Alcanti

Alcanti (High Dracid: the Encompassing Plane) is a terrestrial planet that orbits Aldra, the primary star of a binary system in the Andromeda Galaxy. The historic homeworld of the Drakniar and longstanding capital of the Draknid Imperium, Alcanti's strategic, economic and symbolic importance within the fabric of Draknid society and the very centre of Draknid politics makes it one of the most important planets within the Draknid Imperium.

Due to its political status the planet is heavily defended with vast arrays of satellites, space fleets, security forces, security probes and mighty battlestations. But despite the level of security the population lives in the lap of luxury and the planet itself is almost idyllic. Indeed, as well as being the political heart of the Imperium, the planet is a gathering site for Andromeda's wealthy elite, made evident by the large numbers of shining private towers in its cities and palatial countryside manors.

Geography
Alcanti's landscape is made up of four major continents - Miminas, Ossilas, Kradas and Annekhas. These four continents are joined up to each other via land bridges, providing natural choke points between the continents. Peppering the groundscape are numerous water-filled sinkholes (known to locals as vertiaqa or cliff-seas) while enormous atolls dot an intercontinental sea.

Miminas
Miminas is the northernmost continent, from north to south it spans from Alcanti's northern pole to the equator and is connected to Kradas to the west. Although Annekhas is to the southeast, there is no land bridge to connect the two continents. Instead, the coastline is shared with the Uronian Sea to the south. Geographically Miminas is a rugged landscape that is divided into two large landmasses by the Carothian Mountain range. Miminas has three medium-sized cliff-seas and two large cliff-seas on the southern half of its landmass.

While the north is rugged and cold, the south of Miminas is warm, hydrated by the Uronian Sea that divides Miminas from Annekhas. The Juncarian tropics are the broad term for the near-equator tropical regions that dominate Miminas' southern half. Volcanism and comparative lack of mountainous areas make southern Miminas an ideal site for farms and historically the Juncarian tropics provided considerable amounts of food for export and to supply the northern populations. Between the arctic circle and the border of the Juncarian tropics are the Tanarian lowlands, a large tract of open ground some 2000km across that is bordered by mountains on three sides and one with the Uronian Sea. Historically home to ancient empires, Miminas - particularly the Uronian coastline - has long been the most populous of the continents. Further north, within the arctic circle is the conurbation of Minos'Drkaon, the largest city on Alcanti.

Annekhsa
A sister to Miminas of sorts, Annekhas exists on a similar set of latitudes to Ossilas. The northern half of the continent possesses rich soils that are fed by rivers and deltas. One river, the Atunias, is sourced from lake Antarasia and cuts Miminan-close third of the continent in half yet provides a fertile river valley that has long supported the indigenous populations and fed the water needs of the northern half of the continent.

Annekhas has two major mountain ranges - the Estannekhas and the Sarthand. Estannekhas, the larger range of the two, dominates the landscape near to the Uronian Sea and has long acted as a defensive gate into the mainland of Annekhas. Sarthand is a smaller mountain range that bisects and isolates the extreme eastern part of the continent for those travelling by land.

The seas north and east of Annekhas are filled with archipelagos populated with island of all sizes. Annekhas's eastern coast acts as the western shorteline of the Antorodes, a ring-like chain of island that extend eastward into the Rhrtorian Ocean.

Krades
The great central continent. spanning from the central latitudes of the northern hemisphere to the southern polar circle, Krades is by far the largest of the four continents and populated with the largest number of cliff-seas. Historically the continent has been dominated by the Great Krades Desert, an enormous dust plain that makes up the near entirety of the central continent. For most of the continent's history, the numerous cliff-seas have been highly unfavorable for life due to the high concentration of salt that has only been growing as the basins evaporate. This inhospitality is what earned the desert its other name of "The Great Wastelands". Geoengineering and weather control efforts in the age of the Draknid Imperium however have brought life to vast tracts of the desert. Large regions of the continent are scattered with irrigation channels and large fertile plains.

Krades connects the other continents together through land bridges and river crossings. In contrast to the great wastelands in the centre, the northern and western coastlines are more fertile and hospitable to life. Krades' central deserts are broken up with long strips of mountain ranges that break up the landscape but also restricts rainfall to create an inhospitably dry "death zone" in the very centre of the continent.

Ossilas
A land of open plains protected from Krades' dangers by mountains and an inland sea, Ossilas is an equatorial continent connected by several land bridges to Krades, with the Rhrtorian Ocean to its west. Ossilas bears a distinct ecology to Miminas or Annekhas due to its proximity to the Great Krades Desert and the mountains that border it, which has isolated it both in biology and in social evolution.

The northern regions of Ossilas are characterized by the presence of wetlands and river deltas, one of which is sourced from lake Tatos while to the east the coast of the Atarian Sea is bordered with jungle. Along with bordering Ossilas, mountain ranges also exist to the east, central-south and south-eastern regions of the continent. The very centre of the northern half of is the source of the Eleronian and Tancarain rivers, the main tributaries that provide the northern half of the continent with freshwater.

The shorelines and coastal waters of Ossilas feature numerous atolls and cliff-seas. Some, such as Pardia atoll to the far south and Vertiaqa Orius in the central regions are connected to the sea by rivers, the latter being connected to the Tancarain river before it meets the Rhrtorian Ocean.

Rhrtorian Oceoan
The Rhrtorian Ocean is the single largest body of water on Alcanti. Because of the connectivity of the continents, the Rhrtorian Ocean shares a coastline with all of the major land masses. Connected to the Rhrtorian are the Ossokrada (south of Ossilas, west of Krades), the Uronian Sea (between Miminas and Annekhas), the Sekkradin Sea (south of Krades) and the Borelimain Sea (north of Miminas). The Rhrtorian is home to a large number of atolls, some rivalling in size to the larger archipelagos within open ocean along with a few subcontinents near the polar seas.

Atmosphere and Climate
Alcanti possesses an atmosphere primarily made up of Oxygen and Nitrogen with small amounts of neon and argon. Alcanti's atmosphere is an estimated 4.4x the density of Earth's atmosphere. The aforementioned neon, as well as methane concentrations of several parts per million and high amounts of water vapor in the air absorb a considerable amount of red light from Aldra, adding a bluish tinge to the sky that can especially be seen as Aldra crosses the horizon. Consequently, the high quantities of methane within the atmosphere trap thermal radiation within the atmosphere, heating the planet to average global temperatures of around 310 degrees Kelvin.

Because of these temperatures Alcanti has no permanent ice caps, but with an axial tilt of 54 degrees, the far northern and southern regions experience long dark winters and bright warm summers. Summer and winter seasons on all parts of the planet are highly varied. A thick thermal envelope and a moderately dense atmosphere serve to balance out temperatures across the planet.

Society
As the Imperial seat of power, Alcanti (and the Aldra system in general) is famous for being one of the most sophisticated locations within the Imperium. New technology, advances and engineering projects are frequently displayed here first as a sign of the planet's prosperity and the core worlds generally follow suit. Two examples include the orbital ring, global defence satellite network, Aldra's Dyson swarm and the battlestations. Citizens on Alcanti live comfortable luxurious lives bolstered by the wealth of the Imperium's many worlds. Some of the most important people have their homes either in the planet's upper cities or in vast countryside estates that are popular to see throughout the galaxy.

With a population of over 20 billion many of the cities on Alcanti are densely populated and located on the two major continents: Miminas to the north and Ossilas to the south.

Architecture on the planet favours tall, brass-edged towers covered with plaster. Many are comfortable building up since it minimises the amount of space used. Were it not for government-controlled land values, many cities would boast prices that only the richest in the galaxy could afford. Homelessness outside of houseless or illegal migrants is almost unheard of.

Minos'Drakon, the City of Drakon is one of the largest cities on the planet. Despite being 25 degrees short of the planet's north pole. The city is built within the Akhtoba basin - a large lake bed that had dried up 4mya. The original city was built near the foot of the Akhtoba volcano to take advantage of the warm climate within the basin and the volcanic soil. originally the region was a province of the nation-state of Akhtoba but over the years after the unification wars the seven major settlements in the region merged into one metropolitan area. Today the the city takes up virtually the entire basin with urban spires rising far above the basin's rim.

Demographics
Much of the planet's population are urbanised, living in large modern cities. Two hundred and fifty millennia of colonisation by the Draconis has led to all species from across the First Gigaquadrant being found living on the planet's surface, with many cities offering amenities and districts to cater to the various alien lifeforms that have decided to call the planet home. Despite the increasing diversification, the Draknisi still make up some 65% of the planet's overall surface and orbital population.

Because the southern continent is dominated by deserts and arid land, the northern hemisphere is much more populous, a higher proportion of the population in southern hemisphere live in cities. In the southern continent, due to the wide open spaces there are still a number of nomadic groups that travel the plains.

Culture
The general population is very cosmopolitan. Alcanti has been recognized as a nexus of the First Gigaquadrant, as citizens of all manner of species from all walks of life can be found here, particularly in the commercial districts of the major cities. Citizens indulge in luxuries, leisure and amenities imported from across Andromeda and beyond. Many offworlders would consider the population (particularly the non-Draknisi) as an elite, wealthy and powerful beyond measure. As well as the massive and densely populated cities, millions of well-to-do citizens possess numerous country estates dotted around Alcanti's countryside; an initiative by the Imperial Government not only to appease the powerful nobility, but also to appease environmentalist concerns, allowing for millions of acres of well-tended wilderness to be preserved. Citizens unanimously consider Alcanti one of the safest planets in the entire galaxy due to the fact that the military, the inquisition and the Paragon's Blood Dragons are based on Alcanti. Despite the fact that Alcanti was devastated in two civil wars and the Andromeda War.

Historically, as well as more classic livestock creatures, traditional Alcanti cuisine makes use of the various large-scale insects that have evolved within the planet's atmosphere. Some species are considered a delicacy, while many restaurants in the more tourist-friendly cities offer genetically-compatible variants of these animals for non-Draknisi to taste. As with many forms of exotic cuisine, the reception of these delicacies can vary between excited curiosity and disgust. Individuals who may be squeamish towards insect-based cuisine consider traditional Alcanti meals such as shell-bug stew (where the thorax of the aforementioned creature is gutted and used as a bowl for a stew made of meaty chunks, tubers, spices within gravy and served with sliced Atorani tubers) to be unexpectedly surprising considering the Draknisi's outward reputation.

Economy
Much of the planetary income comes from taxes gathered throughout the galaxy. Although much of the planet is devoted to tertiary and quaternary industry, an estimated 245trn credits in goods are made from industrial farming and high-tech industry, most of which remains planet-side. 400trn credits a year is spent on R&D in labs and academies across the planet. Noble houses give 12% of their earnings as a gesture of goodwill to the imperial government. The millions of country estates that dot the countryside also provide luxuries both for export and to supply people in the cities. Many estates dedicate wide tracts of land to vineyards that grow a wide variety of crops to be processed into wine. Alcanti itself is known for cultivating several distinctive wines including.

Aldra Sunshine: A pale coloured wine rich in flavour, traditionally made with a mix of tropical fruits and cultivated in the equatorial regions. Ultanos White: A white wine traditionally created by the estates of House Ultanos. Although it is one of several wines that are not traditionalyl associated with one planet, the proximity to the Imperial Palace has made it synonymous with the elite of Alcanti. Ossilan Gold: Created in the sun-baked Ossilan continent, Ossilan Gold's signature taste comes from drops of Talidoan honey mixed into the wine just before fermentation begins. Traditionally served with a single red Til'maros cherry floating on top. Alcanti's reputation as an elegant capital of politics, design and a centre for the galaxy's wealthiest make it an attractive location for business leaders to demonstrate their latest products, be it a new fashion design, starship model, recreational product or range of aromatic scents. Some of the cities have thus become desirable sites for expositions of various kinds.

Tourism is a booming trade on Alcanti as it is the site of both historic landmarks such as the Imperial Palace (entry beyond the golden gates which border Minos'Drakon is forbidden by the Paragon family), Grand Cathedral and the millions of palatial estates that dot Alcanti's countryside. The Royal Academy in the equatorial metropolis of Orras'Dacon is also a popular tourist destination, holding one of the largest data archives in the Imperium within it's inner chambers. The planet is a popular location to see traditional Draknid architecture, with several landmarks and a few smaller communities boasting pre-Imperial architecture. More modern styles reflect the Imperium's affluence and penchant for elaborate designs. The extreme age of Alcanti civilisation means that there is a heavy draw for archaeological sites older than one hundred thousand years old, while rumours of ancient yet-to-be-discovered sites continue to draw adventurous and historic tourists The openness of the estates however, varies from estate-to-estate. Some being completely private while others being virtually entirely open to the public with a few restrictions. Most estates will have a designated tourist area for visitors, often a single wing or a few courtyard areas. Because of the Imperium's post-scarcity economy, these massive estates open themselves out of courtesy rather than requiring the funds for upkeep. A virtual tourist economy also reduces the amount of traffic going through the grounds as tourists explore via holosuites often light-years away.

Defences
The planetary government takes the defense of Alcanti very seriously. Outside of the gateway systems the planet may be considered one of the most heavily fortified locations in the galaxy. The government takes care to balance the scale between secure and oppressive, leaving much of the Draknisi population alone. The most static form of defense around the planet are the three battlestations in geostationary orbit and at the Lagrange points. Battlestations one and two are located in L2 and L1 Lagrange points respectively and the third was built above Minos'Drakon. Complimenting the battlestations are hundreds of defensive satellites that fulfill a variety of roles including missile defense, anti-ship weaponry, gravity well generation and fighter docking bays. For ease of maintenance, these satellites are maintained by clouds of nanomachines dispersed into orbit by the battlestations and patrolling warships and form a defensive cloud around the planet. The swarm also doubles as a devourer swarm for unauthorised ships entering low or medium orbit. These generators create a coherent partially-permeable forcefield around the planet which acts as a barrier to anything other than sunlight or authorised warship and shuttles. When not under attack, the shield is restricted to a weak magnetic field that bolsters Alcanti's own geomagnetic field against cosmic rays and solar flares.

There are at least four fleets containing several thousand ships each (not counting strike craft) in orbit at any one time. Apart from the battlestations, Arcaren - once the launchpad for expansion - has become not just a luxury retreat but has been heavily fortified to defend the homeworld; once again an example of how the Imperium has balanced both security and comfort. The Korun-Vurus orbital ring is also equipped with hundreds of rail and turbolaser turrets along with a defensive non-phasic shield, providing an equatorial "fence" to further protect the planet.

On the ground each major city has at least one military academy and garrison, along with missile silos, surface-to-orbit missiles, and mechanised regiments. The Blood Dragons hold a major presence, particularly within Minos'Drakon. Sentry probes scan major urban areas and near military bases.