THE PLANET Arcadia bears a remarkable resemblance to earth before any sentient species developed; it has one large moon in close orbit, an axel tilt only a few degrees different from earth giving the planet seasonal changes. It is colder in the polar regions and warmer around the equator. The seas are salty and teem with edible fish. It takes Arcadia more time to complete its yearly orbit, but the colonists solved this issue by adding a few more days to each month. The ground is fertile and readily accepted the transplanted food crops the colonists spent two years planting prior to actually moving there. The native animals, although some had evolved a little differently than on earth, were close enough genetically to those on earth the Arcadians were able to adapt them to serve as food animals, guard animals and recreational uses.
The outlawed colony of Arcadia is around one hundred fifty years old. It is not supposed to exist. Since the colonists didn’t get permission from Earth-Gov to develop Arcadia, (the Arcadians were too independent to submit to the amount of control Earth-Gov’s Portal Authority exercised over the sanctioned colonies), the Arcadia Group approached the community of Laughing Mountain to develop an illegal portal, and the outlawed colony of Arcadia had been born.
Although it was the first of the Outlawed Colonies to be settled, the world of Arcadia was the third planet found which would support human life and with no sentient species. The Arcadian society originally applied to Earth-Gov to develop a colony, but backed out when they realized how much control Earth intended to retain over the sanctioned colonies, Instead they approached the town of Laughing Mountain, who entered the lottery to host a colony but whose name had not been drawn, to develop a colony independent of control by Earth-Gov or Earth’s Industrial Giants who ruled post-apocalyptic earth.
A Planned colony, Arcadia is ruled by a Military Junta which decrees all citizens must have served in the military: both men and women. Marriages are planned according to DNA compatibility and creates a host of obligations between the two families. The colony has a lot of technology; Runners from this world generally buy machinery for mining and building through Arcadia’s businesses on earth. Arcadians do a lot of exploring with drones and are a computer-oriented society. The most highly valued trade items are still medicines, dried foods, robots to perform labor and build things, and weapon components. Like Barsoom, they import a lot of small circuitries which they adapt for military use. Arcadia has perhaps the closest ties to earth through their network of satellite companies which sell heavily to earth’s military and in consequence is the richest of the Outlawed Colonies, although Barsoom* runs a close second.
GENERAL DESCRIPTION
The planet has a Climate like earth with 66% water, seven large continents and various islands. Only one of the continents has been occupied by humans. Seasons are roughly Spring, Summer, Fall and winter. The Planetary tilt makes it warmer near the equator and colder at the poles. No sentient life has been discovered. Animals and plants are compatible with earth Norms, although some have taken different evolutionary paths. It has one large moon which orbits the planet. A Planetary year is 465 days which means 66 weeks per year. Colonists have extended the months to be 38 days instead of 30 or 31.
The Northern Continent where the portal is located is in the Temperate zone.
Arcadians established a second settlement along the southern coast and in the LeHarve Reefe Keys. Popular sports on the coast and the islands are sail, sport fishing, water skiing and snorkeling. Most fish and seafood harvesting takes place on a large island to the west of the Keys.
MAKARA ISLAND
Settled by several families who harvest fish from the oceans, the island has one large processing plant in Makara Bay shared by all the fishing families who also share the cost of running it. Most of the fishing is done by small boats independently owned by families. There is a large bay with wharves extending out into it. The interior of the island is fertile and has been planted in some fruit and nut trees imported from earth, but there are also native fruit orchards.
CAPITAL CITY OF EARTHBURY
Earthbury, the capital city of Arcadia, was built at the base of a rugged mountain range the colonists had dubbed the Fractured Hills. Compared to the rustic charm of Laughing Mountain, Earthbury roared its adherence to science and technology. The backdrop of rich crop fields surrounding it only emphasized its modern wonders.
LEHAVRE REEFE CITY
LeHarve Reefe City, the second largest city on Arcadia, fairly glitters with nightlife—all day long. It’s trendy and quirky and—hey, watch out for that guy on air skates. Behind the glitter and glamour is the underside of the city. Tourism is its biggest industry and workers generally live in prefab housing without easy access to the beach areas. It isn't a slum, but it is very plain with none of the glittering lights and other elements prevalent along the beaches frequented by tourists.
LEHAVRE REEFE KEYS
The Keys are a chain of limestone islands extending south from the mainland. The largest of these possess upland forests, inland wetlands, and shoreline beaches, some of which are rocky and some with long stretches of white sandy beaches.
The Keys are home to several unique species of animals, birds, and insects, most notable are the Marabunta the enormous wasp-spiders (see the section on animals). The Climate is tropical (it doesn't freeze there),
TECH LEVEL
Level of tech about the same as the earth they left, maybe a little more advanced. The have a good industrial base. Mining, communication satellites, air sleds, lots of high-tech weapons and tracking devices are their chief exports. They trade with the other Outlawed Colonies and with earth through their corporate satellites, all of which have a corporate office on earth. They are heavily dependent on the farming industry for food crops
ANIMALS
GUARD VOLES
These animals carry vulpine, canine, and feline characteristics and resemble a cross between a furry velociraptor and a meerkat. Voles spend a lot of time sitting upright on its haunches scanning the area around them. They have a wedge-shaped head, a wide powerful jaw with long sharp fangs, and a long, bright blue tongue. Their tufted ears lie flat alongside the head. Voles use their front legs and paws like arms and hands. They can be very dangerous in packs. Arcadians use them as guard animals. Occasionally a Vole will become ‘bonded’ with a human. When this happens the Vole’s loyalty transfers to that human and they consider the human and their family as ‘theirs’.
GORDA VIPER
A sluggish reptile with an extremely poisonous bite. The poison has an ingredient that absorbs through the skin of most mammals and birds. They are easily seen because of their bright Orange spotted skin.
CORAL REEFS
Arcadia is home to both salt water and freshwater coral reefs. Polyps of reef-building corals contain microscopic algae called zooxanthellae, which exist with the animal in a symbiotic relationship. The coral polyps (animals) provide the algae (plants) a home, and in exchange the algae provide the polyps with food they generate through photosynthesis. Because photosynthesis requires sunlight, most reef-building corals live in clear, shallow waters that are penetrated by sunlight. The algae also give a coral its color; coral polyps are transparent, so the color of the algae inside the polyps show through. Coral reefs provide habitat for a large variety of marine life, including various sponges, oysters, clams, crabs, sea stars, sea urchins, and many species of fish. Coral reefs are also linked ecologically to nearby seagrass, mangrove, and mudflat communities. One of the reasons that coral reefs are so highly valued is because they serve as a center of activity for marine life. HYDROCORALS, or fire coral, are reef-building hydroids that have a hard calcareous exoskeleton and stinging cells that can cause a burning sensation when touched. OCTOCORALS, or ‘soft’ corals, include sea fans and sea whips, which grow more like fleshy plants and do not form calcium carbonate skeletal structures. ANTIPATHARIANS, or black corals, are another type of branching ‘soft’ coral.
Some soft corals have zooxanthellae to acquire food and energy, but others, such as black corals, exist without this symbiotic relationship.
MARABUNTA:
An enormous insectoid species, usually between two and three feet long and about
eighteen inches tall. They have an hourglass shape, eight legs and wings allowing them to fly for short distances (about ten to fifteen The bite of a Marabunta as well as the sting are poisonous. However, the bite and the sting venom have slightly different properties. The bite seems to have aphrodisiac effects. A small bite is said to enhance sexual pleasure. A concentrated dose of the venom is toxic and the victim experiences multiple orgasms during the death throes until their heart gives out under the strain.
The sting poison doesn’t cause immediate death unless there are multiple stings. It causes brain damage with symptoms akin to Alzheimer's disease. Many victims experience flashbacks to the time they were bitten and stung.
The webs Marabunta spin are harvested by the Arcadians and woven into material used in personal body armor. When hardened, it is impervious to plasma pulse blasts. The armor can be melted, but it takes a lot of firepower to do this. The only farm colony is on Amesbury Island in the Le Havre Reefe Island chain on the lower edge of the Northern continent, although several wild colonies do live on several of the other Reefe islands. Most of the Island is currently owned by the Trelawny family who harvest the webs for sale to Arcadia’s armor making companies.
KUDU:
A small mammal the size of a pine martin. They can jump from tree to tree like a squirrel. The have a wedge-shaped face, small, pricked ears. Because of the tropical climate they are almost hairless, with fine down-covered skin in a mottled gold, red and grey color. They usually hunt small rodents who infest human dwellings but will also eat a variety of berries and nuts. Many Arcadians living in the tropics adopted them as useful pets and vermin hunters. They communicate using a variety of chirps, growls, and purrs.
PLANTS
The native flora seems to be compatible with human digestion and the soil takes readily to nurturing earth plants and seeds. The Arcadian colonists imported many earth plants when developing the colony. Although scientists are studying the native flora and rapidly incorporating them into the colony foods.
The fauna is diverse including both temperate and tropical plants. The islands are rich in fruits, vegetables, and nuts not found in other areas.
SOCIETY VALUES
The Arcadians value honor, courage, and loyalty above all else. To ensure these values are taught Arcadia’s children, all the colony children are expected to attend the national school, dubbed “The Academy” from the time they enter their teens until they graduate. After graduation, they are expected to serve a three-year hitch in Arcadia’s military. Recognizing that not everyone is suited to a military life, after the mandatory three years, they become members of the reserves or retire from all military service.
WARRIOR ETHOS taught to all schoolchildren:
· I will always place the mission first.
· I will never accept defeat.
· I will never quit.
· I will never leave a fallen comrade.
Bear true faith and allegiance to the Constitution, the Army, your unit, and other Soldiers. Bearing true faith and allegiance is a matter of believing in and devoting yourself to something or someone. A loyal Soldier is one who supports the leadership and stands up for fellow Soldiers. By wearing the uniform, you are expressing your loyalty. And by doing your share, you show your loyalty to your unit.
Fulfill your obligations. Doing your duty means more than carrying out your assigned tasks. Duty means being able to accomplish tasks as part of a team. The work is a complex combination of missions, tasks, and responsibilities — all in constant motion. Our work entails building one assignment onto another. You fulfill your obligations as a part of your unit every time you resist the temptation to take “shortcuts” that might undermine the integrity of the final product.
Treat people as they should be treated. In the Soldier’s Code, we pledge to “treat others with dignity and respect while expecting others to do the same.” Respect is what allows us to appreciate the best in other people. Respect is trusting that all people have done their jobs and fulfilled their duty. And self-respect is a vital ingredient with the Army value of respect, which results from knowing you have put forth your best effort. There is one team and each of us has something to contribute.
Put the welfare of the Colony, and your subordinates before your own. Selfless service is larger than just one person. In serving your country, you are doing your duty loyally without thought of recognition or gain. The basic building block of selfless service is the commitment of each team member to go a little further, endure a little longer, and look a little closer to see how he or she can add to the effort.
Live up to military values. The Colony’s highest military award is The Medal of Honor. This award goes to Soldiers who make honor a matter of daily living — Soldiers who develop the habit of being honorable and solidify that habit with every value choice they make. Honor is a matter of carrying out, acting, and living the values of respect, duty, loyalty, selfless service, integrity, and personal courage in everything you do.
Do what’s right, legally, and morally. Integrity is a quality you develop by adhering to moral principles. It requires that you do and say nothing that deceives others. As your integrity grows, so does the trust others place in you. The more choices you make based on integrity, the more this highly prized value will affect your relationships with family and friends, and, finally, the fundamental acceptance of yourself.
Face fear, danger, or adversity (physical or moral). Personal courage has long been associated with the military. With physical courage, it is a matter of enduring physical duress and at times risking personal safety. Facing moral fear or adversity may be a long, slow process of continuing forward on the right path, especially if taking those actions is not popular with others. You can build your personal courage by daily standing up for and acting upon the things that you know are honorable.