The Dark Side is a Major Planetary Zone of the Planet VOI 700 D. It is located adjacent to the Habitual Belt. Due to the tidal lock of VOI 700 D, only the so-called 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, Exohuman expeditions primarily focused on the Habitual Belt in search of new potential settlement areas, leaving much of the Dark Side untouched. In the Gamma Age, Exohumans are restricted in their exploration capabilities due to the regulations imposed by the Peace Treaty with the Alliance of Native Tribes.

As a result, only the Ralar Region, part of the Dark Sea Region, and a small fraction of the Vazhak Region have been examined by Exohuman expeditions. The Vazhak Region, marking the northern frontier of the Dark Side, remains the most enigmatic and least understood landscape on VOI 700 D, known only through limited, perilous expeditions.

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.

Because the sun never reaches the Dark Side, temperatures are extremely low, ranging from -20 to -70 degrees Celsius, with the coldest areas deep in the interior. 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 humans nor Natives have ventured deep into its interior.

The best-known region from an Exohuman perspective is the Ralar Region in the equatorial zone, where Exohumans have founded the settlement of Firetown. This region is the primary point of contact between the Habitual Belt and the Dark Side.

• Ralar Region – Located in the eastern part of the Dark Side at the equatorial level, bordering the Asari Region. The Ralar Region takes its name from the active volcano 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 Mountain Range, which marks the boundary with the Habitual Belt.

• 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 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.

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.

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.

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, 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 Zark-Tribe, an abandoned subtribe of the Honga-Tribe, no significant Native settlements are known to exist on the Dark Side.
• Outlaw Hideouts – A few exohuman Outlaw factions operate in remote parts of the Dark Side, using underground shelters or geothermal caves to survive.Their estimated amount is 500 people.

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.

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 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.

• VOI 700 D
• Habitual Belt
• Desert Side

Known Regions of the Dark Side:

• Dark Sea Region
• Ralar Region
• Vazhak