Mictlan

Mictlan

Sankta Tereza System

Sector: Corporate Reconstruction Zone

Capital: Arequipa

Species: Human, Skrell, Unathi, Diona, IPC

Common Languages: Tau Ceti Basic, Tradeband, Sol Common

Demonyms: Mictlani

Part of: Republic of Biesel

Formerly part of: Sol Alliance

"We are still here." - Motto of Mictlan

Nestled within the Corporate Reconstruction Zone, Mictlan has become integral to the Stellar Corporate Conglomerate’s plans for expanding their influence within the unstable region of the Orion Spur. However, many protested against the sudden shift to the Republic of Biesel, taking up arms as they began forcefully pushing back against the corporate occupation of their planet – eventually resulting in military intervention by the Republic of Biesel, as they instituted the Peacekeeper Mandate to begin to wrestle control back into their hands.

After a long and protracted guerilla war between the Tau Ceti Armed Forces and the Samaritans, Mictlan eventually managed to secure its status as an independent member-state within the Republic, and now enjoys relative freedom from corporate influence. However, stratification and corporate influence still seperates much of the population, and time will tell if the economic protections the government has put in place will hold against the influence of the Stellar Corporate Conglomerate.

While Mictlan is been a beacon of multiculturalism among humans and aliens in the Orion Spur, many humans that have immigrated to the planet have been assimilated into Mictlan's culture and society. Because of this, human characters born on Mictlan must have names and appearances consistent with the peoples of Mexico, Central America, and South America. Only characters native to Mictlan may take the Mictlan accent. This is enforceable by server moderators and admins.

Contents

History

“Though not our original destination, it doesn't matter. It is up to us to carve out an existence on this planet, and call it our own.”
- Captain Tlaloc (2219 - 2257) addressing the colonists following the emergency landing on Mictlan (11th August 2254)

Mictlan was not the original target for the South and Central American colonists whose descendants now inhabit it; instead, it became an accidental one after they were forced into an emergency landing. The captain of the original colonization fleet, who was posthumously christened Tlaloc to protect his descendants, excessively mishandled the allocation of resources during their long voyage, focusing more on the comfort of the first-class clientele. This had resulted in a lack of fuel, food, and other resources that forced them to make an emergency landing two years prior to reaching their intended target.

The colonists already lacked the expertise and technology to comfortably adapt to an aquatic planet, and with the captain’s refusal to change his behaviour casualties mounted. An attempt was made to challenge the captain’s leadership by contacting the Sol government, however, the continued failures of the colonists to meet quotas led to them being largely ignored. Thus a revolution was inevitable. During this insurrection, the captain alongside other colony heads was murdered, and the newly appointed government began calling itself the Movimiento Fundación. This explosion of violence finally caught the interest of the Sol government, who immediately sent out an armed force to rescue the survivors and re-establish law and order.

The movement did not last long against such an overwhelming force and democracy was re-established. A new head for the colony was chosen and with the continued efforts the possibilities of underwater logging and uranium mining became apparent, corporations began to invest in Mictlan, building up infrastructure and worker force. During this time, the newly established colonial government led a “War on Waste”, to preserve the natural beauty of Mictlan. This included the nationalization of small private businesses that created too much waste, higher fees to secure intellectual property rights, and the introduction of new fines targeting the Mictlani for littering. It was clear to the colonists at the time this was a transparent attempt to prevent a surge of small-time businesses but with an armed force present, the concerns went unvoiced.

Mictlan exists as a democratic state, similarly seen across many previous Middle Ring colonies of the Solarian Alliance, where its beautiful and verdant landscapes provide a lure for tourists – a rather profitable enterprise for Idris Incorporated as it dominates its tourist industries. Its bountiful jungles allow for both aquacultural and agricultural practices to boon, in particular, Unathi refugees fleeing from Moghes have managed to latch onto the aquacultural industries and make it their own – establishing their own chapter on Mictlan. The planet’s overall xenotolerance has allowed for numerous other populations to take refuge within its jungles, besides just Unathi, including that of both the Skrell and Dionae. Besides its vibrant agricultural practices, Mictlan has huge deposits of minerals, further cementing the planet’s attractability to the megacorporations – who previously watched from the sidelines, swooping in following the initiation of the Peacekeeper Mandate.

Peacekeeper Mandate

“No battle too difficult, no sacrifice too great.” - Xiomara Salvo, general of the Samaritans, addressing those that fight for a Mictlan free from corporate integration and Biesel's occupation, in a video shared to social media (18 October 2463)

After the Solarian Collapse, the former Solarian planets of Mictlan and Port Antillia were annexed by the Republic of Biesel, in what would come to be known as the Corporate Reconstruction Zone. While Port Antillia accepted membership as part of the Republic with little conflict, Mictlan's annexation was considerably more controversial. The Mictlan Defense Force, the planetary guard, had gone months without pay, and Mictlan itself was suffering unrest and lack of supplies that were typically shipped in from the greater Alliance. When the Tau Ceti Foreign Legion touched down on the planet to declare it as part of the Republic of Biesel, many citizens were suspicious of their new government and its ties with the megacorporations. Some of these suspicions were proven in short order by massive corporate developments on the planet and crackdowns on dissent.

The tension boiled over in late 2462, when thousands of ex-MDF personnel, led by First Sergeant Xiomara Salvo, deserted and formed the Samaritans; a paramilitary organization whose mission was to secure the independence of Mictlan at any cost. The other prominent insurgent group was the Founding Movement, originally a political party led by several notable Mictlani; Isabel Alvarez, Leon de Rosas, Corazon Santanas, and Miguel Maia. The Founding Movement had been blacklisted from the Mictlani parliament shortly after the Mandate due to their strong anti-corporate and pro-Mictlani independence, and a warrant for the arrest of all four party leaders had been placed for alleged "terrorist activities". Leon de Rosas surrendered to the Biesel Security Services Bureau, but Alvarez, Santanas, and Maia went on the run, with each attempting to fight for Mictlan's independence in their own way. Unfortunately, the Founding Movement's directionless anger mainly had the effect of destabilizing and disenfranchising Mictlan further.

The announcement of the Peacekeeper Mandate by President Dorn in mid-October 2463 sparked demonstrations across the Corporate Reconstruction Zone as citizens voiced their concerns over the deployment of the Tau Ceti Foreign Legion. Considered by critics of the Dorn administration to be the most controversial policy it had enacted, the Peacekeeper Mandate was introduced to bring order to the Corporate Reconstruction Zone. The Mandate was enacted to ensure loyalty to the Republic of Biesel and its benefactor, the Stellar Corporate Conglomerate, but were opposed by several insurrectionist groups such as the Samaritans and the Founding Movement. While Isabel Alvarez continued to verbally protest and attempt to organize (ultimately ineffective) non-violent campaigns against the Peacekeeper Mandate, Santanas and Maia rallied their supporter base and encouraged the Founding Movement to take up violent arms against the Republic through any means possible.

Initially meant to operate for a definite period, the Peacekeeper Mandate was altered to operate indefinitely until the unrest encountered in the Corporate Reconstruction Zone has been quelled. Whilst the Tau Ceti Foreign Legion was able to resist the insurgency groups, the Private Military Contracting Group was hired to support their operations. The PMCG contributed to the Peacekeeper Mandate significantly since their introduction to the Corporate Reconstruction Zone, although much controversy arose over allowing a private military company to assist in what was considered an occupation and annexation. The Stellar Corporate Conglomerate had already begun massive development operations on the surface of the planet, which many Mictlani objected to on the grounds of mismanagement, pollution, and a lack of concern for workers' rights.

In early 2464, the Peacekeeper Mandate took a rather violent turn following the death of a scholar. As riots erupted across the Corporate Reconstruction Zone, but primarily within the major population centres present on Mictlan, the forces of both the Tau Ceti Foreign Legion and the Private Military Contracting Group found themselves supporting the Mictlan Defense Force in quelling the unrest. Despite their best attempts, the Samaritans seized the chance to use the unrest to strike the vulnerabilities present utilizing a series of urban guerrilla tactics to severely damage the abilities of the stretched-thin forces present.

In July 2465, this culminated in the establishment of the Tau Ceti Armed Forces to finally attempt to stomp out the insurgents. Conflict, stoked by demonstrations and riots from the Founding Movement, gradually came to a head after several months of fighting. After a climactic operation on the beaches of the continent Huitzilopochtli, Xiomara Salvo, Prime Minister Ladislao de Santos, and Nathan Trasen finally agreed to a ceasefire, on several conditions. Provided the majority of Samaritans surrendered (and were pardoned), Mictlan would be permitted to determine which Biesellite laws were accepted within its own territory, barring capital crimes. The Peacekeeper Mandate was deemed over, and the Armed Forces finally returned to Biesel.

The Founding Movement

“The Founding Movement? They’re just a loose collection of barely aligned groups that only get along because it is safer for criminals to stick together.” - Lucas Hideyoshi, BSSB agent, responding to a question from a Tau Ceti Times reporter

The Founding Movement was a broad collection of political movements organized under one party banner, with the objective of an independent Mictlan. Founded in 2444 by the lawyer and activist Isabel Alvarez, she shared the leadership of the party with her college friends and fellow activists Leon de Rosas, Corazon Santanas, and Miguel Maia.

In the early years of Alvarez’s tenureship, when the movement was still considered a legitimate political party, the Movement became a far more unified force under her leadership. This changed in 2462, with the annexation of the planet by the Republic of Biesel, and the declaration of the Peacekeeper Mandate. The collapse of the Alliance was a taste of what freedom could be, before Tau Ceti forces enacted harsh laws and megacorporations began new, invasive construction on the surface.

The resulting chaos caused a fracturing of the Founding Movement, with Miguel Maia and Corazon Santanas encouraging those sympathetic to the cause to achieve independence by violence. Several incidents, such as the bombing of an Orion Express post office in Lago de Abundacia, caused the Republic to brand the Founding Movement as a whole a terrorist organization. Members previously associated with the Founding Movement, whether they subscribed to Maia or Santanas’ positions or not, began to be tracked down by the Republic and its law enforcement agencies. Many of the more moderate members forsook it entirely, preferring life under Biesel to cyborgification or lengthy prison sentences. A larger and larger percentage of those who continued to identify as Founding Movement members militarized, rioted, and planted explosives in public areas to drive away Tau Ceti Armed Forces personnel or intimidate the Mictlani government into taking a hardline anti-Biesel stance.

Alvarez became less and less synonymous with the Founding Movement, despite her efforts, and continued firebrand speeches from the exiled Corazon Santanas and Miguel Maia furthered the Founding Movement’s perception as a terrorist organization through and through. Alvarez continued to demand a peaceful resolution to the conflict, though after an arrest warrant was placed on her and the other leaders, she was driven into hiding. Santanas and Maia continued to make scant public appearances, and Leon de Rosas surrendered to the Biesel Security Services Bureau in 2464. He was released from prison after the clemency deal struck with Xiomara Salvo and the Samaritans in late 2465; Salvo herself negotiated for his release.

In November 2465, the efforts of the Minutemen Special Forces and the calculations of the military AI Aura triangulated Isabel Alvarez’s location to the city of Caxacoatl. Her body was discovered hung from a lamppost after a Founding Movement-led riot against Tau Ceti occupation; later eyewitness testimonies claim she was dragged out of a nearby apartment, beaten, and lynched. She was 46 years old.

The Founding Movement and Isabel Alvarez are remembered controversially. Among some, Alvarez is remembered as a weak leader who allowed the infighting in her party to grow out of control. To others, she is a tragic symbol of the indirect casualties of the Peacekeeper Mandate, and a woman who strived for peace and non-violence long after it was impossible.

The Samaritans

"A soldier without discipline is just an idiot with a gun. Just as an army without structure is merely a gang. So get your ass off the ground, and get back into formation." - Unknown, attributed to Samaritan drill instructor Alejandro Gomez

The Samaritans were a paramilitary organization derived from dissident members of the Mictlan Defense Force, that shared the goal of an independent Mictlan with the Founding Movement. Founded in 2462 by First Sergeant Xiomara Salvo, later called “General”, the unrest caused by the Solarian Collapse and the Peacekeeper Mandate in short order led Salvo to desert the MDF, leading thousands of soldiers alongside her. Over the course of three years, the Samaritans led a protracted guerilla war against first the Tau Ceti Foreign Legion, then the Tau Ceti Armed Forces.

Many MDF deserters brought their own military supplies with them or stole from bases; the Samaritans would also purchase weaponry from offworld traders to supplement their supplies. What played a heavy part in the coherence of the group and its ability to defend against the far larger TCAF was the unity and solidarity of individual soldiers. A gradually-forming cult of personality around Xiomara Salvo also meant many Samaritans were willing to fight and die for the freedom of Mictlan. The Samaritans’ primary base of operations was on the continent of Huitzilopochtli, where the local population revered them as heroic freedom fighters, further hampering Biesel intelligence operations. Further emphasizing their status as “heroic” was the Samaritans’ opposition to the violence enacted by the Founding Movement, which would often include civilians in the crossfire of its bombs and riots.

In November 2465, a heightening of terror campaigns from the Founding Movement, increased attacks on TCAF bases from the Samaritans, and civil unrest within Tau Ceti and Mictlan alike led to Xiomara Salvo negotiating a settled peace with the Tau Ceti Armed Forces. On the condition of her absolute surrender and her retirement from politics and military life, Mictlan would now enjoy a free economic and legal policy that would only be loosely governed by the government of Biesel.

Former Samaritans found themselves generally returning to their old life. Many rejoined the MDF, or joined for the first time, going on to serve careers as soldiers. The exception was the officers of the organization, forbidden by the terms of their agreement to ever join an armed organization again. Most retired early, as permitted by a generous stipend, and several went on to pursue political careers or work as a civilian in the fields they’d earned a degree in.

Xiomara Salvo, the charismatic soldier, became a national hero and a symbol of the endurance of Mictlan and its people. She now lives a quiet life in Caxamalca as a community organizer, and has expressed no desire to re-enter the public eye.

Megacorporation Sanctions

Citing concerns for the safety of their employees and their assets, the Stellar Corporate Conglomerate has announced a goods embargo on Mictlan outside of the Exclusive Economic Zone. The sanctions focus on materials and equipment that could potentially be used in the creation of weapons and explosives by the Samaritans, however, critics have remarked that the goods listed are broad enough to negatively impact most industries on Mictlan. Unemployment is predicted to rise to levels never before seen outside of the Exclusive Economic Zone. Following the Council of Six meetings, the megacorporate sanctions ended in conjunction with the staged removal of the Tau Ceti Foreign Legion as the Peacekeeper Mandate starts coming to an end. These sanctions, however, loom over the heads of many who found their businesses unable to survive in the wake of the megacorporate blockades on goods, now forced to find employment within the very megacorporations that destroyed their businesses.

Environment

“The jungles of Mictlan have lured us in for decades, with promises of great discoveries deep within. I fall for it, everytime.” - Professor Tapzel Spoq (2093 - 2461) at a Seminar regarding Xenobiology at the Tupac Amaru University (21 November 2438)

A labled map of notable points of interests across Mictlan, including the former Tau Ceti Foreign Legion Forward Operating Bases.

Mictlan is a planet shrouded in thick jungles that stretch across its three continents, where its orbital period and axial tilt have allowed for an almost perpetual tropic climate that often reaches sweltering highs – where the only reprieve is the frequent torrents of cool rainfall that form as a result of humidity present within its rainforests. Dependent on the environmental circumstances in which they form, these tropical storms often grow to sizes capable of engulfing large portions of the continents they pass over – where flashfloods in lowlands are both common, and avoided by the local populace in the region. However, the further one strays from the equatorial regions of Mictlan, the drier it becomes the closer one gets to the Mictlani Sertão.

The Mictlani Sertão comprise the planet’s highlands – normally in close proximity to mountainous geographic regions – and receive most of their rainfall during the beginning of the year in the brief period between February and April, mostly in the form of torrential downpours, thereafter these regions typically undergo extended droughts. These shifting conditions have made life difficult within the Sertão, and colonial outposts situated within these areas frequently fell on hard times as they struggle to push through to the next wet season, where most commonly turn to base their economies on quarrying and excavation – at least if there is an abundance of mineral resources nearby.

Continents and Regions

Llactapata (Western Continent)

Home to the continental capital of Sikunda, Llactapata has been spared the onslaught of destruction as a result of the Peacekeeper Mandate, where it has instead seen an influx of displaced Mictlani fleeing from either Huitzilopochtli or Huehuecóyotl. Situated within the western hemisphere of the planet, much of Northern Llactapata belongs to the Mictlani Sertão – where the craggy mountains protect the region from typhoons that form within Tepexitl Ocean, allowing for dozens of cities and towns to crop up reminiscent of those across the Andes Mountains on Earth. Hephaestus Industries has expressed interest in expanding its foothold within the regions, further exploiting the mineral resources held within the Tepeyollotli Ranges. Sikunda, Caxamalca and New Barraca are the major population centres of Llactapata.

Huitzilopochtli (Eastern Continent and Archipelagos)

The staging grounds for the Samaritans and the Founding Movement, Huitzilopochtli previously went without major investment from the megacorporations, where its sudden introduction following the collapse of the Solarian Alliance invited anti-corporate sentiments and secessionist movements to bud. Eventually, it culminated in open warfare between the Tau Ceti Foreign Legion and the Mictlan Defense Force, where the eastern continent has instead become no man's land characterised by craters, crumbling buildings and deserted vehicles clogging up abandoned highways. It maintains dominance by the secessionist and anti-corporate groups, even despite the continued presence of the Tau Ceti Foreign Legion, supplemented by both the Private Military Contracting Group and the Mictlan Defense Force. Saladas, Coiruro and Médeyre are major population centres across Huitzilopochtli.

Huehuecóyotl (Central Continent)

The central continent connecting both Llactapata and Huitzilopochtli, Huehuecóyotl supports the planetary capital of Arequipa, as well as the southern continental capital of Lago de Abundancia. While Northern Huehuecóyotl has largely remained untouched by the Samaritan and Founding Movement Scourge, Lago de Abundancia has fallen into disrepair as a result of the siege laid against the city during the height of the Peacekeeper Mandate. Many were displaced from their homes as they found themselves evacuated by a combination of the armed forces present on the planet. The mountainous regions of Huehuecóyotl find themselves encased within the Mictlani Sertão, where it is considered the driest region on the planet. Arequipa, Lago de Abundancia and Nueva Tenochtitlan are the major population centres of Huehuecóyotl.

Flora and Fauna

Although initially a worry of some scientific communities, the native species of Mictlan have formed symbiotic relationships with the foreign species, baffling the settlers. Those that haven’t are considered protected, and it’s illegal to hunt them or attempt to domesticate them. Xenobiology is a popular field in Mictlan, with the Tupac Amaru University having coordinated efforts with the Skrell to study many of them that hide deep in the jungles and swamps.

The official animal of Mictlan is referred to as the Aztlanian Llama. This animal is the most characteristic species of Mictlan with a longer neck than its human counterpart, an affinity for submerging in baths almost daily, and a protective layer of water-resistant fur covering their soft and heat-insulating wool. Another important species is Buxton’s Alpaca, a hybrid of llama and alpaca: with their willingness to work, nutritious meat, and luxurious wool, even the poorest settlers of Mictlan found their place on the planet. Both the hybrid and the common Aztlanian Llama have thermic adaptive properties, which are known for being fresh in the summer and retaining the heat in the winter. The popularity has also created a growing industry of textiles in Mictlan with many corporations competing to dominate this market galaxy-wide.

A native domesticated animal is an Arequipan Cow. While only vaguely resembling their earth counterpart, they are similar in that they provide the settlers with milk. This milk has unique properties that even lactose-intolerant individuals can ingest without issue. The main crux is the Arequipan bull, a male member of the species that are extremely territorial and aggressive. According to polls, Arequipa bulls are responsible for 15% of deaths in the farming industry.

One of the more infamous animals within the jungles of Mictlan is the Matón; a hulking, four-armed ape-like creature with a leathery hide of mottled green, assisting in its camouflage against the lush greenery it inhabits. Highly territorial and aggressive, the Matón bulls dwarf their sow counterparts, who stand at seven feet and five feet respectively. Though typically the bull is more aggressive and territorial, the sow has been described by those unfortunate enough to trespass into their habitats raising young as frenzied broodmothers, wreaking havoc and destruction should they feel one's presence is a threat to their young. Early on in the planet's colonisation, Matón proved to be a rather dangerous example of the native fauna of the planet, attacking colonists that strayed too close to their troops; eventually leading to a "War against Matón" seeking to extinct the species - which never saw success. The Matón merely pushed deeper into the unclaimed jungles of Mictlan, with only the juveniles occasionally wandering out. In recent years, the population of the Matón has recovered well, allowing poachers a chance to begin selling the exploits of their hunts again.

Flora-wise the large number of insects present on Mictlan seem to have contributed to their assimilation into the local ecosystem. Establishing evolutionary links that would have otherwise taken millions of years to develop in less than a century. This allowed Mictlan to produce harvests much sooner than other settlements and acquire food independence early on. Currently, the largest harvests come in the form of wine and coconut oil.

Star System

Mictlan is located in the star system of Sankta Tereza, a white dwarf orbited by three planets; Mictlan itself, the dusty planetoid Diamanto, and the rocky, barren planet De Borda. Much of Sankta Tereza’s inner system comprises several rings with ample asteroids, dubbed by Mictlani as the “Crowns of the Saints” or the Crowns. The Crowns are abundant with mineral resources that several megacorporations, most notably NanoTrasen and Hephaestus Industries, have expressed interest in developing asteroid mining sites.

The Crown has several small planetoids, but only Diamanto is large enough to be of note. Prior to the truce between the Samaritans and the Tau Ceti Armed Forces, there were plans in the Republic of Biesel to exploit its close proximity to the Crowns in order to fuel a successful asteroid mining initiative, but it is uncertain if these plans will come to fruition after several laws limiting corporate influence within Sankta Tereza have been passed in late 2465.

De Borda is devoid of any rare natural resources, and lies untouched by the Republic or by Mictlan's planetary government. Astronomers speculate that it likely was a rogue planet caught by Sankta Tereza's gravity well as it soared through the cosmos. Some rumours persist of smugglers using it as a base of operations, helping the Samaritans and Founding Movement by running contraband for them, and some conspiracy theorists proclaiming these radical groups actually operate within the shadows of De Borda, concealing their true intentions behind its dullness.

Culture and Demographics

“It is our duty to protect our cultural diversity. It resides within the heart, the very soul, of Mictlani. Without it, we'd be lost,” - Prime Minister (2462 - Onwards) Ladislao de Santos of the Republic of Mictlan

Mictlani culture is strongly based on its South American roots. As such, Mictlan is known for large-scale and colourful parades, strong religious beliefs, exotic cuisine, and well-established artists. These experiences are often provided to tourists, however safely packaged and toned down, so as to not disturb the façade of corporate professionalism. Thus one can’t really claim they have been part of the Mictlani life if their only experience with the culture was from a polished hotel. The native life can be found in the metallic streets of the oceanic constructs. While one might assume these metallic structures are drab, depressing, and boring, Mictlani have made them their own. Upon entry, the streets explode in colours as artists and sprayers are encouraged to fill the walls and roofs with designs. Frequent motifs are caricatures of political figures, hopeful messages, large elaborate paintings, and other comical or positive art. Mictlani who travel off-world frequently carry this habit with them, turning their streets or neighbourhoods into colourful tapestries. Even with its Babylonian inspiration, Fallowed Meadows has become somewhat renowned for its integration of Mictlani architecture into its community, where some tourists previously elected to visit the settlement to gaze their eyes upon the unique structures, but with the turn of the Peacekeeper Mandate, Fallowed Meadows now largely goes without any tourist activity.

The Mictlani household is built around community and many families often live together in interconnected houses with greenhouse roofs, that are framed around large cemented patios. These host huge celebrations, music, food, and drinks are provided and consumed freely by all present, although everyone is expected to add even a little bit to the menu. The celebrations can range from grandiose weddings or religious holidays to a simple meetup at the grill to unwind after work. Frankly, to a Mictlani, any day is a good day to spend with your loved ones. A frequent sight at these celebrations is the Mictlani pulque. This alcoholic beverage boasts a higher alcohol content than its Earthen counterpart as the environment of Mictlan allows for a much stronger agave extract. In closing, family and community are everything to a Mictlani, and a Mictlani will rarely emigrate without their family. A less popular aspect of Mictlani life is their view on the concept of “intellectual property”. With high fees following the copyright law reforms the relationship of the locals with the idea of an idea belonging to one person has shifted. The unintentional side-effect is that regardless of how well you attempt to secure your idea or intellectual property, someone on Mictlan will copy it and repackage it as their own. Initially, the police cracked down on these cases when it came to their large corporate clients, but as this sentiment spread it has become impossible to contain this wave of bootlegging. Now even the biggest corporations are not safe and even their own private corporate forces fail to enforce the law. This means that Mictlan is a pirate’s haven: “cracked” games, pirated movies, and homemade VR are sold both on the street and in official stores, the owners being just as likely to put “Swam Nebulas” and “Swimstars” on the same shelf. And alongside the destruction of intellectual property rights, came a sky-high rate of cyber-crime. Over 12% of all cyber-attacks in the universe are traced back to Mictlan and both large and small entities find themselves as the sharp end of a variable. This is one of the few, or only, avenues on Mictlan where a single man can make a fortune and climb from nothing.

But with shady deals comes political violence and a group calling themselves the “Founding Movement”, referencing the “Movimiento Fundación” has begun a series of political campaigns and attacks. Their initial memo was attacking Solarian websites, sabotaging local elections, and leaking government files, their statement was clear, no more Sol dependency and the protection of artists’ rights and intellectual properties. But recently, as violence in Sol escalated, they carried out multiple physical terrorist acts. The most prolific being the murder of Marlene Pessoa, a pro-Sol actress and a Mictlani local. The authorities hoped that after the collapse of Sol and integration into Biesel their actions would cease, but they have only escalated. The group now seeks complete independence and refuses to take no for an answer.

Fashion

There is a long-standing tradition of masks on Mictlan, usually made of wood and in varied expressions. Mictlani use these masks for important events, painted in bright colours for celebrations, while black and white are used for mourning, be it personal or public. Protestors, rebel groups, and Founders have also adopted these masks, often giving them a terrifying visage. Wearing a mask is certainly not a daily thing, and a person’s celebratory or mourning masks are viewed as extremely personal, being one of the few things considered taboo to copy and replicate en-mass. Early on, corporations attempted to levy a ban on them, but their cultural significance resulted in planet-wide backlash. Thus, the only requirement is that masked employees wear their identification visibly.

Tattoos and piercings are very popular in Mictlan and are considered the standard among the locals. Even the cleanest corporate will often sport at least a few tattoos on his face if he is a Mictlani local, to them, it is a form of self-expression, a way to non-verbally communicate their allegiances, beliefs, or values. Sometimes removal is unavoidable, however, as Eridanian suits will often press any Mictlani under their employ to remove their tattoos completely. The abundance of aquatic life has led to tattoo ink solutions based on Grumbo Squid ink becoming widespread and popular, even endorsed as healthy by certain "physical therapists" and "health gurus". The most popular motif is the colouring of the whole upper face, right above the nose, with the most popular colour being red, but white and blue are also frequently used. Piercings are often used in combination with these tattoos, septum and lip piercings being the most popular. Stainless steel is used the most often, gold being actually quite unpopular among the locals as it’s seen as a mark of corporatism on a person. Indeed, all designs that appear too “contemporary” or “mainstream” are very unpopular with native Mictlani, usually only seen on corporatists who don’t mind having a brand etched onto their face. This means that most tattooing businesses are run by the locals, as corporates have found little success in their own tattoo parlours.

Cuisine

Heavily inspired by its colonial roots in Latin America, Mictlani cuisine has been readily adapted to the native flora and fauna of the planet; having incorporated elements of the vibrant ecology into their traditional meals. Though some dishes have more notable within certain regions, whereas others enjoy popularity across the globe and the stars as Mictlani emigrate, Mictlani cuisine has similar staples to include in meals, a flair of the planet's people that make their foods unique. Much like their ancestors, Mictlani frequently use rice, corn, and various types of beans in their meals; Black beans, Kidney beans, lentils and other legumes are some of the more common ingredients used. Rice usually sees exotic spices captured from the native flora incorporated, in particular Eacamyane leaves which are grounded, and then sprinkled to give a bit of a spicy kick to meals. However, though these traditional meals and ingredients exist, there is no shortage of foods inspired or even imported from across the Orion Spur, such as the Matón Burgers, fried alongside Eacamyane leaves and pineapples to give a rather bitter-sweet experience.

Seafood is yet another element of Mictlani cuisine, particularly popular in Lago de Abundancia and Sikunda, with significant amounts of the lower strata of the population finding employment within the fishing industry; quickly expanding as the megacorporations continue to "uplift" the planet, expanding the existing industries swiftly following the quelling of the Insurrection Crisis of 2464. Shellfish skewers, spicy sashimi and a stew native to Mictlani knowns as Moqueca which is often served alongside rice and plantains, making it a rather popular street food. Lastly, a method of cooking known as pachamanca has a hold over Mictlani. Meats will be spiced accordingly, roasted with the aid of hot stones beneath the ground, and then served with a sauce of finely chopped Eacamyane, an array of oils, garlic and even vinegar. It is not uncommon to see tripe, liver and even tongues roasted alongside other slabs of meat.

Notable Dishes

• Matón Burgers

Originating from Arequipa, Matón Burgers are a unique composition of bitter ingredients, alongside sweeter variants, that create an experience like no other. Slathered with salt, the Matón thigh is then sliced into several pieces, and fried alongside Ecamyane leaves and pineapples. The flavouring from the leaves and pineapples seep into the sizzling meat of the Matón before it is presented on a bed of fried rice and black beans. Though not a traditional burger in a sense of having buns, the Matón Burgers remain a popular street food within the major population centres.

• Moqueca

Stew from the humble origins of Sikunda, Moqueca has become a favourite fast-food among Mictlani. Quickly fried rice and plantains, with a bit of spices lifted from the Ecamyane roots, sprinkled with thinly sliced, stewed fish; and Moqueca is complete. One of the easier meals, it has become a staple across the globe, especially in contemporary times as prices began to rise across the Orion Spur. Though, it has a nasty reputation for being a meal for the poor, with those of the wealthier strata of Mictlan rarely seen ordering, nevermind enjoying the meal.

Language

Mictlan has developed a vibrant linguistical community, where polyglots are both common and expected due to its robust education curriculum and the communal cornerstones within its societies. Solarian Common, Tradeband and Tau Ceti Basic are all commonly spoken across the planet – the influx of non-Mictlani to the planet saw a notable increase in the numbers of speakers for Tradeband and Basic, as a necessary median language due to the intricacies of Solarian Common. However, the separation of Mictlan from the Solarian Alliance and its subsequent integration within the Republic of Biesel has resulted in a closer shift to Tau Ceti Basic and Tradeband – where the younger generations are slowly moving away from Common as schools begin to adopt a combination of the aforementioned two languages as their official tongue of operation.

Prior to its introduction to the Corporate Reconstruction Zone, Mictlan’s close proximity to the Republic of Biesel, and its robust multiculturalism, allowed for Tau Ceti Basic to already proliferate across its jungles – heightened by the presence of the megacorporations within their highest echelons. Idris Incorporated has been instrumental in the planet’s shift away from Solarian Common in contemporary times, where it has outlined the expectation for employees to speak a degree of either Tau Ceti Basic or Tradeband within its corporate facilities outside of the Solarian Alliance.

Major Holidays

• Festival de la Liberación (16 December - 21 December)

Festival de la Liberación is a celebration across Mictlan that recognises the revolutionary elements of its history, focusing on the overthrowing of Captain Tlaloc and his corrupt peers that solidified his reign. Regardless of the eventual quashing of the revolution by the Solarian Alliance shortly after it began, it is still celebrated for the efforts that allowed for a democratic Mictlan to form. Colourful parades, fireworks and concerts are all common events during the festive season.

• Dia de los Muertos (1 November)

Carried to Mictlan through the Central and South American colonists, Dia de los Muertos is a traditional celebration honouring the deceased through Calaveras, building home shrines with food and beverages enjoyed by the departed, as well as visiting cemeteries and leaving gifts on the graves of those that have since passed. It has also evolved to include family festivities alongside the solemn themes of the day, where communal feasts are common.

• Tago de Eksterterano (6 June)

Celebrating the influx of non-humans to their planets, Tago de Eksterterano has become an import recognition of the influence that non-humans have had on Mictlani, and vice versa as their communities become further integration within the planet’s politics, economy and society. Skrell, Dionae and Unathi populations across Mictlan have seized the day as an opportunity to further assimilate themselves – at least those that want to – within Mictlan, with celebrations hosted in Papamóscanda, Fallowed Meadows and Vezdukh during the Tago de Eksterterano.

Aliens on Mictlan

“The Free City of Vezdukh will serve as an example. Where all else has been lost, one must hope. It is hope that makes us strong. It is what must be fought for when all else is lost.” - Lord Mayor Orbza Izziba addressing the Unathi at his inauguration following the establishment of the Free City of Vezdukh (23 November 2453)

Dionae on Mictlan - The Primitive Sirens

Rooted within the emigrants from across the Solarian Alliance, following the completion of their debt as a result of the Rueltab Incident, Dionae have nestled themselves within their own city of “Fallowed Meadows” in the Mictlani Sertão. However, different from other Dionae settlements across the Orion Spur, the Primitive Sirens follow an ideology of technophobic primacy, where they deny themselves the pleasures and convenience of advanced technology to ensure the preservation of the true tenets of a Dionae – connection to nature, and to themselves. Though their foundations remain the same, the Primitive Sirens have evolved their approach to their understanding, and assimilated themselves within Mictlani society, to a degree, of course. Following the cornerstone of gaining experience, the Primitive Sirens do regularly leave the Fallowed Meadows and work in the surrounding Mictlani cities, most of the time forming the basis of the cities’ common labourers – construction workers, operations employees and even farmhands.

History

Created by those that sought freedom after their debt had been repaid, hundreds of Dionae spread out across the Orion Spur, it was only natural that Mictlan – within the more frontier regions of the Solarian Alliance – would be elected by those attempting to flee from its grasp as a preferable place to settle in the 2400s. The initial inability to assimilate into Mictlani society pushed for the founding of Fallowed Meadows, where a common agreement was held among the settlers: a safe space for other Dionae attempting to resettle themselves, free from the technology that had plagued them to such an existence. Where, without prior authorisation from the established government on Mictlan, they forged an existence within the Mictlani Sertão and cleared vast sections for their intended settlement. Despite attempts to disperse the Dionae by officials from the surrounding cities, they yielded successful results as the first buildings started cropping up – crude, and somewhat dishevelled – but it mattered not, as the Dionae had carved themselves a home.

Keeping to themselves for the better part of two decades, it wasn’t until the 2430s that Dionae from Fallowed Meadows began pouring into the surrounding communities – citing the need to bring back experiences to the Cluster, claiming it a rite of passage for those that wished to remain. Slowly, Fallowed Meadows saw further integration within Mictlan, with the experiences brought back by these ites of passage influencing their own society, evolving their understanding of their original common agreement, shifting and changing the interpretations. By the 2450s, the settlement had grown enormously and had seen non-Dionae begin to contribute, further cementing Mictlani elements within their societal understandings and beliefs.

Fallowed Meadow’s establishment within the northern parts of Huitzilopochtli has resulted in unwanted attention by the Samaritans, Founding Movement and even the Tau Ceti Foreign Legion. Several times the Tau Ceti Foreign Legion landed their shuttles within Fallowed Meadows, claiming the settlement to be hiding seditious individuals within their midsts, some persons even being detained by the Biesellite forces due to their alleged connections. Though there exists no outward alignment to these groups, it isn’t unheard of for those returning from the surrounding cities with their newfound experiences suddenly take a dislike to the Tau Ceti Foreign Legion, and the Republic of Biesel – however, many chalk this up to mere rumours.

Dionae from the Primitive Sirens

Dionae from the Primitive Sirens are known for their remarkable abilities to mimic structures, items and even other species – seemingly adapting to the situation, with rather proficient ease. Adhering to their ideology to ward away from advanced technology, these Dionae will often find themselves substitutes for such – with those within the construction industry sometimes seen uniting themselves to form appearances consistent with machines – such as cranes, pulleys and even scaffolding equipment. Mimicry is an integral component of the Primitive Sirens, where they view it as an ability given to the Dionae in order to do without technology, where whenever possible they would rather pursue themselves as substitutes as opposed to machines. In some instances, some claim to have even seen Dionae attempt to mimic farming equipment, such as ploughs and tractors, with some minor success thanks to the natural agriculture benefits imbedded within their skin and bark.

Fallowed Meadows

Reminiscent of pre-industrial society, Fallowed Meadows seems of almost biblical beauty, with much of the sprawling settlement’s design seemingly inspired by Babylonian architecture, slightly altered due to the buildings having been constructed of wood, and supported with biomass produced by the Dionae. Farms, ranches and even rudimentary workshops dot the landscape of Fallowed Meadows, operated by hundred of gestalts that elect to follow the Primitive Siren’s ideologies – not all being native to the Cluster. These ranches have a dual purpose, serving as a means to harvest Aztlanian Llama fibres to wave clothing but also to serve as pack animals to help transport resources and Dionae over large distances. Fallowed Meadows has managed to resist megacorporate influence, however, have been unable to do the same for Mictlani integration, where some non-Dionae have even joined the Primitive Sirens and embraced their lifestyle of simple living. Though it remains detached from general Mictlani, Fallowed Meadows has implemented several societal changes thanks to the influence of the planet’s populace, reforming from a stringent hierarchy based on age to a communal village where each and every individual is appreciated regardless of what they can add to the Cluster. Therefore, there doesn’t exist a gestalt that leads Fallowed Meadows, instead, choices that affect the settlement are conducted by each and every inhabitant voicing their concerns, and voting on their choice – a type of direct democracy seen similarly in Harmonious Hymn.

The Free Sinta'Unathi of Vezdukh

Fleeing from the catastrophic circumstances of Moghes, Unathi found themselves scattered across the Orion Spur – filtering themselves into wherever possible and to those that would accept the fleets of refugees. One notable location was that of Mictlan, far enough away from the Jewel Worlds of the Solarian Alliance that they wouldn’t have to fear any immediate repercussions by the establishment of refugee camps to host those from Moghes, and the general openness to non-humans made it a suitable location for Solarian Alliance’s attempts to divert the asylum seekers from their more well-off colonies. Established in 2440, the Vezdukh Refugee Camp soon became home for thousands of those fleeing from Moghes – be it those from the Izweski Hegemony or the Traditionalist Coalition, they found themselves lumped together by the ignorant officials overseeing the displacement process. By the end of the decade, the Vezdukh Refugee Camp had overcome the majority of its problems – evolving from a humble refugee camp to a sprawling shantytown, where it eventually earned recognition as the Free City of Vezdukh. Since 2440, Unathi have become one of the more influential species within Mictlan’s economy, continuing to grow their presence as time marches forward. Meritocracy is a fundamental aspect of the Free City, where peasants fleeing the Contact War have been able to carve a name for themselves on Mictlan, and even reach the highest echelons of Vezdukh’s aristocracy. Though majority of the Unathi on Mictlan live within the Free City, it is not uncommon to see them within other population centres across the planet.

History

The outbreak of the Contact War in 2439 is the primary reason for the presence of Unathi on Mictlan, where those that fled from Moghes and found themselves within the Solarian Alliance saw themselves filtered towards its outer colonies – in particular, Biesel and Mictlan – if they weren’t told to turn around and return to their planet. Those that found themselves escorted to Mictlan subsequently saw filtering into the Vezdukh Refugee Camp, where most were identified and classed according to their skills – farmers, healers, labourers and even warriors. The ignorance of the officials overseeing this process lumped together refugees from both the Izweski Hegemony and the Traditionalist Coalition, which caused outbreaks of violence across Vezdukh. Even nobles that fled from Moghes essentially saw their titles stripped, crammed into overcrowded cabins meant to maximise the number of people that it could house.

By the mid-2440s, makeshift castes had begun to re-emerge, however, inverse to that of Moghes. Farmers, specifically those within the aquaculture industries quickly began to leverage their influence within the intracity economy of Vezdukh, bargaining their produce for favours from the other groups of workers. Most notably, however, was the prevalence of those belonging to the Traditionalist Coalition within the nascent aquaculture industries – with Clan Izziba quickly inserting their dominance, despite their origins as peasants from the Torn Cities of Moghes.

By the end of the decade, Vezdukh had evolved considerably and had obviously taken on Moghesian influence. Not just the city’s architecture was inspired, but the makeup of its political, economical and societal spheres as well. Clan Izziba used their influence within the aquaculture industries, where they quickly saw themselves rising to the status of nobles – where Vezdukh had largely been left alone by the greater Republic of Mictlan by 2451. The then-Prime Minister recognised that Vezdukh no longer could serve as a refugee camp and that it had evolved past its original intentions, and for that, it was necessary to allow its inhabitants to decide their own way forward – a notable difference from the approach taken during the establishment of Fallowed Meadows, seemingly distance themselves from their prior actions – with the establishment of the Free City of Vezdukh after months of negotiations and discussions between the most influential clans that had gathered power, either through political manoeuvring or criminal undertakings.

The establishment of the Free City in 2453 had profound effects on the Unathi, and their assimilation to Mictlan. Twelve years since the initial arrival to the planet, the intrusion of the planet’s culture into Vezdukh, and negotiations held between representatives of both parties ultimately pushed for a reformation amongst the Unathi – with notable support from Clan Izziba – that pushed for a democratic approach to be taken to the ruling of the Free City, integrated with the customs and beliefs of the Unathi. The office of Lord Mayor was thereby established, chosen by a council electorate of Unathi that would campaign for a seat on the “High Council of Vezdukh”. Today, the Free City of Vezdukh – although inspired by Moghesian elements – maintains uniqueness through the integration and assimilation of Mictlani culture – and still welcomes refugees from Moghes as the wasteland continues to grow.

Free City of Vezdukh

Within the jungles surrounding Sikunda, the Free City of Vezdukh exists – tucked along the west coasts of Llactaplata, which has proven advantageous for the city’s aquaculture practices, which majority of the Unathi find themselves employed within due to the prevalence of Clan Izziba's Fishing Guild. Not too dissimilar from cities found across Moghes, Vezdukh has some obvious Moghesian influence integrated into its architecture, with some small caveats as a result of the inclusion of Mictlani elements across the growing city. It enjoys a semi-autonomous existence on Mictlan, with significant freedom in the running of Vezdukh, where it has its own government established by an agreement between the most influential clans and representatives of the planetary government. With the prevalence of the Traditionalist Coalition within the city’s aristocracy, Th'akh sees itself as the majority religion – where it has even led to the establishment of catacombs that spread far across Vezdukh, in which those that die are stored within – approximately already housing nearly three thousand Unathi, according to the records kept by the prominent Shamans. Though there wasn’t an initial imbalance between refugees from the Izweski Hegemony and the Traditionalist Coalition, throughout the years this number has slowly grown disproportionately, with majority of those still fleeing the wastelands of Moghes made up of those either disinterested in the Hegemony, or remnants of the Traditionalist Coalition that have managed to hold out for decades after the conclusion of the Contact War. The Free City of Vezdukh, similarly to Moghes, is influenced significantly by the presence of Guilds, in particular Clan Izziba's Fishing Guild, and the Javzi Chapter of the Bard’s Guild. Though the other Moghesian Guilds may be present within the Free City of Vezdukh, they do not have near as much influence as the former guilds. Guildmaster Orbza Izziba also stands as Lord Mayor of the Free City, where his Clan leverages their monopoly of aquaculture to ensure their majority holding of the Grand Council of Vezdukh. Beneath his guidance for the better part of the last decade, the Free City has grown exponentially and settled as a true successor to the Traditionalist Coalition. Sinta'Azaziba is the most commonly spoken language within the Free City, though some do still speak Sinta’Unathi within the more Hegemonic dominated neighbourhoods.

Notable Clans of Vezdukh

Clan Izziba

With their origins from throughout the Torn Cities of Tak, Sai and Sen – Clan Izziba has risen to nobility through their ingenuity and a humble helping of luck. Peasantry within the Traditionalist Coalition, members of Clan Izziba predominately found themselves working within the Fishing League on Moghes for centuries prior to the outbreak of the Contact War. The nuclear cataclysm, and the Clan’s choice to flee from persecution by the Izweski Hegemony, resulted in their subsequent arrival to Mictlan. Placed within their then-nascent aquaculture industries of the Vedzukh Refugee Camp, they proved their value and quickly rose through the ranks – becoming overseers, administrators and ultimately pooling their resources and creating the Fishermen’s Guild – and established a monopoly on the aquaculture industry. Guildmaster, Clan Leader and Lord Mayor Orbza Izziba stands as a representation of the Free City’s meritocratic cornerstone, having carved himself into nobility as a peasant fleeing Moghes. They are allied with Clan Rirazi, and rivals of Clan Javzi.

Clan Rirazi

Similarly to Clan Izziba, Clan Rirazi hails from the broken Traditionalist Coalition within the southern hemisphere of Moghes – having fled sometime after the outbreak of the Contact War. However, with most of the men having perished as a result of the Hegemony’s final push, Clan Rirazi has been forced to adopt a matriarchal hierarchy following their arrival to Mictlan, similarly seen within the Queendom of Szek’Hakh. Through a combination of elegance, poise and grace Clan Rirazi secured themselves within the Free City’s aristocracy by arranging political marriages with prominent Unathi, in particular the marriage between Clan Leader Tyzan Rirazi and Lord Mayor Orbza Izziba – which granted the Clan a seat on the High Council of Vezdukh. They have ties to each notable Clan within the Free City, whether it be by marriage, or convenient friendships, Clan Rirazi has secured itself as a prominent and upcoming Clan – with talks of even spearheading the presence of the Merchants Guild on Mictlan.

Clan Zahzyr

Though maybe not the most influential, Clan Zahzyr is the most numerous. Somehow, through the tragedies inflicted across Moghes, the entirety of Clan Zahzyr fled from the nuclear cataclysm and survived the journey to Mictlan. With apprentices from across the Moghesian Guilds, Clan Zahzyr was able to secure their claw within several pies, earning a rather nice profit through their dozens of ventures – eventually pooling their resources together and constructing the largest estate within the Free City, outcompeting even Clan Izziba. Castle Zahzyr, as colloquially known, serves as a reminder to the Unathi of the Free City of their Moghesian origins – where it employs a combination of elements from both Th’akhist and south Moghesian Traditionalist architecture. Clan Leader Dazyn Zahzyr secured an alliance with Clan Javzi after marrying Clan Leader and Guildsmaster Vehz’s daughter, Nehdra. They otherwise have amicable relations with the other notable Clans of the Free City.

Clan Javzi

The only Clan from the Hegemony’s territories that retains enough influence to be prominent within the Free City, Clan Javzi has its roots within Izweski nobility, having used their aristocratic connections to ferry their Clan to wherever would accept them – ultimately ending in their arrival to Mictlan. With connections to the Bard’s Guild, Clan Javzi established their own chapter within the Free City – well, within the Camp, attempting to uplift the mood of refugees and close the divine between the Traditionalist Coalition and the Izweski Hegemony. They found success in their attempts, garnering admiration from many across Vezdukh – eventually securing them some kind of influence within the Free City’s affairs, with Clan Leader and Guildmaster Vehz Javzi securing a seat on the High Council of Vezdukh. Clan Javzi maintains a rivalry with Clan Izziba, supposedly over an ancestral feud that started on Moghes. They are allies with Clan Zahzyr but do have amicable relations with Clan Rirazi.

Notable Guilds of Vezdukh

Bard’s Guild, Javzi Chapter

Established within the Free City by Clan Javzi, the Javzi Chapter of the Bard’s Guild served an important purpose during the initial days of the Vezdukh Refugee Camp – where they routinely engaged in impromptu concerts among one another to lift the moods of those that found themselves on Mictlan, and close the divide and ease the tensions between the Traditionalist Coalition and the Izweski Hegemony – or at least those that fled from the respective territories. Now, almost two decades later, the Javzi Chapter serves as an important figure within the Free City’s public relations, where those within the higher positions of the Bard’s Guild oftentimes serve as diplomats on behalf of Vezdukh, or even to turn ease a scandal into a rumour with well-placed writings, poems and songs. It is ill-advised to make an enemy of the Bard’s Guild, for without them gossip and rumour can spread – however dishonourable it may be. Without the influence behind Clan Izziba, it is without a doubt that Lord Mayor Orbza would likely never have been able to attain their position.

Fishermen’s Guild

Forged by Clan Izziba, the Fishermen’s Guild serves a similar purpose to the Fishing League on Moghes. However, it sees itself run more as a corporation as opposed to a traditional Guild that one would find on Moghes – likely as a result of the expansive influence that it has thanks to the monopoly it holds over the aquaculture industries within the Free City. Led by Lord Mayor Orbza Izziba, the Fishermen’s Guild employs almost half of the inhabitants within the Free City, not necessarily just for aquaculture – the Guild has seen some expansion into similar activities done by the House of Medicine and even the Labourers Guild on Moghe – further integrating itself within the city’s affairs. With such a reliance on the Fishermen’s Guild, it has naturally resulted in Clan Izziba’s immense influence over the Free City – where resisting it is likely to result in some unwanted consequences.

Skrell on Mictlan - The Academic Circles of Papamóscanda

The Skrell have found it easy to adapt to Mictlan, although some still struggle to fully integrate themselves into its society; while the humid environment is a perfect fit for their species, the Skrell have found difficulty in adjusting to the communal and energetic culture that’s formed on the planet. While there exist clear similarities between Mictlan and the Nralakk Federation’s outlook on community cohesion and cooperation, the Federation takes a much milder form, resulting in many of the older Skrell living on Mictlan finding the more outwardly emotive and energetic Mictlani way of life to be mentally exhausting. It is the younger generation of Skrell, who grew up on Mictlan, that have found it easier to adapt to the planet's way of life, unlike the elder generations that have been forced to somehow integrate into the ever-changing culture present.

Academically, Skrell have found themselves dominating several fields, including biology and ecology. Academia across Mictlan have recognised the species’ talents, with even the Arequipan Institute of Ecology and Natural Sciences having a Skrell, Xall Qaqii, as its President. Caretakers often encourage their young to partake in showing off the species’ academic aptitude, where the majority of those born on the planet eventually pursue careers related to botany, agriculture, biology, or even the xenosciences.

Most Skrell reside in the settlement of Papamóscanda, a town on the outskirts of Arequipa. Founded by the first Skrell that arrived on Mictlan, a group of scientists from the Nralakk Federation. The founding ethos of the first colonists has led to the town itself becoming a hub for pro-Federation Skrell who visit or move to the planet. Even though most live in Papamóscanda, there are other smaller communities of Skrell who have established roots on the other islands across the planet. These groups are typically much smaller and consist of Skrell who come to Mictlan outside of the Federation due to its ties in Papamóscanda. This divide between Federation and non-Federation aligned Skrell rarely results in a confrontation, however, as the hardliners from the two groups have relegated themselves to their own regions on the planet.

With Mictlan joining the Republic of Biesel and now finding itself within the Corporate Reconstruction Zone, the Skrell living on the planet are still trying to find where they stand; the older, traditional ones are apathetic, and are only concerned with their and their family’s status within the Republic - yet most of them would prefer a return to Solarian rule. The younger Skrell in comparison are more invested in the state of their planet; some even object to the new rule, believing like many other Mictlani that the planet should finally take the opportunity to become its own sovereign state. A small number of Skrell have even been reported to have joined the Samaritans or affiliated groups, taking up armed resistance against the Republic of Biesel’s control of the planet.

History

Terraforming specialists from the state-owned enterprise Tuz’qlip Researchers took an interest in Mictlan due to its desirable conditions rarely found across the Orion Spur. A small group of these specialists ventured, with the authority of the Federation, to Mictlan as it was believed that it held scientific value for their species’ terraforming efforts, and the local flora and fauna were considered candidates for transplantation to promote biodiversity on pre-existing Federation colonies. Despite only making contact a few years earlier, they were accepted by the Solarian Alliance and settled Mictlan in 2338. They based themselves on the central continent, with Doctor Xaal Qaqii as the Senior Research Officer. A telmatologist, Doctor Xaal Qaqii had the personal aim of studying the various wetlands of Mictlan and eventually secured themselves as a notable individual within Mictlan’s academia as president of the Arequipan Institue of Ecology and Natural Sciences.

An agreement between the Solarian Alliance and the Nralakk Federation in 2353 concluded that active conservation of the planet’s wildlife was required to preserve their existence. While the majority returned to the Federation, many of the original researchers elected to remain on the planet and eventually embedded themselves within the scientific community. Those who stayed continued their original studies in some capacity, collaborating with Federation contemporaries in the bioengineering and ecological fields, but have completely discontinued areas of their research that would directly interfere with or harm the fragile ecosystem of Mictlan. With the arrival of their families, this group of Skrell grew to a sizeable number and established itself in a small town on the outskirts of Arequipa now known as Papamóscanda. The town can be found in the valleys west of the city, and because of the original inhabitants' ties to Tuz’qlip Researchers, it is where most Skrell moving to Mictlan from the Federation elect to stay. The name comes from what the humans on Mictlan named the Skrell when the species first arrived; translated literally the original term is ‘swamp shrieker’ or ‘bog warbler’, and was used in a playful way to describe Skrell based on their vocalisations and preferred environment, although now with the establishment of Papamóscanda the term has fallen out of use.

Unique Constellations

The Skrell of Mictlan have their own unique set of constellations that can be observed from Mictlan, approved by the Qeblak church. Although they are considered minor by the Qeblak faith as a whole, they have influenced Mictlani Skrell since they arrived on the planet, influencing their outlook on life and their general attitudes.

The Eel: Turncoat. The unanticipated. Intrigue. Forthcoming.

The Palm Tree: Tranquility. Agitation. Anxiety. Peace.

The Pulque: Togetherness. Comraderie. Overindulgence. Celebration.

Synthetics on Mictlan - El Menaje

Neither supported by the Mictlani government nor persecuted under the banner of the Republic of Biesel, ‘El Menaje’ (‘The Household’, a colloquial term for the Trinarist community surrounding Lago de Abundancia) has always been left to its own devices. Material support from the Mendell District 14 branch is its primary among the few sources of income that can be depended upon in times of need, with offers from corporate-backed sources always rejected on principle. Scavenging, recycling and a reliance on donations and volunteer work are the pillars upon which any growth can be found in this synthetic community, trends that are influenced and reinforced by the Mictlani cultural consciousness. As a result, most structures follow a particular style that most foreigners would describe as distasteful and run-down; tires, concrete slabs, sandbags and mismatched bricks are prominent materials used in the construction of communal buildings, with Trinarist motifs often modified to reflect Mictlani artistic stylings and history. This practice is most evident in the appearance of Iglesia de la Chispa Sagrada, the center of Trinarist worship on Mictlan, whose previous life as a Catholic church is evident in the remaining stained glass fixtures that cover the primary face of the chapel.

Information related to IPC that can be found on Mictlan can be found here.

Vaurcae on Mictlan - Los Azquiles

Mictlan is the most recent planet within the Republic of Biesel to host the arrival of the Vaurcae. Their presence is primarily part of an organized initiative aimed at uplifting Queenless and Punished Vaurcae in Tau Ceti, helping them escape from the slums of Biesel. This burgeoning community has come to be known as Los Azquiles ("The Antmen"). While Los Azquiles have been welcomed by many locals, the scars left by the Peacekeeper Mandate have made it challenging for some Mictlani to reconcile living alongside the Vaurcae.

History

The concept of a settlement for the Queenless on Mictlan emerged in 2463. By this time, groups such as the Lii'kenka and the Xi'larx had recognized that Biesel's infrastructure would not support a proper Queenless settlement. Additionally, the dominance of megacorporations in the capital, who were in collusion with the Zo'ra Hive, impeded Queenless prosperity. Consequently, an assembly of Lii'kenka and some Xi'larx—including Aalik—devised Project Aztlan. The project aimed to purchase a significant parcel of land in Azcapotzalco, a small town on the outskirts of Nueva Tenochtitlan. The funding for the project is unclear, but it is likely that it was financed through a joint effort among various Queenless communities, though no formal reports exist. The land was eventually acquired in 2464, amidst the Peacekeeper Mandate. However, transportation remained an unresolved issue. Another crowdfunding was required to allow for the rental of ships that could transport the colonizers, though it is suspected that the earliest Vaurcae arrived as stowaways on cargo ships.

In 2465, the Queenless Vaurcae made their initial attempts to relocate to Mictlan. The Queenless settled in the city of Azcapotzalco, which had not experienced the outright guerrilla warfare between the Samaritans and the Tau Ceti Armed Forces but still suffered under the boot of oppression. However, the relative lack of extreme violence meant the city was mostly receptive to the new Vaurca settlers. The Vaurcae were quickly nicknamed "Los Azquiles," a moniker that has since been embraced by the Vaurcae themselves.

Despite the efforts of Project Aztlan, the colonization of the parcel has not been as successful as initially anticipated. La Colmena, the Vaurca barrio in Azcapotzalco, has become a den of criminal activity where law enforcement only ventures if heavily armed. Nonetheless, La Colmena remains a far cry from Flagsdale, where law enforcement cannot even enter, regardless of their equipment. The community was also known for its ties to the founding movement before the organization’s collapse. However, the largest issue is an ongoing k'ois shortage, a problem common to other Vaurca slums throughout the Republic. In the case of La Colmena, it stands on the verge of famine, with Azquiles colonizers struggling to find agricultural solutions for k'ois that will not adversely affect their neighbors.

The presence of La Colmena faced significant criticism in 2466 at the height of the Peacekeeper Mandate administrations. Although Mictlani are renowned for their tolerance, the level of brutality inflicted by the Tau Ceti Armed Forces, a military force deeply connected with the Zo’ra Hive, has made it difficult for some of the natives to fully accept the Vaurcae. Nonetheless, many former Samaritans, especially those active in Huehueycóyotl, have attempted to rebuild community ties with Los Azquiles, especially given their Queenless status. In the Huehuecóyotl continent, Los Azquiles are viewed by many as distinct from the ruthless Zo'ra and as allies of the struggle against the Biesellite establishment.

Legal Recognition

As a member-state of the Republic of Biesel, Mictlan cannot ensure that Los Azquiles will be granted any formal immigration status. However, the cities of Azcapotzalco and Nueva Tenochtitlan are designated as sanctuary cities, allowing Vaurcae to fully mobilize and seek employment within these areas despite their lack of formal legal recognition. This resolution, enacted in early 2466, has encouraged many more Queenless from Flagsdale to find a way to relocate to Mictlan.

Despite Mictlan's efforts to welcome the Vaurcae, most jobs outside the sanctuary cities still require special permits from the Vaurca Office of Administrative Services. Azquiles who relocate outside of Azcapotzalco and Nueva Tenochtitlan must also navigate numerous bureaucratic requirements.

Major Cities

The skyline of Lago de Abundacia.

Sikunda: An ocean city, the largest and one of many dotting the surface of Mictlan. Sikunda is considered the second (by some the real) capital of Mictlan and boasts higher population numbers than its official capital, Arequipa. Its large platforms are dotted with maze-like interconnected housing structures, factories, and production facilities. Jobs are available everywhere in Sikunda, but the vast majority are low-skill which also means providing little pay. And while the population was managed under the Solarian Alliance, the assimilation into the Republic of Biesel is now threatening the welfare and healthcare laws that kept the population of Sikunda relatively safe. One might imagine Sikunda to be a large grey maze, depressing and drab, full of sunken faces akin to the slums of Eridani, yet the exact opposite is true. Mictlani has made the rig truly theirs, each street boasts a painted landscape, graffiti, or colourful slogan. Colourful tapestries hang from the windows and small shrines dot the dead-ends of streets. Sikunda teems with life during the night, families and communities celebrating on their shared patios and drinking together into the late hours of the night. Sikunda also seems to be the centre for cybercrime, as the majority of all attacks come from said city. While the local authorities and corporate sponsors consider this an issue, locals to Sikunda rarely snitch on these pirate stations.

Caxamalca: Nestled within the Mictlani Sertão of the Tepeyollotli Ranges, Caxamalca has its origins within a Chilean colonial outpost that settled within the cooler highlands of the planet. Taking advantage of its close proximity to the mineral resources hidden within the Tepeyolloti, Caxamalca has become an important foothold for Hephaestus Industries. It largely relies on the megacorporation to continue its efforts in quarrying and resource excavation, where the majority of the city’s populace is employed as a result of its presence – either directly or indirectly. Its climate is notably colder and drier compared to the rest of Mictlan, the city has grown within the caverns of Tepeyollotli – where a rife subterranean community exists, deploying methods similarly seen across Himeo with fungal crops, supplementing the imported foods from the rest of the planet, where other Mictlani have even coined the term Pequeña Himeo (or Little Himeo) when referring to Caxamalca. It has avoided the ire of the Tau Ceti Foreign Legion, where its distance from other major population centres has left it void of Samaritan or Founding Movement supporters, which Hephaestus Industries has used to its advantage, expanding even throughout the height of the Peacekeeper Mandate.

Médeyre: Originally settled by colonists from French Guiana, Médeyre has since become the headquarters of the Samaritans and Founding Movements as they launch ambushes and attacks against the Tau Ceti Foreign Legion and its auxiliary forces. Hit hardest by the Peacekeeper Mandate, Médeyre has become a smouldering heap of debris. Many from the city have fled to the western major population centres across Mictlan, where those that remained took up arms against the military occupation of the Republic of Biesel following the planet’s forced integration within the Corporate Reconstruction Zone. Those that were instead unable to flee have created pockets of resistance against the anti-corporate and secessionist elements that dominate Médeyre, with the Tau Ceti Foreign Legion taking advantage of these “resistance neighbourhoods” in their attempt to reclaim the city. The conflict between the opposing forces continues throughout the days and nights, gunshots and explosions can be frequently heard in each attempt to turn the tides of the battle. Shuttles are commonly seen transporting troops and moving displaced persons to safe regions, however, the Samaritans and Founding Movement have begun retaliating with anti-vehicle munitions forcing many to instead flee either by foot or smuggled by coastal miscreants looking to exploit their vulnerability. Its somewhat close proximity to Fallowed Meadows has allowed it to see frequent influxes of Dionae seeking unique experiences to return back to the Primitive Sirens, with some claiming their continued arrival as a way of silently supporting the Samaritans and Founding Movement, some Dionae even electing to stay are contribute to the efforts of these seditious organisation.

Arequipa: A mainland city and a self-proclaimed shining jewel of Mictlan, Arequipa houses the national museum, the governing body of Mictlan, and one of the few space yards on Mictlan capable of holding a Zhukov-class carrier. Arequipa isn’t constructed as a traditional city, instead being a collection of large towers called “Canopies”, which are interconnected through a series of sound-proof glass tunnels. This allows the fauna beneath these cities to travel undisturbed while the many white-collar and tourist citizens are graced with a day-to-day view of these beasts. This of course comes at the cost of transportation as the only way around is hyper-elevators and self-driving trams. Arequipa is often called the “cultural heart” of Mictlan, with a large number of white-collar workers, artists, singers, and dancers present to entertain the visiting tourists. The general population would regard this as a blatant farce, as the “Mictlani experience” one gets at Arequipa is about as authentic as the glass walls of their towers. The culture in Arequipa is packaged and presented in a safe and easily digestible way, not to scare away the shareholders and companies. Still, even a well-presented and well-oiled machine needs workers to maintain it, and the closest one gets to Mictlani culture inside of Arequipa is when visiting the slums situated in the maintenance tunnels and worker apartments of the Canopies

Nueva Tenochtitlan: Similarly to its predecessor, Nueva Tenochtitlan finds itself sprawled over an island – and the surrounding shallow waters on artificial floating canopies – nestled within the largest lake on the continent, Huehuecóyotl. Rooted within a colonial outpost settled by Mexicans, Neuva Tenochtitlan is considered Mictlan’s breadbasket, responsible for a significant portion of the planet’s agricultural production, enough to secure it a massive shuttle port within the centre of the city. The majority of the city’s architecture gives homage to Aztec designs, with a twist of older Solarian designs – most notably observed within Lago de Abundancia and other settlements existing since the planet’s colonisation. With the inclusion of Mictlan within the Corporate Reconstruction Zone, Getmore! has taken an interest in developing a foothold within the city, having already begun to purchase facilities that found themselves conveniently going under thanks to the megacorporate sanctions placed on Mictlani following the Insurrection Crisis. Dissimilar to other cities, Nueva Tenochtitlan has gone without significant megacorporate influence, where their introduction has disrupted the lives of many Tecnochtitlans.

Lago de Abundancia: A coastal city that was built with older earth architecture in mind during the early years of settlement. Its presence was never very well established as it mostly existed for agricultural reasons, however, in 2412 Idris invested heavily into Lago de Abundancia, transforming it into a proper competitor of Arequipa. Lago de Abundancia is now the second biggest tourist haven on the planet, promising wide beaches, big waves, and warm waters. Lago de Abundancia boasts the Spur's biggest and most diverse aquarium in the form of an entertainment park dubbed, Ocean Planet™.

The people of Lago de Abundancia hold themselves in high regard, being proud of their achievement to turn their small coastal town into a bustling metropolis with a skyrocketing economy but these boasts hide a very insidious truth, that Lago de Abundancia has an issue with crime. Idris' refusal to boost the funding for public police while handling all security privately has led to the outside communities of farmers and workers being harassed daily by large criminal organizations and loan sharks. It is also the central operating area of the Founding Movement.

As a result of the Insurrection Crisis of 2464, Lago de Abundancia became a warzone that resulted in the widespread destruction that turned city blocks into rubble. The Tau Ceti Foreign Legion, alongside the Private Military Contracting Group and the Mictlan Defense Force, engaged in both the Founding Movement and the Samaritans as they attempted to retake Lago de Abundancia. Ultimately, they succeeded, but neighbourhoods found themselves smouldering piles of debris and many were forced from their homes as they were evacuated by the corporate military forces. Following the Insurrection Crisis, a combination of Legionnaires and contractors from Hephaestus Industries, remain within the city and assist in rebuilding it to its former glory.

Military

See also: Mictlan Defense Force

“You are more than soldiers. You are my allies, my brothers in arms, fighting for the future, and willing to sacrifice yourselves for the greater good.” - General Jesus Guadeloupe (2398 - ) addressing the Mictlan Defense Force prior to engaging the Samaritans and Founding Movement in Lago de Abundancia (13 March 2464).

While as a member-state of the Republic of Biesel Mictlan can boast interstellar protection from the Tau Ceti Armed Forces, its planetary guard is the Mictlan Defense Force. The MDF can trace its origins back to the original enforcers of Captain Tlaloc, who were originally security officers aboard the colony ship. Over time, they evolved into a paramilitary force under Tlaloc’s direct command, equipped and trained to subjugate Mictlan’s early colonists. During the revolutionary period, most of the organisation’s officers were tried and executed for their part in aiding Captain Tlaloc’s tyrannical regime, while the rank and file soldiers were integrated into the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Mictlan. The Revolutionary army was not as organised as its predecessor and quickly capitulated to the Solarian Alliance’s forces, being reorganised into the Mictlan Defence Force.

Because of Mictlan’s location within the Sol Alliance, the Defense Force was always a small and unutilised force. Deep within Solarian space, the planet had no need for a large standing army, which resulted in them being underequipped and underqualified to handle any major emergencies. This became evident in late 2462 when the economic and territorial collapse of the Sol Alliance left Mictlan and many other planets to fend for themselves; the majority of the forces ended up going weeks without pay, causing mass desertion within its ranks, and most of the equipment was looted by disgruntled soldiers. Many who deserted would go on to form the military backbone of the Samaritans. Those that did not desert were incorporated into the Tau Ceti Foreign Legion and later the Tau Ceti Armed Forces, building a reputation as brutal enforcers of Biesel hegemony. In the aftermath of Xiomara Salvo’s negotiated peace with the Tau Ceti Armed Forces in 2465, many former Samaritans re-enlisted in the MDF as per the terms of their parole. Now they form a more experienced backbone to the MDF, and while not being trusted enough by the government to receive commissions, are often found in NCO billets, leading troops once again.

Rebuilding and re-establishing the MDF as a somewhat professional force remains a Herculean task, one that will be conducted under the watchful eye of Biesel, still wary of another insurgency arising on their new planet.