Planet Elysium
Elysium is the second planet orbiting the star Victoria. It was the first planet to be colonized in the Victoria system in the year 2137. It maintains a very stable and optimal orbit in the Goldilocks habitable area. It is 11% smaller than Earth. 65% of its surface is covered by oceans. Its gravity is slightly lower than Earth’s. It has 3 major landmass continents named Vanaheim, Muspelheim and Jotunheim. The planet also has many assorted islands of different sizes. Among them are Britannia, Yamato and Brasilia.
It contains a lush variety of local carbon-based flora and fauna that is comparable yet wildly different to Earth’s in diversity and taxonomy. Many of Elysium's creatures and plant life are very dangerous, such as the native beasts that resemble mythological dragons, or more exotic ones like the ankheg or the behir. Many of the local fauna and flora are known to have extrasensory abilities or other qualities never encountered by Humanity before.
Since colonization efforts started, flora and fauna from Earth was introduced to the planet, mostly farm animals, pets and edible plants. But also, re-engineered or genetically manipulated Earth beasts were introduced to the ecosystem by less ethical groups.
The first colonial settlement eventually became the metropolis of Nova Aurora. During the early colonization years, it attracted many different settler groups from Earth which were looking for new opportunities and to escape the overpopulated Earth. Elysium was extremely well suited for settlers and numbers grew quickly. The early colonization period was marked by fast grow and prosperity.
After The Event, due to the lack of technological resources and emergency gubernatorial measures, civil unrest became open revolts that escalated into open warfare between different settler factions and the United Nations of Earth Colonial Government. Eventually, the UNE Government managed to accomplish an end to hostilities and maintain most its power and control over the city of Nova Aurora and numerous peripheral settlements. But, several of the most tenacious and well-established settler groups managed to gain their autonomy and no longer accept UNE law. This was the birth of the nations of Elysium.
The settler groups and companies that still abided to Elysium UNE Colonial Government during the chaotic years following The Event banded together during The Reconstruction and became the biggest and most powerful nation on Elysium. Now known as The Elysium Colonial Alliance, they act in accordance with the assumption that they are still under the authority and law of The United Nations of Earth and think of themselves as THE planetary government.
Among the other sovereign nations started by rebel settler groups is the Kobayashi Shogunate, with its capital city of Neo Edo, located in the sizable island of Yamato. Another nation is The Free Republic of Concordia; it controls several small islands close to the continent of Vanaheim.
There are also several small settlements that have splintered from the major nations or domains. Some small settlements are descendants of settler groups that decided to stay separate from the rest of the major populated areas due to their own reasons.
Due to the technological decline after The Event, the planet Elysium currently displays a technological level that compares to 19th century Earth. Mixed with that is the bits and pieces of remaining “High Tech” advanced technology and the ingenious technological creations based on Steam power. Due to the slightly lower gravity and denser atmosphere, aerial vehicles such as airships and airplanes are quite feasible and therefore more popularly used.
It must be noted that the original settlers of both Elysium and Erebus went through genetic therapy to make them immune to the negative effects of the gravitational and atmospheric differences of their respective planets in comparison to Earth. Therefore, such maladies such as bone and muscle loss due to lower gravity are negligible. These genetic alterations have been successfully passed on to their descendants.
Number of colonists in the year 2184: 860,728
Current world population in the year 2512: 63,214,762