Today’s post contains some additional details about the history and culture of House Verge. Since I have heard of plans for someone to use House Verge in the nearish future, I figured I should expand them with some additional details sooner rather than later. This post will contain details relevant to more contemporary House Verge.

I will use some Lithian names. Consider them a WIP. I don’t quite know how to make them properly, so I am largely guessing.

See part 1 for a broad overview of House Verge, part 2 for a little more detail and part 3 for initial cultural and historical details.

Astrography and a Constellation Name

House Verge’s constellation needs a name and some details. Initially, I had two ideas that explained what made navigation difficult and how Verge got stuck. They were a “meander” in the Dark Flow and a Dark Flow “whirlpool.” While a “meander” is interesting, a “whirlpool” should be easier to grasp. It also allows for a “hyperspace graveyard” which is a neat idea. Thus, the name for the constellation is the Astral Vortex or Luminathe (cosmic spiral) in Lithian.

The Astral Vortex has a few notable locations:

New Midas or Navi Midas in Lithian; formerly Crimson Marsh or Mereteket in Lithian
- This is seat of House Verge’s power
  - House Verge’s palace has a gold plated throne room
- It has a significant amount of marshland with plants and alge of various red hues
  - The marshland has leeches that absorb psychic energy in addition to blood
  - House Verge and its people have developed advanced marshland agriculture improving on the techniques from the conquered natives
  - See swamp perils on the wiki
- Single biome planets are fun
Tempest or Shedreh in Lithian
- As is evident from the name, the planet has frequent terrible storms
  - You can use any and all weather related hazards from the planetary perils section of the wiki
    - See GURPS Disasters: Hurricane for more detailed storm rules
- The native fauna and flora are rugged and adapted to survive the powerful storms
- It originally had small populations due to the difficulty of farming
  - House Verge built protective “greenhouses” and storm breaks to increase agricultural capabilities
  - The native communities were centered around natural storm breaks and in bare mountains safe from mud slides (but not necessarily rock slides)
- It isn’t a single biome planet
Hyperspace Graveyard or Luminafta Maktelafe (space bird cemetery) in Lithian
- This is the spot where the Astral Vortex “empties”
  - Unlucky travelers who fail navigation rolls passing near the Astral Vortex land here
- This is a major reason for going with a hyperspace “whirlpool” over a “meander”
- House Verge contracted (and unauthorized) scavengers collect salvage and patrol for newcomers
- The graveyard was ancient even when House Verge first arrived
  - It is a great place for lost relics and ghost ships
Some Unnamed Belt
- I think a Lithian belter population would be neat
- I haven’t thought much about this

Isolated from Humanity for 1000 Years

House Verge has been isolated from humanity since the end of the Alexian Dynasty. What prevented contact for so long? The meta answer is “because it is fun,” but we need in world answers to the question. Here are a few ideas:

Navigational difficulties
- Leaving the constellation is tricky
- It is “fairly deep” in the Umbral Rim (past the Hydrus Constellation)
Regional conflict
- The Umbral Rim is full of conflict
- Pirates and warlords make travel difficult
Relative prosperity and stability
- Perhaps the main reasons to leave are adventure and curiosity rather than economic opportunity
A conspiracy
- Perhaps House Verge wants to retain power and discourages travel
- Perhaps slavery discourages contact with humanity that has rejected the institution

I suspect that multiple factors contributed to the isolation. Navigational difficulties and conflict caused the initial isolation. Perhaps the force that causes navigational difficulties has only recently waned. Perhaps it began waning after a few hundred years while other factors took hold gradually.

I don’t think House Verge would have the power to erase history, so the people would have knowledge of their ancestral home even if somewhat limited. Perhaps there has been some contact over the centuries, but said contact is limited to brave adventurers.

House Verge in the Game

How does House Verge fit in a Psi-Wars game? Below are some ideas.

Ignore It

This is the simple solution. House Verge is largely isolated to a single constellation in a single arm of the galaxy. If you don’t want to use House Verge, ignore it.

As Background

The Astral Vortex is a place where misnavigated ships go to die
- It houses the Hyperspace Graveyard
- Navigational mishaps in the area tend to pull ships into the Vortex
There is some “strange kingdom” ruled by “Loroko,” hybrids or some other misleading rumor
- Loroko may not like being associated with House Verge
There is a lost Maradonian House somewhere “deep” in the Umbral Rim

As a Patron

House Verge employs all sorts of space folks in the area. PCs or Allies can be members of the House. Here are a few ideas for using House Verge:

Some potential heir fears assassination from a cousin or sibling and needs a bodyguard
Someone’s been causing trouble, and House Verge needs a bounty hunter
A certain relic has been discovered in the Hyperspace Graveyard by mystical means. House Verge needs someone to retrieve it
The PC is an important dignitary and is invited to a House Verge gala

As an Enemy

House Verge can also be antagonistic to the PCs. Here are a few ideas:

Some petty noble is offended by some PC action and needs to be punished
The PCs found an artifact that House Verge wants
The PCs sided with some faction in some conflict, and House Verge is on the other side
The PCs are caught in the middle of some squabble between two nobles