Primary: Omen,
spectral class K0V. ICN S4G0802K0V. Mass 0.25 standard. Stellar Diameter 0.908
standard. Luminosity 0.42 standard.
Planetary System: Three
major bodies. One inhabited world (Doom, II). One gas giant. No planetoid belts.
II Doom: Mean
orbital radius, 88.26 million kilometers (0.59 AU). Period 182.2 days. Two
satellites. Diameter 7048 km. Density 1.05 standard. Mass 0.131 standard. Mean
surface gravity 0.53G. Rotation period: 30 hours, 41 minutes, 44 seconds. Axial
inclination 20°0'15.0". Albedo .20 standard. Surface atmospheric pressure,
less than .01 atm. Vacuum suits required for surface EVAs. Hydrographic
percentage 0%. Mean surface temperature 40°C.
Remarks: The
names given to the bodies in this system ("Omen", "Doom",
etc.) are said to have first been applied by the superstitious Caledonian
merchant who made the first recorded visit to Mt. Orodruin, the great and
terrifying enigma of the planet. That merchant arrived on Doom with a crew of
ten; he escaped alone, gravely wounded, and it was only by the merest good
fortune that his ship made a successful jump to neighboring Kolath
(Reavers' Deep 2313). The injured crewman died on the jump back, leaving behind
recordings of his experiences. These, however, are the largely incoherent
ravings of a deranged and frightened man, and are of little value in unraveling
the secrets of Doom.
Something, apparently, lies within the great dead volcano Captain Donald
Morrison christened Orodruin. It is uncertain just what it may be, from the
content of the tapes, bur Morrison seemed to be describing an artificial complex
of some kind. By piecing together the rambling, incoherent statements made by
Morrison and certain supporting information from later expeditions, scientists
believe Orodruin is the site of an abandoned military base, probably belonging
to the Saie. Morrison's account seems to indicate that one of his men
accidentally reactivated a long-dead geothermal generator, which powered up the
automated base defense system of this long-forgotten complex. These defenses
worked with frightening effectiveness.
And, it seems, they continue to work today. No fewer than ten major expeditions
have visited Doom since 678, when Morrison's visit occurred; none have
successfully penetrated Orodruin. Every person who has attempted to enter has
been killed, and vehicles outside the underground complex have been destroyed
when they ventured within a given radius of the base entrance. Twice, ships have
been brought down by effective particle beam weapons, as well. The Imperium has
posted Red Zone warnings for Doom as a result, though a small, semi-permanent
research colony is maintained hoping to crack the base and learn its secrets.
There is little hope of this, based on past experience, though at least one
researcher has advanced the theory that individual defense systems might be
disarmed by a crystal key fitted into any of several locking devices near
complex doors. A shattered version of the key was discovered at Crash
Jura on Glenshiel (Reavers' Deep
1912); so far, attempts to duplicate it have failed.