Hobo

Hobo is the sole planet orbiting the green sun Moloch, located in intergalactic space far beyond the Milky Way. Moloch itself orbits a Black Hole, making the entire system an astrophysical anomaly. Hobo is home to two indigenous civilizations -- the winged Ashras and the seafaring Zopten -- as well as a small human settlement established by survivors of the MIDAS crash. The planet serves as the primary setting for booklets 014 and 015, and its events carry profound consequences for both the Terranaut saga and the galaxy at large: it is here that Llewellyn 709 discovers the SCHREI from Syrta has reached across intergalactic distances, awakening the Zoptic magicians and proving that the Driver rebellion reverberates far beyond human space.

Physical Description

Hobo is a world defined by its oceans, continents, and the eerie green light of its parent star Moloch. The planet possesses a stormy ocean separating its major landmasses, which the Zopten traverse using primitive submarines.

The known geography includes:

• Runnevel -- The primary continent of the Zopten, containing the capital city Neuzen Vrest and the political heartland of the Vereinigten Zoptischen Loren (United Zoptic Lores). Runnevel is divided into a southern portion controlled by the Lores and a northern region known as Nordrunnevel.
• South Continent -- The homeland of the Ashras, a continent of mountains, plateaus, and canyons where the winged hunters build their eyries. Key features include the Oomp Ashra Eyrie, the Coastal Mountains (Kustenberge), the Tree Plateau (Baumplateau), the Canyons, and the Rock Obelisks (Felsobelisken).
• Steppenland -- A border region between Runnevel and Nordrunnevel, traditionally the homeland of the Zoptic magicians.
• Coastline and Ocean -- The seas between the continents are traversed by Zoptic Submarines. Coastal caves serve as gathering places for the magicians, particularly during the Night of Silent Waters.

The planet's ecosystem includes the Finner, ostrich-like creatures that migrate in great herds and serve as prey for Ashra hunts. Their migration patterns are linked to the Weltenstillstand (World Standstill), a cyclical planetary event that also holds deep ceremonial significance for the Zopten.

Indigenous Civilizations

The Ashras

The Ashras are winged, bat-like beings native to Hobo's South Continent. They live in swarms led by elders such as Ershmet-Lorn, the "Old One" and pilot of the Oomp Ashra swarm. The Ashras are hunters who pursue Finner herds across the continent, building their homes in mountain eyries.

The Ashras have been under existential threat from the Zopten, who launched colonization expeditions to the South Continent under commanders like Solvan von Vrest. These campaigns, known to the Ashras as attacks by the "Shadows from the Sea," aimed at exterminating the winged population to clear the land for Zoptic settlement.

After the arrival of the MIDAS crew, the Ashras initially viewed the humans as another threat, stampeding a herd of Finner toward the ship and killing three refugees. However, an alliance was forged after Scanner Cloud and Llewellyn 709 were captured by the Ashras and witnessed a Zoptic attack on the Oomp Ashra Eyrie firsthand. Deschmarn-Drag, an Ashra hunter, became a key ally and eventually joined the MIDAS crew, playing a pivotal role in the events on Runnevel.

The Zopten

The Zopten (Zoptic people) are a seafaring civilization occupying the continent of Runnevel. Their society is rigidly stratified:

• The Lores -- The aristocratic ruling class, exemplified by Zanzin von Vrest, the Lore of Neuzen Vrest. The Lores maintain their power through a system of fortified palaces and military force, including the City Regiment and the Lorischen Palastkorps.
• The Leihmänner -- An industrial and technological elite who control commerce, manufacturing, and military logistics. They push for colonial expansion and the exploitation of the South Continent.
• The Magicians -- A secretive caste of psionic individuals who are the Zoptic equivalent of human Drivers. They draw their power -- known as Hexenkraft -- from a connection to Space II, accessed via what they call the PSI-Weg (psionic path). The magicians are feared and marginalized by the ruling classes. Their homeland is the Steppenland, and they communicate through enchanted amulets.

The Zopten speak the Zoptic Idiom, their own language. Their political capital is Neuzen Vrest, a walled city with the Lore's palace at its center. The office of Reichsverweser (Imperial Regent) is held by figures such as Talibur Sdart.

The Zoptic Magicians and the SCHREI

The magicians of Hobo represent one of the saga's most significant discoveries: proof that psionic ability is not unique to humanity, and that the events of the Driver rebellion on Syrta had consequences that transcended galactic boundaries.

When Llewellyn 709 and Sirdina Giccomo made psionic contact with Siltron, a Zoptic magician, they discovered that the magicians possessed abilities analogous to those of human Drivers -- they could access Space II and channel psionic energy through what they called Hexenkraft. The magicians had been awakened and radicalized by a signal they could not explain: a powerful psionic call for freedom that had reached them from across the cosmos.

Llewellyn realized that this signal was the SCHREI -- the galaxy-spanning psionic broadcast sent from Syrta when the Super-Lodge was formed and Llewellyn himself declared David terGorden the "heir of power" (Booklet 001). The SCHREI, generated by the formation of the Super-Lodge and Llewellyn's telepathic call to all Drivers, had traveled far beyond the Milky Way and resonated with every psionic being in its path. On Hobo, it inspired the magicians to plan a revolution against the Lores and Leihmänner who oppressed them.

This discovery carried profound implications: the Driver rebellion was not merely a human political movement, but a psionic shockwave that awakened kindred beings across the universe.

History

Arrival of the MIDAS (2499)

The MIDAS, an experimental Kaiser Force ship seized by prisoners during the Revolt on Luna, was flung into intergalactic space when its drive malfunctioned catastrophically. Most of the crew were killed or transformed into "Glassy Ones" -- crystallized corpses created by the drive's failure.

In a display of extraordinary nerve, Scanner Cloud ordered the ship to fly directly into the Black Hole, gambling that its gravitational pull could be used as a slingshot. The Drivers formed a psionic lodge to shield Cloud during the maneuver. The gamble succeeded, but the MIDAS crash-landed on Hobo, severely damaged and grounded.

First Contact and the Ashra-Human Alliance (2499)

The crash was observed by Deschmarn-Drag, a winged Ashra hunter who initially mistook the ship for a threat connected to the "Shadows from the Sea" -- the Zoptic colonizers who had been attacking Ashra swarms. The Ashras stampeded a herd of Finner toward the MIDAS, killing three Luna refugees.

The Mages' Covenant and the Night of Silent Waters (2499)

With the immediate Zoptic threat to the Ashras neutralized, Llewellyn 709 turned his attention to the Zoptic civilization itself. Aboard the MIDAS-Zwei, Llewellyn, Scanner Cloud, Sirdina Giccomo, Morgenstern, and Deschmarn-Drag traveled to Runnevel, the Zoptic continent.

The MIDAS-Zwei launched probes over the continent, identifying Neuzen Vrest as the largest settlement. Landing near a rock pillar outside the city, Llewellyn and Sirdina used their psionic abilities to reach out to Siltron, a Zoptic magician who had been plotting the overthrow of the ruling Lores.

Siltron and his fellow magicians had been galvanized by the SCHREI into planning a revolution. When Llewellyn and Siltron established psionic contact, Llewellyn showed the magicians the truth about the Zoptic invasion of the Ashra homeworld, forging a three-way alliance between the humans, the Ashras, and the magician caste.

The revolution was timed to coincide with the Night of Silent Waters (German: Nacht der stillen Wasser), a decennial Zoptic ceremony linked to the Weltenstillstand. During this sacred night:

• Llewellyn 709 unleashed a surge of psionic energy, creating a massive water column from the ocean as a terrifying omen
• The MIDAS-Zwei, piloted by Sirdina Giccomo and Morgenstern, created chaos with sonic and holographic projections, depicting the Ashras as monstrous avengers
• Deschmarn-Drag appeared before the Zopten and spoke the truth: the Ashras were not monsters but victims of Zoptic aggression, and the Lores and Leihmanner must be removed
• Siltron called the people to action
• Zanzin von Vrest, the Lore of Neuzen Vrest, was killed by the mob

In the aftermath, fighting continued for weeks across Neuzen Vrest as the old order collapsed. Troops from Nordrunnevel invaded, adding to the chaos. Llewellyn refused to intervene further, believing the Zopten must fight for their own freedom. Siltron visited the humans one final time, expressing gratitude and asking for a signal when the humans' own tyrants had fallen.

Departure of the MIDAS (2499)

When the MIDAS prepared to leave Hobo and attempt a return transit to the Milky Way, Basanaike Teschnapur and several other crew members chose to remain behind, establishing a permanent human settlement on the planet. Scanner Cloud emptied the MIDAS's weapons magazines for the settlers, providing them with arms, equipment, and supplies.

The MIDAS departed Hobo and successfully transited back toward the Milky Way using the Kaiser Force Drive. However, the crew was met with devastating news: the sun Spilter had become a nova, and the planet Zoe -- the intended destination and last great refuge of the Drivers -- no longer existed.

Key Events

Notable Inhabitants and Visitors

Indigenous Inhabitants

Ashras

• Deschmarn-Drag -- Ashra hunter of the Oomp Ashra swarm; initially attacked the humans, later became their ally and joined the MIDAS crew
• Ershmet-Lorn -- The Old One, the Wise One; pilot of the Oomp Ashra swarm

Zopten -- Ruling Class

• Zanzin von Vrest -- Lore of Neuzen Vrest and ruler of the Vereinigten Zoptischen Loren; killed during the Night of Silent Waters revolution
• Talibur Sdart -- Reichsverweser (Imperial Regent) of the Vereinigten Zoptischen Loren
• Vranten Storrz -- A Leihmann who demanded support for the colonization fleet to the South Continent
• Solvan von Vrest -- Zoptic nobleman who led the extermination campaign against the Ashras; committed suicide after defeat

Zopten -- Magicians

• Siltron -- Leading magician who forged the alliance with the humans and led the uprising against the Lores
• Aiden -- A magician killed while infiltrating Neuzen Vrest

Other Zopten

• Moretak Vromm -- A merchant encountered by Siltron in Neuzen Vrest
• Ogar -- A ruffian who confronted Siltron; defeated by the magician's powers
• Grommoz -- Chief of the Lorischen Palastkorps (Lore's Palace Guard)

Human Visitors and Settlers

• Llewellyn 709 -- Riemenmann and Driver leader of the MIDAS crew; forged the alliance with both Ashras and magicians
• Scanner Cloud -- Psyter and de facto commander of the MIDAS; devised the holographic deception that saved the Ashras
• Sirdina Giccomo -- Driver; piloted the MIDAS-Zwei and participated in psionic contact with Siltron
• Morgenstern -- Pilot and historian; operated the MIDAS-Zwei's sensor and projection equipment
• Leande -- Centrist; operated the MIDAS computer systems; piloted the flying disc to rescue Llewellyn and Cloud
• Basanaike Teschnapur -- Scanner Cloud's right-hand man; chose to remain on Hobo as leader of the human settlement
• Angila Fraim -- Driver who participated in the lodge and Hobo operations
• Altamont O'Hale -- Driver who participated in the lodge and Hobo operations
• Serge-Serge Suvez -- Driver who participated in the Hobo operations
• Lavski -- Machine technician who repaired the MIDAS generator

Geography and Landmarks

Ships and Technology on Hobo

• MIDAS -- The Kaiser Force ship that crash-landed on Hobo; served as the human base camp
• MIDAS-Zwei -- Disc-shaped lifeboat from the MIDAS; used for reconnaissance over Runnevel and as a weapon platform during the Night of Silent Waters
• Zoptic Submarines -- Primitive submarines used by the Zopten to cross the ocean between continents
• Holo-Projectors -- MIDAS technology used to create holographic illusions of giant monsters
• Sound Inductors -- MIDAS technology used to project amplified sound over great distances
• Shock Rifles -- Weapons that emit low-frequency, high-energy waves

Significance

Hobo occupies a unique thematic position in the saga of Die Terranauten. It is a world in microcosm -- a planet where the same patterns of oppression, colonization, and resistance that define the human galactic struggle play out among entirely alien civilizations.

The Zoptic-Ashra conflict mirrors the Council-Driver conflict: a technologically dominant civilization (the Zopten/the Council) seeks to subjugate or exterminate a population it considers primitive or dangerous (the Ashras/the Drivers). The Zoptic magicians, in turn, mirror the Drivers themselves -- psionic beings marginalized and persecuted by a materialist ruling class, who find their voice when the SCHREI from Syrta reaches them across the void.

Hobo is also the saga's proof of concept for the universality of psionic consciousness. The fact that the SCHREI -- born of the Driver rebellion on a single human colony world -- could awaken and radicalize beings on a planet in intergalactic space demonstrates that Space II and psionic ability are not human phenomena but cosmic ones. The magicians' Hexenkraft is the Zoptic expression of the same force that empowers human Drivers, and their PSI-Weg leads to the same dimension.

Finally, Hobo represents the cost of exile. The MIDAS crew, stranded far from home, must decide whether to intervene in an alien world's conflicts or preserve their strength for the return journey. Llewellyn 709's decision to help the Ashras and magicians but refuse to fight the Zopten's war for them reflects a hard-won wisdom: freedom must be claimed, not granted. When Basanaike Teschnapur and others choose to remain on Hobo rather than face the dangers of the return transit, they embody the saga's recurring theme that home is where one makes a stand.

Appearances

See Also

• Moloch -- The green sun that Hobo orbits
• Black Hole -- The collapsed star that Moloch orbits
• Runnevel -- The Zoptic continent on Hobo
• Neuzen Vrest -- Capital city of the Vereinigten Zoptischen Loren
• South Continent -- Homeland of the Ashras
• Ashra -- The winged native species of Hobo
• Zoptic people -- The seafaring civilization of Runnevel
• Siltron -- Leading Zoptic magician and revolutionary
• Deschmarn-Drag -- Ashra hunter who joined the MIDAS crew
• MIDAS -- The Kaiser Force ship that crash-landed on Hobo
• SCHREI -- The galaxy-spanning psionic signal from Syrta that awakened the Zoptic magicians
• Syrta -- The planet where the SCHREI originated
• Night of Silent Waters -- The decennial Zoptic ceremony during which the revolution occurred
• Weltenstillstand -- The cyclical planetary event affecting Finner migration
• Hexenkraft -- The magical power of the Zoptic magicians
• Space II -- The psionic dimension accessed by both human Drivers and Zoptic magicians
• Basanaike Teschnapur -- Leader of the human settlement that remained on Hobo