System: Verthandi

Norn II, a world better known as Verthandi, is a planet poor in natural resources, but rich in culture, art and history. It’s populations long tradition of freethinking independence has brought it trouble when full-scale revolt broke out in mid-3023. A seemingly unexceptional world of small villages set among blue-green hills, the world was shaped thousands of years ago by a collision with an asteroid that struck near Verthandi’s north pole. The impact area created the vast north polar valley now known as the Silvan Depression. Marked by numerous small, shallow, and interconnected seas, the Silvan Depression is heavily forested. In some places, water and forest mingle to form virtually impenetrable swamps.

The lowland forest is encircled by the Rimwall, the heavily eroded remnants of the ancient impact crater. Beyond the Rimwall lies a grassy veldt stretching for hundreds of kilometers, and blending gradually into desert. Most of the planet is desert, in fact, and Verthandi is officially classified as a desert planet. The majority of the population lives in the Silvan forest along the landlocked seas, and on the surrounding grassy plateau beyond the Rimwall.

Numerous lumber and coffee plantations are situated in the broad and fertile Silvan Basin, with quiet resort communities lying along the tropical coast of land-locked Azure Sea. Some heavy industry is centered near the principal cities, as well petroleum and various metal ores deposits. Chromite, principally, and bauxite, are dug or pumped from the edge of the deserts to the south.

The capital of Regis is governed by Verthandi's ruling council of Academicians, a democratic body elected from among the senior professors of government at Regis University.

[3050] Clan Wolf landed on Verthandi in May 3050. Defending the world were the Kell Hounds Second Battalion (Second Kell Hounds), Third Battalion (Second Drakøns), and the Forth Verthandi Armored Infantry Brigade. The Hounds and the Drakøns hoped to gather information about the Clans by setting up a network of remote cameras and other recording devices on Prince William Island, a small forested island. When challenged by Star Colonel Athen Kederk of the 328th, the defenders requested that Prince William Island be the battlefield. Clan Wolf agreed, impressed by their opponents' ability to honor the batchall.

The fighting was fierce as the defenders repaid the enemy almost blow for blow. After five hours of fighting, the Hounds and the Drakøns ordered a retreat, but not before a Star of Elementals broke through the defensive lines and destroyed most of the recording equipment. The Hounds fled to the Federated Commonwealth and the Drakøns jumped to Rasalhague.

There are no functional factories located on this planet.