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Q-dex / Technology / Magic
Size / Population / Climate & Geography / Flora & Fauna
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Military / Sports & Leisure / Major Population Centers / Chronic Problems
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Q-dex:

This zone supports powerful, advanced mystics based upon 3 dimensional structures. Technology is based upon particles, but is limited by a lower than average handling ratio.

Technology:

This technology has in its own way permeated Surraine civilization. The primary building material is crystal. Almost any color and degree of transparency can be chosen. Varying degrees of quality result in varying hardness. The weakest crystals may be used for things like windows while the most durable is used as military grade armor. Light body armor is made by weaving high strength long particles chains together to from articles of clothing. Heavy and formal body armor as well as ancient weapons are formed from hard crystals. These suits and weapons are so durable that some are almost two millenia old and still quite usable. 

Magic:

A light switch is a simple rune which causes a crystal set in the ceiling to glow brightly. Propulsion can be achieved by a rune that redefines the vehicle as moving or redefines it to a new location. Runes as they are usually have somewhat set effects. More dynamic and variable effects are created by using runes to generate essence which can then be used to cause changes in other runes.  

Simple computers are achieved by the manipulation and decay of intricate essence flows. The most powerful computers actually use a kind of scrying process on its own internal workings. This allows it to predict what answer it will come up with in less time than the actual processing would normally take. The end result is similar to a TFP with the exceptions that the precognitive computerís capabilities do not increase with age and the precognitive computer does not level well at all.  

All this discussion of runes does not mean that it is impossible to create mystic effects without hardware. It is just very hard. Essentially one must use their body as a form of dynamic rune. To create a mystic effect one must perform complex and precise movements while focusing on intricate mental images. The result usually resembles a very intricate and powerful dance. This resemblance has actually lead to the development of spell casting as a performing art.

Size:

Sur, the home star system, is the only one that contains planets. The first planet in the system is Forranree which is ideal for energy production with its proximity to Sur. The next planet out is Halissan a watery planet with rich plant and sea life. Surraine the home planet of the Surraine is the third planet. Further out is Ceriste a crystal rich desert planet. The gas giant Vohnan with its complicated ring system occupies the next orbit. Amperand a lifeless gas giant with many small moons is the sixth planet out. The final planet Irzude is best described as a small frozen rock.  

The Dancing Star system is named for the peculiar nature of its star. This relatively small star randomly changes color and position within a quantum storm. The value of this system is that mystical effects are slightly more powerful within a limited distance of the Dancing Star. This has resulted in the construction of manufacturing and processing facilities where the increased effectiveness of runic effects reduces the effort required to produce crystal structures. The system lacks large planets and primarily consists of crystalline asteroids and planetoids.

Population:

Outside of the home system lives another two billion people. These two billion live in space stations of varying size. The majority of these stations which serve as construction and industrial centers orbit the Dancing Star. The largest of these stations, Dancing Star station, serves as both a major shipyard facility and a trading center and is home to almost half a billion sentients with the Drean, who compose approximately half the station population, currently the only aliens in residence. The four military shipyards are the next major population centers in this system. Their combined population is three quarters of a billion Surraine. The various private manufacturing and construction facilities hold the remaining population with no single station larger than 100 million.

Climate and Geography:

Forranree 
While energy is not a vital resource for the Surraine, it still has plenty of uses. That is why Forranree was developed. The surface of the planet is very hot with no atmosphere. The artificial subterranean environment is habitable and maintained at constant summer temperatures. The most prominent features are the energy collection and broadcasting structures built by the Surraine. These massive crystal structures absorb solar energy and shunt it through mystic portals to receiver stations throughout the system. 

Halissan 
The planet Halissan is a watery world. Approximately 95% of the planets surface is water. The only land masses were caused by volcanic activity. The weather above the ocean is generally quite hot with cool weather occurring only during night time and violent storms. The Surraine live in massive crystal domes beneath the oceans. The purpose of the domes are to allow the Surraine to have access to the rich mineral, plant, and animal life present at the lower depths. The water itself is remarkably clear allowing light to filter down to the lower depths.  

Surraine 
Information about the Surraine home planet is highly restricted. Few non Surraine are even allowed in orbit let alone on the surface. The information which is available is that there are 4 major continents and that two-thirds of the surface is covered by water. Negotiations are underway to make more information publicly available.  

Ceriste 
Ceriste is a planet with a thin atmosphere and very little weather. The average temperatures are rather chilly. The planet itself is a massive formation of crystal. Natural fractures in the surface extend miles deep into the planet. Many of them have been expanded due to centuries of mining. All of the surface features have a sharp angular appearances and the landscape is rough and difficult to travel by land. Most of the Surraine on the planet live in pressurized habitats in or near the large fractures.  

Vohnan 
This gas giant is often considered one of the more unusual places to live. The rings are quite beautiful and so is the multicolored atmosphere. The weather is surprisingly calm for a gas giant. Vohnan was originally colonized by a group of mages seeking to build the ideal society. They knew that land would be hard to get so they decided to create their own. The settlements on this planet are all based upon massive floating magical islands. Later more people came and the planet developed into a major center of mystical development.  

Amperand 
Amperand is a gas giant engulfed in perpetual storms. The severity of the windstorm and energy storms on the planet make it unsuitable for colonization similar to that of Vohnan. Small mining and research stations are present upon its many airless moons.  

Irzude 
Imagine a block of ice, shatter it than crunch it all together. That would give you a good image of Irzude. The planet possesses a thick atmosphere of freezing gases. There are even oceans of super cold liquids. Only small scattered military and research stations have been developed on this planet.

Flora and Fauna:

A more unusual animal are the Lohrjans of Halissan. These animals (or plants according to some) are up to a mile long and have a transparent membrane for a skin. They possess organic systems scattered throughout their entire body. They survive by absorbing microscopic creatures from the ocean.  

Vohnan is home to another strange creature called the Storrayth. These creatures are only seen near or inside the infrequent storms of this planet. Very little is know about them. They appear to be amorphous in shape and almost immaterial. Current theory suggests that these creatures have some sort of magical origin.

History:

The actual development of an advanced society did not occur until the arrival of a man named Fasturian. Over the years he has come to be viewed as an almost legendary figure. Fasturian discovered and then taught the principles of runic magic. From that point on Surraine civilization exploded. The earliest societies were built around centers of mystic knowledge. Over the next two thousand years these societies developed into nations. The mystic sciences continued to advance at an accelerated rate. The five major nations which were present at this time were the Johrovan Empire, the Massinar Imperium, the Jharryth Concordance, Thraysin, and Jurrand.  

During the next 800 years wars and conflict occurred between these nations on a fairly regular basis. When the Surraine spread into space they even took their wars with them. The tone of war changed abruptly. The Johrovan Empire started attempting to work things more diplomatically. The primary tools were termed anti-aggression treaties. They basically worked that if somebody started a war the other members of the treaties would immediately move to annihilate the offending military units. This worked to discourage overt military action and resulted in rather intense covert hostilities. Assassination and sabotage were the primary means of conflict for the next two centuries. Again, House Johrovan found it necessary to fix the situation. Too many good people were being killed and too many ruthless ones were surviving. In an amazing feat Raylor Johrovan, the ruler of House Johrovan, kidnapped the entire governments of each of the major nations. They were forced to sign the treaty that established the  

Johrovan Alliance. House Johrovan had gained the upper hand. The general theory is that House Johrovan developed some kind of secret technology which allows them to observe and abduct hostiles despite mystic shielding. The basic situation is that you can disagree with and work against each other all you want, but overt or covert aggression is rendered almost impossible since the instigators are usually abducted before their plans come to fruition.  

This ëpeaceí was established two hundred years prior to contact with the Drean Association. Now, 150 years later the next stage of Surraine history has occurred. Contact has been made with the Omnet and the Surraine are now aware of the greater galaxy. 

Government:

Foreign Policy:

Most foreign sentients are required to check in at Dancing Star station before proceeding to any other part of Alliance space. Only those foreign sentients with special permission are allowed to even approach the Surraine home world. Violators of the aforementioned rules will be turned back and possibly even met with force.  

A current major effort in the direction of foreign relations is the Fasturian. A famous battleship is being retrofitted with a wide variety of different technologies and mystic systems so that it may serve as a mobile embassy of sorts. The ship will be greatly reduced in firepower, but able to function in a wide variety of quantum zones. The hope is that it will serve as a kind of mobile embassy. 

Domestic Policy:

Society:

Languages:

There are times the normal form of communication is less than ideal or impossible to achieve. As a result several forms of the language have been developed.  The best known non gesture form of Ahredj is known as Ahrensa. The origin of this language can trace its origins back to ancient duels. Those fighting a duel needed some way to insult and provoke each other while wielding a sword, thus a new language form was developed. The basic structure of this language was modified over time to make it more flexible and in this form it was utilized by the military. As more and more words were added to Ahrensa it became popular among the civilian population. The current use for Ahrensa was a result of contact with the Drean Association. The Alliance needed a language that would be easier for aliens to understand and learn. Ahrensa due to its widespread use as a secondary form of communication proved an ideal choice. It is now the language used by Surraine to communicate with outsiders.   

Religion:

Castes:

Economy:

Military:

The ships and vehicles of the military our similar to most other surraine vehicles in that they are made from crystal and powered by runes. The main differences being that the runic systems are more advanced and the crystalline hulls and armor are much more durable. The main limitation on modern surraine military technology is that it levels very poorly. The only part of the ship which levels well is the armor and hull.  

The primary sublight propulsion used is an inertialess system which works by redefining the speed of the vessel. Faster than light travel is achieved via a teleportational system which redefines the position of the vessel. Beam weaponry consists of essence and mystical effect projectors. The main projectile weapon is the shard cannon which fires crystals at near light speeds. Missiles work either as guided projectiles that release a mystical effect close to the target. Another type of weapon are teleportational bombs. These are difficult to hit with, but are devastating to enemy vessels without shielding or warding against such an attack. 

Sports and Leisure:

Another popular game is called crystal combat. It is a complicated strategy game well over a thousand years old. The game is played by two opposing persons. The setup consists of two small crystal figures placed on pedestals located in the center of each half of a 5í by 10í area. Pedestals of varying height are spread across the playing area. The players take turns placing specialized runes on the pedestals. The objective is the create a spell effect that shatters your opponents figure while you still protect your own.

Major Population Centers:

Chronic Problems:

Submission Information:

Submitter's Name:"Marleon Cumpston"
Submitter's Email: Marleon Cumpston