Croshaw system

Croshaw system was our doorway to the stars. Its discovery completely changed the course of Human development. That’s why the system bears the name of the man who discovered it.

Named after Nick Croshaw, who discovered it in 2271, this was the first system visited by the Human race outside of Sol. The ramifications of the discovery didn't end there, as the bureaucracy needed to colonize the system caused such debate on Earth that it led to the creation of the UNE. The system has been a consistent player in Humanity's social and political development ever since.

“Though we might not know exactly what makes Angeli-aged whiskeys stand out, it is easy to distinguish what makes them so special. Their rich and dignified flavors excite the palette but never overpower it. It is almost as if their flavors were granted a crisp subtlety with age that has yet to be achieved anywhere else in the ’verse.” – David Kurtz, A Beginner’s Guide to Angeli-Aged Whiskey, 2912

“What we do here will shape the future of interstellar expansion. Let’s make sure we get this right.” – Clarence Ludwig, Chair of the Croshaw Expansion Committee, 06.23.2281

History
In 2271, after ten years investigating a space anomaly in the Sol System, scientist and explorer Nick Croshaw made history when he became the first known Human to traverse a jump point and enter a new star system. As a tribute to his monumental accomplishments, the system he discovered would come to bear his name.

It was a turbulent and contentious hundred years between Croshaw’s discovery and when a planet in Croshaw was terraformed. Lacking an organization to oversee expansion into the system created a plethora of issues. Humans had figured out a way to reach the stars, but were still struggling with how to inhabit them.

At first, a number of private and state-owned terraforming companies raced into Croshaw to lay claim to its planets. None of them succeeded. Each company had failed to calculate exactly how expensive it would be to continually transport supplies to maintain their operations. It was obvious that an organized Human response was needed, but, instead of focusing on a solution, countries and corporations squabbled over how land rights and mineral resources should be divided once terraforming was complete.

At the same time, there was still a good deal of fear about inter-system travel. Many people who entered the jump point between Croshaw and Sol vanished. With jump drive technology still in its infancy, ships had to be manually piloted between the two systems. Out of this, a new breed of pilot was born. Nicknamed “Jumpers,” these pilots sold themselves as the only reliable way to get between the two systems, and charged handsomely for their services. It was only after auto-piloted jump drives became widely accessible that “Jumpers” changed their focus to discovering new jump points, making them the forefathers of the “NavJumpers” that still exist today.

Amidst all the chaos and confusion, a committee appointed by the World Summit, a gathering of Earth’s leaders, finally took control of expansion into the Croshaw System. The committee organized the linking of resources from various countries and companies to tackle the terraforming of Croshaw II and Croshaw III, established a lottery to grant land and mineral rights once the process was complete, and, most importantly, figured out how to pay for it all.

The committee’s masterstroke was the Freeman Act, a piece of legislation that helped fund the terraforming of Croshaw while also populating it through the sale of one-way tickets. Not only were people buying passage aboard government-subsidized shuttles, they were guaranteed a place to live on the new planet. Sales were slow at first. While the public had acclimated to the notion of living on another planet, the thought of living in a new system entirely proved to be a truly scary concept. Further assurances eased their fears and gradually got the public excited at the prospect. The influx of ticket sales kept the committee’s terraforming fund solvent and created an entire class of people who counted down the days until they could start a new life in another system as Humanity’s first interstellar settlers.

The committee’s successful stewardship convinced Humanity’s leaders that a cohesive voice and vision was needed to aid our ascension out to the stars. In 2380, the World Summit ended with a historic announcement that created the United Nations of Earth (UNE). Humanity had realized that to succeed in the stars, we had to stop thinking of ourselves as many and start seeing ourselves as one.

Croshaw I
The planet's thick acid-based clouds create an atmospheric mass that makes it impossible to land on.

Angeli : Croshaw II
The first planet terraformed and colonized by Humans in another star system, Angeli unfortunately suffers from heightened tectonic activity. Geologists theorize that there will be a devastating earthquake in its future. Nestled between the mountains and the sea, Angeli's city of Quinton features one of the most iconic skylines in the UEE.

Vann : Croshaw III
Slightly smaller than Earth, Vann sits on the edge of Croshaw's green band and is perpetually cold. Its population dropped once more systems were discovered, but many people, especially those who enjoy the cold, still call it home.

Croshaw IV
A large dead world that lacks both an atmosphere and valuable minerals.

Asteroid Belts
The Croshaw system contains two asteroid fields - the Daedalus Cluster and the Icarus Cluster. Both fields are on the same orbit as Croshaw IV.