Lampra

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Lampra was a planet in the Syrikata system. It was the homeworld of the Daptora species, which the Boneyard Necromancers used for various menial labor roles such as sanitation engineers as well as shock troopers. The Tarafos were the first to discover the planet and its life forms and were responsible for guiding their evolution early on.

Lampra is covered in swamps and jungles, its thick, carbon dioxide rich atmosphere traps heat and creates consistent temperature across the entire world even in the polar regions. The average temperature is a constant 95 F and 110 F with maximum humidity. A lack of an axial tilt means that temperatures remain constant throughout the year.

Much of the planet has remain unchanged over millions of years due to the native flora's and fauna's ability to hastily adapt to natural disasters.

Exploration has been heavily restricted by the Second Galactic Senate due to the planet's hostile conditions. Without a breath mask, species more accustomed to drier climates would almost immediately fall unconscious in seconds as the heavy air pressure would crush their lungs. It is highly recommended to cover one's skin completely to avoid parasitic insects.

Biosphere

Lampra, while technically habitable, has an ecosystem that is incredibly hostile. Bubbling swamp gases create a thick, heavy atmosphere that drapes the planet in a dense, greenish fog. The soil is deficient in nitrogen which gave rise to a diverse number of carnivorous plants. Liquid water, while common throughout the planet, has an unusually high acid content due to native algae that use the water as an external digestive system. An unlucky organism without the proper protection would gradually dissolve in the water while the algae would gradually absorb their remains. This acidic water extends to small pools to its extensive oceans which have a green tint from the algae.

Because of these hostile conditions, the fauna have very short lifespans, but they breed very rapidly. Many life forms have adopted to live parasitically, using anything from sharp teeth to proboscides to draw blood from other organisms.

Due to the high death rate, much of the jungles are littered with corpses which attracts many sorts of scavengers. Large insects will often lay their eggs inside these corpses which their larva can use as food.

Mouths of Lampra

A superorganism which also goes by the name of Lampra is revered to be a god by the Daptora tribes. They believe that this organism and the planet itself are one and the same - which is true to some extent as the superorganism reaches across all continents. The Mouth appears as a large pit in ground similar to a giant flower. A pool of acid is at the bottom while a series of stalks rise from the very bottom which emit an intoxicating pheromone that can range for miles. These pheromones can take control of a species to lure them into its mouth where they fall to their death. Even if they're far away, an infected prey will spend days, sometimes traveling hundreds of miles to make their way to one of the mouths. Smaller, less intelligent prey is faster to infect, and for millions of years, it has been an evolutionary arms race over resistance to the infection versus its potency.

One Daptora custom was a suicide ritual where once a Daptora becomes too old to hunt, they would deliberately let themselves inhale the pheromone in copious amounts. After that, they let themselves become guided on a spiritual journey until they find a mouth and drop themselves into it, supposedly becoming one with Lampra.

Other life forms

Flora

  • Burster Pod - A plant filled with gases that will cause it to explode violently and release their spores.
  • Gutmoss - A plant-like organism that grows to fill caves, tunnels and other subterranean areas with fleshy biomass - making the cave resemble the insides of a large animal. Toothy structures, swaying tendrils and pools of acid form within it. While it does allow prey to freely roam around within it, it will passively digest anything that happens to get caught in any of its tendrils.
  • Necroshroom - A species of fungus that is capable of reanimating corpses and even mind-controlling living beings. It is responsible for half-decayed bodies wandering around, often in search of an idea location to spread more of its spores.
  • Boghand - A large tendril resembling a humanoid arm. They grow in muddy bogs and will actively snatch prey and drag them under. Unlike other carnivorous plants, they do not feed on their victims alive. But rather, the act of dragging them underneath the mud is usually enough to suffocate their prey. As microbes break down the corpse, the Boghand absorbs the nutrients and fertilizers like non-carnivorous plants.

Fauna

  • Gulper - An amphibian with an unusually large mouth compared to the rest of its body. It is omnivorous and will eat anything that fits in its mouth including its own kind.
  • Tarafos Hawk - Nicknamed as such as these large insects attacked early Tarafos explorers and planted their eggs inside of them. These eggs hatched and ate their hosts from the inside out.
  • Ghell - The Ghell are a conglomerate of multiple single-celled organisms that have congregated as a larger shape-shifting life form to superficially resemble a large amoeba. It feeds by engulfing its prey. Having an unusually high intelligence, the Ghell appear to share a common ancestor with the Lusari, indicating some potential evolutionary meddling on behalf of the Arckasians.
  • Acid worm - Small worms that thrive in the waters of Lampra. Part of its life cycle relies on it being consumed by other animals as part of a parasitic relationship.
  • Leech pod - Small animals that latch onto larger ones, draining them of blood and growing in size. It will not stop until externally removed or all the blood of its victim is completely drained. The Valuri have been known to use these creatures as a means of harvesting blood for their own purposes.
  • Dung crab - A small arthropod that gathers feces and makes large piles in areas known as scatlands. They are considered a keystone species in limiting the spread of diseases.
  • Greater grub - Sharing a common ancestor with flying insects, these species evolved to never reach the adult stage, but to instead continuously grow indefinitely. They slowly plow through jungles and feast on whatever plants and animals they happen upon. Some subspecies are outfitted with toxic spikes to ward off predators. When they die, their carcasses become home to many smaller animals. Their carcasses are a common feature across Lampra's landscape.
  • Gravedigger - A primate that primarily scavenges for food by digging up dead matter in the ground.