Cestus (world)

Cestus/Sephi Hydra (Aldebaran 1612)
Classic Era (1116)	E834477-8 Starport E Frontier - no facilities Size 8 Large (12,800 km, 0.80g - 1.08g) Atmosphere 3 Vacuum (very thin) Hydrographics 4 Wet World 40% Population 4 Moderate (50 thousand) Government 7 Balkanization Law 7 Moderate Law (no firearms) Tech Level 8 Pre-Stellar (superconductors)
See also	UWP
System Details
Primary	K8 V
Planetoid Belts	0
Gas Giants	0

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Jump map from Travellermap.com

Cestus is a nonindustrial world, that requires extensive imports of outside technology to maintain a modern, star-faring society.

• In a technological universe, societies without industrial capability generally suffer as nearly all manufactured and high tech goods must be brought in at significant cost.
• As a nonindustrial world, it requires extensive imports of outside technology to maintain a modern, star-faring society. The need to import most manufactured and high technology goods drives the price of these goods up in the open market.
• It is a Non-Aligned world dominated by human sophonts located in the Sephi Hydra Subsector of Aldebaran Sector.

• This world is a "Twilight Zone World", a planet that is tidally-locked to its star. It has a hot side that permanently faces the star, a cold side that permanently faces away, and a narrow twilight zone in-between.
• This is a hot world, with a climate of high temperatures.
• A Prison World, exile camp, or prison camp for criminals or other exiles is located upon this world in addition to other points of interest.

Description (Astrography & Planetology)

Stellar Data

Cestus has a solitary primary star.

• It is an orange main sequence.

Cestus has a solitary primary star.

Primary
	Type	Category		Mass (Sol)	Temperature (K)	Luminosity
	K8 V	Main Sequence (Dwarf)		0.62	3930 - 3990	0.18766
	Unit	Diameter	Safe Distance	Habitable Zone	Jump Shadow	M-Drive Limit
	AU	0.0057	0.0359	0.45 - 0.84	0.57	5.7
	Orbit #	*	*	2	2	6
	Remarks

System Data

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

• The mainworld.
• x7 secondary rocky worlds.

Mainworld Data

Cestus is tidally locked to its primary star.

• The star is always high in the sky on the bright face, it hangs on horizon in the twilight zone, while the cold dark face is in permanent darkness.
• The world experiences libration - a regular wobble - as it orbits, causing the star to move in the sky.

It orbits at the inner edge of the habitable zone.

Mainworld Size (S)

Cestus is a Meso World between 12,000km and 13,500km in diameter. The world has a standard gravity between 0.8G and 1.1G. The horizon will appear about 5.1km away. Vessels with 1G of thrust should check with local starport authorities before attempting to land using emergency power.

Mainworld Atmosphere (A)

Cestus has a pressure of 0.10 to 0.42 atmospheres. The very thin pressures require a respirator or Oxygen Mask. TL–5 or more advanced survival gear is required to settle this world.

Mainworld Hydrosphere (H)

Cestus 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.

There is a small icecap located at the extreme point of the dark face. A ridge of mountains circles the twilight zone.

(Blank map, predominantly dry world.)

Native Lifeforms

Primitive native life occupying a number of ecological niches. Its metabolic functions drive the process of atmospheric renewal.

• Native lifeforms are thermophilic - they thrive in higher temperatures.

History & Background (Dossier)

Cestus is designated a Solomani Confederation prison world. The population are prisoners and prison staff. Most inhabitants desire to leave and will offer anything to get onto an outbound starship. Prisoners spend a designated number of days doing ice mining duty, iron mining duty, or maintenance. Trusted older inhabitants are responsible for administration. The overall quality of life on Cestus is poor, but not destitute: there is adequate food, housing, air, and some dated educational materials.

Although it lies within the territory of the Confederation, the world is not officially a member of that state, instead being designated as a neutral world, which enables certain legal loopholes with regard to the rights of prisoners. It relies on the Confederation for trade and defense and actively cooperates with Solomani interests.

Solomani Security keeps a close eye on things to ensure the security of the Solomani State and the well-being of its loyal citizens. Almost anyone could be a SolSec informant, passing on all sorts of useful information: some gain a reward or benefit for their actions, others are coerced, while many see it as an act of duty to help protect the the State and its interests.

World Starport (St)

Cestus has a Class E Starport, a frontier quality installation with few expected amenities. There is unrefined fuel for starships and a limited variety of ship provisions. There is no shipyard of any kind, but there may be parts and technical support for doing minor services and repair. Ports of this classification generally consist of a downport.

World Population (P)

Cestus has a population of 50,000 sophonts (tens of thousands).

• This is a Nonindustrial World, too small to support the complete chain of production of most goods from start to finish.
• The population almost entirely consists of Solomani humans.

Urbanization

There are five different self-governing urban centers along the twilight zone, all constructed using standard Solomani vacuum-habitat designs: the names for these settlements change periodically. They are linked by a rail line that delivers supplies and allow personnel transport. The rail line is linear, with rail vehicles going to each settlement in turn then returning along the same route. The journey takes six standard days. A number of separate rail lines from each habitat extend to mining facilities. Inhabitants are required to mine their own water to survive.

Linguistic Topography

The most commonly heard languages are:

• Rim Anglic, a dialect of Anglic and the principal language of the Confederation.

World Technology Level (T)

Cestus possesses a Technology Level of TL–8.

• Common Communication technologies for this TL include: Fiber optics, improved telephones, and satellite communication and data networks.
• Common Power Generation technologies for this TL include: Improved geothermal and improved batteries.
• Common Transportation technologies for this TL include:
  • Land: Advanced automobiles.
  • Water: Triphibians and early artificial gills.
  • Air: Improved helicopters and hypersonic jets.
  • Space: Space shuttles, early space stations, and improved interplanetary spacecraft (System Craft).

World Government (G)

Cestus has a Balkanized Government. There is no central world government. The world has several governments competing for control of the world. These may be allies, cooperating, competitors, or at war with each other.

World Law (L)

Cestus has a moderate law level with laws covering many areas of government and interaction. These laws are simple enough that most people can act as their own advocate, though for serious issues a professional is recommended. Law enforcement officials will be present, but not in great numbers. All firearms, and anything more destructive, are typically regulated or prohibited.

Trade Data

• Importance: -3 (very unimportant)

World Economy

The world has a prison economy, with workers performing their tasks in return for decent pressure air, food, water, and shelter.

Exports include processed metals and radioactives.

• Resources: B (abundant)
• Labor: 3 (thousands)
• Infrastructure: 0 (non-existent)
• Efficiency: -2 (fair)

World Culture

• Heterogenity: 6 (harmonious)
• Acceptance: 1 (extremely xenophobic)
• Strangeness: 4 (somewhat distinct)
• Symbols: 9 (somewhat abstract)

World Timeline

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

• -9235: far to coreward, the Vilani discover jump drive technology. Over the centuries pioneers and settlers gradually spread across Charted Space.
• -4045 to -2204: the Ziru Sirka controls vast territories.
• -2431: Terrans discover jump drive technology.
• -2404 to -2215: the Interstellar Wars. The young Terran Confederation battles against the ancient Vilani Ziru Sirka.
• -2204 to -1776: the Rule of Man administers the former Ziru Sirka.
• -1999: the Aslan gain jump drive technology.
• -1862 to -1110: the Terran Mercantile Community is active within the region.
• -1776 to 0: the Long Night.
• -1118 to 380: the Aslan Border Wars.
• -1110 to 588: the Terran Mercantile Community gradually becomes the Old Earth Union, shrinking to control the region around Terra.
• The Year 0: to coreward, the Third Imperium is founded.
• 300-420: the Imperial First Survey charts the system.
• 380: the Peace of Ftahalr ends the ongoing Aslan Border Wars and establishes understandings regarding human and Aslan influence.
• 588: the Old Earth Union and the former territories of the Terran Mercantile Community are annexed by the Imperium, moving its border adjacent to the Aslan Hierate.
• 604-622: the Imperial Civil War.
• 624: the Imperial Express Boat Network is established.
• 704: the Solomani Autonomous Region is formed.
• 800-820: the Psionics Suppressions.
• 871: the Solomani Confederation is founded.
• 940: the Solomani Autonomous Region is dissolved.
• 990-1002: the Solomani Rim War.
• 995-1065: the Imperial Second Survey includes data for the system.
• 1065: the Second Survey is published. Information about the system becomes widely available.

References & Contributors (Sources)

This article is missing content for one or more detailed sections. Additional details are required to complete the article. You can help the Traveller Wiki by expanding it.

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.

• John Harshman, Marc Miller, Loren Wiseman. Classic Traveller Supplement 8 Library Data (A-M), (Game Designers Workshop, 1981), various pages. (Library data entries)
• John Harshman, Marc Miller, Loren Wiseman. Classic Traveller Supplement 11 Library Data (N-Z), (Game Designers Workshop, 1982), various pages. (Library data entries)
• John Harshman, Marc Miller. Solomani (Game Designers Workshop, 1986), IFC, pages 3, 28. (sector named, background for the sector)
• Peter G. Celella, James Holden. Solomani & Aslan (Digest Group Publications, 1991), pages 8-11, various others. (dot map locating the worlds of the sector, background for the sector)
• Steven Eric Schwartz. MegaTraveller Periodical Imperiallines 2, 1991, page 5. (Bootean Federation, background for the sector)
• Michael Taylor. Fighting Ships of the Solomani (QuikLink Interactive, 2009), page 5. (background for the sector)
• David L. Pulver. Solomani (Mongoose Publishing, 2012), pages 50, 118, 119, various others. (background for the sector)
• Martin J. Dougherty. The Order of Prometheus (Mongoose Publishing, 2023), various pages. (scenarios and background for the sector)
• Zho Berka's Maps (Classic Era UWP Data for the world)
• External Link: Ocean of Storms site (Rebellion Era UWP Data for the sector)
• Author & Contributor: Leroy W.L. Guatney of the Federation Development Agency (FDA) (development of the sector)