An orbital view of the planet's one supercontinent
Pandriki is the third planet in the Rankeri system, a small watery world with thin atmosphere, it is recognized across the galaxy as both the homeworld of the Enkirid and the center of power in their governmental system.
Pandriki is approximately 70% water, and its limited landmass consists of one barren supercontinent surrounded by thousands of small island chains. Because of the planet's thin atmosphere and proximity to the sun multicellular life never developed on land.
In fact, with the exception of some fungi, all advanced life on Pandriki is limited to the oceans, where the water filters out otherwise lethal doses of infared radiation from the nearby sun.
Life on Pandriki[]
Only the native Enkirid are fully aware of their planet's biological diversity, alien visitors are only allowed a brief glimpse into the world beneath the surface of Pandriki's vast oceans.
What visitors do know is that life is abundant, inhabiting every undersea environment from the deepest crevices to the shallowest reefs. The ecosystems that make up this underwater world are as varied and complex as the land based biospheres of Old-Earth.
In the deeper water, predators like Unuk-Worms can swell to skyscraper size, preying on schools of smaller creatures.The oceans are ruled by invertebrates, with only a few warm blooded bony life-forms enduring in the shadow of the more dangerous arthropods.
Recent orbital scans have indicated that water penetrates throughout the planet's interior in a honeycomb-like network of subterranean rivers, channels, and seas.
The Inner Sea[]
So far no expedition has ventured into the labyrinthian system of seas and waterways that begin on Pandriki's surface and permeate into its core. Despite much scientific speculation, it has been deemed too dangerous for a manned mission to attempt to traverse the deeper passageways, there are dangerous currents, cave ins, and aggressive carnivores that could easily destroy small ships.
Despite the lack of hands on exploration, we do know that a multitude of creatures have adapted to this mysterious world. Many species have bioluminescent patterns or patches on their skin, which helps them to identify themselves to others, travel safely in the dark, and attract prey. Others have advance senses to help them navigate the treacherous deep. Most remain unknown, it is doubtful that we have discovered even a small portion of the incredible species that occupy this dark forbidding terrain, one hopes for more research in the near future.
Pandriki Cities[]
Because Pandriki is the diplomatic center of the Enkirid empire, many species choose to keep outpost on the planet's continent. The Enkirid, who desire peaceful diplomacy and have no interest in the barren landmass, strongly encourage this development.
Humans were among the first to develop close ties with the planet, and today maintain two small cities on Pandriki. The first, Diego, a city of approximately 40,000 and located on a costal outcropping near several prominent offshore Enkirid hive clusters. Renowned for its culinary arts, the citizens are allowed a limited degree of fishing privileges by the Enkirid to supply the citizens of Diego with a variety of exotic food items.
The City is primarily subterranean to shield the residents from the dangerous levels of radioactivity, a few heavily shielded garden areas extend above ground, and a large portion juts out into the ocean allowing a crystalline view of diverse aquatic wildlife dwelling in the nearby reefs.