The Galaxy

The Milky Way is estimated to have over 100 billion planets. Of those, roughly 10% are inhabitable and less than 1% of that number have been truly developed. With this scale, it became necessary for cooperative areas to organize themselves so as to better govern themselves and work together. Because of this, understanding a new planet can best be done by understanding the organization it is in because often the bulk of the characteristics of a planet are determined by what sector it is affiliated with.

The rough chain of progression goes: Sectors > Planets & Planetary/Solar Systems > Colonies.

With this, planets can and will be added on an as needed basis, meaning if you would like a homebrewed home planet, the floor would be open for you to put together a concept. We just ask you pitch it to us so we can double check it before you go setting anything in stone.

Sectors
Sectors operate on a similar level as continents do irl. They are the widest standard of organization and have some amount of arbitrary boundary to them, with the biggest difference between how a sector operates how an irl continent does being that sectors do have an inherent system of governance to them that holds them together. These can be strong and centralized, or looser confederations, but each will have something to them. (With one notable exception that will be illustrated below.)  Economic wise, sectors are large enough to balance out on the whole. There are not really rich sectors or poor sectors as each sector would have enough poor or rich systems/planets to zero out grand scheme.

In history, the sectors were formalized around 100 AZ with the primary boundary marker being the arms of the galaxy itself. It was hoped that dividing this way would prevent the outbreak of conflicts that are specifically to garner more territory. While this was ultimately unsuccessful, the general outline has remained well enough in standing that it is still looked to today.

Below is a list of the current sectors, each with a corresponding capital planet and a short outline of what one would expect with planets that are a part of the system.

Languages
Across the galaxy there are ~8 standard “language blocks”. While each planet will have possibly dozens of languages and dialects across their surfaces, and even more so spread across entire star systems, planets or entire star systems will choose to have a “language block” so that communication can be achieved no matter where you are.

Within these language blocks, alphabets would also be similar enough that one could read any language.

For example: Earth as a planet would have a standard language. Someone from the Netherlands would be able to easily communicate with someone from China using the standard language. Along with this, human colonies on the moons of Jupiter would use the same standard language.

“Common” language is now called Metric. It acts as the standard across most of the galaxy in high populated sectors.


 * Language Blocks:
 * Metric
 * Bobaric: Humans (and genetic variants), Halflings
 * Ovano: Gnomish, Maian
 * Ettesh: Elvish, Undercommon, Kin
 * Iptuni: Primordial, Orc, Vishnian
 * Aivili: Dwarvish, Ronian, Giant
 * Faenic: Sylvan, Low Quidish
 * Naboosa: Draconic, Goblin

Some languages are not known to mortal minds. Celestial, Infernal, and Abyssal are kept as knowledge of the Gods.

Deep Speech is a mystery to most, a language of Eldritch Horrors who live just beyond the Fringe.