Desolatia

Desolatia is the largest, most populous of the Fringe Worlds - a collection of worlds on the far edge of Empire space in the Mogol System.

The inspiration for its original naming came from the nature of its climate. Most of the colonies on Desolatia are located in the south pole of the planet where conditions are slightly more sufficient for human habitation.

The original colonization of Desolatia was driven by independent settlers and companies aiming to escape the rapid urbanisation of Arcturia Prime.

Reunification into the Empire after Desolatia was thoroughly established led to a bitter uprising dubbed "The Fringe World Rebellion" where countless Desolatian rebels and Imperial retainers were killed.

Following a massive Imperial military response to the Rebellion, it's leadership retreated underground; and an Imperial occupation force has established rule of law once more.

## History

Desolatia was discovered during the initial expeditions out of Arcturia by Imperial surveyors.

In the earliest stages of colonization, Desolatia was strictly a mining world for freelance companies looking to move out of the monopoly of Arcturia. Eventually with the investment of private corporations, Desolatia established decent facilities such as a Space Dock and some semblance of a town around it which they called Dry Rock. This attracted settlers who were looking to escape the ever growing metropolitan atmosphere of Arcturia for a new start.

With colonies starting to dot the south pole, a colonial government and militia was formed to maintain some form of order of on the frontier. Over the next one hundred and fifty ears, Desolatia would grow rapidly as the planetary water mining industry experienced a boon due to the safety risks of asteroid ice mining.

Desolatia started to experience political friction with Arcturia when a change of policy in the Empire demanded tariffs from trade around the fringe worlds and the Empire itself. Up until this point, they had only paid tariffs on trade within Arcturia itself. This caused an uprising in Dry Rock City which led to a coup against the planetary government and the Imperial Retainers that maintained it.

Reports of widespread rebellion reached the heart of the Empire, but in truth it was really only the wealthy upper class in Dry Rock City which had conspired against the Empire. None the less when the 1st Imperial Stabilization Force (1st ISF) arrived a year later, they occupied every city, colony and outpost. After they gained their foothold they gathered the leadership of Desolatia and either imprisoned or executed them for treason.

This was a major tactical oversight as the heavy handedness of the 1st ISF caused more people to sympathize with the Colonial Army that was fighting it out with the Imperial Army in the badlands and the Big Empty.

Large ground and air battles raged over the Big Empty and the badlands surrounding it turning the whole region into one huge scrap yard.

Despite their valor, the Colonial Army was militarily defeated by a much more advanced Imperial Army within a month of the campaign. The remnants went into hiding and began a full scale insurgency under the banner of the Fringe World Rebellion (FWR). It was a rallying call across the colonies and the 1st ISF found itself fighting a war that was everywhere rather than in a single concentrated region.

In the following years the insurgency grew in number and confidence, and the Empire was forced to employ more draconian tactics while trying to counter them. They razed several backwater outposts and conducted raids across all major cities and colonies in order to rally up suspected insurgents and publicly execute them. Through these raids, the Empire learned that the headquarters of the Rebellion was located out in the Big Empty in a place called Scrap Town.

The 1st ISF tasked their Battle Cruiser the *ISS Endeavor* to position over the desert town, raid its occupants then destroy it. In an attempt to showcase the might of the Empire and to make a statement, the Captain of the Endeavor cruised into orbit and cast a shadow over the desert town. However, to the horror of the Captain and the 1st ISF commanders, a series of large cannons emerged from under the desert sands and blasted the exposed Endeavor from the sky. FWR guerrillas charged the grounded Endeavor and killed the surviving crew.

It was a perfectly executed ambush using false intelligence, patchwork heavy cannons and stealth technology. The Empire had no idea the Rebellion was capable of such advanced co ordination.

Following this action dubbed "The Endeavor Incident", the Rebellion seemingly disappeared into the wastes of the Big Empty and the underbelly of the colonies.

## Geography and Resources

Desolatia is defined by four key regions on the planet; the Stormveldt Tundra in the north pole, the Green Patch in the south pole, the rocky Badlands which border the Green Patch and the desert wastes of the Big Empty dominating the equator of the planet.

## Cities and Towns

#### Dry Rock City

Capital of Desolatia located in a barren valley of the Green Patch. Locals refer to it as Rock City. The layout is a semi circle of mountain ridges with much of the "high tier" built into the side of these ridges. The space dock is central at the foothills of the ridges and the Rock City strip is the main drag from the gates of the city all the way to the space dock. Shanty towns and ghettos surround the Rock City strip and space dock while high rise apartments are built into the side of the ridges overlooking the city. Grav train networks weave around the ridges and down into the Rock City strip.

* Jim's Bar & Grill - Situated on the hills of Dry Rock overlooking the Space Docks, Jim's Bar & Grill is popular with space truckers, mercenaries and outlaw SFCs because the bar itself is dwarfed by a huge dirt lot which can facilitate all kinds of small transport and fighter ships. It also has a great view over the space dock and sits along the grav-train route which can take most transient visitors to Dry Rock almost anywhere.
* Rock City Strip - The neon bathed strip along the central part of Dry Rock City, right in the heart of the valley. Casinos, night clubs and bars line the strip.
* Starfield's Mall - a shopping center opposite to Jim's overlooking the Space Docks.

#### Fort Sutton

"A one horse town" - an old world saying that seems to sum up Fort Sutton sufficiently. As the name implies, it is a town that was built around a border fort which sits on a cliff overlooking the descent into the Big Empty. A gradual hilly gradient leads up to the fort from the direction of the Badlands. The fort itself is a formidable hallow square. Reinforced steel ramparts protecting an interior courtyard. A single dirt road surrounds the fort and descends down the hill out of town where it spreads out like a spiderweb off into the badlands. These dirt roads eventually meet up with the sealed

roads of the Green Patch.

In recent generations, Fort Sutton has acted as a mining town and refuge for outcasts. The courtyard of the Fort itself acts as the market square whereas a mismatched collaboration of buildings sit on either side of the road as it descends down the hill, this affords the less sturdy buildings some refuge from the razor winds that come in from the Big Empty.

Key Locations:

* Sutton Square - the courtyard of the Fort with a bazaar of shops and services.
* The Mayor's Office - located in the administrative hall of the Fort where a Colonel used to sit.
* The Wasteland Wrangler - a bar and saloon located down the hill from the fort in the town proper.

#### Scrap Town

One of the only "civilized" settlements located in the Big Empty. Scrap Town has the fortune of occupying space in a large crater which keeps it shielded from the worst of the razor winds and sand storms of the Big Empty. Scrap Town as its name implies is almost entirely built from scrap salvaged from derelict ships that often crash into the desert due to sudden sandstorms.

#### Whitehall City

The central city of the Icelands. Whitehall City is a collection of Bio Domes built on scattered isles of the coast of the frozen seas. The close proximity of the isles allows for a grav-train loop to link them together. The Bio Domes serve as a means for protection against sudden storms which are typical of the Icelands. The central Dome of Whitehall (simply called Dome One) was the original facility built on the isles and is thus the industrial heart of the City. Factories, water processing facilities and a space dock and the fusion reactor for the city are all present in this dome. Large pipes weave out from the base of the tome into the frozen sea like the roots of some metallic plant. The next dome in proximity to Dome One is the commercial district, and several smaller domes orbit these two as habitation areas.

## Person's Information

### Titles

Planetary Governor of Desolatia, Supreme Commander 1st ISF

### Organization

1st Imperial Stabilization Force (1st ISF)

#### The Fringe World Rebellion (FWR)

The local population of Desolatia are hardy, colonial personalities. Even the denizens of Dry Rock City have a certain moxie about them that can only be developed through living an independent life on the fringe.

The experience of Imperial occupation is new to the Desolatians and it was they did not and still cannot cope with. Locals are belligerent at best to the "Imperial invaders" - the very worst they join the active insurgency dubbed the "Fringe World Rebellion".

The FWR is an underground resistance that formed when the standing army of Desolatia was wiped out by the overwhelming force of the Imperial Army that came to restore order to the planet after the initial year of turmoil following the collapse of the Imperial Retainers.

Although Desolatians hold contempt for the Imperials, they are still charismatic and laid-back by nature.

#### The 1st Imperial Stabilization Force (1st ISF)

The 1st ISF is the permanent presence of the Empire on the planet of Desolatia. Its logistics and military command lies in the hands of the Planetary Governor, General Edward Stockton.

They are tasked with establishing Empire rule of law and rooting out the FWR insurgency which has gone underground.

Some members of the 1st ISF stoically believe in bringing civilization and better living conditions to Desolatia. Others can be rather heavy handed which has created many issues with the local population.