Local Culture

The local culture of Circes heavily depends on their aqueous economy and the similarly water-derived ecology. Reminiscent of South American boardwalks and resorts near safer areas, while inland and on the edges of some of the more colonized areas lie fisherman villages and boardwalks made of rotten wood and the blood-filled sweat of the planet’s first settlers. Being owned by the IMC, IMC supervisors reside over different areas and tend to rule it with a “company first” mindset that upper management encourages. As such, the local people are either a part of the IMC or the poor fishermen attempting to make their living on the side.

As a result of the heavy economic division of classes, there is a severe disparity between the two groups in their culture. On the one hand, you have a strange mix between the corporate culture of the IMC and the hundreds of planetary cultures that the employees still hold with them, spreading them around as they go. On the other hand, you have the uniquely familiar culture of the more native individuals on the planet.

For the essence of this report, it would be best to begin with the native culture, as that is the most relative to the planet. The native culture is an odd mix between the Core System’s South American ideals and beliefs and the Frontier’s independent and unique culture. The native population still primarily practices Catholicism, a religion thought long dead, and often holds ceremonies for the dead, making graveyards distinctly sacred places in the household. Families often buy a plot of land to bury their loved ones and future descendants. Despite their adherence to Catholicism, cases of “spirits” and other superstitious creatures are reported as local legends that require patronage or otherwise will wreak havoc on the surrounding area. Cooperation is a vital household trait among the natives of the land, and it’s widespread to see different families or neighbors leaning on each other in hard times, such as now. However, strange independence and secularity come with this cooperation, leading to different towns seemingly becoming so tight-knit they’re a sieve, rarely allowing new individuals into the mix. Naturally, this puts the local culture at odds with ARES and IMC intervention, creating natural tension.

Speaking of the Faction, the IMC themselves are an exciting mix. Despite usually performing with the cold and hard culture forced upon in a corporate setting, it should be noted (whether due to the planetary administrator or otherwise) that such rulings are much looser on the planet. Because of this, it’s easier to occasionally find even IMCAS Marines acting looser or less official during off-hours or routine patrols. Of course, as the Interstellar Armed Corporation’s Armed Services prides itself on being a disciplined military, such disturbances are few and far between. Such a loose setting also sees many incidents, including bribery, personal corruption, and even embezzlement from local funds. The only division of the Circean IMC exempt from this is the local ARES detachment, noted to be exceptionally disciplined, even for the standards set by the IMC’s notorious Research Division. Loose rulings on discipline and corporate culture have led to further tension. Despite this, there has been an uneasy peace on the planet, most likely a result of the IMC’s military superiority.

Initially, there was a rather extensive black market group on the planet due to the ease of moving materials around the port to port and the relatively low-income individuals willing to look away from the illegal activities due to the stimulus it brought to the economy and the prospect of foreign goods. However, due to IMC's intervention in off-planet smuggling, the Circean black market has fallen on hard times, reduced to surviving through the bribing of IMC planetary officials.

The prospective climate of Circes made it a perfect area for employee relief. As such, a few Corporate Resorts lie around the planet, used as both smokescreen for ARES experimentation and a way to boost local morale, presenting incredible living quarters to employees. However, this has further increased the tension on the planet as resources typically allocated to developing local assets such as towns and canals go to these shining examples of employee housing.

Ever since the exploration of Typhon and the discovery of the Alien devices and ruins there, it’s been noted by both the IMC and the MIL that there was someone before. Someone who came to the frontier and touched the ground before the IMC was conceived. Because of this prospect, the demand for Alien Technology is ripe. So, what happens when abnormal areas are found on Circes, presenting artifacts that betray the imagination? IMC excavations and recovery operations happen on the planet but are usually relegated to ARES and are very hush-hush.