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Overview:Navigation:CoLC IndexGolconda Index |
The Golconda Unity consists of the descendants of Earth settlers whose genetic structure was changed by a quantum storm shortly after arriving on the planet. The word Golconda is taken from the place name of a ruined fort near Hyderabad, India, on old Earth, famous for its legendary diamond troves. The home planet of the Golcondans is called Kimberley, so named after the two largest diamond producing districts on old Earth, namely Kimberley, South Africa and Kimberley, West Australia.
The Golconda society appears complex to outsiders, a concept which is most strange to Golcondan's. Government is based on a clan structure. There are five clans, namely the Arans, Narms, Sarms, Erans and Ilans. Within each clan, people can be employed within a guild. Employment is not restricted by gender. Guild membership tends to be hereditary, especially where privileged skills are involved, though notable figures throughout history have exhibited a strong correlation with guild shifting. Whilst no guild claims dominance, the Gemformers are probably among the most highly regarded. Within each guild there are different schools. These seek to expand the range of skills that can be practiced within a guild. Occasionally, new skills have been developed which have led to guild wars, and the formation of new schools, where a guild war could not be satisfactorily resolved. Tradition has restricted the formation of new guilds, a subject which is at the forefront of discussion at the Executive level of Government. |
Index: |
Q-dex / Technology / Magic
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Q-dex: |
Technical Sciences Referent is 894. Both Life and Energy emerge from the Void. The interaction of the two elements brings forth matter. Both life and energy are abundant. Mystic Sciences Referent is 345. Essence exists in large quantities. The zone is classified Enchanted Essence Linear where Essence creates Mana which creates Life.
The Q-dex for the zone is T 789.2322/894.807O M 676.3533/345.12. Mystics of Golconda believe that is was Essence mystical forces which modified the cellular structure of the original settlers. Strong debate continues with scientists on the relative influence of the zones technological and mystical classifications during the Great Conversion. |
Technology: |
The Golconda Empire has achieved faster than light travel technology. Production facilities are highly automated.
Technology in the zone centers around energy flows. Convergences of energy flows produce matter. The great convergences have given rise to stars, the lesser convergences generate planets and other celestial bodies. These in turn emit energy which can be harnessed by self-propagating life forms. Sentient life forms, of which the Golconda are the most advanced in the zone, have learnt to capture and manipulate this energy using crystals which are abundant on most non-solar astral bodies in the zone. The energy flows, where they led to the creation of planets, tended to concentrate elements and compounds into crystalline form. As a result large quantities of gemstones exist on Golcondan worlds. The colour and purity of the crystalline structure determines the amount of energy each crystal can contain. Where energy concentrations produced excesses of soft matter (equate with atoms which are low on the Periodic Table) huge "gas giant" planets developed. The most important skill on Kimberley is gem cutting because proper shape and size serves to amplify and focus the power contained in crystals. As well gems are an essential part of the Golcondan social structure (see Guilds) The rarest skill is gem forming. Most life forms are based on silicone rather than carbon, which under the influence of energy flows, has a tendency to adopt a hard crystalline structure, covering many areas with huge heaps of worthless diamonds. A consequence of this is that hard metals are a rarity because they require carbon for added strength. Using the energy contained in crystals, matter can be converted into a viscous and malleable state, formed into the desired shape, and then "frozen" by allowing it to convert to its strongly bonded prior state. Thus construction of seamless, extremely strong structures and machines is possible. Travel is accomplished by filtering energy flows. These energy flows occur in different wave lengths and `drive' crystals harness the energy and convert it into motion. The shape of a crystal determines its function, whilst colour affects wave length. The shorter the wavelength harnessed, the faster the vehicle travels. FTL travel is achieved by folding space (generating wormholes). |
Magic: |
Essence magic predominates in this zone. Not surprisingly, the greatest magicians tend to be useful gem shapers as well. Essence magic is harnessed in crystals and released through sonics, so a magician must also be able to generate appropriate sounds to produce magic. Different schools of magic exist based upon closely guarded skills in the forming and cutting of crystals, and in the production of sonics. Some use artificial means, whilst others use the power of their own voice. |
Size: |
The Golconda Unity spans 20 star systems. Not all suns have habitable planets. The sun in the home system is named Phoebus and the home planet is called Kimberley. It has two moons, both of which are capable of sustaining life. Kimberley is the fourth planet circling the Star Phoebus.
On arrival at Kimberley, the 'Lemming' shared orbit of Kimberley with two natural satellites. One was the golden hued Aura. Its colour was not due to any gold deposits, as the name would suggest, but rather to the yellow colour of much of the native flora. It has a thin, breathable atmosphere, but extended work without breathing equipment is not possible. The second, Aqua, though smaller, is denser. It is covered entirely by water and has an atmosphere consisting of Nitrogen and Carbon Dioxide and traces of Oxygen. The water teems with micro organisms of two types, those which consume CO2 and release Oxygen, and those which consume the first type and release CO2. The colour of the sea varies seasonally from deep blue to aquamarine depending on which species is in the ascendancy. This in turn is dependent upon Kimberley's proximity to Phoebus. Both moons share the same North-South orbit over the poles, on opposite sides of Kimberley, rather than around the equatorial region. The orbits are not perfectly aligned with the planet's magnetic poles, which oscillate position slowly over a two thousand orbit cycle. The first planet, Euryale has a diameter of 800 kilometres, is made up of dense metal bearing ores, and has no atmosphere or moons. The second planet, Vesta, has a diameter of 6,300 kilometres, and appears to burn in the sky, because of immense iron ore deposits which cover its crust. It has no surface water. The atmosphere consists largely of Nitrogen. It has substantial oxygen, most of which exists in combination with iron as Iron Oxide (rust). The third planet, Iris, has a diameter of 14,000 kilometres. It has a dense atmosphere consisting mainly of carbon dioxide and water vapour. Surface temperatures exceed 100 degrees centigrade. From time to time, astronomers have observed explosions of colour in the upper atmosphere. These are caused by gem laden meteors and asteroids, which circle Iris, burning up in the atmosphere. The fourth planet, Kimberley, has a diameter of 11,000 kilometres and a thin Oxygen, Nitrogen atmosphere, capable of sustaining human beings. Solar radiation is higher than on Earth due to the thinner atmosphere. There are five principal land masses, each bearing a name of one of the clans. Aran, though not the largest was the first and is therefore the most densely populated. The oceans are fresh water, most salts being trapped in dense crystalline form and therefore water insoluble. The fifth planet, Titan, is a gas giant of 200,000 kilometres in diameter. It has fourteen minor satellites. Three other smaller gas giants complete the Phoebus family. The other systems are not inhabited, though all are defended by automatic defense systems. As well, those with life supporting atmospheres do have military and scientific outposts. |
Population: |
The population of the Golconda Empire was recently surveyed at 911,657,213 people. Approximately three quarters of the population is female. The Golconda are, to all intents and purposes indistinguishable from humans. With a lower gravity than Old Terra we tend to be taller and thinner. Since our structure is based on silicone and copper rather than carbon and iron, we are more flexible than our ancient ancestors, and our blood is green. |
Climate and Geography: |
Kimberley has a very slight axial tilt and an almost circular orbit. As such variations in weather due to seasonal factors are nominal. At the poles the temperature ranges from -40C to 2C. At the equator, the temperature remains a comfortable 43C year round. The two moons of Kimberley produce massive tides, which range from -13 metres to +30 metres around average sea level. True darkness is a rarity on Kimberley because of the two bright moons.
The planets surface is 60% land and 40% water. Vast areas of crystal desert cover the planet accounting for 17% of the land area. Ice and snow covers both poles, but only above the 75th latitude. Most of the planets land area is grasslands, 32% and forest 42%, the remaining 9% is mountainous. |
Flora and Fauna: |
The native flora is crystalline in nature. Imported earth varieties prosper in the temperate latitudes. The scope of flora is immense, and many wilderness areas contain as yet unclassified species.
The fauna also is of two kinds. There are the imported earth species, all of which are stock animals, cattle fish and poultry. The native animals occur in greater variety and some are particularly vicious. The predators are of two types, those which feast on the flesh of native species, and those which have acquired a taste for the soft earth animals, including humans. Several species of native predators are capable of mental attacks. |
History: |
Kimberley was first settled five hundred and two cycles ago (703 Earth years) by colonists from old earth mining districts who wished to develop the rich gemstone deposits which had been surveyed by the Science vessel 'Magellan' some 17 earth years before.
Seventy two families embarked from the colony ship 'Lemming', a name adopted by the adventurous colonists, who as a group, were notable for their sense of humour and adventure. In addition to the 144 adults there were 216 teenagers, all female, and a further 720 offspring 'in-embryo'. All colonizing groups were provided with 5 embryos per family, by the Earth Emigration Authority to guarantee genetic diversity. They were to be implanted in the younger females and brought to term after the able-bodied colonists had established satisfactory accommodations. In addition to humans, a broad range of fauna were transported in this manner, as were seeds of all kinds. The Lemming set down on the Aran land mass, located in the southern hemisphere at 24 deg. S 151 deg. E. Higher latitudes, though more temperate, were initially avoided due to occasional bursts of ionising radiation at the polar latitudes. The Lemming provided protection from all detectable forms of radiation, but the atmospheric suits could only provide sufficient protection to allow four hours outside the mother ship. Accordingly, a schedule was arranged whereby twelve families would work outside for a four hour shift. Work involved construction of living domes and exploration. Seven weeks after landing, the Great Conversion occurred. The moons of Aqua and Aura came into alignment over the North and South poles respectively, an event which occurs only one in a thousand cycles. The moons then became the focus for the planets ionosphere, greatly magnifying its size, and causing a quantum leap in the level of radiation bombarding the planet. Most of the electronic equipment collapsed under the bombardment, circuits overloaded, and metal fused. All biological life underwent a transformation which replaced all carbon with silicon, and all iron with copper. The twelve families working outside were most immediately affected which, as it turned out saved their lives. Those inside the heavy protection of the Lemming underwent a slower conversion and went mad during the process. The embryonic humans and animals, not having fully formed mental lattices underwent the slower conversion without adverse effects. When the twelve families regained consciousness and returned to the Lemming, all of the families inside were dead, due either to murder or suicide, or suffocation from the smoldering wreckage inside. The struggle of the survivors is the stuff of legends. Suffice to say they succeeded. The Lemming was renamed the Golconda, after a destroyed fort on old Earth, and the people used that name to refer to themselves thereafter. |
Government: |
The executive arm of government consists of clan leaders, and guild leaders There are twelve guilds. Thus each clan has thirteen votes, twelve guild votes and the clan leader vote. When a clan leader is elected - for life, a new guild leader replaces him - for life. Unnatural death is almost unheard of. These sixty five distinguished Golcondans govern through the Bureaucratic guild. One clan leader is chosen from the five to be The Speaker. At present it is Janek of the Ilans.
The Government is a democratic autocracy. The rulers are held in complete trust by almost the entire population. The executive arm of government has total decision making power. The government is quite small and as a consequence amazingly efficient. Most citizens are not even aware that the government has an impact on their lives. All decisions are made via the clan structure, as close as possible to the point of impact of the decision. Foreign Policy:The Golconda Unity is part of the Delsym Alliance. It is a peace loving fraternity which seeks contact with all like minded species. Being in an isolated and distant part of the galaxy, tourism from other species is minimal. No policy has been formalized on immigration from other planets. To the best of our knowledge other humanoid species would find our climate comfortable. Our race has never been at war with another sentient species. Trade with other species is currently restricted to members of the Delsym Alliance, though it is eagerly sought with other races. Domestic Policy:Order is a way of life for the Golconda, decreed by early hardships, and the need to work together to survive. There is an amazing unanimity of opinion amongst the people, all of whom participate in the structure of society. There is complete freedom of speech. Police are amongst the most highly regarded citizens of Golconda. Even more so than doctors, spiritual channelers. Their onyx symbols are always greeted with a smile. This regard has been well earned by these members of the Enforcement guild who are always willing to assist other citizens with attitude adjustment. Armed only with their personality crystals, they are quick to intermediate in any disputes. Whilst the Police are just one school of the Enforcement guild, they are justifiably proud of their guild founders Alison and David Kline, the only mixed couple amongst the original twelve who survived. [Note: Whilst David is regarded as the Father of Golconda, it was in fact the cargo of embryos which provided all but two of the Golconda born in the first twelve cycles]. Police are also involved in rescue work and accident investigation. Their analysis and recommendations of industrial and vehicular accidents have resulted in many safety improvements in the work environment, and particularly in transport. |
Society: |
The Golconda society appears complex to outsiders, a concept which is most strange to Golcondan's. Government is based on a clan structure. There are five clans, namely the Arans, Narms, Sarms, Erans and Ilans. Within each clan, people can be employed within a guild. Employment is not restricted by gender. Guild membership tends to be hereditary, especially where privileged skills are involved, though notable figures throughout history have exhibited a strong correlation with guild shifting. Whilst no guild claims dominance, the Gemformers are probably among the most highly regarded. Within each guild there are different schools. These seek to expand the range of skills that can be practiced within a guild. Occasionally, new skills have been developed which have led to guild wars, and the formation of new schools, where a guild war could not be satisfactorily resolved. Tradition has restricted the formation of new guilds, a subject which is at the forefront of discussion at the Executive level of Government.
Underlying these formal structures is the 'family' unit. A family unit comprises everyone that a citizen interacts with on a regular basis. As such they tend to be geographical rather than simply familial. To a child, a teacher or doctor is an uncle or aunt; a peer, is a brother or sister; and to a senior, a subordinate is a son or daughter. During the formative early years, training is eclectic. After ten planetary cycles (about 14 Terran Years) a decision must be made by the 'family' on what school and guild a child should enter. This takes the form of a weighted ballot, where each 'family ' member receives one voting credit based on cycles since indentureship.(CSI). Thus a first year apprentice would have one CSI vote, whilst a master of forty cycles would have thirty CSI votes. The child has no input on the basis that children tend not to know what is best for themselves. (Note: they have zero CSIs). First loyalty is to the clan, then to the guild, then to the school and finally to the family. The inhabitants speak a language colloquially referred to as Strine. This closely resembles Galactic common. There is only one language spoken throughout the Golconda Empire. Religion:Central to the religious beliefs of the Golconda people is the event known as The Great Conversion, which left only one male, and 59 females capable of functioning. Additionally, 720 embryos survived and were brought to term over the following twelve solar cycles. The Golconda are convinced that they have been converted, figuratively and literally for a great purpose. The Supreme Being of the universe has made a Babylon of this Galaxy and it is up to the Golconda to show other races the true path back to Unity. We are tolerant of all religions and wish to assimilate their beliefs and interpret them for the benefit of the citizens raised in a particular faith. Central to our faith is the belief that The Supreme Being wants us to be different and tolerant. We therefore encourage all races to follow their own beliefs at their own pace. Where this does not occur we have found that power is corrupted, wars are fought in the name of The Supreme Being, and people die. We find this to be most wasteful. In the early days of our existence we had almost nothing. The founders of our Ontology guild taught us to share with each other, and defend what we had from those who would take it. In the early days that was the Waybeasts - large catlike creatures who have a taste for silicon. We are therefore most generous with our friends but unforgiving of those who would wish to take what we have unfairly. On the anniversary of The Great Conversion, all children born during that solar year are taken to a Temple of the Two Moons, where they are bathed in the light of the Great Amethyst. Temples of the Two Moons honour the role of Aura and Aqua in The Great Conversion. The Great Amethyst at each temple is in fact a replica of the amethyst birthstone of Kathryn Badan, co-founder of the Ontology Guild with her mate Jana. Miraculously, light reflected from the amethyst ensured that the liquid nitrogen did not evaporate, thus preserving the animal and human embryos that the colonists had brought. Kathryn is regarded as the source of medical enlightenment in those early days, whilst Jana embodies the spirituality. Guild members often use Aura synonymously with Jana, and Aqua with Kathryn. [As an aside, cryo-technology and amethyst crystal formation are closely linked]. This symbolic act, of bathing the children in the rays of the amethyst, is symbolic of their conversion to the faith. It reminds all older Golgondans of The Great Conversion and deliverance through divine intervention. Castes:Society is based on a guild structure. Each clan contains citizens who are members of one of the twelve guilds, based on the proficiencies of the first families (see Early History). Within clans, members of different guilds will work together to achieve mutually beneficial goals. For instance, members of the Gemform guild work well with all the other guilds. The Food and Transport guilds have close links, whereas the Military and Magic guilds are currently in dispute (see Magic). Each guild will have a greater or lesser number of schools. The size of these schools varies and, rarely, a school comes into existence. So far none have achieved the status of a separate guild. In the Transport guild there are currently moves afoot for the interstellar exploration school to form a separate guild. Support is coming from the Space school of the Military guild. They desire to merge and form the Star guild. Recent contact with the Quo'kar and Valdori civilizations has given impetus to this push, though the other Military schools: land, ocean and atmosphere are resisting the proposed new guild. Each guild member wears a ring bearing the Guild gem or stone. The cut and shade of the gemstone designates the school to which a particular guild member belongs. The size of the gem or stone is an indication of rank. Whilst non-Golcondans may note little difference, Golcondans themselves can distinguish the size of such gems and stones to the tenth of a carat. The greatest gem, the Star Sapphire belongs to the Gemform guild which has only three schools: forming, cutting or shaping, and evaluation. The guild representatives from the different clans keep in touch at the senior level through the executive arm of government where disputes are generally settled. Disputes within guilds which cannot be settled in this way are presented for resolution at the Annual Guild meeting. Whilst guild members of any rank and from every clan can attend, generally each school sends a representative from each location where it has a presence. |
Economy: |
Status and prestige is the basis for the economy. Money only exists as a medium of exchange with other species, though barter is preferred. Wealth distributed equitably throughout society by the extended family and guild structures. See Society - Castes.
There are no taxes, but every working citizen is allocated `credit' for their contribution to society, and 15% of this is tithed for administration, public health and defense spending. A further 30% is allocated towards education and research. Individual wealth is unheard of. All property remains with the family and the clan. Personal items which are occupation related may be of great value but on the death of the owner they revert to the family, guild and clan. |
Military: |
The Military guild developed from the family which was specifically charged with controlling animal pests native to Kimberley. Tradition has ensured that the land school of the military guild are expert trackers and survivalists. The other main schools, sea, air and space developed along with population and technological advancement.
Given that guilds so effectively manage conflict resolution, there has never been a clan war, and there is little domestic strife. Despite this Golcondans are extremely efficient in the art of war. Military AGMs are always held in isolated locations, occasionally off-world. These are preceded by a public display of current technology, followed by private war games where the different clans' Military guilds are ranked. Not all military affairs are so mundane. Occasional threats caused by stellar bodies with erratic orbits have been eliminated. Since the Military has faced no external threats in living memory, there capacity to deal with such is uncertain. They do however have a sizable research budget which has produced valuable spinnoffs for the general public, the most notable recent example being in climate control with the stormbreaker satellite. The Military vehemently deny that inappropriate use of these satellites could result in the vaporization of a good sized city. |
Sports and Leisure: |
Fishing, tidal surfing, flying, aquatic sports, hunting, wrestling, and Australian rules are all popular sports. All these forms or recreation were developed on Earth and adapted to suit local conditions. Leisure activities include reading, talking, live theatre.
For the more adventurous, there exists the opportunity to explore the tech-null zones which occur at 256 locations on the planet. In each of these zones any technology not powered by human muscle will not function. To compensate, magic is extremely powerful, and sometimes unstable in these zones. These areas are often used for military exercise. 128 of these tech-null zones are classified as extremely hazardous, with survival rates ranging from 5 to 25%. Warriors and mages continue to enter these zones because they yield the most powerful gemstones on the planet. Additionally, plants and animals in these zones, though dangerous have been known to yield curative substances. Metals which enter these zones gradually absorb magic energy. In one zone, a sword lost some 600 years earlier was found and brought back by a renowned adventurer. It was determined to be virtually indestructible, and capable of cutting through the hardest substances that our technology could produce. The effect appears permanent. Two days are commemorated during the Golconda year. The first is Foundation day, which is the first day of the year. It is also referred to as Planetfall, the day that the colony ship Lemming touched down on Kimberley. It is a day of celebration. The second day of commemoration is called Conversion day, and occurs 50 days after Foundation Day. On that day, all human life on the planet was altered into its present form, still human in shape, but quite different in body chemistry. |
Major Population Centers: |
The Capital of the empire is the city of Golconda. Situated on the banks of the Nile River which flows through the Aran Continent. It is the heart of government. The Crystal Palace, in the centre of the Aran Continent, is the place of magic. It is located high in the Dragonspine range of mountains.
Other major cities are Phoenix, Viridis, Winter and Seawind. Golconda is the capital of the Aran Clan's lands. This is the original and most populous clan. Phoenix is the capital of the Narm Clan's lands; Viridis is the capital of the Sarm Clan's lands. Winter is capital of the Eran Clan's land; and Seawind is the capital of the island lands of the Ilan Clan. |
Chronic Problems: |
Contact with the greater galaxy has put pressure on the guild structure to expand to cover the rapid expansion of occupational classes. Tradition holds that the original twelve guilds should be maintained. There has also been some disquiet on contact with other species, outside the Delsym Alliance.
One of the clan leaders, Lenox of the Aran, is attempting to encourage a policy of isolationism that will restrict access to Golconda territory. Recent advances in the application of mystic energy have led to some conflict between the guilds. Most research in this area has been funded by the military guild which wished to have the technology exploited under its auspices. The magic guild has successfully resisted this proposal. It is symptomatic of pressures being placed upon the existing guild structure. |
Submission Information: |
Submitter's Name: Edward O'Mara
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