Hive Blues No 5

Setting background

Guytoga

Size of the star: medium

Planet size: average, 67.000 km equatorial circumference

Axial tilt: large (28°)

Length of day: 12 standard hours

Length of year: 210 local days (420 Terran standard days)

Satellites: 1

Gravity: standard (1.0 g)

Atmosphere: bearable

Hydrosphere: average

Temperature: chilly winter -50°, tepid summer +80°)

Terrain(s): Savannah, Hills, Broken rocks, Caves

Population: 7 billion

Society type: tyrannical dictatorship

The planet is ruled by a tyrannical dictator named the Overseer. Nobody knows if this person is a man or a woman as he or she always appears clad in a customised and fearsome crimson Power Armour. By means of fear, intimidation, violence and spying on the populace as well as military might the Overseer rules with an iron grip since the rise of this government. The Imperium, by large, doesn’t mind as the productive output of the Planet (mainly weapons and ammunition) has increased since the Overseer leads the noble houses.

Hive Hastus

The only hive on the planet is home for about 6 billion citizens.This isn’t your typical hive as it features a roughly ellipsoid ground plan and has the shape of a sphere cut in half, so it is wider than high, with several huge spires and towers located at the top levels, protruding high up into the sky.

It is "logically" separated into three “levels”: the lower city (industrial zones and lower class residences), the middle city (middle class residences) and upper city, mostly spires and a large glass domes (upper class).

The central upper city sits under a large glass dome and enjoys beautiful sunshine most of the time while the inhabitants of the middle and under city dwell in dim or bright neon lights and under a steel sky.

About 10%-15% of the hive is inhabitable due to toxic waste, collapse of ceilings and/or building or even worse reasons. Such sections mainly are located in the lower city's outer skirts, especially in the northwest.

The hive features two large spaceports (Hastus East and Hastus West) connecting the city with the orbit.

The Upper Hive

Here the noble houses and their thralls, lackeys and employees dwell in large towers or mansions, carriages ride between the houses and opulent and ample parks exist for entertainment and recreation purposes. The massive central tower called The Aegis features a hexagonal ground plan and houses the government. This is a highly restricted area.

The top six Noble houses each have their own towers adjacent to The Aegis. Each tower has a circular ground plan, and a cylindrical shape. Most of these complexes do not only contain the large and luxurious housings but also laboratories and the most advanced factory complexes owned by the houses as well as the barracks of the house militia.

The largest structure found in the upper city is the Gazebo, a large dome with a glass ceiling that serves as an amusement park for the nobles. It features an artificial, yet seemingly natural landscape with forests, streams and luxurious hotels, gambling halls etc. This dome mainly caters for the nobles and some of the wealthier middle class citizens.

The Middle Hive

Here the middle class dwells in city blocks and smaller, nice houses. Most of the people work either in the upper city or, more commonly, in the industrial centres in the outer ring of the Lower City. They commute using the available public transport.

The Lower Hive

Here the lower class citizens dwell in large tenement blocks or ramshackle housings. The lower and the closer to the outskirts one gets the worse it becomes. In some areas gangs rule whole city districts and most wards are small and independent economies, some even have their own dialect. Law enforcement gets lax and people usually are out on their own here.

The Under Hive

Desolate, dark, damp, dangerous. These four D-words sum it up, really. Abandoned, long forgotten or collapsed areas, a few still working waste dumps or recycling facilities can be found down here along with horrific mutants, vile scum and worse. In the darkness, strange things stir and stalk the empty, littered corridors. There’s no law enforcement and everyone is out on their own here. Nobody right in their mind would set a foot into the under hive. Still there are many abandoned areas where equipment and knowledge long forgotten can be found and sold for a good price if a scavenger party returns from the trip alive.

Outside of the hive

The Thorn was a factory/lab complex which was destroyed by an immense explosion 20 years ago killing thousands of workers and specialists from various noble houses. Speculations afloat claim that the explosion was triggered by internal fighting between two of the houses. Some even claim that it was done by the government as a punishment. The truth remains a mystery though. Most of the complex is now empty but dark and sinister figures are rumoured to use this area for clandestine meetings or go on hiding there.

Basric Military Camp is a high security military installation of the government and also houses the 16th Guytogan Guards Rifle Regiment. Inside the camp there is another large science and manufacturing complex called The Flame. It is a box-shaped complex with a side length of nearly 2 kilometres and a height of about 300 metres. This is an even higher restricted area than the military camp itself or the Aegis and some claim that there’s a titan in there.

Shantytowns can be encountered close to the outer hive walls where people live in even worse conditions than in the lower city. These towns are mostly autonomous and largely independent from the city and really are dangerous places to be.

Ranches and Farms These are few as the planet generally is inhospitable and few plants grow here that are of use to a human. There are a few herbivorous and carnivorous animals roaming the plains that can be used for making leathers but there are only few people on the planet who specialise in the hunt. Most food, clothing etc. is either manufactured or brought in from other worlds (mostly Hesiod's Wake).