Nelith III
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Nelith III is a temperate world of rich landscapes and hidden potential, its fertile plains and mineral-laden uplands masking deeper mysteries beneath the surface. Though officially unclaimed, the Romulan Free State has already established an outpost to better study and harness the planet’s resources.
Overview
Nelith III’s varied terrain ranges from wide fertile plains and forested lowlands to upland ridges laced with deep fissures and geothermal vents. The planet’s biosphere is diverse and well-developed, with thriving plant and animal life, and early sensor readings suggest ecosystems of unusual complexity in the chasm regions.
Subsurface surveys indicate concentrations of valuable mineral deposits and anomalous subspace readings, possibly tied to natural phenomena or the remnants of ancient construction. While some believe these may be signs of long-forgotten ruins, others regard them as geological formations or natural resonances of scientific interest. The exact origins and implications remain uncertain.
Nelith Outpost
The Romulan Free State has established a presence on the surface. Known as Nelith Outpost, the facility is described in official Free State channels as a ‘research and survey base’ dedicated to planetary study. In practice, it is a fortified compound with groundside facilities, orbital support, and an active workforce engaged in extensive operations. Its priority is not only the study and exploration of Nelith III’s resources, but their harnessing and extraction.
Encounters
There are many details about Nelith III the AOR holder may define: the nature of its wealth (mineral resources, sites of historical value), the presence of any sapient life, the presence or not of any Vezda influence. The core conceit is a world to which Starfleet has been drawn where the Free State already has a foothold. Some concepts which can be used for a story at Nelith III include (some mutually exclusive):
- A Clash of Civilisations: Starfleet has been drawn to Nelith III with a clear mission: a directive from Command, a rescue operation, or receiving a request for help or outreach from a native civilisation. The Free State sees Starfleet presence as overstepping on a planet they view as theirs.
- Rocky Collaboration: The Free State claim they are open to collaborating with Starfleet on the use or research of Nelith III, but their methods and agenda are quickly seen to be exploitative of the land or locals in violation of the Treaty of Algeron. By the time an official complaint reaches diplomatic channels, it’ll be too late to stop them. What can be done first?
- Vezda Legacy: Excavations at a Free State dig uncover strange ruins. The Romulans insist these can be stripped for technology. More than a desecration of an historical site, it’s soon apparent these ruins are Vezda in origin, and dangerous.
- Pre-Warp Civilisation: A sapient species is discovered in Nelith III’s lowlands, dismissed by the Free State as irrelevant. Starfleet must weigh the Prime Directive against protecting a people endangered by exploitation.
- Post-Warp Civilisation: Nelithians with limited warp travel welcome the Free State as allies. To oppose Romulan influence risks alienating the locals - yet to ignore it cedes the world to exploitation.
In Play
- Nelith III is less about the mysteries of the planet itself and more about the political tension around it. The Free State presence ensures a story here is as much about diplomacy, law, and soft power as it is about science or exploration.
- The details of the planet’s value are deliberately undefined. Writers can frame it as mineral wealth, archaeological ruins, or unique ecosystems - what matters is how those interests collide with Free State exploitation.
- This AOR is an excellent setting to explore the grey areas of the Treaty of Algeron, testing what both sides can get away with when far from the eyes of central authority.
- It also allows for stories that blur the Prime Directive with wider politics. What obligations does Starfleet have to protect a native people or ecosystem if the Romulans are already interfering?
- Nelith Outpost should feel like a looming presence - not an outright military base, but fortified enough to make Romulan intent clear. Writers can decide whether its staff are cooperative scientists, calculating intelligence operatives, or militarised enforcers.