Falcon's Fall Gamma

Falcon’s Fall Gamma is a feral world currently under the supposed protection of a half-dozen dynasties. The somewhat intractable nature of the planet’s human population and the winding and harsh terrain makes large scale colonization without local cooperation nearly impossible. The most successful colonies have been established alongside pre-existing settlements, but it is generally assumed that war is brewing between the various dynasty-sponsored nations. Falcon’s Fall Gamma is relatively mineral rich and has a seasonal cycle suitable for crop cultivation. The local tech level (pre-contact) had barely advanced past iron-working and complex masonry.

Geography

Star Type:

 

• Luminous: Though it is has been long eons since this star has shone at its brightest, a constant glow nonetheless provides for the system. It is likely to be yellow or yellow-orange in color.

System Features:

 

• Ill-Omened: There are places throughout the galaxy that are blighted by unseen forces, undetectable by the finest sensors the Adeptus Mechanicus can construct, unknowable to the calculations of their best cogitators, and even imperceptible to the Warp-attuned eyes of Navigators. For whatever reason, some regions are simply cursed. Places truly bearing the mark of a curse are exceedingly rare. Still, for every such unfathomable anomaly, there are hundreds of clusters hanging under a shroud of legend and circumstance just as capable of ruining the fortunes of an unprepared Rogue Trader. Some of the most famous parts of the Expanse are little better understood than the eternal gloom of the Far Corpse Stars. For generations, they have been the subject of dread rumor sparked by the smallest scrap of charnel truth. Whole crews have mutinied upon hearing they were to embark for the Noctis Cluster, the Crimson Labyrinth, or the Silver Vaults. Despite all this, there are still many who are mad enough to brave the light of these stars in hope of vast treasures, or to drown out their baleful influence with the Emperor’s light. Some such efforts have been launched simply by the ego of a successful captain, who could not tolerate the idea that such a place was barred to him.
• Additional Special Rules: All Willpower Tests made within this System are made at an extra 2 black dice penalty.
• Additional Special Rules: Whenever an Explorer would gain Insanity Points while within this System, double the amount of Insanity Points they gain.
• Additional Special Rules: Attempting to use Psychic Techniques from the Divination Discipline to gain information about the System or anything within it requires the user to pass a Difficult Fear Test before they can attempt the Focus Power Test.

Inner Cauldron:

 

• Radiation Bursts:

  Unlike most System Elements, Radiation Bursts do not represent an actual presence within the System. Instead, they exert an influence over the Solar Zone in which they are present (almost invariably the Inner Cauldron). The Detection bonus of any ship in the affected area is halved, as constant low-grade interference degrades any readings gathered. In addition, activity within an affected star can result in a surge of radiation throughout the Solar Zone. Such surges tend to be infrequent, spaced over periods of weeks, months, or more, but can occur as often as every 1d5 days after a sufficient build-up. Spotting the fluctuations that precede a radiation surge requires an Ordinary (+10) Scrutiny +Detection Test. Avoiding the effects requires leaving the affected Solar Zone, sheltering behind a nearby Planet or Gas Giant, or by temporarily insulating the ship’s augers with a Hard (–20) Tech–Use Test. Any ship caught unprotected within the area of effect suffers the effects of a Sensors Damaged critical result (Rogue Trader Core Rules pg 222), and additionally, cannot send or receive vox transmissions. This Damage cannot be repaired until at least 1d5 hours after the surge, due to the lingering presence of these ravaging energies. A Solar Zone generated with multiple instances of Radiation Bursts further degrades the efficiency of augers within the affected area. The Detection bonus of affected ships is reduced by 5 per additional instance of the System Element after being halved.

• Gravity Riptide:

  Though planet-dwellers consider gravity a universal constant, experienced voidsmen know that it can be a harsh and fickle force. In systems with multiple stars or large gas giants, gravity can behave strangely; sometimes in seeming defiance to the laws of physics. The most feared phenomena are the gravitational rip-tides found near gas giants during the conjunction of their larger moons, or at the midpoints of binary star-systems. Most avoid them, but a skilled, or insane, helmsman may try and use the flux to his advantage. (Rogue Trader Core Rules pg 227)

Tourism

Falcon's Fall Gamma One

Planet:

An incredible diversity of worlds can be found throughout the galaxy. They can differ in their basic make-up, as between gas giants and the more common orbs of stone and soil, as well as in their specifics, such as the elements and materials that comprise them.

Large Body:

Worlds of this size can range across a vast spectrum of possible types.Normal Gravity: This planet's gravity is roughly Terran Standard.

Moderate Atmospheric Pressure:

Atmospheres in this range produce no ill effects due to lack or overabundance of air, though they can still be Toxic or Corrosive.

Deadly Atmosphere:

An atmosphere of this sort is little more than a vast acid bath. Anyone not protected by a full environmental seal suffers 1d5+1 Damage each Round that ignores Soak Bonus and Armor. If the atmosphere is also Heavy, it wears away at resistance, breaking into environmental seals after 1d10+2 hours.

Cold World:

Most of this planet is dangerously cold, but various regions can found with more moderate microclimates. Outside of these sheltered regions, the entire planet is affected by extreme cold. Tests made to resist the heat generally range from Challenging to Hard. In some cases, the sheltered regions are also afflicted by extreme cold, but of a less severe degree than the rest of the planet.

Inhospitable:

There is no life or water to be found on this Planet.

Mineral Resources Ornamentals:

Some minerals are not valued for any practical use, but for their impressive beauty and luster, or even simply for being difficult to acquire. 

Industrial Metals:

Among the materials most highly valued throughout the Imperium are a number of commonly occurring metals, such as iron, copper, or lead. Of particular note is iron, supplies of which manage to be both abundant and insufficient to demand in nearly every sector’s trade houses. The reason for this paradoxical value can be found in the ever-grinding gears of the Imperial war machine, which requires a vast supply of these metals for the billions of weapons and vehicles it produces every day. 

Radioactive Materials:

Demand for radioactive materials can be extremely limited, as most technologies making use of their properties became obsolete well before the Great Crusade. Infrastructure in the Imperium being what it is, Rogue Traders can and do find worlds that have not progressed beyond primitive nuclear furnaces, but such societies are rarely able to offer the necessary compensation for supplies. Instead, trade in radioactives is done almost exclusively with obscure branches of the Adeptus Mechanicus, known for particularly arcane or esoteric practices. 

Xenos Ruins (Unknown Origins):

The relics and remnants of long-forgotten alien races litter the Koronus Expanse. The abundance of these dead cities and nations across so many different worlds is the source of many legends about the haunted or doomed nature of the Expanse. Veteran Explorers are more familiar with such remains, but such profusion can shake the faith of even the surest among them, a reminder that perhaps these ancient civilizations thought themselves capable of surviving the Expanse’s horrors as well. 

Primary Biosphere

Falcon's Fall Gamma Two

Planet:

An incredible diversity of worlds can be found throughout the galaxy. They can differ in their basic make-up, as between gas giants and the more common orbs of stone and soil, as well as in their specifics, such as the elements and materials that comprise them.

Small and Dense Body:

The shrunken silhouette of this Planet belies the strength of its gravity well and the richness of its crust.Normal Gravity: This planet's gravity is roughly Terran Standard.No Atmosphere: The planet has no atmosphere, or it has one as thin as to be effectively nonexistent. Activity on the Planet is treated as being in vacuum. (Rogue Trader Core Rules 262-263)

Ice World:

The Planet is frozen, from pole to pole. The entire Planet is affected by extreme cold. Tests made to resist the cold are Very Hard.

Inhospitable:

There is no life or water to be found on this Planet.

Mineral Resources - Industrial Metals:

Among the materials most highly valued throughout the Imperium are a number of commonly occurring metals, such as iron, copper, or lead. Of particular note is iron, supplies of which manage to be both abundant and insufficient to demand in nearly every sector’s trade houses. The reason for this paradoxical value can be found in the ever-grinding gears of the Imperial war machine, which requires a vast supply of these metals for the billions of weapons and vehicles it produces every day.

Radioactive Material:

Demand for radioactive materials can be extremely limited, as most technologies making use of their properties became obsolete well before the Great Crusade. Infrastructure in the Imperium being what it is, Rogue Traders can and do find worlds that have not progressed beyond primitive nuclear furnaces, but such societies are rarely able to offer the necessary compensation for supplies. Instead, trade in radioactives is done almost exclusively with obscure branches of the Adeptus Mechanicus, known for particularly arcane or esoteric practices. 

Xenos Ruins (Unknown Origins):

The relics and remnants of long-forgotten alien races litter the Koronus Expanse. The abundance of these dead cities and nations across so many different worlds is the source of many legends about the haunted or doomed nature of the Expanse. Veteran Explorers are more familiar with such remains, but such profusion can shake the faith of even the surest among them, a reminder that perhaps these ancient civilizations thought themselves capable of surviving the Expanse’s horrors as well.

Falcon's Fall Gamma Two-One

Large Asteroid:

An asteroid of unusual size has been captured by the Planet’s gravity well, and now occupies a stable orbit around it. It is just large enough to be noted by an orbital survey, but not enough to be seen from the Planet’s surface without visual enhancement.Falcon's Fall

Gamma Two-Two: Lesser 

Moon:

An orbital body somewhere between an extremely large asteroid and a very small moon orbits the Planet. It has its own extremely limited gravity well, allowing low-gravity travel across the surface.

Mineral Resources:

None

Outer Reaches

Falcon's Fall Gamma Three

Planet:

An incredible diversity of worlds can be found throughout the galaxy. They can differ in their basic make-up, as between gas giants and the more common orbs of stone and soil, as well as in their specifics, such as the elements and materials that comprise them.

Large Body:

Worlds of this size can range across a vast spectrum of possible types.Normal Gravity: This planet's gravity is roughly Terran Standard.

Thin Atmospheric Pressure:

The Planet’s atmosphere is weak, but avoids the problems of an actual vacuum. Tests to avoid harm from a Toxic or Corrosive atmosphere are made with +2 boost dice. However, the lack of air makes strenuous activity difficult. Any time an Explorer relying on the outside air gains strain.

Tainted Atmosphere:

Though capable of sustaining human life, this atmosphere is not entirely safe, stained by trace elements of toxins. Though it does not directly affect the Explorers, it might influence the viability or costs of long-term colonization.

Ice World:

The Planet is frozen, from pole to pole. The entire Planet is affected by extreme cold. Tests made to resist the cold are Very Hard.

Trapped Water:

There is water on this Planet, but it is in a form that requires processing before it can be used or consumed. It might be frozen or have boiled away to vapor on Planets with extreme climates. Alternatively, the water could be locked away in deep channels underground, or contaminated with other materials.

Major Landmasses:

Three continents and four smaller islands.

Mineral Resources - Ornamentals:

Some minerals are not valued for any practical use, but for their impressive beauty and luster, or even simply for being difficult to acquire.

Radioactive Material:

Demand for radioactive materials can be extremely limited, as most technologies making use of their properties became obsolete well before the Great Crusade. Infrastructure in the Imperium being what it is, Rogue Traders can and do find worlds that have not progressed beyond primitive nuclear furnaces, but such societies are rarely able to offer the necessary compensation for supplies. Instead, trade in radioactives is done almost exclusively with obscure branches of the Adeptus Mechanicus, known for particularly arcane or esoteric practices.

Inhabitants:

 Only a small fraction of life-bearing worlds ever produce an intelligent xenos race at any point in their history. Furthermore, the hostile nature of the galaxy often snuffs out these emergent civilizations before they have a chance to develop significantly. Internal strife, natural disaster, and the attentions of more developed species ruin dozens of primitive cultures for each race that progresses into a nascent empire. At this point, some greater power usually notes the upstarts as a potential threat and annihilates them utterly, a task often undertaken by the more militant Rogue Traders. Some species do survive and overcome these conditions, despite the vigilance of the Imperium, the foresight of the Eldar, and the naked aggression of the Orks. Between these tentative expansions, the rise of less-developed species, and the outposts and relics of the greater powers within the Expanse, finding an indigenous population upon a newly discovered world can be a surprisingly common phenomenon. In some cases, it can present an inconvenient or even dangerous obstacle to the exploitation of a planet when the inhabitants object to a Rogue Trader establishing operations on the world they call home. Despite the potential hurdles, a well-handled population can prove a great asset to such efforts, especially when the native civilization is a long-lost human colony, or a xenos race with something unique to offer in the Cold Trade.

• Humans: The remnants of colonization efforts by the earliest human voidfarers can be found throughout the whole of the galaxy. Such lost civilizations are typically isolated and regressive, with no awareness of their ancient heritage, or of the glorious Imperium of Man to which they owe an inherent fealty. Other worlds, in contrast, have held onto more of their old glories, and have powerful technology and active voidships with which they fiercely defend their own. In either case, it is the sacred duty of a Rogue Trader to bring these worlds into the Imperium’s fold, and to purge any deviant elements of their populations that have grown powerful in a society unaware of the threats of the mutant and the psyker. This duty can sometimes condemn a world to death, if the chaplains and missionaries in service to the Rogue Trader find their beliefs irredeemably corrupt.
• Primitive Clans: Civilizations in this stage of development are commonly newly emergent xenos races, although human colonies that have lost vital technology knowledge can descend to this level, in some cases. This is the level of Development found on most of the Imperium’s feral worlds. It is defined by a limited adoption or even complete lack of agricultural techniques or permanent settlements. Large-scale industry is all but unknown at this level of Development, and many basic crafts, common to more advanced Development levels, should likewise be absent. Any weapons and armor produced at this level have the Primitive Quality. Though they tend to have a lower impact than industrial societies, Primitive Clans can still easily reshape an ecosystem or even deplete key resources.

Falcon's Fall Gamma Three-One:

• Lesser Moon: An orbital body somewhere between an extremely large asteroid and a very small moon orbits the Planet. It has its own extremely limited gravity well, allowing low-gravity travel across the surface.
• Mineral Resources: None

Type

Star System

Location under

Cinerus Maleficum

Ruling/Owning Rank

Rogue Trader

Owning Organization

The Imperial Cult

Contested By

• Aspyce Chorda
• House Winterscale
• The Imperial Navy