Regions and Structure

Core

The Core holds the oldest and most established worlds in the galaxy. Cities sprawl across continents and orbitals crowd the skies. Every major faction has an office here: Central Authority councils, Mega-Corporate towers, planetary embassies, banks, data guilds, and legal registries. Movement in the Core is slow due to layers of permits, inspections, and tariffs. A ship docking at a major Core port will go through multiple inspections, and each agency will want a fee or a stamp.

Economy. Core worlds produce refined goods, high-value medical supplies, identity records, and advanced ship components. They also run training academies for officers, navigators, and inspectors.

Law. Core law is strict and bureaucratic. Appeals are possible, but they take weeks or months. Enforcement focuses on protecting insured cargo, contracts tied to large banks, and Mega-Corporate supply chains.

Everyday Life. Housing is scarce and expensive. Crowded arcologies keep most citizens packed into small units. Entertainment is formalized — theaters, licensed music halls, registered gambling dens — but many people still gather in street festivals, backroom bars, and debt-union meetings.

Tone. The Core promises order but delivers bureaucracy and corruption. To thrive here, a crew must be skilled in paperwork, bribes, and connections.

Mid

The Mid connects the Core to the Rim. It is where industry, trade, and culture mix. Mid worlds are diverse — some are shipbuilding hubs, others agricultural exporters, others education or entertainment centers. Goods from the Rim flow in for processing, refining, and redistribution to the Core.

Economy. Fabrication belts produce parts for ships and stations. Export zones ship grain, fuel, and raw materials outward. Repair yards are common, ranging from fully licensed drydocks to independent patchwork hangars. Training academies for navigators, mechanics, and Free Company operatives draw students from all species.

Law. Enforcement is uneven. Some Mid ports run on Core-style regulations with inspectors and tariffs. Others allow Syndicates to collect tolls unofficially. Bribes, favors, and “local fees” are common. Crews often must navigate different rules from one port to the next.

Everyday Life. Housing is mixed. Mid citizens live in workable apartments, crew dorms, and old domes patched together. Culture is vibrant: food stalls from every species, gambling houses, mid-tier entertainment venues, and black-market exchanges. The Mid is where cross-species crews often form and where loyalties stretch across factions.

Tone. The Mid is unstable but profitable. The laws change from world to world, but if you know who to pay, you can move almost anything.

Rim

The Rim is the frontier of the galaxy. Law is sparse, routes are long, and maintenance is poor. Syndicates and Cartels often control checkpoints, storage yards, and ports. Debt courts work fast, often ruling in favor of whoever pays the judge or owns the port. Prison labor is common, and sentences are easily converted into lifetime work contracts.

Economy. The Rim is resource-rich. Mining belts, harvest seas, and drilling stations provide bulk ore, raw fuel, water, and agricultural goods. Most of this is sold cheap to Core and Mid corporations. Salvage is a major industry — old stations, abandoned colonies, and wrecked ships are stripped for parts. Smuggling thrives in these conditions, as Syndicates provide faster credit than banks.

Law. “Law” is often just whoever has weapons and claims authority. Syndicates run many ports. Some Planetary Governments maintain armed militias, but they are usually underfunded and corrupt. Most disputes end in bribes, favors, or violence.

Everyday Life. Housing is crude: prefabs, bunkers, or old ship hulls used as shelters. Medicine is scarce and expensive. Most Rim citizens live by seasonal jobs, short contracts, or Syndicate ties. Entertainment is loud and direct: fight rings, gambling, and music halls where crews gather to spend fast credits.

Tone. The Rim is dangerous and raw. It offers fast opportunities but higher risk than anywhere else. Crews here either get rich quickly or die in debt.

Between

The Between refers to everything not fixed on a planetary surface: stations, depots, scrapyards, prisons, labs, farms, and mines. Every long jump requires passing through these stops for fuel, water, or permits. These are lifelines of the galaxy, but also some of its most dangerous places.

Economy. Stations provide resupply, trade, and repair. Depots handle fuel and sealed water. Scrapyards strip old ships into parts for resale. Farms and domes produce protein, algae, and hydroponics. Prisons double as factories or mines, with inmates working contracts.

Law. Jurisdiction is unclear. Some stations are Core-chartered, others corporate-run, and others Syndicate-controlled. Many stations exist in “grey law,” where no one claims ownership but everyone charges fees. Pirates often use hidden stations to resupply.

Everyday Life. Station life is cramped and transactional. Air, water, and waste cycles must be maintained constantly. Workers are often locked into debt contracts with the station itself, meaning they cannot leave until they pay off rent, food, and air fees. Visitors must be careful; disputes often escalate quickly in confined spaces.

Tone. The Between is essential but risky. Crews depend on it for survival but know that most accidents, disputes, or betrayals happen here.