Vector Shift · Andromeda · AL 2314
Selenne in the capital.
Kethra on the frontier.
The world behind Lives Across the Line: its peoples, places, histories and powers at the opening of the First Colonial War.
The system at a glance
Start here
The world almanac
0Origins & environmentStars, ground, weather, resources, life.IBiology & demographyThe Gift, lineages, life cycle, disease, population.IIStructural hierarchyClass, government, the Accords, justice, family.IIIArchitecture & citiesAletheia’s seven steps, engineering, homes, habitats.IVLanguage & loreLandspeech, scripts, idioms, eras, calendars, myth.VFaith, ritual & tabooThe Cantorate, heresies, rites, festivals, taboos.VIThe machinery of laborEconomy, money, supply chains, food, transport.
The first era · the colonial wars
Country almanacs
1–4Caldren Crown · Part 1Identity, geography, history & monarchs, demographics.5–8Caldren Crown · Part 2Government, economy, culture, statistics, gazetteer.1–4Vardane Imperium · Part 1Identity, the holdings, history & Imperators, ranks and people.5–8Vardane Imperium · Part 2Government, every holding, economy, culture, statistics.REGRegister of Vardane holdingsAll 96+ Imperial installations.1–4Lesser Crowns · Part 1The seven states: identity, flags, geography, history & every ruler, people.5–8Lesser Crowns · Part 2The Stair Accord, each state profiled, defence, economy, culture.REGRegister of the Lesser CrownsEvery city, town and installation of the seven states.1–4Ilyr Sanctum · Part 1Aelos, the Keys, the Archive Mount, history & every First Custodian, people.5–8Ilyr Sanctum · Part 2The Conclave, the five Charges, licences, the Order, economy, culture.REGRegister of the Ilyr SanctumEvery Ilyr and Veiled Sun place, on Aelos and beyond.1–4Rovessa Caravans · Part 1The Carrier Roads, the Compact, history & every Helm, berth and belief.5–8Rovessa Caravans · Part 2The Captains’ Table, the Houses, neutrality, the Share, culture.REGRegister of the Rovessa CaravansEvery Rovessa berth, tower and carrier.1–4Southern Holds · Part 1The frontier: Eldvang, the six Reaches, the Charter Wars & every Speaker, Gift-lines.5–8Southern Holds · Part 2Moot to Compact, Rewriters and Breakers, the charters, debt, culture.REGRegister of the Southern HoldsEvery free Hold, post and works, with the chartered Holds.1–4Line Free Ports · Part 1The twelve ports on the equator, the Salt Wars & every Portreeve, the Line-born.5–8Line Free Ports · Part 2The Tide Congress, each port, neutrality and the Neutral Law, the Exchange, culture.REGRegister of the Line Free PortsEvery free port and harbour institution.1–4Oreth Coast States · Part 1Tessmere, Merrin and Stellan: the Landing coast, the Refuge Law & every First Consul.5–8Oreth Coast States · Part 2The three states profiled, the Three Shores Council, the Grey March, economy, culture.REGRegister of the Oreth Coast StatesEvery town, fort and institution of the Three Shores.1–4Cinderbelt Coalition · Part 1The belt power: Cinder Hollow, the Cinders, the Taking & every Yardmaster, the Cinderborn.5–8Cinderbelt Coalition · Part 2Yards and Crews, the rocks, the Seam, output, culture at 0.3 g.REGRegister of the Cinderbelt CoalitionEvery Coalition rock, yard and post, in the belt and at Kronos.1–4Outer Lantern League · Part 1The belt’s resistance: the Wick and the Lamps, the Covenant, the Lamp Raids & every Lamplighter, the moths.5–8Outer Lantern League · Part 2The Council of Lamps, trimmers and flints, the Arrears, the Light, culture by lamplight.REGRegister of the Outer Lantern LeagueEvery Lamp, post and landmark of the League, in the belt and at Kronos.1–4Vesper Orbital Compact · Part 1The landlord of the sky: the Cascade, the Compact, the Fever, the Rings Truce & every Compact Chair, the Upwellers.5–8Vesper Orbital Compact · Part 2The Board and the guilds, the roster and the dues, the Arrears, the relays, culture at 1 g.REGRegister of the Vesper Orbital CompactEvery ring, office, fleet, base and relay of the Compact, in orbit, the belt and at Kronos.1–4Homeworld Assembly · Part 1The planetary union: the Iron Winter, the Charter, the Empty Chairs & every Speaker and Warden-General, the fifteen members.5–8Homeworld Assembly · Part 2The Charter and the three Accords, the Floor and the Council, Homeguard, the Requisition Bill, the Games.REGRegister of the Homeworld AssemblyEvery Assembly and Homeguard body, post and memorial, on Kethra, in orbit and at Kronos.1–4Homeguard Command · Part 1The army that owns nothing: the mixed-nation companies, the Abernathy Order, the Watchers, the Grain Convoys & every Chief of Staff.5–8Homeguard Command · Part 2The chain of command, the split over the Seam, the lent forces, the Reserve, Sentinel Day.REGRegister of Homeguard CommandEvery Homeguard post and contingent station, on Kethra, in orbit and at Kronos.1–4Free Banner Guild · Part 1The banners of the Iron Winter, the Roll of 2149, the Neutral Roll, the Tolvard Extension, the Serrin betrayal & every First Banner.5–8Free Banner Guild · Part 2The Banner Court, the Withdrawal Clause, the Ledger Rule, who hires the banners, the Roll of Banners in full.REGRegister of the Free Banner GuildEvery Guild hall, court, yard and depot, on Kethra, in orbit, at Kronos and in the belt.1–4Living Worlds Movement · Part 1Two Living Worlds, the Corran Convention, the Wild Watches, the Tideward League, the Wendford fire & every Convenor.5–8Living Worlds Movement · Part 2The Convention and the Tideward League, the Seeding Limits Bill, the Continuance Circle, who stands where on the hot era.REGRegister of the Living Worlds MovementThe Movement’s halls, its Convention’s grain hall and its first Wild Watch, and the Circle’s one proven act.COLKronos colony · HearthportThe occupied fuel colony of Kronos, told as a country.
City plans
Street plans of the great cities, drawn as line art. Drag to move and zoom in for street names.
MAPAletheiaThe capital: seven steps above the Thess, street by street.MAPSaltlineThree isles and a lagoon of moored carriers.MAPVardenholdFour rings of walls in the Vard gorge.MAPIlyrionTerraces round the Archive Mount.MAPEldhavenLow and wide on the Eldvang rift.MAPTessmereThe walled republic on its drowned river mouth.MAPLow MerrinThe Diet's valley town.MAPStellanThe walled trading harbour facing the Line.MAPArvenneTerraces on the upper steps of the Stair.MAPCordaleThe quiet inland seat.MAPPellmoorGrey stone at the edge of the moors.MAPSallowCauseways at the edge of the Meres.MAPOrmsbyHeated streets and covered markets.MAPHastholmBeneath Hastholm Keep.MAPBrightwickThe free city of the guilds.
Which name, which side
The name a speaker uses marks where they belong.
| Capital (Greek) | Frontier (Norse) | |
|---|---|---|
| The planet | Selenne | Kethra |
| The sun | Theia | Sól |
| The red giant | Hyperion | Surtr |
| The bright moon | Pandia | Máni |
| The dark moon | Ersa | Hati |
| The gas giant | Kronos | Ymir |
| The southern continent | Notia | Eldvang |
Earth is remembered by everyone as Earth-of-the-songs - a myth, with no history attached.