Halcyon
The political world of Halcyon is dominated by three nations that form the Great Powers. The three have been locked in a cold war throughout living memory
The Federated Bloc was trailing in power until about a decade ago, when a heroic mission by Captain Van Maanen diverted an incoming asteroid (Dorado’s Chunk) into orbit around Halcyon, saving the planet from a devastating collision. As a new, nearby moon, Dorado’s Chunk could be mined for critically needed rare earth elements. This made solar energy technology cheaply available planet-wide, and catapulted the Federated Bloc into a dominant position. This advantage is now fading and they see their competitors coming up quickly. Their leadership is eager to preserve their status, perhaps a little too eager.
The Virtuous Velan States espouse the 37 Virtues taught by their ancestors, although few can name all 37 Virtues. Even fewer actually adhere to them. Workers are expected to cede power to the state, and, in return, the state meets their needs... as defined by state bureaucrats. Their strict organization gained them a dominant position, but they were unable to adapt quickly enough to the changes brought about by the bounty from Dorado’s Chunk. They have fallen back to a trailing position. Their leadership is fiercely determined to gain the lion’s share of knowledge from the New Star, hoping it will propel them back to the top.
The Aquila Archipelago is a loosely-knit group of large islands, each with their own sub-government. The disorganization sometimes cost them an advantage, and they were slow to develop technologically. Their flexibility allowed them to quickly make use of the energy windfall from Dorado’s Chunk, and they’ve been catching up in recent years. Of course, if their nation had brought the asteroid home, things would have gone even better. They hope to be able to grab a larger share of benefits that flow from the New Star.
There are many smaller nations on Halcyon, most allied with one Great Power or another. One that has clung fiercely to its independence is the country of Carina. Landlocked, but straddling trade routes between all three Great Powers, they’ve managed to steer clear of entangling alliances with any of them.