Splitspace

Splitspace is one of the five satellite spheres of Gatespace. It is an unusual sphere. Instead of having a single system along the central plane of the sphere, Splitspace has two distinct systems. These systems are parallel to each other and the central plane of the sphere. The first system (orbiting Mehlcix) is 100 million miles above the central plane, while the system orbiting Todrima is 100 million miles below the central plane. The central plane itself is composed of a thin layer of material that is identical to the crystal shell, except that it is transparent. The central plane has numerous permanent openings, though ships must navigate carefully to avoid crashing into the transparent barrier.

The stars of Splitspace are geysers of fire roughly a mile in diameter and thousands of miles high, streaming from the inner surface of the crystal sphere. Each geyser ends in an open portal to the phlogiston, though few ships can survive the fires long enough to enter or leave Splitspace - ships and crew caught in a flame geyser suffer 6d6 fire damage per round. Whenever a portal is created, it has a 5% chance of erupting into a flame geyser, forming a new star within 1-10 minutes. Experienced ship captains wait at a safe distance until a portal is deemed safe.

A geyser typically lasts an average of 20-25 years before burning out. Because of this, the constellations of Splitspace are forever changing. Only about 5% of the geyser stars seem to be permanent.


The Mehlcix System

The Mehlcix system is sometimes called the Burning system because of its excessive number of fire worlds. The planets of the Mehlcix system orbit clockwise around the primary.

Mehlcix

Type G Spherical Fire body

Mehlcix burns a cool red. It is cooler than most suns, only doing a maximum of Xd6 Fire damage per round. The primary inhabitants of Mehlcix are a type of fire-ooze, which feeds on the heat of the sun. Visitors from other fire-bodies (or the elemental plane of fire) consider these creatures an infestation that has grown out of control.

Tybarg

Type F Amorphous Earth World. Distance from primary: 60 million miles. Voidworld

Tybarg resembles the liveworld Zontex (see below), and is believed to be either a deceased mate or parent of Zontex. The surface of Tybarg is a rocky crust, about 1-2 miles thick. It is somewhat reactive to mental commands, perhaps as a result of being a former live world. The crust will shape itself roughly to whatever simple contiguous shape someone thinks of, slowly forming itself into caves, buildings, or fortifications. A person can affect a radius of 10 feet/point of intelligence; fine detailed work is not possible.

Below the crust of the world is a material resembling mud. It is viscous, but translucent. The mud moves about, following currents generated by the planet's rotation.

There are no native life forms living on the surface, due to the lack of air. Beneath the crust, the former inhabitants have adapted to living in the muck.

Illithids maintain a small permanent base near Tybarg, and frequently send expeditions to the planet's surface. Whether they are trying to enslave the natives, or have some other sinister purpose is a mystery. Considering the number of suns in the system, their purpose must be important.

Kasalsh

Type I Flat Fire world. Distance from Primary: 120 million miles

This immense square sheet of fire is sometimes called the Firewall, or the Burning Slab. Kasalsh's axis of rotation is aligned with the path of its orbit, and Kasalsh rotates by flipping over from top to bottom.

Kasalsh is home to quite a few civilizations of fire races. Because of its size, Kasalsh has several nations of efreet, salamanders, azer, helions, sollux, and many other fire races. Even mephits have claimed territory as their own. Other fire creatures are common as well. The various races are continually fighting with each other for dominance of Kasalsh. Currently the salamanders and efreet have formed an alliance dominating most of the world, but the alliance is far from stable.

Most of the inhabitants of Kasalsh are aware of spelljammers, and have varying reactions to visitors. Some efreet try to establish temporary cool zones where visitors can dock, though a few simply create illusions of these zones and plunder the burning wreckage of a visiting ship. The azer have built small fire-skiffs, and visit spelljamming ships at a safe distance from Kasalsh.

Kasalsh has four moons, one fixed near each corner in the same plane as the fire world itself. Each of these moons are Type C spherical earth bodies. Because the moons are only exposed to the edge of the fire world, they are comparatively cool.

The moons are named Iros, Mosmos, Sammos, and Aughos. Each of the moons is officially the territory of one of the major races on Kasalsh - Iros belongs to the efreet, Mosmos is controlled by helions, Sammos is the Azer's moon, and Aughos belongs to the Salamanders. However, since the cooler moons are less attractive, most of the moons have been leased out to other races, either to facilitate trade or as a mutual defense tactic. Aughos is currently controlled by a cartel of Anadian halflings, who trade with the Salamanders. Most of the ports on Mosmos have been destroyed, though several races have approached the enigmatic helions. The azer have allied with the Sollux of Bewcartch, who maintain a number of citadels on Sammos. Only the Efreet maintain a presence on their moon, though the Sollux frequently assault the efreeti bases. Lizardfolk have recently offered the efreet an alliance, in exchange for bases on Iros.

Sycrubin

Type H Spherical Earth World. Distance from primary: 160 million miles

This immense world has been baked by its proximity to Kasalsh and Bewcartch. It is mostly an arid world, varying between deserts and fire-blasted mountains. The mean temperature ranges from 120-150F. There are a few broad rivers snaking across the surface, and thick jungles grow around these rivers. This gives the planet two distinctive ecosystems - the arid deserts, and the thick jungles.

The arid regions of Sycrubin are sparsely populated. They are primarily inhabited by various types of giants, such as fire giants, sand giants, sun giants, and desert giants. The giants maintain small settlements around underground streams and springs. Other inhabitants include a variety of life which do not require water at all.

The steamy jungles are home to more varied life, particularly saurials. The saurials maintain a number of small villages throughout the planet along the rivers. Most of the saurials are unaware of spelljamming technology, and live a simple pastoral life. Other creatures who resemble the saurials are also common, such as pterrax and harriers.

Bewcartch

Type F Cluster Fire world. Distance from primary: 220 million miles

This is a group of fire bodies, tightly bound together. Arcs of fire continuously flow from one fire body to another, preventing any navigation within the fire cluster. The view is spectacular, however.

Sollux have largely claimed Bewcartch as their own. They have driven out the efreet, and are isolating the salamanders. Azer have allied with the Sollux, and the two races work well together. The sollux are interested in spelljammers, in part because they are ready to challenge the efreet on Kasalsh. Bewcartch also has a large number of Elmarin dwelling nearby.

Surrounding Bewcartch at a habitable distance is a ring of earth asteroids. This ring is inhabited by a variety of races. Lizard men defend several breeding bases, while the scro are attracted to the fiery spectacle.

Donema

Type D Elliptical Earth world. Distance from primary: 240 million miles. Voidworld.

Donema is a fairly typical voidworld. It is covered in numerous crevaces, rifts, and gullies which give access to the deeper interior of the world. While Donema has a fair amount of mineral wealth, conventional methods of extracting it is difficult because of the lack of atmosphere. Donema is primarily inhabited by subterranean creatures which need neither air nor water, some of which are intelligent.

Donema rotates along its longest axis, which is tilted at a 45 degree angle to the plane of revolution. In addition, the axis oscillates rapidly, making a full cycle several times during each revolution. The resulting stress on the planet causes significant earthquakes, and creates the numerous fissures.

Kilvuri is a Type B elliptical earth moon. Kilvuri is the solitary moon of Donema. Its axis is oriented parallel to Donema's, so it suffers the same stresses, and has similar fissures and rifts. Unlike Donema, Kilvuri has an atmosphere. Water fills many of the fissures, creating numerous small deep lakes.

Kilvuri is primarily inhabited by dwarves. They maintain several open trading centers with full spelljamming ports. The dwarves of Kilvuri trade with the inhabitants of Donema; visitors who desire some of the minerals from Donema find it easier to deal with the dwarves than hazard an expedition themselves, due to the conditions on Donema.


The Todrima System

The planets of the Todrima system orbit counterclockwise around the primary.

Todrima

Type F spherical fire world.

Todrima is a variable sun. Overall, it burns with a yellow-orange color. However, just inside the surface of Todrima is a smaller, hotter fire fragment which burns an intense white color. The sun rotates with a period of 7 (standard) days, and the hotter fragment's movement within the star follows this rotation.

Dobargen

Type G Spherical Air world. Distance from Primary: 20 million miles

Dobargen is a superheated air world. Because of its proximity to Todrima, the air currents of Dobargen are strongly affected by the variable heating it receives. Windstorms rip through the planet on a regular basis.

The most common form of life in Dobargen is the massive sail plants. These plants possess huge dark leaves, arranged radially. The leaves also act as both water-absorbers and sails, carrying the plants around the gas giant. Experienced sailors have found that the leaves of these plants, which average several hundred feet in length, make sturdy sails for their ships.

The Elven Imperial Navy maintains a small base near Dobargen, where they are experimenting with using the sail plants with ships. The elves have developed several new ship designs, which they test within the sphere.

Zontex

Type E amorphous Liveworld. Distance from primary: 80 million miles

Zontex is an amoeba-like live-world. The creature is sentient, though it typically does not communicate with its inhabitants. Zontex absorbs sunlight and organic material, In return, its body manufactures air, and nourishes plant and animal life which live on the surface.

Living on the surface of Zontex are syllix, psurlons, plasmoids, and a wide variety of other creatures. Fal also visit Zontex frequently, and they evidently can communicate with the liveworld.

Surrounding Zontex is a system of three rings of earth bodies, all mutually perpendicular. This ring system is called Zontex's Cage, as it seems to exist to contain the live-world inside it. Zontex's Cage includes several settlements of various races, and a major spelljamming port run by illithids. This port is generally safe, and offers full facilities for crews.

Naradia

Type H Earth Asteroid Belt. Distance from primary: 160 million miles

The Naradian Ring is a thick belt of asteroids, difficult to navigate through. Fortunately, it is fairly flat, and most vessels simply travel over or under it.

Of particular note is one segment within the asteroid belt. For a span of roughly a million miles, the asteroids are water instead of earth. The wateroids are generally spherical in shape, rather than irregular like the asteroids. The region of wateroids is visible from a great distance, and is nicknamed the Gem in the Ring.

The Naradian Ring has the typical mix of races and settlements for large asteroid fields. Some of the more common unusual races are oortlings, rock hoppers, and aartuk. Illithids operate a number of known bases, some of which are open to outsiders. Near the wateroids, other more prosperous settlements thrive. The wateroids frequently are home aquatic versions of common spelljamming races, such as aquatic elves or aventi.

Tixmar

Type G Spherical Air world. Distance from primary: 200 million miles

Foul and disgusting doesn't begin to describe this air world. The air which composes Tixmar is nauseating in the extreme, and lethal deeper within the world. Clouds of acidic vapor cause potent acid rainstorms. Ships which venture into Tixmar's air envelope suffer the effect of a Stinking Cloud spell throughout the entire ship; the air envelope of the ship is also immediately fouled. If the ship descends deeper than 100 miles in Tixmar, the deadly air can be treated as a Cloudkill spell, with increasing potency deeper within the air world. Because of its foul atmosphere, Tixmar has remained largely unexplored.

Tixmar has three moons which are dominated by goblinoids. After the second Unhuman war, a group of goblinoids broke from the scro, and pursued a separate treaty with the elves. The canny goblin leaders wagered with the elven admiralty that they could create a thriving civilization if given the chance, and a useful world to tame. The elves, who had explored Tixmar's moons, saw an opportunity.

The goblinoids are in the process of taming the various moons. As part of the treaty, they have a few small spelljamming-capable ships with chemical engines (no helms). Instead of isolating the goblinoids, the elves have encouraged other ships to trade and visit the moons. The elves maintain a presence on each limited presence on each moon, but otherwise keep to themselves. As part of the treaty, the elves offer passage to the moons to any goblinoid (but not orcs, scro, kobolds or ogres) that surrender to them.

Zaghas is a size D spherical water world. Originally, Zaghas was home to a number of different varieties of ixitxachitl, but they have mostly accepted the arrival of the goblinoids. Koalinth are the primary goblinoid inhabitants of Zaghas, but other goblinoid tribes have started to build floating ports. Zaghas has plentiful marine life.

Acksha is a size C spherical earth world. It is relatively pristine, with a variety of climates ranging from arctic to desert. Much of the world is covered with fresh water, and the moon as a whole is rather idyllic. The goblinoids have spread out, creating small towns through much of the moon, and Acksha is slowly being transformed. It is the most populated of the three moons, and has the best facilities and ports. While the quality of goods and services are below average, they are improving, and definitely better than most goblinoid settlements.

Some of the elves wanted to preserve Acksha for themselves, but the goblinoids persuaded them otherwise. There is some tension among the elves who keep a presence on Acksha, who believe the goblins are despoiling the land.

Raktai is a size D earth world. It has the shape of two spheroids connected together by a land bridge, as if it were originally one world in the process of splitting in two. The moon is tectonically dead, and has not changed shape since its discovery. The bridge between the large spheroids is over 100 miles in diameter, so the moon is not in danger of fragmenting. The moon's surface is fairly rough, with numerous small lakes spread around the badlands-like surface. The surface of the moon can be quite formidable, but also breathtaking. Dwarves consider Raktai a nice place to visit.

The goblinoids of Raktai have fewer settlements, and they are considerably more spread out. Each settlement is relatively self-sufficient, and built on a small system of caves. There, the goblins work on hidden projects.

While the goblinoids who brokered the peace treaty were willing to surrender to the elves, they knew that being totally defenseless was foolish. They don't hold a grudge against the elves, but are familiar enough with other dangers of wildspace. They are particularly concerned about the illithid activity within the sphere. Several of Raktai's settlements are in fact secret facilities for developing new weapons. The goblinoids have slowly traded for various materials that could be useful in their experiments. Many experiments end in dismal failures, but there have been a few successes. One of the current projects is experimenting with tinker gnome devices.

Kestrif

Type D Elliptical Earth world. Distance from primary: 240 million miles

Kestrif is covered by a thick cloud cover, which obscures surface features. The clouds typically cover 80% of the planet's surface. Below the clouds, the world is a fairly typical earth world. Roughly half of the surface is covered with water, and the world has abundant life. The average temperature throughout the planet is over 100F, making it uncomfortable for long periods of time. To make matters worse, the humidity is quite high, so visitors must take precautions to keep cool. The cloud cover also makes the temperature generally uniform, so there is little variation due to seasons or latitude.

Kestrif rotates end over end, with its orbital axis oriented along the direction of its orbit. Kestrif's two moons are fixed relative to the planet's rotation, one over each end of the ellipsoid's longest axis. Some explorers claim that Kestrif should thus be considered a cluster world, but the distance between Kestrif and its moons is large enough to consider them separate entities.

Kestrif's ecosystem is somewhat unusual. Sentient plant life are the dominant life forms on Kestrif. The animal life that does exist tends to be lower life forms; rodents are the most common mammals on the planet. There are a few sentient animals native to the world, but they are rare. Some fey races, such as dryads, thorns, and others closely associated with plant life, are also present on Kestrif.

Some of the plant races such as needlefolk, twig blights, and wood woads, have constructed small villages, though these are difficult to spot from the air. The villages are typically blended with the surrounding non-sentient plant life, and a village will change over the years as the plants grow. A few villages, particularly those built by the aartuk, operate ports which can harbor spelljamming vessels; a few natives have even joined spelljammer crews. Visitors should be cautioned however - a each port has its own rules and regulations, many of which make little sense to outsiders.

Elves regularly visit Kestrif. A small band of wood elves have formed a permanent enclave. These elves, led by priests of Rillifane Rallathil, are on generally good relations with the surrounding settlements, but there are occasional tensions. The dryads sometimes act as intermediaries, protecting the elves from others when necessary.

Kestrif's two moons, Danris and Lyeis, are both Type B Spherical earth moons.


More Worlds to Explore

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