Planetary Descriptions (In Progress), Description of the planets and locations

[Sebastian Tamarlane]

((This thread is still a work in progress.))

There are six planets within the system of Meridia, several of which have moons.

The planets were named after ancient gods and goddesses from the Ancient Earth civilzation of Greece. The names of the planets and in order in which they circle Meridia's sun is:

Hera: A planet of grasslands and shallow seas. It is the first planet in the system and is currently ruled by the Dominion. Hera has no moons.

Zeus: A large gas giant, it is the second planet within the system and the capital of the militaristic Dominion. Zeus has one moon that has been named Athena.

• Athena: The only moon of Zeus. It has been turned into a giant city and is the centralized location of the Dominion Military Command.

Artemis: A moon dominated by heavy forests, it is the most recent planet to fall under Dominion control and the third planet within the system. One moon, named Apollo, circles Artemis.

• Apollo: The forested moon of Artemis, its entire surface is covered in large conifers. It is the ancestral home of the Catilons who refer to the planet as 'Gurath.' Thirty years ago, the eye of the Dominion fell on the moon and they invaded, fighting a decade and a half war that eventually led to their control of the moon.

Asteroid Belt: The origins of the asteroid belt are unknown. However, it is currently used by pirates and bandits to hide from authorities as as a location from which to base raids.

Hades: A planet of wetlands, Hades is occupied by a people of a tribal nature. There is no central government, and the Dominion has yet to turn its attention here.

• Hecate: A moon entirely comprised of dark bayous. It’s the home of a tribal people who maintain a magical tradition passed down from their ancestors. They are descended from the first human settlers within the system.
• Persephone: Persephone is not a natural satellite, but instead is the one of the original ships that carried the first settlers into this system, including the ancestors of those settled on Hades and Hecate.

Poseidon: Poseidon is a desert planet, the fifth in the system, with no moons. The inhabitants are very independent and each settlement rules itself. The planet contains a large concentration of minerals of various sorts, currently mined by many of the inhabitants.

Ares: The last planet in the system, it is a brutal planet of deadly gas and barren wastelands. Much of the planet is uninhabitable and exposure even in the safer areas can still be deadly. It is currently ruled by a cruel, iron-handed dictator.

• Eris: Not much is known about Eris. There is no record of inhabitants and much of the surface is a frozen wasteland.
• Deimos and Phobos: Once, these two satellites were a single body, but at some before the arrival of humans, a great catastrophe split them, cursing them to forever circle each other as they revolve around Ares. There are several isolated settlements, all of which are research centers for the Ares Military.

[Sebastian Tamarlane]

Hera

Hera is a medium sized planet whose terrain is comprised entirely of grasslands. There are several small seas on the planet, all of which are shallow and the seafloor is covered in large fields of kelp. The planet is currently being ruled by the Dominion, its planetary capital located in Perfection Valley. The temperate zones of the planet are the most populated, the terrain mainly taking the form of steppes and prairies; while the tropical zones are full of savannas and shrublands, the lower elevations often flooding with the seasonal rains.

Most of the population resides in the temperate zones, where they work farming the land. Those who are not farmers work to support them and the crops. The Dominion does maintain a small military presence on the planet, mostly centered within Perfection Valley. A small portion of the populace work in the tropical zone, either hunting the indigenous species or working for the Dominion at the strange ruins found scattered within the shallow seas.

[Sebastian Tamarlane]

Zeus
Zeus is a large gas giant, the second planet in the system. It is the homeworld of the Dominion, a military oligarchy whose political and social capital is located in the settlement of Couronne. There is a large population on Zeus, serving the needs of the government as well as mining the elements from both the atmosphere and the solid core.

Dominion control is evident through out the entire planet, from the barracks of troops to the daily news broadcasts. Although some citizens chafe at the tight control, most have learned to live within it and some even enjoy it. Crime is not a problem within the Dominion, as most criminals are dealt with harshly.

Athena
Athena is the only moon of Zeus. Originally it was covered in harsh mountainous terrain, however, since it was settled it has become one giant sprawling city, a hive moon. The prosperous and powerful live within the highest peaks, while the poor toil in the deepest recesses. The Dominion Military Command is centered on Athena, and the entire moon is considered to be under their command, though some within the lowest hive prefer to follow their own rules.

[Sebastian Tamarlane]

Artemis
The planet of Artemis is completely covered in forests. Most of them are dense, filled with thick undergrowth that makes them virtually impassable. The third planet in the system, it is also ruled by the Dominion, although their hold here is not as tight as the other planets and moons. Sparse evergreen forest, known as taiga, dominates the artic regions of the planet, accompanied by deep glacier lakes. A variety of deciduous species can be found in the temperate zone, although some portions of this are very dense. The tropical portion of the planet is covered primarily in thick jungle.

Logging and hunting is the primary profession on Artemis, most of the inhabitants living in the temperate zone within tree top cities. The predators of the forest floor are incredibly dangerous and mostly nocturnal, hence the need for shelters within the trees. A small Dominion outpost is located in the jungle, the only known inhabitants, studying a set of strange ruins much like the ones found on Hera. There are no known natives of Artemis, though legends abound of strange figures spotted within the tropical jungle.

Apollo
Apollo is the forested moon of Artemis. It was conquered fifteen years ago by the Dominion after a decade and a half war with the native Catilons. The natives call the moon ‘Gurath.’ It is covered in large evergreens, covering the entire moon. Distant relatives of the predators of Artemis can be found here, though they are larger and perhaps even more deadly. The Catilons made their homes in the sheltered roots before the coming of man, a tradition that the Dominion has continued, though they are now constructed instead of just burrowed clear.

[Sebastian Tamarlane]

Asteroid Belt

[Sebastian Tamarlane]

Hades


Hecate


Persephone

[Sebastian Tamarlane]

Poseidon

[Sebastian Tamarlane]

Ares


Eris


Deimos and Phobos