Galactic Atlas

Inferi Prime is dominated by small red, orange, and white stars, with open spaces between them and very few nebulae to be seen. Many of its systems have remained undisturbed for millions of years, which has created one of the oldest stellar gardens in the galaxy. It is home to many ancient planetary systems, deeply established ecosystems, and worlds whose geology and climates have slowly matured over immense spans of time such as vast deserts, shallow seas, eroded mountains, and fossil worlds. Many of the habitable planets orbit stars that are approaching the end of their lifetimes, while rare minerals and exposed strata are more common than elsewhere. The conditions of Inferi have fostered several ancient civilizations that place importance on conservation, long-standing alliances, and careful distribution of valuable resources. But not all have prospered equally, and some declining states increasingly turn to the reclamation or plunder of ancient worlds, abandoned colonies, and weaker unallied powers to secure their future.

The Inner Ring is the densely packed stellar region immediately beyond the Umbral Ring surrounding Umbra, the supermassive black hole at the center of the galaxy. It is among the most volatile regions of known space, characterized by young stars, binary star systems, and unstable stellar nurseries. On many Inner Ring worlds, the night sky never becomes entirely dark. Nearby stars cast a perpetual twilight across planetary landscapes from all directions, while elevated background radiation makes planets with thick atmospheres or powerful magnetic fields favorable for habitation. The Inner Ring is also the most heavily traveled and fiercely contested region of the galaxy. Throughout the ages, civilizations have risen and fallen in their struggle to control the slipstream junctions that converge upon the Umbral Ring, making the region the political, economic, and strategic heart of known civilization.