Finale

Finale, a young star system only recently inducted to the Nocturne System in every sense. It was the last stellar planet the black hole adopted, and also the last star to enter into the empire of Sagittarium. The recency of both events explains everything there is about the system. With a peculiar retrograde orbit, it often crossed into the dominion of its sisters—Requiem, Oratorio, and Dorok—stripping it of its outermost worlds. Finale has only three planets remaining, all low mass terrestrial worlds, and a scattered disk of hundreds of minor planets. Many of its lost worlds came to orbit Nocturne directly, with the backward-orbiting Fugue and Courante being Finale's lost children. The Kajikali are Finale's only native species, evolving around Vistique, though there is a growing movement to call that world its Kajikali name, Vecroxmer.

As for Finale's political situation, it had a large culturally-distinct population long before Humans colonized Thalia in 6400. Some populations date all the way back to the very first Humans of the First Aeternal Society, entering the system before 1000 CE. This population, the Finalea, now live throughout Sagittarium and, in recent years, have become something of a stereotype of what a "Sagittarian" is. Finale's Humans are very influential on the culture of Sagittarium, but also have a strong identity distinct from the home world. There also exists a large Elkeres, Un'oit, and Huefolk population, the heritage of Finale is as diverse as any star system. However, with ever-deepening ties with Florathel and the United Nations of Florathel, Finale represents a rare intersection between the two very different cultures of Florathel and Aylathiya.

Finalea

The Finalea are the indigenous people of Finale, a Human ethnicity. Residing around Nocturne long before the Aubade megastructure was completed, they have several key adaptations—namely increased skin pigmentation containing a unique pigment and a flexible circadian rhythm. The first adaptation serves to protect the skin from Nocturne's punishing radiation. The novel pigment, euselenomelanin, results in a very dark complexion and "early" greying of the hair as it tends to suppress the creation of other forms. It involves the adoption of Selenium into the melanin molecule, offering better protection from ionizing radiation of all kinds. Another adaptation is the flexible circadian rhythm, made necessary by Finale's inconsistent exposure to Nocturne. During periods in which Finale's parent is close, the time in which it is in the sky becomes time to spend indoors or underground. This time is best used sleeping, at least determined by natural selection. Since Nocturne is often in the sky during the day, there is no relation to the time of day. The result is a more flexible sleep schedule but also a stark increase in unintentional sleep deprivation.

The Finalea originated on Patyrth, the world deepest behind Finale's protective magnetic field. They have a long history of space travel. When first contacted by Sedrua, they were hardly surprised. They noticed the "wandering dim stars" and anticipated Sedrua's arrival since then. When the Providence Union took control of the system, the Finalea spread throughout "The Brink," Finale's icy outer asteroid belt. Despite their unwillingness to engage with Sagittarium at first, the Finalea became a key part of Sagittarian culture, with billions residing on its capital world of Thalia. Finalea culture remains distinct in both language and religion, with most Finalea speaking languages from the family of the same name and practicing the Marwanism they adopted from the Providence Union. Though Finalea Marwanism is much different.

Kajkali

The only species native to a star around Nocturne are the Kajikali, though the vast majority do not reside in this system. Their home world of Vecroxmer, now called Vistique, was rendered mostly uninhabitable due to an atomic bombardment by the Providence Union. Since that point, the vast majority have lived scattered throughout Nocturne's icy satellites and on worlds like Carlea, Tchruv, Akradax and Eos.

A healthy and growing movement to return Vistique to the home of the Kajikali exists. It often butts heads with groups representing Finalea or Elkres heritage. The Elkeres were primarily refugees who settled Vistique some centuries after its bombing. Erayadan, a nation on sourthern Vistique, recognizes the Kajikali people and has been the epicenter of the Kajikali reclamation of their homeworld.

Elkeres

The Elkeres have lived in the Finale system for well over two thousand years. They arrived in large numbers after the genocide of Pecay-Po at the hands of the Providence Union. The demographics of the modern star are mostly due to the Union's constant warfare and projects. They mostly settled on the world they call Vistique and are the source of its official name. The Elkeres were left with no "official" Elkeres worlds after the destruction of Pecay-Po. Many claim Vistique to be their new homeworld, while others seek to return to where they evolved. Sagittarium recognizes Vistique as the home of the Elkeres, though many living on Garrea would prefer Sagittarium recognize that much more populous world as the Elkeres home.

Worlds

Patyrth

Patyrth (Un'oit: Cantata) (Finalea: Aide) is an ancient world and the first one Humans colonized. With a compliment of minor asteroid moons, Patyrth has over 80% of the population of the system within its gravity well. Sagittarium has the most control over Patyrth, but this means pockets of control within a sea of self-rule. The republic of Rendell controls most of the planet, a microcosm of wider Sagittarium, Rendell has a hard time exerting influence over its numerous minorities.

Vistique

Vistique (Un'oit: Canzonetta) (Finalea: Orko) (Kajakali: Vecroxmer) is a striking purple planet whose thin atmosphere allowed it a large Elkeres population. Originally the home world of the Kajakali, the planet's biosphere had been blasted back to before multicellularity, preventing its natives from returning to claim their home. Vistique has a fairly small population, allowing for a single government, the United Crowns of Vistique, to rule most of it. House Tukur dominates the United Crowns, holding nearly a third of them. Its coalition, the Liberal Parliamentary Party, has controlled Vistique for the best two centuries and has been instrumental in Finale's move toward Florathel. The south pole of Vistique and scattered southern islands comprise Muse, the seat of Erayadan. The relatively new nation halved the planet.

Sarpanitum

Sarpanitum (Un'oit: Pastorale) (Finalea: Amalur) is a cool world and one of the most diverse. Large grasslands dominate the surface, leaving little room for woody plants or really anything but meter-tall grasses. Its cities are eclectic, with over a dozen species represented, making it one of the few planets in Sagittarium where Humans are not just a minority, but not even the plurality. The honor of plurality goes to the Kristals at over eleven percent.

Minor Worlds

Aatxe

Aatxe (Un'oit: Riguardon) (Thalian: Wrautumn) is the largest asteroid in The Brink, also called Coda. While officially administrated by Sagittarium, Aatxe beyond its port and navy base is entirely self-ruled. Following a wave of attacks from Finalea rebels, Sagittarium officially renamed the minor bodies in The Brink. To save face, the central government more heavily regulated naming conventions on the major planets of Finale, including banning the native name Eki for Finale in favor of Eschato. Aatxe spins at about one eighth of an rpm, allowing for light gravity at the equator for those in the network of tunnels beneath the crust.

Herensuge

Herensuge (Un'oit: Bouree) (Thalian: Ereftte) is the second largest asteroid around Finale and represents over a sixth of its total mass. Herensuge regularly crosses into the inner system, crossing the orbit of Sarpanitum each time. It was the first asteroid colonized in the system as a result, and is considered by its inhabitants to be a cultural or even political capital of the Finalea people. As per numerous agreements, Herensuge is united under a single country, the Herensuge Administrate, more a private company than a proper government.

Gaueko

Gaueko is the fourth largest asteroid around Finale and represents a tenth of the total mass of The Brink. Once the site of an ancient mining operation, Gaueko and other asteroids in its family are covered in leftover mining equipment, wrecked freighters, and cabling from over 7,000 years ago. The carved spaces left behind in Gaueko became the basis for modern colonization. Gaueko's inhabitants live in spinning drums embedded within the asteroid, allowing for comfortable gravity. Consequently, Gaueko is quite expensive to live on.

Akerbeltz

Akerbeltz is the third most massive asteroid around Finale and, despite accounting for almost a fifth of its mass, is only a few kilometers across. It is very dense allowing for gravity at almost an eighth of standard. It is the only asteroid to have much surface settlement, sacrificing the asteroid's protective outer skin for cheap residences. To avoid radiation, most people live underneath the water supply, usually in large tanks above settlements dotted across the surface. Even less than the scattered rotating habitats, Akerbeltz is a cheap place to live, but it still beats zero gravity space habitats.