IS Atlas / System / Detail

Description:

A tropical world covered in deep, green oceans, Gladius seemed a virtual paradise to the first colonists to set foot upon its soil. Fertile lands and an abundance of native fauna suitable for human consumption - particularly on its single, large continent of Garamond, located mostly north of the equator - made the establishment of the first settlements easy.

However, the rugged terrain and thick, fast-growing tropical jungles of the interior lands limited the amount of arable space, and the relative lack of industrial metals and other rare materials limited significant industrial growth. Making matters worse over time was that fact that the Gladiusian soil easily "burned out" when used for farming; its rich nutrients expended easily under constant harvests, a matter largely attributed to the planet's subtle seasonal changes.

Gladius's largest industry thus changed to tourism and hospitality as the world became known as a vacation spot - the kind of place people visited or retired to, but few actually lived in.

Through the Succession Wars, Gladius was overlooked by most invading armies due to its lack of tactical or industrial value, and the world became little more than a convenient jump point to other destinations. This lack of military importance, however, became the planet's major selling point in the latter half of the twenty-ninth century, when the peoples of the Inner Sphere gradually began to tire of constant war.

Numerous "retreat communities" sprang up on the isolated islands and coastal regions on and around Garamond; miniature cities almost completely dedicated to off-world vacationers, with few (if any) local residents. Though visitors were often encouraged to stay, few actually did so. Even today, Gladius remains little more than another tropical getaway for the idle rich.

The capital city, Hyacles, is located on the northern shores of Garamond, and is also home to the planet's largest spaceport and transoceanic port. Gladius AquaLines, the planet's largest cruise line operator, offers weekly cruise services out of Hyacles that can take passengers as far away as the Burmaise Isles, in the southern hemisphere. Eenticing stopovers include the eastern coastal cities of Narava and Pasadenia, world-renowned resorts known for their casinos and nightlife.