Arden (world)

Arden/Vilis (Spinward Marches 1011)
Classic Era (1116)	B5549CB-9 Starport B Good: Spacecraft Construction, Overhaul, Refined fuel Size 5 Medium (8,000 km, 0.40g - 0.57g) Atmosphere 5 Thin Hydrographics 4 Wet World 40% Population 9 High (1 billion) Government C Charismatic Oligarchy Law B Extreme Law (control of movement) Tech Level 9 Early Stellar (fusion)
See also	UWP
System Details
Primary	G4 V M5 V
Planetoid Belts	1
Gas Giants	0

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Jump map from Travellermap.com

Arden is a high-population world with a billion or more sophonts in population size.

• It is a Non-Aligned world dominated by human sophonts located in the Vilis Subsector of Spinward Marches Sector.

• It is a balmy tropical world, with a climate of high temperatures.
• This is a "Puzzle" world designated as an Amber Zone. Caution is advised since the world has an environment, laws, customs, life forms, or other conditions that are not well understood and might be a danger to a visitor.
• Arden is a member of the Spinward Main..
• It is a member of (and the namesake of) the Arden Cluster.

Description (Astrography & Planetology)

Stellar Data

Arden is a binary star system.

• The primary is a yellow main sequence.
• The secondary is a red main sequence.

Arden has two stars in the star system.

Arden Primary
	Type	Category		Mass (Sol)	Temperature (K)	Luminosity
	G4 V	Main Sequence (Dwarf)		0.985	5660 - 5680	0.94848
	Unit	Diameter	Safe Distance	Habitable Zone	Jump Shadow	M-Drive Limit
	AU	0.0092	0.0808	0.93 - 1.65	0.92	9.2
	Orbit #	*	*	3	3	7
	Remarks
Arden Secondary
	Type	Category		Mass (Sol)	Temperature (K)	Luminosity
	M5 V	Main Sequence (Dwarf)		0.162	2930 - 3060	0.00171
	Unit	Diameter	Safe Distance	Habitable Zone	Jump Shadow	M-Drive Limit
	AU	0.0018	0.0034	0.04 - 0.09	0.18	1.8
	Orbit #	*	*	*	0	4
	Remarks

System Data

The worlds of the system have been surveyed. They consist of:

• The mainworld.
• x10 secondary rocky worlds.
• x1 planetoid belt.

Mainworld Data

Arden is a moderate sized world with a thin atmosphere and rather sparse surface water. It was considered a good colonization candidate despite less than ideal conditions.

Mainworld Size (S)

Arden is a Meso World between 7,200km and 8,800km in diameter. The world has a standard gravity between 0.4G and 0.57G. The horizon will appear about 4km away.

Mainworld Atmosphere (A)

Arden has a pressure of 0.43 to 0.70 atmospheres. The Thin Atmosphere does not require survival gear although it may be hard on sophonts not accustomed to it.

• It experiences moderate to high temperatures.

Mainworld Hydrosphere (H)

Arden has 35-45% of its surface covered by liquid water. There will be a number of small seas or one larger body of water. Wilderness refueling is possible.

Mainworld Geography and Topography

No centrally held map of the world exists within AAB Library Data records.

(Blank map, predominantly dry world.)

History & Background (Dossier)

Arden is a Puzzle World and is designated as an Amber Zone. It presents particular risks and dangers due to the environment or native life forms, laws or customs, or other conditions that are not well understood.

• Visitors are advised to act with caution.

Arden lies within neutral space, about halfway between the Third Imperium and the Zhodani Consulate. Arden uses the political tensions between these two great powers to gain assistance (in the form of raw materials, finished goods, and financial investments) in its desired industries.

Arden (and its Federation) is neutral towards the Imperium. Arden imposes the same rules on Imperial ships as it does on independent ships passing through. These include import tariffs and other practices not permitted in Imperial space; however, these are not imposed on Arden-registered vessels.

• A number of free traders have chosen to accept nominal membership in the Federation in return for the tariff concessions.

World Starport (St)

Arden has a Class B Starport, a good quality installation which includes all the expected amenities including refined fuel for starships, brokerage services for passengers and cargo, and a variety of ship provisions. There is a shipyard capable of doing annual maintenance, overhauls and most kinds of repair, and construction of non-starships. Most ports of this classification have both a Highport and a Downport.

World Population (P)

Arden has a population of 1,000,000,000 sophonts (billions).

• High Population Worlds like this tend to have huge consumer markets.
• The population have Vilani and Imperial ancestry.

Linguistic Topography

The following languages are most commonly heard:

• Anglic, one of the two official languages of the Imperium.
• Vilani, one of the two official languages of the Imperium.
• Zdetl, the language of the Zhodani and the Zhodani Consulate.

World Technology Level (T)

Arden possesses a Technology Level of TL–9.

• Common Communication technologies for this TL include: Fiber optics and satellite communication and data networks.
• Common Power Generation technologies for this TL include: Early fusion power.
• Common Transportation technologies for this TL include:
  • Land: Ultra high-speed trains and early grav vehicles.
  • Water: High efficiency sailcraft, multihulled seacraft, improved artificial gills.
  • Air: Tiltrotorcraft, exotic VTOL's, PARWIG, and rocket-assisted suborbitals.
  • Space: SSTO spacecraft, early military spacecraft (System Craft), and interstellar STL starships
  • FTL: Prototype Jump Drive-1.

World Government (G)

Arden is governed by a Charismatic Oligarchy, like a charismatic dictatorship in that a larger group has asserted their right to rule. The group will likely have better rules of succession than a single dictator and may last longer, or may transition to a non-charismatic dictatorship.

Arden's government is a charismatic oligarchy; by general appearances, government officials are elected, but in reality, candidates can only come from the Arden Society, a small group of dedicated individuals who become members through financial or labour contributions.

World Law (L)

Arden has an extreme law level which covers every area of interaction. Laws are complex, detailed, and difficult to understand. Every interaction with the government requires an Advocate. Law enforcement is omnipresent and strict. Legal proceeding can take months to years to resolve and may involve dozens of people. A few worlds with this law level may be a Red Zone and others will be an Amber Zone. All objects specifically manufactured as weapons are typically regulated or prohibited (with no exception for private residences; visiting starships are only protected so long as they stay within designated starports and approach corridors). Civilian movement is rigidly controlled. Travel documents are frequently checked, and destinations must often be declared when traveling substantial distances across the world.

The world has strict laws and bureaucratic procedures in place. Enforcement is vigorous and efficient, not least because the Arden Society uses its dominance of the political structure to prevent any threat to its power base.

Trade Data

• Importance: 2 (ordinary)

World Economy

• Resources: C (very abundant)
• Labor: 8 (hundreds of millions)
• Infrastructure: C (very extensive)
• Efficiency: +4 (advanced)

World Culture

• Heterogenity: B (discordant)
• Acceptance: B (extremely friendly)
• Strangeness: 7 (confusing)
• Symbols: B (abstract)

World Timeline

Major events that have affected this world and the wider region that it lies within:

• The Year 0: the Third Imperium is founded.
• 300-420: the Imperial First Survey charts the system.
• 589-604: First Frontier War.
• 604-622: the Civil War.
• 615-620: Second Frontier War.
• 624: the Express Boat Network is established.
• 979-986: Third Frontier War.
• 995-1065: the Imperial Second Survey charts the system.
• 1065: the Second Survey is published. Information about the system becomes widely available.
• 1082-1084: Fourth Frontier War, also known as the False War.
• 1107-1110: Fifth Frontier War.

Historical Overview

Before the First Frontier War

Arden was a small but successful pocket empire during the Long Night and possibly predated much of the Second Imperium as well – the world is believed to have originally been settled as a colony by renegade or outcast Vilani, but concrete proof of this has never been provided. As a result of Arden's reasonable habitability, large numbers of settlers arrived in the early years of Imperial expansion into the Spinward Marches, and by 290 it had was relatively heavily populated. However, it never incorporated into the County of Chronor and thus never gained membership into the Imperium.

Arden prospered, but did not thrive. It gradually built a stable TL–8 society and a population of about 1 billion, as well as a market for its products in the surrounding worlds. During this period, the political structure ossified. The Arden Society, a ruling elite of business figures, became an oligarchy, with elected officials in the government being drawn solely from membership of the Society. Membership to the Society could be granted as a result of financial contributions or service to the ideals of the Society.

First Frontier War to Third Frontier War

When the County of Chronor was formally dissolved at the end of the First Frontier War, Arden was the Capital of the newly created County of Arden and remained so until the County was dissolved, becoming independent in 986 under the terms of the Armistice ending the Third Frontier War.

After the Third Frontier War

The Arden Society sought to make Arden a major player on the interstellar stage. As well as government control, the Society controlled a number of industrial and commercial organizations and had begun to expand its interests beyond it's world. It had a generally pro-Imperial agenda, and was a major player in the move to create the Federation of Arden. It sought to further its power and political influence using mercantile and other economic activity.

Fifth Frontier War

The Marine Guards defending the Imperial Embassy on Arden during the Fifth Frontier War retreated to a Black Globe Safe Room when locals stormed and burned the compound. The 100-meter diameter globe neatly sliced through walls (and a few attackers) to envelop about a quarter of the installation. Over the course of a month, it resisted fire, bombs, and other attacks.

When forces from the Imperial Fleet arrived, they used a coded laser to signal the interior that all was finally safe, but to confirm the signal, an outside Marine tapped the rhythm to the Marine song: tap-tap-tap, tap-tap-tap, tap-tap-tap-tap-tap.

The interior Marines deactivated the barrier, happy at the prospect of eating something other than stored rations.

Later Historical Eras

With the Zhodani / Imperial improved relations from 1119, the importance of Arden as a free port between the two powers lessened. The Federation has formally become a multi-system government, and is still a popular place for elements that thrive in an extra-national environment.

Meanwhile, the planet is undergoing a steady industrial growth, with investments in an expanding tech base. Arden is especially interested in starship technology. Its Class B Starport cannot build starships, but can service, repair and maintain starships using imported parts. Several Arden-based companies own and run starships, and the government maintains a respectable system squadron and some jump capable warships. However, further expansion of civilian or naval starships via import is outside Arden's economic capabilities – hence its need to develop an indigenous shipbuilding capacity.

History-Era: New Era

Arden is not a signatory to the Spinward States Accord. This allows Arden to underscore its independence, as well as allowing the Federation to use Virus as a weapon. The Federation as a whole refuses Zhodani refugees, returning them to the Consulate or forwarding them towards the Regency.

---

IISS GURPS Astrographics Survey

1011 Arden (Federation of Arden)

Starport: Class III.

Diameter: 5,194 miles (8,300 km).
Atmosphere: Thin oxygen-nitrogen.
Hydrographics: 40%.
Climate: Warm.
Population: 8.23 billion.
Government: Heridtary oligarchy.
Control Level: 5.
Tech Level: 9.
World Trade Number: 4.5.

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 Mongoose Publishing or by permission of the author. The page history lists all of the contributions.

• Marc Miller. Stranded on Arden (Star Quest Games, 1981), 1-3.
• Marc Miller. The Spinward Marches (Game Designers Workshop, 1979), 14-15.
• Marc Miller. The Spinward Marches Campaign (Game Designers Workshop, 1985), 18-19.
• Loren Wiseman. "Traveller News Service." Journal of the Travellers' Aid Society 19 (1984): 5.
• Marc Miller. Imperial Encyclopedia (Game Designers Workshop, 1987), 94-100. (UWP only)
• Rob Caswell. "Domain of Deneb: Sector Data." MegaTraveller Journal 3 (1992): 47-58. (UWP only)
• Dave Nilsen. The Regency Sourcebook (Game Designers Workshop, 1995), 40-41. (UWP only)
• Martin Dougherty, Neil Frier. Behind the Claw (Steve Jackson Games, 1998), 62.
• Mike West. The Spinward States (Avenger Enterprises, 2008), 100. (UWP only)
• Don McKinney. Zhodani (Mongoose Publishing, 2011), 67-70.
• Martin Dougherty. The Spinward Marches (Mongoose Publishing, 2008), .
• Marc Miller, Robert Eaglestone, Don McKinney. Characters and Combat (Far Future Enterprises, 2019), 117.
• Martin Dougherty. Behind the Claw (Mongoose Publishing, 2019), 61,63-64.
• Martin Dougherty. Showing the Sunburst (Mongoose Publishing, 2019), 8,28.
• Martin Dougherty. Whispers on the Abyss (Mongoose Publishing, 2024), 99.