Quadrants

Quadrants are large areas of space under Faction control, connected to each other via Hyperwarp Gates. Quadrants vary in size and number of systems, each with one or two Zones. Each one is controlled by a particular faction, which have a large presence in said quadrant, however it is not uncommon for a quadrant to have multiple factions in it. Each Quadrant also has a type, and, like Factions, has a large number of Zone Types within the quadrant that match that type.

Each quadrant type corresponds with zone types, meaning there are the same types of Quadrants as there are Zone types. The Quadrant Type can affect the layout of the Quadrant's Systems, with Wilderness Quadrants having large stretches of empty space between systems as one example.

Quadrants also have a Danger Rating, which helps inform how dangerous the Quadrant as a whole is to those who move through it. The Danger Rating can also give an idea to how dangerous the individual systems are, as the Quadrant Rating influences the individual system ratings during map generation.

History
The Quadrants that have been settled by the Star Traders were first settled just over two centuries ago as the conclusion to the Exodus. As the Templar Fleet guided the main body of Colony Hives and Worldships towards the galactic rim, where Shalun had dictated they go, smaller convoys eventually broke off. These breakaway groups were typically formed because a small group of ships were running low on fuel after being separated from the fleet. These splinter groups would be forced to stop in cold, uncharted space that was often infested with Xeno. In that hostile space, the Star Traders often faced internal strife, Xeno fleets, and warred with the Xeno.

These breakaway groups founded the majority of the Quadrants seen in the game, with the Farfallen Rim being founded by the main body of the Exodus and defended by the Templar Fleet.

Often these new Quadrants had to contend with Xeno incursions, fighting entire fleets of Xeno warships. In some Quadrants, the Templar-led Faction forces fought and invaded Xeno-held worlds, bombarding them, destroying hives and fighting to remove the Xeno from potential colony worlds. These campaigns would have had terrible losses for every gain.

In addition to Xeno threats, many Quadrants were forced to deal with the Cult of Shelgeroth, a Xeno Cult from before the Exodus. Later, when the Hyperwarp was rediscovered and the Quadrants were able to share their histories, it was shown that the Rychart had been the source of the cult in a large percentage of the Quadrants.

However some Quadrants were not so ferocious in their fighting, or were paralyzed by internal strife before they could deal with the Xeno. These Quadrants were ravaged by the ancient enemy, with many if not all human colonies lost.

Politics
As mentioned above, each Quadrant was settled by several Factions in a Founding. During each Founding, the Factions divided up the planets available to form their initial colonies, set up a Senate and explored the space around them, charting new worlds, resources and threats. Over time one Faction, either by holding the best colony worlds, most lucrative trade routes, or simply holding the most colonies, would emerge as dominant in the Senate. These Factions became the controlling Faction of the Quadrant by the time the story begins.