Xelicar
Stellar Data
Xelicar Prime is a binary system, with a white F5 primary and a M4 red dwarf named Xelicar Secundus (or simply Secundus) orbiting at some 25au.
Planets
Esraen
- Gravity%dlstar%
- Mediocre
- Habitat
- Terrible
- Colony
- Terrible
- Resources
- Poor
A small planet, tidally locked to Xelicar Prime. It has few resources, but has been used, at various times, as a base for pirates.
Xelicar
- Gravity%dlstar%
- Fair
- Habitat
- Great
- Colony
- Superb
- Resources
- Fair
The only habitable world in the Xelicar system, and one of the more pleasant and habitable worlds in the Imperium. It has three major continents, and 75% of its surface is covered in water. It has one moon, Isuth, which is roughly a third Xelicar’s diameter.
Dramas
- Gravity%dlstar%
- Fair
- Habitat
- Mediocre
- Colony
- Poor
- Resources
- Great
In many ways a twin of Xelicar, both in size and in early history. However, it was too distant from the primary and thus its oceans froze into vast ice caps that now cover nearly 80% of the planet. Despite this, the mineral resources of the planet are sufficiently valuable that small mining colonies have existed here, and some have even evolved over the centuries into permanent settlements. The largest of these, Port Yis, has nearly a quarter of a million people.
Welleth
- Gravity%dlstar%
- Superb
- Habitat
- Terrible
- Colony
- Terrible
- Resources
- Poor
A gas giant, half again as big as Jupiter, with nearly two dozen moons. A few of the moons contain valuable resources.
Dosaid
- Gravity%dlstar%
- Superb
- Habitat
- Terrible
- Colony
- Terrible
- Resources
- Poor
Another gas giant, about the size of Jupiter, also with nearly two dozen moons. Most of the moons are icy cores, and thus of little economic interest. One of the moons, Isall, has a liquid water ocean beneath a two mile thick cap of ice, and has generated considerable scientific interest with its vibrant ecosystems.
Iodius
- Gravity%dlstar%
- Good
- Habitat
- Terrible
- Colony
- Terrible
- Resources
- Mediocre
Larger than Xelicar, a desert world that seems likely, due to its eccentric orbit, to have been a captured body. Estimates put the planet at nearly eight billion years old, more than twice the age of any other planet in the Xelicar system. Evidence exists for oceans and a complex biosphere, though only a few hardy single-celled organisms survive deep beneath the frozen surface. There is much curiousity as to where this planet originated. Claims of Macropedia/XenohistoricalArtifacts have never been confirmed, despite several surveys.
Gramath
- Gravity%dlstar%
- Superb
- Habitat
- Terrible
- Colony
- Terrible
- Resources
- Poor
A gas giant, and the only planet orbiting Xelicar Secundus. Half a dozen unremarkable moons orbit it.
Attee
- Gravity%dlstar%
- Legendary
- Habitat
- Terrible
- Colony
- Terrible
- Resources
- Poor
A brown dwarf that orbits both stars at a distance of nearly 90au. Has nine major moons, one of which, Graban, is close enough to the brown dwarf and has a thick enough atmosphere that it supports a silocon-based biosphere.
History
Early Imperium
Xelicar was settled during the Macropedia/TerranRepublic period, and due to the presence of a world so pleasant and productive, it saw rapid colonization, becoming an important agricultural center. The majority of Xelicar’s early colonists were people from Macropedia/ImperialCoreWorlds, and thus Xelicar was, from the beginning, culturally similar to to these worlds.
By the end of the Macropedia/TawmerikDynasty, Xelicar was essentially one of the core worlds; an important cultural and political center. The Emperor Falther Tawmerik made his cousin, Seberen Dazai-Tawmerik, first Duke of Xelicar, thus beginning the long line of the Dazai-Tawmerik Dukes who, even after the Tawmerik Emperors failed, held a good deal of influence.
High Imperium
During the high imperium, Xelicar’s prosperity waned somewhat. Other agriculture worlds, perhaps not as productive, but often better situated along hop space routes, eclipsed the system. For a period, Xelicar actually went into negative population growth as many people left the system to escape the decline. Pirates became a problem, and, lacking the resources to capture them, Xelicar’s in-system trade was hampered.
The failure of the line of the Dazai-Tawmeriks during the reign of Macropedia/EmilDabrian, at first seen as a disaster, was in fact to lead to a second period of prosperity. The Macropedia/ImperialCongress decreed that the Duchy was to become extinct, and instead created the position of Governor. The governors, while political appointees, were better stewards of Xelicar’s economy, which they worked hard to diversify. They finally put an end to in-system piracy and encouraged mining of some of the more inhospitable but still valuable planets and moons in the system.
Imperial Interregnum
By the time of the Macropedia/ImperialInterregnum, Xelicar was again a successful system, and due to the growing failures of trade, its agriculture industry suddenly became keenly important, particularly to the other core worlds like Corrigan.
Xelicar was sufficiently wealthy by this point that it became, during the reign of the Premiere Macropedia/QadanRom, effectively a free system, still officially a part of the Imperium, but running its own affairs. The office of Governor was now selected by the local Planetary Congress, and the Macropedia/ImperialCongress was wise enough to realize that theoretical allegiance to the central authority was much better than an out and out break with the fading Imperium.
The Xelicar War
During the Macropedia/HundredBloodyDays, Xelicar did not officially declare independence, but refused to recognize Macropedia/FemaronFelard as Emperor. Felard, in turn, attacked Xelicar, and the atrocities of the Xelicar War only add to to the list of horrors that this man inflicted upon many citizens of the Imperium. In the end, Xelicar’s fledgling navy was victorious, and Felard’s forces were sent home in shame, and Xelicar won effective independence.
The Anti-Congress
After the Macropedia/HundredBloodyDays, the Macropedia/YousaminFaction, unable to regain any position with the Macropedia/ImperialCongress came to Xelicar. Xelicar’s Planetary Congress permitted them to set up another Imperial Congress, in defiance of the one on Corrigan.
The Governor, Zabianna Waus, clearly had his eyes set on the office of Premiere, but the Yousamin proved far less influential than he had hoped, and while the so-called Anti-Congress on Xelicar trades barbs and threats with the actual (though equally ineffective) Imperial Congress on Corrigan, Waus is said to be considering evicting the Yousamin and outright seceeding from the Imperium and forming a confederation with neighboring worlds.
Government
Xelicar is effectively a self-governing republic within the Imperium. The head of government is the Governor, originally chosen by the Macropedia/ImperialCongress, but now elected by the Planetary Congress. The head of state is technically the reigning Emperor, but as there has not been one for some time, the Governor also acts as the executive as well. Plans are in the works to draft a new constitution and to do away with the recognition of any off-world sovereign as head of state.
The Xelicar legislature, the Planetary Congress, is a bicameral assembly made up of the Senot and the Sevyet. Both are bodies selected by general elections, and all citizens of Xelicar (including its in-system colonies and settlements) over the age of 19 standard years can vote or stand for office. The Governor is selected by the Planetary Congress every seven years.
Military
Xelicar has been putting a good deal of effort, even as far back as the last Emperors, into creating its own navy and military. This has created some friction with the Imperium, but Xelicar’s status as a free system has limited any legal attempts to undermine its military buildup. Only Macropedia/FemaronFelard attempted to do anything about this, and the ensuing Xelicar War demonstrated not only the resolve of the people of Xelicar to control their own affairs, but also to defend themselves against even direct attempts at military intervention by the Imperium.
The Xelicar Navy is now large enough that it has began to defend weaker neighboring systems. Xelicar has not used the military in a hostile fashion, but it is clear that the policy makers, right up to the Governor herself, are working towards a confederation of worlds, with Xelicar as the primary power. Xelicar’s military strength is still some ways away from that, and primary concern is in defending the system against growing attacks by pirates, rival warlords and various cults that have begun springing up as central authority has failed.