Welcome to Gaia! ::

Name: Parker Colvin Damhnait

Fun fact: his surname is an Irish variation of Dymphna, the name of the Catholic patron saint of the mentally ill. However, since most people don’t know the proper pronunciation (“DEV-naht”), they tend to pronounce it (sometimes on purpose) “dammit” which produces its own problems.

Nicknames: Peteyboy/Parks, which he hates (from his dad); Dammit, which he super hates. You know what – just call him Parker and everything will be okay.

Age: 18 19 20 21 22 23 27

Birthday: June 30th

Sign: Cancer

Gemstone: Moonstone

Blood Type: AB-

Heritage: Irish/English

Orientation: Asexual Heterosexual

Fav. Food: Chocolate covered espresso beans.

Hated Food: Anything spicy.

School: Hillworth Grammar School

Hobbies:

Grim Fascination – Parker is a “worst case scenario” type of guy. For this reason, he is incredibly interested in just how horrible life can turn out. Freak deaths, gruesome murders, twisted tortures – it all intrigues him. He is not quite a sadist himself, but he finds the darkness in people much more interesting than their goodness. Plus, the idea that no man is spared by mortality is very appealing to Parker. Even those in positions of privilege cannot escape death. The Reaper’s scythe will level the playing field for all! Sharks, bears, alligators, and other large man-eating predators are specifically interesting to him. One of his dreams is to see a great white shark jumping out of the water.

Philosophic Meanderings – Before she died, Parker’s mother was an editor for philosophy textbooks. Instead of being read fairy tales, she read to him from Origin of the Species, Interpretation of Dreams, and Mysticism and Logic. He grew up with a passion for philosophy, one that has only intensified since his mother’s death. It is now his link to her, and it is an excellent tool for his left-brained mind. It is not uncommon for Parker to share a random quote from a famous philosopher when he cannot find his own words.

Steampunk – Parker has a passion for technology. He built his own computer and is able to make a little money on the side repairing the gadgets of others. This love of metal and science has made him very intrigued with steampunk culture. He isn’t quite the kind of boy you’d expect to be fashion-savvy, but PC has begun to refine an image of himself – one that includes his new found steampunk style. At Hillworth, he is unable to express this due to the constraints of the institution, but outside of class, he can frequently be found creating metalwork pieces, some for decoration and others for ensemble pieces. He doesn’t really broadcast this, but it is one of his major passions.

Blogging – Parker is pretty passive aggressive. For that reason, the internet is his friend! From the comfort and safety of his bedroom, he is able to write nasty, horrible things about people with zero consequences. He has started up his own blog that seems to target many of the privileged girls of the Crystal Academy, a forum that he uses to drudge up all the embarrassing information he can or to simply say very mean things in complete anonymity. He refers to himself as “The Proletariat Provost” and has an alter-ego built up about it. Parker genuinely believes that it is his duty to expose the corruption and lies of the people of power and privilege in Destiny City. He does so in complete cowardice behind his computer screen, but his attacks are still quite (verbally) vicious. It is not uncommon for him to target the daughter or son of a prominent politician in the hopes of inciting public derision from their parent.

Virtues:

Logical Tinkerer – Puzzles and scientific-thinking come easily to Parker. If he wasn’t so pessimistic about life, he might actually make for an excellent chemist, biologist, or inventor. He is a quick study, and when his skill is properly yielded, he could be a highly effective team mate for a task. If you give him a gadget that has been totally dissembled, chances are he will be able to fit the pieces back together in little time. It is fun for him, a way for him to challenge his own skills, and the focus needed to work out an intricate technological puzzle elevates Parker to a state of total Zen. He is the happiest when he is tinkering.

Sisyphusian Dedication – Sisyphus is a Greek figure who was doomed to spend all of his eternity rolling a rock up a hill only to have it roll right back down when he got close to pushing it over the peak. Like Sisyphus, Parker tends to have a difficult time grasping the futility of his actions, which makes him incredibly persistent. When you think everything is futile, it is more difficult to identify specific repetitive actions that might be a waste of your time. For Parker, his main task is trying to get his father off the painkillers, and to expose the corruption of those in power in Destiny City. He never seems to make much headway on either task, but he continues trying because… well, what else is he supposed to do? Parker does not believe in happy endings, but there is a glimmer of hope in these efforts. A very perceptive person would see that, underneath all of his ramblings and pessimism, Parker still tries, which shows that a part of him (no matter how small!) must have hope – and that tiny, tiny sliver of hope is incredibly significant.

This is not an argument. – Parker loves to have debates; they fuel him. Many people perceive these debates as a love for arguing, but they are mistaken. The intelligent exchange of ideas makes PC’s little icy heart smile. This is yet another reason that he loves his computer. In the many tubes (hah) of the Internet, he can find forums for this discussion – and people just like him who appreciate a good debate. Years of debating for fun have given Parker experience with sharing his thoughts and views, and because he sees them as debates, he never loses his cool, even when people are disagreeing with little reasoning behind those opinions. Sure, he might insult your intelligence if you start to fly off the handle, but he will never be the one to explode. This balanced perspective on disagreements makes him slow to judge, or to react prematurely.

Self-Sufficient – Having largely raised himself through his adolescence, Parker is an extremely independent person. He has few close friends, and quite literally only leans on himself for support. In fact, a great deal of the money that he makes goes toward helping pay the bills and send his father to rehab. Sure, it would be nice to have a companion, or a lot of friends, but Parker views that as an optional part of life. Success and self-discovery are more important that interpersonal communication. His self-concept is based largely on what he thinks of himself with little influence of the opinions of those around him. He knows who is, in and out, and a depressed, pessimistic little ball of bad luck though he may be, he finds strength in that knowledge. Parker can take a lot of abuse without breaking down; he is a bastion for punishment. Where others might crumble, Parker remains steadfast.

Flaws:

Faithless – Contrary to Anne Frank and other ideological figures, Parker does not believe that there is goodness in everyone. Not at all. The world is a dark and terrible place where the majority of people would rather claw your eyes out than lend you a helping hand. No one acts out of complete selflessness. There is no such thing as altruism. These are beliefs that he holds dear. For this reason, he finds it nearly impossible to put his faith in anyone or anything. The sides of good and evil are entirely relative based on your perspective, and the fact of the matter is that humans are animals. They care only about survival. To think different is, to him, naïve and stupid. The only cause Parker seems to care about is making others realize just how bleak and pointless their lives are – including his own.

Shaky Foundation: Parker needs, probably more than anything, security in his life. Not necessarily security in himself, but just a concept of safety to give his life some much-needed stability. Cliché as it is, he never got a lot of love as a teenager, and his home was so chaotic that he never properly developed a concept of family. His mother died when he was still a kid, and his father has been in and out of rehab for painkiller addiction his entire life. When his mother died, what hope he had of a positive parental influence died too. To feel safe… he craves it more than anything else. This is a need that he would never express openly, but his insecurity over his own self-worth is a deep crevice in his psyche, one that makes him lash out. In fact, his passive aggressive attempts to bring down others is likely all just part of him wanting to feel less alone. While he doesn’t need companions, Parker would be a much more balanced person if he had some kind of stable circle surrounding him.

Misery Loves Company: Parker is Debbie Downer. If you ask his opinion on anything, his response will always be negative. How does this dress look? You and 5000 other girls don’t fill it out right. Do you think I should apply to college? Life is meaningless. Don’t waste your time trying to give it meaning. Do you want to get a milkshake? A man once choked to death on a milkshake in full view of his five children up the road from here. It isn’t that he is purposely trying to suck the fun out of the room; these are just the first thoughts that come to his head. He is very critical – to a fault – and his baseline attitude is pessimistic. He doesn’t force these comments into a conversation, but if you ask his opinion, the chance is slim to none that he will have a positive outlook to share.

Dark Raincloud: Parker does not have luck. If anything, he has negative luck. His entire life has been defined by horrible acts of misfortune and woe. His last name is easily mispronounced as a curse word, his first name sounds like a friend of Barbie, his zodiac sign is also the word for a terrible and deadly sickness, his blood type is the most difficult to find donors for, his mother died in a horrific accident when he was eleven, his father is addicted to pain medication, he is frequently punished for crimes that he did not commit – and the list goes on. The boy never learned to be optimistic because he had nothing to be optimistic about in his life. For whatever reason, this string of events seems to follow him wherever he goes. If someone at Hillworth smashes a window, Parker is bound to walk up to examine it just in time for an administrator to come by and accuse him of the action. People tell him that bad luck follows him because his negativity draws dark energy. He, of course, tells them to shut up since that logic is completely unfounded and unrealistic. He believes in chaos theory, and for whatever reason, he continues to be on the receiving end of that chaos. Word to the wise: if you are planning a heist, do yourself a favor and don’t invite Parker.

It is worth noting that Parker has a pretty paralyzing fear of fire.

Physical Description:

Hair: This image is a pretty good reference for both color and length. (Ignore the sexiness. That is certainly not very Parker-like. If Parker decided to pose for a romance novel cover, that might be him – but not real-life Parker. You say “bedroom eyes” and he says “…what?” But I’m rambling…) It is black with dark brown undertones. The top is a bit layered with a side sweep of bangs, and the length falls just below his shoulders. The flow and thinness of it in that photo is about what I imagine for Parker too. Honestly, the best way I can describe it is to say that it is a sexy mullet. Yes, that’s right. Sexy. Mullet.

Eyes: Half-lidded, bored, narrowed. The color is cerulean.

Face: This image is a good reference for his face. (Honestly, if it looks better, that is a pretty good hair reference too if the longer ‘do is too complicated/annoying/mulletfail.) Narrow features, a small mouth, angular “weak” chin. Certainly not a picture of manliness. There is a thick scar that drags from his left nostril down to his lip, giving the impression of a natural snarl. The injury was caused by his father – no, Parker does not want to talk about it. Go away.

Body: He is lean, but not in any great physical shape – squishy when poked. Parker is an indoor boy who likes his computer. The only physical exercise he gets is what they make him do at the militant school. As for skin tone, he has an olive-tan to his skin, almost Greek-looking.

Fashion: Steampunk. Or at least the best he can interpret it. Parker leans toward cool colors – dark blues, blacks, certain greens. He sometimes wears a wrist brace to fight off carpal tunnel syndrome. He makes it look fly (kind of). Trying to alter your uniform at Hillworth is often met with strict punishment, but his tiny act of rebellion is a single black strip of fabric that he wears as a choker around his neck. He claims that it represents the way that the school is choking the life out of its students. No one seems to care.

Name: Imogen Lorelai Damhnait (formerly Briggins)
Relation: Mother
Age: ----
Profession: Book editor, philosophy texts.
Personality: Logical, empathic, direct, worrisome, manipulative, responsible, quick to forgive, loving.
Appearance: Softly curled dark brown hair reaching her mid-back, always pinned up in a messy bun; soft features but a sharp nose and flat brown eyes; of middling weight, frequently in clothes that emphasize this; ink-stained fingers; small, square-framed glasses.
Status: DECEASED, fire, age 33.

Name: Marcus Fauxley Damhnait
Relation: Father
Age: 41
Profession: Unemployed. (Baseball coach, formerly.)
Personality: Determined, aggressive, athletic, street smart, charming, impulsive, hedonistic, funny.
Appearance: Hard jaw line and narrow eyes, same blue as his son’s; shaggy, pin-straight black hair closely-cropped to his head; clothes in a state of disarray, often stained; walks with a limp from an old injury.
Status: INCARCERATED

Name: Colie Margaret Damhnait
Relation: Sister
Age: ----
Profession: Toddler
Personality: Sweet, bubbly, curious, heavy sleeper, even-tempered.
Appearance: Heart-shaped face framed with pin-straight black hair; chubby arms and legs; frequently in purple-colored clothing; rarely in shoes.
Status: DECEASED, drowning, age 4.


Imogen Briggins was not the kind of girl you expected to get pregnant in high school. She was a model student – top marks across the board – and, despite her pleasant demeanor, she hardly seemed like the dating type. For months and months in her senior year, people wondered just WHO the father was! Was it someone from the school paper? She certainly spent most of her time with those guys. Or some one from the academic team? Or perhaps one of her friends who worked on the morning news show? When Marcus Damhnait stepped forward, the entire student body was absolutely stunned. He was the captain of the baseball team, voted Most Charming, and was probably going to win Homecoming King! What in all the world had brought those two together?

Imogen and Marcus had been neighbors since they were kids. They grew up playing together, and when they entered middle school, both followed different paths. Marcus hung with the athletes, and Imogen preferred the intellectuals. What no one knew, however, was that Marcus and Imogen continued to be friends as they always had – just outside of school. Neither one felt too ashamed of the other, but Imogen was incredibly private. Marcus respected that. They had never planned on getting pregnant, but Marcus, being the kind to do what is expected, had no problem asking Imogen to marry him. At first, she tried to resist; Imogen was not the kind of girl who believed in getting married over babies. Unfortunately when her conservative family found out about the baby-to-be, Imogen was promptly kicked out of the house and written off as though she had never existed. Marcus’s family wasn’t much better. They stuck with Marcus and Imogen as they finished up high school, even helped pay for the tiny wedding ceremony they held in the backyard, but once the two were both eighteen, the newly-formed Damhnaits were kicked to the curb.

Luckily – Imogen was resourceful. Before the pregnancy, she had gotten a scholarship to study philosophy at the state university, and Marcus, by that same hand of fate, had been offered a scholarship to play baseball at the same university. For a time, it seemed like the fates had come together to make their lives easier. Imogen gave birth in her first year of college to a bouncing baby girl, Colie Margaret Damhnait.

But happiness was not in the cards.

Shortly after Colie’s birth, Marcus suffered a career-ending injury on the baseball field. The university covered his medical bills to try and mend his shattered knee, but after his third surgery, they dropped him from the roster. Without the money from Marcus’s excessive athletics scholarship, the tiny family had to move to a much smaller place. Suddenly, Imogen found herself raising two children: her daughter and her husband. Marcus grew incredibly depressed. Baseball was all he had ever been good at, and now, he walked with a limp. Imogen tried to cheer him up, but she had her own problems to worry about, her own school to finish. Marcus started coaching younger kids in baseball on the side, but he quit after only a year, citing that it was too painful to do.

During the day, Imogen would leave Marcus with Colie while she went to class, an action that always scared her. Marcus was forgetful, and his painkillers made him loopy. Oftentimes, she would enlist a friend to stick around and take care of Colie and Marcus. Life progressed like this for the next three years. In her senior year of college, Imogen got two more surprises. The first, she was pregnant again – and with a boy. The second, her husband had become hopelessly addicted to painkillers. It was a suspicion she had had for a long time, but that year, she caught him attempting to re-injure himself one night. Earlier that month, the doctors had decided to take Marcus off the pills for his knee pain. They no longer thought that he needed it; Imogen believed that they too suspected his growing addiction. Marcus knew that the only way he could get more pills was if he got injured again. Imogen threatened to leave him, but she couldn’t dwell on it. She had to go to class, and Marcus needed to watch Colie.

It was a choice that she would regret for her entire life. Imogen returned home to find cop cars outside of her tiny house in the bad part of town. She rushed inside, throwing her books to the ground, fearing the worst. And it was the worst. Her daughter, Colie, was dead. She had wandered out of the house to their neighbor’s backyard and fell into their pool. She was only four years old, too young to know how to swim, and she drowned. Imogen took one look at Marcus and knew that he was high. He had found some way to get the painkillers. And in his painless haze, he had let their daughter die.

It was the end of their happiness. Later that year, Imogen graduated and got a job doing editing work on philosophy texts. Marcus entered into rehab for the first of many times. And Parker Colvin Damhnait was born. His mother gave him his middle name in honor of his sister, a sister he would never know. Despite the horror of his early life, Parker grew up with a firm love of his mother. When it was just the two of them, things were good. She read to him from her philosophy books, taught him how to use the computer, let him sleep in her bed when he was too scared to stay in his own. It was when his father, Marcus, was home from rehab that it all changed. Marcus seemed incapable of kicking the habit, and when Imogen wouldn’t give him the pills, he grew violent. Their insurance had run out, and each time Marcus went to rehab, Imogen was forced to pay for it out of pocket. His addiction was draining out everything the family had.

Things continued this way until Parker was eleven. One day, in the middle of the night, Parker awoke to the sound of a fire alarm going off. He crawled out of bed to touch the handle, but it was burning hot and scalded his fingers. Smoke billowed in from under the door, and somewhere in the house, he could hear his mother screaming. He screamed for her, pounding on the walls, refusing to leave. A sudden shattering of glass grabbed his attention. He turned to his window and saw his father, kicking madly, trying to shatter the frame. Marcus fell awkwardly through the window, picked up a screaming Parker, and dove back out the window. Outside, he collapsed on the ground. His knee had been injured again in the struggle, and the rush of pain knocked him out. Parker tried to run back inside for his mother, but a neighbor stopped him. His mother burned to death inside the house, alone.

To this day, Parker does not forgive himself.

Despite his father’s heroic rescue, Parker never forgave him for not saving his mother. A part of him suspects that his father is somehow the culprit, even though the fire department said it was a gas leak that was ignited by the pilot light that set the massive blaze. But Parker knows that if his mother hadn’t of had to spend so much money sending his dad to rehab, they would not have lived in such a crappy place. And if they hadn’t lived in such a crappy place, the gas would not have leaked. His mother would not be dead. Parker lived with – and continues to feel – a survivor’s guilt. With his father’s knee once again broken, Parker watched as his dad was once again given pain medication. The doctors tried to use alternatives, but this time, Marcus was not faking. In no time, he was an addict again. In fact, he had never really stopped being an addict. The problem now was that there was no one to watch Parker when his father was in rehab.

Marcus tried to keep his life straight. Neither his family nor Imogen’s kept in contact with them; he was the only option for running the household. He got a job doing stock work at a local megastore, but continued to use, spending most of his time at home passed out on a couch. Parker learned to raise himself – and to forge his father’s name. He made sure that the bills were paid. He made sure that the power never went off. He made sure that he always had his books and school clothes. And then… his father got caught stealing at work. Overnight, Marcus and Parker moved, relocating to Destiny City. Marcus got a new job, but since his record would follow him, he had to choose an off-the-books position. Why not work with the things that he loved?

And so Marcus started a new chapter in his life… as a drug dealer. What the man hadn’t planned on was how easy it would be for someone to track him through his son. Parker attended Meadowview for half a year before the police arrived. They arrested Marcus – and found his stash. It was evident that he was a dealer. For a time, Parker had to live with a foster family while his father awaited trial. There was no money to pay bail, but with the city’s new attempts to crack down on drug crime, the process was rather speedy. Marcus’s lawyer got his sentence reduced, citing his drug addiction to painkillers as the fault of his doctors. Somehow, he was able to prove that they had provided more than was necessary, and that it was their actions that led to this man’s downward spiral – one that included the death of his wife and daughter. The story was all over the papers, and at school, Parker was tormented.

In the end, Marcus still got sentenced time, but he was able to serve his sentence in a high-security rehab facility instead. Parker was moved out of his foster home and into Hillworth, the place where he would now have to call home. A dorm room was better than living with a pill-popping father, but the antagonizing harassment that he experienced in small doses at Meadowview only got worse. Parker rarely speaks to his father outside of the visits the lawyer insists that he makes every two months – an attempt to bulk up Marcus’s appeal proceedings, no doubt – but he thinks of his mother constantly.

Jezebel by Iron & Wine
This Place Is A Prison by The Postal Service
Say It Ain't So by Weezer
Anyone Else But You by The Moldy Peaches
Breakable by Ingrid Michaelson
Die Alone by Ingrid Michaelson
Fireflies by Owl City
Flightless Bird, American Mouth by Iron & Wine
Gimme Sympathy by Metric
Heartbreak Warfare by John Mayer
I Will Follow You Into the Dark by Death Cab for Cutie
If My Heart Was A House by Owl City
Iris by Goo Goo Dolls
Paint It Black by The Rolling Stones
Photobooth by Death Cab for Cutie
Something by The Beatles
Title and Registration by Death Cab for Cutie
Tonight and Forever by The Damnwells
The Way You Make Me Feel by Michael Jackson
When You Come Back Down by Nickel Creek
Time to Pretend by MGMT
Catch Me by Demi Lovato

Current Happenings

Political Structure

The political structure of Taranis was composed of a council of five leaders: Commandant, Shah, Vox, Premier, and Augur. The council was known as the Senatus Assembly of Taranis, or more commonly in slang, the SAT or Assembly.

The Commandant was the military leader of the asteroid. This role was held by the asteroid’s resident senshi. As Taranis was not a very militant nation, the position was largely responsible for managing the conduct of the citizens and presiding over any cases that might arise from violations of the asteroid’s law. Crime was not rampant on the small asteroid, limited largely to instances of theft, but all cases came before the Commandant. The senshi served as judge and jury.

The Shah was the religious leader of the asteroid. As Taranis was a scientifically-minded people, this ruler was more concerned with the energy of the universe, not the strict worship of a single deity. The Shah preached the importance of balance, of harnessing energies, of finding a way to make civilization and nature grow together, as opposed to destroying each other.

The Vox was the mouthpiece of the asteroid. At the great celestial parties, this individual was the one rubbing elbows, greasing palms, and otherwise playing the political game on behalf of the people of Taranis. This position functioned in many public relations avenues, as well as keeping tabs on the goings-on throughout the universe. Sometimes considered the diplomat of the asteroid, the Vox had a considerable say when it came to relations with other societies and the neighboring asteroids.

The Premier was the cultural leader of the asteroid. All ceremonies and functions were presided over and organized by this person. In short, the Premier was the social secretary. Historically, this position was held by the chosen mate of the planet’s reigning monarch.

The Augur was the scholastic leader of the asteroid. Often called the Historian as well, this individual was the head of all research and knowledge-seeking endeavors put forth by the people of Taranis. Most of the studies done on the asteroid related to the harnessing of the atmospheric lightning, but Taranis also produced many small pieces of machinery, the design of which was often overseen by this leader.

From these five members, the people of Taranis voted on a ruling monarch in a democratic process. The monarch held veto power on the council and traveled as a representative of the asteroid on official universe-wide business.


Environment

The terrain on the asteroid Taranis could not support much plant life. Instead, the people grew the necessities for nourishment in great hydroponic farms housed in massive underground facilities on the outskirts of the city. Still, much of the meat was imported from neighboring asteroids. The only animals on the asteroid were desert-dwellers, ranging from waterlizards to scavenging camelhounds, but the most notable creatures on Taranis were the worms.

Beneath the surface, an exquisitely carved network of tunnels formed a refuge for the citizens of the asteroid, especially during the regular lightning storms that pummeled the surface once a week. These tunnels were forged by the lumbricus -- the great worms of Taranis. Growing anywhere from fifty to a hundred feet in length, these massive creatures fed on the tiny minerals and organizations trapped in the rock and sand of the asteroid. Their feeding patterns were most akin to that of baleen whales; they filtered the terrain and then repositioned it in their wake. Most off-worlders thought of these worms as destructive, evil creatures that only the people of Taranis knew how to coexist with, but truth be told, the lumbricus were more like gigantic land manatees. Many people of Taranis rode on them for fast transportation, but many others just liked to feed and pet them. You know, like giant kittens.

The only plant life on Taranis consisted of low-lying brittle shrubs and great prickly catcus-like trees. Water was scarce to nonexistent on the surface of the asteroid. The citizens got water from the collecting pools underground and used a complex system of irrigation to bring that water to the shelters on the surface. Underground, large gardens of low-light acclimated foliage grows, but it is not visible on the surface.

At a distance, Taranis seemed every bit as desolate as the deserts of Earth, but it was what lurked below the surface -- an entire world encased below the crust -- that made their world special.

Housing & Architecture

The homes of Taranis were all forged of sandstone on the surface with thatched roofs lined with the same golden wire that seemed to fill every crevice of the culture. Large, golden metal rods protruded off of every building. At first glance, their purpose might not be evident, but in the midst of one of the planet’s weekly lightning storms, that became perfectly clear. Lightning struck the metal wiring and rods and funneled down into the energy system of the asteroid. That energy was used to run all of the technology on Taranis. The lightning, in fact, consisted of blown glass orbs that contained crackling bolts of electricity.

The above-ground portions of the housing facilities looked small. To the naked eye, the culture might even appear rudimentary, or rural. But each building had a hidden hatch in the floor of a room, and beneath that lie the true shape of the home. A great society sprawled beneath the sand, kept safe from the lightning storms that broke the atmosphere above. Homes, buildings, and communal areas had been built in the hollowed out tunnels carved by the lumbricus.

The overall aesthetic of the architecture could be described as industrial, desert-rural, and steampunk.

Society

The citizens were a scholastic, hard-working people who dressed in steampunk fashion and believed that industry and invention were the keys to a successful life. They believed in strong community ties, a communal system for sharing basic goods, and prizing intellect and integrity above all else. The Castle was less a palace for the ruling elite and more of a community center where any member of the people could find shelter and support. Because the population was very small and clustered over a small area, the people were very tight-knit. Their distance from some of the larger ruling planets helped foster this intimacy within the people. It was very common for citizens to hold massive parties that everyone was invited to, or to otherwise organize group events.

Major Exports

Universe-famous glassware and glass sculptures, sandstone bricks, harnessed lightning orbs, fine metal wiring, giant worm mounts/pets, and steampunk fashion.

Role in the Universe

As a small asteroid, Taranis was not governed by any of the major kingdoms for some time. It existed as a colony, its own nation-state, but lacked any major political power. Its donations to the universal culture were based entirely on its exports and the general trade channels. Then came a dark time in the history of the universe. Evil forces came to power and began to attack. With a small population and only one magically powered being on the asteroid, the Senatus Assembly of Taranis saw no other option but to seek the protection of the neighboring Moon Kingdom.

By swearing allegiance to the Moon Kingdom, Taranis came under the rule of Serenity and her fellow senshi, but they retained their independence and their political structure. (Think of Taranis as Puerto Rico to the Moon Kingdom’s USA.) They worked with the Moon Kingdom to protect the interests of themselves and their allies. At this time, the results of that alliance remain unknown.