Veritas

Veritas – A
Light in the Void

Any civilized person travelling these reaches of
space would be well advised to stop by Veritas, commonly known as the
World of Truth. So distant are we from the great civilizations of the
galaxy that university worlds are few and far between, but Veritas
lies in the Badlands, well within reach of Carthage station. Veritas
was founded by disenfranchised academics from the Terran Alliance in
2406 CE. These young scholars felt trapped by the rigid systems and
hierarchies in TA Academia, a set out to forge their own destinies
among the stars. How ironic then, that they founded one of the most
strictly ruled planets in the sector! All prospective tourists should
be aware that proper papers are necessary to land on the surface of
Veritas. While tourist visas are easy to obtain, they are must be
carried at all times. Veritas is ruled by the Council of Provosts,
and each university on the planet is roughly equivalent to a nation.
The main campuses make up maybe thirty percent of the planet’s land
area, with the surrounding areas rented out for various purposes. The
main draw of Veritas is certainly its museums and libraries. Whether
your interests lie in science or humanities, significant amounts of
material are made available to the public. Dynamar-Rys College is
particularly good for tourists interested in modern science. Several
excellent restaurants are available on campus at a variety of prices.
Edenate University focuses on the biological and maintains a
controlled habitat of approximately 10 million square kilometers. It
contains a variety of terrain, from lush forests to breathtaking
peaks, and safari tours are readily available. Those interested in
military matters can find old models of Veritas’ defense fleet in
the Aerospace Museum at Cygil Technological University. Of course,
the latest models and prototypes make up the planet’s fleet – one
cannot see those unless one is foolish enough to invade the planet.
As the author’s interests primarily lie in antiquities, you must
forgive his glowing recommendation of the Orsinium Foundation
University. Its museums contain magnificent artifacts, primarily from
the Manipulator and Battler civilizations. The halls of these giants
have been painstakingly recreated in VR exhibits, so that the visitor
may see what their cities may have looked like in their prime. If you
are spending only a day on Veritas, OFU cannot be recommended enough.
It is at this point the author must note that while museum
collections are on display to anyone who can afford their modest
fees, the great libraries and archives are more restricted. If you
wish to access them, you will need to bring new knowledge to the
university in question. It is said that some universities will allow
access to their archives in return for donations, but such things are
not spoken of openly. Currency, as we think of it, is taboo among the
citizens of Veritas, and considered a base thing. And yet students
must pay tuition and researchers clamour for funding! This is handled
through an elaborate currency of information, backed by an encrypted
archive. Each unit of currency is an address in this archive. This is
considered to be a transfer of knowledge, and so totally acceptable
for minor matters. It is the paradox of Veritas that they so greatly
value knowledge, but they must keep a great deal secret and
restricted to support their strange economy. The casual tourist does
not need to know this, of course. The cryptocurrency will see them
through most of their time on the planet. But if they ever desire
anything truly valuable, they must have some great knowledge to give.
In conclusion, any being of any curiousity or civility will enjoy
their time of Veritas. Long may it shine on as a beacon of knowledge
in these dark regions!

Article by Silas Vert