¶ The Haven Federation
What is any democracy without the values of justice, perseverance, and goodness to support it? Starting as the Fringe Protectorate, thirty years later, the Haven Federation is the result of a multitude of failed attempts to erect a nation that would, above all else, stand as a beacon of peace and unity in the Fringe. Now, that idealism of peace has shifted into one of justice, duty, and unity, forming a Federation that would eventually surpass the Protectorate in all ways thought possible in military might, political governance, and cultural idealism. Now, the Haven Federation opens itself to full outward influence upon the Fringe, jaunted into the galactic map following the death of its beloved leader, Grand Protector Mael Radec. Proudly boasting a democracy for the people, the Haven Federation has a Senate led by the esteemed Grand Protector, every seat elected by its citizens. Its capital is the moon Haven, which orbits the fringe-famous gas giant Lapetus, surrounded by Haven, Atlas, Visitant, and several other factions that maintain diplomatic and business relations with the Federation.
¶ Astrography
The star system of Haven A and Haven B is a binary star system, with Haven A being an A-class main sequence star of 1.2 solar masses and Haven B being a G-class main sequence star of .8 solar masses. Close in orbit to the stars is a large ring field of sun-ablated erchius and aegisalt asteroids, with the dwarf planet Ligara also in the field, a sun-scorched magma planet.
The first planetary body in the system is the habitable world of Clymene, a roughly Venus-sized planet with an oxygen-rich atmosphere consisting of nearly 40% oxygen, followed mostly by nitrogen and neon, among other trace gases.
After that sits the gas giant of Lapetus, a brown banded Jovian Gas Giant that is home to the moon of Haven, a fairly large satellite of Lapetus, as well as many other moons and countless asteroids. Other moons include the habitable moon Vedoxis, the volcanic Nomeldros, etc.
The group of planets which follows Lapetus and its many moons is the trinary planetary system of Tertiara, three planets orbiting a common center of mass, one made of frozen dry ice with a carbon dioxide atmosphere, one being a dull crater-streaked surface rich of ore, and the final one being a dark, barren planet of graphite dust surface blanketed in an atmosphere of dense black gas.
Finally, deep in the reaches of the Haven system is a small dwarf planet composed of weakly bound gas, dust, and ice, theorized to be an amalgamate of millions of collected comets. Beyond this dwarf world lies fields of other outer-system objects, including comets and other, smaller dwarf planets.
In relation to the Milky Way, Haven is located in the Outer Perseus Arm of the galaxy, located at a position from the galactic center 120 degrees from Sol. The Haven System is located inside of the Crab Nebula, which has now expanded to approximately 1000 Ly in diameter since its formation in 1054, with Haven being approximately 50 Ly from the Crab Pulsar, one of the first Pulsars discovered by the Human species and the progenitor star of the supernova remnant. Within the Crab Nebula area are certain other objects of interest inside the Crab area of the Fringe.
The Haven System is in a large nebula called the Crab Pulsar. The nebula is clearly visible from the sky of Haven, though is thin enough to not pose any navigational hazards.
¶ Geography
Fate was smiling upon the settlers that founded the Haven colony. Against all odds, they discovered a planet with a very similar environment to Earth. Varying temperatures, plenty of fresh air, abundant flora and fauna, vast blue oceans of saltwater, and precious resources hidden deep under the rich soil. Haven sprung up in this Cradle of Life, blooming into a bright beacon of hope, bobbing on the frothy surface of the chaotic, turbulent universe.
While just slightly too far from the star’s Goldilocks zone to support life on its own, life thrives on Haven due to the heat created on the moon as a result of the tidal forces of Lapetus shifting its mantle, similar to certain moons of Jupiter and other gas giant bodies. This combined with the sunlight of the twin stars provided the perfect conditions to evolve Haven into a class IV Gaia planet thriving with mass amounts of life.
¶ Continents
¶ Caelum
Haven’s surface is split up into 5 continents; 3 main landmasses and two large ice-caps at both poles. The largest continent where Haven was established is referred to as Caelum, with Haven itself located along the east coast. The area around Haven is rich in natural resources; lush forests, freshwater rivers, mostly temperate climates, nutrient rich soil, and plenty of precious resources underground. To conserve the beautiful environment, they build upwards instead of constantly spreading outwards, resulting in the gargantuan skyscrapers we see today. The coast of Caelum is dotted with small islands and atolls, teeming with life. There’s evidence to suggest that these smaller landmasses were once part of the main continent, but have broken off of the mainland due to shifting tectonic plates. Caelum doesn’t extend below the equator, however the further south you go the drier and more arid it gets. South Caelum, which is still untouched by colonization, is mostly long rolling plains. This area doesn’t get much rain so the tall grass is quite dry. Rampant fires are common. One long mountain range runs along the west coast and up to the northern coast, simply referred to as the Caelum Ranges. To its right is a smaller landmass named Caelum minor. It is pretty much identical to Caelum in climate, resources, and environment so it was deemed to be a secondary part of the mainland. A wide strait separates these two, called the Radec Strait.
¶ Ji
Ji is sometimes referred to as Caelum’s “little sister”. Located just underneath Caelum in the south-western hemisphere, it shares its climate and resources with its metaphorical big sister. Northern Ji consists of large, arid plains similar to South Caelum. Fossil records show that Ji and Caelum may have shared a border some time ago. Ji extends southward, the plains slowly turning into tundra the further down you go. Most of the wildlife here is related to the wildlife on Caelum, adapted to the colder climate.
¶ Orbrige
Orbrige is located in the south-western hemisphere, and is the polar opposite of Caelum in almost every way. Orbrige is almost entirely rocky deserts. The center of Orbrige is called the Orbrige Outback, a reference to the Australian Outback on Earth. Not much can survive in this harsh desert, other than a handful of small rodent-like creatures that feed on sparse tufts of grass and burrow into small underground freshwater lakes, along with larger birds of prey that feed on these rodents. While there isn’t much else of note on the surface, underneath is a large cache of gold and tin. Most mining expeditions turn a pretty good profit. All across Orbrige are massive canyons depressed into the ground, as well as various plateaus.
¶ Glac and Glets
Glac (North) and Glets (South) are the twin ice-caps of Haven. Both are large enough to be considered continents, however, the temperatures here get so low nothing can survive on the surface. Underneath the ice, however, large whale-like animals feed on bacteria and seafloor plantlife, breaching only every now and then for air.
¶ Bodies of Water
¶ Caelis
This is the ocean located surrounding Caelum, divided into North (Above Caelum) and South (Below Caelum, above Ji and Orbrige). South Caelis is warm and tropical, home to many varieties of fish and coral.
¶ Radec Strait
Dividing Caelum and Caelum Minor is a long, wide body of water called the ‘Radec Strait’. It’s called this because of how the water here flows slowly and peacefully, like Haven’s late leader Mael Radec.
¶ Kakao Ocean
Kakao is the largest ocean on Haven. Located north and east of Orbrige, the water here ranges from arctic to tropical. Many unique species of fish inhabit these waters.
¶ Natural Wonders
¶ Arco Iris
The tropical waters around the equator of Haven are home to a magnificent array of different coral reefs, which all connect to form the largest known reef in the known galaxy, ‘Arco Iris’. Named after the Spanish word for ‘rainbow’, this reef displays a stunning variety of vibrant colors, covering the entire rainbow spectrum. Small glowing fish call these reefs home, and during their mating season they all light up, putting on a splendid bioluminescent show. Arco Iris is so large and colorful, it can be seen from space.
¶ The Yggdrasil Tree
The Yggdrasil district was built around a giant Life Tree, which through its roots connects to 30-40% of the plant life surrounding the Yggdrasil district, making it essentially a single giant superorganism which is often viewed by Havenites as a living allegory for the unity that binds all citizens of the Federation together. Named for the mythical tree that connects the nine worlds of Norse cosmology, Yggdrasil is a shining beacon of hope to all of Haven. Residents of the surrounding district do their best to keep the tree alive and thriving.
Yggdrasil has been on Haven for hundreds of thousands of years, its true origins unknown. A Life Tree, its height is comparable to that of skyscrapers. A symbol of peace and unity, most residents of the Yggdrasil District consider it spiritually sacred. Since the destruction of Corrav, however, the Ascended Empire of the Shin’kali began to harvest the tree as a result of a cease-fire negotiation after the empire invaded the Corrav District. Since then, the tree is in a dismal state, many sections of it barren of leaves and with missing bark and tissue, much to the dismay and rage of the residents of the Yggdrasil District.
As of recently, with the help of Former Senator Arjun Kapur, a psion, the Yggdrasil has been miraculously healed using a powerful precursor artifact known as the Gaia Seed.
¶ Orbrige Canyon
Splitting the Orbrige Outback in two is a deep, dark crack in the ground known as the Orbrige Canyon. While only 211 km long and 6 km wide, this crevice is estimated to be over 15 kilometers deep, about 5 km deeper than the Marianas Trench on Earth. While research teams have attempted to send advanced drones down to scout out the bottom, all drones suddenly vanish at around 10 km into the canyon. We have yet to figure out why.
¶ Haven Districts
The Haven Federation is divided into political regions called districts, each with their unique cultures and histories. Most of the districts are on Haven, but recently the Federation has begun looking out into the stars to colonize, starting with the first offworld district, the Bastion District.
¶ Economy
Prior to the repeal of the Radec Isolation Act, Haven’s economy was in a deep depression due to a heavy lack of business and the fall of industry in the Corrav District. After the Radec Isolation Act was repealed and foreign people were allowed to immigrate into the Federation, Haven’s economy began to see a steep rise as entrepreneurs such as Ahsanullah al-Saqqaf, Sinji Ekta, ‘Lazuli’, Lloyd, Ryder Aryon, and more began to make their mark as the Senate engaged in trade with foreign nations as well as government spending, creating businesses and markets that would quickly carry Haven out of its economic depression. With a large middle class, aggregate expenditure is high, resulting in a rising GDP and productivity. Haven has numerous exports and other products, usually unique to its different districts.
The Capital District of Haven is the center of the market, containing most of the headquarters of major businesses due to its metropolitan status. It is the center of the stock trade as well as technology manufacturing due to the major urban infrastructure. The Capital District also has the highest middle class and consumer spending, bolstering it as the center of Haven’s economy with transactions of electronics, vehicles, software, services, and more. The Rendera District of the Federation boasts a unique culture akin to the Mediterranean culture of old Earth, being the source of all things exquisite in the Federation. The Rendera District produces artisan goods such as fine foods, wines, fish, and more. The Yggdrasil district, lush with life and fertility, produces an abundance of raw crops, fruit, and certain exotic plants. The Bastion District produces finished goods such as toys and instruments, and works of art such as sculptures, music, books, etc. Blacksmiths there also sell certain Glitch items such as weapons or armor, but the market is fairly small due to Bastion’s population, dealing with high-quality craft goods rather than things that are mass produced.
Haven contains a high abundance of solarium ore, one of the highest known abundances in the West Fringe. SOLUS Industries is the leading company extracting and refining the ore, as well as engineering reactors and other things that utilize solarium stars. As such, Haven has an abundance of energy generation available to its citizens. Another company that extracts solarium from Haven is Horizon, also possessing multiple stores in Haven or the sale of cybernetics and other augments. Haven also includes many storefronts from the Atlas Corporation, selling weapons, armors, robotics, and more; Atlas also does many engineering projects on contract basis, paid by the Haven Senate. The Haven-based company Machination Vehicular engineers vehicles such as ships, crafts, and drones.
¶ Government
Like the United States government, the Haven Federation is divided into three distinct branches.
¶ The Legislature
¶ The Haven Senate
The Federal legislative body of the Haven Federation, the Senate has a wide variety of responsibilities. Primarily, they draft and see out the process by which new bills become the new law of the land for the Federation. The Haven Senate acts dually as both the regional representatives of the Capital District, and the Federal Representatives of Haven City. As with most federal systems, any law passed by the Senate acts as the supreme law of the land, second only to the Constitution of the Haven Federation.
Alongside their duties in legislation, the Senate acts as the supreme authoratative body in all governmental matters, including appointment, impeachment, and oversight hearings. In most circumstances, Senators also act as the main diplomatic officials for the Federation, though there are cases in which other diplomats will be appointed to act in their stead. There are 7 seats in the Senate.
¶ Regional Senates
Each of the Districts of the Federation have their own Senatorial bodies, enumerated with powers outlined by the District’s constitution, though generally these powers match those of the Haven Senate’s, but with less reach. Laws written by the Regional Senates are supreme within their own District, but Federal Law has supremacy. This has led to interesting quirks of law regarding the prohibition of certain substances, such as laws within the Yggdrasil District that allow the consumption of hallucinogenic substances due to their religious importance to the locals of the District, even though on a Federal level the possession, trade, production, and consumption of such substances is made illegal.
¶ The Judiciary
¶ The High Court
The Supreme Judiciary of the Federation, the High Court (or the High Council) is enumerated with the powers of review, assuring that any law passed within the Federation by any Senate is in line with the Haven Constitution, and striking them from the books if they are found to be in conflict with it. The High Council also sees a limited amount of cases per year that fall under their jurisdiction, most typically only those of bearing to the constitutional validity of the law itself that said person might have been prosecuted under. Councilors are seated for life, though they may be impeached as with any other official, but said processes are highly regulated to ensure the proper balance of powers. There are Five Seats to the Council, though this can be amended by the act of the Senate, but only to increase. The High Council also acts as the Supreme Judiciary of the Capital District.
¶ Federal Courts
Below the High Council sits a series of Federal Courts. These judges are largely elected by act of the Grand Protector, and reviewed by the Senate for their positions, just as with those in the High Council. This includes all Federal Circuit and Appellate Courts.
¶ Regional Courts
Each District also has its own hierarchy of Judiciaries, starting with the lowest common courts, who’s judges are elected by the populace with fixed terms, and leading to the District’s Supreme Judiciary. Their duties similarly mirror those of the Federal Judiciary, but centered on the District they are appointed to serve. For example, each Supreme Judiciary reviews local laws to ensure that they are in order with the District’s own Constitution.
¶ The Executive
¶ The Grand Protector
The Head Executive of the Federation, the Grand Protector’s roles are numerous, serving as both the Head of State and the Head of Government, they truly act as the greatest representative of the Federation’s people and their will. The Protector is also a directly elected position, put in place by the people of the Federation’s votes. This makes the position of the Protector a highly symbolic position, something which has existed in every incarnation of the many governments that have led Haven’s people over the years. The Federation acts in a Semi-Presidential System, which puts the Protector in a rather unique position, acting as both the Head Executive power and a powerful member of the Haven Senate, though traditionally during times of peace and tranquility, the Grand Protector will merely act as a mediator for the actions of the Senate, keeping a sort of unspoken balance between the powers of the Senate and the Protector.
As with most nations, the Protector, as the Head of State and Government, also acts as the Commander in Chief of the Armed Forces, acting as the supreme decider of military actions, though they are supplemented and aided in this role by the appointment of the High Admiral of the Grand Navy and the High Commander of the Grand Army. the Grand Protector also acts as the Governor of the Capital District.
¶ The Governors
Heads of the Districts, the Governors could be considered the Protectors of their appointed Districts, with similar roles and powers given to them by their constitutions. The culture surrounding the Governors and their positions within society is highly dependent on the District in question.
For example, the Governor of the Yggdrasil District is often seen as a spiritual leader, although this is not officially the case, they often meet with appointed religious leaders to speak with them on matters of importance. The Governor of Corrav has often been seen as a corrupt and lazy person, and many who have entered the position to attempt to break the corruption in the district have failed, either succumbing to the disease around them, or being broken by the system they tried to fight against. Some have even died under mysterious circumstances, though Corravians all know the truth behind these deaths of chance. The Governor of Rendera has been the Head of the Guanciale Family every year since Rendera’s founding, creating an almost dynastic entity within the land. When asked why this is, a Renderan will often just respond by saying that is just the way of Rendera without question. The Governor of Bastion, elected following their induction into the Federation, has yet to form any expectations and societal cues for what is expected of a Governor for the Bastionite people, but surely their first Governor, Aeris Webb, will be influential in shaping the cultural significance of the Role.
¶ Subfactions
¶ Interest/Political Groups
¶ History
The history of the moon of Haven is a colorful one, painted by the stories of many people who have come together across decades in the name of peace and prosperity for the peoples of the Fringe. The glistening moon has not always been led by the Federation as one might think, rather, it has experienced a total of three different ruling bodies which have administered the citizens of the world over the years.
¶ The Fringe Protectorate
Established with the first colonists to arrive on the moon of Haven in 3221, the Fringe Protectorate was brought together by the brave 187,000 colonists of the deep-space craft Vigilance, Ouroboros, Scintillous, and Destiny. The Fringe Protectorate was established under the banner of no Civilian Space empire, but rather, as a group of people who would represent the free domain of the Fringe and the protection of the people’s who lived there. The prime mission of the Protectorate was to see out the demilitarization of the area and the cessation of conflicts and the First Galactic War as a whole. To this end, the construction of the original Haven City and the Gaia University was begun under the supervision of the first Grand Protector of Haven, Charles Wright.
The Fringe Protectorate sat as a beacon of peace and prosperity within the Fringe during the years of the war, and following the calamity of the Earthfall, as a place of refugee to the countless Humans who had been deposed from their homes on Earth without a place to go to in the scrambling United Systems, who had little resources to allocate to the billions of humans who were able to escape. In the end, around a million of those who survived the fall of Earth came to settle in the Federation, such as the original colonists of the district of Rendera.
The Protectorate remained resolute for many years, even lasting into the early days of the Fringe itself, providing guidance to many as the Fringe found its way and was able to show that it could stand independently of CivSpace without their direct aid. However, not all things were meant to last forever. The Protectorate fell at the hands of the Umbral King, Blackhelm. Having quickly amassed a following of Glitch Kingdoms in his legion, he set his first assault on the Fringe, a declaration that he would not be ignored. On December 9th, 3246, Blackhelm attacked Haven with his armies. His ships stormed the skies, and without warning, began releasing firebombs. From above, he started glassing the gleaming city.
Mass evacuations had begun as soon as the ships were spotted within the Haven system, but in the end, over two hundred thousand lives were lost in the attacks, a devastating blow to it all. The saving grace of the falling Protectorate, however, was the brilliant mind of its Grand Protector Victor Luna, who had sought out the fortification of the Protectorate’s military capacity and securing powerful weapons of mass destruction. Although at the time it had been an extremely controversial decision, given the philosophy of the Protectorate, this wisdom ended up saving Haven from being burnt entirely to cinder. With a great counterattack, utilizing all the force that the world could throw back at Blackhelm, he finally was made to retreat, and the battered citizens of the fallen city could now gather together their will and what little remained of their home as they began to rebuild.
¶ The Council
Established in 3246, The Council existed as the executive body of the newly established Haven City, which was still largely under construction at the time. The Council was seated by six Representatives, led by the Grand Protector. The first Grand Protector of the Council was Ermine Muller, who also went on to found the Haven Guard during her leadership. The era of the Council was largely one of progress and development, with many expansions made to the Gaia University during the construction of the new capital of Haven, aptly named Haven City. This era was also when most of the Districts which stand today were created. Although Rendera had long stood since the founding of the original Protectorate as a populated area of Haven, Corrav and Yggdrasil were truly built up during this time, becoming the places that they are now in the modern Federation. Much of Haven’s scientific advancement was also made at this time, and it can be well noted that many of those who sat at the Council were also involved within the Gaia University, sometimes considered the ‘Second Citadel’ of Haven by its citizens at the time. However, just as the Protectorate before it, it's time came to an end. The Council was known for progressive advancement and transformative change in Haven, but its era came to an end not long after its founding, coming to a close in 3249 when Councilman Leda Portia drafted a constitution that would federalize the world of Haven.
¶ The Haven Federation
Established under calls for greater individual representation for the more widely distributed population centers of Haven, each of which required more attention to their very specific needs and issues, the Council was put to an end with the Federalization of the world of Haven. The Council began transition, becoming the Senate of the Federation, and the ratification of the Haven Constitution which followed this change solidified the regional governments of each of the three outer districts. Although Subterranea made calls for representation, they failed to meet said requirements, and remained unofficial, rather considered to be a region which was part of all existing districts.
With the Capital District of Haven largely finished in its construction and the industrial District of Corrav still in a gleaming era of industrialism, things looked rather well for Haven. With the passing of the first Grand Protector of the Federation, Leda Portia, however, one of the most popular political figures of Haven took his place in the Office. Mael Radec, who had previously sat as both a Senator and a Councilman for Haven, was well trusted among Havenites, and was elected by a large majority. For the first few terms of his leadership, he was known for bold decisions and sweeping change. However, this came to an end with a short war scare in the early days of the 3250s, where a war scare made many in Haven nervous at the idea of a resurgence of the cold days of the Galactic War, or even the possibility of another attack on their world.
Memories of Blackhelm’s invasion were still fresh in many minds at the time, and calls for measure to protect the fledgling Federation were at an all time high. Mael Radec responded to these calls with his most signature legislation, the Radec Exclusion Act. Signed on February 12th, 3251, the Federation had officially entered isolation. Closing its doors to the Fringe as a whole, an action which would not be reversed for another 33 years.
While the Council was known for progressive development, the isolation years of Haven were largely known for a slow stagnation. The economic collapse of Corrav had been a major loss for the industry of Haven, an without their major development center, Haven’s growth entered a major stall. Space stations were abandoned, the Naval fleets experienced sweeping cutbacks as entire divisions of ships were scrapped for parts. Even the University felt the pain of economic stalling. It seemed as the Federation shut itself off from the Fringe, it had frozen in time. However, the people of Haven did not lose their trust in Radec, perhaps a sign of how things truly had come to a standstill on the shining world.
Things will always change, however, and on February 24th, 3284, Mael Radec successfully obtained the votes to reverse his bill. The gates to Haven were open once more, and in an instant, everything changed. Immigration soared, the Senate was filled with new faces, and the planet itself seemed to come to life again all over again. However, as it usually happens, tragedy ness will accompany miracles. Corrav was lost, the Federation experienced betrayals from its latest guardians, and the world itself seemed to be on the brink of destruction. But Haven has shown in the past that it can outlast even the greatest pain and loss, and it has begun to bounce back again once more. A new gleaming city of bronze rises in the west, the Federation is seeing an era of peace and prosperity which it has not had since the original days of the Protectorate, and the Senate is acting as a true guiding hand to the peoples of Haven, which itself has become a guiding light to the castaways of the Fringe. The Guardianship of Freedom is at its brightest, and can only get brighter from here.