Empire of Thrax
The Empire of Thrax is the name given to a mythical alien domain that lies far to spinward of the Distant Fringe.
Description / Specifications
A mythical or fictional state that supposedly lies far to spinward, within the Centrum Cluster, around the Maw of The Rift, far beyond even the fabled realm of the Slavers. It is said to lie at the point where the river without suns meets the ocean with no stars, upon infinitys shore, at that place where the stars end. The quote, the opening monologue of the popular sci-fi show "Infinitys Shore", has become the accepted location.
Astrographic charting has located the positions and types of all the stars within Centrum Cluster, the greater grouping of stars that the Empire of Thrax is a part of. The region identified as the Empire of Thrax contains an unusually high number of Received Signal Sources, further fuelling the debate over whether there is a kernel of truth to the tales.
History & Background / Dossier
The heart of the Empire of Thrax myth is that Sophont aliens recovered Slaver artefacts on their homeworld. They were able to reverse-engineer and utilise these artefacts, granting them incredibly high levels of technology. They spread to the stars, forming an interstellar empire, and ultimately meeting (and conflicting with) Lon Beon.
Popular Culture
The Empire of Thrax is a popular element of sci-fi tropes within the Distant Fringe:
- Within the various stories, the machinations of the Empire of Thrax are opposed by doughty humans of Lon Beon, who have a comparable degree of technology and invariably foil their nefarious plans.
- The Empire of Thrax and Lon Beon are reckoned to lie somewhere between TL18 to TL23, depending on the writer of the story and the nature of the deus ex machina required to conclude the tale.
- Both the Empire of Thrax and Lon Beon rely on the Centrum system, a trinary star system centered on a pair of white dwarf stars which contains a mysterious device that allows ships to travel tens of parsecs with a single jump. The Centrum Device has also occasionally served as an ansible. The Device also serves as a jump inhibitor, precipitating vessels out of jumpspace within a parsec of the system.
The Empire of Thrax is ruled by the Lord of the Light, a cyborg Sophont of horrifying appearance.
Artefacts and Devices
Berserker Parasite: a biomechanical device that attaches to the neck of a host and is able to alter their behaviour. The parasites contain communications equipment.
Specialist Suit: a biomechanical exoskeleton that dramatically improves the strength and endurance of the operator. At key locations on the body it penetrates the flesh of the operator and connects directly with their musculoskeletal and nervous systems. The suit must be fed at regular intervals.
Operator's Couch: a structure resembling a large chair that gives control of a specific system or device. The couch sends out bio-organic tendrils that penetrate the operators braincase and link them directly to the equipment.
References & Contributors / Sources
- Author & Contributor: Lord (Marquis) and Master Scout Emeritus Adie Alegoric Stewart of the IISS
- Author & Contributor: Tom Chlebus
- Author & Contributor: Lord (Marquis) and Master of Sophontology Maksim-Smelchak of the Ministry of Science