Shatterzone
Encyclopedia
Shatterzone is a space opera
role-playing game
by West End Games
. The game went out of print in 1997 after the company went bankrupt. It is now back in print, owned and published by Precis Intermedia
.
The Shatterzone universe shares much in common with the Star Wars Roleplaying Game produced by the same company and was a repository for original ideas produced for Star Wars
but which were turned down by the legal department of Lucasfilm
. As such, the universe of Shatterzone shares some structural similarities to the Star Wars Expanded Universe
including an intergalactic government called the Consortium
(like the Republic
from Star Wars) run from a central region of space known as the Core Worlds
, large megacorps that run galactic affairs (a theme common in the cyberpunk
genre of storytelling), and a super-industrialized capital world, called Centaurus
but similar to Star Wars Coruscant
. Likewise, there is a sentiment of xenophobia
in the setting similar to that of the Empire in Star Wars. Humans, Glahns, and Ishantras, the three ruling races of the Consortium and a few others are given full citizen status while other races suffer under prejudice and second-class-citizenship
.
The namesake feature of the setting is the "Shatterzone", an unchartable and mysterious sector of space consisting of dark matter
and strange gravitational phenomena as well as strange energy storms and asteroid fields
. The Shatterzone is home to cult worshippers, bands of alien exiles called "bolters" seeking to flee Armagon oppression, and groups of deep space miners looking to make a fortune off the rare minerals to be had in this unusual sector of space.
The development of coldsleep technology and mastery of nuclear fusion
engines enable easy travel within our solar system, and the possibility of extrasolar colonization. The overwhelming desire to escape the restrictions of life on Earth drive some to establish illegal "black" colonies without the consent of government. The Secessionist Wars ensue and the first intergalactic fleets of warships are created.
2276: Humans discover a derelict alien space vessel, and while the science of how its quantum drive (or Q-Drive) functions is beyond to grasp of human science, it is a relatively simple mechanism which researchers are soon able to recreate and mass produce. Using the new alien technology, human ships become capable of reaching speeds 365 times the speed of light. Abundant faster-than-light
engines allow a phenomenon called the Diaspora, in which the world population drops from 25 billion to 500 million over the next two centuries as extrasolar colony worlds become genuine home worlds to large populations of humans.
2320: First contact with the Glahn.
2486: The establishment of the Consortium of Worlds, a joint government of the homeworlds of the Humans, Glahn, and Ishantra.
Space opera
Space opera is a subgenre of science fiction that emphasizes romantic, often melodramatic adventure, set mainly or entirely in outer space, generally involving conflict between opponents possessing advanced technologies and abilities. The term has no relation to music and it is analogous to "soap...
role-playing game
Role-playing game
A role-playing game is a game in which players assume the roles of characters in a fictional setting. Players take responsibility for acting out these roles within a narrative, either through literal acting, or through a process of structured decision-making or character development...
by West End Games
West End Games
West End Games was a company that made board, role-playing, and war games. It was founded by Daniel Scott Palter in 1974 in New York, but later moved to Honesdale, Pennsylvania...
. The game went out of print in 1997 after the company went bankrupt. It is now back in print, owned and published by Precis Intermedia
Precis Intermedia Gaming
Precis Intermedia publishes downloadable PDF-based and traditional printed role-playing games. They also pulish downloadable paper gaming miniatures called Disposable Heroes, and other various miniatures and tabletop games...
.
The Shatterzone universe shares much in common with the Star Wars Roleplaying Game produced by the same company and was a repository for original ideas produced for Star Wars
Star Wars
Star Wars is an American epic space opera film series created by George Lucas. The first film in the series was originally released on May 25, 1977, under the title Star Wars, by 20th Century Fox, and became a worldwide pop culture phenomenon, followed by two sequels, released at three-year...
but which were turned down by the legal department of Lucasfilm
Lucasfilm
Lucasfilm Limited is an American film production company founded by George Lucas in 1971, based in San Francisco, California. Lucas is the company's current chairman and CEO, and Micheline Chau is the president and COO....
. As such, the universe of Shatterzone shares some structural similarities to the Star Wars Expanded Universe
Star Wars Expanded Universe
The Star Wars Expanded Universe encompasses all of the officially licensed, fictional background of the Star Wars universe, outside of the six feature films produced by George Lucas. The expanded universe includes books, comic books, video games, spin-off films like Star Wars: The Clone Wars,...
including an intergalactic government called the Consortium
Consortium
A consortium is an association of two or more individuals, companies, organizations or governments with the objective of participating in a common activity or pooling their resources for achieving a common goal....
(like the Republic
Republic
A republic is a form of government in which the people, or some significant portion of them, have supreme control over the government and where offices of state are elected or chosen by elected people. In modern times, a common simplified definition of a republic is a government where the head of...
from Star Wars) run from a central region of space known as the Core Worlds
Core worlds
Core worlds or core planets often exist in works of science fiction, especially space operas. They are usually at the center of the galaxy or of colonized space, occasionally both. Core worlds are densely populated with long histories, advanced technology, and/or highly-developed culture. The...
, large megacorps that run galactic affairs (a theme common in the cyberpunk
Cyberpunk
Cyberpunk is a postmodern and science fiction genre noted for its focus on "high tech and low life." The name is a portmanteau of cybernetics and punk, and was originally coined by Bruce Bethke as the title of his short story "Cyberpunk," published in 1983...
genre of storytelling), and a super-industrialized capital world, called Centaurus
Centaurus
Centaurus is a bright constellation in the southern sky. One of the largest constellations, Centaurus was included among the 48 constellations listed by the 2nd century astronomer Ptolemy, and it remains one of the 88 modern constellations.-Stars:...
but similar to Star Wars Coruscant
Coruscant
Coruscant is a planet in the fictional Star Wars universe. It first appeared onscreen in the 1997 Special Edition of Star Wars Episode VI: Return of the Jedi, but was first mentioned in Timothy Zahn's 1991 novel Heir to the Empire...
. Likewise, there is a sentiment of xenophobia
Xenophobia
Xenophobia is defined as "an unreasonable fear of foreigners or strangers or of that which is foreign or strange". It comes from the Greek words ξένος , meaning "stranger," "foreigner" and φόβος , meaning "fear."...
in the setting similar to that of the Empire in Star Wars. Humans, Glahns, and Ishantras, the three ruling races of the Consortium and a few others are given full citizen status while other races suffer under prejudice and second-class-citizenship
Second-class citizen
Second-class citizen is an informal term used to describe a person who is systematically discriminated against within a state or other political jurisdiction, despite their nominal status as a citizen or legal resident there...
.
The namesake feature of the setting is the "Shatterzone", an unchartable and mysterious sector of space consisting of dark matter
Dark matter
In astronomy and cosmology, dark matter is matter that neither emits nor scatters light or other electromagnetic radiation, and so cannot be directly detected via optical or radio astronomy...
and strange gravitational phenomena as well as strange energy storms and asteroid fields
Asteroid belt
The asteroid belt is the region of the Solar System located roughly between the orbits of the planets Mars and Jupiter. It is occupied by numerous irregularly shaped bodies called asteroids or minor planets...
. The Shatterzone is home to cult worshippers, bands of alien exiles called "bolters" seeking to flee Armagon oppression, and groups of deep space miners looking to make a fortune off the rare minerals to be had in this unusual sector of space.
Alien races
In Shatterzone there are three classes of race: Citizens, which only Humans, Glahns, and Ishantras have the right to become; Allied, which consist of races who have signed nonaggression pacts with the Consortium, but which have no rights to representation; and Hostile/Unidentified, which are considered suspicious and are treated with caution.- Glahns - one of the three ruling races in the galaxy, blue skinned humanoids organized into clans
- Ishantras - another ruling race, bipedal aliens who lost their homeworld in an ancient cataclysm
- Armagons - an incredibly powerful alien empire of various races which rule from beyond the Shatterzone, pillaging and destroying one world after another
- Yithras - a violent race whose bodies emanate chill rather than warmth
- Kestarians - primitive four-armed matriarchical humanoids
- Rednas - reptilian humanoids whose pre-spacefaring civilization is prized for its metalwork.
- Veronians - shapeshifters from an unidentified homeworld
- ReaversReaver (disambiguation)Reaver can refer to:*Reavers , cyborg villains in Marvel Comics*Reaver , space-faring cannibals in the television series Firefly and the related movie Serenity...
- aggressive humanoids allied with the Armagons as shock troops
Planets and regions
- Xenos Sector - a little explored region near the Shatterzone
- Planet Haven - torn apart in a civil war, now a staging ground for pirates and mercenaries
- Planet Bartonrealm - corporate owned world, home of BartonCorp
- Planet Ral Sikkim - desert frontier world claimed by an alliance of pirate organizations
- Planet CentaurusCentaurusCentaurus is a bright constellation in the southern sky. One of the largest constellations, Centaurus was included among the 48 constellations listed by the 2nd century astronomer Ptolemy, and it remains one of the 88 modern constellations.-Stars:...
- superpopulated capital world, Core World and center of civilization - Planet Delera - home to race of technophobes
- Planet Mandamus - mining planet that produces terraformingTerraformingTerraforming of a planet, moon, or other body is the hypothetical process of deliberately modifying its atmosphere, temperature, surface topography or ecology to be similar to those of Earth, in order to make it habitable by terrestrial organisms.The term is sometimes used more generally as a...
compounds - Planet Vantage Point - old corporate world overthrown by colonists
- Planet AureusAureusThe aureus was a gold coin of ancient Rome valued at 25 silver denarii. The aureus was regularly issued from the 1st century BC to the beginning of the 4th century, when it was replaced by the solidus...
- arid world populated by mystics who disbelieve in space travel
Timeline
Current era is the 25th Century.The development of coldsleep technology and mastery of nuclear fusion
Nuclear fusion
Nuclear fusion is the process by which two or more atomic nuclei join together, or "fuse", to form a single heavier nucleus. This is usually accompanied by the release or absorption of large quantities of energy...
engines enable easy travel within our solar system, and the possibility of extrasolar colonization. The overwhelming desire to escape the restrictions of life on Earth drive some to establish illegal "black" colonies without the consent of government. The Secessionist Wars ensue and the first intergalactic fleets of warships are created.
2276: Humans discover a derelict alien space vessel, and while the science of how its quantum drive (or Q-Drive) functions is beyond to grasp of human science, it is a relatively simple mechanism which researchers are soon able to recreate and mass produce. Using the new alien technology, human ships become capable of reaching speeds 365 times the speed of light. Abundant faster-than-light
Faster-than-light
Faster-than-light communications and travel refer to the propagation of information or matter faster than the speed of light....
engines allow a phenomenon called the Diaspora, in which the world population drops from 25 billion to 500 million over the next two centuries as extrasolar colony worlds become genuine home worlds to large populations of humans.
2320: First contact with the Glahn.
2486: The establishment of the Consortium of Worlds, a joint government of the homeworlds of the Humans, Glahn, and Ishantra.