Lee Tanos
Forlorn Protector
OUT OF CHARACTER INFORMATION
Intent: To make a cool system that justifies a whole bunch of BSG ships.
Image Credit: Here
Canon: N/A
Links: N/A
System Name: Lakonia
Demonym: Lakonian
Region: Outer Rim
System Features: Lakonia is a trinary star system with two major stars and a smaller one that is slaved on an irregular orbit between them. All three stars have several major and minor satellites, many of of which are inhabited. The stars are properly termed Lakonia Alpha, Beta, and Gamma. Alpha is a Class G star, Beta is a Class K, and Gamma is a Class M. The proper names for all the stars are Laskaris (Lakonia Alpha), Kantazos (Beta), and Tzimakes (Gamma).
There are a total of almost forty planets and planetoids in the Lakonia system divided among all three stars, of which thirteen are populated. The remainder are either totally barren or used for mining, resource depots, industry, or orbital anchors.
Coordinates: AI-28, just off the Mara Corridor
Major Imports: Advanced Construction Materials (Durasteel etc), other advanced products that are difficult to produce in Lakonia. The system is also a major trade center in general.
Major Exports: Food, Processed Materials, Lakonian Exotics (whiskey, wine, ceramics, some art, etc).
Gravity: All thirteen colonies are within a few points of normal gravity, thanks either to natural occurrence, technological support, or terraforming efforts.
Major Planetary Bodies
- The Thirteen Colonies: The settled planets of the Lakonia System.
Thessalia – Temperate / Standard: Dotted with cities and ringed by orbital facilities, Thessalia is called the 'jewel' of Lakonia. Large vibrant cities give way to carefully arranged farmland with patches of controlled wilderness in between. The hub for Lakonia. - Montauk – Temperate / Highlands: Colder and more inhospitable than Thessalia, but nearly has heavily populated and with far more industry.
- Atria – Constant Storms / Ocean (Islands): The heavily shielded cities of Atria depend almost entirely on the world-spanning ocean for their sustenance. Underwater settlements are widespread (though typically fairly small).
- Virion – Barren / Underground Cities: Devastated by nuclear bombardment during the darkest days of Lakonia's history, the people of Virion fled underground to survive. The bunkers there became cities, warrens of tunnels and halls connected to each other.
- Parvos – Desert Barrens and Oasis': Life on Parvos exists were possible, centered around a handful of oasis and using moisture capture technology to allow for larger settlements.
- Ganmede – Wet / Jungle and Wetlands: Either because of a conscious effort to not disturb nature, or simply because of the difficulty of it, people on Ganmede built vertically, with the major cities resembling compact mega-structures that tower above the endless jungle around them.
- Easten – Temperate / Standard: Largely similar to Thessalia, though with a much lower population.
- Tikonov – Volcanic and Mountainous (Mountain Cities): Like Virion, Tikonov was nearly destroyed by nuclear assault and the poeple forced to flee underground. Unlike Virion, the people of Tikonov never united their cities, as the terrain beneath them is too unstable and inhospitable. Instead the cities of Tikonov are built inside of dead volcanoes, the now cold cindercones a central spire around which life managed to thrive.
- Aenea – Summer / Grasslands and Plains: Cities on Aenea are sprawling affairs that try and marge with the sweeping grasslands of their world.
- Sardis – Temperate / Standard: Pretty much like Thessalia, although Sardis is a much smaller world overall.
- Haussad – Temperate / Dry Standard: More similar to Montauk, for a change.
- Safe Harbor – Wet Temperate / Oceanic (large Islands): Broadly similar to Atria, but the weather is far more pleasant.
- Tearpoint – Barren / Dome Cities and Orbital Habitats: Unique among the thirteen colonies, the planet of Tearpoint has no atmosphere. Founded by refugees and dissidents, the first residents lived out of grounded starships, settlements that gradually developed into large dome cities.
Other Major Locations:
Colonial Fleet Headquarters - Located on a rogue centaur caught in a stable point between all three stars, Naval HQ is a massive complex that is partially inside the tiny planetoid and extends into space with extensive orbital dockyards, depots, and repair facilities. The planetoid is largely host to the reactor complex (also generates heat) and several massive shield arrays (overall equivalent to a planetary shield) which protect the otherwise entirely static installation.
The Quorum - The meeting place of the Colonial Assembly and official 'capital' of the Thirteen Colonies, the Quorum is a large complex on the planet Sardis.
Tikonov Intergalactic Terminal - High in orbit over the planet, the Intergalactic Terminal is the major hub in Lakonia for trade flowing in-and-out-system. From this monolithic spaceport hundreds of small tramp freighters ferry goods in sublight to the other Lakonian colonies, and just as many hyperspace capable vessels are docked to move goods to the galaxy at large.
Native Species: Various small non-sentient animals.
Immigrated Species: Human.
Population: Heavily Populated across the system. Approximately 28 billion souls across all thirteen planets. Thessalia is the most heavily populated planet (4.2 billion) and Tikonov the least (less than 500 million).
Demographics: About 2/3s of the population is human, but over the millennia as a major trading stop the colonies became cosmopolitan hubs, though it varies from world to world. Montauk is still over 90% human, whereas Parvos is under 50%. As one might expect, the heaviest concentration of aliens is in the cities, especially those with major spaceports. The more rural one gets, the more human it looks, though it does vary from place to place.
Primary Languages: Galactic Standard Basic and Lakonic, plus alien native tongues wherever there is a significant percentage.
Culture: Lakonians are a well educated, independently-minded people with a terrific sense of community. While their history is full of strife and war over competing ideologies and governments, modern Lakonians are a fiercely democratic people with a strong tradition of personal liberty, freedom of speech, and working towards a common good. While not arrogant, Lakonians can be seen as reserved when dealing with foreigners (the native language is infamously terse and to the point, but they are generally not xenophobic (non-humans are perfectly capable of being seen as 'Lakonian,' it's a cultural identity not a racial one). Centers of higher learning flourish on every world, and the trade of arts between Lakonian planets is highly valued, in many circles even more so than goods from out-system.
Lakonians are family oriented, but include large extended families in that. The typical 'household' consists of many generations and branches living in a large complex, with multiple caregivers and authority figures. All thirteen colonies feature extensive social services, including healthcare and education, and the vast majority of the populace enjoys a high standard of living. Because of the importance of trade to the economic welfare of the system, and the importance of the military in protecting trade (not to mention the extensive military tradition) service is seen as honorable and worthwhile (and it's a very stable career choice).
Lakonians tend to be a fairly spiritual people, with a lot of traditions relating to their ancestors and the 'distant stars' but few organized religions remain. Neither the Jedi nor Sith cults ever took off, and Jedi presence even during the height of the Republic was very limited. Overall, Force Cults are distrusted if not outright reviled, and Lakonian Jedi (they do exist) tend to have a strained relationship with their home.
Government: Federal Republic based on ancient traditions. Each of the Thirteen Colonies runs things a little differently, but most take after one of two traditions, inspired by the first foundings at Thessalia and Montauk. The Thessalian tradition is largely parliamentary, where a council of Elders (now an elected position) and a council of Judges meet to deliberate, and all decisions are vetted by an elected Archon. The Montauk tradition is more direct, with all of-age citizens ostensibly members of the General Assembly. A high council of elected 'Exarchs' interprets and implements decisions made by the people. The Colonial Government operates on something of a mix between the two. All 13 colonies are represented in the Colonial Assembly (typically just called the Assembly) which is overseen by a three-person council. The President (elected by popular vote of all members of the Federation) the Praetor (elected in closed door vote by the Federal Assembly) and the High Justice (chosen from among eligible judges by deliberation). The Praetor acts as Commander-in-Chief of the Colonial Fleet and head of government, while the President is the head of state, a largely ceremonial (but important figurehead position.
Affiliation: The Thirteen Colonies of Lakonia.
Wealth: High. The 13 colonies are all modern and have robust economies, and trade flourishes along the Mara Corridor, even in the wake of Silver Jedi collapse and the First Order incursion.
Stability: High. A united government for over twenty thousand years now (with a few uprisings in-between) the Lakonians remember their tumultuous past but don't cling to it.
Freedom & Oppression: A democratic society for thousands of years now, the Lakonians have certain expectations as to personal and political freedoms. Each individual colony boasts guaranteed powers and protections, preserved by the Articles of Federation. Individual freedoms are largely protected, though balanced against community-focused mentality that formed in the wake of the Tionese Wars. While Lakonians are now a united people for much of their history this was not the case, and law and tradition continues to emphasize the importance of the individual colony within the largely assembly. Therefore freedoms are established and enacted by each planet and protected by the federal government. Though fiercely protective of their own sovereignty, Lakonians are generally non-interventionist and not normally eager to jump to others defense, as during the Galactic Civil War when they maintained a neutral position towards the Alliance-Empire conflict.
Military: The Thirteen Colonies have a proud martial tradition devoted to armed neutrality and self-sufficiency. The Colonial Fleet is large, professional, and well-maintained, and is the premier arm of the military. It is capable of fairly significant power projection, not just self-defense, but has not been required to utilize that capability in some time.
Without exception, military service is voluntary. Lakonia has not had ot resort to conscription of any sort in thousands of years. The distinction between Officer and Enlisted is different on Lakonia than in many places, with all personnel spending at least a year as an enlisted spacer or grunt. Particularly promising candidates then apply for a grueling and rigorous Officer Academy for rapid advancement, but this makes up only a small percentage of the officer corps. The vast majority of officers are simply drawn from the enlisted ranks through a variety of commissioning programs, thus ensuring most officers are both older and experienced. The service also features lateral entry for highly specialized roles (doctors, reactor technicians, etc).
The pride of the Colonial Fleet is their large battlecarriers. Equivalent in the Anaxes War College system to a small battlecruiser, these are old ships that have been maintained and updated for generations and rarely see deployment outside of Lakonia itself. More common are the smaller patrol vessels and larger cruisers that see regular use in customs and escort duties up and down the Mara Corridor, and to protect Lakonian assets outside the home system.
Each planet maintains its own fleet under a Rear Admiral. These are subsequently grouped into three 'System Fleets' under the command of a Vice Admiral (with three others in charge of various facilities and bases), and finally a pair of full Admirals act as Federal Fleet Headquarters, operating out of major naval installation orbiting Sardis. In times of war the rank of 'Fleet Admiral' can be appointed.
Each planet is also responsible for maintain an army, which is trained and equipped using similar techniques. The Fleet likewise maintains an extensive Marine force who excel at ship boarding operations.
Technology: The colonies never saw widespread adoption of the Turbolaser, preferring to use their own advanced kinetic weapon technology. Otherwise in most ways the system is easily up to par with the rest of the galaxy, though the most advanced technology is still fairly rare or expensive.
Of special note is the fact that Lakonia never stopped developing nuclear weapons, and has a number of large and devastatingly powerful advanced fusion missiles. These weapons have not been used in centuries and their deployment is strictly controlled by the so-called 'Letters of Last Resort,' but they exist as a deterrent to potential invaders. The most common type of warhead used by Lakonia is a Controlled Fusion Warhead, a comparatively low-yield device designed for anti-ship warfare. The Lakonian refusal to give up nuclear weapons is part of why they were never a full member of the Republic.
The details of the initial settlement of Lakonia are sketchy, but most scholars believe that it was reached by accident during the waves of sleeper ship colonization that followed the collapse of the Rakatan Infinite Empire. What is known is that the initial settlers became divided over which planet to colonize in the trinary system, and ended up splitting into two groups, each landing on a different planet. These were the original colonies of Thessalia (orbiting Lakonia Alpha), and Montauk (orbiting Lakonia Beta).
From the outset, communications between the two planets were strained, not just by differences in opinion but also the vast gulf between them. As civilization developed, they spread out to the other planets of the system. Thessalia would found the colonies of Atria, Virion, Parvos, and Ganmede, while Montauk would settle Easten, Tikonov, and Aenea. With travel between planets well established, it was inevitable that technology would advance to see travel between stars yet again.
No one is really sure who started the first war, but it occurred some time before the formation of the Old Republic. Nearly constant (though not always high intensity) warfare would follow for the next one thousand years, stunting technological growth and advancement. The incessant warfare would also see the disintegration of the earlier colonial unions, which individual planets changing sides and forming alliances at their own whim.
A few hundred years into this period, refugees and dissidents from the war-ravaged planets would begin to settle Lakonia Gamma, landing on the fourth planet from the sun, Sardis, and later branching out to the worlds of Haussad, Safe Harbor and finally Tearpoint. Eventually, even these worlds would be drawn into the conflict, but they maintained peace among themselves.
In approximately 24000 BBY exploration vessels form the Tion Cluster appeared in-system, having safely navigated through the overlapping mass shadows of the trinary stars. Their arrival prompted the next phase of history for the Lakonia system. Seeing a divided and chaotic but prosperous system, the Kingdom of Cron attempted to invade and conquer the region.
The colonies fought back, individually at first. Though lacking hyperdrive technology or advanced beam weapons, their 'archaic' mass drivers and heavy munitions proved alarmingly effective against the mirrored armor of Tionese warships. But divided they could not stand, and within a few years the planets of Easten, Virion, and Anaea had fallen to the invaders.
The remaining colonies met on Sardis, and there agreed to a general peace treaty and to present a unified front against the invaders. They were able to retake the fallen worlds and push the Tionese out of the system. Retrieving hyperdrive technology from captured vessels, the Lakonians were subsequently able to expand and take the fight to the Tion Cluster. The next several hundred years saw periodic outbreaks of war with various Tionese states, until the arrival of the Republic and the surrender of Tion in 23000 BBY.
By then the colonies were united in purpose, and had formed the Union of the Twelve Colonies of Lakonia (later expanded to thirteen when Tearpoint was colonized). Approached in peace by the Republic, they agreed to join as a limited, largely autonomous member. For the next several millenia their history was largely peaceful, beyond a few small border conflicts with the Hutts.
In approximately 18000 BBY the colony of Montauk was overtaken by a monarchist regime, led by the 'Tyrant' of Kantazos. After consolidating his rule on Montauk he subsumed the military vessels there and invaded Tikonov. Once again Lakonia was plunged into a period of war. For the next nearly 10,000 years the Union of Colonies was riven by unrest, revolution, and monarchist uprisings, a general chaos of balkanization and war now known as the "Hundred Centuries of Fire" (abbreviated as simply "100/100"). This time is seen as the darkest period of Lakonian history, with the widespread proliferation of nuclear weapons and their common use in space battles. The surfaces of Virion and Tikonov were devastated by orbital barrages and remain controlled environments to this day, while other planets still bear the scars of the war. In the end it was only intervention by the Republic that ended the fighting, with the last of the Tyrants deposed and imprisoned, and the Articles of Colonization confirmed once again.
From there the history becomes fairly unremarkable, besides the periods of localized conflict with Hutt Space. A loyalist system during the Clone Wars, the Lakonian Colonies held its own against the separatist Tionese and was rewarded with being allowed to maintain its semi-autonomous status during the rise of the Empire. As that conflict escalated the Lakonians decided to pursue a policy of armed neutrality, and largely stayed out of the conflict. It thrived as a trade hub due largely to its neutrality. Though some distrusted for failing to help the Alliance, the Colonies proved to be valuable members of the reformed New Republic, fighting against the Yuuzhan Vong, Kilik, and eventually joining the Galactic Alliance as well.
A major trading system, Lakonia was struck hard by the Gulag Plague, but was able to recover and stabilize fairly quickly, as thanks to the generally non-interventionist nature of its people it was fairly easy to enact strict blockades and quarantines and section the system off from the galaxy at large. It was slow to step away form the policies that protected it even after the decline of the plague, restricting most visitors to the trade ports, and has only relatively recently begun re-admitting visitors en masse, largely due to waves of refugees reaching the system in the wake of the collapse of Silver Jedi administration in the region.
With trade resuming along the Mara Corridor Lakonia was eager, though guarded, to reconnect with the galaxy. They found good reason to be concerned, with even their comparatively isolated region of space riven by war and conflict. Lakonian ships are now a common sight along the Mara Corridor and in the nearby sectors, typically escorted by warships of the Colonial Fleet.
