Centus II
Centus II is a planet in the Centus system, settled by mining corporations that live in towering spires and plot intrigue against each other.1
Geography
The only remotely habitable one among the Centus system's 12 planets, Centus II is rich in heavy metals and minerals, but water is only found in several toxic lakes and the atmosphere contains high levels of arsenic and toxic metal vapours. However, the cold air in the mesosphere can be tolerated with rebreathers.1
Inhabitants
Centus II was originally discovered by shirren mercenaries hired by a consortium in search of areas to expand. They built slightly more than a dozen miles-high skyscrapers that could nonetheless withstand the heavy surface gravity. Each consists of a sturdy miles-across foundation, a spire that tapers as it rises, and an egg-shaped pod at the top, and is owned by a different corporation that furnishes the interior in its own way. Employees are trained to operate in both the mesosphere's low gravity and the surface's heavy gravity, usually changing shifts yearly.1
Corporations ship most of the mined metals and minerals off-planet, keeping a small portion to maintain the towers. Although this is currently cost-effective, some planetary forecasters guess that the resources might run out in a few decades. Corporations constantly buy mining rights on the surface from each other, and veins of ore occasionally move from one claim to another due to fast-shifting tectonics, necessitating the demand for surveyors and seismologists. Many corporations are willing to fake deeds and sabotaging rival operations, creating jobs for thugs or corporate spies.1
Although no reputable person has actually reported seeing a so-called Centus creep native to the planet, gruesome stories of attacks and missing employees are rampant through the towers.1
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 . “Codex of Worlds: Centus II” in Solar Strike, 62. Paizo Inc., 2019