Gaerra

## Background

Gaerra is the name of the planet on the other side of Area 51's gateway. It has an Earth-like atmosphere consisting of 76% nitrogen, 23% oxygen, and other gases. It has an equatorial radius more than twice that of Earth, at about 8,000 miles (12874 km), which means it has a surface area over four times larger than Earth's. Despite this, gravity remains at a consistent 9.803

m

/

s
2

{\displaystyle m/s^2}

. The average temperature of the planet sits at 50 degrees Fahrenheit (10 degrees Celsius), but this colder average temperature is mostly attributed to the planet's larger oceans and poles. Most inhabited regions have an annual average temperature between 50-60 degrees.

## Environment and Ecosystems

Gaerra is home to the Central Continents, a cluster of landmasses positioned slightly above the equator, alongside other continents which are isolated by expansive oceans that dwarf the Pacific Ocean in scale. Most of the planet's sapients congregate near clusters of land, like the Central Continents. However, there are a few who have joined the hardy organisms that find their home in the waters. Some enjoy peaceful lives on small island chains while others build their cities in the depths below, having adapted to aquatic life long ago. The sapient races of Gaerra consist primarily of humanoids such as humans, elves, beastmen, and mermaids. Aside from intelligent humanoid monsters such as orcs and ogres, there are some non-humanoid sapient races as well, including dragonoids and insectoids.

Non-sapient races consist of life that we are already familiar with. Gaerran birds have beaks and wings and Gaerran plants utilize chlorophyll as they sustain themselves via photosynthesis. Gaerran species share similar genetic makeups to their Earthly cousins, but also have many divergences. These differences can mostly be attributed to the existence of magic, which has guided the local inhabitants of Gaerra down a slightly different evolutionary path.

Many species in Gaerra - both sapient and non-sapient - have the innate ability to harness the power of magic. Sapient races consistently use this enigmatic power to cast spells and create artifacts that can improve their daily lives (sometimes at the cost of others'). All manners of flora and fauna make use of this talent as well to catch prey and defend themselves from predators. These creatures are not to be confused with "monsters", which are highly aggressive plant and animal life. Some monsters physically enhance themselves with magic, as in the case with orcs. Others use magic to cast advanced spells and perform impossible feats, such as dragons. Because of the prevalence of magic, diseases occur far less frequently, mostly affecting organisms that don't have the brain capacity to use this powerful tool. Microorganisms themselves are unable to call upon magic, and have thus propagated by maintaining healthy, symbiotic relationships with hosts found on Gaerra.

The biomes of Gaerra are as diverse as Earth's, although extreme environments such as icy tundras and searing deserts are less common. Gaerra's land is blessed with optimal conditions for life, most continents being abound with grasslands, forests, and sources of fresh water. These super-habitable environments are concentrated in Gaerra's central landmasses, but also slightly extend to some landmasses closer to the poles, allowing for nomadic tribes and intrepid colonists to settle the far north. Because of the abundance of fertile land, most sapient races have left harsher environments - such as deserts and mountains - untouched, only seeing them when traveling or prospecting for resources.