Solaris

Solaris is a country from Xenogears. It is the main antagonistic force throughout the game.

Geography
Solaris is a large aerial country located over the ocean. It appears northeast of Aquvy and southwest of Ignas. It is hidden from view by 3 gates located on the surface, located near Nisan, under the Ethos Headquarters and in the Sargasso.

The capital of Solaris is Etrenank. Other key locations in Solaris include Arbot Plaza, Elly's home, the Soylent System and Krelian's Lab.

History
Solaris was founded in the year 9164 when Emperor Cain, the Gazel Ministry and Miang determined that humanity had reached its final level such that Deus could be resurrected. Solaris was constructed in the stratosphere out of parts that originally came from the Eldridge so as to be able to look down upon the land. This was done for tactical purposes, and Solaris was protected by a Gate such that it would not appear to the naked eye or radar. Miang established Emperor Cain as its leader, with the 12 Gazel Ministers acting as the brain. The will of the people of the nation were manipulated and brainwashed such that they would show absolute loyalty to Cain. Through its powerful military and advanced technology, Solaris was able to overwhelm all other nations. The surface dwellers were unaware of the fact that this wasn't simply to increase their power, but rather to bring about the resurrection of Deus. Through the Malakh plan, the goal was to recreate humans into powerful biological weapons known as Malakh Angels and also act as parts for the super mobile fortress Merkava and Deus itself. Many surface dwellers were captured by Solaris and remade in this fashion. This was done through the Soylent System facilities that Solaris established throughout the world. In addition to this goal, Cain and the Gazel Ministry searched for the Anima Relics and awaited the return of the Mother.

Approximately 500 years before the events of the game, as Solaris' goals to use surface dwellers as test subjects became more well known, those on the surface began to band together and rebel against this. Shevat was the most powerful of these nations. Many other smaller nations which had been at war with each other allied with Shevat to take on Solaris. In addition, Nisan which had been neutral also joined up with them. As the rebels began to wear down Solaris' power, Solaris utilized Merkava to regain its position and the war came to a standstill. Miang and the Gazel Ministry became in opposition to each other. On the other side, Shevat and Nisan began to grow apart from each other as thoughts turned to how to rule the surface after the war was over. The leaders of both sides agreed in secret to exchange Miang and Nisan's leader, Sophia. While Miang was successfully handed over to Shevat, Sophia instead sacrificed herself in an attack that destroyed Merkava. The war would soon come to an end due to the appearance of the Diabolos, who caused great damage to both Solaris and the surface dwellers.

In the aftermath of the war, Solaris determined that direct military rule of the surface would be impossible. Instead it put in place a plan to govern the world indirectly. Only Shevat had knowledge of this but was busy fighting off multiple invasions from Solaris which occurred in the years 9698 and 9701. As part of its new method to govern the world, Solaris established the Ethos.

Solaris had suffered greatly from the war including a loss of much of its population, resources and the need to rebuild its nation's structure. While Solaris could obtain the necessary labor and materials from the surface, the surface dwellers still remembered the war and there was a fear that it could break out again. As such a special project was put into effect by Krelian, a former surface dweller who was in exile after the war. Through the application of nanotechnology, limiters were developed. They would be used for many purposes including to reduce the memory of the war, provide absolute submission to Emperor Cain and to control their inherent ether abilities. This permitted great efficiency for Solaris in its control over the surface, leading to almost complete revival its power.

Leadership
From its founding and to this day, Solaris' leadership structure was made up of three core parties, Emperor Cain, the Gazel Ministry and Miang. Over time Cain lost the desire for humans to serve the role of parts for Deus and its weapons. He desired for them to be free from this fate. As such he awaited for the arrival of the contact and secretly wished for the destruction of Deus. Miang existed with the sole intent of resurrecting Deus, causing opposition between the parties. Seeking for Deus to be revived as the perfect weapon, she would seek the immediate reset of humanity when she deemed it as unworthy. The Gazel Ministers initially provided support for both parties.

During the war with the surface, Cain was thinking about how the future should be entrusted to humanity and removed himself from the forefront of the war. Miang and the Gazel Ministry governed in his place. At the time, surface dwellers began to appear that had ether ability. These surface dwellers, who possessed the Animus factor were viewed by Miang as being superior to the Gazel Ministry as parts for Deus. The Gazel Ministry on the other hand desired to be a part of Deus and use it to invade the universe. They considered Miang to be a nuisance, resulting in discord between the two. This resulted in Miang being handed over to the Shevat by the Gazel Ministry. All 12 Gazel Ministers would be killed as part of the war and its aftermath however. Four were killed during the war by Lacan and others among the surface dwellers while the remaining 8 were killed by the Diabolos.

In the present day, while still officially Solaris' highest authority, Cain has removed himself from the forefront. Eight of the Gazel Ministers have been revived in the SOL-9000 and confer with Cain. Krelian runs an organization known as the Defense Ministry. As both the one who revived the Gazel Ministry as well as the one who provides Cain with life extension treatments, Krelian is in reality the true ruler of Solaris.

Class structure
The population of Solaris is made up of 3 core classes:


 * First Class - Pure-blooded Solarians, they are called the Gazel. They occupy the highest position within Solaris society. Examples of first class citizens includes Elly and her parents.


 * Second Class - Those recognized for their labor who have been able to advance from third class to a more comfortable life style. This class has been established to provide a hope to third class workers to put in greater effort. Examples of second class citizens include Hyuga Ricdeau (Citan Uzuki) and Jessie Black.


 * Third Class - Laborers who are responsible for performing their assigned tasks. They are also known as worker bees. At times individuals from the surface are captured and brainwashed, and made to serve as third class citizens.

Organizations
In the present day various organizations are used including the following:


 * Military - Solaris' main military forces were almost entirely wiped out during the war 500 years ago. In the present day the main focus of the military is the defense of the capital, Etrenank.


 * Ministry of Finance - It is responsible for the manufacture of currency, as well as any taxation, banking and trading transactions.


 * Government Ministry - It manages the education of the populace. It also handles weather forecasting for experimental purposes and the development of naval vessels.


 * Intelligence - It manages general communication in Solaris, receiving its authority from the Imperial Prefecture.


 * Civic Oversight - It handles medicine and inoculations. This includes the means of production for births in the country. It also manages the defense and governing of the people.


 * Exterior Affairs - An imperial ministry that is responsible for oversight of the world below via the organizations Gebler and Ethos.


 * Facilities Oversight - It handles housing and water treatment facilities as well as communication devices and Solaris' societal resources.


 * Medical - It handles birth production for the second and third classes. Its former duty after the war 500 years ago was to revive the populace.


 * Production - It governs the facility where first and second class citizens go to have a high quality first recycling and rebirth. It also manages the third class with its military efforts.

Lore

 * Solaris is named after the Stanislaw Lem novel of the same name.