Maalart Cluster

This is what you know of the Maalart Star Cluster until you get a cluster map. The cluster is comprised of 6 suns, each with their own little solar systems. You will know something about each of them. They are known mainly by the name of their sun, as follows (System/Sun Name - description):

1. Ire - a system of very hot planets where no one really lives, although its believed demons and devils, and appropriate elementals occupy what planets there are. There are 4 planets in this system. Cinder, Pyro and Basalt, which are very hot planets and Korbin which has colossal prehistoric creatures living on it. Landing on the 3 closest to the sun is dangerous due to high temperatures. The nebula Bremin is near this system.

2. Sonstar - There are 4 planets in this system, all of which are dead worlds. The two closest to the sun have volcanic activity; from closest to farthest, Magma and Scoria. The outer two, Tildrin and Epilson, have various weathers, making seeing the surfaces all but impossible. Landing is difficult to impossible, and many scavengers never return so the planets are rumored to be haunted. They both also have two moons each which are pockmarked and devoid of atmosphere. The nebula Tanden is near here.


3. Brielas - The Kelandri Belt is a larger asteroid belt orbiting this sun, which was once a planet that was destroyed. It was a human planet, so many of the refugees living in and on the belt are human, together with various other orphans of the galaxy.  This is the only occupiable land in the system, much of it (not all of it) still having its own air, farming, ore mining and acquired ice fields, all part of the intricate trade system among the lesser merchant families and companies. The export business here is very good.

Rocks of lesser value litter the belt where the salvagers make and break their fortunes. You name it, its done here. From gems and scrap metal to artifacts and relics. Pockets of relics are found here from the long forgotten civilization that perished during the planet's destruction. Rumors of terrible things lurking in the airless places reaches ears for campfire tales.

In the belt, there are 3 good sized chunks of real estate.
    A. Green Acres is an irregular planetoid hodgepodge of families and companies. It houses the Ice factories/fishing businesses, which mine the fresh water ice, purify and desalinate the sea water.  It has been determined that the party will start in Green Acres.
    B. Elysian Fields is a farming/herding planetoid, which is handled by various families.
    C. The Anchor of Phylo (better known as "The Anchor") was an orbitting chunk of planet, but is now a city ship owned by the Cozar Royal Family who spent the last 300 years (and city taxes) building the ship inside it, keeping topside as the great city. This place is specifically known for being neutral territory. Slavery is legal here, and if your debts get too deep, they will sell you into slavery. Anchor also exports more pirates to Crematoria than any other planetary body, aside from the elves.

Also in this solar system is the only remaining planet closer to the sun called Crematoria where a blanket of fire follows the sunrise across the planet and makes the molten ground get swept by the firestorm.  Unpermitted trespassers are arrested upon landing inasmuch as there is only 2 landing fields. On one side of the planet is The Pits, where the penal system, such as it is, is located. Their landing strip is doubled security gated to an underground facility by authorized personnel only. Violent criminals from all over the cluster end up here. Murderers and pirates galore. On the other side of the planet are the mines owned by the Hitchcock Mining Company for ore and oxygen.

Economically in this busy solar system, there is ore mining, ice mining and farming, which generates most jobs and money. The guilds for various trained occupations are found on The Anchor. Other opportunities outside this solar system are nearby worlds in the cluster or the Freeman Naval Port on Space Dock 234, where merchants and the dockmaster hire crewmen for their freighters, whether local or intergalactic. This system is also near the nebula Orion.

4A. Ev Alaee/Bri'Tolaa - This system is one of the only ones with two suns that revolve around each other. It's an ancient elven system, purportedly beautiful to behold. The elves have guarded the star cluster for as long as anyone remembers, having driven off the drowan and illithid fleets in a war some 300 years ago. The elves are notoriously efficient. Their galactic fleet is stationed with the Intergalactic Merchant's Guild at the Freeman Naval Port on Space Dock 234. This is no doubt the entrance and exit into the great galaxies beyond. These docks cater to the colossal, village and town vessels that dot the universe, together with the Alaee's military vessels, which regularly patrol and keep the peace in this star cluster. As Space Dock 234 was destroyed by a rogue Space Witchlight Marauder, the elves have undertook the construction of a new facility.

Concerning the sun, Ev Alaee, theres a small asteroid belt (Celestrial) and a planet closer to the sun (Pon), both are uninhabitable.

4B. Bri'Tolaa is the second sun, not quite a separate solar system proper. It has 3 inhabitable planets revolving around it.
    A. DeLon is mainly inhabited by elves of all sorts,
    B. Whifrae is also basically elves, but there are no buildings of any kind built on the planet. Plant sculpture is the norm.
    C. The third planet, Sophra, is a fae planet, both light and dark varieties, where all sorts of magic exists.

4C. Space Dock 234-- This dock hovered outside the Ev Alaee/Bri'Tolaa system and was the intergalactic hub of this cluster, leading to the universe beyond this sphere. However the Space Witchlight Marauder devoured it as it made its way into the sphere, so the elves continue to keep an eye on it.

 5. Korackth'Ron is the sun, but Korackth'Dre is the ancient dwarven planet, destroyed, burnt to a cinder by the unstable star. It is a hunk of black orbitting in space. This sun is going nova in the next thousand years, but will not affect surrounding systems. This is a prime salvage location.

6.  Hosteel - Clumps of planet debris float in haphazard orbits. The area is so dangerous, nobody even lives there for fear that the clumps will collide, which they did with regularity, however over more recent years there are fewer and fewer of these rocketing planetoid cannonballs, and the system is expected to eventually form an asteroid belt of great magnitude.  This use to be the gnomes home world, but they had to leave due to the devastation caused by the drow and illithid incursion some 300 years ago. They expect to reclaim it after it stabilizes. Nobody is contesting. However no doubt brave salvagers are making a buck, but only the brave.
Wildspace in General
    Wildspace is a mostly airless void, but contains numerous celestial bodies that are in constant motion. It is also home to many creatures that have adapted to and thrive within the emptiness of space. Spelljamming ships of all kinds sail through the void between worlds, exploring and plying their trade. Wildspace has the following traits:

Properties
Wildspace and the inhabiting celestial bodies and phenomena are the only known plane of existence.

Gravity is either non-existent or subjective within Wildspace, depending on the size and shape of the object.
o    Without the Freefall Feat , most actions suffer a -4 penalty in zero gravity (attacks, skill checks, initiaitive rolls, ability checks, as well as losing Dex bonus to AC.), and actions in a low-gravity environment suffer a -2 penalty. The character does not threaten the area around them and cannot perform attacks of opportunity, while any action he takes provokes one.

Normal Time
        This trait describes the way time passes on the Plane. One hour on a plane with normal time equals one hour on the Material Plane. Unless otherwise noted in a description, every plane has the normal time trait. What differs is the rotation of planets, resulting in differing times in a week, month or year. Each system has its own calendar (but for sake of game play, players are on Brielas time).

Wildspace is typically as cool as a mild summer's day, though there are areas where it is notably warmer or colder than the norm. Many sages believe that the older a section of the Void is, the warmer it becomes. There are no seasons in Wildspace, though the closer a ship gets to a sun or a star, the warmer the temperature becomes. Landing on a fire body would conceivably be similar to entering the Elemental Plane of Fire, while certain water bodies are cold enough to be nothing more than a ball of ice.

Alterable morphic.
        On a plane with this trait, objects remain where they are (and what they are) unless affected by physical force or magic. You can change the immediate environment as a result of tangible effort.
            There are however sections of Wildspace that follow varying Morphic Traits (see Morphic Planar Traits)

Fire burns normally within the air-envelope surrounding a ship or planet. Outside of that envelope, however, is a vacuum that will not support combustion. Magical fire (such as the fireball spell) functions normally in space, since it involves the sudden creation of fire that does not require oxygen or a source of fuel. However, it can not cause other materials to burst into flame.

Restricted Magic

Divine or priestly magic functions normally in the Wildspace of a priests native sphere, but is severely hampered when entering the far reaches of space. A priest receives their spells through a connection with their deity, whose efficacy diminishes the further they are from their deities power center in Wildspace (see Icons (magic items)).

Specifically, priest spells of 3rd level and above are not available in places where their god has no worshipers. Faced with this problem, priests have developed a magical item called an icon. These are portable altars that can store the divine energy of their god and transform it into the higher-level priest spells when the god's own bestowal is not available.

Long Range Teleportation and Extra-Dimensional magic that connects to other places and planes, whether summoning outerplanar creatures or enabling extra-dimensional travel does not function in Wildspace. Short range abilities such as Dimension Door, Blink, etc. work normally. These abilities work normally within (limited to) a Gravity Plane (whether planetary, ship or other large body with a gravity plane).

Long Range Communication or Divination like abilities are also inhibited. Thus effects like Telepathy, Mind-Link, Scrying, etc. do not function. These abilities work normally within (limited to) a Gravity Plane.

Flight from natural or granted abilities do not work within Wildspace unless the creature possess a Tactical Speed Rating and/or a Spelljamming Speed Rating/Feat. These abilities work normally within (limited to) a Gravity Plane.

No Elemental or Energy Traits (specific locations may have these traits, however)


Vision and Lighting

Wildspace is considered to be in a constant condition of Shadowy Illumination (as per the PHB).In an area of shadowy illumination, a character can see dimly. Creatures within this area have concealment relative to that character. A creature in an area of shadowy illumination can make a Hide check to conceal itself.
Hazards

        Inside the cluster are also what are termed 'hazards' in Wildspace. Areas or things that are detrimental to the living or the more law biding inclined. There are asteroids and abandoned ships that get taken for resources or scrap eventually. Some have been around as long as anyone can remember. Some following are also known to be about:

Negative Space
    These are essentially leaks, where the fabric of space has been harmed and ruptured, spilling negative material into the prime. They come and go, but when they are there, they represent a hazard because living things will be drained of HP the entire time they're within it. It will bring ships out of cruising speed and can only be avoided. Backing out the way one came in is the best bet. But they also attract the wrong sort of creatures. Stellar undead being one of them, as these undead are made stronger around such areas.

Comet
    Most of these travel at a regular speed, usually in an orbit around the cluster, affected by a particular sun to which they often return, so many settlements have reports of their comings and goings. They're looked forward to because they're relatively large, picking up water molecules as they go and are therefore one of the largest providers of ice water and air.

Nebula
    A nebula is a distinct luminescent part of interstellar medium, which can consist of ionized, neutral, or molecular hydrogen and also cosmic dust. They tend to interfere with visibility and some have gases that can take air or pollute it unless one knows how to traverse them. They cover vast areas of space and are dangerous obstacles. There are 3 inside the Maalart Cluster (Bremin, Tanden & Orion), and they separate the main cluster from the Outer Rim. The Alteri do not patrol the Outer Rim. It's said to be wise to avoid the nebula in general.

Black Hole
    A black hole is a region of spacetime where gravity is so strong that nothing, including light or other electromagnetic waves, has enough energy to escape it. There are none in the Malaart Cluster but they're purported to be outside of it.
The Outer Rim

    Think of the Cluster as a balloon full of water. The main cluster is near the exit of the balloon (aka Space Dock 234). The Nebula move around the interior nearest to the main cluster. They are Bremin (a green hue), Tanden (a purple hue) & Orion(a red hue). The ribbon of Nebula is such that you have to traverse one of them in order to reach the Outer Rim. This is generally believed to be calculated by weeks, as any Nebula takes up so much space. Its not considered advantageous by merchants and traders to do business in the Outer Rim as the hazards to get there make the whole journey unprofitable.
    Pirate coves, independent idiots and barbaric societies are said to exist there, but finding someone who's come from the Outer Rim is a very rare one indeed. Their planets don't seem to travel space much.

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