One of the Pact Worlds is the ringed gas Giant Liavara. It has 5 major moons. Liavara is the only planet in the system to sport rings of any kind. These bands of dust and ice are shaped and defined into particular striations by the planet’s innumerable shepherd moons—ranging from chunks of rock some tens of feet in diameter to asteroids and tiny planetoids. Many shepherd moons bear unexplained marks of ancient civilizations: abandoned mines, obelisks covered in eldritch markings, and even lavish tombs. Hibb is one such moon.
The shepherd moon of Hibb was once considered unremarkable due to its lack of resources and inhospitable environment. However, with the appearance of 57 vault-towers in the year 313 A.G. (6 years ago), the moon's landscape was transformed overnight. These cylindrical towers, likely built by a single civilization, vary in size and purpose but share common architectural features. Many towers contain stasis-coffers with bantrid survivors, while others were destroyed, rendering them tombs. Some vault-towers served as communication centers or had unknown functions.
Hibb's primary inhabitants are the bantrids, intelligent creatures that move by rolling on a dense organic sphere. Tens of thousands of bantrids survived in stasis and now live in the vault-towers, which they find cozy and decorate with paintings and pillows. The moon also has a small population of immigrants and visitors, including explorers, academics, treasure hunters, and evangelists promoting various cultural and economic models. Hibb lacks a substantial ecosystem, with only small insects besides the bantrids as the most advanced life forms.
Starward, the bustling town centered around the Starward Vault-Tower, is the focal point of AbadarCorp's economic ambitions for the moon. It attracts a diverse crowd, from last-chancers with get-rich-quick schemes to representatives from Pact World megacorporations. The town is governed by a seven-member Executive Assembly, with Uso serving as the primary ambassador between bantrids and the megacorporations. The assembly prioritizes ensuring Hibb's development benefits bantrids and promotes them as partners rather than subordinates. However, not all outside operations share this approach, as evidenced by a recent fine imposed on Arabani Arms Ltd. for exploitative practices. Starward is home to Starward Academy, which trains bantrids to become skilled pilots, taking advantage of their balance and love of speed. Additionally, New Possibilities Inc., a private hospital, offers surgeries to remove the sense of smell, providing patients with the option to turn it on and off as desired.
