Touchstone Sector
Touchstone Sector | |||||||||||||||||
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Sector Data | |||||||||||||||||
No. of Worlds | 158 | ||||||||||||||||
Population | 173,599 million | ||||||||||||||||
Majority Control | Aslan Hierate - 53% | ||||||||||||||||
Secondary Control | Other - 47% | ||||||||||||||||
Province | Various | ||||||||||||||||
Capital | Various | ||||||||||||||||
Gross Sector Product | BCr710,854 | ||||||||||||||||
Trade Volume | BCr480 | ||||||||||||||||
Imperial Coordinate | -5 / -1 | ||||||||||||||||
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Touchstone style="width: 250px; height: 350px; border: solid 1px black; float: right; clear: left" |
Touchstone Sector was mostly unvisited and unheralded for most of its history.
- It is located in a remote corner of Charted Space far removed from any major power, and far down the Great Rift, a major astrographic obstacle to limited-range jump ships.
- Possessing few resources or races that would merit major development, only a few Zhodani and Imperial science expeditions had ever visited the sector.
- Its worlds were surveyed, cataloged, and pretty much left alone except for an occasional misjump or prospector.
Description (Specifications)[edit]
Touchstone features a normal stellar density across its coreward subsectors, while the rimward part of the sector falls within the Great Rift.
The area lay largely fallow and unpursued until the Aslan ihatei found it. The area is not rich culturally, economically, or otherwise. Few colonists, except the Aslan, possess any interest in it. In their case, the biological imperative to seek land of their own drove male Aslan into the region.
Ihatei leaked sideways into Touchstone, along the Rift shore. Expansion was slow and erratic, with occasional spurts. Today, some areas of the sector, notably the coreward subsectors, are wholly the territory of Aslan clans and part of Hierate space. Others are still frontiers, although with increasing Aslan activity. Already some notable expansion spinward into Iphigenaia Sector has taken place, however further progress will be slow until the Touchstone colonies mature.
Toponyms: 1105[edit]
This sector has been known by different names to different groups over its existence including the following:
Touchstone Sector Names | ||
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Culture | Toponym | Polity |
Third Imperium | Touchstone | Third Imperium |
Aslan | Weasuirlaoa | Aslan Hierate |
Droyne | Unknown | Droyne Oytrip Yatroy |
Hiver | Weasuirlaoa | Hive Federation |
K'kree | Unknown | Two Thousand Worlds |
Solomani | Touchstone | Solomani Confederation |
Vargr | Touchstone | Vargr Extents |
Vilani | Touchstone | Third Imperium |
Zhodani | Touchstone | Zhodani Consulate |
- In the Aslan Hierate this area is named Weasuirlaoa Sector.
Linguistic Topography: 1105[edit]
The following languages are among the most commonly encountered within this astrographic region:
- Anglic: One of the two official languages of the Third Imperium and an official language of the Solomani Confederation; many regional Human cultures across Charted Space speak variant dialects.
- Oynprith: The ritualistic, ceremonial language spoken by Droyne communities across Charted Space.
- Trokh: The common language of Aslan who conform to the modern Aslan monoculture established after the Aslan Cultural Purge.
- Vilani: One of the two official languages of the Third Imperium; many regional Human cultures across Charted Space speak variant dialects.
- Zdetl: The primary common language of the Zhodani and official language of the Zhodani Consulate.
History & Background (Dossier)[edit]
The area is relatively new to the majority of interstellar society within Charted Space. Imperial and Aslan interests have only been aware of the area for a few hundred years, with greater colonization efforts only having made significant progress within the last two hundred years.
- The Zhodani have much older claims to the region and have the best set of star charts for the area, making their claims more legitimate. There is some evidence of even older exo-archaeological civilization. Some suspect the Ancients, although considerable conjecture revolves around the Kursae as well.
- Despite significant IISS activity as well as that of interstellar surveyors and hopeful belters, the area remains a relatively unexplored backwater. The interstellar market anticipates a number of rich resource strikes to be found here in the near future, though this may also be wishful thinking.
- Aslan ihatei have swarmed the area, laying heavy claim across it. It is expected that in the absence of Imperial or Zhodani response, the area will be formally absorbed into the Aslan Hierate in the near future.
Native Sophonts: 1105[edit]
The following races (sophont species) are believed to have originated within this area:
- Humaniti (Human races)
- None
Demographics: 1105[edit]
Significant populations of the following races (sophont species) reside within this area:
- The non-sophont spacefaring lifeforms known as Alo'hei are found in this sector.
Historical Eras[edit]
No information yet available.
History: General Overview[edit]
The Kursae or some of their offshoots are thought to have been active here. Possible artefacts of their civilizations include decayed cities on Forbidden (Touchstone 2111) and Rraerrgdzakaek (Touchstone 2211), the still-functioning space station at Greatlake (Touchstone 2529), and the evidence that Phobetor (Touchstone 2333) was significant to an alien empire, or several of them.
There is evidence that a mid-tech society arose on Silenne (Touchstone 0139) in the distant past but eventually collapsed back to barbarism.
History-Era: Milieu 1100[edit]
Touchstone Sector was mostly unvisited and unheralded for most of its history. Located at a remote remove from any major power, along the edge of the Great Rift, and possessing few resources or races that would merit major development, it was an unattractive prospect. Only a few Zhodani and Imperial science expeditions had ever visited the sector. Its worlds were surveyed, cataloged, and pretty much left alone except for an occasional misjump or prospector.
This changed from about 766, when ihatei from a vassal clan of Khaukheairl settled on Hwoufeeike (Touchstone 2701). Other settlers followed, but until the Imperial Civil War, settlement came in erratic waves. Most of the colonists were "throwaway" ihatei that showed little potential or character for advancing their clans interests, or were criminals and outcasts of low status. The only clan that showed any interest in the sector was Hlyueawi, who settled a major pocket of worlds in the spin-coreward quarter of the subsector. Eventually Yerlyaruiwo and Khaukheairl settled and organized the trailing portion as an adjunct to their major holdings in the Trojan Reach and Riftspan.
Collapse and New Era[edit]
The Second Imperial Civil War renewed interest in the sector, though it mostly brought additional Hierate guttertrash denied any honor in invading the Domain of Deneb or Reaver's Deep. These Aslan laid claim to many of the unsettled worlds between the Hlyueawi and trailing pockets, establishing mini-kingdoms based upon crime and piracy. A number of them were used as auxiliary troops and privateers by clans advancing into neighboring Beyond, where they made contacts with human pirate and criminal organisations such as the Devil Pups, the genesis of the later Enterprise.
The Collapse brought a new flood tide of refugees into the sector, and into conflict with the local "New Lords". Led by Aokhalte, these clans annihilated the Hlyueawi and overran the minor "pirate" holdings, leading to a savage interclan war that strained the limits of the Fteir Honor Code. Indigenous and earlier arrived clans, being mostly dishonored Aslan anyway, often fought with dishonorable tactics, prompting a response in kind from the newcomers. Eventually, the two groups began to merge and mingle. Hlyueawi pulled off its miraculous return to the Tlaukhu, in large part through unscrupulous dealings with "bandit" clans and other Tlaukhu members. The period of adjustment, negotiation and petty war led to a current division of power in the sector, that is more fixed than would be normal for Aslan.
Major Historical Events Timeline: 1116[edit]
These are some of the more important historical events that have affected this sector:
- (-1044): Aslan first cross the Great Rift at Riftspan Reaches Sector.
- (766): A major wave of Aslan ihatei begin colonizing the Touchstone Sector in earnest.
Politics & Diplomacy (Interstellar Relations): 1200[edit]
Dominant Tlaukhu clans dominate regions with clear de facto boundaries that keep out most of their rivals.
- A growing power in the sector are a consortium of semi-independent pirate and privateer bands, both Aslan and human, that have found a niche within the border regions between the balkanised territories of the feuding clans.
- Always a condescended yet tolerated part of Aslan society, the skyrocketed demand for irregular troops and "dark alley" operations in the local clan wars has given them considerable economic legitimacy. Some pirate clans have even managed to crack the customary glass ceiling, reentering mainstream Aslan society, though usually with their criminal activities well hidden behind a veil of legitimate business and "honorable" behavior. Many clans, primarily the Syoisius and the Hlyueawi, actively patronise these bandits, finding them an effective tool against their rivals.
- The Rift Subsectors are primarily settled against the possibility of Vampire penetration of the Rift. While this seems rather unlikely, as the subsector possessed nothing in the way of the Imperial Calibration System that permitted Vampire fleets to penetrate into Regency space, the distance between most Rift systems is not so great to deter well organised Vampires fleets, especially in the wake of the Rape of Trin. And there have been, since 1145, a number of major battles, particularly in the trailing half of the sector.
The primary powers are:
- Syoisuis, which took over most of Hlyueawi's coreward holdings.
- Aokhalte, which is scattered between subsectors A, C, E and G
- Tralyeaeawi, which maintains its powerbase in coreward Hiryarloah (C) and parts of Eietorl Easea' (D) and continues to prosecute its feud with Syoisuis and Aokhalte.
- Seieakh, with most of its holdings in trailing A Ekhyolyooul (E) subsector.
- Hlyueawi, concentrated in A Ekhyolyooul, continuing its improbable comeback at the expense of its nemesis, Aokhalte.
- Khaukheairl, whose main power center is in the calm island of Eietorl Easea' and Ikairleah (H) subsectors
- A number of independent clan coalitions scattered in the cracks between major factions.
Polity Listing: 1105[edit]
The following polities can be found within this sector:
- Aslan Hierate
- Various Aslan Clans
- Clan Foahikteah: Capital, Alriais (Touchstone 3005)
- Imperial Powers
- None
- Independent Powers
- None
- Non-Aligned Powers (World-States)
- NaAs: Non-Aligned (Aslan-dominated)
- NaHu: Non-Aligned (Human-dominated)
- NaXX: Non-Aligned (Unclaimed)
- Other Powers
A complication of space travel in Aslan territory is the possibility of encounters with vessels of a hostile clan. When vessels belonging to clans which are at war come into contact, their actions are governed by the rules applicable to that particular clan war. A chase and battle might ensue; ritualized games like deliberate near-misses might take place; insults and threats might be exchanged; or nothing at all might happen.
Polity Descriptions: 1105[edit]
Here are several synopses of the polities found in this sector:
- Alleg: As: "Aslan Hierate"
- Alleg: Na: "Non-Aligned, Human-dominated"
Imperial Territory: 1105[edit]
This sector is not an Imperial possession.
- 0.00% is controlled by the Third Imperium.
- 100.00% is controlled by non-Imperial powers.
Trade Routes (Economic Astrography)[edit]
The following astrographic features and trade routes can be found within this area:
Mains, Branches & Arms[edit]
Clusters & Traces[edit]
- No information yet available.
Rifts, Voids & Jump Bridges[edit]
Other Astrographic Features[edit]
- Aslan Space
- The Great Reef (within the Great Rift)
- Rimward Fringe
Worlds, Systems & Sectors (Political Astrography)[edit]
It is an astrographic region of relatively low stellar density with relatively little sophont colonization.
- The area is dominated by the Great Rift.
Capital: 1105[edit]
- Various
Sector Summary: 1105[edit]
The Touchstone sector has 158 worlds with an estimated combined population of 177 billion, a per capita income of Cr3,809, and a total economy of BCr674,234. These worlds originate an interstellar trade of BCr279 through 79 starports (13 Class A, 23 Class B, 35 Class C, 8 Class D) employing 39,840 people. Driving this interstellar trade are 15 Agricultural (Ag) worlds, eight Non-Agricultural (Na) worlds, eight Pre-Agricultural (Pa) worlds, six Pre-Industrial (Pi) worlds, nine Rich (Ri) worlds, and three Industrial (In) worlds. The governments in Touchstone maintain 30 Clan bases and eight Tlaukhu bases. The average technology level is 4 (with most between 0 and 9). The highest technology level is 14 at Feyuriyrl (Touchstone 0507), Fair (Touchstone 0604), Eahiya (Touchstone 0703), and Elyetea (Touchstone 0809).
The Touchstone sector contains 176 stars and 1,772 identified planets; 141 monostellar systems, 16 binary systems, one trinary system, and no systems with four or more stars. 117 of the 158 systems (74%) have native gas giants. There are no Asteroid (As) belts, six Desert (De) worlds, 12 Garden (Ga) worlds, six Ice-capped (Ic) worlds, 20 Poor (Po) worlds, 11 Vacuum (Va) worlds, and 12 Water (Wa) or Ocean (Oc) worlds.
Touchstone has an estimated population of 177 billion distributed across seven High population (Hi) worlds, eight Moderate population (Ph) worlds, 50 Non-industrial (Ni) worlds, 27 Low population (Lo) worlds, and 61 Barren (Ba) worlds. The highest population worlds are Eroarife (Touchstone 0503), Htaastea (Touchstone 3003), Aseirl (Touchstone 3006), Ealriysilrai (Touchstone 2711), Fair (Touchstone 0604), and Tryeouoaeakh (Touchstone 1108). The population consists primarily of 3 sophont groups.
3 identified sophont populations in Touchstone | |
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Polities[edit]
Aslan Hierate[edit]
The Aslan Hierate has jurisdiction over 84 worlds within the sector, with an estimated combined population of 173 billion, a per capita income of Cr3,778, and a total economy of BCr653,667. These worlds originate an interstellar trade of BCr279 through 73 starports (13 Class A, 22 Class B, 32 Class C, 6 Class D) employing 39,830 people. Driving this interstellar trade are ten Agricultural (Ag) worlds, eight Non-Agricultural (Na) worlds, seven Pre-Agricultural (Pa) worlds, four Pre-Industrial (Pi) worlds, eight Rich (Ri) worlds, and three Industrial (In) worlds. The governments in the Aslan Hierate maintain 30 Clan bases and eight Tlaukhu bases within the sector. The average technology level is 8 (with most between 5 and 10). The highest technology level is 14 at Feyuriyrl (Touchstone 0507), Fair (Touchstone 0604), Eahiya (Touchstone 0703), and Elyetea (Touchstone 0809).
The Aslan Hierate has an estimated population of 173 billion within the sector, distributed across six High population (Hi) worlds, six Moderate population (Ph) worlds, 44 Non-industrial (Ni) worlds, 24 Low population (Lo) worlds, and no Barren (Ba) worlds. The highest population worlds are Eroarife (Touchstone 0503), Htaastea (Touchstone 3003), Aseirl (Touchstone 3006), Ealriysilrai (Touchstone 2711), Fair (Touchstone 0604), and Tryeouoaeakh (Touchstone 1108). The population consists primarily of 1 sophont group.
Non-Aligned, unclaimed[edit]
There are 74 Non-Aligned unclaimed worlds in Touchstone with an estimated combined population of 3 billion.
World Listing: 1105[edit]
The following systems and worlds can be found within this area:
Subsector Listing: 1105[edit]
The following subsectors can be found within this sector:
- Subsector A: Ekteiu
- Subsector B: Kyahiyleakhaw (also known as Beytabey Subsector)
- Subsector C: Hiryarloah (also known as Hardway Subsector)
- Subsector D: Eietorl Easea'
- Subsector E: A Ekhyolyooul
- Subsector F: Iheihoarla (also known as Riftshore Subsector)
- Subsector G: Aosola
- Subsector H: Ikairleah (also known as IKL Subsector)
- Subsector I: Earluiloiw (also known as Far Corner Subsector)
- Subsector J: Taikhahriysea'yoruh (also known as Black Sky Subsector)
- Subsector K: Tarlaihiyr (also known as Just One Subsector)
- Subsector L: Oheaaye'eal (also known as NX-34 Subsector)
- Subsector M: Iywe'uar (also known as Victein's Hand Subsector)
- Subsector N: Hritihtoi (also known as NX-38 Subsector)
- Subsector O: Ayaau'khte (also known as Eternal Dark Subsector)
- Subsector P: Ala'ourl
Territorial Overview: 1105[edit]
The following table details the subsectors within this area:
- No information yet available.
Territorial Chart Key[edit]
No information yet available.
References & Contributors (Sources)[edit]
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- J. Andrew Keith, Marc Miller, John Harshman. Aslan (Game Designers Workshop, 1984), . (named but no further data)
- MegaTraveller Alien - Solomani & Aslan (dot map provided)
- Martin Dougherty. The Great Rift (Mongoose Publishing, 2018), .
- EXTERNAL LINK: CORE
- EXTERNAL LINK: Gray Matter by Author & Contributor: Peter Gray dead link