Krol

Territory of: Helvetica (Bletchers)

Host star: Helvetica

Planet type: Rocky

Planet size: 0.92 Terran masses

Day length: 1.3 Terran days

Year length: 6 Terran years

Moons: 2

Habitability: Moderate

Population: 190 million (rough estimate)

Helvetica III, better known as Krol, is a rocky planet in the Helvetica system. It is the 2nd most populated planet in the star system and the primary hub of the system's resource extraction industries. The planet is primarily used for mining, drilling, and refining, though the ranching of shilrax is also fairly common. Due to the planet's extreme conditions, most industrial activity and habitation takes place close to the equator, where temperatures and windspeeds are mild enough for habitation without any special gear other than winter weather clothing. Krol possesses liquid oceans, though they have been frozen over ages ago and require a modicum of ice drilling to access. The sea ice is roughly 0.8 to 1.3 kilometers thick on average, though the thickness can go up to 5 kilometers near the poles. Most of the population live in low-lying structures or subterranean housing, as the high winds of Krol make tall buildings infeasible to construct and maintain. The cold temperatures and great winds make outdoor activities greatly dangerous.

Krol was first settled in 3122 by a ragtag band of misfits, outcasts, and criminals fleeing persecution from various worlds in the Gergosphere. Though Krol's harsh environment made initial settlement difficult, the discovery of vast quantities of ores attracted a great many dwarves, who would soon make up the bulk of the population on the planet. Krol was invaded by the Clementinans in 3406 and was formally annexed by the khaganate after ten long years of resistance. However, Krol would prove difficult to pacify, with large-scale rebellions striking the planet in 3452, 3602, 3682, and again in 3831. Eventually, the planet became independent in the wake of the Clementinan Collapse and was ceded to the emergent government of the Helvetica System. Krol would again be invaded in the Helvetican War when Milnilchlan under Lord Zorg sought to conquer the system. Though Krol was devastated by the fighting, it succeeded in bogging down the invasion long enough to drain Milnilchlanese faith in Lord Zorg, contributing to his removal from office in a popular uprising. Since then, Krol has been at relative peace despite frequent conflicts with Helvetica's neighbors. 

Krol receives a great deal of sunlight from its host star, however the planet's atmosphere is very poor at allowing for heat to trickle down to the surface. This results in a planet with a very cold and very stormy climate. The warmest temperature recorded on Krol was 50° Fahrenheit on June 4th, 4573 during a particularly hot summer by local standards. Winter temperatures often get below -70° F near the equator and down to -200° F at the poles, with the coldest recorded temperature being -345° F on December 27th, 4342 near the south pole. At these temperatures, most conventional metals grow brittle and most electronics fail, so the locals heavily rely on stainless steel for their tools. Krol is infamous for its "flash blizzards", which often develop in seconds to minutes, deliver windspeeds of up to 300 miles per hour, and drop the air temperature by 50 degrees or more. To handle these conditions, residents of Krol are trained to quickly dig into the snow or rush to shelter as soon as the wind begins to pick up. 

Against all odds, Krol possesses some native life, most notably the shilrax. The shilrax is a large mammalian-adjacent creature comparable to an Old Terran mastodon that feeds on microbes in the air. The shilrax grows large, shaggy coats of fur that are used by the locals of Krol to create thick, insulating parkas which keep in the heat better than even most synthetic materials. Though less useful, shilrax ivory can also fetch for a high price, which has attracted a number of poachers to the planet, though few are successful due to Krol's harsh environment.