Shataran, also designated Brown-0523 b, is a planet orbiting the star Brown-0523. It is the home planet of multiple species such as Shataranjans, Haate and Ghod.
Etymology[]
In-universe, the name Shataran derives from the words sha (dark side), tah (light side), and ran (land).
Out of universe, it comes from the Arabic or Persian shatranj (شطرنج), which means chess. This reflects the planet's many similarities to the game of chess.
Discovery[]
Shataran was observed by Kasar Musk in 2627 at the Brown Observatory. He noticed the potential habitability of the planet and chose to explore it using warp drive.
Physical properties[]
Shataran is a rocky planet which is tidally locked to its star, an orange main-sequence K8. It has an orbital and rotational period of approximately 115 Earth days. It is located around 0.4 AU (60 million km) from its host star and around 500 light-years from the Solar System. It has an atmosphere of average density, and is composed mainly of nitrogen, similar to Earth's, however with less oxygen in proportion. Water is present on the sun-opposing side of the planet as ice and on the twilight zone as liquid.
Life[]
While the extremes of the planet are unhabited, the poles created first microbial life which does not require sunlight. Then, the microbes evolved into pluricellular life that would later migrate to the twilight zone and live there long enough to evolve sentient life. The dominant species of the planet are defined Shataranjans, which used to form the Shataranjan Empire - an empire that occupied almost the entire habitable portion of the planet. Another important species is the Haate, animals with resemblances to elephants with a religion worshipping a deity deemed Qōq.
Ongoing war[]
Shataran is a planet where a war is ongoing between the solar side (tah) and the shadowy side (sha). The latter appear to currently have the upper hand, however it is said that the solar side is developing a powerful nuclear weapon. Haate try not to interfere in any of the wars, as they are peaceful and religious beings.
Kasar Musk and Eduard Kubikov, not knowing about this war, have interferred in the planet's war, originally having them as potential candidates for joining the United Orion Arm Civilizations, but the inhabitants were later judged to be not yet ready to be part of it.
Language[]
Shataranjans speak a variety of languages, but the most common is Shataranjan. Haate speak a language unique to them which lacks vowels and relies on syllabic trills.
Gallery[]
