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=== Major Planetary Zones ===

====== THE DARK SIDE ======

{{:dark_side_illustration_scenic2d.png?direct&600|}}


===== Overview =====

The Dark Side is a Major Planetary Zone of the [[the_planet_voi_700_d|Planet VOI 700 D]]. It is located adjacent to the [[habitual_belt|Habitual Belt]]. Due to the tidal lock of VOI 700 D, only the so-called [[desert_side|Desert Side]] faces the sun, leaving the Dark Side in eternal darkness.

With a total area of approximately 255 million square kilometers, the Dark Side covers nearly half of the planet’s surface. However, the majority of the Dark Side remains unexplored. During the [[beta_age|Beta Age]], [[the_humans|Exohuman]] expeditions primarily focused on the Habitual Belt in search of new potential settlement areas, leaving much of the Dark Side untouched. In the [[the_gamma_age|Gamma Age]], Exohumans are restricted in their exploration capabilities due to the regulations imposed by the [[peace_treaty|Peace Treaty]] with the [[alliance_of_native_tribes|Alliance of Native Tribes]].

As a result, only the [[ralar_region|Ralar Region]], part of the [[dark_sea_region|Dark Sea Region]], and a small fraction of the [[vazhak|Vazhak Region]] have been examined by Exohuman expeditions. Vazhak is located to the north and east of the Ralar Region, but beyond its known borderlands, its true extent and nature remain a mystery. No Exohuman has ever ventured deep into its interior, and it is unknown whether other regions or undiscovered landscapes exist beyond its vast, frozen deserts.

The name “Vazhak” is often used by Exohumans as a synonym for the entire Dark Side, emphasizing its unforgiving and enigmatic nature. However, in reality, Vazhak is just one of the many unknown territories that make up the Dark Side, making it a symbol of the planet’s last great frontier. This means that much of the flora and fauna of the Dark Side remains unknown, and it is possible that undiscovered species or entire biomes exist in its vast, unexplored depths.

===== Climatic Conditions & Geography =====

Because the sun never reaches the Dark Side, temperatures are extremely low, ranging from -30°C to -90°C, with the coldest areas deep in the interior where there is no geothermal activity. However, geothermal vents and volcanic activity create localized exceptions, significantly raising temperatures in certain areas. The volcanic bay near the [[ralar|Volcano Ralar]] sees water temperatures rise to as high as +30°C due to lava flows, while geothermal caves in the Ralar Region can reach up to +25°C, providing rare pockets of habitable warmth. Most of the region is covered by snow and ice, with vast ice deserts and frozen plains dominating the landscape.

The Dark Side has a total length and width of approximately 21,200 kilometers. From south to north, it is divided into various regions with distinct geographic characteristics. However, much of the Dark Side remains unexplored, as neither Exohumans nor Natives have ventured deep into its interior.



==== The known regions of the Dark Side ====

{{ :atrana_mountains_ralar_region_illustration_scenic2d.png?direct&200|}}

  * **[[ralar_region|Ralar Region]] – ** Located in the eastern part of the Dark Side at the equatorial level, bordering the [[equator_sections_east_and_west|Asari Region]]. The Ralar Region takes its name from the active volcano [[ralar|Ralar]], situated in the southeast of the region. Geographically, it consists largely of an ice desert, but it also features the Dark Sea, whose shores extend near the foot of Ralar, and the [[atrana_mountains|Atrana Mountain Range]], which marks the boundary with the Habitual Belt.

  * **[[dark_sea_region|Dark Sea Region]] – ** A vast, dark, and frigid body of water that starkly contrasts with the hot coastal waters near the Ralar Volcano. The full extent of the Dark Sea is unknown, and the existence of additional shores beyond the Ralar Region remains unconfirmed.

  * **[[vazhak|Vazhak Region]] – ** A remote and hazardous expanse located to the north of the Ralar Region, Vazhak is the least explored and most enigmatic territory of the Dark Side. It is dominated by unstable ice fields, magnetic storms, and deep glacial crevasses. Native myths describe it as a cursed land where spirits wander, while Exohuman expeditions into the region have faced severe losses. Only 10-15% of its terrain has been mapped, leaving the possibility of undiscovered seas, mountains, or even unknown life forms lurking in its depths.
===== Flora =====

Due to the absence of sunlight, plant life on the Dark Side is extremely rare. However, geothermal activity in certain areas, particularly near the geothermal caves of the Ralar Region, has allowed some unique heat-dependent fungi and extremophilic plant species to thrive in isolated pockets.

The shores of the Dark Sea, where volcanic activity heats the water, also support microbial life forms and unique bioluminescent plant-like organisms.

===== Fauna =====

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While most of the Dark Side is inhospitable to life, some regions support highly adapted creatures:

  * **Deep Ice Predators –** Large carnivorous creatures adapted to extreme cold, often relying on sound and vibration rather than sight to hunt.
  * **Dark Sea Dwellers –** Unknown aquatic species inhabit the unexplored depths of the Dark Sea. Some reports suggest the existence of bioluminescent organisms and massive predatory fish.
  * **Cave Dwellers –** In the geothermal cave systems of the Ralar Region, small reptilian and insectoid species have adapted to survive in complete darkness, relying on heat rather than light for survival.

===== Native and Exohuman Population =====

{{ :natives_zark_tribe_gg_scenic02_2d_08.02.06.jpeg?direct&200|}}

Most of the Dark Side remains uninhabited due to its extreme conditions. However, some groups have established a presence:

  * **Exohuman Settlements –** The only permanent Exohuman settlement is [[firetown|Firetown]], located in the Ralar Region. Firetown serves as a frontier outpost and trade hub for Exohumans who dare to venture into the Dark Side.
  * **Native Tribes –** Apart from the [[the_zark|Zark-Tribe]], an abandoned subtribe of the Honga-Tribe, no significant [[the_natives_tribes_of_voi_700_d|Native]] settlements are known to exist on the Dark Side. 
  * **Outlaw Hideouts –** A few exohuman [[outlaws|Outlaw]] factions operate in remote parts of the Dark Side, using underground shelters or geothermal caves to survive.Their estimated amount is 500 people. 

===== Tactical Advice for Dungeon Masters =====

The Desert Side and the Dark Side are the least explored planetary zones on VOI 700 D, offering Dungeon Masters the greatest creative freedom. These regions are perfect for crafting mysterious, high-stakes scenarios filled with the unknown.

The Dark Side in particular should always pose significant survival challenges. Its extreme cold, total absence of sunlight, and treacherous terrain create a constant threat of environmental hazards, psychological strain, and logistical hardship. Expeditions into the Dark Side should be high-risk, high-reward missions that test the players' endurance, resourcefulness, and teamwork. This zone opens up a wide range of storytelling opportunities:

  * **Western-style frontier adventures in and around Firetown in the Ralar Region**, where players navigate shifting alliances, outlaw factions, and moral dilemmas under harsh conditions.
  * **Deep sea expeditions in the mysterious Dark Sea Region**, where ancient ruins and bioluminescent predators lurk beneath frozen waves.
  * **Survival-based exploration of the vast, ice-covered, and largely unmapped Vazhak-Region**, where each step forward may bring discovery—or doom.

When introducing new creatures, ancient technologies, or forgotten ruins, always ensure they remain consistent with the technological, biological, and environmental constraints of VOI 700 D. Avoid overpowered artifacts or supernatural elements that break immersion. Instead, build suspense and tension through scarcity, isolation, environmental storytelling, and subtle signs of civilizations lost to time.
==== Beta Age (2625–2631) – The Era of Exploration and War ====

During the Beta Age, Exohumans began their first expeditions into the Dark Side. Firetown was established, and conflicts with Outlaw groups and the unknown dangers of the Dark Side escalated.

  * **"Firetown's Last Light" –** The settlement of Firetown is cut off from supply routes, forcing players to find an alternative path through the treacherous Dark Side.
  * **"Dark Sea Expedition" –** A scientist claims to have seen strange lights beneath the Dark Sea’s surface. The players must secure funding for an expedition and uncover what lurks beneath the waves.

==== Gamma Age (starting 2631) – The Era of the Federal Confederation  ====

In the Gamma Age, the Dark Side remains largely unexplored, but rumors of hidden Native tribes, lost Exohuman expeditions, and black-market dealings draw increasing interest.

  * **"The Vanished Caravan" –** A [[federal_courier_caravans|Federal Courier Caravan]] traveling from Firetown to the Habitual Belt has disappeared without a trace. Players must track the lost caravan before its cargo falls into the wrong hands.
  * **"The Whispering Caves" –** Strange sounds are heard emanating from a newly discovered cave system near the Atrana Mountains. Players must investigate whether this is an ancient relic, a new species, or something far more dangerous …
  *** “The Shadow of Vazhak”** – A rogue scientist has obtained classified data from the 2628 expedition into Vazhak. The data provide a clue to an unsolved secret. Players must decide whether to uncover the secret, risking political consequences, or leave the region’s dark past buried.

===== Related Pages and Further Information: =====

  * [[the_planet_voi_700_d|VOI 700 D]]
  * [[habitual_belt|Habitual Belt]] 
  * [[desert_side|Desert Side]]

**Known Regions of the Dark Side:** 

  * [[Dark Sea Region|Dark Sea Region]]
  * [[ralar_region|Ralar Region]]
  * [[vazhak|Vazhak]]