• Planet Name: Tinall
  • Location: Freeworlds Region, Par'tha Expanse
  • Class: M
  • System Data: Tinnaallii system
  • Satellites: Tinall has no moon
  • Gravity: 0.89 G
  • Year and Day: 356/22
  • Atmosphere: Nitrogen-oxygen atmosphere with ozone and carbon dioxide content, at Earth-normal pressure
  • Hydrosphere: Moist, with 70% surface water
  • Climate: humid and temperate
  • Sapient Species: 5.3 billion Tinalli, 3 billion Caraadians and Illarans, 2 billion students of other species
  • Technological Classification: Rating M on the Richter Scale
  • Government: Representative Democracy
  • Culture: Educational center
  • Affiliation: Freeworlds Region Council member
  • Resources: high tech research and development, air vehicles, foodstuffs
  • Ship Facilities: Tinall has one space-based starport, and several major land-based starports

Other Details: Tinall is located in the Tinnaallii system. It is a wet humid world made up of marshes and sandy swamps. Most vegetation is made up of various species of grass; palm trees, bamboos, and the immense, tower-like greenstalks that grow in thickets everywhere on the planet's surface except for the two poles.

Numerous cities and towns dot the landscape, roughly two-thirds of which are traditional Tinalli towns. The others are humanoid-style settlements devoted to the university or light industry. Few are located near the coast; since no surface of the planet is more than a few dozen feet above sea level, the autumn typhoons send the raging tides hundreds of kilometers inland for weeks at a time. This annual flooding is essential to the planet's ecology, but wreaks havoc with coastal settlements.

A thick asteroid field rings the planet. The asteroids serve as a source for base metals and also harbor a number of sanctioned research stations. There are also a number of unregistered habitats in the asteroid belt which are either doing top secret research, or hiding from the belt patrols who try to keep the fringers out (the asteroid refuge draws them in like a magnet).

Culture: The Tinalli are an integrated part of Tinalli society, and in many ways it is the humanoids who have adapted to the Tinalli way rather than the other way around, which is often the case. The official language of the local government is Lia, the mother tongue of the Tinalli. Humanoid languages are spoken as well, especially in the presence of Imperial representatives.

Tinall is more strongly influenced by the Empire than many of the other Freeworlds, though it refuses to take the anti-alien stance Imperial High Culture demands. It is more in line with typical Core worlds in terms of Imperial supervision, and the power the governor has over the world.

Tinall has a fringe society - student dropouts and defrocked professors, artists, smugglers, and thieves - that lives in the upper levels of the greenstalks in simple but serviceable structures built into their sides and tops. Some of these "underground" communities are located near university communities, while others are located near the coast - safe from flooding and unwelcome intruders alike.

Economy: Even before Caraadians made contact, the Tinalli had devised a sophisticated system of higher learning. When Kaen Tan, the founder of the ancient Caraadian Empire, visited the world, he was very impressed by their accomplishments, and gave them a huge grant to develop a university system for the whole sector, and for all species. The Tinalli embraced their mission with a will, and today Tinall boasts some of the best universities and colleges in the Par'tha Expanse.

Caraadians and Illarans make up the majority of the student body, but there are also many Tinalli and Cullum students as well. Prelians, Naylar, Adani, and other aliens have attended university in the past, but Imperial edicts currently prevent them from attending many Tinalli universities.

The universities do a lot of research work for various Imperial governmental organizations, from developing complex economic models for commerce ministries to designing advanced computer combat systems for Imperial war machines.

Points of Interest: The university centers of Tinall are vibrant communities dedicated to the pursuit of knowledge and entertainment, in roughly equal proportions. Areas frequented by students are rife with eateries, pubs, and concert arenas. The more serious minded can avail themselves of extensive computer libraries and research centers. Both facets of Tinall are prime sources for information.

Since there are more professors and scientists than there are positions and contracts, many professionals do freelance tutoring or research on the side. For the right amount of money, there are always skilled people willing to take on side projects - including those of dubious legality. Slicers, techs, and mechanics are in high demand among certain black market clientele (there are even dark rumors of an assassin rolf manufacturing planet secreted somewhere on the planet).