1514 Hoxasonsy
UPP: Hoxasonsy A99583A-D
As a 'physical world' Hoxasonsy is almost unredeemed. It is a barren, rocky world, with methane taking the place of water, in liquid, ice and gaseous form, forming icecaps, large oceans and much of the poisonous and turgid atmosphere. It is large, making the gravity somewhat more than human normal.
Despite these disadvantages it is the seat of the largest institution of learning in Umbar - The Collegiate Domains. The Domains, a vast collection of colleges, research departments, administrative blocks and residences, are burrowed into the cliffs of steep sided ravines, threaded through craggy mountains, or built to overlook the methane seas. It is a world of green quads, collections of tropical plants and unusual flora and fauna from across the sub-sector, all in sealed bio-domes, interlinked in the Great Zoological Gardens, many structures 'Grav Assisted' to compensate for the high gravity levels. It is also a world of high technology - the Central Data Repository being one of the great libraries of Umbar, housed in a black, cube shaped building a kilometre to a side. As an institution, The Domains are lead by the High Provost, supported by Vice Provosts, Provosts, Low Provosts and Proctors of many grades, with a teaching staff numbered over two million on Hoxasonsy alone.
Whilst it has a reputation for having become ridged and ritual obsessed, this should not conceal the fact that it is an academic powerhouse, most famous perhaps for it's Xenology, Zoology and Archaeology departments, School of Leyland Studies, Centre for Haradath Studies and The Aslan Institute, but it has huge technical strengths too, and has numerous collaborative projects with the two other major centres of learning, The Free University of New Athens on Cavirza and the various research institutes of the Scott's Guilds.
A world like this, with the comparatively high population it has, would find it hard to supply its own physical needs, even if the bulk of the populace were not dedicated to more intellectual pursuits - which they are. The means that as the world has grown, it has developed an ever closer economic relationship with the worlds of Roroquneus and Aorenilus. The former, in particular, is effectively a farm world to supply Hoxasonsy with food, raw materials and finished goods, and has been part of The Domains since the earliest times. Aorenilus is also part of The Domains, but effectively for research purposes, as it is home to a small Droyne colony and extensive Orna ruins.
The origins of The Domains are, like so much else about Umbar's early history, hazy. The planet was already occupied, forming a small retreat for those more spiritually and intellectually inclined, The tradition of The Domains is that they were settled originally by exiles from Bisoqu who made the joiurney pre-jump drive in a sub-light vessel at some point during the early 1100's. There is no record of this settlement expedition on Bisoqu, but many records were lost during the Karasen Crash, and the embarrassing truth is that this was probably just a minor footnote in Bisoqu's own history that it has left no trace. To point this out, however, would be to offend an academic caste who is simultaneously in pursuit of truth, but acutely conscious of it's own status and happy to believe the best of itself. The Domains themselves were declared in 1227. A Scott's World vessel passed though the system for the first time after the rediscovery of the jump drive, in about 1440, was surprised to discover settlement in the area. With jump travel now possible, Hoxasonsy attracted dissidents and free thinkers from other Cluster Worlds, and to handle even a modest influx, Roroquneus was settled 'under licence' in 1545 - the world declared Domain territory and plots offered for settlement in exchange for a stead food supply. This foundation just pre-dates the Karasen Crash, and acted as a refuge for those from many worlds that did not fare well. The Domains, in contrast, seem to have survived the crash relatively unscathed, and have maintained a stable, if independent (if not quite isolationist) existence, ever since.
A capability for starship construction, and indeed a fleet, are maintained here, but they are of a scientific and expeditionary nature, rather than military.
NOTES FOR TRAVELLERS:
Travellers should note that the principal space port is actually built into the airless moon Iyelarine, with many servicing docks, store houses, and all facilities associated with a major port. All traffic with other worlds is conducted via Iyelarine, and although The Domains are not formally part of the Fairport Convention, most trade is OFC and TTA compliant and there is an association agreement in place. It is not unusual to see OFC vessels in the 'tens of thousands' ton range unloading in orbit around the moon. All access to Hoxasonsy itself is via scheduled service from Iyelarine to the surface. Visitors are welcome, and highlights such as the Great Zoological Gardens and the Central Data Repository are not to be missed. It is advisable, however, to tell your hosts at every opportunity how unparalleled the Domains are in all respects, when compared to other worlds.
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| A dome of The Great Zoological Gardens |
Despite these disadvantages it is the seat of the largest institution of learning in Umbar - The Collegiate Domains. The Domains, a vast collection of colleges, research departments, administrative blocks and residences, are burrowed into the cliffs of steep sided ravines, threaded through craggy mountains, or built to overlook the methane seas. It is a world of green quads, collections of tropical plants and unusual flora and fauna from across the sub-sector, all in sealed bio-domes, interlinked in the Great Zoological Gardens, many structures 'Grav Assisted' to compensate for the high gravity levels. It is also a world of high technology - the Central Data Repository being one of the great libraries of Umbar, housed in a black, cube shaped building a kilometre to a side. As an institution, The Domains are lead by the High Provost, supported by Vice Provosts, Provosts, Low Provosts and Proctors of many grades, with a teaching staff numbered over two million on Hoxasonsy alone.
Whilst it has a reputation for having become ridged and ritual obsessed, this should not conceal the fact that it is an academic powerhouse, most famous perhaps for it's Xenology, Zoology and Archaeology departments, School of Leyland Studies, Centre for Haradath Studies and The Aslan Institute, but it has huge technical strengths too, and has numerous collaborative projects with the two other major centres of learning, The Free University of New Athens on Cavirza and the various research institutes of the Scott's Guilds.
A world like this, with the comparatively high population it has, would find it hard to supply its own physical needs, even if the bulk of the populace were not dedicated to more intellectual pursuits - which they are. The means that as the world has grown, it has developed an ever closer economic relationship with the worlds of Roroquneus and Aorenilus. The former, in particular, is effectively a farm world to supply Hoxasonsy with food, raw materials and finished goods, and has been part of The Domains since the earliest times. Aorenilus is also part of The Domains, but effectively for research purposes, as it is home to a small Droyne colony and extensive Orna ruins.
The origins of The Domains are, like so much else about Umbar's early history, hazy. The planet was already occupied, forming a small retreat for those more spiritually and intellectually inclined, The tradition of The Domains is that they were settled originally by exiles from Bisoqu who made the joiurney pre-jump drive in a sub-light vessel at some point during the early 1100's. There is no record of this settlement expedition on Bisoqu, but many records were lost during the Karasen Crash, and the embarrassing truth is that this was probably just a minor footnote in Bisoqu's own history that it has left no trace. To point this out, however, would be to offend an academic caste who is simultaneously in pursuit of truth, but acutely conscious of it's own status and happy to believe the best of itself. The Domains themselves were declared in 1227. A Scott's World vessel passed though the system for the first time after the rediscovery of the jump drive, in about 1440, was surprised to discover settlement in the area. With jump travel now possible, Hoxasonsy attracted dissidents and free thinkers from other Cluster Worlds, and to handle even a modest influx, Roroquneus was settled 'under licence' in 1545 - the world declared Domain territory and plots offered for settlement in exchange for a stead food supply. This foundation just pre-dates the Karasen Crash, and acted as a refuge for those from many worlds that did not fare well. The Domains, in contrast, seem to have survived the crash relatively unscathed, and have maintained a stable, if independent (if not quite isolationist) existence, ever since.
A capability for starship construction, and indeed a fleet, are maintained here, but they are of a scientific and expeditionary nature, rather than military.
NOTES FOR TRAVELLERS:
Travellers should note that the principal space port is actually built into the airless moon Iyelarine, with many servicing docks, store houses, and all facilities associated with a major port. All traffic with other worlds is conducted via Iyelarine, and although The Domains are not formally part of the Fairport Convention, most trade is OFC and TTA compliant and there is an association agreement in place. It is not unusual to see OFC vessels in the 'tens of thousands' ton range unloading in orbit around the moon. All access to Hoxasonsy itself is via scheduled service from Iyelarine to the surface. Visitors are welcome, and highlights such as the Great Zoological Gardens and the Central Data Repository are not to be missed. It is advisable, however, to tell your hosts at every opportunity how unparalleled the Domains are in all respects, when compared to other worlds.
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