Doucesan

View from Orbit

Doucesan is a dark green and blue planet with many swirling white clouds. About 40% of the planet is water, broken into small seas scattered around the equator. Near the poles are small ice caps. Around the planet is a large ring system made of rock and ice. A pair of small moons move through the ring at a slightly off-axis orbit. This results in the moons sometimes being below the rings and sometimes above.

Surface

The surface of Doucesan is covered in thick, dense, forests of tall trees whose canopies rise from fifty to one hundred feet. The floor of the forests is humid, dimly lit and crowded with low foilage. Storms are common on the surface and rage above the treetops.
The density of the forest has prevented the evolution of larger creatures, resulting in a fauna that is predominantly under 200 kg in weight. Many of the larger creatures are carnivorous.

Population

Almost one million beings live on Doucesan, scattered in small settlements, with the largest concentration around the worlds only starport. Settlments consist of simple homes built on platforms low to the ground and often enveloping and connecting several trees. Rainwater is captured in troughs around the trees as it flows down from above. Homes are often connected by raised platforms.
Subsistence living is common for the settlements as the world offers little in the way of exports. There are rare herbs and spices that can be found in the forests and sold for a high profit.
The starport is small and has basic services consisting of a bar, a clinic, and several merchant shops. Planetary residents often trade furs, and the occassional herb or spice, to merchants for technology items.
The settlements around the starport are larger and more advance than those further away. The leaders of these have banded together to form a loose federation that is as close to a government this planet has.

Industry

There is no real industry on the planet. Settlements trade furs and rare herbs or spices to visiting merchants.

Culture

The culture of Doucesan is substistence based and can vary greatly from settlement to settlement. Those that are closer to the starport have a higher understanding of technology and often have youngsters looking to find a way off planet.
Oddly enough, all the cultures share the same story about the moons and the rings. From the surface the rings appear to be a line that changes in width depending on how far north or south one is on the planet. The moons, in their orbits, move above and below the line with the closer moon, reddish Sem-Po, often overcoming the further moon, bright white Diem-Po. When this occurs outside the rings they are said to be kissing. When it occurs within the rings they are said to be mating and replentishing the rings. This doesn't occur often and is considered a time for celebration and bonding.

History

Doucesan does not have a very deep history. It appears to be the planet that colonists will seek when they wish to move away from the dangers of the galaxy and find a more simple living. This has been happening for centuries. Within the forests can be found the husks of settlements that never survived.
The starport was created to allow for the research of the Caldon Structures, named for the discoverer. Planetary surveyors noted large stone structures in a clearing and once the information made it to the general public a group of explorers came to the planet to explore them.
The exploration team (re: looters) was led by a opportunist named Raf Caldon. He landed with a team of twenty-five crew and began exploration of the structures. They cleared a space in the forest and set up a semi-permanent camp. It was destroyed several times, by storms that ravaged the clearing, until they turned to the use of ferrocrete.
Caldon's team found little of value in the structures, and lost more than five crew to predators and other natural hazards. After over six months searching he finally gave up and left. Future explorers used his camp and were just as unsuccessful as he.

Notable Features

Caldon Structures

The Caldon Structures consist of approximately fifty large, square, structures in a clearing. The structures are square or rectangular with sharp angles. They rise to a height that varies between five and twelve meters, with flat tops. The layout of the structures appear to be random though the taller structures occupy the center of the formation. No avenues or clearly defined paths are defined amongst the structures. Many of the structures touch others, either briefly, or along one or more sides. Some of the structures have rectangular, oval-topped, openings on one or more sides. The interior of these structures is empty with walls that are one meter in depth.
No sign of glyph or design has been found on the structures despite the use of sophisticated technology. All scientific studies of the structures have ceased and the area lies abandonded.

Grid Location: E-24

Climate: Warm and humid with violent storms in open spaces or above the canopy.

Gravity: 1.2

Common Hazards: Storms and violent predators

Atmosphere: Standard

Temperature: Moderate to cold at poles

Moons: Rings and 2 moons

Diameter: 7,500 km

Length of Day: 15 hr

Length of Year: 243 d

Starport: Basic

Population: 1 million

Government: Federated Settlements

Law Level: 1 - Low

Major Exports: None

Major Imports: None

System: Doucesan System