Glossary

In a nutshell

Every proper name in the COLONIZED universe, explained in a single line. Terms are grouped by theme and listed alphabetically within each theme. If a term has its own Codex entry, its name takes you there.

The universe and the calendar

Ascensión: The Zenith ideal of vertical progress, which names the Cátedra de Ascensión and sees the MMU as its tool. More in The Zenith.
AU of the lore: The canon’s distance unit: 15 million km, the distance from Aurin to Ithera. More in Aurin, the star.
Aurin: The G1V dwarf star that names the system where the Flota Aura settled in Year 0 E.A.
auxiliary core: A Flota Aura machine, one per section, that recorded everything and decided nothing; once rescued, it becomes a compi. More in The compis.
classes of air: Breathable (no suit needed), thin (air that cannot be breathed), tenuous (almost vacuum) and airless (vacuum). More in Melvara.
conjunction: The meeting of Ordrek and Renvar over the same point of Kaldrek’s ring every twelve hours. More in Ordrek.
controlled cull: Apex Syndicate’s hunting doctrine: kill what is necessary and leave what is enough, neither extermination nor paralysis. More in Apex Syndicate.
desecration of the Armisticio: Attacking inside Ithera outside the rules; the offender’s faction and all five Guilds punish it at once. More in Armisticio de Ithera.
E.A.: Aurin’s official calendar, counting the Años de Asentamiento from the Flota Aura’s arrival, which is Year 0. More in Settlement chronology.
EVA: Going outside in a full spacesuit; needed on the tenuous-air moons and on Ashkar. More in Tirane.
flare: A burst of light and radiation from Aurin that knocks out sensors in the inner orbits. More in Aurin, the star.
G1V: Aurin’s star class: a white-gold dwarf, a little hotter than an ordinary Sun-like star. More in Aurin, the star.
Gm (gigametre): A million kilometres; the unit used for Aurin’s orbits. More in Aurin, the star.
Grades: The scale for materials: I raw, II refined, III rare, IV exotic and V unique, which cannot be mined. More in Resource and loot guide.
L4 and L5: Two stable points on Ithera’s orbit, one ahead of the planet and one behind it; Delvar and Trasvar sit there. More in Delvar.
Laplace chain: A family of three satellites with periods in an exact 1:2:4 ratio: Melvara-Tirane-Selvane and Kravane-Kharun-Ashkar. More in Tabla de Fases.
measured, not derived: The principle of the Pathfinders and the Tabla de Fases: orbits are measured, not worked out from masses. More in Tabla de Fases.
Parhelion: The galaxy the Flota Aura reached after the Éxodo, where COLONIZED takes place; Aurin is its only reachable habitable system.
parhelion (sun dog): A phantom sun: a point of light cast by ice in the air beside the real sun; it names the galaxy. More in Ormek.
Registro suffixes: The name endings the Registro Aura used to classify each body: -era biosphere, -is arid, -ek hostile, among others. More in Registro Aura.
shepherd moon: A moon whose gravity holds the edge of a ring in place, as Renvar does for Kaldrek’s. More in Renvar.
Solmera: The settlers’ home galaxy; its star entered its terminal phase and its people fled in the Flota Aura.
tidally locked: Said of a moon that takes as long to spin as to orbit, so it always shows the same face. More in Kharun.
trojan: A rock that shares a planet’s orbit at one of its stable points; Delvar and Trasvar are Ithera’s trojans. More in Trasvar.
the two houses: The usual way of referring to the two factions, the Zenith and the Nadir. More in The universe of COLONIZED.

History and events

Anomalía: A radiation storm in the Cementerio de Aura that opens a sealed Arca Aurora vault for forty-eight hours. More in Cementerio de Aura.
Armisticio de Ithera: The Year 12 E.A. treaty that ended the war without a victor, demilitarised Ithera under the Guilds and began the cold peace.
Cinera concession: The Year 29 E.A. contract by which the Nadir bought Cinera’s salvage rights for next to nothing; El Tizón came of it. More in Cinera.
Cláusula de Equidistancia: The Armisticio clause that fixed the two faction stations at the L4 and L5 points of Ithera’s orbit. More in Armisticio de Ithera.
cold peace: The tense truce between Zenith and Nadir that began with the Armisticio in Year 12 and is now cracking. More in Armisticio de Ithera.
the crossing-out: The Registro Aura entry for Melvara, crossed out by hand on finding it orbited Ithera; now an Armisticio dispute. More in Melvara.
Cuarenta Días de Fuego: The forty days after the Arca Aurora fell, almost six weeks, when survivors grouped by trade and the Guilds took shape. More in The five Global Guilds.
Día del Primer Salto: The Zenith holiday marking the departure from Solmera, with parades of machinery and public implant upgrades. More in Settlement chronology.
enlistment record: Each house’s record, read by a recruit aboard the Arca Custodia before choosing; it is signed once, and for good. More in The Zenith.
Éxodo: The Flota Aura’s centuries-long crossing of the intergalactic void, from Solmera to the Aurin system. More in Expedición Aura and Flota Aura.
Expedición Aura: Solmera’s response to its dying star: building the Flota Aura and crossing the intergalactic void.
fauna invasion: A sudden migration that every few weeks overruns La Cicatriz’s defences; the Zenith and the Nadir fight it together. More in The Aurin bestiary.
the Fondeo: The Nadir anniversary of the Armisticio: an hour with every non-essential light off, to remember the darkness they crossed. More in The Nadir.
Leva del 47: The wave of sleepers CUSTODIA wakes in Year 47, when both houses ask for hands at once. More in Ada Lys, “Nueve”.
Primera Cacería: The third night after the Arca fell, when the samples in the Bahía de Contención Xenológica got loose and its biologists became hunters. More in Apex Syndicate.
Registro Aura: The first catalogue of the Aurin system, made by telescope in Year 0 E.A.; several of its guesses failed.
war of Year 1: The civil war that split the Flota Aura into Zenith and Nadir, from Year 1 to 12 E.A., with no victor.
Year 47 E.A.: The present day: 46 years after the outbreak of the war of Year 1 and 35 after the Armisticio, with the cold peace cracking. More in Settlement chronology.

Planets, moons and belts

Anillos de Kaldrek: Remains of the moon Mornane circling Kaldrek; already there before the Fleet arrived, but for decades taken for war scrap.
Ashkar: An asteroid captured by Kharsis, 45 km in radius; the system’s only ground in vacuum, with the Ancladero in its orbit.
Cementerio de Aura: The debris band from the war of Year 1 between Kharsis and Ithera; it holds pre-war technology.
Cinera: Ormek’s black, metal-less moon; the Nadir hold its salvage concession and the listening post of El Tizón there.
Delvar: Ithera’s trojan at the L4 point: an airless rock 6 km in radius that anchors El Pináculo.
Erran: A moon of Kharsis outside the chain, with thin CO₂ air and violent seasons; it hosts a Nadir listening post.
Ithera: The third planet, temperate and with the richest biosphere; a demilitarised zone under the five Guilds since Year 12.
Kaldrek: The fourth planet, cold, ringed and with geothermal valleys; the most fertile in the system and an open Zenith-Nadir front.
Kharsis: The second planet, arid and rich in minerals, with fossil water; the Zenith work it, with a strong Forge presence.
Kharun: A tidally locked moon of Kharsis; its far face is the only inner-system spot with no line of sight to Kharsis.
Kravane: The largest moon of Kharsis, where the Zenith’s Fundición Alta smelts ore from the Refinería Yermo in vacuum.
Melvara: Ithera’s large moon, with sea, islands and breathable air; whether it counts as “orbit” is an Armisticio dispute.
Mornane: Kaldrek’s lost moon, dead for millions of years; its remains make up the Anillos de Kaldrek. More in Anillos de Kaldrek.
Ordrek: Kaldrek’s ancient moon, whose tidal pull warms the planet and helped break Mornane apart.
Ormek: Aurin’s first planet, hot beneath a veil of white cloud; the Zenith hold it through the Colector Solar Prima.
outer ice belt: The unnamed ice band 45 Gm from Aurin that marks the limit of exploration; the Baliza Confín listens there.
Pyra: Ormek’s tidally locked, almost airless moon; it is the Zenith’s forge and descent shipyard.
Renvar: Kaldrek’s tidally locked moon, made from Mornane’s remains; it shepherds the rings and keeps war scrap under its ice.
Selvane: Ithera’s small moon, an almost airless red canyon desert; it orbits in two hours and holds La Cicatriz Gemela.
Tirane: Ithera’s middle moon, home to Puerto Aurora; a sanctuary by custom, with no combat, building or mining.
Trasvar: Ithera’s trojan at the L5 point: an airless rock 6 km in radius that anchors El Fondeadero.

Stations and places

El Acopio: The dig site on Renvar, the system’s only mixed deposit: ring water and pre-war salvage. More in Renvar.
El Aguijón: Apex Syndicate’s seat in La Cicatriz, a fortified post on the Arca’s dorsal fin, facing the jungle. More in Apex Syndicate.
Las Amarras, El Casco Viejo and El Hogar: Zones of El Fondeadero: the docks, the Círculo’s quarter with the oldest homes, and the covered square. More in El Fondeadero.
El Amarre: An El Fondeadero tavern with tables made from ship parts, where people bet on whether the Armisticio will hold. More in El Fondeadero.
Ancla de Recuperación Prima: A Flota Aura salvage rig on the largest fragment in the Cementerio de Aura: a 300 m piece of hull bearing the letters “…ORA”. More in Cementerio de Aura.
Ancladero de Ashkar: A strategic point in Ashkar’s orbit for refuelling and transhipping cargo between the inner system and the Cementerio. More in Ashkar.
the Armería: The Vanguard’s shop at El Bastión: standard ammunition and armour parts. More in The Vanguard.
Astillero Meridian: An abandoned Flota Aura shipyard in the outer orbit of Kharsis, holding pre-war hull blueprints. More in The strategic points of Aurin.
Astilleros de Salvamento: El Fondeadero’s shipyards, which break down ships and debris brought from the Cementerio de Aura. More in El Fondeadero.
Bahía de Contención Xenológica: The Arca Aurora laboratory holding the first samples of Ithera’s fauna; origin of Apex Syndicate. More in Apex Syndicate.
Baliza Compartida: El Fondeadero’s jump point; it costs the same as at El Pináculo, but carrying a package earns a discount. More in El Fondeadero.
Baliza Confín: A long-range listening post on the edge of the outer ice belt; the most distant strategic point. More in The outer ice belt.
El Bastión: The Vanguard’s seat in La Cicatriz: a fortified checkpoint over the Arca’s command bridge. More in The Vanguard.
Bastión Ígneo: The Zenith forward base on Kaldrek, on a subglacial eruption plateau with a band of neolith and technalite geodes. More in Kaldrek.
Calderas de Ormek: Geothermal brine basins on Ormek that evaporate every afternoon and leave a crust of metal. More in Ormek.
Campo de Fumarolas Perpetuas: A fumarole field on Kaldrek that yields rare gases and flux, and favours ambushes through poor thermal visibility. More in Kaldrek.
Cañón Espina: A canyon south-southwest of La Cicatriz with vibrosteel and metazinc seams; the Ombrask’s hunting ground. More in Ithera.
Cartografía: The Pathfinders’ shop at El Faro Roto: scanning kits and batteries. More in The Pathfinders.
Casa de Piedra: The Nadir’s “strictly civilian” installation on Melvara, set into the hollow of an ochre mesa. More in Melvara.
Catapulta de Salto: El Pináculo’s jump service, which launches with an electromagnetic shot at a fixed fare. More in El Pináculo.
La Cicatriz: The area of Ithera where the Arca Aurora crashed in Year 1; the five Guilds were born there and keep their capital.
La Cicatriz Gemela: Selvane’s great red canyon, which looks up at La Cicatriz on Ithera like a mirror; hence its name. More in Selvane.
Ciudad Albor, Caldera Rescoldo, Bastión Vigía and Sub-Base Calima 1: Named places on Selvane: a desert city, a geothermal city, a mountain base and a pressurised sub-base. More in Selvane.
Colector Solar Prima: A solar collector on the surface of Ormek that powers half the system; one of the eight strategic points. More in Ormek.
Consola de Ascensión: The place on El Pináculo where Ascendidos receive their cybernetic implants with ceremony. More in El Pináculo.
core of La Cicatriz: The cordoned-off centre of La Cicatriz, where the Arca’s bow and reactor struck; a high-risk zone. More in La Cicatriz.
the Custodia (vaults): El Pináculo’s biometric vaults; not to be confused with the Arca Custodia. More in El Pináculo.
La Ecuánime: The cantina at El Pináculo. More in El Pináculo.
Enlace de Bienvenida: The post at El Fondeadero where Mira Oestal greets recruits with a cup of tea. More in El Fondeadero.
Espejos de Rocío: A misty wetland 4 km from La Cicatriz, home to the Lumbros and the starting point for new settlers. More in Ithera.
El Faro Roto: The Pathfinders’ seat: an observatory on the Arca’s navigation tower, the highest point in La Cicatriz. More in The Pathfinders.
El Fiel: The Guilds’ inspection station on Melvara, between the Zenith and Nadir installations, which counts what goes in. More in Melvara.
El Filo: A lookout ridge on Renvar, on the face turned to Kaldrek: the planet hangs motionless and its ring fills the sky; no one fights there. More in Renvar.
El Fondeadero: The Nadir station, Estación Nadir-1, anchored at Trasvar; the Círculo governs it and new recruits arrive there.
Fosa Ámbar: A crater on Kharsis holding a unique fluid, the Ámbar Licuado, pumped from three wells; The Forge and the Flotilla Libre fight over it. More in Kharsis.
La Fragua Baja: The Forge’s seat in La Cicatriz: an industrial district over the Arca’s reactor, the noisiest and hottest area. More in The Forge.
El Fulcro: The midpoint between the two stations, where the five Guilds keep their customs post and run the Mercado Global.
Fundición Alta: The Zenith foundry on the moon Kravane that smelts, in vacuum, the ore fired up from the Refinería Yermo. More in Kravane.
Garganta de Sil: The deepest canyon system on Kharsis, with seams of technalite exposed in its walls. More in Kharsis.
Grada de Ascenso: El Pináculo’s ship repair yard, run by drones: dearer, but faster. More in El Pináculo.
Gran Subasta: El Pináculo’s auction hall, with escrow, where the Zenith faction tax is withheld on every sale. More in El Pináculo.
La Grieta Común: Kaldrek’s contested valley, a rift equidistant from the Zenith Bastión Ígneo and the Nadir Refugio de Ceniza. More in Kaldrek.
Mercado de Trofeos: Apex Syndicate’s vendor at El Aguijón: it buys hides, glands and claws and sells biological ammunition and antidotes. More in Apex Syndicate.
middle ring: The band of La Cicatriz between 1 and 1.5 km from the centre, with the five guild seats on wreckage of the hull. More in La Cicatriz.
Mirador de los Guardabosques: El Fondeadero’s lookout, with the station’s best sensors, always facing Ithera. More in El Fondeadero.
Módulo de Bioingeniería y Enfermería: The Arca Aurora section that alone kept life support after the impact; origin of The Pioneers. More in The Pioneers.
Muro de los No Vueltos: The wall at El Faro Roto bearing the names of Cuarenta Días expeditions that never came back. More in The Pathfinders.
Núcleo de Reactor y Talleres de Casco: The Arca Aurora section where engineers stripped the ship to build shelter; origin of The Forge. More in The Forge.
Núcleo de Registro: The place aboard the Arca Custodia where CUSTODIA signs in every new settler. More in Arca Custodia and CUSTODIA.
Observatorio Cumbre: The Zenith’s “strictly civilian” installation on Melvara, 400 km from the Nadir’s Casa de Piedra. More in Melvara.
Oficina de Enlistamiento: The office at El Pináculo where Zenith recruits sign up. More in El Pináculo.
outer ring: The outer ring of La Cicatriz, where the escape modules came down: the oldest civilian settlements on Ithera. More in La Cicatriz.
El Pináculo: The Zenith station, Estación Cenit-1, anchored at Delvar; the Cátedra governs it and new recruits arrive there.
Plataforma Cuenca Cero: A 250 m mining platform anchored to a drifting fragment inside the Anillos de Kaldrek; it yields heavy ore and ice. More in Anillos de Kaldrek.
Plataforma de Extracción Ípsilon-7: A former extraction platform, fortified, now the Pathfinders’ data centre; a minor contested point. More in The strategic points of Aurin.
Puente de Mando y Armería: The Arca Aurora section where military police from both sides held a truce; origin of The Vanguard. More in The Vanguard.
Puerto Aurora: An eight-dock port on Tirane, ready for the Arca Aurora the day before the war; dock seven is still waiting. More in Tirane.
Puesto de Enlace: The Pioneers’ post on the edge of La Cicatriz, where most recruits first see the area. More in La Cicatriz.
Puesto Meridiano: The Guilds’ neutral transit and trade settlement, some 83 km north of La Cicatriz. More in Ithera.
the Refinería (vendor): The Forge’s vendor on Kharsis, next to the Refinería Yermo: it buys raw ore and scrap. More in The Forge.
Refinería Yermo: The largest Zenith industrial complex outside El Pináculo, on Kharsis; worked by The Forge’s operators, it launches ore towards Kravane. More in Kharsis.
Refugio de Ceniza: The Nadir forward base on Kaldrek, dug underground and camouflaged on the slope facing the Bastión Ígneo. More in Kaldrek.
Relé Umbral: A communications and navigation node in Ithera’s high orbit, near Selvane; the Armisticio treats it as civilian. More in The strategic points of Aurin.
El Reloj de Arena: A sea of migrating dunes on Kharsis that swallows heavy equipment and gives wrecks back with the storms. More in Kharsis.
rings of El Pináculo: The station’s zones, from the entrance to the top: Amarre, Cuarentena y Aduana, Cívico, Forja de Arquitectos, Guardia Vertical and La Cúspide. More in El Pináculo.
Silo Perdido: A half-buried Flota Aura depot on Kharsis whose terminals still hold pre-war navigation data. More in Kharsis.
strategic points: The eight sites in Aurin’s space that the Zenith and the Nadir contest on equal terms and that change hands.
Suministros Cívicos: The Pioneers’ shop at El Vivero: it sells seeds, bandages and rations. More in The Pioneers.
Tablón de Trueque: El Fondeadero’s market, where goods are bartered tax-free between people; the Tejedora runs it. More in El Fondeadero.
Los Talares: El Fondeadero’s open workshops, where anyone may use a bench if they leave it as they found it. More in El Fondeadero.
El Tizón: The Nadir listening post on Cinera, overlooking the Colector Solar Prima; it logs flares in chalk. More in Cinera.
Torre de Navegación y Sensores: The Arca Aurora tower left standing after the impact; origin of The Pathfinders and base of El Faro Roto. More in The Pathfinders.
Vergel Pálido: A bioluminescent spore forest east-north-east of La Cicatriz, where Rolvaks nest. More in Ithera.
El Vivero: The Pioneers’ seat in La Cicatriz: a dome of organic glass grown from the Arca’s infirmary module. More in The Pioneers.
Yermo-Kravane axis: The route carrying ore from the Refinería Yermo to the Fundición Alta; the richest and most exposed in the inner system. More in Kharsis.
El Yunque: A partly metallic massif on Kaldrek, rich in heavy ore and vibrosteel, fought over by both sides. More in Kaldrek.

Factions, guilds and groups

Alto Consejo: The Flota Aura’s human government, whose debate over how to colonise ended in the war of Year 1. More in Expedición Aura and Flota Aura.
Apex Syndicate: The Hunters’ Guild: fauna control and biomaterials; born in the Arca’s xenological bay, based at El Aguijón.
Arquitectos: The Cátedra body that designs high-tier blueprints and controls the MMU at El Pináculo. More in The Zenith.
Ascendidos: Zenith who traded cybernetic or genetic enhancement for social rank and wear their implants openly. More in The Zenith.
Cátedra de Ascensión: The Zenith high command, a scientific council and military junta that issues the decrees called Axioms. More in The Zenith.
La Cátedra de los Arquitectos: The formal name of the Zenith, whose motto is “La luz se gana”, light is earned. More in The Zenith.
Cementerio de Aura pirates: Scavengers of the void who work out of the Cementerio de Aura and reach remote points such as the Baliza Confín. More in The scavengers.
Círculo del Fondeadero: The rotating assembly that governs the Nadir from El Fondeadero and decrees Verses by consensus. More in The Nadir.
La Concesión: The formal name of the Nadir, whose motto is “Lo que nadie quiso”, what nobody wanted. More in The Nadir.
Descarnados: Nadir radicals who would sabotage the Zenith MMU even at the cost of their own lives; the Círculo disowns them. More in The Nadir.
Flota Aura: The megafleet of arks, mobile shipyards and refineries that carried Solmera’s civilisation to Aurin.
Flotilla Libre: The Nadir militia with no single command, which turns out only when a settlement is threatened. More in The Nadir.
The Forge: The Producers’ Guild: mining, refining and logistics; born breaking up the Arca, based at La Fragua Baja.
Global Guilds: The five neutral collectives born among the Arca Aurora’s survivors; they govern Ithera and take no side.
Guardabosques: The Nadir corps that watches over Ithera and its fauna from El Fondeadero, in tension with the Guilds. More in The Nadir.
Guardia Vertical: The Zenith’s military and police arm, whose training officers are called Archons. More in The Zenith.
induction crew: The crew that picks up newly arrived settlers, lends them their first ProtoGun and teaches them to mine; Vedma Oleiro leads it. More in The people of Aurin.
The Nadir: The faction born of the Flota Aura that rejected the limitless growth that drained Solmera; formally La Concesión.
The Pathfinders: The Exploration Guild: cartography, anomalies and data; born in the Arca’s navigation tower, based at El Faro Roto.
The Pioneers: The Settlers’ Guild: civil infrastructure, medicine and farming; born in the Arca’s infirmary, based at El Vivero.
scavengers: Unlicensed salvagers, hostile to everyone, who ambush mining crews just as the job is done; they call themselves corsairs.
smugglers: A hostile group that hides whatever slips past El Fiel and tells apart only clients and intruders. More in The people of Aurin.
The Vanguard: The Military Guild: security and armed escort; born of a truce on the Arca’s bridge, based at El Bastión.
The Zenith: The faction born of the Flota Aura that read Solmera’s fall as a lesson; formally La Cátedra de los Arquitectos.

People, ranks and titles

Ada Lys, “Nueve”: Heroine of the Crónica de Aurin: an Arca Aurora pilot asleep since Year 0 who wakes in Year 47.
Ancla Viva: The lifelong Nadir title for the Leyenda rank, invoked at every Fondeo. More in Reputation.
Archon: A training officer of the Guardia Vertical, the Zenith’s military and police arm. More in The Zenith.
Arquitecto Adjunto: The Zenith title for the Comandante rank: a voice, but no vote, in technical sessions. More in Reputation.
Arraigado: The Nadir title for the Operativo rank, whose holder may now ask for a turn to speak. More in Reputation.
Ascendido Menor: The Zenith title for the Veterano rank, held by those who have begun cybernetic enhancement. More in Reputation.
Bram: Guardaverso of the Círculo del Fondeadero, the lifelong ceremonial voice who recites the Verses and presides over nothing. More in El Fondeadero.
Chancellor Vantis: Chancellor of El Pináculo and Arquitecto Mayor, master of the local MMU allocation and an Ascendido with visible implants.
Chemo Ardal: Labourer on the Tozuda, in Vedma Oleiro’s crew: a theory for everything and a tin for every theory. More in Vedma Oleiro and her crew.
Colaborador: Guild trust rank II: normal prices, first-tier jobs and the Guild’s cloth badge. More in Reputation.
Comandante: The fourth faction rank; the Zenith title is Arquitecto Adjunto, the Nadir title Voz del Círculo. More in Reputation.
Corin Bask: A Vanguard Flight Lieutenant, one of the few who have flown to the Baliza Confín more than once. More in The outer ice belt.
Denna Vrol: Forge Hull Foreman and Ekes’s apprentice, who teaches the Tortuga Fletera build at La Fragua Baja. More in The Forge.
Dess Arwick: A Flotilla Libre Helmsman who flies the Nadir to Kharsis when unauthorised extraction is detected. More in Kharsis.
Dez Calloway: A veteran Flotilla Libre pilot who flies from El Fondeadero to the Astillero Meridian, stopping at Ashkar. More in El Fulcro.
Dresk Corvain: Lieutenant at El Pináculo’s Oficina de Enlistamiento, who recites the oath to Zenith recruits. More in El Pináculo.
Especialista: Guild trust rank IV: a bigger discount, priority at the counter and the Guild’s paint scheme or mantle. More in Reputation.
Forastero: The Nadir title for the Recluta rank: the Círculo does not yet summon its holder. More in Reputation.
Guardaverso: The lifelong ceremonial voice of the Círculo del Fondeadero, who recites the Verses at every rite and presides over nothing. More in El Fondeadero.
Guardián Ancestral: Keeper of the pre-war relics in the vault the Anomalía opens in the Cementerio de Aura. More in Cementerio de Aura.
Guardián del Fondeo: The Nadir title for the Veterano rank, trusted with watch shifts and reserves. More in Reputation.
Héroe de la Cátedra: The Zenith title for the Leyenda rank, whose holder is named in the Día del Primer Salto speeches. More in Reputation.
Hull Foreman: A Forge foreman’s post, held by Denna Vrol at La Fragua Baja and Orso Dallent at the Astillero Meridian. More in The Forge.
Imelda Rook: Speaker of the Círculo del Fondeadero, two cycles in the post and a believer in consensus. More in El Fondeadero.
Iniciado de la Cátedra: The Zenith title for the Operativo rank, held by those who have sworn the First Axiom. More in Reputation.
Iren Kast: A Guardia Vertical Flight Sergeant who flies the Zenith to Kharsis and through the Cementerio de Aura. More in Kharsis.
Kestrel Vasko: Leader of Apex Syndicate, “La Loba de la Cicatriz”, sole survivor of the Arca’s xenological security unit. More in Apex Syndicate.
Leyenda: The top rank on both ladders: Guild trust rank V and the fifth faction rank in both houses. More in Reputation.
Mira Oestal: A former Guardabosques who greets recruits at El Fondeadero with a cup of tea and a question. More in El Fondeadero.
Municipal Archivist Doret: The La Cicatriz archivist who keeps the list of the Arca Aurora’s survivors. More in La Cicatriz.
Nima Ossa: The cook at El Vivero, The Pioneers’ seat. More in The Pioneers.
El Notario: Named chief of the Cementerio de Aura pirates: he flies the Revenant Conforme and gives receipts for what he steals.
Operativo: The second faction rank; the Zenith title is Iniciado de la Cátedra, the Nadir title Arraigado. More in Reputation.
Orso Dallent: Forge Hull Foreman in charge of the team that keeps the Astillero Meridian running. More in The strategic points of Aurin.
Paria: Guild trust rank I: inflated prices, half stock and a single redemption job to start over. More in Reputation.
Petra Sorn: Registrar at El Pináculo’s Gran Subasta, who talks in percentages even in casual conversation. More in El Pináculo.
Quill Sarn: Leader of The Pathfinders, “El Ojo Ciego”; a cartographer who lost his sight mapping an energy anomaly. More in The Pathfinders.
Recluta: The first faction rank, the same in both houses; the Zenith title is Recluta Vertical, the Nadir title Forastero. More in Reputation.
Recluta Vertical: The Zenith title for the Recluta rank: its holder is escorted by the Guardia inside the station. More in Reputation.
Renn: A Cátedra agent who pays double in the Vergel Pálido for every extra Rolvak head. More in Rolvak.
Rennik: A High Hunter of Apex Syndicate who sums up 46 years of cataloguing what Ithera can kill. More in Apex Syndicate.
Reya Kest: A young Pathfinders pilot. More in Selvane.
Reyna Ostrach: Colonel in command of The Vanguard, “El Muro”; she served as joint military police on the Arca Aurora.
Sable Okoye: Administrator of The Pioneers, “Madre Sable”; formerly head of hydroponics and the infirmary on the Arca Aurora. More in The Pioneers.
Sable Vunn: Tejedora at El Fondeadero who runs the Tablón de Trueque and hears about everything through her commission.
Sennir: Archon-Instructor at El Pináculo who sends each new Ascendido up to the Consola de Ascensión. More in Reputation.
sleepers: Settlers who crossed the Éxodo asleep in the arks; the auxiliary cores kept count of them. More in The compis.
Socio: Guild trust rank III: a discount, recurring Supply Contracts and access to the headquarters’ common room. More in Reputation.
Speaker: The post that presides over the Círculo del Fondeadero and rotates every cycle; Imelda Rook holds it now. More in El Fondeadero.
Tais Renne: Labourer on the Tozuda and the best shot in Vedma Oleiro’s crew; shooting is another matter. More in Vedma Oleiro and her crew.
Tejedora: An El Fondeadero role that guarantees Tablón de Trueque deals in exchange for a small commission in kind. More in El Fondeadero.
Toben Ashline: Guardabosques Mayor of the Círculo, gruff and protective, who respects the Guilds and never stops watching them. More in El Fondeadero.
Torvun Ekes: Leader of The Forge, “El Fundidor”; he was an apprentice welder when the Arca’s first plate was torn off. More in The Forge.
Vedma Oleiro: Foreman and pilot of the Tozuda; her crew collects newly woken colonists. Her line: “We’re not your friends”.
Veterano: The third faction rank; the Zenith title is Ascendido Menor, the Nadir title Guardián del Fondeo. More in Reputation.
Voss: An Apex Syndicate Tracker who warns newcomers that the Lumbro never attacks. More in Lumbro.
Voz del Círculo: The Nadir title for the Comandante rank, with a real vote in the Círculo’s assembly. More in Reputation.
Ysolde Kray: Commander of the Guardia Vertical at El Pináculo; she says “understood” when she does not agree.

Technology, ships and objects

administrator: A Flota Aura thinking machine, one per ark, that kept the census and arbitrated; only CUSTODIA remains. More in Expedición Aura and Flota Aura.
Arca Aurora: The Flota Aura heavy transport ark that came down on Ithera in Year 1 under fire from both sides.
Arca Custodia: The Arca Aurora’s administrative sister ship, anchored at a neutral point, where every new settler is registered.
ark ships: The great ships of the Flota Aura that carried the population during the Éxodo; the best known are the Arca Aurora and the Arca Custodia. More in Expedición Aura and Flota Aura.
Aura-class corvette: A T4 capital ship rebuilt from pre-war blueprints; no faction has one yet. More in The canonical fleet.
AVISPÓN: Apex Syndicate’s compi, a perimeter core that spent thirty years alone at a Kharsis deposit; red eye. More in The compis.
Axioms: Decrees issued by the Cátedra de Ascensión; Zenith faction missions carry the seal of a numbered one. More in The Zenith.
canonical fleet: The set of MMU chassis flown in Aurin, from the Tortuga class to the Aura-class corvette.
Cofre Común: Each El Fondeadero zone’s shared store, backed by the neighbours’ reputation. More in El Fondeadero.
compi: A rescued Flota Aura auxiliary core in a new shell: a sphere that floats behind the settler’s shoulder.
Compuesto de Contención Xenológica: Made from the Lumbro’s gland; it sedates instead of killing. More in Lumbro.
the Conforme: El Notario’s Revenant: a pre-war military hull, bought three times and stolen twice. More in El Notario.
Créditos de Servicio: The Vanguard’s own voucher, not exchangeable for CRS and spendable only in its catalogue. More in Solmera Credits.
CUADRANTE: The Pathfinders’ compi, a navigation core taken from Puerto Aurora; he keeps the Tabla de Fases. More in The compis.
CUSTODIA: The Arca Custodia’s administrative intelligence, older than the war; it registers every settler and takes no side.
Datos de Navegación: The Pathfinders’ own voucher, not exchangeable for CRS and spendable only in their catalogue. More in Solmera Credits.
drift: What a core learns as it anticipates its settler; only a costly wipe undoes it. More in The compis.
escort: The Guilds’ name for a compi, because it reads better in a contract. More in The compis.
Field Stabiliser: What it takes to extract Cristal Umbrío. More in Resource and loot guide.
First Axiom: The Cátedra’s first decree: the universe is a canvas awaiting our will, and stagnation is the true death. More in The Zenith.
First Verse: The Círculo’s founding Verse: the void gave us a second chance, to learn to put down roots. More in The Nadir.
founding relics: What each guild keeps from its origin, such as the Semilla Original del Vivero, the Ascua del Primer Incendio, the Placa de Mando del Puente or the Cristal de Memoria de Sarn. More in The five Global Guilds.
Fragmento de Casco del Arca Aurora: A Grade V material that cannot be manufactured: it comes from the deep missions in the core of La Cicatriz. More in Resource and loot guide.
frontier tariff: The Mercado Global levy the Guilds collect: 22% remotely and 15% when closing the deal at El Fulcro. More in Mercado Global de Aurin.
FUELLE: The Forge’s compi, a workshop core saved from a Refinería Yermo hopper; his body is copper and bronze. More in The compis.
Fusil de Asalto MMU-7: The MMU’s standard base rifle, the same for both sides; it is the scavengers’ weapon. More in MMU, Matriz de Manufactura Unificada.
Guardianes Automatizados: Ancestral MMU turrets that defend the core of each strategic point and attack anyone who does not hold it. More in The strategic points of Aurin.
El Lastre: The kit of anyone working off a planet: ballast vest, grip thruster and anchors with a lifeline.
LUMBRE: The Pioneers’ compi, an infirmary core that tended four thousand sleepers; she worked aboard the Arca Custodia. More in The compis.
MAMPARO: The Vanguard’s compi, a hull core found in a pressurised Cementerio de Aura compartment; amber eye. More in The compis.
Marcas de Caza: Apex Syndicate’s own voucher, not exchangeable for CRS and spendable only in its catalogue. More in Solmera Credits.
mass drivers: The Refinería Yermo launchers that fire ore capsules up to Kravane. More in Kravane.
Mercado Global de Aurin: The neutral trade channel between Zenith and Nadir, run by the five Guilds from El Fulcro.
MMU: Matriz de Manufactura Unificada: the Flota Aura’s technical standard, inherited intact by both Zenith and Nadir.
Núcleo de Navegación Aura: A Grade V material obtained through The Pathfinders’ “Caja Negra” mission chain. More in Resource and loot guide.
Palio: A field generator inherited from the arks’ armour, at the core of each station; it absorbs structural damage. More in MMU, Matriz de Manufactura Unificada.
position line: The last entry of the Arca Aurora’s navigation core: it says where the ship was, not who fired. More in Arca Aurora.
ProtoGun: The handheld tool with a standard extractor that gets almost every material out; every settler learns on one. More in Resource and loot guide.
Reliquia de Solmera: A unique Grade V material obtained during the anniversary of the war of Year 1. More in Resource and loot guide.
Sarn’s Starhopper: The prototype in which Quill Sarn mapped the anomaly that cost him his sight; it is kept at El Faro Roto. More in The canonical fleet.
Sellos Comunitarios: The Pioneers’ own voucher, not exchangeable for CRS and spendable only in their catalogue. More in Solmera Credits.
Sendero Verde, Polvo de Kharsis and Casco Carmesí: The Tortuga’s three liveries, from The Pioneers, The Forge and The Vanguard. More in The canonical fleet.
Solmera Credits: Aurin’s single currency, with no decimals, shared by the Zenith, the Nadir and the Guilds; “creds” on the street.
Starhopper: The Pathfinders’ T3 explorer, the first MMU chassis designed from scratch for long flights without a stopover. More in The canonical fleet.
Suero de Adrenalina Quitinosa: The first blueprint Apex Syndicate hands out; it uses Espina de Rolvak. More in Rolvak.
Supply Contract: A job a Guild posts to restock its vendors; for the rarest goods it is the only way in. More in Solmera Credits.
Tabla de Fases: Aurin’s empirical ephemeris, measured by the Pathfinders, because the moons orbit in hours where their masses call for days.
Terminal de Cambio Global: The screen on each station for buying or selling on the Mercado Global without leaving home. More in Mercado Global de Aurin.
tiers T1-T4: The scale the Guilds use to rank any goods, ships included. More in The canonical fleet.
Tortuga class: A heavy transport, the oldest and most reproduced MMU chassis; the Guilds fly it most. More in The canonical fleet.
Tortuga Fletera: A T1.5 Tortuga variant, the first chassis of their own that a Forge Colaborador can afford. More in The canonical fleet.
Tortuga “Espolón”: A T2 Tortuga variant for light assault and escort, fast and fragile; The Vanguard flies it. More in The canonical fleet.
Tortuga “Refugio”: A T2 Tortuga variant for medical evacuation, with stretchers; The Pioneers fly it. More in The canonical fleet.
Tortuga “Yugo”: A T2 Tortuga variant: The Forge’s heavy freighter, with two and a half times the hold. More in The canonical fleet.
the Tozuda: A Tortuga with twenty years of patches, flown by Vedma Oleiro; the induction crew’s ship. More in Vedma Oleiro and her crew.
Vales de Producción: The Forge’s own voucher, not exchangeable for CRS and spendable only in its catalogue. More in Solmera Credits.
Verses: Decrees the Círculo del Fondeadero passes by consensus, recited by the Guardaverso at every rite. More in The Nadir.
welcome container: The container the Puerto Aurora team left at dock seven for the Arca Aurora; it is still unopened. More in Tirane.

Creatures and resources

Aleación Fría: An alloy refined from Kaldrek’s Núcleo de Piroclasto and Cristal Umbrío. More in Kaldrek.
Alfa: An Ombrask marked by Apex Syndicate for its rank III hunt; brought down alone, it yields the Piel de Alfa Curada. More in Ombrask.
Ámbar Licuado: The amber fluid from the three wells of the Fosa Ámbar on Kharsis; it belongs to whoever holds the crater. More in Resource and loot guide.
Apex del Apex: The oldest Ombrask Apex Syndicate has ever catalogued, anomalous in size and behaviour. More in Ombrask.
barrelback: The outer-ring nickname for the Rolvak in La Cicatriz, because its shell closes like a barrel when it rolls. More in Rolvak.
Carbonáceo de Cinera: Carbonaceous matter in Cinera’s regolith, the only natural source of polymer and organic resource in the inner orbits. More in Cinera.
Chatarra de Aura: Salvage from the Cementerio de Aura, the rings and Renvar; it breaks down into metazinc, vibrosteel and screws. More in Resource and loot guide.
Colmillo de Nido: A milk tooth shed by Rolvak young in the nest; exclusive material from the “El Nido Oculto” hunt. More in Rolvak.
crestback: The outer-ring nickname in La Cicatriz for the Ombrask, after the crest hanging from its nape. More in The Aurin bestiary.
Cristal Umbrío: A volatile crystal from Kaldrek, pure in the Anillos and impure on the surface; engines demand it. More in Anillos de Kaldrek.
Espina de Rolvak: Grade III hunting material from the Rolvak, the most used: Hunters’ weapons, venom and the Suero de Adrenalina Quitinosa. More in Rolvak.
Extracto Neural de Centinela: Made from the Núcleo Motriz de Centinela; the basis of assisted sights and ship sensors. More in The sentinels.
the five ores: The five basic ores mined in Aurin: technalite, metazinc, neolith, vibrosteel and flux. More in Resource and loot guide.
Flux: One of the five ores, rich on Kaldrek, Kharsis and Ashkar; it is ammunition propellant. More in Resource and loot guide.
fossil water: Ancient water stored underground, the only water on Kharsis; where it surfaces there is vegetation, villages and conflict. More in Kharsis.
Glándula Bioluminiscente de Lumbro: Grade IV material from the Lumbro, basis of high-level medicine; the Syndicate takes it only from dead animals. More in Lumbro.
glowlouse: La Cicatriz’s nickname for the Lumbro, after the cyan dots of light that glow on it at nightfall. More in Lumbro.
live scrap: A volatile kind of Chatarra de Aura: it lasts 60 minutes away from where it was found. More in Resource and loot guide.
Lumbro: An armoured ball from Ithera’s wetlands, passive and herd-living, that never attacks.
Metazinc: One of the five ores, rich on Kaldrek, at Cañón Espina and in the Calderas de Ormek; it makes weapon frames. More in Resource and loot guide.
Neolith: One of the five ores, rich on Kaldrek and at the Espejos de Rocío; used for ammunition, rockets and grenades. More in Resource and loot guide.
El Nido Oculto: An Apex Syndicate hunt by a rare Rolvak nest; it yields the Colmillo de Nido. More in Rolvak.
Núcleo de Piroclasto: A volatile material from Kaldrek’s fissures, the system’s only ship fuel cell; it lasts about 40 minutes. More in Kaldrek.
Núcleo Motriz de Centinela: A Grade IV electronic component sentinels sometimes leave; the Sentinel Neural Extract is made from it. More in The sentinels.
Ombrask: A giant predator about six metres long, aggressive and solitary, that hunts Ithera’s canyons.
the orphan: The name La Cicatriz gives the sentinel, the auxiliary core nobody went looking for. More in The sentinels.
Piel de Alfa Curada: A Grade V material from the Ombrask Alfa brought down alone; it makes elemental-resistance armour. More in Ombrask.
Placa Quitinosa de Ombrask: Grade IV fauna material from the Ombrask; three make light armour that resists knockback. More in Ombrask.
Polvo de Cuarzo Férrico: A Kharsis refining catalyst every high-level refiner wants in reserve. More in Kharsis.
regional forms: Variants of a species that change colour, size and habits with the climate. More in The Aurin bestiary.
Resina Fósil: A Kharsis material in honey-coloured nodules, used as thermal insulation for suits and equipment. More in Kharsis.
Rolvak: Ithera’s armoured herd grazer, about 2.5 metres long; the small, numerous variant of the Ombrask.
sentinel: A Flota Aura auxiliary core nobody rescued: it flies, repeats an old patrol order and fires beams.
Technalite: One of the five ores, richest on Kaldrek and Kharsis; used for ingots, screws, ammunition and the ProtoGun. More in Resource and loot guide.
temperament: When a creature attacks: an aggressive one as soon as it senses you, a neutral one only if attacked, a passive one never. More in The Aurin bestiary.
Vibrosteel: One of the five ores, the costly metal in screws; its detectable signature draws scavengers. More in Resource and loot guide.
Vitrarena: Silica vitrified by lightning in the dunes of Kharsis after a dry storm; used for optics and gunsights. More in Kharsis.
volatiles: Materials that do not last away from where they formed: Cristal Umbrío, Núcleo de Piroclasto and live scrap. More in Resource and loot guide.