Planet Planning - Volgoth and Kainoth

[Arterius]

Two sister planets i have an idea for in my head, i decided that now would be the perfect time to hammer out the foundation for these worlds and the cultures/races that occupy them. These worlds are sat on the very edges of the known galaxy, on the precipice of the Unknown Regions/Wildspace, and both are secretive places, and full of dark history and bloodshed. This is mostly for fun for me but once its all done, im hoping to submit it. Let me know your thoughts! First of the sister worlds to come: Volgoth, the Forgotten Planet.

 

[Arterius]

VOLGOTH
The Forgotten World

Galactic Direction
Galactic North

Location
Galactic Border/Unknown Regions

Force Alignment
Dark Side

Native Species
Volgothan Human
Theleseer (Near Human)
Thelehumans (Hybrids)

Government
Feudalism: World is divided up into Kingdoms with Noble Houses ruling lands and paying homage to their respective Monarch, and the civilians living on their land paying homage to their Noble.
One particular and longstanding Kingdom is beginning to assert its dominance over other Kingdoms however, and has been locked in a war with another large Kingdom in nearby lands... its Armies silently marching in vile tides of black armoured warriors. This dark Kingdom is known as "The Corvusant Empire", and is viewed with great fear and wariness by the other Kingdoms- so much so that the Council of Monarchs, who ensure that peace is kept between the Kingdoms, will not step in officially in the conflict... and have expelled the Empress of the Corvusant Kingdom from their order.

Terrain

The world of Volgoth is very rural and was once a shining jewel of a world... but what was once beautiful has become withered and corrupt by the influence of shadowy deeds and malicious acts that are constant in world's dark history, coupled with the emergence of the Corvusant Empire. Sprawling cities and monuments once covered the world's surface, but since the days of "The Atrocity", these edifices of a bygone race have been swallowed by nature as ruins, or become the foundation for new towns or fortresses. Most of the world now consists of gnarled forests, vast mountains, deadly swamps, and desolate wastes- some areas have begun to undergo desertification.

Weather
The sun barely shines on Volgoth, the sky is constantly overcast... the clouds so thick they perpetually blanket the sky like a deathshroud and so twisted by events of the past that what sunlight they permit is changed into a dull amber glow, passing through the melancholic sepia clouds. Days are barely days, but the nights are darker than the void. The rain can come fast and heavy, and it rains frequently, but in Volgoth's winter, most of the world becomes a frozen wasteland which has forced the Kingdoms to take measure against the terrible winters that ravage them.

Fauna
To summarize, the creatures of Volgoth are deadly, and many are not wholly natural. Great creatures thrive in the mountains, swamps, and vast forests of Volgoth, and while some are peaceful most are predatory and more than capable of killing a person to slake their hungers. Travelling alone between lands is not recommended, especially at night, as the creatures that come with the night are more terrible than the beasts of the day- especially due to the fact that these beasts are twisted by the Dark Side. It is worth noting that Volgoth does have an unique species of bird that lives in their vast forests as an apex predator, and with enough bravery and skill, can be tamed as guardians and mounts- these gigantic predators are known as "Dire Ravens" and have a wingspan of twelve feet, with some reaching even bigger than that. To most Kingdoms they are left well enough alone, due to their association with bad omens and their connect to a dark figure in Volgoth's history.
It is also rumored that somewhere the world boasts its own Sarlacc Pit too, as if it needed help being terrifying.

Views on Outsiders
Most Kingdoms are tolerant to outsiders to an extent, but few are actually welcoming. Being so far out away from everything the general human populace has a degree of xenophobia that can make them extraordinarily wary of visitors from off world, especially aliens- and this xenophobia has cost them greatly in the past. The Corvusant Empire is hostile to outsiders however, unless they are invited by the Empress/Nobles/Ambassadors or simply brought in clad in shock collars and chains- however, they have begun to send out Ambassadors to the Galaxy at large, studying it peacefully it for some unknown purpose.
(It is possible, however, that the Corvusant Empire could be in allegiance with the Sith or indeed a haven for them, in exchange for assistance to the Empire as required)

Capacity for Spacetravel
All the Kingdoms have the ability to travel in space, but none have a space faring fleet- instead their ships are transport vessels of varying comforting and cargo freighters allowing them to trade with the nearby world of Kainoth... and perhaps the Galaxy at large. The Corvusant Empire is looking to assemble a fleet for defense purposes, unwilling to allow anyone above or below entrance to their Empire without permission... and also to win the war for Volgoth at a much quicker rate.

Unique Export - Revenant Crystals
In the lands of the Corvusant Kingdom there is one last remaining cave where a unique form of crystal grows, known as "Revenant Crystals", which were thought entirely destroyed following the fall of "The Raven Lord" in arguably the bloodiest era of Volgoth's history. These crystals when used with a lightsaber create a blade of great intensity in a frightening shade of deep malevolent purple; since the dark days these crystals have been in-tuned, like the planet itself, to the Dark Side... the Raven Lord himself used one of these crystals, albeit one more powerful than the others, which they claimed in the legends would devour the souls of those he slew with it. This, alongside the fact his infamous Knights used the crystals also to kill countless innocents during his crusade, lead the survivors after his defeat to destroy all the crystals they could find- to ensure these evil crystals could never be used again, fearing for their very souls.
The Elite Guard of the unseen Empress use these Crystals in their Saber-Pikes, and if an allegiance was forged with the Sith, would become available in exchange for required resources or aid. The Revenant Crystal could also be used by a Jedi, though the risk would be great.

History of Volgoth
Ancient Times
Two millennia ago Volgoth was home only to one race, the force sensitive true native race of Volgoth that would come to be known as the "Theleseer"; an advanced and cultured civilization of near human beings of great alien beauty, who lived in a somewhat turbulent relationship with the race known as Penumbrans that lived upon their sister world of Kainoth. They had eras of peace and progress only occasionally dotted with battles with their sister world... but that would all eventually change with the arrival of terrible new species. Humans.
Foolishly the Theleseer welcomed the Humans to Volgoth and provided them respite, as the humans had traveled far to find a new home in the wake of their own dying around them. The Theleseer generously provided them a new home, and began to integrate the humans into their society slowly but surely... unaware of a religious sect within their new neighbors that was fueling xenophobic paranoia among their fellow humans. To this growing Cult their alien hosts became known as the Theleseer... which in their beliefs, translated to 'Demons.'
Gradually dissent began to spread like a virus throughout the human population, the Cult grew larger, and men and women were punished for interaction with the Theleseer... with being intimate or in love with one of these "Vile Demons" being punishable by death. Sympathetic humans were slaughtered and then Theleseer began to die, murdered in the streets or caught in terrorist attacks that obliterated temples and homes.
War eventually broke out. Grossly outnumbered by the humans the Theleseer were rendered near extinct, their civilisation left in ruins, and on the last day of the war... they simply disappeared. Leaving nothing behind but ruins, and the once beautiful verdant kyber crystals they used to fuel many of their endeavors and indeed their advancements, the same crystals the Cult secretly wanted, were corrupted intentionally by the Theleseer. A hollow victory for the Humans, the Cult was all but destroyed when demoralized members quit its ranks, en masse, disheartened and ashamed of themselves for what they had done- leaving only the zealous behind.
The Theleseer were gone, officially in the history of the new Volgothan people, the treacherous humans, they were marked as "Extinct."
Yet their legacy remained, as the children of their union with men and women still thrived in secret in Volgoth... hunted down where they could be found by what was left of the Cult in vicious Witch-Hunts. But these pariahs among humanity, these men and women, endured... ensuring that the blood of the ancient people would live on forever, and eventually created a whole new secondary race... the Thelehumans, the Hybrids.
It was this great travesty that began and set the foundation for Volgoth's corruption.

The Age of the Raven
Centuries passed at the very least before this era began, but upon its arrival and its passing, Volgoth was never the same again. Over the centuries the Force began to bloom within many with growing frequency, and so individuals began to emerge with unfocused connections to the Force. Shamans, Seers, and Oracles began to emerge, as well as tales of sorcery, and almost all of these individuals were of the Thelehuman cast of humanity... the blood of the Theleseers within them providing a strong link to the Force.
But there was one "Sorcerer" who was stronger than them all, and rose to obtain power in "The Deadlands"... the poisoned swamplands to the south, that held the ruins of a Theleseer bastion that came to be his home. He used "Dark Magic" to enslave the minds of the week and planted himself as the "God" of the newly reformed church... using it to lure and trap others in his web... and to obtain the location of a unique and infamous Revenant Crystal- a crystal according to legend could swallow souls- know as "The Soul Gem."
He took the gem for himself and forged a brutal and potent lightsaber, and would use it to cut swaths through his foes, leading his Knights who too used Revenant Crystals to battle upon the backs of Great Ravens. His natural command over the beasts, their numerous nests in his land, and his tendency to use them in battle, lead to him being known as "The Raven Lord." His purpose was not domination, and upon revealing his identity as a Theleseer Sith Lord it became clear that his goal was genocide, pure and simple. As recompense for the brutal crime against his people he lead a crusade that slaughtered countless Humans and Thelehumans (seeing the latter as more human than his own kin) and was eventually only stopped by the combined efforts of the Kingdoms, a powerful Force Sensitive Thelehuman warrior, and the assistance of the Penumbran Warriors.
With his death peace returned to Volgoth, but it was saturated in the Dark Side now... so much bloodshed, suffering, and death had soaked into the very earth, not only that, but the various rituals and Dark Side abilities used by the Raven Lord took their toll too. Volgoth was a poisoned husk of its former beauty and glory now, totally irredeemable, and drenched in blood.
The Raven Lord's army was shattered, his keep destroyed, and his machinations undone- but his followers ensured his body was recovered. His followers, with their resources and influence, arranged for a secret tomb to be built for their master... and await the day he would return for them. The Raven Lord was entombed in his full armour with his fallen Great Raven, Bael, and with his lightsaber.
Officially to history his body was destroyed, the survivors of his terrible wrath unable to bear the thought of it being labelled as "missing"

Rise of an Empire
-Several decades prior to the New Timeline-
The origins of the Corvusant Empire are steeped in mystery... as is their illusive and powerful ruler, the Empress. What was once a peaceful, strong, and wealthy Kingdom began to rot from the inside out until one day the Empress had taken the place of the King, and from the cold ashes a new Empire was raised. A black stain upon the surface of Volgoth, the Empire is notorious for its cruel ways and its conquering nature... referred to as "The Children of the Raven" by some, its goal is not genocide but that domination, and unlike the Raven Lord, has proven highly successful thus far in achieving and maintaining their goals.
Since the Empress began her Reign things changed, such as for instance: what Thelehumans wished to join her were welcome in her Empire and elevated to high standing, affording them titles, lands, and positions in court, something they had never experienced before; Force Sensitives were hunted down and rounded up by the elite and mysterious "Raven Guard" with their unknown connection to the Dark Side, armed with their Revenant Crystal Saber-Pikes; Strange and evil new creatures spilled into Volgoth, seemingly originating from the lands of the Empire, and it assumed they are born of, or twisted by, Sith Alchemy.
The biggest change, however, was the re-emergence of the Theleseer. With the rise of the Empire these beings returned home... but they were no longer kind, or warm... in their exile in the darkest and coldest reaches of the unknown regions, they have plunged into the Dark Side and hardened. Now with a hatred of mankind these Theleseer became part of the Empire, and like the Thelehumans, became the highest social tier in the Empire. What humans fell to the Empire's subjugation were treated poorly, the lowest of the low, barely able to survive unless they pledged a service. To the Empress and her Theleseer/Thelehuman comrades, the humans of the Empire were little more than tools.
But like many Thelehumans, there were some Theleseers, unbroken by their exile and still kind of heart, who refused to join with the despot... and these pariahs either joined Kingdoms resisting the Empire, or simply moved into the Galaxy at large, taking their families with them.

Modern Day - Timeline Begins
What comes next, you the players decide
​

 

[Arterius]

KAINOTH
The World of Perpetual Dusk

Galactic Direction
North

Galactic Location
Unknown Regions

Force Alignment
Almost Balanced; Lean towards the Darkside

Native Species
Penumbrans

Government
The Penumbran people are divided into six Kingdoms known as "The Six Great Clans" which are effectively a nation unto themselves, with their own traditions, values, and laws- but all maintain a healthy relationship with one another. Wars between Clans have not occurred in centuries under the current Clan Leadership.

Terrain
Almost entirely rural, full of forests and mountains, this world is in much greater health than its sister Volgoth and is still plentiful. There are ancient momuments to their ancestors that are still in existence today, dating thousands of years back, such as a colossal Penumbra warrior of legend carved into the side of a mountain and the ancient Citadel of the Clans.

Weather
Sunlight is very faint here, the clouds permit very little in the way of light to penetrate and as such, like Volgoth, the world is in a perpetual overcast state. However, the light here is even fainter. Storms are frequent in the mountainous areas and winters bring thick snow... but it is safe to say the weather here, however harsh it can be, is tamer than Volgoth's.

Fauna
Kainoth is now home to many creatures, born of the Light Side of the Force and with deep ties to nature, that not only sprung from the far and uncorrupted "White Plains" to the West, but from Volgoth itself. When the Theleseers were rendered almost extinct many of its Force-Born beasts (save those that were already corrupted) fled the dying world in a mass exodus and traveled to Kainath to be free of the stain. The means with which they did this still remains unknown. One of the great clans, arguably the most cultured, lives in harmony close to the White Plains and often employ many of this beasts in their everyday lives- these light-born creatures resemble living wood and stone.
Across the rest of the world however there are numerous beasts, including a breed of creature akin to a Krayt Dragon that thrive is the wastes, and while many other beasts are tamed and brought to heel by the Clans others love solely to hunt them. While Kainoth's daytime's are mostly safe for lonesome travel, the night is home to the legendary "Dark Slurper", a humanoid beast of mysterious origins that feeds upon the blood of any force sensitive it can find, and hibernating when faced with starvation. It is extremely dangerous to even Jedi and Sith, and its origins are unknown, though it is held as a sort of demon to the Clans.

Views on Outsiders
Mixed. Each Clan holds different views, which shall be addressed below in "The Great Clans"

Capacity for Spacetravel
The Penumbrans can travel through space, possessing personal craft and cargo vessels that are seldom used for space travel, instead they are utilized to trade and travel the vast gulfs between Clan Territories. Any Penumbrans who seek to leave Kainoth have, depending on their Clan, the freedom to do so- but most employ the use of space travel as a form of Exile, forcing the pariah into a craft and sending them away to wander the Galaxy alone.

Unique Exports
Ivoryvine Sap
A powerful and healing substance, it comes directly from the benevolent beasts of the White Plains who will willingly share their own blood with the Great Clan living in harmony with them. The Sap has the ability to cure most ailments and restore vigor, and acts with remarkable swiftness that could put rivals to shame- making it helpful in a crisis. This Sap makes this Clan and the beasts who provide it indispensable to the other Clans. In exchange for goods, assistance, and funding, the Sap could be made available to trade.
Note: The Sap is the blood of a creature born of the Light Side, so if it is used by a practitioner of the Dark Side it may well have side effects they didn't expect.

Shadow Iron Swords
The metal with which the most elite soldiers of the Clans use and their leaders, Shadow Iron is a strong and durable metal which when forged into blades has unparalleled cutting power, is able to resist lightsabers and force-lightning, and cleave through armours of great toughness with little resistance in the hands of a physically powerful swordsperson. Considered now to be artifacts despite their common use among the upper tiers of Clan Hierarchies, and often passed down as heirlooms, there are very few of these powerful blades in existence, and each Clan is protective of their own supply... but could be persuaded to trade for something important.
Note: This will likely require some form of admin permission before a trade can occur, due to the value of the swords themselves. Same for any who may want to play a Penumbran and have one such sword as their heirloom.

History
The Founding of the Great Clans
According to legends, thousands of years ago there was a God who came to the then nameless planet, intending to conquer it and live there as its ruler eternal... he marched to the gates of the First City, and was met in defiance by one. A powerful and selfless warrior, who rose when the others cowered. Her name was Volara, better known now as 'The Great Mother.' So enamored with the ferocity and selflessness of this warrior the God relinquished his goal of conquest, and begged of her forgiveness. She married this god, who took on the form of her people to be with her... and the world would come to be named after him. Kainoth.
They united the broken people of the world under one banner and ruled from the First City, now known as the Citadel, and eventually the lovers would come to have children... Six of them, four boys, and two girls, each born with a divine portion of their Father. They grew to become mighty warriors, poets, artists, scientists and explorers... but they often bickered and fought among one another despite their great loyalty to their father and mother. One day, feeling a great disturbance in the universe, their Mother and Father left the world to their children to rule over as they saw fit and simply vanished. Each of the Six knew that among them, there was no true one leader like their Mother and Father, and instead they went their separate ways to form their own Empires- pledging only to unite once more with the return of their Father and Mother.
And so, the Great Clans were born... and it is said that each Clan today possesses the blood of their Founder, allowing each of the six people their own unique traits. Spread across the world each rules their own territory with absolute domination. There are:
-The Volarim -
The Eldest of the Clans, their founder retreated West from the Citadel and built her Empire based on science and reason in the White Plains. They are the most peaceful and cultured of the Great Clans, but also the most advanced. They welcome outsiders, cautiously, and are un-afflicted.
-The Gridim -
The Second Eldest of the Clans, their founder retreated East and built his Empire based on conquest and honour. They are a brutal culture of warriors and are renowned for their ability to wage war with great skill. They are unfriendly to untested outsiders and were cursed with 'The Phage.'
- The Karmililm -
Their Founder, the 3rd Born of the Great Children, retreated South from the Citadel and built her Empire based on personal gratification and artistic expression. They care not for the politics of the other Clans, instead they seek only to progress as a society, create new forms of art, and live to the fullest everyday. They are welcoming of outsiders, but have become twisted since the day they were afflicted with 'The Phage.' They are avoided by other Clans almost entirely.
- The Revalim -
Their Founder, the 4th Born of the Great Children, retreated North from the Citadel and built his Empire in the Frozen Plains based on knowledge and magic. They are a secretive people with a larger number of force-sensitives among their ranks, and are referred to as "The Librarian Clan." They are hostile to outsiders and were cursed with 'The Phage.'
-The Arakim -
Their founder, the 5th Born of the Great Children, retreated South-West of the Citadel and built his Empire in the 'The Eternal Forest' based on personal fulfillment, attuning to nature, and hunting. They are a wary and skilled people who have the greatest connection to nature, allowing them a connection to not only the beasts of Kainoth but of the White Plains too. They are wary of outsiders and un-afflicted.
- The Strigim -
Their Founder, the youngest of the Great Children, retreated North-East from the Citadel and built his Empire within the Weeping Mountains. They are a mystery to all the other Clans, but they were once famed for their mastery over forging and metalworking- now they have become an obscurity and to some, thought extinct... but there are tales of hideous creatures roaming the Mountains, and snatching children, and others believe this is now what remains of the once mighty Strigim. They are thought Xenophobic and Hostile to outsiders, as none who venture into the Mountains return... and they were cursed with 'The Phage.'​

 

[Arterius]

Updated, nearly finished now.
Coming next: Theleseer and Penumbran Race Workshop