Difference between revisions of "Empty Stars"

Revision as of 16:06, 17 June 2018

The Empty Stars is a vast expanse of wilderness sectors lying to spinward-rimward of Terra.

Description (Specifications)

The Empty stars covers three distinct Astrographic regions:

Astrographic Surveys

The University of Tal Varisa Deep Sky Program and the University of Selasia Spinward Survey run parallel programs to survey and publish concise astrographical surveys of the systems that lie within the Empty Stars. The region is believed to be unpopulated except for occasional worlds with NILs.

The region is considered to have approximate dimensions of around 250 parsecs coreward-rimward by around 400 parsecs spinward-trailing.
The most coreward-trailing part of Ledge Sector lies around 420 parsecs from Terra, while the furthest spinward-rimward part of Denison Sector lies around 780 parsecs from Terra. The Demon's Eye, at the heart of the Distant Fringe, lies some 600 parsecs from Terra.

History & Background (Dossier)

Intelligent Life, Charted Space & the Distant Fringe: Although it is of course unknown to the inhabitants of the Distant Fringe, a debate exists within scholarly circles within Charted Space as to the existence of sentient life beyond the 200 or so sectors of that region. Most authorities argue that it does not exist, that intelligent life is contained within a "bubble" limited to the boundaries of Charted Space.

The reason for this island of intelligent life among billions of theoretically barren worlds is unknown. Of course, those scientists concede that there may be sentient life out there, beyond the explored regions, who have not yet been contacted. There are certainly many kinds of strange and exotic lifeforms in those far-off realms, but the real question is whether or not any of them are are actually intelligent.

It is unclear whether the existence of fourteen known distinct sophont species within the Demon Cluster is an anomaly, whether it disproves the "Charted Space Bubble" theory of sentient existence, whether the Distant Fringe is a separate "bubble" in its own right, or whether the "Charted Space Bubble" in fact covers a far larger area than previously believed. Non-sentient life is certainly common within the Empty Stars – almost all worlds with dynamic oxygen-rich atmospheres exhibit lifeforms of some kind. The likely existence of other intelligences beyond the confines of the Demon Cluster only serves to complicate the issue.

Human Settlement

The Distant Fringe – the last bastion of Terran humanity – occupies the Demon Cluster.

It is likely that in the many centuries following the Destruction of Terra the Vilani Imperium, in their undoubted pursuit of the Last Armada, have occupied at least some of the worlds in the far trailing parts of the Empty Stars.

Lost Settlements

There are many stories about lost settlements.

Historians argue that there are very probably human-settled worlds beyond the confines of the Distant Fringe, within the greater Empty Stars region. These outposts are most likely concentrated within its rimward parts, populated by descendants of the crews and settlers of the Cripple Fleet (to trailing) or the Dissident Fleet (to spinward).

The vessels of both the Cripple Fleet and the Dissident Fleet had healthy and viable crews and carried settlers and pioneers in long-term cold sleep, large numbers of Artificial Gestation Units, vast banks of embryos, and substantial quantities of supplies. It would be extremely unlikely that all of the vessels were lost without being able to settle one or more worlds. To date, none of these supposed lost settlements have made any form of contact.

Though the ultimate fates of the vessels of the Cripple Fleet and the Dissident Fleet remain unknown, they have given rise to many tales and legends. Chief among these are:
- The mythical realms of Lon Beon and the Empire of Thrax, supposedly lying within Lon Beon and Thrax Sectors respectively, within the Centrum Cluster.
- The Centrum Device, an incredibly powerful artefact of uncertain origin located within Thrax Sector.

Demographics: Native Sophonts

All known native sophont species occur within the Demon Cluster:

No other sophont species are known for certain to exist within the Empty Stars. However, various stories and legends make mention of at least four more:

The presence of anonymalous signals originating from the distant systems of the Empty Stars may indicate the presence of advanced NILs. Most authorities concede that there are likely to be many as-yet uncontacted intelligent beings, probably existing at relatively low technological levels, inhabiting its many worlds.

Those sectors of the Empty Stars lying directly to coreward-spinward of the Distant Fringe – specifically the systems of the Phanic Group – are believed to be the current location of the Voyagers.

Worlds & Sectors / Astrography

The greater Empty Stars region covers 67 sectors and contains 9,608 star systems.

Empty Sectors

Void Sectors

Inhabited Sectors

Other Astrographic Features

Clusters & Traces

Rifts

The main named rifts include:

Major Rifts

Great Void – the largest of the known rifts, prosaically called Old Man Void
- Crown of the Void
The Rift – a major spur of the Great Void. It lies far to spinward of the Distant Fringe, tracking generally to coreward and trailing.
- Maw of The Rift – the point where The Rift meets the Great Void. The legendary realm of Lon Beon is said to lie at the point "where the river without suns meets the ocean with no stars".

Shadow Rifts

Auline Gulf
Basilisk's Horns Divide
Basilisk Rift
Bow Rift
Cauda Rift
Coreward Drift
Emerald Drift
- Ion Gate – the region where the Emerald Drift meets the Great Void
Empty Reach
Entropic Void
Fools Rift
- Fools Gate – the region where Fools Rift meets the Great Void
Grand Arc
Hopes Jump
Jewelled Void
Laurentine Gulf
Moat Rifts
Nebula Void
Ribbon Rift
Rimward Deep
Splinter Rifts
Well of Souls

Other Rifts

Some smaller voids exist within individual sectors. Only a few of these have been named:

Finger Rift – a long narrow void lying within the rimward half of Burden Sector
Kidney Rift – a small void lying within the rimward-trailing quadrant of Tirell Sector

Nebulae

Dust Clouds

Anomalies

Shoal Regions

Reef Regions

Deep Regions

Heart of the Dark

Received Signal Sources

World Listing: 1105

The following systems and worlds are associated with this astrographic feature:

200 of 1088 World articles in Empty Stars

Abarin • Abernath • Aboriz • Abravak • Abura • Adyntix • Agitha • Agranast • Aljasach • Alkashan • Alkesari • Alo Varin • Alooko • Alsabato • Alsechas • Alstin • Aluc • Alyso • Amahera • Amartak • Ambasal • Amesku • Amet • Amkorim • Ammasana • Ammistoc • Amudin • Ando Mal • Anomin • Ansaracith • Ansen • Ansichore • Ansomil • Ansora • Anthetil • Anversine • Aplin • Apo Darsa • Arburlo • Argim's Star • Aricadal • Arinim • Arisalam • Arkid • Arlorin • Armo • Arradian • Arsamad • Arvax • Arvica • Asatari • Asbari • Ascharin • Askalor • Askert • Asmaral • Asnabar • Asragad • Astalude • Athallo • Athar • Attrogal • Aventa • Avrain • Avrasaba • Awafu • Axataris • Az Alam • Azkalin • Bal Orsa • Baldarin • Baldomas • Balsorim • Barabus • Baram • Barawan • Barolak • Basgar • Basilisk's Eye • Baskilet • Bastagor • Basula • Bayerd • Belestal • Belicus • Bentalla • Bentwen • Beregor • Bescalath • Besoram • Bessacal • Bharus • Bidar • Binar Solari • Biris • Bisadun • Blanor • Blasala • Blasi • Blasios • Bleshion • Blooh • Blorvai • Boloju • Borsa • Boucino • Brahiso • Breit • Brella • Brensh • Brenze • Breska • Brinishu • Brishana • Brivan • Brozu • Brycon • Bulthar • Bunukal • Burusek • Busako • Byleso • Byloko • Bysk • Cajastion • Cala • Calapish • Callotid • Calo • Camabar • Caravox • Carsesut • Carso • Carvaka • Cassigan • Caudan • Ced • Cemandor • Cemisal • Centat • Centrum • Chalcyon • Chapu • Charaga • Charagwa • Charigon • Charu • Chaskim • Chelish • Chelleno • Chelo • Chemmine • Chendor • Chent • Cherrul • Chezinir • Chirdeg • Chiskapa • Cho Velik • Chol • Chol Sazi • Chomsla • Chorvor • Chulic • Cildoc • Clion • Colanar • Comatil • Commor • Cor Veranto • Corisi • Corysil • Crendar • Criliso • Crinisti • Crugar • Curine • Curmin • Dal Saku • Dalsar • Dargaro • Darosep • Darsabir • Dasaleth • Dasentel • Daska • Daveen • Degaran (Ti 1615) • Deraliss • Derviri • Deso Pol • Detamar • Dhar Luka • Dhaun • Diamadar • Dilgara • Dirastavo • Disarina • Disigan • Dodon •

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References & Contributors / Sources

This list of sources was used by the Traveller Wiki Editorial Team and individual contributors to compose this article. Copyrighted material is used under license from Far Future Enterprises or by permission of the author. The page history lists all of the contributions.

Author & Contributor: Lord (Marquis) and Master Scout Emeritus Adie Alegoric Stewart of the IISS
Author & Contributor: Lord (Marquis) and Master of Sophontology Maksim-Smelchak of the Ministry of Science

@@ Line 222: / Line 222: @@
 * [[Magister Cloud]]
 * [[Phobos Cloud]]
+* [[Shadow Cloud]]
 * [[Veil of The Rim]]
 * [[Wisp Cloud]]