EXOHUMAN SETTLEMENTS IN THE BETA AGE

During the Beta Age, the establishment of ExoHuman settlements on VOI 700 D was orchestrated by the Free State of Settler's Settler's Council, based on the guidelines outlined in the Human Settlement Plan (HSP). Unlike the strict limitations imposed in the later Gamma Age, ExoHumans initially enjoyed relative freedom in settlement selection, land ownership, and mobility, though practical challenges significantly shaped their settlement patterns.

The execution of the HSP proved challenging due to two primary factors:

• The ExoHumans crash-landed unexpectedly on the tidally locked planet VOI 700 D, rather than their original intended destination. This unforeseen circumstance significantly disrupted the original settlement strategy.

• VOI 700 D was already inhabited by a significantly larger population of Native Tribes, whose existing settlements and territories severely limited available land within the planet's narrow Habitual Belt.

Settlements founded during this period were driven by immediate practical needs, resource availability, and exploratory findings rather than ideal planning conditions.

• New Kourou
• Established: August 8, 2625
• Location: Near the crash site of the Last Frontier, located in the Asari Region of the Habitual Belt.
• Reason for Foundation: Proximity to salvaged spaceship materials for initial housing construction. Despite lacking proximity to rivers, lakes, or other strategic resources, this site became the administrative and commercial hub due to necessity rather than optimal planning.
• Housing: Built primarily from recycled spaceship components due to resource scarcity after the crash landing.

• Firetown
• Established: February 17, 2627
• Location: In the cold, permanently dark Ralar Region on the planet’s Dark Side.
• Reason for Foundation: Discovered copper resources essential for ExoHuman technological needs.
• Housing: Constructed primarily from volcanic stone due to harsh environmental conditions and lack of other suitable materials.

• Hope
• Established: March 24, 2627 (first farms developed earlier)
• Location: Fertile farmland near the Arla River in the Asari Region.
• Reason for Foundation: Initially emerged as agricultural farmland rather than a formally planned settlement. Infrastructure gradually developed to support farmers’ daily needs, eventually establishing Hope as a recognized settlement.
• Housing: Mostly basic homes built from local stone and wood, integrating living quarters directly into the farming landscape.

• Morningstar
• Established: June 15, 2626
• Location: Within the densely forested region of the Atrana Mountains in the Asari Region.
• Reason for Foundation: Timber resources necessary for construction, heating, and industry.
• Housing: Predominantly wooden structures and communal lodges, adapted to mountain terrain limitations.

• Arla Town
• Established: September 03, 2626
• Location: Eastern shore of Lake Arla, Asari Region.
• Reason for Foundation: Built during the short existence of the Free State of Settlers as a fishing and processing hub. Included a central fish factory and temporary housing for ExoHuman workers.
• Housing: Basic functional shelters and prefabricated industrial buildings. Destroyed by the Trando Tribe during the Great War. Only ruins remain in the Gamma Age, overgrown and forbidden for exploration under the Peace Treaty.

Unlike New Kourou, which was founded out of immediate necessity, the other settlements followed a structured process, directed by the Settler’s Council. This process ensured that settlement establishment was organized, resource-efficient, and capable of long-term viability.

• Exploration teams (typically geologists, surveyors, and environmental scientists) were dispatched to identify viable locations for new settlements.
• Reports on potential resource availability, sustainability, and security risks were submitted to the Settler's Council.
• The Settler’s Council held a vote to determine whether a settlement should be established.

• Once approved, a public tender process was initiated to attract entrepreneurs, architects, and building companies willing to invest in and develop the settlement.
• Industry-specific businesses were encouraged to establish operations. For example Timber businesses in Morningstar or Mining companies in Firetown.

• Winning contractors were granted settlement rights and sent Manual Labor Bots and foremen to begin construction.
• Architects and planners worked on structural layouts, ensuring basic infrastructure like roads, medical stations, and storage facilities were built.
• Housing and industrial buildings were constructed simultaneously to accommodate both workers and future residents.

• With the settlement functional, settlers — primarily workers and their families— moved in, establishing a self-sufficient community.
• Security measures were implemented, leading to the construction of perimeter walls.
• This systematic approach ensured controlled growth and sustainability, though each settlement still faced environmental and logistical challenges.

Due to rising tensions and disputes with the Native Tribes, as well as the constant threat from environmental hazards and wildlife, the Settler’s Council mandated the construction of protective perimeter walls around New Kourou, Firetown, and Morningstar. These perimeter walls initially intended to safeguard inhabitants later became known as the infamous “prison walls” during the Gamma Age, symbolizing confinement and lost freedom.

In contrast to the restricted mobility of the Gamma Age, Beta Age settlers enjoyed relative freedom to travel and relocate between settlements, fostering trade and cultural exchange. However, this mobility was still constrained by practical and security considerations, such as the limited safety outside walled settlements and conflicts over land rights with Native Tribes.

ExoHumans, many of whom had spent their entire lives aboard the confined Last Frontier spaceship, initially experienced the settlements on VOI 700 D as an opportunity to finally realize their dreams of open space, independence, and exploration. However, the harsh reality of limited resources, environmental constraints, and conflicts with Native Tribes rapidly tempered this enthusiasm. The initial optimism of frontier life gradually gave way to frustration and disillusionment, setting the stage for conflicts that culminated in the Great War.

The Beta Age settlements provide rich settings for adventures emphasizing survival, frontier challenges, and cultural tensions:

• Resource Conflicts: Players might manage disputes over limited resources such as timber, copper, or agricultural land, requiring diplomacy or strategic combat.
• Settlement Defense: Encounters involving wildlife attacks, Native Tribe incursions, or environmental hazards highlight the settlers' ongoing struggle for security.
• Exploration Missions: Players could join discovery expeditions to establish new settlements or identify critical resources, encountering both environmental dangers and unexpected Native Tribe interactions.

• Human Settlement Plan (HSP)
• Free State of Settlers
• Great War
• Native Tribes of VOI 700 D

Exohuman settlements within the Free State of Settlers:

• New Kourou
• Firetown
• Hope
• Morningstar
• Arla Town

The Ages of ExoHuman History:

• Alpha Age
• Beta Age
• Gamma Age