Diomikato

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Diomikato is part of the Aliya system in Hex #0506.

ago and having named the planet for himself, he gifted the world to House Aquila for use as their official homeworld.
The early days of the planet were fraught with dangerous beasts that plagued the first colonies. The only thing preventing total collapse were the Aquilan forces and the prayers of Arhat Aimée Adeline Lyon who helped develop the early settlements before becoming Diomikato's first high priest.

### Warlord Period

After the events of the Scream, the Aliya system was left cut off from the rest of the sector. Believing themselves to be all that remained of humanity, a number of Aquilan leaders attempted to take control of Diomikato and proclaim themselves Emperox. The political tension quickly devolved into civil war and saw the whole system engulfed in anarchy. All of the organisation and unity from the era before the Scream was turned to ash within the crucible of war.

A number of warlords, such as Xu of Steirhold or Iván Obregón of the Shining Guard, rose and fell during this period, each attempting to conquer and subjugate their neighbors. These warlords would use whatever equipment they could salvage from the various hidden or lost Pre-Scream stockpiles, or from what limited industry remained operable from Diomikato's ruined infrastructure.

Eventually, the planet and House Aquila would see reunification by hands of Warlord Anaïs Obruchev whom, by the time House Vela had rediscovered the Aliya system, was the most powerful warlord on the planet.

The era of warlords would officially end with the rise of Alejandra Ari as ruler of House Aquila; though her ascension caused a another period of internal war by Aquilans who saw themselves more worthy to rule, the soon to be empress would crush these warlords before turning to begin her conquest of all of Acheron Rho.

### Battle of Diomikato (3200)

*For main article, see Battle of Diomikato (3200)*

The most recent battle of Diomikato is an ongoing military campaign fought between the Imperial Legions and A.C.R.E Corporation. After a successful invasion of the planet by A.C.R.E forces, House Aquila and other members of the Empire are currently working to liberate the homeworld.

## Geography

*For information on flora and fauna, see Diomikatan Flora and Fauna*
*For information of time zones, see Diomikatan Time Zones*

Diomikato's geography is primarily described as a wasteland, with openly flowing fields of lava, and ashen wastes covering a large percentage of the planet. However, because the planet is tidally locked with it's sun, the starward side known as the Red Trine is in the constant heat of day while the leeward side known as the White Trine is in the freezing night. There is still variety across the planets surface, with a barely habitable greenbelt existing along the longitude line between the stark day and night sides of the world, this Green Trine contains a majority of the population and agriculture of Diomikato.

### The Three Trines

The starward face of Diomikato has the largest concentration of tectonic and volcanic activity. Because of this, vast seas of lava and magma occupy much of the surface. The air and land is clogged by a mix of ash and sulfur, which gives the landscape and sky a yellow hue. Large fissures and canyons cut across wide portions of the Red Trine, exposing metals and other material to the surface.

Sitting between the light and dark sides of Diomikato lies the Green Trine, also referred to as the Greenbelt. The Green Trine has the highest levels of human habitability on the Aquilan homeworld, boasting the largest array of biodiversity and geographic biomes. Mountain ranges from both the light and dark side make their way into the Greenbelt, with glaciers and waterways cutting paths through them and spreading out into the lowlands. Vast swaths of flatland and savanna occupy the majority of the Greenbelt's land area, but forests and jungles can also be found. Volcanic and tectonic activity is still high in a number of regions which generate hot springs and geysers throughout the Green Trine. Though most of the features found within the Green Trine are natural, records show that the first human colonists on Diomikato embarked on a number of terraforming projects aimed to curtail the extreme variations in weather patterns, as well as improve the overall habitability. The technology, along with most of the records of these early activities have been lost during the events of the Scream.

     The leeward face of Diomikato, known as the White Trine or Darkside, is the largest region by acreage. The bulk of the region is made up by vast swaths of unforgiving frigid wasteland, devoid of both light and life. Below the ice, pockets and seas of liquid water and nitrogen can be found. As with the Red Trine, mountain ranges can be found throughout, with active volcanoes scattered around. These mountain ranges and elevated plateaus form the majority of the barrier between the White and Green Trines, though areas of tundra exist between the White Trine and the Reach. Unlike the Red Trine, much of the Darkside is tectonically stable, though the frequency of active volcanoes is still higher than in the Greenbelt. Orbital scans and surveys have shown concentrations of minerals and metals, but the extreme conditions have limited development beyond the border regions.

### Weather

Because of the constant exposure to Aliya's radiation and the ever present volcanic activity, surface temperatures in parts of the Red Trine can exceed 200 degrees centigrade. Lightning storms made of ash and sulfur frequent the Red Trine. These storms have been known to spill into the Greenbelt and on rare occasion they can coalesce and magnify with gale force winds, spreading a wall of dust and ash hundreds of kilometers wide.

Due to the unique alignment of Diomikato, the weather within the Green Trine is highly variable, with temperatures ranging from 20 to 40 degrees centigrade in the flatlands, and -20 to 15 degrees in the alpine regions. Storms and weather events from the light and dark sides of Diomikato are known to frequent the regions of the Greenbelt closest to either end. Rarely, the most powerful of these make their way into this middle Trine, stretching on for kilometers.

Because of its lack of sunlight, the White Trine is almost the complete opposite of the Red Trine. Temperatures in the leeward hemisphere can reach -200 degrees centigrade; areas nearer to the Greenbelt can be much warmer and the scattered areas of volcanic activity can also help raise the temperature. Blizzards and ice storms frequent the White Trine, produced by warm air released from geothermal activity or from warm fronts coming in from the Greenbelt. Like the storms of the Red Trine, these blizzards can sometimes make their way back toward the Greenbelt which gives the middle Trine bouts of rainfall.

## Regions and Settlements

### Red Trine

Because of the extremely inhospitable climate, human habitation is limited to the outer edges of the Red Trine on the border with the Greenbelt.

#### Ashwastes

A sweeping desert of black, ash-like sand and volcanic rock give the Ashwastes its name. Stemming from a series of volcanoes known as the ‘Spines of the Firedrake’, pools and rivers of lava are scattered throughout the region. As with many areas of the Red Trine, dust and ash storms frequent the region making navigation difficult and surface dwelling all but impossible.

Though inhospitable, the Ashwastes have been the site of many battles throughout the post-Scream history of House Aquila. The remains of these battles, fortresses, and emplacements are scattered throughout the region. The most famous of these locations is known as Proxima Reach, where one of the largest battles of the War Against the Artificials on Diomikato took place. A memorial to the battle stands on a hill overlooking the main valley. Banners of the legions involved fly above a circle of standing stones, including the Pegasus of the Third, the Wolf of the Tenth among others. In the center of the memorial is a pillar of basalt, with the name those lost at the battle carved onto every face.

##### **Steirhold**

*Civilian Population:*approx 14,984

*Military Garrison:*1,500

     Steirhold lies within a deep canyon on the edge of the Greenbelt. The town was once known as the "Den of the Firedrakes" when it was a fortress ruled by Warlord Xu during the time before Diomikato's reunification. It was during this time that Steirhold was considered one of the most impregnable fortresses on the planet, due to it being only accessible from a single winding road down into the canyon. After Xu's defeat at the Battle of Ash Wastes to Warlord Obruchev, the fortress-town remained a shadow of its former self for nearly two hundred years.

It was in 2798 when prospectors sent by a prominent noble discovered a large source of valuable minerals deep below the canyon that the fortress became re-occupied into a mining colony. Over the next few years the colony developed into a thriving mining town as the residents expanded well past the ancient foundations of the original fortress.

Today the mines of Steirhold have been exhausted for many decades, but the city now serves as the primary mineral and ore processing center for region and provincial capital of the Ashwastes. Steirhold has also become the spiritual home of the sixtieth legion, as both the legion and the province have deep ties to the Xu family.

##### **Local Culture**

Owing to the harsh environment, and often bare living conditions, the people of the Ashwastes have developed a sense of pride and determination common among those who live within the Red Trine. Unlike the other Red Trine regions, the residents of the Ashwastes have maintained an isolationist and independent attitude reminiscent of the chaotic days of the Warlord Era of Aquila. Feats of endurance and perseverance are more common among the communities of the Ashwates, and the Fire Newt holds a special place of honor and reverence in the region.

#### Wastelands

Located on the southern hemisphere, the area known as the Wastelands is the largest continuous desert found on Diomikato. With exceptionally little rainfall year-round, the region is virtually lifeless. Lacking in biological or natural resources, humans settled the region for the only remaining resource left, sunlight. Vast complexes of solar arrays, relay stations, and energy storage are found throughout the Wastelands. The energy infrastructure here helps power much of the Green Trine, and even areas as far away as the Hinterlands.

##### **Oppidum Skotios**

*Civilian Population:* approx 8,156

*Military Garrison:* 500

Oppidum Skotios is a smaller town on the light side of the planet. It is built in a half circle around a large cliff side, which provides protection from the ever present sunlight. One main acclimation unit and four smaller ones transfer cold water in a ring layout throughout the entire town; this water is not only used for sanitation but also to help cool down the air within the town's buildings.

To prevent damage from falling debris from the cliff into Oppidum Skotios, the cliff face is stabilized and anchored by protective netting. Additionally, two large large elevators on either side of the town are used for various tasks, such as transporting goods and people, and military maneuvers.

The town is built into three layers: the central ring, inner ring, and outer ring. The density of habitation is concentrated close to the cliff side and is usually regulated by wealth, with wealthier citizens living in the central ring and poor citizens living in the outer ring. Both the inner and outer rings are filled with factories and other industrial workplaces, while both the town hall and forum are located in the central ring. This layout promotes regular contact between the different classes and helps keep political discussion alive.

##### **Local Culture**

The people of the wastelands have always been stringent, focused on the elimination of waste above seemingly all else. It is unsurprising then that the local application of the ASCE and rationing systems are some of, if not the, most extreme on Diomikato. Some have speculated drive by the local government has given rise to a number of black markets, though the provincial administration declares these theories to be unfounded.

#### Lefer Plataeu

As the Ember mountain range enters the Red Trine, it widens and creates a broad elevated plateau containing vast areas of arid steppes. With heavy peaks on almost every side, the Lefer Plateau is sheltered from all but the most extreme ash and dust storms from the rest of the Red Trine. The Lefer Plateau is the only region within the Red Trine to contain surface water, however it is often heavily contaminated with sulfur and heavy metals. Though volcanically stable, the region is prone to powerful earthquakes which generate devastating landslides. The few land routes into the region are often crumbled or blocked entirely for months at a time. But with rich deposits of heavy and rare metals the Lefer Plateau has the heaviest concentration of mining and excavation activities within the Red Trine.

##### **The Maze**

*Civilian Population:* approx 2,213

*Military Garrison:* 200

    Named for its twisting roads, alleys, and corridors, The Maze is a sprawling mass of prefabricated structures hastily arranged, and in some cases built on top of each other. The city is one of the most extreme examples of the Aquilan propensity for practicality. Any feature, building, or service that does not directly contribute to the cities primary purpose, the collection and processing of raw materials from the region’s various mines, is all but ignored. It is unsurprising then that the majority of the population is in the middle to lower grades of serfdom.

##### **Local Culture**

The region has only become of interest to the Convocation within the last few hundred years, and as such has had its population drawn from elsewhere across Diomikato. Because of this, almost no native or local culture exists within the region and instead the Lefer Plateau has become a melting pot for various cultures across the planet and beyond. It is said that nomadic prospectors frequented the steppes in the centuries before the Scream, but few records remain to corroborate this.

### Green Trine

The Greenbelt hosts the majority of the planet's population as the most hospitable Trine.

#### Abon Cordillera

    One of the arms of the Ember mountain range stretches into the midst of the Green Trine. The high peaks act as a barrier to both the ash storms from the light side, and water vapor from the Greenbelt. Hundreds of glaciers, streams, rivers and waterways have created the winding canyons, and temperate alpine conditions that have made the Abon Cordillera famous. Though tectonically stable a number of active and inactive volcanoes can be found within the depths of the Ember range, most notably is Phoenix Mons, the highest point on Diomikato. The high elevation and natural screen from the ash of the Red Trine has created one of the most comfortable and hospitable areas on Diomikato, with average rainfall well within normal ranges for agricultural production. However, these ideal conditions are not uniformly distributed throughout the Abon Cordillera. Towards the south, the protection of the Ember mountains wanes, and ash storms scour the surface of all but the hardiest of life. Leeward, the elevation decreases and opens up into the rolling highlands of Aurikusu.

##### **Infernum**

*Civilian Population:*445,678

*Military Garrison:*60,000+

*For further reading, see Infernum*

Infernum is the capital city and largest city on Diomikato, and is home to many of the great institutions of House Aquila. The city became the Aquilan capital after the destruction of the Amiheim, the Red City during the Second Imperial Civil War.

##### **Helven**

*Civilian Population:* approx 4,125

*Military Garrison:* 2,000

     Located in the arid highlands on the southern edge of the region, the town of Helven appears to be little more than a series of battered and worn reinforced concrete bunkers and structures. In contrast with this exterior appearance, Helven is a sophisticated array of underground complexes, installations and holds serving as one of the largest armories and depots for military grade equipment and supplies on Diomikato. Historically both Helven and the surrounding highlands have been the site of similar storage facilities since before the Scream, as the arid alpine conditions make traditional agricultural settlements impossible.

Though records have long since been lost to time, it is widely theorised that Helven began its existence as a military installation solely focused on the storage of dangerous munitions, components, and weapon systems. Over time, the facilities extended to general purpose arms storage, from small arms to the heaviest of Lorica. The civilian population grew as the required military staffing demands increased, though it is unknown if new excavations were authorised as a result of the civilian expansion, or if it the population surge was a deliberate act by Aquilan command.

##### **Local Culture**

Due to the current and historical links to active military forces, the people of Abon Cordillera operate on a strict militaristic system. Mirroring the current Legion structure, station and status are respected above family name. Though traditional limits on serfs are maintained, the people of Abon Cordillera value contribution to the whole over personal wealth or pride. Rumors of lost holds, and hidden pre-tech weapons and caches have brought many fortune seekers from throughout Aliya looking to uncover relics from before the Scream. These expeditions are often fraught with peril, as the centuries of war have scattered unexploded ordnance, minefields and other dangers across the wilds of Diomikato.

#### Meson Lowlands

The alpine streams and rivers from both starward and leeward mountain ranges combine in the region known as the Meson Lowlands before working their way through the rest of the Green Trine. With an abundance of water and minerals flowing from the higher elevation the region has some of the highest biodiversity in the Greenbelt. The great Tripat River begins here before carving its winding path through The Reach. The sediment layers have high concentrations of clay, with vibrant earth-red tones. It is said that the first colonists used materials sourced from the lowlands to construct Amiheim, giving the city its popular nickname. The Meson region is known for wide tracks of untouched woodlands, however areas of irrigated farmland have been expanding over many centuries. Storms and weather patterns from either end of Diomikato cause wide variation in precipitation, both within the local region and the neighboring highlands. This variation has been known to cause extensive flooding throughout the year.

##### **Vena**

*Civilian Population:* approx 10,356

*Military Garrison:* 1,500

Vena serves as the industrial and commercial hub for dozens of hamlets and farmsteads on the starward edge of the region. Primarily focused on agriculture, Vena also boasts an impressive array of cottage industries and companies focused on furniture and other crafts. The great woods of Ven-bosque yield the highest quality materials on Diomikato, although the products of Vena have never found an audience outside of the Aliya system.

##### **Mesonheim**

*Civilian Population:* approx 49,589

*Military Garrison:* 2,500

    Sitting on a cluster of hills overlooking the Tripat, Mesonheim is the first and largest settlement in the region. Like many of the towns, villages and cities dating back to the early colonization, Mesonheim has a strict grid layout with the landscape carved and sculpted to ensure this pattern could be maintained. This grid layout is continued in the terraced fields surrounding the city, arrayed to maximize both the use of land, and control over the waterways. Levies, docks, and locks protect the fields and city from the frequent floods, giving the city an imposing silhouette from a distance. The great InterTrine causeway makes its way through Mesonheim, crossing the Tripat before making its way to Infernum.

##### **Local Culture**

The rise and fall of the great rivers play a large role in the traditions and festivals of the lowlands. As with many of the agricultural regions of the Green Trine, seasonal harvests are accompanied by celebrations of bounty and plenty. The craft and woodworking traditions found in the region are said to date back to the earliest colony ships, passed down from generation to generation. Regardless of veracity, the tradition has survived these many centuries.

#### The Reach

The hallmark of the Green Trine, The Reach is the largest region in the Greenbelt by acreage. Open fields of prairie and savanna stretch on for miles, in some places occupying the entire horizon. Predominantly a dry, semi-arid region, ice storms from the White Trine and flooding from the Meson Lowlands spurn seasonal bouts of heavy precipitation. This cycle of wet and dry seasons has sustained a diverse ecosystem of hardy flora and fauna. The great Tripat river is the only major source of surface water in the region, winding its way for kilometers before dispersing into the Pat Delta near The Iberus. The Reach is also home to the Vong Vath crater valley, a 160sq km impact crater said to date from the earliest era of Diomikato’s formation, billions of years before human settlement in the sector. With regional borders encompassing most of the Greenbelt, the Reach touches nearly every other region within the Green Trine, and every border region in both the Red or White Trines. Because of this, the population density of the Reach is on par with many of the more inhospitable regions of the Aquilan homeworld.

##### **Amiheim, The Red City**

*Civilian Population:* N/A

*Military Population:* 100

*For further reading, see Amiheim, The Red City*

Amiheim is the former capital city of Diomikato and House Aquila until the fall of Empress Aquila Alejandra Ari. The Red City, as it is often called, was destroyed during the Second Imperial Civil War and lies in ruin to this day - a grim reminder of the darkest period in Aquilan history. Today, Amiheim is sometimes referred to as the Bloody Ruins in certain circles.

##### **Toui**

*Civilian Population:* approx 27,398

*Military Garrison:* 20,000+

Located near the border with the Ashwastes, Toui is densely packed city built in and around a series of rocky outcrops. Toui is home to Fort Conatio, the largest armored warfare training and proving grounds on Diomikato. Vast stretches of land around Toui have been allocated to the Imperial Legions to allow for legion level training exercises. As such travel to and from Toui is heavily restricted to the main roadways and flight lanes. With such a significant legion presence, most of the local economy is supported by entertainment and consumer industries catered to off-duty soldiers. Similar to other settlements near major legion operation centers, Toui is supported by heavy investment and resource allocation by the Convocation, making it one of the most developed cities on Diomikato despite its rather modest civilian population.

##### **Murc**

*Civilian Population:* approx 10,514

*Military Garrison:* 500

Murc serves as the trade hub for the numerous estates, hamlets, villages, and farmsteads in the central Reach. Due to the nature of the regional climate, the majority of local agriculture is focused on livestock and herding and Murc is home to the largest auction houses, slaughterhouses and animal processing centers. Strings of small fortifications can be found along the main roads and along the banks of the Tripat, long abandoned, these are the legacy of the era of Warlords in the decades after the Scream. Murc was a contested city for much of that time, changing hands between dozens of warbands and petty warlords.

##### **Local Culture**

Bordering the majority of the other regions on Diomikato, the Reach had become somewhat of a planetary melting pot. Over the centuries, the cultures of Diomikato have become merged and amalgamated into a distinctive identity of their own. But after the events of the Second Imperial Civil War, the Reach experienced a mass exodus mostly due to Diomikato’s capital moving to Infernum and Amiheim being entirely destroyed. Those who remained in the region’s larger settlements are often stereotyped as being conservative and reserved, the regions festivals and celebrations often muted compared to other regions. The shadow of the Blood Eagle hangs over the people of the Reach even more so than the other peoples of Diomikato.

#### Aurikusu

Leeward of Mount Auri, the semi-arid highlands slowly give way to gentle, rolling hills and winding mountain streams. While suitable for a wide variety of agriculture, the intermittent dust and ash storms form the Red Trine have stunted the development of the region. As with many regions that share a border with the sunward face of Diomikato, the use and management of surface water is a priority above all others. Many of the farmsteads, estates and cities can be found in and around the waterways large enough to flow year round, with the River Mur being the largest of these. Because of the lack of development, many see Aurikusu as a backwater, or frontier region and historically the area saw some of the most chaotic fighting in the decades after the Scream. In the modern era Aurikusu maintains economic contributions similar to the Reach, but that image of a ruthless frontier still persists.

##### **Alten**

*Civilian Population:* approx 15,012

*Military Garrison:* 1,500

    Also known as ‘The Bastion’, Alten is a heavily fortified network of walls, gates, and bunkers built into the Lyon Pass. The sunward pass represents the most direct route from the greater reach into Aurikusu, and as such has the most infrastructure and development in the entire region. The concentration of military assets was in part due to evaluations of simulations and wargames made by loyalist forces during Second Civil War. The loyalists endeavors would bear fruit at the end of the great conflict, as the mighty fortresses held the line against repeated rebel assaults. In the modern era, the great fortress has been stripped away, replaced with forges, furnaces and mineral processing facilities. Resources sourced from the greater region are processed here before being shipped off to the larger manufacturing centers in Infernum. Alten is known to produce the highest quality raw materials on Diomikato.

##### **Lumund**

*Civilian Population:* approx 14,904

*Military Garrison:* 500

    Fueled in part by Convocation directives to invest in local supply chains, Lumund has grown to be the second largest city in Aurikusu in recent years. Aurikusu’s border with the Red Trine has high concentrations of iron, titanium, and other metals. Dozens of large open air mining operations have been launched, and workers from across Aliya have been relocated to ensure maximum throughput. As a result, Lumund has become a city of motion and change with structures, buildings and complexes rising and falling on an almost daily basis. The city has earned the moniker ‘Dust Bowl’ from the heavy concentrations of dust and ash billowing from both the hot side of Diomikato, and the mining and construction projects spread throughout the region.

##### **Local Culture**

The people of Aurikusu maintain a level of self-reliance and independence similar to residents of the Red Trine. The region sees a unique mix of traditions and customs from both Trines, making it one of the truer border and transition regions on Diomikato. Unlike the more prosperous areas of the Green Trine, festivals and celebrations are often less extravagant or elaborate but are relished all the same as they are the rare occasions the scattered homesteads and hamlets come together during the year.

#### The Fields of Iberus

Sunward of the great Iberus Cordilleras that separates the Hinterlands and the White Trine from the Greenbelt lies a region known as the Fields of Iberus. With little variation in temperature and year round rainfall, the region has been targeted for extensive agricultural development since the first colony ships landed. Farming estates, villages and hamlets are spread out, carving terraced fields and orchards on every available piece of land. The Fields of Iberus are famous within House Aquila for the plethora of vineyards, with the most acclaimed wineries located in the region. The Fields of Iberus stand as a testament to humanity's ability to shape and cultivate nature to their will.

##### **Lour**

*Civilian Population:* approx 18,115

*Military Garrison:* 1,500

    Situated on a rocky plateau, the city of Lour overlooks the largest opening of the Iberus valley into the wider Greenbelt. Dating back to the earliest days of colonization, Lour is one of the oldest and most well preserved cities on Diomikato having rarely been assaulted over the centuries. Due to this impressive link to Aquilan traditions and history, land and property in and around the city is highly sought after by the Aquilan nobility. The local administration puts a heavy focus on maintaining the city and its impressive defences.

##### **Verata**

*Civilian Population:* approx 14,488

*Military Garrison:* 1,500

     While the people of Lour encapsulate the Aquilan desire to uphold tradition, the militaristic drive and practicality is the driving force within Verata. Nestled in an alpine valley on the leeward edge of the region, Verata is the central shipping and trading hub of the region. Ships and shuttles enter and leave the city every hour of every day, bringing the bounty of the Iberus to every corner of Aliya. It is in Verata that one can find some of the most famous Aquilan wineries.

##### **Local Culture**

The twin cities of Lour and Verata have been rivals since well before the Scream. In the more chaotic times of Aquilan past this manifested in armed conflict, but in the modern era this spat has taken a far less violent turn. Festivals, celebrations and ceremonies are often accompanied by competitions of any and every stripe. Pride and honor are traded in place of blood and bullets.

### White Trine

Because of the extremely inhospitable climate, human habitation is limited to the outer edges of the White Trine on the border with the Greenbelt.

#### Hinterlands

     The Hinterlands form the transition zone between the Green Trine and the White Trine. Traveling leeward from where the Fields of Iberus rise into the Iberus Cordillera, the Hinterlands is a mountainous region of winding paths, canyons, and plateaus that are difficult to navigate without local guides. Deeper into the region the high peaks and plateaus become scarred with glacier valleys and icefields before steep escarpments create a natural barrier with the Frozen Expanse.

Besides the vast mountain ranges, the Hinterlands also contains the Great Northern Sea which is Diomikato’s largest body of water and only source of salt water. It is here within the Great Northern Sea where the majority of the planet’s aquatic life inhabit. The sea experiences very little evaporation and is prone to expansive square swells which has proven hazardous to sailing operations.

##### **Lyon's Watch**

*Civilian Population:* approx 4,876

*Military Garrison:* 200

    Overlooking the Great Northern Sea, and guarding the largest mountain pass through the Iberus Cordillera, Lyon’s Watch is the central hub of the Hinterlands and one of the largest outposts in the White Trine. Legend says that the great patron saint of Diomikato, Aimée Adeline Lyon, traveled to the Hinterlands during one of her many pilgrimages across the Aquilan homeworld. There she helped the first colonists tame both the climate and wildlife of the region, ensuring its survival. It is said the Aquilan Arhat was the first to give sermons in the White Trine, and the early Aquilans renamed their city in her honor upon recognition by the High Church. The people of Lyon’s Watch continue to harvest and process what bounty is available in the region as they have since the great founding. In the modern era, various camps and forts have been established to train legion forces in alpine and arctic survival and combat tactics.

##### **Opinberun**

*Civilian Population:* 140

*Military Garrison:* N/A

Named for the volcano it resides in, Opinberun is a small settlement of more tribal Diomikatens. A tribe that has been present in this region for as long as anyone can remember. The inhabitants are normally friendly to outsiders and will, in certain cases, provide aid to the locals or the guests of the Hinterlands. The main population resides within the caverns, deep into the mountainside. Their traditions are built around tight knit communal groupings and reliance on the land.

##### **Local Culture**

The ability to navigate and traverse the mountain valleys and passes is a point of pride for many within the Hinterlands. A divide exists between those who work the land, and those who work the Great Sea, but all take pride in eking out what meagre existence they can from the harsh climate of the White Trine. As with many of the harsher locales, the ASCE rationing system is seen as the only way to ensure survival, and is controlled and regulated to an almost draconian degree.

#### Beacon Spur

Believed to have been created soon after the first colonists settled in the area, the Beacon Spur was the end product of a Greenbelt expansion program. One of the few areas to receive extensive terraforming on Diomikato, the Beacon Spur was once a rocky tundra but with the help of pre-scream technology, the region would become as bountiful as the rest of the Greenbelt.

Today, however, the Beacon Spur is but a fraction of its former self. With the technology required to maintain the ecosystem lost to the Scream, the region has slowly devolved into the rocky tundra it once was. Beacon Spur is projected to disappear completely should the area not receive any ecological stabilization.

##### **Rosatiago**

*Civilian Population:*approx 42,289

*Military Garrison:* 1,500

Rosatiago is technically the largest settlement on Diomikato's darkside, located on the greatly diminished Beacon Spur. The city is sometimes nicknamed "The Beacon" due to its relation with the Spur and due to its location at the edge of the darkside, which allows Rosatiago to act as a beacon for those traveling to the Greenbelt through the White Trine.

Rosatiago is a city that many outsiders would see as being on the edge of death since the city is forced to import large shares of food as the Beacon Spur continues its decline. The city also receives only the barest hint of sunlight from over the horizon and thus must subsist its population on an ancient but maintained system of sunlight replicators and heat generators. But even through all its plights, the native Rosans have remained loyal to their home, even when others call for abandonment.

An exact date of founding is unknown, but the city is believed to have existed since the time before the Scream. It is also known that during the Warlord Period, Rosatiago was an independent city-state and home to Les Témoins and the Colonial Museum; as a city-state Rosatiago was often forced to pay tribute to whichever of the many warbands controlled the surrounding territory at any given time. Once Diomikato's reunification had occurred, Rosatiago fell out of major historical importance until the destruction of the Colonial Museum at the hands of the Blood Eagle, and then once again during the War Against the Artificials, when the city was attacked by synthetic legions in 3190.

Rosatiago is also known for being the setting and title of the pre-scream song "Rosatiago". The song tells the story of a soldier who has been sent off to war but wishes instead that he could be back in the city with his loved one. Due to the publication date the song has actually helped historians understand what the city was like before the Scream.

##### **Local Culture**

People of the Beacon Spur are known to be stringent traditionalists as they have a great respect for the past and have often refused to adapt to more modern times. This stubbornness has manifested itself among the natives in a number of ways, such as their unwillingness to leave their dying region or even their refusal to completely adopt Latin. At the same time however, their traditionalism has led to the preservation of early colonial culture and history that is visible in the region’s architecture, cuisine, and general daily life.

#### The Frozen Expanse

    Past the Hinterlands and the Beacon Spur lies the Frozen Expanse, a land of constant night. The Frozen Expanse is the largest geographical region and comprises the majority of the White Trine. Unlike the Hinterlands, the Frozen Expanse is relatively flat and though the Great Northern Sea stretches into the region, its surface is covered entirely by an ice sheet. Periodic shifts in the planet’s tectonics within the region can bring magma to the surface, giving some light to the otherwise total darkness.

The Frozen Expanse is inhospitable to permanent human habitation barring one exception: Incubus Castellum, the fortress of the formerly active 404th Legion is hidden away deep within the region. Otherwise the region is only frequented by humans for resource extraction. Ice mining in the Frozen Expanse gives the planet’s population a large majority of its water and other resources, such as liquid nitrogen from the abundant nitrogen seas, help fuel the planet’s economy.

## Society & Culture

### Planetbound vs. Voidborn

Since Diomikato is considered hostile to permanent colonization, an essential art of the population are the space faring folk living in stations and ships around the orbit of Diomikato. Naturally a rivalry has formed between the two population groups – even among the nobility. These rivalries are not often considered aggressive or violent and are generally seen as harmless banter between both parties involved. Often times disputes are settled through sport such as oil wrestling (for the nobility) or psi-ball tournaments.

Voidborn raised in orbit often view the planetbound Diomikatans as lowlife earth-dwellers or Scotes since they have lived their lives on the planet and do not know – or may even fear – the the endless view of space. Planet-side Diomikatans, on the other hand, look with their noses up when talking to the "arrogant" sky people; whom they consider to be angsty bunny-rabbits as they avoid open spaces due living in the "cages" of their spacecraft.

### Health Issues

#### Planetbound

Being that Diomikato is tidally locked, Diomikatans who live on the bright-side of the planet often have become adjusted to sleeping in light but are prone to develop Scotophobia – or the fear of the dark. Even those who do not, find sleeping in light to be more comfortable and as such the use of nightlights has become prevelant for Aquilans leaving their homeplanet.

For soldiers in training there is often special psychological treatments involved in curing such disorders, however, as of now these treatments are not mandatory and depend on the commanding officer's discretion. In replace of such treatments, Diomikatan soldiers have gotten used to using nightlights and other self-illuminating objects in dark rooms. In the beginning they used personal lights, brought from home, but those quickly got forbidden and were replaced with military issued lamps. These lamps are subject to harsh regulations as they pose potential risk during field operations but are mostly accepted and come in various forms such as small LED lamps, socket lights, and even bracelets.

For further information on nightlight culture, see Diomikatan Time Zones

#### Voidborn

Aquilans or Diomikatans born in space usually do not suffer from the same problems as their planet-side brethren since spacecraft and stations are more versatile about their lighting; however, they often can be unused to direct sunlight and may need time to get adjusted to such bright natural lighting. Voidborn are also known to develop Agoraphobia – an anxiety disorder often triggered by large spaces – due to the enclosed living space involved with space habitation.

As with soldiers suffering from sleeping disorders, the Aquilan military offers psychological treatment in attendant with their military training.

### Rationing

Due to the hostile nature of Diomikato, the early settlers established a system of rationing to control limited supply of items imported from off-world. This system was codified and expanded during the days of the Gaea Coalition to ensure that the worker populations maintained a level of contentment necessary to maximize productivity and population growth.

In the modern era, the rationing system has been integrated into the ASCE system and is linked to a monthly allotment of tickets used to exchange for food rations, clothing, furniture, appliances, and other basic necessities. In the more remote or less developed settlements even electricity and running water are still issued through the rationing system. Commercial centers, shops, and corporate distribution centers exist throughout Diomikato and typically deal in items or commodities not offered through the state rationing system. Although these items typically cost weeks, or in some cases months of a serf's wages.

### Architecture

Buildings on Diomikato are generally spartan, usually made from local stone and metal with very little wood is used in their construction. During colonization the first buildings on the planet were prefabrications built of metal and quick to assemble; while many have been adapted and built upon, some of these prefab buildings still survive to this day.

After the fall of the Blood Eagle with House Aquila's culture shift, the architecture changed to emphasize more Mediterranean and Roman cultural aspects. As the new capital, Infernum, was being built most buildings took on a Roman style with columns white marble or black basalt, and terracotta tiles for roofing. At the same time an increasing number of statues to fallen heroes of Aquila, and to the Arhats Mars and Lyon began to decorate buildings and fill parks.

Settlements outside of the major urban centers are typically dense arrangements of structures, often enclosed by a perimeter fortification. Scholars believe these fortifications came about during the tumultuous time following the Scream, where warlords and uncounted packs of marauders roamed the surface of Diomikato; while a number of other settlements are re-purposed military bases, fortresses or bunkers once long abandoned. In terms of architecture, the farther away from the urban centers one travels, the more pronounced the traditional drab prefabricated style becomes; however, local noble families typically sponsor embellishments, detailing, or decorative projects as a way of projecting status.

### Flag of Diomikato

Flag of Diomikato

The planetary flag of Diomikato consists of two equally vertical bars, white and black, bisected by a red stripe with a beige frame, and charged with an eagle emblem over the black bar.

The colors and design of the flag were all chosen for their symbolism: The white bar represents the light side of Diomikato, while the black bar represents the dark side. The middle stripe represents Diomikato's Greenbelt and the colors match that of the flag for House Aquila. The emblem on the right side of the flag is the official emblem of House Aquila and represents their ownership of the planet.

## Game Entities & Mechanics

### **Planet Tags**

 Enemies:
* Master assassin
* Bloody-handed judge
 Friends:
* Endearing local whose life the PCs accidentally bought
* Escapee from death seeking outside help
 Complications:
* Radiation or local diseases ensure all locals die before twenty-five years of age
* Tech ensures that death is just an annoyance
 Things:
* Device that revives or re-embodies the dead
* Maltech engine fueled by human life

Places:
* Thronging execution ground
* Extremely cursory cemetery
* Factory full of lethal dangers that could be corrected easily

 Enemies:
* Revulsed local ruler
* Native convinced some wrong was done to him
 Friends:
* Curious native
* Exiled former ruler
 Complications:
* The natives are symptomless carriers of a contagious and dangerous disease
* The natives are exceptionally vulnerable to offworld diseases
* The natives require elaborate purification rituals after speaking to an offworlder or touching them
 Things:
* Jealously-guarded precious relic
* Local product under export ban
 Places:
* Sealed treaty port
* Public ritual not open to outsiders
* Outcaste slum home

### **Orbital Structures**

 Bigbee 5 (Space Station)
 Lowell (Space Station)
* Situation: Foreign sabotage attempt

* Infernum
* Amiheim, The Red City)
* Leorgioly (Flore and Fauna
* Aliens)
 Organizations
* Imperial Legions
* Quaestionarius Corps
* Umbra Protocol
* The Chosen
* Téng Shé
 Culture
* Colloquialisms
* Military Awards
* Relics
* Oil Wrestling
* Fire Newt Riding
 Related Groups
* Broken Eagle
* Neo-Eagleism (Children of the Blood Eagle)
* War Machines
* Navalis Equipment (Ship Classes)
 History
* Second Imperial Civil War (White Legions)
* Aquilan-Cah Binn Conflict
 People
 Alliances
 Faction Turn