Shedal



A very lush, green planet, Shedal is a place where nature fights back. The planet's vast oceans are often wracked by hurricane-strength storms and the dense jungles are host to a broad array of creatures and plants: many of which can be deadly. While the planet itself (with its rich earth, plentiful water, and numerous minerals) readily supports sentient life, everything else on the planet seems to fight back. Even with all the advanced technology the races of the galaxy possess, it can be a struggle day-to-day to survive on Shedal if one isn't smart.

While Gild Landing fancies itself an Independent city, the Regency has a stronger hold here than most know and decisions made in Gild often favor Regency policies.

One primary city -- Gild Landing -- has retained its foothold over the years due to its location in a protected bay. The city is built on and into the cliffs to fortify it. Both the strong storms that oft turn to hurricanes and the encroachment of the viscous jungle are lessened there, providing a relatively safe haven for the people who call Shedal home and those who visit. The spaceport is partially an ocean port as well for Landing has a very strong oceanic presence: from fishing to oil and other rich goods drawn up from the planet's core on distant platforms in the bay and the ocean beyond (some of which are manned, while most aren't).

Gild is known as a place one can disappear. While it is a prosperous place (proclaimed to be due, in part, to its being run by a Merchant's Council), it is also one rife with black market trades and a population dense enough that one can become just another face in the crowd. Many criminals have been known to take long stints on the (dangerous, mind) oceanic rigs until the heat dies off, knowing bounty hunters unlikely to pursue them there. On the other hand, Gild can also be a place where one can make their fortune. With so much left to discover on the planet (from minerals to rare creatures to abandoned ruins), there's always opportunity for an enterprising soul.

Other cities on Shedal failed to take hold and the jungles are thought to be hostile places, unable to support sentient life.



However, on the opposite side of the planet, tucked away in one of the deepest jungles, is a town called only 'Farpoint.' Known only to the Regency, it operates as an outpost for Intelligence agents, Militant staging operations, and support for the nearby Academy. With a population of less than 100 at any given time, it barely qualifies as a town save for the presence of all the amenities one might hope for. The Regency sends a cargo ship out once a month with a resupply (though it is an unmarked ship). On the surface, there is no Regency occupation in the town (save for during staging operations) as the Academy provides most of the policing that may be needed through its training programs.

The Academy itself is even more hidden: built within ruins that to an observer appear to have been taken over by the jungle itself. The many halls and training rooms, however, are deeper underground where the students can be kept under close observation at all hours of the day. Elaborate holograms work to keep any treasure hunters at bay, though any that breech the proverbial gates are never heard from again.