Bretheda

Bretheda is the largest gas giant in the Golarion System. Its nickname (The Cradle) comes from its dozens of moons, some of which have barely been explored.

Bretheda is a gas giant made primarily of helium and hydrogen, with a blue atmosphere constantly wracked by storms that can last for millennia and can be seen across the entire Golarion System. Planet-sized thunderclouds surge with powerful lightning that cause great devastation when colliding. Wind speeds can reach hundreds of miles per hour in places, with some storms carrying sharp pieces of crystallized ammonia, and others capable of incinerating starships. This led to the saying "Always an eye on the winds."

The most significant weather pattern is the Eyes of the Ancients, a trio of Golarion-sized storms that date to before The Gap. The poles are relatively calm and home to the largest floating arcologies, home to species unadapted to a gas giant environment. Many of these cities employ navigators and meteorologists to ensure they remain in calm paths and do not stray into counter-directional jets, where the winds can crush the sturdiest arcology.

Most of the planet's residents live in the dense upper layer of the atmosphere. Most non-natives cannot reach the Boundary, where the gas coalesces into a supercritical fluid state. The core of the planet is a mass of liquid metallic gases.

Satellites

Bretheda has dozens of moons, and some are nearly the size of other planets in the system. Noteworthy moons include:

• Kalo-Mahoi, the industrialized water world, and home of the Kalo.
• Marata, where anthropological debate has erupted over the native Maraquoi tribes' development from paleolithic technology to space travel in only a few generations.
• Dykon, a crystalline moon home to silicone-based life, like the Urogs.

Bretheda is also orbited by a collection of so-called "death moons" with conditions hazardous to most other species.

• Thyst is so radioactive that unprotected flesh can melt from bone.
• Varos is a volcanic, tidally heated planetoid where imprisoned and indentured workers mine for gemstones unique to the moon's mantle.

A few other minor moons:

• Chamari - Uninhabited moon with a massive temple to Ibra, of unknown origins.
• Daxus - Icy moon, home to a colossal blue worm. No record of this moon pre-Gap.
• Yashu-Indiri - Airless moon, home to an order of mystics honoring dead or forgotten gods.

All kinds of ne'er-do-wells choose Bretheda's numerous moons as ideal places to conduct illicit activities like hiding caches and building shrines to strange deities. Both the planetary government and the Stewards lack the resources to effectively police such a large expanse.

Government

Bretheda's inhabitants have no need for formal government, but in order to prevent offwordlers from falling into anarchy, Barathus who felt the need for public service merged into Confluence, a massive collective that governs the planet as a whole. Confluence's policies are: social protections and latitude for academic and economic development are provided, but violent crimes are punished harshly. Bretheda is a full member of the Pact Worlds government, and its delegates on the Pact Council also represent Liavara, which is administrated by Bretheda as a protectorate, and both planets' moons, with the exception of large, populated moons that are self-governing.

The fact that Confluence controls both of the Pact Worlds' largest planets and their dozens of moons has drawn criticism from others, who fear the corruption and favoritism inherent in such a powerful entity. For this reason, Brethedan settlements are subject to close scrutiny, lobbying, intrigue, and surveillance.

Three of Bretheda's moons (Dykon, Kalo-Mahoi, and Marata) were granted full-member status in the Pact Worlds government in 323 AG. This has shifted the balance in power somewhat from the barathu conglomerates that formerly controlled everything to the local governments of the moon, and factions on some of the other moons of Bretheda and Liavara have begun to clamor for more independence and local control.

Inhabitants

Bretheda is home to two intelligent species: Barathus and Haans. Barathus are floating, gelatinous creatures capable of rewriting their own DNA, making them extremely flexible and adaptable. They maintain Bretheda's sister planet Liavara as a reserve of native lifeforms. Haans are a highly conservative people who only use simple tools and refrain from contact with barathus, offworlders, the planetary government, and the Pact Worlds itself.

Barathus are capable of joining consciousnesses, which they use to form super-intelligent entities. Some such entities collectively operate corporations that facilitate interplanetary trade in biotechnology, such as the Sopeth Corporation, a single sentient hive mind comprised of thousands of barathus.

The primary language spoken on Bretheda is Brethedan (Language), which is also the primary language of its moons and its sister gas giant, Liavara.

Non-Native Inhabitants

Barathus have built several settlements within Bretheda's atmosphere to serve as homes for non-native species. These cities have a diverse population, predominantly Kasathas interested in barathus' collective culture, and Lashuntas drawn to the cutting-edge biotech development. Their economy is predominantly based on biotech corporations that base their research on barathus' adaptability. Although barathus are generally cooperative, the same cannot be said for offworlders, whose corporations frequently engage in arms races, corporate espionage, and even outright corporate warfare, despite the threat of confluence's sanctions.

Fauna

Bretheda's atmosphere is also home to a strange, diverse native fauna, including omas, nuru worms, mist storms, and sagolaths, among others. Air elementals can be seen in the upper layers, while lightning elementals are drawn to the massive thunderstorms.