Planet Thunthen (Thoon-then)
The Crucible of Conquest...
Ninth planet in the Thurukian System, this almost-barren world gets the least light from the Twin Suns. Whereas fate seemed to hand Thanged to humanoids on a silver platter, the hardy Dragonmen had to claw out a living over tens of millions of years. Very much unlike Planet Thanged, Planet Thunthen is a thousand-piece jigsaw puzzle rife with tectonic activity. Seeping magma, jagged rocks, and sulfurous fumes cover the surface. Often compared to Jupiter's moon, Io. The Thunthen struggled for millennia to secure stable dwellings amid constantly shifting subduction zones.
Geography
The planet surface appears mostly barren and mountainous, riddled with geothermal vents, rocky spires, and crumbling cliffs. There are no visible sources of surface water since the majority of water exists as vapor mixed with sulfur and nitrogen. Volcanic activity generates large quantities of andesitic and rhyolitic magma.
Thunthen do not place emphasis on naming landmarks, reserving names for their fleet and a handful of iconic locations. Most life exists underground where moisture is easier to contain and various strains of algae and fungi provide oxygen and water. The only stable settlements are located within pockets of metamorphic rock, which are far and few in between.
Palaces of Das Anazhar
The largest hewn structure on the planet. Commissioned by the legendary Supreme High Overlord thousands of years ago. Built within the largest single pocket of stable rock on the planet. Legend states that Eyurodin herself envied the Thunthen for their elaborate stonework and tasked warriors with pilfering as much loose slate and marble as possible.Phergon Mines
Located far beneath the crust, considered the domain of the Pesak. Phergon has been discovered in veins nestled within layers of igneous rock. While far from stable the environment keeps Phergon inert until exposed to air. Only the small, stocky Peasants are able to freely navigate the mines.The Spectra Pits
Vast pools of lava located at Thunthen's northern pole. Neither pole is able to support ice caps. It is theorized because tectonic pressure is far more evenly distributed than on Thanged, the pits take the form of lava lakes instead of giant volcanoes.The Writhing Spine
The only consistent mountain range stretching from the north to the south pole. Named because of its tendency to shift rather frequently over the years.The Daggur's Maw
Personal palace of the Daggur Clan. Constructed in a pocket of stable rock marked with tall jagged spires at its borders.Ecosystem
Most forms of life have had to adapt to the high sulfur and nitrogen content. Plant life aside from a handful of strains of lichen and fungi is nonexistent on the surface. Initially caves were only able to support patches of lichen, algae, and small insects and grubs. With the advent of hydroponics, the Thunthen are able to cultivate and breed larger varieties, resulting in the proliferation of heat-tolerant organisms even in the hostile depths of the Phergon Mines. While the Thunthen have made great strides to bend the planet to their will, it is not possible to fully tame the tumultuous crust. Before the aborted Vyerrdeklagn prototype, it was theorized a dedicated terraforming project could make life more sustainable. The volatility of the planet forged the Thunthen, and now in order to maintain their dominance, they temper the rest of the planet.
Ecosystem Cycles
There are no seasons due to the paltry amount of sunlight from the Twin Suns. The sky always seems overcast and electromagnetic storms are frequent. Rain is rare and often mixed with a unpalatable stew of chemical elements such as nitrogen and sulfur. Most heat is generated from steam and lava vents, but not far outside these zones the air is bitter and dry. A solar revolution or "cycle" is equivalent to six years Earth-time.
Localized Phenomena
Dust devils dancing across the landscape are a common sight, but the atmosphere does not support tornadic activity. Hot springs exist but are often contaminated with sulfuric or nitric acid. Volcanoes form easily and break apart just as quickly, never remaining dominant for long. Most volcanoes are short-lived cinder cones with only the Spectra Pits being composed of shield volcanoes.
Two Solar Swaps have occurred in the time Thunthen have dwelled on the planet: Once in their infancy, and the second eight thousand years ago. The first brought tectonic activity to a standstill and forced them to seek refuge underground, eventually adapting to the subterranean ecosystem. The second affected them less as by then they'd developed rudimentary technologies to weather the storm. Instead of drought, flood, and ice, the event caused steep cold, high winds, and increased storm activity.
The Blood Dawn occurs far seldomly than on Thanged, in 100-year increments. Tar Uhnin described seeing one not long after his hatching. Instead of being a festival of the dead it is viewed as a portent for conquest. The light produced on the planet appears with more of an orange hue than red, akin to fire.
Transgalactic Rifts seem to occur less frequently on Planet Thunthen than its neighbor Planet Thanged. In fact, no new species in recent memory have taken hold on the blasted surface leading to speculation that any poor souls to stumble through simply succumb to the elements within minutes of arriving.
Fauna & Flora
Thunthen do not treat other lifeforms with the same reverence as Thangiens. To them, all other organisms exist to be used for their sole benefit. Indeed, most current forms of plant and animal would not exist but for aggressive developments in technology. If left untouched, the only forms of plantlife would be scant fronds of lichen and arthropods on the surface. Much the way marine iguanas brave the tides to sup on algae and seaweed, primitive ankylosaurs braved the depths to sate their hunger with subterranean plantlife. As their diet began shifting, they added more insect protein, and ultimately smaller mammals. There are no birds or fish to be found anywhere on the surface or underground.
Notable Plants
Fibrous Algae
Early on in their development, Thunthen recognized the properties of this hardy plant as while it could not be digested, it could absorb and metabolize vast quantities of sulfuric and nitric contaminants, filtering hazardous substances from water and rendering it safe to drink and use. If dry, it remains inert, but when inundated, it grows rather quickly, spreading to cover the bottom of a pond within minutes. The Thunthen were able to store samples in metal containers with slits to allow the algae to "breathe" and launch these capsules into bodies of water. The algae has the added side-effect of not only filtering water but creating an impermeable layer keeping water from seeping into the ground beneath. It's rapid growth rate gave rise to the belief that it is the Thunthen counterpart to Richtho bushes.Bioluminescent fungi
Various strains of fungi grow in the deeper secluded caverns and are often potted and arranged in palaces as a source of light, producing bluish or yellow light. These are inedible and purely for decoration or practical use.Leafy Lichen, Algae, and Moss
Originally the staple diet for prehistoric ankylosaurs. Variations of these strains are still used occasionally to flavor meals. As the Thunthen expanded their hydroponics facilities, they added more varieties of plantlife that are incapable of growing in normal planetary conditions.Notable Creatures
White Grubs
Large white maggot-like organisms the size of a hotdog weenie. A common nutritious snack for the Thunthen.Trillohogs
The adult form of white grubs. Arthropods named for their myriad legs, thick upper shells, and meaty underbellies. They are roughly the size of a small canine. One of the more popular sources of meat protein.Cave Hoppers
Hardy arthropods frequenting caves and the Phergon Mines. Popular crunchy treat for Pesaks.Rock Rat
While not actually a rodent, these diminutive mammals are corralled and bred to provide hot blood to sate Nobeyls and Khamens.Fanged Ox
A bizarre cross between a ox and a boar, the only large mammal capable of producing workable leather and fur aside from large quantities of meat. About half the size of a Pesak, or roughly as tall as a capybara. While leather is rare and fur impractical to use, they are still prized for ornamental purposes.Notable Cryptids
Pterosaur
Extinct. There is fossil evidence of pterosaurs that may have traveled through rifts alongside ankylosaurs, but they long since died out, unable to adapt to the harsh winds and lack of surface prey.Smilodon
Extinct. The big cats are thought to have been the last arrival through Transgalactic Rifts. Only skeletal remains have been found in mines and landslides, likely suffering the same fate as pterosaurs.Natural Resources
Ore
Very Abundant. While the secret of molten spectra still eludes them, a bevy of other metals remains at the Thunthen's disposal including respectable quantities of iron, magnesium, cobalt, tungsten, vanadium, titanium, cadmium, silicon, and copper. Most manufactured alloys tend to be quite dense, lending to the rugged appearance of Thunthen hulls.Minerals
Abundant. The rocky soil is rich in zinc, calcium, iron oxides, nitrates, obsidian, carbon, phosphorous, feldspar, mica, pumice, and plagioclase. Blend of iron and sulfur near the equator give the soil a reddish-orange hue while closer to the north deposits of obsidian turn the ground black. Obsidian is prized for heat shields and personal protection.Oil
Negligible. Being so young, Planet Thunthen has never had the proper amount of biomass to support the formation of crude oil. The Thunthen have been able to synthesize alternatives using other chemical compounds derived from algae but petroleum is not viewed as integral or necessary to their production lines.Sulfur
Very Abundant. Found mixed in the topsoil or in deposits generated from volcanic geysers. Used for production of weapons and liquid and solid fuel before the advent of closed fusion engines. Most herbivores have adapted to digesting sulfur in some form or another. Thought to lend to the yellow-orange scale coloration of Nobeyls and Khamens.Precious and Semiprecious Gems
Limited. The constantly shifting crust does not lend itself to the long-term growth of crystals. While some varieties like quartz and calcite are found in geode form, large pure gems of the corundum class used to create focusing lenses must be grown synthetically.Biomass
-Very limited. Most wildlife is found either in sheltered sinkholes or caverns. The planet's young age and distance from the sun inhibit natural proliferation of organisms. Although this has been helped along by the Thunthen, the planet cannot sustain large populations beyond existing dwellings.Hardwoods
Negligible. No trees of any form have ever grown on the surface with the closest a scraggly form of shrub that can grow underground if enough sunlight happens to be directed at it. The lack of pollinator vectors also plays a role. Wood is not viewed as necessary either ornamental or practical to the Thunthen. Fibrous algae serves as primary oxygen generator.Stone
Very Abundant. Stone is used from everything to buildings to furniture for the Thunthen. Marble and slate are preferred for architecture while granite and pumice are used for field construction. The mineral composition of solid rock makes stone found on the planet the envy of other worlds.Water
Very Limited. Only fibrous algae has shown capable of naturally filtering contaminated water. All forms of life gravitate towards subterranean oases. Above ground it exists in vapor form and as eruptions from the crust but never rains pure. There are no large surface bodies of water such as lakes, rivers, or even ponds.History
According to study of samples taken from magma and plant life, Planet Thunthen is actually considered the youngest planet of the Thurukian System clocking in at roughly 2 billion years. It is theorized to have formed from accreted matter either from Thuruk's version of an Oort Cloud or a second asteroid belt, much the way the original belt was consumed by Thuruk 2 when it achieved stellar ignition. While simple organisms were able to evolve organically over time, more complex life such as prehistoric ankylosaurs did not arrive until roughly 60-70 million years ago. It is suspected they carried various seeds and spores on their bodies as they ambled through Transgalactic Rifts.
First Solar Swap
Fifty million years ago, the simple-minded ankylosaurs had no concept of names, and didn't know what to think when the Twin Suns behaved erratically, robbing what little warmth found on the surface. They scurried underground and would spend the next five hundred years sustaining themselves on lichen and algae, developing a taste for wayward grubs and insects. Only when the Twin Suns returned to their rightful place did the ankylosaurs venture out to the surface, but by then they'd gotten so comfortable living underground they preferred to munch on algae and grubs than scrounge endlessly for what little plantlife could be found on the surface. It would take millions more years before the primitive ankylosaurs would find their footing.Second Solar Swap
Occurring over eight-thousand years ago, the now-sapient Thunthen used the lessons imparted to them by the long-departed Four Queens to set up contingency measures for their stay underground. By then they had developed rudimentary hydroponics and were able to sustain "herds" of insects, grubs, and lower forms of mammalian life. They began excavating the first great subterranean dwellings in earnest in their exile and crafted arrays of crude mirrors of polished metal to funnel precious sunlight into their caves. Once the event passed, they set back out onto the world and resumed their industrial expansion.Discovery of the Spectra Pits
Discovered at the planet's north pole, the Thunthen hoped the lava pools would yield workable metal much the way dererium originated on Planet Thanged's Basek du Rhakka volcanic complex. While Planet Thunthen receives little solar radiation, solar winds bombard the planet nonetheless, and the Thunthen hoped this would imbue molten metal with special properties. However, the metal produced-which they dubbed spectra- proved so volatile it could not be analyzed even by tools designed to measure molten metal. In a desperate effort, they invited the elderly Rdguagdaraaz-Deres, the Father of Metal-to give his perspective. Even the renowned explorer could not unravel the mystery of molten spectra and met his end in fire's embrace. While they eventually were able to harness it to create the first closed-fusion engines, allowing them to wean themselves off of solid and liquid fuels, the prospect of a new alloy yet eludes them. They still believe should they find an energized metal capable of bonding with spectra, it would produce an alloy that would surpass even dererium.Unexpected Guest: Arrival of Runjen
After discovery and attempted conquest of the desolate exoplanet, Runjen, the Thunthen began observing increased tectonic activity seemingly associated with the newly-arrived planet's orbit. Their worry only grew when they began noticing stress fractures in even stable rock such as the Palaces of Das Anazhar. The Writhing Spine mountain range began fragmenting and reconnecting in the span of years instead of decades. This has given rise to the theory that the erratic orbit of the exoplanet is competing with the gravitational pull of the Twin Suns, and the pressure exerted is causing upheaval with greater frequency. It is feared that eventually-whether in the distant or far-flung future-the friction will reach a critical mass and ultimately tear the planet apart, giving further urgency to their quest to find a new homeworld to permanently colonize.Tourism
Deres, Ander Vai Stel Vethu, and Gage Wendell are the only humanoids of note to have ever set foot on the Thunthen homeworld. Humanoids cannot navigate the environment without special equipment. While subterranean dwellings offer relative safety, the imbalance of oxygen, sulfur, and nitrogen would suffocate a human without proper precautions. More recently Thangien raiding parties clad in spaceproof armor have taken to conducting secret raids to harvest rare stone and phergon crystal. Hostilities from the fallout of the Battle of Banguk remain fresh in both races' memories. Until relations are somewhat normalized between Thangien and Thunthen, humanoids will not be able to explore the planet freely.
“…If…if you don’t mind me asking…why is Mal Daggur so bent on conquering other worlds? What’s so bad about your home?” “Err…well, as I believe Ryo would say: it sucks. We’re the furthest away from either sun, and we get the least amount of light. The surface of Planet Thunthen is cold and rocky, and the only warmth to be had comes from volcanoes that erupt constantly. All of our cities are built underground, and crops consist of fungus and subterranean beasts. It is not intolerable, and to our credit, it has strengthened us, but we have always yearned for greener pastures since we set across the stars… It is such a shame: in its original configuration, the Vyerrdeklagn could’ve helped our world become as beautiful as yours.
“Can I visit your world?” Edward asked and raised both eyebrows cautiously. “Ehh…I would not recommend it…” Bau grimaced and shook his head. “The surface is very hostile, wracked with volcanic eruptions. The air is difficult for humans to breathe without aid.” “So it’s sorta like Io?” “Hmm?” “It’s one of the moons of Jupiter, our fifth planet. People say it looks like a pizza.” “Well, I have no idea what that is, so I’ll take your word for it.”
Alternative Name(s)
The Homeworld
Type
Planet
Vehicles Present
Included Locations
“Bah, must you Thunthen use stone in all your architecture? We could easily import lumber from the homeworld,” Metraind Geiro sneered contemptuously as the Apprentices hauled polished tiles and small slabs into newly excavated chambers. “Stone is enduring. Stone is everlasting. Thananagreia has stood for thousands of years in pristine condition thanks to the high-quality marble used in its creation. Marble-I might add- was procured from what little stable rock exists on our homeworld…” Bau Daophyn drawled mockingly. Geiro snorted and folded his bulky arms over his broad chest. Fellow Metraind Phaeryn suppressed a chuckle. “Thunthen built structures that preceded Thananagreia by millennia more, garnering envy from the Lady of Flames. What is it humans say about imitation and flattery?”
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