Saintonge Worldbuilding Stuff

Saintonge Kingslist

OOC Note: Since Saintonge is considered one of the main [French] nations where Santonian language and culture sprang up, I have deliberately kept most of my history open and not fleshed out so that I can accommodate anyone who would want to use [French] culture and connect it to my nation. Hence this kingslist will contain gaps in both names and dates. This will be updated as stuff are added to my history.

Early History to 15th century

King (English Name)
Roi (Santonian Name)
Start Reign
End Reign
Other Dates
Notes
Maximilian IMaximilien I4th centurySemi-mythical founder of Saintonge
Matthew I "the Pacifier"Matthieu I le Pacificateur470s to 480sWon the Galtic Wars
Maximilian IIMaximilien II
Corentin III “the Victorious”Corentin III le Victorieux556, 560sIntervened in the Brute Revolt, Waged the Germanic Wars
Matthew II-V
Charles I
Hoël I “the Strong”Hoël I le Fort
Matthew VI “the Battler”Matthieu VI le Batailleur860s to 870sAnnexed Bavière
Corentin IVCorentin IVQueen: Saint Radegonde, Duchess of Bavière
Childeric IChildéric I
Henry IHenri I
Louis I “the Conqueror”Louis I le Conquérant970-983Fought the Cottian Crusade
Louis IILouis II
Cuthbert I “the Wise”Cuthbert I le Sage
William I “the Accountant”Guillaume I le Comptable1070-1076Commissioned the Livre de Recensement de Saintonge (“Census Book of Saintonge”)
Louis III “the Quarreler”Louis III le Hutin1112Died during the Disaster of Nyon
Henry II “the Sinner”Henri II le Pécheur11121144Had the Bishop of Cantorbéry assassinated in 1119
Maximilian III “the Holy”Maximilien II le Saint1144Died in the Syrixian Crusades.
Childeric II “the Crusader”Childéric II le CroiséDied in the Syrixian Crusades.
Queen: Louise of Saintonge
Baldric I “the Posthumous”Baldéric I le PosthumeNamed because his mother, Queen-Regent Louise of Saintonge, was pregnant at the time King Childeric II died. Immediately became king at birth.
Archambault IArchambault I
Baldwin I “the Knightly”Baudouin I le Prudhomme
Charles II “the Good”Charles II le Bon1210Finished the Cantorbéry cathedral
William IIGuillaume II1330
Archambault II “the Reformer”Archambault II le Réformateur13301351Loi des monnaies, Santonian Schism
Queen: Princess Nolwenn of Bethany
Childeric IIChildéric II1351
Baldric IIBaldéric II
William III “the Vanquisher”Guillaume III le Vainqueur1410Won the Second Ducal War
George IGeorges I
Archambault III “the Dreamer”Archambault III le Rêveur14621451Mt Meru eruption and Saint Jeanne of Arc
Charles III “the Mad”Charles III le Fou14621473expelled foreigners and closed ports
Baldwin II “the Young”Baudouin II le Jeune 14731475Canonisation of St Jeanne of Arc
Deposed his father
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16th century
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King (English Name)
Roi (Santonian Name)
Start Reign
End Reign
Other Dates
Notes
Gabriel I “the Vigilant”Gabriel I le Justicier1516
Baldric III “the Bold”Baldéric III le Téméraire15161537As crown prince, led the expeditionary force to support Prydanian independence
Archambault IV “the Affable”Archambault IV l'Affable153715571556Tasted the first vintage of century wine
Tristan I “the Gallant”Tristan I le Galant15571573
Francis I “the Drunk”François I l'Ivrogne15731578Queen: Clémentine, Duchess of Sillans
Archambault V “the Desired”Archambault V le Désiré15781582Queen: Marie-Madeleine, Duchess of the Beauce
Francis II “the Usurper”François II l'Usurpateur15821603Usurped the throne from Archambault V
Charles IV “the Simple”Charles IV le Simple1603Son of the usurper

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17th - mid 18th century
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King (English Name)
Roi (Santonian Name)
Start Reign
End Reign
Other Dates
Notes
Charles V “the Fat”Charles V le Gros1660Died during the Great Plague of Saintonge
Charles VI “the Brief”Charles VI le Bref16601660Died during the Great Plague of Saintonge
Baldric IV “the Healer”Baldéric IV le Soigneur16371660Established the Royal Apothecary
Baldwin IV “the Towheaded”Baudouin IV le Blondinet16601661Skipped Archambault VI/Baudouin III
Archambault VII “the Magnanimous”Archambault VII le Magnanime16611673Established the Santonian Academy of Sciences
Known for his charity
Sebastian I “the Beloved”Sébastien I le Bien-Aimé
Charles VIICharles VIII
Archambault VIII “the Unlucky”Archambault VIII le Malchanceux
Charles VIII “the Tenacious”Charles VIII le Tenace1701Intervened in a nobles’ war, got toppled instead by his brother George II
George II “the Interloper”Georges II l'Intrus1701Syrixian-supported monarch, supported by the nobles
Charles VIII “the Tenacious”Charles VIII le TenaceRestored after the royal armies (supported by Astragon) won the Santonian Civil War
Tristan II “the Restorer”Tristan II le Restaurateur1742Revoked many of the concessions that George II granted to the nobles
Charles IXCharles IX17421760

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Santonian Revolution - present
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King (English Name)
Roi (Santonian Name)
Start Reign
End Reign
Other Dates
Notes
Charles X “the Tall”Charles X le Long17601787Queen: Radegonde of Bavière
Thibault I “the Revolutionary”Thibault I le Révolutionnaire 17871813First Pope-King
Revolutionary King who led the Santonian Revolution
Timothy I “the Loyal”Timothée I le Fidèle18131835Second Pope-King
Stayed loyal to his cousin the Pope-King rather than to his father who attempted to usurp the throne
Justin I “the Pious”Justin I le Pieux18351855Third Pope-King
Was a parish priest before becoming King
Bryce I “the Sailor”Brice I le Marin18551865Was a commoner before becoming King, his occupation was a sailor
Queen: Luta Loðbrók, Princess of Prydania
Eric I “the Fair”Éric I le Bel18651884Queen: Anne-Liselotte, Countess of Rochecorbeau
Archambault IXArchambault IX18841904
Archambault X “the Merciful”Archambault X le Miséricordieux19041930Target of an attempted regicide in 1910
Queen: Princess Asleif Loðbrók of Prydania
Justin IIJustin II19301956Owned the Flower Palace
Eric IIÉric II19561971
Bryce IIBrice II19711987
Timothy IITimothée II19872006Queen: Ernestine, Duchess of the Beaujolais
Thibault IIThibault II2006Queen: Mélisende, Duchess of Bavière

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Santonian Constellations

In Santonian astronomy, 72 named constellations are recognized by the Académie royale des sciences astronomiques (Royal Academy of Astronomical Sciences).

History
The predecessors of the Santonian people have been using the night sky not only for navigation and wayfinding, but also for stories relating to mythology and religion. The predecessors of the Santonian people developed constellations and asterisms to aid in identifying stars.

The ancient people (related to the Andes, Tirosii, and the Eukluzi) that used to occupy Saintonge is the source of 19 of the major constellations, including the 12 constellations of the Santonian zodiac. They have developed mythology regarding these major constellations, which they passed down to the Bethanians.

The Galtic people such as the Bethanians, settled in Saintonge more than 2,000 years ago, and likely brought with them knowledge of constellations not readily visible from the latitude of Saintonge, adding 11 constellations. The Umbrials then added 24 of their own to the Santonian catalogue.

As Santonians explored the world, more of the night sky was observed and mapped. The southern sky, below about -70° declination, was difficult to observe from the latitude of Saintonge. Astronomer Philippe-Patrice Plante worked in a southern country for a few years and mapped the southern skies for Saintonge between 1542-1547. Plante described and characterised 14 of the southern constellations and the northernmost one, Rosa (Rose). The three other constellations were added later, the last one being Fungus (“Mushroom”, Santonian: Champignon), created for a dim and dark area of the southern sky that was left out when the constellation boundaries were drawn.

Plante’s seminal work Astronomiae fundamenta (1550) was very influential in Santonian astronomy. It was the basis for the Santonian constellations including the comprehensive star chart Uranometria: les cartes de toutes les constellations (“Uranometria: maps of all the constellations”). The main changes were dropping of two Plante constellations: Vipera (“Wyvern”), which was replaced by Sagittaire (“Secretarybird”); and Monoceros Australis (“Southern Unicorn”), which was replaced by Monodon (“Narwhal”) to prevent confusion with the northern hemisphere constellation Monoceros (“Unicorn”). Both Sagittaire and Monodon were ideas of influential astronomer and geodesist Nicholas-Charles de la Caille.

In 1866, the Santonian Académie royale des sciences astronomiques codified the Uranometria constellations, with minor changes. In 1875, boundaries were drawn between the constellations to divide the entire celestial sphere into areas, plotted along vertical and horizontal lines of right ascension and declination. This was developed by astronomer Eugène-Maxence de la Porte and approved, with some revisions, by the Académie royale des sciences astronomiques.

List of Constellations
The following are the 72 Santonian constellations. They are numbered according to the number in the Uranometria map. The first 12 are the constellations in the Santonian zodiac.

#
Constellation
Santonian Name
Bethanian Name
Umbrial Nominative
Umbrial Genitive
Discovery/Origin
1​
GoatChèvreGavrCapraCapraeancient
2​
MonkeySingeMarmouzSimiaSimiaeancient
3​
RoosterCoqKilhogGallusGalliancient
4​
DogChienKiCanisCanisancient
5​
PigCochonPemoc'hPorcusPorciancient
6​
RatRatRazhMusMurisancient
7​
OxTaureauTarvTaurusTauriancient
8​
LionLionLeonLeoLeonisancient
9​
RabbitLapinKoniklLepusLeporisancient
10​
DragonDragonAerouantDracoDraconisancient
11​
SnakeSerpentNaerSerpensSerpentisancient
12​
HorseChevalMarc'hEquusEquiancient
13​
FishPoissonsPeskedPiscisPisciumancient
14​
RamBélierTourzAriesArietisancient
15​
ScorpionScorpionKrugScorpiusScorpiiPlante
16​
DolphinDauphinDelfinDelphinusDelphiniGaltic
17​
WolfLoupBleizLupusLupiGaltic
18​
StagCerfKarvegedCervusCerviGaltic
19​
CrabCrabeKrankCancerCancriGaltic
20​
LizardLézardGlazardLacertaLacertaeUmbrial
21​
SwanCygneAlarc'hCygnusCygniUmbrial
22​
FrogGrenouilleRanRanaRanaeGaltic
23​
SalamanderSalamandreSourdSalamandraSalamandraeUmbrial
24​
BeeAbeilleGwenanennApisApisUmbrial
25​
RoseRoseRozennRosaRosaePlante
26​
WhaleBaleineBalumCetusCetiUmbrial
27​
PeacockPaonPaunPavoPavonisUmbrial
28​
EagleAigleErerAquilaAquilaeGaltic
29​
ChamaeleonCaméléonKameleonChamaeleonChamaeleontisUmbrial
30​
CrowCorbeauBranCorvusCorviUmbrial
31​
TwinsGemeauxGevelledGeminiGeminorumancient
32​
BearOursArzhUrsaUrsaeGaltic
33​
LynxLynxLiñsLynxLyncisUmbrial
34​
UnicornLicorneUnkornegMonocerosMonocerotisancient
35​
FlyMoucheKelienennMuscaMuscaeUmbrial
36​
DuckCanardHouadAnasAnatisUmbrial
37​
OysterHuîtreIstrennOstreumOstreiGaltic
38​
Sheaf of WheatGerbeHordennFascisFascisUmbrial
39​
OtterLoutreDourgiLutraLutraeUmbrial
40​
PhoenixPhénixFeniksPhoenixPhoenicisUmbrial
41​
FoxRenardLouarnigVulpesVulpisUmbrial
42​
MoleTaupeGozTalpaTalpaeUmbrial
43​
VultureVautourBulturVulturVulturisUmbrial
44​
SealPhoqueReunigPhocaPhocaeGaltic
45​
TigerTigreTigrTigrisTigrisUmbrial
46​
EelAnguilleSiliennAnguillaAnguillaeUmbrial
47​
PegasusPégasePegasosPegasusPegasiancient
48​
Tree (of Life)Arbre-de-la-vieGwezenn-ar-buhezArborvitaeArborisvitaeGaltic
49​
StoatHermineErminigMustelaMustelaeancient
50​
SnailEscargotMelc'hwedennCochleaCochleaeUmbrial
51​
GriffinGriffonGripiGryphusGryphiancient
52​
SpiderAraignéeKevnidennAraneaAraneaeUmbrial
53​
LilyLisLiliennLiliumLiliiUmbrial
54​
TortoiseTortueBaotTestudoTestudinisUmbrial
55​
DoveColombeKoulmColumbaColumbaeUmbrial
56​
BatChauvesourisAskellVespertilioVespertilionisGaltic
57​
PantherPanthèrePanterennPantheraPantheraePlante
58​
CrocodileCrocodileKrokodilCrocodilusCrocodiliPlante
59​
GiraffeGirafeJirafennCamelopardalisCamelopardalisPlante
60​
ButterflyPapillonBalafennPapilioPapilionisPlante
61​
HeronHéronKerc'heizArdeaArdeaePlante
62​
OctopusPoulpeSoavennPolypusPolypiPlante
63​
NarwhalNarvalNarwalMonodonMonodide la Caille
64​
CraneGrueGaranGrusGrucisPlante
65​
SeahorseHippocampeMarc'h-morHippocampusHippocampiPlante
66​
SquirrelÉcureuilGwiñverSciurusSciuriPlante
67​
ElephantÉléphantOlifantElephasElephantisPlante
68​
SecretarybirdSagittaireNaeretaerSagittariusSagittariide la Caille
69​
WoodpeckerPivertSpegedPicusPiciPlante
70​
PalmPalmierPalmezennPalmaPalmaeUranometria
71​
ShrimpCrevetteChevrSquillaSquillaeUranometria
72​
MushroomChampignonTousegFungusFungiAcadémie

Star designations
Many of the brightest stars have their common names derived from tradition or ancient astronomy, but the Académie royale des sciences astronomiques also adopted a uniform star designation and identification system in 1866. The system was based off the so-called “Taxandrian system” devised by astronomer brothers Marc-Childéric and Matthieu-Gontrand Grandin de Taxandre. The system adopted by the Académie royale des sciences astronomiques, was called Système taxandrien révisé pour l’identification des étoiles (“Revised Taxandrian System for Star Identification”) and popularly referred to by its initialism STRIDE. In STRIDE, the brightest star by apparent magnitude is given the number 1, the second brightest star the number 2 and so on. This is followed by the singular genitive form of the Umbrial name. This is to give them systematic names, as common names of stars tend to vary between languages.

Thus the star Canicule (Umbrial: Canicula, Prydanian: Lokabrenna), the brightest star in the constellation Canis (“Dog”), has the STRIDE name 1 Canis. Polaris has the STRIDE name 1 Rosae, meaning it is the brightest star in the constellation Rosa.

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Canicule, the brightest star in the sky.

With the discovery of variable stars, plus even more stars via more powerful telescopes, the STRIDE system has evolved. Numbers are now given in order of discovery and entry of the star into the Catalogue des étoiles. Thus in general, for most of the stars discovered before 1866, the STRIDE system gives them in descending order of apparent magnitude; for stars discovered after 1866, they are numbered in chronological order.

Examples in Popular Culture
  • In Santonian astrology, the zodiac signs are named after the Constellations of the Zodiac.​
  • The back of the proposed 500 Meten banknote, with an astronomy theme, features part of the New Year sky: constellations Lepus, Draco, and Serpens.​
  • The popular STV series Bataillétoile Galactique features the fictional planets Cobol and Caprique. Cobol was located somewhere in Columba; Caprique was a planet of 2 Phoenicis. In the 2003-2009 remake, Cobol was revealed to be a planet of 12 Columbae.​
  • In the 1982 movie L’Extra-Terrestre, scientists surmise that “E.T.” was from a system around 7 Draconis.​
  • The Clhuthu mythos created by Hubert-Philippe Artamour features Haster, who inhabits a planet circling a dark star around the star Suiveur (1 Tauri).​
  • Various stars feature in the science fiction franchises Patrouille de cosmos (“Star Trek”) and La Guerre des étoiles (original Suavidici name: Bella Stellaria).​
  • In the comedy science fiction franchise Le Guide du voyageur galactique by Noël Adam, the system around the star Carvegeta (1 Lupi) is the home of the enormous transport company Megacargos Carvegetoises, along with a host of oversized and often deadly megafauna.​
  • Queue (2 Galli) is the home base of the Précurseurs in the Auréole video game franchise series.​
 
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Solar System in Santonian


Because of the already historically well-developed Santonian astronomical sciences and community, Saintonge did not participate when the planetary system bodies were divvied up to be named. Many of these celestial bodies had common names that were already in use; the Galtics and Umbrials were historically seafaring and utilise their extensive knowledge of the night sky to navigate, to determine the seasons and the right time for agriculture, and even tell fortunes. (There are some famous Santonian astrologers, even though the Santonian National Church frowns upon such activities.)

Consequently, all bodies within the Eras planetary system (système solaire) have their own names in Saintonge and Santonian, approved by the Académie royale des sciences astronomiques (Royal Academy of Astronomical Sciences). This explains each of the names, their equivalent, and their significance, mostly in Santonian mythology. Because they stem from Galtic knowledge of the skies, many of the celestial bodies have Galtic/Bethanian names. Some of the sections for the further planets elaborate on the discovery of the planets within Santonian astronomy, irrespective of historical developments elsewhere.


Soleil
Other name: Jua
The star at the centre of the solar system, the name is from a root that is similar in Umbrial (sol) and Bethanian (heol). The current Santonian word descends from the Umbrial word.


Teutatès
Other name: Mot

The first planet from the sun is named after the Galtic tribal protector god. Every 101 days (Teutatès’ orbital period), Galtic tribes used to offer sacrifices to Teutatès. In pre-Umbrial Saintonge, failure to do so courts severe consequences: Antonius Julius Pulius, founder of Placentia (Plaisance), wrote that the Bastarnae (the Galtic tribe hostile to them) suffered a famine in 223 CE because of their negligence to ‘please’ Teutatès.


Épone
Other name: Hakoa

Satellites: Gringolet, Hengroën, Morvarc’h

Épone is the goddess of war in the Galtic pantheon, she is also the horse-goddess. Eras is flanked by the goddess and the god of war (see Ésus below). When all three planets are in syzygy (aligned), wars are said to erupt.

Being closer to the sun, Épone has a faster revolution period than both Eras and Ésus; the planet is thus described as ‘galloping’ in early Santonian astronomy. The goddess is frequently depicted riding a galloping horse, or a chariot being driven by three horses. The three horses – Gringolet, Hengroën, and Morvarc’h – are also the names of the Épone’s satellites.


Terre
Other name: Eras

Satellites:​
Lune
Other name: Yama​
Lun
Other name: Beiras​

The planet where Saintonge is located, Eras is also known as Terre in Santonian, which is also the word for “land”. It has two moons, with similar names: Lune and Lun – the larger one is feminine (la lune), and the smaller one is masculine (le lun). In many Galtic, Germand, and Umbrial folk tales, the two moons are typically described as being a sister and brother pair.


Ésus
Other name: Ethra

Satellites:​
Kaledvoulc’h (Bethanian spelling) | Caledvoulque (Santonian spelling)​
Other name: Yama​
Skoedaour (Bethanian spelling) | Scoëdor (Santonian spelling)​
Other name: Beiras​

The Galtic god of war, Ésus has also been described in mythology as the husband of Épone – although being both war gods, the two frequently quarrel. When the married couple quarrels, the people (Terre) are caught in between.

The name Ésus was a frequent cause of confusion because of its similarity to Jésus, the name of the Messiah in Santonian. (The Conversion of Saintonge were at times either helped or impeded by conflation of the warlike Ésus, with the peacenik Jésus.) It was also one of the sources of the folk tale that Jésus was an alien who came from this planet. Some foreigners were also initially puzzled why Santonians have a planet named after the Messianist saviour. Most confusion has been settled nowadays.

Satellites
Ésus’ two satellites are called Kaledvoulc’h and Skoedaour, the Ésus’ mythical sword and shield, respectively.

The next six planets are named after the gods of the six Galtic ‘elements’ – light, metal, life, fire, wind, and water.


Bélénus
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Other name: Ru-Yesham

Satellites:​
Louth
Other name: Myanak​
Davna
Other name: Dikaai​

Bélénus is the Galtic god of light, whose name was traditionally translated as ‘the bright one’ or ‘the shining one’. Some Santonian astronomers called Bélénus as Lucifer. Favoured and adopted by many Galtic tribes, Bélénus or its feminised form Belena, gave rise to the name of at least two modern-day towns: Beaune in central Saintonge, and Bienne in the Chartreuse.

Its planetary counterpart has a thick atmosphere of phosphorous, which makes Bélénus brilliant when viewed from earth. Galtic tribes routinely offer sacrifices to Bélénus whenever it can be seen in the night sky on a full moon, the type of sacrifice differs whether it is la Lune or le Lun that can be seen.

Satellites
Bélénus’ satellites are named Louth and Davna, which are gendered masculine and feminine, respectively. In Galtic mythology, the two are the polar opposites but complementary assistants of Bélénus. Le Louth represents the ‘immaterial light’ (i.e. ‘energy’), while La Davna represents the ‘material light’ (i.e. ‘matter’) – a surprising ancient correlation between energy, matter, and light.

Right Image: Pionnier 9's image of Bélénus.


Taranus
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Other name: Olthyr

The Galtic god of metal, Taranus, was the heftiest among the Galtic pantheon, weighed down by his bulk and metal. It was somehow fitting that the ancient Galts named the largest planet after Taranus, who is usually the main god in the pantheon.

Right Image: Voyageur 3's image of Taranus.

Satellites
Taranus’ twelve major known moons were named after each of his subordinate gods, one for each metal. The list is below, with Bethanian names given, followed by Santonian names (grammatical gender indicated), then the metal.
  • Krysus | le Chrysus (m) – gold
  • Arc’hante | l’Arcantine (f) – silver
  • Ogunus | l’Ogunus (m) – iron
  • Kobre | la Covre (f) – copper
  • Arem | l’Arem (m) – bronze
  • Brixte | la Brixte (f) - brass
  • Staen | le Staën (m) – tin
  • Antimone | l’Antimone (f) - antimony
  • Snaek | le Snaëc (m) – zinc
  • Plombe | la Plombe (f) - lead
  • Peutre | le/la Peutre (m/f) - pewter
  • Merc’hre | le/la Mercure (*) - mercury
Copper (f) can be combined (in ancient Galtic metallurgical parlance, ‘married’) with tin (m) or zinc (m) to form bronze and brass, respectively, the two ‘half-sibling’ metals.

It is interesting that two of the gods do not fit neatly into the gender duality. Mercury, being the only liquid metal at ordinary temperature, is considered ‘genderfluid’ in a sense, with the god Mercure taking on masculine or feminine particles and adjectives depending on context. Pewter, on the other hand, was historically an alloy of tin with lead, copper, or antimony. In ancient Galtic metallurgy, the grammatical gender of pewter depends on which metals are mixed to create the pewter. The heavier le Peutre (“male pewter”) contains lead, while the lighter la Peutre (“female pewter”) contains either antimony or copper. The god of pewter, therefore was deemed bigender.

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Image: Covre (left) and Peutre (right), two of Taranus' moons, during the Voyageur 3 flyby.​


Matrones
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Other name: Freya

The furthest planet that could be seen with the naked eye, Matrones was known to ancient astronomers. Named after the Galtic ‘mother goddess’, it was deemed fitting as it ‘embraces’ the system as the last known planet.

Matrones (always plural) in Galtic mythology is a triune female deity – one goddess, but three different persons (similar to the Holy Trinity). Her three aspects are Krothe/Crothe (goddess of birth, beginnings, and fertility), Litave (goddess of life, plenty, and sustenance), and Érécure (goddess of death, endings, and reuse).

After the introduction of telescopes, early observers (including famed Santonian astronomer Gabriel Bonnejutte) described Matrones having two planets flanking it – leading some of them to describe that the name Matrones was really apt for the planet. In reality, these two ‘planets’ are the rings of Matrones, which vary in appearance depending on how the planet is oriented to the observer.

Right Image: Voyageur 3's image of Matrones.

Satellites
Matrones has 58 moons, of which 8 are major moons. These eight major moons are named after the Matrones’ ‘helpers’, eight major female minor deities of the life cycle.
  • Rosmerthe – protector during childbirth
  • Blentyne – protector of children
  • Reizhe - goddess of procreation
  • Nearthe - goddess of abundance
  • Aine - goddess of love
  • Hapie - goddess of luck
  • Armethe - goddess of health
  • Araune - goddess of the underworld
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Image: Blentyne (left) and Aine (right), two of Matrones' moons, during the Voyageur 3 flyby.​

Céraunus
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Other name: Abaddon

The son of Bélénus and Érécure in Galtic mythology, Céraunus is the god of fire. Even though it is relatively bright, Céraunus was intermittently described in ancient Galtic and Santonian astronomy as either a wandering star or a comet, mostly because of its slow orbit.

The name was fitting because in Galtic mythology, Céraunus was banished from the heavens. Céraunus, being the god of fire, got too close to Taranus, the god of metal. Céraunus melted and scarred Taranus, leading the big god to expel him from Avalenn, the Galtic heavenly/godly realm.

Santonian astronomer Gabriel Bonnejutte observed Céraunus in 1614-1615, and proposed that Céraunus was a planet and not a star. Bonnejutte computed the orbit of Céraunus and concluded that it must be a planet because of its near-circular orbit. Bonnejutte’s conclusion was further reinforced by other later Santonian astronomers, including Robert-Geoffroy Jonquière (1620) and Alexandre-Claude Clairault (1634). By the end of the 17th century, Céraunus was accepted as a planet in Saintonge.

Right Image: Voyageur 3's image of Céraunus.

Céraunus has five major satellites, all named after minor Galtic gods involved in fire:
  • Govel – god of the forge (who became the mediator/messenger between Céraunus and Taranus)
  • Hestée – goddess of the hearth (fires used for domestic purposes such as heating and cooking)
  • Aithe – goddess of the kiln (fires used for industrial purposes such as pottery and charcoal)
  • Grannus – god of the torch (or candles/lamps, any fire whose main purpose is light)
  • Aëd – god of the smoke
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Image: Aëd during the Voyageur 3 flyby.​

Sirone
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Other name: Rudra

The first recorded scientific Santonian observation of this planet was by astronomer Paul-Charles Lemonnier (the colleague and rumoured lover of fellow astronomer Thibault-Marc Dinocheau) between 1750 and 1769. Initially cataloguing it as a star in the constellation Draco, this planet was observed again by Dinocheau’s adopted son Maxent-James Dinocheau in 1781. This time, the younger Dinocheau proposed that it was a planet and not a comet or a star, using Lemonnier’s old observations as reference. Following Bonnejutte, Dinocheau computed the orbit for the celestial body. The Royal Academy of Astronomical Sciences accepted Dinocheau’s observation in 1790, after independent confirmation. Dinocheau proposed calling the planet Sirone, the goddess of wind in Galtic mythology.

Right Image: Voyageur 3's image of Sirone.

In Galtic mythology, Sirone is the daughter of Bélénus with Crothe (goddess of beginnings, life, and fertility). Sirone is thus the half-sister of fire god Céraunus and water goddess Avete (see below). While her two half-siblings frequently quarrel, the wind goddess Sirone usually acts as an intermediary between the two. (Thus it was considered fitting that the planet Sirone is located between Céraunus and Avete.)

This also extends to when her half-siblings get into trouble: when Céraunus had impregnated Épone, Épone’s husband Ésus the war god challenged Céraunus to battle. Ésus got burnt in the battle, but did not give up. Ésus threatened to call in both Taranus and Avete against Céraunus, which would cause a big battle in Avalenn. Sirone intervened and mediated between Céraunus and Ésus. As compromise, Céraunus allowed Ésus to harness fire in war (hence, ‘firearms’) by giving him gunpowder. In return, Ésus would not kill the son Céraunus sired with Épone. This son, Niscus, was adopted by Ésus and eventually became his loyal assistant. Niscus is considered the god of guns and firearms.

Sirone’s husband is her brother’s follower, Aëd, the god of the smoke. Sirone’s best friend is her sister’s follower, Déatach, the goddess of vapour.

Satellites
Sirone has four major satellites, also named after minor Galtic gods:
  • Nemetone – goddess of lightning
  • Perkell – god of thunder
  • Set – god of storms
  • Tamar – goddess of the weather
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Image: Perkell during the Voyageur 3 flyby.​

Avete
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Other name: Hända

Avete’s existence was hypothesised by Alexandre Colvard in 1824, who published astronomical tables of Avete’s neighbour Sirone. Because Sirone’s orbit deviated from the original computation by Dinocheau, Colvard surmised that another body was perturbing Sirone’s orbit.

In 1845, Raphaël-Alain Guerrier used data from the Alexandrie Observatory to predict where the hypothesised planet could be. He enlisted the help of Plaisance Observatory colleague Alexis-Patrice de Peiresc to search for the planet. On January 1846, de Peiresc found the planet southeast of 8 Leporis, in a position predicted by Guerrier. Guerrier and de Peiresc decided to name the new planet Avete, after the Galtic goddess of water. Water was the last major Galtic ‘element’ to have a planet associated with it.

Right Image: Voyageur 3's image of Avete.

In Galtic mythology, the water goddess Avete is the daughter of Bélénus and Litave, the goddess of life, plenty, and sustenance. Like Sirone, Avete is the half-sister of Céraunus but has a more oppositional relationship with her brother (water quenches fire, after all). After Céraunus burnt Taranus, Avete was called in to soothe the big god. Avete convinced Taranus to banish her brother from Avalenn, insisting that Céraunus is a threat to everyone.

When Céraunus left Avalenn, he noticed that people were worshipful of Avete, the water goddess, but not him. Having been called ‘useless’ by Avete, Céraunus decided to make himself useful – the fire god gave mankind the ability to use and control fire.

Satellites
Avete has two major satellites, named after minor Galtic gods associated with water:
  • Borée – god of ice
  • Déatach – goddess of vapour
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Image: Borée during the Voyageur 3 flyby.​

Damien and Côme
Other name: Kaas & Lugen

More observations of Avete suggested that there was another further planet influencing Avete’s orbit. In 1903, the Episcopal University of Plaisance (Université épiscopale de Plaisance), launched an extensive project to search for this ‘missing’ planet. The Episcopal University of Plaisance is a religious university associated with the Santonian National Church’s Archdiocese of Plaisance. This project was mainly due to the support of then-Archbishop Gabriel-Damien Balandraud of Plaisance, an amateur astronomer.

The project went on a hiatus after Archbishop Balandraud died in 1914. His successor, Archbishop François-Georges Lacroûte, had other priorities and withdrew funding. It was then up to the university to find meagre funding for the project; this was despite the Plaisance Observatory and the University of Plaisance cooperating. Then-Plaisance mayor Philippe-Urbain Bathiard in 1925 characterised the search as ‘an endeavour to being glory to the city, in the field of Santonian science’.

It took thirty years and the help of an unlikely person from Plaisance’s rival city, Côme. Archbishop Lacroûte died in 1929. The diocesan chapter of Plaisance elected the coadjutor archbishop of Côme as its own archbishop. The new Archbishop of Plaisance Maximin-Lenthéric Grandin de Taxandre was a descendant of the famous Grandin de Taxandre family of astronomers. Although Archbishop Grandin de Taxandre was not involved in astronomy himself, he agreed to resume funding after the rector of the Episcopal University of Plaisance approached him for the project.

The funding allowed Plaisance Observatory to have a dedicated astronomer for the search. The project hired Thomas-Baudouin Clédel. In 1933, Clédel used a blink comparator to compare two images. There, in the region of 3 Scorpii, Clédel identified a possible moving object that could be the planet. Clédel and the observatory took more confirmatory photographs and dug through the archives – the planet was imaged previously in 1912!

The Episcopal University and Plaisance Observatory proposed to the Royal Academy of Astronomical Sciences that the planet be named Damien, irrespective of any other name other countries might use for it, in honour of Archbishop Balandraud.

Damien’s ‘satellite’ was discovered in the 1970s. Damien and its ‘twin’ was considered a double or binary planet. This ‘twin’ was named Côme, a name considered fitting for many reasons. Saints Cosmas and Damian (Côme et Damien) are twin martyr saints. Côme is also Plaisance’s twin city (and rival) in the province of the Pouilles; this was also the city where Archbishop Grandin de Taxandre came from.

Damien and Côme are the only Santonian names for the major celestial bodies that do not come from mythology.
 
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