Skoria

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Skoria (pronounced Score-E-uh) is the third planet from Skor α. It is the largest of the planets in the Skor System in diameter, mass and density.

Home to millions of species, including the Skorr, Skoria is the only one of four places in the galaxy know to harbor Sentient Avian life. Scientific evidence indicates that the planet formed 4.54 billion years ago, and life appeared on its surface within a billion years. Since then, Skoria's biosphere has significantly altered the atmosphere and other abiotic conditions on the planet, enabling the proliferation of aerobic organisms as well as the formation of the ozone layer which, together with Skoria's magnetic field, blocks harmful radiation, permitting life on land. The physical properties of the Skoria, as well as its geological history and orbit, allowed life to persist during this period. The world is expected to continue supporting life for another 1.5 billion years, after which the rising luminosity of Skor will eliminate the biosphere.

Skoria's outer surface is divided into several rigid segments, or tectonic plates, that gradually migrate across the surface over periods of many millions of years. About 71% of the surface is covered with salt-water oceans, the remainder consisting of continents and islands; liquid water, necessary for all known life, is abundant. Skoria's interior remains active, with a thick layer of relatively solid mantle, a liquid outer core that generates a magnetic field, and a solid iron inner core.

Skoria interacts with other objects in outer space, including it's primary star Skor and it's moon Shayala. At present, Skoria orbits Skor once for every roughly 235.955 times it rotates about its axis. This length of time is a sidereal year, which is equal to 235.95 solar days. Skoria's axis of rotation is tilted 23.4° away from the perpendicular to its orbital plane,producing seasonal variations on the planet's surface with a period of one tropical year (235.95 solar days). Skoria's only known natural satellite, Shayala, which began orbiting it about 4.53 billion years ago, provides ocean tides, stabilizes the axial tilt and gradually slows the planet's rotation. A cometary bombardment during the early history of the planet played a role in the formation of the oceans. Later, asteroid impacts caused significant changes to the surface environment.

Both the mineral resources of the planet, as well as the products of the biosphere, contribute resources that are used to support a global Skorr population. The inhabitants are grouped into 15 Mar'kaj districts, which interact through travel, and trade. Historically Skorr culture has developed many views of the planet, including personification as a deity and a modern perspective of the world as an integrated environment that requires stewardship. Skorr first left the planet in 2105, when Drola reached outer space.

Geographical features

Terrain and climate

Skoria has a wide variety of terrain although a great deal is covered by massive, tightly-knit Pinok and Nosak forests. However, the planet also contains vast dry deserts and grassy plains and savannah , as well as oceans, secluded lakes, and mountain ranges which rise to several kilometers in height. The planet's low axial tilt and regular orbit ensures a comfortable climate. The climate is temperate and mild, with polar caps regulating the sea levels. Flora life included cambylictus trees and other large plants.

History

Planetary History

Scientists have been able to reconstruct detailed information about the planet's past. About 4.54 billion years ago (within an uncertainty of 1%) Skoria and the other planets in the Solar System formed out of the solar nebula—a disk-shaped mass of dust and gas left over from the formation of the Sun. This assembly of the planet through accretion was largely completed within 10–20 million years. Initially molten, the outer layer of the planet Earth cooled to form a solid crust when water began accumulating in the atmosphere. The Moon was captured soon afterward, possibly as the result of an impact by a third planetoid sharing the same orbit as the young moon.

Outgassing and volcanic activity produced the primordial atmosphere. Condensing water vapor, augmented by ice and liquid water delivered by asteroids and the larger proto-planets, comets, and trans-orbital objects produced the oceans. The highly energetic chemistry is believed to have produced a self-replicating molecule around 4 billion years ago, and half a billion years later, the last common ancestor of all life existed.

The development of photosynthesis allowed the Sun's energy to be harvested directly by life forms; the resultant oxygen accumulated in the atmosphere and resulted in a layer of ozone (a form of molecular oxygen [O3]) in the upper atmosphere. The incorporation of smaller cells within larger ones resulted in the development of complex cells called eukaryotes. True multicellular organisms formed as cells within colonies became increasingly specialized. Aided by the absorption of harmful ultraviolet radiation by the ozone layer, life colonized the surface of planet.

Beginning with almost no dry land, the total amount of surface lying above the oceans has steadily increased. During the past two billion years, for example, the total size of the continents has doubled. As the surface continually reshaped itself, over hundreds of millions of years, continents formed and broke up. The continents migrated across the surface, occasionally combining to form a supercontinent. Roughly 750 million years ago , one the earliest known supercontinents, began to break apart. The continents later alternately recombined and broke apart in two consecutive cycles.

It has been hypothesized that severe glacial action between 750 and 580 mya, during the Pre-Skorr Age, covered much of the planet in a sheet of ice. This hypothesis has been termed "The Frozen Planet Theory", and is of particular interest because it preceded the biodiversity explosion, when multicellular life forms began to proliferate.

Following the Biodiversity explosion, about 535 mya, there have been five mass extinctions. The last extinction event was 65 mya, when a meteorite collision probably triggered the extinction of the majority of non-avian reptiles, but spared small animals such as mammals, which then resembled shrews. Over the past 65 million years, life has diversified, and several mya, an Avian animal gained the ability to stand upright. This enabled tool use and encouraged communication that provided the nutrition and stimulation needed for a larger brain. The development of agriculture, and then civilization, allowed Skorr to influence the planet in a short time span as no other life form hadaffecting both the nature and quantity of other life forms.

The present pattern of ice ages began about 40 mya and then intensified about 3 mya. The polar regions have since undergone repeated cycles of glaciation and thaw, repeating every 40–100,000 years. The last ice age ended approximately 10,000 years ago.

The Skorr Civilization

The Skorr civilization has flourished for thousands of years prior to the Clan Wars. The fall of the pre-Alar Skorr civilization began when a comet streaked through Skoria's skies.

With tensions between the various Clans already high as a result of airspace and resource desputes, the leaders of the very supersticious Clans, took the comet's arrival as a sign from the Gods that they would be victorious in their battles.

As a result, violence rocked the population. Marked by the wholesale slaughter of entire bloodlines, the nine major clans began fighting bloody battles. Each claimed that the comet had spoken to them, and claimed to be its instrument on Skoria.

Species

The planet is teeming with life, including the Skorr, The forest floor becomes a dangerous hunting ground at night, when feral Nur'recks and other predators stalk the wilderness for prey.

Sentient

Skoria is home to the Skorr.

Nonsentient

The following are just some of the indigenous creatures that make up Skoria's wildlife:

• Shuri - The Shuri is a species of bird native to Skoria. Known for their wide variety of calls and mimicry, Shuri are inquisitive creatures. They were small red birds with sharp beaks which they used to build nests, laying several eggs at a time. Both parents care for helpless chicks. Common prey of the other animals on Skoria, Shuri build nests high above ground or in hard to reach places.

• Nur'reck - The Nur'reck is a horned predator native to the forests of Skoria. Nur'recks stand on four powerful, clawed feet and have striped fur. The carnivore has two large, tusk-like fangs protruding from its upper jaw, though some are known to have four. Aggressive and graceful, Nur'recks chase down their prey then impaled them on their tusks. Though most Nur'recks hunt in the forests, some were known to prowl the deserts and hilltops of Skoria. Baby Nur'recks are known to have been tamed by intrepid adventurers during the time of the Clan Wars. The Mythological Skorr Warrio Trennar was said to have work a Nur'reck Sjull as a sign of his courage and fighting prowess.

• Orrina - The Orrina is a vicious wolf-like canine predator found on the Skoria, the creature also has tiger-like characteristics. Orrina naturally travel in packs, and are particularly active during the winter months. A group of these creatures is said to have raised the Mystical Skorr warrior Mayasha after she was separated from her mother. Mayasha was said to have the ability to command the Orrina in battle. It is said that her War Pack was so stealthy that it once killed1,000 enemy Skorr warriors in the dead of night.

• Zogo - The Zogo was a large flying creature with incandescent tail feathers. It lived in shimmering nests high in the trees of Skoria's forest. The Zogo 's tail feathers were used by Ancient Skorr for medicinal potions. These avians were often eaten by as a way to improve night vision by the anceint Skorr who considered them to be magical.

• Velar - Velar are small plains land creatures from the planet Skoria. They have short fur that varies in color from brown to white. Velar have spherical heads with large, bulbous eyes and thin probosces. The creatures live in the borrows and travel both by flying or leaping. They possess flaps of skin between their forelimbs and hindlimbs, allowing them to fly or glide for short distances. Velar are wily and nimble creatures, and many Skorr enjoy hunting them.

• Ucor - The Ucor is an eight-tentacled plant-like predator native to the desert and forests of Skoria. They can grow up to 6 meters tall, and 14 meters long including their 6 meter long tentacles. They are mobile and prowl the forest floor, and reach into the lower tree branches in search of Skorr and other tender morsels. It was surprisingly quick for a plant creature of its size, moving with stealth and silence. It practically glides along on its serpentine body, undulating across the forest floor like a gargantuan snake. If it finds prey in a tree it bashes its limbs against the trunk while reaching for the prey in order to dislodge them. Four of its tentacles are located on each side of its body, and it will attack as many targets as it can at once. If it injurs its prey enough to incapacitate them, it will drag the victim into its maw and consume them.

• Ongol -The Ongol, also known as the Yongol, was a large arachnid native to Skoria that got its name from a sound it makes while intimidating and attacking it's prey. It makes this sound while standing on its rear legs and encompassing its prey with all of its legs. Unlike most spiders, the ongol actively hunts its prey instead of capturing them in webbing. It can usually be found in desert caves or scavenging the rotten meat left by a scavenger.

Ag'ger- Ag'gers are cute, fluffy rodents native to Skoria. They live in the planet grassy plains (yellow-furred) or high in the trees (greenish white-furred), eating nuts and berries and hibernating in the winter. They have sharp front incisors and suction-like foot pads among their adaptations. Ag'gers are favored prey of Ucors. Domestic Ag'gers are kept as pets by wealthy Skorr and usually have white fur.

• Empor - Empors are forest dwelling amphibians native to Skoria. Empors were known for using their furry lure-like tongues to draw their prey toward their hidden jaws. Food is always abundant on Skoria and Empors usually eat rodents, birds and other small creatures. Empors have pale fleshy skin covered with mucous, which allows them to slither into tight spots and then strike prey fast after luring them in close with its tongue. Eventhough its primary means of locomotion is slithering it still has claws for anchoring itself to the ground or wherever it was hiding. Empors have excellent eyesight due to multiple eyes on its head.

Skoria (Skor III)

• Planetary Classification: M (Earth-like World, Standard Atmosphere, substantial ground water-tectonically active presently. Life is present)
• Atmospheric Details: Primary Components are Oxygen (15%), Nitrogen (15%), with Noble and some trace gases (Neon Krypton, Hydrogen, Carbon Dioxide, Methane) making up the remainder (70%).
• Planetary System Data: Dual Moon (Skor IIIa Class D: uninhabitable), (Skor IIIb Class D Uninhabitable)
• Gravity Notes:
  • Skor III: 1.05 G
  • Skor IIIa: 0.46G
  • Skor IIIb: 0.49G
• Year and Day: 235.955 standard days/23.25 standard hours
• Hydrosphere: 71.5%
• Temperature Range: -85°F Nighttime to 110°F Daytime
• Flora and Fauna: Intense Flora with equally intense Fauna
• Resources: Heavy Metals