L O S T
VELEN II
The Choked World
OUT OF CHARACTER INFORMATION
- Intent: To create a world for the Dead Planet Contest, and give Chaos a point of interest for future roleplays. The world is ripe for discovery, provided the correct measures are put in place to do so, after all the air is toxic and boiling hot, with a whole surface of untouched buildings filled with curious items to inspect.
- Image Credit: Altered Image of Shanghai | Altered Image of Venus | Self-Made Star Map of the Velen System | Self-Made Map of Velen II | Ben Mauro Art (Baro) | John Carter Concept Art (Sycha) | Nikolaspascal Art (Masi) | Galiford Art (Amasia)
- Canon: N/A
- Links: N/A
GENERAL INFORMATION
- Planet Name: Velen II.
- Demonym: Velian, though it is currently rendered useless.
- Region: Outer Rim Territories.
- System Name: Velen System.
- System Features:
Star Map of the Velen System.
Single Star System, G-Type, Velen. 6 Planets, Velen I through VI. 2 Natural Satellites Orbiting Velen II, Velen II-A and Velen II-B. Dozens of Artificial Satellites, in various stages of decayed orbit around Velen II.
Given the lack of life within the System, and the fact that nobody who has stepped foot on Velen II since its discovery by Doctor Andonius Velen has found evidence to the contrary, all of the celestial bodies found within were cataloged in a very scientific fashion, and named after the individual who discovered the system. While the natives of Velen II might have personalized names for each of the worlds, any documents stating such have yet to be unearthed.
- Velen: The Single Star of the Velen System, Velen is a Main-Sequence G-Type Star, or "Yellow Dwarf", which sits at the center of the solar system.
- Velen I: Outside the Habitable Zone, closest to the star Velen. The surface of Velen I is magmatic, the air is hot and unbreathable to most, and it is unable to sustain life.
Rotational Period: 26 Hours.
Orbital Period: 205 Days.
- Velen II: Within the Habitable Zone, previously able to sustain life.
Rotational Period: 30 Hours.
Orbital Period: 283 Days.
- Velen III: Within the Habitable Zone, Velen III seemed to be a clear contender for Velen II's new colony. It failed, however, when the colonists could not adapt to the new atmosphere, and their inadequate technology was not sufficient enough to keep them alive.
Rotational Period: 28 Hours.
Orbital Period: 360 Days.
- Velen IV: Outside the Habitable Zone, Velen IV is a barren world devoid of life, water, and atmosphere.
Rotational Period: 37 Hours.
Orbital Period: 450 Days.
- Velen V: Outside the Habitable Zone, Velen V is a gas giant incapable of sustaining life. It boasts 5 natural satellites, Valen V-A through E, neither of which could sustain a colony.
Rotational Period: 52 Hours.
Orbital Period: 560 Days.
- Velen VI: Outside the Habitable Zone, furthest from Velen. The surface of Velen VI is entirely frozen, and temperatures are so low that they can freeze blood within the human body; exposure to its atmosphere without some form of envirosuit will lead to death. It is home to exactly zero lifeforms.
Rotational Period: 23 Hours.
Orbital Period: 780 Days.
- Velen II-A: The first moon of Velen II, it is entirely consumed by water. The strong gravitational pull from Velen II creates insanely large waves through the changing tide, making it extremely implausible to hold life. It's for this reason that the natives of Velen II did not consider it when seeking a new home.
- Velen II-B: The second moon of Velen II, it is a world devoid of both life and water. Effectively little more than a chunk of space rock, it was overlooked by the natives of Velen II due to the lack of technology capable of making it habitable in the short space of time they had.
- Rotational Period: 30 Hours.
- Orbital Period: 283 Days.
- Coordinates: 8-29.
- Major Imports: Not Applicable: No Sentient Life. Even when the world was inhabited, its natives had not reached interstellar travel and as such were forced to be self-sufficient.
- Major Exports: Not Applicable: No Sentient Life. Even when the world was inhabited, its natives had not reached interstellar travel and as such were forced to be self-sufficient.
Map of Velen II.
- Gravity: Standard.
- Climate: Previously Temperate; Currently Inhospitable. The air is thick with pollution and unbreathable to most, so much so that all of the heat from the sun is trapped within the atmosphere of the world. The surface is blisteringly hot, and envirosuits are an absolute necessity.
- Primary Terrain: Ecumenopolis and Dry Ocean Beds.
- Major Locations:
Countless bodies line the eerie streets and buildings of Velen II. Humanoid, animal, it matters not, every living creature on this planet died within a short space of time, leading to the eventual impossibility of corpse disposal. It is a horror to look upon for even the most steel-stomached, and contrasts darkly to what otherwise looks to have been a successful and bustling world. Visibility is poor, a thick cloud of pollution sits just inches from the ground and allows for a field of view just a few feet in front.
- New Masia: Planetary Capital; Seat of the A'kari, and deemed the center of the world, although evidence disputes this claim, New Masia is a sprawling hub of life. Its most famous sub-districts include Tammuz Heights, renown for its wealthy inhabitants, as well as The Utajan, sprawling home of the A'kari and largest building known to Velen II. The entire district is built on a piece of land that is raised higher than the rest of Velen II, and its towers can be seen from miles away.
- A'karia: Religious District; Home to the Temples of the Unifying Pantheon, as well as the Templars, the Religious District is one of the more beautiful locations on Velen II, and the richest to look upon. Large swathes of gold can be found plating the structures, and marble is commonly seen throughout. Each of the Deities has its own region of the Island, and a large Temple and statue to each, from the highest powers to even the most minor deities. It is seen as a place of pilgrimage, and is deemed the most holy place in the entire world.
- Et'amara: Judicial District; Named after the God of Order, Etama, this region of the planet is mostly a sprawling prison system. It features work camps, where many inmates were forced to work without pay, usually backed by a corporation or two, as well as several grand courthouses and Temples to the Unifying Pantheon. Those who were sent to Et'amara very rarely got out again, and all were believed to be reborn through their faith.
- Neithia: Financial District; Named after the ancient Neith, who first introduced the physical coin, the Financial District holds the majority of the world's wealth. The headquarters of each bank and each corporation can be found within it; surprisingly there were also a large number of poorer families living within its shadows, many of whom sought alms from the wealthy men and women who worked there.
- Irra: Industrial District; Named after the God of Commerce, Irra is the beating heart of Velen II; almost everything that was manufactured on world came from this district, and it played a large part in the eventual suffocation of the world. Factories ran without pause, shifts were long and tedious, and a large majority of the world's work place fatalities took place within. It was the first place to become smoggy, and its workforce were among the first to fall.
- Hemera: Agricultural District; Named after the Goddess of Fertility, this is one of the only green spaces that remained by the time Velen II became inhospitable. By now all of that greenery is gone, as dead as the rest of the world's life, and just a huge empty space remains. It features farmland, smaller towns to support it, and is littered with innumerable animal corpses. Among them are the skeletal remains of countless Baro.
- Zenira: Trade District; Named after the Zeni, documented as being among the original merchant folk, this district is the backbone of all trade on world. Shuttles were utilized to aid in delivery, both to and from the district, and corporations had numerous storefronts throughout. Zenira was a constant hub of activity, from dusk til dawn, and was one of the most visited districts on Velen II. Shuttle hangars can be found throughout.
- Ticia: Military District; Named after the God of War, Ticia is a large northern region of Velen II dedicated entirely to the military. Citizens were not permitted to enter, under any circumstances, and conditions there were almost unbearable when compared to the rest of the world. Its proximity to the northern poles left it frigid, though the government deemed it a perfect location to condition their soldiers while utilizing what otherwise would have been wasted space. Academies and barracks make up the majority of the district, with plenty of open space available to test developing weapons and tactics.
- Gani-Ta: Medical District; Named after the Gani-Tai, the medical district was placed on one of the southern islands in the hopes that any outbreak could be readily contained and treated without risk of it spreading too far. While medical centers existed across Velen II, none were as renown as Gani-Ta, and all world class doctors and surgeons worked within its sprawling district. Masi would pay ridiculous fees to be tended to here, and it was the only place most trusted to treat them properly.
- Rhonia: Education District; Named after the God of Knowledge, Rhonia was kept separate from the rest of the world, and passage in and out was highly monitored. Education was a highly regarded necessity, enforced by the State and regulated by the A'kari. Students were given a very select number of courses to choose from, and independent study was not encouraged. In fact, many tutors frowned upon it entirely. Students were left with little in the way of distractions, and each was given their own room within the dormitories to ensure that their schoolwork remained their focus.
- Uxana: Leisure District; Named after the Uxan, it is one of the few places where happiness is at the forefront of everyone's mind. Highly regulated, and limited to a select few activities said to keep mind and body in peak condition, Masi would flock to this district during their days off. Sports and music were encouraged, as well as the arts, though anything deemed too ungodly was outlawed entirely. This is also the location of the worlds zoos, and sprawling complexes filled with animal bones can be found throughout.
- New Thila: Space District; Named after the ancient Thile, original colonizers, this was the newest addition, built away from the rest of civilization. It was abandoned during the uprising, and all ongoing projects were sent to Redemption alongside the scientists working on them. What remains in its place are large, empty buildings, and pieces of what had intended to become a prototype ship that never got constructed.
- Redemption: Initially a communication station, it was re-purposed into the spaceship which was sent forth into the Galaxy in search of a new home. Though remnants of the original communication and research station remain, the more advanced sections are gone. It became obvious to the Masi that time was simply up when communications turned dead and drones sent to the world read of its inhospitable conditions. Only by utilizing the space station itself could they hope to construct a colony ship with which to perpetuate their species.
- Native Species: None: All life has been wiped out. | There was one main sentient species, known as the Masi, but whether or not their interstellar colony survived is entirely unknown.
- Immigrated Species: None: All life has been wiped out. | Velen II has never had any immigrated species.
- Population: Unpopulated: This world is currently unable to sustain any life except microbial, which have begun to show in volcanic vents. With another million years of evolution it may naturally adapt to having living species' on world again, and with great intervention and time the air could be filtered enough for the heat to diminish. In such a case life could be artificially returned through immigration.
- Demographics: Not Applicable.
- Primary Languages: Not Applicable.
- Culture: Not Applicable. | There is no longer life on Velen II, however a submission for the Masi will be created in the future consisting of the surviving colony. Culture will be expanded upon there, for now the rest of this submission gives a decent indication into life on Velen II when it was livable.
- Government: Not Applicable. | Believed to have previously been Theocratic, led by a figure known as the A'kari.
- Affiliation: Not Applicable.
- Wealth: Not Applicable. | Evidence leads to the belief that the world was wealthy, though there was a large divide between class wealth. The religious leaders in turn supplied those who had little with the means to live comfortably, which in turn kept the people's fervent loyalty.
- Stability: Environmentally: Extremely Unstable. | Societal: Non Existent. | During its life-bearing stage, the world was actually very stable; there were very little wars fought, and by the end the whole world belonged to one unified government and religion.
- Freedom & Oppression: Not Applicable. | Believed to have previously been oppressive, though evidence suggests that the general populous welcomed the ever watchful gaze of their religious leaders and the limitations they imposed on every day life. Surveillance was ever present, and evidence of such can be found within the technology which has been left behind.
- Military: Not Applicable.
- Technology: Advanced Pre-FTL; While no life currently exists on world, the technology harnessed by the previous denizens remains. The natives of this world were researching space colonization, and were nearing faster than light (FTL) travel, before their demise. It's obvious from what remains on world that they had successfully launched at least one ship in the hopes of discovering a new world to settle upon, given the dire state of their own, but whether the vessel reached its destination is unknown. In orbit around the world are innumerable satellites which transmitted all manner of signals across the world, including communications and radio frequencies. Most of these no longer work, and all are showing signs of aging.
For billions of years sentience was absent from Velen II.
The polar caps were extreme, taking up most of the worlds surface between the two of them, and the only life which existed was microbial, hardened against the cold and nestled into heated vents which pockmarked the very earth itself. They were resilient, capable of surviving for prolonged time without exposure to the sun, and with very little sustenance, multiplying rapidly until their genomes began to adjust to the changing state of the world. The icecaps were shrinking, though the process took place over millennium, and Velen II's equator was becoming warmer. More accommodating.
From these simple celled organisms sprouted the planet's first real species'. Many were fatty creatures with little in the way of offensive tendencies. They lived off the land which had become hospitable, swam through the depths of the oceans which had spread with the dwindling ice, and continued to grow and evolve. Soon, however, there were more of these creatures than could be effectively sustained by the world's temperate band. During this fight for survival, the first predators began to appear; they were built to efficiently hunt and consume the beasts of the land, and inadvertently tamed the excess of herbivores the world had garnered. In time an equilibrium was met between predator and prey, and the world continued to change.
The most notable of these creatures were the Baro, bovine in nature with great twisted horns evolved to try and fend off their natural predators, the fearsome Sycha. It is believed that both of these species' existed way into the period of sentience on world, and many argued that they were among the oldest species to have ever lived by the fall of Velen II.
Over the billions of years prior to the emergence of sentient life, the world was struck by several calamitous events which threatened to reset all forms of life, from asteroid showers and solar flares, to the cooling of the world and the emergence of an ice age. It seemed as though, for all the stability it would later show, the world was in truth ever changing, and at any point in its history it could have shown all manner of odd climate behaviours.
During one of the more settled, temperate periods, sentience emerged, though the actual source has been highly disputed. Many believed that these people, who would become a race known as the Masi, evolved from an ancient reptilian species, while others stated that they were created this way and lay dormant within the core of the earth until their awakening by the Gods. However they came to be, the Masi were slow to grow; their initial settlements spanned the west of the temperate belt, in a region known to them as Arcan, where they rose through the various stages of primitive technology in moderate peace. There were large, threatening beasts to contend with, and they themselves as a people could not afford internal conflict. Survival was paramount.
With time, however, the native wildlife began to shrink with yet another minor cooling period for the world, and with the Masi's new found dominance over fire and steel these threats lessened significantly. They spread out, across the continent they called home, and established colonies which quickly grew into fully fledged civilizations, each different from the last. Some discovered religion, others had an insatiable desire to find a way across the waters which marked the edge of known land, and others found prosperity through trade. Four major cultures came into fruition:
The hardy Zeni of the central wastelands, renown for their resilience and nomadic lifestyle they were the backbone of trade; while their harsh desert land bore very little for them to personally trade, their willingness to cross the scorched lands which bordered most of the known territories left them favourable with the other settlements, who paid them with a cut of their wares for their travels.
The wander-filled Thile of the eastern shores, eventually known for their craftmanship with wood which led them across the unknown waters; truth be told, most looked to the Thile with confusion and often contempt, believing them odd for their love of water and the great unknown beyond it. They became the first Masi to colonize the other continents and islands, and paved the way for future ingenuity.
The mysterious Gani-Tai of the western swampland, believed to be magic; Referred to by many as shamans, and by others as cannibals, they are the least trusted of all the races though none have ever openly opposed them. Early settlers of the seven tribes would sometimes travel to the Gani-Tai in times of great need, specifically if they needed medical assistance that their own apothecaries could not provide. This was looked down on, however, and was always a last resort.
The resilient Drogga of the savanna, respected for their affinity toward animals, and their firm grasp on taming and breeding Amasia, creatures bred for riding. Masi would travel far and wide to acquire one of these famous mounts, though oftentimes the payment asked in return was strange when compared with most; usually it came in the form of a debt, which could be called upon at a moments notice.
Alongside these more notable cultures were the Uxan, renown dancers and bringers of the spice trade, the Zalkiee, originators of organized religion and forefathers of the Unifying Pantheon, and the Neith, metalworkers who brought about physical currency in place of bartering.
These became the backbone races of all future nations throughout the world, and while the intricacies of their initial inception became merged and lost over time, many of the last Masi remained especially proud of their heritage. Some evolved to appear differently to the rest, their skin a different hue, their markings more pronounced, oddly enough the two genders could be differentiated primarily by their skin, though bodily there were obvious differences too. Males had copper coloured flesh which was rougher than their female counterparts, while the women were known for their radiant blue skin and multiple lekku-like head appendages.
With the Thiles' discovery of new found land came a period of pure expansionism. Colonizes grew into nations, and the large swathes of resources which were ripe for discovery led all of the Masi to believe that there was quite literally no end in sight; they built, they invented, they populated, and they burned through resources as though they were infinite sources. It led to an odd stability between all of the nations, in their eyes there was no reason to fight over land, because there was always more to discover. There was no reason to fight over resources, because they always found more. Agriculture thrived, food was plentiful, and trade became one of the more beneficial professions to have provided you had the stomach for crossing the ocean.
War did not really come to these people until religion got involved. It was initialized during the early stages of their industrialization period, and lasted a great many years; during this time prosperity dwindled, resources became somewhat more scarce as efforts were put into ending the conflict, and gathering was hindered by opposing forces. This was the Masi's first real taste of desperation, and they despised it. The war ended after an absolutely horrendous campaign, wherein just one religious body remained, dubbed the Unifying Pantheon and fronted by the A'kari, and all were coerced into its faith. After this point politics and religion became one grey area, and almost no policies escaped the grip of organized religion.
It was, many would later come to argue, this source which led to first condemning the idea of planetary change, and interstellar travel, for what could compete with the world the Gods' had so gracefully given them? From this point on while the nations existed they were more united than ever. With this collaboration of minds, the industrial period was truly kickstarted, and technology began to peak.
As the world entered its heightened stages of technology, nearing space travel, several of the information and technology companies became another way for the governments to keep a check on their people. They became the eyes and ears of the state, spying on everything that every person did through their various hardware and software. In return the government allowed them near unchecked status in tracking and selling individual's personal information.
The massive amount of communication between citizens of differing nations caused the few remaining nation states to simply blend into one world government under the guidance of the A'kari, who now seemed to lead not just religious matters but in many ways the entire government.
These last few generations quickly saw rise to a world wide urbanization due to technological progress. The effects on the environment were little studied though, and those who did so on their own were considered heretical. Society was fed statistics and information from a variety of paid sources, and A'kari promoted population growth was welcomed by companies who simply saw more consumers on the horizon.
Wildlife became just a distant memory; with all of their natural habitat gone to make room for more buildings, more people, the only animals which remained existed solely within captivity. These zoos spanned miles, and claimed to hold at least two of each of the worlds species at any time. The only way that Masi learned about them was through books, or seeing them in these artificial landscapes. Some children born during this time never once saw any living thing other than their fellow Masi, to the point where many believed that the creatures in their school books were entirely fiction.
Soon natural resources were being used faster than they could be sourced, and many environmentalists tried to urge against the use of fossil fuels, even stepping forward with revolutionary technology which could efficiently harness wind, water, and solar power enough to render the old methods redundant. They warned against the effects their current sources were having on the world, pointing to an overall temperature shift when compared to previous generations; the world was getting hotter, the air was rather polluted, as even the machines which had been created to replace plant life could not keep up, and continued abuse would lead to inhospitable conditions.
These scientists were branded by the A'kari as fear mongers, their theories were ignored as were the very real statistics brought to their attention. Ordinary citizens who tried to do their part and install the costly solar panels or turbines were dubbed conspiracy theorists by the masses, and were largely shunned by their peers. The government justified their actions internally by stating how costly such changes would be short-term, as well as how unprofitable it would be long term.
They continued to burn through resources, until the air was choked and the people's health began to suffer. The percentage of asthmatic citizens rose considerably, new ailments of the throat and lungs surfaced, and diseases nobody had a name for became prevalent. Only then did efforts to change truly begin, but it was too late. The leading researchers knew it, government officials knew it, and pretty soon so did the general populous.
It was during this time of near hysteria that the mass rush toward interstellar colonization began. Small shuttles had already been launched years prior, during the height of their technological era, but no man had gone further than Velen II-B, and the unmanned rockets themselves had only reached as far as Velen V.
The first large surge in deaths was simply unfathomable by a government just now coming to terms with the fact that their world was dying and would need more time to heal then they had as a species. It was during the last years that an enormous drive was made to send even a single ship out into the stars, beyond their system, to perpetuate their species. It was an enormous effort with a terrible cost, and as the A'kari was blamed for the massive cover up the population revolted against him and the religion he represented; millions died just as the first thousands started to suffocate due to their damaged lungs.
The construction was moved quickly to space to keep the project safe from the angry masses below. All too soon though they fell silent as only those with advanced equipment could breathe the air of Velen II in short time. Millions died everyday for a time until there was simply none left. The last left aboard their colony ship from space, frozen in sleep as a broken people. Their journey was guided by AI that had been, until just a few short years ago, considered illegal, against the will of the Gods. The very scientist they had spent so much time condemning had been their only hope in the end.
By the time that the Gulag Plague, and other recent Galaxy-shaking events, hit the world, life was already a fleeting memory. There were no beings to infect, to tear into Chaos, just a choked world beginning the unbearably long process toward recovery.
It was just after the Netherworld mystery that a team discovered the system; the Outer Rim Territories were so vast, and to many far too dangerous to travel through, that until this point it had been just another distant and unreachable star. The leader of the excursion, Doctor Andonius Velen, named it after himself, and proceeded to throw the discovery in the faces of all his coworkers. He overlooked Velen II almost completely, seeing its choked atmosphere as a waste of time, and instead their focus was on Velen III. So far nobody has stepped foot on Velen II, and nobody has discovered the horrific scene which lays preserved upon its surface.
