Gates of Ekrom

An area of peculiarly low immaterial potential marks the border between the Brightsword Protectorate proper and the Tzi'Na Enclave. The effect on the stars in the region is visible from nearby systems; faint but complete halos.

Long-shunned by Imperial merchant routes, as the region deforms and disrupts astrogation and warp travel in a way similar to a reef on a nautical ship, the so-called Gates of Ekrom provide a useful navigational tool for realspace shipping, making it an ideal vantage point for the Tau's skip-space technologies. In particular, it connects the worlds of the Tzi'Na Enclave to the oldest Tau-controlled systems of the Brightsword core-worlds – systems such as Tau'lor (Imperial trans: Dolor) and Bath'al.

The few worlds of the region itself are largely devoid of permanent populations beyond engineering and research teams; but the 'Gates' nevertheless form an important musterpoint for the Brightsword Protectorate. Accordingly, substantial Tau forces are periodically cycled through.