A to Z: R is for Rift

A Rift is an area of low stellar density. Rifts act as impediments to interstellar travel in that starships with short range Jump Drives find it difficult to cross them. The chief reason for this is a lack of fuel sources in the Rift.

As Jump Drives require hydrogen as fuel to operate, Jump Drive-equipped starships tend to jump from star system to star system, refueling at a local gas giant (fuel skimming) or planet with free standing water, if they possess on-board fuel refineries, or from local starports. It is possible to extend a ship’s range by carrying extra fuel-tankage, either externally in a drop tank, or internally as a refrigerated and pressurised bladder rigged in the cargo bay.

External tanks increase the mass of the ship, and reduce the efficiency of its Jump Drive. The usually method of operation when using drop tanks is for the ship to use its external fuel load for its initial jump, discarding the, now empty, external tanks as it transits to Jump Space. Upon returning to Normal Space, the ship will use its internal fuel load to make a subsequent Jump. While there are pros and cons with using this Jump method, it does extend the range of the ship while increasing the running costs in expendable tankage. The Gazelle Class Close Escort is a small warship that uses this method of operation. It is relatively unusual to come across a civilian vessel using Drop Tanks, unless it is working a regular route with some form of government subsidy.

The use of a fuel bladder rigged in the cargo bay is the other method for extending the range of a starship. The most obvious disadvantage in this method is that the more fuel carried, the less room there is for cargo, and the less likelihood that a particular voyage will cover costs. This method is commonly used by short range starships wishing to move between Mains or Clusters to follow the trade. The ship will leave its current Main and jump to a point in Deep Space. The ship’s fuel tanks are then refilled by pumping the hydrogen slurry from the bladder in the cargo bay into the tanks. Once the refueling is complete, the ship Jumps to its destination.

Rifts, by their nature, funnel trade and travel and, if sufficiently wide, make for relatively secure borders. Ships that can cross Rifts will command a premium as to go around the Rift can add months to travel time. Systems astride Rift crossing points tend to either be tense conflict zones or heavily defended as neighbouring polities attempt to control the choke point.

In the Rimward portion of the RimWorlds, there are two major Rifts: the Perrsherrik Rift and the Uedhkinthuez nakhae. While neither is anything close to the vastness in size of the Great Rift that isolates the Spinward March, both Rifts have had effects on the way trade and populations have moved in the RimWorlds.

The Perrsherrik Rift is a Jump 3 Rift running 13 parsecs to Trailing from the Tallu Cluster in Lymethius Subsector to Lotarf/Nolgor. This Rift effectively divides Gamelea and Nolgor Subsectors in two, and delayed Imperial expansion Rimward for decades. Jump 3 crossings can be made at Leminkainen – Anthorann, Leminkainen - Kalath, Solaris – Gilanda, Solaris – Xcothal and Thrisk – Lotarf. Only the Leminkainen – Anthorann, Leminkainen – Kalath and Thrisk – Lotarf routes have proved commercially viable, and the Thrisk – Lotarf route has fallen under the control of the Theocrats of Lotarf.

In the Cabria Subsector, the Uedhkinthuez nakhae ("The Black Beast" in Arrghoun – the language of the Vargr of the Hunt of Rronurl) is a Rift running 9 parsecs to Rimward from Gyffd and Gaidon in Cabria Subsector into Kfukskho Subsector. The main crossing point is at Yuar, a Droyne world. The Yuar Droyne run a regular Carryall service from Yuar to Brol, Nutharal and either Juchis or Gyven’s World – a Carryall is a massive spar with an oversized Jump Drive and anchor points for up to a dozen ships in the 200 – 400 ton range. The smaller ships are effectively carried as cargo by the Carryall. The Droyne service is prone to cancellation with little notice for particularly inscrutable Droyne reasons.

During the Outrim Wars, the Uedhkinthuez nakhae saved the Imperial-held Miazan Subsector from the worst of the Outrim Alliance’s initial assaults as the Alliance’s fleets had to either stage through the Hunt of Rronurl to Rimward, or move Coreward through Gyffd before they could engage Imperial targets. Even when Yuar sided with the Alliance, it took time for the Carryalls to bring sufficient of the slower Alliance ships across the Uedhkinthuez nakhae to open a front.

While rumours abound of secret Deep Space refuelling stations being built or established on wandering planetoids, deep in the Rifts, there has been no evidence that such facilities exist.

Characters who can Drive the Story #3

In my last post, the finger of suspicion was pointing in the direction of Dentian Venuraski, later Sector Duke Dentian I, as the murderer of Sector Duke Kolin I in 550.

To recap, in 550 Kolin I, at the age of 72, was on campaign in Gazolan Subsector, attempting to pacify a hostile and potentially dangerous pocket empire rimward of the Klarthur Confederacy. His son and heir, Metch, was, we have decided, serving as a theatre commander in Gazolan Subsector – possibly in a Ground role, but more likely as a Task Force Commander - with a Fleet Admiral and a Ground Force Commander to keep him from making any serious mistakes.

So where was Kolin’s nephew, the future Sector Duke Kolin II? While pondering this question, I re-read this passage from Origins of the Rimworlds Sector 497 - 557

“As tensions eased along the Spinward frontier, Viceroy Kolin turned his eyes Rimward and set his scouts in motion again.

“Following the path of least resistance, Imperial colonisation moved Rimward from Berimar’s Sceptre Subsector into Thurgandarn, and then into Nolgor Subsector. In 540, the years of planning and effort paid off. The Sector Duchy of the Rimworlds was formerly established with its initial capital on Raelamr/Thurgandarn and Kolin Venuraski was invested as its first Sector Duke.

“Great mineral resources were discovered in the Gazolan subsector and these fuelled the rapid expansion of the Duchy. This expansion was not unopposed. Ten years into his reign, Sector Duke Kolin I’s driving ambition led his downfall when he was killed on campaign. Gazolan subsector was to claim the life of his son and successor, Metch (reigned 550 – 552), before being finally pacified.

“The Perrsherrik Rift in Nolgor Subsector halted the march to the Rim for a few years, but by 552 Imperial forces under Sector Duke Kolin II Venuraski had penetrated the Coreward end of Gazul Subsector.”

So, contrary to what I suggested had happened a couple of posts back, expansion Rimward began soon after Kolin I signed the Treaty of Choraptur with the Klarthur Confederacy in 530. Imperial forces encountered little or no resistance as they moved through Thurgandarn Subsector and the Coreward end of Nolgor Subsector, advancing about a parsec a year until, sometime in the mid/late 540’s, Kolin’s Scouts ran into the Perrsherrik Rift. The establishment of the first Sector Duchy capital at Raelmar (Thurgandarn 0808) in 540, close to the advancing wavefront in Nolgor Subsector, and handy to the increasingly problematic Gazolan Subsector to Spinward, would seem to indicate the choice of capital was governed by the proximity of perceived flash points.

The Perrsherrik Rift was to hold up the Imperial advance for several years until Antoi Perrsherrik’s original crossing point through the Thrisk and Lotarf systems was secured. Imperial expansion then continued Rimward, encountering progressively stiffer resistance from the Zoni of Lur and the Dokari Diarchy in Core-Spinward Gazul Subsector until Kolin II’s reign when the 1st Rimward War was finally fought.

It was on this front – the march to Rimward – that Kolin Venuraski would gain command experience and why, I believe, he fought the 1st Rimward War. To Kolin I would go the honour of establishing the RimWorlds Sector. Kolin II sought his place in history by taking the Imperium to the edge of Intergalactic Space. With this goal in his mind, the war in Gazolan was a distraction for Kolin II, robbing him of the fleet elements he needed to put down the Zoni and to break up the Dokari Diarchy.

The transition between Kolin I’s administration and that of Metch, in the midst of the Gazolan War, would have effectively stalled Kolin II’s Rimward campaign. It is likely that Kolin II was required to be present for Metch’s investiture, which would have taken him out of the Gazul theatre and his conflict with the Dokari Diarchy. Given his Rimward focus, which he returned to with a vengence after Metch’s death, I am inclined to believe that Kolin II did not murder his uncle.

So, where was Dentain during this time? If Kolin II was in his fifty’s when he died in 557, and Dentian was five or six years younger, then that would make Dentian somewhere between 46 and 50 when his brother won the 1st Rimward War and was killed at the Battle of Gorth. This would make Dentian between 39 and 43 when Kolin I was murdered in 550.

Given that by 550 the conflict in Gazolin Subsector had been under way for upwards of five years, and that Dentian’s brother already had the Rimward front in hand, I suspect that Dentian – the younger of the refugee cousins - would have been put to work in some fashion in Gazolin, as another Venuraski theatre commander may very well have been of use there.

Was there some military disaster associated with Dentian, or one of his entourage in 549 – 550? A public dressing down, or similar humiliation by Kolin I, may have been the tipping point where a “disgruntled gardener” sought to do service, or regain face, by removing the Sector Duke. As Dentian did not immediately stake a claim to the Sector Duchy, nor was executed by Metch, Kolin’s successor, could it be that Metch supported his younger cousin in the face of accusations over the deeds of a minion? Metch had a war to fight, and with only two years to live, he may have taken Dentian’s word instead of waiting for the findings of a formal inquiry, which would have taken time to deliver a verdict. The murderer’s identity was discreetly buried, possibly along with his body, and Metch took the Ducal coronet.

And here’s a thought – was the indomitable Kolin I in failing health at this time? The stress of command in an increasingly bloody war, coupled with the onset of some form of age-linked neurological disorder, coupled with some form of setback that caused the Sector Duke to fly into a public rage? While TL 13 medical technology might be able to cure such things, if the patient is in a borderline state and is then suddenly pushed over the edge, the harsh words and decrees might be issued before the medics could make a difference.

I think we have processed this inquiry about as far as we can, without coming right out and making a definite statement. By examining the character and times of one individual, and it must be admitted that Kolin I Venuraski is one of those exceptional individuals, we have been able to cast some light of a personal nature upon events five hundred years before the current campaign time. This, in turn allows us the possibility of artefacts, or people, with links to those far distant times who, in turn, will have value or motivations of their own which can set events in motion even in the current time.

History of the RimWorlds #10 – Missing Years

A chronology is a series of date pegs that one hangs events from. A history takes these date pegs and attempts to construct a narrative that carries the reader along with it. The problem with the latter approach is that without enough of the former, the story moves in fits and starts, just like a jerky piece of film. And, just like a jerky piece of film, when you look closely, you realise that there are pictures missing.

When we last left Viceroy Kolin Venuraski, the Treaty of Choraptur, settled in 530, had reduced tensions with the Klarthur Confederacy along the Spinward Frontier of the Imperial RimWorld Territories. This enabled Kolin’s exploratory missions to begin to move Rimward again.

“Following the path of least resistance, Imperial colonisation moved Rimward from Berimar’s Sceptre Subsector into Thurgandarn, and then into Nolgor Subsector.”
- The Origins of the Rimworlds Sector 497 - 557

What is interesting, here, is that the Chronology states:

History of the RimWorlds

497	First Imperial presence in the RimWorlds in Kaorin and Berimar’s Sceptre subsectors.
525	Lord Kolin Venuraski is created Viceroy of the RimWorlds by Imperial Patent.
526	First Imperial contact with the Klarthur Confederacy in Riinu Subsector.
530	Treaty of Choraptur defines the border between the Klarthur Confederacy and the Imperial RimWorld Territories.
540	Sector Duchy of the RimWorlds established with its capital on Raelmar/Thurgandarn. Kolin I Venuraski is first Sector Duke.
552 - 557	1st Rimward War. Sector Duke Kolin II extends Imperial Rule into the Gazul Subsector against the opposition of the Rimward Coalition.

Whoa! In 540, Kolin Venuraski becomes Duke Kolin I of the RimWorlds Sector, and twelve years later Sector Duke Kolin II is fighting the 1st Rimward War in Gazul Subsector. Besides taking twelve years to move the frontier 14 parsecs, what happened to Kolin I whose career has played such a part in the Imperial narrative of RimWorlds history for the last 55 years?

The Origins of the Rimworlds Sector 497 – 557, quoted above, is part of a longer essay, entitled The RimWorlds Sector: An Imperial Overview, which I wrote to bring together all my notes into some sort of coherent form. It is still a work in progress as I add to it. It picks up the narrative thusly:

In 540, the years of planning and effort paid off. The Sector Duchy of the Rimworlds was formerly established with its initial capital on Raelamr/Thurgandarn and Kolin Venuraski was invested as its first Sector Duke.

Great mineral resources were discovered in the Gazolan subsector and these fuelled the rapid expansion of the Duchy. This expansion was not unopposed. Ten years into his reign, Sector Duke Kolin I’s driving ambition led his downfall when he was killed on campaign.

Gazolan subsector was to claim the life of his son and successor, Metch (reigned 550 – 552), before being finally pacified.

The Perrsherrik Rift in Nolgor Subsector halted the march to the Rim for a few years, but by 552 Imperial forces under Sector Duke Kolin II Venuraski had penetrated the Coreward end of the Gazul Subsector.

So, we learn a little more about Duke Kolin’s fate, but not much.

At some stage I wrote a brief biography of him for my Library Data:

Kolin I Venuraski
Kolin Venuraski (478 - 550†), Sector Duke of the Rimworlds 540 - 550. Head of a cadet branch of the House of Deneb, Kolin saw, early on, the possibilities for expansion into the Rimworlds. Through deft manoeuvring, Kolin succeeded in having himself appointed to head the Imperial Commission that considered the Scout Service reports on the Kaorin and Berimar’s Sceptre Subsectors. Shamelessly exploiting his position, Kolin was made Viceroy of the Rimworlds in 525. Pooling the resources of his immediate family, and tapping the fortunes of his cousins, Kolin organised the massed settlement of the Thurgandarn Subsector. Part of his success lay in his ability to recruit talented younger members of the other Houses Major of the Greater Deneb Sector and skilfully exploit their skills and resources to achieve his own great aim. In 540, the years of planning and toil paid off with the creation of the Sector Duchy of the Rimworlds and the investiture of Kolin Venuraski as its first Duke. Ten years later, Kolin’s driving ambition led to his downfall when he was killed on campaign in the Gazolan Subsector, killed, it is said, by a disgruntled gardener.

Hmmm, death by gardener. Sounds a bit like a myth, especially with the “it is said” qualifier, but still a suitably delightful end to such a colourful character.

Having drawn together such threads as exist, I feel the urge to flesh out the narrative a little as there was obviously a major conflict in the Gazolan Subsector which I want to learn more about, and I want to develop Kolin's relationship with Kolin II. But, that’s a project for another day.

History of the RimWorlds #7 – The Klarthur Confederacy: scratching at the surface.

“And later in the bulletin, we will have an extended interview with Lord Saaroi hault-Creaso, Vice-Regal Minister for Exploration, on the implications of Klarthur Confederacy claims to systems in the Riinu and Daltharmai Subsectors to further Imperial expansion in the RimWorlds Sector. But first, results just in from the Berimar’s Sceptre Aeroball League …”

In spite of resistance by the Klarthur Confederacy, the Imperium continued to expand into the RimWorlds. Following the path of least resistance, Imperial colonisation moved Rimward from Berimar’s Sceptre Subsector into Thurgandarn, and then into Nolgor Subsector. The Perrsherrik Rift halted the march to the Rim for a few years, but by 552 Imperial forces under Sector Duke Kolin II Venuraski had penetrated the Coreward end of the Gazul Subsector.

Design Notes:
And this brings us back to the thorny issue of the Klarthur Confederacy. After some thought, I have come to the following conclusions:

The Klarthur Confederacy is named for a nebula – the Klarthur Nebula - in Aemilor Subsector.

The dominant species in the Klarthur Confederacy is the H’ran, an aggressive bipedal reptilian race that were originally raised to sentience under the Thongaloros Empire. Serving as ground forces and shipboard marines for the Empire, the H’ran secured sufficient interstellar shipping during the collapse of the Thongaloros Empire to extend their sway over several systems in the Aemilor Subsector. The H’ran State was on the verge of collapse, as it lacked the industrial base to construct its own starships, when it overran the Gherlach, a much less aggressive but technology-savvy reptilian race.

The Gherlach were assimilated into the H’ran State as a servitor-technician caste but, soon, the Gherlach began to dominate the councils of the H’ran as they were in contact with an isolated clan of Tsalur, the ruling race of the Thongaloros Empire. The Tsalur were content to rule the expanding Klarthur Confederacy through their Gherlach servants, while the H’ran were directed to, initially, wage wars of expansion, and then to resist Imperial expansion where they could.

Accidents in Astrogation – Lymethius Subsector #1

Spinward of Gamelea Subsector lies Lymethius Subsector. Astrographically, Lymethius consists of the Tallu, Kalar-Wi and Yuakteisye Clusters and the Julnar and Aaron Reaches.

Ouron, Finduil and Por’via are Imperial worlds and are considered part of the Julnar Reach and, along with Anar, are part of the Duchy of Gamelea, while the Aaron Reach, named for the bright F5 primary of the Lysarnor System, contains the bulk of the population of the Geithurian Republic at Appaer, Geithur and Lysarnor.

The Tallu Cluster is divided between the Imperium, with its toehold at Anar; the Geithurian Republic, holding Jul’ni and Coroson; and the independent systems of Tallu, Auru and the dead world of Nearo. Only Kidan and Masaad of the Kalar-Wi Cluster lie within Lymethius Subsector. Kidan was seized by Huiha Esoyatre ihatei in 1106 following the collapse of the Kalar-Wi State at the end of the Kalar-Wi War. Now known as Yaitlaorail, the 40,000 Kalar-Wi of Kidan are seeing a massive influx of Esoyatre Aslan moving onto their planet. Yuakteisye Cluster consists of the four systems settled by the Aslan Huiha Esoyatre and lies across most of the trade routes between Lymethius and Cabria Subsectors.

A scattering of systems along the Spinward edge of Lymethius Subsector provide routes further Spinward into Per Vulia Subsector.

The 2nd Rimward War (793 – 794) in Gazul Subsector blunted Imperial consolidation of the Julnar Reach route around the end of the Perrsherrik Rift. The Geithurian Republic and Huiha Esoyatre formed an alliance to prevent further Imperial expansion through the Tallu Cluster and Huiha Esoyatre then became the driving force behind what is now known as the Outrim Alliance. The Outrim Alliance has fought four wars with the Imperium since the early 10th Century to contain Imperial expansion and fix the border fairly much where it is today.

Lymethius Subsector is home to two Major Races – humans of mixed Vilani and Zhodani stock, and Aslan – and three Minor Races: the ursoid Purvions of Tallu, while related to the Purvions of Lithia/Miazan, have a comparatively High Technology civilization and have successfully maintained their independence for nearly 1000 years; the diminutive psionic Aaronites from the warrens of Lysarnor are valued mechanics and crafts-sophonts; while the Tharoysa of Dysa Metharoth have a reputation as shrewd merchants.

There are a number of languages current in Lymethius Subsector:
Cassingal: - dialect of Gazolin Imperial Basic, Cassingal has spread over the coreward border of Gamelea Subsector and is spoken on all the worlds of the Julnar Reach - Tulvan, Julnar, Leminkainen, and Ouron, Finduil and Por'via in the Lymethius Subsector. Gamelea Imperial Basic speakers and Cassingal speakers can understand each other, though quietly laugh at each other’s accents and spelling conventions.
Gamelea Imperial Basic: - spoken on Anar, and by Gamelea Ducal officials on Ouron, Finduil and Por'via.
Kassuriik: - main language of the Purvion Minor Race of Tallu and related to the Kassuriik spoken by the Purvions of Lithia/Miazan.
Khasikha: - Vilani dialect used as a native language by the inhabitants of Appaer/Lymethius and subsequently adopted as the official language of the Geithurian Republic.
Lhosuwha: - main language of the Tharoysa Minor Race of Dysa Metharoth/Lymethius.
Phijudas: - main language of the Aaronite Minor Race of Lysarnor/Lymethius.
Trokh Esoyatre: - dialect of Trokh spoken by Aslan of Huiha Esoyatre of Yuwe, Atlasiykh, Faiwawhwe, Yuakteisye and Yaitlaorail in Lymethius Subsector.
Vriok: - main language of the Kalar-Wi Minor Race spoken on Kalar-Wi and the worlds of the old Kalar-Wi Empire, including Kidan and Masaad in Lymethius Subsector.

Lymethius Subsector contains twenty-six worlds with a total population of 186.202 billion sophonts. The highest population, A, is at Appaer and Yuakteisye, and the highest Tech Level, C, is at Appaer, Yuwe and Tallu.