The Jewelled ring is a series of three ring like asteroid fields huddled closely together. The ring received its name for the high amount of raw mineral crystals, ice crystals and other reflective materials that glitter in the light of Solinus. Akadia has had many mining colonies in the rings, yet the natives of the rings have fought and sabotaged the intruding Colonial powers for hundreds of generations. It is not uncommon that colonists turn their backs on their homeland to make a new life in the rings, yet these poor souls usually bear the brunt of the Akadian spacers guild first. Fully 60% of the asteroids in the rings are capable of supporting at least a single structure and most have enough loose earth deposits and access to ice crystals to support actual settlements. The inner ring is the warmest of the three, mainly due to the high amount of water vapour which catches and holds the rays of Solinus. Warmest means an average temperature of 10 to 15 degrees centigrade and due to the high humidity the inner ring is constantly foggy, wet and overcast. The central ring is a bit cooler, averaging 0 to 10 degrees centigrade, and far less overcast than the inner ring. The outer ring is the coldest of the three with average temperatures ranging from -10 to 0 degrees centigrade. In addition, Akadia's "Stratoforming" project had only begun when the grand rebellion began, thus there are fewer solid airways between asteroids. Water in the outer ring always appears in the form of ice, sometimes is colossal "icebergs" capable of crushing whole villages.
Over five hundred years ago Akadia began a large scale colonisation effort and brought in massive amounts of raw materials, goods and provisions. The Akadian spacers guild even went so far as to place a number of special magical items designed to expand the atmosphere and increase the water supplies. Over the course of hundreds of years the relatively cold and sparse inner ring slowly became a misty garden. The process was being carried over to the central and out rings when angry natives and jaded colonists began a grand revolution to overthrow their oppressors with a battle often referred to as "The duck pond". Rebel forces fitted asteroids with Manasails and sent a hail of self propelled stones to rain down upon the Akadian Enforcer's fleet, literally crushing them within minutes. Survivors were stranded on asteroids and hurled towards the planet of Akadia. After several months of silence from the enforcer fleet the Spacers guild sent out ships to investigate. They returned with tales of a great cloud of stones hurtling through space bearing asphyxiated marines. Horrors were repaid with horrors, but eventually the sheer mass of Akadia's resources won the battle. The jewelled ring fell once again under the heavy hand of the Spacers guild. Over one hundred years later unrest is coming once again to a boiling point and the people of the Rings are determined not to loose this time.
Space ports in the Rings can be divided up into two categories, free and colonial. Colonial ports are controlled by the Spacers guild aided by the Enforcers fleet, while free ports are usually well hidden secrets free of colonial influence. Colonial ports are more frequent on the inner ring, where Akadia has its greatest interest. Free ports can be found on any of the rings, but are most frequently encountered on the central ring. The average colonial port is type B or C, though the Enforcers citadel is a type A military port. Free ports can be of almost any type and have a wide range of docking charges and facilities available. Only members of the Spacers guild are allowed to dock at colonial ports, though special permits are given to freelance Corsairs working for the Enforcers fleet. Some of the more well known (publicly or secretly) ports are listed here.
Child's coin: "I looked up from the bloodied ground, wet with my own blood, to see an Akadian mercenary strike down a little girl. He bent over and took from her cold fingers and single silver coin and I saw the light of greed mix with the shadow of callousness. He was the first man I ever slew in rage and it is that stolen coin, the child's coin, that bids me carry on in rebellion." Those who frequent the Child's coin often, either as patrons of the tavern, guests at the inn, or as customers at the repair dock, has heard this tale a thousand times from the establishments founder, Farthing Gent. Once each night, when the tavern is full, Gent leaps upon the bar and tells this short, sad tale as the patrons listen in silence or recite the tale along with him. Said coin is hung in a frame from the wall behind the bar.
As one would expect the Child's coin is a rebels port, one of the most fanatic in the Rings. Many young, Akadian patrol captains have sworn to rid the Rings of the Coin, and have instead added their names to the tales of horror older patrolmen tell their soldiers to keep them wary. The coin welcomes any man, as long as they bear no allegiance to Akadia or the Spacers guild. Though the Coin does not look like much from afar a secret entrance, on the bottom of the asteroid upon which the Inn rests, opens up into a Type A dry dock. Most goods sold here are stolen from the Akadian fleet, something which is less kept a secret as displayed like a banner. Thrifty captains can buy most anything for 60 to 70% of the normal price, but must accept small nuisances like Akadian registration numbers, Spacers guild seals, etc.
Weird vault: This owner of this star docks owner claims neutrality, though both sides are not quite sure of how neutral that may be. Never the less, Finnius Brigan makes a good living from his "Dock and Inn". Most call the Dock and Inn the Weird vault, for the asteroid is protected by a large number of earth and water wierds. Just how Finnius has manages to keep the weirds from attacking both his patrons and himself is a mystery, one that Finnius is not going to tell soon. Otherwise, the Weird vault is a standard type B star dock which also offers "services arcane", performed by Finnius himself.
Scatter-wheel docks: The scatter-wheel is a comfortable and pleasant place to take a rest and have ones ship repaired…as long as one can ignore the unusual noises and occasional explosions emanating from the Gnomish factory on the neighbouring asteroid. If it's mechanical and needs to be repaired, Scatter-wheel's the place to go. Pinthiri Scatter-wheel, the charming Gnomish proprieties, is a near genius when it comes to repairing mechanical devices and where her wrench and hammer fail her she makes use of the arcane arts. With a good reference Pinthiri is also willing to sell Akadian Clockwork crewmen, often captured from raids on Akadian ships and sold here.
Guilden trader: The Guilden is one of the most successful Akadian land lords in the Rings. This massively fat and overly perfumed human male owns over a dozen mining operations and several dozen farming asteroids, including the communities that work them. The "Guilden trader" is a star port par excellence, with the best facilities and craftsmen money can buy. The star dock is positioned on the gravity plane of a large asteroid measuring a full 3 miles in diameter. Two grand keeps protect the docks, one on either side of the gravity plane. Though the Spacers guild is "fairly" sure of the Guilden's loyalty to Akadia, most locals know that the Guilden's loyalty lay with the coin. For the right price, any ship no matter its loyalties, can receive repairs and equipment from the Guilden. Some of the rings best smugglers and corsairs are what the locals call "slaves to the Guilden coin", meaning they are paid by the Guilden for their loyalty. Subsequently, the majority of the illegal trade and smuggling is either owned or controlled by the Guilden.
Most asteroids serve to produce both agricultural goods and raw materials. As a rule of thumb, colonial prices are slightly higher than freeman price and more readily available in large quantieis.
