Quick facts:Hades system
2531 (official)
Hades is an unclaimed system. It is accessible only through territories controlled by pirates and thus isolated. Hades is best known for the remains of the Hadesian civilization. Formerly claimed by the United Planets of Earth, it was abandoned a second time in 2546. All planets in the system are inhospitable due to an conflict in ancient times which left Hades I, II, and III devastated and contaminated. Hades IV was even bifurcated by an unknown device.[1]
History
Hadesian Settlement
290 000 - 300 000 BCE SEY Hades was settled by an space-faring civilization named the 'Hadesians' by humans. They settled on at least two planet of the four planets in the system. They shared a written language and culture. Trade and travel between the planets existed.[1][2][3]
Hadesian Civil War
Most likely in a series of wars, the Hadesians destroyed the atmosphere of the planets they were living in for reasons unknown to later discoverers. Hades IV was split into two parts by a single doomsday device.[1]
It is not known whether Hades had access to the existing wormholes at this time (probably harming their abilities to expand), or if the realignment of the wormholes first isolated them from their parent civilisation (i.e. see collapse of the Oretani jump-point).
Rediscovery
The jump-point into Hades (from Nexus) was re-discovered by humans in 2515 by the Merry Crow, a tramp freighter with stolen goods, who hid its discovery.[1][4][5]
Jake Tapps, former navigator, sold the navigation data of the jump-point after the ship was destroyed and his crew were killed in 2529. He notes his reason was to finance his SLAM addiction. The system was entered, mapped out, and registered by the Dynamo Corporation in 2531.
Dynamo's exploration ships soon discovered ruins of its former inhabitants. Initial plans to terraform the planets were given up and the findings were sold to the United Planets of Earth who claimed the system. The devastated, tomb-like state of the planets lead to the nickname Hades. This nickname was later officially adopted by the UPE.
Messer Era
In the time before the rise of Ivar Messer, the system was extensively searched by xenoarchaeologists. In 2541 the UPE retracted their protection to support the Tevarin War effort. The newly formed United Empire of Earth left the system entirely unprotected. The void was filled by treasure hunters, and researchers needed to contract private companies for their security.[1]
In 2647, the xenoarchaeological faculty of the Astravin University at Cestulus published a paper which theorized that the Hadesian civilization had been wiped out in a interplanetary war.[1]
Imperator Corsen Messer V later adopted the theory that the Hadesians possessed advanced weapon technology and organized a search effort, which was conducted by UEE marine forces. In the process artifacts and ruins were irretrievably destroyed.[1]
Post-Messer Era
After the downfall of the regime, in 2792, hundreds of academic institutions signed a petition asking the UEE to reclaim the system, however, due to the ongoing conflict with the Vanduul, the petition was refused.[1]
To this day, thousands of structures have been identified on the planets and artifact and technology hunts continue. Goods excavated or shipped from the Hades System without the approval of the Department of Xenoarchaeology are considered contraband by the Advocacy.[4]
Etymology
Hades was named after the Greek god and personification of the underworld. It was given this name due the 'grandiose level of destruction' on Hades IV and the tomb-like state of the worlds.[1][4]
The Hades Cryptid
Travelers to the system often swear that it is haunted. Also known as "Hades Satan", "Tobias" and "Thanatos", the mysterious Hades Cryptid has had reported sightings over the years by Humans, Banu and Xi'an. The creature has been described as lacking skin, with blue veins and blue musculature visible on the being's surface. However whenever someone tries to get a good look at it, it vanishes.[2]
"I had put my ship on automatic, bearing for Hades III, and then climbed down to the middeck. As I stepped toward the hold, I caught sight of something in the darkness. I couldn't say it was even Human, but Humanoid at least. I had an immediate impression of a body with exposed musculature, covered in blue-hued veins. It turned to look right at me when my ship suddenly rocked. It was gone. It was a nanosecond of an encounter, but I was left with a terrible sense of presence. It was as though I'd seen something my mind couldn't understand. The feeling never passed. I sold the ship when I got home; it didn't feel like mine anymore."
Eli Thorn, Navjumper on the Hades Cryptid.[4]
Gravitational governors
Hades
Hades is a F-type main sequence 'blue-white B9 IV' star. If planet II, III, IV had not been devastated by the war, they would probably hardly be habitable today, as they are outside the green band due to the decrease in emissions from the star. The Galactic Guide notes that this observation stands 'in seeming contradiction to the age of other stars in the stellar neighborhood'.[4]
Planets
Hades I
The only planet which lies in the 'inner edge' of the green band. The cratered planet probably once had an atmosphere.[6]
Hades II
Once a settled planet, the remaining ruins of Hadesian cities lay under a thick layer of ash that preserves them from the sharp winds. Most of the ruins above the ash layer have been eroded over time.[7]
Hades III
This 'smog planet' planet has a toxic and high pressured atmosphere. Access to the planet is therefore complicated. The extreme conditions have eroded most of the surface ruins but scans indicate ruins have survived under the surface.[8]
Hades IV
Hades IV is the famous 'half planet', and is officially designated a '0.5' planet by UEE authorities. The world was split in two distinct halves 'likely impacted by a weapon of mass destruction' . It is unknown if it was ever settled by the Hadesians.[9]
Known jump points
| Jump gate | Direction | Size | Destination |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hades - Cathcart | Bidirectional | Medium | Cathcart - Hades, in Cathcart system |
| Hades - Nemo | Bidirectional | Large | Nemo - Hades, in Nemo system |
| Hades - Nexus | Bidirectional | Large | Nexus - Hades, in Nexus system |
Loremaker's Guide to the Galaxy
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 1.6 1.7 1.8
- ↑ 2.0 2.1
- ↑ Loremakers Guide also discussed the possibility that more than one species inhabitated the system: 'One possibility is that they were all settled by three different species. Another is that only one species inhabited all of the planets and then splintered into enemy factions.'
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 4.3 4.4
- ↑ The Galactapedia re-iterated previous information given by the older Galactic Guide. According to the GC the system was discovered in 2515 by the Merry Crow. The GP instead notes that the crew decided to not enter the system and hid the discovery of the jump-point. The GC also claimed that the discovery was 'formally' attributed to Jake Tapps in 2531. An information which did not appear in the GP.
- ↑
- ↑
- ↑
- ↑