"Better a righteous society contain refuges of depravity, than a depraved society contains sanctuaries of rightrousness." - Remington Keeler, 64th Century Philosopher, Poet and Hedonist.
Bacchanal Island is the third largest island in the Awkward Islands Archipelago, lying in the equatorial zone of the planet Sapphire between Delta and Oz Continent. It is renowned on Sapphire as a place of entertainment, recreation, and debauchery.
Sapphirean philosophy recognizes that a free society must be a moral society, or else, history shows, it cannot remain free. Their entire planetary culture, while superficially libertine, is built on a strong moral and ethical foundation reinforced through a rigorous code of honor. But, every well-structured society needs a relief valve. Bacchanal Island, by being a place that catered to human desires to intoxicate, fornicate, and recreate, provides that release to Sapphireans so they can go back to their social, economic, and familial responsibilities.
Location of Bacchanal Island in the Awkward Islands Archipelago North of Oz Continent
History[]
Bacchanal was originally named 'Brandywine Island' by the Survey Crew of Carpentaria, after an offficer in the Commonwealth Fleet who was somehow related to their survey mission, This was likely not to have been intended as an honor. The island in its primeval form was desert wasteland. What little precipitation fell there collected into volcanic fissures and was quickly poisoned. Early colonists renamed it 'Desolation Island,' and its main purpose was as a navigational marker for ships passing between Arcadia and Delta continents.
In the late 66th Sapphirean Century, the island was purchased from the Government of Awkward Islands Territory by the Venture Consortium, which undertook massive landscaping efforts to transform the island into a tropical paradise, featuring the planet’s largest and most dangerous amusement park, luxury hotel accommodations, wildlife preserves, entertainment complexes, the planet’s largest marina, and modest accommodations for park employees located near the volcano. Plans for educational exhibits, which were proposed as part of the purchase of the island, were place on indefinite hold and, as of the 73rd Sapphirean century, remained tentative.
Notable Attractions:[]
- The Corniche (location of the major hotels, resorts, and tourist accommodations
- Garden Park of Ultimate Euphoria – A botanical garden filled with bright flowering plants, some of which produce a narcotic or euphoric effect when their scent is inhaled.
- Transatmospheric Coaster (TAC) – an amusement ride based on the “Space Elevator” principle, the Transatmospheric Coaster is anchored in the seabed off Bacchanal Island and extending nearly a thousand kilometers into space, the two hour journey on the Transatmospheric Coaster involves alternating multi-g and zero-g environments and a dramatic re-entry and splashdown. A trip on the TAC requires medical authorization in advance and a full, legally binding waiver from all passengers.
- Bacchanal Amphitheater – A 6,000 seat venue for stage productions and musical reviews.
- Bacchanal Stadium Music Pit – a 10,000 seat concert hall.
- Bacchanal Arena – A sports arena with seating for 60,000; sometimes used as a music venue and hovercar racing.
- Bacchanal Wildlife Park – An entire nearby island is maintained as a wildlife preserve. This required extensive jungle-forming to create a suitable environment for some 1,800 mammalian and bird species.
- Captain Stabalot’s Undersea Adventure – Autonomous submarines take tourists through undersea coral labyrinths and explore the hulks of ship sunk into the sea to create interesting sunken ships for people to explore.
- Cyborg Naked Cowboy Fantasyland – An adult themed area walled off from the rest of the park featuring some of the most fantastically well-engineered sexbots in the Perseus Quadrant.
- Fire Mountain – A facsimile of Hell built in the crater of an extinct volcano where guests must battle demons and legions of the undead to escape.
- Desperation Town – A Stun Gun Battle Environment modeled after Panrovia’s wild period; later updated with themes from the Badlands of Bella La Cava.
- The Brandywine Club – A sophisticated, Members-Only establishment catering to the affluent and overlooking the Bacchanal Marina; known for its outstanding service, fine selection of foods and beverages, and sophisticated gaming opportunities.
- 'Neon Excess Gambling Mall '– A casino resort located on the eastern edge of the island, known for its garish décor, cheap food, and unlimited gambling opportunities
- Excelsior Beach – A stretch of beach on the Southern Side of the island with a view of the Shattered Pillars rock formation.
- Universe Park – Universe Park was built as an educational facility featuring artifacts and culture from many worlds across the Perseus Quadrant. It is popular for professional conference, school field trips, and people who’ve done everything else but still have two days left in the hotel and By God We’re Going to Do *Something* Today.
- The Deathsphere – One of the oldest remaining attractions, the Deathsphere is a large metal sphere near the center of the island which contains a high–speed roller coaster that passes through alternating zones of complete darkness and bright flashing images of horror. Riders are advised that people have died (literally been frightened to death) on this ride and no one is allowed on without a waiver. Riding the Deathsphere is considered a rite of passage for many Sapphirean teenagers.