Archaic Expanse

Where darkly horrors lurk, the journey shall be perilous at best.

Written by Charlie Parker

Introduction

Known for its dark denizens this region holds dangers unseen, yet many still brave the mists for a chance at the riches that lurk in the depths. Most never return, while those that do have as many tales of horror as those of riches. Those who live on the fringes of civilization know to well the risks of venturing to close to it's borders. Few maps of the region are ever found outside the expanse, only those of Sir Twikkle Goldweave have managed to reach the civilized worlds. Still his maps only cover most of the fringe territories.

"Here where mysteries & fears that only darkness can provide does ones mind seem so frail. I have traveled as far as I dare, my charts go no further. To those who venture beyond beware & may the Gods protect you." Sir Twixxle Goldweave - Darkly Horrors of the Expanse 2187utc.

Most of the known empires lie on the fringes of the expanse as one travels beyond the more hazardous it becomes. The most dominate are the Darken Empire, Goblin Kingdoms, & Tiefling Kingdom, while these empires are highly organized they generally only conduct trade with other denizens of the expanse. There are however many who will trade with larger colonies or clans thus having the most contact with the border worlds and grifter space. The fringe territories are highly industrial, knowing wealth has a power of its own. As dominate traders within the expanse an exclusive product that is common among the central worlds is considered rare, sometimes priceless, all being experts at exploiting this market.

Within the Darken Empire the drow have maintained their matriarchal hierarchy traditions as well as their strict theocratic social structure. Since the time of the upheaval most dark elves have turned from their worship of Lolth instead offering their patronage to the Godess Vashissa, Mistress of Chaos. Like most territories & empires of the region the Darken Empire is bound by a common way of life which forms a collective territory of smaller communities.

Once a united kingdom the Goblin Kingdoms now form two distinct kingdoms. After a long bloody civil war the rebel Kingdom of Skrollax gained their independence from the Kingdom Stryglikz. Now long after the war these once rivals form the Goblin Kingdoms with strong trade & military alliances with each other. As with gnomes goblins have a knack for tinkering, their technology is not unlike their gnomish counterparts though much cruder in aesthetics. The Goblin Kingdoms maintain the industrial production of technology with a surprisingly effective logistical infrastructure. While considered effective by goblin standards within the Darken Empire chaotic would be an apt description. Dark elves having a rather aristocratic approach to business with a most ruthless sense of negotiation.

Tiefling society is based mostly on a social contract in which all tiefling simply agree to live by, consisting of many independent territories, fiefdoms, and colonies. Much of the bureaucracy & logistics of government outsourced to an independent drow coven that function as administrators. Their human heritage has always left the tieflings as outcasts within most societies which lead to the creation of many scattered communities. As more communities began to appear it transformed into a communal territory of significant size.

Many of the lesser known societies of the expanse include the more exotic races of the aether some even within the category of myth. The less established territories within the expanse include the Giant Territories, Gith Empires, Troll Nations, and Shades Realm. Of these only the Gith Empires have any real form of structured society, though the eternal feud between the Githyanki & Githzerai empires seem to limit their ability to expand their territory. Both the troll nations & giant territories have massive populations which sustains their tribal way of life, many feudal in nature. The Shades Realm is an enigmatic region shrouded in dense aether, it's borders marked by thick groves of Kajorri Root Trees protected by an unknown people. Falling into myth are the roving lich pirates, or nomadic tribes of mindflayers regardless of merit the dangers are credible. In a region where environment is as dangerous as the occupants, one best be well prepared to venture into the Archaic Expanse.

Geography

The Archaic Expanse is a sector of space where the aether is particularly dense dimming the starlight within the region. Violent storms within the depths of the expanse drive materials well above the normal gravity planes blanketing the region in a thick dark mist. It is for this natural phenomenon that has attracted so many denizens of darkness to the Archaic Expanse. The Goldweave Expedition into the Archaic Expense yielded a wealth of information on the region, ranging form scientific observations to maps. Sir Goldweave determined that the expanses origins was the result of the decaying of super massive stars leaving only their cold dark remains. It is the dark core of these dead stars that drives the the frequent storms that plague the entire expanse.

Within the expanse the violence of dying stars combined with interstellar storms have left the region filled with massive amounts of debris silently drifting though out the thick clouds. The large asteroids that occupy most stars are still rich with life, even spreading out into interstellar regions. Much of the debris that drifts in interstellar space provides spectacular oasis' filled with an abundance of exotic life. How such an abundance of life survives amidst the turmoil of spacial storms is not quite clear.

Fauna & Flora

This region is home to many creatures such as mind flayers, beholders, drow, goblins, trolls, orcs, and many other such creatures of darkness. Unlike most other regions in the aether the expanse has little in the way of planets, most stars occupied by vast asteroid belts home to many diverse & exotic flora that sustains life in the expanse. Inter-stellar life is found in abundance within the planetary debris kicked out from dying stars. None are as prolific as the Kolbelk Whale or the Kajorri Root Trees; A symbiotic relationship with many tenants.

Sir Goldweave studied the kojorri root tree with great interest, discovering a commonality with the kavic tree, This hardy shrub like tree can grow anywhere, even with out the presence of soil. It's thick vines twisted and knotted forming massive matted islands of shrub and root. The vines produce clusters of potato like vegetable edible on the outside while the seeds small and hardy. The locals use the word kajorri for the shrub while jorri refers to the edible parts, leaving jorri seeds to float about the aether to form new Kajorri islands. It is with the Kajorri Root Tree in which begins a process of symbiosis rarely seen; once ripened the jorri fall from the vine sinking several hundred meters, as they rot they trigger a feeding frenzy of aether worms & eels. The annual event attracts several creatures to take advantage of the frenzy, few however compete with the large pods of Kolbelk whales who rely heavily on the event to maintain their massive size.

The aether worm & eel are the sole known producers of the highly sought after commodity of aether thread; Their fine hairs grow into long manes that flow behind their sleek bodies which become dislodged during the frenzies then float becoming entangled in the Kajorri roots. If left the thread will gather aether dust which will harden to form majix crystals. Both the thread & crystals are considered as precious commodities, the Kolbelk whales that feed on the frenzies are direct competition to industry as a result their numbers have greatly declined in the last 25 years.

Natural Resources

Resources within the expanse are bountiful, the long violent past of the region has rendered most planetary bodies into the asteroid belts which now dominate the stars. Resources that were once locked deep within the planets are now easily exploited. Rare ores such as Deep Iron, Tyrium, & Majite now lay scattered throughout the expanse. Giving rise to roving mining colonies that hunt down rogue planetoids & asteroids sustaining a very competitive mining industry. Due to the high populations of aether worms & eels the expanse also boasts high amounts of natural forming majix crystals, both majix crystal & aether thread farming are major industries.

Empires & Territories

• Darken Empire

• Giant Nations

• Githyanki Empire

• Githzerai Empire

• Goblin Kindoms

• Kingdom of Skrollax

• Kingdom of Stryglikz

• Shades Realm

• Tiefling Kingdom

• Troll Nations

Alternative Name(s)

The Expanse

Type

Galactic Sector

In 2072utc the Merchant Marines launched an expedition of 7 ships to explore the expanse with orders establish trade & mining operations. After 3 years of no word from the expedition a sole lifeboat was found adrift within grifter space, all but one soul had perished. The solitary survivor may have lived but little of their mind remained having gone mad from the nightmares witnessed in the expanse. Within the ranks of the merchant marines it was decided that the expanse be off limits to all merchants under their banner. Since this time many have dared venture into the murky mists of the expanse seeking out the mysteries and hidden treasures.

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2184utc Sir Twixxle Sinrick Wilbis Goldweave of the Gnomish Consortium Science Academy discovers that the Archaic Expanse is expanding. The cause of expansion is still unknown although the rate has been determined to be about 33,000km per year. At the current rate of expansion the expanse will begin to envelop star systems on the border of Grifter Space within a few centuries.