Shadow's Rim Sector

From SSDC, Inc.

Warning! All of this material is strictly fan-made and highly unofficial! Use at your own risk  ;o)

Fornax, Quadrant 1, Sector 2, is broken up into 8 Subsectors. On the big Sector Map in Hell's Kitchen you'll find Shadow's Rim Sector to the left of Sector 3 (described in No Man's Land Sourcebook (Subsectors 1-4) and Hell's Kitchen Sourcebook (Subsectors 5-8)). Be reminded that Sektor 2 is dominated by the Motaran Rift phenomenon, due to its close proximity to the Pandulask Storm. Therefore, in Shadow's Rim subsectors 5-8, all rolls concerning mishap and appearance of ion storms / rift phenomena are slightly - or drastically - increased (at the BM's discretion, of course).

Suffice it to say that Shadow's Rim sector is not a very pleasant place to stay - or to work.

Sector Overview

Brief descriptions of the Shadow's Rim subsectors are given below as to the general predisposition af these 2x4 areas, and are designed to give settlers an idea of what to expect when they travel abroad.

• The Devil's Golfcourse: Subsectors 1 to 4 are also nicknamed the Devil's Golfcourse, in much the same way that subsectors 5 to 8 of the No Man's Land Sector are often referred to as "Hell's Kitchen". The name derives from the Sharrakhar Nexus, which locals also call "Hole 18". The subsectors of the Devil's Golfcourse are:

1. The Hephrir Star Cluster: This subsector is under quarantine for two reasons: First, it is the domain of the Nu'clavee (the ' being pronounced like a "click" with the tongue, much like in northern hemisphere Phentari dialect), an idenpendent and highly dangerous species which has waged war with the Alliance for roughly 40 years now, and second due to the general risks associated with the Tail of Apep a huge area of flying debris spewn forth from the Sharrakar Nexus and hideout of both pirates and Rebels.
2. The Syrakour Void: A vast area of nothingness, dotted with few and far between Alliance worlds, this subsector remains largely unexplored. Since travel from world to world requires continual jumps of 8 parsec or more, older ships rarely set course for these worlds. To make things worse for the settlers, the Tail of Apep is close by,staging ground for continual attacks on the trading routes by pirates and Rebels.
3. The Far Reaches: According to reports, this sector combines the worst features from the Hephrir Star Cluster sector and the Syracour Void sector: few Alliance worlds, continuing wars between Nu'clavee and Alliance military, and neverending attacks by Rebels, who try to sabotage Alliance Military supplies, eventually forcing the Alliance to retreat from this sector. To make things worse, a huge ion storm is raging in the area, called the Thouroun rift. In the past months, several attacks by Arachnids have almost completed the task the Rebels had at hand here - forcing the Alliance to reconsider about retreating from this sector.
4. Sharrakhar Nexus: This sector is dominated by the Sharrakhar Nexus itself, a raging Vortex that lazily drifts into sector 3 (current speed analysis calculates that it will reach the border to sector 3 in about 600 years - after completely destroying Queel and possibly the Ninghizzida flamecloud). However, there is some weird kind of security provided by the Nexus - in the sense that associated dangers of gamma radiation and light-speed-debris shooting through the area makes it impossible for Arachnids, pirates and Rebels to hide in the area (without taking absolutely mindwrecking lunatic risks, that is).
   

• Shadow's Rim: This sector is the absolute End of the World. Arachnid attacks, Rift phenomena and continuing Wars with alien species make these sectors very uncomfortable. However, people feel drawn to this last frontier of the Fornax galaxy, clinging to the belief that somewhere inside the rift not only hell, but also heaven exists.

1. The Rimworlds: This sector was largely explored some 15 years ago, and settlement projects were largely succesful. However, the constant risk of Rakhnir attacks linger above the sector, so planetary and deep space security is relatively tight.
2. The Motaran Reach: The first sector of Shadow's Rim to be explored, it marked the entrance point to a vast unexplored area, until the Dragon's Keep was found. Some 10 years ago, a sensation of "Go West" - "Go Motaran", that is - swept the Alliance settlers' minds. Therefore, a lot of people set course to Motaran Reach. However with the discovery of the Rakhnir and the Shukkhur, as well as rising numbers of Arachnid attacks, the exploration and settlement of the Motaran Reach stopped in its tracks. Nowadays, most settlers try to return to more secure worlds, slowly abandoning the Motaran Reaches, leaving ghost cities and slowly deteriorating starbases that drift through the emptiness of space.
3. Hell's Gate: This sector is almost completely off-limits to Alliance citizens, with only some corporations (like SSDC and Telydyne) and the Alliance Military in the area. Formal Alliance Government has no sway over this sector, since the area is ann official warzone under direct control of the Alliance military. The whole atmosphere here can be described in the words of Colonel Makhura, one of the first Alliance officers to serve (and die) at Hell's Gate: "We are sent here for 3 reasons, and 3 reasons only: Exploration, Retaliation and Domination."
4. Shadow's Rim: Most of this sector consists of the Pandulask Storm, with only very few exploration settlements in between. Nevertheless, with the discovery of the Shukkhur most exploration teams have ventured forth to the unexplored Reaches of Sector 1, trying to find a way around the Pandulask, the way that this sector remains largely a mystery. SSDC, who claims ownership of most worlds here, strongly promotes settlement projects into the area, claiming the sector as being secure. Somehow, however, nobody believes them.