General Data
System/Star: Photoris
Generation: 5
Planet: Photoris VII
Type: Terrestrial
Stellar Radius: 2.74 AU from star
Circumference: ~4 times Yamatai
Surface Gravity: 3.14G
Length of day: 75 Hours
Length of year: 594.2 Days
Background and History
Photoris was previously a binary star, but its sister went supernova approximately 3 million years ago, and as such, heavier elements are more abundant in this system; in fact, most of the planets have small pockets of barely-decayed neutronium, coalesced into extremely heavy elements that otherwise would only be produced in labs. As a result, what was once a veritable array of life has been extinguished on all but the most sheltered planet - the seventh one out from the core, which has an dazzling array of moons and rings. Its odd properties can be attributed to the heavy elements which occupy its core and various approximately evenly-placed craters around the surface; the dynamo which produces the magnetic fields around the planet is severely tormented by the presence of such dense matter, and as a result a sort of geosphere-shaped magnetic field forms around the planets around Photoris in lieu of the pumpkin-esque Van Allen belts common to ordinary planets.
As a result of the highly radioactive and extremely heavy metal deposits (most notably plutonium) the planet is actually in a slow state of collapse - within 100,000 years, it will basically become the size of its own moons, though with a much greater mass. Immediate results include a gradually increasing surface gravity (more than 0.003N/kg per year) and frequent violent earthquakes from the tectonic plates being squeezed together.
There are three sentient indigenous species, sharing a few qualities such as communication by EMR, but all surprisingly unique: The Phosphorese, relatively small creatures with gigantic, nearly-prehensile fur, occupy most of the northern continent and tend to reproduce and die off extremely quickly but somehow continue to make progress in areas of science and medicine; the Meridor, occupying most of the southern continent and somewhat resembling eight-legged lizard-men, are a hunting race which does not believe in free trade but enforces freedom of information; and, underwater (water only occupies 1/3 of Photoris VII's surface) are the Latequetacti which could be cousins of highly-evolved electric eels - they demonstrate minute but measurable telekinetic abilities and have developed the most advanced technology on the planet, building mecha to allow them to exit the water and make their presence known.
Due to the acute differences between these three races, they are often found warring between each other, but on the whole, they realize that any battles between them leave them weak against the third party, and a stalemate has developed over the years. Unlike a cold war, however, and mainly due to the religion of the Meridor, scientific progress is shared by all three, such that no one has a disadvantage in terms of level of technology or medical proficiency.
Cities
Phosphorese: Though they tend to live tribally and nomadically, they nonetheless conglomerate. Their 'cities' are generally groups of twenty-seven (a three-generation 'family' tribe) to twenty million (a platoon).
Meridor: Most come from one of about twenty main cities across the southern continent; the cities tend to be either military- or science-oriented. Since it's easier to dig a hole than to build a house by hand from scratch, the cities are primarily underground, but they are populous enough that they still occupy several dozen kilometers square despite the multi-layering. Many rural Meridor live on their own: in trees, in small burrows of their own, or even just roaming and sleeping under the sky.
Latequetactus: Much like fish, they tend to keep together in 'schools', constantly moving and collecting as they go. These schools tend to consist of hundreds to hundreds of thousands of individuals, including droids (generally in a ratio of about 2 droids per 1 citizen).
Resources: Lots of heavy metals (titanium, iron, and uranium to name a few). Also a fairly diverse fauna and flora, though capped at about 100,000 species total.
Life Forms (Sentient): Phosphorese, ~94.7%; Meridor: ~3.24%; Latequetactus: ~2.06% (per capita)
Orbital
Moons: 30-70, depending on what counts as a 'moon'. All have at least three different names (two in the visible spectrum and one in the radio-wave spectrum); many have older names as well. Occasionally, a moon will collide with another and cause a catastrophic meteor strike, but this only happens once every couple millenia.
Rings: Extend out four times the radius of the planet. Shape vaguely resembles a geosphere. Consists largely of light elements and water, which are less abundant on this planet and preliminary harvesting operations are in progress by all indigenous species.
System/Star: Photoris
Generation: 5
Planet: Photoris VII
Type: Terrestrial
Stellar Radius: 2.74 AU from star
Circumference: ~4 times Yamatai
Surface Gravity: 3.14G
Length of day: 75 Hours
Length of year: 594.2 Days
Background and History
Photoris was previously a binary star, but its sister went supernova approximately 3 million years ago, and as such, heavier elements are more abundant in this system; in fact, most of the planets have small pockets of barely-decayed neutronium, coalesced into extremely heavy elements that otherwise would only be produced in labs. As a result, what was once a veritable array of life has been extinguished on all but the most sheltered planet - the seventh one out from the core, which has an dazzling array of moons and rings. Its odd properties can be attributed to the heavy elements which occupy its core and various approximately evenly-placed craters around the surface; the dynamo which produces the magnetic fields around the planet is severely tormented by the presence of such dense matter, and as a result a sort of geosphere-shaped magnetic field forms around the planets around Photoris in lieu of the pumpkin-esque Van Allen belts common to ordinary planets.
As a result of the highly radioactive and extremely heavy metal deposits (most notably plutonium) the planet is actually in a slow state of collapse - within 100,000 years, it will basically become the size of its own moons, though with a much greater mass. Immediate results include a gradually increasing surface gravity (more than 0.003N/kg per year) and frequent violent earthquakes from the tectonic plates being squeezed together.
There are three sentient indigenous species, sharing a few qualities such as communication by EMR, but all surprisingly unique: The Phosphorese, relatively small creatures with gigantic, nearly-prehensile fur, occupy most of the northern continent and tend to reproduce and die off extremely quickly but somehow continue to make progress in areas of science and medicine; the Meridor, occupying most of the southern continent and somewhat resembling eight-legged lizard-men, are a hunting race which does not believe in free trade but enforces freedom of information; and, underwater (water only occupies 1/3 of Photoris VII's surface) are the Latequetacti which could be cousins of highly-evolved electric eels - they demonstrate minute but measurable telekinetic abilities and have developed the most advanced technology on the planet, building mecha to allow them to exit the water and make their presence known.
Due to the acute differences between these three races, they are often found warring between each other, but on the whole, they realize that any battles between them leave them weak against the third party, and a stalemate has developed over the years. Unlike a cold war, however, and mainly due to the religion of the Meridor, scientific progress is shared by all three, such that no one has a disadvantage in terms of level of technology or medical proficiency.
Cities
Phosphorese: Though they tend to live tribally and nomadically, they nonetheless conglomerate. Their 'cities' are generally groups of twenty-seven (a three-generation 'family' tribe) to twenty million (a platoon).
Meridor: Most come from one of about twenty main cities across the southern continent; the cities tend to be either military- or science-oriented. Since it's easier to dig a hole than to build a house by hand from scratch, the cities are primarily underground, but they are populous enough that they still occupy several dozen kilometers square despite the multi-layering. Many rural Meridor live on their own: in trees, in small burrows of their own, or even just roaming and sleeping under the sky.
Latequetactus: Much like fish, they tend to keep together in 'schools', constantly moving and collecting as they go. These schools tend to consist of hundreds to hundreds of thousands of individuals, including droids (generally in a ratio of about 2 droids per 1 citizen).
Resources: Lots of heavy metals (titanium, iron, and uranium to name a few). Also a fairly diverse fauna and flora, though capped at about 100,000 species total.
Life Forms (Sentient): Phosphorese, ~94.7%; Meridor: ~3.24%; Latequetactus: ~2.06% (per capita)
Orbital
Moons: 30-70, depending on what counts as a 'moon'. All have at least three different names (two in the visible spectrum and one in the radio-wave spectrum); many have older names as well. Occasionally, a moon will collide with another and cause a catastrophic meteor strike, but this only happens once every couple millenia.
Rings: Extend out four times the radius of the planet. Shape vaguely resembles a geosphere. Consists largely of light elements and water, which are less abundant on this planet and preliminary harvesting operations are in progress by all indigenous species.
