Alphanor

Alphanor, a planet considered the administrative node and cultural center of the Rigel Concourse. It is eighth in orbital order.

Planetary Constants:
Diameter 9300 miles
Mass 102
Mean Day 29 hours, 16 minutes, 29.4 seconds

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General Remarks: Alphanor is a large bright sea world with a generally bracing climate. Ocean occupies three quarters of the total surface, including the polar ice floes. The land mass is divided into seven nearly contiguous continents: Phrygia, Umbria, Lusitania, Scythia, Etruria, Lydia and Lycia, in a configuration suggesting seven petals of a Bower. There are uncounted islands.

Autochthonous life is complex and vigorous. The flora has in no way yielded to terrestrial imports, which must be carefully tended and nurtured. The fauna is likewise complex, and on occasion actively savage; to cite the clever hyrcan major of upper Phrygia, and the invisible eel of the Thaumaturge Ocean.

The political structure of Alphanor is a pyramidal democracy - simple in theory, intricate in practice. The continents are divided into provinces, thence prefectures, districts and wards: these latter defined as population blocs of five thousand persons. Each ward committee sends a representative to the district council, which elects a delegate to the prefectural diet, which sends a member to the provincial congress, which does likewise for the continental
parliament.

Each parliament elects seven rectors to the Grand Council at Avente, in the Sea Province of Umbria, which thereupon chooses a chairman.

- From Popular Handbook to the Planets