Aten

Aten is a barren planet. It was once earth-like but after centuries after centuries of misuse and environmental abuse, the planet is dying. The once lush landscapes are now barren, rolling hills of sand; the once high mountain ranges now sharp jagged strips of rock that jut up into the sky. The large oceans long dried up. The only water sources now are dwindling underground aquifers and moisture that is harvested from the humidity. High winds and extreme heat cut at and bake the remaining landscapes. Electrical storms are a common nightly occurrence. Storms producing rains are rare and almost never happen during the sol light hours. What storms there are, are slowly becoming stronger as the planet continues to die. Most cities are in domes. There are a few supply villages in the mountains that are not domed. Inside these domes, the temperature is controlled to a tolerable level. Trees, grasses, flowers, and other plants are grown in parks. Each domed city has a large park in the center with plants and flowers (mostly from off-world, but a few native floras that have been saved from extinction) in it. There are small lakes and pools in these parks as well. Transport is limited unless you have your own transport vehicle or space fairing ship. There are solar trains that run between the domed cities and the mountain supply villages.

Geography

Once a planet of diverse landscapes from lush green forests, dry deserts, arctic plains, rollings hills, steep mountains, and large bodies of water; Aten is now a vast rolling desert plain with barren craggy mountains. There is little to no surface water. Most water is collected in underground aquifers. After Aten's core was damaged, the planet began to deteriorate faster and nothing could be done to stop it. As the climate increased much of the plants and foliage began to die out. Grass lands were burned away leaving dirt to blow freely in the now stronger winds. Once lush landscapes eroded away into dirt faces. With no life cycles to support, the nutrient-rich soil was either blow away in the winds or overused by the few plants that could survive in desert climates. The strong winds carved through the now barren hills and mountains. What water was left, carved deep into the earth creating ravines. The inhabitants, without crops to support themselves, began to suffer. Wild animals adapted to the world changes faster and easier than the Human species that ruled Aten. But the Humans began over hunting what remaining wildlife there was. Thousands of species became extinct in just a few years. Because of the harsh climate and the lack of food, Humans began to build large domes over their cities. Under these domes, they were protected from harsh temperatures and weather. They were able to control temperatures and began growing their own crops and raising livestock.

Ecosystem

Much of Aten's ecosystem was destroyed during the planet's initial death. What remains has adapted to survive extreme heat and lack of nutrients. Much of the plant life that has been able to survive are small shrubs and desert grasses. These plants have woody and dry stems that hold no nutritional value. The animals that have been able to survive are the ones that lived in the desert regions before Aten died, such as Dromedaries, the Reylon Equines, several species of small reptiles like lizards and snakes, numerous species of small rodents the mainly live underground, and several species of scavenger birds.

Ecosystem Cycles

There are no real seasons on Aten. The northern and southern poles do remain slightly cooler than the central part of the planet. The temperature difference is less than 20 degrees. The middle of the standard year is the hottest while the time frames on either end are less harsh. The nights on Aten are cooler and the winds pick up as the sol dips below the horizon. Storms, especially electrical storms, are common throughout the dark cycles and early into the light cycles.

Fauna & Flora

Of the remaining flora, the most prevalent are the Crying shrub and the Washout grass. The Crying shrub is a small yellow-green bush with woody stems and small dry leaves. Along the stems are large thorns that protect the plant from being eaten. The Washout grasses are found in the ravines and lower areas around mountains and hills. This grass thrives in the storm runoff. These grasses are yellow-green and brown and cannot be digested well by any living animal on Aten. There are some other small shrubs and grasses across Aten's landscape but they are either not know or studied. Inside the controlled climate domed cities, plants from across the universe are able to be grown. The most common wild animals on Aten are those that have adapted to live in dry and harsh climates. Dromedaries are the only domesticated animals also found in the wild. They are the main working animal on farms and require the least care. Reylon Equines are a rare type of animal the evolved from the old world horses. Their appearance remains much of the same as the old world horses, but they can withstand much harsher weather and longer periods of time without food and water. These equines are strong and fast animals able to run at near full speed for hours at a time. They are skittish around Humans. They have not been able to be domesticated. There are a large number of reptiles on Aten. Small lizards like skinks and geckos are commonly found in the rock outcroppings in the mountains. Snakes can also be found in these areas. There is not much known about these reptiles. Their food source is thought to be the small rodents that live on the planet. They are hard to observe and are mainly active during the night. There a numerous species of small rodents that live mainly underground. These rodents are the least known of the animals. They are mostly active at night and have vast underground communities. They are thought to feed off of small insects and what little plant life there is. Rodents are also fairly common around the domed cities, often being found among the disposables. Some people do keep rodents as pets though they do not have a very long lifespan. There are a small number of bird species on Aten, most of which are scavengers. Like the rodents, they can be found near or inside the domed cities. They feed on whatever they can take. Several of the species are also kept as pets. They have much longer lifespans and will often outlive their owners.

History

Aten was discovered by Siphon explorers in the Year 67598. Modern recorded history began on Aten in around the Year 35000. Before this point, oral histories were the main mode of historical documentation. Around the Year 70042, the events of the Nightmare Weaver happened and the planet began to die faster. On Day 44 of Year 82548, the Saeris invaded Aten. They attacked and took over the supply lines of Aten, successfully cutting off the planet from its allies. The Saeris took control of the Ateni government and placed specific people and supporters in places of power. The Zahren population after this point began to drastically increase. On Day 70 of Year 82584, the Zahren Rebellion made its last stand against the Saeris in the Great Battle of Aten. The Rebellion was close to dismantling to the Saeris' control on their planet until the Saeris killed a Rebellion General (known as the Lightning Woman). This general's death lead to the collapse of the Rebellion and the Saeris regaining control. On Day 332 of Year 82590, the Saeris laid siege of Astrid. This was the final push to take full control of Aten's government. The Saeris eliminated all remaining Human and Zahren officials and forced the Aten's Astran Assembly to dissolve. From this point Saeris have full control of Aten and all its operations.

Tourism

There is very little tourism on Aten. What tourism there is, is mainly richer peoples from the surrounding planets and very few from beyond the Rift. Since the Seige of Astrid, almost all of the tourism has ceased. The main tourist location is the capital, Astrid. Astrid boosts the most diversity on the planet. Astrid is the hub of culture for Aten. Even under Saeris Occupation, the food scene in Astrid flourished; both high-end dining and street food. Food from all over the universe can be found in Astrid. There is even a small restaurant that served traditional Themisian dishes. Aten used to be known for its art and music. That all disappeared after the planet began dying. Several places in Astrid have collected pieces from the past and have brought them to be displayed. There is a music museum and an art museum on the edge of the Lux District. These museums are highly rated and draw in both foreign and domestic tourism.

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Alternative Name(s)

The Dying Planet, Terra, Old Earth

Type

Planet

Location under

Aten

Included Locations