Hell World

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A Hell World is inhospitable to most sophonts. Its size, atmosphere, and hydrographics rating make it an extremely unattractive world.

Description (Specifications)

While the official IISS Trade Classification emphasizes low hydrography and a poor atmosphere requiring protective breathing equipment, IISS scouts in the field tend to extend its meaning to a variety of deadly environments. Bureaucrats, as usual, are known to kvetch (complain) about such technically incorrect designations.

Planetary Characteristics

Hellworlds or Inhospitable Worlds are worlds with environments not hospitable to conventional lifeforms.

TC Hell World Series (Inhospitable) (IISS Scout Handbook, pgs. 490-491)
Type Code Size Atm Hyd Pop Gov Law Remarks
Desert World De -- 23456789 0 -- -- -- Anhydrous world. Little to no available water.
Fluid World Fl -- ABC 123456789A -- -- -- Non-water fluids.
Hell World He 3459ABC 2479ABC 012 -- -- -- Difficult environment. Poor atmosphere.
Rad World None -- -- -- -- -- -- Extreme radiation.
Storm World None -- -- -- -- -- -- Extreme weather.

Probably Planetary Orbit & Climate

Hellworlds are unsuitable worlds for habitation by conventional lifeforms.

  • However, they may be inhabited by unconventional or exotic lifeforms.
World Placement by Zone (IISS Scout Handbook, pgs. 490-491) (← starward) Habitable Zone / HZ] (staraway →)
TC Inner (-) HZ-2 HZ-1 HZ HZ+1 HZ+2 Outer (+) Remote & Far Systems Remarks
He Unlikely Likely Likely Possible Likely Likely Unlikely Hell Worlds are barely hospitable or inhospitable to an extreme.

History & Background (Dossier)

While hell worlds are extremely unattractive for colonization efforts, in the absence of more attractive and reachable worlds, many sophont species elect to colonize hell worlds. Many of these worlds have later turned out to be sources of rare and valuable organics, metals, and radioactives resources.

Possible Hellworld Characteristics

While many hellworlds are located outside of the habitable zone (Hz), some are located within the Hz or "Goldilocks Zone" and may be hellworlds for some of the following reasons:

  • Too cold
  • Too hot
  • Lacks liquid water
  • Contains chemicals incompatible with conventional life (insidious environments, often fluid worlds)
  • Contains an overabundance of corrosives
  • Has an atmosphere unsuited to conventional lifeforms
  • Lacks an atmosphere (Vacuum worlds)
  • Is racked with extreme, violent weather (Storm worlds)
  • Is inundated with radiation (Rad worlds)
  • Contains extremely hostile and dangerous lifeforms or native biochemistries
  • Or for other unspecified reasons

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.