Serat

Serat is a dry, barren class 2 planet, in the far orbit of a young Neutron star. It’s surface is riddled with countless canyons and ridges, reaching down into the depths of the lower planetary layers. Due to the Neutron stars activity, the skies experience constant radiation storms, being lashed with one solar flare after the other. You would expect these conditions to suffocate all life- but no, deep down in the caves life has developed and sentient one at that!
Planet Mass: 6x10²³ kg Core depth: ca 5000 km Outer Crust Composition: Mostly Felsic rocks rich in Lutetium

There are several Rakhelion settlements scattered across Serat’s caves, the so-called hubs. Most of them don’t have more than 150 permanent inhabitants, but they create a network that helps the reptilians work and travel efficiently. Amongst these hubs, there are several that are connected to observatories and landing pads, but the most important one is the central Hub: Ruik’Aor. Additionally to stretching over 3 levels, it features the Scared Libraries, the Archon grounds and its own landing pad. The capital hub is home to more than 5000 Rakhelion citizens.

Geography

Serats surface is scarred with deep canyons and ridges, probably originating from a major tectonic shift, impact to the planets upper mantle or both. The largest canyon reaches from one pole to the other, stretching over roughly 17.000 km and reaching down to the bottom of the upper crust. This canyon is called the Karkion Trench and has cave-openings that lead into the Rakhelion homegrounds.
Serat has many caves connecting to an immense web that stretches around the whole planet. They occupy most of the upper crust- which is about 10km deep.The upper caves, as well as those that open up into the canyons are heavily radiated, though most of the toxicity is soaked up by the earth at about 200-300 meters depth. These caves have mostly been formed by underground rivers, currents that are heated up everytime they get close to Serats’ core. Even though the upper crust is rich in Lutetium, a very dense and radioactive metal- life has still managed to develop around these rivers, as the metal corrodes and stabilizes in wet environments.
One of these lifeforms are the Rakhelion, a reptilian species that adapted to radioactivity via an acidic neutralizer. They have built cave-hubs, small communities living off the local ecosystem. There are several other non-sentient species and plants, named and catalogued by the Rakhelion.

Of course, there is not just one kind of cave, but instead many different ones; depending on the conditions in which they’ve formed. The most basic one is the river-cave, usually the widening of the tunnel of an underground current, or the place where 2 of these currents meet or split up. They are the least radiated areas on the planet’s upper crust and thus give birth to most subterranean life. The mineral-chunk-cave is a vein or a cluster of minerals, oftentimes mined by the Rakhelion and hollowed out to make space for mining or research stations. Their walls may still be covered in crystals or shine in different metallic tones. The abyssal-cave is a very deep cave with tight walls on all sides. Most creatures won’t fit through these, except for some specifically adapted ones. Even the Rakhelion may experience difficulties with moving in these, and do so only to evade a greater danger or to hunt for creatures living in the abyssal caves. Gaseous Pockets are not uncommon, and are often bigger. Their walls are hardened from pressure, and sometimes, the gas is slowly released through vents. Rakhelion are very careful when digging new tunnels, as these caves can burst open and obliterate hubs with their pressure. Exit-caves Are caves that are located close to the surface or that open up into the canyons. They are extremely dangerous due to their high level in radiation and are often sweeped with the effect of solar flares. Even though life can’t flourish here, anomalies may occur more often, resulting in Rakhelion research stations. They are also prime locations for landing pads and observatories.

Fauna & Flora

There is a bid diversity of life that developed in the deep cave systems and dwells alongside Rakhelions. As lore-keepers, they have long studied and categorized these lifeforms; these are a few examples that hunters or even regular citizens encounter in their everyday life. -Mushrooms: A variety of mushrooms sprout in the caves, some of them are usable for different purposes, as for food, medicine and dye. The most common mushroom is: Zrakash. The Zrakash is the dandelion of the Rakhelion caves, found almost everywhere, but mostly useless. It’s nutritional value is not mentionable, and it’s beauty is rather mediocre. It has no purpose and lives off small insects, trapped in a sticky fluid in its bowl-shaped head.
A noteworthy type of mushroom is the Takherl. Its classification as a mushroom is disputed, as it appears similar to moss, though its value to the ecosystem is great. Most animals feed off the blue matter, growing on walls and ceilings. The mushroom sucks moisture and radiation out of its surroundings, turning the radiation into electrolytes. Thus, the mushroom cleanses the water and provides nutrients, making it a valuable resource.
Another very important mushroom is the Keratka; broad and spongy, mostly in blue to purple pigmentations. It is poisonous when taken in raw, mostly due to a solvent it produces to protect itself from external threats. This solvent has been found to increase the production of the Rakhelion acid gland, making it extremely valuable to the hunters and field researchers. As this mushroom grows only in very specific gaseous caves, it is rather rare, and researchers are still trying to recreate the conditions for mass production.

-Plants: The most noteworthy plant is the Lazulyte. It is easily identified, as it has flowers with blue, crystal-like petals that emanate a faded shine. The Lazulytes petals are covered by a thick mineral-powder that can float in the air for quite a while due to its low density. When the flowers are touched, they retract like a spring-loaded mechanism and propel the dust into the air, creating a cloud that reflects radiation waves. This feature has many dangers and uses, as it shields radiation waves, but also obscures the Rakhelion infrared sight. Furthermore, the dust acts as a narcotic when it reacts with the reptilians internal acidic system, making them hallucinate.
Ketkull are long glassy flowers with dome-like structures on their top. Their deep-reaching roots absorb some of the radiation caught in minerals and turn it into weak UV-light that is emitted from their ‘snowdome’-blooms. To be able to grow deep roots, they have to be located in spots with loose soil and porous rocks.
Another plant is the Kikan, a black vine that grows in light places (as those illuminated by Ketkull). It has a strong fibrous texture and is turned into sturdy but flexible clothing. Furthermore Kikan-forests provide shelter to a whole ecosystem of insects and critters.

-Animals: There is a seemingly endless variety to the insects of Serat. One of the most common ones is the Herret, an ant the size of a football that builds big hives into tunnel walls and feasts on plants, carcasses and smaller creatures. Another insectoid is the Skirl, a moth that collects the Lazulyte mineral-powder to shield itself from radiation. It eats only Lazulytes and blends into the rocky walls.
Fish can be found in the caves’ countless rivers, for example the Kruna. The Kruna are big and have shiny scales, they are protected from radiation by small amounts of lead coursing through their blood. Their meat is rich in protein and serves as one of the main Rakhelion food sources. Breeding and holding have proven to be a difficult task as the fish need to keep moving with the stream to not be contained with too much radiation. The Barsin are a type of ray, indigenous to deeper caverns called ‘river drains’. They constantly swim upwards and feed on fish and carcasses carried down by the currents.
Borotak are big cave-dwelling, four legged creatures that crunch away the rocks with insanely strong jaws to reach nutrients like insects and plant roots. They have thick hides, often growing crystals on their back and move slowly, but should not be underestimated. They eat all day long, and when they or their young are threatened, they charge the attacker with lethal crushing power.
Raktor are rather small creatures living in confined spaces like the abyssal caves. They have three legs with pointy ends used to claw into cave walls. Their mouths feature rows of sharp teeth that can easily rip apart a young Rakhelions body, but they are mostly wary of other beings. They are omnivores and rarely come out of their feeding and living grounds.
Larkf are huge, caterpillar-like creatures that live close to exit-caves. They dwell both in the caves and on the surface, sustaining themselves on radiation alone. Their existance is still a mystery to Rakhelions, mostly since none have survived close contact with these crawling nuclear reactors.

Natural Resources

Serats value definitely does not lie in its fertility- not even in its abundant richness in minerals. It lies in the immense amount of collected relics and knowledge. Its history goes way back, far before the sentience of the Rakhelion. Most probably before its systems star turned into a Neutron star and wiped the surface clean of anything that might have inhabited it before. Serat holds secrets nobody knows of- nobody except the Keepers.

by Jeremy Holmes

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Planet