Solvonus. The Birth of an Empire.

Solvonus, the setting of the new series The Solvonus Cycle, is a complex setting for this newest addition to the sci-fi genre.

Settled millennia ago by a group of refugees, their own system overrun by the dastardly Interlopers, each of the nine planets proved to be special in its own right. The system’s scientists have attempted, from time to time, to explain the seemingly symbiotic nature of the world and its occupants, both influencing the other in their evolutionary advancement.

The intrepid survivors, a handful of survivors compared to the millions lost, worked hard, taming their chosen planets. Of the nine planets, seven were initially habitable, although only three could truly be called so, even before extensive terraforming projects brought the rest online.

Those three — Riser, Nthandi and Da’ashan — became known as the Core. Their populations thrived immediately, as few resources were needed to allow life to flourish. Senovar, T’sannu, Voltaro, and Ikalitek took more convincing in their terraforming efforts. However, eventually even these were home to the refugees, despite their position in the system. Airia and Darecca proved the most difficult, the former orbiting quite close to the system's star, and the latter being a gas giant.

As the populace of each planet settled into their new homes, their individual cultures, physiology and even religion differentiated from the other worlds. At first, this phenomenon was hardly noted, the great ships that had borne them from their lost solar system having been scrapped for parts, causing each world to progress as it saw fit.

Over the passing centuries, travel and trade slowly resumed as the inhabitants of Solvonus surmounted the immediate task of survival, allowing them to turn their focus outward. The distance between planets proved to be a great hindrance, along with an exotic radiation that, while harmless to the people, caused FTL drives to be inoperable. Thankfully, a few courageous souls found the solitude and quiet of interplanetary travel to their liking, and a subset of Solvonus arose, living their lives in the blackness between planets.

The greatest leap forward in the reunification of the former refugees came when a plant on the desert planet of T’sannu was discovered and its incredible gifts were disseminated across the solar system. The plant imbued special powers to some few inhabitants of Solvonus. As it was studied, it became apparent that the plant interacted with the disparate evolved physiology of each world. The changes to the DNA of the population of each planet had differed, albeit slightly, from each other.

One of the planets, Nthandi, discovered that they gained the ability to Travel. At first it was limited in distance, useful only for intraplanetary Travel. As time progressed, so did the understanding of the Power and how to harness it. Stronger users were found, their abilities allowing them to move from planet to planet. With the help of a new technology the Powers learned to Travel not just themselves, but also a space-faring vessel, throughout Solvonus.

The system’s trade exploded, and a few wise individuals immediately capitalized on this newfound resource. Suddenly, the potentially years-long travel between planets was reduced to mere weeks at the most. The Solvonus people were no longer relegated to their own worlds but could move freely throughout the system.

The exponential growth of interplanetary trade made for a shift in the relatively stable distribution of wealth throughout the system. Along with utilizing the Power from their respective worlds, a handful of merchants became the de facto rulers of Solvonus, as they brought the majority of available resources under their control.

As the general population of Solvonus woke to the inequity, it rose as one, demanding a fair and equitable allocation of resources. At the same time, a peculiarity was discovered: Until now, it was understood that individuals showing an aptitude received only the one Power from the planet of their birth. However, of the millions of voices crying out for equality, one voice rose to prominence. One with the ability to employ all nine Powers.

The One used this ability to give weight to the cries of the people, forcing the merchants to the negotiating table. It was here that the Solvonus society took another leap forward. The merchants agreed to limits on their individual power. The people, however, had grown distrustful of such wealth in the hands of a few, uncaring individuals. They cried out as one and demanded the one who could use the Nine Powers rule over them, being of the people, able to provide overwatch to the distrustful merchant class.

The merchants became the Great Houses of the system. One of their primary tasks was to ensure the fair distribution of resources throughout their areas of control. The One was tasked with ensuring they did as required. This individual became appointed, by demand of the people, as the first emperor of Solvonus.

The empire was born.