Library Data:Sword Worlds Subsector
Library Data Milieu 1116 Milieu 1200
| Sword Worlds Subsector | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ||||||
| Sector | Spinward Marches | |||||
| Capital | Gram (Spinward Marches 1223) | |||||
| Number of Systems | 28 | |||||
| Stellar and Economic data | data page | |||||
| Majority Control | Sword Worlds Confederation - 78% | |||||
| 2nd Control | Other - 22% | |||||
Every system in the Sword Worlds Subsector lies on the Spinward Main, although getting to some without a jump-2 capable ship requires meandering for some time. The main diverges at Iron and again at Caliburn, and heading spinward-rimward from there is a section of the referred to as the Bowman Arm, which runs across the coreward ends of District 268 and the Five Sisters before wandering out of the sector at Garoo and Uniqua. Rimward from Caliburn, the main splits again in District 268, giving access to the rimward end of the Five Sisters in one direction and Glisten in the other. Jump-2 ships can make a circuit back towards Trin and Mora by this route. Spinward-coreward from Iron is an arm of the main that leads to Darrian but is not normally considered part of the Spinward Main except in purely astrographical terms, due to the political allegiance of the worlds on the Main.[1]
The Sword Worlds Confederation, occupying a section of the Spinward Main and a couple of spurs from it, is a collection of like-minded world governments who sometimes work together, rather than a monolithic political body. The present Confederation capital is at Gram, although exactly how much power is exerted from there can vary considerably depending on the political climate.[1]
The Sword Worlds were settled around -400 to -200, with all the worlds of the group named for famous weapons (mostly swords) of Terran history and mythology or for metals. While there have been differences, up to and including war, between the individual Sword Worlds, cultural ties have kept the Sword Worlds together as a political entity – though this entity has been everything from a collection of trading pacts through a feudal alliance to almost an empire. [2]
The Sword Worlds were settled by a long-range colony mission from Terra; the Imperium arrived much later and, as a result, there are deep cultural differences between the two. Similarly, the Darrians were recovering from the Maghiz when the Sword Worlders claimed the region for their own. They thus see themselves as rightful overlords of the region and tend to deal with foreign (Darrian or Imperial) ships passing through in a high-handed and arrogant manner.[3]
The four Metal Worlds (Iron, Bronze, Mithril and Steel) are ‘reserve worlds’ held in trust by the Sword Worlds Confederation against future need. Until recently, the Confederation has vigorously resisted Imperial efforts to exploit these worlds but that attitude has recently changed. A theoretically joint project to develop Steel has been put forward although, in practice, Sword World involvement is half-hearted at best. Surveying is likely to begin soon, once the last political issues are resolved.[3]
There are only four Imperial worlds in the subsector: Flammarion, Caladbolg, Gunn and Caliburn. Flammarion has a small Imperial Navy station and both Flammarion and Caladbolg have scout bases to serve the x-boat route through to the Five Sisters. There is also a small scout base at Biter serving the same purpose. Biter is part of the Sword Worlds Confederation and keeping the scout base in operation has, at times, required careful negotiation.[3]
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 Martin Dougherty. Behind the Claw (Mongoose Publishing, 2019), 89.
- ↑ Martin Dougherty, Neil Frier. Behind the Claw (Steve Jackson Games, 1998), 67.
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 Martin Dougherty. Behind the Claw (Mongoose Publishing, 2019), 91.
Other References
- Marc Miller. The Spinward Marches (Game Designers Workshop, 1979), 4-5.
- Marc Miller. The Spinward Marches Campaign (Game Designers Workshop, 1985), 18-19.
- Martin Dougherty, Neil Frier. Behind the Claw (Steve Jackson Games, 1998), 36-42.
- Paul Drye, Hans Rancke-Madsen, Robert Prior. Sword Worlds (Steve Jackson Games, 2004), 22-73.
- Martin Dougherty. The Spinward Marches (Mongoose Publishing, 2008), .
- Martin Dougherty. Mission to Mithril (Mongoose Publishing, 2018), .
- Martin Dougherty. Sword Worlds (Mongoose Publishing, 2020), .