Editing ReDawn (planet)

{{location
|ruler=Council of UrDail
|universe=[[Cytoverse]]
|books=[[Skyward (series)]]
}}
{{for|ReDawn (novella)|a [[Skyward (series)|Skyward series]] novella|pre=This article is about a planet}}
{{spoilers|sf1|sf2}}
{{quote
|We call ourselves Unity and Independence, but we all enjoy the benetifts of both freedom and peace. The real enemies are those who seek to divide ReDawn, who threaten our peace, who put the prosperity of all denizens in jeopardy.
|[[Nanalis]]{{book ref|sf2|1}}
}}

'''ReDawn''' is the native planet of the [[UrDail]].{{book ref|sky2|9}} It is one of the client states (though not a member) of the [[Superiority]], and [[Alanik]]'s home.{{book ref|sky2|9}}

== Geography and Ecology ==
{{quote
|We've always made the trees of ReDawn our home.
|[[Alanik]]{{book ref|sf2|12}}
}}

ReDawn is a gas giant; it has no surface, save for the metal core at the planet's center.{{book ref|sf2|12}} Rather than East and West, directions are given as dawnward and duskward, referencing the sun's rising and setting.{{book ref|sf2|9}} It takes approximately one Earth week for ReDawn to complete its planetary day, which the [[UrDail]] call a sun cycle and divide into nine sleep cycles.{{book ref|sf2|11}}{{book ref|sf2|15}} Additionally, UrDail use the term season when speaking of age, likely referring to the planetary year. It's unclear how many sun cycles it's comprised of.{{book ref|sf2|1}}{{wob ref|15102}}

Most of ReDawn's atmosphere is '''miasma'''. The miasma is comprised of primarily of [[wikipedia:Iodine|iodine]], [[wikipedia:Bromine|bromine]], [[wikipedia:Acetylene|acetylene]] and [[wikipedia:Ammonium hydrosulphide|ammonium hydrosulphide]], giving it its distinct red and violet coloring, and making it unbreathable to any living creature.{{wob ref|15106}}{{book ref|sf2|6}} The planet also possesses naturally-occurring [[acclivity stone]], large chunks of which float up in the atmosphere. Those floating rocks are overgrown by '''island trees''', city-sized flora that plays host to a variety of plants, mostly vines and bushes. Both the island trees and the smaller plants produce air, creating pockets of livable space within ReDawn's hostile environment.{{book ref|sf2|1}}{{book ref|sf2|8}} This breathable atmosphere has a distinct smell, both floral and acrid.{{book ref|sky2|8}} 

The island trees grow up to fifty kilometres tall.{{book ref|sf2|8}} They have layers of bark, thicker at the base and thinner near the branches, though even far above, the bark can be as much as six feet deep. As it is reasonably easy to carve, the UrDail make their homes in chambers cut into it, and use some branches as farms, producing foodstuffs such as nuts, fruits, spices and juices.{{book ref|sf2|6}}{{book ref|sf2|15}}{{book ref|sf2|1}}{{book ref|sf2|1}} Most, if not all of ReDawn's inhabitants live on the island trees, and use atmospheric generators when travelling between them.{{book ref|sf2|4}} 

ReDawn has no naturally-flying fauna, as none would survive venturing out into the miasma.{{book ref|sf2|4}} Nonetheless, UrDail have formed societies on the trees even before the invention of powered flight -- as the islands float in the atmosphere, they occassionally collide with each other, allowing for travel between them.{{wob ref|15105}}

=== Notable Locations ===
Most inhabited locations on ReDawn are the island trees. Known island trees include:

{{columns|count=2|
* Tower - the headquarters of the Unity party{{book ref|sf2|17}}
* Council - the location of the Council of UrDail{{book ref|sf2|1}}
* Industry - one of the largest of trees, hosting nearly a quarter of ReDawn's population{{book ref|sf2|1}}
* Stadium - location of the planetary sports arena{{book ref|sf2|1}}
* Hollow - dead tree hosting a base of Independence military{{book ref|sf2|2}}
* Spindle - Alanik and Rinakin's home tree, smaller than most{{book ref|sf2|2}}
* Reaching - known for UrDail with slightly rosier skin tone{{book ref|sf2|1}}
}}

Additionally, the planet possesses a notable unnatural structure -- [[Wandering Leaf]], a military defense platform leftover from UrDail's alliance with humanity. The platform, automated and fully autonomous, is drifting ever close to the island tree of Hollow, threatening it with its autoturrets.{{book ref|sf2|3}} Eventually, however, [[Detritus]] humans manage to land on the platform and reactivate its functions, such as teleportation and mind blade cannon, turning it into an asset for ReDawn.{{book ref|sf2|21}}

== History ==
=== Ancient History and Third Human War ===
The ancient UrDail spread across the island trees even before the invention of flight, jumping between them whenever the floating islands met.{{wob ref|15105}} They discovered [[cytonics]] at some point in their history, and used them to teleport across the universe, briefly coming into contact with early human cytonics. This sparked a period of cultural exchange, with both species retaining each other's myths and stories even ages later.{{book ref|sf2|6}}

UrDail became a spacefaring species some centuries before the Third [[Human War]]. During the war, their history of friendship with humanity continued, with two species allied.{{book ref|sky2|10}} After humans lost the war and were nearly wiped out, ReDawn government began to call this period of time a human occupation of the planet, possibly to save themselves from a similar fate.{{book ref|sky2|8}} Their alliance nonetheless has raised some doubts within the [[Superiority]] as to whether the UrDail were fit to join them.{{book ref|sky2|10}} The UrDail were permitted to live, however, the decision at least in part motivated by the metal-rich core of the planet making it a valuable asset for Superiority's economy.{{book ref|sf2|15}}

=== Relations with Superiority ===
While ReDawn traded with Superiority, the planet was not permitted to become a full member of it, owning to their prior closeness with humans.{{book ref|sky2|10}} As such, for the next hundred years diplomatic contact was largely limited to negotiating and renegotiating trade agreements on metal exports.{{book ref|sf2|1}} The situation began to change when a number of non-Superiority species, including the [[UrDail]], were invited to participate in the nascent Delver defence force.{{book ref|sky2|8}} 

After [[Alanik]] was sent, a planetary balancing occurred, resulting in Unity party gaining the majority in the Council. Unity introduced a number of changes aimed to increase their own political power, including an order to fold the planet's two militaries into one force loyal to the Council -- and, by extention, Unity.{{book ref|sf2|1}}{{book ref|sf2|2}} Unfortunately for Unity and ReDawn at large, in the aftermath of Alanik being replaced with [[Spensa]] and her revealing her true identity, the relations between the two countries began to break down as Superiority accused ReDawn of harbouring humans. As a result, Unity scrambled to offer up something to Superiority to forestall their preemptive destruction. Lacking actual humans, they settled on giving up their [[cytonics]], as well as the leader of the anti-Superiority Independence faction, [[Rinakin]].{{book ref|sf2|2}} 

To enforce their demands, Superiority sent a battleship into the atmosphere to threaten the inhabited island trees. However, Alanik fled the Unity forces to [[Detritus]], where she forged an alliance with local humans. Using [[taynix]], the Defiants managed to defend the remaining Independence military and restore [[Wandering Leaf]]'s functionality. Using its mindblade cannon, they destroyed the battleship and granted ReDawn much-needed reprive.{{book ref|sf2|21}}

== Culture ==
{{image|Alanik by Bernardo Curvello.jpg|side=right|width=250px|[[Alanik]], an [[UrDail]]}}
{{quote
|We don't have to let the Superiority tell us we’re lesser species.
|[[Alanik]]{{book ref|sf2|6}}
}}

=== People ===
{{for|UrDail|more about ReDawn's native inhabitants}}

ReDawn is the homeworld and seemingly only planet inhabited by the [[UrDail]]; as such, its culture is their culture. The UrDail appear mostly humanoid in biology and appearance, albeit with purple skin and white bone ridges under their eyes.{{book ref|sky2|8}} They had contact with humanity in the past, even before either species figured out space travel, through [[cytonics]].{{book ref|sf2|6}} As a result of their prior encounters with humanity, many UrDail are fluent in English and Mandarin, with at least one of the local languages coming to resemble the former.{{book ref|sky2|10}}{{book ref|sky2|8}} Moreover, there has been some cross-pollination of stories and myths, with several human tales making their way to ReDawn.{{book ref|sf2|6}} The UrDail also have their own holy books, the cadamique, though religion does not appear to be a major part of their life.{{book ref|sky2|28}}

Unlike modern human cultures, UrDail children are raised primarily by their grandparents, who devote themselves fully to the task while the parents work to provide for the family. As such, many UrDail are encouraged to find a partner, or form a '''mate-pair''', young and produce children at an early age, so that their own parents still have the strength to care for them.{{book ref|sf2|14}} How open any given person is about their search for a mate and forming a mate-pair differs, mostly depending on one's tree of origin, with some treating it as a private matter while others are fairly open about it.{{book ref|sf2|6}}

=== Sports ===
ReDawn's primary sporting events are games played using starfighters. The sport involves two teams of fighters, assigned to the planet's two political parties, Unity and Independence, trying to out-maneuver each other to fly through hoops at the opposite ends of the arena.{{book ref|sf2|1}} Harmless laser weapons are used to "tag" players, forcing them out of the game.{{book ref|sf2|8}} Though there is no mortal danger save an accident, the stakes are high for the players, as members of the winning team in even the lowest-ranking matches can earn highly desirable postings as both military and civilian ship pilots.{{book ref|sf2|1}}

Participation in matches is a necessary step to being recruited into either of the planet's air forces, though other factors, such as being a [[cytonics|cytonic]], allow for skipping it.{{book ref|sf2|1}} As such, aggressive behaviour and working alone are both highly encouraged -- a pilot must "prove themselves" by actively participating in the fight.{{book ref|sf2|9}}{{book ref|sf2|8}}

=== Mining ===
{{quote
|The core of ReDawn was rich with metals, which was why the Superiority bothered with us to begin with.
|[[Alanik]]{{book ref|sf2|15}}
}}

Mining, conducted by private mining corps, is the largest known industry on ReDawn.{{book ref|sf2|1}} Both the planet's core and the island trees are mined, one for metals, the other for wood. Lumber mining operations are conducted by lumberyards in dead island trees, such as Hollow. Mined wood is exported from there -- it's unclear if the timber is exported only locally on ReDawn, or if there are buyers out in the [[Superiority]].{{book ref|sf2|8}} 

Metal, on the other hand, can only be found in ReDawn's solid core. There, it is present in large abundance and variety, which is why the Superiority became interested in the planet in the first place.{{book ref|sf2|15}} Teams in heavy protective gear, including breathing apparatus to deal with the miasma, are sent to the core by the mining corps to exploit it for resources, which are later sold to the Superiority. Maintaining the trade deals on metal appears to be the primary way ReDawn and Superiority interact.{{book ref|sf2|1}}

== Politics ==
{{quote
|Progress for ReDawn!
|Slogan of the Unity party{{book ref|sf2|1}}
}}

ReDawn is ruled by a single government, the '''Council of UrDail''', comprised of an unspecified number of seats. The Council is a democracy, with members -- known alternately as delegates or representatives -- elected in periodic '''balancings'''. There appear to be only two parties vying for Council seats: Unity and Independence. '''Unity''', led by [[Nanalis]], generally pushes the agenda of progress and peace, which according to them will only come through cooperation with [[Superiority]]; Independence, led by [[Rinakin]], pushes for freedom of the UrDail and greater separation between ReDawn and Superiority. Colors are used to represent allegiance to one side or another, with yellow meaning Unity and blue -- Independence.{{book ref|sf2|1}}

The balance between the two parties extends further to the planet's military. ReDawn has two separate air forces, one commanded by Unity, and the other by Independence. The two armies appear to be completely separate, using different personnel corps and even different military bases.{{book ref|sf2|2}} The planet's five living [[cytonic]]s are divided along those same political lines, with [[Alanik]] siding with Independence while [[Quilan]] and three others work for Unity.{{book ref|sf2|1}} However, while cytonics can work for whichever side they wish, both fighter corps are beholden to the will of the Council at large, regardless of which party holds the majority.{{book ref|sf2|2}} 

The common UrDail often treat the balancings akin to a political sport, switching sides to support the winner, which often leads to the Council being highly unbalanced between the two parties. While in the past, Independence held vast majority the Council, most recent balancing saw Unity sweep most seats, leaving only a few Independence representatives. Such periodic changes between which side holds majority also mean that ReDawn's foreign policy will change between balancings, with Unity courting Superiority while Independence shuns it.{{book ref|sf2|1}}

== Trivia ==
* ReDawn's floating cities are inspired by Valenwood, a province in the Elder Scrolls series where people live in enormous, migratory trees. The inspiration came from Janci Patterson, while it was Brandon who suggested making them float in the atmosphere.{{wob ref|15103}}

== Notes ==
<references />
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{{Skyward}}
[[Category:Celestial bodies]]