History and Demographics

As the capital of Kraatar (Triskar), Gozzorf City is the largest and oldest settlement on the planet; its population of about 1 million beings is mostly evenly split between Humans and Vrusk with only a few enclaves of Dralasites and Yazarians and a scattering of other races.

The first Human settlers first landed here and Gozzorf is still the site of the planet’s only starport. The city is split into a number of areas – including Jedsis, the Business District, the Industrial District, Pstriztz’kipur, Fioust and Harbor Town – that are connected by roads and monorails. Outside of the city proper is a ring of small suburbs and rural towns, boosting the total metropolitan area’s population to 2.5 million beings within a 50 kilometer radius, about 60 percent Human, 38 percent Vrusk and a scattering of other races.

Gozzorf City is named after the leader of the first Human colonial expedition to Kraatar, Declan Gozzorf. It is believed that the name Gozzorf is a corruption of a Human word “gozzard” or “gosherd,” which refers to a person who takes care of geese. 

The first Humans were expatriates from Clarion in the White Light system who chartered a hazardous route through the tendrils of the White Light Nebula rather than taking the modern commercial route from Theseus. A second and third wave of colonists arrived within the next decade.

Gozzorf’s ship – the James Bambra – was cannibalized to make the settlement’s first buildings and powerhouse.

Its first starport was little more than a gravel and dirt landing field that was located at the outskirts of the community in the modern-day Jedsis district. When explorers failed to find any rich deposits of heavy metals – the whole reason for the original settlement – Clarion soon withdrew its support from the colony. While many Kraatar communities fell into a more primitive, pastoral lifestyle, Gozzorf City retained a more technological edge than other regions. After all, when the few trading ships visited the planet, this was where they came including the first Vrusk commercial ship, the VSS Rt’aalk.

When the first Vrusk colonists arrived 80 years ago, Gozzorf’s demographics flipped. Instead of Human controlled, the Vrusk quickly grew to nearly 70 percent of its residents by about the time of the First Sathar War. As the trade houses grew and prospered, more Human residents moved to the city until the population became more or less evenly split between the Humans and Vrusk.

Geography

Located in a hilly region of the so-called Flatlands, Gozzorf City sits on Thakar Bay, which is at the southwestern side of the Yatiz Sea. The Moraga River that cuts through the center of the city, separating Fioust from Jedsis and the Industrial District. The smaller Stroud River snakes through the hills on the city’s northern end, acting as a natural barrier between the Vrusk-dominated Pstriztz’kipur District and the Business and Fioust districts.

The Business District is the site of the original Human colony. As the city grew, more and more residents moved out to the other districts, which were soon annexed by Gozzorf City. Located along the bay, with fantastic views of the sea beyond, the Business District is home to numerous shopping plazas, several well-appointed hotels and important office buildings. Most Vrusk trade houses and the Frontier’s mega corporations have offices here; it is crowded with Humans and Vrusk.

Along the shoreline, near the Stroud River, lies Gozzorf’s Seat – a plateau where most of the planetary government buildings are found including the Glass Tower (or Stta’Lk yT’kk Krr’Vor) where the Commercial Council meets. The building gets its name from the scintillating, molded glass panels and is considered by many in the Frontier to be an architectural work of art. Scattered about the 24-story Glass Tower are numerous governmental buildings such as the Hidalgo-G’Sta’Kll Cultural Museums, the Main Kraatar Public Library, and various UPF bureau branch offices including the local Star Law station.

The Hidalgo-G’Sta’Kll is a set of four museums including the Institute of History that houses the Bambra plus artifacts of Declan Gozzorf and many other founding Human colonists. Other museum buildings display Vrusk art collections.

Around Gozzorf’s Seat are various embassies and the office towers of the Pan-Galactic, Streel and the Cassidine Development corporations, which employ their own private security agencies, keeping a vigilant eye on each other rather than the Kraatar Liberation Corps.

Luxury hotels include the PGC Allegro and the Trans-Travel Sirius Prime. One of the most popular restaurants for Kraatar’s elite – Human and Vrusk – is the Syndicracy, which is owned by the Wojo family with independent Vrusk partners.

Kraatar University – or KU – is the planet’s preeminent learning institution. It was founded more than 90 years ago by a Clarion expatriate who came to Kraatar to escape the monarchist government in the White Light System. The school is open to all races, though it tends to be dominated by Vrusk who make up 65-70 percent of the student body.

Jedsis is the district that contains the Kraatar Starport and Harbor Town where numerous marinas and the main sea-going commercial vessels make port. This area is home to numerous transients plus indigenous Human residents and independent Vrusk who have eschewed the Vrusk mainstream. This area is a potential hotspot of crime ranging from the KLC sleeper cells to the Zenk – the Vrusk mafia. The few Dralasites, Yazarians and other minor races tend to make their home here as well.

The attitudes of native Human residents to the Vrusk vary widely here, but it is the unwise Vrusk who ventures out alone at night. A number of medium to small hotels exist in the area, some are run by Yrrti’K, a minor Vrusk trade house.

The modern Kraatar Starport is owned and operated bySik’Triksta (ST) Vrusk trade house that also owns the Trans-Global Monorail and controls or licenses most other public transportation services on the planet. The starport can handle anything from shuttles to Hull Size 5 starships plus has runways for aircraft – the few that operate at lower altitudes in the thin atmosphere.

Located only two kilometers from the starport, Harbor Town is where a majority of the piers where commercial fishing and cargo vessels come into port. There are warehouses and some light industrial buildings here. Since Vrusk generally don’t like water, the seaport is dominated by Human businesses, though many have partnerships with the trade houses such as Wojo Enterprises, a Human-owned conglomerate.

The majority of Gozzorf City’s factories and warehouses are located in the Industrial District. Although a small number of residents live in the district, most of the Vrusk and Human workers commute in and out every day on the monorail, which runs extra trains with only a three or four minute wait for riders during peak times. These trains are similar to the Trans-Global line, but they are made for local runs – no sleeping or entertainment accommodations.

Fioust is the “bedroom” district of Gozzorf City where many of Vrusk and Human workers live. Racial relations here are generally good. A pleasant area, most residents live in three-story houses. It has local shops and businesses, schools, parks and Common College – an educational institution that dates back to 50 years after Gozzorf’s expedition first landed. The college is open to all races, though Vrusk tend to go to KU.

Gozzorf’s local government also is located in Fioust rather than the Business District. Reflecting the city’s population, it is more or less evenly split between Human and Vrusk politicians and, at times, council sessions get rowdy between bombastic candidates. The Vrusk city council members, though, tend to vote in a block, following the dictates of the Commercial Council.

Built on a plateau, near Mount Taborean to the north is Pstrztz’kipur. This wealthy district is where the majority of Vrusk executives live. It is a beautifully ornamented area. Open parklands and gardens are common while its wide boulevards are lined with statues of Kraatar glass that are pleasing to Vrusk. Some of these statutes are Vrusk business heroes, but others are of other members of the Core Four races who have influenced their lives.

A select few Humans live in Pstrztz’kipur, often those are off-worlders who have a more cosmopolitan attitude toward the interaction of the races, but the schools in this district are virtually dominated by Vrusk children.

Hogg Island is a small, unpopulated spire of rock jutting out of Thakar Bay that is within 1.5 kilometers from the step bluffs of the Pstrztz’kipur plateau. It is named after one of the original Human colonists.

Lil Island is a small spit of land in Thakar Bay near Jedsis. A Harbor police station is located here. Since Vrusk tend to not like water, the Harbor Police are dominated by Humans and other races, but it is affiliated with the Ral’Ik’Ka (RIK).