Noveria

Noveria is a cool, rocky world where much of its hydrosphere remains locked in vast glacial formations. Originally established as a privately chartered colony, the planet was owned and administrated by the Noveria Development Corporation (NDC), a holding company funded by investment capital from over two dozen high-technology firms. These firms sought an isolated world where they could conduct experimental research free from the oversight of galactic regulatory bodies.
For much of its history, Noveria operated under a corporate governance model, where an Executive Board represented investor interests rather than a traditional planetary government. Its research facilities were built in remote, inhospitable locations, particularly in the Skadi Mountains and the Aleutsk Valley, where cutting-edge and often controversial experiments were conducted. Given its unique legal situation, Noveria became infamous for secrecy and was often the subject of conspiracy theories related to corporate espionage, biotic experimentation, and artificial intelligence research.
With the integration of the NDC into the United Federation of Nations (UFN), Noveria underwent sweeping legal and ethical reforms. While it remains a hub of experimental science and technological development, the planet now operates under strict regulatory oversight, ensuring compliance with interstellar law. Though it is no longer the lawless testing ground it once was, Noveria continues to push the boundaries of scientific progress.

Geography and Climate

Noveria’s climate is dominated by cold temperatures, rocky terrain, and extensive glaciation. The planet’s surface consists of towering ice cliffs, wind-scoured plains, and deep fjords, with only a few equatorial regions maintaining semi-habitable conditions. Settlements and research outposts exist in harsh, isolated locations where environmental hazards such as extreme cold, ice storms, and unstable terrain make daily survival a challenge.
The Skadi Mountains are home to many of Noveria’s most secure research facilities, including the infamous Peak 15, a lab once known for housing some of the most controversial experiments conducted on the planet. The Aleutsk Valley serves as a critical passage between Port Hanshan and Peak 15, facilitating transport and security operations. Port Hanshan, the largest settlement on Noveria, functions as the planet’s primary hub for corporate administration, commerce, and transportation. In contrast to the icy and barren landscapes of the rest of the planet, the equatorial regions feature luxury resorts that provide high-end leisure activities, including accredited asajura fields, bouncebacking, and deep-sea diving, catering to executives, scientists, and high-ranking visitors looking to escape Noveria’s otherwise harsh environment.

Corporate Governance and Research Culture

Noveria’s original governance model, established by the NDC, placed it outside of Citadel Council jurisdiction. This legal loophole allowed corporations to operate with minimal restrictions, leading to the planet’s reputation as a free-market research world where ethically ambiguous scientific projects flourished. Investors developed high-risk research in biotics, artificial intelligence, pharmaceuticals, and synthetic materials, often pushing ethical boundaries in pursuit of technological breakthroughs.
Although Citadel Special Tactics and Reconnaissance (Spectres) were technically granted extraterritorial privileges to intervene in extreme cases, the NDC’s Executive Board often resisted outside interference, citing corporate sovereignty. This friction resulted in an environment of secrecy and speculation, fueling countless theories about the planet’s role in illicit research and corporate warfare.
With the annexation of Noveria, the planet was forced to comply with interstellar laws governing research ethics, worker rights, and corporate accountability. UFN regulatory bodies implemented oversight measures that mandated transparency in scientific experimentation and restricted corporate overreach. While Noveria still operates as a leading research hub, it now does so under the careful watch of interstellar authorities.

The Modern Noverian Economy

Despite the legal restrictions imposed by the UFN, Noveria remains one of the most advanced research worlds in known space, continuing to attract top-tier scientists, experimental technologists, and corporate investors. The planet’s economy revolves around high-risk scientific research, specializing in biotics, artificial intelligence, pharmaceuticals, and synthetic materials. While all experiments must now pass UFN regulatory screening, Noveria remains at the forefront of technological progress.
Cybernetics and AI development remain dominant industries, with many of the galaxy’s leading AI advancements refined within Noveria’s research facilities. However, these projects are subject to heightened security and ethical oversight, preventing the kind of rogue AI incidents that were once feared. Cold-weather manufacturing and infrastructure technology have also become major economic sectors, with Noveria serving as a testing ground for extreme-environment technology, including climate-resistant habitats, power systems, and vehicles designed for use on other harsh worlds.
Corporate lobbying remains a powerful force on Noveria, with many business leaders pushing for greater research autonomy and fewer restrictions on high-risk experimentation. The ongoing tension between scientific ambition and regulatory control remains an issue within the planet’s governance, as UFN officials seek to maintain ethical standards while corporations advocate for greater flexibility in their research.

Security and Surveillance

Historically, Noveria was one of the most heavily surveilled planets in the galaxy, with corporate security forces monitoring both employees and visitors at all times. With the transition to UFN oversight, these security systems remain intact, though they now serve both public safety and regulatory enforcement roles. The most secure research stations, particularly those in the Skadi Mountains, remain off-limits to unauthorized personnel, requiring special clearance for entry. Many of these facilities now focus on UFN-approved projects, though their history of secrecy continues to make them a source of speculation and concern among interstellar watchdog groups.

Tourism and High-End Leisure

Though not traditionally seen as a vacation destination, Noveria does support a small but exclusive tourism industry catering to corporate executives, high-level researchers, and UFN dignitaries. The planet’s equatorial regions feature luxury resorts offering high-end leisure experiences, providing an escape from the severe conditions found elsewhere on the planet. These locations also serve as informal diplomatic venues, where corporate leaders and UFN officials negotiate research contracts, investment agreements, and trade deals in an environment removed from the industrial complexes and high-security labs that define much of Noveria’s landscape.
Noveria remains a world defined by its scientific ambition, corporate legacy, and reputation for secrecy. While the era of unrestricted experimentation and ethical loopholes has ended under UFN governance, the planet continues to be one of the most important research hubs in interstellar space. With rigorous oversight, a hybrid governance system, and ongoing tensions between corporate investors and UFN regulators, Noveria represents both the promise and peril of high-risk scientific advancement. As a cautionary tale of corporate overreach, yet a pioneer in technological discovery, its influence on galactic science and industry remains firmly intact.

Type

Planet

Owning Organization

United Federation of Nations