Drakenhelm

The final resting place of the Dragons of the Milky Way, Drakenhelm is littered with the bones of the once great beings scattered across vast valleys and mesas providing shade for the creatures that remain. The Varanus found refuge here during the extinction and today Drakenhelm is a sacred place with as much reverence as the capital, most of the planet remains undeveloped and the graveyards of bones and ruins undisturbed and guarded by the Vogala. Despite being part of the wider Imperium, the planet is dominated by the clergy who retain a large degree of autonomy on the planet itself. As the gateway for trade with the North, the planet is exceptionally wealthy despite lacking the infrastructure of their neighbors.

Geography

One striking feature of Drakenhelm is the geographic terrain and how wildly it varies, some believe as a result of either magical terraforming by the Dragons themselves or because of the effects of magic that is latent throughout the planet itself. Between vast steep canyons of Drukzai to the blue-grassed steppes of the Blue Sea there is much to find among the strange outcroppings of stones that many believe were part of the Draconian architecture of the extinct dragons.
Notable location include the following:

The Drytops

Close to the Northern Pole is a vast highland of tundra hills called the Drytops, this region is mostly bare besides the rich mosses that spread through every notable surface remarkably despite being close to the northern pole and often blanketed with snow, the region is extremely dry, snow seemingly evaporates as quickly as it settles and it would appear that the mosses themselves have a magical quality to them of physically drinking the snow and moisture surrounding the area, while not dangerous to living sapient beings, the region has the same danger to the unprepared in the deserts if they forget to pack sealed water.

Ashfields

A volcanic region that hosts the most fertile plains on the planet, the region does not experience violent volcanic uproars like those on Terra but instead small and controllable lava floes that breathe back life into the soils it covers, both the Varanus and Rhacodan base the bulk of their agriculture on the planet in this single region shifting crops between the cycles of the lava floes to take full advantage of this natural boon.

Brightferns

An luminescent jungle region where most of the non-sapient fauna reside, this region also experiences multiple rain seasons that materialize out of nowhere often flooding parts of the region for weeks making it hard to establish permanent settlements, most Rhacodan tribes that reside here often migrate out of the region during peak monsoon seasons to avoid the dangers of sudden and rapid flooding.

Azhdah Desert

The largest regional biome is a dry sea of dunes hostile to most lifeforms that attempt to settle here, while the Varanus are no stranger to arid landscapes they still have to content with the natural predators to the only other lifeforms that reside here. The Ossiknax are deadly 10 foot long venomous centipedes that burrow under the sands remaining still for weeks at a time to ambush unsuspecting prey, mainly the Opansi, giant 8 foot photosynthetic worms that traverse across the desert feeding on minerals left in the sands. The Varanus military often sends recruits into the desert as a rite of passage leaving them with simple tools,archaic compasses and a means to produce scarce amounts of water with the order to find the forward operating base often a few days travel from their location, while the recruiters keep a close watch on their progress and intervene when they simply cannot survive in the harsh region, some often become prey to the Ossiknax like most tourists to the region do.

Drukzai Rockies

Rich in minerals and ores this mountain range that connects the two continents of the planet, the region is also filled with many dragon temples and elaborate cave systems that served as the lairs of these grand beasts, as a result of the significance of this the region is closely conserved with several small scale mining operations under the supervision of the Clergy, excavating these ancient ruins in return for access to any ores that doesn't destroy the geographical stability of this region. The rockies are also set on a dangerous fault line that experiences violent earthquakes and rock-slides that somehow did not cause the utter destruction of the dragon temples throughout the region, only adding to the mystery and importance of it's secrets to the clergy.

Blue Sea

Contrary to the name, the second largest biome on the planet is actually a vast steppe of blue-hued grasslands, the name of the blue sea is derived from the occasional mesa that stands out from the steppe appearing like loose islands separate from the sea-like grasslands. Several local fauna reside here including winged horse-like creatures and scaled goat-like primates that reside on the mesas

Stornir Swamps

This patchwork of massive wetlands and large mangrove-like forests is home to a diverse range of plant species found nowhere else on the planet. Previously home to several large dragons whose bones now jot across murky waters. The flora here are surprisingly toxic, generating a chemical by-product that poisons the lungs and, in some cases, creates permanent damage to the nervous system. Why the region is so toxic compared to other biomes on the surface is a matter of debate. The region has the potential to become a great boon to agricultural developers and thus pressure is put on the government authorities to clear part of it for farming.

Localized Phenomena

Some weather effects from the Rift wars and the gradual decline of magic (I'll work on this one later)

Fauna & Flora

I will do this one later (Not going to steal ideas from Evolve)

Natural Resources

Drakenhelm is rich in rare metals, gemstones and other forms of mineral wealth in addition to a variety of plant life with useful properties for medicine and spices. While extraction of these resources is forbidden as not to damage the ecosystem of what is considered a holy planet, small sustainable methods of mining is often used to extract extremely rare materials.
Drakenhelm however is famous for its wealth of Dragonbone originally of little worth to anyone but avid dragonologists and collectors, the recently discovered latent magical properties have made Dragonbone a highly sought after commodity however it's use is limited by the Varanus priesthood and those who seek to smuggle or otherwise disturb the graveyards would often draw the ire of Varanus zealots. The rarity of finding these bones on the black market because of the security only makes it that much more valuable to the desperate and sly.

History

Drakenhelm was the birthplace of the Dragons, perhaps among the most powerful races in the galaxy. It is said they were born from Nozdormu, the old Celestial of Time and Space, in his own image. Due to their great magical power and wisdom, they quickly grew into a unified and advanced mythical kingdom, visiting other planets via portals long before any other species knew other stars existed.
When the galaxy became connected, the Dragons fought fiercely against any evil threats, helping save mortals time and time again only to retract sometime later a mere two years before the Acheron crisis as part of a racial cycle of slumber. Most of dragonkind would enter deep hibernations with the remaining dragons guarding the dens and troves of their fellow kind. This was but one of many cycles throughout centuries and as such there was little attention paid to the growing danger of Acheron. Around this time the Varanus landed on the planet completely unaware of the dragons below and hidden in the wilds. Sadly, the cycle would continue in perpetuality as the extinction event occurred cutting off the magical essences that flowed through the mighty sleeping wyrms that never awakened from their slumber, the mighty dragons simply faded into myth and legend over the passing years as their forms crumbled to dust leaving behind only dragon bone.
When the Varanus landed they sought to use the planet as a temporary headquarters until they discovered a way to recontact the Imperium and return home but as the days turned into months and then years the hopes of the Imperials faded and as the statement was decreed by command that the empire was considered destroyed alongside much of the galaxy, the hardy remnant entered a period of mourning that led to the construction of a monument dedicated to losses endured that stands today in Legion's Landing. An army without a nation the 1st Legion struggled to find meaning to their sacrifices and Drakenhelm was littered with displays of sorrow, soldiers would leave their helms to line the streets and carve names of their families in the walls of newly fabricated buildings, the health of the Grand Imperator took a turn and he announced that preceding his possible death a council would be formed out the his most trusted generals and an enigmatic figure known as the Keeper who holds power over them. Thus, the Drakenhelm Dominion or the 1st Dominion was formed on the day the Imperator died and since then the planet has served as the final refuge of the Varanus. As the planet was properly explored the vast boneyards and ruins of Dragonkind were noted as quickly protected as a new religious order gave meaning and purpose to these sites. They also discovered another species, small and simple the Rhacodans who until then actively avoided first contact.
The first contact was one of confusion but through careful exchange Varanus diplomats established a line of communication and it was learned that the Rhacodans had multiple small communities across the planet, Varanus elders met with the Rhacodan in a cultural exchange, it was learned that the Rhacodan like the Varanus had some genetic ties with the now extinct dragons and even possessed abilities never before seen by the Varanus elders possessing arcane wisdom about the nature of magic, the glow and the planet itself. The Rhacodan were offered a place among the Varanus and given a representative seat in the government in addition to acknowledgements of autonomous enclaves that became part of the protected sites of the new rising priest class. In time the Rhacodan as a species had much to teach to their alien kindred and in turn given the chance to experience the galaxy they knew little about. The Rhacodan were given a special status on the planet, being integrated into the city much like humanity during the Viscount Era but also being granted the right to enclaves throughout Drakenhelm itself to maintain their isolated culture.
The elevation of the Keeper and the rediscovery of the northern sector sparked a migration among the Varanus as many left Drakenhelm to join in the colonial surge of their former heart-worlds, the population decline as a result of this allowed the Drakenhelm authority to reverse many planned urban projects to redesign the Ivory City and the surrounding landscape into a more sustainable series of settlements, allowing the Rhacodan enclaves to expand and maintaining much of the natural environments of Drakenhelm. The creation of the Sharm Egress Gate created a direct link and line of communication between Drakenhelm and the Northern heart-worlds, and while foreign traders lack direct access to the planet and the gate, the licenced traders and their clerical handlers have made themselves among the wealthiest in Varanus space in recent memory, becoming the middleman for more or less all legal trade between the North and the Southern halves of the galaxy as travel to the North is a lengthy affair otherwise, the Clerical elite invest this wealth into vast temple complexes that function as self-contained city districts where the adherents of the Vo'kum gather and prosper.
As of writing Drakenhelm the so-called Grave of Dragons remains a mysterious world in a near forgotten system to the majority of those in the sector, the Varanus maintain that mysticism and security by interdicting ships that wander too close to the system and forcing them away if they lack the verification and licenses to access the world. This sense of mystery alongside a network of spies add security to a planet that without the Sharm Egress Wormhole gate is cut off from the star-nation it serves.

Tourism

For those few who visit the planet there is a slew of attractions for those interested and respectful of the history and remains of both Dragon kind and the Varanus. Since the extinction there has been a push from people of the Dominion to recapture the glory of the Imperium in grand and often opulent works of art and memorializing history through architecture, song, and literature. For those interested in culture, a simple jog through a residential district is a treasure trove of unique experiences found nowhere else in the galaxy. This planet also hosts the extinction monument which depicts a winged Varanus flanked by an Elf and Dwarf and Varanus clad in white armour kneeling at the foot of the winged one, made from an onyx like stone mixed with the collected ashes of those depicted who were lost in the extinction event. The monument standing three stories tall is among the largest honouring those fallen from the event in Varanus space.
The so called Ivory City itself has Dragon bone built into the ornaments across the city, the very steel and stone used across the urban sprawl is often decorated with draconic symbology and themes to invoke the so called spirits of the ancient wyrms, for outsiders however it's a interesting spectacle.
The planet's ties to dragons have also not gone unnoticed, the Varanus who revere dragons as an ascended part of themselves have gone out of their way to preserve what artifacts they could recover and preventing destruction of draconic ruins. While tourism to such sites is restricted to a class of historical scientists, those with the right connections to contact and convince the right people can secure unrestricted access to explore and study these ruins.

Alternative Name(s)

Drakkum'Shokarsh (Varn'Tong for Dragon's Grave)

Type

Planet

Owner/Ruler

The Keeper

Owning Organization

Serpentum Imperium