Planets of the Corridor - The Imperial Client States

Talaveran Client States

Talaveran planets are Red, Client States are Purple

Holtzmann (Talavera) C-331496-12 On Trade Route Ni Pr 85,000 people

Holtzmann is cold and snowy. It was once ruled by the Duke of Holtzmann, the Duchy being granted by King Roger I, as one of the last conquests before the end of the Time of Expansion. For the last 90 years the Duchy has been vacant – the Ducal family killed itself off in a fratricidal power struggle, and King Pedro IV chose not to grant a new noble patent. Succeeding rulers have followed the precedent, so currently the de facto government is the Admiralty staff at Naval Base Holtzmann, with the base Admiral as head of state. The admirals have left the running of the non-navy population to the already existing bureaucracy. 3,250 miles diameter, air pressure is 0.18 atm. Hydrosphere is ice ponds scattered about. Nearly all of the population is employed at the starport and naval base. Major industry is starship parts manufacturing. All citizens are Imperial subjects. Naval base and starport have access to TL 14 equipment. Holtzmann is a cold rock; the only native life is a few varieties of moss and lichens. There are 2d ships in port at any given time.

The Client States

Dimitrov C-7B1482-8 On Trade Route Ni 37,800 people

 Dimitrov is a direct holding of an Imperial Duke, (Duke Dimitri of St. Peter) but not formally part of the Empire.  His Seneschal rules as autocrat, but the local governance is modeled on the Talaveran type. Local sentiment is strongly in favor of the Duke. The planet is plagued by a difficult atmosphere, which requires a high portion of the economy to hold at bay. Dimitrov's atmosphere is dense (2.6 atm) and full of hydrochloric acid. All settlements are buried underground or constructed of acid-resistant material. Personal vacc suits (except hostile environ suits) will fail after as little as four hours of exposure to the 'air'. The planet was originally settled to exploit chemical & mineral deposits, and those industries still exist, but are not as profitable as they once were. The bureaucracy is no more or less corrupt or incompetent than on other worlds. The board of ministers are long-term politicians appointed by the Seneschal.There are 2d ships in port.

Dorothua B-426437-8 On Trade Route  Ni 94,000 people

The Warlord of Dorothua is the undisputed ruler of everything on the planet. The society is organized along martial lines (think Japan under the Shoguns) and only their relative lack of technology (and the Imperial Navy patrols) keep them from belligerence with their neighbors. The Empire has pursued the relationship with the intent of blunting Dorothua's regional threat. They are therefore very careful about technology transfers that have military applications.There are 3d ships in port.

Ferrocore D-S00310-9 On Trade Route  As Ni 24,000 people

Mining colony run by Ferrocore Mining and Metals,  a corporation out of Talavera. Under Imperial Anti-Expansion Acts, the system cannot be formally part of the Empire. Strictly speaking, only the inhabited/mined asteroids are Imperial territory, and the system as a whole is unowned. There are other mining companies, and independent operators in the belt, which avoid and compete with FMM. There is a small planetoid of a few km diameter which is the corporate HQ and starport. Mostly FMM produces common metals and minerals, but very rarely they find anti-matter. There are 1d ships in port.

Kemasiik B-68466B-5 On Trade Route, Ri Ag Ni 6.4 million people

Van Goff's World conquered Kemasiik 60-70 years ago. Kemasiik was in debt to VGW and attempted to default, VGW invaded to seize assets in payment of the debts. International pressure withdrew most of the armed forces, but VGW owns enough real estate and other property to ensure its' control. The representatives from VGW allow the locals their religious expression, so many religious groups from VGW have emigrated here. Major exporter of foodstuffs for the Corridor. There are 5d ships in port.

UPDATE! As of 2019, the planet Kemasiik has thrown off the yoke of VGW, and re-asserted its independence, under a new Monarch - a descendant of the old king. Kemasiik remains a Client of the Empire, but under a new diplomatic agreement.

 

Miltramos B-9A2469-10 Ni 90,000 people

Controlled by VanGoff's World. High-gravity world, the world's atmosphere has an over-abundance of ozone and heavy metal contaminants. Many religious groups have moved here from the more oppressive VanGoffs World. Communities are sealed habitats located along the near-equatorial seas. Major industries are mining and pre-processing ores and minerals.There are 3d ships in port.

Van Goff's World B-262732-11 On Trade Route Na 20.6 million people

Rocky world of poor vegetation and many rivers & small lakes. Controlled by the Van Goff family. The head of the family, an hereditary autocrat, is known as 'Il Duce'. 

They have vegetation, but it has taken some doing – much infrastructure goes into maintaining the agriculture. It works, but only in the valleys along the river banks.VGW is culturally and socially conservative, and politically uninvolved, doing what the Empire tells them. In exchange, the Family is allowed to keep running everything. Family and town are the center of life for their subjects, and there is very little social mobility except marrying into The Family. VGW has an active artistic and musical culture.VGW  owns a controlling influence in Kemasiik. There are 6d ships in port.

Worosha C-466662-7 Trade Hub Ri Ag 3.8 million people

Worosha is economically tied to Dekalb, but is trying to extricate itself diplomatically by allying with the Talaverans. When a particularly violent series of solar flares damaged or destroyed much of Worosha's tech base, Dekalb offered monetary and material assistance in the rebuilding. Entire cities were transported to new locations, requiring massive infrastructure development. Over time, Dekalbians moved to Worosha to work on this project, and now many of the landowners are Dekalbian. The current government of Worosha is displeased with Dekalbian economic policy, and is pushing for economic independence, by appealing to the Talaverans. Dekalb does not want to lose its food source, so the two states are at odds, diplomatically at this point, but possibly militarily. The Somersfield family has many holdings on Worosha. There are 4d ships in port.