LODE

by Liam Devlin

Maggie (2801): This former TL-13 world's Imperial Naval base, once HQ of the 1163rd Reserve Fleet, survived in part to the courage & dedication of its citizens. In fact the citizenry remained loyal to Lucan throughout the war. This fact may have contributed to their not getting hit in a Black War strike. Regardless, they too had to retool down to TL-11 due to economic retraction of the Safe to Core Sector by 1125. They lost their ability to build spacecraft in a daring Raid by Dulinor's forces in 1123, but the base itself was missed as the enemy taskforce was denied the ability to refuel at the planet and, having no gas giants, they were forced to flee. Virus was yet another challenge, yet they fought against it as they had against all other foes. Some 4 million died in the next four years, but order was restored by 1135 & technology was reset at TL-10.

Maggie rests in Orbit 0 around her Primary, with a M-class dwarf near companion at Orbit 3, creating a gravity well barrier most Vampire ships would find disconcerting should retreat be a viable option. Orbits 1 & 2 are empty.

The government is a militaristic civil service bureaucracy. All are employed by the Defense establishment to one degree or another, even farmers, who provide foodstuffs. The high law level is a response to trade & off world shipping, rather than personal law level (about LL-5 there). The Joint Chief's Council runs the show and the Wet Navy has the least amount of pull (being the smallest service branch). The military strength reflects only the active duty forces, not the reservists (another 25%) or the Militia-men (retirees-Inactive reserves - 25%). Education is military discipline driven. Exams are given for entry to the forces or Support (civilian careers).

To date by 1200, they have met with the TEDs of Coire (2802) & Rolande (2901) and are conducting limited trade with them (mostly foodstuffs/medicines). They found cautious welcome on Caer (2903) from the first captain, but have been warned off about Vampires to trailing.

*56 TL-13 Kestrel & Peregrine class Ftrs, 168 TL-11 Termagant class Ftrs, & 338 TL-10 Daytona class Orbital Ftrs
**22 at TL-13, including planetary meson guns, 66 at TL-11, & 137 at TL-10
***A third of the MC's are jump capable and two thirds of the SC's are jump capable. The rest of the SC's are SDBs (TL-13 to TL-10).

Path of Tears Government Characteristics Table

Government	Civil Service Bureaucracy
Talent	High
Corruption	Low
Cruelty	Low
Aggression	High
Paranoia/Xenophobia	Medium
Administration	High
Intrigue	Low
Diplomacy	Medium
Military Strategies	High
Military Tactics	High
Leadership	High

Kurae (2806): Formerly TL-6 with a D-class port, this Hi-pop world was a pawn in the 1117-1123 see-saw campaign for the sector. After the battle of 1118, the war primarily ignored them. The 7 billion inhabitants were reduced to TL-2 and their already pre-stellar economy found itself shattered to pre-industrial levels.

Kurae's standard atmosphere led to its becoming something of a haven for refugees from other war torn, inhospitable planets. Kurae's CSB government, decided it didn't want these new "imperial citizens" contaminating their society. Kurae resented the fact they were dumped here by doomed trade ships. The Belters from Lode were particularly challenged, as the planet had no infrastructure to go forth and exploit their own system, much less the ability to put anything into low, near orbit. And the Kurasians didn't care. In light of the troublesome social & ethnic problems these refugees created to their stable low tech society (Think Pre-Colonial European intervention Imperial China here), the Kurae Curates decided exiling them was best, and selected (not the refugees decision) several small low population density archipelagoes to "resettle them at". Not all were grateful. Those opposed were forced to; those who resisted were imprisoned under hard labor. The Curates decided to dismantle their starport to prevent further "contamination" in 1127.

Refugees fleeing from Lode (2908), Faithe (2708) & Winston (2707) brought with them the seeds to spawn the tech renewal to TL-9 (which both Winston & Faith had fallen to by 1128). These they were allowed to keep. The government saw no reason to confiscate them, after all, there was no power or electricity where they were exiled. Only firearms were seized, and subsequently destroyed. The Curates weren't too cruel, the islands were large enough to hold the 78,000 refugees, and had adequate flora & fauna for them to utilize for their own food supply, as well as the basic tools for a TL-2 society. They set about making their new home as best they could and went from there.

The advent of Virus wreaked no havoc upon the main continent of Kurae, save for a doomslayer Imperial destroyer that superfluously bombarded the abandoned community before jumping out of system to wreak more devilment elsewhere.

The main continent has remained at its former tech level, the Final War and the Star Doom left indelible marks on the Curates. They have shunned any off world contact, even though they have suffered raids from slaving raiders since the late 1180's. The government however has a new external threat - the spread of knowledge from the Exile-Archipelagos. Calling themselves the "Gunni" the Curates' Secret Police have stiffened laws and penalties, and is becoming more and more repressive. The High Admiral of the Navy has thus far had several stunning defeats against the "pirates" of the South Kurasian Sea, which in turn has created a more insular attitude amongst the Curates.

On the Islands of "Faith", "Winston", & "Lode", some advancement has occurred, as well as three separate paths to the future. Faith, is ruled by a Mystic Autocracy. They converted their few natives to their religion and wedded it to the pursuit of knowledge & technology. They are currently early TL-4, with a population of some 60,000 sentients. Windmills & crude tidal generators from the sea are utilized for electricity. In 1197 they were contacted by a Free Trader and have looked forward to their annual visit. The High Prelate of the Church of Faith & Knowledge has been smuggling missionaries into the Kurae mainland, where it is known they have been persecuted & hunted.

In the "Winston" archipelago, the natives were "colonialized", by the impromptu Charismatic Oligarchy (a Constitutional monarchy) that formed. The techno-missionaries from Faith are welcome here, and they currently enjoy cordial relations. Winston has reached the high end of TL-3, having gunpowder, and are ambitiously building a polder for more arable land. Their ships sport banks of cannon (Napoleonic-War era vessels). They have swiftly dominated the seas for miles around them, placing the once-exiles archipelagos under their umbrella. Winston's population (new territories included) numbers some 125,000 sentients.

In the "Lode" archipelago, the metallurgists & geologists formed Guilds to preserve their knowledge. They quickly exploited the resources they had as well as the ones they discovered. They are on the verge of re-creating the steam engine. They sell their nitrates to Faith & Winston for the production of gunpowder and have formed brass cartridges for small arms thus far. Revolvers, "pepperbox" derringers, tube fed lever action rifles are amongst their latest wares. Lack of brass curtails artillery advancement to 3M at present.

Their present population is 20,000. Within the Dominion of Winston, they are a separate government. Relations with Faith are brusque, especially where science & religion cross paths. The former Belters' grandsons grew up hating the Kurasians and are more than pleased to arm and equip Winston's forces to punish them for their "benevolent exile".

Path of Tears Government Characteristics Table

Nation	Kurae Main	Faith	Winston	Lode
Government	CSB	MA	CO	SPO
Talent	Medium	High	High	High
Corruption	High	Low	Medium	Low
Cruelty	High	Low	Medium	Low
Aggression	High	Low	High	High
Paranoia/Xenophobia	High	Low	Medium	High
Administration	Low	High	High	High
Intrigue	High	Low	Medium	Low
Diplomacy	Low	High	High	Medium
Military Strategies	High	Medium	High	High
Military Tactics	Low	Medium	High	Low
Leadership	Medium	High	High	Medium
Tech Level	2	4	3M	3/4
Starport	X	E	X	X
Law Level	9	3	5	2

Caer (2903): Another cul de sac planet between its primary & near companion dwarf star, Caer's small population survives on the trade her three small starships bring in & the charismatic leadership of the ruler, First Captain Jean-Luc Sansterre. The three ships are the SS Esprit de Terre, a Wilds Trader class merchant (TL-13, 800 dtns, J-3/2G); the SS Cardinal Richelieu, a converted Bastien Liner (TL-12, 600dtns, J3/1G); and the SS Ste Jean D'Arc, a stretched Subsidized "Fat" Freighter (TL-10, 600dtns, J-1(x2)/1G). Sansterre has neglected to tell the Maggian Admiralty of the existent worlds on Urak, Melville, or Kurae to rimward for fear of losing their monopoly in the subsector. However, he has not lied about those worlds with no starports or with xenophobic & technophobic populations.

Urak (3101): This world has managed to keep a few TL-8 & TL-7 spaceships in service, mostly Far Rebel STL's & Roughneck class Frontier Fuel harvesters. The Starfarer's Guild is firmly entrenched and runs the starport. After a die off of 4.2 billion people, the popualtion traded their freedom for security & order. The Technarchs who rule the industries & utilities keep it that way.

Path of Tears Government Characteristics Table

Government	Self-Perpetuating Oligarchy
Talent	Low
Corruption	High
Cruelty	Medium
Aggression	Medium
Paranoia/Xenophobia	Medium
Administration	Medium
Intrigue	High
Diplomacy	Low
Military Strategies	Medium
Military Tactics	Low
Leadership	Low

Melville (3102): A Terran prime world (Size 8) with rich resources & dense atmosphere, Melville has weathered the Collpase fairly well, falling from TL-12 to TL-9. This once balkanized planet united in the wake of the Collapse around the lines of a representative democracy so the four major continents were equally represented. Melville, like Chandra (2606) & Kurae is one of the few systems to have experienced population growth since the Advent of the Virus. The 27 million people who call this world home today still enjoy occasional off-world trade, from Caer & the Guilders. Melville stabilized at TL-9 and has yet to ratify referendum to permit them to go back to the interstellar community themselves.

Path of Tears Government Characteristics Table

Government	Representative Democracy
Talent	High
Corruption	Medium
Cruelty	MediumLow
Aggression	Medium
Paranoia/Xenophobia	Low
Administration	Medium
Intrigue	Medium
Diplomacy	High
Military Strategies	High
Military Tactics	Low
Leadership	High

Farley (3206): The world revolves around its primary, Solarus Alpha, in orbit 4 while its primary's companions, Solarus Beta and Solarus Ceti, lie in orbit 1 and orbit 2. This expanded gravity well forces ships to travel much further in order to reach a safe jump point. With no gas giants in the system, there is apparently no way around this.

Formerly TL-15, The Hard Times caused only minor tech recession. Her isolation aided in getting prepared for the AI Virus, which came in early 1130 from an infected merchant vessel trying to make it to the Kerr subsector & the Hub Worlds. The inhabitants tossed off their bureaucracy and struck out on a nationalistic course with a fascist dictatorship. Farley maintains the second best starport in the subsector (B), but has the highest tech level (11).

Path of Tears Government Characteristics Table

Government	Charismatic Dictatorship
Talent	Medium
Corruption	Low
Cruelty	Low
Aggression	High
Paranoia/Xenophobia	Medium
Administration	Medium
Intrigue	Medium
Diplomacy	Low
Military Strategies	High
Military Tactics	Medium
Leadership	High

After 6 decades of isolation, Farley has embarked on an effort to see what lies out there beyond their borders. To trailing in Kerr they have found only a dead world at Vilardi and TEDs at the likes of Kapabu-Sepple & Trostar. At Yarmouth (3208) and Lode (2908), Farley's interventions have hopelessly balkanized the planets. And the only planet near them worthy of an alliance, Patter (3109), won't have anything to do with them. Farley is wondering if there is anyone worthy of having a "short glorious little war with" left in Known space.

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