Velusia

"Beneath the colourful and free-spirited exterior of the Aquar people lies a history of exploitation and suffering. But, then again, what being could hold a grudge when you wake up each day with the freshest wind in the galaxy and a sunrise paving an endless road of light across the shimmering oceans?" - Mey Sivallio (Firrerreon Historian)

Basic Information

ASTROGRAPHICAL

• Region: Core Worlds
• System: Velus System
• Suns: 1: Velus
• Orbital position: 2
• Moons: 2: Habat
• Grid coordinates: L-9
• Distance from Core: 8,958 LY
• Rotation period: 22 standard hours
• Orbital period: 325 local days

PHYSICAL

• Class: Terrestrial
• Diameter: 9,650km
• Atmosphere: Type 1 (breathable)
• Climate: Tropical
• Gravity: Standard
• Primary terrain: Volcanic islands
• Surface Water: Oceans
• Native Flora: Tropical forests
• Native Fauna: Velusian fursnake
• Points of interest: Mount Hollow

SOCIETAL

• Native Species: Aquar (Aquatic Human offshoot)
• Primary language(s): Galactic Basic Standard
• Government: World Government Marines
• Population: Scattered into various herds across the planet
• Demonym: Velusian
• Major cities: Mount Hollow
• Affiliation:
  • First Galactic Republic
  • Second Galactic Republic
  • First Galactic Empire
  • Yuuzhan Vong Empire
  • Third Galactic Republic

Description

Nearly the entirety of Velusia's surface is covered in ocean with only a few landmasses resulting from volcanic eruptions focussed largely around the planet's equator. Most native wildlife exists within the oceans but a few creatures, such as the Velusian Fursnake and various avians, have adapted to life on the land. Island living can be difficult, however, with frequent tectonic and volcanic activity causing many settlements to be moved or rebuilt over the planet's history. The most stable and long-standing settlement is Mount Hollow, which serves as the planet's capital city and the site of the only major spaceport.

No sentient life developed from the planet itself but the native species that calls the planet home, the Aquar, developed as an offshoot of ancient spacefaring humans that settled on several of the planet's islands millennia ago. Given that they thrive underwater, the Aquar have colonised much of the underwater surface of the planet, which is host to vast coral reefs and ocean caverns.

History

Human settlement of Velusia (Sometime after 100,000 BBY)

The origin of humans in the galaxy is not entirely known but is theorised that the original human species developed on Notron (now known as Coruscant). While early human colonisation efforts may have given rise to the existence of early humans on Velusia, it is also likely that slave humans were delivered to the planet by the Infinite Empire sometime between 35,000 and 25,000 BBY.

Early humans were known to live a tribal lifestyle and live off the fertile volcanic soil. Given the frequently hostile nature of the volcanic islands and likely tribal warfare, humans that could survive for long periods in the planet's oceans were naturally selected to survive and the aquatic traits that eventually bore the Aquar sub-species developed.

With their reliance on the land removed, the Aquar species began to develop and colonise suitable underwater regions of the planet and developed a new civilisation below the sea level. Humans that did not adapt to live underwater eventually died out, leaving the Aquar as the only sentient species on the planet.

The Aquar lived a simple life, fishing the great oceans, farming them, and even having herds on the volcanic islands. Earthquakes were many, and so the Aquar lived on the continental shelf underwater, right by the islands where the sunlight was the strongest. The electromagnetic signals from the islands discouraged use of technology, and navigational systems were rudimentary.