recursal/Fanatic-Fandom huggingface dataset:
Ariana Hawker

Commodore **Ariana Hawker** was a senior officer of the Centran Defence Force.

## Biography

In the weeks shortly after the start of the Frontier War, Hawker was promoted to the position of Post-Captain, giving her her first command posting aboard the Confiance-Class Frigate CSV *Vanquisher*, which she would command for the rest of her career, even as she herself rose to the rank of Commodore.

Hawker had a long and distinguished career in the CDF and served during the War. She fought alongside Vice Admiral Winston Redfield, and likely Commodore Anthony Hadleigh and Admiral Darius Farren during that time.

During the war, she drove off a Frontier Union Militia attack on the Axian moon of Dalais in the Axius System. Jasper Ravi's partner and their family were saved thanks to Hawker's counterattack, which inspired Ravi to join the CDF in the hope of serving under her.

Hawker was killed at the Battle of the Atamara Crossroads in 0300 PCU. In recognition of her service, the Ship's Mast of the *Vanquisher* was adjusted to house her ceremonial sword.

## References

1. ↑ Confiance-Class Ship Breakdown
2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 *Theirs Not to Reason Why*
3. ↑ Ship Masts | Official Lore Short
Meric's Keep-Mericia Drift Gate

The **Meric's Keep-Mericia Drift Gate** is a Drift Gate in the Meric's Keep System that links to the Mericia-Meric's Keep Drift Gate and enables faster-than-light travel along the Drift Lane to the Mericia System. Uniquely, the Drift Gate is built into the asteroid of Meric's Keep in order to limit outsider access to the Merician Freehold.

## References

1. ↑ The Merician Freehold | The Sojourn Lore
Atamara Crossroads System

## Atamara Crossroads

The **Atamara Crossroads System** is not properly a star system at all, but rather a collection of space stations and Drift Gates orbiting the rogue planet of Atamara in the Tantalus Cluster. Formally a possession of the Frontier Union, the Atamara Crossroads act as a stepping stone between the Union and the rest of the Cluster.

## Description

The Atamara Crossroads is a densely packed "transit area" built around a shattered rogue planet named Atamara that is adrift in interstellar space.

Located at the very edge of effective Drift Gate range from the system of Axius, the small gravity well exerted by the rogue planet allowed early explorers to jump from Atamara to star systems that would later form into the Frontier Union.

Having been adrift in interstellar space, the lack of a local star left Atamara and its surroundings in total darkness. Visibility in the system can only be found artificially through the lights of traffic stations, passing ships, or traffic beacons between the four orbiting Drift Gates in the system.

 History

Used as a stepping stone to reach the star systems of Dalstaff and Teldrin, the area around the rogue planet Atamara was converted into a transit area, connecting the Centrum Assembly to the Frontier Union. Being located in the southeastern frontier, its workers and staff members often consider themselves as citizens to the frontier. As such, the Crossroads were represented by Union members of parliament before it broke away from the Centrum Assembly in 0290 PCU along with the other Union worlds of Teldrin, Dalstaff, and Maiala's Rest.

A notable feature of the system is "The Howling", a large dust cloud on the trailing edge of the planet. The dense cloud renders sensors useless, so ships traveling through the Atamara Crossroads tend to avoid the area unless absolutely necessary.

Despite its lack of visibility due to the absence of a star and a moving debris field around the planet of Atamara, the Atamara Crossroads was a hotly contested system in the waning days of the Frontier War due to its strategic location within the Tantalus Cluster. Peaking in what is known as the final battle of the Frontier War, the brutal 3-day battle resulted in the lives of thousands being lost.

 Layout

###  Drift Gates and Terminals

* Atamara Crossroads-Axius Drift Gate
	+ Limentius Terminal - Traffic Control Center
* Atamara Crossroads-Dalstaff Drift Gate
	+ Yang-Jianshan Terminal - Traffic Control Center
* Atamara Crossroads-Teldrin Drift Gate
	+ Jiao-Ming Terminal - Traffic Control Center
* Atamara Crossroads-Seravis Major Drift Gate
	+ Portunus Terminal - Traffic Control Center

###  Notable Interplanetary Features

* "The Howling" - Atamara's planetary trail of thick dust and debris cloud

## Behind the Scenes

The four space stations in the Atamara Crossroads System are all named after deities associated with doorways or boundaries.

## References

1. ↑ The Sojourn: Worlds of Tantalus - The Frontier Union
2. ↑ Confirmed by Daniel Orrett in a Discord message

Template created by XBrain130
Centrum Broadcast Radio: 45th of Solstice, 304 PCU

> *"News and tunes at your tempo, Centrum Broadcast Radio."*
> - Centrum Broadcast Radio jingle.
>
>

**"Centrum Broadcast Radio: 45th of Solstice, 304 PCU"** is the sixth episode in the Anthology Shorts series.

## Synopsis

As the Avalon Expedition departs the Tantalus Cluster, CBR reports on the growing catastrophe of the Great Famine.

## Summary

Centrum Broadcast Radio announcer Oliver Sefton delivers the news of the departure of the Avalon Expedition Fleet from the Cardeus Brink System. Sefton relates Elizabeth Ancelet's recent appointment as Expedition Director following her adopted father's sudden retirement, and the controversial requisitions of food, fuel and resources from across Tantalus necessary to support the expedition.

Sefton interviews Professor Leticia Sandreen of the Henshall Institute for Higher Learning, who explains the futility of sustainability projects in the face of the Great Famine, and that the Tantalus Cluster passed its sustainable carrying capacity thirty years previously. Sandreen confirms that 35 million people in Tantalus have already died as a direct result of the famine, with at the very least twice as many dead due to the effects of malnutrition. Without an injection of new resources, humanity will experience total societal collapse before sustainability projects can have an effect, resulting in a potential worst-case scenario of the death of fifty to eighty percent of the cluster's total population.

Sefton continues by reporting that at least one civilian ship in the Cardeus Brink system was seen making an unauthorised transit through Edric's Gate as the expedition departed, and the vector of the vessel was such that it may have survived transit to CDC-41-Gamma. Sefton concludes by announcing Travis Lock's latest single, *"Love Me Once Again"*.

## Cast

* Paul Albertson as Oliver Sefton
* Anjali Kunapaneni as Professor Leticia Sandreen
Season 1, Volume 2 Soundtrack

*The Sojourn's* **Season 1, Volume 2 Soundtrack** is the OST of Season 1, Volume 2 of *The Sojourn*, composed by Sam Redfern.

Although released in full on the 28th of July 2021, one track, "Specularia", was previewed before Volume 2 released, with the track releasing as a single on 23rd June 2021. The single can be found through Distrokid.

## Tracks

1. "The Faith Eternal"
2. "Mendes Farr, 4th Cello Sonata Exerpt"
3. "South-by-Southwest"
4. "Vitrified"
5. "Specularia"
6. "Amber Eyes"
7. "The Ridgeline"
8. "Ruin"
9. "A Crack from Beneath"
10. "Guinevere"
11. "141 Hours"
12. "Dust and Shadow"
13. "Wake Up"
14. "Hey"
15. "The Harmony"
16. "Condition Three"
17. "Gatecrashers"
18. "Bridget Volkova"
19. "Hostage Situation"
20. "Formulating a Plan"
21. "I Hate Spacewalks"
22. "Volkova's People"
23. "Kicking and Screaming"
24. "You Did Good"
25. "S.S.D.D."
26. "A Departure for Truth"
27. "Silent Approach"
28. "Cell Block 1-C"
29. "Clear for Action"
30. "In the Blind Guard"
31. "Admiral on Deck"
32. "Eno Nura"
33. "Press Ganged"
34. "Understand"
35. "Tantalus Will Endure"

## External Links

* *The Sojourn Season 1, Volume 2 Soundtrack* on Distrokid.
Advari Imperial Household

The **Advari Imperial Household** comprises the ruling family of the Holy Advari Empire and its retainers. The Imperial Household has both civil and religious functions, presiding over induction ceremonies for Clerics and ritual public sacrifices.

The Position of Emperor/Empress appears largely ceremonial, with the true power of the Empire and the state belonging to members of The Faith Eternal, such as Lord Cardinal Hastus Arvannis.

## Known Members

### Imperial family

* At least two prior Imperial Heads of State
* Sarparadin the Second
* Empress Valendra the First
* Empress Valendra the Sixth

## References

1. ↑ *Inclement Weather*
2. ↑ *Dust and Shadow*
3. ↑ *Contact, Wait Out*
Firewatch

**Firewatch** is the second planet in the Firewatch System and the only one to have been colonised. The volcanic planet was heavily-terraformed by the Centrum Assembly to support Human life.

## Characteristics

### Geography

A naturally-volcanic world, Firewatch was terraformed to support Human habitation. Its star becoming a red giant created a paradoxical environment - inhospitable thanks to a lack of any naturally liquid water, a temperature of 39 degrees in the shade and rain that was harmful to humans; yet rich in resources for colonization and manufacturing. Influenced by the *Wanderer'*s origin as a project by the People's Modernist Party, the planet's initial colonists prioritized Modernist creatives among cultural disciplines, leading the world to became known for its unconventional artworks and potent brand of Firewatch Whiskey.

### Satellites

Firewatch is orbited by two space stations, Hephaestus Terminal and the 277 Remembrance Station.

## History

Firewatch was colonised by the *Wanderer* after it arrived in the Firewatch System in 0247 PCU. The *Wanderer* - commanded by Post Captain Blair Bellamy - then spent three years constructing a Drift Gate to connect the system to the rest of the Tantalus Cluster. When the Drift Gate was completed in 0249 PCU and the system was linked to the rest of the cluster, Firewatch was already a thriving, prosperous colony.

The Firewatch colony became something of a cultural project for the Centrum Assembly. The *Wanderer* was rededicated as an orbital museum, the first colonists were celebrated as public figures, and vast sums of money were made available to support the colony.

This apparent favouritism led to intense resentment within the Centrum Assembly's Frontier planets, which had long struggled owing to lack of resources. This ultimately provoked a bombing attack on the *Wanderer* Museum in 0277 PCU, which destroyed the museum and caused lethal debris strikes across the surface of Firewatch for weeks. This was the first of a number of crises that would develop into the Frontier War in 0290 PCU. Despite this, and a persistent animosity towards it from the Frontier Union, Firewatch was spared much of the hardships of war, likely owing in part to the innate danger of single-gate travel to the system.

By 0304 PCU, Doctor Sadavar Edric, the originator of the Avalon Exploratory Initiative, had chosen to retire to Firewatch.

## References

1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 The Sojourn: Worlds of Tantalus: The Centrum Assembly
2. ↑ *Dust and Shadow*
3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 Firewatch | Worlds of Tantalus | The Sojourn
4. ↑ The Sojourn: Wanderer Class Explorer Platform | Official Ship Breakdown
5. ↑ *The Cold Divide*
Fletcher-type Support Craft

A Fletcher-type Under Thrust

Flak variant

* Point defence

Longboat variant

* Marine Transport

Flak variant

* At least four kinetic autoguns (presumed)

Longboat variant

* Unkown

The **Fletcher-type support craft** is a family of small craft embarked aboard Centran Defence Force warships. The *Tripathia*-class third-rate ship of the line can carry up to three Fletchers.

The Fletcher-type is manufactured in three variants. The Fletcher-PT Patrol Torpedo Boat supports its mothership through torpedo deployments, while the Fletcher-PD Flak Boat enhances its point-defence. The Fletcher-TS Transport Longboat is used for personnel transport or the deployment of Centran Marines.

## References

1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 The Sojourn: Tripathia Class Ship of the Line - Ship Breakdown
Entheban

Entheban is a trade hub on the Eastern shores of Xemna, providing D'Sonda trade access to the Shallow Sea.

## Cities

The capitol is Enthe Brutitha.

* Enthe Orlanda
* Enthe Dakala

## Religions

Official Region: Church of Palor

Religions outlawed: Church of Raines  (Outlawed and persecuted)

## Industries/Exports

Entheban thrives off of trade to and from D'Sonda .

### Major Exports

Enteban is a satelite nation of D'Sonda , gaining most of their GDP from facilitating trade for the landlocked power.
Anthony Hadleigh

## Appearances

> "*Stand to quarters and clear for action, we shall be staying put for the evening...*"
> - Commodore Anthony Hadleigh, at the Battle of Validar II.
>
>

Commodore **Anthony Hadleigh** was a senior officer of the Centran Defence Force. During the Frontier War, he commanded several *Tripathia*-class ships of the line at the Battle of Validar II. He also fought alongside Vice Admiral Winston Redfield, and likely Commodore Ariana Hawker and Admiral Darius Farren during that time as well.

## References

1. ↑ The Sojourn: Tripathia Class Ship of the Line - Ship Breakdown
Grathan Gateworks

**Grathan Gateworks** is a Drift Gate construction, repair, and upkeep company.

## History

Grathan Gateworks took over the task of constructing Drift Gates in Tantalus following the political backlash of Keeper's Dance Fleet Yards' failed expedition to Mericia. After claiming the rich resource deposits of the recently-colonised Vidara System, Grathan would later establish the Vidara Gateforge, the largest and most advanced Gate-building facility in the entire cluster.

Gatehaulers operated by Grathan would be instrumental in linking newly-surveyed star systems to the rest of Tantalus, for example, the Seravis Major System in the Braidwood Expedition of 0182 PCU.

Grathan are also responsible for building Gatehaulers.

## Reference

1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 The Sojourn: Worlds of Tantalus - The Centrum Assembly
2. ↑ The Braidwood Expedition | The Sojourn Lore Short
3. ↑ *Inclement Weather*
Aegis of Invia

The **Aegis of Invia** is an immense defensive barrier that surrounds the Inner Worlds of the Holy Advari Empire. It comprises both mines and other defensive fields.

During the Avalon Expedition to CDC-41-Gamma, eight Frontier Union ships established a holdfast on the edge of the Aegis.

## Trivia

* It is hinted by Lord Cardinal Hastus Arvannis in conversation with High Cleric Darsellia Lantris that the Aegis' purpose is to keep things from escaping the Inner Worlds, rather than protecting them from outsider invasion.
Fourth Battle of Axius

Casualties| Heavy losses | Heavy losses* Arashi-Sakara destroyed

The **Fourth Battle of Axius** was the 4th battle that took place in the Centran system of Axius, ending in a pyrrhic Assembly victory and the destruction of the dreadnought, the Arashi-Sakara.

## Background

Having lost the key junction of the Atamara Crossroads to the Frontier Union during the formation of the Frontier Union, the Axius system quickly became a frontline world in the Frontier War. As a key system that leads to both the lucrative trading route of Meric's Keep and the path to Centrum (the capital of the Centrum Assembly) following Pioneer, it was a system that the Assembly could not afford to lose. As a result, the entire system was transformed into a fortress as part of the Assembly's defensive strategy for the war.

Knowing its strategic significance, the Union had attempted to break the defences of Axius on more than one occasion. With its seemingly impenetrable defences, the Union had decided to construct their first and only Dreadnought, the Arashi-Sakara, for the sole purpose of breaking Centrum's hold on the system.

## Battle

The 4th battle of Axius would end in disaster for the Frontier Union, becoming the bloodiest engagement of the entire Frontier War. Similarly, although the Assembly had managed to destroy the Arashi-Sakara, it was at a high cost.

## Aftermath

While heavy losses were taken on both sides, the Fourth Battle of Axius was the final turning point in the war in favour of the Assembly. With only three core worlds under their control, the Union war effort could not match the larger Centrum Assembly's recovery of its military fleets.

## Reference

1. ↑ The Sojourn: Worlds of Tantalus - The Centrum Assembly
Gateforge

**Gateforges** are colossal, spaceborne facilities that are responsible for the creation and construction of Drift Gates and their components.

## History

The first Gateforge constructed in the Cluster was the Hadimus Gateforge in the Centrum System. Built and maintained by Santana Starworks (later Keeper's Dance Fleet Yards) in the nascent years of the Centrum Assembly, the Hadimus facility was the premier Gate construction facility until the collapse of KDFY's Gatebuilding division following the Great Merician Exile.

Following this, the Hadimus Gateforge was decommissioned and replaced by the Vidara Gateforge in the Vidara System. The Vidara facility was significantly larger and closer to large Drift deposits compared to its predecessor, being recognised as one of the three largest Spaceborne structures in the Cluster (alongside the KDFY Construction Facility in the Keeper's Dance System, and the City of Mericia).

## Facilities

* Hadimus Gateforge (Decommisioned)
* Vidara Gateforge
Giftworld

A **Giftworld** is a classification of planet within the Holy Advari Empire.

## Characteristics

Giftworlds appear to be the primary place from which sacrifices for The Faith Eternal are procured. The people on these planets live in squalor, barely having access to medieval technology, whilst more advanced measures are saved for more direct servants of the faith. Despite this, these worlds appear to play a vital role within the Empire, despite their living conditions not suggesting as much. The people on Giftworlds appear willing and able to sacrifice themselves in the name of The Faith, as they presumably know no different.

Whilst it is not certain how often servants of The Faith visit these worlds in person, their presence is felt immensely. Empress Valendra the Sixth has rarely, or never even, visited a Giftworld during her entire tenure as sovreign.
Gustaf's

**Gustaf's** is a resort located in the Rialtis system, described be a paradise that managed to be kept running during the Frontier War.

Mathias Croft, along with a friend of his at the time, managed to sneak into the resort by disguising as part of the waste disposal management some time during the Frontier War. The incident served as inspiration for Croft and Meds' plan to inflitrate the *Triumph* through its external waste disposal ports during the *Triumph* Hostage Crisis.
Braidwood Watch

Braidwood Watch From Orbit

**Braidwood Watch** is the first planet in the Seravis Major System. The ringed gas giant has a large number of moons, of which the most significant is Seravis Ia.

## History

Preliminarily designated Seravis I by the Centrum Assembly, the planet was first explored by the Braidwood Expedition in 0182 PCU. Seravis I was originally to be named "Colegrove Watch", in honour of the expedition's leader, Post Captain Raphael Colegrove. However, Colegrove's death following the exploration of Seravis Major and the tragic events that preceded it led to the planet being renamed Braidwood Watch, in memory of the CSV *Braidwood*, the lead ship of the expedition.

## References

1. ↑ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FgWJLvZT8Gs
2. ↑ The Sojourn: Worlds of Tantalus: The Centrum Assembly
3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 The Braidwood Expedition | The Sojourn Lore Short
Centrum-Keeper's Dance Drift Gate

The **Centrum-Keeper's Dance Drift Gate** is a Drift Gate in the Centrum System. Placed at the Hadimus-Centrum Solaris Lagrange Point 4, it connects to the Keeper's Dance-Centrum Drift Gate and permits faster-than-light travel along the Drift Lane to the Keeper's Dance System.

## References

1. ↑ The Sojourn: Worlds of Tantalus: The Centrum Assembly
Arasin Maxima

**Arasin Maxima** is a Class II gas giant and the fourth planet in the Centrum System. It is orbited by three moons, Lyrion, Carida, and Vela.

## History

Arasin Maxima and its moons were colonized by humanity early in its period of expansion from Centrum. The Arasin Planetary System became the home of numerous companies mining Drift and other raw materials, with the two largest being Savaragi Industrial and the Rota Excavations Company.

Arasin Maxima was the site of the Arasinian Commerce War, a conflict early in the Centrum Assembly's history provoked after Savaragi Industrial and Rota Excavations withheld Drift from Centrum and formed the Savaragi-Rota Alliance. Numerous skirmishes between the SRA and the Centrum Defence Force took place around Arasin Maxima before the SRA was defeated at the Battle of Lyrion Point.

## References

1. ↑ The Sojourn: Worlds of Tantalus: The Centrum Assembly
2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 *The Sojourn Visual Dictionary - Edition One*
Centrum-Pioneer Drift Gate

The **Centrum-Pioneer Drift Gate** was the first Drift Gate ever to be designed and constructed by humanity, allowing expansion from the home system of Centrum. Placed at the Destrum-Centrum Solaris Lagrange Point 4, it permits faster-than-light travel along the Drift Lane to the Pioneer System.

## History

The construction of the Drift Gate was undertaken by Santana Starworks, a company which would later become as Keeper's Dance Fleet Yards. Parts for its construction were manufactured by the Hadimus Gateforge and assembled near the planet Destrum from in 0010 PCU.

Completed in 0017 PCU, colony ships were launched through the gate that year to the Pioneer System. They assembled a return gate in the system and returned to Centrum later that year, bringing word of a burgeoning colony world established on the planet of Storm.

## References

1. ↑ The Sojourn: Drift and Drift Gates - Avalon Archives
CSV Sapphire

The **CSV *Sapphire*** was a *Confiance*-class Frigate fielded by the Centran Defence Force.

## History

The *Sapphire* was likely deployed either before or during the Frontier War.

## Behind The Scenes

*Sapphire* is likely a reference to The Sapphire Flag, an epithet given to the banner of the Centrum Assembly

## References

1. ↑ Confiance-Class Frigate | Ship Breakdown
Bright Promise (Episode)

> *"'More loyal to my own people.' Loyal to what exactly? What about all of* this *am I supposed to be loyal for?"* - Tamara 'Meds' Melari
>
>

*"Bright Promise"* is the fifth episode in the Anthology Shorts series.

## Synopsis

Months before the outbreak of the Frontier War, a young Tamara Melari struggles to maintain a run down clinic in a land increasingly consumed by violence.

## Summary

Meds begins by explaining that the Union's Militia detonated a bomb in the Tordesh Distribution Centre on Maiala's Rest, not only damaging the planet's already failing infrastructure, but also injuring (and potentially killing) a large number of people. By the time of Meds' recording, she hadn't slept in an exceedingly long time, due to her having to deal with so many of the wounded at her clinic.

She questions why the Militia carried out this attack, believing that they saw it as a great victory over the Centrum Assembly, when in reality all they had done was bring more harm to their own world. Meds was treating someone who had received harsh shrapnel wounds, when she sent her assistant, Jennah, to deal with the continuing stream of wounded.

However, before she could finish treating her current patient, two Militia soldiers barged in, one of whom was gravely injured himself, before the other, a man named Nassar, screamed at Meds to help his injured compatriot. Meds attempted to send the pair to triage, but Nassar noticed the injured woman Meds was treating had a blue Centran jacket, sending the man into a rage about how Meds had betrayed the Union.

Nassar pulled a side-arm, but was disarmed by Meds, and knocked out. She finished working on the injured Centran, before realising she had to amputate the Militia soldier's shin. However, just after Meds finished, Nassar awoke, and shot the Centran in the stomach, ultimately killing her.

Meds ends the log saying that if she were to see Nassar again, she would return the three hours of suffering that he gave to her as she tried, and ultimately failed, to save the Centran.

## Cast

* Laura Faye Smith as Tamara 'Meds' Melari

## Trivia

* The synopsis suggests that Melari did not get her nickname 'Meds' until after she left Maiala's Rest, perhaps only taking on the nickname with the *Guinevere* crew fairly recently.
* Taking place a few months before the Frontier War broke out, *Bright Promise* is the earliest story in the timeline published so far.
Merician State Guard

The **Merician State Guard** is the military force of the Merician Freehold.

## History

The Merician Freehold has historically lacked a military in the same sense as other powers in the Tantalus Cluster. In the spirit of free enterprise, security in the Freehold was traditionally provided for by private military companies such as Schiltron Contractors, which acted as regional police forces or escort groups for merchant vessels.

With the outbreak of the Frontier War between the Centrum Assembly and Frontier Union in 0290 PCU, the Freehold took the controversial decision to establish the Merician State Guard as a more organised military force to protect the neutrality of Merician cargo ships operating outside the Freehold. The State Guard is an often-disliked organisation within the Freehold, as it took over many of the roles and jobs once filled by the PMC market.

## References

1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 Mercenaries in the Merician Freehold | Official Lore Short
Axius-Pioneer Drift Gate

The **Axius-Pioneer Crossroads Drift Gate** is a Drift Gate in the Axius System. Placed at the at the Axius II-Axius Nuis Lagrange Point 4, it connects to the Pioneer-Axius Drift Gate and permits faster-than-light travel along the Drift Lane to the Pioneer System.

## References

1. ↑ The Sojourn: Worlds of Tantalus: The Centrum Assembly
Firewatch (star)

## Firewatch

**Firewatch** is an M-type red giant star at the centre of the Firewatch System. Firewatch is the brightest star in the Tantalus Cluster and is visible from anywhere in the cluster.

## History

As the brightest object in Centrum's night sky, Firewatch has been remarked on across Human history. The star's sheer size meant that it defied Human exploration for centuries: any exploratory group to the system could not be sent via Drift Gate due to the inaccuracies of single-gate travel, which risked any expedition overshooting the narrow safety margin and colliding with the massive star.

To approach the system safely, a huge exploratory platform known as the *Wanderer* was constructed and launched towards Firewatch in the year 0239 PCU using only Drift Drives. The journey took almost eight years to complete, the longest voyage ever completed by Humans in Tantalus, and upon arrival, the ship spent a further three years constructing a Drift Gate that would connect the rest of the cluster to the system.

## Behind the Scenes

Firewatch was mistakenly described as a "Red Hypergiant" in Worlds of Tantalus - The Centrum Assembly. It has been referred to as a red giant in all subsequent material. Worlds of Tantalus - The Centrum Assembly also states that the *Wanderer* took almost six years to reach the Firewatch System, however all subsequent sources have stated that the journey took eight years.

## References

1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 Firewatch | Worlds of Tantalus | The Sojourn
2. ↑ *The Sojourn Visual Dictionary - Edition One*
3. ↑ The Sojourn: Worlds of Tantalus: The Centrum Assembly
4. ↑ The Sojourn: Wanderer Class Explorer Platform | Official Ship Breakdown
Anthology Shorts

## Chronology

Alongside the creation of *The Sojourn,* several **Anthology shorts** are in production. These shorts are short stories narrated by characters from the series, and give more detail about life in Tantalus, amongst other things.

## Cast

* Larissa Thompson as Captain Cassandra Farren
* Tori Danner as Captain Tamika Jinn
* Matthew Kaufman as Lieutenant Jasper Ravi
* Ben Prendergast as Mathias Croft
* Emily Serdahl as Director Elizabeth Ancelet
* Laura Faye Smith as Tamara 'Meds' Melari
* Paul Albertson as Oliver Sefton
* Anjali Kunapaneni as Professor Leticia Sandreen
* Jimmy Lockett as Vice Admiral Winston Redfield
* Matt Surges as Commander Lewis Harper
* Tim Parker as Lord Cardinal Hastus Arvannis

## Episodes

1. "*The Canary*"
2. "*Non-Zero Sum*"
3. "*Dearest Alex*"
4. "*Skeleton Crew*"
5. "*Bright Promise*"
6. "*Centrum Broadcast Radio: 45th of Solstice, 304 PCU*"
7. "*Discontinuity*"
8. "*Golden Opportunity*"
9. "*Scar Tissue*"
10. "*The Fourth Canticle*"
Bridget Volkova

> *"These people aren't some corrupt elitists, they're just regular working people like us."*
> - Bridget Volkova attempting to defuse the hostage situation
>
>

**Bridget Volkova** was the captain of the *Triumph*, a civilian ferry that illegally accompanied the Avalon Exploratory Initiative to the CDC-41-Gamma nebula, and a former milkmaid of the Aiden's Prospect Agricultural Commune.

## Biography

Volkova was initially a Milkmaid that traveled aboard the *Triumph* in hopes to settle on a secret colony rumoured to have been set up by the Avalon Expedition. Due to the ship being in a state of disrepair she stepped up as the ship's chief engineer. Showing a very innovative way in fixing problems. Like using other types of equipment to fix the C02 Scrubbers when they were not functioning properly.

Whilst initially defensive of Foreman Richard Sedgewick's plans on settling the secret planet by any means necessary, Volkova quickly came to see that Sedgewick's leadership was dangerous, stupid, and pointless. She listened to Tamara Melari and Mathias Croft when they told her no colony world existed for them, and when Sedgewick threatened to kill the hostages he'd taken during the course of the incident, Bridget was able to convince his entire crew to stand down and surrender, leaving Sedgewick to be arrested by Meds and the security force aboard the *Avalon*.

Later, when Vice Admiral Winston Redfield took over the Avalon Expedition from civilian hands, Volkova was one of the first of the civilian captains to order a reactor shutdown in protest, alongside the *Kestrel*. After the resolution of the coup and the return of the *Avalon* to civilian leadership, Volkova moved the *Triumph* with the rest of the Avalon Expedition Fleet to The Greenhouse.

Months after, when a group of Advari Lightships were approaching the *Avalon* and her flotilla, Volkova offered up her ship's reactor to destroy the Return Gate after all ships had transited. In exchange, she asked that Foreman Sedgewick would be transferred along with her crew to the *Kestrel* so he could be tried in a fair court back in Tantalus. Captain LaBelle agreed to this exchange.

However, during the evacuation through the Drift Gate, the *Kestrel* was one of the last ships to transit, being pummelled by a swarm of Advari Fliers in the process. With Captain LaBelle dead and the ship's engines gone, Volkova radioed the approaching *Guinevere* and told them to flee and save themselves. Shortly after, Volkova died aboard the *Kestrel* as she went down.

## Appearances

* Volume 2
	+ *The Promised Land*

* Volume 4
	+ *Observer Effect*
	+ *Forlorn Hope*

1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 *Forlorn Hope*
2. ↑ *The Promised Land*
Gates (Lieutenant Commander)

## Gates

Lieutenant Commander **Gates** is a commissioned officer of the Centran Defence Force, currently assigned to the Avalon Exploratory Initiative aboard the CSV *Shabayev*.

## Biography

Gates joined the Centran Defence Force, and by 0304 PCU was assigned to the CSV *Shabayev* as part of the Avalon Exploratory Initiative.

Gates deployed with the *Shabayev* through Edric's Gate as part of the Avalon Expedition Fleet in 0304 PCU. Most of the fleet was scattered on its arrival in CDC-41-Gamma, though the *Shabayev* managed to rendezvous with a handful of other ships, including the CSV *Republic* and CSV *Bracewell*.

During the raid on the Aegis of Invia to recover the Expedition's last Drift Gate component, Gates fought on the *Shabayev's* quarterdeck, commanding alongside the Admiral.

## Appearances

* Volume 4
	+ "*Where Angels Fear to Tread*"

## References

1. ↑ *Where Angels Fear to Tread*
2. ↑ *Inclement Weather*
3. ↑ *Theirs Not to Make Reply*
4. ↑ *Where Angels Fear to Tread*
Golden Opportunity

The ***Golden Opportunity*** was a Merician freighter that was attached to the Avalon Expedition Fleet. After arriving in CDC-41-Gamma in 0304 PCU, she lost atmospheric containment, killing her entire crew.

## History

The *Golden Opportunity* was part of the Merician Freehold's commitment to the Avalon Exploratory Initiative, a multinational effort in the Tantalus Cluster devoted to reaching the CDC-41-Gamma nebula to acquire new resources for Humanity. The *Golden Opportunity* deployed through Edric's Gate with the Avalon Expedition Fleet in 0304 PCU, but was one of many vessels that struck Lauralyn Conduits and were scattered across the nebula. The *Golden Opportunity* ultimately lost atmospheric containment, killing its entire crew of one hundred and twenty.

At the time of her loss, the *Golden Opportunity* was carrying 2.5 tons of water, 5,000 liters of air, and 7.5 tons of food for the expedition fleet. She was ultimately encountered by a small group of Centran ships: the CSV *Shabayev*, the CSV *Bracewell*, the CSV *Republic*, and a Gatehauler. Their commander, Vice Admiral Winston Redfield, ordered the *Golden Opportunity's* cargo salvaged to support the fleet, assessing that the supplies would give them an additional week and a half of transit time. However, several of the *Shabayev's* Marines, including Private Paul Dalcop, looted personnel effects from the *Golden Opportunity's* deceased crew. Redfield resisted imposing discipline on the grounds that it would be bad for morale. He also refused to spend any more time to offer funeral rites to the crew for the reason of not expending any more resources than necessary.

## References

1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 *Golden Opportunity*
2. ↑ "*Theirs Not to Make Reply*"
Centrum Solaris

**Centrum Solaris** is a blue A-Type Main Sequence star at the centre of the Centrum System.

## Behind the Scenes

According to Gabriel Fonseca's Patreon article, "The Centran Calendar System", Centrum Solaris is 20% more massive than the Sun and nearly four times as luminous.

## References

1. ↑ The Sojourn: Worlds of Tantalus: The Centrum Assembly
Directional Paragravity Circuits

**Directional Paragravity Circuits** (DPCs) are a type of electric circuit that facilitates the practical application and usage of the gravitoelectromagnetic phenomena caused by Drift.

## History

DPCs were first established as a concept by scientists at the Henshall Institute for Higher Learning in the landmark paper "The Novel Relationship Between Exotic Hadrons and Gravitoelectromagnetism" in 0003 BCU. However, it took several seasons for DPCs to be utilised outside of a laboratory setting, with the first Drift DriveS being developed and tested in 0003 PCU.

In the modern day, DPCs are used in a variety of fields, although their primary usage remains in the ubiquitous Drift Drive.

## Concept

A DPC works similarly to a parallel-plate capacitor - a field is generated between two charged plates, in which the polarity of the field determines the direction (charged) particles within that field travel. The key difference between a DPC and a PPC, is that the field generated by the DPC, instead of being an electromagnetic field, is a gravitoelectromagnetic field; a trait which is derived from the gravitoelectromagnetic phenomena generated by Drift material. In other words, the field generated is a gravitational one, instead of an electromagnetic one.

DPCs are thus, unsurprisingly, incredibly useful in a variety of fields, being that gravitational forces affect all particles with mass, instead of being limited to only charged particles as with parallel-plate capacitors. The most common use for DPCs are within Drift Drive cones, wherein the DPC field is designed to eject reaction mass at much higher velocities, leading to faster acceleration on ships with Drift Drives, compared to those without.

DPCs also find use in artificial gravity systems as an alternative to spin-gravity centrifuges or thrust gravity. Ships making use of DPC-based artificial gravity tend to have a horizontal deck layout as opposed to the more common vertical stacked deck layout, but their use of large amounts of Drift means that DPC paragravity plates are often considered to be an expensive extravagance. Such plating is most commonly found in the superyachts of the very rich, though a small number of specialised military craft, such as the *Huntress*-clas Ambush Corvette, make use of DPC paragravity plating.

## References

1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 Gabriel Fonseca, *The Science of Drift*
2. ↑ Paragravity on the Guinevere | Official Lore Short
Centran Marine Corps Battle Dress Uniform

**Centran Marine Corps BDU** is the standard battle dress uniform of the Centran Marine Corps.

## Description

The battle dress contains fatigues coloured dark blue with grey detailing on the shoulders, sides, and chest pockets. The flag of the Centrum Assembly is worn on the left breast, while the current assignment patch, incorporating the CMC insignia, is worn on the left upper sleeve.

### Equipment

When on duty a shoulder harness is placed on top of the fatigues.
Hadimus Gateforge

The **Hadimus Gateforge** was a space facility built by Santana Starworks in orbit of the ice giant Hadimus in 0010 PCU for the purpose of constructing Drift Gates. The first facility of its kind, Hadimus Gateforge-made Drift Gates allowed humanity to expand beyond the Centrum System. It was decommissioned sometime before 0300 PCU.

## Reference

1. ↑ The Sojourn: Worlds of Tantalus - The Centrum Assembly
Corsetti Reclamation

**Corsetti Reclamation** is a salvaging company operating out of Rialtis.

## History

Corsetti Reclamation became involved with Keeper's Dance Fleet Yards sometime before the turn of the 3rd century PCU, with the yard being able to hold at least some military surplus salvage.

Following the inception of the Avalon Exploratory Initiative  and the subsequent reallocation of funding away from several post-Frontier War projects by KDFY, the proof-of-concept vessel of the experimental *Huntress*-class Ambush Corvette series was stowed and mothballed within Corsetti's reclamation yards.

In 0300 PCU, Cassandra Farren would purchase the *Huntress* from Corsetti Reclamation, returning it to active service as a Privateer vessel under the name *Guinevere*.

## References

1. ↑ https://twitter.com/SpacedockHQ/status/1541122272391561218
Centran Standard

**Centrum standard** is a language in the Tantalus Cluster. As it is the official language of the Centrum Assembly (and, perhaps, the Merician Freehold also), it is likely the most prevalent language spoken in Tantalus.

## History

Centrum Standard has been spoken since at least the unification of Centrum in 0000 PCU. Since then, it has spread across the cluster alongside humanity's expansion to the stars. It is presumably spoken by all worlds in the Assembly and the Freehold, with only the worlds of the Frontier Union using another language, Teldrani, as a lingua franca instead.

Given the dialectal variety scene amongst Centrum Standard speakers - even with people from Assembly worlds - it is likely that Centran Standard has several unique dialectal variants.

## Changes From English

Although Centrum Standard is very similar to real world English, it does have some unique elements not present in English - namely, it has some unique idiomatic phrases not present in English, mainly related to the material Drift, whether the material is made analogous to gold, given its rarity and foundational importance to human society in Tantalus.

* *Fair Winds*
	+ *Fair winds* is used similar to "Cheers" in English; Centrum Standard speakers still use "Cheers", but often *fair winds* is said in response to this. It also works similarly to the English phrase "good luck", as you are quite literally wishing the winds to be fair for whoever you are speaking to. The phrase comes from Centum's rich maritime history, likely being used even before humanity's first ventures into space.
* *Fool's Drift*
	+ *Fool's Drift* is similar to the phrase "fool's gold" in English; it is used to denote an item that appears valuable to the uninitiated, but is in fact worthless. Although originally used to refer to Hematite due to its physical similarity to Drift-carrying Riberite, it is now a more general term.
* *Struck Drift*
	+ *Struck Drift*, much like *Fool's Drift*, is used similarly to the phrase "struck gold" in English. Much like the phrase in English, it can be both idiomatically figurative and literal in usage, dependent on context.
* *Bells*
	+ 'Bells' is used as a substitute for 'o'clock' in the Tantalus Cluster; for example, 'six bells' is equivalent to 'six o'clock'.

## Trivia

* Centrum standard is the diegetic name given to the English language in *The Sojourn*; as such, it's unknown if Centrum Standard is identical English in-universe, or if it merely presented that way for the sake of the audience.
* There are many known varieties of Centrum Standard, all of which correspond with a real world variety of English. So far, we've seen;
	+ Canadian English (Cassandra Farren, Tamara 'Meds' Melari, etc)
	+ British English (Jasper Ravi)
	+ Australian English (Mathias Croft)
	+ Arabic/Arabian English (Tamika Jinn)
		- This makes sense, given that Teldrani is supposed to have Arabic influences, and Jinn comes from Maiala's Rest originally.

1. ↑ "*Centrum Broadcast Radio: 45th of Solstice, 304 PCU*"
Atamara Crossroads-Axius Drift Gate

The **Atamara Crossroads-Axius Drift Gate** is a Drift Gate in the Atamara Crossroads System. It connects to the Axius-Atamara Crossroads Drift Gate and permits faster-than-light travel along the Drift Lane to the Axius System.

Traffic control through the gate is managed by Limentius Terminal.

## References

1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 The Sojourn: Worlds of Tantalus - The Frontier Union
Order of Whitecourt

The *Order of Whitecourt* is a commendation awarded by the Centrum Defence Force for military service.

## History

It's unknown when the Order of Whitecourt began issuing. However, the commendation was awarded broadly after the Battle of the Atamara Crossroads and the subsequent end of the Frontier War, where it's suggested that any Centran personnel who even showed up to the battle was commended.

Both Captain Cassandra Farren and Admiral Winston Redfield were present at the battle, and thus earned themselves the commendation. However, despite her more active role in the battle, Captain Farren has never mentioned having the Order herself, though she does display it in her quarters aboard the *Guinevere*. In a moment of vulnerability with the captain, Admiral Redfield revealed that by the time his battle group had arrived, the battle was already over, suggesting he was granted the order just for showing up.

## References

1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 *Observer Effect*
2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 Guinevere Cross-Section
Battle of Validar II

> "*Stand to quarters and clear for action, we shall be staying put for the evening...*"
> - Commodore Anthony Hadleigh at the Battle of Validar II.
>
>

The **Battle of Validar II** was an engagement during the Frontier War between the Centrum Assembly and the Frontier Union, fought near Validar II in the Valeria Sibus System. Commodore Anthony Hadleigh commanded several *Tripathia*-class ships of the line in this battle.

## References

1. ↑ The Sojourn: Tripathia Class Ship of the Line - Ship Breakdown
CSV Schiavona

The **CSV *Schiavona*** was a *Confiance*-class Frigate fielded by the Centran Defence Force.

## History

The *Schiavona* was likely deployed either before or during the Frontier War.

## Behind The Scenes

*Schiavona* is likely named after a Scihavona, a type of sword used in Italy during the Renaissance period with a notable Basket-Hilt design.

## References

1. ↑ Confiance-Class Frigate | Ship Breakdown
Caldera

**Caldera** is a marque of Firewatch whisky. Advertised as "Firewatch's Finest", Caldera is distilled from selected grains and is aged for four years in oak barrels before bottling. Caldera has been in production since 0259 PCU.

## Behind the Scenes

Caldera was originally conceived in 2021 as a piece of fanart by Izzy Shackleton on *The Sojourn* Discord server. It ultimately entered canon in 2023 owing to Shackleton's work as the series' consultant for Teldrani.

## References

1. ↑ Firewatch | Worlds of Tantalus | The Sojourn
2. ↑ Original Caldera fanart
Going Red

**"Going Red"** is a local nickname on Valeria Sibus for deaths caused by choking on nosebleeds. As Valeria Sibus lacks any natural water, the very low humidity of the moon makes static shocks and nosebleeds very common among visitors. These sudden nosebleeds can be a lethal choking danger if suffered while asleep or intoxicated. Criminal gangs have been known to simulate the effects of "Going Red" to disguise the bodies of murder victims.

## References

1. ↑ The Sojourn: Worlds of Tantalus: The Centrum Assembly
CSV Lyrion Point

## Appearances

### First appearance

[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FgWJLvZT8Gs Tripathia Class Third-Rate Ship of the Line

## Real world infomation

### Mechanical designer

Gabriel Fonseca

**CSV *Lyrion Point*** was a *Tripathia*-class Third-Rate Ship of the Line, likely active during the Frontier War.

## History

The *Barricata* was named for the Battle of Lyrion Point, a historic battle fought by the Centran Defence Force around and upon the moon of Lyrion.

## Behind the Scenes

The ship has only appeared in the background of the Tripathia Ship Breakdown, and has otherwise gone unmentioned so far.<ref name="SBD">

## References

1. ↑ Tripathia Class Third-Rate Ship of the Line | Ship Breakdown (Redux)
Broadhead-Lock coilgun

The **Broadhead-Lock coilgun** is a family of medium-weight coilguns in the 13- and 15-inch calibres used aboard the warships of the Centran Defence Force. The weapon fires molybdenum permalloy projectiles at high velocities, and can fire either armour-piercing shot or hull-shredding canister rounds. Broadhead-Lock coilguns can be installed either as a fixed spinal mount on small ships, or as a twin-barrelled turret mount on larger vessels.

The Broadhead-Lock coilgun can be double-shotted by loading two projectiles and charging both the primary and backup capacitor banks to increase firepower. Despite producing an extremely powerful shot, this technique is known to be extremely inaccurate and risks the weapon suffering a catastrophic failure.

## Service

* *Confiance*-class Frigate - 4x 15-inch twin turret mounts
* *Huntress*-class Ambush Corvette - 1 x 13-inch retractable spinal mount
* *Tripathia*-class Third-Rate Ship of the Line - 12 x 15-inch twin turret mounts

## References

1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 The Sojourn: Huntress Class Ambush Corvette (Guinevere) - Ship Breakdown
2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 The Sojourn: Tripathia Class Ship of the Line - Ship Breakdown
3. ↑ Confiance-Class Frigate | Ship Breakdown
4. ↑ Guinevere Cross-Section