Bhuloka - The Eternal Savanna

[Lestat]

Bhuloka

Land of vast savannas, gold, and a thriving religious society, Bhuloka is a frequent stop for traders, and tourists around the Great Wheel. The local inhabitants, the Loxodon are extremely hospitable, and eager to give you opportunities to spend your disposable income on various trinkets, hookah bars, or for the more sober customer: top of the line arms, armor, and technology all locally manufactured and developed. There is a notable amount of undeveloped stretches of land that still cover the highly advanced world. Big game hunting is a popular pastime. In some upper circles within the Great Wheel having completed a hunt on Bhuloka is such a point of pride that you can even find hunters who will stage a hunting prize photograph for you. With space stations looming over desert cities gilded in gold there is no limit to the stories that come out of Bhuloka.

Physical Conditions

The Crystal Sphere Bhuloka is contained within features one star, a yellow dwarf, named Shiva and three planets. The first planet, Saumya has an orbit of 76 days, a solar day of 8 hours, a surface gravity of 0.4g, and a total mass equal to 0.064 Terras. It is completely uninhabitable featuring no moons, no atmosphere, and extremely high radiation and heat from its proximity to Shiva. The second planet, Bhuloka proper has an orbit of 423.2 days, a solar day of 27 hours, a surface gravity of 1.12g, and a total mass equal to 1.35 Terras. It has no moon. It is relatively close to its star, but still well within the zone conducive for life. Temperatures range anywhere from 24-34°C on an average day, but can be lower or noticeably higher. The last planet, Parvati is a gas giant with a mass of over 23 Terras, with 138 orbiting satellites. Its distance is at the extreme ends of the Crystal Sphere, and there are several outposts on several of the larger moons that conduct experiments on the inner lining of the Crystal Sphere.

There are several artificial structures located within the Bhuloka Crystal Sphere. The first are the pair of competing commercial space stations in orbit above planet Bhuloka. One is owned by M.G. Services and is an important hub of trade. The other is much smaller, but more recent owned by mogul Svatir Agrawal, and is a luxury hotel for foreign dignitaries, and business owners. In addition there is a space elevator operated by M.G. Services which is open for use given a standardized fee. There are multiple unmanned docks which contain emergency fuel storages between Bhuloka, and Parvati, in addition to emergency food stops which contain innumerable crops.

Bhuloka is a dry landscape with little natural water reserves. Local fauna is naturally small and shrub like with a few larger trees, however modern imports have brought alien hypertough plants that thrive even in low water conditions with roots that never stop burrowing, reaching hundreds of meters down into ground water. Without a moon tides are extremely stable, while the axis it spins upon is not, leading to a distinct lack of seasonal temperature differences. Additionally nights are almost pitch black without an object to illuminate the night sky. There is a thin ring of rock debris that can be seen more clearly at night. This ring causes various complications with setting satellite orbits, with most planetary defense systems being located on the surface rather than in the upper atmosphere.

Bhuloka Inhabitants

Bhuloka, outside of the dominant species, houses many other sapient and non sapient species. The number one most populous being on Bhuloka outside of insects are Skaven who live in the lowest servant Caste of society. In the vast savannas there are many deadly animals, many not native to the planet originally. Hunting in this chaotic zoo is quite the poplar challenge for the affluent. There are countless species of birds that have made themselves at home in Bhulokan cities. Loxodon are quite fond of birds, and find themselves throwing out seeds for them to eat. Outside of the populous species there are many immigrants of all kinds of species that find themselves living in Bhuloka for one reason or another. Bhuloka is called a wonderful place to visit, but a hell to live in. By seeking citizenship one must also enter the Caste system which you are automatically placed at the bottom with no way to change.

Bhuloka Locations

New Ganesha
The capital of Bhuloka, the city is dedicated to the god Ganesh. It is here where Parliament sits, and the fate of trillions throughout the Wheel are decided. Mega rich business owners, bankers, and stock brokers lobby for decisions to be made in their family's favor, while generals threaten coups if civility is not maintained. In this constantly churning struggle for dominance Skaven trod through open streets cleaning up trash, bird droppings, and the bodies of their brethren who are so often extorted, beaten, and killed by not just disgruntled Loxodon, but other Skaven themselves. It is not the most modern city in Bhuloka, but it is the most important with deep history spanning back to the time of Loxodon bondage under Skaven slavers.

Bhogavati
Bhogavati is the great forward looking hope for the future of Loxodon excellence. An all modern city with streets of plasteel, built to last a hundred thousand years. Here construction of all new Loxodon warships, weapons and armor, and technology is made, and it represents a chance for those of the working Caste to stake a real claim. The Shudra's first mega-mogul Svatir Agrawal oversees construction 100% financed by him personally. This success flies in the face of customs on Shudra not owning serious businesses, but Parliament has been hesitant to turn away from generous donations. If anything Bhogavati is the shining city upon a hill for the poor, and an ugly blight to the privileged. When night falls boltguns are readied as elite Skaven stalkers break locks, and scour through computer terminals looking for private information that might shut the brash worker made oligarch down. As the weeks pass things only get more tense between the silently warring Castes.

Kaladvipa Plains
The largest untouched stretch of land on Bhuloka, it is a wide expanse of shrubbery, lakes, grasses, trees, and even a forest growing along side a major river. There are no roads, and only a few observational outposts. Typically the wild life stays away from the city gates, and outposts, but miles out there is no telling what one might run into. Submerged reptiles that wait for a grazing animal to wander by, slugs that fossilize in drought but rejuvenate when it rains, quadrupedal hunters that mimic Loxodon speech to lure prey. New species are always being incorporated by the government in order to keep things entertaining for visitors.

New Ganesha Underburrow
Home to the majority of Skaven in Bhuloka the Underburrow is a series of tunnels crisscrossing the underside of New Ganesha. These tunnels are far too small for Loxodon to fit through, and serves as a kind of shanty town with its own politics, leaders, business owners, and thugs. This community is well known of by the Loxodon, however without it the city would be severely under equipped to house and accommodate the countless Skaven that live beneath. The surface and underground live in a kind of truce to not interfere with one another's actions. It is natural that various plots and terrorist activities spawn in these burrows, and many important Loxodon have been assassinated for political reasons by Skaven. However Loxodon simply cannot survive without Skaven workers, so after a few weeks of massacring tensions die down, and business returns to normal.

M.G. Services Anchorage Prime
Bhuloka's largest satellite and space station, Anchorage Prime is an ancient installation that has been refurbished and expanded many times. Originally built as a floating farm to allow personnel to remain in space for greater periods of time, it now serves as a security checkpoint, trading post, refueling station, hotel, and observation installation for observing both the surface of the planet, and the rest of the Crystal Sphere. The station is broken into several sectors some requiring security clearance. There is always a wide variety of species aboard the station each waiting for their paperwork to clear and allow them to land on the surface below. There is also a large number of non Loxodon employees coming and going from deliveries to many foreign corners of the Wheel.

Adventure Seeds

Escort Needed
The largest corporation of Bhuloka, M.G. Services, constantly sends delivery ships throughout the Great Wheel to trade. These ships can be found ransacked, in the midst of battle, or at any dock in the Wheel requesting an escort with payment back at Bhuloka. At Bhuloka players can be brought to the M.G. Anchorage Prime space station to receive a visitor pass for the surface, or simply land for a simpler exchange. The reward might not be able to be given due to complications such as Skaven stealing a shipment away to the Underburrow, a rival mogul sabotaging the supply line, or a Loxodon/Skaven worker strike shutting down the city.

Big Game Hunting
Any important, or rich individual in the Great Wheel might bring up the Kaladvipa Plains and how they are intending to go on a big game hunting expedition, and wish for the players to accompany them. If the journey and connections aren't prize enough they can easily offer compensation after the hunt ends. They might insist some of the players not use certain equipment they commonly employ in order to keep the 'spirit of the hunt' intact.

Brink of War
Tension between Skaven, and Loxodon are constant on Bhuloka. The situation might be reaching a boiling point with a series of assassinations happening in a short time span against key Loxodon influencers. Loxodon need someone who can mingle with the Skaven and pose as lower Caste Dalit, while the Skaven need fresh visitors to help them get into areas no Skaven would be allowed. The situation could spiral into war that will be decided by the very few at the top, and the espionage each side uses against the other.

Petty Pawns
Money is ready to be made everywhere in Bhuloka. Skaven plot to steal from Loxodon, Loxodon plot to ruin one another on business, and everyone needs a patsy. The players might be recognized for unscrupulous morals as perfect operatives to break into various establishments at night, and get various jobs done. The punishment for such crimes is of course death, but many Loxodon prefer 'civil' extortion instead of reporting to authorities.

A Deal You Can't Refuse
Loxodon are constantly in search of new alliances, and players with certain levels of backing might be requested to head to Bhuloka and oversee talks of an embassy being built in your territory. These talks can take one directly to Bhulokan Parliment, or even the home of an oligarch who wishes to make an exclusive trade agreement.