Sacaethea
Sacaethea is one of eleven planets in the Kurhira System. It has a perplexing set of lifeforms, with some of the largest megafauna and megaflora species in the galaxy. The resident pirates frequently fall into bloody conflict with one another, never seeming to be able to get along.
Throughout pirate history entire civilisations have gone up in flames, millions have fled the planet, and some have even found solitude in Roc Territory.
Geography
Pirate & Roc Territories
Sacaethea's surface can be divided into two clear territories: Pirate Territory and Roc Territory. It is pretty self-explanatory; pirates rule over one section of the planet, while rocs dominate the other. Pirates might be an avian species but they rarely explore further than they need to, seeking refuge in their existing homes and settlements.
Rocs on the other hand have wingspans that spread almost a hundred metres, so before they know it these birds have travelled miles. They often find themselves in pirate territory, where they are hunted.
Pirate Territory consists of thousands of tiny islands, with gargantuan grandia trees planted atop most of them. The islands are so close that bridges and walkways are built to travel to different settlements, constructed within the trees themselves.
Roc Territory consists of just a single mainland and a few scattered islands. The centre of this mainland is a large mountain range with a handful of large active volcanoes, and many more dormant. Roc Territory's surface area is roughyl three times that of Pirate Territory, yet remains completely hidden away and unknown to those that still remain in Pirate Territory.
Oceans
The oceans of Sacaethea seldom reach more than a few hundred metres deep. The oceanic plates are thin and have risen closer to the surface in the last few million years. The native grandia trees that grow miles in height have roots that extend all the way to the ocean beds, and they are the number one reason for the slowly decreasing sea levels worldwide.
One of the two moons that orbit Sacaethea are tidally locked with the planet, and forever sits orbiting over the mainland Roc Territory. The tides are much higher in Roc Territory because of this.
History
Sacaethea has a lengthy history, especially since pirates evolved. Since the planet's beginning 5.1 billion years ago, it has been dominated by avian life. When the planet first formed after dust, debris, asteroids and fractured moons collided and gradually built up, oceans were much deeper.
The oceans were so deep that many surpassed over twelve miles in depth, far deeper than oceans on most planets. Life filled these oceans from the beds to the surface, but over the billions of years the oceanic plates lost its stability and much of its thickness, and gradually rose closer and closer to line up with the continental places.
Fast forward to present day, and the deepest point in the ocean is just nine hundred metres deep, in a small trench just North of Pirate Territory.
Pirate Presence
Pirates as a species have existed for about three million years, but their capabilities have only taken off in the last ten thousand years. In this last ten thousand years they have formed numerous empires, attempted to take over every island in Pirate Territory, attempt to wipe out the roc species, and consistent attempts to rid the planet of those that speak against them.
Easily the pirate's most devastating conflict was the Burning Sea War. A seventeen year war between the Voll States and the Frish, this series of indescribable conflict caused mass devastation, the burning and annihilation of an entire island country, and a mass diaspora that sent millions of pirates fleeing to other planets, including but not limited to Osao.
A small population of pirates currently reside on the western coastline of the Roc Mainland. After the Burning Sea War and during the pirate diaspora, some chose to remain on the planet but searched for a new home to live, far away from Pirate Territory. They ran into the mainland of Roc Territory, which at the time nobody knew existed. These pirates were able to co-exist peacefully with the rocs, and their civilisation currently thrives, while life in Pirate Territory is bleak at best.
Ecology
Sacaethea is rich in life, but birds have and always will dominate. Currently, rocs and pirates sit outside of food webs. Rocs can survive off one titan bison a year and have zero natural predators, while pirates have weaseled their way out of the food chain by simply being a sophontic species. Both the Pirate and Roc territories have an abundance of flora and fauna species; the mountainous Roc Territory is full of large, high-altitude avians, while the Pirate Territory has much more smaller passerines.
As the oceans grow smaller, the life slowly decreases. There is little diversity, with just about three hundred named fish species globally. There are vast numbers of crustaceans, particularly lobsters, but due to the pirate's aversion to these, they don't spend enough time researching and identifying them.
4
Distance From Sun
3.4 AU
I really like the idea of shallow oceans. And GIANT TREES. :O
Thank you! Giant trees are the best :)
Oh hai, I'm back for the rewrite! I still love both the shallow oceans and giant trees, and I'm excited you've fleshed this out a bit. Great job <3