Rice Papers
RICE Paper: Rhylanor
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Date: Fri, 21 Jul 1995 10:58:41 -0700
From: Christopher_Griffen@dmcwave.com (Christopher Griffen)
Subject: RICE Paper: Rhylanor
RICE Paper #SM-2716: Rhylanor/Rhylanor
Rhylanor (Rhylanor: Spinward Marches/2716)
A434A34-F A Hi Cp 110 RE M2 V
G=0.28, Day=1d 3:26:42.72, Year = 46d 17:16:47.71
Atmo=0.16, Controlled Weather
Temp= +21.3 (5/lat +15 to -35) (season +28.8 to -48.0, 48 deg lat)
Daily temp range 120.56
Ores; Metals; Durables, Consumables; Recordings, Software
Conservative/Advancing, Unaggressive/Neutral, Harmonious/Aloof
Legal: 4-07540 Tech FE-FGFFE-FDFG-FE-F
Upon entering the system, the first thing travellers notice about
Rhylanor is its bleak-looking slate and obsidian color and a scarcity
of active weather patterns. Rhylanor's very thin atmosphere, rocky
composition and mineral-rich oceans make it as gray as jump space.
Scant meteorological activity can be accounted for by weak stellar
emanations coming from Rhylanor's solitary dying main sequence star,
Icarus.
Despite the planet's humble appearance at 100 diameters, as travellers
approach close orbit they begin to notice immense amber and brown
splotches of urban sprawl on the small world's surface. Rhylanor's
linear and hard-edged coastlines stem from massive terraforming
projects performed over generations since Rhylanor was settled in the
frontier days of the Spinward Marches (ca. 250). Urban areas include
scores of arcologies, gravitic cities and even undersea settlements,
whose main business is the distillation of valuable ore products that
seep forth from Rhylanor's multitude of undersea vents.
Before planetfall, travellers may want to stop at Rhylanor Orbital
Starport (R.O.S.) or "Ross," as it is affectionately known. Ross is
home to some 600 million inhabitants. Ross is unique in that it is a
modular orbital city, comprised of three separate units. Normally the
three units are united into one cohesive orbital starport/city, but
during major fleet maneuvers or wartime, the three modules divide into
separate entities that are strategically placed at equidistant
vertices in point defense of Rhylanor proper. Each module is equipped
with a 2-G maneuver drive and dozens of PAWs, missile launchers and
meson-gun mounts for such exercises.
The three starport modules are called Vord, Emberheim and Xao, named
for a famous scientist, entrepreneur and military leader,
respectively, drawn from Rhylanor's colorful history. Emberheim, the
largest of the three modules, contains Rhylanor's massive orbital
shipbuilding yard. Administered by the system government, major
portions of the yard are leased to Ling Standard Products and General
Products LIC. Many smaller indigenous shipbuilding outfits also lease
manufacturing space at the facility. Each of the three modules
contains space leased to the Regency Navy and Regency Interstellar
Scout Service (RISS) as well. The majority of Rhylanor's SDB
squadrons are docked at Xao.
Do not let the military presence overwhelm you, however. Over 70
percent of Ross' permanent population is civilian. Most of the
civilian population is employed in some capacity by Rhylanor-based
subsidiaries of Regency megacorporations. Numerous merchant lines
including such notables as Oberlindes lease or own major lots in each
of Ross' modules. Two arcologies are mounted on each module, housing
approximately 85 percent of the civilian population. The remaining 15
percent live in settlements located in scattered areas of Ross'
immense lattice-like structure.
Let the free trader be forewarned that highly competitive trading
blocs operate on each of Ross' modules, each with its own dominant
bloc. The blocs are very turf-sensitive and will take quick and
decisive action against any offworlders who come into their territory
and trade without paying an appropriate obeisance to the dominant bloc
on the module. The blocs are known to employ their own assassins and
on occasion independent mercenary groups to enforce their unwritten
laws.
In addition to the dangers posed by the blocs, the powerful Rhylanori
Ministry of Trade (MT) keeps a watchful eye on all mercantile
activity. The export of Rhylanori technology, especially cutting-edge
Rhylanori computer and robotics technology (see below), is heavily
policed by law enforcement agents assigned to the MT.
Despite the clannish trading blocs and intrusive MT on Ross, free
trade manages to flourish, with offworld goods constantly flowing into
Ross' ports from throughout the central portion of the Regency.
Proceeding to Rhylanor itself is a simple task. Rhylanor's bicameral
government prefers to keep a hands-off approach for the most part,
allowing easy passage on and offworld. Liberal weapon possession and
personal freedom laws are intended to encourage offworld trade and
touristry. The MT presence is every bit as intrusive as it is on
Ross, but the moblike trading blocs do not have a presence on Rhylanor
proper.
The Executive Proxy is the reigning government on Rhylanor, consisting
of eight senators. The EP have historically been drawn from the ranks
of retired flag rank Imperial and now Regency naval officers, native
Rhylanori corporate executives, Rhylanori nobility and senior
legislative-branch politicos. Upon taking office, each member of the
EP prepares a preferred list of three successors. The senator may
optionally alter his preferred list at the end of each eight-year
term. Most do not, however, as altering one's list is seen by the
electorate as a sign of weakness. When a senator dies or willingly
secedes, the general population of Rhylanor votes for one of the three
successors to replace the senator.
The EP, for the most part, try to facilitate free trade and offworld
touristry by maintaining a hands-off approach. Their primary function
is directing the economy of Rhylanor, promoting industrial projects
and public works and generally touting Rhylanor to the rest of the
subsector and the Domain in general. Legal power and administration
of the powerful MT is administered by the Magistracy, Rhylanor's lower
governmental house and judicial branch. Magistrates are elected by
popular vote in population bloc electoral districts.
A division exists between the governmental approach and native
Rhylanori sentiment to offworlders. While the government does its
best to encourage free trade and touristry, the citizens of the planet
are to known to be rather smug. In fact, "Rhylanori pride" is known
throughout the Regency as the defining characteristic of this system's
citizens.
Rhylanori pride stems from historical events. Rhylanor served as the
pivotal system in the Fifth Frontier War. Advancing Zhodani forces
were stopped and turned back at its borders. This elevated the system
to "godlike" status in the eyes of many, most especially the Rhylanori
themselves. For a time, prominent local groups such as the Sisters of
Rhylanorae, the local Brotherhood diocese and the Olavopolis Patriot
Guild even lobbied the Imperium to establish Rhylanor as the new
capital of the Spinward Marches.
Though Mora was eventually selected for astrographic and historical
reasons, most Rhylanori believe their world is more deserving of the
honor. To this day each of the above-listed groups and many other
political action committees continue to pressure the First Regent for
a referendum on the subject.
One might infer that the Rhylanori end up feeling like a Regency
stepchild, always coming in second best. In fact, just the opposite
is the case. The Rhylanori are a progressive people and look at
defeat as part of an ongoing struggle. Any and all recognition is
quickly magnified and extolled. The Rhylanori are extremely proud,
for instance, that their system is to be the location of the 1202
Regency Grav Ball Cup. This event, while important to the
higher-population and technologically elevated worlds of the Regency,
has become a full-blown historical event to the Rhylanori, who are
always hungry for recognition and approval in the eyes of their peers.
Offworlders may be put off initially by Rhylanori pride. Attempts to
make trading pacts or, heaven forfend, establish permanent residency
on Rhylanor, may well be rebuked in the courteous but decisive
Rhylanori manner at first. Persistence, however, wins out on
Rhylanor. Offworlders will discover that the exclusive and
conservative Rhylanori greatly admire mavericks, entrepreneurs and
frontiersmen.
In the colonial days of the planet, tough settlers had to brave
Rhylanor's harsh and unforgiving environment to establish the
foundation of what is, in their minds, the greatest jewel and example
of technological might in the Regency. As a notable offworlder who
made his way on Rhylanor as an oceanic wildcatter once said, "If you
dig your way in like a tick on a kian's back, hold tight and weather
the storm, you're a Rhylanori for life."
The capital city of Rhylanor and location of its main starport is
Olavopolis, named for the First Frontier War hero, Admiral Olav
hault-Plankwell. Olavopolis is an immense city of five billion, and a
planetary nexus for commerce, education and industry. The city is
comprised of arcologies, floating gravitic residential and industrial
centers and subsurface oceanic domes that extend beyond the coastline
of Olavopolis' terrestrial sprawl.
Arbellatracon, Rhylanor's largest city with eight billion souls, is
the planet's manufacturing center. Consisting mostly of massed
arcologies, dismal industrial Arbellatracon is for the most part a
rough and tumble blue-collar city. Eighty-eight percent of the
population are members of the Brotherhood church. On their weekly day
of rest, Wonday, Arbellatrans don bright ritual compressor apparatuses
adorned with fetishes and ascend to the surface of the planet to pray
in the dim light of Icarus. Under the moonless violet Rhylanori
skies, they engage in two to three hours of prayer and then return to
their apartments for ritual feasting and drinking (read: gourging and
boozing).
Rhylanor boasts several smaller cities as well, the largest of which,
Fuirmidh (pop. 90 million), is the home of the University of Rhylanor.
A referendum to rename the city Norriscon, after the Fifth Frontier
War hero and former Duke of Regina, was defeated in a landslide vote
in 1110, after opponents of the referendum successfully reminded the
citizens of Rhylanor that Norris too clearly represented Regina to be
worthy of such an honor.
As for Rhylanor's technological might, almost all of the planet's
industries operate at TL-15, with Rhylanori specialties such as
computers, robotics and many aspects of starship building, achieving
early to mid-TL 16.
After the Rape of Trin in 1139, Rhylanor's robotics industry was
pressured to close down due to widespread hysteria. Regency citizens
predominantly from pre-stellar to early stellar systems understood the
capabilities of the robotics industries of Rhylanor and other
high-stellar systems, and demanded that the Regency shut them down
until further notice. Only within the last five years has Rhylanor
been able to finagle its way back into the business of creating robots
with its high-tech manufacturing infrastructure.
In 1196, Rhylanor successfully plea-bargained the First Regent for
limited robotics production rights. Part of the agreement includes
unlimited use and sale within the Rhylanor system and limited robotics
trade with its preferred trading partners: Risek, Porozlo, Macene and
Jae Tellona. Many of the leading-edge robotics firms, including
several divisions of LSP, have reestablished Rhylanor's benchmark
TL-16 robot production capabilities.
Part of the agreement with the First Regent includes a clause that all
robots built by Rhylanori companies must be fitted with a special
"dumb firewall failsafe" device that activates itself if any virus
activity is detected within the robot's CPU. The system is free of
volatile AI chips and thus labeled "dumb." This clause is overseen by
the bureaucratic Regency Robotics Commission (RRC), who maintain an
office in Olavopolis that oversees all Rhylanori robot manufacturing
activity. In the beginning of Rhylanor's new age of robotics, many
prototype robots mistakenly firewalled due to the sensitivity of their
systems. Defects of this sort have since been eradicated.
Word on the street has it that a lucrative black market Rhylanori
robot trade exists to serve buyers outside the RRC-sanctioned realm.
Buyers beware: the RQS mercilessly prosecutes offenders of the RRC
regulations.
Research in virus-proof robotics has consequently put Rhylanor on the
cutting-edge of virus-proofing computer technology as well. The
Regency Navy, with a large presence in the system, takes full
advantage of their proximity to this technological advancement. Local
computer companies bid aggressively for naval contracts.
Members of Rhylanor's highly technical planetary navy, COACC and 23rd
fleet Regency naval personnel staff are drawn primarily from the
population of Rhylanor proper and other planets in the system.
Conversely, Rhylanor's army and marine regiments are only about 20
percent Rhylanori. The bulk of Rhylanor's soldiers are volunteers and
conscripted troops from nearby Porozlo and Jae Tellona systems. The
highly disciplined Jae Tellonan units are known as the "Rashakhras,"
named for a long-dead Vilani warrior caste that fought in the
Interstellar Wars. The Rashakhras are respected and feared throughout
the Regency and are known to be some of the toughest soldiers of the
Domain.
The majority of Rhylanor's technological R&D talent comes directly
from each graduating class of the University of Rhylanor in Fuirmidh.
A hotbed of ideas and liberalism, UR has long been a place where
innovation and intellectual freedom flourish. The conservative
population of Rhylanor often sneer at the mention of the university,
but grudgingly accept it for its merits. Known during the Fifth
Frontier War for pro-Ine Givar student protests, the university
remains a place where dissenters can voice their opinions. UR is
Rhylanor's bastion of liberalism.
The very thin atmosphere freely admits stellar radiation from Icarus,
making the planet typically hot, averaging 21.3 degrees C. The
atmosphere and extreme axial tilt of Rhylanor (48 degrees), however,
result in large daily and seasonal temperature fluctuations. Because
of these extremeties, nearly all Rhylanori own and frequently use
compressors. Those who engage in prolonged exposure to the elements
own vacc suits and PLSS systems.
Rhylanor's weak natural gravity (0.28 G) is augmented in urban areas
by immense artificial gravity grids. Rhylanor's urban artificial
gravity level is about 0.6 G. Rhylanori technology also defies the
planet's weak planetary electromagnetism for the purpose of
maintaining its maglev public transportation network. EMP generators
are maintained at intervals along the maglev public transportation
web. The generators enable maglev to operate on the planet despite
Rhylanor's weak natural electromagnetism.
The Rhylanori are essentially a proud and forward-thinking people
whose world is just reaching maturity in the galactic scheme of
things. Though commercial enterprise and legal bureaucracy have made
their imprint on the system, native Rhylanori long for the days of
colonial freedom and the wild frontier. Consequently, most Rhylanori
greatly admire the adventurer's spirit though most are loathe to give
up the golden handcuffs of their technologically advanced and
liberated society.
Rhylanor System Details
Orbit Name UPP Remarks
Primary Icarus M2 V
0 Rhylanor A434A34-F A Hi Cp
1 Lucid YS00000-0 Va
2 Duria Belt G000400-F Va Nv Sc
3 Schriekrieg F730726-F De Re Nv Sc
4 Ghalash H100267-E Va Sc
5 Radium F500217-E Va Sc
4 Telvoc Y100000-0 Va
6 Roderick Y202000-0 Va Ic
2 Ring System YR00000-0 Va
40 Tulumne Y100000-0 Va
50 Ebelhorn Y100000-0 Va
7 Idulore F100365-F Va Nv Sc