Yidhra
Mars Tsosûtiyakûtiyuska
OUT OF CHARACTER INFORMATION
- INTENT: Fortress planet for the remnant of the Resurgent Empire.
- IMAGE CREDIT: [x] [x] [x] [x] [x] [x] [x] [x] [x] [x] [x] [x]
- CANON: /
- LINKS: /
- PLANET NAME: Raekkar
- DEMONYM: Raekkir
- REGION: Unknown regions
- SYSTEM NAME: Raekkar system
- SYSTEM FEATURES: Hidden in the massive Veyrhexan nebula
SUNS: Anracil-Adayn; binary star - ORBITAL POSITION: Only planet, far
- SATELLITES: Hemnoral, Pyvel, Eumevor, Erkaad, Draumr-vid; Ores shipyards
- ROTATIONAL PERIOD: 34 hours
- ORBITAL PERIOD: 616 days
[*]COORDINATES: AH, 13
[*]MAJOR IMPORTS: Agricultural products
[*]MAJOR EXPORTS: War industry
GEOGRAPHIC INFORMATION
- GRAVITY: Standard
- CLIMATE: Hot
- PRIMARY TERRAIN: Oceans, Volcanic islands
- MAJOR LOCATIONS:
Rtaidal; The tallest mountain of the planet, which also happens to be an oversized volcano. Research and analysis indicate that it was the first one to erupt and set off a series of smaller volcanoes, giving rise to the longest chain of islands on Raekkar. It looms over Igol like a sleeping god, its time-sharpened peak obscured by the thick blanket of clouds. - The Scorch; The biggest swath of uninterrupted land found on Raekkar. It’s largely craters and cracked earth, with small settlements scattered throughout. The Scorch is uniform in relief, save for the highways of petrified lava that criss-cross the island. In the west, the landmass is cut off abruptly with a ridged coast of towering cliffs and gaping fjords. The thin strip of sand far below is completely black, as are the bare rocks of the bluffs.
- The Boiling sea; A hot ocean. Really, really hot ocean. Hot enough to act as an energy source, which all the major bases of the world use to good effect. Swimming is ill-advised. Vessels must be especially crafted to traverse these waters, or the crew get cooked inside the ship. Unlike with most planets, the sea water is fresh and thus suitable for drinking once it’s cooled down.
- Igol; Home of the Igil sect. Built into the slope of Rtaidal and protected by streaks of cool magma, Igol is the most fortified of the bases on the planet. The fortress boasts the best construction and technology around. Its walls are high and sturdy, its foundations strong and solid. It even has a network of hidden passages running through the mountain at its back, though they are actually remnants of Rtaidal’s side vents.
- Nediam; Home of the Nediim sect. The construction of this base began while the old Sith regime was still in control, but it was never finished. This gives Nediam the ghoulish look of a putrefying corpse, with half-built towers clawing at the overcast sky with rusted metal fingers. The rogue settlers of Raekkar patched up the job the best they could, welding sheets of subpar alloy over the skeleton underneath. The end result is an eldritch Frankenstein of buildings, held together only by the will of its inhabitants.
- Yranoc; Home of the Yranic sect. Yranoc is not so much a base as it is a gaggle of shacks in the crater of a (presumably) dead volcano. They lean on one another like drunkards in the dead of night, supporting arms replaced by rickety bridges and shaky ladders. A stronger gust of wind might collapse the whole thing like a house of cards, but the looming walls of the slumbering mountain make sure that not a breeze wafts through. The rich soil inside the crater produces some of the finest crops on the planet, and the Yranic guard it jealously.
- Nakor; Home of the Nakir sect. Nakor keeps safe by virtue of its isolation. A group of brave – if foolish – souls had set out when the old Sith regime had lost control over Raekkar, establishing their settlement on a far-flung isle in the middle of the Boiling sea. It’s fairly large as far as islands go, overgrown by stalwart shrubbery. Its sole port is well fortified, while the rest of the craggy coastline makes for a natural barrier from aquatic attacks.
- Ores shipyards; Home of the Oris sect. Finished at the tail-end of the rule of the old regime, the shipyards hang above the perennial coating of clouds like a spear-riddled corpse. The sharp protrusions serve as docking and repair bays, while the main mass houses the inhabitants and the systems that keep the construction afloat.
POPULATION
- NATIVE SPECIES: Thermophilic flora, largely shrub-sized or below. Trees only grow in areas of highly fertile soil.
- IMMIGRATED SPECIES: Sith Purebloods, Aliens, Humans and near-humans, Barab, Vaapad
- POPULATION: Sparsely populated
- DEMOGRAPHICS: Primarily Sith Purebloods and aliens. Humans and near-humans are second-class citizens.
- PRIMARY LANGUAGES: Sith, High Sith, Galactic Basic
- CULTURE:
Nediim have evolved from the military Sith presence that used to rule the planet. Forced to rely on their own ingenuity and a cruel mind, they have developed an extensive repertoire of war-suited technology. They constantly expand their territory in search of mineral goods and exploitable land, often razing the smaller settlements in the process. Reasoning with them is a fool’s errand, and as such many of the surrounding folk plead fealty and crops to the Nediim rather than risk being trampled. With the arrival of the Resurgent remnant, they were drafted into the research teams to work on further exploring the limitations of military technology.
Yranic are the workers and civilians who had travailed under the yoke of the old regime. While many of them languished from despair and harsh living conditions, the remaining people have made the best of the lot they’d been dealt. After braving the Scorch for what might’ve been years, the Yranic found their home in the hospitable mouth of a dead volcano. Shielded from the elements and prying eyes, they were free to build their little town and work the land in peace. Eventually word got out about the natural wealth of their hideout, but even the Nediim haven’t been able to mount a successful assault against the steep slopes of Yranoc. The settlement and its surroundings have been turned to the largest agricultural center of Raekkar under the iron hand of the Purebloods.
Nakir are mostly fishermen and explorers, venturing out from their island in search of new lands beyond the lip of the Boiling sea. They are expert seafarers and shipbuilders, and the only ones able to navigate the oceans’ treacherous waters without dying of heat or thirst. Small groups have been known to raid settlements constructed along the coast to replenish their reserves of technology. At other times, Nakir ships come with offers of trade instead, true to their restless and unpredictable nature. These men and women have been put to research for their knowledge as shipwrights, as well as their expertise in exploitation of the Boiling sea.
Oris are a terrifying shadow over the planet, intentions and desires unknown. They are the only ones who have and operate flying vessels; a fact that strikes terror even in the bravest of hearts below. Luckily for the land-dwellers, the Oris rarely venture outside the elevated confines of their home. They trade only with the Yranic, exchanging plentiful crops for technology and arms. They were the first hit when the Resurgent empire arrived, forced to kneel before their superior numbers and firepower. The shipyards have been returned to their true purpose – to build fleets that will subjugate systems.
GOVERNMENT & ECONOMY
- GOVERNMENT: Dictatorship
- AFFILIATION: Yidhra
- WEALTH: Medium. Plenty of natural resources in ore and energy. Technology built for war also fetches a nice price on the galactic market.
- STABILITY: Medium. The absolute power of Dark-sided Force users that comprise the ruling elite of the planet leads to a high level of fear in the general populace. Crime is fairly low, as is joblessness – people are either removed, enslaved, or forced into work.
- FREEDOM & OPPRESSION: The regime is highly oppressive, especially towards humans and near-humans. Aliens (especially Purebloods) enjoy a high level of privilege. The ‘lesser species’ are often forced into minimum-wage jobs or even slavery.
- MILITARY: Blooming fortress world. Since the remnant of the fallen Resurgent Empire has moved in, Raekkar has undergone extensive development towards that purpose. Fortresses and factories grace its hellish landscape, with ever more growing just beyond the horizon.
- TECHNOLOGY: Galactic standard.
It began as nothing more than a chaotic mixture of space dust and whimsical molecules. A couple billion years later and a few wild joyrides around the universe, this uncertain pair finally decided to settle down and enjoy their middle age in a little-known corner of the galaxy. There was nobody around for thousands of light-years; just the two of them and the quiet solace of space dust drifting all around them.
Though, granted, things stayed pretty steamy well into their later years.
And then the Sith came.
It was during the great expansionary era that the greedy eyes of the Empire fell upon the Unknown regions, and like it or not, the desolate, boiling rock of Raekkar found itself a-tremble beneath its ravenous gaze as well. The warmachine commanded, its soldiers obeyed.
Anyone with half a brain tried to get their name off that particular list, of course. Being posted for ‘research and exploration’ on some backwater piece of lava and inhospitality was nobody’s wet dream. But a list was a list, and there were spots that needed filling. Someone Had To Go.
Turned out to be a decently sized group in the end. Some Sith, some soldiers, some scientists. What could possibly go wrong?
Everything. Everything that could possibly go wrong did go wrong, starting with the landing.
It had been through pure dumb luck that the Sith had stumbled on the planet in the first place. (Literally stumbled, too. A pair of jackass pilots had raced each other into the veils of Veyrhexan. When one of them crashed into the world, they quickly dubbed it an ‘tragic exploration mission’ and buried an empty casket.) Even following the imprecise instructions of the surviving pilot, the cargo ships had trouble navigating the thick clouds of the nebula, losing days of carefully plotted route to aimless wandering.
Then one day, gravity grabbed them all by the small hairs and dragged them down, vicious-like. Gotta love nebulae.
The crash landing went well as far as crash landings go. Not too many people died. Plenty of resources were salvaged. Win some, lose some, right? Though it remains uncertain to this day what exactly they won in that particular scenario. Anyway.
Thus began the toils of the first group. Many of them were scouts and soldiers, but many more were builders besides. While the dauntless and the brave pushed outward from the LZ on the largest island — lovingly dubbed Etiul, in the memory of the pilot who had discovered Raekkar – the civilians and scientists stayed behind to construct the main base of operations. The plans were sound, the engineers good, the workers strong; soon enough, a massive jewel of metal and ferrocrete stood jutting at the sky. It did nothing to spoil the hellish landscape, really. Fit right in, snug as a lightsaber in a Jedi’s gut.
Half a year later, the second group arrived, constructing a few smaller outposts scattered across the islands of Raekkar’s many, many oceans. They did all this while slaving away in orbit, working night and day to finalize the shipyard framework they had dragged along for the ride. Because Sith are relatively sensible and absolutely efficient people, these groups proceeded quickly. Time and manpower were not wasted, as Sith live for brutal and bloody warfare; the only reason they were pouring so much effort into this decrepit rock was its potential for power.
The sweet, sweet song of energy. If there’s one thing that oils the gears of a warmachine like no other, it’s lava. Raekkar was slated to do the same for the backyard of the Empire and its many far-flung worlds. Just needed a bit of setting-up first.
Thing was – like it always was – Sith had trouble remaining sensible. Pick up a history book (any history book) and you’ll quickly see the pattern appear. It’s inevitable, much like corrupted Senators are inevitable in the Galactic Republic. Take any attempt at a government spearheaded by Sith, and sooner than later, the whole thing will crumble from the inside out. Don’t trust the promising premise. Don’t believe the propaganda guy going yes, this time it’ll really work. It won’t. It didn’t.
The situation didn’t just go south. It sat on a speeder, floored the pedal, and tore out the steering wheel. It took a horrible, horrible turn for the worse.
Cut off from the main body of the beast, the Sith on the planet all made simultaneous plays for power. As simultaneous plans for anything are wont to do, they clashed. Because these were Sithly plans, they already banked on some regrettable, if necessary slaughter. Add them all up, and you’ll get a pretty bloody equation.
Then again. Sith.
Overnight, schisms tore apart whatever semblance of a regime had been forged over the years. Sects, groups, gangs, cults; anything and everything reformed from the ashes, a hundred phoenixes ready to start a new life on a world that never wanted them.
Say what you will about the Sith, but if anyone can make it work on a hellhole of a planet, it’s them.
