Glory
Dahomian Glory
OUT OF CHARACTER INFORMATION
Intent: Codify a location referenced in rp.
Image Credit: Here. Here.
Canon: N/A.
Permissions: N/A.
Links: Cylix, The Natural Order, The Oncoming Storm, Elpsis, Darth Soteria, Meet The Family.
SETTING INFORMATION
Landmark Name: Wildhome Planetary Preserve.
Classification: Wildlife preserve.
Location: Dahomey.
Affiliation: Siobhan, Firemane, House Kerrigan, Dahomey.
Size: Large.
Population: Sparse. During peak season it rises to (relatively) Moderate due to tourists.
Demographics: The staff, medical personnel and the rangers are mostly humans from Dahomey, though a few common alien species such as Cathar, Trandoshans, Twi'leks and Togruta can also be found among their ranks. The rangers and medical staff also include a couple Qadiri. Of course, visitors can belong to any number of sentient species.
With the exception of the visitors, park staff and rangers etc., the inhabitants are non-sentient. The preserve's wild life is very diverse. One can also find, for example Banthas, Quivry, herds of elephantine animals, Ankkox, barbflies, Jacunas, crocodilian reptiles called Kardok and some nexu. However, the most well-known beast is the Cylix, whose image is used for Wildhome's logo. It bears a strong resemblance to a lion, but has an extra pair of legs and can rear up on its hind legs briefly to use four sets of claws to slash at an opponent.
A Cylix is a formidable climber and can use its climbing skills to ambush prey. These felines are ferocious and dangerous predators. Their mouths are filled with vicious teeth and their legs end with razor sharp claws. Moreover, they are smart and good at ambushing. Cylix can be tamed and trained, but this requires a lot of understanding and respect and is quite dangerous. The presence of a myriad of species of exotic birds make the area great for bird watching.
Accessibility: The preserve is well-known on Dahomey and not isolated. However, as the name implies, it has been conceived as a habitat for animals. Humans and aliens who enter it are guests, and must abide by strict guidelines. Visitors must be approved in advance. There are gates and fences to keep intruders out. A unit of rangers protects the wildlife and the environment from harm. Two major rivers also provide natural boundaries for the preserve.
Description: The Wildhome Planetary Preserve is an enormous wildlife preserve located on Dahomey. Wildhome covers a vast area of savanna, grasslands, swamps, riverine forest, mountainous areas and woodlands. It has the support of Firemane Industries and the Federal Republic of Dahomey. The preserve is considered a national park and provides a home for the abundant flora and fauna of the planet. Many big game animals can be found here. Chief among them are the Cylix, a species of ferocious, feline predators. The local habitats are supposed to provide a safe haven to these animals. Indeed, the preserve is particularly well-known for its Cylix population and the feline predator appears on Wildhome's logo. The Wildhome Preserve is open for tourists, but any visitors must abide by strict guidelines. This is both for their own personal safety and for that of the animals that call this place home.
Rules include not leaving plastic lying around, not leaving the vehicle outside of designated areas, not feeding or removing any animals from the preserve and not trampling on their habitats. Littering has been banned. This includes leaving food lying around, as it will damage the local ecosystem if the wildlife starts eating it instead of their usual diet. Sometimes the park staff offers guided tours on top of Ankox. Tourists can book tours to witness what the preserve has to offer. Visitors are exhorted to treat the animals that live here with respect. Poaching has become an issue on Dahomey and quite a few of the species that live here are endangered, which makes their safety paramount.
The Wildhome Preserve is part of a larger effort to preserve Dahomey's natural beauty and wildlife for future generations. To maintain the preserve, Firemane cooperates with the Dahomian Conservation Society and the local government. The Society has operations in Wildhome, cataloguing and monitoring the local population. It analyses population trends and seeks to respond to challenges such as tourism, livestock movements, impact of human activity on animal behaviour, survival rate of Cylix cubs, population trends and so on.
The preserve has a unit of game rangers who have law enforcement powers and are charged with protecting wildlife and the environment as well as making sure visitors and staff are not harmed. They are assisted by Firemane and the military. Moreover, they have access to surveillance droids, patrol vehicles and dogs. Motion sensors have also been set up. Detractors have criticised this as a form of green militarisation. Other critics claim that Firemane is less interested in helping the environment or Dahomey in general and more concerned with giving itself a green image to detract from the evils of militarism and exploitative, neo-colonalist capitalism. As is often the case, the truth is probably somewhere in between, and Firemane obviously does not have solely altruistic motivations for providing funding and support for this venture.
Regardless, rangers are active day and night to pursue, ambush and apprehend poachers, and ensure the wildlife sanctuary is not compromised. Quite a few of the rangers have a background as hunters and as guerrillas who used to fight in Dahomey's war of independence. While there are rangers from offworld, most of them are locally recruited and aim to work with local communities in order to build up support for the programme. Natives from nearby communities have also been recruited as staff to run and maintain the lodges, and tourist accommodations as well as act as guides. The preserve maintains a number of ecolodges for visitors. These are surrounded by fences. An observation platform has been set up. There is a maximum threshold of how many vehicles are allowed to enter at the same time.
Moreover, speeders that spew a lot of exhaust are not allowed. This has obviously increased costs, but the place is being sponsored by a privately owned megacorp whose boss has no shareholders to answer to. There is also a speed limit and game rangers may claim penalties. Likewise, strict rules have been introduced to control the number of vehicles around animal sightings. This serves the dual purpose of not overwhelming and scaring the animals and giving visitors a better experience during a drive.
Furthermore, there is a central monitoring station. The staff can take rest or shelter in several lodges or 'safe houses' if the animals get a bit too ferocious. Likewise, there is a veterinary for treating the sick or wounded animals and a little nursery for orphaned babies. Game drives are obviously the most popular activity among visitors, but a visit is not limited to that. Visitors can, for example, enjoy nature walks, photographic safaris and or experience some local culture. A museum has been set up outside of the actual preserve. It provides information on Dahomey's flora and fauna and informs visitors about how they can contribute to conversation efforts.
Lady Kerrigan herself is no enviromentalist, but regards herself as a quasi-monarch who answers to no one and ideas about what constitutes good governance in 'her' realm. Ironically, her monarchial pretensions have been beneficial for the preserve because it flatters her ego for it to be 'perfect', which means it has to be properly maintained and cared for. Incidentally, her adoptive daughter Elpsis Kerrigan-Alcori is one of the donors. The preserve is one of the good causes she donates money from her trust fund for, though she has asked her contribution to be kept private. Siobhan Kerrigan lacks her daughter's deep, mystical reverence for nature, but has a strong connection to Dahomey. Moreover, supporting the preserve is good PR for Firemane. The preserve provides visitors with a variety of activities. The Saviour Gate Spaceport is located not far from the preserve, though at a respectable distance to ensure that the animals are not disturbed.
As mentioned, the plant and wild life is very diverse. Cylix are the biggest attraction, but not the only one. Visitors should beware the barbflies that inject a local muscle relaxant, which can be quite dangerous to the young or old if they are stung near the chest. Another creature is the Tanalaak. This animal is a mix between an armadillo and a sloth. It can deliver a dangerous swipe with its claws and hides in trees. Also of note are small parasitic leech creatures which can cause behavioral changes.
One of the major landmarks of the preserve is a huge waterfall. There is a big observatory platform over the top of the waterfall. It is probably not for the faint of heart. The climate in the preserve is subtropical. Overall it is rather warm, which is typical for Dahomey in general. The beasts are well-adapted to the tropical heat though. The summers are humid and hot. A rain season lasts from autumn to spring. However, climate can vary due to the sheer size of the preserve. A visitor to the central observation station may not have to venture deep into the preserve to see a Cylix, as the feline predator might kill its prey on the green in full view of the sentients.
POINTS OF INTEREST
The Bayou: A swampy bayou where the Cylix are fond of ambushing their prey from the trees. Caution is advised, especially since Kardok inhabit the wetlands. The semi-sentient, crocodilian predators are smart and hunt in packs, distracting their prey before they seize it. Dahomian rebels used to feed slavers to them, but they don't do it anymore because they do not want them to get a taste for people. The swamp is also inhabited by exotic fish that are nice to look at, but can take a finger off with ease and come in shoals of twenty. A tourist unlucky enough to fall into the water would be well-advised to get out immediately.
There is also a swamp crawler, a critter with plenty of legs. It looks sweet rather than dangerous, but its skin and saliva are coated in a deadly toxin. Dahomian fighters used to use it as a poison on their weapons, but are now protected from hunting. The crawlers used to be hunted for the poison, but then they got hunted because offworld animals attacked them and died. Easier to kill the critter than keep a pet on the leash. Thus laws have banned poaching. There are also several birds of unusual design. The oddest is called a Longbird, has four wings and a long body. These birds are very protective of their chicks and their wings can knock out a person with a blow if they hit.
The Great Grass Sea: Outside explorers call it the Veld. An area of plains where many of the animals live. The ground is flat and covered in grass or low scrubs. The view is spectatular. Predators may hide in the grass though. It is not a good idea to walk into the high grass and pet the animals. There is ample grassland for grazing banthas, large elephantine beasts and other herbivores, but the high grass also makes the Grass Sea excellent hunting ground for Cylix in search of prey.
The grasslands are also home to a large amount of Nexu who prey on the herbivores. How they got to Dahomey is unknown. Tanalaaks may hide in the trees. In the old days, the Mad General Amherst liked to conduct hunts here. He imagined himself as a master huntsman, but preferred to kill his prey from a safe distance in a speeder or gunship, using heavy firepower.
Mesa: A flat-topped mountain that is greatly desired for lairs due to its high vantage point. Cylix prides like to set up their lairs here and it has often been contested territory between rival prides.
Sanctuaries of the Watchers: These small buildings serve as 'safe houses' for the staff and rangers in case the animals get a little too ferocious. Here they can rest and take shelter.
Central Monitoring Station: The administrative hub of the preserve. It serves as a headquarters for staff and has been equipped with state-of-the-art surveillance technology in order to allow them to monitor what is going on inside Wildhome and respond to emergencies. The monitoring station is also the location of a veterinary for treating the sick or wounded animals and a little nursery for orphaned babies. These areas are collectively called the Lair of the Restored.
The Silver Serpent Which Ever Seeks the South: Shortened to Silver River by outsiders. The Dahomians have a fondness for long and descriptive names. The river forms one of the natural boundaries of the preserve. There is quite a bit of fish life in the river. One can also find Silver Serpent crocodiles.
Tears of the Ancestors: A large waterfall that connects to the Silver Serpent river. There are stories that some slaves flung themselves down the waterfall as a last-ditch-effort to escape their captors and die on their terms. Contains an abundance of wild life and vegetation. There is an observatory platform. Probably not for the faint of heart.
Observatory: An elevated observation platform that can be reached by speeder. This is where tourists can go and enjoy a spectacular view. It is monitored by guards and surveillance technology to prevent wrongdoings and ensure no harm comes to the visitors.
Lodges of the Visitors: A small series of lodges for visitors. Each building uses natural materials and colours and is designed to blend in with nature and have minimal impact on the environment. Each lodge is supposed to provides a guests with a small but comfortable cabin among native foliage. A tented camp or country farmhouse setting is not uncommon and many rooms feature motifs that reflect the native heritage. Rustic elegance is the order of the day.
The rooms use local and recyclable materials and power is provided by renewables, taking advantage of solar power since Dahomey does not lack for sunlight. All food is supposed to be made from locla ingredients and visitors are free to use the garden to collect vegetables and the lodges purchase their food from native farmers. Moreover, professional guides can take visitors right to the best sites to see animals, go canoeing or hiking. They also provide opportunities to learn more about regional history. General Amherst's old safari mansion is now part of the visitor lodges. Fancy lodgings aside, it also houses a small museum that informs visitors about the history of the preserve as well as the warlord era.
Quidarah: A native settlement that is strictly speaking not directly part of the preserve, but located quite close to it. It is a rural area and the lodges purchase most of their food from here. Much to the surprise of tourists, it does not look like a traditional village - or at least not a stereotypical 'primitive' one. Rather the settlement is well-developed and includes a small, dignified museum that shows what a traditional village would have looked like - which is ironically more than the stereotype. Ironically, a group of missionaries who were hoping to find 'primitives' to 'uplift' complained about the place not being 'authentic'. Many of the staff members live here and offer demonstrations to tourists on how things are done now.
HISTORICAL INFORMATION
Like many worlds on the far rim, Dahomey is still fairly wild and untamned land. Significant parts of the planets are unspoilt by industry. Isolated by the Gulag Virus, the planet experienced technological regression during the Dark Age. This did not make the natives mindless savages - far from it. However, they adapted to life in a low-tech civilisation. As the plague receded, foreigners came to Dahomey.
Some came to engage in peaceful trade, but many wanted to exploit the planet's resources, its people and wild life. First the Independent Mining Guild came, then a rogue Republic General called Amherst. The tribes of Dahomey, engaged in internecine strife, found themselves facing foreign invaders who possessed superior technology. Some cooperated with them in the hopes of gaining powers over the rivals or simply protection from enslavement. Others banded together in a coalition.
Part of the territory that now forms the Wildhome Planetary Preserve used to be part of the Emeka tribe, though they were driven from their native lands during one of the many tribal wars. General Amherst, who had originally been hired by the IMG to suppress rebels but then decided to play warlord, declared it his personal domain. He enjoyed playing the role of the foreign conqueror who had come to 'civilise' the natives. In practical terms, this boiled down to taking slaves and exploiting Dahomey's mineral resources. This was truly civilised behaviour. Regardless, he came to regard this land as a vast game reserve that he and his confederates could loot to their heart's content. Their idea of how to hunt tended to involve heavy repeating blasters fired from a safe location such as a gunship or landspeeder.
The rogue general liked to pose with his trophies, especially dead Cylixes. These feline predators were very numerous in the area, but his hunts thinned their numbers. He also set up a luxurious hunting lodge. It was filled with trophies and holopics of game he had hunted.
From here he launched expeditions into the widlerness to hunt animals and 'uppity' natives alike.
At the same time, partisand and escaped slaves fled to the swamplands and other remote areas. This was the cause of considerable irritation on his part, as they forced him to divert resources to 'anti-partisan warfare' instead of the pursuit of his personal pleasures. The brutal tactics utilised by his troops caused significant collateral damage and environmental degradation. He was in the middle of planning a grand construction drive to expand the lodge into some sort of palace when his kingdom was invaded. A large force of Dahomian rebels was marching towards Abomey, the planet's capital, forcing him to divert many of his troops to fight them.
However, this was a diversion. Working with the rebels, Omega Pyre had assembled a task force, which landed in the capital and eliminated Amherst's troops. The mad general was arrested and handed over to the Republic. Some of his more fanatical followers, fearing prosecution for their atrocities, entertained fantasies of hiding in his game preserve and continuing the fight, but these came to nothing.
Dahomey joined Omega Pyre and later the Omega Protectorate. The planet received its own democratic government, though the Pyre and later Firemane retained heavy influence that rightly aroused the ire of liberals and nationalists. Foreign investment and economic development allowed the planet's people to receive many of the tools the rest of the galaxy took for granted. However, not only did industrial development encroach upon the living space of the wild life as well as of tribes that wanted to maintain a more traditional way of life, poaching also became a serious issue. This threatened the Cylix population in particular. While strong, fierce and cunning, they were vulnerable to modern weapons.
At the same time, the people needed to derive an economic benefit from conservation. Conserving every animal was not sustainable and wildlife viewing tourism did not generate sufficient income on its own. Firemane worked with native authorities to carry out nature conversation and reforestation efforts. Training native rangers and incentivising local communities was part of the programme. Another was the creation of Wildhome.
The Emeka agreed to the foundation of the preserve, choosing to benefit from sustainable ecotourism, though tribes maintained settlements on the fringes. Critics argued that Firemane's activities constituted a case of case of greenwashing that was supposed to detract from the megacorp's capitalist and militarist practices. This is obviously correct. Firemane did, after all, have a significant stake in Dahomey's economy.
Siobhan was no great environmentalist, but had grown up on a planet that had been thoroughly despoiled by rampant industrialisation and lack of regulations. So while no paragon, the autocratic Force Master could appreciate efforts to preserve Dahomey's natural beauty. Besides, nature was a resource and one that needed nurturing, and it flattered her considerable ego.
Regardless, the result was the creation of an enormous nature preserve. Firemane entered a partnership with the Dahomian Conservation Society, a native environmentalist organisation dedicated to the conservation of the planet's native species. The group was heavily involved in breed and release programmes, habit recovery and so on. Trouble rose arose when a foreign energy concern with ties to Firemane ceived an economic concession in the area near the preserve due to the discovery of liquid fuel. Senior Dahomian government officials supported the deal, and encouraged exploration activities.
By contrast, the park management and environmentalist organisations resolutely opposed it. Local tribes were split on the issue, as it could provide them with jobs, but also lead to loss of indigenous freedom and degradation of the environment. The park's chief warden was wounded by unnown gunmen, causing a further escalation of tensions. This contributed to local protests backed by Dahomian parliamentarians opposed to the bargain. As a result, the company ceased exploration activities. Siobhan Kerrigan had initially backed the deal, but then changed her mind. Naturally she did not admit that she had performed a volte-face on the matter because that would mean admitting she was not infallible.
Siobhan was present for the opening of the Saviour Gate Spaceport, using the occasion to give a speech. The spaceport was named after a Dahomian heroine who had been enslaved from birth, but managed to free her captors. Unable to bear seeing her people chained, she returned again and again to the mines and plantations to facilitate the escape of more slaves. Eventually she was killed, but never lost a single fugitive. The story appealed to Siobhan both for abolitionist and political reasons. However, the ceremony was rudely interrupted by the arrival of a rogue Sith Lord called Darth Soteria and her followers. They ambushed the guests and killed most of the guards. Refusing to flee, Siobhan engaged Soteria in a brutal duel.
Meanwhile, Elpsis had been visiting the nature preserve with her friends Reverence and Purity, who were both from Dahomey. They came across a Dahomian park ranger and a dying Cylix, who had been mortally wounded in a contest with another feline. Elpsis could not heal the Cylix and, in any event, considered that a violation of the natural order because he was dying from wounds inflicted in a fight with another predator, not because of a poacher or other forms of human meddling. She could soothe his pain though so that he died in peace.
However, then she sensed that her adoptive mother was in danger and took off. When she arrived at the port, Soteria had triumphed, but been severely wounded, too. Elpsis was able to drive the Sith, who was exhausted and not doing much better than Siobhan, away, but failed to kill her. She was able to use her powers to keep Siobhan from dying, at the cost of draining herself and falling unconscious. Siobhan entered a coma. Per her will, Elpsis was made acting matriarch of House Kerrigan-Alcori, though not of Friemane itself. The pyromancer was quite unhappy about this. It did, however, allow her to increase the amount of funding allocated to Wildhome. She could not control Firemane's treasury, but, to a certain degree, decide where her family's money was supposed to go.
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