Rubrak (world)

C554511-7

Starport	C	Routine: No Construction, Major Repair, Unrefined fuel
Size	5	Medium (8,000 km, 0.40g - 0.57g)
Atmosphere	5	Thin
Hydrographics	4	Wet World 40%
Population	5	Moderate (700 thousand)
Government	1	Company/Corporation
Law	1	Low Law (no explosives, poison gas)
Tech Level	7	Pre-Stellar (electronics)

Era: New Era

Rubrak is an agricultural world with an ideal environment for producing food from plants, animals, or other forms. The system has a population between 100,000 and 10 million sophonts. It is a member of Regency of Deneb in the Pretoria Subsector of Deneb Sector. This world contains a Regency Scout Base, capable of handling Scout Service starships and personnel. 50% of the world's population is the Major Race Vargr.

Description (Astrography & Planetology)

This system is located on the L'sis Main.

Orbiting a K3 V star (Kirmuninki), Rubrak is a medium-sized, moonless low-iron world with surface atmospheric pressure 0.7 atm and axial tilt 33 degrees. Rotation period is 35h 26m 16s, orbital period 209.245 days (119.5 local days), and orbital eccentricity 0.05. Base temperature is 48 Celsius (118 degrees Fahrenheit), polar winter minimum -8 Celsius (17 Fahrenheit), and the equator uninhabitable. Beyond the equatorial deserts the terrain is dominated by vast tropical forests, scrublands, and savanna. There are two main bodies of water, the Iimar Sea surrounding the North Pole, and the Akhalaga Sea which covers almost half the Southern hemisphere.

The system contains no planetoid belts, a single gas giant (Igudu Lakur), and a dwarf companion in far orbit. Many metals are rare, but the low population means Rubrak can still supply everything the inhabitants need.

Binary Solar System

Rubrak Binary Star System
Star Name	Hierarchy	Category		Mass (Sol)	Temp (K)	Luminosity (Sol)
Kirmuninki K3 V	Primary	Main Sequence		0.78	4600 - 4830	0.41911
	Unit	Diameter	Min Distance	Hab Zone	Jump Shadow	M-Drive Limit
	AU	0.0035	0.0537	0.65 - 1.18	0.35	3.5
	Orbit #	*	*	3	1	5
Star Name	Hierarchy	Category		Mass (Sol)	Temp (K)	Luminosity (Sol)
Rubrak M7 V	Secondary	Main Sequence		0.09	2630 - 2680	0.00022
	Unit	Diameter	Min Distance	Hab Zone	Jump Shadow	M-Drive Limit
	AU	0.0006	0.0012	0.02 - 0.03	0.06	0.6
	Orbit #	*	*	*	*	2

Native Lifeforms

Native plant and animal life is well-developed with Terran-compatible biochemistry; the most numerous land animals are the four-legged insectlike Sezekhe, but the largest are cold-blooded egg-laying quadrupeds resembling a cross between reptiles and mammals. Their most striking feature is the ornamentation on their heads and bodies, with a wide variety of horns, knobs, and frills.

One native plant important to the economy is Spurjack. It has a fibrous sheath that can easily be processed to produce a durable, supple cloth with the feel of soft leather. Most Rubraki use it for protective clothing, and it is also commonly seen on mid-tech worlds throughout Pretoria and Aramis subsectors. The plant grows best in the underbrush beneath trees and so is usually gathered rather than cultivated. Price of clothing depends on the cut and decoration, and can range from Cr50 for a pair of gloves to over Cr1,500 for a complete suit.

The climate and the thriving biosphere (particularly the sezekhe) mean that disease is a constant threat, only kept under control by imported TL–8 immunizations. The Sezekhe also make an amazing variety of trills, clicks, buzzes, and songs, so the world outside the cities is full of sound.

History & Background (Dossier)

Rubrak was colonized by Vilani from Pretoria in the 5th century as an agricultural enterprise to support the growing population of the future subsector capital. Operations on the ground developed satisfactorily, but the company was plagued with persistent management problems which prevented it making a profit. An extended series of reorganizations, initiatives, and buyouts followed; when the dust settled management of the project had moved to the world itself, where the Rubrak workers had been getting on with their own thing -- including raising families. By the end of the Civil War fewer than half the inhabitants were employees, but the company had also taken on government of the world.

The corporate relocation proved its worth as conditions on Pretoria deteriorated. It became harder to sell to the capital and the Rubrak Agricultural Corporation ("Rubrag Corp") sought other markets, developing a more secure portfolio of clients. In 1010 the Rachelean revolts struck Pretoria as Vilani protested their treatment by the Solomani nobility. Although quickly suppressed, the revolts had an effect -- the Pretorian market gradually opened up again, and Rubrak is currently enjoying a period of renewed prosperity.

World Society

Local technology is firmly TL–7. There are few higher-technology imports -- mostly agricultural aids for the government farms -- but this is gradually changing as more money filters through the economy. Because land is more easily found than labor, farms are large and mechanized.

Most of the Rubraki live in a 2,000 km (1,200 mile) band between the Western shore of the Iimar Sea and the world's largest mountain range, the Galikur; only here have significant tracts been cleared for farming. The capital, Uusakurid, is situated on a major navigable river in this region, the Gizii. 230,000 people live in the city, making it by far the largest urban community. It is the site of the class III (C) starport and the scout base, which is frequently used for training by the Survey and Exploration Offices.

Government is run as a business with policy decided by the Board of Directors, who are elected by shareholders. Rules governing the sale of shares mean that Rubraki buyers must be given an opportunity to match any offworld bid, which has kept 59% of shares local; the rest are predominantly owned by other corporations, including Sillushi Virisi Fruits (23% -- see "Agriculture and Agricorps"), and Hortalez et Cie (8%). Officially, the "World President" is appointed by the board to oversee all on-world matters; in practice she is a figurehead for state occasions.

There are no direct taxes but the inhabitants pay subscriptions for use of any of the infrastructure, including water, power, roads, waste disposal, and emergency services. Local businesses (though not offworld firms) are allowed to offer alternatives but quality is strictly regulated and the government can usually undercut them, largely due to economies of scale. Some small firms thrive despite this by exploiting pride within a community.

Customs and Laws

There is little difference in temperament between the Indeps (non-employees, the name derives from "independents") and the Emps (employees) but members of each group are likely to be intensely loyal to their own in any dispute. They are treated very differently by the government. For example, in theory all inhabitants are liable to be called up for National Service for a period of up to two years. This effectively provides the government with a cheap labor force for large public works which are not yet ready to generate a profit (such as land clearance or highway construction). In practice, Indeps are almost always called up, and Emps rarely. This (and many other minor inequalities) generates resentment between the groups.

Public displays of strong emotion are rare, and religion and superstition are generally dismissed. Class divisions are almost nonexistent and wealth is considered a private matter, as is the transfer of wealth -- bribes are an expected part of business, but not to be discussed. Recently there has been a fashion in the capital for extravagant displays of wealth; older Rubraki consider this unseemly.

The people have a strong streak of self-reliance tempered by a collectivist ethic; friends and neighbors will pull together, but nobody is likely to seek help from strangers if they can help it. On the other hand, hospitality is seen as a virtue, and guests will always be welcomed. Children are raised communally, with all adults of both sexes taking responsibility for looking after them when possible. Personal standing in a community is heavily based upon an individual's contribution to the common good.

Legally the populace is very free (CR 1), although there are slightly stricter rules governing economic activity (CR 2). Guns are common, particularly in rural areas. Laws are mostly concerned with keeping the workforce happy and productive; enforcement is erratic in Indep communities.

Nobody pays much attention to clocks. People turn up for appointments when they feel like it, meals happen when the cook grows hungry, schedules for public transport are accurate only to an hour or two (and subject to cancellation without notice).

In contrast to most Rampart worlds, Rubrak welcomed Logasllu and Baknaeleur refugees with open arms during the 1140s. In many cases these were wealthy refugees that repaid their new neighbors' generosity by investing money and effort back into the local economy. Consequently the world is one of the most integrated in the entire Regency. Rubrak is primarily agricultural, exporting produce to Pretoria and Urnas.

Imperial High (Landed) Nobility

Rubrak, as a member world of the Third Imperium, holds the estates of two members of the Imperial Nobility, who are charged with overseeing the world.

It holds the estate of an Imperial knight.
It holds the fiefdom of an Imperial baron.

References & Contributors (Sources)

This list of sources was used by the Traveller Wiki Editorial Team and individual contributors to compose this article. Copyrighted material is used under license from Far Future Enterprises or by permission of the author. The page history lists all of the contributions.

Gary L. Thomas. "Pretoria Subsector." The Travellers' Digest 01 (1985): 32-36.
Rob Caswell. "Domain of Deneb: Sector Data." MegaTraveller Journal 3 (1992): 47-58.
Dave Nilsen. The Regency Sourcebook (Game Designers Workshop, 1995), 52.
Peter Gray - Traveller TNE Mailing List Selected Worlds of the Regency Frontier and Rampart, Part 1 published 11 July 2001
JTAS Online Rubrak by John G. Wood published February 15, 2005
JTAS Online The Last Hand-to-Mouth Adventure by John G. Wood published May 11, 2004
JTAS Online The L'sis Main – An Overview by John G. Wood published May 24, 2005
Mongoose Traveller: Deneb Sector (UWP only)
External Link: Sunbane Data
External Link: Peter Gray - BARD OPAL 8513
Author & Contributor: Lord (Marquis) and Master of Sophontology Maksim-Smelchak of the Ministry of Science

↑ "Jump Map API" and map location from Travellermap.com

[1] "Jump Map API" and map location from Travellermap.com

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