Remember way back when I said I based some of Focus's features on outdated ideas about our solar system? That's why Hearthside is tidally locked, like Mercury was once thought to be, and why Sweetwater is so wet, like Venus was once depicted in pulp sci-fi stories.

Once such outdated idea, far more ancient than the above, is the concept of Antichthon, or counter-earth. A planet sharing Earth's orbit but out of phase by 180 degrees, meaning it would always be hidden by the sun from our perspective. What if Newhome was co-orbital with Yih, but closer than 180 degrees, maybe 60. I'm not sure how easy or hard it would make it to get there from Yih using early space-age tech, but it would certainly make it easier to terraform.

This would also have a huge impact on early Claravian theology. At the time of the Theophany the yinrih don't even know what stars are, and the naked-eye planets might be considered stars for some time until research monasteries develop telescopes. Once they learn that Newhome is a terrestrial planet much like Yih, they get excited thinking Starfolk are just next door. This galvanizes research monasteries to progress toward spaceflight, but as astronomy develops in parallel with this push, they eventually realize that Newhome is a barren rock. This discovery may contribute to the Shakeoff, as it would make it seem like the Bright Way's ambitions of spaceflight are a fool's errand.

The fact that Yih has life and Newhome doesn't despite being nearly identical (minus the ring) also sparks much debate in and out of the Bright Way. In many ways it parallels the situation of yinrih and tree dwellers. Why are yinrih sapient and not also the tree dwellers? Why does Yih have life and not also Newhome? I can see research monks spending a great deal of time on the subject of Yih's ring since that's the only major difference between the two planets. This idea that a ring is connected to the existence of life may persist up to First Contact. It may influence how Wayfinders (those among the missionaries who select planets to visit) evaluate potential missions.

I should add that Newhome would have a different name up until the Mechanists arrive to terraform it. They rename it to Newhome in order to distance themselves from Yih.