Shardplain

Shardplain

At a glance

  • World Type: Mid-industrial manufacturing and resource world (Caraphex constellation)

  • Primary Role: Industrial tools and rig assemblies for mining, ship-breaking, construction, and salvage

  • Constellation Link: Ravel (labor clades) → Shardplain (tools) → Pitchmire (hydrocarbons) → Mandible Reach (ship-breaking/escrow)

  • Reputation: Reliable tooling, strict contracts, fast calibration services, long shifts

  • Key Institutions: Toolmaker Combine, Calibration Directorate, Port Inspectorate Liaison Office, Clade Labor Councils, Debt Court Annex, Licensed Escrow Houses (Mandible-linked)

  • Primary Imports: Hydrocarbons and lubricants (Pitchmire), water in sealed meters (Vellari worlds), ore and alloy billets (Talarq and belt stations), rig frames and scrap feed (Mandible Reach)

  • Primary Exports: Rated tools and cutting heads, drill arrays, haul-rig parts, calibration stamps, safety labels, installation crews

Role in the galaxy

Shardplain supplies the galaxy with standard, rated tools. Its factories produce cutting, drilling, fastening, lifting, and survey gear used by core carriers, belt miners, construction crews, and ship-breakers. Ports on Shardplain also run fast calibration yards where crews refresh tool ratings, replace wear parts, and receive legal stamps that courts and insurers recognize. Many convoys route through Shardplain to re-tool before high-risk jobs.

Geography and environment

The world has wide, hard flats with high silica content and layered mineral shelves. Open-pit mines surround most industrial basins. Heat is common during long daylight cycles. Dust is sharp and persistent. Respirators, sealed suits, and eye shields are routine outside controlled zones. Most population centers sit near foundry rings, calibration yards, and bonded warehouse belts.

History and USD markers

  • USD 0027.0: Caraphex constellation is formalized with Shardplain named the tooling hub.

  • USD 0032.5: The Calibration Directorate publishes the SP-Grade series (SP-1 to SP-7). Kedra courts begin citing SP-Grades in tariff and liability rulings.

  • USD 0048.0: Mobile calibration teams gain legal status. Shardplain opens roaming yards that service belt stations and moving ship-yards.

  • USD 0064.6: Mixed-crew standards roll out. Plants adopt dual pay channels and separate ID handling for machine and organic workers.

  • USD 0082.0: Seal and stamp fraud wave. Joint stings with Kedra lead to stricter stamp materials and encrypted serials.

  • USD 0106.2: Caraphex labor coercion cases rise. Free Companies contract with clade councils to protect convoys and mediate work quotas tied to export peaks.

Government and law

Shardplain is run by a Prefecture under Caraphex clade governance. It mirrors Central Authority trade law and recognizes Kedra rulings.

  • Debt Court Annex: Handles lien priority on unfinished orders, wage disputes, and equipment seizures.

  • Port Inspectorate Liaison: Verifies beacon permits, checks blacklist records, and audits calibration stamps.

  • Clade Labor Councils: Set shift limits, safety baselines, and training rules for tool operation and handling.

  • Compliance Office: Polices counterfeit stamps, mislabeled alloys, and unlicensed mobile yards.

Law is document-driven. Every tool lot has a batch file, alloy sheet, wear schedule, and calibration record. Violations lead to fines, blacklisting, or asset seizure.

Economy

The economy centers on rated tools and service contracts. Foundries convert ore and billet into blanks. Assembly lines fit bearings, seals, cutters, and telemetry. Calibration yards test torque, heat tolerance, and wear counts, then apply stamps.
Price drivers: alloy costs, hydrocarbon flows from Pitchmire, convoy timing, and inspection capacity. Rush jobs pay high surcharges. When convoys bunch up, bonded storage, spare rigs, and calibration slots sell out.

Ports and industrial districts

  • Port Strake: Main entry for core carriers; direct rail to Foundry Basin 17 and the Calibration Ring.

  • Port Halver: Bulk inbound for ore, billet, and hydrocarbon tanks; bonded warehouses with lien-linked locks.

  • Foundry Basin 17 (FB-17): Largest melt and billet line; includes refractory shops and heat-treat towers.

  • Calibration Ring: Test stands, torque cells, wear tunnels, and stamp halls; issues SP-stamps and service life logs.

  • Tool Bazaar (Licensed): Registered vendors only; every item cross-checked against batch files and logs.

  • Escrow Row: Mandible-linked houses hold payment keys, tool release conditions, and return-for-credit terms.

  • Inspectorate Campus: Beacon-permit checks, blacklist review, and sample destructive testing.

  • Worker Habs: Modular blocks close to plants; clinics, training halls, and ration depots included.

Standards and technology

  • SP-Grades (SP-1 to SP-7): Clear ladder of material strength, heat tolerance, and expected service life.

  • Calibration Stamps: Encrypted serial, date, test profile, and inspector ID. Stamps expire on a fixed schedule or upon reaching the wear count.

  • Safety Labels: Conform to high-temperature and mechanical hazard rules. Labels include pictograms, max torque, max temp, and PPE requirements.

  • Service Logs: Each tool lot has a traceable log stored on Shardplain and mirrored to trusted compute nodes (common mirror: Brightline).

  • Telemetry: Higher-tier rigs broadcast torque, heat, and shock data for warranty and safety compliance.

Society and culture

Life is simple and work-oriented. People value tool literacy, on-time delivery, and clean records. Training starts early with assembly basics, safety rules, and batch filing. Shifts are long but scheduled. Many families include at least one plant worker and one yard technician.
Languages: Trade Common is standard. Caraphex work-cant is used on the floor. Foremen and inspectors often learn Kedra legal terms and Keth navigation jargon for documentation.

Factions and power players

  • Toolmaker Combine: Consortium of the largest foundries and assembly lines; negotiates export quotas and alloy purchases.

  • Calibration Directorate: Sets SP-Grades, audit methods, and stamp materials; controls inspector licensing.

  • Clade Labor Councils: Worker representation; manages training, shift rotations, and safety enforcement.

  • Escrow Houses (Mandible-linked): Hold payment and release keys; reduce non-payment risk on large orders.

  • Port Inspectorate Liaison: Coordinates with Central Authority to fight counterfeit stamps and mislabeled alloys.

  • Free Companies: Contracted for convoy escort, strike security, and evidence collection during disputes.

  • Syndicate Brokers (covert): Seek to push downgraded tools as higher grades; target small vendors.

Relations with other worlds

  • Ravel: Supplies trained clade labor for heavy lines and remote mobile yards.

  • Pitchmire: Delivers hydrocarbon feedstocks and lubricants; shortages slow assembly and testing.

  • Mandible Reach: Buys rugged tool sets for ship-breaking; hosts escrow mirrors for high-value lots.

  • Talarq hubs: Provide refractory tech and alloy expertise; joint safety labeling is common.

  • Kedra: Resolves tariff disputes, lien conflicts, and counterfeit cases tied to SP-Grades and stamps.

  • Slipwind (Keth): Routes and beacon updates used to plan safe delivery windows to belts and moving yards.

  • Brightline: Mirrors service logs and holds warranty compute for premium contracts.

  • Vellari nodes: Supply sealed water for cooling and cleaning; meter seals are checked on arrival.

Security and crime

Main risks are paperwork and quality fraud. Common cases include counterfeit calibration stamps, mislabeling of alloy grade, stolen batch files, and sale of used tools as new. Yard theft and diversion of small lots occur during convoy peaks. Enforcement teams run surprise audits, pull samples for destructive tests, and compare serials against mirrors. Repeat offenders face blacklisting across the constellation.

Risks and pressure points

  • Supply shocks: Hydrocarbon or alloy shortages delay orders and raise prices.

  • Backlog spikes: Convoy waves clog calibration rings and bonded stores.

  • Labor pressure: Quota pushes can cause safety lapses; councils respond with slowdowns or audits.

  • Data tampering: Attackers target service logs and stamp serials; mirrors reduce damage but not all losses.

  • Warranty disputes: Telemetry gaps or broken seals can void coverage and trigger fast seizures.