Xanth
Xanth is a habitable arid world, notable for being the homeworld of both the Xanis and Vheln, as well as being the capital of the Xanid Suzerainty. The planet is the fourth satellite of the Dir-Xan System, and has two orbiting moons of its own. Xanth has impressive geological formations covering much of the planet, especially in the dry equatorial regions. It is believed that Xanth used to be a wetter world several million years ago, but a significant portion of the water is now locked in the polar ice caps or in underground reservoirs. The remaining liquid water on the surface is primarily located in isolated salty seas across the planet, and freshwater formations primarily in the sub-arctic temperate regions.
The majority of the Xanid and Vheln populations live in the temperate bands near the poles, but significant numbers live in hotter climates. Very few live in the cold polar regions, and there is currently no incentive to expand any populations there while Xanth and its colonies have ample room for expansion. In the most arid regions of the planet, settlements are clustered around fresh water sources. In recent centuries, the development of desalination technology has allowed for the settling of the salt water seas, several of which have been fully drained and turned into salt flats by overexploitation.
Much of the urban settlement on Xanth is dedicated to the management of the Suzerainty and the extensive command economy it oversees. Detailed records on every single citizen, resident, and slave of the Suzerainty are kept in huge data storage facilities cooled by polar ice or the saltwater seas, depending on their location. These facilities are kept under heavy guard, as the detailed records and surveillance data contained within is of immeasurable political power within the Suzerainty's cuthroat political system.
Outside of major urban areas, much of the planet is covered by farms (in the temperate regions) and mines (in the arid regions). Due to a lack of rain in the arid regions of the planet, solar power is widely used for energy generation, followed by wind power plants constructed on top of great mesas.
The majority of the Xanid and Vheln populations live in the temperate bands near the poles, but significant numbers live in hotter climates. Very few live in the cold polar regions, and there is currently no incentive to expand any populations there while Xanth and its colonies have ample room for expansion. In the most arid regions of the planet, settlements are clustered around fresh water sources. In recent centuries, the development of desalination technology has allowed for the settling of the salt water seas, several of which have been fully drained and turned into salt flats by overexploitation.
Much of the urban settlement on Xanth is dedicated to the management of the Suzerainty and the extensive command economy it oversees. Detailed records on every single citizen, resident, and slave of the Suzerainty are kept in huge data storage facilities cooled by polar ice or the saltwater seas, depending on their location. These facilities are kept under heavy guard, as the detailed records and surveillance data contained within is of immeasurable political power within the Suzerainty's cuthroat political system.
Outside of major urban areas, much of the planet is covered by farms (in the temperate regions) and mines (in the arid regions). Due to a lack of rain in the arid regions of the planet, solar power is widely used for energy generation, followed by wind power plants constructed on top of great mesas.
Category
Arid World
Designation
Capital Extraction World
Arid World
Designation
Capital Extraction World
Alternative Name(s)
Dir-Xan IV
Type
Planet
Location under
Owning Organization
Comments