HADES SYSTEM: HADES 13

Overview

80K direct light years from Earth's system, though travelers must travel at least 120K light years to avoid the center of Milky Way's black hole

Hades

Hades (Also known as Hades 13 by Humans) is a secluded planet off of the bright star of Norma's Arm. It is the most habitable planet in its solar system, made of pink fertile soils and rivers that flow underground. Hades is an independent mining planet, ran by city-state governments. It has several major industrial cities spread across its surface. While some of these metropolises get along, due to their similar interests, most are very competitive. This is because they export many of the same goods.


While rural areas in Hades are quiet, most towns are dangerous due to high levels of criminal activity. Because of this, many cities pay a group called "Paladins" to enforce their laws. The Paladins are a group of militia who've banded together in order to clean up Hades many years ago. This organization is mostly successful because of its knowledge in the area, and ability to aggressively enforce those who dare to break the rules.


Hades 13 has five different major cities along its surface that make up the bulk of the planet. Each of these major cities are independent “city states”, running their governments in extremely different ways. However, all of these planets have one thing in common, each must pay taxes to the “Hades United Metropolis” organization, who ensures that planetary dues are being equally distributed between territories.
The five major cities are as follow…
Artex (Population 402, 090)

This city-state is ran by a commonwealth (city founded on law and compacted of the people for the common good). Artex started off as a religious town, basing its ethics from the House of Veneration’s principles. However, when crime began to influence the city, representatives of the commonwealth decided to purge out crime by rounding up any suspect criminals and throwing them to harsh justice. Thousands of innocent were wrongly jailed or put to death, but the rate of crime did signifigantly drop to near 4.5%. Artex is a major exporter of fresh water, as they own one of the largest underground springs on Hades (known as the Alhamdulillah Spring).

Bolthum (Population 625,024)

A constitutional republic with city representatives who serve in synchronization with a Mayor (Mayor Gray), Bolthum makes most of its profit from its government owned smelting factories. Bolthum is the main exporter of industrial metals within the Cygnus and Norma arms, making billions of capital from their export. Bolthum is made up of several different municipalities that are split by the river Ougus. It is located in the midwest part of the Sono district.

Dovin (Population: 1,123, 045)

Though Dovin is officially an Oligarchy (ran by individuals whose authority is based on wealth), but unofficially a pirate city. The rich, who each are in charge of their own territory, tolerate the pirates due to secret ties that each has with the raiders. Some of the wealthy rulers keep a private council, while others rule with an iron fist. Each has their own private law enforcement organization, but paladins (Hades militia) are also allowed to uphold justice so long as they report all illegal findings to the ruler of the incident’s territory. Dovin exports computer technology, ground vehicles, and alcohol, though most of its donations to the Hades United Metropolis is through rulers’ personal riches. It is the largest of the Hades cities, and launch point of the Marauder Race’s Arial Dome.

Voniko (Population: 400, 039)

The cultivation city of Voniko is a totalitarian government (ran by representatives who control political, economic, and value power over its population). The legislative body forces nearly two-thirds of its citizens into psuedo-slavery, making them work the acres of farm lands as to uphold their main exports, agricultural goods. The few priveledged (mostly rich) citizens who don’t have to work Voniko’s farms, comfortably relish in the extravagant night clubs and high tech shopping centers downtown. Recent threats between Voniko, and its neighboring city, Yenrian, have caused both cities to tighten their borders to outsiders.

Yenrian (Population: 296, 018)

Yenrian is a republic city that split from Voniko nearly sixty years ago. Since then, Yenrian has been able to prosper because of its new mines that have deposits of tungsten-K, the most valuable of the tungsten metals. Yenrian is a city made mostly of refugees of Yenrian. It is protected by the Paladin militia, who holds their major headquarter within Yenrian’s walls.

BOLTHUM

CITY OF BOLTHUM
Square Miles 89 square miles (size of Boston)
Population 625,000
Government Type Republic based city-state


The city of Bolthum is an industrial metropolis located in the Midwest part of Hades. The municipality is split by a river that flows into the nearby Ougus (Owe-Guss) Lake one-hundred miles away. The city’s economy is centralized around their many smelting factories that provide metal for nearly all of the Cygnus and Norma Arms. It’s this central export that keeps nearly all of Hades 13 thriving and protected from pirates, as the raiders need the precious material to survive. Bolthum has more surface and underground factories than any other city in the Milky Way, and mine massive amounts of titanium, tungsten, 17-4PH ,and 15-5PH that remain under Hades’ crust daily.

Bolthum’s markets are composed of street bazaars that cling to the sides of the avenues. It’s a great way to bargain for legal and illegal goods if you’re willing. Though the private policing force, Yunobi (who took over after the Paladin militia failed to keep down crime), tries to keep misdeeds at a minimum, the overpopulated souk continues to thrive due to the Komodo syndicate. The criminal organization makes a living off of narcotics, prostitution, and smuggled metals, and have a close relationship with the Conquistador pirate fleet. It’s believed that several city officials are clandestinely working with the Komodo, allowing them to continue in the city for a piece of the action.

(Market District)

STREET GANG: VENOM DRINKERS

Gang Size: 60
Leader: Ogo’ (Ullitor)
Funder: Komodo Syndicate
Business: Car Theft, Drug Dealing
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OTHER BOLTHUM CHARACTERS

MAYOR GRAY

Mayor Gray is the leader of the city of Bolthum. He’s in bed with many of his supporters, including the heads of Hydra Inc. and the Komodo syndicate. He plans on remaining mayor as long as possible, until the city implodes on itself. That’s when he’ll take his earning (both legal and illegal) and head back to earth to retire. However, the recent kidnapping of his son, Alexander, has Mayor Gray rethinking his plan. If he can find his boy, he may deviate his plans.

Hanzo Komodo

Hanzo is head of the Komodo syndicate in Bolthum. Though he is very influential in Bolthum, his influence in other Hades cities is starting to wane due to aggressive pirates who are taking over his illicit businesses. This has caused Hanzo to begin passive aggressively plotting against the pirates in a move to try and get their business out of his territory.

Rikard “Wailing Tree” Temanche

Rikard is Hanzo Komodo’s bodyguard. He is a quiet, but brutal warrior who follows his Native American roots extremely seriously, though he’s never been to Earth. Rikard is also Hanzo’s enforcer, and will follow through on any tasks given to him. It is rumored that he has had his tongue cut out so that he can not repeat any of Hanzo’s misdeeds, but this is just a rumor.

Officer Bralon Ryker

Bralon Ryker is a former militiaman who lives in the city of Bolthum, on the planet Hades 13. He was one of the many Paladin law enforcers who accepted a handsome offer from the Yunobi Firm after they contracted with Bolthum to be the metropolis’s new policing unit (the Tatsu Police Force) several years ago. Bralon is in his early forties.  When he was younger, he was an active leader in his community, who spent the majority of his off time helping in youth programs and anti-violence campaigns. All that ended though after the untimely death of his wife due to Bolthum’s infective pollution. He now protects the city that he once loved due solely to contractual obligations, rarely ever helping more than required.

Ryker  also is hiding an embarrassing secret, one that has kept him alive in Bolthum’s hazardous environment since childhood. For Bralon has the rare psionic ability of Typhokinesis, a power that allows him to manipulate and generate smoke, smut, and smog at will. Though his self taught abilities are considered feeble compared to more seriously tutored psychics, they have been useful nonetheless. They’ve not only gotten the policeman out of several binds, but also kept him from becoming ill from the toxic fumes that float all around his city. Still, Ryker looks at his powers mostly as a curse, and tries to hide them from anyone he knows.

Though Bralon has stayed away from the political corruption that many of his fellow officers have faced, he is still a poor example of what a routine policeman should be. He’s heavy handed, with a temper and violent streak that can sometimes get him in trouble. Ryker knows that it’s the years of stress that have caused him to be so prickly, and has been saving for early retirement ever since. He’s spent the last three years saving up so he can buy himself a beach cottage on the tropical shores of Phaya 2, as his policing contract ends within a couple of months.
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MEEGUS BOONSHIRE & THE STRANGE SAVAGES
Meegus Boonshire is the leader of the Strange Savages, a group of mutants located in the underground of Bolthum. He looks at himself as the director of the group more than the boss, as he’s more educated than most of his affiliates. Meegus and his group have been organizing a campaign of terror on the city of Bolthum in order to gain public attention. His ultimate plan is to not only to swell his ranks by stealing young children and babies, but to get the media to draw to him so he can expose the Hades government for what they’ve done to he and his people.

“STRANGE SAVAGES”

The Turned
These humanoid creatures are warped and contorted, with large calcium enriched lumps and swelling across their body. They hobble at sluggish speeds, but are extremely strong and resistant to damage, making them extremely dangerous.


Noxious Ogres
These humans have been warped so that their bodies are bulkier, with extra mass and strength. They are brutal monsters in a fight due to the muscle enhancing mutations that have occurred within their bodies.


Oberführer
This Noxious Ogre leader answers only to Meegus. He is much stronger than most Ogres and has a special weapon mount attached to his back that sprays users in an acidic toxic use.


Crustacean Fiends
These crab like creatures walk on two stilted legs. They have large chitin like shells and vicious claws. Though originally Ogres, these creatures have been specially treated with a homemade toxic treatment in order to mutate their genes even further. The wrecking masses are slowly losing all control, becoming feral monsters that take only the most basic order. Crustacean Fiends are not only super strong, and amazingly resilient, but feel no pain due to nerve alterations because of their mutation.

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Meegus Boonshire
Meegus is a green skinned mutant who was once just an ordinary man living on the independent planet of Hades. When a fusion reactor when off due to negligence, which was later swept under the rug, Meegus decided to strike back. He gathered his fellow survivors and ran a campaign of terror that focused on the city of Bolthum. Mentally, he’s very resourceful. Physically, he’s not overly strong, but extremely quick.

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THE UNDERGROUND
The Underground is where the Strange Savages make their home. It’s a partnership of sewers, factory passageways, and abandon subway systems. It can be entered through multiple gutters or culverts, as well as through the Komodo cartel’s drug highway. The Underground spreads out under Bolthum for miles, but makes  its main nest under Hydra Inc.’s atomic power plant. For months now, they’ve been harvesting Hydra’s atomic waste, using it to create more mutations for their horde while slithering under the power factory in order to shut down the city’s energy with a nuclear bomb.

The Underground has many small tunnels that lead to the main pass. The core path consists of a three part system. The first area, is a water passageway covered with irradiated waters that can cause harm to its users. Besides the poison liquids, it is relatively safe. The second part of the tunnels are abandoned walkways that lead directly under Hydra Inc.’s factory. This is where many of “The Turned” make their home. Finally the third area is a subbasement within Hydra’s power plant. This section is long thought to have been flooded and abandoned, but the Strange Savages have cleared it out. This is not only where the bulk of the mutant gang live, but also where they’ve rigged a device that will shut down Bolthum’s power, should it come to that.

Voniko

CITY OF VONIKO
Square Miles 60 square miles
Population 400,039
Government Type:  totalitarian government


The city of Voniko is looked at as heaven to some, and a dystopia to others. The society has initiated a dehumanization act that prohibits all but the most privileged from what can be considered fundamental rights. The government of Voniko does so because they believe that not all people are fit to run their own lives, let alone make decisions for others. Only those who’ve proven their worth (either through wealth or accomplishment) are allowed to have any civil liberties such as unlimited curfews, ownership of land and the ability to choose their own careers. This has created a major class division between the Private Citizens and Public Citizens.

Public Citizens are told where they will work, which usually consists of the agricultural fields under Voniko’s lifted city. These acres of land are positioned beneath the stilted downtown area and are where Voniko makes its major export. Public Citizens can not vote for representatives, be in public past regulated hours, or choose not to volunteer for military service. They typically live in the housing areas located on the barrier between Voniko and Yenrian. They are paid a meager salary and get basic public health services from the Voniko government.

(Undercity Fields)

Private Citizens are allowed to live on the ascended city surface of Voniko. These miles of propped up city streets and high rises are beautifully designed and extremely well kept. Private Citizens are allowed to choose their own homes and work where they feel fit. Most Private Citizens work in the business district, managing agriculture. They tend to wear extremely vibrant and expensive colors to distinguish themselves from the drab clothing of Public Citizens.

While some Public Citizens insist that the management of their daily lives is much simpler than trying to make it on their own, most have become so disgusted that they’ve tried to run away to Yenrian, the original uprising nearly sixty years ago. Unfortunately, all Public Citizens are both tracked with sensor tags and kept within Voniko’s walls due to the great barrier that divides Voniko from Yenrian.

(Downtown Voniko)
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OTHER VONIKO CHARACTERS

Voniko Representative, Ezra Bishop

Ezra Biship is one of the main representatives of Voniko, the totalitarian city. She is very charismatic and has been dubbed as the unofficial face of Voniko city. Ezra has her own political talk show, "Voniko's View", which she uses as a promotion tool to gain support for Voniko. Ezra is also a member of the Aption fraternity. It is whispered that Ezra's job is extremely stressful, as her predecessor Fabius, suffered from some sort of mental breakdown that according to his electronic journal is the reason for his mysterious disappearance.

Mekhile Berwald

Mekhile Berwald is the underground leader of the New Moons, a clan of Voniko criminals who use the undercity passageways to deal business with Voniko Private Citizens. They steal or make deals with surfacers, selling what they get to Public Citizens for major profit. Cybernetics, advanced medicines, and narcotics are all products moved by the New Moons organization. Mekhile Berwald, a former Voniko politician who went into exile, uses his knowledge of the surface for his clan in order to help make millions in capital.

YENRIAN

CITY OF YENRIAN
Square Miles 30 square miles
Population 296,018
Government Type: Republic

Yenrian was once nothing more than the outer stockyards and train hub of Voniko- a desolate area left for only the most meager. However, it was at this dreary location that the Yenrian rebellion was formed. The Yenrian Rebellion was organized by Public Citizens who lived in the region, and were safe from the reaches of Private Citizen authority. Today, the gray canvas of Yenrian is cleaner and more safe than it was sixty years ago, but the scars of the major battles still remain. If not for the intervention of the other three major cities during the war, Yenrian may have been completely decimated, leaving nothing for the radicals of Voniko.

Yenrian has only recently extinguished its long cold war with its sister city by building Hades 13's volunteer-police station, Paladin Headquarters, into its walls.  Paladin accepted terms with Yenrian, which keeps the metropolis safe from Voniko due to the policing organization's popularity. A major portion of Yenrian's society works for the Paladins in one way or another (if not for them, supplying for them), giving the town a bit of a face lift. It has gone from a criminal hub to an upright city overnight, which has helped swell its population. Though Yenrian doesn’t have any major exports, its distinguished craftsmen, private businesses, and desirable living conditions make it a prosperous city with promise of growth in its future.


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OTHER YENRIAN CHARACTERS

Commissioner Isabelle Dumont

Commissioner Isabelle Dumont is the commissioner for the Paladins law enforcement militia. She is secretly a long time enemy of Voniko, and was an intricate part of getting the Paladin headquarters to in Yenrian. Commissioner Dumont strongly believes in her cause and feels that she may be the only reason that Hades has not imploded upon itself so far.

Chief Superintendant Herbert Wallace

Chief Superintendant Herbert Wallace is the head of the Paladin Lance Division, a special unit that responds to high risk situations where average Paladins will not due. The group is armored in special assault armors and have high power weaponry and vehicles. Chief Superintendant Wallace takes great pride in his duties, and can sometimes be a bit overzealous with his efforts.
(Lance Division Member)

DOVIN

CITY OF DOVIN
Square Miles 234 square miles (size of Chicago)
Population 1, 123, 045
Government Type: Oligarchy

The city ran by the rich and lived in by the wicked- This is the reputation of Dovin for over the last few hundred years. Dovin abandoned its democracy for a more efficient system. It is ran by those who donate the most money to the city itself, though these people are said to only be the puppets of the Protega system pirates. Dovin is a massive city and the nearest in the Hades hemisphere to Protega. Therefor it is no surprise that the aristocrats who run the metropolis made deals with their deadly neighbors in order to both keep peace and make profit while running their government.

Dovin is a long healthy rival of Bolthum, as the two cities are constantly competing for Hades business. Dovin's major flaw is that unlike the very unified (singularly corrupt) Bolthum government,  Dovin's leaders tend to tug in different directions. Each aristocrat has their own official territories and are responsible for the majority of its commonwealth. This includes civil management, crime, and taxes. Since all of these territory leaders are major players in the Protega pirate affairs, each keeps a stronghold for raiders (saloons, hotels, docking bays) in order to appease Protega pirate leaders.


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OTHER DOVIN CHARACTERS

Barry Eckstein

Barry Holcolm, also known as Barry the Rat, is a criminal entrepreneur in Dovin who also snitches on other criminals in order to keep his business safe from justice. He can sell people information they may need to know in the underworld, but only if it is worth while. Barry thinks of himself as more of a middle-man, though he rarely barters deals that go right.

Pastor Malcolm Hennessey

Pastor Hennessey is a pastor of the H.O.V. who came to run a church community nearly ten years ago. Within that time, the corruption within Hades has turned Pastor Hennessey, who now runs an illegal narcotics ring out of his chapel for the Protega pirates (which upsets the Komodo syndicate). He has the power of nearly a thousand Dovin citizens who can come to his aid if necessary.  

Gerald Cromwell

Gerald Cromwell is one of the representatives of Dovin. He’s made millions off of his docking bay business, and millions more because of his dealings with the Protega pirates. In particular, Gerald sells information pertaining to the destination of any space craft leaving his ports. This data is used by the Protega pirates in order to ambush any valuable cargo throughout the less patrolled space highways.

Francine Yanaga

Francine is another representative of Dovin. She’d inherited her fortune when her husband, and owner of Yanaga laser weapons, died of mysterious causes on Earth. From there, Francine left for Hades where she opened up Yanaga Saloons all throughout the area. While this keeps her capital accounts hefty, it is her sales of Komodo narcotics within her establishments that makes her one of the richest aristocrats in Dovin. All Yanaga Saloons also have Yanaga dens, where people can freely buy illegal drugs, as well as take part in flesh (Komodo as well) for a cost. This partnership has made both the Yanaga dynasty and Komodo syndicate very wealthy.

Delmer Bloomberg

The rich and crotchety Delmer Bloomberg is another serious powerhouse within the city of Doven. He is the oldest representative and owns the most property. He earned his capital through his logistics company. Delmer has since run a monopoly with his vehicle lots, food markets, and water filtration plants. Most importantly, Delmer is the major importer of anything that the Protega system needs, including food, electronics, and people. He uses his shipping conglomerate to move illegal goods to Protega, who has otherwise been embargoed from free trade with the Terran Alliance.

Zholoro "King" Mandegor

Zholoro "King" Mandegor is most well known for being the head of the Marauder Races, one of the biggest annual entertainment venues in Hades. When not running the races, Mandegor is also a ruthless criminal outfit head as well as a Dovin representative. Mandegor bullied his way in and is looked upon by the other aristocratic reps as a nuisance, though they resist challenging the King due to his power.

Mandegor takes residence in his Aerial Dome, which when not hovering over Hermes for the main event, is parked within Dovin's city walls. This massive structure is as large as most sporting arenas, but twice as technically advanced. This makes meeting with Mandegor not only intimidating, but dangerous, as he is protected by hundreds of Ullitor thugs, security robots, and protective defenses. Recent arms dealings with Hades and Protega groups have earned Mandegor millions in capital, but also raised tensions between his organization and the Komodo syndicate, as well as the other aristocrats of Dovin.

ARTEX

City of Artex
Population: 402, 090
City Size: 20 square miles
Government Type: Commonwealth

Artex, aka the Witch Burner's City, is the oldest of the five major City States. It was originally established by the House of Veneration faithful, but when crime grew, the once soft hearted followers turned into executioners. That black mark in Artex's history will never be removed and has given the city a bad name ever since. Artex's government is ran by a group of people called Guides who have sworn to always apply ethics to each government decision. While this sometimes gets in the way, it also has helped Artex's poorer citizens who get free housing so long as they work within the city walls and pay Artex taxes.

Artex is also well known for its water plant which cleanses the underground rivers under city grounds, providing clean drinking water to all other cities and towns for a price. This has been its cash crop for sometime. Artex also has one of the largest research libraries in the Hades system. The Athenaeum (Ath-uh-nee-um) is a fifty floor building packed with hundreds of data storage counsels. It also has a piece of coveted hardware called "The Crown" which only specially permitted individuals can use. The Crown is a type of datajack that gives the user access to all of The Athenaeum's nearly infinite information without filters or laggy response time. Users are warned of its lethalness however, as The Crown has caused seizures, mental breakdowns, and worse of all, knowledge-addicts who refuse to leave The Crown's specially designed room.

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Other Artex Characters

Guide Allen Carballa

Allen Carballa is one of the longest lasting Guides (Government Representatives) of Artex. He's been nicknamed "The Sage", "The Wiseman", and "The Philosopher". Above all the other Guides, Allen is continuously reelected because he genuinely puts the needs of the Artex people above his own. He has helped design the free housing project, pollution cleansing program, and a fair judicial system that rotates judges, prosecutors and defenders every four years so that corruption among them is at a minimum. However, his faith to the House of Veneration and his support of the Terran Alliance Independent Planet Act (which allows Hades to remain independent so long as they follow Terran Alliance guidelines) has many of the other city's representatives questioning Allen's allegiance.

Kika Roizhien

Kika Roizhein is a famed vocalist and director of the Bridges Festival, a three day event that takes place each year on the large bridges that lead into Artex. Here, citizens get together to eat, listen to live music, and purchase art from independent artists. Kika is extremely famous and known throughout the Milky Way for her record breaking high notes and ghostly hum. While she rarely performs any longer, taking passion in promoting other artists, she does hold concert for her home city of Artex twice a year.