Zudreiturn

## Background

A warm terran planet on the tightest orbit in the Goldilocks Zone, this planet was the cradle for the greatest civilization of the system. Once they achieved spaceflight they encountered their neighbors further away from the star but still inside the Goldilocks Zone, Keovis. While physically the species wasn't impressive as a whole the Keovisians more than made up for their shortcomings. A tolerant species they extended their technology to their newfound neighbors and catapulted them to the stars. As an extension of goodwill they established communication centers on this new world to keep their trust that their interests were protected as well as their own. Together they formed a bond of brain and brawn, but they did their best to keep it mutual rather then oppressive. At some point Zudreiturn changed, all communications cut off from the planet for a time and the planet itself, warm and inviting, fell into utter blackness and shadow. Since then the Keovisians have been isolated once more and the communication hubs abandoned as only static and whispers come from the planet. With their allies lost and their remaining tech limited the Keovisians sent their most curious explorers on expeditions to Zudreiturn. 12 were ever sent and 10 of them lost contact after breaching the atmosphere. 2 made it to the surface and only one came back. While on planet communications was garbled and images distorted into incomprehensible colors. From what they could gather those who passed into the atmosphere had their minds assaulted and those whose withstood this were coherent enough to land their ship. The one survivor brought to light what his predecessor tried to communicate while on planet, and what his last moment must've been. With his return came intact recordings from his vessel that escaped alteration.

## Survivor's Recollection

"You want to know about Zudreiturn? Personally I think the planet should be destroyed, what I saw would be called a living planet, a ravenous planet. When I went down I heard something scream in my head, like a wild animal that clawed at my very being. Once I got on the ground I could only see with what light I brought with me and with the crimson red lightning that struck across the sky. Upon the ground were swathes and patches of this black tar-like goo, however it dripped off easily enough. Between the constant lightning strikes I could hear the occasional howling in the distance. As I returned to my ship, feeling like I overstayed my welcome, the ground began crumbling beneath me and my ship. I wasn't going to die there, so I ran for the cockpit and immediately fired up the engines. I narrowly escaped the ship crashing into the rapidly forming gorge beneath me when suddenly the earth itself grew teeth of rock. The opening to the gorge formed into teeth and the ground itself cracked and stretched as in the cameras I saw the same tar-like goo reaching for my ship from the gorge's depths like tendrils, ready to pull me into the maw of the planet. All around me I saw that same goo dripping from the walls and by over clocking my engines I managed to blast out of there before the maw closed. As I blasted my way to space the sky above me turned violent, more so than it was already, as a lightning storm the likes of which I've never seen anywhere roared above me, I had no choice but to gun it through the storm's center and escape the blasted planet while lightning raged against the ship. It wasn't until I landed back home did I realize the extra armor on my ship was probably the only thing between me and death as the lightning itself tore the hull to near shreds... The planet is alive and hungry, whoever is still on it should be put out of their misery and the planet destroyed, ignore me if you think me crazy but heed my warning and never set foot on the planet."

## Speculation

The sole surviving explorer's story has been met with criticism and theories involving both what is happening on the planet, the extent of these happenings, and even some about what would happen if the planet was destroyed, and if the planet's presence means anything for the sector in the future. All agree however that the planet itself is too hostile for life for now.