Helstrom

"Here, if you can't keep up, then don't step up. You'll just die in some horrible, painful, bloody fashion too, or maybe even worse."

- Kazda Renden

Helstrom was a Attican Traverse planet located somewhere beyond the boundaries of the Attican Alpha Sector. Massively vast and orbited by three moons, the planet was lush and wild, primarily encompassing humid jungles, rainforests, and vast, rocky mountain chains, all roamed by several dozen different species of vicious predators and insects, and even encompassing carnivorous plants. Helstrom was most notable, however, for it's almost inhospitable weather conditions, and yearly storms could easily wreck a large portion of the five continents which constituted the main land. Helstrom also had a relatively dilute atmosphere, which could quickly fatigue species with less efficient respiratory systems and lessen their ability to concentrate effectively, thus reducing their capacity for general everyday living and working. The planet's gravity field was also quite restrictive, which could slow down more smaller, weaker beings, but more herculean species, with tough, powerful musculature, could easily move about on Helstrom's surface with only a slight reduction in their mobility. Atmospheric craft and spacecraft moving through Helstrom's atmosphere were also forced to exert their engines more to stay aloft, thus using more fuel.

Perhaps the most dangerous and threatening aspect of Helstrom, however, was it's weather; as dangerous ion storms, tornados, and massive cyclones were very common throughout the later part of a Helstrom year, the planet's surface could be rendered practically inhospitable until the new year, at which point Helstrom was known to become relatively habitable, at least until the end of the year. An altogether startling collection of vicious, carnivorous animals, plants, and insects only added to the dangers posed to anyone who was willing to brave the high gravity field, low atmosphere, and freakishly violent weather. Very few were considered capable of surviving for even a complete day on Helstrom, and those that did were subjected to even more dangers as the sun dropped below the horizon.

Depite it's dangers, however, Helstrom was a potential gold mine of resources, with a crust that was exceedingly rich in various elements, such as carbon, neutronium, lommite, zersium, and, most noteworthy, several massive deposits of platinum. The only trouble was that Helstrom's harsh weather, vicious predators, and relatively unknown location made landing a force of workers and equipment on the planet and commencing operations extremely difficult, if not impossible, even with the most advanced technology. For this reason, the gold mine that was Helstrom remained for the most part untapped, until the Roduun began to modernize and make the world their base of operations since it was their homeworld. With the Roduun Clan Systems leadership abilities and command of the Roduun peoples' resources and wealth, when combined with the Roduun great work ethic and unique physiology, allowed the government and the Roduun people to become the first to successfully mine and harvest the vast resources Helstrom had to offer, which were then processed and utilized to construct a fleet and an army of amazingly powerful synthetic soldiers.

After the Treaty of Farixen, Helstrom became recognized as the homeworld of the Roduun and the cradle of their species, as the very first children who would become known as the "Terminus Barbarians" were born on the planet's surface. With the peace that followed the Treaty of Farizen, Helstrom also became a source of vast wealth and income for the species, as their homeworld's repository of resouces allowed them to build and produce spacecraft and other vessels faster than they could be demanded, which were then sold to various buyers eager to get their hands upon some of the great warships of the Roduun, all of it sold through the Terminus Union.

Terrain
Geologically, Helstrom was approximately twenty kilometers in diamter and was composed of a thick, rocky crust and a molten core. The planet orbited its twin suns at a velocity just somewhat greater than was considered normal, which made the duration of each year noticeable greater, when compared to such planets as Earth and Thessia. Aside from the planet's poles, the entirety of the planet's surface was covered by lush, humid rain forests and jungles, mountainous, rocky chains, many of which allowed access to extensive cave systems, and several huge and impressively vast oceans.

Of the world's terrain, perhaps the most noteworthy feature was its vast system of underground, cavernous chambers, most of which had been hollowed out of limestone, a process which was theorized to have occurred several thousand years before the Roduun began to unify. The majority of these cave systems provided multiple, easy to reach entry points, and were basically hollow, except for massive columns of rock which acted as supports for the caverns' vast roofs and made them naturally and surprisingly durable against collapse and bombardment.

Almost the entire surface of Helstrom was covered by sprawling jungles and rain forests, which boosted a population of millions of different species of animals and insects as well as various carnivorous plants. The few areas of the planet not covered by dense foliage and trees consisted of steep mountains and several oceans. Helstrom's rain forests were dominated by massive trees, the largest of which could range from twenty-five to forty-seven meters tall and ten meters wide; forming a massive leaf canopy, which restricted the accumulation of undergrowth in many areas due to lack of sunlight at ground level, these trees tended to grow in groups set several meters apart, allowing individuals to walk and run between them with little trouble. In areas where sunlight broke through, however, the undergrowth could form such a dense barrier of vines, shrubs, and smaller trees that most paths could be almost impossible to hack apart, at least with conventional equipment.

Several long mountain ridges spread through the lush foliage and forests, many of which were dominated by volcanoes. The majority of these mountains were typically slanted downward steeply and possessed rather flat apexes with colder weather and snowfall becoming more prominent the higher a climber went. Helstrom also sported large, grassy plains and miniscule deserts in the rain-shadow of its mountain ranges, which could reach temperatures of two-hundred degrees at the height of a typical day and lows at twenty below zero at night.

Approximately fifty-five percent of Helstrom was covered in water. Lakes and rivers were quite common throughout the planet's rain forests and jungles as well, most of which emptied into one of its five oceans. Helstrom's oceans were inclined to start off shallow close to the shore and sport long coral reefs, then drop off suddenly to the depths of several hundred meters. The deepest point in any of Helstrom's oceans was unknown, though it was assumed to be roughly several thousand kiolmeters, at the very least.

Atmospheric Conditions
Though the atmospheric conditions of Helstrom were considered unpredictable and unlivable, Roduun considered such concerns only trivial, as their survival training and natural ruggedness allowed them to brave much of Helstrom's most extreme weather. A typical Helstrom year consisted of three season, each typifid by an atmospheric difference. During the first season of the year, known as the dry season, scorching sunlight and almost unrelenting heat usually caused unprotected crops and many plants to wither and die; bush and forest fires were quite common during this season as well, as only the slightest spark was required to ignite a flame when the surrounding environment was so parched.

Following the dry season, Helstrom experienced a wet season, during which abundant and violent thunderstorms, often accompanied by wind-storms powerful enough to uproot trees and overturn vehicles, were quite common. The more typical observed weather of this period, however, was merely torrential ran and thick humidity, although some days could be quite cold. During this season, plants and crops were known to strive, and, if one did not mind the wetness and lack of sunlight, surface conditions could be quite accordant with many species.

The third and final season of a Helstrom year was considered both the most violent and the most dangerous. Throughout this last period of the year, the Roduun were known to typically retreat inmass to their underground cities, where they could wait out the season. During this season, the coasts of Helstrom's continents were typically subject to massive cyclones and rain storms, accompanied by winds capable of leveling structures as sturdy as skyscrapers. Farther inland, tornados measuring typically over a mile could spring up almost anywhere and wreck entire landmasses. Also, the higher peaks of Helstrom's mountain chains experienced temperatures low enough to kill most species with just a few seconds of exposure, as well as abundant snow storms.

Despite these immensely violent features, however, the most dangerous part of Helstrom's last yearly season was its electrical storms. Appearing to be merely another thunderstorm, these storms could accumulate within minutes and strike half of a continent with frenzied bursts of incredibly powerful electrical energies capable of literally disintegrating anything in the storm's path, be it buildings and vehicles or plant life and animals. Most of Helstrom's animal life seemed to possess sometype of sixth sense about the weather, however, and typically were not far behind Helstrom's sentient inhabitants in fleeing to the planet's cave systems.

Though the shores and shallows of Helstrom's oceans and lakes could be remarkably warm and comfortable during the earlier seasons, most areas featured a steep drop-off point, at which point the water became cold eough to kill an unprotected diver, as well as thick with weeds and darkness.

Underground
For the most part, the surface of Helstrom was unsettled, full of lush wilderness, mountainous, rocky cliffs, and grassy open fields. However, unbeknowest to an uninformed visitor, Helstrom was heavily populated and industrialized, possessing numerous underground cities, factories, and shipyards, most independently owned by one clan or another, although the Roduun Clan Government held a very large portion of Helstrom under its command. Though some factories and shipyards also had above-ground facilities, the typical city complex consisted of subterranean bunkers, some so massive that they encompassed entire mountain chains. However, to save on credits, most of these complexes were modest in sizs, designed to hold only a portion of the population.

Cities
"If you ever set out to eliminate the Roduun as a whole, make sure you have lots and lots of reinforcements, patience, and heavy weapons."

- Nihlus Nryik

City-bunkers were almost always subterranean, and were commonly built into mountains. Each bunker was essentially a high-tech fallout shelter, abl to seal shut at a moment's notice and shield its populace from pratically any conceivable cataclysmic event. Protected by advanced structural reinforcements, powerful kinetic energy barriers, and armed with an expansive array of weaponry, any direct assault against a city-bunker was essentially impossible, and unless without power, orbital bombardment could be resisted by a populace almost indefinitely. City-bunkers were designed to hold up to two-thousand occupants, although hot-bunking was necessary when stretched to maximum limits, and were equipped with all necesaary supplies and facilities to keep a full complement of Roduun alive and healthy for a very long period of time, in the event that outside support could not be reached or relied upon. Automatic air and water purifiers, and impressive anti-radiation and anti-chemical systems also protected inhabitants from biological threats.

Each city-bunker was equipped with impressive stores of advanced technology, including several armories, research and development labs, very capable medical stations, and maintenance bays capable of repairing and producing both basic and complex machines and spacecraft. Despite these advantages, however, city-bunkers were not invulnerable to harm or assault. They required a large, well-trained maintenance staff working at all times when operating at full capacity, and required a huge and very expensive powerplant, capable of providing for the bunkers massive power requirements when operating at full capacity.

Each city bunker was usually commanded by a Roduun General, who was supported by approximately a dozen advisors, a staff of commanders, and various technicians and specialists. Usually, every warrior was born within the shelter of the bunker, and after completing their trainng, rarely ventured topside, except for training exercises, harvesting, or some type of social function.

Flora
Despite, its rather harsh weather conditions, Helstrom's surface was nevertheless abundant with lush vegitation, much of it predaceous, although certain plants could also provide beneficial compounds if harvested and prepared properly. Helstrom was dominated primarily by lush jungles and rainforests, populated by roughly several million different types of plants. The most obvious foliage was Kakia trees; these monolithic behemoths, easily measuring fifty meters in height and almost a dozen meters around, dominated the central portions of Helstrom's main land. Each Kakia was said to be massive enough to serve as the main building materials for six primitive houses, though they were never utilized for this purpose. Usually found wrapped around the trunk of a Kakia tree was what was commonly referred to as Bambia vines, thick, branch-like plants which absorbed considerable amounts of water during each rain fall, and so could be relied upon by a traveler for fresh reserves of water. Since Kakia trees grew very close together and had such large, leafy branches, they almost completely restricted the accumulation of undergrowth. This made any area were Kakia grew extremely accessible, with only small pockets of grass, ferns, and flowers growing in the few areas were the canopy allowed sun light to break through completely and reach the forest floor.

Another Helstrom planet usually found only within the darkest and most moist areas of the planet's jungles was the Trog, a giant, tree-like plant. With limited sentience, an ability to spead via underground roots for practically limitless miles, and excellent defensive and offensive ability in the form of huge tentacles powerful enough to lift and crush a landspeeder and acidic venom, the Trog was regarded with understandable reservation by the Roduun, who normally avoided areas infested by Trogs.

The various dangerous forms of plant life on Helstrom were not all easily recognizable as such. One example of this was the fungus growths which quite commonly formed on the bark of ancient Kakia trees. Though harmless to the Roduun, ingesting or touching this fungas could quickly induce a sleeping sickness in most beings, which would lead to death if left untreated.

Despite the dangers of Helstrom flora, many plants could be utilized for various helpful purposes. The Symer flower, for example, which grew in abundance in grassy fields, could be ground into a fine powder and boiled, to make either a medicine for infected wounds or a pleasant tasting tea, which also helped to fight off bodily impurities.

Juoi
"Juoi. Kinda cute actually, when observed from twenty meters away through the scope of a CS99 Subjugator."

- Anastasia Celestis

Juoi, meaning "Lizard Killer" in Gu'sa, were an enormous, bipedal species of reptilian carnivores, found most commonly roaming the boundaries of Helstrom's jungles and highest cliffs. Although they were apparently humanoid and walked upright on two legs, Juoi were substantially larger than most beings, especially Humans and Roduun. However, as many visitors were known to observe, Juoi were similar to Roduun in many ways. Much like the Roduun, they were extremely efficient killing machines; with their incredible strength and immense, almost undestructible claws, most defenses were effectively useless against them. They could eviscerate even a fully power armored Krogan with a single swipe or thrust from one of their huge hands and even steel could not keep them at bay for long, as they could easily punch through and pry open all but the thickest plating. Juoi could be very solitary, but they normally traveled and hunted in packs of six to ten, with the males undertaking most of the hunting and gathering of resources, such as gathering nesting materials, while the females remained mainly in the nest, caring for the young and defending them from other predators. However, it was not uncommon for a female to be the one who did the most hunting, and those who had not yet taken a mate typically traveled and hunted alongside the pack with the other young females and males. When combined with their unique physiology, which consisted of overlapping, thick plates of steel-like bone and multiple instanes of major organs, a Juoi's leatherey hide made them extremely resilient. Even multiple hits from anti-vehicle grade weaponry could only slow them down. However, certain body parts were particularly vulnerable to harm, especially the eyes and throat, and high powered explosives could be effective at killing them.

Juoi had amazingly acute sensory perception, which allowed them to easily outclass other Helstrom predators and even the Roduun as hunters; they could track prey for miles, and even covering up the scent with chemicals or by some other means would not deter a Juoi for long. They could be distracted momentarily, but eventually they would resort to some other means of tracking their quarry, such as by following tracks. This ability to hunt not only by scent but also by following tracks and disturbances in the environment demonstrated another great advantage Juoi had over other predators. Their intelligence easily approached sentience, and inded they could be compared to sentient creatures in many ways. Juoi did not hunt for mere sport or the animalistic bloodlust of killing, but only pursued prey when they required food or when teaching their young, and then only took down large animals capable of providing enough meat to support their huge body mass. This allowed most beings similar in size to Humans to travel through the wilds of Helstrom with little worry of being attacked by a Juoi, unless they were specifically antagonistic towards one, invaded their nest, or threatened their young, at which point a Juoi would instantly respond with lethal force.

Behind the Scenes
Each of Helstrom's moons is named after a city in the Imperial province of Argonia in the Elder Scrolls Series: Gideon, a major center of the slave trade and an ancient fortress of the Ayleids in northern Argonia, Thorn, a major port and trading center in southern Argonia, and lastly Archon, a large fortress and city that played host to a major Imperial Legion garrison. One of Helstrom's main cities, Attica, is named after the territory of Athens in ancient Greece where the Ionic dialect was spoken. Helstrom is meant to be similar to Earth, while possessing a slightly less amount of overall water, larger and nastier predators, and more extreme weather.