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>La Villa Strangiato
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>La Villa Strangiato
 
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New Hai Phong, sometimes rendered New Haiphong, is an economic powerhouse of the Sol Alliance funded by Hephaestus Industries. The capital of New Hai Phong is Cua Song, built around the coast of a large freshwater sea. Tobacco is the main export of New Hai Phong, serving as the planet’s main claim to fame. The primary language is Sol Common, though the spoken Hai Phongese  dialect is notably different. New Hai Phong Common, or NHP Common, is much more tonal-based than Sol Common and has a distinctive accent. Freespeak is also somewhat common on New Hai Phong.


Located in orbit around Jupiter in the Sol System, the icy body of '''Europa''' is the first location where humanity discovered extraterrestrial life. The harsh and inhospitable environment of the moon has led to its population remaining relatively small even in the present day. Due to the immense radiation that constantly strikes the moon's surface, Europa's three hundred million residents exist in one of the most unique environments in the entire Sol Alliance: beneath the outer ice sheet, submerged in the waters of the Europan Sea. This environment is at best poorly understood, and more is being discovered about the moon every day. However, the population believes that some secrets should perhaps be left unknown in its inky depths.
'''Due to the ethnic make-up of its original settlers and ability for the massive New Hai Phongese population to absorb immigrants into its culture via assimilation, characters born on New Hai Phong must have names and appearances consistent with the peoples of Vietnam, Hong Kong, and South China. Only characters native to New Hai Phong may take the New Hai Phongese accent. This is enforceable by server moderators and admins.'''
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==History==
==History==
[[File:Europa_Flag.png|The government flag of Europa.|thumb]]
Life on Europa was first discovered in the late 21st century, but serious colonisation efforts did not take place until the mid 22nd century, due to economic issues on Earth and a perception that Europa, unlike [[Callisto]], would be too difficult to maintain colonies on. The first settlement on Europa was Korormansk Station, a research settlement established in 2145. Unlike many of the settlements that would follow it, Korormansk was built around a large borehole drilled into the surface ice, as the settlement was intended to serve as a major spaceport. Over the following centuries, Europans have slowly and steadily established more stations under the ice, carving out more of a foothold for humanity.


After [[Timeline#First_contact|first contact with the]] [[Skrell]], Europa began to be frequented by Skrellian "adrenaline junkies"; they came to Europa as a form of tourism, wishing to experience the dangerous reputation of Europa’s ocean for themselves and took to signing on with any vessel that would have them. In spite of their eagerness, these Skrell had little luck in signing up with the larger organisations on Europa, mostly in part to a lack of interest in accommodating another species when resources and space were at a premium. The vessels that would accept Skrell crewmembers were mostly owned by independent contractors or smaller organisations that did not have the luxury of being selective of those who sign up with them. These small groups of adrenaline junkies stayed rare for two decades.
What would become New Hai Phong had quite humble origins. Originally detected in the late 2100s, New Hai Phong was colonized in the early 2200s  by a coalition of Vietnam, China, Cambodia, Thailand, and Laos with intentions of it being not much more than a base of operations for mining facilities on the nearby ice-covered planet of Chu Nho. But as the mining operations continued industry — primarily that of [[Hephaestus Industries]], then dwelling in the shadow of [[Einstein Engines]] — followed, and the inhabitable regions of the planet began to rapidly increase in population and importance over the 2200s.


In the 2360s, rumours began to spread of Skrell who were able to perform feats that saved their crew from danger in one form or another. One famous story involves the crew of the Prenderghast, which had a major malfunction to its navigation systems while in a cave crab-infested cavern. A Skrell crewmember, Xuloqu Ahua'luako, was a powerful Listener that was able to detect the psionic signals from the surrounding crabs, and so lead the Prenderghast out of the cavern. Another story describes a Skrell crewman notifying their captain of an encroaching bone whale heading straight for their submarine, well before their navigator could have reported it; thanks to this report, the bone whale was uninjured by the submarine's sonar, and the submarine was unharmed by the bone whale. While humanity was aware of the psionic abilities Skrell had by this point, neither species considered its use in navigation to be practical until these rumours began; attempting to employ unassisted, consistent psionic navigation was never considered feasible by the Skrell due to the mental strain of long-term psionics use, and humanity at this point was still largely unaware of the psionic potential of the Skrell.
As New Hai Phong’s industry expanded, so too did Hephaestus’ hold over the planet. As the mines of Chu Nho began to dry up in the early 2300s the planet became more and more reliant upon Hephaestus and the industry it brought: without the sprawling, smoke-belching factories of Hephaestus and the crowded habitation blocs that housed its tens of thousands of employees, New Hai Phong would simply be another Middle Ring mining colony destined for a slow decline into irrelevance. To avoid this fate more and more liberties were given to Hephaestus: regulations on building were lifted, palms were greased to look the other way, and the culture of corruption that now defines much of life on New Hai Phong formed as a result. By the 2400s, Hephaestus’ hold over the planet was all but assured. It is estimated that roughly one in three Hephaestus Industries products undergo final assembly on New Hai Phong, and around four in five products have at least one constituent part assembled on the planet. The presence of Hephaestus is impossible to miss.


These tales changed the common opinion of psionic application in submersible vessels, and by 2365 demand for Skrell crew surged, which led to very lucrative contracts being offered to any Skrell willing to work on the moon. Zeng-Hu Pharmaceuticals in particular invested heavily into the boom, and utilised their relationship with the [[Nralakk Federation]] to recruit scores of Skrell to work exclusively with Zeng-Hu within their Navigator Corps. Today, Europa boasts one of the largest Skrell communities in the Sol Alliance with a notable presence of the species in every facet of Europan life, with an especially large presence in any given Europan submarine crew. The community here continues to grow as Skrellian refugees from elsewhere in the Alliance seek to avoid the chaos in the [[Human Wildlands]].
But not all are willing to live alongside Hephaestus and the culture of corruption that it has created. Throughout the 2400s there have been various anti-corporate movements on New Hai Phong, but the pervasive corporate influence and corruption of the planet has seen them repeatedly stamped out or bought out. The one movement that has survived is the New Hai Phongese Socialism of Senator Le Hanh Trang and her party, the Solarian Socialist Unity Party. But with their inability to dislodge Hephaestus from the planet using the Solarian Corporate Authority, it remains to be seen who the New Hai Phong of the future will belong to.


In the modern day, Europa is a growing economy in the [[Sol Alliance]]. It and the other Jovian colonies enjoy a symbiotic relationship, with Europa exporting seafood and mineral resources to [[Callisto]], and Callisto exporting produce to Europa.
On '''October 19, 2460''', New Hai Phong was struck by the largest terrorist attack in the Alliance in recent memory. Several cities and even an orbital shipyard were targeted with a series of bombs found out to be military-grade, with Nhom Hy Vhong reporting the heaviest damage and casualties: immediately after, the planet underwent a period of lockdown by both Solarian and Hephaestus security forces. The responsibility for the attack was claimed by the Tajara Revolutionary Army in retaliation to the two Tajara bans and the perceived inequality of Tajara in the Alliance. The bombings prompted much outrage towards both the government for its inability to prevent the attack and towards Tajara themselves, culminating in the Third Tajara Ban on '''November 6, 2462''', of which Senator Le Hanh Trang was a major sponsor, alongside Senator Hendrik Strom.


==Environment==
==Environment==
[[File:New hai phong.png|The planet of New Hai Phong.|thumb]]
New Hai Phong orbits a binary star system, named Mau Sang and Tia Sang. Hai Phongese years are about ten Terran months and, due to the planet’s orbit, the cooler seasons are about two Terran months shorter than the hotter seasons. Heavy winds and monsoons hit much of Nha O during the monsoon season, which starts towards the end of spring and ends during mid-fall.


Europa presents one of the first truly alien environments encountered by a spacefaring humanity. The moon’s icy surface is one of the smoothest in the Orion Spur, with very few craters or mountains. This quality is likely due to its high tectonic activity - a condition the stations attached to the ice must endure to the best of their abilities. The surface of Europa is bathed in radiation due to its lack of a true atmosphere, and mere hours of exposure to the radiation levels of the surface can prove to be fatal without treatment. As a result, all unshielded human settlements must be constructed below the ice of the surface, which is thick enough to act as a barrier against radiation. The surface ice can be as thick as twenty miles in some places, with thinner areas often exhibiting the moon’s iconic cryogeysers as the water below interacts with the ice above. Some of these cryogeysers are capable of reaching over a hundred miles into the space above the moon, and have been known to interfere with passing spacecraft.
Water covers about 63% of the surface of New Hai Phong with one large, snaking landmass called Nha O covering the rest of the planet. What is not dotted with lakes, rivers, and swamps on Nha O is mostly covered in a savannah environment, with deserts closer to the equator. New Hai Phong has a near-breathable surface atmosphere and a similar gravity to Earth. The only equipment needed to breathe comfortably on the surface is a respirator mask. The average temperature at the equator is 36°C, 30°C at the 35th parallel during the summer, 22°C at the 35th parallel during the winter, and 10°C at the poles.  


Below the ice of the Europan surface lies the primary reason for humanity’s colonization of the planet: the Europan Sea. This massive ocean spans the moon in its entirety, and is nearly one-hundred miles deep in some areas. The sea is extremely cold due to its position under the icy surface of the moon. Average temperatures on the surface have been recorded at around -160 Celsius (or -260 Fahrenheit), with the coldest temperatures ever recorded approaching -220 Celsius (or -370 Fahrenheit). A higher salt content in the Europan Sea than its Earthborn counterparts has led to a lower freezing point, and a lower temperature overall. Exposure to the waters of Europa will rapidly result in hypothermia, and maintaining a livable temperature is a constant concern for every resident of the moon. In an effort to stave off the chill, heavy clothing is a common sight on Europans.  
=== Flora and Fauna ===
* '''Cua quy (''Orcinocarcinus''):''' A species of large crustaceans, usually around two to three feet tall, with carapace colours ranging from rich brown to dark green. Semi-aquatic, they live on the beaches of Nha O and burrow into the sand to attack unsuspecting prey to lay their eggs in the corpses. Luckily, cua quy completely ignore humans and some even show signs of a “human allergy”, in which contact with a human can cause some manner of infection.
* '''Co duyen (''Caniforme fidelis''):''' A long-eared mammal with reddish fur that travels in packs in the boreal regions of Nha O. They are omnivorous scavenger-hunters, seen with equal parts endearment and notoriety in the cities of New Hai Phong due to their tendency to root around in garbage bins and slip into restaurants seeking food. They are incredibly social animals, and some New Hai Phongese even keep them as pets. However, the environmental bureau strongly advises keeping co duyen in homes due to their restless nature, and they are known to tear up apartments when unsupervised.
* '''Zai nhieu nai (''Bubaliforme newhaiphongae''):''' A heavyset ungulate similar in appearance to a water buffalo. Zai nhieu nai roam Nha O in packs, migrating from pole to pole during the monsoon season when their usual grazing grounds become flooded. When they reach the beaches, they are often targets for the predation of cua quy. Some farmers on New Hai Phong herd zai nhieu nai, cultivating them for their soft, waterproof fur, fatty meat, and rich milk.
* '''Nguoi jan (''Troglodytes nguoi''):''' A species of simians, roughly four to five feet in height when fully erect, with a light covering of fur that ranges in colour from brown, red, and very rarely white. They have short tails and are semi-bipedal, forming social groups remarkably similar to early hominids. They are also highly intelligent, making regular use of rocks and branches as tools to hunt or gather. Much anthropological and biological study has been performed on nguoi jan; some scientists to speculate they could one day evolve into hominids similar to ''Homo sapiens''. Nguoi jan and their habitats are protected by law on New Hai Phong, though recently there is some concern among scientific societies that [[Hephaestus Industries]] may attempt to subvert said regulations for further development.
* '''Hoa lua co (''Pictus triticum''):''' Tall, stalk-like grasses that occasionally bloom with orange flowers. Hoa lua co is edible, and can be crushed into hoa flour or the flowers collected to decorate homes.
* '''Ngot la tree (''Lissoalbus''):''' A genus of leafy softwood tree with shallow roots found growing all over Nha O. They spread and grow very easily, and prove surprisingly resilient and flexible during typhoons and tropical storms. Bending rather than breaking, a ngot la will be fully uprooted and flung across the land before it actually cracks from strong winds. Ngot la leaves are often used for seasoning in New Hai Phong cuisine.


Aside from the cold, another constant feature of the Europan Sea is the extreme pressure it is capable of producing in its depths. Those submarines that proceed deep into the ocean are known to have heavily reinforced hulls, often made of plasteel. In order to withstand the pressure exerted upon those brave, or stupid, enough to conduct EVA work Europan diving suits more readily resemble spacesuits than wetsuits.
==Government and Politics==
[[File:haiphong_flag.png|Government flag of New Hai Phong.|thumb]]
Local politics on New Hai Phong — generally that below the senatorial level — is not defined by political ideology or economic class due to the endemic corruption of the planet. Instead, it is defined by local communities known as blockfams that have banded together in order to influence local politics. Blockfams are entirely willing to barter and engage in local corruption themselves in order to get what they and their community members want or need, and are not idealistic communities. Blockfams have been known to compete against each other or collude with one another as their needs change, but hardly anything is constant in the relationships between blockfams, the local authorities, or other blockfams. Oftentimes negotiations between blockfams are not done with currency, but by bartering power, favours, and resources between themselves so that there is no credit trail should the planetary authorities, who themselves are corrupt by many measures, decide that any given blockfam’s operations are inconvenient. Corruption is a fact of life on the planet, and blockfams are simply a way for the average resident of New Hai Phong to get what they need from a corrupt system.


But despite these inhospitable, completely dark conditions, Europa is not as devoid of life as one may assume.
Local governance across the planet beneath the city-scale varies greatly. In one part of a city one could find a corporate-dominated community where Hephaestus owns everything including the police and emergency services, while in another a neighborhood sleepy apartment buildings which pay bribes to the local authorities to look the other way on the illegal gambling dens in the basements, while somewhere else still, the occasional city district or blockfam which operates untainted by corruption, or at least mostly untainted. Despite this presence however, many in the government and authorities do fight a nearly impossible battle against corruption through their actions as individuals or as part of the institutions they represent, but challenges are great. The omnipresent interest of Hephaestus industries dominates life on New Hai Phong, the money from the illicit gambling rooms run by the Zau Gwai Jyu is alluring, and already present expectations of corruption do not make fighting the problems easy. Anti-corruption proceedings themselves often are used merely as instruments for one corrupt politician to dispose of a political rival in a “legitimate” manner, rather than hiring a hit. Despite these challenges though, many on the planet dream of a New Hai Phong with a more just way of life. Some galvanize politically with Senator Trang’s movement, while others who have lost faith in any and all politics simply work to fight corruption in their own lives in the small ways where they can.
===Flora and Fauna of Europa===
The lightless waters of Europa are shockingly biodiverse. While many of the creatures found in the Europan Sea are harmless - and many are even edible, such as Europan shrimp, some can be quite dangerous for divers, or even entire submarines. No sentient life has been found on Europa despite its high biodiversity. The biodiversity of the Europan Sea is poorly understood due to the immense size and depth of the ocean, with many regions being inaccessible until the creation of the first plasteel submarine hulls in the 2400s. These submarines remain somewhat rare compared to traditional steel-hulled submarines due to their recent invention, but a manufacturing boom is currently being driven by them. As of 2462, the theoretical lowest point of the Europan Sea (so far only detected via sonar) has yet to be reached. This lack of cataloging has led to widespread reports of “Europan cryptids,” a local term for creatures that have been sighted, but are otherwise unconfirmed to exist. Few of these reports have ever been verified, with many being regarded as nothing more than fanciful submariners’ tales.


New Hai Phong’s government is generally regarded to be substandard by the broader Alliance due to rampant corruption that is present at every level of civil government. The planet has a singular senator, Le Hanh Trang, in the Alliance Senate. Locally, the government of New Hai Phong on the planet itself is divided between its three cities and the powerful governors that rule over them. Due to their ten year terms and the immense corruption of the megacities themselves, these governors essentially serve for life and almost always come from local political dynasties that have the money to buy their way into the governorship. As lifelong rulers of the planet’s megacities, the three governors of New Hai Phong wield immense power over the planet. Thanks to this its planetary governor must often defer to the city governors’ demands, and thus the demands of Hephaestus Industries by extension.
Compared to the city governors, the planet’s legitimate Solarian governor, Lai Naam, is nearly powerless and almost completely defanged. A Frost-era appointee, Lai was given his position in 2462 and told that he would have all the support he needed in order to fight widespread corruption on New Hai Phong. But shortly after his appointment the phoron crisis began, and the Alliance rapidly had much bigger problems to deal with. Lai found himself unsupported and at the mercy of his “subordinate” governors, and his situation only further deteriorated following the death of Frost and the Solarian Collapse of 2463. Now, with the SCA having given up on New Hai Phong and the three governors as powerful as ever, Lai seems to be a defeated man, content to simply wait out the remainder of his appointment and retire to a comfortable apartment in the Core Worlds after it is over.
===Megalopolis Governors===
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====Europan ice kelp (''Eurolaminariales'')====
====Quách Diễm Nguyen====
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One of the most common sights in the Europan Sea, this family of bioluminescent plants is typically found attached to the inner side of the moon’s icy outer layer, and has hooks at the end of its “branches” that allow it to dig slightly into the ice and prevent it from being swept away. Ice kelp is also known to attach itself to the outer hulls of stations under the surface ice, and is often regarded as an annoyance by the residents of the planet. This plant is often found grown in aquafarms, and is often consumed by the residents of the planet in addition to being exported for consumption. Many naturally-occurring cave systems in the Europan Sea are filled with ice kelp.
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====Europan bone whale (''Balaenoptera ossus'')====
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The '''Europan Bone Whale''' is one of the largest known creatures found in the Europan Sea. The bone whale derives its name from the bone plating that surrounds its body, allowing it to survive in the crushing depths of the sea and defend itself from predators. Despite the intimidating name, bone whales are herbivores that tend to primarily dine upon Europan ice kelp. However, they are known to become dangerous when provoked or otherwise threatened, as their thick bone plating is able to severely injure a diver or even damage the hulls of weaker submarines. Bone whales are generally only found in open waters, and their bodies often fall into the deep abyss of the Sea - well beyond the crush depth of most submarines. Bone whales are large enough to produce a significant sonar signature and have often been confused for other creatures, particularly by inexperienced sonar operators. Some theorize that many Europan “cryptids” are, in reality, misreported bone whales.
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====Light-shrimp (''Eurocaridae lucius'')====
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Often simply referred to as “shrimp” by locals, the light-shrimp is a large crustacean roughly one to two meters long that somewhat resembles the shrimp of Earth. Light-shrimp are much larger than their Earthling counterparts, and as the name implies they produce a form of natural bioluminescence. These shrimp are fairly low on the Europan Sea’s food chain, and are often picked off by batsharks and other carnivores. They are also a primary export of Europa, and are utilized in a variety of dishes on the moon. The most skilled chefs are capable of maintaining the light-shrimp’s bioluminescence, which persists after death for a brief period, even as it is being served.
The current Governor of Cua Song, Quách Diễm Nguyen (b. 2410) is a woman from the Quách family known for her deep connections to both [[Hephaestus Industries]] and [[Idris Incorporated]]. Nguyen’s two terms as governor have seen Cua Song’s more affluent neighborhoods along the coast prosper through tourism that is often connected to Idris Incorporated. More inland neighborhoods further from the Sanh Song Sea have seen little of this prosperity, with Nguyen having ignored much of southern Cua Song in favor of the touristy north. Southern Cua Song is a hotbed of New Hai Phongese Socialism, though its residents remain unable to dislodge the governor.
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====Batshark (''Eurobatiformes caecus'')====
====Lý Quốc Thành====
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The '''Batshark''' is one of the most common predators found in the Europan Sea, and is often found in open waters. It is a fairly large animal, particularly due to its wide wing-like fins that it utilizes to glide through the water, and it is capable of reaching very high speeds due to these fins. Because it does not produce its own light, the batshark is entirely blind - lacking eyes completely - and instead relies upon echolocation to locate other members of its hunting pack and prey. Attacks on humans are fairly rare, but are a constant worry for divers performing EVA. The intense acoustic waves these creatures produce is known to often interfere with sonar equipment, but batsharks are otherwise harmless to submarines. A final note of interest is that batsharks often produce noises described as “unsettling and unnerving” by submarine crews when communicating with one another, and that these noises can usually be heard within the hulls of submarines - often leading to significant stress and anxiety amongst the crew. It is theorized that batsharks may be one of the main reasons for psychological issues such as “Deep Crazy” amongst submarine crews.
The Governor of Nhom Hy Vong, Lý Quốc Thành (b. 2390) is deeply entwined with Hephaestus Industries, which is at its strongest in the massive factories of Nhom Hy Vong. Thành, in his three terms as governor, has done much to further the interests of his corporate sponsors and much less for the typical New Hai Phonger in his megacity. The advent of the SCA in 2463 was a temporary cause for immense panic by Thành and his family, and the Lýs are rumored to have nearly fled the governor’s mansion in the night for [[Biesel]]. This rumor, and his constant favoring of Hephaestus, have won Thành few friends, and the younger residents of Nhom Hy Vong have turned many of its districts into strongholds of New Hai Phongese Socialism.
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====Greater Europan cave crab (''Eurocarcinus gigantus'')====
====Yueng Long====
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The '''Greater Europan Cave Crab''' is a common sight in the caverns of Europa. This omnivorous crustacean is capable of reaching a width of almost a meter, and tends to reside in “villages” of up to thirty cave crabs. Due to a lack of light in the caverns of Europa, these crabs have large, sensitive eyes capable of taking in even the faintest amount of light. They are naturally curious animals, and are known to often jump or leap onto the hulls of submarines passing through the Europan caverns in order to either travel upon them or simply to satisfy their natural curiosity. The scuffing and scuttling noises created by these crabs are often known to spook submarine crews, as the footsteps of a cave crab sounds eerily similar to somebody knocking on the outside of the hull. They are otherwise harmless to humans, though still capable of inflicting dire wounds with their claws if threatened or cornered by a diver.
The Governor of Ton Gwai Pei, Yueng Long (b. 2411) is unlike his two counterparts: he makes no efforts to hide his corruption, and actively promotes it as a positive aspect of his governorship. Anybody can do almost anything in Ton Gwai, as long as they have enough money to pay the governor for it. As a result, Ton Gwai is divided between dozens of small “fiefdoms”, supervised by people that have paid Yueng for the right to control the area. Entire districts can be governed by criminal syndicates, local notables, or megacorporations (generally Hephaestus, if industrial, or Idris, if intended for tourism). This system has made Yueng one of the wealthiest men on New Hai Phong, and he has resisted all attempts to remove him due to this wealth and the support of his fellow city governors. Despite his personal success New Hai Phongese Socialism has continued to build among the ordinary residents of Tom Gwai, which suffer all of the issues and gain none of the profit of Darany’s system of graft.
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====Europan Cryptids====


None of these creatures have been confirmed to exist by any scientific expeditions, but many veteran submariners will swear that they’ve seen something like one (or similar to one) in the depths of Europa.
===New Hai Phongese Socialism===


The '''Europan Hell Squid''' is a large squid-like apex predator rumored to exist in the open ocean of Europa. This creature is allegedly roughly the size of an adult bone whale, and is rumored to attack submarines that descend too far into the waters of Europa. No sightings of the hell squid have been confirmed since it was first reported in 2394. Reports of sightings and attacks are scattered and infrequent enough to suggest either a creature that typically hunts in the lower levels of the Europan Sea or a migratory predator that tends to avoid humanity. Regardless of the truth (Zeng-Hu Pharmaceuticals has sworn to discover the species by 2500) the hell squid continues to be a frequent feature of submariners' tales on Europa. There are rumors of an even larger Europan hell squid called the greater Europan hell squid - larger even than the greatest of submarines - but these are similarly unconfirmed.
One word defines the government of New Hai Phong at every level: corruption. Bribes, often originating in Hephaestus Industries, have become a part of daily life for the planet’s citizens, many of which have long regarded local corruption as simply a fact of life in the Alliance’s industrial capital. Anti-corruption efforts are often stymied and die out before they pass even the lowest levels of the planet’s governing body, and many believe that Hephaestus Industries is similarly behind this. Yet despite the General apathy of the planet towards its corruption, there is an exception: Le Hanh Trang’s New Hai Phongese Socialists.  


The '''Asterios''', for there is allegedly only one, is rumored to be the largest living thing on Europa. It is a crab rumored to be the size of an entire research station, supposedly able to create earthquakes and significant disturbances in the water by crashing its massive shell into the ground. Allegedly the product of a crab being left in an abandoned Zeng-Hu black site research facility in which it grew to a massive size, Asterios is rumored to utilize its former home as its shell. Nobody has ever actually seen Asterios - perhaps due to its rumored ability to crawl along the ocean’s floor - but this has not stopped rumors from circulating. Zeng-Hu has denied that this creature, or its facility of origin, even exists.
Long viewed as a crusader against corruption, Le Hanh Trang and her party, the Solarian Socialist Unity Party, have their roots — and power base — firmly in the widespread dissatisfaction felt by many younger Haiphongers with the corruption of their government in recent years. Trang and the SSUP first rode this wave to win New Hai Phong’s only Alliance Senate seat, and have long attempted to break the stranglehold of Hephaestus over the planet through legislative means. Yet despite her best efforts, Trang was unable to break the planet and Hephaestus apart even during the height of the anti-megacorporate Solarian Corporate Authority. The once-public Trang has slunk into the political shadows following her defeat, and rumors have begun to swirl that she and her party are merely proxies of Einstein Engines that intend to sell New Hai Phong to it after wresting it from Hephaestus. The survival of Trang as a viable candidate for the position of Prime Minister is anything but certain, but her movement — with its emphasis on fighting for the common Solarian worker against megacorporations— will assuredly outlast her.


While similarly unconfirmed, there are reports that a massive eel called the '''Cetus''' exists in the abyssal zone of the Europan Sea. Some suggest that this creature is a powerful psychic, and the root cause of the “Deep Crazy” psychological phenomenon. Aside from fringe groups, some of which look upon the alleged Cetus as a kind of god from the depths, few residents of Europa believe this particular cryptid to be real.
==Economics==


==Economics==
By leveraging their building rights on New Hai Phong, [[Hephaestus Industries]] has managed to seep into every crack of the planet. Large swathes of land on New Hai Phong are owned by Hephaestus, connected to the three megalopolises through bullet train networks. Hephaestus Industries has built numerous industrial factories, manufacturing plants, and research labs over the landscape, with the largest complexes being nicknamed cities. Hephaestus’ headquarters on New Hai Phong is the Sieng Nang Zi Complex, just 40 kilometers from the outskirts of Cua Song.


[[Zeng-Hu Pharmaceuticals]] is the largest employer on Europa, and pays handsomely for survey data of all kinds, from meteorological, geological, and biological. Most research stations on the moon are owned and operated by Zeng-Hu, and the megacorporation possesses the largest submarine fleet on Europa. Advanced submarines come and go from Zeng-Hu facilities, heading off to a myriad of locations in the murky depths of the moon’s oceans - some never to return. These state-of-the-art facilities vary in size from small observation outposts to facilities that are cities unto themselves, and some are rumored to only be accessible by high-ranking Zeng-Hu personnel. What goes on in these Europan “blacksites” is not known to the general public, and incidents of “Deep Crazy” are an unfortunate fact of life in these research stations.
Thanks to Hephaestus, New Hai Phong’s economy is comparatively a roaring success. Though the planet loses significant GDP from corruption, unemployment figures are through the floor and New Hai Phong maintains zero planetary debt. Hephaestus provides around 70% of all employment with 15% of Hephaestus jobs dealing with management and the remaining 85% dealing with all kinds of manufacturing, often the manufacturing of atmospheric equipment.


Tourism facilities are a hallmark of [[Idris Incorporated|Idris Incorporated’s]] presence on the moon, and are typically situated in major civilian stations. The most famous of these are, without a doubt, Idris’ Jovian Jewel resort and the Galileo's Pearl facility. Due to their locations near the surface of the Europan Sea, “Deep Crazy” is not a common factor in these tourist facilities, and Idris Incorporated does its best to avoid the affliction. Many Idris Incorporated employees dislike working on Europa, particularly those in lower-level positions such as the cargo departments of stations - those responsible for loading and unloading the many cargo submarines that traverse the depths of the moon.
New Hai Phong also invests heavily in agriculture, being said to produce nearly all of the galaxy’s tobacco. However, tobacco has slowly lost popularity due to the outlawing and growing stigma of tobacco usage in many systems. Ironically enough, because of the thin atmosphere and airtight homes, few on New Hai Phong have even smoked tobacco and chewing tobacco is frowned upon because of its harsh effects on health and appearance.


There is constant demand for new equipment and repairs on submarines that brave the crushing, freezing depths; Trelenje Station is the primary shipyard on the moon, employing hundreds of thousands of Europans to manufacture and repair submarines. The advent of plasteel in the mid-2400s led to a boom in the Europan manufacturing sector, due to the incredible depths plasteel-hulled submarines can descend to. Other industrial centres are typically situated near the ocean’s surface, and feature massive bays. These vessels can range from small shuttles with a crew of under a dozen, to massive research vessels with crews in the hundreds. Many of the materials utilized in the dockyards of the Europan Sea are imported from [[Callisto]], where materials mined upon the volcanic surface of Io are refined.  
New Hai Phong has gradually branched out to other crops such as tea, coffee beans, cocoa beans, rice, soybean, and sugarcane. In particular, Hai Phongese tea is very popular as both a local and an exported product with many locals drinking tea with almost every meal.


==Culture and Demographics==
==Culture and Demographics==
Europans are typically stereotyped as odd, private people. The culture on the moon is insular, and while outsiders are rarely treated poorly, it can take time for off-worlders to be treated with the same warmth a Europan might treat other natives. The superstitions and customs of submariners and the urban legends of the moon give a strange impression to outsiders; native Europans working with [[Idris Incorporated]] usually go through a cultural retraining program to conceal most of the less palatable trappings of their culture.


One’s standard of living in Europa depends heavily upon what facility they reside in. Universally for each settlement, however, are large gravity generators that facilities are built around, predating shipborne grav-gens. These models are larger and more power-inefficient, making them unsuited for off-world use. Because of this low gravity, Europans are typically taller than average, and concerns of low bone-density led to a push by the Europan planetary government to market milk products as a desirable food for citizens. Vitamin and mineral additives are also common in Europan drinks and food, and physicians will typically prescribe calcium supplements (or in severe cases, regenerative muscular tissue supplements) to youths and the elderly. Another constant factor for all settlements is the cold, often damp environment of the moon. Devices must constantly be maintained to ensure they do not break, lest the cold water seep into an area that humanity has carved out to live in. Space is typically at a premium under the ice of Europa, and cramped quarters are a commonplace.
For most of New Hai Phong's inhabitants, living conditions are poor. The metropolises have double-populated hab-cube buildings to save space, with privacy being rare. Because of this, "blockmates" will treat each other in a familial manner, calling themselves "blockfams". Blockfams are incredibly tight-knit, and loyalty to one’s blockfam is fierce and passionate; legendary disputes have been held between multiple large blockfams. Blocks inhabited by poorer citizens are often in poor repair with jury-rigging solutions and shoddy fortifications generally left to local communities.


The most common settlements under Europa’s ice fall under a loosely-organized category best defined as “civilian stations.” These stations range in population from only a few thousand to several million residents, and vary widely in quality. These are some of the oldest settlements on Europa, and are often connected to nearby research, tourism, or industrial stations. The highest-quality civilian stations are often shared between Zeng-Hu Pharmaceuticals, which uses their attractive housing to attract new employees and encourage transfers to the Europan branch of the corporation, and Idris Incorporated, which utilizes them as tourist attractions for the moon. Lower-quality civilian stations often suffer from a variety of issues, such as heating problems and leaks in the hull - problems on any Europan station, but ones that become far worse when one’s home is barely breaking even.
Outside of the three metropolises or surrounding towns, a rare few settlements exist in the deserts and jungles. Desert-dwellers live in small familial groups, usually working as moisture farmers or hunters that live off the land.


The primary method of travel for the vast majority of Europans are submarines of various sizes that make their way through the massive ocean under the planet’s icy surface. Due to submarines being far cheaper to build and maintain, and settlements being under the ice for safety, space-based travel between settlements remains rare even in the 2400s.
Corruption is also a constant problem on New Hai Phong. All three of the planet's metropolises struggle with bribery at every level, from local police departments to top officials. It is an open secret that [[Hephaestus Industries]] is behind most of these bribes as a means of retaining financial control over the planet. The practice of bribery itself is essential to everyday life on New Hai Phong; shopkeeps unable to pay "fees" to the city police find their business constantly raided on suspicions of every offence imaginable. Similarly, hapless tourists have found themselves booted off of the planet for non-specific crimes against local communities after failing to provide supplementary "administration fees" with their travel papers.


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Substance abuse and addiction, especially alcoholism, are also major problems due to the variety of high-stress situations both Hephaestus employment and the planet place on many citizens. This problem is only worsened by the fact that the legal drinking age on New Hai Phong is 13 and the legal age to buy alcohol is 17, leading to numerous teenagers falling to binge drinking. Though many drink, it is considered shameful to be inebriated in public. Heavy fines and mandatory community service in gruelling environments are given to those caught intoxicated, along with peer-shaming. In recent years, however, there has been a steep decline in teenage alcoholism, giving hope that the next generation may face fewer problems with drug abuse and addiction.
=== Skrell on Europa ===
Europa was largely ignored by Skrell who travelled within Human space in the years following [[Timeline#First_Contact|first contact]]. The moon’s inhospitable nature resulted in little if any Skrell presence for decades. Until the 2360s Skrell were a rarity on Europa, with most Skrell only living there temporarily as part of their work assignment or as part of a diplomatic attache.


Life here for Skrell reflects the typical Europan experience; cramped living spaces, arduous working conditions, and the constant danger that comes with living in an underwater habitat. In addition to all this, Skrell are unable to stargaze as part of their religious practices; the inability to observe and interpret the stars compounded with everything else has made Europan living especially difficult for Skrell. This has been largely offset by appealing employment contracts by the wealthier organisations on Europa, who are able to afford the salaries and benefits required to retain Skrell workers despite the conditions they would have to live in. The rise to prominence of the [[Skrell_Faith#Qwei’Paqui_-_Astrological_Tarot_Cards|Qwei’Paqui]], the tarot card system usually supplemental to stargazing in the [[Skrell_Faith|Qeblak and Weishii faiths]], has also helped acclimate those living on Europa. While the tarot allows Skrell to continue their religious observations despite being so deep undersea, it has also inadvertently resulted in the Skrell of Europa obsessing over their readings; as the tarot readings are considered a personal and intimate affair the Skrell have developed an unhealthy habit where they heavily rely on the tarot in their day-to-day lives, an obsession which soon developed into the Skrell adopting pre-existing Europan superstitions. Today the Qwei’Paqui can be commonly seen being paired with bone charms and other accessories by Skrell in the hopes of improving their fortunes.
===Fashion===
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Skrell from other parts of the Spur often describe Europan Skrell as being ‘on-edge’, ‘anxious’, and even ‘disconnected’ because of how life on Europa has shaped them; they are known for their irritability and anxious disposition while travelling Europa’s waters, and it is not uncommon for Skrell submariners to isolate themselves from the rest of the crew for most of the journey because of it. With this said, no Skrell have been diagnosed with '''High-Depth Antisocial Personality Disorder''', otherwise known as the '''"Deep Crazy"'''. Unlike the humans living on Europa the Skrell are seemingly immune to the disorder - although the Skrell are still at risk of developing their own unique disorders, especially for those who take on the role of Psionic Navigator.


=== Psionic Navigators and the Sea-Blinded ===
Much of New Hai Phongese fashion is very practical, modifying both traditional and modern clothing to suit the environment of New Hai Phong. Conical hats, especially non la, are commonplace to shield citizens from the sweltering suns and heavy rains. For those in desert regions, a transparent, knee-length veil is attached to the rim of the hat to block the harsh effects of sandstorms. Conical hats are often left plain or decorated to better suit the style of one’s clothing. The most basic New Hai Phongese look is a conical hat, a thin tank top, airy shorts, and sneakers with breathable socks. Basic athletic gear is also common.


In '''2365''' the role of ‘Psionic Navigator’ became standard on Europan vessels. The innovation of "psionic radar", where Skrell utilise their psionic abilities to detect the psionic signatures of the creatures found within Europa’s depths, drove up the demand for Skrell submariners and led to many lucrative contracts being given to Skrell willing to work on Europa. The discovery was capitalised by [[Zeng-Hu_Pharmaceuticals|Zeng-Hu Pharmaceuticals]] as they brought in Skrell straight from the Federation to work on Europa, going so far as to establish their own Psionic Navigator corps. Zeng-Hu today hires out its Navigators to any group that is able to afford their exorbitant prices, and thanks to their early investment the company has a near-monopoly of Psionic Navigators on Europa.
Traditional fashion is still somewhat popular on New Hai Phong. Ao dai are commonplace, though not without changes for the New Hai Phongese climate. The dress is sometimes sleeveless or cropped to the knee or mid-thigh and the trousers are sometimes made tighter and often cut to match the shorter dress styles. New Hai Phongese ao yem have mostly remained unchanged from the traditional style with the backless garments remaining popular year round. The slightly less common cheongsam are usually made more breathable and are similarly cropped. Changshan are usually made more form fitting, and some New Hai Phongese changshan are styled to be worn open, whether with an undershirt or not.


Although the role became common aboard most Europan vessels, the discovery of neurological disorders associated with the role did not occur until long after its formation. In '''2410''' Europan researchers formally named the disorder '''Europan Sea-Blindness''', while academic disagreements caused Nralakk Federation scientists to categorise the disorder under [[Skrell_Ailments#Insanity_of_the_Tide|'''Insanity of the Tide''']] - a neurological disease that is compared to Alzheimer's or dementia in Humans and is associated with issues related to memory, behaviour, and thinking. While still not fully understood, Europan Sea-Blindness is thought to be caused by a combination of extreme stress as a result of living standards on Europa and extended, high-intensity use of psionics, which manifests physically as organ atrophy and neuron degradation in the area around the zona bovinae. Those who are affected by the disorder report many of the same symptoms as those suffering from Insanity of the Tide, as well as a decrease in psionic capability.
As the respirator mask is an essential part of life on New Hai Phong, it has become a staple part of local fashion. Respirators are often made in vibrant colors and decorated with stickers, neon-tubing, beads, LEDs, or whatever else the owner prefers. Some more skilled in engineering modify theirs by adding visors, changing the shape, or attaching additional pieces.


It could take decades of prolonged psionics use for these symptoms to develop, however, and since the disorder and its causes are not fully understood it does not dissuade many Skrell from becoming Psionic Navigators themselves. This is not to say that precautions are not taken; Navigators are usually employed in teams of three that either work in tandem and share the workload, or have regular shift changes to avoid psionic over-use. Those afflicted with the disorder are known as the "Sea-Blinded", as they typically have an extremely decreased ability to use their psionics. These navigators are considered ‘retired’ and tend to move - or be moved - away from submariner life, although those who are not severely afflicted are known to continue crewing all manner of vessels in other roles. The [[Stellar_Corporate_Conglomerate|Stellar Corporate Conglomerate]] in particular is known to hire former navigators as Bridge Crew aboard their ships, putting their years of experience navigating the dangerous waters of Europa to use.
===Cuisine===
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=== Language ===


Tradeband is the most commonly spoken language on Europa. Most social and government functions are conducted in this language, but Sol Common is also spoken as a second language by the inhabitants of larger settlements. Sol Common is taught in Europan schools along with Tradeband.
Traditional New Hai Phongese cuisine uses animal meat and the hearty plants native to New Hai Phong. The resulting palate consists of soft, sour meats balanced against tough, sweet herb stalks. These herbs are often sucked on after the main course for flavor and nutrition. Most meals are entirely plant-based due to the inflated price of meat, leading to dietary supplement pills and gummies becoming commonplace. For the lower and lower-middle classes, rice, tofu, and other soy-based substitutes are often consumed due to the much cheaper price compared to native crops and meats. All folk on New Hai Phong enjoy a variety of wellmade desserts, including xoi la dua, a dish of sticky rice topped with Nha O Ngot La leaves, and che troi nuoc, sweet rice dumplings filled with beans. Blockfams often have a “noichu nuong”, a team of chefs and cooks individually called ”chudau”, who dedicate their time solely to making food for their blockmates.


The Europan variant of Tradeband is somewhat teased among other Tradeband-speaking communities in Sol (such as Lunarians and San Colettish). It is typically more guttural, drawling, and hushed, known for its incorporation of Sol Common slang (known colloquially as "Solband"). Europans speak very quietly, owing to a common superstition that raising one's voice might interrupt the function of the sonar navigation or break the concentration of a Skrellian navigator. Those that succumb to "Deep Crazy" are known to abandon this soft-spoken tone for screaming.
Drinks are also a key part of Hai Phongese cuisine, stemming from poorer citizens needing more flavor in their soy product and supplement-based diet. Teas in particular are common due to New Hai Phong’s often forgotten tea leaf farms. White, green, matcha, and honeybush tea are all popular among those stressed out by New Hai Phongese life due to their soft, sweet, soothing flavors. For those who do a lot of physical or manual labor, black tea and pu-erh tea are popular because of their hearty, strengthening flavors. Both native and imported herbs and flowers are usually added for additional flavor, whether to make the taste sweeter or stronger.


===Cuisine===
One popular food on New Hai Phong is “dua zi mon”, literally “chopstick food” when translated, which is prepared by wrapping small balls of cooked meat, cooked fish, or raw fish in hoa dough before baking. Once finished, dua zi mon is ready to eat. It is a popular game among friends to see who can get the most duazi mon from the serving platter onto their plate unsurprisingly using one of the most common utensils through human space--chopsticks.


Seafood, while indeed a common feature of cuisine on Europa, is not nearly as prominent as many off-worlders think. Light-shrimp and ice kelp are commonly fished or grown and made into foods, but more common is high-calorie and high-carb food such as noodles, bread products, and rice, the better to keep a sailor warm and well-fed in the cold, damp settlements. Light-shrimp lo mein is considered a national dish of Europa.
===Education===


Owing to a marketing campaign in the early 2300s, Europans consume a great deal of milk and cheese. The calcium and protein helps keep bone and muscle density at a healthy level.
Thanks to heavy funding from Hephaestus Industries, many colleges and universities offer incredible experience for those working in manufacturing and atmospherics. One such college is the Atmospheric Learning Institute of Kho Nang, or ALIKN, which is the main institute in Cua Song’s University District. ALIKN’s students are often jokingly called “aliens” as a fudging of the acronym’s spelling. Many atmospheric technicians, engine technicians, and toxin researchers come out of ALIKN, which also holds a small but steady group of airborne virologists.


===Europan Submariners===
Unsurprisingly, many graduates from the university are snatched up by Hephaestus who offers scholarship-to-employment programs to the gifted. Other corporations such as Einstein Engines also snipe graduates for their relevant departments. One notable graduate is Elisa Tung, inventor of the Shok-Free Protected Atmospherics System integrated into most high-end combat exosuits.


Though unusual, some Europans choose not to dwell on a station at all, instead opting to live on a submarine for the majority or entirety of their lives. These so-called “Hydronauts” are a rare breed typically found in groups of only a few dozen, with the exception of some larger vessels such as the Tethys. As travel under the waves of Europa is typically hazardous, these nomads will often dock in stations for significant periods of time and live out of their submarines, before undocking and proceeding to their next destination.
==Population and Major Cities==


The life of a Europan submariner is not an easy one even at the best of times, and hazards - both natural and manmade - are a constant concern in the waters of Europa. In the pitch-black darkness underneath the ice, one must always be alert as danger can come from anywhere, at any time. Europa is, according to some in the Jovian system, one of the most hazardous places to work in the Sol Alliance aside from the hellish surface of Io. The danger of working on the moon has led to Europan submariners becoming a wary, very paranoid, and superstitious group. Not all submariners hold these beliefs, but a significant portion of them do.
===Cua Song===
Like the other three megalopolises, Cua Song is made up of modular “habitation cubes” that are essentially extremely compact and airtight pieces of a home that are combined to form proper buildings. Hab-cube buildings are organized by blocks. Cua Song is built along much of the Sanh Song Sea, a freshwater sea rich with life and resources and a source of pride of the denizens of the megalopolis. Cua Song is known for its very scenic seaside view and beautifully decorated hab-buildings, becoming the main tourist location on New Hai Phong.


For example, one major superstition of Europan submariners is a belief that renaming already-named ships, without conducting the proper ceremony, is a surefire way to give the vessel bad luck. In order to properly rename a vessel - typically after it has been purchased by a new operator or owner - one must proceed through the proper ceremony, in which the submarine is returned to its port of origin and all metal that has borne its name is shorn off and replaced. Unless all of the metal is shorn and replaced properly, the ship will remain unlucky. Naming vessels after submarines that have already sunk is also considered to be unlucky, as is giving a vessel a name unfitting of its duty (such as naming a cargo hauler “Invincible”).
Grand hotels can be found along the coast and uptown in Cua Song, often connected to the Ngoi Sao Chuyen Spaceport by tramways. Minibuses shuttle tourists downtown to neon-lit nightclubs, vibrant lounges, and lively night markets while taxis bring others uptown to the elegant restaurants, ornate water puppet theaters, pampering spas, and classy music clubs. Some tourists wander the busy streets, trying local street foods like soy-fish dua zi mon and tea-soaked hoa bread or snapping pictures with friendly locals. Bullet trains shoot out of Cho Nga Tu Station bringing more adventurous tourists to Ton Gwai Pei and workers off to Hephaestus Industries’ Sieng Nang Zi Complex.


Europan submarine crews feature a curiously high number of Skrell relative to their prevalence elsewhere in Sol space. The psionic species is highly sought after due to their ability to detect the psionic signatures of Europan creatures through even the thickest submarine hulls. Skrell are rightfully regarded as good luck charms by the crew due to these abilities, and often find themselves employed as some of the highest-paid members of a submarine’s crew. Ships with skrell serving as “psionic navigators” (the local term for their position) are much less likely to suffer collisions with local wildlife due to their abilities to transmit basic orders to most Europan sea creatures. This is an extremely valuable skill, as collisions with creatures such as bone whales have been known to cause significant hull damage to submarines. Skrell are also known to rarely, if ever, suffer from the maladies that ultimately lead to “Deep Crazy,” which has further contributed to their good reputation. Zeng-Hu Pharmaceuicals is currently investigating why the skrell have proven to be so resilient to the madness often associated with the moon.
Few tourists, however, visit the poorer areas of Cua Song far away from the Sanh Song Sea where the streets are almost empty, the rundown hab-buildings are covered in political graffiti, and the sidewalks are littered in sand-covered garbage. Southern Cua Song, often called Ghe Song, was built over barren desert. Extreme sandstorms in Ghe Song are a constant problem during “monsoon” season, often leading to blockfams organizing strikes on other blocks for much needed supplies.


Submariners are also known to create bone charms from the remains of sea creatures, particularly those of the Europan bone whale. These charms are typically carved with messages in order to (supposedly) bring good luck to their holders, though some charms remain entirely blank. An improperly carved charm, or one with the wrong message, is said to bring immense bad luck to whomever is unfortunate enough to wear it, and many submarines are known to unceremoniously dispose of such charms - typically via an airlock, much to the dismay of whomever owned the now-unrecoverable charm. Other sea creatures are sometimes used for bone charms, but bone whales are regarded as the most ideal source of charms. Batshark bones are among the least popular materials, due to the cartilage in their bones leading to harder to carve surfaces. Some even insist these bones are “cursed,” but these are likely just tall tales. Regardless of the make or style, these charms are sometimes taken offworld by former submariners, to systems as far away as Xanu Prime and Tau Ceti.
Some notable blockfams in Cua Song include the peppy, friendly folk of Mat Troi Block, the traditional, yet open-minded residents of Bieu Tuong Block, and the talented and humble artisans of Tinh Than Block. Some notable blockfams in Ghe Song include the shady, dark-loving recluses of Tinh Than Block and the anti-corporate, passionate graffiti artists of Noi Day Block.
===Deep Crazy===


Life under the ice of Europa is a difficult one for the long-term residents of the planet, with a myriad of social and psychological issues arising in the dark biodomes and nuclear-powered submarines found underneath the ice. A commonly mentioned phenomenon among the permanent residents of Europa is the so-called “Deep Crazy,” (a local nickname for what is referred to as High-Depth Antisocial Personality Syndrome professionally) a result of prolonged exposure to the isolation often associated with the Europan Sea. Medical professionals insist that High-Depth Antisocial Personality Syndrome is nothing more than the result of stress and isolation, and insist that rumors of the affliction being unique to the moon are nonsense. Residents often comment that “Deep Crazy” becomes worse the longer one stays on Europa, that symptoms gradually build over time, and that they inevitably grip anyone’s mind after enough time on the moon.  
===Nhom Hy Vong===
Nhom Hy Vong is by far the area with the heaviest Hephaestus presence and where much of the planet’s industry comes from. The megalopolis sprawls along the Sea of Ca Ngay, the largest freshwater sea on New Hai Phong, and is divided in two by the Suot Maan River. To the east lies Gung Hy Vong, home to many factories and office buildings, and to the west is Nong Hy Vong which is packed with apartments and greenhouses.  


Symptoms attributed to HDAP Syndrome most commonly manifest as auditory and visual hallucinations (though many sufferers will attribute these as originating “in the depths” or “from the depths”) though more extreme cases will involve unsettling dreams often involving themes of drowning or otherwise traveling into the depths of the oceans, an extreme fear of drowning, a constant sensation of being watched by something outside of the biodomes (described by some suffers as feeling like being “fish in a bowl”), and claims of seeing seaborne fauna inconsistent with any known species on Europa. No species reported by a sufferer of advanced HDAP Syndrome has ever been formally catalogued by Europa’s scientific community, though many sufferers will report seeing similar creatures. Extreme sufferers of “Deep Crazy” are known to suffer mental breakdowns and manic episodes similar to those commonly associated with high stress and isolation. People afflicted by these episodes, after coming out of their breakdown, report having been “called to the depths” or “called to the seas” by an unknown force, and have been known to claw at airlocks unless otherwise stopped. Medical professionals associated with Zeng-Hu Pharmaceuticals have stated that this is likely just another result of stress.
In Gung Hy Vong, Hephaestus Industries owns a massive number of manufacturing plants, office buildings, and industrial factories. A good number of Hephaestus’ employees on New Hai Phong work in Gung Hy Vong, with most of the rest working in the Sieng Nang Zi Complex that connects to the city by bullet train. Nong Hy Vong is a stark contrast with brightly colored hab-cube buildings topped with gardens and giant glass greenhouses spread throughout the area. The region is known for its wonderful interior decorating and tasty vegetable dishes.
Europa’s residents and submariners often believe that there is something far, far below the charted zones of the moon that causes the Syndrome. Zeng-Hu Pharmaceuticals, which seeks to attract more employees, offers extensive psychiatric assistance and attractive bonuses to its employees to both attract them and stave off the stress associated with the planet. Idris Incorporated provides similar psychiatric assistance to its employees. It also employs many IPCs in its Europan facilities, which has proven an effective strategy to avoiding the isolation and stress associated with “Deep Crazy” and the Syndrome. Idris has also promoted the idea that the Syndrome is a condition resulting from long-term residence on Europa, and is unlikely to ever impact tourists traveling to one of the megacorporation’s luxurious vacation spots. Despite similar living conditions on Europa and Ganymede, with both planets housing their populations in underwater biodomes, residents of Ganymede do not suffer from a condition similar to HDAP Syndrome. Researchers are still attempting to determine whether the phenomenon is truly unique to Europa.
==Major Settlements==


'''Korormansk Station''' is the capital of Europa, and its largest settlement at thirty million permanent residents. It is the oldest settlement on the moon, and remains its only major spaceport. The Korormansk Planetary Spaceport is placed at the base of a massive shaft bored through the Europan ice by drills centuries ago, and heavy steel - and more recently, plasteel - reinforcements on the side of the shaft ensure that the passageway remains secure. Many areas of the station are dug into the ice lining this shaft, which has allowed it to support a larger population than any other settlement. Korormansk maintains a large seaport, and services submarine traffic from throughout the Europan Sea. The Jovian Jewel, the famous Idris Incorporated resort, is located nearby. The station maintains a close relationship with its nearby neighbor, Trelenje Station.
Some notable blockfams in Gung Hy Vong include the cold and distant folk of Khong Bo Cam Block and the stepford smilers of Gia Mao Block. Some notable blockfams in Nong Hy Vong include the extremely religious residents of Ton Giao Block and the family-orientated farmers of Nuoi Faan Block.  


'''Trelenje Station''' is located fairly close to Korormansk, only a few hours’ travel away in all but the slowest submarines, and has become the primary naval yard for the moon. The dockyards of the Trelenje Naval Yard produce the vast majority of Europa’s submarines, from shuttles designed to move barely a half-dozen individuals to massive plasteel-hulled Zeng-Hu research submarines designed to endure the crushing pressure of Europa’s depths. It is also the berth of many Europan submarine crews and a significant economy has developed around this, with Idris Incorporated operating many entertainment venues here. The station maintains a close relationship and strong supply line with its nearby neighbor, Koromansk Station.
===Ton Gwai Pei===
Though the smallest of the megalopolises, Ton Gwai Pei is much more densely packed. Towering skyscrapers made of hab-cubes and designed with the help of feng shui consultants loom over the crowded, narrow streets of the city. Built on the coast of the Sanh Song Sea opposite to Cua Song, Ton Gwai Pei is known for its gambling houses, seedy nightclubs, and open-secret of a criminal underbelly. Tourists looking for more “excitement” often take the bullet train from safe, peaceful Cua Song to tangle in Ton Gwai Pei’s grime and bustle.


'''Phumanus Station''' is the premiere location from which research operations take place in the Europan Sea. Zeng-Hu Pharmaceuticals hosts its Europan headquarters on this station, and launches many of its expeditions from it. Phumanus Station’s position near one of the abyssal zones of the Europan Sea, which is upwards of a hundred miles deep in some regions, has likely contributed to the station’s appeal as a research center. Despite heavy Zeng-Hu investment, the station possesses one of the highest turnover rates in the megacorporation and transfers from the station to other, less well-paying assignments are common. Instances of “Deep Crazy” are also common, and many submariners insist that something is lurking in the abyssal zone nearby. Of course, these reports have not been officially confirmed.
Unlike much of Ton Gwai Pei, or the rest of New Hai Phong for that matter, there is a sizable area called Zau Gwai Jyu where public intoxication is tolerated. This is mostly due to the heavy handed control the local crime syndicate have over Zau Gwai Jyu. The Pou Zyu Sau, as they are called, keep a grip over the management of Zau Gwai Jyu with lots of money, a decent amount of threats, and a handful of murders. The Pou Zyu Sau run multiple “hedon dens” where customers can partake in any drug, narcotic, or alcohol that won’t clog the vents.


The '''Tethys''' is something of an oddity on Europa. Rather than a traditional station, it is instead a large submarine - perhaps the largest on Europa - that maintains a permanent population and is self-sustaining. The Tethys is the result of a failed Einstein Engines attempt to break into the Europan market through the creation of the largest submarine ever built on the moon to that date. When it launched in 2437, the Tethys quickly proved to be a worthless investment to Einstein Engines and was quickly written off, with its crew being left to do what they could without the support of their sponsors. In the years following their abandonment by Einstein, the crew of the Tethys turned it into a mobile city that now specializes in producing smaller submarines for various Europan settlements inside of its massive former research bay. With the heavy research equipment stripped out or otherwise repurposed, there is more than enough space to produce small to medium-sized submarines inside the Tethys itself. While the vessels produced by the Tethys are not as high-quality as those produced at Trelenje Station, many submariners that do not wish to deal with the bureaucracy of the Trelenje Naval Yard prefer the convenience of the Tethys. The captain of the Tethys is elected by the submarine's crew.
Some notable blockfams in Ton Gwai Pei include the sultry, hedonistic gamblers of Con Seoi Block, the fatalistic artists of Tu Su Son Block, and the cutthroat businesspeople of Cong Hoi Block. One notable blockfam in Zau Gwai Jyu are the strong willed, drug free folk of Seng Tinh Zau Block.


{{Navbox Human Lore}}
{{Navbox Human Lore}}

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    • Human Lore
    General Interstellar Relations · Notable Humans · Timeline of Humanity · Offworlder Humans · Human Wildlands · Human Piracy · Human Entertainment Media · Human Social Media · Human Ideologies and Governments · Human Educational Institutions
    Republic of Biesel Biesel · Valkyrie · New Gibson · Mictlan · Port Antillia · Odin · Corporate Reconstruction Zone · Tau Ceti Armed Forces · Biesellite Security and Law · Biesellite Culture and Society · The Trasens
    Sol Alliance Earth · Mars · Luna · Venus · Jupiter · Callisto · Europa · Pluto · New Hai Phong · Silversun · San Colette · Visegrad · Solarian Reconstruction Mandates · Sol Alliance History · Solarian Armed Forces · Solarian Security and Law
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    Eridani Federation Eridani I · Eridani Federation Military
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    REGION - JEWEL WORLDS
    This location is centered in the Jewel Worlds region.
    Centered in the heart of the Sol Alliance and largely safe from any common galactic dangers, the Jewel Worlds are the pride of Humanity to some, and a massive bane to others. Here is where the first colonization from Humanity arose, and where the Interstellar War was powered, producing an extremely polarized mindset against it amongst the Colonial territories. Nearly sixty billion Humans can be found here with an undetermined amount of aliens. Among the Jewel Worlds are the entirety of the Sol star system, Epsilon Eridani, New Hai Phong, and Silversun. The Jewel Worlds possess two bluespace gates, one from Sol to Konyang - which is in the process of being dismantled - and another from Epsilon Eridani to Qerrbalak.

    Earth, Venus, Luna, Mars, Jupiter, Pluto, New Hai Phong, Silversun, and the planets of the Eridani Federation are considered Jewel Worlds.

    New Hai Phong, sometimes rendered New Haiphong, is an economic powerhouse of the Sol Alliance funded by Hephaestus Industries. The capital of New Hai Phong is Cua Song, built around the coast of a large freshwater sea. Tobacco is the main export of New Hai Phong, serving as the planet’s main claim to fame. The primary language is Sol Common, though the spoken Hai Phongese dialect is notably different. New Hai Phong Common, or NHP Common, is much more tonal-based than Sol Common and has a distinctive accent. Freespeak is also somewhat common on New Hai Phong.

    Due to the ethnic make-up of its original settlers and ability for the massive New Hai Phongese population to absorb immigrants into its culture via assimilation, characters born on New Hai Phong must have names and appearances consistent with the peoples of Vietnam, Hong Kong, and South China. Only characters native to New Hai Phong may take the New Hai Phongese accent. This is enforceable by server moderators and admins.

    Содержание

    History

    What would become New Hai Phong had quite humble origins. Originally detected in the late 2100s, New Hai Phong was colonized in the early 2200s by a coalition of Vietnam, China, Cambodia, Thailand, and Laos with intentions of it being not much more than a base of operations for mining facilities on the nearby ice-covered planet of Chu Nho. But as the mining operations continued industry — primarily that of Hephaestus Industries, then dwelling in the shadow of Einstein Engines — followed, and the inhabitable regions of the planet began to rapidly increase in population and importance over the 2200s.

    As New Hai Phong’s industry expanded, so too did Hephaestus’ hold over the planet. As the mines of Chu Nho began to dry up in the early 2300s the planet became more and more reliant upon Hephaestus and the industry it brought: without the sprawling, smoke-belching factories of Hephaestus and the crowded habitation blocs that housed its tens of thousands of employees, New Hai Phong would simply be another Middle Ring mining colony destined for a slow decline into irrelevance. To avoid this fate more and more liberties were given to Hephaestus: regulations on building were lifted, palms were greased to look the other way, and the culture of corruption that now defines much of life on New Hai Phong formed as a result. By the 2400s, Hephaestus’ hold over the planet was all but assured. It is estimated that roughly one in three Hephaestus Industries products undergo final assembly on New Hai Phong, and around four in five products have at least one constituent part assembled on the planet. The presence of Hephaestus is impossible to miss.

    But not all are willing to live alongside Hephaestus and the culture of corruption that it has created. Throughout the 2400s there have been various anti-corporate movements on New Hai Phong, but the pervasive corporate influence and corruption of the planet has seen them repeatedly stamped out or bought out. The one movement that has survived is the New Hai Phongese Socialism of Senator Le Hanh Trang and her party, the Solarian Socialist Unity Party. But with their inability to dislodge Hephaestus from the planet using the Solarian Corporate Authority, it remains to be seen who the New Hai Phong of the future will belong to.

    On October 19, 2460, New Hai Phong was struck by the largest terrorist attack in the Alliance in recent memory. Several cities and even an orbital shipyard were targeted with a series of bombs found out to be military-grade, with Nhom Hy Vhong reporting the heaviest damage and casualties: immediately after, the planet underwent a period of lockdown by both Solarian and Hephaestus security forces. The responsibility for the attack was claimed by the Tajara Revolutionary Army in retaliation to the two Tajara bans and the perceived inequality of Tajara in the Alliance. The bombings prompted much outrage towards both the government for its inability to prevent the attack and towards Tajara themselves, culminating in the Third Tajara Ban on November 6, 2462, of which Senator Le Hanh Trang was a major sponsor, alongside Senator Hendrik Strom.

    Environment

    The planet of New Hai Phong.

    New Hai Phong orbits a binary star system, named Mau Sang and Tia Sang. Hai Phongese years are about ten Terran months and, due to the planet’s orbit, the cooler seasons are about two Terran months shorter than the hotter seasons. Heavy winds and monsoons hit much of Nha O during the monsoon season, which starts towards the end of spring and ends during mid-fall.

    Water covers about 63% of the surface of New Hai Phong with one large, snaking landmass called Nha O covering the rest of the planet. What is not dotted with lakes, rivers, and swamps on Nha O is mostly covered in a savannah environment, with deserts closer to the equator. New Hai Phong has a near-breathable surface atmosphere and a similar gravity to Earth. The only equipment needed to breathe comfortably on the surface is a respirator mask. The average temperature at the equator is 36°C, 30°C at the 35th parallel during the summer, 22°C at the 35th parallel during the winter, and 10°C at the poles.

    Flora and Fauna

    • Cua quy (Orcinocarcinus): A species of large crustaceans, usually around two to three feet tall, with carapace colours ranging from rich brown to dark green. Semi-aquatic, they live on the beaches of Nha O and burrow into the sand to attack unsuspecting prey to lay their eggs in the corpses. Luckily, cua quy completely ignore humans and some even show signs of a “human allergy”, in which contact with a human can cause some manner of infection.
    • Co duyen (Caniforme fidelis): A long-eared mammal with reddish fur that travels in packs in the boreal regions of Nha O. They are omnivorous scavenger-hunters, seen with equal parts endearment and notoriety in the cities of New Hai Phong due to their tendency to root around in garbage bins and slip into restaurants seeking food. They are incredibly social animals, and some New Hai Phongese even keep them as pets. However, the environmental bureau strongly advises keeping co duyen in homes due to their restless nature, and they are known to tear up apartments when unsupervised.
    • Zai nhieu nai (Bubaliforme newhaiphongae): A heavyset ungulate similar in appearance to a water buffalo. Zai nhieu nai roam Nha O in packs, migrating from pole to pole during the monsoon season when their usual grazing grounds become flooded. When they reach the beaches, they are often targets for the predation of cua quy. Some farmers on New Hai Phong herd zai nhieu nai, cultivating them for their soft, waterproof fur, fatty meat, and rich milk.
    • Nguoi jan (Troglodytes nguoi): A species of simians, roughly four to five feet in height when fully erect, with a light covering of fur that ranges in colour from brown, red, and very rarely white. They have short tails and are semi-bipedal, forming social groups remarkably similar to early hominids. They are also highly intelligent, making regular use of rocks and branches as tools to hunt or gather. Much anthropological and biological study has been performed on nguoi jan; some scientists to speculate they could one day evolve into hominids similar to Homo sapiens. Nguoi jan and their habitats are protected by law on New Hai Phong, though recently there is some concern among scientific societies that Hephaestus Industries may attempt to subvert said regulations for further development.
    • Hoa lua co (Pictus triticum): Tall, stalk-like grasses that occasionally bloom with orange flowers. Hoa lua co is edible, and can be crushed into hoa flour or the flowers collected to decorate homes.
    • Ngot la tree (Lissoalbus): A genus of leafy softwood tree with shallow roots found growing all over Nha O. They spread and grow very easily, and prove surprisingly resilient and flexible during typhoons and tropical storms. Bending rather than breaking, a ngot la will be fully uprooted and flung across the land before it actually cracks from strong winds. Ngot la leaves are often used for seasoning in New Hai Phong cuisine.

    Government and Politics

    Government flag of New Hai Phong.

    Local politics on New Hai Phong — generally that below the senatorial level — is not defined by political ideology or economic class due to the endemic corruption of the planet. Instead, it is defined by local communities known as blockfams that have banded together in order to influence local politics. Blockfams are entirely willing to barter and engage in local corruption themselves in order to get what they and their community members want or need, and are not idealistic communities. Blockfams have been known to compete against each other or collude with one another as their needs change, but hardly anything is constant in the relationships between blockfams, the local authorities, or other blockfams. Oftentimes negotiations between blockfams are not done with currency, but by bartering power, favours, and resources between themselves so that there is no credit trail should the planetary authorities, who themselves are corrupt by many measures, decide that any given blockfam’s operations are inconvenient. Corruption is a fact of life on the planet, and blockfams are simply a way for the average resident of New Hai Phong to get what they need from a corrupt system.

    Local governance across the planet beneath the city-scale varies greatly. In one part of a city one could find a corporate-dominated community where Hephaestus owns everything including the police and emergency services, while in another a neighborhood sleepy apartment buildings which pay bribes to the local authorities to look the other way on the illegal gambling dens in the basements, while somewhere else still, the occasional city district or blockfam which operates untainted by corruption, or at least mostly untainted. Despite this presence however, many in the government and authorities do fight a nearly impossible battle against corruption through their actions as individuals or as part of the institutions they represent, but challenges are great. The omnipresent interest of Hephaestus industries dominates life on New Hai Phong, the money from the illicit gambling rooms run by the Zau Gwai Jyu is alluring, and already present expectations of corruption do not make fighting the problems easy. Anti-corruption proceedings themselves often are used merely as instruments for one corrupt politician to dispose of a political rival in a “legitimate” manner, rather than hiring a hit. Despite these challenges though, many on the planet dream of a New Hai Phong with a more just way of life. Some galvanize politically with Senator Trang’s movement, while others who have lost faith in any and all politics simply work to fight corruption in their own lives in the small ways where they can.

    New Hai Phong’s government is generally regarded to be substandard by the broader Alliance due to rampant corruption that is present at every level of civil government. The planet has a singular senator, Le Hanh Trang, in the Alliance Senate. Locally, the government of New Hai Phong on the planet itself is divided between its three cities and the powerful governors that rule over them. Due to their ten year terms and the immense corruption of the megacities themselves, these governors essentially serve for life and almost always come from local political dynasties that have the money to buy their way into the governorship. As lifelong rulers of the planet’s megacities, the three governors of New Hai Phong wield immense power over the planet. Thanks to this its planetary governor must often defer to the city governors’ demands, and thus the demands of Hephaestus Industries by extension.

    Compared to the city governors, the planet’s legitimate Solarian governor, Lai Naam, is nearly powerless and almost completely defanged. A Frost-era appointee, Lai was given his position in 2462 and told that he would have all the support he needed in order to fight widespread corruption on New Hai Phong. But shortly after his appointment the phoron crisis began, and the Alliance rapidly had much bigger problems to deal with. Lai found himself unsupported and at the mercy of his “subordinate” governors, and his situation only further deteriorated following the death of Frost and the Solarian Collapse of 2463. Now, with the SCA having given up on New Hai Phong and the three governors as powerful as ever, Lai seems to be a defeated man, content to simply wait out the remainder of his appointment and retire to a comfortable apartment in the Core Worlds after it is over.

    Megalopolis Governors

    Quách Diễm Nguyen

    The current Governor of Cua Song, Quách Diễm Nguyen (b. 2410) is a woman from the Quách family known for her deep connections to both Hephaestus Industries and Idris Incorporated. Nguyen’s two terms as governor have seen Cua Song’s more affluent neighborhoods along the coast prosper through tourism that is often connected to Idris Incorporated. More inland neighborhoods further from the Sanh Song Sea have seen little of this prosperity, with Nguyen having ignored much of southern Cua Song in favor of the touristy north. Southern Cua Song is a hotbed of New Hai Phongese Socialism, though its residents remain unable to dislodge the governor.

    Lý Quốc Thành

    The Governor of Nhom Hy Vong, Lý Quốc Thành (b. 2390) is deeply entwined with Hephaestus Industries, which is at its strongest in the massive factories of Nhom Hy Vong. Thành, in his three terms as governor, has done much to further the interests of his corporate sponsors and much less for the typical New Hai Phonger in his megacity. The advent of the SCA in 2463 was a temporary cause for immense panic by Thành and his family, and the Lýs are rumored to have nearly fled the governor’s mansion in the night for Biesel. This rumor, and his constant favoring of Hephaestus, have won Thành few friends, and the younger residents of Nhom Hy Vong have turned many of its districts into strongholds of New Hai Phongese Socialism.

    Yueng Long

    The Governor of Ton Gwai Pei, Yueng Long (b. 2411) is unlike his two counterparts: he makes no efforts to hide his corruption, and actively promotes it as a positive aspect of his governorship. Anybody can do almost anything in Ton Gwai, as long as they have enough money to pay the governor for it. As a result, Ton Gwai is divided between dozens of small “fiefdoms”, supervised by people that have paid Yueng for the right to control the area. Entire districts can be governed by criminal syndicates, local notables, or megacorporations (generally Hephaestus, if industrial, or Idris, if intended for tourism). This system has made Yueng one of the wealthiest men on New Hai Phong, and he has resisted all attempts to remove him due to this wealth and the support of his fellow city governors. Despite his personal success New Hai Phongese Socialism has continued to build among the ordinary residents of Tom Gwai, which suffer all of the issues and gain none of the profit of Darany’s system of graft.

    New Hai Phongese Socialism

    One word defines the government of New Hai Phong at every level: corruption. Bribes, often originating in Hephaestus Industries, have become a part of daily life for the planet’s citizens, many of which have long regarded local corruption as simply a fact of life in the Alliance’s industrial capital. Anti-corruption efforts are often stymied and die out before they pass even the lowest levels of the planet’s governing body, and many believe that Hephaestus Industries is similarly behind this. Yet despite the General apathy of the planet towards its corruption, there is an exception: Le Hanh Trang’s New Hai Phongese Socialists.

    Long viewed as a crusader against corruption, Le Hanh Trang and her party, the Solarian Socialist Unity Party, have their roots — and power base — firmly in the widespread dissatisfaction felt by many younger Haiphongers with the corruption of their government in recent years. Trang and the SSUP first rode this wave to win New Hai Phong’s only Alliance Senate seat, and have long attempted to break the stranglehold of Hephaestus over the planet through legislative means. Yet despite her best efforts, Trang was unable to break the planet and Hephaestus apart even during the height of the anti-megacorporate Solarian Corporate Authority. The once-public Trang has slunk into the political shadows following her defeat, and rumors have begun to swirl that she and her party are merely proxies of Einstein Engines that intend to sell New Hai Phong to it after wresting it from Hephaestus. The survival of Trang as a viable candidate for the position of Prime Minister is anything but certain, but her movement — with its emphasis on fighting for the common Solarian worker against megacorporations— will assuredly outlast her.

    Economics

    By leveraging their building rights on New Hai Phong, Hephaestus Industries has managed to seep into every crack of the planet. Large swathes of land on New Hai Phong are owned by Hephaestus, connected to the three megalopolises through bullet train networks. Hephaestus Industries has built numerous industrial factories, manufacturing plants, and research labs over the landscape, with the largest complexes being nicknamed cities. Hephaestus’ headquarters on New Hai Phong is the Sieng Nang Zi Complex, just 40 kilometers from the outskirts of Cua Song.

    Thanks to Hephaestus, New Hai Phong’s economy is comparatively a roaring success. Though the planet loses significant GDP from corruption, unemployment figures are through the floor and New Hai Phong maintains zero planetary debt. Hephaestus provides around 70% of all employment with 15% of Hephaestus jobs dealing with management and the remaining 85% dealing with all kinds of manufacturing, often the manufacturing of atmospheric equipment.

    New Hai Phong also invests heavily in agriculture, being said to produce nearly all of the galaxy’s tobacco. However, tobacco has slowly lost popularity due to the outlawing and growing stigma of tobacco usage in many systems. Ironically enough, because of the thin atmosphere and airtight homes, few on New Hai Phong have even smoked tobacco and chewing tobacco is frowned upon because of its harsh effects on health and appearance.

    New Hai Phong has gradually branched out to other crops such as tea, coffee beans, cocoa beans, rice, soybean, and sugarcane. In particular, Hai Phongese tea is very popular as both a local and an exported product with many locals drinking tea with almost every meal.

    Culture and Demographics

    For most of New Hai Phong's inhabitants, living conditions are poor. The metropolises have double-populated hab-cube buildings to save space, with privacy being rare. Because of this, "blockmates" will treat each other in a familial manner, calling themselves "blockfams". Blockfams are incredibly tight-knit, and loyalty to one’s blockfam is fierce and passionate; legendary disputes have been held between multiple large blockfams. Blocks inhabited by poorer citizens are often in poor repair with jury-rigging solutions and shoddy fortifications generally left to local communities.

    Outside of the three metropolises or surrounding towns, a rare few settlements exist in the deserts and jungles. Desert-dwellers live in small familial groups, usually working as moisture farmers or hunters that live off the land.

    Corruption is also a constant problem on New Hai Phong. All three of the planet's metropolises struggle with bribery at every level, from local police departments to top officials. It is an open secret that Hephaestus Industries is behind most of these bribes as a means of retaining financial control over the planet. The practice of bribery itself is essential to everyday life on New Hai Phong; shopkeeps unable to pay "fees" to the city police find their business constantly raided on suspicions of every offence imaginable. Similarly, hapless tourists have found themselves booted off of the planet for non-specific crimes against local communities after failing to provide supplementary "administration fees" with their travel papers.

    Substance abuse and addiction, especially alcoholism, are also major problems due to the variety of high-stress situations both Hephaestus employment and the planet place on many citizens. This problem is only worsened by the fact that the legal drinking age on New Hai Phong is 13 and the legal age to buy alcohol is 17, leading to numerous teenagers falling to binge drinking. Though many drink, it is considered shameful to be inebriated in public. Heavy fines and mandatory community service in gruelling environments are given to those caught intoxicated, along with peer-shaming. In recent years, however, there has been a steep decline in teenage alcoholism, giving hope that the next generation may face fewer problems with drug abuse and addiction.

    Fashion

    Much of New Hai Phongese fashion is very practical, modifying both traditional and modern clothing to suit the environment of New Hai Phong. Conical hats, especially non la, are commonplace to shield citizens from the sweltering suns and heavy rains. For those in desert regions, a transparent, knee-length veil is attached to the rim of the hat to block the harsh effects of sandstorms. Conical hats are often left plain or decorated to better suit the style of one’s clothing. The most basic New Hai Phongese look is a conical hat, a thin tank top, airy shorts, and sneakers with breathable socks. Basic athletic gear is also common.

    Traditional fashion is still somewhat popular on New Hai Phong. Ao dai are commonplace, though not without changes for the New Hai Phongese climate. The dress is sometimes sleeveless or cropped to the knee or mid-thigh and the trousers are sometimes made tighter and often cut to match the shorter dress styles. New Hai Phongese ao yem have mostly remained unchanged from the traditional style with the backless garments remaining popular year round. The slightly less common cheongsam are usually made more breathable and are similarly cropped. Changshan are usually made more form fitting, and some New Hai Phongese changshan are styled to be worn open, whether with an undershirt or not.

    As the respirator mask is an essential part of life on New Hai Phong, it has become a staple part of local fashion. Respirators are often made in vibrant colors and decorated with stickers, neon-tubing, beads, LEDs, or whatever else the owner prefers. Some more skilled in engineering modify theirs by adding visors, changing the shape, or attaching additional pieces.

    Cuisine

    Traditional New Hai Phongese cuisine uses animal meat and the hearty plants native to New Hai Phong. The resulting palate consists of soft, sour meats balanced against tough, sweet herb stalks. These herbs are often sucked on after the main course for flavor and nutrition. Most meals are entirely plant-based due to the inflated price of meat, leading to dietary supplement pills and gummies becoming commonplace. For the lower and lower-middle classes, rice, tofu, and other soy-based substitutes are often consumed due to the much cheaper price compared to native crops and meats. All folk on New Hai Phong enjoy a variety of wellmade desserts, including xoi la dua, a dish of sticky rice topped with Nha O Ngot La leaves, and che troi nuoc, sweet rice dumplings filled with beans. Blockfams often have a “noichu nuong”, a team of chefs and cooks individually called ”chudau”, who dedicate their time solely to making food for their blockmates.

    Drinks are also a key part of Hai Phongese cuisine, stemming from poorer citizens needing more flavor in their soy product and supplement-based diet. Teas in particular are common due to New Hai Phong’s often forgotten tea leaf farms. White, green, matcha, and honeybush tea are all popular among those stressed out by New Hai Phongese life due to their soft, sweet, soothing flavors. For those who do a lot of physical or manual labor, black tea and pu-erh tea are popular because of their hearty, strengthening flavors. Both native and imported herbs and flowers are usually added for additional flavor, whether to make the taste sweeter or stronger.

    One popular food on New Hai Phong is “dua zi mon”, literally “chopstick food” when translated, which is prepared by wrapping small balls of cooked meat, cooked fish, or raw fish in hoa dough before baking. Once finished, dua zi mon is ready to eat. It is a popular game among friends to see who can get the most duazi mon from the serving platter onto their plate unsurprisingly using one of the most common utensils through human space--chopsticks.

    Education

    Thanks to heavy funding from Hephaestus Industries, many colleges and universities offer incredible experience for those working in manufacturing and atmospherics. One such college is the Atmospheric Learning Institute of Kho Nang, or ALIKN, which is the main institute in Cua Song’s University District. ALIKN’s students are often jokingly called “aliens” as a fudging of the acronym’s spelling. Many atmospheric technicians, engine technicians, and toxin researchers come out of ALIKN, which also holds a small but steady group of airborne virologists.

    Unsurprisingly, many graduates from the university are snatched up by Hephaestus who offers scholarship-to-employment programs to the gifted. Other corporations such as Einstein Engines also snipe graduates for their relevant departments. One notable graduate is Elisa Tung, inventor of the Shok-Free Protected Atmospherics System integrated into most high-end combat exosuits.

    Population and Major Cities

    Cua Song

    Like the other three megalopolises, Cua Song is made up of modular “habitation cubes” that are essentially extremely compact and airtight pieces of a home that are combined to form proper buildings. Hab-cube buildings are organized by blocks. Cua Song is built along much of the Sanh Song Sea, a freshwater sea rich with life and resources and a source of pride of the denizens of the megalopolis. Cua Song is known for its very scenic seaside view and beautifully decorated hab-buildings, becoming the main tourist location on New Hai Phong.

    Grand hotels can be found along the coast and uptown in Cua Song, often connected to the Ngoi Sao Chuyen Spaceport by tramways. Minibuses shuttle tourists downtown to neon-lit nightclubs, vibrant lounges, and lively night markets while taxis bring others uptown to the elegant restaurants, ornate water puppet theaters, pampering spas, and classy music clubs. Some tourists wander the busy streets, trying local street foods like soy-fish dua zi mon and tea-soaked hoa bread or snapping pictures with friendly locals. Bullet trains shoot out of Cho Nga Tu Station bringing more adventurous tourists to Ton Gwai Pei and workers off to Hephaestus Industries’ Sieng Nang Zi Complex.

    Few tourists, however, visit the poorer areas of Cua Song far away from the Sanh Song Sea where the streets are almost empty, the rundown hab-buildings are covered in political graffiti, and the sidewalks are littered in sand-covered garbage. Southern Cua Song, often called Ghe Song, was built over barren desert. Extreme sandstorms in Ghe Song are a constant problem during “monsoon” season, often leading to blockfams organizing strikes on other blocks for much needed supplies.

    Some notable blockfams in Cua Song include the peppy, friendly folk of Mat Troi Block, the traditional, yet open-minded residents of Bieu Tuong Block, and the talented and humble artisans of Tinh Than Block. Some notable blockfams in Ghe Song include the shady, dark-loving recluses of Tinh Than Block and the anti-corporate, passionate graffiti artists of Noi Day Block.

    Nhom Hy Vong

    Nhom Hy Vong is by far the area with the heaviest Hephaestus presence and where much of the planet’s industry comes from. The megalopolis sprawls along the Sea of Ca Ngay, the largest freshwater sea on New Hai Phong, and is divided in two by the Suot Maan River. To the east lies Gung Hy Vong, home to many factories and office buildings, and to the west is Nong Hy Vong which is packed with apartments and greenhouses.

    In Gung Hy Vong, Hephaestus Industries owns a massive number of manufacturing plants, office buildings, and industrial factories. A good number of Hephaestus’ employees on New Hai Phong work in Gung Hy Vong, with most of the rest working in the Sieng Nang Zi Complex that connects to the city by bullet train. Nong Hy Vong is a stark contrast with brightly colored hab-cube buildings topped with gardens and giant glass greenhouses spread throughout the area. The region is known for its wonderful interior decorating and tasty vegetable dishes.

    Some notable blockfams in Gung Hy Vong include the cold and distant folk of Khong Bo Cam Block and the stepford smilers of Gia Mao Block. Some notable blockfams in Nong Hy Vong include the extremely religious residents of Ton Giao Block and the family-orientated farmers of Nuoi Faan Block.

    Ton Gwai Pei

    Though the smallest of the megalopolises, Ton Gwai Pei is much more densely packed. Towering skyscrapers made of hab-cubes and designed with the help of feng shui consultants loom over the crowded, narrow streets of the city. Built on the coast of the Sanh Song Sea opposite to Cua Song, Ton Gwai Pei is known for its gambling houses, seedy nightclubs, and open-secret of a criminal underbelly. Tourists looking for more “excitement” often take the bullet train from safe, peaceful Cua Song to tangle in Ton Gwai Pei’s grime and bustle.

    Unlike much of Ton Gwai Pei, or the rest of New Hai Phong for that matter, there is a sizable area called Zau Gwai Jyu where public intoxication is tolerated. This is mostly due to the heavy handed control the local crime syndicate have over Zau Gwai Jyu. The Pou Zyu Sau, as they are called, keep a grip over the management of Zau Gwai Jyu with lots of money, a decent amount of threats, and a handful of murders. The Pou Zyu Sau run multiple “hedon dens” where customers can partake in any drug, narcotic, or alcohol that won’t clog the vents.

    Some notable blockfams in Ton Gwai Pei include the sultry, hedonistic gamblers of Con Seoi Block, the fatalistic artists of Tu Su Son Block, and the cutthroat businesspeople of Cong Hoi Block. One notable blockfam in Zau Gwai Jyu are the strong willed, drug free folk of Seng Tinh Zau Block.

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