The Jambles

The Jambles is the area of space between the highly civilised worlds around Old Earth and the galactic Fringe. The term originated on Wolfheim and is common parlance in the outworlds. The Hrangan Empire occupied a large portion of what is now called the Jambles, and it was there that the most terrible actions of the Double War took place, leaving many planets ruined and many civilisations broken and "jumbled" (from which the term is derived). Notable human worlds in the Jambles include Avalon, Prometheus and Jamison's World.

## Avalon

Human world colonised by Newholme during the first century of the Federal Empire. A sector capital during the Double War, Avalon never lost starflight and played a large role in ending the Interregnum through its vigorous program of exploration, trade, and re-education. Afterwards it became a centre of learning. The Academy of Human Knowledge and its many associated institutes are located on Avalon. Avalon is also an important commercial centre, with the largest trading fleet in the Jambles. Ships from Avalon often trade for knowledge as well as goods.

The whisperjewels of Avalon are highly esteemed. Whisperjewels are crystals that have been psionically "etched" to retain certain emotions or thoughts, which are thereafter perceptible when the crystal is held by "resonant" or sympathetic minds. Any type of crystal may be fashioned into a whisperjewel, but certain kinds of gemstones retain the patterns far better than others. The strength and clarity of a whisperjewel may also vary with time, and with the degree of skill of the etching esper. Avalon has both a suitable base-crystal and a number of potent Talents. Some less developed worlds are reputed to produce even finer whisper-jewels, but their products seldom find their way onto the interstellar market.

Stories set on Avalon:

* *Nightflyers* (briefly)

## Prometheus

Human world colonised by a military arm of the Federal Empire called the Ecological Warfare Corps during the Double War. Located deep within the war zone and the Hrangan sphere of influence, Prometheus was the headquarters for the biowar ships that spread disease, insects, and plant and animal pests among the Hrangans. After the collapse, Prometheus recovered starflight quickly, and also retained and developed techniques of cloning and genetic manipulation that had been closely guarded secrets of the Federal Empire. One of the most powerful human worlds of the Jambles, Prometheus is de facto ruler of its closest neighbours, Rhiannon and Thisrock, and strongly influential on a number of other planets. Natives of Prometheus are often called Altered Men, since genetic alteration is common there.

## Jamison's World

Human world settled chiefly from Old Poseidon. Jamies live on the planet's lush islands and archipelagos; the one large continent is largely unexplored. Jamison's World is a regional centre for industry and trade, and is a commercial rival of Avalon.

Stories set on Jamison's World:

* *This Tower of Ashes*

## Bastion

Originally a human colony, then taken by the Hrangans during the Double War, finally retaken by humans, and today ruled by the Steel Angels, who have made it their capital.

## Corlos

Forest world originally inhabited by the alien Jaenshi, but brutally colonised by the Steel Angels. The planet is covered in pyramids build by various Jaenshi clans in honour of their gods.

Stories set on Corlos:

* *And Seven Times Never Kill Man!*

## Namor

Human-settled water world with one substantial landmass and thousands of small islands. The seas are dark green and the skies are full of golden clouds.

Stories set on Namor:

* *"Guardians" (Tuf Voyaging)*

## Tara

Human world near the Tempter's Veil, on the outermost edge of the Jambles. Tara was colonised at least five times by migrations from quite disparate worlds, and was also raided repeatedly during the Double War, so today it is home to many strange splinter cultures. The dominant influences, however, are both rooted in the first settlement: the Irish-Roman Reformed Catholic Church, and the hereditary warrior-ruler called the Cuchulainn.

## Rhiannon

Human world colonised by Deirdre during the middle period of the Federal Empire. A rich pastoral world, Rhiannon today is ruled by Prometheus in all but name, and has no starships of its own.

## Daronne

Human world close to the Tempter's Veil. Colonised at least three times by aliens and twice by humans, Daronne is a patchwork of esoteric cultures.

## Thisrock

Artificial world between Prometheus and Rhiannon created by the Federal Empire for use as a naval strikebase during the Double War. Thisrock is located in deep space, orbits no star, and is quite small, in some ways more like a large stationary star-ship than a real world. Today dominated by Prometheus.

Stories set on Thisrock:

* *Starlady*

## Erikan

Human world named after the religious leader Erika Stormjones, settled by her followers and dedicated to the precepts she espoused, notably immortality through cloning.

## Stormjones

Primitive planet in the Celian cluster named after the religious leader Erika Stormjones.

## Rogue's Hope

Human world in the Celian cluster, formerly a sector capital.

## Tamber

A peaceful farming world that exports its produce to other planets. Tamber is famed for its brown ale.

Stories set on Tamber:

* *"A Beast for Norn" (Tuf Voyaging)*

## ShanDellor

The base world of the Centre for the Advancement of Culture and Knowledge

Stories set on ShanDellor:

* *"The Plague Star" (Tuf Voyaging)*

## Old Hranga

Homeworld of the Hrangan race, and one of the few places where Hrangan Minds survive in numbers.

## Hro B’rana

Once a flourishing Hrangan colony, where slaveraces such as the Hruun and Dactyoids were bred. The planet was left ecologically devastated by human attacks and now holds only a small population of sentient lifeforms.

Stories set on Hro B’rana:

* *"The Plague Star" (Tuf Voyaging)* (nearby)