Harmony (formerly Rouyn)
Gateway to the Aquila Rift
Star Type (Recharge Time): M4V (187 hours)
Position in System: 3 (of 8 )
Time to Jump Point: 2.56 days
Number of Satellites: 1 (Tranquility)
Surface Gravity: 1
Atm. Pressure: Standard (Breathable)
Equatorial Temperature: 25° C (Arid)
Surface Water: 50 percent
Recharging Station: None
HPG Class Type: B
Highest Native Life: Reptiles
Population: 14,735,000 (as of 3025)
Socio-Industrial Levels: B–C–B–C–B (as of 3025)
Landmasses (Capital City): Neu Gaul (Atterrissage), Neustria, Valland, Francia
This planet was settled in 2600 following the Reunification War by the intrepid Star League explorer Commodore Jean Paul Rouyn. A veteran of the Rim Worlds campaign Rouyn led the first known human exploration of the Aquila Rift even though signs of earlier human habitation were subsequently found. The cold world that bore his name on the Spinward edge of the Rift initially served as a frontier exploratory base and scientific outpost.
It was his son, Jan Michael Rouyn, who went onto establish a large culturally conservative Terran colony through the so-called Groganard Colonial Initiative which grew quickly attracting affluent French speaking Hegemony citizens. Blessed with a Terran like environment this world with an abundant supply of minerals and arable land drew many settlers in spite of its dark night skies. As new colonists arrived the Three Families (Sinclair, Devereaux, Rodgers), all one day proudly descended from the Rouyn dynasty, that would become the ruling oligarchy of the planet emerged as did a thriving mining industry.
Situated out beyond even the Terran Outer Colonies the rapidly developing world was eventually declared the capital of the Star League Aquila Territories by First Lord Simon Cameron. Rouyn itself reached about two million citizens during the reign of Richard Cameron and enjoyed an increasingly collaborative relationship with the nearby Rim Worlds Republic. Trade flowed through the star system increasingly until the Amaris Coup fundamentally altered life here forever. Thankfully the cooperative spirit which continued to grow allowed the planet to survive this chaotic time relatively unscathed albeit with a much smaller economy.
The betrayal of the Usurper made certain that Rouyn would cut ties with the Rim Worlds and actively assist SLDF efforts to pacify the area. Despite the accusations that the planet looked the other way for years as the Periphery threat grew there was no lack of support in hunting down Amaris fanatics and war criminals. However, these lingering suspicions and the brutal tactics employed by the irregular Star League Posse who was tasked with hunting down these malefactors in the Aquila Rift made coordinated operations impossible. Cooperation was therefore minimized and more than a few terrorists escaped justice into the Rift.
The fall of the Star League and Kerensky's Exodus touched off a dramatic rise in piracy in the region which saw Rouyn largely cease its interstellar travel. It did however maintain and augment its large planetary militia led by the Rouyn Chevaliers who were able to keep out the riff raff. Entry, protection, and even citizenship could be bought for a price during the Succession Wars but refugees were largely denied entry. Unfortunately, many were enslaved by the bandit hordes now lurking within the Rift or disappeared altogether from known space.
This policy gave rise to the Rouyn's nickname throughout the Anti-Spinward Reaches as the Gateway to the Rift. The Chevaliers kept their fighting form by founding the Rouyn Ecole Militaire in 2785 and dispatching any lawless bands who dared challenge their supremacy in system. The unit also attracted mercenaries from the Periphery and the InnerSphere who further augmented their strength. Annual Mech Games known as the Rouyn BattleMech Jousts were another part of the lure for talented Mechwarriors who helped sharpen Rouyn's combat edge.
The destruction of the Rim Worlds Republic and 1st Succession War had a profound effect on Rouyn. Horrified by the destruction wrought by war the citizens of this world concentrated on pursuits like the rule of law, interplanetary commerce as well the study art, sciences, and philosophy. To reflect this new outlook the three million denizens of the planet voted officially changed to Harmony in 2795. Unfortunately, the rest of the universe didn’t share this high-minded attitude and the Succession Wars heralded a new Dark Age for the Human Sphere.
While the devastation of the Succession Wars brought isolation, it did not result in the same technological degradation which the rest of the universe suffered. Museums and centers for collecting grew during the twenty eighth century on world as little tech was lost. While some wished to reestablish contact with the outside worlds the plague of piracy and horrific tales of the first two Succession Wars convinced the great majority to appreciate the refined environment in which they dwelled. By the dawn of the 2900s more than five million people called Harmony their nearly idyllic home.
As time passed, defending Harmony from a rising number of bandit attacks became more and more difficult. Premier Ian Rodgers initiated a series of talks beginning in 2938 with a few neighboring Aquilan star systems aimed at curbing these raids. The culmination of these talks with nearby Arax and Pakuani resulted in the formation of the Syndicated Association of Planets in 2941. The Syndicate as it was called did help its member-states somewhat but it’s lack of coordination frustrated any further attempts at unity.
This bastion of high civilization was eventually rediscovered by ComStar's Explorer Corps in 2967 who quickly reached an accommodation with the government. The Order agreed to continue to downplay the existence of Harmony while agreeing to once again staff its class B Star League HyperPulse Generator for enhanced communications. The Corps also established a base to study the Aquila Rift with the assistance of Harmony who agreed to a mutual defense pact as long as all data about their finds in the region was disclosed. A rebirth of the Aquila Territories seemed to be just over the horizon if not for the arrival of the Regulators.
The regiment's discovery of Sepan and reactivation of its Star League facilities seemed to tip the scales in the region heavily in their favor. Hyaline's technical assistance and Phecada's relaunch as an interstellar player even drew Pakauni and finally Arax into their orbit. While Harmony was offered a chance to join this new union of worlds, they initially passed because of their isolationist tendencies and a perceived loss in freedom. The Stellar Concordium does however maintain very close ties with Harmony and continues to mull membership till this day.
By the dawn of the third millennia of mankind the planet boasted a population of just over ten million and cautious interstellar ties to the Concordium deeper in the Rift. More significantly their rise has greatly diminished the pirate threat near Harmony while increasing its gateway role in the Rift. Expansionists are currently in political ascendence on Harmony even though proud isolationists still remain a force to be reckoned with. Explosive growth has followed on world with the population reaching nearly fifteen million just recently. With word of the 3rd Succession War coming to an end the future of Harmony seems bright.
