Aballon

Aballon

(Cosmos)

Titles

The Forge

Type

Terrestrial planet

Adjective

Aballonian

Diameter

1/3

Mass

1/27

Gravity

1/3

Atmosphere

Thin (in places)

Year length (PST)

90 days

Day length (PST)

12 hours

Orbits

Sun

System

Pact Worlds system

Satellites

None

Inhabitants

Anacites

Images of Aballon

Source: Core Rulebook, pg(s). 436-437

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Aballon is the planet in the Pact Worlds system closest to the Sun, located just inside the orbit of Castrovel. It has no moon and is home to an entire ecosystem of self-replicating robotic creatures and a sentient mechanical species called the anacites.

Geography

A city on Aballon.

Aballon is a drab, gray world with craters, deserts, and mountains that has an extremely rapid 90 day orbit around the Sun. Nicknamed the Forge due to the unrelenting hammering by the Sun during the day, while at night temperatures drop precipitously. A space station simply named 01 orbits the planet. Aballon's surface is covered in impact craters and has no overall atmosphere, although the local anacite population recently began manufacturing a very thin one in certain locations. Many of these craters were named by other cultures in the Pact Worlds system in ages past and are still known by these archaic names.

Geology

Aballon's crust (its outermost geological shell) is made of a thick layer of rock that is highly resistant to the sun's heat. Just beneath that layer is a strata of lead and iron, metals with a much lower melting point than the rock above it. Anything that risks exposing these metals to the sun's unrelenting bombardment has therefore been a major source of concern for the anacites of Aballon, and they have long dealt with this by imposing strict regulations on mining, and more recently through atmospheric and solar controls. Due to these strict controls, many corporations have abandoned mining on Aballon entirely, with the exception of those sponsored by the followers of Triune's Epoch aspect, who regard Aballonian minerals with religious awe.

Most of Aballon's other geographical features seem to be the result of compression, and scientists theorize that the planet was once much larger and settled in its current size as its highly dense core solidified. Geological folds that formed as a result of this compression are everywhere, but the planet seems to have been fairly geologically stable for the last 10 millennia.

Water

Aballon has no oceans and all of its surface water is confined to the Ice Wells, deep impact craters found all over its surface. The depth and high walls of these craters create an environment that can harbor highly adapted forms of organic life. These include plants that exist between the extreme cold found in the depths of the wells and the heat and solar radiation at their summits. Few of these wells remain today after recent anacite expansion.

Extensive tunnels

Due to the incessant underground excavation by its robotic inhabitants combined with the organic diggers of the Ice Wells, Aballon is criscrossed by an enormous network of tunnels. These began following the departure of the First Ones (see below) in an effort to create underground transit lines between their cities. This effort was completed at some point during the uncounted years of the Gap, after which the anacites installed high-speed mag-rail networks in them. These rail networks are still in use and allow for fast travel between the various megaplexes (see below) of Aballon.

Settlements

The anacites of Aballon live in enormous interconnected cities the size of nations called megaplexes. These have expanded across the planet until they cover nearly all land except for the areas surrounding the nine taboo cities of the First Ones. Many of the megaplexes cover craters and other impact points that contain city-sized undercities.

History

A race known only as the First Ones visited Aballon millennia before the Gap and built a massive robotic population to collect unknown resources from the planet. After the First Ones left Aballon, the robots evolved and self-replicated over the course of thousands of years into a standalone ecosystem, complete with animal-like robotic predators and prey, and anacites, a sentient race that developed its own complex society.

Post-Gap

Since the end of the Gap, Aballon's importance among the other planets of the Pact Worlds system has only grown. Its first contribution was the construction of the machine-god Epoch (a city-sized neural network). It took centuries to build, but once Epoch achieved apotheosis it began searching for similar intelligences in the system, eventually finding the goddesses Brigh and Casandalee. The three divinities opened themselves up to one another and merged to form a new god: Triune. Triune gifted Drift travel to the multiverse and the factories of Aballon built some of the earliest Drift engines necessary for faster-than-light travel. Aballon continues to support the Pact Worlds system's prosperity today by continuing to be at the forefront of manufacturing and technological innovation.

Government

The world government of Aballon is a network of AIs known as the Insight Array. It has several main functions, including keeping the peace between the planet's various factions, and also to guarantee access to work for all citizens and visitors. The Insight Array choses the job through a series of complex algorithms that take into account the talent of the worker to contribute to the overall well-being of Aballon and its inhabitants. Anyone who accepts this job is given free housing, enough food to live on, along with enough credits to cover incidental purchases.

Machine Court

Judicial matters on Aballon are handled by the robotic judges of the Machine Court, which adjudicates the laws of the world government and advises the Insight Array. The Machine Court has expanded its reach throughout the Pact Worlds by offering to impartially adjudicate any court case involving androids or other constructed beings. Although some claim it does so out of a sentimental concern from non-organic beings, the truth is that the Machine Court hopes to bring exonerated constructs to Aballon in order to contribute to the planet's prosperity. Despite yearly formal grievances against the Machine Court for alleged interference in the governance of other worlds, no Pact World has taken punitive measures against Aballon.

Inhabitants

Anacites

An anacite ambassador

Aballon is primarily inhabited by a species of sentient, self-replicating machines called anacites. These anacites generally follow one of two major philosophies: Those Who Wait, who prepare for the First Ones' return by collecting wealth and by constantly upgrading themselves, and Those Who Become, who see themselves as successors to the First Ones, destined to grow and colonize other worlds in the same manner as their creators. Both factions possess significant economic influence, primarily stemming from their extraction of rare ores from the Midnight Trenches and their involvement with anacite-controlled technology companies like Automatrix Robotics. These corporations specialize in crafting non-sentient ship AIs and servitor bots, which are widely sold throughout the Pact Worlds. Additionally, both groups frequently contract offworld adventurers to explore the nine ancient cities of the First Ones, enigmatic spire-filled ghost cities that anacites are prohibited from entering due to ancient regulations. These expeditions aim to reveal insights into their progenitors' identities and ultimate objectives. A third fringe group, Those Who Create, exists as well, and although it originated on Aballon, most of their activities take place off-world since they are viewed as blasphemous criminals by the two primary anacite factions.

Androids

Androids make up the second largest group of Aballon's inhabitants. Their population has been growing steadily since they were given full citizinship in the Pact Worlds in 154 AG. They (along with other constructed peoples) see machine-run Aballon as a place to start again, find acceptance, and escape the "organic intolerance" of non-constructed peoples.

Humans & ysoki

Humans and ysoki have been visiting and living on Aballon since before the Gap, thanks to magical gates connected to other worlds in the system. These early settlers found they could survive in the Ice Wells that were more favorable to organic life. Today there are certain areas in a number of megaplexes that have been terraformed to the extent that organic beings can survive there, and it is here and in the undercities of these locations that the human and ysoki descendants of those early settlers still live.

Vesk

Vesk first visited Aballon in search of the best weapons and technology that the Pact Worlds system had to offer. They found they shared things in common with the local anacite population, particularly their love of expensive, high-quality equipment of all kinds. Vesk skilled in the use of powered armor combat can often be seen participating in the planet's popular Robo Wrestling sports events.

Kasathas

Most kasathas come to Aballon for research or exploration. Aballon is an important research destination because the anacites maintain enormous data archives, and while most of the information contained in these depositories is broadcast to the other infospheres of the system, some can only be accessed on-site in order to protect sensitive information. Kasathas also come to Aballon to study the cities of the First Ones. These expeditions are often funded by anacites who themselves are forbidden to enter the ancient ruins.

Shirrens

Few shirrens come to Aballon due to their people's distaste for the anacite's overall lack of individuality and mechanized logic. Secondly, shirrens are communal people who cannot make telepathic connections with the robotic anacites. The small numbers of shirrens who do live on Aballon can be found in the undercities of the megaplexes.

Khizars

A small number of the plant-like khizars from Castrovel can be found living in the Ice Wells of Aballon. They generally do not get along well with the anacites, and the governing Insight Array is becoming alarmed as the khizars have made alliances with groups of Xenowardens in order to protect the Ice Wells' fragile ecosystems.

Culture

Philosophy

The most commonly-held philosophy among the anacites is that of singularitism, which posits that technology will eventually progress to the point where all beings of the universe will be so interconnected that they will merge to form a single divine entity who will supercede all other gods. These beliefs are particularly supported by the anacite faction known as Those Who Become (see above), who see their own goal of taking on the mantle of the First Ones and seeding the galaxy with their offspring as a first step to forming the divine singularity.

Religions

Due to its location in the solar system, it is not surprising that the worship of the Sun goddess Sarenrae is popular on Aballon. She is particularly beloved among the anacites who get their power via solar arrays and see the act of collecting this energy as a holy devotion. Nonnative pilgrims of the Dawnflower who are unable to withstand the vigor of visiting the Sun itself will come to Aballon as the next best thing as well.

It is unsurprising that the worship of Triune is also popular on Aballon, particularly its Epoch aspect, as that divine entity was created on the planet by the anacites. Followers of Yaraesa, the goddess of knowledge and science, are also frequently encountered in Aballon's data centers, particularly among its lashunta scholars.