Ameena

Ameena is a destination planet known throughout the sector for its beautiful, unrivaled underground hot springs resort. It is a minor player in sector politics, but is steadily gaining influence. Its inhospitable, burning surface belies the serene, conflict-free lifestyle of its inhabitants, members of a mysterious collective known as The Harmony.

## History and Culture

Little is known about Ameena's history. Initially deemed uninhabitable due to its burning surface, the terraforming of Ameena's underground was made possible thanks to Pre-Tech innovation, and a mining colony was established. Ameena went dark after the Scream and the mining colony was presumed abandoned. Ameena re-established contact with the rest of the Tolantz Suha sector in 3150CE and quickly became known as a preeminent travel destination.

Ameena's inhabitants are members of a collectivist society known as The Harmony. Members of The Harmony have no distinct personality and are effectively interchangeable. It is unknown whether they truly share one consciousness, or, whether they simply share thoughts while exhibiting homogeneous behavior and mannerisms. Members of The Harmony are well known for their very obvious, good-natured contentment. Whereas the hot springs resort charges a premium, The Harmony is a cashless society - needs are met for every participating member of the collective. Many non-residents find their serene lifestyle aspirational, but it is exceptionally rare for an outsider to be integrated into the collective. The Harmony has no known leader or leadership structure. In the words of The Harmony, All are One, and All are at Peace.

Notably, all local historical records were purged as part of The Harmony's directive to live in the moment.

## Locations

#### The Resort

Ameena's hot springs resort is one of the preeminent vacation destinations in the Tolantz Suha sector. Between the planet's burning surface and its molten core, you can rest assured those waters will be toasty hot! Everything from the cuisine to the architecture draws heavily from ancient Terran sources - which is not at ALL because the planet's biosphere is largely toxic to humans and is in fact a conscious design choice intended to maximize the comfort of all resort guests! Thanks to The Harmony, communication of a guest's needs is immediate and universal, resulting in a seamless hospitality experience for maximum relaxation. All are welcome, and all will be at peace!

The hot springs resort conveniently accepts all forms of currency. While the details of its financials are private, it is clear that the resort is extremely profitable - Ameena relies heavily on imports, and boy, has it been importing! Complementing its sizeable financial footprint, Ameena has also grown its presence and influence in sector politics. The political representatives for The Harmony change frequently, and it is not uncommon for visiting politicians to recognize a familiar face or two among resort staff.

#### Tranquility Vale

Tranquility Vale is where members of The Harmony reside. They lead simple, agrarian lifestyles when not working at the resort. Certain areas of the Vale are open to any resort guests who are curious to learn more about the practices and directives of The Harmony. There are even a few meditation and other spiritual sessions designed specifically with guests in mind. The Vale is accessible from the resort by boat, and outings to the Vale are encouraged.

The residential areas of the Vale are often completely silent, as members of The Harmony have no need to communicate audibly with each other.

#### Old Town

A surprising number of folks have immigrated to Ameena over the last 50 years, whether inspired by the peaceful lifestyle of The Harmony or ensnared by the foolish, age-old assumption that living someplace must be exactly the same as vacationing there. Unable to fully integrate with the collective, immigrants to Ameena are treated as perpetual guests and thus are not provided for unless they can pay. While many choose to stay at the resort until they run out of cash, eventually, all immigrants to Ameena wind up moving down into the old mining settlement.

Most residents of Old Town are unwilling ones, trapped on the planet by the cash-free nature of the very society they once aspired to join. They eke out a meager existence farming whatever Terran stock was left after the mining colony was abandoned, along with whatever they can scavenge from Tranquility Vale or the resort. Many are disillusioned and bitter. Some may approach tourists and attempt to barter or beg their way off-planet; still others remain steadfast in their devotion to The Harmony, hoping against hope to one day be chosen for assimilation. What loose structure there is in Old Town is rife with corruption and self-interest.

Unless you're a skilled spelunker or have a shuttle or other small craft, Old Town is only accessible by hiking a steep, narrow path from Tranquility Vale. Old Town sits at the very edge of Ameena's terraformed pocket. It is not uncommon for native pathogens, allergens, and other microbial life to slip through, especially near the outskirts. Essentially a slum, this area is off limits to tourists.

#### The Maw

The Maw is an industrial mining location situated near the precipice of The Chasm. The Maw lies outside the terraformed pocket of the planet. The atmosphere is breathable, but between the high temperatures, gaseous fumes, and dangerous native pathogens, a trip to The Maw simply isn't safe without proper equipment - and even then, things can still go very wrong.

Mining activities on the planet were recently revived by a group of second-generation Old Town residents determined to create better lives for themselves and their families. This group is currently in negotiations with The Harmony on resuming mining exports. The Maw is strictly off limits to tourists.

#### The Chasm

The vast area beneath The Maw is referred to simply as The Chasm. Some say it leads directly to the planet's core. Others think it the haunt of some foul beast. To approach The Chasm is to court certain death.

The Chasm features heavily in The Harmony's spiritual practice. The reason for this is currently unknown.

## Planet Properties

Atmosphere: Breathable Mix

Temperature: Burning

Biosphere: Immiscible

Population: Hundreds of millions

## Planet Tags

* Cultural Power - *The world is a considerable cultural power in the sector, producing music, art, philosophy, or some similar intangible that their neighbors find irresistably attractive. Other worlds might have a profound degree of cultural cachet as the inheritor of some venerable artistic tradition.*

* Hivemind - *Natives of this world exist in a kind of mental gestalt, sharing thoughts and partaking of a single identity. Powerful pretech, exotic psionics, alien influence, or some other cause has left the world sharing one identity. Individual members may have greater or lesser degrees of effective coordination with the whole.*