Star: White

Planets: 5G

 

Known for:

The Blue Gas giant of Jibri

The Hormous Spaceport

The Radiation Spires

 

Astrography

 

Melik has a stable portal and system, but the strange situation of the moon around Melik 2 means it is a site of intensive research on gravitation.

 

Introduction

 

A relatively straightforward system astrologically, Melik has a very strange set of inner planets that make it a magnet for scientists and archaeologists from the rest of the Horizon. Its innermost planet, Melik 1, was once the home of a large civilization that was extinguished hundreds of years ago for reasons no one knows. The general theory is that it destroyed itself through climate change and industrial pollution, but there is no extant record of its existence, its cities and settlements have long since crumbled to dust, and the atmosphere of its planet is too toxic to make research worthwhile. Other planets in the system are rich with Firstcome ruins and history, and the system is busy because of research on these systems and the strange gravitational situation in Melik 2.

 

Melik 1

 

Size 13000 km (1.1g)
Orbit Empty
Atmosphere Infiltrating, toxic
Temperature Burning (90c)
Geosphere Earth-like
Population Uninhabited
Space port Nothing
Hooks Emirate (extinct)
Number of factions –
Factions –
Special –
Distance 1.3 AU

 

Notes

 

This planet used to be ruled by an Emirate, but its industrial waste destroyed the planet. They all died or left, and no one knows what happened to them or why.

 

Melik 2

 

Size 10,000 km (0.7g)
Orbit 7 moons (biggest one is 5,000km, geostationary)
Atmosphere Breathable
Temperature Cold (-50c)
Geosphere Island world (oceans with some dry land)
Population 80,000
Space port Trade Cluster (Hormous space port)
Hooks Primitive first-come (Eskimos on one side and islander-types on the other)
Number of factions 5
Factions Nomad Federation, Church of the Icons, Syndicate, Consortium, Order of the Pariah
Special The Hormous space port is here
Distance 1.7 AU

 

Notes

 

This planet was originally a Firstcome civilization, but over the 1000 years since they arrived they regressed and fell into barbarism. Some think this is because they settled a planet with a strange gravitational anomaly, while others think the gravitation anomaly caused their civilization to collapse. The gravitational anomaly in question is the huge moon that hangs in a geostationary orbit that is too close to the planet to be physically possible. One side has little sunlight due to the geostationary moon, while the other is warmer. There is a large island in the terminus where the tribes meet regularly, but where there is also a Syndicate presence. The Consortium is sending anthropologists to deal with the Firstcome to find out what secrets are buried in the planet’s ice. There is only water on the equator of the bright side of the planet. What are the Order of the Pariah doing here? And are the Church of the Icons illegally converting the locals? The Church of the Icons faction here is a radical splinter group who believe that the geostationary moon is holding back some dark power from the Emirate on Melik 1. If they stop their religious observances, the moon will begin moving and whatever dark force caused the emirate to disappear will be unleashed on the horizon. They pray seven times a day and hold special ceremonies.

 

Melik 3

 

Size 10,000 km (0.6g)
Orbit Empty
Atmosphere Breathable
Temperature Temperate (10c)
Geosphere Earth-like
Population 900,000
Space port Simple space port
Hooks Corsairs
Number of factions 3 competing
Factions Zenithian Hegemony, Consortium, Order of the Pariah
Special  
Distance 2.0 AU

 

Notes

The space port is run by the consortium and the zenithian hegemony. Pirates operate from the planet.

 

Melik 4

 

Size 2,000 km (0.1g)
Orbit Empty
Atmosphere Toxic
Temperature Temperate (5c)
Geosphere Wet (some oceans but mostly land)
Population Uninhabited
Space port  
Hooks  
Number of factions  
Factions  
Special Radiation spires
Distance 2.3 AU

 

 

Notes

Melik 4 is a small, empty planet with a temperate and wet environment that would be earth-like but for its toxic atmosphere. The atmosphere is toxic because the planet is inside the radiation spires, huge plumes of radiation that bloom periodically in space and always encompass the planet. No one understands how these spires appear out of nothing – the consensus is that it must be an inexplicable quantum anomaly – but some small research stations lie in the spires in far orbit around Melik 4 to study them.

 

Melik 5

 

Size 15,000 km (1.5g)
Orbit Nothing
Atmosphere Breathable
Temperature Temperate (15c)
Geosphere Arid (huge deserts, dry steppes and a few small oceans)
Population 40,000
Space port Trade cluster
Hooks Scientists
Number of factions Two competing
Factions Zenithian Hegemony, The Legion
Special –
Distance 2.8 AU

 

Notes

The scientists here have built a huge research base to study the entire system. It has a massive telescope and is used to try to understand the radiation spires and the locked moon. These scientists are connected to the Zenithian Hegemony. The Legion also have scientists here, trying to develop a gravitational weapon. This is basically a planet of scientists.

 

Jibri

 

Size 40,000 km
Color Blue
Temperature -200c
Characteristics Super storm
Orbit Empty
Moons 13 moons
Population  
Space port  
Hooks  
Number of factions  
Factions  
Special  
Distance