Aranturash

Aranturash in all it's glory

Aranturash is an ancient tidally-locked human-inhabited planet that has birthed four intelligent species over the course of it's long existence. Orbiting a red dwarf star, Aranturash is predicted to remain in this state for another fifty billion years before it starts to be disrupted by the extremely slow death of it's star.

## History

### Formation

Aranturash formed 12.6 billion years ago, orbiting it's sun, a generation I star. Existing as a lifeless rock for 6.8 billion years, life was sparked with the arrival of a large meteoroid that collided with the planet. Carbon-based life arose, and after a billion years, complex multicellular life developed. During this age, the planet was covered in grey and black vegetation so as to absorb as much light from it's red and dim sun as possible.

### Velannok Era

The Velannok, the first iteration of intelligent life on Aranturash, evolved from giant fungal colonies that represented the first fungii on the planet. Velannok were typically over twenty metres in diameter, with each of their cells containing a neuron, a light-sensitive component, and other necessities. This meant that the larger the organism, the more powerful it became. The largest recorded Velannok was the leader of their civilization, and a conglomeration of cells over twenty kilometres across, located on the northern latitudes of the planet.

Soon after their development, the Velannok died out, presumably from an interstellar war as is inferred from the death's of over twenty percent of life on Aranturash, which agrees with figures from an intense, planet-wide carpet-bombing.

Life took over a hundred million years to recover.

### Xelan Era

Once it did however, Aranturash was already old, relatively speaking. 2.1 billion years had passed, and life was beginning to get more interesting. Plants evolved, and with that herbivores and carnivores. With the development of animated bodies, leaping and jumping from treebranch to treebranch, a new arena for sentient evolved.

The Xelan, large quadrupedal herbivorous organisms that evolved intelligent to escape from their predators, inhabited Aranturash at this point in time, roughly when the planet was 3 billion years old. The first life on the planet to develop space travel, the Xelan only managed to reach two other worlds in the system before destroying themselves in a nuclear war. This time, life was up and running again in only ten thousand years.

### Geolaner Era

The Geolaner, in some ways very similar to the Xelan, were quadrupedal carnivorous creatures that developed space travel very quickly, once they had developed sapience, approximately 3.5 billion years after the formation of Aranturash. The Geolaner spread out quickly, and established the 'Celan'yen Republic', a interstellar power that grew to control most of Aranturash's galaxy. When the galaxy was invaded, the Republic fought them off, but they returned in even greater numbers. They obliterated the entire Republic, and when the reached Aranturash, carpet-bombed it and sterilised it, wiping all traces of even unicellular life from the surface. All the was left was a vast sea of complex organics, swimming in a abiotic ocean. The Geolaner were gone, forever.

### Quiet Era

Nothing stirred. The waves lapped on the seashore, with nothing to hear it. The wind swept over the rocks, making sand dunes nothing saw. This was the Quiet Era, comprising of the majority of Aranturash's time. From Age 3.5 billion to Age 10.3 billion, there was no life on Aranturash. Nothing.

### Asanders Era

Once life once again arose in that sea of potential, it was quick for the Asanders to evolve. A green chlorophyll plantoid species, they moved by manipulating the animals around them to do their bidding, via pheromones and electrical impulses. The Asanders managed to conquer the entire planet, even the nightside, where there are no animals or sunlight, two things the Asanders need desperately. Once they reached this stage, however, the developed the concept of nations and territory, and with that, war. With their advanced technology, it wasn't long until they descended into nuclear war, destroying themselves. Another civilization, gone...

### Human Era

Humans arrived on Aranturash only twelve hundred years ago. Already, there are twenty billion of them living in arcologies scattered all across the dayside, and even a few on the nightside. Humanity, having built up for itself a intragalactic civilization, the Confederacy of Humankind, has managed to do what all the others failed; maintain itself. Humanity is not destroying Aranturash, Humanity is not obliterating themselves, Humanity is not used animals as their worthless slaves. The Human Era is truly the greatest era of all Aranturashan History.

## Culture

We have little to no information about any other ancient species' culture, but the Human culture on Aranturash is vibrant and thriving. Since every world in the Confederacy has slightly different cultures, and descended from the original cultures on Earth, Aranturashan culture is a hodgepodge of Terran culture, with their own unique aspects. As a result, it is basically impossible to describe Aranturashan culture in Terran terms. But I'll try.

### Performance

#### Music

Aranturash is known primarily for it's music. Public performances are commonplace, and it is rare for one not to be able to hear music anywhere inside of a city. Most professional musicians for the sector study here, and the official stamp of the Aranturash Musical Association is recognised anywhere in the Confederacy as a legitimate and valid organisation for studying music.

#### Drama

Drama is also very heavily practised across Aranturash. Towards the nightside, however, is where it is predominantly found. Depicting historical scenes such as the Luna Landing by Nyal Strongarm, the Resolution of Mars, and the Eclipse of the Tolanteo Republic, Aranturashan Drama can be very educational.

### Food

Aranturashan food is delectable. It is widely accepted that you have not lived until you eat the Aranturash signature dish, the Veza. Consisting of the meat of a native animal to Aranturash, cooked into a pie sprinkled with assorted herbs and sauces, the Veza is utterly delicious.

### Sports

#### Kricket

Kricket, sometimes spelt Criket, is the most popular sport on Aranturash. Consisting of two teams, one team, the "Fielders", whom stand around in assorted formations, depending on their strategy, trying to catch the ball hit into the air by the other team, the "Batters", or throw the ball at the "Wikett". The other team, consisting of two people whom wield a bat, are directed to hit the ball thrown at them by a machine. The amount of points, or "runs" scored, is determined by how many laps they can do of a twenty metre track. If the ball reaches the outer boundary, they immediately score four points. If the ball lands outside of the boundary without touching the ground inside, they immediately score six points. If they hit the ball directly up, and it reaches over thirty metres in the air, they immediately score ten points. After a varied amount of "overs", which consist of six balls thrown at the Batters, the teams switch.

The team that wins is the team with the largest amount of runs at the end of the game.

The Aranturash Abominations are the current winners of the Aranturash global tournament, and they represent the planet in the galactic tournament.

#### Aymerican Football

Aymerican Football, often just called Football or Gridiron, is a team sport played by two teams of eleven players on a rectangular field with goalposts at each end. The offense, the team with possession of the oval-shaped football, attempts to advance down the field by running with the ball or passing it, while the defense, the team without possession of the ball, aims to stop the offense's advance and to take control of the ball for themselves. The offense must advance at least five metres in four plays; if they fail, they turn over the football to the defense, but if they succeed, they are given a new set of four plays to continue the drive. Points are scored primarily by advancing the ball into the opposing team's end zone for a touchdown or kicking the ball through the opponent's goalposts for a field goal. The team with the most points at the end of a game wins.

Overall, a popular sport, but not as widely played. The Ranrel Regenvoras are currently on top of the AAFL (Aranturash Aymerican Football League).

#### Youropeen Football

The game of Youropeen Football is played in accordance with the Laws of the Game, a set of rules that has been in effect since time immemorial. The laws stipulate the number of players a team should have, the game length, the size of the field and ball, the type and nature of fouls that referees may penalize, the offside law, and many other laws that define the sport. It is the task of the referee to interpret and enforce the Laws of the Game.

The game is played with a football that is 68–70 standard units, also known as centimetres, in circumference. The two teams compete to get the ball into the other team's goal (between the posts and under the bar), thereby scoring a goal. When the ball is in play, the players mainly use their feet, but may use any other part of their body to control, strike or pass the ball apart from their hands or arms. Only the goalkeepers may use their hands and arms, and only then within the penalty area. The team that has scored more goals at the end of the game is the winner. Depending on the format of the competition, an equal number of goals scored may result in a draw being declared, or the game goes into extra time or a penalty shootout.

It is unknown whether Aymerican Football or Youropeen Football came first.

This variation of Football is popular on Aranturash, with Sunset City FC on top of the ladder.

#### Bascetball

Bascetball is a team sport in which two teams, most commonly of five players each, opposing one another on a rectangular court, compete with the primary objective of shooting a bascetball (approximately 24 standard units in diameter) through the defender's hoop (a basket 46 standard units in diameter mounted 300 standard units high to a backboard at each end of the court, while preventing the opposing team from shooting through their own hoop. A field goal is worth two points, unless made from behind the three-point line, when it is worth three. After a foul, timed play stops and the player fouled or designated to shoot a technical foul is given one, two or three one-point free throws. The team with the most points at the end of the game wins, but if regulation play expires with the score tied, an additional period of play (overtime) is mandated.

Bascetball is not that common on Aranturash, but not unheard of. It is popular in some regions, such as the Sunset City Metropolitan Area and Ranrel. Currently, the SCBC (Sunset City Bascetball Club) are on top of the ladder, with the Ranrel Revagers close behind.

#### Rugbee

Rugbee is a close-contact team sport that originated on Earth a very long time ago. It is based on running with the ball in hand. In its most common form, a game is played between two teams of 15 players each, using an oval-shaped ball on a rectangular field called a pitch. The field has H-shaped goalposts at both ends.

Basically unheard of on Aranturash, Rugbee is only played in a few select places. A global league has yet to be set up, and interregional matches are not yet a thing.

#### Tennice

Tennice is a racket sport that is played either individually against a single opponent (singles) or between two teams of two players each (doubles). Each player uses a tennis racket that is strung with cord to strike a hollow rubber ball covered with felt over or around a net and into the opponent's court. The object of the game is to manoeuvre the ball in such a way that the opponent is not able to play a valid return. The player who is unable to return the ball validly will not gain a point, while the opposite player will.

Tennice was absent on Aranturash until relatively recently, where a huge public interest has been drawn to it as a result of the Confederate Tennice Champion being assassinated. A national competition is being constructed, and many clubs are springing up.

### Habits

Numerous habits are recognised as distinctly Aranturashan things, such as the common greeting, which involves reaching up and touching another's shoulder. It is the equivalent of a handshake, and it is impolite not to do so. Other Aranturashan quirks include the ceremonious cleaning of other's faces, the reverence for light (on the darkside), and a compulsive obsession to check the sky, for unknown reasons.

## Geography

Aranturashan geography is primarily defined by its distance from the subsolar point. As the planet has had over ten billion years to stabilise, plate tectonics have long since stopped, and erosion is the primary force. As water is only located around the subsolar point, the flattest lands are near the subsolar point. Called the Solar Plains, they are mostly vast forests with little-to-no variation in the elevation.

As you get closer towards the nightside, the terrain becomes more arid and mountainous. No plants grow here, mostly because of the lack of water, but also because there is hardly any soil and the temperatures are sub-zero. Vast mountain ranges dominate the land here.

As the sun sets, a vast ice sheet is apparent. Covering slightly less than half the planet, the Night Wastes are infertile, sterile, and bustling with activity. This is the location of the majority of the planet's industry and factories, as well as the transit point too and from the planet.

## Sentient Species

### Velannok

The Velannok, sentient masses of cells that developed an accumulative sentience in the primoridal days of Aranturash, ruled over the world from Age 2 billion until they were obliterated. We know little about them, as twelve billion years of history lies between us and them.

The little we do know, however, states that their society was extremely hierarchal. Based upon the strength and intelligence of the individual, which, in turn, came with age, the oldest members of the society were usually the ones who ruled it. The youngest ones were oppressed and worked to provide for the whims of the eldest.

### Xelan

As quadrupedal herbivores, the Xelan managed to cover the entire of Aranturash before they destroyed themselves in a nuclear war. They had colonies on two other worlds in the system, which, as their civilization collapsed, fell to anarchy and ruins within only a few weeks of that fatal moment.

Their society, centred entirely around the sanctity of nature and how it rebalances itself every time something goes wrong, managed to only propel them into the space age in around one hundred thousand years of technological advances. It seems that, for an advanced civilization to prosper, they must always damage the environment of their homeworld.

### Geolaner

The Geolander were one of the most powerful species that evolved on Aranturash. Establishing the Celan'yen Republic, which grew to be a galactic superpower. A carnivorous species, the Geolaner were naturally aggressive and managed to subjugate the entire galaxy under their rule, which emphasised the superiority of the Geolander, but still maintained that other species had the right to exist.

However, when the galaxy was invaded, the Republic fell, and Aranturash was sterilised of life. All life was obliterated.

### Asanders

The Asanders were a plantoid species that grew to cover all habitable areas of Aranturash, and even some of the more harsher areas. However, as nations were established, their ingrained aggression grew, and their civilization died in nuclear flames.

Before they were destroyed, however, they had a beautiful civilization that emphasised the power and importance of the individual. Probably the most egalitarian society ever developed on Aranturash.

## Ecology

Across Aranturash there are millions of species, plant, fungal, animal, microbial, protists, and a non-terran form of life that is uniquely Aranturashan life, the Aralyn branch of life.

### Plantae

Plants on Aranturash use chlorophyll as their photosynthetic agent, making them appear green. Appearing similar to Earth plants, most likely from genetic engineering by the Human inhabitants of the nation.

The plants of Aranturash are mostly located around 25 degrees from the sub-solar point to around 65 degrees from sub-solar.

### Animalia

The animals of Aranturash are the newest kingdom of life of the planet, evolving only a few billion years ago. Mostly quadrepedal and hexapedal, the animals of Aranturash can be found all over the planet. Only the animals and the microbes can be found on the nightside.

Again, the animals of Aranturash are remarkably similar to Earth-bound organisms, considering the distance and evolutionary differences between the two, mostly from Human genetic engineering.