Skelow Sector

The Skelow Sector is a large sector of space in the Skelow Trade Federation, constituting the rimward, galactic west corner of the four-sector STF main map. Its most important star is Sekam, home to the Skelow world Kalur and the STF capitol city Belvar. Sekam can be found in the rimward eastern corner of the sector map, placing it close to the Den'omu and Abni-S'zaelyn Sectors and making it a centrally located star in STF space, easy to access from any of the main four sectors. The sector is named for the Skelow people, who evolved on Kalur and explored the stars in their neighborhood centuries ago, developing out and smoothing the hyperspace map in their neighborhood to nearly frictionless pathways. It is one sector rimward of the Abni-S'zaelyn Sector and one sector galactic west of the Den'omu Sector.

The sector is also home to the Syhoii people and their home star; one sector galactic west of the Skelow Sector is known widely as the Syhoii Frontier, where the Syhoii explore in search of ancient treasure and mysteries. The sectors rimward of the Syhoii Frontier and the Skelow Sector, which are located roughly galactic west of the Machine Sector, are considered a sort of massive badlands, riven with treacherous hyperspace pathways, dangerous stellar phenomena, and other hazards; naturally, spacefaring Skelow and cartographers have been making efforts to explore and push into this region for generations. Much of the focus of Kalur and Kalurites has been, by contrast, on developing the Skelow Sector to make it safe for commerce, as well as developing the adjoining STF sectors and their bonds with the species who live there.

## Constituent Stars

Sekam: The most important star in this sector, Sekam is the center of the STF and the home star of Kalur.

Volan: This is the name of a large predatory bird species in an ancient planetary Skelow language, after which this luminous star was named.

Besat Im: Meaning "Besat Two," this star is the second closest star to Sekam and its closest fellow portal star; Besat Ahsang (Besat Prime) is only reachable via short jumps and stellar drive. Besat in ancient Kalurian means "neighbor."

Yuvenhos: The winter star, this star pointed south in the winter sky over the southern hemisphere of the Kalurian sky for generations.

Naletan Roh: Meaning "Naletan Four," this star is the fourth-brightest in the Kalurian constellation Naletan, shaped like an old-fashioned water-fetching tub.

Talasdal: Meaning "ship's sail," this star is the pointed top of a sail in a Kalurian constellation.

Korinvor: Named for the Compact of Korin, this star is an important site in STF history.

Zeya Darten: Roughly translated to "Zeya's Rest" or "Zeya's Waypoint," this star is not visible from Kalur, but was an important star for early Skelow spacefarers. Upon reaching this star on the route back to Kalur, Flotilla Skelow knew they were going to make it back to sell goods or restock, and they could take a much-needed rest before moving on.

Harenyel: Meaning "sapphire eye," this star is enormous and a beautiful blue, visible with the naked eye from Kalur.

Kushan: Roughly meaning "Hall of the Masters," this star is a hub of space-based guild activity and conclaves.

Besvaren: An ancient Kalurian name for this star, its meaning is "emerald snake" in the original tongue.

Melam Kett: Meaning "Melam Five," this star is the fifth-brightest star in the Kalurian constellation Melam, named for a field animal roughly similar to a draft horse or mule, with one spiraling horn.

Kihalos: From an ancient Kalurian religion that venerated and named this star, Kihalos was their word for spiritual rebirth.

Thoresh Zar: The spinward-most star in the sector and the gateway to the frontier, this star's name comes from an ancient Kalurian legend, wherein the Thoresh Zar is a mythological gateway at the end of the water's horizon between worlds.

Valetesi: A poetic Kalurian word meaning "toward summer's end," so called because this star appears in the evening in the summer sky of Kavarahet near autumn, and its appearance over a period of weeks signifies the end of summer.

Talas Darten: In short, "Ship's Rest," this star is an important waypoint on the way to the frontier.

Zohlar: Named for the ancient astronomer on Kalur who discovered this star via telescope.

Ashenam: Named for Meras Ashenam, the "flower of a million petals," this legendary flower comes from a Kavarahet courtesan's tale on Kalur. The star itself is bright white and part of the Meras Ashenam Nebula, which looks like a generous flower; to human eyes, it would look something like a large rose.

Sykaas/Sheihos: The home star of the Syhoii people. As the proper name is somewhat unpronounceable by other species, the name Sheihos is standard in most Federation Skelow speech and documents, and it is found on maps alongside Sykaas (as demanded by the Syhoii).