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Cytherean Type
In short, Cytherean planets are versions of
hell. They are marked by thick greenhouses gases, producing surface
temperatures that often exceed 700 degrees Fahrenheit and surface
pressures hundreds of times that of Earth normal.
Cytherean worlds develop when, for whatever
reason, the surface water of a MesoGaian world begins to evaporate,
thickening an already substantial atmosphere. The geology of the
planet does not cease because of planetary mass, but with the lack of
lubricating oceans any previous form of tectonic cycle would cease.
The planetary crust then constantly thickens with volcanic activity, which
is far more prevalent in a young world, while at the same time adding yet
more mass to the atmosphere, specifically with carbon dioxide. In
the end, the planet become a boiling wasteland.
However, planetary geology does not
cease. Over time, subsurface pressure becomes so great that,
planetwide, the crust literally turns itself inside out, effectively
resurfacing the entire planet. These massive geologic turnover,
though, occur on the order of a few hundred million years apart, and are
rarely of a concern for potential colonists... assuming that such
colonists would wish to come to a Cytherean planet in the first place.
Life is theoretically possible in the upper
atmosphere of these planets, but this is largely dependant on whether or
not life managed to gain a substantial foothold in the planet's youth, and
if the atmosphere harbors a relatively water-rich, low temperature
zone. Many Cytherean worlds have atmospheres that are simply too
turbulent for this.
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Beautiful from orbit, these clouds cover a
hellish landscape.
Even underneath he thick layer of clouds,
plenty of light filters to the surface, giving the false impression of an
overcast day on Earth... save that here, the temperature often exceeds 500
degrees.
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Quick Facts
Cythereans of Note: Venus is
the archetypical Cytherean world, and from which the Type takes its
name. Like most Cytherean worlds, it is a harsh and unforgiving
planet.
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