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Sol

Posted by: The Well of the Ocean is Water Aflame

The center of our system is the source of our life -- yet also treacherous and deadly to the unprepared.

Sol​

The gravity well that anchors her islands within the empty seas of space is called by her people: Sol. Her soul is great, a flame 1.4 million kilometers across, and her depths are fierce enough to strip electron from atom, burn fields of energy across her face, and smile forth plasma storms that could swallow moons.

Temperatures at the surface alone make the journey impossible without specialized defenses such as solar survival suits and heavily shielded ships. Unpredictable magnetic fields can destroy equipment between one breath and the next, and shifts in the corona create bursts of magnetism and plasma so large that escape is impossible.

A solar flare, known as a coronal mass ejection (CME), occurs when the sun's magnetic grip slips and radiation breaks free. The free plasma can damage passing craft and unprotected life, disrupt communication and sensors, and provoke magnetic storms on vulnerable planets such as Mercury, Venus, or Mars, which lack protective magnetic fields. In theory, this power could even be harnessed as a weapon by disrupting the field with a strong enough magnetic force in just the right location to direct a CME at a chosen target.

Solarians​

There are fish at the center of the well. The Solarians that live here have adapted many morphs to survive in the solar environment. Among them are the surya, commonly known as space whales. The surya reach lengths of ten meters or more and are designed to swim the currents of Sol's corona, generating magnetic fields that shield them from the heat. The Solarians travel together in surya pods, roaming the corona itself. Other Solarian morphs include mirrored sundiver spaceship synthmorphs and the more humanoid salamander forms that are better adapted for using tools, residing within habitats, and interacting with other transhumans.

Many Solarians are uplifted dolphins and whales that seek a familiar sense of swimming in the ocean's expanse with a pod. Their presence is a deep influence on Solarian culture; metaphors comparing the sun's environment to their underwater experiences are common. Social structures mirror that of a cetacean pod, in which individuals live together as a close unit with few secrets and little social or personal boundaries. Relationships within the pod are open and physical, and social activities are often communal, including poetry and song as well as rough play. This close and intimate living can be difficult for outsiders to adapt to, which is an issue for the occasional socialite tourist.

Three habitats are found in the solar corona, near the northern pole of Sol to minimize exposure to flares. These habitats provide launch points for voyages into the corona and contact with the rest of the system.

Aten​

  • *Habitat Type: Cluster
  • Allegiance: Planetary Consortium

An extension of the Martian University of New Shanghai, Aten is nominally a center of education. Most of the work done at Aten is for profit, taking advantage of the secrecy provided by Sol's corona. While Cognite, Direct Action, and others claim to work on energy collection, they develop military research. The corona may destroy many a dangerous mistake before it is discovered by others.

Hooverman-Geischecker​

  • Habitat Type: Cluster
  • Allegiance: Argonaut

This partnership between the Argonauts and Titan Autonomous University seeks to study Sol and gladly collaborates with Solarian pods. Those who wise to learn may be invited to travel with the pods after an introduction to minimize culture shock.

Ukko-Jylina​

  • Habitat Type: Cluster
  • Allegiance: Solarian

Ukko is our home when we seek shelter from the destruction of Sol's fury. It is also a place for pod members to recover, resupply, or travel outside of the well. The population of this habitat fluctuates from the hundreds to the thousands depending on the solar weather. Few non-Solarian visitors are invited here -- the accommodations are not designed for non-solar-adapted morphs.

Vulcanoids​

Between Sol and her closest escort Mercury lie the Vulcanoids. These small asteroids are cherished for a stable orbit and the protective cover of Sol's glare. Secrets grow easily where few can see them.

V/2011-Caldwell​

  • Habitat Type: Dome/Beehive
  • Allegiance: TerraGenesis

The first of the Vulcanoids to be claimed was Caldwell. Initially dismissed as small and empty, the asteroid was later discovered to hold a treasure: a pandora gate. Ownership was quickly acquired by TerraGenesis. Though courted by the Planetary Consortium, TerraGenesis has so far chosen to work more closely with Morningstar-aligned interests. Pathfinder seeks to disrupt this alliance.