Ouroboros Cluster (Turn 9, December 8, 2004)

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Heart Region (region, hyperspace) The core of the Achilles Cluster is a densely region of ancient stars. No major starfaring race has risen to prominence in this region. Cauldron (system, red giant) Were it not for the presence of The Ring the ansible beacon that led the young Races here, the Cauldron system would have nothing to interest explorers. Cauldron's companion star, a pale, roiling body too hot to be a planet, too small to become a star, swept any material capable of forming a planet into its own mass billions of years ago. - Ouroborus Route-Cauldron (trade route, Ouroboros) The Ouroboros route crosses through the territories of several major races and provides the main route of trade through the galaxy. This system is a stopping point on the route. Battleship Hammurabi (ship, peacekeeper) The ancients, in their wisdom, knew that force might sometimes be required to keep the peace. They built the peacekeeper fleet, a fleet of robotic warships, some of titanic proportions. The Peacekeepers will ruthlessly enforce peace in the Cauldron system. A powerful AI commands each ship, though operations can be improvde by the addition of a sentient bridge crew. The Peacekeepers function at the command of the Consul. Notes: military battleship peacekeeper weapon: nullification cannons ancient ship force field mobile Battleship Solon (ship, peacekeeper) Gamemaster The ancients, in their wisdom, knew that force might sometimes be required to keep the peace. They built the peacekeeper fleet, a fleet of robotic warships, some of titanic proportions. The Peacekeepers will ruthlessly enforce peace in the Cauldron system. A powerful AI commands each ship, though operations can be improvde by the addition of a sentient bridge crew. The Peacekeepers function at the command of the Consul. Notes: military battleship peacekeeper weapon: nullification cannons ancient ship force field mobile Battleship Numa (ship, peacekeeper) Gamemaster The ancients, in their wisdom, knew that force might sometimes be required to keep the peace. They built the peacekeeper fleet, a fleet of robotic warships, some of titanic proportions. The Peacekeepers will ruthlessly enforce peace in the Cauldron system. A powerful AI commands each ship, though operations can be improvde by the addition of a sentient bridge crew. The Peacekeepers function at the command of the Consul. Notes: military battleship peacekeeper weapon: nullification cannons ancient ship force field mobile Peacekeeper Shipyards (space station, shipyard) The repair and maintenance platform for the peacekeeper fleet, Peace 1, orbits 220 miles ahead of The Ring around the substellar object, The Devourer. Insectoid Explorer (ship, diplomatic) Insectoid Insectoid ships are strange, sleek craft studded with sensor spines. Notes: mobile military The Devourer (world, substellar body) "He who fights with monsters should look to it that he himself does not become a monster. And when you gaze long into an abyss the abyss also gazes into you." --John Milton, Paradise Lost Notes: substellar body Avalon (ship, diplomatic) Terpsichore The sleek design of the Avalon reflects the faded glory of the Terpsichoran empire. Notes: mobile military Nomad Courier (ship, courier) Independent Most Nomad ships have been repaired and refurbished so many times, that few or no original parts may remain. Notes: frigate mobile stealthy lucky Nomad Rogues (team, rogue) Independent Notes: race: Nomad rogue criminal Star Barque (ship, courier) Majestic Sir Mojnar prefers his light Barque to heavier vessels. Notes: mobile military scout fast The Ring (space station, ring) The older Races have long known that The Ring existed, but its location was secret. Built by the Ancients as a place of assembly and peace, it has been kept functioning over the millennia by the mysterious technologies of the ancients and its silent guardians, the sentinels. The Consul, an ancient AI of startling power, presides over the assembly. It is programmed to ensure that The Ring fulfills the function for which it was built, to provide a place for assembly and debate between the intelligent spacefaring Races of the Ouroboros Cluster. The Ring is a ring-shaped space station four miles in diameter. The inner surface of The Ring is studded with beautiful towers and structures whose meaning or purpose is now unknown. The outer ring contains docking ports for the diplomatic residences. At the center of the ring lies the Assembly, a golden dome where all the Races can meet in discussion. The Consul acts as speaker of the assembly through a large golden robot built in the image of an unknown alien Race. The Ring is cared for by the Keepers, a race of robotic beings possibly created by the ancients. The Consul (AI, Ancient) Gamemaster The Consul is the ancient AI that presides over all the resources of The Ring. Its programming requires it to act according to the needs of the young races while allowing them to pursue their own paths. Its first principle is to allow the New races to rule themselves by offerring them assistance without coercion. To this end, the The Consul has invited all intelligent races to participate in a Council at the Ring. The Consul will act as chairbeing of this council, through it's mouthepeice, a robotic torso anchored in the center of the Council Dome. Notes: ancient immobile Maladras (leader, scientist) Terpsichore Maladras' exceptional skills surfaced in his work with the Terpsichoran military. He was quickly promoted to a role as Malas' assistant in charge of scientific matters. Notes: race: Terpsichore scientist military personal force field anti-social Malas (leader, diplomat) Terpsichore Malax's attitude towards the council is one of aloofness. He generally considers it beneath him to vote unless the direct interests of the Terpsichorans are at stake. Notes: Race: Terpsichore office: ouroboros administrator mobile diplomat aloof proud Delegate Istak (leader, diplomat) Insectoid Most other races were suprised when the Insectoids sent one of their own to the Ring Station. Notes: diplomat elite cunning charismatic Race: Insectoid mobile diplomatic swarm (team, diplomatic) Insectoid A diplomatic team can carry out simple diplomatic tasks, such as voting in the Ring Council. It may not suggest a motion or accept a political appointment, however. The Diplomatic swarm is composed of a rather small, but well-spoken variation on the Insectoid form. Notes: race: Hive diplomat Uhrmax (leader, diplomat) Ilithids Uhrmax is the current Ilithid representative to the Ring. Notes: Race: Ilithid Office: Archivist of the Ancients epic psychic diplomat elite loyal mobile University Diplomatic Attachment (team, diplomatic) The Scientists A diplomatic team can carry out simple diplomatic tasks, such as voting in the Ring Council. It may not suggest a motion or accept a political appointment, however. Notes: diplomat Ilithid Diplomatic Team (team, diplomatic) Ilithids A diplomatic team can carry out simple diplomatic tasks, such as voting in the Ring Council. It may not suggest a motion or accept a political appointment, however. The Ilithid Diplomatic Team is well supported with a detachment of Morlock servants. Notes: diplomat Race: Ilithid - Ancient technology (mystery, technology) The technology of the ancients remains an impenetrable mystery. Surely they were far beyond any Race of today. - Ancient defences (barrier, defenses) The Ancients foresaw that some of the young Races might fail to see the wisdom of their plan. To discourage any sort of violent behavior against the ring itself, automated weapons systems and attack droids protect its vital points, not to mention intelligent viruses to guard the computer systems. The Consul and associated systems are well protected by anti-intrusion devices of stunning complexity. - Ring Factory Level (industrial base, heavy) Orchera The Ring includes an extensive factory level that extends all the way around the ring just above the space docks. The factory is capable of producing a wide range of goods, including food and equipment. This is not only for the care of the ring and the diplomats, but to provide emergency resources that the council can use to aid the needs of the member Races or replenish losses in the Peacekeeper fleets. The factory level is a maze of ancient chambers, many of which are empty, thier use forgotten. http://www.gric.at/gallery/bild053.htm Diplomatic Residence (outpost, diplomatic) The Ring includes diplomatic residences that, with a little effort, can be converted into quarters for the diplomatic corps or any Race that holds a seat on the Assembly. The diplomats are well cared for by the Keepers. Terpsichore Entourage (team, diplomatic) Terpsichore A diplomatic team can carry out simple diplomatic tasks, such as voting in the Ring Council. It may not suggest a motion or accept a political appointment, however. Notes: Race: Terpsichore diplomat Iron Cuttlefish (ship, diplomatic) Ilithids Ilithid ships are sleek, strange vessels that resemble metallic squids. Notes: mobile frigate cargo bay psychic ram heavy weapons ghost cloak Diplomatic Gathering (team, diplomatic) Orchera A diplomatic team can carry out simple diplomatic tasks, such as voting in the Ring Council. It may not suggest a motion or accept a political appointment, however. Notes: Race: Orchera diplomat Majestic Embassy (team, embassy team) Majestic An embassy is dedicated to improving your relations with a world or indepenent government. Every turn, the team will attempt to improve your relations. Notes: race: alien diplomat - Grim Fruit (carrier, carrier) Orchera A carrier relies on its fighter squadrons for defense and offense. Used correctly, fighter squadrons can be devastating against enemy ships. Notes: mobile battleship fighter squadron Tribe Embassy (team, embassy team) The Tribe An embassy is dedicated to improving your relations with a world or indepenent government. Every turn, the team will attempt to improve your relations. Notes: race: alien diplomat Barter (system, outpost) Barter's main world is one of the oldest trade stops in the cluster. The natives of Barter, a herbivorous race of tripeds, have a complex language which requires a dual set of vocal chords to speak. Their own name for themselves and their system has long been forgotten by most races. The system is now simply called Barter, and the herbivores are called the Barter Race. - Ouroborus Route-Barter (trade route, Ouroboros) The Ouroboros route crosses through the territories of several major races and provides the main route of trade through the galaxy. This system is a stopping point on the route. Large Colony Ship Construction (ship, large colony ship) Insectoid A colony ship carries over ten million colonists along with all the supplies and equipment they need to create a basic colony on any type of world. The colony ship is very slow and vulnerable, however, though thankfuly large enough to discourage most pirates. Notes: mobile slow large colony deployment Cinder (world, airless) Theorists beleive that Cinder was struck by a large asteroid of planetoid in its youth. The young world was sundered into semi-molten peices that never fully coalesced. The result is a bizarre, scarred planet with chasms hunderds of miles deep. Notes: airless feature: gargantuan bottomless caverns Chaff (world, asteroid field) Barter's asteroid field extends from the orbit of Cinder almost to that of Barterworld iteslf. It may be composed of fragments of the collision that gave Cinder its current form. Several regions of the field are dangerously unpredictable and considered un-navigable. Notes: asteroid field dense un-navigable Barterworld (world, desert) Barterworld's history goes back millennia to the very first Young Races. Its surface is a patchwork of landing pads and trade stations, most clustered around its ancient spaceport. Barter's native race of semi-nomadic herbivores make a living by charging a small fee for use of the planet's surface. This fee is usually paid in the form of foodstuffs to whatever herd happens to be in the area at the time. A very few of the Barter race have gone into trade themselves, running taverns or hangers for visiting ships. Notes: desert colony (independent) military alliance with the Orchera Seed (ship, diplomatic) Orchera famous as the site of the first contact between the Orchera and Ilithids, the Seed is actually a ship of unknown alien manufacture. This led to much mystery and confusion over the nature of the Orcheran race. Notes: mobile frigate offensive style alien famous - Barterworld Spaceport (city, trading) Independent Barterworld Spaceport barely deserves the name of city, for although it's size is huge, it has little central authority or planning. Things seem to function well enough, though, and local trouble is usually put down quickly as being bad for business. Notes: trade station feircely independent Xeriscape (ship, space station) Orchera Xeriscape is an important waypoint for traders, and a defensive position against pirate incursions. Its sleek design represents the very latest in galactic technology. Notes: immobile heavy weapons - Exterminator Probe GT1 (probe, probe) Orchera All that remains of the Exterminator probe is a heap of slag. Notes: heap of slag Cholust Militia (army, militia) Orchera The Orchera keep a small, lightly armed militia to guard the Cholust colony. Notes: mobile military agriculture disciplined Black Rose (ship, destroyer) Orchera The destroyer is a larger warship, still fast and versatile by most standards, but packing larger weapons than any but the most belligerant merchant vessel. Notes: mobile military heavy weapons Sprout (ship, science) Orchera Notes: mobile science ship Stellar Investigation Team (team, science) Orchera A science team can be created to research a new technology, investigate a location, or other task. The team will automatically disband when their task is complete. This team's task is to carry out scientific investigations of stellar and other phenomena. Notes: race: Orchera scientist Orchera Prime Military Academy (team, military) Orchera The Orcheran Military Academy was founded to train military units. Notes: military Heartstrand Region (region, hyperspace) The Heartstrand is a bright arm of younger stars and star formation regions. These feed from energy drawn off the heart by a supermassive black hole billions of years ago. This region is the origin of the Human Race. Proxima (system, unexplored) For a system to have to habitable worlds has long been considered impossible. Yet the Proxima system has two such worlds. Technically, the Proxima worlds comprise a binary system, since they actually orbit around one another. Each planet looms high in its neighbors sky, and both have extreme seasons. A safe jump route exists to the Sol system. Proxima One (world, habitable) Proxima One is a world of endless hurricanes and hailstorms. The night side is a perpetual wasteland of ice, and the light side is a maze of sun-baked caverns. The twilight zone between the two, however, is a band of verdant green. The plant life here consists of matts of exotic vines that exude strange organic chemicals related to the bizarre life cycles that enable them to thrive in this environment. Strange herbivores wander this region, munching on the plant life and conversing in their own, incredibly complex language. During the night when Proxima II is full in the sky, the herbivores venture far into the ice plains to mate. The natives seem to have little use for technology, though they have constructed telescopes from natively available crystal, and are aware of the intelligent life on the opposite world. Notes: habitable locked aspect storms life inhabited - independent lifeform: valuable plants lifeform: intelligent herbivores Proxima Two (world, habitable) Proxima two is a disorienting world of crystalline spires and mad, swirling borealis. Visitors to the surface report seeing phantasms of their dead loved ones, and of the dead of other, alien races. No one chooses to remain here for long. The inhabitants dwell in odd cities that appear to be constructed of slowly rotating gears stacked in odd pyramids. The inhabitants are an industrious race that seem near to space flight and are aware that Proxima One bears life. Indeed, it is likely that the two worlds were one world in ancient times, since the lifeforms on both bear some similarities. Notes: habitable haunted life agriculture mining inhabited - independent lifeform: insidious plants lifeform: hostile insects lifeform: intelligent herbivores treaty: Military alliance with the Exterminators Revenge (ship, interceptor) Exterminator The Revenge is exceptionally primitive by any standard. It was built using the most primitive industrial capability according to blueprints supplied by the nefarious Exterminators. Notes: military mobile destroyer heavy weapons vulnerable Sidaris XVI (system, black hole) The spinning corona of hot gasses surrounding the suppermassive black hole Sidaris XVII dominates the night sky of all the worlds in the Heartstrand. The regions is classified as 'extremely dangerous', and automated buoys warn approaching ships of the gravitational and radiation hazards. Sol (system, Terran home system) Terra This star system contains an unusually large number of planetary bodies of varied composition. It is also the home system of the Terran Race. There is considerable trade between the various worlds and outposts. The largest settlements, outside of the capitol world Earth, are, first, the Mars Colonies, and second the mining outpost on Mercury. The system is still recovering from the brief, failed war of Maritian independence. The current government, with an elected Senate and President, represent a compromise between the warring factions. Notes: Race: Terran - system defenses (barrier, defenses) Owing to the many intra-Human conflicts over the decades since they left their homeworld to explore their own system, the Terran race has a wide range of automated defenses, including interceptors, system ships, and armed sattellites around major worlds. Mercury (world, airless) Terra Mercury is a rocky, airless world that has one side locked facing Sol. Several Terran mining settlements straddle the line between the dark side and the light side. Even this environment is harsh. Only the toughest or most desperate of Humans try to make their life here. Notes: airless Mining locked aspect inferno mineral rich H.E.A.D habitats inhabited - Terra Venus (world, venusian) Due to its dense cloud cover and crushing temperature, Venus has never been colonized. Notes: venusian rocky hostile storms Earth (world, homeworld) Terra Earh, the origion of both the Terran and Majestic races is also known as Terra. More than half of this verdant world's surface is covered by water. The Capitol of the Human Confederacy is located here. Billions of Humans live here, filling almost every useful surface on the planet. Notes: habitable agriculture heavy industrial base life temperate supercrops inhabited - Terra Earth Militia (army, militia) Terra A militia is an army of lightly armed, lightly trained troops. Notes: military regulars - Earthforce (barrier, planetary defense force) "The planetary milita wants YOU!" --Earthforce Recruitment Poster - Industrial Base-Earth (industrial base, heavy) Terra An indsutrial base is required to build ships and other heavy equipment. It also improves the economy by providing goods for trade. Earth's great factory cities spread hundreds of miles across the surface of the world. Earthforce Defender 954 (ship, interceptor) Terra Human ships are often sleek in design, reflecting the shape of the avians of the human homeworld. Notes: military mobile cruiser morale officer Admiral Taggata (leader, admiral) Terra "War is the continuation of politics by alternative means" -- Clausewitz Notes: drunkard fast elite military mobile defensive doctrine Race: Terran Zulu (ship, battleship) Terra The battleship is the ultimate fighting vessel, pushing current technology to its limits. Though slow, a battleship can engage opponents at any range. Notes: under construction immobile military battleship heavy weapons morale officers Kubric Station (space station, spaceport) Terra Kubric station is the primary stopping point for interplanetary and interstellar trade in the Sol system. Beings of many races can be found here. Kurbic station is composed of two large counter-rotating rings. The "upper" includes commercial and private structures, the "lower" is the main base for the Human fleet. Notes: armored The Asteroid Field (world, asteroid field) This imaginatively named region is a loose field of miscellaneous rocks. A refeuling depot for the Human Fleet is located on one of the larger lumps, named Ceres. Notes: asteroid field Ceres Outpost (space station, fuel depot) Terra The primary refeulling post for traffic in and out of the inner system, Ceres is infamous amoung Human naval personnel as the most boring station in the Navy. Notes: Military Mars (world, desert) Terra In the aftermath of the Earth-Mars war, may regions of the planet are still scarred, even uninhabitable. Anger and bitterness continues to fester in the three major domed cities. The bulk of the populous, however, are content to run their moisture farms and vote in the Solar elections. Notes: desert agriculture supercrops inhabited - Terra Feature: Olympus Mons, gigantic volcano Felix (leader, diplomat) The Tribe Felix's luck has saved him from more than one bad scrape. Notes: race: Tribe lucky honest diplomat mobile President Gault (leader, president) Terra Only an administrator as charismatic as President Gault could have united the warring factions and won the popular vote on both Mars and Earth. Even in old age, President Gault continues to be a paragon of leadership. Notes: chief executive administrator charismatic ambitious famous elder mobile aged honest Race: Terran Magellan II (ship, explorer) Terra Magellan II represents the latest in Terran science and design. Notes: stealthy explorer disciplined mobile military Ivana Parva (leader, diplomat) Terra Ivana Parva's exploits in the war of Martian Independence are near legendary. Notes: epic diplomat spy famous intelligent mobile epic Race: Terran Jupiter (world, gas giant) Terra While a few brave gas skimmers live on the inner moons and make a living off the valuable organic compounds in Jupiter's atmosphere, no commercially viable way to harvest it has yet been developed. Jupiter has dozens of moons, ranging from tiny rocks, to the deep-ocean iceball, Europa, and the volcanic inferno, Io. A major colony, consisting of a central egg-shaped floating dome with numerous appendages, floats in the eye of the Great Red Spot. The grizzled vetrans of the Jovian moons eye these newcomers with disdain and amusement. Notes: gas giant many moons Feature: Great Red Spot H.E.A.D babitats Valuable gasses superhurricane winds construction: mining under construction inhabited - Terra Saturn (world, gas giant) Terra Mysterious and beautiful, Saturn is the home of a young Terran colony. Legends and tales about the ringed world abound. Several settlements dot the outer moons, but the jewel of the colony is the floating orb of Taggata City, high in the clouds of the gas giant. The city is named for Admiral Taggata, the hero of the battle of Saturn. Notes: gas giant mineral poor feature: ring system beautiful artifacts H.E.A.D habitats HE3 negative agriculture Wiggin Military Academy (team, military academy) Terra Wiggun Military academy is the premier school of defensive tactics in the universe. The owner of the academy may upgrade one military unit per turn by giving the unit a "train" order. You may not give the unit any other orders other than move orders that turn. Notes: immobile military academy de Soto (ship, science ship) Terra The de Soto. Notes: mobile science ship frigate Bill Nye (leader, scientist) Terra Rumor has it that Bill Nye was involved in a top secret research project on Saturn. Since the project, Nye has changed. His intellect, always impressive, is now almost frightening. Notes: Race: Seraphim scientist intimidating brilliant touched by Pandora healthy mobile Positronic Field Research (team, science) Terra This team is researching a new technology. The team will automatically disband when their task is complete. Notes: race: terran scientist Neptune (world, gas giant) Neptune is truly the frontier of the Solar system. It's moon Triton features a small colony, the farthest civilian settlement of any size from Earth. Notes: gas giant Uranus (world, gas giant) Uranus is a gas giant with a large number of moons. Notes: gas giant hostile ice storms Pluto (world, iceball) Pluto is a barren, frozen world. The only Human habitation of note is a listening post and observatory. Notes: iceball Feature: Delicate ice spires Cocoon Nebula Region (region, hyperspace) Ironically, the beautiful Cocoon Nebula is all but invisible to those who live nearest it. The streams of incandescant gases that make it up are too thinly spread to be easily visible from close range. In order to properly view its majesty, one must travel as far from it as possible. Those few residents of the region who have undertaken the journey, claim it is worth it. Majestic (system, Majestic Colony Home System) Majestic In the early days of Terran space exploration, during the First Ecological Disaster, a combine of rich philanthropists built the Majestic, the first Terran colony ship. The dream of its builders was the hope that humanity might survive somewhere among the stars even if it were to perish on Earth. The Majestic used conventional drives to accelerate to near light speed. Nevertheless, the journey was to take generations. The colony was thought lost until a Nomad trade convoy happened upon a Majestic scout. Terra immediately claimed the colony as its own, but has never attempted to press its claims. - Majestic Corridor-Ajax (trade route, Majestic Corridor) The Majsetic Corridor is a rich route carrying minerals from Capernau and manufactured goods from Majestica. Ragnarok (world, gas giant) Majestic Deep in the heart of Ragnarok's atmosphere, an array of titanic monoliths float. Each is over 3 miles high, and they are arrayed in a ring around the equator of the planet 713 miles apart. Because of the hostility of the atmosphere, few studies of these objects have yet been undertaken. http://www.gric.at/gallery/bild170.htm Notes: gas giant artifacts mining giant electrical storms New Venus (world, airless) The crust of New Venus is covered in highly reflective dust. From space, the world has a bright appearance, which the first colonists compared to Venus in the Sol System. Notes: airless beautiful volcanic rocky Majestica (world, homeworld) Majestic Initially, the Majestic colonists were not encouraged by what they saw, a system with no earthlike planets. When they discovered signs of life on the third world, however, they made the decision to land their colony ship immediately. The bulk of the inhabitants still live in the region surrounding the city of Landfall. Landfall is built on an icy plain above a deep resevoir of fresh water teeming with life. Mining has been a difficulty, however, as little usable ore can be found near the surface, and infestations of ice snakes are always a problem. The Majestic Colony thought they were the first to explore Majestica, until a boring crew uncovered an alien hull frozen hundreds of meters below the surface. Notes: iceball artifacts ice mountains life mineral poor agriculture mining fertile inhabited - Majestics treaty: trade agreements with Orcherans lifeform: insidious snakes lifeform: bipedal abominations Queen Isolda I (leader, administrator) Majestic Queen Isolda is beloved of her subjects, though those close to her know she has some unsavory habits. Notes: Race: Majestic Sapiens administrator chief executive inspiring careful currupt monarch mobile The Advisor (leader, spy) Majestic The alien creature known as the advisor arrived in system from parts unknown during the coronation of the young queen Isolda. It quickly ingratiated herself to the Queen and her council. It quickly rose to a position that many native born nobles envy. Notes: Race: Alien 81 spy administrator intelligent dictatorial ambitious corrupt mobile unhealthy battleship Hugin (ship, battleship) Majestic The battleship is the ultimate fighting vessel, pushing current technology to its limits. Though slow, a battleship can engage opponents at any range. Notes: mobile military battleship heavy weapons - Fenris Guard (barrier, defense) All young nobles who are not first born must serve a period in the Fenris Guard, the defense squadron of the homeworld. Consisting mostly of squadrons of fighters launched from satellites and static bases, the Guard is capable of responding quickly to any threat. Majestica Militia (army, militia) Majestic A militia is an army of lightly armed, lightly trained troops. Notes: military regular Inquisitor Barque (ship, inquisition) Majestic The Queen likes to keep a close eye on what happens in her domain. The Inquisitional cruiser's job is to police the realm and resport directly to the Queen. Notes: stealthy mobile military Prospero (ship, alien) Majestic Prospero is an ancient AI ship dug from the surface of Majestica. The ships' AI has no memory of its function or past, and is anxious to learn. Majestic scientists have not hesitated to take it under their wing. Notes: mobile heavy weapons nimble ancient military - Industrial Base-Majestica (industrial base, medium) Majestic An indsutrial base is required to build ships and other heavy equipment. It also improves the economy by providing goods for trade. Freya (ship, science ship) Majestic Science ships, equipped with powerful sensors, onboard laboratory facilities, and a full complement of exploration vehicles and equipment, are the mainstay of many races' exploration efforts. A science ship provides a bonus in scientific activities, including charting jump routes and investigating new worlds. Notes: mobile science ship frigate Lokisson (leader, scientist) Majestic Renowned as an agent of Mischief, no one doubts the scientific brilliance of Lokisson. Notes: race: Majestic Sapiens scientist cunning cowardly devious loyal Odin (world, iceball) Odin's surface bears the scars of numerous impacts. A recent volcanic eruption melted a huge region of the surface, which re-froze into a shape that the Majestics beleive looks like a gigantic eye, hence the name of the world. Notes: iceball hostile rugged terrain cratered ice volcanos Ajax (system, outpost) The Ajax system is a stopping point on the great Ourobors trade route. The system consists of a yellow sun and a small brown dwarf star on an extreme eliptical orbit. There are a number of asteroids and sub-planetoid chunks, but little else of interest here. - Majestic Corridor-Ajax (trade route, Majestic Corridor) The Majsetic Corridor is a rich route carrying minerals from Capernau and manufactured goods from Majestica. Ajax Minor (world, substellar body) Ajax Minor is too small to be poperly called a star, but too massive and too hot to be truly called a gas giant. Notes: brown dwarf Capernau (system, Cappocean Home System) Capernau has been a trade stop on the Ouroboros route for generations. The friendly Cappocean race provides an important source for exotic foodstuffs and biochemicals used throughout the cluster. - Majestic Corridor-Ajax (trade route, Majestic Corridor) The Majsetic Corridor is a rich route carrying minerals from Capernau and manufactured goods from Majestica. Peacekeeper Squadron Cassandra (ship, squadron) Majestic The ships of the peacekeeper squadrons are light, fast, ships of an ancient design. Notes: mobile fast squadron frigate military ancient damaged disabled Sir Mojnar (leader, diplomat) Majestic Sir Mojnar is a noted warrior and always wears a necklace of teeth from a Storm Bear he killed himself. Notes: Race: Majestic Sapiens office: peacekeeper commodore diplomat intimidating farmer nobleman healthy reckless mobile Acid Rain (ship, destroyer group 1) Orchera A destroyer group provides the punch of heavy military weapons, along with the speed and versatility of destroyer-class vessels. Notes: mobile heavy weapons squadron frigate damaged disabled Peacekeeper Squadron Atlanta (ship, squadron) Majestic The ships of the peacekeeper squadrons are light, fast, ships of an ancient design. Notes: mobile fast military ancient frigate Cassandra AI (leader, AI) Majestic The Cassandra AI is an ancient computer sapience that follows the orders of the duly elected Peacekeeper Commodore. Notes: military AI loyal Cappocean Militia (army, militia) Independent A militia is an army of lightly armed, lightly trained troops. Notes: military undisciplined acquatic Nomad Armada One (world, homeworld) The Tribe The Nomads have been wandering the stars for so long, that not even they remember or even care where their homeworld was. The Nomad Armada follows the Ouroboros route, carrying trade goods and knowledge from place to place. Their arrival often brings a minor economic boom as they are always laden with trade goods from the far corners of the cluster. Notes: mobile world fleet trade boom inhabited - The Tribe Nomad Defender (ship, defender) The Tribe Most Nomad ships have been repaired and refurbished so many times, that few or no original parts may remain. Notes: battleship powerful mobile military The Battlestar (ship, battlestar) The Tribe The Battlestar is an ancient battle station modified to act as command center and seat of The Tribe's government. It cannot leave the fleet, but presents a serious threat to anyone contemplating an attack. Notes: heavy weapons armored slow slow immobile military - Industrial Base-Nomad Armada One (industrial base, heavy) The Tribe An indsutrial base is required to build ships and other heavy equipment. It also improves the economy by providing goods for trade. The Nomads have developed methods to carry out industry even while travelling in hyperspace. - Nomad Interceptors (squadron, interceptor squadron) The Tribe Interceptors, operating in small squadrons, are the standard anti-piracy defense in many systems. They provide excellent speed, moderate firepower, and good durability, making them a decent all-around force. Notes: mobile fast military squadron improved military Tribe Mining Ventures (ship, small colony) The Tribe A colony ship carries several million colonists along with all the supplies and equipment they need to create a basic colony on any type of world. The colony ship is very slow and vulnerable, however, though thankfuly large enough to discourage most pirates. Notes: mobile colony deployment vulnerable slow Timsu (world, gas giant) Timsu has an impressive ring system and hundreds of moons. Most of these are small fragments captured from the Alura belt. Timsu is named for an important character in Cappocean myth. Those capable of understanding the Cappocean language affirm that the Ballad of Timsu is among the most beautiful examples of epic poetry in the Cluster. Notes: gas giant ringed many moons ice storms Alarua Mercator (world, asteroid field) The Alura belt is actually several small clusters of pre-planetary fragments that never fully coaslesced. Several uncharted prospecting communities have alternately prospered or failed, fed by the hope of trade with Cappocea. Notes: asteroid field Cappocea (world, ocean) The green oceans of Cappocea harbor the largest intelligent species known to galactic civilization. Three islands, comprising about 25 square miles are the only dry land on the planet. Here, in the deep-water harbor of the trade city of Apar, the Cappocean's trade deep water kelp and exotic shellfish for metals and such technologies as are useful to them in their deep ocean habitat. Notes: ocean habitable agriculture fertile lifeform: intelligent whales lifeform: dangerous predators lifeform: poisonous slugs inhabited - independent Audax (leader, administrator) The Tribe Audax's eyes have seen more stars and planets than perhaps any other creature alive. Notes: race: Tribe administrator chief executive careful cautious fast mobile - Cappocean Defenses (barrier, militia) Though their relations with other races have been generally friendly, Cappocean society has a long history of armed conflict carried out by their warrior caste. In time of trouble, all Cappocean knights are bound to fight to defend the greater good. - Industrial Base-Capernau (industrial base, light) An indsutrial base is required to build ships and other heavy equipment. It also improves the economy by providing goods for trade. The Cappocean's do not engage in heavy industry, but do have small, craft based guilds that produce a wide range of goods made from native ceramics. Durable corals or imported metals provide the raw materials for weapons and other goods. Onir (world, airless) Onir is the nearest world to the star Capernau. A long network of ridges, bright with Quartz depostis, give it a wrinkled look from space. Notes: airless rocky Beagle (ship, science) The Tribe This vessel retains some of the rag-tag appearance typical of Nomad vessels, even though it is a state-of-the-art science vessel. Notes: mobile frigate science Sophia (leader, diplomat) The Tribe Sophia has a reputation for honesty and fair dealing, a rarity among star traders. Notes: race: Tribe diplomat fast saintly trustworthy cunning aged scientist mobile - Carthagalon (monster, protector) The Trib Carthagalon is a bizarre giant monster from a distant world. It has taken a liking to the nomad Sophia, and will follow and protect her for the rest of its life. Notes: monster flying armored powerful mobile loyal Olympus Region (region, hyperspace) The Olympus region is so-named for the star Olympus, a high-radiation white star that is the brightest visible in the night sky through most regions of the Ourobors Cluster. Sechi (system, inhabited) Ilithids Several races and guilds have voiced the desire to establish a permanent claim on the Sechi system. Because of its strategic location, however, the Ilithids have always strenously objected to any such plan. The recent discovery of valuable minerals in the upper cloud levels of Sechi II have again renewed this interest. Sechi Defense (ship, squadron) Ilithids Squadrons provide fast, lightweight defense that can react quickly to incursions. Notes: mobile fast squadron military Iron Octopus (ship, desroyer) Ilithids Like you'd think from the name, it's not as sleek as the squid-like vessels, but just as deadly. Notes: mobile psychic ram heavy weapons military ghost cloak Oulomb (leader, military) Ilithids Although Oulomb is as alien-looking as the rest of his kind, he has a particular flair for fashion that even non-Ilithid races find pleasing to the eye. His military dress robes are sharp and stylish. Notes: Race: Ilithid psychic disciplined poet beautiful mobile epic Sechi Defense Grid (ship, satellite defense grid) Ilithids This assembly is essentially a mobile shipyard that can deploy into a satellite defense grid after arriving at its destination. This is done by issueing a build order. Notes: immobile military squadron Morlock Shock Troops (army, militia) Ilithids Thralls are not known for the initiative or cleverness, but they are extremely durable. Notes: military undisciplined Iron Squid (ship, cargo) Ilithids Ilithid ships are sleek, strange vessels that resemble eerie metallic squids. Notes: mobile psychic ram heavy weapons cruiser cargo bay battle scarred military ghost cloak Ilithid Protectorate Embassy (space station, diplomatic) Ilithids Because the Ilithid Protectorate lies off the main Ourboros route, the Ilithids maintain an embassy station in Sechi. Those who have business to transact with the Protectorate can contact them through the diplomatic staff of the station. Notes: immobile armored Sechi IV (world, gas giant) Sechi IV is a particularly large gas giant, almost classifyable as a sub-stellar object. It glows with an eerie inner light. Notes: gas giant feature: glowing cloud bands locked aspect temperate - Starlight (settlement, space station) Ilithids Starlight's complete laws are inscribed on a metal plate taken from the hull of the first ship to explore the system. This plate sits in the main landing bay of the station. They read 'Welcome to Starlight. No explosives permitted. No bazookas. No pets.' Since the Ilithid takeover of the station in Stellar year 7, significantly more rules than thes are in force. The scars of that battle have added another layer to Starlight's scarred hulls. Notes: armored heavy weapons inhabited space station - Starlight Security (security team, military) Ilithids This team provide some protection against enemy military and espionage activities. Notes: race: Ilithid military Sechi III (world, gas giant) Sechi III's erratic orbit takes it well above and blow the plain of the ecliptic, contributing to its unpredictable five season weather cycle. This planet has few visitors. Notes: gas giant Sechi II (world, gas giant) Ilithids Sechi II's atmosphere is rich with rare organic minerals and exotic gases. The Ilithids have founded a colony here in the upper atmosphere. Notes: gas giant mineral rich HE3 inhabited - Ilithids Sechi I (world, asteroid field) Ilithids The Sechi I debris field stretches from just inside the orbit of Sechi II all the way to Sechi's upper corona. The heat is so intense that many of the inner asteroids are partially liquid balls of metal-rich magma and slag. Notes: asteroid field inferno hostile mineral rich mining inhabited - independent - Ironforge (settlement, mining outpost) Ironforge is more a ragtag collection of scrapped hulls and hollowed out rocks welded into a semi-coherent whole than a space station. Nevertheless, this city is home to some twenthy thousand miners and prospectors, most of them Gron. Small mining camps dot the asteroids, though the living is far from easy. Satyr (system, outpost) Independent The radioactive ruins of Satyr station, a small refueling post formerly run by a race known as the Gron, lie on the outskirts of this system. The spectacle of this binary system serves as a reminder of the terrors and hazards of space. The secondary star, Satyr II, is a black hole orbiting close to the blue supergiant Satyr. A bright filament of hot gasses connects the two as Satyr slowly falls into its dark neighbor. Satyr Station (world, asteroid) Satyr Station wouldn't even be worth including on the charts, were it not for the small but busy refeuling depot located here. The station is feircely Independent and will sell fuel to any and all who call. Notes: airless asteroid inhabited - independent Great Olympus (system, Uninhabited) The white star Olympus is the brightest star visible in all regions of the cluster from the Widow's Gap to beyond Olympus region. Olympus I (world, airless) This rocky world orbits close to its parent star, Olympus. Notes: airless irradiated rocky Olypus II (world, gas giant) The gas giant Olympus II is bathed in the endless storm of radiation thrown out by Olympus. Notes: gas giant irradiated Farstrand Region (region, hyperspace) The farstrand is a region of luminous gasses pulled from the Heart stars by some ancient cataclysm. U3991 (system, unexplored) The U3991 system has only one world, a huge gas giant that orbits close to its parent star. U3991-A (world, gas giant) This world is a fairly typicaly gas giant that might be easy to overlook, were it not for the astounding array of giant monsters that battle for supremacy in its atmosphere and methane oceans. Notes: gast giant temperate giant electrical storms life lifeform: giant monsters Llorasc (system, Ilithid Home System) Ilithids Llorasc is the home system of two races, the enigmatic Ilithids and the servient Morlocks. For centuries, the Ilithid Protectorate has been one of the most peaceful regions of the cluster. Thrall (world, venusian) Ilithids The Morlocks, the native inhabitants of Llore are an ancient race. They were initially prevented from acheiving space travel by the high gravity and obscuring thick atmosphere of their world. When they finally took the first tentative steps into space near the dawn of the age of Young Races, the Ilithids were waiting for them. Over the centuries, the relationship between the two races has become symbiotic, some even say exploitive. The Morlocks provide the Ilithids with manual labor, while the Ilithids provide for the the Morlocks' needs. In recent decades, the Morlock population has shown a slow but steady decline. Notes: venusian * high gravity mining life temperate lifeform: cuddly snakes lifeform: radioactive bacteria lifeform: intelligent herbivores inhabited - Morlocks - barrier fleet (barrier, defenses) Most Ilithid transports and merchant ships carry some armaments. As a result, the Protectorate has a considerable fleet of non-jump capable defense ships it can call upon in an emergency. The Ilithon (world, homeworld) Ilithids According to the most acient accounts, Llore's close-orbiting moon The Ilithon entered the system in ancient times and was captured by the gravity of Llore. Others point out that this is physically unlikely, and suggest that the Ilithids migrated to the Ouroboros cluster form a neighboring galaxy. The Ilithids live in great presurized networks of subterrenean caverns and undergound cities that honeycomb the planetoid. Notes: airless rocky hollow agriculture inhabited - Ilithids Protector Thrask (leader, administrator) Ilithids The chief protector holds responsibility for the well-being of all Ilithids and the care of all Morlocks. Notes: Race: Ilithid chief executive administrator psychic stealthy charismatic mobile astral projection team (team, science) Ilithids "How typical of the young races that they imagine hyperspace travel to be a physical phenomenon." -- Juxat Gol, The Science of the Minds Notes: race: alien scientist Ilithon Militia (army, militia) Ilithids A militia is an army of lightly armed, lightly trained troops. The Ilithon militia contains a higher proportion of Ilithid troops to Morlocks than is usual for Ilithid military units. Notes: military undisciplined - Industrial Base-The Ilithon (industrial base, heavy) Ilithids An indsutrial base is required to build ships and other heavy equipment. It also improves the economy by providing goods for trade. Almost all industrial work on the Ilithon is carried out by Morlock workers Ilithon satellite defense grid (ship, satellite defense grid) Ilithids A satellite defense grid is provides a durable system of light, static defenses. Notes: immobile military squadron Iron Shears (ship, destroyer group) Ilithids A destroyer group provides the punch of heavy military weapons, along with the speed and versatility of destroyer-class vessels. Notes: mobile heavy weapons squadron psychic ram Terpsichore (system, dead) Terpsichore was once the home of a thriving race of arachnoids. The Terpsichorans were a highly advanced race with a number of small colonies and outposts in the Terpsichore system and beyond. The system was devastated when their sun went nova unexpectedly. Now this branch of the Ouroboros route is closed, due to the lack of goods, and the serious navigational hazards in the region. - Ouroborus Route-Terpsichore (trade route, Ouroboros) The Ouroboros route crosses through the territories of several major races and provides the main route of trade through the galaxy. This system is a stopping point on the route. Terpsichore Prime (world, dead) Terpsichore A burned out husk is all that remains of the once prosperous and powerful Terpsichoran home world. Notes: dead irradiated hostile airless inhabited - Terpsichore Thsoull (outpost, trade station) There are few outposts in the galaxy as forelorn as Thsoull. And yet, a few Terpsichorans choose to live here in radiation armored domes. These few stubbornly refuse to recognize any Terpsichorans who live offworld to be true Terpsichorans. Ovlost (world, airless) Ovlost is a barren, forsaken world. Notes: airless irradiated cratered temperate Belt of Tears (world, asteroid belt) Terpsichore A few Terpsichorans still inhabit the outer asteroid belt of the system, mostly living as pirates or privateers. Their presence makes the system even more unfriendly to travellers.. Notes: asteroid field dense inhabited - Terpsichore The Last Outpost (outpost, pirate) Terpsichore The Last Outpost is located inside a hollowed-out asteroid. The inhabitants are an increasinly poor lot who make their way by trading with, and occassionally raiding neighboring systems. Notes: heavy weapons force field Forgotten (system, unexplored) The strange binary system of forgotten is home to not one but two ocean worlds. All the worlds in the system orbit around two closely-orbiting stars. Most interestingly, both ocean worlds have a surprising amount of metallic orbital debris that hints at technological inhabitants at some time in the very ancient past. Forgotten 1 (world, ocean) The briny oceans of Forgotten 1 are a rich, sweltering soup rich in valuable minerals. There are a few low islands in the souther hemisphere, but no other significant land masses. Notes: ocean mineral rich artifacts temperate Forgotten 2 (world, ocean) Where Forgotten 1 is a fascinating world of powerful currents, Forgotten 2 is silent, almost brooding. It's oceans are incredibly deep, and it's a mystery how the world maintains the correct temperature for liquid water this far from the parent stars. Its ice caps are treacherous regions of bitter cold and sudden ice quakes. Notes: ocean mysterious artifacts Asteroid Field - Forgotten (world, asteroid field) The Forgotten system debris field contains large deposits of radioactive minerals, deadly as they are valuable. Notes: asteroid field mineral rich irradiated Cryos (system, unexplored) The first crew to explore this sytem nicknamed it the ringed star, because of the bright band of asteroids encircling it. Cryos-Field-a (world, asteroid field) The most striking feature of this field is the glitterbelt, a ring of icy dust particles connecting the asteroid clusters in the field. The belt forms a bright ring completely encircling the star Cryos. Notes: asteroid field icy feature: the Glitterbelt clustered dusty Cryos-Field-b (world, asteroid field) This secondary debris field shows some signs of ancient activity, possibly mining. Several asteroids are honeycombed with odd, labrynthine structures. http://www.gric.at/gallery/bild024.htm Notes: asteroid field artifacts un-navigable Seeker (ship, science ship) Ilithids The Seeker is the official vessel of the Archivist of the Ancients. Its mission is to seek out and investigate evidence of the ancients wherever it may be found. Science ships, equipped with powerful sensors, onboard laboratory facilities, and a full complement of exploration vehicles and equipment, are the mainstay of many races' exploration efforts. A science ship provides a bonus in scientific activities, including charting jump routes and investigating new worlds. Notes: mobile science ship frigate crew: Keeper engineers Ancient Site Investigations (team, science) Ilithids The Ancient Site Investigations team is a specially assembled team of experts from several races supported by a Keeper engineers. Their mission is to investigate the Ancients so that everyone can understand them better. Notes: scientist Cryos Prime (world, iceball) Independent The frequent volcanoes on this world cause lowland flash floods that can innundate thousand and thousand of square miles at a time. As a result, much of the surface is a perfectly flat region of black ice. The natives do not mind this at all. The Cryosans are a quadrapedal race of pack hunters that pursue their prey across the ice on blade-shaped hooves. They can reach incredible speeds on the ice. The race is sapient, but pre-industrial. They live in hide tends and make most of their tools from bone or ice. Notes: iceball beautiful volcanic life inhabited - Cryosans lifeform: skating carnivores tribe of the arrow (army, nomadic) Independent The Tribe of the Arrow hunt a great plain in the northern polar regions of the world. Notes: Race: Cryos primitive tribe of the spine (army, nomadic) Independent The Tribe of the spine live in a system of flat-bottomed vallies that borders the windy plains. They are often at war with the Tribe of the Winds. Notes: Race: Cryos primitive tribe of the dark (army, nomadic) Independent The Tribe of the Dark follow great herds of wild beasts in the southern polar regions. These tribes travel deep into the antarctic in winter, where the sun does not ruse for months on end. Notes: Race: Cryos primitive tribe of the winds (army, nomadic) Independent The Tribe of the winds live on the largest ice plains on the planet. They are very numerous, but are spread over a harsh region. They often fight battles with the Tribe of the Spine. Notes: Race: Cryos primitive Cryos-Field-d (world, airless) A huge canyon extending almost all the way around this world's equator reaches tens of miles into the crust. Notes: airless chasms feature: supercanyon dusty Transept Region (region, hyperspace) Transept region contains a number of dead worlds that bear the mark of some ancient cataclysm. Origel (system, uninhabited) Origel is a near uninhabited system on the Ourobors trade route. A small trade station provides a place for travellers of the route to rest, swap stories and trade goods. - Ouroborus Route-Origel (trade route, Ouroboros) The Ouroboros route crosses through the territories of several major races and provides the main route of trade through the galaxy. This system is a stopping point on the route. Origel Station (space station, depot) Origel Trade orbits far from the star Origel and provides a convenient stopping point for trade caravans following the Ourobors route. An array of defenses, including automated and manual missle arrays and turrets help make the station a poor prospect for pirate attack. Notes: automated defenses trade station inhabited - mixed Origel Beta (world, iceball) Orchera Origel is the location of an Orcheran colony. Although administered by the Orchera, Origel Beta colony has inhabitants from all the races, making it a highly multicultural base. Origel Beta's surface is regularly re-covered by upwellings from its deep oceans of briny water. Legend tells of a lost ancient city buried deep beneath the surface, but the active movement of the ice sheets makes this unlikely. Nevertheless, the phrase "Goods from Origel" remains parlance for particularly fantastic and rare items. Notes: iceball mysterious cueball ice volcanos inhabited multicultural terraformed Origel Alpha (world, airless) Origel Alpha bears titanic scars that many experts have said could not have resulted from meteorite strikes. It is now beleived by a growing number of scientists that Origel Alpha is a scarred survivor of some ancient cataclysm or war in the Ancient era. Notes: airless dusty scarred cratered Selenis (system, sacred) Orchera Selenis System is home both to the last surviving colony of Terpsichorans, and to a newly founded Orchera outpost. - Ouroborus Route-Selenis (trade route, Ouroboros) The Ouroboros route crosses through the territories of several major races and provides the main route of trade through the galaxy. This system is a stopping point on the route. Selenis I (world, desert) The magrinal desert world of Selenis I has attracted two colonies, one Terpsichoran, one Orchera. The surface of the world is covered with thick grasslands, some of which are dangerous to traverse. Notes: desert rough terrain agriculture dusty life terraformed jungle lifeform: exotic grass lifeform: insidiious vines lifeform: poisonous grass lifeform: luxat vine - Cholust (settlement, agricultural) Orchera Cholust is a small agricultural enclave of the Orcheran race. Because of the scarcity of water, the colony has had hard times, but the durability of Orcheran food plants helps significantly. - industrial base-Cholust (industrial base, medium) Orchera An indsutrial base is required to build ships and other heavy equipment. It also improves the economy by providing goods for trade. - Outpost 573 (settlement, research) Terpsichore Outpost 573 was a Terpsichoran research base located near the south pole. Since the destruction of the Terpsichoran homeworld, suriviors have flocked to the base. The colony still struggles to survive with limited resources in the harsh climate. The base is defended by a trio of three large ion cannons capable of hitting ships in near orbit. Notes: heavy weapons - Industrial Base-Outpost 573 (industrial base, light) Terpsichore An indsutrial base is required to build ships and other heavy equipment. It also improves the economy by providing goods for trade. Selenis II (world, airless) Terpsichore Selenis II is the location of an old Terpsichoran penal colony. Rather than free the criminals, the Terpsichoran outpost at Selenis I elected to continue to supply the base and use it as a dumping ground for criminals. Notes: airless dusty mining unrest Tears of Terpse (ship, cargo) Terpsichore The Tears is an ageing vessel, tasked with carrying supplies to the penal colony on Terpsichore II. Notes: mobile cruiser armored slow military Ousl's Pride (ship, escort) Terpsichore An escort is a lightly armed, interstellar craft suitable for swift patrols, or light defensive duties. Notes: mobile military frigate - Industrial Base-Selenis II (industrial base, light) Terpsichore An indsutrial base is required to build ships and other heavy equipment. It also improves the economy by providing goods for trade. - Selenis II Penal Colony (settlement, penal) The Penal Colony is an armored dome defended by a small contingent of guards. Terpsichoran criminals work here, trading ore for supplies from Selenis I. Notes: armored Ousl Terps (leader, diplomat) Terpsichore Ousl Terps, the one-time guard captain of the penal colony, has declared himself supreme spokesman for the Terpsichoran race, with little dissent. Notes: Race: Terpsichore chief executive popular beautiful administrator powerful criminal mobile Terpsichore Militia (army, militia) Terpsichore A militia is an army of lightly armed, lightly trained troops. Notes: military regular - Ousl's Guards (security team, military) Terpsichore This team provide some protection against enemy military and espionage activities. Notes: race: alien military - Shrine of the Tree (settlement, shrine) The Shrine of the Tree was founded to comommorate the discovery of a strange organic creature living in the hard vacuum of Selenis II. As pilgrims came and put down their domes and bases, a city grew up. Much of the city is now in ruins, thanks to the recent battles of annexation with the Terpsichorans. The former Cathedral is now just a crater full of beams and wreckage. The Tree is no more. Notes: religious unrest Gramond (leader, military) Terpsichore Gramond survived his long incarceration in the Selenis Penal Colony through determination and by owning a personal force field. He is now Ousl Terps right-hand man. Notes: Race: Terpsichore mobile slow criminal military personal force field Selenis II Guards (army, militia) Terpsichore With the growth of the colony of Selenis II, the guards were ordered expanded into a fully fledged militia. Notes: military criminal regular Selenis III (world, gas giant) Terpsichore Selenis III's raging storms make for a good show from space. Notes: gas giant hostile beautiful colony - Terpsichore Science Ship I (ship, diplomatic) The Scientists This ship features a number of interesting, non-standard additions. Notes: mobile powerful stealthy lucky slow Scientist 003 (leader, delegate) The Scientists The first evidence that the Hive meant to enter stellar civilization was its allocation of a single representative to the University. Scientist 003 has since become a valuable member of the scientific team. Notes: Race: Hive diplomat scientist stealthy cunning swashbuckler mobile Trellian (system, frontier) Before the fall of Terpsichore, Trellian was a popular pilgrim stop on the Ouroboros route. The system holds an important place in several of the religions and superstitions of the Ouroboros cluster, partially because it is beleived to be the birthplace of the prophet Zyyaz of old. Spiral (world, airless) The near perfect smoothness of Spire's surface is broken by slender spire mountains tens of times higher than they are wide. There are several clusters of these Spires rising from teh surface, but the most spectacular range nearly encircles the west pole of the world. Scientists speculate that the spires are the result of a bizarre interaction between early violent volcanism and the vacuum of space. The spires have a religious significance to several faiths in the Ouroboros cluster. Spiral also boasts a few small permanent communities. Visitors are always welcome, not only for news, but because they offer a market for religious trinkets. Notes: airless mysterious spires mineral rich cueball feature: Crown of Zyyaz Crystal (world, airless) Crystal's ice mountains are one of the more interesting sights in the cluster. Notes: airless ice mountains Redoubt (world, gas giant) Redoubt is interesting for its bizarre retrograde cloud rotation and the presence of the Redoubt Community on one of its moons. Notes: gas giant mysterious Redoubt Abbot Angecal (leader, subtype) Independent Abbot Angecal has overseen the Redoubt community for many years. He is devoted to the protection of the relics of Zyyaz. Notes: Race: Terpsichore mobile monk administrator honest saintly The Redoubt Community (outpost, monastery) The Redoubt Community is a monastic retreat carved from the very rock of one of Redoubt's small asteroid moons. The monks do not court outside contact, though they welcome the occasional traveller and are sworn to aid the needs of pilgrims. The relics of Zyyaz are kept in a deep inner chapel. Notes: monastery Macia (world, airless) Though Macia has spires that are apparently similar (though smaller) than those on Spiral, few stop there, because of the high radiation. Notes: airless spires irradiated Brovis (system, uninhabited) Brovis is a brown dwarf star that offers little of interest beyond a navigational aide and stopping point on hyperspace jump. Brovis I (world, airless) Brovis I might have supported life if it had orbited a brighter star. Instead, its rains turned into glaciers, its oceans froze, and its atmosphere decayed, leaving an airless hunk of ice and stone. Notes: airless icy rocky Brovis Station (ship, small space station) Orchera An escort is a lightly armed, interstellar craft suitable for swift patrols, or light defensive duties. Notes: mobile military frigate Thorn (ship, flagship) Orchera The small pirate squadrons that plague Vas Orchera assidiously avoid contact with the Thorn, when they can. Notes: mobile battleship military heavy weapons Fist (leader, military) Orchera Fist's bloodline obviously descends from a harsh desert plain. His 'skin' is rough and mottled. Thorns adorn his body but it is unclear as to whether they are vestigial or if they truly are as sharp as they appear. Notes: Race: Orchera military popular disciplined bitter selfish elite mobile Rain of Thorns (ship, squadron) Orchera Orchera ships have an interesting biological look to them. Notes: mobile fast squadron military Propspero Region (region, hyperspace) Prospero Region is the home region of the Orchera plant beings. Orchera Beta is a hot substellar object with two planets orbiting it. Vas Orchera (system, Orchera home system) Orchera Vas Orchera is the home system of the Orchera race. It is a binary system, with two of its principle worlds orbitting the small companion star. - Defense Orbs (barrier, defense) In order to help defend their home system, the Orchera have built a number of defense bases throughout the system. Each base is a single orb with a hollow space dock in its interior. The orb has a number of particle cannons and a squadron of short range fighters. The Fragmentary Oblique (world, asteroid field) The fragmentary oblique is a globular region of commetary fragments and planetoids occupying the inner orbits of the Vas Orchera system. The Terpsichorans visited this system and even did some preliminary mining in antiquity. Later, there settlement was turned into a pirate hold. It's scorched remains stand as a testament to the wrath of the Orcheran pirate hunting forces. Notes: asteroid field icy suspected pirate activity Monitoring Post (ship, monitoring satellite) Orchera This assembly is essentially a mobile shipyard that can deploy into a satellite defense grid after arriving at its destination. Notes: immobile monitoring post Orchera Prime (world, homeworld) Orchera At some point in its evolution, a large asteroid slammed into Orchera, leading to drastic climate change. All animal species were wiped out, but some aggressive plants survived. Today, Orchera is a deadly jungle world of corrosive gasses and deadly plants. The sentient Orchera thrive in this environment, however, and have several large tree-cities. Notes: habitable deathworld * life hostile * earthquakes jungle * fertile agriculture treaty: trade agreements with Majestic Empire lifeform: poisonous grass lifeform: insidious vines lifeform: carnivorous plants feature: Orchera impact crater Ominix (leader, administrator) Orchera Ominix bears a striking resemblance to the mythical Sol being 'Treebeard.' He is covered in a thick brown bark and his face bears a certain wisdom that comes from administrating an entire planet for many years. While Ominix often speaks very slowly, it is only because he is carefully considering what is the best thing to say. Notes: Race: Orchera office: Ring Factories Administrator administrator chief executive fast courageous elite mobile Orchera Prime Militia (army, militia) Orchera A militia is an army of lightly armed, lightly trained troops. Notes: military undisciplined - Industrial Base-Orchera Prime (industrial base, heavy) Orchera An indsutrial base is required to build ships and other heavy equipment. It also improves the economy by providing goods for trade. Codex Terrarum (team, science) Orchera This team is researching a new technology. The team will automatically disband when their task is complete. Notes: race: alien scientist Orchera Beta (world, substellar object) Orchera beta is a hot world that never fully became a star. Notes: substellar object irradiated Luminar A (world, airless) Orchera Despite its harsh environment, Luminar A is a rich source of minerals. The fact that they regularly well up in liquid form from the mantle makes harvesting relatively easy. The River of Fire is a lava river that can extend as long as a thousand miles during peak volcanic activity. Notes: airless mining mineral rich high gravity volcanic feature: River of Fire - Ouloch (city, mining) Orchera Ouloch is built on a high plateau above the River of Fire under an armored dome. A squadron of defense ships is sufficient to discourage direct pirate attack. Notes: armored fighter squadron Luminar B (world, airless) Luminar B has large dust oceans. Notes: airless dusty Orchera Gamma (world, gas giant) The sight of lightning arching between Orchera Gamma and its innermost moon moves even the strange souls of the Orchera to poetry. Notes: gas giant beautiful giant electrical storms Far Orchera (world, gas giant) In recent years, at least one pirate base hidden in the ring system of Far Orchera has been destroyed by Orchera ships. Notes: gas giant ringed Grand Tendril (system, unexplored) The Grand Tendril system is bathed in the light of its ancient, red sun. A route has been charted linking Grand Tendril to Vas Orchera. Grand Tendril-1 (world, ocean) Grand Tendril-1 is a sterile, dull world, whose mostly flat surface is covered by a placid, shallow ocean. Notes: ocean shallow oceans Calyx (world, habitable) Orchera Most of the surface of Grand Tendril-2 is a matt of mossy vegetation in all colors. During the monthly spring, these plants are covered with grey flowers. These flowers exude a dazzling array of sublime scents unlike any others in the galaxy. A small Orcheran colony lives happily in the idyllic surroundings. Notes: habitable irradiated life colony - Orchera construction: constructing industry lifeform: valuable plants Calyx Defense Grid (ship, satellite defense grid) Orchera This assembly is essentially a mobile shipyard that can deploy into a satellite defense grid after arriving at its destination. This is done by issueing a build order. Notes: immobile military squadron Grand Tendril-3 (world, airless) Grand Tendril-3 is a barren, distant world on a high elliptical orbit. Notes: airless cueball cratered Widows Gap (region, hyperspace) The Widow's Gap is a region of loosely packed stars. The region is poorly explored and contains many wonders for those willing to brave its hazards. Hive (system, Insectoid Home System) Insectoid Hive is the home of a xenophobic inesctoid race that has shunned contact with outsiders. Trade ships are allowed to approach the trade station on the outermost world, but ships that venture closer are inevitably destroyed. No military ships of any sort are welcome. Hive I (world, airless) No non-Insectoid sentients have visited Hive I since the system was first charted by Ortad explorers. Notes: airless locked aspect cratered Feature: ice mountains Home Hive (world, homeworld) Insectoid The first explorers to visit this red-orange world of ice and dust were slaughtered by the native inhabitants. The Insectoids have since developed space travel, but have shown little interest in other races, except for some small trade operations. Their cities rise from from the plains of Home Hive like massive termite mounds studded with lights. Notes: desert mining agriculture life supercrops temperate terraformed lifeform: Insidious flyers lifeform: hostile predators lifeform: docile plants Hive Queen (leader, queen) Insectoid The Insectoids speak in glowing, almost religious terms about their Queen and her beauty. While no living member of another race has gazed upon her, it seems unlikely that she is as attractive as she is described. Notes: Race: Hive chief executive administrator loyal brilliant immobile Insectoid Battleship 1 (ship, battleship) Insectoid The battleship is the ultimate fighting vessel, pushing current technology to its limits. Though slow, a battleship can engage opponents at any range. Notes: mobile military battleship heavy weapons Hive Research Institute (team, science) Insectoid The Hive Research Institute functions with an efficiency that easily rivals any institution in the galaxy. Notes: Race: Insectoid scientist institution Home Hive Militia (army, militia) Insectoid A militia is an army of lightly armed, lightly trained troops. Notes: military undisciplined Hiveclaw (ship, frigate) Insectoid The Hiveclaw resembles a wasp with rocket engines. Notes: mobile frigate military - Hivefleet (barrier, defense fleet) Insectoid The Insectoid fleet forms an impressive barrier to exploration. They will attack any military ships that enter the system, and any ships at all that approach the inner planets. - Industrial Base-Home Hive (industrial base, heavy) Insectoid An indsutrial base is required to build ships and other heavy equipment. It also improves the economy by providing goods for trade. - Destroyer 2 (hip, destroyer) Insectoid The destroyer is a larger warship, still fast and versatile by most standards, but packing larger weapons than any but the most belligerant merchant vessel. Notes: mobile military heavy weapons HE3 Viability (team, science) Insectoid This team is researching a new technology. The team will automatically disband when their task is complete. Notes: race: alien scientist Satgrid 1 (ship, satellite defense grid assembly) Insectoid This assembly is essentially a mobile shipyard that can deploy into a satellite defense grid after arriving at its destination. This is done by issueing a build order. Notes: mobile vulnerable emplacement Hive III (world, iceball) Insectoid In seeming contradiction to their xenophobic repuation, the Hive makes every effort to make visiting traders welcome, quizzing new races as to their culinary and environment needs so as to meet their needs better. Nevertheless, it remains a trader's adage "If a Hiver wants to have you for dinner, be sure to say no." Notes: iceball terraformed Pitacrin Trade Station (outpost, trade station) Carved into a natural ice cave in the rim of Hive III's largest crater, Pitcarin features spectacular views. The facilities, however, are primitive at best. The rooms are always damp, and the booze is poor. Notes: immobile Peer (system, Uninhabited) Because the Peer system is uninhabited and contains no planets, ships passing through this region must be sure to carry enough fuel to finsish the trip to their destination. Ny-Qyll (system, unexplored) Ny-Qyll is the home system of a race known as the Qyll. The Qyll welcomed the first insectoid explorers to reach the world. Safe jump routes have been charted to Hive and Barter. Ny-Qylla (world, gas giant) Independent Startlingly, Ny-Qyll-a is the home world of an industrial-age race of energy eaters called the Qyll. They live by floating in the upper atmosphere, where they build complex adobe communities on the back of gigantic floating filter feeders. They are experts at working with exotic gasses, and filtering useful minerals from the atmosphere. Notes: gas giant superhurricane winds ion storms lifeform: insidious herbivores lifeform: winged energy eaters life treaty: economic alliance - Industrial Base-Ny-Qyll-a (industrial base, light) An indsutrial base is required to build ships and other heavy equipment. It also improves the economy by providing goods for trade. This is perhaps the only industrial base in the galaxy that is primarily zeppelin-based. Qyll Militia (army, militia) Independent A militia is an army of lightly armed, lightly trained troops. The Qyll militia utilize the only known areial cavalry in the Ourobors cluster. Notes: military undisciplined Ny-Qyll-a Ruling Council (team, administrative) Independent The race of Ny-Qyll-a is ruled by a council of elected-for-life representatives. Notes: race: Qyll administrator cheif executive Ny-Qyll-a Council Chairman (leader, administrator) Independent The Qyll ruling council chair is held on a rotating basis by the members of the council, giving each an opportunity to hold this position of prestige. Notes: Race: Qyll mobile administrator Hive-Ny-Qyll (world, iceball) Insectoid The crystalline mountains and ice caves of Hive-Ny-Qyll are truly among the wonders of the galaxy. Even the frost-covered flanks of an Insectoid colony habitat do not mar its forbidding beauty. Notes: iceball chasms H.E.A.D habitats beautiful terraformed expansion project: agriculture expansion Ny-Qyll-cee (world, airless) Ny-Qyll-cee has a highly elliptical orbit that takes it far into the depths of space. Notes: airless