Zhakar

Zhakar (Xanian: Xâkar) is the fourth planet located in the Zhevon system, and the third-largest terrestrial planet in the system. Zhakar is home to the Xanians, a sentient species of humanoid predators similar to humans in appearance. Zhakar is one of three worlds in the star system capable of supporting life, but the only one with considerable amounts of biodiversity in flora and fauna, and the ability to sustain life in large quantities. Zhakar is currently home to more than 6-8 million forms of life, including more than two billion Xanians who have resided on the planet for some twelve thousand years of recorded history. The population of Zhakar is divided into twelve polities known as households, which collectively form the political entity known as the Xanian Empire, which governs the majority of Zhakar. Other parts of the planet are governed by groups known as the Houseless, and uninhabitable regions home to hostile wildlife and feral Xanians.

According to geological research conducted by the Xanians, existing evidence has long supported the belief that Zhakar is about 4.2 billion years old. The first life on the planet appeared around four billion years ago, largely within the large, central flatlands of Zhakar's main landmass. Zhakar's atmosphere and highly active magnetic sphere have protect most of the life on the planet, though Zhakar boasts a considerable amount of radioactivity for a habitable world of its size. Despite this, radiation has had a beneficial impact on the native lifeforms of Zhakar, making them considerably stronger and vigorous, rather than weakening, and in some cases killing the lifeforms. Zhakar thus possesses many large lifeforms which would otherwise struggle to survive on other planets less welcoming of massive creatures such as those found on Zhakar.

Zhakar's lithosphere is largely divided into a handful of large tectonic plates, which are less active than those found on other planets. However, in many areas, the plates are very active, with volcanic activity and earthquakes common along the fault lines. Fifty-eight percent of Zhakar is covered in water, and the reminding sources of water locked up on the landmasses, such as the single giant continent and its two companion islands, that contain their own lakes and river systems making up Zhakar's hydrosphere. Zhakar's northern and southern poles are covered in large sheets of packed ice which contain vast amounts of frozen sea water. The surface of Zhakar is marginally heated by the geologically active inner core of the planet, which consists of a large iron core surrounded by molten nickle and iron. The core is responsible for driven the activity of the planet's magnetic sphere and protecting the planet from solar radiation.

Geography
Zhakar is a relatively large planet with a diameter of 5,874 kilometers, slightly smaller than Terra and closer to Venus in size. A rugged planet with large mountain chains and deep valleys, Zhakar is geologically actively, and has several active volcanos all across the planet. Zhakar is largely dry and covered by vast deserts, and has equally vast wildernesses and plains in the flatland regions of the planet. The planet has several continents, the largest of which are n/a and n/a. Zhakar has a strong aurora phenomenon, enveloping the planet entirely. Scientists have determined that this may have much to due with the planet's particularly strong magnetic sphere, and may be linked with the high levels of radiation on Zhakar. While the aurorae have no effect on the planet and its life directly, they do reveal a deeper issue as to the state of the planet's ionosphere. The high activity of the aurorae has been linked to the high activity of Zhakar's ionosphere, which has historically been responsible for the spotty communications on the planet before the advent of the voidspace communications network.

Biodiversity
If for nothing else, Zhakar is known for its wide range of predatory wildlife, all of which are adapted to the dry desert landscapes of Zhakar. Across the entirety of the planet, Zhakar is home to few species largely given its arid conditions, with no more than four or five hundred animal species total. However, because of the harsh nature and environment on the planet, the few species that do exist on the planet are entirely predatory or lethal in one way or another, with few omnivorous species and next to no herbivorous species. The larger gravity and relatively higher amount of oxygen present on Zhakar has given rise to many great mega-fauna, such as the darzhak, turyan, and zhotak, all massive beasts and predators which have for millennia dominated the vast wastelands of the planet. Creatures such as the darzhak have only been made possible because of Zhakar's greater oxygen levels and lower gravity, allowing for the dragon-like creature to dominate the skies of Zhakar. Smaller animals such as the kunjo and dadak thrive in the mountains and flatlands of the planet where prey is easy to find and ambush. The few docile animal species native to the planet have been domesticated by the Xanians, and are almost entirely located within the relative safety of the Zanusano Floodplains.

As with the Xanians, all life on the planet has some form of protection from Zhakar's highly radioactive magnetosphere, which constantly bombards the species of the planet with high doses of gamma radiation. The benefit of this on the wildlife has been increased lifespans and stronger bodies, as the cells of the animals are naturally robust and regenerative so as to ensure the survival of the host in spite of what to other non-native species would have been lethal dosages of ionizing radiation from the planet. Another trait shared by most life on the planet is the oil black blood which pervades most species on the planet, a result of the high levels of noirium in the blood stream. Plantlife on Zhakar is typically few and far between, with most being shrubs or vascular plants adapted to the desert conditions of the planet. The few crops grown by the Xanians consist of fruits similar to date palms, citrus, millets, and ediable cacti, the majority originating from the well-water lands of the Zanusano Floodplains. All are resistant to drought as a function of their lifecycles, and have been responsible for sustaining the Xanian population for thousands of years.

Environment
Zhakar is an arid world which has few inland water bodies, but benefits from a host of oasis and underground aquifers around which major cities have been built. Zhakar's atmosphere is a rather peculiar one, in that there appears to be a permanent haze across the surface which denies the inhabitants few clear days outside of the cities. Because of arid conditions on the planet surface, a light brown haze dominates the horizon, and sandstorms are a common occurrence throughout Zhakar. During the evenings, an infamous foggy green haze blankets the surface of Zhakar during the night, and typically appears around the regions of the planet located near large bodies of water or the oceans of the planet. This is explained by the greenish-black algae which resides within the water and helps to produce the green haze which plagues many parts of the planet. This algae also serves to give the water its near-black appearance on the surface, as well as contributing to the murky green appearance of the water, especially when diving within it. The massive caverns which host many of Zhakar's subterranean cities, typically located next to giant underground lakes, are always blanketed with the green haze that is present along all of Zhakar's coastlines. In spite of these issues, the effect it has on the scenery tends to create a type of dark beauty which contrasts greatly with the dour and violent nature of the native Xanian population.