Mapping Incomplete
Aurix
Star:
- Yellow-white main-sequence star, slightly brighter than Sol.
- Stable, long-lived, minimal solar activity.
- Supports multiple habitable worlds, asteroid belts, and orbital trade hubs.
Planets & Features
1. Aurix Prime (0505.1) – Capital & Trade Hub
- Tech Level: 4
- Population: ~4.1 billion
- Surface: Rolling plains, river valleys, scattered cities and industrial zones.
- Government: Planetary Governor — semi-autonomous under regional mandate; strong merchant influence.
- Economy:
- Trade and logistics hub for central spine and southern arc routes.
- Exports: refined metals, fuel, mid-tech manufactured goods, and processed food.
- Infrastructure:
- Starports, orbital habitats, automated logistics depots.
- Customs offices controlling spike-lane access.
- Defensive orbital platforms monitoring trade routes.
2. The Crucible Gate (0505.2) – Precursor Mega-Structure & Pilgrimage Site
- Structure: Vast, dormant ring-shaped spike gate encircling a hollow space roughly 1,000 km in diameter.
- Current Use:
- A fortress-monastery occupies the inner ring, housing both religious orders and scholars who study the gate.
- Pilgrimage site for those who revere the gate as a relic of a precursor species.
- Tech Level: TL6+ (precursor, dormant)
- Mystery & Plot Hooks:
- Some factions believe it could connect beyond the known sector if reactivated.
- Secretive expeditions attempt to unlock its power; results are unpredictable.
- Dangerous internal environments: automated defense drones, unstable gravity fields, and remnants of ancient AI.
3. Talara (0505.3) – Industrial Satellite
- TL4 automated refineries and production plants.
- Processes ores from the Obelix Belt and exports to Aurix Prime and neighboring systems.
4. Obelix Belt (0505.4) – Asteroid Mining Zone
- Rich in iron, nickel, and minor pretech fragments.
- Mining colonies operate semi-autonomously but report to Aurix Prime.
- Occasionally raided by pirates; orbital defense patrols mitigate losses.
5. Lyricon (0505.5) – Administrative & Research Satellite
- TL4 orbital station housing planetary administration, customs, and spike-navigation labs.
- Coordinates sector-wide trade and security operations.
Trade & Route Connections
- Major Spike Routes:
- Neighboring Systems:
Security & Military
- Aurix Orbital Defense Grid:
- TL4 frigates, corvettes, and automated missile batteries protect spike lanes, orbital infrastructure, and the Crucible Gate.
- Fortress-Monastery Defense:
- Monks maintain internal defenses; some sections contain TL6+ automated precursor defense drones.
- Local Enforcement:
- Planetary patrols and merchant guild security enforce trade and customs regulations.
Adventure Hooks
- Gate Exploration: Scholars and factions attempt to unlock the Crucible Gate; PCs may need to investigate, sabotage, or protect an expedition.
- Pilgrimage Intrigue: Religious factions clash inside the fortress-monastery over interpretation of the gate’s purpose.
- Pretech Discovery: Mining or orbital surveys reveal fragments of precursor tech tied to the gate.
- Frontier Smuggling: Pirates exploit trade traffic near the Crucible Gate, hiding in its gravitational anomalies.
- Political Tension: Neighboring TL4 systems may attempt to assert influence over the gate for strategic advantage.
Flavor & Setting Notes
- Culture: Mercantile, politically savvy, with a mix of religious reverence and scientific curiosity focused on the gate.
- Politics: Governor manages trade and logistics, balancing merchant guilds, regional powers, and religious orders.
- Environment: Surface plains for agriculture, orbital hubs for trade, and a massive inner ring of the Crucible Gate housing a fortress-monastery.
- Society: Aurix serves as both the commercial heart of its region and the spiritual/research center surrounding a TL6+ precursor artifact.