User:Caelphon/Sandbox

Port Antillia

One of the last planets to be colonised, Port Antillia had great ambitions of being a vital port between the Jewel Worlds and the Serene Republic of Elyra. Due to its novel colonisation, it faced severe struggles, which were exacerbated by frequent natural disasters. Ultimately this resulted in its early collapse - only really seeing itself somewhat stabilised nearly a century later. It has its roots within the nations which formed the Caribbean Federation, who found themselves facing extinction from the ecological crisis that Earth endured.

The Flag of the Union of Port Antillia.

Despite millions becoming part of the colonisation effort, no one truly knew the dangers present on Port Antillia. Due to its relative youth on the cosmic scale, the planet experiences earthquakes rather frequently, which produce tsunamis that pose a threat to cities that dot the coasts of Port Antillia. Additionally, volcanic activity is yet another persistent danger with some of the largest eruptions across the inhabited parts of Orion Spur being registered to the planet. Many of the major population centres are equipped to deal with these problems, but there are still minor settlements that have to contend with the hostile geological activity of the planet, with most residents having accepted that they are simply a part of life on Port Antillia.

Port Antillia is now a malleable colony within the Corporate Reconstruction Zone, with limitless potential for the Stellar Corporate Conglomerate. Juggling its integration into the Republic of Biesel with its own internal struggles, the volatile circumstances of the planet allow it to be the perfect playing ground for any who wishes to mould its progression.

Due to Port Antillia’s rather insular and unstable history as the singular colonisation attempt by the Caribbean Federation, characters born on Port Antillia will have names and appearances consistent with the peoples of Antilles. Stereotypes are harmful and will be dealt with by the server administration team. Only those native to Port Antillia may take its accent. This is enforceable by server moderators and admins.

Environment

Guayamouc, a lush tropical paradise within the eastern hemisphere.

Geography & Climate

Port Antillia predominately has chains of islands, along with a singular large continent which is surrounded by these atolls, isles, islets and cays. The majority of these are shield volcanos that have experienced millennia of erosion as the tides break on the beaches - alongside the rather frequent tectonic shifts and the ensuing tsunamis. The varied topography of Port Antillia includes misty plateaus, craggy ocean cliffs, tropical coastal areas, and lava deserts - all of which are surrounded by jungles of native flora. Despite the fertility in some areas across the planet, volcanic ash has destroyed much of the possibility of life from spreading in other regions as a result of the phosphorus that settled within the soil, thwarting any attempt from native flora to survive.

The planet enjoys a tropical climate with two discrete seasons. September through February - referred to as Fresano - is the dry season, less humid and considerably colder, with temperature highs and lows between 23°C and 27°C. March through August - or rather Veruroso - is a significantly warmer period where humidity skyrockets and the temperature frequently hits heights between 33°C and 42°C. Both allow for an almost year-round agricultural season which permits the quick blooming of native food crops to sustain the evergrowing population across Port Antillia. These conditions also routinely allow for extreme monsoons to develop during a short period between Fresano and Veruroso - while not always destructive, some have developed into problematic storms that have resulted destruction. There have been several news approaches with the assistance of new technology to help deal with the consequences of these frequent natural disasters as Antilleans adapt.

Regions

The Fètil Chain

The Fètil Chain exists as a link between Centro del Mondyal and Guayamouc and now forms the Saint Lawrence province. The archipelago has almost three dozen islands within its geographical region, some of which devote themselves to a simple agrarian idyll lifestyle, where vast industrialization was avoided across the islands - except those closest to either Centro del Myondal or Guayamouc, that have become important trading ports. The Chain is considered crucial to the maritime trading that occurs between the eastern and western hemispheres, where the Fètil Chain has leveraged its importance to remain largely successful and as a result, the region sees itself as somewhat more well-off compared to others across the planet - even in spite of the frequent earthquakes that impact it.

Guayamouc

Guayamouc is made up of four major islands and numerous smaller islands that are remnants of a long, partially volcanic island arc, which now forms the provinces of Arthezé and Agüeybaná. During the initial colonisation of Port Antillia, Guayamouc was considered one of the more fortunate regions thanks to its presence of Spindlekann, and its overall fertility that allowed for agricultural practices to take hold. However, industries outside of crop cultivation were almost nonexistent as the mineral riches were just out of reach, deep within the oceanic basin that it was nestled upon. It is considered one of the least developed regions of Port Antillia, however, is the one with the most potential to excel if the means were acquired to exploit the province’s deep-sea mineral deposits.

Mayabeque Isles

Five volcanic islands that are just off the eastern coast of the central continent, the Mayabeque Isles are now considered the province of Nueva Havana. Each island has at least one volcano, most have more, that erupted countless times to form the isles that exist today. Due to this, there is a significantly higher percentage of phosphorus within its soil, making it difficult for agricultural practices to take hold - whereas those on the island have instead relied on fishing and hunting to stave off malnutrition until the limited cooperation between Port Antillia’s nation-states commenced and those with more fertile agricultural regions within the east helped fill quotas and supply the isles with their excess crops. During the attempted Antillean recovery, it focused on becoming a critical trading hub within the western hemisphere. Some shipyards and drydocks still produce and repair ships, but most have been retrofitted into factories to expand their industrial profile. Today, the Isles are considered the most affluent region of Port Antillia, despite all its setbacks during the early days of the planet’s colonisation.

Woodhall Atoll

Whilst, not an actual atoll, Woodhall Atoll is a rather large island that has an enormous lake nestled within the extinct volcano crater that sits at its centre. It comprises a large majority of the Caymanas province, and is quite far off the northern shore of the central continent, where is it known as a labyrinth clutch of houses clasping to the side of Mount Saint Catherine. Frequently called the “Windy Atoll”, almost every nook and cranny of the island has been built over, with proposals of possibly draining the crater as the problem of overcrowding continues to hinder them. Similarly to the problem that the Mayabeque Isles face, Woodhall Atoll has had to heavily rely on fishing to keep its population fed, which has become a critical industry to the continued survival of the region. Other cities within the region utilize stilts and expand over the shallow waters to keep overpopulation at bay. It is considered one of the poorest provinces on Port Antillia.

Centro del Mondyal

The central continent of which the other islands surround, Centro del Mondyal is ecologically diverse. Sharing similarities to both what can be found within the western and eastern hemispheres, where the provinces of Mirabel and Carrington have established themselves on opposite ends - essentially dividing the mainland into two as they expanded throughout the history of Port Antillia. A rivalry of sorts does exist between the two as they assert territorial claims against each other, however, they have developed an economy that relies on the survival of the other, forcing them into peaceful cooperation to sustain their existence. Due to the size of the central continent, and the abundance of resources present, its developed regions are considered well-off, however, the rural outskirts have found themselves cast aside in favour of progressing the inner districts of the city-states.

Flora & Fauna

Flora

The beaches of Port Antillia often find themselves home to clutches of Giant Column Sponges.

Port Antillia finds itself home to a plethora of flourishing flora, as a result of the fertility that remains behind following the rather frequent volcanic activity the planet experiences. Areas in which flora has managed to take hold and bloom typically find themselves jungles composed of native ferns, tropical trees, and enormous flowers that give the planet its hallmark natural beauty. The flora of Port Antillia is adapted to the heightened phosphorus contents within the soil - to an extent - where some regions lay bare as a result of the overwhelming quantity of the mineral, there are many others that have a thriving ecosystem. The abundance of phosphorus in the soil proved to be too much for the Solarian agricultural transplants brought by colonists, who had to rapidly adapt themselves to the native flora or face starvation. Poorly situated colonies at the beginning of the colonisation of Port Antillia - specifically, settlements established on the more desolate islands - were unable to adapt, resulting in their subsequent disappearance as their numbles dwindled.

Notable Flora:

Glowshrooms are considered the most notable among Port Antilleans. Depending on the amount of phosphorus present within the soil it grows, these flowers can shine as bright as a floodlight. Glowshrooms have also been known to be used by those within the rural regions of Port Antillia as an alternative to candles - ones that don’t necessarily require replacing. They most commonly grow in close proximity to either extinct or dormant volcanos or the fringes of lava deserts.

Spindlekanns are a popular, fast-growing crop found across Port Antillia. One of the easiest agricultural products to grow, Spindlekanns have been instrumental in the “success” of Port Antillia. The inside of the Spindlekanns is a nutritious, sweet mesocarp that is a staple where the hard, spiky bark used to conceal the interior is a good building material - similar in colour to bamboo. While nowadays only the more rural, or those prone to earthquakes, regions of Port Antillia use Spindlekanns as a building material, while major population centres still rely on the mesocarp that it hides within as a staple for their diet.

Giant Column Sponges are yet another common sight across Port Antillia. Taller than two men standing atop one another, the Giant Column Sponges make great cattle fodder for the domesticated fauna of the planet. While slow growing, these gigantic plants are often shredded and used across ranches due to the extent that a singular column can stretch. They have also been used across the Fètil Chain to make shock absorbers to lessen the damage inflicted by the region’s frequent earthquakes. Many have attempted to make cuisine out of the sponges, but it has a remarkably bitter aftertaste that can take days to get rid of. It is a common prank among friends to spread shredded sponge into meals.

Fauna

Life is still somewhat “underdeveloped” across Port Antillia. Reminiscent of prehistoric mammals on Earth, much of the fauna present appear similar in appearance to creatures that have been extinct for millions of years. A vast majority of the creatures live beneath the waves due to the large percentage of the planet being underwater. Those that do manage to survive on the surface are predominately composed of herbivores that congregate in herds. Omnivores and carnivores are significantly smaller, usually feasting on insects or fish. Similarly to the attempted Solarian transplants of crops, animals quickly found themselves out-competed and phased out shortly thereafter as the high phosphorous content created health issues.

Notable Fauna:

Antillean Unicorns are a rather common animal that exists across the eastern archipelago of Port Antillia. Despite the mythology that surrounds “unicorns” on Earth, Antillean Unicorns seem to be a combination of both deer and giraffes, with a similar appearance to the Quagga that existed across the plains of Southern Africa - obviously with a singular horn protruding from their skull, with some of the largest horns measured at an astounding meter. They were domesticated and later ranched following Port Antillia’s colonisation.

White Papiyosa is a butterfly-like insect that has largely been regarded as a pest by Antilleans. The White Papiyosa relies heavily on Spindlekann in order to reproduce, laying their eggs, infesting and afterwards rendering the stalks inedible as during the larval stage it feasts on the fleshy interior of the plant. Despite their status as a pest, they are an incredibly stunning species, with a wingspan of 1.2 feet (36cm) that shows various hues of lilac. They previously dominated the southeastern regions of Port Antillia, but following the extensive use of Spindlekann have spread across the entire eastern hemisphere. There is a rather small movement attempting to petition for the White Papiyosa to be regarded as a protected species, however, it has been unsuccessful so far in achieving its ambition.

Bayollas are frankly some of the largest species within the Orion Spur. Similar in appearance to whales, Bayollas reach almost 60 meters in length and can weigh as much as 360 tonnes in mass. They employ similar feeding strategies to maximise their feeding efficiency as seen in Solarian blue whales - assisted by the phosphorus-rich oceans of Port Antillia that are significantly more abundant in plankton. They primarily reside within the deepest segments of the planet’s oceans, with very few sightings across the shallower, inhabited coasts.

History

Humanity as a species stretched from New Hai Phong to Xanu Prime by the time that Port Antillia had been colonised, in 2336. However, many had been left out of the colonial fervour, most notably of which was the Caribbean Federation. These dotted island nations had neither the influence nor wealth to commence their own colonisation efforts during the initial wave that engulfed Earth during the early days of the Solarian Alliance. Many suffered greatly as Earth’s spiralled into ecological collapse, where the smaller islands found themselves swallowed whole. Overpopulation and overcrowding quickly became significant issues across the islands that had survived the swelling seas, and despite the efforts to repair the damage, it would not soon be alleviated. Soon, the provinces that previously made the Caribbean Federation found themselves offered opportunities of better living amongst the stars - Port Antillia, a tropical paradise that would be instrumental to interstellar trade in the region.

Tension was high among the fleets by the time it reached the planet. Spread across the various regions of Port Antillia, each became more and more insular as refugees were fed into the fledgling colonies. Problems quickly started piling up as time went on. Almost immediately it was discovered that the agricultural attempts could not survive the high phosphorus content present and it was necessary to adapt to native flora - eventually yielding the discovery of the Spindlekann. Those within the more phosphoric regions resigned themselves to a combination of hunting and fishing where possible. Even the most barren colonial outposts managed to teeter between surviving and starvation with supplemented food parcels from both the more fortunate colonies and the Solarian Alliance. However, the unstable success of Port Antillia quickly ended following the first major natural disasters.

Having barely gotten off the ground when the planet’s active tectonics began to threaten the colonial outposts, Port Antillia became one of many colonies that struggled to survive as incoming supplies dwindled. By the time the Solarian Alliance had attempted to institute precautionary measures, whatever colonial government that existed had collapsed, and the surviving communities were forced to retreat and rely on the resources on the planet in order to maintain their survival. While contact with one another continued briefly, it came to a stop in 2348. The Solarian Alliance had assumed that its attempt had failed, and resigned the project as having collapsed into an anarchist state. The next fifty years saw notable moments that then became instrumental in the creation of the current social, economical and political situation of Port Antillia as they attempted to survive their newfound “sovereignty”.

Without the means to sustain their populations, and being fearful of alien diseases, natural disasters, or other potentially malicious situations, these settlements turned to cooperation among themselves in order to sustain themselves in an attempt to assure that some, if not all, would survive the trying times ahead. While contact with one another continued briefly following the collapse of the overarching colonial government, eventually the dwindling resources available forced the settlements to steer all available efforts into fueling whatever food industries existed or nascent industries - which allowed maritime trade to bloom, where it became important, both as a means of communication and continued survival as supplies arrived. Some, in time, managed to overcome their new environment and fared rather well. Others had to fight to simply stave off starvation, and find clean water.

During the early days of the attempted Antillean recovery, earthquakes had started to become a common occurrence across the Fètil Chain, most affected were the islands centred around the regional capital of Saint Lawrence. Many perished as their hastily built residences collapsed as a result of the equipment restricted from them during the initial colonisation planning, eventually resulting in several advances relating to the ability to withstand the earthquakes - many of which averaged towards the higher end of the Richter scale. Tsunamis became rather frequent as a direct result of these earthquakes as well. Cities across the Fètil Chain found themselves washed away along the coasts, forcing many to move higher up to escape these repeated onslaughts. Eventually, houses across the Chain saw themselves constructed across higher altitudes and eventually implemented with shock absorbers, mostly made from the Giant Column Sponges, to resist the motion of these sizeable earthquakes.

Mount Sauveur still threatens Port Antillia, even decades after its last eruption.

The lack of developed infrastructure had significantly halted Port Antillia’s progression. From the colonial outposts across the planet arose new, emergent city-states that relied heavily upon trading with their other colonial counterparts and the resources within their immediate surrounding region in order to survive. Despite these attempts, Port Antillia never saw any full recovery of sorts and remained a rather insignificant colony within the Solarian frontier. So much so, that the Solarian Alliance had only begun reconnecting to the descendants of the original colonists in 2398 when it felt it necessary, despite the planet having required its assistance decades earlier.

Unfortunately, twenty years after the first major instances of earthquakes within the Fètil Chain, it was believed a similar occurrence was happening across the Mayabeque Isles. It wasn’t until the violent eruption of Monte Sauveur on an islet near the regional capital of Neuva Havana that they truly realised the hidden dangers buried within Port Antillia. Obvious signs of the impending detonation came too late for those in the area to realise their fatal mistake with mass evacuations only called just four hours prior to its eventual eruption. It is considered one of the deadliest and most destructive volcanic events to have occurred on Port Antillia. The explosion could be heard over three thousand miles away. Those within seventy kilometres of Mount Sauveur had their eardrums ruptured by the pressure wave generated by the enormous explosion. Hot ash began to settle across the Mayabeque Isles first, killing thousands from the fires that it ignited. It generated a tsunami so great it destroyed several cities along the western coasts of Centro del Mondyal. Port Antillia was enshrouded by a volcanic winter that dropped the average temperature 4.7°C, and mud rain fell regularly for months following the eruption. The skies burned red for almost eight years after Mount Sauveur’s detonation, a beautiful sight for such a tragic incident in the history of Port Antillia. Volcanic eruptions would continue to occur rather regularly across the planet, not as large as Mount Sauveur, however.

By 2423, the majority of the after-effects of the Mount Sauveur Eruption had settled, and life began to return to new normalcy, where these natural disasters were expected and prepared for to the best of the colonists’ abilities. Despite all its shortcomings, Port Antillia managed to keep its head above the water, eventually developing a rather strong intraplanetary economy, reliant on maritime trade instituted by a barter system between the now-established city-states. The next forty years saw little change in the progression of Port Antillia, restrictions placed upon the colony by the Solarian Alliance had prevented any possibility of advancing, and regression had even started to occur in some regions across the planet. Megacorporations were unheard of, and instead, intrareliance on one another was practically forced in order to continue surviving.

By the time the Solarian Collapse had occurred, Port Antillia found itself in extremely volatile circumstances, where it was forced to juggle its integration within the Corporate Reconstruction Zone and its own internal struggles. The political, social and economic scene of Port Antillia is incredibly malleable, where the planet had not yet decided its position on anything, but more importantly the megacorporations, and the boons and curses that come with either standing with or against them. Largely ignored in the immediate aftermath, Port Antillia has become the new focus for many megacorporations as they realise the possibilities of a largely untapped planet that has remained somewhat out of touch with the wider interstellar community.

Government

Port Antillia prior to its integration within the Corporate Reconstruction Zone, did not have an official government, instead, each nation-state functioned as an independent power. Each formed from a singular colonial outpost and expanded across the region they found themselves within, creating their own complicated and complex political environments. However, its introduction as a potential planetary state within the Republic of Biesel has forced the hands of the nation-states and resulted in a bifurcated state referred to as the “Union of Port Antillia” that currently exists as a transitional government meant to build the foundation necessary for the planet to enter into a new era.

The Union of Port Antillia has largely not taken any steps in building a foundation with which the planet can progress. Premier Incumbent Toño de Avila is largely regarded as being incompetent and unable to lead the people of Port Antillia. Halfway through his first term in 2464, Toño de Avila announced his intention to resign, where his position would be filled by an individual selected by the people of Port Antillia in an early election, bringing an end to the transitional government, and ushering in an era where Port Antillia would decide its future. Candidates are gathering support from across the provinces, and will soon announce their intentions to the interstellar community.

Provincial Authority

The former nation-states now find themselves being recognised as provinces within the Union of Port Antillia, each with its own elected Chancellors. As part of the agreement that resulted in the creation of the Union, Chancellors would have far-reaching powers within their own provinces - where their authority closely resembled that of a federal republic, despite claims that the supreme authority would be the office of the Premier. A minority still calls for amendments to such, however, many have further added that it is a contingency in the event of yet another failed Premier. The provincial states are as follows: Nueva Havana, Caymanas, Carrington, Mirabel, Arthezé, Agüeybaná and Saint Lawrence.

Culture, Society & People

Education

Despite the struggles faced by Port Antillia, it has managed to foster a vibrant academic environment that is often surprising to those that hear of the problems faced by the planet. Antilleans adhered to stringent guidelines provided by the Solarian Alliance during the colonisation of the planet, where the colonial outposts ensured that the next generation would be able to adapt to their new environment and be taught critical skills necessary for the development of the planet with their tertiary levels of education focusing predominately on technical skills. Even during the planet’s fractured status, Antilleans were free to choose from any institutions that Port Antillia had to offer. Additionally, Antilleans that traditionally wished to immigrate often did so by advancing in academia.

Papiamentu University of Geological Sciences

Located in the Arthezé province, the Papiamentu University of Geological Sciences was originally founded to study the planet’s volcanic formations. The school gained prestige during the Fetil Chain earthquakes, as scholars were the first to study the causes of the constant tectonic activity. Today, it remains an important centre for geological sciences in human space. Papiamentu is also considered a prestigious Mining School, with a long history of mineral engineering. Although alumni are prepared to coordinate large-scale mining operations, some misfortunate graduates have only found job opportunities as overqualified miners or engineers.

Mayabeque School of Health Sciences

Nestled within the Neuva Havana province, the Mayabeque School of Health Sciences has been instrumental in dealing with the high phosphoric diet that often resulted in health issues within Antilleans, where they made strides in medical research that resulted in innovative treatments that tackled the primary issue. It is believed that one day the Mayabeque School of Health Sciences will one day become a leading centre in medical research, where even today its alumni quickly find themselves employed when they venture within the greater interstellar community. In addition, the Mayabeque School of Health Sciences oftentimes finds themselves deployed following natural disasters, where they often put their learned skills to use as they tend to the injured.

Carrington Institute of Technology

The Carrington Institute of Technology has become a renowned higher polytechnic education facility, offering a variety of different courses, across Port Antillia and has played a key role in the development of the planet since its establishment in 2383. The use of the Giant Column Sponges as shock absorbers for earthquakes impacting the Fètil Chain – or the province of Saint Lawrence – was an idea by students from the Carrington Institute of Technology’s school of engineering. They have since produced countless figures important to the history of Port Antillia, including Premier Toño de Avila and Chancellor Julien Guerrier of Arthezé.

Provincial States

Neuva Havana

Cities nestle themselves around dormant volcanos across Neuva Havana.