Whitefir

Whitefir

Location	Allegiance	Starport	Climate	Atmosphere	Hydro %
(9.18, 15.29, -3.22)	Independent	III	Warm	Marginal (High CO2)	86%
Gravity	Diameter	Moons	Avg. Orbit R	Stars	Day Length
0.99	7,851	–	0.4	K4 V	23 h
Population	Government	CR	TL	Resources	Year Length
120 million	Meritocracy	4	11	Scant	112 d

Languages

Russian, Esparanto

Background

Whitefir (pronounced “whit-fur”) was settled by a clone ship. There were 115 brain emulations, each based on braintapes of one of the colony’s founders, “living” in a VR environment from which they were able to control their vessel. The voyage to their new home took several hundred years, during which the virtual colonists became detached from the notion of physical bodies, choosing to remain in their virtual world upon arrival. The original braintapes, however, were written into new bodies, while the virtual colonists remained in charge, directing the colonization efforts.

Life on Whitefir was hard. With scant resources and a marginal biosphere, it was clear that the mechanized utopia they had set out to create could not exist on this world. They lacked sufficient resources to construct the robots necessary to build and maintain their colony. Instead, they were forced to rely on biological solutions. They decided that the closest they could come to realizing their dreams of utopia was to create a caste system reinforced by species modification.

The virtual colonists ruled during the first few centuries, calling themselves the Collective. Each gold whom they believed worthy was uploaded into the Collective. The ghost emulations evolved over time to become more sophisticated, sharing knowledge collectively, yet still retaining their personalities. They became more interested in watching and learning than in actually ruling. That duty was passed on to the golds, the highest caste. The only duty they have retained is determining “merit” – the scale by which citizens are judged within their respective castes, and adjudicating the occasional legal case.

Once commerce was established, Whitefir found its niche producing high quality electronics. Their basic electronic components can be found virtually everywhere. The equipment they sell is generally rugged, built to last, and highly modular, making repairs relatively easy.

The caste system is coded based on metals. Golds are the elite, the thinkers, scientists, artists, etc., ultimately tasked with making decisions based on the big picture. Silvers are the managers, responsible for taking the big picture handed down to them and making it a reality. They are the engineers, architects, etc., focused on practical applications of art and science, and day-to-day leadership.

The bronze caste are the technical workers: technicians, mechanics, and other trades which require extensive training. The lowest caste are the irons, responsible for menial labor. They are the farmers, semi-skilled laborers, etc., doing jobs for which other systems would employ robots.

The last caste, the coppers, came much later, existing in the hierarchy beneath the bronzes and above the irons. They are the police and security forces, created in response to a need for better control of the populace (irons and bronzes in particular). After contact with the with other star systems, the coppers became responsible for system defense as well.

Whitefir’s art, music, and dance is often in vogue among the upper classes of several different systems, and is generally considered a center of culture As a result, it is a high-end tourist destination. Whitefur Polytechnic, the planet’s flagship university, is well respected throughout the region, attracting some of the best minds from sector to study, teach, and conduct research.

Whitefir’s local recreations vary according to caste. The gold’s enjoy “high culture” pastimes, while the silvers enjoy games which involve a measure of both skill and luck. All castes enjoy the combative sports of the coppers. Coppers also enjoy martial poetry and artwork, both of which are popular among the Kronin. Bronzes enjoy have a variety of team sports, and are also very fond of vids and VR-games, most of which come from offworld. The Irons prefer “lowbrow” vids and VR-games.

Likewise, Whitefir’s night life varies by which caste an offworlder is assigned. Golds can enjoy live music, theater, and dance performances, fine dining, and elegant lounges. Silvers, not tolerating alcohol well, have their coffee-club culture. Their food is widely considered adequate, but their coffee, tea, and klusch (a local stimulant drink) is among the best in the sector.

Bronze and coppers enjoy vibrant pub and dance scene. Irons have little night life, spending free time in VR or mindlessly watching vids. What communal activities they have are centered around exercise.

 
Braintaping is used extensively on Whitefir. Citizens with high merit, or high potential, are given the best medical technology, and replacement clone bodies when they become truly infirm (typically after 400 years). This is true across all of the castes. Those deemed unworthy are terminated after 100 years; roughly 70% of all citizens die in this fashion. Irons and coppers are built to expire sooner – after 25 years.

Port of Whitefir (Class III)

The starport consists of both a highport and a downport, both referred to a Whitefir Gateway Port. It is busy, but it is adequate for the volume of traffic it receives. The highport is almost exclusively commercial, serving as a warehouse / way-point for container cargo. The downport is a mixture of smaller freighters, passenger ships, and private yachts.

 
First time visitors are assigned a caste based on their function. Diplomats, scientists, artists, etc., are assigned to gold, while officers, managers, etc., are assigned to silver. Technicians, engineers, etc., are assigned to bronze, and soldiers and security personnel are assigned to copper. Bots which do not have SAIs and people doing truly menial work are assigned to iron. It is possible for offworlders to be reassigned, but this is generally a lengthy, expensive, and difficult process.

Government

Whitefir is ruled by the golds, whose position is relative to his merit, as judged by the Collective, according their arcane standards. The golds determine overall policy, such as general use of tariffs or an upgrade in military standards. Beneath them, the silvers turn that policy into action, assigning members of other castes to enact said policy.

This system can be frustrating for offworlders. Diplomats and trade delegations will find themselves meeting with various groups of golds who will talk in broad strokes while mastering even the smallest details. Then they will need to speak with silvers, who will go into details. Finally, they will likely actually interface with bronzes in any practical application. Bronzes are also the merchant class.

Legal proceedings generally occur within caste, possibly with a silver presiding for the lower castes. It is sometimes possible to appeal to a court of silvers or even golds. The final arbiter is the Collective, which will occasionally hear cases of their choosing.

Religion

Whitefir is officially atheist. The closest thing they have to religion is the devotion of the golds to the arts and sciences. The other castes sometimes give themselves over to superstition, but they are counseled and reeducated if it begins to detract from their merit score.

Whitefir Baseline Genetic Templates

All of the castes have different racial templates. These templates cannot interbreed, nor are they compatible with other known human-descendant species.

Gold Template [161]

Golds are slight of build, with beautiful, lithe bodies.

Attribute Modifiers: ST-1 [-10]; DX+1 [20]; IQ+3 [60]; HT+1 [10]. Basic Speed (-0.5) [-10].

Advantages: 3D-Spacial Sense [10]; Appearance (Beautiful/Handsome) [12]; Autotrance [1]; Deep Sleeper [1]; Dominance Pheromones [15]; Filter Lungs [5]; Intuition [10]; Intuitive Mathematician [5]; Longevity [2]; Mathematical Ability 2 [16]; Musical Ability 2 [10]; Photographic Memory [10]; Resistant to Disease (+8) [5]; Sanitized Metabolism [1]; Temperature Tolerance (Hot) 3 [3]; Versatile [5]; Voice [10].

Disadvantages: Low Pain Threshold [-10]; Odious Racial Habit (Arrogant) [-5].

Taboo Traits: Genetic Defects.

Silver Template [74]

Silvers are of average build, appearance varies within human norm, with a skew toward Slavic.

Attributes: IQ+1 [20].

Advantages: Appearance (Attractive) [4]; Business Acumen 1 [8]; Dominance Pheromones [15]; Filter Lungs [5]; Intuitive Statesman 1 [10]; Talker 1 [5]; Temperature Tolerance (Hot) 3 [3]; Versatile [5].

Disadvantages: Alcohol Intolerance [-1].

Taboo Traits: Genetic Defects; Mental Instability.

Bronze Template [16]

Bronzes are of average built, of generally Slavic appearance, with a slight pinkish tone to their skin.

Advantages: Artificer 1 [9]; Filter Lungs [5]; Temperature Tolerance (Hot) 4 [4].

Disadvantages: Susceptible (Dominance Pheromones) 2 [-2].

Taboo Traits: Genetic Defects; Mental Instability.

Copper Template [140]

Coppers are taller and heavier built than human norm, with olive skin and red hair.

Attributes: ST+3 [30]; DX+2 [60]; HT+2 [20]

Advantages: Combat Reflexes [15]; Filter Lungs [5]; Fit [5]; High Pain Threshold [10]; Radiation Tolerance 5 [5]; Rapid Healing [5]; Temperature Tolerance (Hot) 5 [5].

Disadvantages: Self Destruct [-10]; Short Lifespan 1 [-10].

Taboo Traits: Genetic Defects.

Iron Template [9]

Irons are average height for their strength, but are stockier. They have a grayish tint to their skin, their hair is iron gray, and their eyes look blank.

Attributes: ST+2 [20]; IQ-2 [-40]; Per +2 [10].

Advantages: Extra Fatigue +3 [9]; Filter Lungs [5]; Lifting ST 3 [9]; Radiation Tolerance 5 [5]; Temperature Tolerance (Hot) 5 [5]; Very Fit [15].

Disadvantages: Self Destruct [-10]; Short Lifespan 1 [-10]; Susceptible (Dominance Pheromones) 5 [-5]; Unattractive [-4].

Taboo Traits: Aggressiveness; Genetic Defects.