Thonis
Situated in the Saedran Sub-sector of the Eridani Sector, Thonis, is the home system of the Cobalt Scions Chapter of the Adeptus Astartes. It is the name given to both the system as a whole, and its primary planet. The system has four suns and numerous inhabited worlds, all of which are collectively referred to as Thonicia, and its inhabitants as Thonicians.
Thonician Politics & Culture
Political Structure
While Thonicia contains multiple worlds with their own governments, they have long since stopped operating with any real autonomy. Instead, representatives travel to Heracleion, the system's capital city. Following the arrival of the Cobalt Scions, Chapter Master Tiberius Drusus has reformed the government and assumed control, giving himself and all future Chapter Masters the political rank of Dictator. The last Thonician Governor, Lord Aderbal, was given a new title: Locutor of the Senate. Representatives from Thonicia's 49 most prominent noble families would also be allowed to nominate a Senator to represent their interests. Controversially, Drusus also announced that ten commoners - called Tribunes - would be responsible for informing the Senate and the Dictator how their legislation was being received by the wider Thonician population. More importantly, if the Tribunes were unanimous, they could veto new legislation proposed by Senators. This veto could only be overruled by the Dictator or, in his absence, by one of the Cobalt Scions' lieutenants, all of whom hold the title of Praetor.
This total upending of a millennia-old regime was met with opprobrium by the Thonician nobility, but they soon realised they all wanted to have a seat at the Senate. The inevitable infighting broke their unity, and ensured they were marching to the beat of Drusus' drum.
For more detail on the context of these reforms, and the events preceding them, see the appropriate section on the Cobalt Scions history.
The Worlds of Thonicia
Alpha Thonicia
Alpha Thonicia III: Teranis
This mining world is rich in various ores and minerals. Even after millennia of excavation, there are still plenty of untapped seams waiting to be dug out, refined, and exported to Ralkis, Keraphon, Gamma Thonicia, or indeed outside the system. A common extra-Thonician destination is the shipyards of Saedra VII. Working conditions are poor, and life expectancy short. There was a brief uprising in 582.M41, but this was swiftly crushed, and operations restored. The poor conditions have recently returned to the political landscape following Drusus' formation of the Thonician Senate, and the newfound ability of the Tribunes to bring attention to the issues of the system's workers. It remains to be seen what if anything Drusus will do in response.
Alpha Thonicia IV: Xerakos
The once-fertile soil of Xerakos has now been industrially farmed for so long that its quality is now waning, despite regular imports of fertilizer. This in turn has created a degree of uncertainty and fear as regards the future of this agri-world, but experts' warnings that the only way to recover is to allow the fields to go fallow for a time have been dismissed as impractical. Other experts have suggested that the food growing potential of other worlds in the system is significant, and that in theory the system doesn't need Xerakos' output to feed itself. This suggestion has drawn the ire of Xerakian farmers naturally hesitant about being made surplus to requirements, and who don't seem to understand that the Imperium will always have a demand for more food elsewhere.
Alpha Thonicia V: Thonis
Thonis Prime is a self-sufficient planet sporting a mixture of agriculture, manufacturing, and other industries. Its climate is highly favourable to human life, albeit slightly too warm for visitors. The polar tundra regions are largely uninhabited, while extensive seawater desalination plants and soil culturing have been used to turn arid areas into productive agricultural regions.
Alpha Thonicia VI Gamma: Mazrakis
This moon-based Mechanicus research station studies the unusual biome of the gas giant it orbits. There are no signs of sentient life, but other flora and fauna can be found to a degree of complexity that is highly unusual for such an environment. Mazrakis' Magi Biologis work under the continuous threat of being closed down or repurposed to work on something more economically beneficial, but have so far seem to have friends in high places with Keraphon's leadership (see Delta Thonicia, below).
Beta Thonicia
Beta Thonicia Ii & Iii: the Quarrelsome Twins
These two airless rocky bodies hurtle around their star as a rotating pair in a close orbit of each other. They are entirely uninhabited, but there is an urban legend that the most talented spacefarers can prove their skill by successfully plotting and executing a landing on one of these bodies, through the intense solar activity, bracing orbital velocities, and gravitational challenge.
Beta Thonicia II
Civilised world, relatively underpopulated, with a hot, arid climate only capable of growing specially adapted crops.
Beta Thonicia III: Ralkis
An industrial world responsible for manufacturing low-tech goods.
Beta Thonicia VI: Zagreus' Lament
A cold, desolate penal colony.