HERKY is an urbanized planet that is entirely devoted to the number 8.  All of its buildings are octagonal.  All land vehicles have eight wheels.  No one is permitted to kill an arachnid or octopus.  The ideal body shape is something like an hourglass, but even more eightlike if possible.  The most fashionable clothing has ruffles and bindings in all the right places to accentuate one's eightish figure.  Both men and women may resort to plastic surgery if they wish to be seen au naturel, but this is not common.  It has not gone without notice that the word "Herky" has only 5 letters, but according to the Herkyite creed, there are actually three invisible ineffable letters in their planet's name.  If asked to complete a customer satisfaction survey on Herky, be sure to give them an 8.

PROSPER was optimistically named by the first shipload of colonists, despite disturbingly high readings from their radiation detectors.  They found a way to make it work, and their descendants still control this fission-powered society.  The capital city, Burgeon, hosts a famed market (itself the size of a small city) that sells products from across the galaxy.  Haggling for lower prices is expected, if not exactly welcome, because Prosper is also famed for its shockingly abusive customary language.  Even friendly enquiries into the freshness of a vendor's produce are guaranteed to provoke an onslaught of indignant accusations about the customer's parentage, mating habits, and pusillanimity.  So one should not expect an easy or pleasant transaction unless one is willing to simply toss a heap of money on the counter and accept whatever product the proprietor deems fit to offer.  Some people have been known to smilingly do this, for whatever reason.  They are, of course, horrendously overcharged.

NIEVA is wholly owned by the "Kucho!" Corporation.  The exclamation point is a part of their brand name, which is often exclaimed whenever they achieve a success.  They have not been successful in convincing the galaxy at large that "Kucho!" as an exclamation is suitable for use by the general public, but they do a profitable business in consumer goods.  Nieva was once a savage planet, full of dangerous animals.  These the Nievans long ago exterminated or captured, before being bought out by "Kucho!".  The only animals that survive in the wild are the peaceful herbivores known as Noemí.  The Noemí are about one hand in size, with large eyes and soft purple fur.  They have no fear of humans, and are indeed quite friendly.  Visitors are frequently warned that Noemí can eject an inky liquid that is exceedingly poisonous.  They are only known to do this when actually injured, though, so it is generally safe to touch and even handle them.  The source of "Kucho!"-brand poison is not difficult to guess.

DIAMOND is the colloquial name for the consortium of spaceships in orbit around a gas giant in the Württemberg sector.  Each ship is joined to its neighbors by flexible connections between their respective airlocks.  Members come and go fairly frequently, so the lattice-like structure of the Diamond is always changing.  Regulations on intership commerce, taxation, and welfare are controlled by a small council whose members are elected democratically on a rotating basis.  Political campaign advertisements are common, and when adjacent ships share common sentiments, they can create signage that covers several ships in sequence.  An example is: "Seniors Here / Have Done Their Parts / Vote for Tupper / Save Old Farts / Burma-Shave".  The meaning of the last portion of the verse has been lost to history.

HAREIDLANDET is yet another fractured ruin of a once-prosperous world.  The original Hareids were so wealthy that each family lived in a domed castle with its own artificial sun and stars.  Their ersatz firmaments operated on schedules that were completely divorced from the actual rotation of the planet.  It was therefore a sign of higher status to insist that one's own day-night cycle was the proper one, and visitors must not come calling in the middle of the "night".  When company was permitted, it was considered obligatory to ostentatiously dispose of "outdated" valuable objects into the same outdoor refuse pit that was used for the disposal of sewage.  Whether this custom had anything do to with Old Hareidlandet's downfall is unknown, but the current inhabitants still sell their scavenged relics.

MADEC is a desert world which is occasionally subject to torrential downpours at any random location.  Madeccans carefully watch the skies and consult their various oracles to divine the direction of the next deluge, with varying levels of success.  When the rains do come, they spur the growth of Madec's largest native plant, the tollendal tree.  Tollendals rapidly absorb as much of the moisture as possible, and are capable of increasing in height by as much as 10 paces a day.  In addition to providing the majority of the planet's food, tollendals serve an important symbolic purpose to Madeccan society.  Whoever can climb the tallest-growing tollendal is acclaimed as monarch of all they survey.  The privileges of that position are to a large extent honorary, but chief among them is the high-climber's desirability as a mating partner.  This is to be enjoyed while it lasts, because once the nearby water has all been consumed, tollendals inevitably collapse and die.  Madeccans preserve the vegetable matter as best they can, and wait for the next rainfall to bring them, perhaps, a new ruler.

THEOPHANES is by far the most habitable of the satellites of the gas giant Mytilene.  It has a breathable atmosphere, large freshwater lakes, and adequate agricultural potential.  Because it is enveloped by the ring system  and numerous other moonlets of Mytilene, it is frequently subjected to dangerous meteor strikes.  Theophanes' ruling oligarchy lives in a well-shielded fortress that protects them from harm, but the rest of the population is not so fortunate.  To encourage their continued economic support, each year one worker is selected to bring their entire extended family inside the fortress and become a new part of the permanent elite.  Each unit of taxes paid corresponds with one entry into the lottery which determines the lucky winner.  Friends who remain outside may receive an occasional gift basket, but on the whole they report that their former acquaintances swiftly lose interest in associating with them or even writing letters.  Nevertheless, support for the government remains high, as does hope for living in the Fort next year.

PALANCA has widely-scattered settlements occupying the arable regions of the planet, which are separated by mildly toxic wasteland.  Each settlement supports exactly one church, that of the Homeless Carpenter.  Said profession is solemnly revered by Palancans, who strive to outdo one another in feeding and clothing any stranger who offers to perform that sort of work.  Anyone whose previous employment has failed need only learn the bare rudiments of woodworking before making the arduous journey to a neighboring village, where they will of course be a stranger.

MARMOL is widely known as the "planet of corrupt rich fools".  One certainly needs to be rich to live there, as expensive protective equipment is needed to survive the frequent electrical discharges between Marmol and its natural satellites.  Being corrupt is not a requirement, but there are plenty of other places for rich people to live without being corrupt; indeed there are others where being corrupt is not a significant problem.  But if one isn't already foolish before emigrating to Marmol, it doesn't take long before that appelation becomes appropriate.  The addictive spice called "älluis" comes from a native plant's pollen, and even casual exposure usually leads to increased consumption.  The most damaging effect of älluis dependency is a progressive decrease in intelligence.  Inhabitants don't need to take stupid risks to get more älluis, since it is easily acquired, but eventually they always do.  One too many unshielded walks to get another sniff results in an almost complete reduction to ash.  Little research has been done to determine why Marmol has any inhabitants at all, since the rest of the galaxy is just as happy to be rid of them.

WINDY is a planet in the Terris sector with the surprisingly uncommon trait of being named after one of its physical features.  A vast and permanent cyclone circles this world, with sustained winds sufficient to sweep an unprotected person off their feet.  Protection against this danger is provided by sturdily-constructed contiguous buildings which form an interconnected megalopolis.  Transport ships are occasionally able to land at one or the other side of this city as dictated by the position of the storm, and an internal tram system conducts people and goods with admirable efficiency.  Windies can and often do spend their entire lives without leaving the great city of their home.  There is just one complication caused by their culture, and that is the practice of wind dueling.  If any person feels that they have been insulted or mistreated by another, they may insist that both parties "step outside".  This may involve a lengthy journey to actually reach an external door nearest to the hurricane, and perhaps an apology or payment will settle the matter before exiting becomes necessary.  If it does, however, the duelists are not permitted to attack or even touch each other.  They may only jockey for position while attempting to remain standing, and perhaps shout their demands over the raging winds.  Fatalities are rare, but visitors are strongly cautioned to remain polite and not tempt the locals to engage in this custom.  It is certainly not a fun and safe activity as sometimes advertised by disreputable touts.