Tysla System

The Tysla system is a stellar system located within the Shackleton Expanse, centred around an orange dwarf star. The system consists of five primary planets and a dense asteroid belt. Of these worlds, only Tysla IV is inhabited and serves as the homeworld of the  Rosvakaar.

The planets of the Tysla system are generally hostile and only marginally habitable. Tysla IV is characterized by limited arid terrain, limited resources, and an aggressive ecosystem, shaping the Rosvakaar’s development as a militarized society.

System Composition

Tysla is a K-type main-sequence star and is both smaller and less massive than Sol. Its cooler surface temperature accounts for its distinct orange hue and lower luminosity.

As a result, the habitable zone of the Tysla system lies much closer to the star than in Sol’s case, and often experiences unstable or marginal climates. It’s a system chronically poor in easily accessible resources - even the most temperate worlds offer meagre returns, with scarce arable terrain and limited minerals.

• Tysla I - a tidally locked planet, leading to extreme temperature variations between the hemispheres. It contains rich metal deposits, though conditions prevent sustained exploration.

• Tysla II - a super-earth with high gravity and a corrosive atmosphere. Expeditions have been attempted, but remain economically unviable.

• Tysla III - a planet with a thin atmosphere and unstable climate. It’s home to a long-deserted Rosvakaar outpost.

• Tysla IV -  an austere environment with limited natural resources. Home to the Rosvakaar.

• Tysla V - a gas giant with several moons containing subsurface oceans and high radiation-levels.

The Rosvakaar

The austere conditions of Tysla IV fostered a culture that emphasized endurance, discipline, and physical strength as prerequisites for survival. Early social structures were clan-based, with local leaders rising to power through their ability to secure food through martial aptitude. Competitions over arable land and other resources drove continual conflict between clans and regions, resulting in a collective instinct to view survival as a zero-sum pursuit where every gain for one group came at another’s expense.

However, with resources scarce everywhere, warfare produced no lasting results - the only sustainable solution was expansion beyond Tysla IV. This choice was not ambitious, but necessary - stay and perish, or look to the stars for what their world couldn’t provide.

A tentative peace was brokered, and early Rosvakaar pooled their resources to turn their attention to the stars.

Voyages were arduous and mostly unsuccessful, which resulted in internecine conflict that eventually escalated into war, and ultimately produced a unified command structure. This stratocratic system institutionalized the principles of a garrison state in which all resources, labour, and social structures were directed towards survival.

The Rosvakaar present themselves as a meritocracy in which advancement is based on demonstrated capability. In practice, however, merit is narrowly defined, resulting in structural inequalities: certain genders and species, particularly those with greater physical endurance, have historically dominated positions of authority.

The state itself functions as a stratocracy. Military and civil authority are indistinguishable, with officers serving as governors and law administrators. The Supreme Commander is selected through military consensus.

Biology

Rosvakaar are best described as physically imposing, exhibiting increased muscle mass and bone density that resembles the physiology of Klingons. Due to the low ultraviolet output of their K-type star, the Rosvakaar evolved lighter skin pigmentation to maximise vitamin synthesis under these conditions.

Centuries of limited population size in combination with state-directed reproduction produced a generic bottleneck and narrowed genetic diversity considerably. Most individuals have dark hair - often kept short - and eyes. This uniformity underlines the Rosvakaar's perceived equality, and deviations are seen as a flaw.

On the other hand, limited biodiversity has carried a predictable cost as recessive conditions are more likely to manifest and appear at significantly elevated rates. The Rosvakaar manage these through medical intervention and cultural reframing - scars, healed fractures, and even lingering marks of chronic conditions are valorized as proof of endurance.

In Play

• Above all else, the Rosvakaar are scarcity-driven. Their homeworld offers little comfort, and their entire civilization is shaped by the pursuit of what they lack.

• On first encounters, the Rosvakaar are interested in whether Starfleet is a threat, or is in possession of technology or knowledge with the potential to be useful. While employing force isn’t their first response, it is a valid option.

• Xenophobia is a non issue. The Rosvakaar are very aware of their dire situation and generally see outsiders as an opportunity. Due to their limited exposure to other species, accommodating other cultures doesn’t come naturally, increasing the probability of faux pas.

Encounters

These are optional ideas to kick off a story and can be adjusted.

• As a consequence of the removal of the Shroud, the Rosvakaar are now looking to expand outside their star system. Resources have been invested in the assembly of The Ark, a generational warfare ship, with an imminent launch date and the aim to conquer a more favourable location.

• As Starfleet explores the Tysla system, they are asked for help: This can be in the form of requesting resources, extracting them from one of the surrounding planets, or something else entirely.

• The tightly controlled population has led to a genetic bottleneck and reduced genetic diversity. The result is an increased amount of hereditary disease. Starfleet is, once more, asked for help - in the form of introducing new genetic material into the Rosvakaar.

• As the Shroud lifts, civil unrest begins to rise. Many Rosvakaar want to leave their homeworld and abandon their way of life. The Supreme Commander and those in positions of authority fear their power waning, and enforce strict rules and harsh punishments on those who dare to voice their desire.