The Three Sisters

Earth Prime was in the dark for centuries, plagued by the blackout that wiped clean civilizations-worth of knowledge and progress. The only thing that pulled its inhabitants out of the Dark Age was the discovery, or perhaps the rediscovery, of the rocket; that discovery wouldn't have been possible without the impact of the mysterious comet that brought about a burst of life. The sudden introduction of new biomass by the comet's stimulation fueled the ancient furnaces of the Old World and birthed the new industrial revolution. The people took the stars, and soon they found Earth Prime's sister, Cassiopeia. Fourth planet from the sun, she was cold and mysterious, with many dangerous creatures slithering about her misty oceans or nesting upon her flying peaks. But fear of the unknown does not deter the desperate, and soon enough colonies were established and industry was booming. Cassiopeia's wealth of resources and opportunity stimulated the development of the Market, and leaders quickly emerged. Those With Means to take advantage of the new world quickly built themselves an empire, where fuel became a currency and ruthlessness a prerequisite to enter. But Cassiopeia did not take the invasion lightly. Laws of physics and thermodynamics were easily bent, here so far from home, and oddities ran wild in this world that seemingly teetered on the edge of reality. Every so often, people born on this strange world were said to be gifted with the ability to shape the matter and energy around them, just as Cassiopeia re-invented herself everyday. With the power to convert and manipulate energy to their will, these witches were a threat to the Market and Calorie, the precious currency on which tycoons were built. A society of the gifted grew in the shadows, a Seer Underground dedicated to protecting their home, a home that creaked and groaned under the strain of opportunity. The planet's resistance led some to consider looking again to the stars for guidance. There, they found Aronova. The second planet from the sun and the youngest of the Three Sisters, Aronova did not offer the same resistance to colonization as its older sister did. Those With Means turned their eyes on this rocky and bountiful world as conditions on Earth Prime grew tense with a resource recession and with Cassiopeia's continued stubborn rejection any further exploitation. Aronova has come to be the seat of the Market, far enough away from the seat of the Federation of the Trinity to operate easily in the grey areas. Of course, no one actually takes the Feds seriously; the ones you should really fear are Those With Means, the Execs of the Big Branches whose interests and agents are everywhere. While not as esoteric or unexplored as Cassiopeia, Aronova is not without its quirks. The planet's atmosphere and proximity to the sun allows for frequent intrusions of space storms into its weather patterns. Efforts by the Survey Corps to understand the flora and fauna have a long way to go, but everyone knows the Surveyors are just the foot soldiers of Those With Means these days. Not to say there are not still plenty left in their ranks that still hold that burning curiosity for discovery. It's just they don't stay that way for long; few can survive the churning wheels of the Market. Regulation beyond the standardization of currency is next to non-existent outside of Earth Prime, and federal power only means anything if it is being funded by Execs. Corruption and piracy are rampant, and no true framework for social works exists. The lifeforce of planets continue to be corrupted, and those without the ability to generate energy have little to no protection from the dangers and mysteries of the Three Sisters.