Capital City, Cestus II
There are hundreds of colonies, and thousands of explored worlds within League space. The following is a list and description of some of the more important worlds. These are the movers and shakers of the campaign.
The most significant planet is Cestus II, capital world of the United League of Races. It is a terran world, now heavily populated by the various League member races. Cities stretch across every continent, while underwater domes and many orbital stations house even more people. The League Council resides here in the grand Hall of Order. The planet's cities are places of learning and education, with vast schools and universities all over the globe. The League military keeps a strong presence here, with several barracks on the ground and dozens of defensive orbitals. Trade also thrives here, and it is said that a person can find anything here if he has enough credits. Rating: G2, R1, A2, P3, H2.
Capital City, Cestus II
The other planets of the system are less impressive, but some warrant a description. Cestus III is a barren rock of a planet that has been commandeered by the League military. Huge shipyards orbit this world, and most of the system defense ships dock here. A large garrison of troops is stationed here. The planet is off limits to private ships. Rating: G2, R2, A1, P1, H2.
Cestus V isn't populated as it is a gas giant, but has numerous space stations in orbit. These stations hold miners, who work on the planet's four moons. This isn't really a desired stop for any traveler, unless they're looking to buy raw metals and other unprocessed materials. The moons are all large asteroids captured by the planet's gravity. All moons have the following ratings: G1, R2, A0, P0, H1.
Finally, Cestus VI is a small world, recently terraformed to Earth norms, and settled by some two billion souls from various races. A lot of the planet is devoted to agriculture, while the remainder is sparsely urbanized. Ratings: G2, R1, A2, P3, H2.
Earth is still an important planet, even as humanity continues to expand. Nearly ten billion people dwell on it's surface, and most of the planet is highly urbanized. Most food is imported from various agricultural settlements on other planets, including Mars. The heads of the human government, the NWO (New World Order), reside here. In addition, some of the largest weapon and shipbuilding platforms in the entire League orbit the planet. It is a varitable fortress. What's left of the natural ecosystem is being preserved, however much of it was destroyed by pollution. Fraal and t'sa technologies have helped the humans reduce their waste output to minimal levels. Rating: G2, R1, A2, P3, H2.
Earth's moon, Luna, is also a fairly major settlement. Only one sixth the Earth in size, the terraformed moon (which now has an atmosphere) is populated by some three million people. Why such a low population? The moon seems to be a haven for the rich and elite of Earth. Many wealthy people have vacation homes there, or even permanent residences. Because of the low gravity, only the rich can afford the gravity induction generators needed to provide normal gravity for their estates. Many corporations from Earth have non-commercial bases here, and there are also several vacation resorts. Ratings: G1, R1, A2, P3, H2.
Mars has been fully terraformed for a couple of centuries now. It is now like a second Earth. The majority of its economy comes from the production of foodstuffs and raw minerals. Populations on Mars are sparse, and there are only four major cities. Most of the planet is farmland. Both of its moons also have mining bases on them. Ratings: G2, R1, A2, P3, H2.
Pluto is home to a small military base, and an even smaller mining operation. A couple of ship repair docks are located here, as well as a few defense orbitals. Terraforming would have no effect on Pluto as it's simply too cold. Habitation domes and well insulated e-suits are needed to survive its harsh conditions. Ratings: G1, R1, A1, P2, H0.
Many schools dot the surface of the planet, as do scientific institutions. However, the majority of the planet is rural, due to the fact that in the past so few fraal took to using technology, preferring instead to live in meditation among nature. By the time the fraal began to flock to cities, city planning had become very advanced. As a result, the few cities that do dot Fraalahur's landscape are extremely densely populated, thus leaving the rest of the planet in it's natural state.
Fraalahur only has a few orbitals guarding it, and virtually no ground militia. Still, the few fraal that do keep the peace do so very effectively, using their psionic powers to their fullest potential. Fraalahur doesn't hold much of interest to anyone other than fraal, mindwalkers, and historians. As such, it is not a major commerce route and has little to do with trade. Rating: G2, R1, A2, P3, H2.
Fraalahur II is a massive super-terran world, roughly as distant from the sun as neptune is in the Sol system. As such, the fraal haven't colonized it at all, as the temperature is too cold, and the gravity would crush them. It does have a small moon however, that has a couple of settlements on it. Under environment domes, two fair-sized settlements reside here. One is a mining colony of a human mining corporation (contracted out to the fraal). The other is a trading post, which does not see much commerce. The moon's rating is: G1, R1, A1, P2, H1.
Cluster I, Planet IV (Tassa) is the home world of the t'sa. Here is the cradle of t'sa civilization. Here, the t'sa Council of Elders governs over the race as a whole, approves grants towards research, makes plans to help the weren race, etc. The planet itself is without true oceans, but rather just huge swamps. It is also very hot and humid (nauseating so for humans around the equator) although the t'sa are accustomed to it. Although not the center of the t'sa world anymore, the majority of t'sa still view it as an important world. Rating: G2, R1, A2, P3, H2.
The gas giant, Cluster I, Planet V and its many moons, contain the main t'sa shipyards. Mammoth orbitals circle the planet and all five of its moons. It is from here that most privately owned t'sa vessels are made. Most of the orbitals are centuries old, and they are constantly being upgraded and modified with the latest construction and defensive systems.
Cluster III, Planet VI is one of the mining centers of the t'sa. A bleak, barren world with no atmosphere, it wasn't deemed important until t'sa geologists made landfall. They found its true worth. One of the richest worlds in all of League space, this planet is heavily mined by the t'sa for all its mineral resources. It has kept them going for hundreds of years. Huge refineries are on its surface, purifying the various minerals. Manufactured goods are plentiful here, and the buyers can usually get good deals, especially if they buy in bulk. Rating: G2, R2, A0, P0, H1.
Cluster IV, Planet VIc is a small moon in orbit around a fair-sized gas giant. Here is the inventors heaven, a sort-of t'sa showcase of ideas. When a t'sa creates something new, he can petition for a plot of land here, where he may show off his invention to all. The entire planet is one huge merchant's bazaar for newly invented things. Although the planet is roughly half the size of Earth's moon, and has no atmosphere, the t'sa have constructed massive habitat domes and artificial gravity fields to make the planet habitable. Rating: G1, R2, A0, P0, H1.
