Damascus (world)

Damascus/Aldebaran (Aldebaran 1610)
Classic Era (1116)	D722430-8 Starport D Poor: No Construction, Minor Repair, Unrefined fuel Size 7 Medium (11,200 km, 0.70g - 0.94g) Atmosphere 2 Vacuum (very thin - tainted) Hydrographics 2 Dry World 20% Population 4 Moderate (70 thousand) Government 3 Self-Perpetuating Oligarchy Law 0 No Law Tech Level 8 Pre-Stellar (superconductors)
See also	UWP
System Details
Primary	M1 V M2 V M9 V
Planetoid Belts	0
Gas Giants	3

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Jump map from Travellermap.com

Damascus is a poor, nonindustrial hellworld with a population struggling to survive in an inhospitable environment.

• Hellworlds often offer daily, and sometimes even hourly, life-threatening situations to their inhabitants. Survivors often develop intense survival skills and tend to be grim realists.
• It requires extensive imports of outside technology to maintain a modern, star-faring society.
• It is a member of the Solomani Confederation in the Aldebaran 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.

Description (Astrography & Planetology)

Stellar Data

Damascus is a trinary star system.

• All three are red main sequence stars.

Damascus has three stars in the star system.

Primary
	Type	Category		Mass (Sol)	Temperature (K)	Luminosity
	M1 V	Main Sequence (Dwarf)		0.5	3620 - 3660	0.08839
	Unit	Diameter	Safe Distance	Habitable Zone	Jump Shadow	M-Drive Limit
	AU	0.0047	0.0247	0.31 - 0.59	0.47	4.7
	Orbit #	*	*	1	1	6
	Remarks		Flare Star.
Secondary
	Type	Category		Mass (Sol)	Temperature (K)	Luminosity
	M2 V	Main Sequence (Dwarf)		0.44	3470 - 3560	0.0565
	Unit	Diameter	Safe Distance	Habitable Zone	Jump Shadow	M-Drive Limit
	AU	0.0041	0.0197	0.25 - 0.48	0.41	4.1
	Orbit #	*	*	1	1	6
	Remarks		Flare Star. Approximately 0.06 AU from the primary.
Tertiary
	Type	Category		Mass (Sol)	Temperature (K)	Luminosity
	M9 V	Main Sequence (Dwarf)		0.079	2350 - 2380	0.00014
	Unit	Diameter	Safe Distance	Habitable Zone	Jump Shadow	M-Drive Limit
	AU	0.0009	0.001	0.01 - 0.03	0.09	0.9
	Orbit #	*	*	*	*	3
	Remarks		Flare Star. Approximately 200 AU from the primary.

Notes

Damascus is trinary star system, with three M-type stars. All three stars are notably variable and temperamental, producing flares and radiation storms at irregular intervals.

The primary-secondary binary pair have an average separation of 0.06 AU and orbit a barycenter that lies between them.

• They have an orbital period around one another of 5.5 standard days.

The tertiary star lies approximately 200 AU from the primary-secondary binary pair and orbits a barycenter that lies between it and them.

• It has an orbital period around the primary-secondary binary pair of 2,800 standard years.

System Data

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

• The mainworld, orbiting the primary-secondary binary pair.
• x11 secondary rocky worlds. Six orbit the primary-secondary binary pair, five orbit the tertiary star.
• x3 gas giants. Two orbit the primary-secondary binary pair, one orbits the tertiary star.

Mainworld Data

Damascus is tidally locked to the primary-secondary binary stars.

• The stars are always high in the sky on the bright face, they hang 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 stars to move in the sky.

Mainworld Size (S)

Damascus is a Meso World between 10,400km and 12,000km in diameter. The world has a standard gravity between 0.7G and 0.9G. The horizon will appear about 4.7km away.

Mainworld Atmosphere (A)

Damascus has a pressure of 0.10 to 0.42 atmospheres. The very thin pressures require a respirator or Oxygen Mask. This atmosphere also contains an unusual taint such as disease, a hazardous gas mix, pollutants, or sulfur compounds, which requires the use of a Filter Respirator Combination Mask. Some taints may require more protective equipment. TL–5 or more advanced survival gear is required to settle this world.

Mainworld Hydrosphere (H)

Damascus has 15-25% of its surface covered by liquid water or ice. There may be a few small seas. Wilderness refueling is possible. Water for the inhabitants needs to be imported and extensively recycled. These worlds are Hell Worlds or Poor Worlds depending on their atmosphere.

Mainworld Geography and Topography

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

There are a few low mountain ranges and seas of liquid water around the twilight zone. Most of the notable terrain is the weathered remains of impact craters.

(Blank map, predominantly dry world.)

Native Lifeforms

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

History & Background (Dossier)

Damascus was proposed as a potential colony of Europa, but after the initial setup had begun the financing collapsed and the project was abandoned.

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)

Damascus has a Class D Starport, a poor quality installation which has few of the 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 only a downport, unless this is a trade port or system with an hostile environment mainworld.

Damascus Downport lies in the outskirts of the city of Shield. The original colony structures are still in use but under constant repair.

Observation: This downport is dangerous to visit and you should interact in numbers and with heavy armament. Expect deals to go bad, and plan for a resolution. People here are desperate for a number of personal motivations. Bright, the world's other settlement, has a marked landing spot, and a single source of unrefined fuel. It might do in a pinch for supplies, and is marginally safer than the Shield Downport. Memoirs of a Casual Traveller

World Population (P)

Damascus has a population of 70,000 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.

Linguistic Topography

The most commonly heard languages are:

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

Urbanization

The main urban center, Damascus Shield, is located beyond the twilight horizon close to the dark face icepack, well-protected from the radiation storms by the mass and curvature of the planet. There is a heavy rail-line to a second settlement, Damascus Bright, located within the central part of the twilight zone. The bulk of the population resides in Shield, but the population within Bright tends to be better off economically, often employing guards to defend their holdings. Vertical farms provide the majority of the populations food requirements but they are old and continually under repair.

World Technology Level (T)

Damascus 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)

Damascus is governed by Self-Perpetuating Oligarchy. A single family or small group provides the leadership and important positions in the government. These positions are inherited by member of the group or their family members. The organization may be a monarchy, with titles passed to family members, or a plutocracy where inheritance of the family fortune includes government position. Alternatively, the organization may be a more typical government apparatus, only with positions of power inherited.

World Law (L)

Damascus has no law in practice. It is an Anarchy. On many worlds, this by itself justifies an Amber Zone advisory. There are few laws, covering only important areas. There may be few or no law enforcement officers, the expectation is citizens will bring law breakers to the attention of the Judicial system. Legal proceedings will be fast, with few people involved. For interactions outside of the framework of the laws, cultural norms dominate.

Trade Data

• Importance: -3 (very unimportant)

World Economy

There are abundant metal ores present in the crust and significant deposits of phosphorus. Minerals are mined and locally processed.

Exports include processed metals, pure phosphorus, and phosphate fertilizers. Imports of exotic foodstuffs and luxuries command premium prices.

• Resources: A (abundant)
• Labor: 3 (thousands)
• Infrastructure: 2 (extremely limited)
• Efficiency: +1 (average)

World Culture

• Heterogenity: 8 (discordant)
• Acceptance: 1 (extremely xenophobic)
• Strangeness: 9 (extremely confusing)
• Symbols: B (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)