SOREL E48569A-1                    Rob Dean (robdean@access.digex.net)

Population:9.5 million

     A regressed colony originally planted by the Solomani during  the 
Second Imperium.  The original infrastructure was destroyed by nuclear 
war during the Long Night, and technology had recovered to TL1 by  the 
time  of  recontact.  The IISS maintains a  semi-interdiction  of  the 
planet  at the request of the local rulers.  Imperial contact is  per-
mitted,  but  importation of technological items must be  approved  by 
both  the  local rulers and the IISS.  Persistent rumors  of  psionics 
among the upper classes are "apparently" unfounded.
     While  earth-like  in general, Sorel is quite hot,  and  is  only 
suitable for human habitation near the poles.  The south polar  region 
is currently uninhabited, although various organizations have  negoti-
ated for settlement rights occasionally with the ruling councils  with 
no success.
     The original Solomani settlers of Sorel were of mixed races,  but 
their descendants tend toward darker skin than most of the inhabitants 
of the nearby planets.  In addition, the climate makes the wearing  of 
unnecessary  clothing  quite uncomfortable, leaving even  the  lighter 
skinned  inhabitants  quite tanned.  There is little  semblance  of  a 
modesty taboo, although decorative clothing of light cotton or a local 
silk-like  fiber is usually worn for social occasions. Since water  is 
plentiful, most Sorellians in the settled regions bathe frequently,  a 
custom  viewed with suspicion by the nomadic herders of the  interior.  
Sorellian food tends to be extremely spicy, and unsuspecting  visitors 
are likely to have socially unacceptable reactions to Sorellian  meals 
until their taste buds scar.
     All  of Sorel is theoretically ruled by the High Council, but  in 
practice the nomads only pay tribute when forced to, and the Council's 
rule is limited to the agricultural regions.  The Council is a  repre-
sentative body of sorts, being made up of 47 regional  representatives 
who  are  appointed  for life by the people of  their  districts.   In 
practice,  the positions tend to be hereditary.  The council  appoints 
and dismisses administrators for the smaller subdivisions from a  pool 
of  career  bureaucrats and soldiers.  These administrators  serve  as 
judges,  with a right of appeal to the district  representative.   The 
system is cumbersome, since in practice a consensus is required before 
the  High Council will actually do anything, but in the absence  of  a 
major outside threat it works well enough.

