Moghes
Geography
Moghes is the homeworld of the [Unathi]. It is a Pangaea-like world, with two major supercontinents that are in the process of splitting apart. Together, they are known as the Zhedguun, and it is surrounded on all sides by the Hsser’rashan. The northern continent is known as Sarrahat, which has faced the brunt of Unathi industrialisation, jungle and forest having been cleared in favour of grazelands and urban development. The southern continent, Kssinder, has fared much better, retaining its forests, swamps, and large tundra regions. Kssinder trails down to the Tizegi, a vast mountain range that expands deep into the Jisgearr, a vast antarctic ice sheet. Much of the Zhedguun's interior is made up of the Ktash, an inland desert. The Zhedgunn is surrounded on all sides by the Hsser’rashan, the ‘world sea’. A handful of islands and volcanic ridges are dotted around the sea, many of them having been charted and eventually colonised during the Unathi’s Age of Sail equivalent. Rather than finding another continent, the Unathi found only an endless ocean, leading to a historical aversion to the high seas, and a focus on land and air travel.
Since the beginning of recorded Unathi history, Moghes has been a mostly green planet, dominated by vast forests and jungles, as well as expansive plains and deserts. But as time marches on, the Unathi civilization have consumed and cleared their way through many of its previously untameable jungles. Ancient cities, such as the Osski, have transformed into modern metropolises, connected by vast swathes of road, rail, air, and more recently, space, infrastructure. Much of Moghes most populous northern regions, once home to colossal forests, have been almost completely reduced to farmlands and factories.
The Unathi have enjoyed unrestricted land travel across its entire landmass, save only the impassable ice sheets to the south. The Ktash has served as a natural boundary for all but the most hardy of life, creating a difference in plant and animal life in the north and southern parts of the continent. Though both continents have similar biomes, they have developed unique properties that distinguish the two hemispheres.
Moghes has two moons, Statt'att and Zek'rah. Both have been steadily colonised during the Unathi Space Age, and are now home to sizable Unathi settlements.
Regions
Sarrahat
Sarrahat is the major continent situated across much of Moghes' northern hemisphere. It is split into several distinct geographical regions, as well as being home to many independent nations, states, and territories.
Starting in the north, the vast frontiers of Dara’hanar stretch across much of the Sarrahat. It is home to a combined population of Sinta and Ahat Unathi, and is littered with historical battle sites from the Unathi Resources Wars. Of particular note in this region is the island of Ahat’Rashan, which was connected to the mainland during the last Moghes Ice Age, allowing the ancestors of the modern Ahat’Unathi to settle it, before ultimately becoming isolated from mainland Zhedgunn for over 20,000 years, until the arrival of colonists from the south, ‘re-discovering’ their now much smaller Ahat cousins.
The western region of Sarrahat, known as Sarta’add, is dominated by the Sinta’Unathi, who settled this land almost 10,000 years ago when it was dominated by swamp, jungle, and endless expanse of forests and rainforests. However, during the industrialisation of Moghes, the Sarta’add was deforested, drained, and succumbed to the fate of endless stampedes of grazing cattle. The dominant power in the region, the Szikan Hegemony, were driven to occupy the nearby Ssarina in need of resources, leading to a bitter independence struggle and a distrust between the clans of the Szikan and the clans of the Hrad that lingers to the modern day.
Straddling the southern coasts of Sarrahat is the Ssarina, a vast area of flat swampland, marshland, and bayou. For most of Unathi history, this land has been home to the Hrad’Unathi. The Hrad were forced into the modern era after their occupation by the Szikan Hegemony. The Hrad’Batek, also known as the War of Hrad Resistance, led to the independence of the Ssarina and the founding of the Hekhun’Hrad, the nation-state of the Hrad. While they achieved their independence, they had adopted many of the traditions of their occupiers, continuing the slow dredging of marshlands and the expansion of their major cities. This has not been without its consequences, and has led to the devastation of local wildlife, many of which are considered delicacies in Hrad culture.
The vast Jekkar’Tizeg is a mountain range that bounds each of these regions, home to many countless independent microstates that refused to unite into a larger country, and is home to the Jekkar Clans, living between the peaks and utilising mountain passes, caves, and artificial tunnels.
Lying in the rain shadow of the Jekkar’Tizeg, the Rakamar steppes are a dry and dusty region inhabited by the widespread Sinta'Unathi, and united into the Raka’arrat, a federation of steppe clans, known as the Anga-Olen. It divides the mostly green lands of northern Sarrahat until it becomes too dry, and too inhospitable, becoming the vast and extreme Ktash, the continent’s inland desert and dividing line between the lands of Sarrarat and Kssinder.
North-West of the Ktash lies the coastal desert region of Fayzhart, fed by various rivers that flow from the Jekkar'Tizeg and Rakamar. It is a fertile land, and though the carnivorous Unathi do not use it for growing food, the native Sinta and Lessik'Unathi have both used the land to grow vast quantities of spices, herbs, and most important of all, alcohol. It is from here that the Ancient Soh'rena civilization spread the knowledge of writing to all corners of Sarrarat. The Fayzhart Clans can now be found all across Moghes and beyond, intimately involved in trade and business. The modern nation of Soh’rena is an important trading state in the Fayzhart, in control of many cities along the coast.
Kssinder
Deep in the heart of the Kssinder jungles, most of which have survived untouched into the modern day thanks to the ferocious Sundar'Unathi, lies the Ma'ha'an, a collection of city states dating back to the dawn of Unathi civilization. The most important of these is Osski, settled before the dawn of writing and today a vibrant, cosmopolitan city. Unlike the northern hemisphere, the Sundar have been fiercely protective of their ancestral lands, preventing them from succumbing to the same deforestation as in the North.
Lying in the tropics region of Moghes is the Yeosa'rashan, an inland sea dividing North and South Moghes. Vast chains of islands, archipelagos are connected by shallow seas, and it is the Yeosa'Unathi who have come to dominate this land, settling across the islands and becoming adept swimmers and fisherfolk. The islands remain largely divided into individual states and clans, though are closely connected in terms of culture, faith, and ethnicity.
Dominating much of the southern part of the continent is the Tizegi, a vast mountain range and plateau stretching far into the Jisgearr, the antarctic ice sheet covering much of Moghes’ south pole. Parts of the Tizegi are volcanically active, creating a range of thermal vents and freshwater lakes. Close to these warm fissures, many Unathi have found this place to be home. It is here that the Krus Institute(Link to) is found, and this region has become a hotbed of scientific, and tourist interest. It was here in the waters of the Krus Geyser that microbiological life was first discovered, and it is also where the sport of Hrad'Ssen (snowboarding) was invented. The Tizegi gives its name to the Tzeg’Unathi, who have adapted to mountainous and alpine conditions, both biologically, and through the widespread use of central heating systems.
Though the major cities, states, and polities of the Tzegi are rife with modern technology, and have been connected via modern infrastructure, the mountains are a vast range of some of the most inhospitable terrain on Moghes, and so many more states still retain old world traditions and cultures that sometimes put them at odds with the more cosmopolitan and passive city-dwelling brethren. It is here among the isolated valleys and troughs that tradition, hierarchy, and social structures are upheld.
Ktash
The Ktash is the vast inland desert that connects the Zhedguun. Though inhospitable, it is considered a lifeblood for the Unathi, as it is the source of valuable mineral resources, from the gold adorning the crowns of ancient unathi monarchs, to the uranium and lithium responsible for bringing them into the space age.
Like the rest of Moghes, the Ktash is home to various biomes and regions, from extreme sand dunes, to cracked and barren mud plains. Wherever there is water, plants and animals thrive, creating a network of Oasis Cities inhabited by both Sinta and Lessik'Unathi. This fertile, wet region of the Ktash is known as Lansa'Gatak, and it is the most hospitable to life. Most major urban cities in the Ktash lie in this region, creating a sprawl of urban centres and suburban development around them, effectively one big Unathi Megacity, one that faces extreme challenges in managing its water consumption. Running directly through this megacity is the historic Lansassh, a trade-route connecting North and South Moghes, comparable to the historic Silk Road of Earth.
The Unathi do not only live around these Oases, as the Ktash has much to offer anyone hardy enough to survive its challenge. Large mining towns, solar farms, and all manner of settlements have sprung up in some of the worst places to build a settlement. Out here, many consider water to be the true gold. Historically, the Oases cities would trade water for precious materials, but during the Haja-Batek, the great climate change driven conflicts that reshaped Unathi society and brought them into the space age, trade gave way to warfare, with the Oasis Cities of the Lansa'Gatak occupying most of the mines, creating extraordinary wealth for themselves and leading to the direct creation of the modern Lessik'arrat, the economic confederation that binds the region together.
The western edges of the Ktash are the windswept dunes of Attar'Gatak, an semi-inhospitable and sandy landscape akin to Mauritania and the Western Sahara. The land becomes more hospitable the further south you go, until it meets the monsoon swept Hrangela Coast, leaving a patch of habitable plains that have become a hotspot of modern Unathi food production, where the land is kept fertile through the mixing of desert sands and monsoon rains. The Hrangela Clans have long inhabited this land, and are masters of the wind and rain, having developed natural terraforming techniques to keep the soils fertile for pastures and grazing animals. They exploit the seasonal monsoons by never settling permanent cities. Like the ancient horselords of Earth, the Hrangela Clans live in structures capable of being deconstructed, stowed onto pack animals, and brought north into the Attar'Gatak to avoid the monsoons, before returning back to the Hrangela to continue the cycle. Their skills and techniques have only grown greater in this age of technology, and the Hrangela are sought-after for projects out in the colonies.
The eastern coast of the Ktash is a mess of cliffs and tectonic activity, a land of sulphur pits and geysers. Miles out to sea, the ocean floor splits open, continuing to divide north and south Moghes, slowly eroding its way through the Ktash. Nowhere is this more visible than the lands of the Urok'Gatak, where tsunamis batter the coast, and the land itself seems to tear and pull itself apart in massive fissures of acid or deep sinkholes with seemingly no end. The flora and fauna of this land are similarly hostile, and almost exclusively carnivorous. This land has historically been seen as a deathtrap, with legendary Unathi-Eating Plants, or acidic megafauna, or other such terrifying myths. With a modern understanding of biology, this land has instead become a place of scientific wonder. Here are plants and animals that have adapted to incredibly hostile conditions, developing traits not found anywhere else on Moghes. The Urok Clans, who have lived in this land for generations, were historically the descendants of Unathi who had either been exiled, or were foolish, or brave, enough to come here. The practice of exiling Unathi to the 'deathlands' is something that hasn't been practiced for hundreds of years, now used only as a literary trope for Unathi fantasy writers. The Urok have, in the past, faced discrimination and bigotry over their 'exile' origins, even those whose ancestors travelled there willingly. Nowadays however, the Urok Cities are home to a wide variety of Unathi from all over Moghes, largely tourists here to visit the national parks, where they can get up close with some of their ancestors' most feared predators. Due to the land's natural instability, the Urok have built their settlements well, able to mitigate the damages brought on by Earthquakes. Some would call these the most impressive cities on Moghes, because they were built out of a stubborn refusal to die.
Much of the has been heavily industrialised during the space age, containing a vast number of mines, but also solar farms and settlements for the many Unathi that call these conditions home. The Lansassh is a historic route, similar to Earth's silk road, which has seen water brought into the heart of the desert, and traded for the precious stones so heavily covated in early Unathi society. Today it is a major rail network, continuing the transport of water for materials to the modern day.
Hsser’rashan
The great World Sea. Hsser’rashan, also known as the Hsser’rashan Ocean is a superocean that surrounds the entirety of the Zhedgunn supercontinent. As Zhedgunn is in the process of breaking apart, a new ocean, known as the Yeosa’rashan, has formed as an inland sea, and is steadily expanding.There are numerous island chains and volcanic plumes across the Hsser’rashan, though with very few actually inhabited. Moghes was only circumnavigated after the invention of planes and aircraft, a testament to the sheer scale of the Hsser’rashan.
Law & Governments
The Unathi Civilization is made up of numerous states and their colonies, with Moghes itself being home to over 300 independent states alone. In order to maintain a balance of power, a decentralised planetary government, known as the Coalition, has been formed, serving largely as a defensive and economic pact between the many states.
Most planets colonised by the Unathi share this model, with a colonial government subservient to the Coalition. They have varying degrees of independence, with planets closer to Moghes, such as those in the Esa System, being bound tightly to the Coalition's economic and defensive pact, with near complete political independence, whereas frontier worlds tend to have limited control over their own government, and usually exist to export their goods to Moghes, though with far greater freedoms due to the inherent nature of interstellar distances.
Court
Jurisdiction
History of Moghes
Prehistory
Unathi Prehistory began approximately 3.9 million years ago, beginning with the use of the first stone tools by Unathi. It ended with the invention of writing and language, which occurred at different points for different civilizations. The ancient cities of the Ma’ha’an, the Soh’rena civilization, and ancient Dik’ret were some of the earliest civilizations to develop writing, with their influence felt even in the modern day.
At some point in prehistory, the Unathi spread to all corners of the Zhedguun, and began adapting to the local niche geographic conditions. Around 50,000 years ago, the Ahat'Unathi became isolated on Ahat'Rashan, as receding glaciers and rising sea levels turned the land into an isolated island.
Ancient History
Middle Ages
Industrial Age
Modern Age
At the dawn of the Unathi modern age, the rapid industrialisation of Moghes led to widespread deforestation, with much of Sarrahat being used for grazing cattle to feed the ever growing population. The continued use of fossil fuels and the destruction of rainforests led to climate change across the planet, and led to numerous wars and conflicts between the various Unathi states. This conflict is known as the Haja-Batek, translated as Meat Wars, and more broadly understood as a series of resource conflicts over grazeable land and valuable materials.
These conflicts came to an end after nearly twenty years of fighting, and devastating the Unathi populations to an almost pre-industrial level. In the midst of this desperation, numerous states developed rocket technology, and began a space race to colonise the moons. Unlike in Earth history, where the space race was motivated largely by rivalry and nationalism, on Moghes, the space race was conducted out of necessity, fostering a long-standing sense of cooperation amongst the Unathi people. They have since gone on to become an interstellar species, joining the galactic community alongside the Skrell and the Ascent. They were the first to make contact with the Tajaran civilization, and were the first to call for direct intervention and contact with Humanity. They see Humanity as a danger to themselves and everyone around them first, and a friend second. A friend with nuclear weapons and a tendency to self harm.
Economy
Currency
Corporations & Business
WIP Sections
Landmarks
Tizegi’sstar
Tizegi’sstar is a large and prosperous city settled through the Y’ken Valley. It lies in the south-west of the Tzegi, the vast mountains and highland regions that dominate southern Kssinder. The Y’ken was originally settled by a joint collective of Unathi, establishing the Krus Institute, a library, research center, and a university all bundled into one, and the scientific powerhouse of Moghes. Krus is extremely prestigious amongst Unathi academic circles, with many aspiring intellectuals travelling to visit. Most are rejected due to the institute's high standards, but this has not stopped an impressive city from establishing itself outside its walls. Most of its graduates have gone on to be some of Moghes greatest minds. Graduates of Krus split the atom, put the Unathi in space, and even made first contact.
The massive city established outside the walls of Krus has quickly grown to match the importance of Krus itself, as it has become the capital city of the Tzeg’Katal, a federal nation of states, kingdoms, and clans, across the Tzegi.
It lies a short distance from the tallest mountain on Moghes, the Kuuman’Xal, which many Unathi have tried, and failed to climb. The local Tzeg’Unathi have developed various superstitions around the mountain, as both in historical times as in today, those who attempted to climb almost never returned. It is not a place the cold-blooded Unathi were ever meant to climb. Though, this has not stopped them from doing it in the modern day, with the invention of heatsuits, and most importantly, helicopters.
Osski
Osski is an ancient city settled by the Unathi before the advent of writing. It lies in the heart of the Ma'ha'an, a collection of closely connected city states that lie deep in the heart of the Kssinder jungles. Osski is largely a floating city, established both along and on-top of the Ma’ha River, which flows through the almost impenetrable jungle, and serves as a vital connection to the outside world. As of the modern day, its old city has been somewhat preserved, despite thousands of years of rebuilding. It is similar to Rome in the Rainforest; in that ancient buildings often stand side-by-side with modern ones, or buildings constructed centuries ago are still standing and inhabited. It is largely inhabited by Sundar’Unathi, who have lived in this region since the beginning of recorded history, and have defended the land from foreign invaders for just as long.
Hrad’sstok
Hrad’sstok is the new capital of the Hrad'Unathi, the swampfolk who reside in the Ssarina of southern Sarrahat. Hrad’sstok originally a small town in roughly the geographic center of the Ssarina, however when the region was occupied by the Szikan Hegemony, almost 200 years ago, Hrad’sstok was expanded to become the capital of the region, serving as a hub from which all resources in the Ssarina would be sent to, and then returned back to Sarta’add. The Hrad’Batek, also known as the War of Hrad Resistance, placed Hrad’sstok back in control of its native people for the first time in almost sixty years. In that time, it had grown to become the economic and industrial capital for the entire region, and was a natural choice for the capital of the newly established Hekhun’Hrad, the nation-state of the Hrad people.
It is a cosmopolitan city, highly developed city, home to one of the few spaceports on the planet. Accessible via numerous waterways, Hrad’sstok is largely a canal city, much like Amsterdam. Like the Dutch, the Hrad’Unathi have spent considerable time, money, and resources in constructing dykes and dams, reclaiming the lowlying flat lands of the coast. Basa Olen, the Great Canal, flows directly from Hrad’sstok to these newly created coastal lands, connecting countless towns and villages throughout the Ssarina. Hrad’sstok is seen as a capital of modern Hrad culture, with numerous museums, galleries, and green spaces. It is also home to a large Alien Quarter, where many Skrell and Tajaran have settled. The Hrad’s way of life, known as Gozi, has made them a very tolerant and welcoming people, accepting both refugees from other parts of Moghes, and aliens alike. With the arrival of humanity on the galactic stage, roughly a generation ago, a few Humans have found their way to Hrad’sstok, receiving a warm and friendly welcome.
Insthys
One of the largest cities on Moghes, Insthys is the capital of the Szikan Hegemony, and located on the south-west coasts of Sarta’add, located in Sarrahat. It is a bustling metropolis that serves as the spitting image of what exactly life on Moghes is like for the average Unathi. Like London, it has a history as the capital of a colonialist and industrialist state. One that today must wrestle with its multiculturalism in the face of historic injustices committed to fuel a needless expansion that led to the widespread deforestation of Sarta’add, and ultimately, the Haja-Batek.
Much of the inner-city of Insthys was rebuilt following the end of the Haja-Batek, with wide open streets and modern buildings. The outskirts of Insthys still have countless historic buildings, constructed in a style specifically adapted for the jungles, which are now nothing but ancient history. Insthys is home to numerous museums dedicated to this history, and the city is a cultural capital of the Unathi. It is also widely regarded as the most confusing to navigate, having never conformed to any sort of sensical grid-like layout, remaining a sprawl of historic development across thousands of years.
Tikul Station
The premier space facility orbiting Moghes. Tikul station is a joint effort by various Unathi organizations, being the first space station to be built above the planet. The station fulfills a variety of roles, with its primary function being a trade port, where goods are approved for import and export. Handling an untold number of tons of cargo a day, it’s a constant buzz for activity, with ships coming in and leaving at all times of the day. The station is completely self-sufficient, having its own hydroponics bays, energy production, and enough quarters to keep all the staff on board, as well as a few hundred more additional occupants.
Szikan Shipbuilding
An orbital station above Moghes that acts as the primary construction yard for ships not suitable for building within an atmosphere, or for ships not intended for re-entry into an atmosphere, such as the Unathi Generation ships or certain models of freighter. Due to the fact it is mostly automated, it “only” holds 35,000 souls. The majority of them work to maintain the automated systems that assist in the construction of larger ships. Those who don’t run routine maintenance assist in the more delicate installation of smaller electronic devices by hand, such as subsystems and consoles. They work on all manner of craft, be they newly constructed shuttles or freighters, to older models undergoing retrofitting. The defining features of the station itself is its space elevator and mass catcher for receiving resources from the factories on Moghes.