Location: Denagh Sector
Claimed by: Rebels, Ascendancy
The Rockall system lies at the edge of Ascendancy space in the Denagh Sector, near their border with the Free Union. It it one of the more heavily populated systems in the immediate area, and until recently was a stop-off point for Ascendancy naval vessels and patrols.
In the latter half of 3817 PT, reports from ships passing nearby describe a system-wide rebellion. The planetary government of Rockall III has been seized by a radical militarised anarchist syndicate, who have co-opted the majority of inner system assets via mutinies carried out by sympathisers. This syndicate, the Cabal of Stone, is led by a small number of key individuals, headed by the charismatic Ellis Vult. Although they still allow outsider starships into their system, all vessels are searched for Ascendancy agents, and any Ascendancy scout ships approaching the inner planets have been intercepted by armed merchantmen.
Type: Main Sequence
Radius: 0.8 Standard
Mass: 0.76 Standard
Black-body Temperature: 5450K
Type: Barren
Orbiting at about 0.3 AU from the star, NH-Alpha I is a roughly Terra-sized world that is constantly bombarded with powerful solar winds. It has no atmosphere and is tidally locked, with one side constantly facing the star. About 60% of the surface is molten, and the rest of the planet is wracked by regular earthquakes due to core upwelling on its continental masses. It is mostly composed of silica, iron and copper.
Type: Barren World
This small planet orbits at about 0.6AU, and is far enough from its parent star that it remains relatively cool on the surface. Rockall I is orbited by three moons.
Type: Barren World
A large barren rock with no moon orbiting at 0.7 AU. Rockall II is tidally locked with the Rockall star. Its cold dark side has been found to be rich in deposits of Dirac Crystals, although locating usable quantities of these valuable crystals is an exercise in frustration - the planet's atmosphere of carbon dioxide is affected by strong winds coming from the starward-face, which carry tiny particles of dust that settle all over the planet's surface, obscuring much of its features in flat dunes of windblown grey dust.
Type: Habitable World
Class: Terraformed
A terraformed planet about 1.2 Terran radius and at 0.8 AU from its star. Rockall III is a well-developed world with a variety of industry and agriculture on its surface. Home to about 15 million formerly Ascendancy citizens, it is now the central command for the Cabal of Stone group.
As a terraformed world, the majority of the planet's landmass not developed as cities, farms and industry is covered with light, relatively temperate woodland. Many of the central areas of the planet's continents are kept as nature and oxygen-replenishment reserves, although the military has been known to use these central wildernesses as training camps.
Type: Gas Giant
Rockall V is a massive gas giant in the outer part of the system. It exerts considerable gravity, and has captured much of the matter in the outer part of the system in its local orbit.
Rockall V is orbited by about 20 moons of various sizes. They have not been subjected to anything more than a cursory survey. Aside from these moons, the planet is also orbited by numerous small asteroids, which present a hazard to shipping.
There are a number of stations involved in mining and harvesting operations around Rockall IV, most of which have been co-opted by the Cabal of Stone in their rebellion. These outposts now serve as defensive ports for the system's defensive flotilla, and many of them have been equipped with an array of weapons.
Type: Barren
A small planet on a distant orbit, Rockall V held a small scientific base run by House Yi. This base is currently the centre of Ascendancy authority in the system. It is well-defended by experimental weapon batteries and a small flotilla of re-purposed supply vessels. Rockall V is cold, barren and uninhabitable, but is orbited by three sizeable moons. Tidal forces from these moons has kept the core of the planet warm despite its distance from the star, and it provides a considerable source of geothermal power.