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The Worlds of Ravenna Celeste is an absolutely stunning and breathtaking water world peppered with countless atolls, islets and straits; the largest landmass is only the size of Earth's Great Britain (not counting Ireland and Scotland). Obviously, this is where the planet's world capital city of Ebudae is located----a virtual city of elegant gazebolike stuctures that rise atop and along the very sides of the huge cliffs that tower along the enitre southeastern portion of the main island (which bears the same name...). There is a chain of tiny islands that trail from the southwestern tip of Ebudae and they are all conected by elegantly structured highways, whereupon dwellings actually adorn the sides as well! These islets are affectionally referred to as the children of Ebudae by the more romantic folk. Each bears it's own name as well, from next largest to the smallest: Corinna, Penelope, Julietta, Melissa and cute little Lydia. The society's culture is much like Earth's Italian Renaissance. One will notice that the majority of land masses are collected near or along the planet's equator; there are NO polar land masses on Celeste and because of the proximity of the existing islands---Celestians have never experienced a winter or fall-like season! Almost all of the islands on Celeste have some sort of human presence, whether in the form of small towns, villages or quaint little hamlets, but make no mistake, the largest and only city is that of Ebudae. Because of the limited landmass for habitation, Celestians have long since learned to use the surrounding oceans to their advantage, the result: nearly every major town and some portions of Ebudae as well is structured very much like that of Earth's Venice of Italy. Romantics would quickly become hoplessly in love with the scenes of gondolas meandering through the waterways and the gondoliers and troubadours singing to beautiful, raven haired damsels sitting upon the balconies.... The culture's economy is largley based on some of the obvious: fishing, steampower (the silver light is something of a novelty on Celeste), but mostly it is known for its lavish arts and crafts, philosophy and science. The Universitie Scientia in Ebudae is reknowned as the mecca of higher thinking. Celeste maintains a modest military ground force, but it is unsurpassed in its naval supremacy (well, of course...look at all that water!). This might seem somewhat as contradictory as Celeste is generally known as a rather peaceful and benign world, but there remains the fact that these many islands are just only loosley united under a Confederation of sorts, each ruled by powerful, merchant guild families; there is no war when the political situation pleases everybody! There have been times when personal disputes served as catalysts for all out aggression between ruling houses (such examples include the death of a family member as a result of a drunken duel, the "hostile takoever" of one Guild by another and the classic nonsanctioned impregnation of one House's daughter by the son of a rival House....). Celeste is a rich and financially influential world and thus holds 4 seats on the ruling council--rivaling that of the mighty Acerban Union.
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