Name of World/Station: Khocladia, Etrusca IX, or simply “The Tangle”
System: Gjallerhorn
Year Initially Settled: 2253
Affiliations: Independent
Governmental Style: Constitutional Stratocracy
Primary Languages: English, Russian, Chinese
Religions: Siderealism, Christianity, Buddhism, Technotheism
Primary Industries: Mining, Entertainment, Cybernetics
Current Leaders/Figures of Note: Captain Nikita Dyatel
In-Play Characters from this Location: None
Human Mutations: Electrosensitivity. A small percentage of second and third generation denizens of Khocladia have developed specialized sensory organs, which manifest as twin antennae sprouting from the brow or scalp. These organs allow them to detect, and sometimes directly interact with, electromagnetic frequencies.
Those with the mutation often report being able to “hear” wireless signals, such as those sent over wifi and radio. The vast majority of data received this way is indecipherable, but it’s not uncommon for electrosensitive individuals to hear snippets of radio transmissions and sometimes even phone calls that they would otherwise not be privy to.
Additional symptoms include a capacity to sense nearby electric (and bio-electric) systems. The detection radius for this ‘sixth sense’ is limited, usually to around a ten-foot radius surrounding the individual’s head, though it can be expanded through direct contact with a live wire (or an exposed nerve).
With training, some individuals can teach themselves to project electromagnetic signals of their own. The most practical application of this ability results in a sort of “digital obfustication," where the subject can, for a short duration, camouflage themselves from cameras, androids, and anything or anyone who relies on cybernetic optics. Khocladia’s government actively suppresses any information regarding this aspect of the mutation, but knowledge and usage is growing in certain sub-communities of the station regardless.
Geography/Biodiversity: Etrusca is a vast red gas giant, situated 106 AUs from its parent star. It has (or had) 13 moons in total, the majority of which are lifeless icy rocks and radioactive wastelands. The ninth moon had a thin atmosphere and occupied an elliptical orbit, and was thus initially deemed to be an adequate place for a mining colony.
This is no longer the case. At present time, Etrusca IX is not (and perhaps never was) a proper moon; instead it is a loosely conglomerated field of swirling rock, ice, and dust, and it has only been made habitable by the constant effort of those who originally found themselves stranded there.
Khocladia, or “The Tangle” as it is sometimes called, is a large collection of asteroid-based habitats, lashed together by massive cables and equipped with course-correcting thrusters. Many of these habitats utilize the standard dome-based architecture seen throughout CHL settlements, though due to a necessity to minimize surface area (and thus, reducing potential collision events) these domes are usually built in ways that are “harmonious” with the asteroid’s original silhouette, occupying naturally-occurring recesses within the rock, or constructed inside the hollowed-out asteroid body itself.
Initial habitats were built hastily, meaning that the oldest structures generally obey the architectural and aesthetic sensibilities of industrial mining spaces. By contrast, newer structures (and spaces deemed important enough to warrant retrofitting) are startlingly bright and colorful, to the point that visitors frequently describe Khocladia’s social centers as “vibrantly overstimulating.” Both extremes are lavishly painted in community art (state-approved or otherwise) and neon lighting is a staple whether you live in one of the city centers or out amidst the lighthouse buoys.
History: The attempt to colonize Etrusca IX almost didn’t happen. It received little attention when first discovered; whatever bounty the gas giant and its moons had to offer were massively outweighed by their distance from everything else in the system, and the backwater planet was promptly forgotten. Nearly two centuries later, however, and Etrusca was ‘rediscovered’ as advances in astronomy allowed surveyors to glimpse a curious atmospheric lensing surrounding the gas giant’s ninth moon; an observation that suggested the presence of mercury crystals. The Pyrtech Corporation, sensing the allure of another gold rush, immediately moved to secure mining rights.
In 2253, the colony ship Khocladia arrived at its destination. Remote surveys had promised a harsh world, but one that had been made livable via drone-operated terraforming efforts. The passengers and crew expected to find the beginnings of a settlement already waiting for them; yet the moment they arrived, everyone could tell something had gone terribly, disastrously wrong. There was no moon here, no celestial body for them to land on, and in its place was a veritable minefield of asteroids and debris. Before the crew could even take their bearings, multiple collision events rendered the ship practically immobile, and an emergency landing was immediately scheduled.
After flying their ship kettle to a harbor on the nearest and biggest chunk of sheltering space rock, two things became immediately apparent. The first was that there’d been no navigational mistake; this really was the right place. Their flight plan was flawless, their coordinates matched the projected location of Etrusca IX, and all other nearby celestial objects could be visibly verified via telescope. This icy field of rock and dust was their destination, and whatever solid moon they’d thought they were flying to was simply missing.
The second was that they’d sustained too much damage and lost too much fuel for a return trip to be possible. They were stuck here, with no easy way home.
So Captain Chen Xiuying made a snap decision; they would issue a call to the rest of Gjallerhorn and await help. Any rescue flotilla would take many months to assemble and arrive, so in the meantime they would erect temporary habitats on the nearest stable asteroids. The mining gear was repurposed, the crew and civilian teams were set to work, and by the time the first dome went up contact had finally been re-established with Pyrtech and the CHL.
Hope surged. They would survive this travesty, and live to see clear blue skies once again.
Then the war broke out. And suddenly nobody had the resources to spare for the system’s most expensive ‘natural disaster.’
Weeks stretched into months, months into a year. Communication became spotty, then fell off completely as the Pyrtech Corporation’s investments collapsed. Hope of timely rescue began to dwindle, but the habitat crews remained steadfast, working night and day to turn ‘temporary’ structures into long-lasting living spaces. Mining crews were assembled to extract more raw material, caves were quartered off for additional farming space, and the wreck of the Khocladia was refurbished into a bright and thriving city center. Bit by bit a series of proper settlements began to take shape, and with them, a new communal identity took form.
By the time the civil war had ended, “The Tangle” had developed into a small but thriving colony all on its own. Aid from the CHL was eventually re-extended, only to be unexpectedly refused when the inhabitants of Etrusca IX declared themselves independent. Mercury crystals had indeed been discovered in the asteroid field, and with mining operations already underway, they’d secured themselves a path to economic autonomy. The former crew of the Khocladia, having transitioned to more government-style roles, were in no rush to relinquish their positions - nor were the citizenry willing to rejoin a coalition that had left them stranded and destitute for the better part of a decade. Even now, half a century later, this fierce independence remains a key part of Khocladia’s zeitgeist, and it’s seemingly well earned as they continue to carve out their own cultural niche within the Gjallerhorn system.
To this day, the cause behind “the mirage of Etrusca IX” is still a matter of intense scientific curiosity. Multiple theories have been floated, many supposing electrical interference from Etrusca’s massive magnetic fields, but no solid proof has been found. It remains a mystery, and one that shows little promise of ever being solved.
In 2258, following a continual rise in rates of depression and a sudden spike of suicides, Captain Chen Xiuying began a new, state-sponsored project, one with the aim of improving the quality and general appearance of Khocladian habitats. Living spaces would be made more comfortable; great sunlamps would be installed in city centers to simulate the missing light of Gjallerhorn; community art programs for every medium would be formed, all so that Khocladia would better match “all the color and vibrancy of the human soul.”
As a result, the Khocladian art and entertainment scene is a wild, thriving industry, and in 2314 represents a significant portion of their interstellar revenue. Despite the distance, subsidies for the arts have made filming there attractive to many in Gjallerhorn, and the station has produced a surprising number of celebrity auteurs in its relatively short lifespan. Community art occupies much of the station’s cities, the largest and most famous being a massive blue mural painted onto the gleaming white hull of the original Khocladia colony ship, which is touted as perhaps the largest singular piece of artwork in the system.
Despite the navy’s efforts, life on the Tangle remains hard, as living conditions are often cramped, and those outside the major cities still suffer from an acute lack of sunlight; Vitamin D supplements are a necessary ingredient in most people’s diets.
Khocladia remains a mining colony first and foremost, and thus limb losses are an all-too-frequent injury. Prosthetics are an almost ubiquitous sight amongst the populace, though in recent decades they’ve become something of a vehicle for self-expression as well; cybernetics and body mods are incredibly popular, many opting to voluntarily exchange hands, legs, and even eyes for artificial replacements. Rather than the stigma that cyborgs see elsewhere, cyberization is seen as something of a liberating factor on the Tangle; there is an almost universal mentality among Khocladians that what they have achieved should not have been possible, that humans were not built to live in a place such as this. Thus, many have embraced a sort of transcendent transhumanism, a belief that one has to become something else - something greater - in order to thrive 100 AUs away from the light of a star.
This transhumanist tendency is no doubt fueled by the emergence of the electrosensitivity mutation among the newer generations. In addition to simply looking less human, Greys (a colloquialism derived from their superficial resemblance to the “Grey Aliens” of popular culture) have contributed heavily to the world of cybernetics, their ability to ‘read’ a person’s nervous system as easily as they ‘read’ more traditional electrical systems enabling multiple revolutionary leaps in the field of brain-to-computer interfacing.
The Khocladian government is, at present time, still debating what to do about this emerging population. On one hand, they’ve enabled etruscan tech firms to dominate the field of cybernetics; on the other, they represent a serious threat to private security which cannot be ignored. Additionally the CHL, which had initially seemed agreeable to Khocladia’s independence, now seems hellbent on bringing back the colony (and their unique mutation) back into the fold.
The current head of state, Captain Nikita Dyatel, has been publicly flirting with the idea, happy to play politics and watch both the CHL and Asphodel Meadows compete for his allegiance - though this, along with the navy’s effort to surveil mutated individuals, is earning him significant criticism from the populace. A growing anti-authoritarian counterculture is spreading like wildfire through the habitats, pushing back against the navy’s efforts to venerate themselves and limit community arts to “interstellarly marketable imagery,” and whether willingly or not Greys are becoming the face of this movement.
Independence Day: January 25th, annually. A celebration and re-affirmation of the station’s independence from the CHL, and a recognition of the difficulties of living in the middle of an asteroid field. Of particular veneration are the astronomers, gunners, and work crews who keep the stations safe from incoming space debris; “Thank your whalers!” is a common sentiment during the weeks leading up to this holiday.
Founders Day: September 9th, annually. The anniversary of the Khocladia’s arrival to Etrusca IX. The late Chen Xiuying is a widely beloved figure in Khocladian history, and this holiday is primarily meant to honor her quick decisionmaking and steadfast leadership. As time has passed, there has been an effort to broaden this veneration to encompass the naval government as a whole, though more and more Khocladians are openly rejecting this interpretation of the holiday.
The Time of Red: A two-week holiday that takes place every orbital period (approximately 417 days.) This is less a celebration and more of a necessity; as Khocladia’s elliptical orbit nears periapsis, massive spikes in radiation and magnetic flux make all but the simplest mechanical tasks impossible. Etrusca’s vast red storm clouds dominate the cities’ skies, and many citizens report feelings of unease or impending doom during this time. Most prefer to stay indoors until the Time of Red has passed, but for Greys it can be a rapturous experience, as the gas giant’s electromagnetic signature can sometimes register as an all-encompassing voice or presence to their unique sensory capabilities. Some even insist they can hear it “calling” to them, though to date nobody using astronomical equipment has been able to capture anything akin to a coherent signal coming from their red neighbor.
While more traditional religions such as Earth-born and Sidereal faiths represent the majority of Khocladians, it must also be noted that the stations host a wide variety of cults as well. Given Khocladian reliance on and affinity for technology, android and other AI personalities are commonly promoted to the status of prophet or god-to-be. Heavily cyberized individuals, and sometimes even internet idols have founded cults of personality here; yet the most frequent subject of extremist worship is Etrusca itself.
While most cults rise and fall with the times, the Etruscan faith is more consistent, participation spiking with every orbit around the planet. In 2291, the “Sons of the Storm” attempted to sever the anchor cables of one of the city-stations during the Time of Red, with the hopes of sending it plummeting into Etrusca’s upper atmosphere - they failed, but ever since the navy has dramatically increased their efforts to monitor Etruscan cult activity.
Of note though, is that almost all faithful aboard the Tangle have worked Etrusca into their religion anyway; for example, many Siderealites consider it to be a “Fifth Facet” of sorts, on par with Polaris herself. For obvious reasons, religiosity tends to be higher amongst electrosensitive individuals, and they often feature as oracles, priests, and astrologers within these faiths.