Furscape MUCK

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Planet Amazon, or Amazonia as it's sometimes called, is not a planet at all.  It's a moon orbiting the gas giant planet Sarasvati, in the Surya star system.  Planet Amazon is unusual among moons in that it has a high relative density and a full oxy-nitro atmosphere breathable by humans and recoms.  It also has oceans and lush vegetation, and from orbit looks somewhat like a miniature Earth.  It's surface gravity is approximately 2/5ths G (or 40%), making it the lowest-gravity world known to have a full, breathable atmosphere outdoors.  Atmospheric oxygen content is somewhat higher than Earth standard.  Thus, many bat and bird recoms can manage to fly on Planet Amazon, at least with some effort and training.

Most plant and animal life on Planet Amazon is analogous to Earth in the carboniferous age, with towering forests of tree-ferns, giant dragonflies and other giant insectoids being most notable.

Although potentially suitable for colonization, Planet Amazon was not discovered until after colonization plans for [[Oceania]] and [[Annyrion]] were already well underway.  Recom civilization is still fully engaged in trying to tame the wilderness of Annyrion in particular, so that development of Planet Amazon has left been mostly on hold.  Furthermore, the presence of a number of poisonous plant and deadly animal species has caused potential backers to reconsider the odds of breaking even on any potential investment.

Because the star Surya is roughly along the path between Sol System and [[Jalan]], a refueling station was built in orbit around Planet Amazon, and a few research stations were built on the surface.  Later there was an attempt to establish a commercial tourist resort on the planet.  Its success has been limited by the cost of starship travel to and from Planet Amazon, putting such a vacation out of the reach of many, and the future of the venture is uncertain.

After a [[Skiltaire]] colony ship arrived in Sol System, negotiations led to an agreement that part of Planet Amazon would be set aside for a Skiltaire colony.  After a few years the Skiltaire decided, for reasons that they did not elaborate, but probably related to the hostile flora/fauna of Amazon, to pack up their colony and continue in search of another world.  Some Skiltaire ruins and trinkets undoubtedly remain on the planet, and the few Skiltaire electing to stay behind have either become urbanized - departing for more civilized worlds in recom space - or they remain hidden in the wilds of Amazon.

The planet was the origin of a parasite outbreak in early 2210 that caused ten people to become violent and resulted in a number of deaths before three of them were cured. The treatment, which involved alcohol, was described in a paper coauthored by Dr. [[Sam|Tamara]] Olsenfheimer and Dr. [[Kalysa]] Astrin