into Kacertian Minor due to the natives’ ability to manipulate humans. Their telepathic abilities made it impossible for humans to communicate with them properly, and their tendency to place thoughts in human minds made the world ostracized by the United Alliance. After numerous such incidents with United Alliance envoys, Kacertian Minor was mostly left alone, and the United Alliance regulated the passage of technology. However, due to the world not coming under Alliance jurisdiction, such regulations were rarely enforced, with slivers of tech slipping through. Kacertians possess a small naval fleet of advanced warships that have been described as wormlike.
Kanakim Prime
Planet Size: Enormous
Goldilocks Class X
Kanakim Prime, the origin of life, the giver, the taker, the supreme arbitrator. Home to the Kanakim, a race of intergalactic researchers and pioneers of the life sciences. Rumoured to be the first place in the galaxy to harbour life, Kanakim Prime is an incredibly advanced, almost God-like abode set in the middle of nowhere in the galaxy, far from the centre, almost on the edge of the galactic plane.
Kanakim Prime is a Class X planet, one whose geography is uncertain and ever-changing. Their superior technology allows the Kanakim to alter their planet to their needs, to create geography itself. Cities so massive that ecumenopolitan like New Earth appear as little toys dot the planet landscape. Lush forests, dry deserts, icy mountains, and undulating plains are mere options the Kanakim have at their disposal to choose and reject at will.
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