User blog comment:Solomus-BlackWing/A Legacy (Pt. 4)/@comment-2253300-20140510031534

Bythantis: A gas giant which is home to it's famous floating cities, or SkyHabs. These massive structures are suspended in the upper atmosphere of the planet by the dense gases and strong currents of the atmosphere below them. The Skyhabs make their living by harvesting valuable gases along various areas of the planet, and competition for new territory for the Gas Harvesters is fierce. The upper atmosphere of the planet is considered mild enough that a human can survive in it via basic protective gear and a respirator.

Bythantis has a Confederate Government. The world's Planetary Governor is merely a representative figurehead whose primary role is to collect the tithes for presentation to the Imperium, and to preside as an arbiter when a council of the Sky Cities is called. Each Skyhab is its own nation, controlled by their own officials, nobles or clans. The power and position of each SkyHab is derived from the wealth they obtain from the precious gases they harvest, as well as by how much they contribute to the world's planetary Tithe. Thus each Skyhab does it's best to control a considerable area from which they must harvest their rsources. Espionage, intrigue and outright war over valuable Gas Fields are all too common.

The Armies of the Skyhabs focus primarily on airsuperiority since the world lacks solid ground. Each of the Skyhabs have small fleets of fighter aircraft that they use in their internecine wars, and Bythantisian fighter pilots are considered to be above average. The yalso have skilled airborn infantry whose purpose is to board enemy Skyahbs and take them, or repel boarders. as a rsult of this Bythantis provides a regular stipend of fighter pilots and Armsmen to the Imperial Navy, and Airborn Infantry Regiments to the Imperial Guard.