Venus

**Venus**, the second planet from the Sun in the Sol System, once stood as a rocky celestial body distinguished by possessing the densest atmosphere among all rocky bodies in its cosmic vicinity. Its mass and size closely mirror those of its orbital neighbor, Earth, adding to the intrigue of its celestial presence. Positioned inferiorly, inside Earth's orbit, Venus consistently graces Earth's sky in proximity to the Sun, alternating between the roles of a *"morning star"* and an *"evening star."*

While Mercury shares this orbital characteristic, Venus outshines its planetary counterpart in prominence. Earning the title of the third brightest object in Earth's sky, following only the Moon and the Sun, Venus surpasses the luminosity of other star-like classical planets and fixed stars. Its radiant glow having captivated observers for millennia before, establishing Venus as a celestial beacon that has historically played a vital role in human cultures and astronomy.

The celestial interplay between Venus and Earth is a marvel, as their orbits draw them closer than any other pair of planets in the Solar System, converging in synodic periods of 1.6 standard years. Unfolding during inferior conjunctions, a phenomenon where Venus aligns itself between Earth and the Sun. Although Mercury, the most central planet, maintains a closer average distance to both Venus and Earth, the gravitational equilibrium between Venus and Terra boasts the lowest difference in gravitational potential among all planetary pairs.

This gravitational harmony has rendered travel between Terra and Venus the most accessible route for interplanetary flights, a navigational advantage enduring even through the eons of the Dark Millennia of the Long Dark.

In the modern era, Venus, having undergone dramatic transformation during the Golden Age of Technology, its rotation dramatically quickened through human terraformation efforts. The result is a Venusian year comprised of 324 Venusian days, where each Venusian solar day spans approximately 28 standard hours. This acceleration has sculpted a distinctive Venusian temporal landscape, where a Venusian year equates to 1.035 times an equivalent Terran year. The Venusian solar year is therein divided into nine months, each encompassing 36 days, with the rhythm of five yearly seasons.

## Overview

In the epoch heralded as the Golden Age of Technology, Venus underwent a remarkable transformation, shedding its once toxic atmosphere through the marvels of World Engines and Atmospheric Pillars. This celestial rejuvenation saw the alchemical conversion of carbon dioxide into the versatile neo-material known as C-Dioxite. The Atmospheric Pillars, ancient archeotech monoliths of immense power, played a pivotal role in regulating the very composition, pressure, and density of Venus's atmosphere, now standing as silent sentinels of a bygone era. Embraced by the eons of the Golden Age, Venus evolved into a paradisiacal haven, where rolling oceans teemed with life, nurtured by the intricate designs of the World Engines. Vast jungles, plains, and steppes became fertile landscapes, fostering the rise of thriving civilizations as the march of Eras unfolded.

Yet, even with the mastery of Atmospheric Pillars, Venus remained a world of atmospheric hostility. Volcanic geysers released sulfuric gaseous clouds, coalescing into Ionized Sulfuric Hurricanes—catastrophic phenomena capable of unleashing crackling lightning across the skies. Periodic and almost bi-yearly, these tempests formed over mountain ranges, traversing vast distances, leaving a trail of destruction in their wake. Only with the deionization of sulfuric clouds, a process spanning multiple Venusian months, did the tempests finally subside.

From the crucible of the World Engines emerged C-Dioxite, a lightweight, flexible, and hyper-conductive neo-material that etched its signature upon Venus. Forged into sharp mountain chains and mineral-rich veins, C-Dioxite became an integral component of Venusian life. Its versatile applications ranged from weaponry and vehicles to construction materials and clothing. Remarkably conductive, C-Dioxite served as a safeguard against the ravages of sulfuric lightning, dissipating the electrical onslaught while maintaining structural integrity.

Venusian civilizations adapted ingeniously to their transformed world. Towering Spire-Cities, stout and resilient, stood adorned with Lightning Rods, Grounding Systems, and Dioxite Lightning Shields—a testament to the ingenuity of a society attuned to the capricious dance of acid-laden storms and electrically charged atmospheres.

The bountiful canvas of Venus extended beyond its landscapes, as the World Engines, in their benevolence, seeded the planet with a rich tapestry of flora and fauna. Evolving in harmony with their newfound environment, these life forms exhibited specialized adaptations, embracing hibernation cycles to endure the tumultuous Sulfuric-Storm seasons.

## History

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Golden Age

In the zenith of humanity's conquest of the Sol System, Venus underwent a miraculous metamorphosis, shedding its mantle of corrosive heat to emerge as a vibrant haven pulsating with life. This monumental feat of terraforming, orchestrated by the architects of the World Engines, saw the strategic seeding of C-Dioxite across Venus's terrain—a celestial canvas upon which Terra's luminaries and skilled artisans raced to etch their legacy.

The initial stages of Venusian terraforming ignited a fervor of colonization, drawing forth pioneers fueled by the allure of new beginnings. Terra's brightest minds and nimblest hands embarked on a journey to shape the once-inhospitable expanse into a flourishing paradise.

Yet, as the echoes of progress reverberated through Venus, the tides of order began to recede in the wake of the Collapses during the Long Dark. The utopian dreams that had once painted the skies above Venus unraveled into an era of anarchy and Techno-Barbaric Feudalism. In this tumultuous epoch, those with connections to remnants of past technologies ascended to a revered status akin to technological shamans. Their knowledge became a sacred tapestry, woven with the threads of a bygone era, and their prowess in harnessing the remnants of ancient archeotech bestowed upon them an almost mythical stature.