Locus Astra
| Information | |
|---|---|
| Discovery / Notable Events | Main campaign setting |
| Planet or Sphere | Sphere |
| Relevant Mod(s) | Misc/All |
"Don't you want to make history?" — HSC Representative
Locus Astra is a sphere world located within the anomaly field known as the Worldbridge. Unlike most spheres, whose connections to other passing spheres and planets shift unpredictably over time, Locus Astra exhibits an unprecedented degree of stability.
Due to its unique position at the intersection of numerous fractured pathways, Locus Astra is regarded as one of the most significant discoveries in the modern era. It serves as the focal point of the Pathfinding Initiative and is widely uncharted and unexplored prior to the initiative’s first wave being sent.
Unique Properties
Warp Gates function by creating a stable corridor through the Great Empty through which ships can travel. Spheres, when they pass close to one another, can create these corridors themselves, to allow for people to venture from one sphere to another.
What is unique about Locus Astra is that it creates entirely stable connections between spheres, all on its own. These currents form spontaneously and remain stable for extended periods of time, even slowing the movement of the passing sphere to remain in its own orbit for longer. This allows Locus Astra to be an impressive hub to other spheres, as it can maintain a number of stable connections for long enough periods to launch expeditions.
Discovery
Locus Astra was formally identified by the Wayfarer’s Guild during a series of deep-space surveys into poorly charted regions of space. Initial reports were met with skepticism. The notion of a sphere maintaining dozens of reliable connections simultaneously contradicted prevailing models of the Great Empty (even if such models are notoriously inaccurate due to the Empty’s ever-shifting nature). However, the supplied readings and analysis of the sphere confirmed it.
The discovery rapidly became the subject of intense scientific and political interest, driving long-term discussions and debates within the High Stellar Council.
Geography
Locus Astra possesses a remarkably varied environment, containing extensive grasslands, mountain ranges, dense forests, inland seas, and regions exhibiting localized magical anomalies.
No single biome dominates the planet.
Excerpt from Wayfarer’s Guild Navigator, Vespera Aguilar
“We’ve yet to see any severe weather since we got here, so I’m curious if big tornadoes or hurricanes or any kind of extreme weather events happen on this sphere. No volcanoes yet, but I’ll bet there’s some interesting things underground if you go digging. Henry and Horace nearly fell into a ravine, so that points to some possible tectonic plate action, and the presence of mountains further supports that.”
Magical Phenomenon
Locus Astra appears uniquely home to several strange forms of magic and magical phenomena. This includes differences in magic systems and casting, and the reported discovery of ritual sites that don’t quite resemble anything seen before. The High Stellar Council encourages Pathfinders to be on the look out for things like this.
Excerpt from Kailani “Lani” Koa
“I didn’t really like what we found out in the woods. It felt bad. I don’t like being under all the dense leaves anyway, but even Captain Sherazi was put off and she prefers the trees to the open sky. None of us recognized any of these sigils. It looks like a ritual of some sort, but nothing we could identify. Captain advised us to leave it be for now, future expeditions will have to be careful about these things.”
The Worldbridge
Locus Astra resides within the pocket of the Great Empty known as the Worldbridge. Of all known pockets of the Great Empty, the Worldbridge appears unique to Locus Astra in that it allows for long-term connections to form between Locus Astra and other spheres. The mechanisms behind this phenomenon remain unknown. Whether Locus Astra as a sphere is influencing the surrounding Worldbridge field, or if the Worldbridge field is influencing Locus Astra, is currently unknown.
Notable Locations
The Anchor
The Anchor serves as the Pathfinding Initiative's main hub and central town on Locus Astra, marking the first settlement on the sphere in the modern era. While a little barebones at first, it is your home away from home...
