Cadon

The Galaide Worlds were once an ethnic Altairan sovereign state, located to the galactic north, of the area in which the Carrick Grand Marches is located (the most southerly Galaide World, Cadon, is reachable via safe jump from Riesefels, Shahar and New Vesta, and of course, New Rodinia. The original Galaide Worlds territory includes eight systems, and a ninth has been added (Tawasy) in recent years as a settlement of traditionalist Galaide culture. Galaide is not a sovereign state today, although it is still primarily an Altairan state, it is a satrap of the Dhangetan Cartel. Most Galaidians are not overly inconvenienced by peaceful transfer of power wherein their morally bankrupt leaders sold out their worlds to the Dhangetans for enormous piles of money, so while they're not happy to no longer being political independent, in actuality, in many ways they are probably more free than they used to be, as the Dhangetans are largely indifferent to anything going on locally on their worlds. This also, of course, has meant that the unique Galaide culture has been largely erased by a more cosmopolitan hybrid culture that is Galaidian and Dhangetan both, and large numbers of aliens and alien humans now come and go regularly on the Galaide worlds, and even live here permanently—although the population is still well over 90% Altairan of original Galaidian stock across the region.

System: Cadon

Hex Location: 2224

Star Type: Distant double star O8 V, M1 V

Number of Worlds: 5

Gas Giants: 4

Planetoid Belt: N

Starport Type: X No star port

World Size: Earth-sized

Atmosphere Type: Thin

Surface Water: 70%

Population: Super-populated 11 billion

Political Affiliation: Dhangetan Cartel

Tags: Death world, Civil war, Flying cities

Notes: Cadon is a world that one must be very careful to visit. The Dhangetans and their lackeys, including many Galaidians, live in flying cities high above the surface, but below, the world is turned over the anarchy. Revanchist Galaidians fight against savages who are little more than bandits and even the armies of a death sage that had lingered here for centuries if not millennia (after whom the planet is named, in fact) that decided to make a play after the arrival of the Dhangetans, ending a thousand years of quiescence. However, this same cyberlich and his allies are often seen in the flying cities, so whatever his game is and how it relates to the Dhangetans is unclear. Is he an ally of theirs? Or a rival? Many indications suggest that latter, but his friendly reception when he visits are difficult to explain. Either way, the Dhangetans seem to have tired somewhat of the chaos and mercenaries are streaming into the system under various banners to fight against either the undead hordes or the revolutionaries, or both. War profiteering is also one of the number one industries for outsiders and Galaidians of other worlds alike, although it is a difficult business, given how dangerous the world is and how distrustful every faction is of everyone else. Smugglers or gun-runners or others who make "the Cadon run" are the most skilled and respected in the profession, and some in fact attempt to make a name for themselves here before moving on. Many do not return.

While all of this activity has been profitable for many, it has had the opposite effect on others—what was once a thriving trade hub has seen interstellar shipping dry up almost entirely, and much of that lost business has relocated to New Rodinia. This is especially true after the last of the star port facilities were destroyed by the fighting factions, although true convoys and caravans still pass through here to skim unrefined fuel from the hydrogen gas giants, scrub it in their filters, and jump back out of the system again all in 48 hours. Because for the most part, the civil war and the other dangers associated with it take place on the surface rather than within the space of the system, this is usually considered a safe option. However, a few enterprising pirates have realized this and attempted to make a go at preying on this traffic too.