Varshinek

Varshinek is a planet located within the Kalixis System, within the Eversau Sector and Aligaa Subsector of the Free Trade Zone within the Galactic Federation. As the Kalixis System lies on the edges of the Free Trade Zone, near the borders of Federation space, Varshinek has received little attention from the civilized galaxy thus far. However, the abundance of unique wildlife has drawn the interest of the Exotic Species Corporation, who in recent years, have begun setting up facilities in preparation to begin harvesting its fauna. Additionally, Varshinek has also drawn the interest of Vulkan Intragalactic, who have learned of the location of Titan terraforming technology located on the world. However, the native population has been proving troublesome for the would be colonizers.

## History

Varshinek was first discovered by starfarers in 5,188 AF, who scanned the world, logged the newly discovered system into public database, and departed to continue exploring the sector.

The first exploratory team to venture down to the planet occurred in 5,201 AF, led by Captain Jalla Horan. Contact was made with the Tak'khashi tribe of the indigenous Valewi, who proved friendly to the new arrivals, who revealed their name for the world, which was logged. The explorers thereafter investigated the ruins of Tarentatek, which was the only site of advanced technology on the planet, with several of Horan's crew falling prey to the local fauna during the exploration. Horan and the survivors thereafter departed the planet.

The Exotic Species Corporation sent an exploratory team to the planet in 5,247 AF, after one of their employees happened to come across Captain Horan's records. After the planet's native life forms had been surveyed, ExoCorp deemed it would be a good place to begin harvesting fauna to sell. In 5,248 AF, ExoCorp began building facilities on the world, and submitted the paperwork to acquire the planet to the Federal Expansion Authority. Over the next eight years, ExoCorp constructed eleven facilities on the world, used to capture and breed various local fauna. Exocorp faced numerous attacks from several indigenous tribes, whose traditions held several of the species being captured by ExoCorp as sacred.

A second expedition to Tarentatek was undergone in 5,255 AF. Financed by the archaeology professor, Kollman Rimaldis, the expedition made use of the data from Captain Horan's exploration, and discovered that Tarentatek contained a terraforming device of Titan origin. After this information was brought to executives from Vulkan Intragalactic, a small defense fleet was sent to the planet, under the auspices of "protecting company shipping" in the area.

## Description

### Climate

Varshinek's entire biosphere is synced to a singular monoculture. The world is hot and incredibly wet, with temperatures averaging around 31 degrees Celsius, and a standard humidity of over 70%. Rainfall is frequent and abundant across the world, and the planet experiences somewhere between 2,000 - 10,000 millimeters of rainfall every year across its surface. Due to its rich abundance of megaflora, Varshinek's atmosphere is approximately 38% oxygen, and it is breathable for most sentient beings.

### Geography

Varshinek is a verdant, green world teeming with life. Its every landmass is covered with diverse and rich vegetation. Rainforests are the dominant biome present, covering valleys and tall misty mountains in plants. Regions in particularly low elevations are filled with gigantic swamps.

Varshinek's western hemisphere is dominated by the unbroken jungles of the supercontinent that the natives call Ja'aree. The planet's eastern hemisphere has its landmass broken by a series of small inland seas, separating the region into numerous islands and smaller continents.

## Inhabitants

### Wildlife

Varshinek is home to an abundance of diverse wildlife, much of it quite dangerous. Due to the high oxygen continent in the atmosphere, Varshinek has a host of massive insect species, and the moist climate makes it much more hospitable to amphibians as well. Avian life is on the rare side, with the skies being largely dominated by flying insects and reptiles. Swamplands tend to be dominated by amphibian predators, while mammalian and reptilian creatures are more prominent in jungle regions.

### Sentients

The main sentient inhabitants of Varshinek are the Valewi, a near human species. They are distinguished from humans due to slightly shorter average height, green skin and yellow eyes, superior hearing and night vision, and a higher than average occurrence of psions.