Red Cloud
Member
Name: Van
Region: Outer Rim
System: Vanguard System (Named after the only sentient species)
Suns: One Sun
Orbital Position: 3rd
Moons: One Moon
System Features: 10 Planets in the solar system with one Sun
Coordinates: 15, 3
Rotational Period: 24 hours
Orbital Period: 365
Class: Terrestrial
Diameter: 6,500 km
Atmosphere: Type 1
Climate: Earth-like but mostly Jurassic like. Humid/Arid
Gravity: Twice Standard
Primary Terrain: Jungles, Marsh, Habitable Deserts, Mountains
Native Species: Vanguard, native non-sentient fauna and flora.
Immigrated Species: Humans
Primary Languages: Vanguard
Government: None, Tribal
Population: 1 Billion
Demonym: Vanguard
Major Imports: Just about everything in imported to Van besides food. Especially technology.
Major Exports: Food, the native fauna and flora or Vanguard are considered a delicacy. Not to mention the more seedier dealings in exotic pets and guard beasts.
Affiliation: The Galactic Alliance for Outpost Noxa/None for the native Vanguard
Major Locations:
Outpost Noxa - The only major modern settlement on planet Van. Populated with mostly Humans from the Galactic Alliance. They harvest Van's natural resources to keep the Outpost running. As well as trading with the local Vanguard Tribes. Van is one of those planets that people question is even worth having a colony. But humanities natural pioneering sense makes them persistent to keep Outpost Noxa going. As well as a little known fact, Van is used as a training ground for Galactic Alliance Commandos. The harsh natural life and high gravity makes a great training group for special forces.
Culture:
In Outpost Noxa and the few settlements scattered around Noxa, life is pretty standard. There isn’t much fear of the Vanguards, as there is a long lasted peace as Noxa usually pays the surrounding tribes in technology for their protection from wild life and other tribes. However, Outside of the outpost life is hard, harsh and deadly. Everything about Van is hostile, man eating plants, giant native beasts. Even the gravity is unwelcoming! Being Twice the normal standard. The Vanguard people had to evolve to be strong, cunning and adaptable. These are their strongest traits. Such a hard existence bred a hard culture. They became great hunters and warriors. Hunting and fighting for glory. Though they never waste a kill, all of an animal's meat will be used in various ways.
From food, to fuel, to jewelry. It is a long tradition among Vanguards to keep a trophy from special prey. This lead to the race being naturally violent and competitive when they feel they are being challenged. And over the years a general code of "honor" was established. It is a simple code: anyone who raises a blade is fair play and should be respected as a warrior. But there is NO glory is slaying innocent noncombatants. And when battling, be as even and honorable as possible. The point of the hunt is to find honor and improve oneself as a hunter. Also, hunting in smaller numbers is most common.
Besides this, there are varying religions that exist within the tribes. But they are all shamanistic and in tune with nature. Right now, Van is ruled by separate tribes in control of different territories. All out war between tribes is usually rare. Opting to instead to pit their tribe’s best warriors against one another in gladiator-like battles to resolve issues. They find that there is more glory and honor in this kind of combat. As even in death, the warrior gets to fight for his people.
Technology: Outside of a few weapons of war, the native Vanguard are primitive at best. Any technology they have has been stolen or bartered for, usually from Outpost Noxa.
History:
The planet of Van was discovered by the Republic in 406 ABY. The first meeting went.. well not great. The exploration crew thought that they had found a lush and beautiful planet. That is until they ran into the hostile native lifeforms. That's not to mention that immediately, the Vanguards that the Expedition crew first encountered launched an offensive on the crew. Despite the extreme difference in technology, the 8 foot tall aliens they dubbed as "demons", were just too much to handle. The surviving members fled, leaving behind vast amounts of equipment, including a few starships. This was the first taste of technology for the Vanguards, and while the research team didn’t have the most deadly of weapons. The basic blaster weapons they had was a vast improvement over bows and arrows. Upon rummaging through their new loot, the native Vanguard triggered a distress signal. And thus started the great games for the Vanguard.
They hunted all search parties, and investigators. Because Van was such a secluded planet, this was able to continue for longer than usual. About a couple of decades. Until the Republic had enough of the seemingly senseless slaughter and sent a military force to Van. The rapidly advance weaponry was just too much for the Vanguard. And with their defeat, Van was annexed and joined the Republic. Though being in the Outer Rims meant they were mostly on their own. There was only one dockable outpost created on Van. But before the Republic or even the Galactic Alliance came, the world was much like it is now. Ruled by multiple tribes across the globe. Many of which had little to no knowledge about the other tribes that were so far away. There are legends that a great warrior once unified all of the tribes, and that one day he will return to unify the Vanguard and extend their territory to the stars. But as it is, the Vanguard people seem to be stagnating, with no notable technological progress in hundreds of years.
The Vanguard people are hardy, the Gulag Plague decimated their numbers, but they quickly adapt and repopulated. As is their nature to overcome deadly adversity. The other species on Outpost Noxa did not fair as well, however. The outpost was completely lost for hundreds of years. The sacking of the outpost added to the native Vanguards technology. While it was years of darkness for the rest of the universe, it was 400 years of progress for the Vanguard people. Their society started to adapt to the advanced technology, at least when it came to weaponry. The battlefield became a mix of primitive metal weapons and advanced blasters, thermal detonators and the like. It was not uncommon to see wooden arrows and spears on the same battlefield as blaster cannons. Though they never learned how to create advanced weapons, weapon maintenance became a needed knowledge. As their advanced weaponry was only in a limited supply.
But technology wasn't the only thing that spread, Galactic Basic also became cemented in their society. Though usually only spoken in bastardized fragments. With most of the Vanguard people unable carry a basic conversation. Tribes battled and territory exchanged hands. Some tribes fell, some grew. But for the most part, the world remained the same. Eventually, with the new era, the Outpost was restored again by the Galactic Alliance. Other than that, the Netherworld event passed over the people of Van with little to no impact. Such a hostile, unsettled planet attracted little attention. As it is now, the only real visitors are the Galactic Alliance stationed at Outpost Noxa. Other than that there are the few hunters looking for glory and outlaws looking to lay low. But these are usually short lasted, as even the hardiest find it hard to survive on Van.
Notable PCs: Red Cloud
Intent: Home planet for the Vanguard
Links: [The Vanguard] [Red Cloud]
