Five Parsecs From Home: - Introduction to Coldwater

 Coldwater

 

Planetary diameter: 6606 miles (smaller than Earth)

Gravity: 0.83G

Atmosphere: Normal (tainted)

Hydrosphere: 95%

Population: 6,767,647 at last census.

Government: Feudal Technocracy 

Tech Level: Analogous to 1980s Earth

 Coldwater is the 4th of 21 planets orbiting the blue supergiant sun Acom.  There are several gas giants.

With a hydrosphere of 95%, it's no surprise that Coldwater's main industry is fishing.  The main landmass is concentrated in a long, fragmented continent, with a few outlying islands.  Scoured by huge tides, storms, and limited by the tainted atmosphere, there is minimal vegetation (barren).  The starport is a very basic, C class facility, with a scout base, minimal repair facilities, but no naval presence.  Terraforming is ongoing, and it will be decades before the atmosphere will be breathable without filter masks.

Despite the tainted atmosphere, the planet supports a population of over 6.5 million, spread across both underwater habitats and on what little land there is.  Surface based habitats (whether on land or sea) tend to be semi-sealed, air filter pumps operating an overpressure system to keep the tainted atmosphere out.  Underwater habitats need to be completely sealed, for obvious reasons.

Smaller than Terra, Coldwater has lighter gravity (0.86G).  In theory, this results in tides 10-20% higher than Terra - but there are six moons, and this complicates the situation considerably.  The "ice moon" has a retrograde orbit and appears to be a captured comet. “Copper 5” is a copper rich captured asteroid in an eccentric orbit on an inclined orbital plane.  The 6th moon, Furnace, is stretched and kneaded by tidal forces and has several small but active volcanoes.   As Copper 5 reaches perigee, the volcanoes on Furnace turn green as the copper rich dust trail it leaves filters onto the surface.  This is an unusual tourist attracting event.  When the 6 moons align during a syzygy, there are enormous tidal surges.  During a perigean king tide, the resulting rise in sea level can be near catastrophic, over 70 metres.  The corresponding drop in sea level on the other side of the planet can be equally dangerous to aquatic life, where the water pressure drops by the equivalent of 6 atmospheres.  Storms on Coldwater tend to be larger and more powerful than many other worlds.  With uninterrupted ocean for thousands of miles, winds can build to enormous speeds and last for days or even weeks.

The governance of Coldwater is a feudal technocracy.  Power lies with those who control the technology - air filtration, water purification, energy generation, underwater habitats, food production systems.  Everything that allows people to survive on the plant.  Benefits from these technologies are provided by the rulers in return for goods or services from their vassals.

The rule of law is well-enforced, with strict controls on weapons - open possession of firearms of any kind is prohibited and even long blades are controlled.  This is understandable, given the necessity of atmospherically sealed habitats, where a single stray shot could spell disaster.  Surprisingly, no Freelancer's licence is required.  It's an extremely safe place to live or visit - the barren surface means that there are no large herbivores or carnivores to deal with, and weapons are generally unnecessary.  The oceans are a different matter altogether, but it's still rare to find anyone armed with more than diving knives and harpoon guns.

There is a sizeable population of Nagricans on Coldwater, and they are well-integrated with the human inhabitants.  Bands of Nagrican outlaws occasionally cause trouble, but the same can be said about groups of human bandits.  The majority of the inhabitants know their place in society and realise that given the restricted land area and poor atmosphere, everyone has to work for the common good.

4 main factions currently vie for power on Coldwater:

1) Despite having the most powerful, militant followers, the charismatic leader Khorekk Tao is the least influential faction. (influence 2, power 4).  The rule of the feudal lords is actually fairly benevolent, and despite the harsh conditions on Coldwater, the majority of people are reasonably content with their place in the world.  Khorekk Tao's militant Sectators are plentiful and vocal, but have little support among the general population.  What support there is comes from the fringes of society, where Tao's promises of a better life represents the only hope that some people see.

2) The feudal technocracy's rulers are the Technates, a political movement that provides much of the planetary policies, which alongside their considerable power puts them at the top of the ladder. (Influence 4, Power 3)  The Lord High Technate is the de facto ruler of Coldwater.  The Technates are fair in their dealings with the rest of the population.  They understand that a healthy and happy workforce is more effective than a fearful and oppressed workforce, and requires less policing.  Nevertheless, a paramilitary police force is maintained to deal with any trouble caused by Khorekk Tao's followers.  The Technates write the laws, control the floating and submarine cities and the main planetary starports.

3) Wielding similar influence to the Technates is the religious movement, the Church of the Aqualons, though they are not quite as powerful.  Given the huge influence that the sea has upon the inhabitants of Coldwater, their worship is predictably based around fish and the spirit of the sea.  The sea is a fickle thing, and superstition flourishes in such an environment.  The Church of the Aqualons draws its knowledge from interpretation of the tides, storms and weather patterns, the movement and migration of fish shoals.  They bless the fishing fleets.  (Influence 4, Power 2) 

4) The merchant cartel Thalassa Diversified is the weakest faction on Coldwater.  They know the right people to talk to, and have more influence than Khorekk Tao, but are definitely lower in the pecking order than the Technates or the Church of the Aqualons.  Although they are the least powerful group on Coldwater, their control over certain commodities and food supplies means they cannot be dismissed outright.  They control fishing quotas, food distribution and pricing, and certain exports.  (Influence 3, Power 2)