Land of Crystal and Spirit (LOCAS)

Geography and planet composition
The planet itself has an outer core of solid titanium, and a very small inner core of Rhodantin. The mantle has a variety of metals, metalloids, and crystals, some of which were unknown on earth. The outer shell is mostly made up of a mixture of finely eroded metalloid crystals, a substance similar to sand, or dust, but made of much different minerals. It is highly fertile due to containing virtually every substance required for creatures to survive, and is sustained by the frequent volcanic eruptions caused by the planet highly radioactive core.

The planet, as was stated around two seconds ago, has a highly radioactive core. The geologic activity on the planet is extremely strong, and the radiation creates enough heat to sustain life on the planet; the radiation is in fact one of the main sources of energy. This leads to a very, very volcanically active planet.

The atmosphere is made up of 42% oxygen, 3% sulfur, 1% of a strange element which moderates the body and prevents the sulfur and carbon from killing people, 7% carbon, 2% a strange unreactive gas which seems to be a metalloid. A gaseous metalloid. How absurd. The rest of the atmosphere is roughly equally split between hydrogen and nitrogen.

the atmosphere and plants all contain a strange element which mutates creatures to be able to survive in the environment. While not immediately appreciable, this effect will start to cause any human on the planet too long or often to have horrible rampant illnesses and disorders which will eventually end in their complete mutation into something no longer sentient.

The planets geography is extremely varied and extreme. The tectonic plates which make up the oceans and seas are much lower and denser than those that make up the planet, by virtue of being mostly solid materials rather than finely grained dusts and sands. This causes the oceans to sink far, far, far below the landforms, resulting in extremely large cliffs. The largest of these is Titans Reach, a 21,000 foot drop almost straight up and down, from a mountains lower side all the way down to a low sea. The land itself is covered in lakes, mountains, rivers, and volcanoes. Another landform of interest is The Rift, a deep gouge in the earth which tears through the entire tectonic crust, exposing the planet directly to the lava deep below. The rift travels deep enough that the magma in the area never rehardens because the radiation makes it too hot. Fortunately, the planet is also magic, and so its still possible to walk down there.

The planets crystals regulate the energy and chemicals in the air and land, absorbing and releasing them steadily, providing a degree of stability which would otherwise leave the planet to rip itself to shreds.

The point at which Dael actually comes onto the planet is a deep, wide crater bordered by mountains, swamplands, a small river, and a deep rift leading to a high sea. It is around thirty miles from Titans Reach.

Flora
The plants of the world are made up of bioluminescent, dark and bright plants ranging from ashen, molten weeds to tall, midnight-leafed trees. Some of the more significant plants wyl be listed after the brief introduction.

The plants are mostly made up of two generalized sections; the bioluminescent stem, and the hard, dark chitin.

The stem is made up of a gooey, barely solid substance which gives off a bright color. This usually is placed at the bottom of the plant, ranging upwards, and spreads throughout the interior of the plant. This part condenses energy, provides a chemical catalyst for reactions to occur, and contains the energy. Many creatures have developed to either feed off of or parasite off of this substance, as it has high energy and nutrient density.

The chitin which plates the plants is always a dark shell made up of crystalline chemicals. The chitin is mostly unbroken except for small pores which collects energy from skaialight, radiation, or whatever else the plant feeds off of. This material acts lyke an exoskeleton for the plant, and is usually sharp and poisonous, making it hard for animals to eat the nutritious core of the plant. Sometimes when teh chitin is thin, the glow can be seen from below it. The chitin usually does not cover the base or the main roots of the plant, leading to some of the sappy core being visible.

In certain regions, the plants become black and give off a bright red glow, giving the appearance of molten metal. These plants live in the ash wastes and feed off of minerals and radiation. Other plants, located in the alpine peaks and frozen poles, are pale yellow or blue and glistening with a pure white light, living on the skaialight which is abundant high above in the mountainous peaks.

But by far the most common variety is the dark blue and mint green variety, which has a shell of darkest blue and a gooey mint green stem giving off a pale teal-green light.

As well, there is one type of plant which doesnt follow these rules; the algae which grows in ponds and more importantly, spawning pools. These lants are made up of a single small core and a number of tentacle-lyke vines which spread out across the pool. They are usually far larger than they appear, made up of interlocking networks of these spread out over a long range. After they grow to a sufficient size, they burrow underground, spreading their roots out as vines to cross the water. These are the plants which provide the chemical makeup which allows the spawning pools to exist; these chemicals cause the DNA in the pools to mix properly, allowing the creatures within to have enough genetic diversity.

Now, for some examples of plants;

The tree analogues, found in wide forests and covering mountain slopes, are similar to conifers at fyrst glance. they have a tall, narrow stem with scales of hardened shell covering it. Their branches spread out wide, the bases of each branch and each leaf glowing with light. The leaves themselves are shaped lyke arrowheads or speartips, a razor-bladed shell coating the stems which form the network throughout the trees.

The closest thing the planet has to grass is a simple needle-shaped razor which curls up from teh ground. Burrowing into the ground and usually having multiple blades per plant, the roots are once again made up of the gooey substance which permeates all wildlife. THe aboveground form is a slender needle-form with a stalk of glowing gooey flesh showing near the ground.

Finally, the most unique plant; the Overmind stretchers. Each of these is made up of a complex neural network located deep underground and then a great number of tentacle-lyke scaled, fleshy talons ripping above the planets surface. each of these acts as a beacon to the overmind virus; a mental affliction which the overmind spreads out which parasites creatures, eventually leading them to insanity and a devotion to the overminds success. While the overmind itself is not sentient nor conscious, it possesses a great, primal instinct which allows it to manipulate these creatures into spreading the virus further. The overmind uses these creatures to not only protect itself, but as a means of reproduction; the creatures, after spending several months in the service of the overmind, eventually get to a point where they can barely even survive as fungal growths and necrosis begin to take over their body. These corrupted creatures journey far away, releasing spores and seeds, eventually collapsing and turning into a seed for a new overmind. Few overmind survive, but those that do are usually able to command vast networks and dominate the ecosystem they are present in.

In terms of energy, Overminds feed both on radiation, skaialight, and consuming their slaves, depending on where it is and what particular species it is.

Fauna
The creatures on the planet have an interesting biology which is different in various ways from other planets creatures. Scattered around the planet are small chemical pools, mixing pots of many different nutrients and chemicals that the native creatures need in the early stages of their development. The creatures, being agendered, reproduce by shedding their scales into these pools. One of these scales, located on the native creatures necks, is an unusually large, spine-shaped stone-like shelled egg, which contains thousands of tiny eggs. Almost every creature dies, because the airtight egg prevents them from getting the nutrients they need. A few of them manage to absorb enough to survive, then grow enough to break the egg open.

They live inside of the spawning pool for years, until they undergo a dramatic metamorphosis, similar to frogs on earth. The creatures grow legs and heads, and move onto dry land.

Although there is quite a bit of variance in the creatures, most of the species have a few things in common.

Many species on the planet is covered in crystalline scales, which range in color from white, blue, mint, green, red, black, or yellow. A few species instead have silverish metallic scales, either in addition to the crystalline scales or in lieu of them. Other than the scaled creatures, there also exist many creatures with small spiny quills similar to a porcupine, and some with short reflective fur

As well, the organ systems of the creatures have adapted to the vastly different environment.

The creatures intake a large amount of sulfur, meat, and/or fruits commonly. Due to the chemical requirements of their bodies, they dont digest these normally but instead literally melt the nutrients together inside of their bodies. The molten slurry of chemicals is turned into a chemical compound called Cydaela which fuels the flesh of the creatures

the Neural column, is the approximate equivalent of both the human spine and brain. It consists of a hollow bone tube leading up to the animals neural center (which functions mostly similar to the brain), all of which is held within a tightly packed, thick, magnetic neural fluid.

Consorts
Tuatara. Covered in ridges and scales, colored a light shade of blue-green, with purple eyes. Spines go down back and top of head, and has extensive horns. Somewhat more intelligent than most consorts.

Tasks
These are tasks that come with the planet but which are unrelated to the Quest.

Mutation
dael's planet is lethal to humans after long exposure, because their blood cannot properly process the elements in the atmosphere. Thus, dael has to mutate to survive; either forcibly, into some unspeakable abombination, or purposefully in order to survive.

Execution of the Diamond Dragon
When dael finally enters the lair of xirs denizen xe finds Saphrabyr, the Diamond Dragon, a massive pseudo-serpentine four-legged creature capable of killing lesser creatures with nothing but a glance into the eyes. dael is given The Choice;

The Diamond Dragon would read the future, and guarantee that the session would be victorious. dael and xirs friends would go on to victory with absolute certainty, and dael would use the Diamond Dragons bones to create the legendary microcrystal Cyrhodalatchys.

Or, the Diamond Dragon could release dael from fate. dael would be free to make xirs own destiny, but at a price; Xe would forfeit the certainty of success and take on the full risks in ways that nobody else would.

Quest
The Rift, a massive scar in the planet leading straight to the planets core, was centuries ago the site of a powerful mystical mana well. This well burned with the fires of a thousand suns and was a source of superpowerful magical energy, which not only fueled the creatures on the planet and supplied the crystals which made the planet unique, but in fact fueled the planets radioactive core.

However, as the Diamond Dragon planted itself on the doorstep of The Rift, it drained the magical energies within the structure, leaving it to fade and wither, sputtering to eventual death. Eventually, the rift itself shrunk to become only a small wound on the planets surface leading down to the outer core. It only had a bare crack in the stone to the lava beneath, only as hot as the outer core was normally, unfueled by magical energy.

dael's quest is to Reignite the fire of the Rift, allowing the spirit well to reform its power and to spread light, crystal, ash and magic throughout the land.