Algol II is classed as a waterworld with a primarily temperate environment. Current conditions indicate that the planet is passing through an ice age of about 200,000 years duration, with the peak of glaciation within the next 500 years. During this time, the majority of the major land masses will. be covered by vast ice sheets almost 600 feet thick. As the ice covers the two polar continents of Karga and Elara, the central archipelago of islands will be exposed by the receding sea. The major island continents of Kalia, Kondar; Lurin, Hedar and Karn; and Jerrin, Manora and Bendak will eventually unify as major land masses as more and more seawater locks up into the polar glaciers.

Composed mainly of igneous strata, the planet resembles an orange with two deep trenches gouged latitudinally at the 40th parallels. It can be assumed that as the planet cooled, the forces of continental drift pulled the two main continents apart.

Due to the prevalence of many large and deadly predators and a limited amount of accessable land, much of Algol II has only been superficially explored. A pattern of wars and disasters, coupled with a low population rate, has hampered exploration futher. Because of this, Algol can be considered an open frontier, even for the technologically sophisticated adventurer.

The star system of ALGOL is approximately some 350 light years from Earth. It is a quatrinary system, with four suns orbiting a common center. The two main suns are ALGOL (a blue giant about 10 times larger than our own Sun), and MINBAR (a yellow sun identical to our own). Orbiting around these suns at equidistant points are KOBOL (a dim red dwarf star), and the DARK COMPANION (a dim, burned out star). Dwarfed by their larger companion star, the three smaller suns of the Algol system appear as smaller, brilliant dots against the background of the larger blue giant.

THE WORLD

The planet ALGOL II is the second of the four planets in the Algolian System. Orbiting at a distance roughly about that of Saturn from the Sun, ALGOL II is roughly 3/4ths the size of Earth, and has an orbital rotation of 20 Standard Hours. The Algolian year is about 1,200 standard days long. There are three very small moons orbiting equidistantly around the planet (called Dion, Pikk and Desha). Each moons surface albedo causes it to have a different color. Dion is yellowish, Pikk is reddish pink, and Desha is bluish. Because of the equidistant orbital pattern, there are never more than two moons in the sky at any one time--one is usually setting as the next one rises in the western skies of Algol II.

CLIMATE & WEATHER

The weather of Algol's two polar continents is roughly temperate, resembling the weather of Northern Europe or the American Northwest. Winters are long, cold and getting worse every year as the Ice Age progresses. Summers are short, with temperatures rarely rising above the 80s. Violent storms are common and a constant hazard to the many seafaring nations of the world. Although the climate of the equator is more tropical (often resembling that of Bermuda or Mexico), each year it becomes colder and less hospitable.

LIFE FORMS

The wildlife of Algol is on the whole a lot larger and more nasty than that of Earth. In most cases, humankind has been too busy trying to merely survive in the hostile environment (or stop the equally hostile neighbors) to do much more than thin out the worst animals present. The fauna of Algol is either derived from stock brought by the original colonists (like dogs, cats, chickens and horses), or native lifeforms. The native forms tend to run towards huge mammalian types (much like those of Earths own Ice Ages), or several species of warmblooded dinosauroids and reptiles. Some native forms show an ability to focus and use electrical and light energies as part of their offensive armament. All of these show a distinct inclination towards eating any small, moving creatures available.

MAN ON ALGOL

When one considers the fact that the average Algolian human isn't seven foot eight and weighing 400 Ibs, it's remarkable that the species hasnt been wiped out centuries ago by the faster and more vicious animal life. The average human is about four foot ten to six four, and weighs anywhere between ninety to three hundred pounds. There are no distinct races on Algol; most inhabitants have skin tones somewhere between dark brown to albino, with a bewildering array of facial features.

One characteristic of Homo Algolis is the wide variations in hair and eye colors. Hair tints range from browns and blacks all the way to blues, greens, silvers and any other conceivable shade. Eyes are equally variable. Genetics do not appear to be a factor, as blue haired parents can easily have children with yellow, white or brown hair. It is suspected that hair and eye colors are related to individual biochemistries and diets. Homo Algolis is disease resistant, highly adaptable, and less prone to fatigue, shock and mental illness. (It's been argued that Kargan behavior is not mental illness, but merely ruthlessness). Algolian women have a slightly longer gestation period (1 year), and a tendency to give birth to twins. The average Algolian has faster reaction times and stronger muscles than his Terran counterpart, allowing him to move at blinding speeds and make incredible leaps. In proportion to the local wildlife, this may only be a leveler.

HUMAN CULTURES

Algolian cultures divide into four stocks --the Kargans of the southern polar continent, the Elarans of the north, the Archipelagans of the Equator, and the Murians of the central continent.

Not much is known about the culture of Muria; legends speak of a heavily education based culture with a reverence for the natural order, but this is based on tales over a thousand years old and not on recent observation (a five mile high barrier of force prohibits on-site anthropology studies).

The Kargans and the Elarans exhibit many similar characterstics, as one might expect as they both evolved out of roughly the same national stock. Elarans are by nature open, friendly and not terribly warlike. Kargans are suspicious, violent, warlike and militaristic. Both nations have evolved a sophisticated level of technology which includes nucleonic power, computers, fan and jet vehicles, and limited space travel.

The Archipelagans are primarily traders and adventurers, travelling in large, energy efficient fan carriers from port to port. They are clever, shrewd, and friendly to strangers, as befits a trading people. They take a delight in oral history and artistic craftsmanship. As each island group has its own variations on the basic Trader culture, it is only possible to generalize without an island by island accounting.

Three other subgroups exist on Algol; the nomadic Etarra Traders, the semi barbaric Looters, and the desert dwelling Shafirin.

The Etarra are an offshoot of the Archipelagan cultures, travelling in their giant fan carriers from place to place. They are consumate scavengers and technicians, whose lives revolve around installing, repairing or altering whatever bits or wrecked technology they discover in the ruins of abandoned cities. A consequence of this facility for machines is that they are much in demand as technicians. They are fond of bright clothes, music, stories and gadgets of all types.

The technobarbaric Looters are derived from the outcasts of all of the other cultures. They also recover and restore much of the abandoned technology of the MEKTON Wars, which they then use to raid and loot smaller villages and cities. Looters are violent, untrustworthy, and hated by everyone including the Kargans.

The Shafirin live in the high mountain deserts and plateau areas of central Kargan. They use their looted military hardware to fight a long term guerilla war with the Empire. They are honest, fierce fighters, have strong clan and family ties, and have a fondness for fine weapons. preferably just taken off the body of a dead Kargan warrior.

GOVERNMENT & POLITICS

Since earliest times, Elaran government operated on a loose form of feudalism, where the King was judge, jury and executioner throughout the Seven Kingdoms. This pattern has mellowed in the intervening centuries. At present, the King is a hereditary monarch, usually coming from one of the seven noble families of the Kingdoms. The King presides over the High Council, each member of which has the right of one vote on government issues. The King retains the right to overrule the decision of the Council, unless that vote is unanimous; his main purpose is to propose issues and problems to be solved by the Council. The members of the Council are drawn from the governing boards of each of the arcology cities. These governing boards are in turn elected by the citizens of each city. Because of the structure of Elaran government, there is a great deal of political maneuvering and alliance building going on all the time.

On the other hand, government seems a mild term for the web of assassination, treachery and deceit which passes for political structure in the Kargan Empire. The Empire rests on the person of the Imperial Family, while beneath are levels of powerful noble families who struggle for advantage with the Throne--or if powerful enough, a shot AT the Throne. (The current Emperor, KORAX, murdered his predecessor with his own war knife.) A determined Kargan warrior can hope that with enough gold, glory and assassins, he too can one day mount the Seat of Skulls and rule over the Provinces of the Empire.

The key to getting ahead in Kargan politics is to get a patent of nobility, through deeds in battle or by birth. By allying oneself with the right Barons and Dukes, he can gather more land, titles and personal troops to himself, all the while looking over one armored shoulder for the knife, poison or accusation of treason that he knows is coming. Of course, overshadowing this all is the dread shadow of the Secret Police; the KAAVAAK. The Kaavaak has spies and informers in every family, base and home. Lists of undesi rabies circulate through the massive stone walls of the Kaavaak Headquarters, known as the Black Tomb. A Kaavaak Political Officer can destroy your life with a word.

Politics among the Archipelagos is more informal than the politics of the major nations. Each island usually has a council of Elders, drawn from the various families or trading cartels. A similar situation exists among the Ettarra with each Council presiding over a single Fan Carrier city. Among the Looters, of course, power goes to the strongest and most vicious. After all, how can you trust a leader who can't kill you with his bare hands?

Every so often, someone on Algol proposes a republic or a democratic voting system. It's a sign of the times that hes usually stepped on by a MEKTON the next morning.

HOUSING

For the first thousand years of Algolian history, city planning was a matter of picking a source of raw materials, and throwing up a city. The MEKTON Wars have changed that forever. Now that a MEKTON force can level a small city in a matter of minutes, the defenders of Algol have turned to the fortress mentality of an earlier time for a solution. Rather than dispersed city blocks, they have created huge living complexes, or ARCOLOGIES, which house hundreds of thousands at once, and yet, because of their compacted structures, are equally able to defend those many thousands in the most efficient way.

ARCOLOGY structures are multileveled, with residential and working areas built into the sides of either deep, fortified bowls or in the sides of several mile-long buildings. Parks, meeting halls, factories and shopping districts are melded into one seamless whole, so that city dwellers need not ever leave the protection of the citys defense perimeter. Some constructions make use of natural formations like cliffs or extinct volcanoes in their designs. Others use massive human constructs as a basis; Arcadia, in Elara, is built into the face of a huge dam. All are compact, modern, and heavily defensible. They are also constructed as close to the Equatorial Ocean as possible, to survive the coming Ice Age. As the great Kargan builder, Errina Kendar said, "Why should I move all this earth just to have some glacier come along and fill it in a century later?"

At this time, close to eighty percent of the populations of the major nations live in the arcology mega-cities, safe in their concrete fortresses, while above, electronic eyes and laser cannon banks search the skies for the next assault.

ECONOMICS

AGRICULTURE

The world of Algol is particularly land poor, because the majority of Algol is either under the ocean or rapidly being encroached on by the nearest glacier. As a result, all farming is heavily intensive and designed to get the maximum yield per acre. The age of the Algolian family farm died at least two hundred years ago. Besides the intensive farming effort, there are extensive projects underway in fish farming, sea--plant processing, and hydroponics. Because of this emphasis on sea--farming, the Algolian diet is rather Japanese--like; lots of fish, vegetables, and very little meat.

One aspect of the ongoing MEKTON War is the attempts by both sides to undermine the others economic base. A fair amount of military force is spent in either raiding or defending each nations far flung food raising operations.

RAW MATERIALS

Another battlefront in the MEKTON Wars is the struggle to discover and defend various iron, copper and petroleum deposits. The relative scarcity of raw materials forces each nation to conserve its resources and to practice recycling whenever possible. As a result, the most terrible battles are often fought AFTER a major engagement, when rival groups of scavengers converge on the battlefield, looking for wrecked military hardware.

MONEY

Before the Kargan Occupation, the standard unit of currency in the Elaran Seven Kingdoms was the gold CROWN, a dime--sized coin embossed with the Great Seal on one side and the face of the reigning monarch on the other. (Coin collectors can date Elaran coins by observing which king is on the coin face. "The older the king, the better" is a common Elaran phrase which has nothing to do with the age of the king, but rather, the value of his coins.) After the occupation, much of the Elaran treasury was taken to Kargan. Because the Crown used a higher percentage of gold in its minting, it gradually became the standard currency in the Empire and the Archipelago, as well as Elara. One crown is equal to one credit in the MEKTON Roleplaying System.

A recent alternative to the Crown is the BANK CHIP This is a small metal plate with a keypad and integrated circuitry impregnated inside. The card automatically registers the money you have earned in the previous month, adding it to the remainder from before. The keypad allows entries and debits to be made to and from your account--a thumbprint reader in the card keeps track of which card is which. You may order a bank chip account at any major banking house (all major nations now have this system, though the cards cannot be interchanged between countries).

CONSUMER GOODS

The world of Algol has a technological level roughly equal to or higher than that of a major 20th century Terran nation (circa 1960-1990). As such, almost anything you could buy in a modern shopping mall is available to an Algolian consumer. The biggest problem isnt finding things to buy--it's getting the money to BUY things. In Elara, this is as simple as finding a well--paying career, but in Kargan, it may involve escaping serf status and the oppressive thumb of the local baron.

TECHNOLOGY

Since the time of the Great Migration from Muria, Algolian technology has had the extra push that comes from knowing that some ancient Murian magician is already doing with magic what you have to with brute force. It took only a few legends of magicians creating eternal lights or of machines that carried one over the earth faster than a man could run, to inspire some Algolian Edison or Ford to make his own slightly less elegant version.

The current technology level of the advanced nations is roughly equal to that of a modern 20th century Terran nation, such as the United States or Japan. There are equivalents of television, telephones, recorded music, stoves, refrigerators and motion pictures. One area in which Algolian Science surpasses our own is in the area of transportation. The invention of nucleonics made it possible to power cars with jets or fans, requiring fewer paved roads and highways.

Warfare being the primary occupation of most of Algol, military technology has reached staggering heights. In addition to variable hydraulic servos and refractive plasteel armor, MEKTON--sized energy weapons are very common. The result is a form of warfare that is extremely violent and destructive. If there was ever an anti--war protest movement on Algol, it must have been vaporized years ago.

MEDICINE

When most of your population is at war all the time, you need the best medical care possible. On Algol, advances like laser surgery and cryonics are already commonplace. Primitive forms of suspended animation fields have reached the operational stage, and are being used to transport wounded back from distant battlefields; a man can often survive up to a full week in such suspension tanks.

Besides advancements in battlefield surgery, the Algolians have also developed a number of pan--specific antibiotics capable of eradicating a variety of diseases. Another recent advance is an oral contraceptive usable by either sex, available as either a liquid or a pill to be taken once a week.

AGGENDI: The ancient sauroid race which pursued the First Men to Algol and later destroyed the colony. The Aggendi were described in the Old Books as being bipedal, with armored, dark green skin, and seven long taloned fingers.

ALPINE: A low, cypress like conifer adapted to living on snow and ice fields. Alpines are resinous and burn with a fierce heat. The bluish berries are edible, and the main food source for many animals.

ANDOR: Main city in Andor Province, Elara. Andora is a moderate sized city built into a massive crag overlooking the Bay of Yvonna. It is known for its fine glass and steel craftsmanship, and for the Library of Andora, a repository of knowledge from the past.

ANDORA HIGHROAD: A modern Elaran superhighway spanning the route from the Andoran plain to the city of Kandar. The Andoran Highroad is so named because it is elevated forty feet off the ground on a series of piers. Thie elevated highway is rarely open to attack by anything short of a MEKTON assault.

ARCADA: Arcada is built into a massive dam overlooking the Sea of Emmeris. The dam provides power to the Elaran cities of Luriel and Arcol. Arcada, known for producing fine weapons and armor, was the exiled Elaran Thrones capital during the Occupation. Arcada is also known for its fine cuisine, something like French Novelle Cuisine.

ARCADIAN ROAD: Highway between Arcada and Loriel, replacing the now destroyed Mirion Pass Road. Elevated twenty feet to avoid the deadly predators of the Elaran Wildlands, the roads construction was one of the most perilous undertakings in Algolian engineering history.

ARCOL: A moderate sized Elaran city built into the cliffs of the Bay of Orb. Arcols great sea-farms produce about a third of Elaras food supply Arcol is known for its excellent seafood, its textiles work, and its publishing houses.

ARKON VERIAN (2605 to present): A scientist-mage from the Murian continent, Arkon specialized in nucleonic and robotic technologies, which he then sold to the highest bidder. It is unclear as to why he fled Muria, but it is known that he was instrumental in the development of MEKTON technology and of the Kargan Emperors subsequent rise to power.

ATTIKAN (2190-2260): A scholar from the Pre-Expulsion days, who first deciphered the ancient secrets of the Old Empire, and established the Attikan magecraft schools in an attempt to disseminate her knowledge.

BLACK TOWER: The central structure in the Murian city of the same name, it is a black metal cylinder a tenth of a mile in height and approximately a tenth mile around its base. Modem researchers believe it to be the main hull of a colony starship from the Old Empire.

BEACHMASTER CRAB: A scavenger/hunter that dwells in midocean weedbeds and most beaches. SIZE: Small STRUCTURE: Crablike MA: 80 TEMPERAMENT: Dangerous DEX: 50.

BENDAK: A Kargan city built into the upper cliffs overlooking the Bay of Bendak. Bendak is known for its fine tooled steel, and many famous restaurants. Bendakin food is something like Earthly Chinese Hunan cooking.

CARRIER: Classification of utility mecha commonly used in most major cities. Carriers usually have a fan system for movement, two to six lifting arms with hands, a torso and no head. Some carrier types are used in police work, mounting a single laser in the front of the torso.

CITADEL: The seat of the Kargan Empire and Throne. The Citadel is a massive black and green marbled structure. It is a fortress in itself, with its own MEKTON base, living quarters, food storage and dungeons.

BREADLEAF: A low, yellow plant with thick, fleshy leaves. Barely edible when raw; cooked, the leaves give off an appetizing aroma and taste like cornbread.

CALLIAN RANGE: The main "spine" of mountains running east--west along the Elaran continent. The highest peak is Victrix Leanna (elevation 16,000 feet). The only well charted pass through the Range is the Mirion Pass. The Range is home to a wide variety of dangerous animals and people.

CONSTRUCTOR: A variant of the Carrier class mecha, constructors often have welding, riveting and concrete-pouring tools built into specialized arms. The are most commonly used in major building projects.

CRYSTAL PALACE: Seat of the Throne and Kingship of Elara, the Palace has its own living, shopping and power facilities. The name comes from the construction of the upper tiers of the Palace, which are made of a reflective granite from the shores of the Crystal Sea.

CRYSTAL SEA: A now completely frozen inland sea in the north of Elara. The name comes from the rare reflective granite surrounding its shores. The Crystal Sea is a well-known haunt of the Ettarra techno-gypsies.

DEATHGRASS: A deadly mimic of the normal blue-green grass of Algol, deathgrass is only distinguishable by the presence of the blue and yellow vultureflies around it. If stepped into, millions of tiny barbed hooks extend from each plant and shred the prey.

DESERT OF CHRONOS: A barren, cold desert in southern Kargan, near the city of Kardak. It is the site of a number of now deserted cities, and is often visited by Ettarra and Looter parties looking for abandoned technology.

ETTARRA: A nomadic trading culture which lives on immense fan transporter-cities, following food supplies and trade routes.

FALLS OF ARCADY: As the River Tirion comes out of the Callian Range, it makes a spectacular 2,000 foot drop to the surface of Lake Arcady the artificial lake created by the city-dam of Arcada. It is a favorite tourist attraction and honeymoon spot for lovers.

FAN TRANSPORTER: Also known as fan carriers, transporters are huge flatbed trucks used to move mecha from place to place. Larger fan transporters may have living and machine shop facilities built into the cab sections.

FENRIS: A small, doglike pack hunter, preying on lizards and mice, Fenrises will flee humans whenever possible. but if raised from pups, will make excellent pets. SIZE: Small STRUCTURE: Quadruped MA: 100 TEMPERAMENT: Neutral DEX: 65.

FlORA: An Elaran island city now destroyed in the MEKTON wars. An estimated fifty missiles fell on Fiora. The resulting impacts cracked the crust, sinking the city into the Sea of Mardak. Attempts to recover artifacts from the area have been hampered by severe weather and packs of Fog Hunters.

FLOATER: Globular gas balloons with some limited control of movement. Floaters have an infrared sense that allows them to home in on prey up to 20 miles. They then drop onto the prey and strangle it with their tentacles. SIZE: Medium STRUCTURE: Tentacled MA: 40 TEMPERAMENT: Dangerous DEX: 34.

FOG HUNTER: Resembling ancient Earthly plesiosaurs, but with scythelike tails, Fog Hunters stay submerged until fogs or early morning mists rise on the ocean. They then strike through the fog at feeding shoals of fish, whipping their long necks and narrow heads back and forth: Fog Hunters will attack ships when they are encountered, and are adept at plucking men off open deck areas. SIZE: Huge STRUCTURE: Quadruped MA: 100 TEMPERAMENT: Dangerous DEX: 70.

FOREST OF KAOL: Vast tract of alpine torest north of the now dead city of Tandar in Elara. The forest covers most of the high plateau area and is whipped by dense fog and arctic winds.

FOREST OF LORIEL: Mixed alpine and meadowland forest north of Loriel in Elara. During the Kargan Occupation, resistance groups used the Forest as a staging area, drawing upon legends of a band of good outlaws who dwelt there four centuries earlier.

FORTRESS OF TANDAR: A massive stone city-fortress on the high plateau of Kaol in Elara. One of the last cities to fall in the Occupation, it was undermined by a Kargan biological plague weapon. The seige killed every man, woman and child in Tandar -- and not one surrendered.

GREAT HIGHWAY: Elevated Elaran road running from Kardar to Arcol. The road is elevated to a height of fifteen feet, making it safe from attacks by all but flying creatures.

GREY HUNTER: Packs of these large, loping predators travel hundreds of miles seeking game. They are silent and deadly with glowing red eyes and long, woiflike bodies. A blue white electrical static charge surrounds them, making them highly visible at night. SIZE: Large STRUCTURE: Quadruped MA:120 TEMPERAMENT: Dangerous DEX: 70.

GUNFARK: Massive armored lizard herbivore with two independently moving heads, the gunfark likes to wallow in marshy areas or streambeds until alarmed. Then it runs over the disturbance at 50 mph. Gunfarks are a hazard even to MEKTONs. SIZE: Huge STRUCTURE:Quaduped MA: 120 TEMPERAMENT: Dangerous DEX: 40.

HIDEMOUSE:This hampster-like rodent lives in extensive underground runways. It has a mania for collecting and storing any novel object, no two alike, limited only by whether it can drag the object away The hidemouse with the largest "museum" appears to enjoy some type of mating advantage. As hidemice often loot wrecked vehicles and locked storerooms, many adventurers make a hobby out of hunting down hidemouse lairs and looting the contents themselves. Hidemice are very clever thieves, even able to distinguish between makes and models of the same object, thus making them useful pets -- and the bane of most arcologies. SIZE: Very Small STRUCTURE: Quadruped MA: 20 TEMPERAMENT: Timid DEX: 80.

ICECAT: Icecats are the chief predator of the glacier pack, roaming their solo ways over hundreds of miles. Icecats are not designed to run dowr their prey but are very good at setting up ambushes along their paths. Kargans occasionally train young icecats as hunting animals. SIZE: Very Large STRUCTURE: Quadruped MA: 80 TEMPERAMENT: Dangerous DEX: 80.

ILLYRIA: Deserted almost a hundred years ago, when the glacier pack began to overrun it, Illyria is now partially entombed in the icepack. It is still occasionally visited as a source for artifacts and information.

IMPERIAL TACTICAL ACADEMY: The training school for Kargan warriors of the future, the Academy specializes in weapons training, interrogation, strategy and political power theory. It is considered to be a mark of honor to attend the Academy and a requirement for any young Kargan nobles education.

KALIA: Large island subcontinent in the Archipelago, recently colonized by the Elarans. It is often attacked by Kargan forces on the nearby subcontinent of Kandar. Kalia and Kandar are the sites depicted in the first edition MEKTON map.

KANDAR: A moderate sized Elaran city located in the fertile plains of Kandar Province. Kandars huge farms produce most of the grain and vegetable crops of Elara. Kandar itself is a massive, castle--like arcology rising from a low hill.

KAOL: Originally a city in the Forest of Kaol, deserted during the Kargan Occupation. Now the name of the entire region of Elara northwest of Mishtar, including the now deserted fortress of Tandar. There is some evidence that Kaol, now overgrown by the forest, may be home to the Tar-Fior, a refugee group that escaped the Fiora disaster.

KARDAK: A Kargan city built into the bowl of a vast extinct volcano. Kardak is a major base of the Kargan Imperial Army as well as a major source of processed food products.

KARDAK, MT (42,100 ft): An enormous extinct volcano, Mt. Kardak is the site of the Kardak arcology.

KARGOL: Major Kargan city, rising from a mountainside overlooking the sea. Kargol is considered something of a resort area, and many Kargan nobles maintain estates in the area.

KEOR: Once a prosperous Elaran coastal city on the inland Sea of Emmeris, Keor was deserted when the sea froze up. Both the Looters and the Ettarra have fought an ongoing battle for possession of Keor in the last few years.

KERRISS: Major Kargan city at the base of the Kerrissian Plateau. Kerriss is known for its fine craftsmanship in metals, its woven rugs, and the many nobles castles in the area.

KERRISSIAN PLATEAU: A massive plateau region in Kargan, rising in sheer rock walls from the forest some twenty thousand feet below, with the massive volcano Kardak rising from its southernmost tip. The Plateau is a mysterious and dangerous region, with many legends and tales surrounding it.

KICKLIZARD: Large, ostrich--like lizards that live in open plain areas. Kicklizards rush their prey and kick it to death with their massive rear legs. A massed kicklizard attack can destroy a small mecha or support vehicle. SIZE: Very Large STRUCTURE: Birdlike MA: 120 TEMPERAMENT: Vicious DEX: 75.

KIMIR: Small Kargan city overlooking the partially frozen Bay of Binir. An arcology cut deep into the rocks of a desolate, high cliff face, Kimir is known for its fighting men, the most feared warrior class in the Empire.

KORAX, EMPEROR (2600--present): Current Emperor of the Kargan Empire, Korax came to power in 2630, when a successful assassination plot eliminated Cerian II, the previous Emperor. Korax is a strong and ruthless leader, and under his domination, the Empire has become a powerful modern war machine.

KREGOR DRAGON: The largest predator on the open seas, Kregor Dragons will attack anything, although their main prey is the Fog Huntet A wreath of ripping tentacles ring a gaping mouth filled with ten rows of teeth. The eyes appear to have the ability to generate and fire a laser-like beam of energy -- the lancing beam is used to wound the faster Fog Hunters and make them easier prey Kregor Dragons are heavily armored solo hunters. SIZE: Huge STRUCTURE: Fishlike, with tentacles MA: 100 TEMPERAMENT: Vicious DEX: 60.

KORIEL: Koriel was the first city founded on the Elaran continent, and has stood in various forms for hundreds of years. It is the administrative, business and trade center for the Seven Kingdoms of Elara, as well as the seat of the Kingship. It is primarily a seaport city facing the Bay of Telos. During the MEKTON Wars, the original Koriel was obliterated, and a new arcology city has replaced it. The arcology not only covers the original city area, but also spans the river Telos in a series of ingenious suspension levels.

KORTHAD: Korthad is the ancient capitol city of the Empire, and is a massive construction built into the side of Mt. Korthad. A center of Kargan culture and trade for several hundred years, Korthad is one of the few cities on Algol that is not constructed on an arcology plan. Korthad is also known for its fine cuisine (Korthan food is somewhat like Szechwan cooking).

LEAPER: Leapers are dolphinlike lizards with long, toothy snouts. Leapers are fairly intelligent, as they hunt in cooperative packs and use a form of language between themselves. SIZE: Large STRUCTURE: Fishlike MA: 120 TEMPERAMENT: Neutral DEX: 80.

LOOTERS: Barbarian gangs who raid small cities and deserted strongholds, using MEKTONS scavenged from the battlefield.

LURIEL: The major trade port of the Elaran kingdoms, Luriel is built on a series of low rolling beaches and bluffs surrounding the Bay of Tabs. Luriel is considered a recreation, travel and shopping city and as such may be the only area of the Seven Kingdoms with a major tourist trade.

MARDAK, SEA OF: Rough and treacherous area infested with fogs, ice floes, Kregor Dragons and Fog Hunters. Not recommended for fishing.

MARSHES OF MISHTAR: The marshy area surrounding the Elaran city of Mishtar. A treacherous place, with a great many large and inimical lifeforms. Noted for patches of glowing marsh-gas, called "Mishtar Ghosts."

MECHA: Generic term for any large, man controlled robotic mechanism, coined by the Japanese of the Late Pre-Empire. Mecha come in many different forms, though most of them are roughly humanoid--shaped.

MEKTON: A class of mecha developed for warfare and combat. MEKTONS are distinguished from other mecha in that they are armored, carry weapons, are usually much faster and more maneuverable.

MIRION PASS: The only well-known pass through the Callian Range, leading to the now abandoned Elaran cities of Illyria and Keot Prowled by large predators and roving Looter packs, the Pass is mostly blocked by rubble from repeated Kargan missile strikes.

MISHTAR: Located in dense marshland, Mishtar is a recently constructed arcology built on the site of the original city. The arcology is constructed on tiers overlooking the marsh, making it very hard to approach.

MURIA: Australia-sized continent on the Equator, the original landing site of the First Algolian colonists, and now home of the fabled Mages of Muria. Muria is shielded by a fifteen mile high force field englobing the entire continent.

OLD BOOKS: A collection of twenty massive, ancient volumes, discovered by the scholar Attikan during her expedition into the City of the Black Tower. Printed in an unknown script on metal pages, the Old Books appear to have been a form of the Encyclopedia Galactica, with history and information about the First Men and their now long dead Empire. The books are reputedly stored in the Library of Attikan, on the Murian subcontinent.

OLD EMPIRE: Fabled starfaring empire, written of in the Old Books of the First Men. The people of the Old Empire possessed great powers of mind and science, but their mighty empire fell to the depredations of the warlike Aggendi. The legends say that the Empire extended from the constellation of the Scorpion to the regions of Canopia, a volume of some fifteen million light years.

OOKLOO: A small omnivore with huge green eyes, the ookloo has nimble fingers and a prehensile tail. Although it is well armed with needle sharp teeth, it mainly depends on its ability to hypnotize semi-- intelligent organisms. Charming and cute, it is often adopted as a household pet where it spends its time stunning and eating marauding hidemice. SIZE: Small STRUCTURE: Quadruped MA: 40 TEMPERAMENT: Defensive DEX: 35

OSMERON, ETTIN II (2610--present): Current king of the Seven Kingdoms of Elara. A wise tactician and ruler, Osmeron is well liked by the Elaran people and respected for his judgement.

PATTERN CAT: A smaller type of icecat, with the ability to adjust its coat color to match surrounding vegetation. Pattern cats work in mated pairs, setting ambushes for their prey Easier to train than icecats, they are more commonly used as hunting animals. SIZE: Medium STRUCTURE:Quadruped MA: 80 TEMPERAMENT: Dangerous DEX: 80.

ROYAL MILITARY ACADEMY: Located in Koriel, this is where Elaran military officers traditionally are trained. The course of study covers four years, concentrating on tactics, personal and mecha combat. It is assumed that all Elaran military MEKTON pilots have attended the Academy at one point in their careers.

RUNNER: A small, deerlike herbivore common in forest and plains. It defends itself with its horns and a heavy jointed bone tail which can club a predator senseless with one blow (12 Hits of damage). SIZE: Medium STRUCTURE: Quadruped MA: 120 TEMPERAMENT:Neutral DEX: 80.

SCREAMER: An extremely fast form of predator which uses a form of natural teleportation to hunt down runner herds, It appears to flicker momentarily from place to place, always within 20 feet of its last position. It is a solo hunter. SIZE: Large STRUCTURE: Quadruped MA: 300+ TEMPERAMENT: Dangerous DEX: 90.

SEA OF EMMERIS: The semi frozen inland sea spanning northern Keor to the Pole. In its chill waters are many small marine animals considered delicacies by Algolians.

SEVEN KINGDOMS: The seven provinces of Elara (Andor, Koriel, Door, Luriel, Tarna, Kaol and Mishtarl, originally formed in 2536 from a confederation of separate kingships.

SILVERS: Small, minnowlike fish common all over the Great Sea. They are the basis for most of the ocean ecosystem, feeding on plankton. SIZE: Very Small STRUCTURE: Fishlike MA: 100 TEMPERAMENT: Timid DEX: 75.

SONGLIZARD: A small lizard with a large throat pouch, which it inflates when singing. The fluid trills and whistles are a complex mating call, and make the lizards a highly prized pet. Songlizards come in variety of vivid colors. They are temperamental and die easily SIZE:Very Small STRUCTURE: Quadruped MA: 40 TEMPERAMENT: Timid DEX: 65.

TALLIAR, ALLEXANDER (2600--present): Murian "mage" and nucleonics expert who came to the aid of the embattled Elaran freedom fighters. A student of the Attikan School, "Dr. Tal" is a young, somewhat eccentric character prone to flights of fancy and obscure references.

SPEEDERS: There are roughly 120 varieties of speeders, all of them roughly torpedo shaped fish which leap from the water in 20 yard jumps, aided by long slender fins. They are the main food fish on Algol. SIZE: Small to Large. STRUCTURE: Fishlike MA: 80 TEMPERAMENT: Neutral DEX: 80.

TARKAS: Major industrial city in northeastern Kargan. Tarkas is built in a series of arcs over a huge, strip--mined valley. Its blast furnaces operate dayand night, supplying the raw materials for the Kargan war machine.

UNIVERSITY OF KORIEL: The major education center on Algol, the University is located in its own self--contained arcology near Koriel, encompassing the Royal Library and the Royal Museum of Scientific and Natural History.

VICTRIX LEANNA, MT (elevation: 16,000 ft): Highest peak in the Callian Range, located in northern Keor Province. Unscaled by anyone yet, Victrix Leanna translates as "Leanna's Victory" and commemorates a legendary victory of the heroine Leanna over the barbarians who inhabited the region about 1,000 years ago.

URU KILLER: The only thing big enough and nasty enough to regularly tackle a gunfark, the Uru Killer will attack anything big enough to attract its rather nearsighted attention. It makes a habit of attacking MEKTONS, and is rarely discouraged by anything as trivial as a missile or laser. SIZE: Huge STRUCTURE: Quadruped MA: 120 TEMPERAMENT: Vicious DEX: 50.

WHISTLEMOUSE: Small, fluffy brown rodent which eats berries and nuts. Its two storage pouches can be inflated, allowing the mouse to produce an earsplitting whistle, stunning its predators. SIZE: Very Small STRUCTURE: Quadruped MA: 60 TEMPERAMENT: Timid DEX: 70.

YMRI (2629--present) Princess of the Seven Kingdoms of Elara and daughter of King Osmeron. Princess Ymri is an accomplished swordswoman and fighter, a holy terror in a mecha suit, and an excellent tactician.

Footnote: The Real Algol

There is a real star named Algol -- which means "the demon's eye" in Arabic, because to Arab astronomers, it seemed to "wink." Algol (also known as Beta Persei, the second brightest star in the constellation Perseus) is a binary consisting of a small, bright star and a larger (and fainter) orange one. When the bright star passes behind its large companion, Algol seems to dim, falling an entire magnitude. This eclipse happens every 2.87 days and lasts a total of ten hours. Algol also dims, though not nearly as much, when the smaller star partially eclipses the larger.

As described in the various editions of MEKTON, the Algolian system is even more complicated. A total of four stars orbit a common center of gravity: a blue giant (also named Algol), a yellow star much like Sol (Minbar), a red dwarf (Kobol) and a burned-out stellar remnant (the Dark Companion). The planet Algol circles these four suns at a distance variously described as similar to Saturn's orbit (MEKTON) or Mars' (MEKTON ZETA). This arrangement, along with the planet's three moons, makes for spectacular visuals -- important for any anime series -- but is rather implausible; some people on the MEKTON Mailing List have suggested that the Algol system must have been engineered this way, either by the Bendari or some other species advanced enough to move stars around for their own purposes.