With only eleven known, populated worlds, the Darkling Regions are aptly
named.  From coreward, the Mal'Gnar extend into the subsector, showing no
signs of pressing further rimward.  Near the rimward edge of the Darkling
Regions one finds the ringworld of Northstar, the base of the Northstar
Interworld Technological Services.  Northstar is one of the most (if not
the most) interesting worlds within Beyond.  Not only does it encircle a
Type G2 star, but it is composed of technologically controlled environments.
Thus, a traveller may find representative colonies of each of the many races
which comprise the Comsentient Alliance, as well as many of the races seeking
entrance to the Alliance.  Northstar has long pressed the Alliance for
recognition as a better-suited world for the Great Hall than Rabanitas/Zydar.
However, its position at the trailing edge of the subsector, parenthetically
nearer the Imperium, counts heavily against such a ruling in the foreseeable
future.

The only established jump routes into the Darkling Regions originate in the
I'Sred*Ni Heptad.  This makes travelling into the subsector rather difficult,
to say the least.

Since 1103, at least three Type S Scout/Couriers, Serpent Class, have
disappeared within this subsector: fin #3703, _Adder_; fin #3713, _Russel's_
Viper_; and fin #3714, _Gopher_Snake_.  Two Scout/Couriers (_King_Snake_, fin
#3725; and _Queen_Snake_, fin #3726) are currently performing a "station
keeping" watch in this subsector.

The Darkling Regions has 112 billion sentient inhabitants on 11 worlds.  The
highest tech level is E at Northstar, and its highest recorded and verified
population is A at Mal'Jlan.
