Ouerea

REGION - BADLANDS
This location is centered in the Badlands region.
The Badlands are home to some of the Orion Spur’s most savage flora and fauna, a phenomenon that attracts only the wildest and wisest of the system’s inhabitants - xenobiologists, weapon scientists, there’s even a market for mercenaries, in the hunting of the particularly large and lethal creatures. Of course, there are also those looking to make a life for themselves, but natives aren’t known to treat settlements kindly. The majority of the People's Republic of Adhomai and the Republic of Elyra’s space finds itselves positioned in the Badlands. As well, the entire Izweski Hegemony and a small portion of the Empire of Dominia. The Badlands are accessible by a set of bluespace gates leading to and from Tau Ceti and New Ankara. Persepolis, Medina, Aemaq, Moghes, Ouerea, Tret, Adhomai, Hro'zamal, and Gakal'zaal are located in the Badlands.

Ouerea, which is the fourth planet from the Uueoa-Esa star, is the first planet to be colonized by the Unathi. It was successfully colonized with Federation and Alliance assistance on February 3rd, 2438. Ouerea is one of two habitable planets in the system, the second being Moghes. The planet was discovered and accurate models of its position and orbit were made in 1483 by Izweski astronomer Kizar Yuiz'ku, and it was discovered to be habitable in the 20th century. In general the planet's biome is roughly similar to Moghes with mild variations. The ecosystem is a lot less complex than Moghes, with most of the planet covered in grasslands and forests with small, simplistic wildlife and fish. However these ecosystems are under threat by extensive and exhaustive mining operations being done by Hephaestus Industries. Other than Hephaestus, fishing Guilds dominate the economy of Ouerea, though other grassroots industries are growing. These industries were originally oversaw by the Skrell who ensured strict environmentalist policies, but when the Hegemony regained control of the colony nearly all forms of regulations were chucked out of the window, and now guilds have near total autonomy at the expense of the environment and their workers.

History

Shortly after the first Unathi left the colony ship, violence and war engulfed Moghes in the Contact War. With the Izweski unable to provide the intense focus necessary for Ouerea, the Nralakk Federation and Sol Alliance set up a coalition colonial government. Despite originally intended to be temporary, the apocalyptic end of the Contact War brought the stark reality that the government was here to stay. This meant that Ouerea enjoyed a representative democracy rather than traditional Unathi feudalism.

Ouerea was forcefully annexed by the Izweski Hegemony in 2457. The decades of republican rule were ended as an Overlord Tarkart Yiztek was installed, taking on the responsibilities of King of the whole planet. As a concession, Yiztek allowed Ouerean elders to assemble in an advisory council to help rule under him. Yiztek worked tirelessly to blend the law codes of the former Colonial rulers and ancient code of honor of Moghean Unathi.

The planet was struggling economically as it dealt with reintegration into the Hegemony as well as a growing refugee crisis. The Izweski on Moghes tried to ship as many refugees from the Wasteland to Ouerea as possible, causing the population to skyrocket without the proper logistics to handle it. Many Ouerean cities, modern and comparable to large cities in the 22nd century Earth, are now suffering with an explosive growth of slums.

However in 2461 a series of popular uprisings flipped nearly the entire planet to the rebel forces of the Ouerean Confederation, leaving only the capital city of New Skalamar in the hands of royalists. Not'zar Izweski, through shrewd negotiations, managed to strike a deal with the rebels. Feeling co-opted, the Overlord attempted to sabotage the negotiations and was expelled for the attempt. Now the planet holds a special status in the Hegemony as its only colony not ruled by an Overlord, but by democratically elected elders.

Politics and Government

On a planetary level, the Grand Council works to resolve disputes and plan for the welfare of all the people.

On the state level, several settlements combined into a polity form a Great-Clan. These provinces are ruled by a chief elected by the region's mayors. It is common for an old lord from a clan of nobility to rule these.

On the local level, the Confederation is ruled by democratically-elected elders. Cities have mayors elected by popular vote for set terms, though they are more often than not a previous City Lord that helped develop the city and are usually referred to as such by Unathi still.

Planetary Overlord and the Elder Chiefs

Elder-Chiefs are typically male Chiefs elected by instant-runoff voting, in which candidates are ranked on a ballot by a voter, and their ranking determines how much weight that vote has for them. They serve for life on the Synod of Scales but can be removed through other methods, though this has yet to be seen.

The Overlord works in a different capacity than most places. They typically operate as a liaison between the Hegemony and Ouerea, sometimes being a mouthpiece for both when both sides agree on a course of action. They have some sway with the Synod of Scales, but the Overlord has limited powers compared to before the coup.

The system was revised to resemble the old feudal system Unathi are used to with the major discrepancy being democracy was instituted largely. Many humans and Skrell still reside on Ouerea, and there are some human and Skrellian mayors.

Not'zar Izweski managed to secure a lasting peace with Ouerea by negotiating with the rebel forces, despite the efforts of the then-Overlord to sabotage the talks.

Geography and Climate

Ouerea's biomes are less complex than Moghes, with most of the planet dominated by forests and grassland, and a single large savanna between the Riztizkzi and Yuaz seas. Early surveys revealed a massive and complex underground cave network snaking across most of the planet, including large caverns and canyons. Most of these subterranean features are filled with water and host to a large variety of underwater wildlife. Izweski Rangers and Hephaestus survey teams continue to explore these cave networks but the vast majority of them remain unmapped and unexplored. The sheer size and depth of the caverns continue to perplex xeno-geologists. Hephaestus mining operations focus heavily on expanding and digging inside pre-existing cavern systems mapped by their teams.

The four major seas of Ouerea contribute to the planet's higher average humidity than Moghes. During Ouerea's Versakh season the humidity near the coast is high enough that Unathi that remain outside for extended periods can develop an irritating skin condition as an Ouerean-native mildew develops on their scales and hide. This mildew is extremely difficult to remove with normal bathing and must be treated with topical cream, and is deeply embarrassing for affected Unathi.

This climate has begun to be utilized by the Hegemony, as Ouerea is slowly being turned into the food production center of the Hegemony, following the phoron scarcity and collapse of outside foodstuff imports.

Year and seasons

A year on Ouerea is 510 days, and similar to Moghes the resident Unathi have divided the year into 15 months with 34 days each.

Versakh is the first season. It lasts 5 months and is typically marked with warm, wet weather and an average global temperature of 35°C. Culturally, like on Moghes, Versakh is a time of rejuvenation and relaxation. During Versakh it's completely acceptable for Unathi to take time off of work during the afternoon when the temperature is the hottest in order to nap or bask in the sun. This also marks the beginning of the typical hunting season, though on Ouerea this is more ceremonial.

Kasavakh is the second season. It lasts 5 months and usually brings cooler, wet weather with average global temperatures around 30°C. Kasavakh is regarded as a time of productivity and bounty. Kasavakh is typically the busiest time of the year for Unathi. During hot days Unathi are still permitted to take time off in the afternoons but doing it too much during Kasavakh makes them appear lazy.

A map of Ouere, with cities and major locations labelled.

Travakh is the third season which lasts 5 months and marks the end of a calendar year. It is the driest time of the year for most of Ouerea, with temperatures dropping to an average of 19°C until the beginning of Versakh. Travakh is regarded as a time of rest and contemplation. Holidays during the months of Travakh tend to focus on honoring and celebrating the family, both past and present, and tend to be in-door affairs. Outdoor activities tend to lull during this period.

Flora and Fauna

Awth’una are a warm-blooded reptilian species that gives live birth. They are four-limbed with long, snake-like prehensile tails. They resemble iguanas with a more generally ape-like body structure. Their grasping hands are very dextrous, and they have feet that have a grasping toe. They are the primary tree-dwelling type of lizard that is found in jungles across Ouerea. Typically they are omnivorous foragers that also scavenge from other species’ kills, and are not averse to raiding bird nests or eating the birds themselves. A typical Awth’una troop will be led by a patriarch. The patriarch's daughters remain with the troop for their entire lives. The young of Awth’una stay with their mothers for typically a year before becoming fully independent. They learn to forage for food and how to behave from their mothers. Orphaned Awth’una can become aggressive or ill-tempered as a result of not having their mother’s guidance on how to behave properly. Noticing this behavior, Unathi xenobiologists often cite them as evidence of the importance of proper cultural values evident in even the animal kingdom.

Subterranean flora are mysterious. Only the creatures that are found in the more shallow layers of the caverns are even known at all. Several kinds of reptilian monsters are found there, blind with pale scales and sharp claws. Deeper, lichen-grazing creatures crawl through the tunnels and chambers, stocky-limbed and snakelike and partially aquatic. Cataloguing the incredible breadth and diversity of the subterreanean eco-systems is a task that will keep xenobiologists busy for decades, if not more.

The Azkrazal or Threshbeast has also taken to Ouerea quite well. A tall, swift-running grazer, in some areas feral herds have outcompeted native Naearzi. However, most Azkrazal on Ouerea are domesticated and thrive in the pastures across Ouerea’s grasslands. They are used as a primary method of conveyance in the homesteads due to their high speed and stamina. However, they are typically found on farms worked by the serfs of rich nobility, due to the cost of importing them and their comparative rarity. The poorer class on Ouerea uses primarily Naearzi harnessed in teams for pulling wagons and carriages. The domestication efforts over the past 20 years have gone well, and the new generations of Naearzi are born less shy and grow to trust their trainers more quickly. Unathi society is learning the secrets of their husbandry quickly, and things like diet and pasture size have been studied to great effect.

Mier’vesh are a small, reptile-avian creature with forked tongues that sample the air. They are popular animals as they are small and sweet tempered, making them slow to respond to danger. They are used as an ideal tool to teach Ouerean hatchlings how to hunt and eat at an early age. They have a strong flocking instinct which leads them to stay together around a lead hen, typically who has the brightest crest or the loudest cry. They are popular with Unathi clanmothers who are too busy to cook, since they can simply put their hatchling outside in the yard to chase Mier'vesh.

Tul are large, muscular, leathery creatures, about a head taller than your average unathi that are native to Moghes but introduced into the local ecosystem. They have sharp claws on each feet and the strange ribbed, flat teeth found on most herbivores. Their most striking feature, however, is their tusks. A large array of long, pointed tusks protrudes from their skull and jaw. They move like a cat - deliberate, pronounced movements, with very broad shoulderblades.

They have a long flat tongue they use for feeding. Tul are commonly poached for their tusks which can be used in various luxuries, from jewelry, to cutlery, to pieces of ornamental weaponry. Hunting Tuls requires personal permission from the Lord of the land, and the honor is almost exclusively reserved for the landed elite. Common Unathi found poaching Tul's or illegally trading the tusks are often given harsh prison sentences.

Owning these animals is reserved for only the richest clans due to how tightly they are controlled. They are sometimes brought out for large events by Lords to impress guests and visitors. Sometimes they can be found wandering the private gardens of the wealthy.

The tul also have a few small myths surrounding them. According to some regional cultures, the tul cultivated the forests before the Sinta could walk on two feet, whereas some say they were responsible for raising the sun - sticking their long tusks into the ether and pulling it back up into the sky. Some of the oldest clans will have a tul displayed as the clan's insignia

Notable Locations

The Trizkizki and Riztizkzi Seas are the major center of the life on Ouerea, where almost all of the large cities on the planet are. It was the region first chosen for colonization, with New Skalamar being the first city to be established during the colonization project.

New Skalamar is the capitol of Ouerea and is its largest city, and the only city which could properly be called a metropolis. It has grown since colonization from a sleepy farming town to a city of high-rises and office buildings. The government and Guilds have their seats in New Skalamar, and the city itself is home to the headquarters for most industries across the planet. Intensely crowded and densely packed, New Skalamar houses the largest concentration of Unathi, and the majority of the Humans and Skrell who have chosen to live on Ouerea. While most of New Skalamar is picturesque, it does have its seedy underbelly, and a large slum has grown up near the docks.

Kr’ath is a city right on the water, in the foothills of the craggy, relatively young mountains. Surrounded by a wide swath of coastal lowland dominated by grasses and dotted here and there by trees, it also has a rich farming economy. It is considered by Unathi to be one of the most beautiful cities on Ouerea. The young peaks are bold, deep blue granite covered over with snow. The Trizkizki Sea is a beautiful bottle-green and is still tropically warm off the shores of Kr’ath. The wide, gently rolling grassland stretching between Kr’ath and New Skalamar is picturesque and dotted with serfs' farmsteads. Kr’ath is considered to be the laid-back paradise that many Unathi dreamed of, and after Moghes’ devastation in the war, it has become one of the most sought-after places to live by members of the nobility. It remains a highly stratified city with serfs literally barred from entering many areas of the city. Serfs in Kr'ath live segregated in one large ghetto, in communal housing, and are only allowed to live in Kr'ath to staff the port, farms and fish nurseries.

Um’a’yid is a city nestled near the coast of the Sea. It’s a major port for shipping over the seas. Its major industry is fishing, and a huge number of fishing boats and deep-sea trawlers operate out of its port. Being tropical and humid, it’s seen as a less desirable place to live. However, the jungles are rich and the amount of food that can be naturally harvested makes it an appealing place to live. Unathi who can tolerate the humidity find it to be a pleasant, rather large city with steady employment rates and affordable homes.

Tr’ha’rem is a shipping city on the land-bridge at the very edge of the thick jungle which encircles the seas. It’s an important shipping port for cargo destined to be sent overland to Sahhat. It’s also a stop along the shipping route from Kr’ath to Z’ek. Goods produced and harvested in the forests are shipped throughout the Sea. A unique type of spicy fruit is grown and harvested in these jungles and is a popular export. It is a moderately large city, and due to being at the northern edge of the equator, it is considered more livable than Um’a’yid or Z’ek due to being less hot and humid.

The Z'ek crater in the Trizkizki Sea is an archipelago surrounding the collapsed caldera of what is theorized to have been a massive supervolcano which erupted more than 400,000 years before current era, with the precise date unknown. It islands are tropical, and comparable to the Malay Archipelago of Earth. There are many uninhabited islands which are considered to be picturesque and natural wonders of the relatively simple planet. Z’ek itself is considered to be an island paradise by Humans who visit Ouerea, but due to its humidity, it is considered one of the least desirable places to live by the majority of Unathi due to embarrassing and constant fungal infections on their scales.

The Sahhat Crater is located in the middle of the savannah wrapping around Ouerea. It is a wide, deep crater which formed when a large volcano exploded and collapsed on itself two to three million years before present era. It houses a very deep, large lake at the bottom of the crater, and a decent area of flat grassland, as well as the town of Sahhat. Sahhat itself is a small aquaculture town. It is a city built to preserve the natural beauty around it, and is something of a tourist destination for Unathi and a few rich xenos. The depths of the lake branch off into unexplored underwater caverns that are filled with freshwater and all types of native fish.