Pearl Moon

Pearl Moon
Type	Ocean World / Agri-world
Orbital Radius	Unknown
Gravity	1.21G
Temperature / Climate	35°C
Population	3.5 Million humans and Abhumans
Planetary Governor	Lord Artaxis Spheng
System	Karrik System
Sub-sector	Markayn Marches
Sector	Calixis Sector
Segmentum	Segmentum Obscurus
Tithe Grade	Unknown

The Pearl Moon is an Imperial world in orbit of the planet Karrik that is designated as an Ocean World and an Agri-world by the Administratum. It has no permanent land masses besides man-made structures. The population of the Pearl Moon are mostly employed with gathering, packaging and shipping out seafood and algae to feed the populaces of other worlds in the Calixis Sector. Despite being a relatively peaceful place to live, life on the oceans of the Pearl Moon is hard, and the average lifespan is about 40. Most people live on large farming rigs that are suspended over submerged reefs and rocks by numerous cables. The people of the Pearl Moon tend to possess a high degree of tolerance to motion sickness and contact with slightly caustic environmental conditions. Despite their harsh life something about an existance on the ocean appeals to many people here, and they can become maudlin if taken from their homeworld.

The Planetary Governor Lord Artaxis Spheng and a bevvy of his cronies form an effective oligarchy who concern themselves mainly with strategies to meet their tithe quota. There is a greater seperation of church and state on the Pearl Moon than on most Imperial worlds, though Spheng and his friends are careful to remain on the right side of the local religious authorities. The moon's population is too small for heretical cults to take hold successfully, though folk tales abound of sunken cities, giant white whale-worms, and weird islands covered in alien architecture that are revealed during certain confluences of the moons, but sensible folk are dismissive of them. Small communities of both Ratlings and Ogryns live on the rigs as well.

Whilst the population of the Pearl Moon is peaceful and loyal to the Imperium this is an important world for the sector, and relatively vulnerable, so it may make a tempting target for the forces of Chaos, or some other foe.

Departmento Cartographicae Planetary Database

• Equatorial Circumference: 12,500 Miles.
• Gravity: 1.21 G.
• Class: Ocean World and Agri-world (producing crops of algae and seafood).
• Satellites: The Pearl Moon is itself one of the world of Karrik's satelites.
• Population: 3,500,000 Humans and Abhumans.
• Climate Classification: Extreme - Hyper Humid.
• Mean Surface Temperature: 35°C.
• Atmospheric Composition: Nitrogen 72%, Oxygen 25%, Argon 1%, Ozone 1%, Carbon Dioxide 0.5%.
• Planetary Governor: Lord Artaxis Spheng. 7th Ruler of the Spheng Dynasty.
• Religion: A conservative, but not zealous, adherence to the Imperial Cult. Karrik's Monodominant beliefs are also an influence here.
• Climate: Warm temperatures and abundance of water make for a humid atmosphere and precipitation is heavy. The skies are usually filled with roiling thunderclouds, though storms on the planet often look worse than they are. Cloud cover means that the nights remain warm, though the seas absorb some heat meaning that the temperature does drop towards sunrise.
• Climatic Regions: The entire surface is covered in ocean. Sometimes the gravitational pull of the moons or volcanic activity will reveal small atolls, but these are soon covered by the tide or worn away by the action of waves. Some reefs of note do exist, such at the great rocky Shatterships to the north pole of the planet. For the most part though the ocean is deep, and in some areas unfathomned. The Pearl Moon is a warm world, and sea ice does not form at the poles.
• Climatic Phenomena: Near-constant storms.
• Terraforming: In order to farm fish on the planet, rigs come equipped with hydro-processing units that remove alkaline minerals from the water. There are some worries that this may lead to a planetwide lowering of the oceans Ph levels, but the government of the Pearl Moon is not overly concerned about this. A number of species not native to the planet have been introduced for farming purposes.
• Native Flora and Fauna:  A variety of animals and plants live in the seas of the Pearl Moon. The vast majority of them form a vast planktonic soup drifting in the great ocean. There are no known vertebrates native to the Pearl Moon, though a number of creatures analogous to Terran annelids, molluscs and crustaceans exist. Some of these are real monsters of the deep, and attacks on ships and rigs by massive and ravenous whale-worms, or huge crab-like rhanniniods, are uncommon but not unknown.
• Alien Flora and Fauna: A number of species of fish have been introduced from other worlds inhabited by humans, including breeds of cod and tuna.
• Economy: The population of the Pearl Moon mostly live on vast farming rigs, tethered to submerged reef or rocks by numerous cables.The people of the Pearl Moon use the local Imperial currency ofKarrik. Most workers are farmers and labourers, though many rigs come with drilling and mining facilities to take advantage of the considerable fossil fuel wealth of the moon.
• Society: Mostly poor farm labourers operating in "work gangs." A high level of technology is maintained, with many tasks automated. Ministorium Galaxia missionaries report very little in the way of genetic mutation. A small number of Ratlings are employed in work gangs on many rigs, keeping maintainance channels and drains clear. Ogryn work gangs are also present to help with hard labour on the docks.
• Water Supply: The water of the Pearl Moon's oceans is salty and somewhat alkaline, but hydro-processing plants situated in the rigs turn it into drinkable water. Rain water is also fairly easy to collect, and is quite potable, though off-worlders can find that it tastes odd.
• Principle Exports: Foodstuffs (mostly algae, but some fish and other edible sea creatures too), natural gas. The Imperium expects the Pearl Moon to produce enough to food to supplement the diets of Imperial Citizens living on less fertile worlds throughout the Calixis Sector. Planets such as Karrik recieve regular shipments from the Pearl Moon.
• Principle Imports: Building materials for rigs and ships, mechanical goods, electrical devices, farming equipment.
• Countries and Continents: None.
• Conflicts: None of any significance; the small population and harsh living conditions breed a sense of community that means the people of the Pearl Moon are relatively peaceful.
• Defences: Almost every large rig on the planet carries some form of large weapon such as a macro cannon or defence laser. A small PDF exists, but the terrain of the planet means that the force recieves very limited training, and its performance is not well regarded.
• Imperial Guard Recruitment: The Pearl Moon is not expected to raise any regiments of Imperial Guard beyond their Planetary Defence Force. The populations farming work is considered an important enough service.
• Contact with Other Worlds: The Pearl Moon sends shipments of food to many other worlds in the Calixis Sector.

Sources

• Guide to the Calixis Sector (PDF)