Since Freetrader published its guidebook of the Galaxy there has been much exploration “south” of the bottom border of the galactic map. Sectors 7, 8 and 9 have been officially added to the Galactic Map. Sector 8 is an extension of the Sector 4 rift that separates the spiral arms of the galaxy.
| PLANET / LOCATION / FOUNDER | NOTES |
|---|---|
| GAIDASZGRAD 7.23 David Gaidasz | The sun here has an unusual energy signature, making it very good for energy processing. The bad news is - that same energy signature makes missiles VERY unreliable. Before the Galactic Civil War, a human energy corporation built a pair of large orbital facilities to take advantage of the abundant energy resources. During the GCW, it became one of the secondary “battleground” systems, as both sides saw the readily available energy as valuable for the war effort. This system saw more than a half dozen indecisive space battles before the last battle ended with one of the stations destroyed and the other heavily damaged. Post war, a small population salvaged the damaged station, turning it into a unaligned freehold nicknamed “SuperMart”; where they sell energy and salvaged weapons, and purchase bio. This system has the dubious honor of having the most remaining unexploded ordinance, per capita, left over from the Galactic Civil War. |
| BENWILKIA 7.45 Bryan Daniels | This planet was barely habitable when a castaway botanist named Ben Wilkins landed on it in an escape pod. Wilkins languished here for decades using his farming skills to terraform the world. He modified crops to grow and spell out his name in letters that measured in kilometers as he grew the planet into a lush and verdant paradise. |
| REISOM 7.6 Damon Mosier | An arid world with extensive mineral and metal resources, it is the home of the Reisom Nomads, a matriarchal society of merchants and diplomats. The Nomads are loosely governed by Nire (NEER-ee), the High Queen of Reisom whose badge of office is the ancient, mystical Astral Staff of Caduceus, which grants its wielder psionic powers. The females not engaged directly in commerce tend to gravitate toward intellectual pursuits, such as science and engineering, leaving the more physical occupations to the males. As they are known for their prowess in close combat, males of the species engage in freelance work as bodyguards and mercenaries in the galaxy at large. It can be assumed that any Nomads employed in such capacities are outcasts. Nomad language and naming is very secretive so for dealing with outsiders they usually adopt a human-like naming convention, though the names are almost always spelled backwards: Haras, Negam, Anitsirhc, Trebor, Ffej, Divad. |
| ACCIODORR 7.7 Robert Biskin | The verdant planet of Acciodorr looks serene and tranquil from space, heavy with various competing flora (useful for food). It is quite wet, with various threatening plants at low levels that strangle each other in competition to extract nutrients from larger plants. There is no native fauna due to high levels of CO2 in the air, but some plants can migrate by floating in the air. The low gravity allows for some impossible looking landscapes with ferns stretching miles into the atmosphere. |
| GURARG 7.8 Tim Burnett | Planet Gurarg was a tucked away minor planet with no natural flora or fauna. It had been biostripped in preparation for terraforming before the contractor went broke. For the last 75 years, it has been in use as a penal colony of final resort where the dregs of the galaxy are dropped. It is not forbidden to land on the planet but anything taking off from it is subject to destruction by the twin starbases orbiting. It is widely believed that the inhabitants enjoy more sustenance from the new prisoners than the occasional food dropships. There are a few wealthy criminals sentenced to the planet and rumor has it that if you rescued one, you'd be handsomely rewarded. Of course, they could be dead by now, or undead or anywhere else on the spectrum since the planet is overrun by mutant enemies. |
| ENSO 7.910 Aldrete | The planet of Enso orbits a black hole at a precise distance measured in light minutes. It takes exactly one thousand years to make a complete orbit. Coincidentally? The planet experiences time loops that last exactly one thousand years. Until recently, this has only been of interest to geologists who study the past. However, “ghosts” from the future have been appearing with more regularity. |
| SLATER 7.112 Benjamin Slater | The Silicoid resort planet “Slater” was entirely formed from scratch by dragging asteroids together near a sun. Other species find the planet a bit warm but many brave it anyway to dig because it is rumored that mythical alien artifacts were hidden in some of the asteroids that were slammed together. Of course there are also rumors that the planet's founder Slater planted those stories himself because Silicoids are notoriously poor tippers and his resort business was flagging. |
| VIXLE 8.234 Brian McBarron | The planet of Vixle is bizarre in that not only is Vixle itself cubic but everything on it evolved in cube shapes. Some scientists theorize that the crystal structure of the planet's core caused niches to be square in the most literal sense. Others believe the cubic shapes were orchestrated intentionally but there is no trace of a creator if indeed there was one. |
| BOB 8.56 Matt Cook | This world is entirely made of water. While awaiting the official naming designation, the first explorer named it “Bob” for the way the probe bobbed on the waves. It orbits just far enough from a dwarf star to keep half of it warm and the other half frozen. A hurricane/blizzard rolls around the equator frozen on the cold half and boiling on the warm half. The only denizens of this planet is a single species of aquatic creatures that are both photovoric and cannibalistic. They can draw power from the sun but when they stop swimming to outrun the hurricane and lay eggs, they fall into the darkness and turn to cannibalism. There is no physical reason why the research teams sent to observe the dark side migration don't return but we can't rule out psi effects. |
| SHAMIR 8.78 Resa L. Oshiro | Situated somewhat off the beaten path of galactic trade, Shamir has gained a reputation for quiet reflection. The locals there have a custom of keeping the planetary population low by leaving as tourists arrive. Beneath the surface of this quiet planet is the deadliest martial training academy in the known galaxy. |
| DHELMN 8.910 Ryan Robinson | Out at the edge of known space floats a ghostly sphere around a dying star. Called Dhelmnitych by those who have studied it, this world is both wasteland and wonderland; the sepulcher of an ancient race seemingly vanished from the galaxy. To walk along the empty streets of these abandoned metropolises under the dim and ruddy sun is to feel the whispers of ghosts and darker spirits gathering close. The streets are lined by titanic structures of stone whose incomprehensible angles form impossible contours. Despite their age, these structures endure, their faces covered by images and hieroglyphics unmarred by aeons which disturb the mind of those who study them. While these haunted places weave disquiet in the thoughts of those who explore them by day, to remain in a place after twilight turns to darkness is to risk worse fates. While no beast or bird has been seen upon this world in memory of the races now living in the galaxy, those who risk the darkness of the world find themselves set upon by *something*. The few survivors will not speak of these encounters; becoming either catatonic or violent if pressed. Investigations suggest horrifying possibilities. |
| HOLLINGSWORTH 8.1112 Mike Hollingworth | This planet is an official archive planet terraformed to approximate Earth from the 18th century. It is a capital offense to bring anything to the planet that is not authentic to the period. It has 2 large space stations in orbit to keep away contaminants. The only way to the planet is via authorized shuttles to designated landing zones. Some of the inhabitants are third generation now and believe that space flight is a hoax. |
| UNITY 9.23 Richard Brown | This research planet was founded on the principles of Unity. The citizens of the planet consider themselves citizens of the Republic first and work to promote research and unity within the galaxy. It goes without saying that they tend to need rescue from pirates, mercenaries, invaders, raiders and all around nogoodniks more often than most other planets in the sector. |
| FOUST IV 9.4 Autarch | Foust IV is a harsh world, run by the military, It bears the dubious distinction of being terraformed to be less hospitable. The native flora and fauna were genetically re-engineered to be more aggressive. The training exercises on this world tend to end in a draw where both sides are devoured by the locals. Those few that survive the trainings wear the badge with silent pride. |
| CHORONZON 9.5 Heinrich Elbrecht | When Captain Elbrecht first landed on this nearly solid gold planet he knew he was rich. Of course, he was wrong because the cost to synthesize gold is much lower than the cost to transport it across the galaxy but he did become wealthy by making the planet a gaudy tourist destination. Psionic gifted individuals remember strange dreams here. Most visitors feel compelled to return. Captain Elbrecht hasn’t left for years. |
| STOCCY'S OUTPOST 9.6 Eric Fialkowski | The Tentac explorer Stoccy couldn't help but put his name on planets. This small world is the last known place where Stoccy was seen. |
| SHEFFIELD PRIME 9.7 Edward Boning | This planet was settled at a time when interstellar travel times measured in months rather than weeks and lawlessness ruled the galaxy. It had been called by many other names but the name that finally stuck was after the one lawman who could bring justice to that arm of the galaxy. |
| 251 9.8 Geoff Raye | “Planet 251”, as it's known to outsiders, is the planet of the Gweeds. It's pretty much the culinary center of the UREF, where aspiring chefs go to study and affluent travelers go to dine. Among their native fauna is a species which looks remarkably like the mythical earth unicorn. Rumors of a secret society of computer hackers on the planet remain merely rumors. |
| Cornman 9.9 Ari Cornman | Alone on an unnamed planet, lieutenant Cornman monitored signals and relayed data that was instrumental in the GCW. He was given a portable clone bank but the enemy attack destroyed that as well. In his honor, the planet was named for him and the UREF introduced a strict policy of keeping cloning vats outside of a combat zone. |
| PLANET PARKES 9.10 Lillian Parkes | Before FTL travel, freighters took long long voyages that would last generations. They would play and gamble to while away the time in deep space. They'd gamble shares in the company, shifts, personal belongings and naming rights to the planets they found. One such planet was claimed by a long haul freighter and the rights several generations later were passed on to a Lillian Parkes. Various corporations tried to buy the rights but Parkes just liked the idea that her name was on something far away that she'd likely never see. Of course, the advent of FTL travel in the time it had taken her ancestors to return meant that it was a quick trip to Planet Parkes. It had in fact, been developed and was a thriving little colony that treated her like a conquering hero upon her “return”. They are a chief exporter of insulin. |
| CRISTIFRATTI 9.1112 Chris Williams | Cristifratti is known as the honeymoon planet. People come from all across the galaxy to swim up the low gravity waterfalls and renew their vows of love for one another. It goes without saying that there is a tremendous amount of goods imported to the planet. The locals are extremely generous and hospitable. They only ask that each visitor respect their local customs and pay their fair share. The extremely wealthy tend not to visit because the locals measure “fair share” by total wealth. Hence the poor come here to be treated like kings and the rich grumble about not wanting to overpay for some low-rent tourist trap. |