Galaxy Map

Simply known as "**The Galaxy**" by nearly all individuals and major organizations within its bounds, the Galaxy is the setting of A Galaxy Divided and its various stories and adaptations. It is an unbarred spiral galaxy roughly 23 kiloparsecs (110,000 light-years) in diameter. It is home to an estimated 500 billion stars, possibly more. Compared to other galaxies, it is known to have a high stellar density relative to its size, and is especially "flattened", making it especially easy to traverse, and map out.

## Directional Orientation & Regions

In the Galaxy, there is a directional system not dissimilar from common geographical compasses employed on planets. Although there is much more complexity to the navigation and directions of the Galaxy, these directions are typically used in relation to the locations of major powers and their directions and distance related to one another as opposed to a universal guidance system, and partially doubles as the "regions" of the Galaxy, though to a lesser extent. The four cardinal directions are **Boreal** (North), **Austrum** (South), **Orient** (East) and **Occident** (West). The four intermediate directions are **Aquilo** (Northeast), **Vulturnus** (Southeast), **Africus** (Southwest) and **Corus** (Northwest). **Ascending** and **Descending** represent being "above" and "below" the galactic plane, respectively.

### Elder Space

"Elder Space", also known as "The Bystanders", located in the Galactic Boreal, represents the area in which the Grujantari Empire, the Beraltian Conclave, the Rogrinian Empire and the Rogrinian Union are located, as well as the area of space in in the West above the Republic of Fellrux-Astradia and The Metallus. It is known to be where some of the oldest extant civilizations and races still reside. Elder Space is considered to be peaceful relative to the other regions of the Galaxy, though at the cost of becoming somewhat stagnant as a result. In modern times, little of what transpires in Elder Space affects the rest of the Galaxy, and it is believed those that reside there prefer it that way.

### The Seltiks

The area of space known as the Seltiks (unofficially, though the name is commonly used colloquially) consists of the Confederation of Surtur, the Norland Imperium, the Carolean Kingdom, and the Bedran Marches. It is known for previously being home to ancient alien civilizations which heavily influenced and shaped their modern human counterparts, particularly the Surturian and Bedran cultures, and to a lesser extent the Norlanders. These civilizations were largely wiped out during the Bedran - and especially the later Norlander - expansionist wars.

### The Ruinworlds

"The Ruinworlds", sometimes known as "Old Klemoria", is the region which saw most of the bloodshed and destruction of the Great Klemorian Wars. The scars of that ancient conflict are still visible to this day. It includes all of space in the Galactus Orient, including (naturally) the Klemorian Empire, the A222 Empire, the Republic of Ciccones and a vast section of uninhabited space due Southeast of the A222. The Ruinworlds also wrap around the Galactic Core to include the Confederation of Reclaimed Planets.

### Rogue Space

"Rogue Space" is a bit of a misnomer, especially modern times. Throughout much of galactic history, it was a mostly quiet sector of space, inhabited only by fledgling colonies or independent backwater worlds. It was considered a safe haven for exiles, outlaws, marauders and bounty hunters. However, in recent years, Rogue Space has very swiftly adopted a new reputation between the rise of The Metallus and the Fellrux-Astradia, as well as the recent reformation of the Stanislavian people under the Bodark Confederacy. These empires, alongside the Sentinel Coalition and the Union of Cordovan States, make up the bounds of Rogue Space.

### The Galactic Core

The outlier of galactic activity and expansion. There are those who argue that the Galactic Core is not a political region at all. However, it is a significant section of the galaxy that most refuse to overlook. The Galactic Core remains largely unsettled due to a treaty signed by the major powers in the Galactic Senate that forbids attempting to enter the Galactic Core for any reason other than scientific expeditions or similar causes, with potential exception to military personnel and naval forces. The extreme stellar density is a major roadblock to FTL travel between the opposing cardinal regions. Attempting to travel through the Galactic Core via standard FTL drives is practically a death sentence due to the overwhelming risk of driving one's ship directly into a stellar object, as well as potential temporal distortions and relativity issues caused by the supermassive black hole in the center of the galaxy. Few have ever properly entered the galactic core and none have ever been known to have reached the very center of the Galaxy outside religious texts. The path is treacherous and unlikely to be worth the effort. There have been expedition attempts, though none have returned alive.