Hapes Cluster
A Closer Look At The Cluster
The Hapes Cluster is a region of space - typically regarded as a sector in its own right - that the Hapes Consortium has held dominion over for four thousand years. It is situated in the Inner Rim of the Galaxy, Galactic North by Galactic East in the Slice, between the Perlemian and Trellen trade routes. It borders Neshig, Japrael and the Ktilac Regions.
The sector is a grouping of several thousand stars within the nebula known as the Transitory Mists. The Mists are characterised by an assortment of massive gravity wells, ion storms, and concentrations of cosmic dust that greatly impedes hyperspace travel to the region and has kept the inhabitants of the Cluster mostly isolated from the rest of the galaxy over the course of several millennia. Few hyperspace routes in to the sector are considered safe to navigate, forcing travelers to enter the Cluster through either Lorell or Roqoo.
Official records of charted celestial bodies within the Hapes Cluster indicates that the Hapes Consortium is made up of close to one hundred planets and an assortment smaller planetoids, spread across six distinct astrographic regions. The sector's high density of stars, nebulae and moons bathes its worlds - particularly Hapes Prime - in bright light, which has caused the native Hapans to lose most of their night vision.
In historic times, it was typically said that the Hapes Consortium consisted of either 63 systems or 63 worlds. While colonisation and settlement programs have since expanded the number of inhabited worlds, and astrographic charts have become considerably more reliable over the millennia, the historic number remains firmly imbedded as a basic "fact" about the Hapes Cluster.
Political Map
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Laws & Regulations for Visitors
Travel to the Hapes Cluster
Individuals who are not citizens of the Hapes Consortium, yet considering travels that will take them to the Hapes Cluster, should refer to the Territorial Security Act. Travelling within the Hapes Cluster beyond Lorell is strictly forbidden without prior authorization, including trips to the city of Haporium on Hapes Prime for the purpose of collecting individuals in need of transport.
Local Laws and Regulations
Individuals visiting Hapan space, even if their visit is limited to the Lorell system, should familiarize themselves with Hapan Laws and Regulations. Ignorance of the law is not an excuse, and offenders are prosecuted to the furthest extent of the law when not outright considered undeclared combatants.
Astrographic Regions
Lorelli Reach
The Lorelli Reach is the region of the Hapes Cluster closest to the Galactic Centre, situated Rimward. Essentially a bottleneck, the region contains the Lorell system, which forms a void in the surrounding Transitory Mists regions, which are known as the Keltros Expanse and Dillaem Wall.
The Knot Holes, essentially a major hyperlane junction with numerous rifts in the Mists, is located just beyond Lorell, sprinkled with automated beacons guiding ships towards their destination so that they do not risk flying blind in to the hazardous nebulea. Chosper, Andalia, Sennex, Daruvvia and Ket are other systems located within the Lorelli Reach, most of them along the Lorell Route, which extends from the Knot Holes and in to the Rifle Worlds region.
Rifle Worlds
The Rifle Worlds region is situated west in the Hapes Cluster. Its name derives from the historical heavy weapons manufacturing infrastructure that was located here, essentially serving as the Hapes Consortium's foremost industrial hub. The Lorell Route intersects with the Gallinore Reach route, the Rynmar Trail, and the Great Rim Route within this region, all leading to different areas of the Hapes Cluster.
The region's most prominent system is Charubah, which has historically been a dominant player in Rifle Worlds affairs. However, the Maires system is also considered to be among the Cluster's most significant, due to the aquatic race known as the Mairans. The species is native to the Hapes Cluster, and also an influentual faction of the Hapes Consortium. They have often been at odds with the inhabitants of their neighbouring system Vergill, which also enjoys a high standing within Hapan political circles.
The other systems of this region are Lovala, Modus, Cheruba, Wodan, Algnadesh, Divora, and Relephon.
Gateworlds
Situated north in the Hapes Cluster, the Gateworlds are considered to be fairly remote by Hapan standards. The name of the region comes from its proximity to the Rifle Worlds and the Interior, and also because of the Rynmar Trail which provides convenient access to the northern end of the Rim Worlds region without having to travel through the Corsair Outback.
Consisting of a mere four star systems, the region has seen sporadic exploitation of local natural resources in the form of mining activity, but its importance is considered fairly low in Hapan political circles, despite recent attempts to encourage settlement. Systems of this region are Sargorn, Febrini, Zadaria and Phelope.
Corsair Outback
Named for pirates who plagued the Hapes Consortium in its infancy the Corsair Outback is seldom visited, save for those travel through the region on their way to the Rim Worlds and those who earn their living working the sparsely populated planets. The planets are characterised by harsh conditions, though the region has seen periodic industrial development throughout the history of the Hapes Cluster. Systems of this region are Jodaka, Stalsinek and Nantuker.
Hapan Rim Worlds
Named for its remote location within the Hapes Cluster, as well as proximity to the rest of the Galaxy, the Rim Worlds region extends around the Cluster in the south to the north-east. While essentially the backwater of the Cluster, the region has a variety of commerical and industrial activity, and population centres of various prominence.
The Terephon system, located in the densest populated area of the region, is considered to be the most important system of the region, and is also where the Great Rim Route intersects with the Hapan Spine coming from Roqoo. Close by is the enigmatic and virtually abandoned Maad system, situated in a pocket of the dense and hazardous Transitory Mists region known as Rivved Space, and only accessible by a complicated route known as The Throat.
The Rynmar Trail from the Gateworlds ends in the Rynmar system, which is close to Zalori and Rainboh. Other systems of the region include k'Farri, Calfa, Dreena, and Reboam. Of note are also the stars Orelon and Roqoo, both orbited by major asteroid fields with minor outposts. The latter of the two is located on the Hapan Spine hyper route, and serves as a junction for entering and leaving the Hapes Cluster, with Roqoo Depot being a popular refueling station and customs port.
Interior
The Interior region is the densest region of the Hapes Cluster, containing a total of twenty-three star systems in extreme close proximity, many of which are the most prominent and wealthy worlds of the sector. At the centre of the region is the Hapes system which contains the Hapes Consortium's capital and throneworld Hapes Prime and its seven iconic moons.
Many of the systems of this region are famed either for their abundant natural resources, distinct cultural traits and abilities, or local natural wonders. Such include Gallinore and their Rainbow Gems, Ut and their talented singers, and Selab and its Trees of Wisdom. Other systems of this region are Novi, Farnica, Sivoria, Talcharaim, Baldavia, Theselon, Millinar, Lalmy'ash, Archais, Jovaria, Thrakia, Lemmi, Harterra, Arabanth, Carlania, Ediorung, Tumani, Tinta, and Rbollea.
The region is shielded in the south and east by the Transitory Mist regions known as the Temporal Clouds, Ta'a Chume's Veil, and Scoteian Mists, which can only be traversed in the north via the Rynmar Trail from the Gateworlds. Situated within Ta'a Chume's Veil is the five star cluster known as Queen Mother's Pearls, which also contains an asteroid field with an outpost used for collecting scientific data on space phenomena.
Want to read more about the Hapes Cluster? Check out our Library entry for it!