The Third Imperium of Mankind.

Six Day, 084 1106 3I

Welcome to Charted Space Humaniti has reached the stars—and found them crowded.   Alien empires, strange life forms, and rival civilizations fill the voids between the stars. Science and technology have advanced far beyond the present day, yet the essence of Humaniti remains the same: ambitious, flawed, and resilient. Life continues much as it always has, only now it's spread across the vast sea of stars.   At the heart of this sprawling expanse lies the Third Imperium, the greatest interstellar empire in the history of Charted Space. It spans thousands of worlds, uniting them under a single rule. The Imperium maintains a tenuous peace, protects vital trade routes, and provides a framework for civilization. Yet it is beset by dangers from within and without.   Megacorporations and noble houses wield immense influence. They profit from trade, conquest, and diplomacy—but amid these titans, there is still room for the small-time operator: free traders, smugglers, scouts, and mercenaries. These hardy Travellers thrive on the fringes of the known universe, scraping together a living one credit at a time.   The Year is 1106 Imperial (3I) For over a century, the Third Imperium has ruled Humaniti. It rose from the ashes of the Long Night and the fall of the Second Imperium, reuniting vital systems fractured during the bloody Long Knife Period.   Now, the Imperium pushes ever outward into a region of space known as Behind the Claw—a collection of frontier sectors including Deneb, the Spinward Marches, and the Trojan Reach. These wild regions, once the untamed edges of the Second Imperium, were originally targeted for expansion to counter Solomani influence.   But the Imperium is not alone in this contested space.   The Aslan Hierate, a proud and territorial species, has staked claims across the Trojan Reach. Meanwhile, the Zhodani Consulate, with its formidable psionic elite, has waged four brutal conflicts—the Frontier Wars—against the Imperium, seeking dominance in the Spinward Marches and asserting control into the Trojan Reach.   To the Coreward, expansion is checked by the chaos of the Vargr Extents, where no central authority reigns—only packs, pirates, and warlords.   A Region in Turmoil As great powers jostle for control over the frontier, the systems of Behind the Claw bear the brunt. Some worlds fall under the banners of the Imperium, the Aslan, or the Zhodani. Others fight for independence, dreaming of sovereignty—or simply survival.   Some cry out for protection, fearing the Aslan Hierate more than Imperial taxation. Others resist all three major powers, unwilling to become pawns in their endless struggle for dominance.   Megacorporations are quick to exploit the chaos, expanding into unregulated systems with no unions, no oversight, and no protections. In some places, slavery persists. In others, workers toil under corporate boots with no hope of reprieve.   Despite the best efforts of the Imperial Navy and Aslan patrols, piracy remains a constant threat. Raiders strike from hidden bases, rogue captains chase profit, and lost colonies harbor grudges centuries old.   Through it all, ordinary sophonts—Humaniti and alien alike—carry on. They love, work, struggle, and dream in the shadow of great powers and ancient stars.   These are their stories. This is Charted Space.