Ardanan

			Intelligent Lifeform Index

Ardanan
Four Letter Code	ARDN
Federation Status	Members
Planet of Origin	Ardana
Encountered	ENT: Precious Cargo & TOS: The Cloud Minders
T/E Rating	T0/E0
Current Tech Level	M
List of Named Ardanans
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Name

• Proper Name: Ardanan
• Pronunciation: Ar'Da'Nan

Home System

• Quadrant: Beta
• Location: Sector 007 (coordinates B25-0001-1298)
• Proper Name: Mu Leonis A
• Pronunciation: Mu Le'Onis A
• Star: Class K (orange)
• Distance from Star: Approximately 193 million km
• Companions: 7 planets with Ardana being the 2nd

Home World

• Proper Name: Ardana
• Pronunciation: Ar'Da'Na
• Diameter: 10,200 km
• Gravity: 1.2 standard gravity with a density of 5.7
• Axial Tilt: 10%, minor seasonal effects (less than Earth)
• Orbital Period: 317 days
• Rotational Period: 27 hours
• Classification: M
  • Surface Water: 20%
  • Atmosphere: 0.96 is a standard pressure with 77% nitrogen, 21% oxygen, 2% argon
  • Climate: Semi arid in many regions with mild to hot temperatures
  • Population: 67.9 Million, split between Stratos and the surface.

History

Introduction

Split between the City-Dwellers of Stratos and the Troglyte Zenite miners of the surface, Ardana housed the only known source of Zenite in the galaxy, which was considered by the Federation Council to be a strategic resource. In their rush to secure this resource, Ardana's admittance was expedited, and the Federation turned a blind eye to the many criteria for Federation membership that the Ardanans did not meet. The Ardanan Elite on Stratos promised to reform, but in the six years between it's admittance and the USS Enterprise's emergency visit to the planet in 2269, nothing was done. Summary executions, torture, a highly stratified and segregated culture, all existed while Ardana was a Federation member. The events of the Enterprise's visit to Ardana have been long-lasting, and have saved two cultures from the brink of ruin. After inspecting the Zenite mining operations, the Enterprise's crew discovered the City-Dweller's gross disregard for, and oppression of the Troglyte people, making them work mines that were hazardous to their health. Notable among these hazards was Zenite Gas, which lowers an individual's intelligence and emotional control. Supplying the Trogyltes with breathing masks, the Enterprise broke the control of the City-Dwellers over the oppressed masses and set off a chain of events that lead to the Reconstruction. While the Federation Council deliberated over what should be done about the Ardanan situation, the Troglytes rebelled over High Advisor Plasus' lies to help them, and so began the Ardanan Civil War.

The War ended two years later with the capitulation of the Stratos elite and the execution of High Advisor Plasus by his own people. With Federation support, the Troglytes and the City-Dwellers reintegrated into a singular, Ardanan identity, agreeing that all would live on Stratos that wished it, and no one would be forced to work the mines. While Zenite production ground to a halt for years while this was being done, the large amount of wealth supplied by the Stratos treasuries kept the planet afloat financially. The money was also used to build several new habitats in the skies of Ardana to accommodate the new population and now all live in the luxury of Ardana's floating cities, while the mining operations are carried out by automated systems and a handful of overseers and repair technicians.

The so called 'New Ardana' is a place of culture, an acceptable amount of luxury, intellectual pursuits and working together to make the whole better. Ardana is now an upstanding member of the Federation, renown for it's luxury, wealth, civic minded citizens, libraries and Zenite mines. Ardanans are the self-proclaimed Auditors of the Federation and their Councilors often point out member states (Or prospective members) that are not in compliance with the Federation Charter, refusing to see the same mistake made twice.

Old Ardana

By the mid 22nd century, Ardanans had developed shuttle technology and had already had dealings with the Retellians.

They were admitted to the Federation in 2263.

As of 2269, their society had evolved two castes, the Staratos city-dwellers who devoted themselves purely to art and culture, and the surface-based Troglytes. These city-dwellers ruled the planet from Staratos through a council existing solely of their class, justifying the total suppression of the Troglytes based on the widely held belief that as an inferior species the Troglytes were incapable of any advanced culture.

Troglytes on the other hand were considered to be mentally inferior, and therefore performed all the physical toil necessary to maintain Staratos, most notably mining Zenite. Unknown to both city-dwellers and Troglytes however, this mental disadvantage, while real, was only the result of exposure to a gas emanating from unrefined zenite, and furthermore, fully reversible.

Due to the efforts of the crew of the USS Enterprise in 2269, this situation was exposed to the Federation, and apart from a direct suggestion to start using breathing masks in the mines so that the Troglytes could recover their full mental capacities, the people of Ardana were referred to the Federation Bureau of Industrialization to resolve their differences.

Since then the land based population has evolved a strong culture and separate society all their own.

Government

In the days of Old Ardana, the Old Empire consisted of 12 (Really 13) Kingdoms called Oras ('Cities of Merit') and many smaller Oras, each submitting themselves to the nominal authority of the High King of the Empire. The qualifications for, the rules of succession, and authority of the position of High King varied on who held the position. Classically the High King was a carefully chosen leader of the Old Ardanans (Exclusively chosen among the ranks of the Nobles) who had broad power over the common folk, but had less control over the nobles. The High King was also considered Divinely anointed, and his authority was absolute, so long as he either kept the nobles in check, or submitted himself to their scrutiny. Heredity was a weak factor in succession, and while a father might occasionally be succeeded by a son for sake of stability, the position of High King was traditionally bucked from one noble House to another. A High Queen was a rare occurrence after the first Empire, and in total there were only 21 High Queens in the entire 10,000 year history of the Old Empire.

In the last days of the Old Empire, the position of the High Advisor, a merit based position, became eminently more influential, to the point to when the Empire collapsed, the tradition of a monarchy was abandoned by the Ardanans in favor of a meritocracy.

After the Ardanan Civil War, a new democratic government came to power, with the position of High Administrator acting as the head of Government, and the High Advisor maintained as the head of State. The High Administrator is chosen by popular vote, while the High Advisor is a position awarded to the most accomplished and respected Ardanan politicians. In the century since the civil war, the High Administrator has traditionally been of Trogylte descent, and the High Advisor has been of Stratos descent, though members of both cultures have ascended to both positions. The High Administrator's actions are held in deep scrutiny by the general populace and debate and philosophical discussions on policy dominate Ardanan politics.

Description

Ardanans are externally identical to Humans, though have only 3 ethnic/racial groups and a different assortment of genetic traits.

Tokushu: The Tokushu are the dominant Ardanan ethnic group in both the Troglyte and Stratos City Dweller cultures. The Tokushu hailed from the southwest of Old Ardana and were the founders of the Old Empire, though eventually the rule of it became dominated by the Ysira. The Tokushu are very fair skinned, with light brown eyes and light brown hair being the norm over the vast majority of the population. This combination of traits are considered 'The Blood of Old Ardana' and while other hair colors pop up from time to time, they are considered 'Impure' by those who hold their heritage in high esteem. None the less, these traits are appreciated for their rarity, though little else.

Ysira: Darker skinned than the Tokushu, the Ysira were the first group of Ardanans to join the Old Empire willingly and later, Ysira Nobleman made up the majority of the Kings of the Old Empire. The Ysira favored men as rulers, in contrast to the Tokushu who would rather place a woman at the top, but supported by men, and their culture eventually mixed with that of the Tokushu to form the standard of Old Ardana. The Ysira were also equally split between the Troglytes and the Stratos City Dwellers, though they no longer found themselves in such positions of power as they had in the Old Empire, with the traditionally Ysira King being replaced by the normally Tokushu High Advisor.

Colun: The Colun were a conquered ethnic group of Ardanans and integrated into the Old Empire as a servant caste. The Colun stand between the Tokushu and the Ysira in skin tone and exhibit lighter eye colors, but similar hair to the Tokushu. The Colun naturally, were split disproportionately towards the Troglyte caste when Stratos was built, though a few Colun had ascended to minor nobility by the time of the disintegration of the Old Empire, allowing the Colun to be represented on Stratos.

Other ethnic/racial groups existed at one time on Ardana, but they all died out in the aftermath of the disintegration of the Old Empire as their numbers were fewer than those of the main 3 groups. Over time these populations mingled with the others and the people no longer existed in their historical form. Many Ardanans have the blood of these old ethnic groups, but their traits are no longer present and no Ardanans identify outside of the 3 current ethnic groups.

Physiology

Ardanans are very similar to baseline Humans, with only slightly increased lifespans of around 150 years (Versus the Human norm of 130). Those Ardanans of Troglyte descent are often born with a predisposition towards building muscle mass, and over all be a heartier people physically, while those Ardanans of Stratos descent (Especially those with the blood of Old Ardana) often considered more attractive because of the old marriage conventions among the nobles of Stratos.

Psychology

The city dwellers still to this day have a feeling of superiority over those who still are called Troglytes. As for the Troglytes since the introduction of safety masks while working the mines their mental level of ability now matches that of the city dwellers.

Religion

Ardanans do not possess religion in the traditional sense. They do not worship gods, rather they invoke the names of two natural forces of Ardana, the Stone and the Wind. The Stone and the Wind are seen as the mother and father of Ardana respectively, and the relationship that each Ardanan has with both is seen as a personal connection between parent and child. If that relationship is close or distant, or perhaps non-existent is left for the individual to decide. Ardanans have a singular religious text, called the Calls, which details the nature of the Stone and the Wind, the pre-history of Ardana, and the traditional virtues of Ardanans. The Calls are revered, but the commentaries on the Calls, called the Echoes, are seen as more influential. 'Sanctified' Echoes are those written by Callers (The priestly class of the Ardanans) and approved by both the Stone and the Wind by writing the words on stone and holding them up to the wind for 2 days and 2 nights, if the words remain intact the Echo is considered appropriate for distribution.

Because of the more 'Spiritual' versus 'Religious' nature of Ardanan beliefs, all Ardanans 'believe' in the Stone and the Wind, and follow their teachings. Though as Ardanans see all Ardanans as children of the Stone and the Wind, two natural forces, they traditionally had no word, or even possessed the concept of a 'non-believer' until they reached modern times. Secularism and atheism is looked down upon in modern Ardanan culture, the same as it was in the Old Empire, and the same as it was for both groups of Ardanans until their reunification. For Troglytes, their faith was a motivator, and something to be cherished, and for the Stratos City Dwellers, their faith was a sign of culture, a symbol of a proud history and a divine lineage.

Mythology

No true myths unless you count the new ones that revolve around the evil demonic creator of zenite and its curse.

Society

The citizens of Staratos don't work and spend all their time creating music, art and debating philosophy. The population is carefully controlled so as to not exceed the cities maximum potential. While they live an utopian life secluded in their city the surface dwellers have developed a massive industrial community. The Troglytes have the freedom to travel, explore, learn and create.

Culture

The surface dwellers are more interested in day to day life and tend to look on any cultural activity as a frivolous waste of time only worthy of the city dwellers of Staratos. Position and prestige among the city dwellers is based on the artistic ability of the citizen in question. Art in all it's forms as well as music tend to take up the majority of their lives.

Customs

While not really a custom the city of Staratos has an annual art festival that draws tourists from all over. It has grown so big that it must now be held on the surface of the planet.

Technology

They are masters of anti-gravity and their capitol Staratos is a prime example of this. It is probably one of the most famous anti-gravitational cities in existence. It floats majestically above the planets surface. The rest of their technology is about mid-level to that of the rest of the Federation members.

Economy

They are one of the chief exporters of zenite within the Federation. Their oldest trading partner is the Retellians.

Military

They have no military force at all. However they do have a civil police force that ensures the safety of the entire population. This force is well trained and equipped and made up entirely of Troglytes.

Federation Intelligence Files

For more info see Federation Intelligence file TOS-2269-0745 and ENT-2043-0095

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