Kattaachann (planet)

## Kattaachann

Shrouded Sea

Immolator Vinecrawler

Behemoth Garr

Barking Toad

Giant Kattaachaan Bloodfly

Kattaachaan Demon

Deathstalker Dragon

**Kattaachaan** is the most infamous death world in the Zeissreich Cluster. It is located in Sectum Colossus, in the Kattaar system. It is covered in dense jungle.

Kattaachaan is an incredibly hostile planet. The planet's entire ecosystem seems consciously hostile to all foreign life. Each and every element of the native flora and fauna of the planet represents a real danger to any human, and a thick and chaotic asteroid field surrounds the planet, presenting a serious hazard for space flight. Kattaachaan's only valuable resource is its people, who by virtue of being born on the harshest world in the State, are invariably tough and cunning. It is home to the the State Marine Force's 88th Marine Corps, known famously as the "Deathstalkers".

## History

Kattaachann was colonized by humans longer than State records can indicate, as first contact with the planet was made in 4864.cc during the first expansions of the Jordic State. When the first probes arrived, the planet was a deceptive, calm green orb from orbit but when the colony ships crash-landed and the colonists had no way to escape, they awoke to find themselves on one of the harshest planets in the galaxy. The colonists only barely survived, holed up in their spacecraft against a living, besieging jungle, a battle for survival in which many undoubtedly died.

Currently, the few settlements which can hold back the jungle forces are giant fortresses surrounded hyperstatic shields, which incinerate any organic matter that tries to penetrate it. Beyond the shield, vast plains have been cleared to give improved lines-of-fire in the event of a shield failure, which can and does happen often. Building on Kattaachann is difficult as vines and lichen take hold anywhere, poisons melt the mortar, and vines can crush bunkers and tanks. Buildings must constantly be rebuilt; it seems that wherever they build, the jungle redoubles its efforts to destroy them.

In such dangerous surroundings, children are quick to learn survival tactics and only those who are fast and have a good natural aim survive to adulthood. It is said that Kattaachann children learn to shoot before they can walk.

## Flora and fauna

All of the animals and plants on Kattaachann are geared in some way to destroy humans and any other invaders. Every plant is poisonous, making foraging impossible. Some plants secrete pollen into the air which are corrosive and destroy air filters. Others secrete sticky liquid to capture passing animals or unlucky colonists and slowly dissolve them. Other plants poison the ground and turn the immediate area around them into boggy wasteland to trap invaders.

The native animals are as deadly to humanity as the plant life. The most well known animal from Kattaachann is the native Kattaachann Demon, with jaws as big as a tank is a major threat to human living centers.

## People

The people of Kattaachann are not only hardy, but pragmatic, with an easy grasp of realities and an uncomplicated attitude towards danger. They are also somewhat disdainful towards people from other worlds, believing - with good reason - that few others in the galaxy have had an upbringing as dangerous as their own.

## Kattaachann Deathstalkers

The Kattaachann Deathstalkers**,** also known as "Kattaachann Charlies", are a marine corp founded from Kattaachann. they are named after the fearsome Deathstalker Dragon, a colossal lizard species that is found on the planet. They are officially designated as the 88th Marine Corp. Though the corps is officially headquartered on Mersus, most within the 88th's command staff prefer to remain at Chataaran Fortress, the largest population center on Kattaachann and its only spaceport.

Recruits from Kattaachann have a well-deserved reputation as the deadliest jungle-warfare experts in the galaxy. Extremely resourceful and uncompromising warriors, they are skilled up close with their specialized and brutal close combat blades or from ambush with their autoguns. In jungle terrain they are unsurpassed, with each Deathstalker being worth ten of any other regiment. Their ranks include some of the deadliest men in the State. The best Deathstalkers are sometimes recruited into the ONSS as assassins or bodyguards for high value personnel, though many are disdainful of these "mundane" duties.