Syldra
Syldra is a spherical, medium-size planet, approximately 8000 miles in diameter. It is comprised almost entirely of water, except for a strange core that appears to be made up entirely of the hoard of a Dragon Turtle - the same Dragon Turtle for whom the planet is named and who protects it, and considers itself the god of this world. Within the Echospace System it occupies the third orbital path from the system centre, approximately 420 million miles from it and 1020 million miles from the edge of the system.
The planet is surrounded by 3 moons:
Moon 1: less than dwarf planetoid (less than 800 miles diameter by a large margin), Earth element, breathable atmosphere, Native sentient life
Moon 2: tiny planetoid (around 1500 miles diameter), Air Element, Deady/Fouled/Toxic atmosphere, Unusual Life
Moon 3: tiny planetoid (around 1500 miles diameter), Earth Element, Breathable Atmosphere, Sentient Life
Geography
Strangely for a body made almost entirely of water, this planet does contain a breathable atmosphere and a single continent that is one giant coral reef upon which many of its native sentient species have created settlements. There are also other outlying islands, totalling 23 in number, made from smaller reefs, as well as a series of reef archipelagos made of a total of 69 reef islets.
Ecosystem
As water is the element that gives many sentient species their spark of life, it is expected that a planet made almost entirely of ocean would have great biodiversity.
The combination of above-water coral reefs and huge underwater ecosystems of various flora have lead to a huge amount of biodiversity and a sentient species that is uniquely native to this planet known as the Undine.
Ecosystem Cycles
Most species on Syldra live on landmasses or within underwater ecosystems made almost entirely of coral reefs. As coral has its own lifecycle, this has caused many of the species on this planet to develop migratory patterns to move around as required.
As the above-water landmasses are made of the oldest and sturdiest of reefs, most of the settled species there have a less migratory life cycle whilst still being held captive to the whims of the ocean.
Fauna & Flora
The planet is largely comprised of coral trees, reefs and anemones with a huge amount of diversity that has allowed for extremely high levels of biodiversity within its fauna.
There is one major local sentient species, the Undine, but the planet has also become home to many other major sentient species that have settled there. There are also other sentient species, such as lizard folk, merrow and plasmoids that call the planet home.
History
It is said that long ago, before any species had grown or settled on this planet, there was a great and powerful water elemental who fell in love with a Dragon Turtle. They grew tired of their home on the plane of water, where the greed and hubris of the Marid had become too much for them to bear, and they decided to leave and find somewhere they could call home.
Taking only what they could, they set off on a new journey together. The elemental, whose body was made of the ocean itself, carried her love with her as they drifted the astral sea, floating from system to system in search of one they could call home. They visited many worlds, collecting trinkets and totems as souvenirs as they went, but none felt like home to them. As their adventure continued, so too did their hoard grow.
Eventually, after eons of wandering, the two decided to cease the endless drifting and instead make a world of their own that they would call home. The great elemental used much of her power to bring an ocean to this world so that her love could roam free, and the symbols of their love and time together became the very core of the world. As time passed, life began to grow from their love's embrace, children who would go on to become the world's first sentient species. These children would mature into beings that reflected both of their parents, with the burning heart of a dragon turtle and the coursing breath of an elemental.
Lamentably, love could not conquer all. The dragon turtle became fiercely protective of their hoard, and would attack anyone who approached - even their children. They began to worship him as a god, offering tribute of more trinkets to add to his hoard, and she saw in him the very things they ran away from. She loved her home and her children, she couldn't bear to leave, but she knew she could not stay and see her love turn into the very thing she ran away from. She left, and she never returned.
Legend has it she is still somewhere within the system, keeping an eye on her children, and should the dragon turtle ever become a threat to their continued existence they believe she will be the one to strike him down and bring a calm to the ocean once more.
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