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Glim (HD 223889)
Galactography > Regions of Space > Inner Sphere
Galactography > Systems and Worlds > Systems & Worlds G - H
Galactography > Systems and Worlds > Systems & Worlds G - H
Inner Sphere system; former member of the Doran Empire | |
 Image from Steve Bowers | |
| Konsheir has a carbon-rich surface, with hydrocarbon lakes and a diamond-rich regolith | |
Glim - Data Panel | |
| System | Names: Glim Location: - Distance from Dorangloon: 5.315 ly (J2000) - Distance from Sol: 33.00 ly (J2000) - Constellation: Octans Reached: 1711 by colonists from Dorangloon |
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| Star | Names: Glim, HD 223889, HIP 117828 Physical characteristics: - Mass: 0.52 x Sol - Radius: 0.52 x Sol - Luminosity: 0.046 x Sol (bolometric) - Temperature: 3,710 Kelvin - Spectral type: M0 V System: 1) Konsheir: TholiTerrestrial CarboTelluric LapiMinervan LacuTundral PetroGaian Semi-major axis = 0.676 AU, Orbital period = 281.5 days, Eccentricity = 0.061, Mass = 0.775 x Earth, Radius = 0.926 x Earth 2) Grzaud: MethoTerrestrial CarboTelluric CereRhean ConleTundral TitanoAzoGaian Semi-major axis = 3.954 AU, Orbital period = 10.90 years, Eccentricity = 0.080, Mass = 0.221 x Earth, Radius = 0.693 x Earth |
 Image from Steve Bowers | |
| Konsheir is a carbon world, rich in hydrocarbons but deficient in water | |
A system containing two carbon worlds - the temperate Konsheir and the frigid Grzaud. The system was a founding member of the Doran Empire, but later seceded in 2638.
Konshier has a surface rich in carbon allotropes and compounds, but poor in oxygen; despite having vast reserves of hydrocarbons, the lack of oxygen makes these reserves unusable as fuel in situ. The planet is instead an important source of carbon for construction and organic chemicals for complex synthetic products.
Any free oxygen on this world, or on any comparable carbon world, would quickly combine with the reduced carbon compounds on the surface. Glim's atmosphere consists mostly of nitrogen and carbon dioxide, with traces of argon, neon and methane. Colonies on the surface of Glim are generally inhabited by non-biological sophonts which do not require oxygen, or by artificially-adapted bionts who do not require free oxygen.
Any bionts who do require an oxygen atmosphere live in hermetically sealed habitats which separate the oxygen safely away from the local environment; if the atmosphere of such a habitat escapes, the gases represent a fire risk if they come into contact with hydrocarbon liquids or gases. In most cases, such leaked gases quickly combine with local flammable molecules by oxidation and become safe.
Colonists
The first permanent colonists on this world were Dorans, from Dorranok. These were genetically modified humanoid bionts, 1/3 as tall as baseline humans, who used large mechanical exosuits on the surface of this world which contained a breathable Earth-like atmosphere. The Dorans lived in large pressurised domes where they practiced agriculture of various kinds, although they also used the organic compounds present on this planet to synthesise edible foodstuffs. The Dorans lived in low, tentlike structures within the domes, completely with all necessary amenities. Often they would send their exosuits off into the outside environment under remote control, this avoiding the possibility of leaks of flammable oxygen.After the Version War Glim joined the Terragen Federation, and a number of new factions emerged. Significantly, the use of remote-controlled exosuits was largely superceded by independent, sophont vecs using diamondoid bodies that required no free oxygen on the surface of Glim. These vecs built open-framework service towns on Glim's gritty uplands, and established a number of resort cities on the lake shores visited by specially adapted tourists from many locations in the Terragen Sphere. Meanwhile, a small population of Doran bionts continued to live in the few domes that remained, sometimes uploading themselves into new mechanical bodies for extended periods in order to visit the surface. By the end of the Separate Empires period there was a regular exchange of population between the surface dwellers and dome dwellers, as various sophonts uploaded themselves into new bodies.
In the current Era another major group of inhabitants has emerged; using neogenics and xenobiochemistry, specially-adapted biont bodies known as Glimners have become available which allow the inhabitants to live as biological sophonts on the surface. Glimners cultivate a range of neogen crops for food as well as swim and fish for neogen organisms in the hydrocarbon lakes.
The older, diamondoid vec bodyplans are still a popular choice, especially since they are generally more robust, but even Glimners occasionally use exosuits in order to increase their strength and speed on occasion.
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Development Notes
Text by Mark Ryherd, updated by The Astronomer 2021 and Steve Bowers 2025
Initially published on 17 November 2010.
Initially published on 17 November 2010.
Additional Information
As no information on the star could be found, I relied on Mamajek's star relations for its properties.
