Underwater cities

Underwater cities are permanent population centers either built on the seafloor of planetary oceans or otherwise submerged in some capacity, mostly for industrial or maricultural purposes. They are differentiated from other oceanic facilities in that they are completely self-sustaining, producing their own food and energy. While the most famous of these settlements have been of Gallente origin, such as the doomed Nouvelle Rouvenor , they are utilized by all major factions in the modern era, with exact designs and applications varying. Though some are single structure arcologies, with others being elaborate modular constructs, all are erected on the same technological and engineering principles.

History

The earliest recorded use of permanent underwater settlements was on Matar before first contact with the Amarr Empire, when Sebiestor engineers along with Brutor laborers erected mining facilities on the seabed to support the fledgling space program that was currently underway. Prone to numerous accidents, the Sebiestor came extremely close to perfecting the designs, but were ultimately conquered by the Amarr, who destroyed all of these underwater settlements and used the technique to construct their own slave colonies across the Empire. When trade increased with the Gallente Federation, the Amarr erected several of their own underwater cities to act as attractions for tourists.

The Gallente first experimented with domed underwater cities on their homeworld during the early days of space exploration with the Caldari. These were nothing more than grand engineering projects designed to push the boundaries of scientific endeavor, and only the wealthiest citizens could ever hope to live in them. Later on during this period, when panic set in over the possibilities of overpopulation on Gallente Prime, the government at the time began to devise methods of shifting the populace off-world, but many colonies outside the home system were not ready to sustain such a large influx of settlers. The second and third planets in Luminaire, Astrin and Corufeu, had yet to be terraformed, so it was decided that Caldari Prime would be an optimum world for the population overflow. Not wishing to infringe on the sovereignty and land rights of the local Caldari, the Gallente instead constructed many of these domed underwater cities across Caldari Prime. Despite being rather distant from the wider Caldari society, they were nonetheless a source of friction.

In the modern era, permanent underwater settlements were constructed when there was not enough land space relative to the population required to make maximum industrial use of a world. This was particularly an issue when space travel was not as simple and common as it is today, especially when a colony did not have any concrete date for when the next resupply would come. These undersea cities would tend to be associated with coastal outposts that would be the hubs of industrial activity, with the population rotating between land and underwater as needed. With the existence of CONCORD increasing the ease of space travel, the need for permanent underwater cities for these purposes dropped to a bare minimum. In addition to this, the excessive requirements of building certain types of underwater cities (as well as their self-indulgent existence of which they are often criticized for) means that governments and corporations are now disinclined more than ever to erect any further settlements. They nonetheless still exist, however, and can be found across New Eden as relics of an earlier age in planetary colonization.

Two underwater cities, both located on the Caldari homeworld in Luminaire, have become well-known throughout New Eden, with both having achieved notoriety through unfortunate circumstance. Nouvelle Rouvenor, by far the most notable of the two, was located on Caldari Prime before it was destroyed by Caldari partisans in 23155 AD, killing half a million souls of primarily Gallente ethnicity and sparking the century-long Gallente-Caldari War. The second, called Paix Azur, is currently being used as a massive prison and detainment facility for criminals, political prisoners and Gallente resistance members by the Provist occupational authority on Caldari Prime, with the inhabitants having been evacuated from the city prior.

Design and Variations

In many ways, the construction and engineering of underwater cities is similar to space stations. Though they vary greatly in their construction and aesthetic across the breadth of New Eden, the four empires each have their own unique designs that occur more frequently than others. All, however, rely on the same basic principle: an arcology (or collection thereof) constructed on or around the ocean floor that is completely self-sustaining. For all energy requirements, geothermal or hydroelectric power is the norm, with other methods rarely utilized. Agricultural farms that grow conventional foodstuffs tend to be expensive to operate, but are often utilized where it is unavoidable. A common alternative is incorporating crops based on the local plantlife, such as kelp and algae. Combined with fisheries, automated or otherwise, the issue of sustenance rarely becomes a problem. Most cities tend to have several outposts that monitor the natural environment, such as tectonic and volcanic activity, biological movement (particularly if the city relies on the local sealife for food), and any effects on the nearby ecology.

The following is a list of the most common designs found across New Eden. The list is not exhaustive, and many other variations and alternatives can be found in the wide breath of the cluster.

Polyglas dome

Most commonly found in the Gallente Federation, these are the eponymous style of underwater cities that are commonly thought of when one mentions the term (especially considering the Gallente habit for marketing its many sights and attractions). These tend to be fully-fledged arcology cities encased in a polyglas dome (or spherical bubble, if not built directly on the seafloor). The cities and megalopoli of these underwater domes are extremely diverse, emulating their topside counterparts to the letter, with flora and woodland integrated into the designs. During the day, the underside of these domes will project artificial sunlight, sometimes making use of the aquatic environment surrounding the dome. Night will see the natural darkness of the sea replace any rendering. Many of these underwater cities are connected via magrail with several smaller domes that function as anything from farms and factories to suburbs, towns and parks built around the terrain. It is common for certain types of these polyglas dome cities to be built within ocean floor craters, some of which can be the same size as large islands. Nouvelle Rouvenor and Paix Azur are examples of polyglas dome arcologies.

Carapace

These closed domes are heavily-armored, and are not subject to the same sort of security holes as with polyglas constructions. Frequently found in equal numbers across any major empire, these arcologies house settlements of whatever style under their carapaces. Amarr applications of these designs, however, have become slightly more notorious than most. Spires for the Holders, their associated staff and the wealthy commoners are constructed in addition to the central domes, while the slave population are concentrated in the center of the main habitation. In the event of mass slave rebellion, the city can be flooded in its entirety, with the poorer commoners having an easier escape by living at the edges of the dome and the richer citizens being safe in their spires. This has rarely been used, but the mechanism existing in the first place has been enough to draw criticism as barbarous and inhumane.

Modular

By far the most frequently occurring design for mid- to high-investment industrial settlements, these types are commonly associated with the Caldari and Minmatar. Instead of a single-structure arcology constructed with a one-off investment, these angular designs are modular in construction to allow further developments to take place if needed. Almost any additional module can be added to the city, including domed areas for the richer denizens (or even for the poorer, an example being Minmatar Rust Quarters). They are one of the safest designs available, as any hazard such as a fire or breach in the superstructure can easily be isolated. Some variations include a monolithic arcology that houses the primary living areas, with modular sections constructed in addition.

Abyss tower

The ‘abyss tower’ is a vertical arcology that is constructed in a way that it plummets deep into a volcanic chasm, which in turn acts as its primary power source. It is a common design when the appropriate funds are lacking, though often offer the most turnover afterwards as mining facilities are constructed into the walls of the chasm. Additional facilities are constructed around the surface of the abyss, which mostly include aquacultural facilities and submarine bays to the surface.

Cavern construction

Extremely common across all of New Eden, these cities are constructed in large caverns excavated into underwater mountains and other features of the oceanfloor terrain. Depending on the exact nature of the cavern system, these settlements may vary from habitations and structures constructed against the walls of tunnels and connected by various bridges and walkways, or full-blown high-rise cities constructed in particularly large subterranean excavations. These are the most diverse types of underwater cities, as their construction is heavily reliant on the relief of the seabed terrain, which varies between locations immensely.

See Also

• Domestic technology
• General technology
• Chronicle: Gallente-Caldari War: The Early Days
• Chronicle: Under the Sea, the City