White Light system graphic showing position of Clarion
Clarion[1], officially known as White Light II (and derisively as "Gollywog") is the second of four planets of the White Light system (on the edge of the White Light Nebula, and the only inhabited planet. It's primary is a red-orange star.[2]
Planetary Data[]
Orbit:
Diameter: 11,679 km
Gravity: 1.0g
Day: 50 standard hours
Year:
Inclination:
Atmosphere: 60% Nitrogen, 24% Oxygen,16% other (including .033% CO2)[3]
Climate Range: Humid throughout, warm to very hot
Average Surface Temperature: 30oC
% Water:
Moons: none
Artificial Satellites:
- Fortress Redoubt (Spacefleet space station)[4]
- Clarion Station (space station)[5]
- 1x Class III SSC[6]
Population: Human (Heavy)
Exports: raw materials
Imports:
Planet Description[]
Geography/Climate[]
Clarion is a beautiful, pristine planet.[7] It is also a flat, wet world. Most of the surface is covered by a single large land-mass that is broken by eight seas and a number of huge lakes. A few very low mountain ranges have risen above the surface, but most of the planet is covered by broad plains and mudflats. A few of the largest flats are thousands of kilometers across.
Constant rain, lasting for weeks, is the normal weather pattern on Clarion. Generally, these storms are punctuated by brief periods of fair weather before clouds gather and the showers begin again. At any one time, it is estimated that rain will be falling over 90% of the planet.[8]
Clarion has twelve large cities[9] and hundreds of smaller ones. Some the large cities cover hundreds of square kilometers, and have poplations measured in the tens of millions.[10] The largest city on the planet (known variously as Moline, Valentina, or the Throne City) is where the incredible palace of the Leotine rulers sprawls over dozens of square kilometers.
Native Life[]
No native animal life has been discovered on Clarion. Much of the planet is covered with vegetation, but all of the plants would be considered "primitive" by most standards: lichens, mosses, algae, ferns, etc are the most common types.[11]
Politics/Culture[]
Government[]
All of Clarion is governed by a benign, capitalist monarchy,[12] which has traditionally enjoyed wide support from the population. The current King, Leotus XIX, has ruled for 37 years and soon will no doubt abdicate in favor of his daughter, Leotia XX. The Leotus line has held the throne for nearly 400 years, always passing the crown from parent to child.[13]
The monarchy rules the planet through an elected Parliament of 100 seats. Seventy to eighty of these seats constantly support the monarchy. The remainder of the seats are held by the Liberation Party, which wishes to end the monarchy.
Military[]
Moline is also the Headquarters of the surface-based branch of the planetary militia, the Royal Guards. This militia numbers only a few thousand men, yet it has never been defeated in any land combat fought throughout the planet's generally peaceful history. The space-going militia, known as the Royal Marines, has approximately 300 members, one frigate (CMS Leo) and three assault scouts (CMS Falcon, Wasp, and Osprey).[14][15]
Laws[]
Some significant laws exist on Clarion that have contributed to the success of the monarchy. Trade with other systems is encouraged, and is profitable enough that most merchants do not mind the high tariffs assessed to all imports. Companies working on the planet's surface must demilitarize all operations, and this has contributed greatly to the state of perpetual peace that the planet has generally known.
Economy[]
Clarion's primary industries center around resource mining.[16] The resources which have made Clarion a wealthy planet include uranium, found in all the mountain ranges, huge quantities of petroleum beneath the mud flats, and a few rich concentrations of bauxite (aluminum ore). Of these, the largest industry is petroleum refining. Although there is very little demand for the burnable by-products of petroleum in the Frontier, the wide variety of plastics and other chemicals created from oil are in great demand.
Moline is the headquarters for Eversafe Enterprises.[17]
Despite the ban on its operating on Clarion soil (see below), the UPF charter allows Streel Corporation to have an office on Clarion Station.
Crime[]
Pirate bands are known to lurk in White Light's asteroid belt. Rumor says that some of them are supported by the Liberation Party. They are also rumored to be receiving support from the Streel Corporation, which was banned from operating on the planet for twenty years after violating the Demilitarization Act.[18] Streel is also said to be a major contributor to the Liberation Party's coffers.
Orbital Facilities[]
Wheeling majestically through space hundreds of kilometers above the planet's surface are the Clarion Stations. Fortress Redoubt, a major UPF base, is the largest. The others include a large commerce station (Clarion Station), a Class III Spaceship Construction Center, and a half-dozen smaller research and observation stations.
History[]
Colonization[]
Clarion was first colonized by humans centuries ago. As they expanded from the direction of Theseus, the White Light system became a major crossroads for human exploration of the Frontier. Because it sits astride a connection of four major interstellar routes, Clarion has collected significant populations of many races.
Notes and References[]
- ↑ In the original edition of Star Frontiers, Clarion was named "Gollywog", presumably after a character in English children's literature. In British English, "wog" is a racial slur. After the connotations of using the word were pointed out to TSR, the name was changed.
- ↑ Alpha Dawn p.50
- ↑ Dragon Magazine "Star Questions"
- ↑ Knight Hawks p. 55
- ↑ Warriors of White Light, p.4
- ↑ Knight Hawks p.9
- ↑ Zebulon's Guide to Frontier Space p.50
- ↑ "Warriors of White Light" module System Brief
- ↑ "Warriors of White Light" module System Brief
- ↑ Alpha Dawn p.49, Zebulon's Guide p.46
- ↑ "Warriors of White Light" module System Brief
- ↑ Knight Hawks p.52
- ↑ "Warriors of White Light" module System Brief
- ↑ Knight Hawks p.55
- ↑ Warriors of White Light pp.2-4
- ↑ Alpha Dawn p.50
- ↑ Zebulon's Guide p.50
- ↑ The ban has eight years left to go.