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Cephalotopia
Galactography > Systems and Worlds > Systems & Worlds C - D
Galactography > Sephirotic Empires > Utopia Sphere
Galactography > Sephirotic Empires > Utopia Sphere
 Image from Steve Bowers | |
| Cephalotopia and Seaside | |
Type: G1V
Luminosity: 1.52 x Sol
Constellation: Ara
Distance from Sol:610 ly
Planets: 3 (see below)
1/ Cephalotopia Type: BathyPelagic Gaian.
Diameter: 11059 km
Orbit: 1.10 AU
2/ Duss Type: Jovian.
Diameter: 137401
Orbit: 1.98 AU
3/ Lanchor Type: Neptunian.
Diameter: 54010
Orbit: 3.01 AU
Colonized: 2756 a.t
Cephalotopia is a famous waterworld located in the Utopia Sphere. As its name implies, this planet is home to cephalopods of all kinds - baseline, provolve, splice, neogen, lazurogen, and even xeno- cephalopods can be found dwelling in its waters. Most of the population inhabits underwater cities (some of the most populous being Ler and New Atlantis), although some have instead chosen to live in the open waters. Although all continental landmasses on Cephalotopia are submerged, a number of small, artificial islands have been constructed and are inhabited by a mix of nearbaseline humans and those rare land-dwelling cephalopods. Cephalotopia has a single AI overseer (known as The Betentacled Prince), an S3 mind thought to be ascended from a black shadow-type kraken, a neogenic species native to Tolkein Ring.
At the time of the first colonist's arrival, Cephalotopia had recently entered a period of planetary warming, after the end of an eight thousand year-long ice age. The planet is orbited by a single large, Selenian moon, slightly smaller than Luna (3200 km). This moon, known as Seaside, was colonized shortly after the planet's settlement, and today, many large water-filled dome habitats can be found on its surface. Cephalotopia is also surrounded by several thin rings, known invariably to the local populace as the Great River, the Glittering River, etc. These rings are believed to be the result of a collision of two nearby objects in the planet's distant past. As with Seaside, a number of settlements have been established in the planet's ring system - many larger objects have been hollowed out and filled with water extracted from nearby comets for their cephalopod settlers.
One noted element of Cephalotopian culture is the mesmerizing art of squidancing (this name is something of a misnomer, as many other cephalopod species practice this style of dance). Squidancing is often performed in traditional garb (a many-legged multicolor costume known as a tendress), and focuses primarily on the movement of the tentacles. Squidancing is traditionally practiced as part of Landing Day celebrations (18 Faraday on this world). Cephalotopia is also known for its rich storytelling culture, with many tales and legends concerning the mythical kraken of the Inner Perseus Arm1. Popular stories amongst younger cephalopods include "The Squidling That Swam Too Far", and "The King With A Thousand Tentacles". Cephalotopia's system currently contains several stargates, the most notable being The Golden Staircase, which leads to the Utopia Sphere world of Nutarctica, some 43 light years away. Famous sophonts hailing from Cephalotopia include the celebrated post-Reef (S2) explorer Shimmer of the Seafloor (b. 8291)2 and Octoperior Whisper of the Waves (b. 10401)3.
Footnotes
1. Not related to the neogen species of the same name. Local stories vary greatly, some believing the kraken to be guardian angels, others believing them to be demons preparing to launch an attack on Terragen civilisation.↩2. Recently departed on a long-distance voyage to the Andromeda Galaxy.↩
3. Presently serving as leader of the xenodenier organization known as the Empty Universe Foundation (est. 7890)↩
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Development Notes
Text by James Rogers
expanded in jan 2016 from original material by M. Alan Kazlev
Initially published on 24 September 2001.
expanded in jan 2016 from original material by M. Alan Kazlev
Initially published on 24 September 2001.
