Summary
Chroma IV is, as the name implies, the 4th planet in the Chromatica System, located in the Nova Dominion.
It is a central hub for interstellar trade within the Chromatica System and beyond, but struggles to maintain profitability due to the high cost of travel between star systems.
As a consequence, it has begun to turn itself into a major science hub, with a considerable amount of taxes directed to investments into research facilities and universities.
History
Chroma IV was settled in the year 185 AA (After Armstrong), following an exploration mission that had established a small scientific base two years earlier.
As a three-star system, the Chromatica System is considered unstable. The precarious gravitational balance between its stars and planets can only be simulated with limited accuracy beyond the next century. For this reason, the entire system was bypassed in the first wave of space colonization. However, in later years the fact that it had no less than three habitable bodies - two planets and one moon of the gas giant Genesias - put it back on the list.
Around 200 AA, three settlements had been established on the surface, and the terraforming process to make the atmosphere fully breathable was in full swing. With terraforming underway, the flora and fauna of the planet was experiencing rapid changes, making it difficult to establish reliable agriculture outside the hydroponics plants. As a consequence, Chroma IV was dependent on purchasing much of its food from other planets. This was the start of the planet as a trading hub, with other commodities being traded soon after and the planet making the most out of the location of the Chromatica System at the edge of the Nova Dominion, an ideal port of call for long-distance interstellar trade.
Politics and Society
The major political entity on Chroma IV, the Northern Alliance, is governed by an elected council of consuls. To provide the stability needed for long-distance interstellar trade, half of the council is voted on every six years. As a result, major political changes often take more than a decade to be implemented.
The economic system within the Northern Alliance is one of private enterprise focussed on trade and services. Unions and laws provide the working class with enough social security to keep poverty at a minimum. Much greater government effort is put towards education, which is free for all citizens up to their first university degree. Northeners believe that everyone can and should make their own fortune, but also that everyone deserves a good starting point to do so.
Three smaller political bodies balance out the Northern Alliance enough that neither they nor the Alliance has dominance on the planet. All of them are mostly democratic, with different levels of public control through voting.
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Unlike the Northern Alliance, its southern neighbors have a strong industrial foundation, with most of the planets easily exploitable resources found on their lands. For the past fifty years, the combination of the Alliance’s power to trade resources and industrial goods to the best buyer even at vast distances and the southern powers’ industrial base, a stable cooperation has evolved.
The Chromatica Suns
Chromatica A is a G8V main sequence yellow star and the brightest of the tripple suns of the Chromatica System. It provides most of the light and energy to Chroma IV and the other planets. It is a fairly calm sun with occasional medium-intensity solar flares.
Chromatica B is a K-type star, cooler and redder and slightly larger. Much of the light it produces is in the infrared ranged.
Chromatica C is a blue B-type star, by far the largest but also less bright than the others, swollen due to having exhausted most of its hydrogen. It emits the most radiation of the triplet.
Fortunately, Chroma IV has a very strong magnetic field, and very little radiation penetrates to the ground. Less than on old Earth, in fact.
The Chromatica Sky
The sky of Chroma IV is a breathtaking spectacle, constantly shifting and changing. The three suns, Chromatica A, B, and C, paint the heavens with a kaleidoscope of colors. During the day, the sky is a vibrant mix of gold, red, and blue, as the three stars illuminate the planet. At night, the stars create a mesmerizing display of light and shadow, casting long, dancing shadows across the landscape. There are also „blue nights“, in which Chromatica C remains in the sky while the other two suns are set, illuminating the planet with its faint glow, not unlike old Earth’s moonlight during full moon on a clear nightsky.
The unique celestial configuration of the Chromatica System has a profound impact on the planet's climate and ecology. The varying intensity of the three suns creates distinct seasons, each with its own unique characteristics. During the „Golden Season," Chromatica A dominates the sky, bathing the planet in warm, golden light. The „Crimson Season" is marked by the dominance of Chromatica B, casting a reddish hue over the land. The „Azure Season" is the coolest period, when Chromatica C is most prominent, its blue light tempering the heat of the other two stars.
The Chromatic Wildlife
One of the most captivating aspects of Chroma IV is its unique ecosystem. Millions of years of evolution under the influence of the three suns have given rise to a diverse array of life forms, many of which are unlike anything found elsewhere in the galaxy.
The planet's forests are home to numerous colorful creatures, from iridescent insects to bioluminescent birds. One of the most iconic is the Chromatic Dragonfly, a creature with wings that shimmer with colors throughout the visible spectrum and beyond into both infrared and ultraviolet. These dragonflies are known for their graceful flight and their ability to hover motionless in the air. As they are three times the size of an old Earth dragonfly, they can be easily admired.
The Chromatic Wildlife Sanctuary, located on the outskirts of the main city, is a popular destination for tourists and locals alike. Here, visitors can observe these incredible creatures in their natural habitat and learn about the delicate balance of the planet's ecosystem.