Bomar, Domed Living

It is time to fill in the details of some of the new systems I created a week ago with my Stars without Number setting. Despite not knowing the details of the Unity of Suns interstellar government I am going to turn my attention to one of its minor possessions. The Unica Nova system and the planet Bomar. I have also decided to move away from the standard SWN planet designation system because it was just not providing some of the information I wanted.

BOMAR

Unica Nova IV

Star: Class M yellow star

System: 7 planets (Rock, Rock, Rock, BOMAR, Gas Giant, Gas Giant, Ice Rock).

Atmosphere: 0.4 (very thin- respirator required)

Rotation: 16 hour day

Axial Tilt: 5 degrees (low seasonal change)

Eccentricity: 250 day year

Hydrographics: 15% (mainly as polar ice)

Volcanism: low (2 active)

Habitation: 0.7 surface gravity

Population: 500,000 (mainly humans)

Government: Republic (elected by citizens)

Law Level: Low

Tech Level: 4

Starport: B Class (Alpha Port)

At some point in the distant past (archaeological evidence suggests 200,000 years ago), Bomar was the home to an advanced civilization. Whether they were starfaring is unclear but they did leave evidence on Unica Nova III, IV and V. When human explorers found Bomar in 2292 the planet was devoid of any life. But the presence of multiple alien sites meant that several expeditions were mounted to explore the planet and a permanent settlement was established at Herculon near one of the largest ruins (dubbed the Pastel City). The alien ruins are fairly enigmatic. The consist of black artificial structures made of an unknown material. Those structures that are open are empty. Some structures appear to have no entrance and are impervious to scanning. No bodies or images of the species were ever found. Evidence of plant and animal life are common in the fossil record of the planet. Some scientists have suggested that a six-limbed ape-lie fossil represents the advanced species but most researchers discount this claim.

When the scream came the researchers and government officials on Bomar boarded the few spike drive ships and returned coreward. Bomar relief arrived from the Terran Mandate and no trade or contact occurred with nearby planets. The remaining 55,000 humans stranded on Bomar were left to fend for themselves. The planet has an atmosphere but the pressure is too low to breath the oxygen so Herculon was a domed city with only a few greenhouses. To survive the humans directed water south from the northern polar caps in canals and planted fields out in the open near the equatorial region. Bomar struggled for many years but managed to survive and had a population of 120,000 when it was rediscovered by independent traders from nearby systems 150 years ago. Some people immediately left the planet for less difficult worlds and the population briefly dropped to 30,000 but it has since regained its population and has expanded.

Fifty years ago Bomar joined the loose confederacy of worlds known as the Unity of Suns. This has brought settlers primarily from Kaitos but also from other nearby systems. A multitude of new settlements has sprung up. Fields now cover the equatorial region of the planet and even forests have been planted near some of the newer settlements in an effort to aid the gradual terraforming of the planet.

Bomar Unica Nova IV

The government system is an elected Republic. But there are no political parties. Voting rights are only held by those who have invested a significant amount into the economy. New voters are invited to join. These voters elect representatives for their region and this council in turn elects a planetary president and councillor to the Unity of Suns governing council. As of 3200 there were 500,000 people of various species on Bomar and only 15,000 citizens (all of whom are humans). This is cause of some friction with the population. However, Bomar is a planet that values independent rights for the individual so the lack of representation is somewhat mitigated. It is common to see residents going about their business in the capital of Herculon with a laser pistols belted to their hip.

Currently there is little interest in the precursor ruins. Access is open to anyone but there is little going on. Most residents of Bomar are farming, building canals or mining (it is a metal rich planet). There is no native life, but there are earth transplanted trees, grasses and crops. There are no native organisms or introduced organisms on the planet. Where fertilization of crops is necessary it is done by nanite clouds.

Bringing an animal onto the planet is severely restricted. Spacers who arrive with the favourite cat are told to restrict the animal to the ship. Locals eat a vegetarian diet with protein additives. There is trade for wealthy in bringing in luxury food items.

Adventure Hooks

1. Precursor ruin activates grounding all transports for 300 km. Investigate.
2. Cash crops in a pressurized greenhouse are being damaged. It looks like something is eating them. If the players investigate they discover rabbits are multiplying in the greenhouse. They are coming from a secret rabbit farm located in the domed city. Supplying the wealthy citizens with cheap meat. The players are asked to put a stop to it.
3. A new canal is being sabotaged. Investigation will reveal it is rival agro-corporations vying for trade.
4. A nickel prospector in the Parker Range brings in what looks like a fossil of an alien head. He wants to sell the location to the highest bidder. It is a scam.

Herculon the Capital City of Bomar - Author 3-2017