Coldspace
Coldpsace is a crystal sphere located within the Rapide Frontier. It is named after its dying star, which has gradually cooling the planets within the sphere for over a century, bringing them closer and closer to being inhospitable.
Coldspace is located on a downstream Phlogiston current from Bluespace and Crackedspace and is upstream of Arcanaspace and Pelinorespace.
Coldspace also contains the largest presence of the Imperial Elven Navy (IEN) in the Rapide Frontier, serving as the last elven fortication before spelljammers arrive in the Outer Flow, beyond which the rules of magic vary wildly.
Geography
In the center of Coldspace is its sun, called the Dying Star. While once it was as large and vibrant as any other, it has shrunken in the past century, decreasing the amount of heat and light it emits. Surrounding the dying star are two planets, which are, from closest to furthest from the sun:
- Hen-Kur
- Mi-ren
Fauna & Flora
Evidence of ruins and fossils on both planets in the system suggests that there once were creatures native to Coldspace, including a sentient civilization. In response to the cooling of the Dying Star, it appears that the original inhabitants of Coldspace attempted a massive relocation of their landmass and people to a closer orbit around the sun to not lose its warmth, but either died off or fled the sphere before their project come to completion.
Some creatures and flora have survived the changes to Coldspace, namely those that were already acclimated to freezing climates or could adapt fast enough to the cooling.
History
Sometime centuries earlier, Coldspace began rapidly cooling as its sun began shrinking and dying. The native population of Coldspace appeared to have attempted to save themselves by undertaking a massive effort to move their landmasses in closer orbit around the Dying Star. Though this project likely took years or even decades, it did not appear to be enough and by the modern era all native civilizations of Coldspace had been long gone.
Following the end of the First Unhuman War in 1072, the elves of the Imperial Elven Navy began pursuing their defeated opponents to the far reaches of the Known Spheres, including the Rapide Frontier. This increased presence in the Frontier and solidification of elven hegemony, led the to IEN deciding to establish an official outpost in Coldspace in 1478. The sphere was chosen for its location as the last sphere along the Flow currents that would take spelljammers to the Arcana Outer Flow and the strange worlds beyond.
Taking advantage of the work done by the long-lost inhabitants of Coldspace, the IEN established their regional base on the floating continents around the Dying Star.
During the Second Unhuman War, the Coldspace outpost was recalled in order to protect spheres the IEN deemed far more important. A small garrison was left and clashed with the Scro across the Frontier throughout the war. The garrison did not participate in the pivotal Battle of Gardenspace, which saw the destruction of the entire IEN and Scro fleets, save for one elven vessel.
Since the Second Unhuman War, the Coldspace garrison has been rebuilt, but it is viewed by most elves as a posting akin to an exile due to the Frontier's remoteness. However, the leadership of the garrison is also given a good deal of autonomy due to that same remoteness.
Comments