The region of Void Space is a distinct and detached region of space-time called a pocket-dimension in which the space appears infinite while from the exterior the space should be finite. The interior of Void Space contains a region roughly 10 lightyears in diameter of a spheroid shape where space-time is normal and follows physical laws. Within this region at its core, space-time behaves much as space-time behaves in normal space. At roughly 10 lightyears from the center, space-time begins to rapidly distort and compress. It is impossible to determine what the actual boundary of this region is, as it appears infinite from within and cannot be measured from the outside. This pocket dimension is parallel to normal space across realities, but retains strange properties which progressively break down the laws of physics as one moves outside the 10-lightyear zone at the center. Severe time dilation occurs due to the compression effect, from the reference frame of the center of the space. The pattern by which a point in space-time in normal space maps to a point in space-time within void space is chaotic and while it is one-to-one it is also unpredictable.
At the center of Void Space is the Well of Forever, an intense distortion in not only space-time but across realities and planes of existence, connected to all realities and planes of existence at the same time, the Well of Forever acts as a star within this void called Selencia.
Breakdown of Physics
Normal physical interactions begin to break down the farther one gets from the core 10-lightyear region. There is no definite barrier between where the normal space region ends and compressed space begins, the transition is more gradual and changes as the space itself fluctuates. The 4 fundamental forces of nature begin to behave erratically; fluctuations in interactions governed by gravity and electromagnetism are the first to be disrupted. Following that the weak force and finally the strong force begin to behave in unpredictable ways. They do not go away, they just change, and thus all interactions of mass and energy have a way of mutating as one moves farther and farther from the core. Matter will change, break down, and recombine into exotic forms not possible in normal space. Similarly energy will begin to interact in unpredictable ways, formerly stable constructions in normal-space will become reactive, new and never-before-seen types of radiation will come into existence.
Regions of physical laws can be codified at various radii from the center and reality can be distorted to give the impression that these different radii are infinite unto themselves, though they are not. As the laws of space-time break down from the core, regions where matter could be caught in a space-time loop or where space-time seems to warp around back onto itself occur as barriers between different regions of the space.
Transition
An uncontrolled transition (i.e. accidental) to the zone is extremely dangerous and is likely to cause irreparable damage to the ship and her crew. The only way to enter (or leave) the space is through a wormhole or other subspace rift which temporarily connects the space with normal space-time at a particular location in space, time, and reality within the multiverse. Energy entering void space is absorbed into the rift itself and seldom reaches the interior while matter is drawn to the center of the space, appearing a random distance from Selencia, but more often than not close to the 10-lightyear boundary.
The energy absorption during accidental transition is often fatal, though not always. Vessels making the transition inevitably lose power but could still generate power should they have fuel and the capability to initiate reaction within their engines. Power sources such as an artificial quantum singularity are unstable within void space and either explode or are absorbed into the space entirely.
Transition into Void Space using DFD
Ships outfitted with a Dimensional Fold Drive are capable of crossing over into Void Space with relatively minor downsides. The configuration needed to target this sector appear to result into a catastrophic failure, and is only shared with Level 6 Personnel stricly on a "Needs to Know"-Base. It is saved to a file which is shared with the Operatives on their Vertex Scanner. In order to update the file, agents would need to return to base. This file can also appear as a thumb drive.
This option is only used in grave emergencies, since transporting an entire vessel causes issues with OPSEC among other more pressing ones.
Transition into Void Space using a Hermod Gate
The most favorable option to enter Void Space is through a Hermod Gate. The operatives access the same file that also holds the DFD configuration to obtain Janus Coordinates of Void Space. Again, this file is only shared with Level 6 Personnel and above and strictly on a "Needs to Know"-Base. This file can also appear as a thumb drive. These coordinates are then used to dial up the Stargate. The destination gate is outside of The Vault on the planet.
Magical Transition into Void Space
Capable mages may cross over into The Vault using a mirror.
Contents
There is a single star in the zone and a small system of 3 planets around that star with a large number of asteroids in a belt between the 1st and 2nd planets. The space itself is not devoid of matter, even though it is called void space. Not only are there planets, the asteroid belt, and graveyard of starships hulls within the 10-lightyear normal zone, but the infinite space surrounding this interior "safe area" exist as well, ships that have tried to escape, matter that was blown free of the center during a catastrophic transition, even bodies litter the strange and infinite space beyond the 10-lightyear spheroid region at the core.
Long lost vessels, people, even objects have been found within void space with little or no explanation on how they possibly could have gotten there.
Nyxia
The planet closest to Selencia, it is a Class B planet with no atmosphere and about half the size of Earth. There is no atmosphere or life on this world, it is a barren and rocky place baked by the system's star.
Asteroid Belt
The asteroid belt is primarily nickel, iron, silicon, and magnesium ores and the composition would suggest that multiple planets could have at one point existed and been subject to some kind of planetary collision which broke them up and formed the vast asteroid belt which spans a mean width of 0.5 AU's in diameter.
Erebusa
The second planet in the system, Class M. The planet is about the same size as Earth with a similar climate and orbital period. The planet has a very large population of animals and plant life but no humanoid or other sentient life forms. The ecosystem is self sustaining and maintains a state of homeostasis.
This planet contains a few artificial structures of unknown origin. Any attempts to discover the age of the structure fail, it appears to be older than recorded time. This is the primary reason for theories that the zone is artificially created. There are symbols similar to ancient gaelic dialects within the structure as well as some proto-mediterranian and proto-european symbols. The first structure is called Firmamentum Saeculorum while the second structure on the world, several miles away from the first, is the Verum Transitus. A set of standing stones about a quarter of a mile to the north of the Firmamentum Saeculorum contains runes and can transport one into the Verum Transitus on command.
Solas Tempus has placed a Hermod Gate on the planet just outside the Firmamentum Saeculorum, it has no dialing device present, the only way to dial the gate is by either interfacing with the gate directly or using a remote system (Tricorder, PADD, Vertex Scanner, or similar).
Hecatia
The final planet in the system is Class P existing just on the edge of the habitable zone of the system. The surface is extremely cold and heavily covered in permafrost glaciers. The only life on the planet is deep under the glacial ice, there is a high percentage of sea life exhibited bioluminescence. The planet has ruins throughout the permafrost which suggests that it was once capable of supporting some form of life, this is as yet unconfirmed. However, a large artificial structure on the planet is still standing in totality, known only as the Arcane Sanctuary.
Starships Graveyard
Just dubbed the graveyard is an extremely large area within the zone with contains an incredibly dense region of space craft and small space stations which have transitioned into the zone but become trapped, either because the crew or ship was killed / damaged. There are thousands of ships of various designs and origins within this region.
Creation
There is no known information on how this area came to be. Some theories suggest that it is artificial, though no evidence exists which either supports or denies this theory. The region itself defies study due to the break down of physical laws the farther one gets from the core region.