Carcosa

Artist's depiction of the cyclopean towers of Carcosa.

On 4524.060, the crew of the Hyperion began having dreams that seemed to concern the planet Carcosa. While attempting to investigate the planet, the crew briefly encountered a Kronin Imperium scout ship.

Quick facts about Carcosa:

• Styx (Pulsar PSX113A), the star Carcosa orbits, is an irregular pulsar located in Deerstalker Nebula.

• Deerstalker Nebula is a dark nebula, invisible at distances great than about 10-12 parsecs (-6 to Sensors). When detected, it appears as a black shape against the void of space, some 2000 AU in diameter, extending an average of 400 AU past Carcosa's orbit. 

• For each 100 AU a ship ventures into the nebula, effective range of instruments is reduced by 50% and a cumulative -1 penalty is applied to Navigation/Piloting. 

• If the ship comes within 100 AU of the pulsar, the ship suffers damage every half-hour.

• Activating FTL in the nebula results in a "mis-skip," i.e. automatic failure.

• The entire system is a "Prohibited zone," but it is not patrolled by Nova Corps or any other policing/security concern. 

• The surface of Carcosa is devoid or water or life. Scientists believe the biosphere was burned away when the star exploded centuries ago. There are vast, empty, cyclopean cities on the surface, evidence of a previous civilization.

• Carcosa's huge elliptical orbit, 30 degrees off the star's plane of rotation, may indicate it was previously a rogue planet.

See also

• Official Planetary Record Sheet for Carcosa (from GURPS Space Atlas 1).