This page is abridged and adapted from the Battlestar Wiki to better fit the Ironangel/Caprica setting. For more detailed information, please visit that website. (For the purposes of this game, we are using only information tagged as RDM.)

To see an overview of the colonies' history, click here.

To jump to a description of each colony, click here.

A BRIEF HISTORY OF THE TWELVE COLONIES

The history of the Twelve Colonies of Kobol stretches back nearly 4,000 years, with much of its ancient history being shrouded in mystery and religious lore.

"Life here began out there" is the first line of the Sacred Scrolls written by the Lords of Kobol uncounted centuries ago. Indeed, the humans of the Twelve Colonies originally lived on the planet Kobol, the purported homeworld of the human race. Much of what is known about life on Kobol is gleamed from the Sacred Scrolls, which makes those accounts potentially unreliable. Purportedly, the thirteen tribes lived in an idyllic utopia with the Lords of Kobol, residing in at least one city, the City of the Gods.

The Book of Pythia, recorded by the oracle Pythia on Kobol 3,600 years before the destruction of the Colonies, detailed the exile and rebirth of the human race. It is not known whether or not this book was a true prophecy predicting the destruction of the Twelve Colonies or a recitation of events on Kobol. Regardless, the book was written in the midst of great turmoil on Kobol. The prophecy alludes to a "blaze" which descended on the thirteen tribes and against which the Lords of Kobol were powerless to intervene. The Thirteenth Tribe fled Kobol roughly 4,000 years before The Fall, settling on a planet called Earth.

Approximately 2,000 years later, the remaining twelve tribes also left Kobol. According to the Sacred Scrolls, the populace of the tribes were taken in a "Galleon." Athena, a Lord of Kobol, threw herself from the Gates of Hera, to her death. The leaders of the tribes were interred with her, and Zeus warned the survivors that any return to Kobol "would exact a price in blood." After a journey through space, the refugees from Kobol founded the Twelve Colonies of Kobol.

After settling on their new homes, another cataclysm befell the Twelve Tribes. This resulted in the destruction of much of their knowledge base and sent the Colonies into a dark age. After their return to space, the Colonies established many observatories, listening posts, research stations and armories in their system. Inequity and war were common between the Colonies for most of this time period as each colony behaved more as sovereign nations. By the end of the strife, Sagittaron had been exploited for centuries.

Various shifting alliances and attempts at unified government have arisen out of these conflicts. The Twelve Colonies function as autonomous states independent of their sister colonies. Each planet has its own localized government, civil services, and armed forces. Caprica, for instance, has a Prime Minister as the head of its government as well as its own Defence Minister and judicial system. Inter-planetary wars, civil wars, and other conflicts are still common in this time, as inter-colonial relations vary widely.

OVERVIEW OF THE TWELVE COLONIES

AERILON The Aerilonian idea of self-reliance without a central government is strongly adhered to. As a result, the Aerilon Parliament and the Prime Minister have publicly stated that the government will not fund health care, schools, or any perceived as social welfare. The police possess remarkably broad powers to detain, imprison, and even torture people on even the slightest pretext. The people are very much into spending time outdoors, and value plain speech, hard work and trust in one's neighbor above everything else, except for the worship of the gods. Agriculture is the foundation of planetary economy.

AQUARION Aquarions are highly educated, liberal, tolerant, and peaceful and think nothing of paying for services rendered with a painting, a song, or a good story, and will accept such payment just as casually. The society is small enough for individuals to remain fully accountable, so the system usually works very well. The colony was founded as a utopian outpost for those who prefer not to be bothered with gods, planetary identity, politics, or other sources of division. As a result, they have developed a strong self-perception as a place where the human spirit and its creative expression can reach their maximum potential. Anyone who disrupts the social balance will find themselves permanently banished to another colony with a simple two-thirds vote.

CANCERON Canceron has a large multitude of diverse dialects, religions, epic poems, cuisines, music, theater, and literature, yet Canceron's own people rarely know much outside their own subculture. The government, due to its massive population, proclaims itself the largest democracy of all the colonies. At its planetary Congress it has more than 2,300 representatives from 88 states that speak at least 19 distinct dialects, that are answerable to the 88 state congresses. Terrorism is a basic fact of life to young Cancerons.

CAPRICA Capricans live a very cosmopolitan life with a prosperous economy and have access to the latest technological conveniences. They appear to be accepting of just about any lifestyle, and with few reservations, seem to live and let live. Caprica is seen as the "seat of politics, culture, art, science and learning". Being Caprican is considered to be prestigious in itself. The official language of Caprica is Caprican which is similar to modern English and is spoken throughout the Colonies.

GEMENON Gemenese culture is influenced by strict interpretations of the Sacred Scrolls. Schoolchildren know the names of every god, and won't hesitate to correct you if you get one wrong. The government is a republic led by the Prime Minister. They have a Guardian Council which presides over all moral issues, while the lower house called the House of Councilors handles the administration of the laws. Gemenon is one of two colonies other than Caprica known to have an official language, Old Gemenese. Old Gemenese is similar to Romanian.

LEONIS Leonans enjoy gourmet food and fine wine. Leonan women are known for being beautiful and thin, no matter what they eat. Beauty is defined uniquely as "being in one's own hour". Leonis was once an empire, rulled by a powerful set of royals who protected their rule by insisting on a millennium of inbreeding. Eventually the Leonan empire came to be ruled by a leader who was descended from one great-great grandmother, Johanna the Mad, no fewer than fourteen different ways. Leonan government changed to a democracy and the royal family did not continue. Leonis is one of two colonies known to have an official language other than Caprica, Leonese.

LIBRAN Libran is a culture devoted to law, and as such has little history or culture of its own. Streets near the courthouses are named for gods and great leaders. If you are a lawyer sent to Libran, it probably represents the pinnacle of a career in law. The government is administered by a local council elected by everyone assigned to the planet in a direct democracy funded by the other colonies.

PICON Picons are a close-knit people, but they're also friendly and hospitable to Capricans, and enjoy a low crime rate. Picons tend to believe in an overall sense of balance, which is indicative of their zodiac symbol of two stylized fish circling each other, suggesting balance. Picons are also very good athletes and enjoy a good fight and a pint of ale. The Picon government has made available health care, education and affordable housing to all inhabitants, asserting that it is a basic human right.

SAGITTARON Sagittarons have a profound distrust of advanced science, and most treat illness and even broken bones with herbal medicines, faith healing, mojo bags and prayer. Due to the rugged and isolated terrain, they tend to be comfortable being alone and being self sufficient.

SCORPIA Scorpians place family happiness as paramount on Scorpia. The people consider themselves deeply pious, but to other cultures like Capricans they're actually very tolerant and flexible. If an eccentric lifestyle makes someone happy, then it's alright with them. Scorpians are also very athletic like Picons and are very devoted to their favorite sports teams. The government is a democracy, where torture is legal and institutionalized and conducted at the Central Detention Facility in the capital of Celeste. Locals regard the police as walking angels of death. However, tourists are seen as a source of national income and Scorpians will kill to protect them. Other colonial governments have been known to dispose terrorists, dissidents and other undesirables on Scorpia.

TAURON Taurons are a people who have lived with war and death for a very long time, due to civil unrest on the home world, and seem to have a cavalier attitude towards killing, if it can be justified due to retribution. Some Taurons observe reverence to patron gods, such as Jupiter, Diana, Mars, and Venus among others. The Tauron government is a democracy, with ha'la'tha (mafia-like) leaders installed within. Taurons primary source of income is the cattle trade, and a Tauron steak is considered the best in the Colonies. The native Tauron language is similar to Ancient Greek. It is not named as the planet's official language on the Map of the Twelve Colonies and Taurons use it intermittently even when on Tauron.

VIRGON Virgons tend to revere the "finer things" such as ornate country gardens, elaborate laced garments and the ability to distinguish vintages of Leonan wine. Virgon government was at one time a true monarchy, which changed to parliamentarian. The royal family remain, but are figureheads. Virgons pride themselves on their ability to determine where someone new they meet originally came from due to the accent spoken.