Kelos System

 

Kelos Star System
Star Name	Kelos
Scientific Name	BP1:Kelos
Class	2.0
Avg Temperature	11,612 kin
Luminosity	4.21
Mass	1.17E29 getrels
Radius	1,638 centipars
Age	3.01 billion GY
Government
Governorship	Congress of Crystaldeep
Government	Confederation
Governor	Tanya Riggs
Alliances	Highlord Alliance, Congress of Crystaldeep
Society
Largest Civilization	Crystaldeep
Capital	Benz City
Weights and Measures	HCM
Language	Kelosian
Society Class	Type B: Interstellar Society
Population	22 billion
Anthem	"It is Truth"
Motto	Unity in Infinity
Economy
Currency	KeCU
Productivity	+4% NaPro
GDP	278 trillion KeCU
Imports	Technology, Information, Engineering
Exports	Mineral, Agriculture, Labor

Location[]

Universe-->Basilicus Prime Cluster-->Basilicus Prime Galaxy-->Ionro Arm-->Kelos Sector-->Kelos System

Worlds[]

The majority of Kelosians live on Crystaldeep where they evolved. Most extraterrestrial activity occurs in stations and bases throughout the system. Kelosians have not yet terraformed any planet in the Kelos System, but are currently planning to do so on Rola, Crystaldeep’s closest neighbor. Generally speaking, no other planet is terraformable. Those with solid surfaces are either too close to the sun or too far away and the others are primarily gas giants. The Kelosians have settled upon many moons throughout the system and in the future, terraforming may be a possibility there.

• Kelos I: Kamabha
• Kelos II: Suve
• Kelos III: Crystaldeep
• Kelos IV: Rola
• Kelos V: Vovia
• Kelos VI: Loese
• Kelos VII: Katrow

Overview[]

The Kelos System is under the influence of many political entities. It is governed by a system of common law that was agreed upon by group of elected representatives of hundreds of countries called the Congress of Crystaldeep. The larger the population of a country, the larger their representation is. The largest influence in the Congress of Crystaldeep is UNATA, the Bornian Union, the Republic of Curiar, and the Empire of Vendi. Countries operate independently of each other and only come together on system-wide disputes and laws. The Congress of Crystaldeep enforces the Congress of Crystaldeep Charter: a system of laws, policies, and budgets that are managed and updated every year.

A citizen of the Kelos System (anyone born within the boundaries of the system) can travel freely in Congressional Space. Most countries that have representation in the Congress of Crystaldeep don't require very much identification when crossing borders, however certain places are heavily regulated. There are many Congressional military bases and outposts throughout the system that are completely off limits.

Although interplanetary travel may be easy, that is not to say security isn't high. The Kelos System is in a time of war and there is no trade route or spaceport that is not heavily guarded and watched by the Congress of Crystaldeep. In addition, property owned by individual countries is also heavily guarded by their own military. Non-natives have strenuous customs processes to complete before they can enter the Kelos System, but once inside they only need to adhere to various immigration laws set by particular countries.

Government[]

The Congress of Crystaldeep is one of three political entities that are in an interstellar alliance. The alliance is named after planet Crystaldeep of the Kelos System, where the Kelosians, Helics and Highlords originally signed an economic trade agreement. This economic alliance turned into a political alliance, when Highlord requested the Helic's help on liberating Kelosians from Arrq invasion.

It was only natural that the Kelos System would join in this alliance, having been weakened from the invasion and supported by the allies. The Congress of Crystaldeep signed a political and economic agreement with the Highlord Alliance 50 years ago and since has been a very active member. In return for military help against the Arrqs and recently, the Rannella System, the Congress of Crystaldeep provides resources, money, and technology to the other allies. As of late, however, the Helics have not been able to assist the Arrq Wars because of a civil war erupting in their home system; similarly, the Congress of Crystaldeep hasn't provided very many resources to their allies because of their own civil war with Rannella.

The alliance, right now, is weak. Some charismatic leaders are on the rise, however, and the Congress of Crystaldeep hopes to rally military support against Rannella. This war has been considered a "civil war" and it is customary that interstellar allies do not take sides. The Congress of Crystaldeep has a very good case against Rannella, however, as they are a threat to all non-Kelosians. Both Highlord and Helis haven't yet supported Kelos on the matter, but all-out interstellar war is certainly coming.

Economy[]

In effort to regulate trade coming in and out of the Kelos System, the Congress of Crystaldeep established and appointed the Pangalatic Trade Commission (PTC). The prime functions of the PTC are to protect the citizens of the Kelos System from dangerous imports, inflated prices, illegal merchandise, and fraud. They are involved in dismantling organized crime, regulating costs, investigating fraud, running a customs system, and generally enforcing Congressional Law on trade in the system.

The Congress of Crystaldeep appoints members of the PTC and they, in turn, hire employees, agents, and soldiers. The PTC is considered a Congressional Agency and has authority over any country's agencies and law enforcement when in Congressional Space. They also have quite a bit of influence when in a country's space as well, but certain laws in the charter balance their power. Next to the Stellar Corps (the official Congress of Crystaldeep military), the PTC is considered the most influential military presence in the Kelos System.

History[]

Against what pre-Arrq historians would have liked everyone to believe, there was once a civilization on Crystaldeep before the Kelosian one that is now causing waves in the galaxy. Modern myth spoke of such civilization and even extra-terrestrial seeding of Crystaldeep. Most of the legends were misguided or completely wrong, as would be expected for historical events that occurred nearly 50,000 GY prior.

The species that is now called Highlord were once Crystaldeep Natives. By the time Kelosians were picking up sticks and throwing them at each other, the Highlords had cultural supremacy over the globe. They had hundreds of cities worldwide, including their largest, Aleron. Highlords built their cities in cooperation with the Natural, meaning you'd have to know beforehand that the settlements were manmade (this is why explorers and historians throughout Crystaldeep history never found evidence of a prior civilization).

Kelosians, along with a few others were also members of this prehistoric Highlord society. The Kelosians were certainly underdeveloped and only evolved with help from the Highlords. At the time, Kelosians were not much more cultured then other primates. Highlords didn't expect sentience out of them any time soon.

When the Highlords discovered that Crystaldeep's poles were going to switch and cause global catastrophe they immediately began preparing their exodus. As the story is well known, they used a pyramid in Aleron to evacuate and the amount of energy needed was so much, that it sunk the city. The survivors were left to fend for themselves on the planet and after the poles shifted, many of them died.

Of the remainders, Kelosians were by far the most advanced. With hidden memories of their prior days they evolved and became the creature we know today. It didn't take very long for knowledge to be lost, however, and evidence only remained hidden in Kelosian mythology and secrets were kept by various secret societies throughout Kelosian history.

Traces of the Old Civilization[]

To the wise, knowledge of extra-terrestrial civilization and the ancient history of Crystaldeep was well known, however to the layman, Kelosian history began much later. Traces of the old civilization could be found in the legends and religion. There were those that tried to keep this knowledge secret and for a variety of reasons.

Despite all of the tragedies a number of Highlords still remained on Crystaldeep. There were a few that missed the exodus to Crystaldeep and survived the polar shift. They weren't enough to have a civilization and certainly not enough to compete with the rise of the Kelosians. They stayed away for as long as possible, protecting themselves from the warlike species. Early in Kelosian history, the Highlords that were found were killed because of their differences and so those that survived learned quickly to stay hidden.

Evidence of Highlords on Crystaldeep can be found in legends of mystical creatures. They had a higher knowledge and were able to work the Natural, making themselves appear to be magical and godlike.

Early on, many of the surviving Highlords gathered in secrecy to plan their future. They decided that they had to direct the evolution of Kelosians to save the species. Based on their current level of evolution there would be no way the species would be an interstellar society by the time of the next polar shift. That would mean the destruction of both Kelosians and whatever Crystaldeepbound Highlords were left.

This started the Arcane Council. These Highlords represented themselves as gods to Kelosians and tried to direct their evolution, including the disclosure of various technologies and the manipulation of their politics and religion. Seeds of the old knowledge were planted in major religious movements to steer Kelosians in the right direction.

Inevitably the Arcane Council became split on their idealism and they spent a great deal of time warring with each other, using Kelosian society as their pawns. This corruption and loss of purpose escalated into unbelievable lengths throughout history. Eventually the Arcane Council united, but by then it was too late and the Arrqs invaded.

It was the united Arcane Council that alerted their brothers on Crystaldeep of the Arrq Invasion. Despite all of their corruption and elimination of Kelosian independence over the millennia, they were the ones that eventually saved the Kelosian race.

The Seeds of Xenophobia[]

It was already clear at the very birth of Kelosian civilization that anything not Kelosian was either feared or disrespected. Unlike their predecessors, Kelosians spent their evolutionary time destroying other creatures on the planet. If the creatures had sentience they were killed because they were unnatural and if the creature was instinctive they were killed because Kelosians were superior.

This tradition was and is the status quo on Kelosian relations with non-Kelosians. Knowing this, the Arcane Council had to stay secret and the Highlords had to stay away from the planet. Only when the direct threat of extinction was in the face of Kelosians, did non-Kelosians interfere with the society at all. That interference was systematically planned, allowing only the leaders of Crystaldeep to know the truth.

The Arcane Council spent most of the last 700 years of Kelosian civilization preparing for the next Polar Shift, which could occur at any time (now scientists estimate this shift to happen within the next 500 years and Crystaldeep has made steps to prepare for it). They had no idea that the real threat to Kelosians was another species, not a natural cataclysm. This only became apparent in circa 21,950 GST.

At the time, little was known about the Arrqs. They were a species far away from anything the Highlords or the Helics were involved in. It was only recently known that their home system was in the verge of its own cataclysm. Their very old star, Arrqa, is in the process of supernova. Within the next few hundred years, the entire system will be under a perpetual nuclear reaction, annihilating all of the system's six planets. The Arrqs, already an interstellar society (albeit a reclusive one), began the search for a new place to live.

With still abundant resources, ideal climate, and atmosphere consistent with their own, Crystaldeep was their target. It was later discovered that the Arrqs had their eye on the Kelos System for over 500 years before they invaded. Their initial exploration gave them a sense of world politics and confirmed the planet's conditions for their survival.

Beginning around 22,950 GST, they started studying the ecology and biology of the planet. In about fifty years it was confirmed that there would be little to no environmental adjustment to their ecology. The next step would be to anticipate disease and other less obvious biological affects. Even still, the Arrqs knew that anything they encountered could be overcome, so they began preparing the stage for their arrival.

The Arrqs nearly botched their plans when an exploratory spacecraft crashed on Crystaldeep in 21947 GST. One nation, the United Provinces of the West (UPW) first became aware of extra-terrestrials. Shortly afterward a Arrq ambassador met with the UPW leadership to cover up what had happened and to prepare for their plans. They made various deals with the UPW, including exclusive contact and technology exchanges. The Arrqs were free to take creatures from the planet so they could investigate diseases and finer biology and the Kelosians were none the wiser.

Over a period of time the Arrqs made deals with various Crystaldeep governments and the Arcane Council themselves. They built themselves up as an inquisitive species out to understand alien biology as a cover to their real plan. Not even the Highlords saw their threat until it was too late. Only a group of 10 million Kelosians suspicious of the sudden appearance of the Arrqs in Kelos preemptively left Crystaldeep in 21972 GST, 25 years before the invasion would devastate the system.

In 21997 GST, the Arrqs invaded the Kelos System. The attack was a complete surprise and the advanced technology of the Arrqs left the governments of Crystaldeep on their knees. In two very horrible days, the Arrqs managed to destroy nearly all of Crystaldeep's defenses and had begun an all out invasion, including the genocide of the Kelosian species.

The Arcane Council contacted the Highlords and in turn the Highlords contacted the Helics. After the initial invasion, the Highlords and the Helics showed up on Crystaldeep and the Arcane Council made their existence known. In a three-year battle, the Arrqs were at last defeated and the Kelos System began its long rebuilding and new alliance with the Helics and Highlords. The Arcane Council set up the Congress of Crystaldeep and seceded from Crystaldeep to join their long lost Highlord brothers.

The Kelosians that remained were generally grateful to the aliens for the help, but the seeds of xenophobia were already set and those that helped them could not overcome the influence of those that invaded them. A large portion of Kelosians were appalled that not only did Crystaldeep accept help from aliens but allowed aliens to create a government for them and set up an alliance with other aliens. This group eventually became the Rannella Party.

Society[]

So much of what Kelosians do in the modern world is directly related to species. Kelos's relations with two civilizations are in effort to defend their borders from yet another civilization. Rannella's whole existence is based upon species supremacy. Kelos and Rannella's conflict is directly related to their different levels of xenophobia.

Many civilizations exist without caring one way or another about different species and even more civilizations have more than one sentient species in their evolutionary history. So the question comes up, why are Kelosians so concerned about people that are not Kelosian? Simply put, Kelosians aren't used to it yet. They've only been a member of interstellar life for a mere 150 GY.

As the cradle of Kelosian civilization, the Kelos System's short history has occurred primarily on one planet: Crystaldeep. In only very recent years have Kelosians left their temperate world and settled elsewhere in the Basilicus Prime Galaxy.

Additionally, Kelosians are a naturally aggressive species and our society has been wrought with conflict from its very birth. Despite their inclinations, they still generally believe in a higher good and will cooperate with others if they do not feel threatened. Unfortunately, since their introduction to extraterrestrial life was a violent one, they are xenophobic. The Kelos System itself boasts tolerance to all sentient species, but the real truth is racism and hate is rampant among most all Kelosians.

This intolerance has exploded into a brand new society outside the Kelos System, where Kelosians have taken up military action against non-Kelosians. Because of the Congress of Crystaldeep's official ethical position they have retaliated and now it is civil war.

All Kelosian civilization is in a time of war and is always on the defensive because of continuous open war with the Arrqs as well as with their brothers the Rannellans. The Kelosian species is a victim of violent growing pains and no amount of help from their allies will change the fact that Kelosians have entered a dark age.

It can be easy to understand, then, their reluctance to trust non-Kelosians. But this reluctance should be curbed by their strong alliances with the Helics and the Highlords. However, it simply isn't. Even their allies are not trusted by the masses.

The Congress of Crystaldeep's "open door" policy has encouraged an influx of non-Kelosians to settle in the Kelos System. Despite the equal opportunity rhetoric, however, non-Kelosians are not typically treated well by the generally xenophobic populace. Hate crimes, racial slander, and segregation are illegally tolerated by most authoritative organizations. There is, of course, resistance to this racial attitude, but civil rights for non-Kelosians are far away from a reality.

This being said, those non-Kelosians who do live in the Kelos System and elsewhere under Congressional Law typically do so against their will. They may have financial obligations or business needs to stay. Some are simply trapped with no economic way to leave. Others are politicians and even some are activists fighting for equality in the non-Kelosian society.

The Highlord Alliance has given the Kelos System a lot of immigration. The majority of non-Kelosians in the system are Highlords, but there are a good percentage of Helics, as well. Other non-Kelosian species make it to the system, but not in great quantities.

Kelosians have had some contact with the Kirr System's inhabitants, but not more than a few curt meetings between low-rank emissaries of each side

The Kelosians that live in the Kelos System call themselves Crystaldeep Natives. There is a lot of pride with being a Native over someone who was born in a non-Kelos colony or in the Rannella System. Those that are born on non-Kelosian planets are treated just as poorly as non-Kelosians.