Char
Astrographical
Region	Colonial Space/Zerg Quarantine Zone
Sector	Koprulu sector
System	Char system
Sun(s)	2 – (class VI F0 and Class M8 irregular variable)[1]
Moon(s)	2 – Eris and Ate[1]
Physical
Diameter	10,521 km[1]
Climate	+/- 48 Centigrade [118 °F] average (peaks of 800°C+ [1470+ °F]), very low humidity[1]
Axial Tilt	4.1 degrees[1]
Gravity	0.91 standard[1]
Dominant terrain classification	Volcanic[1]
Tileset(s)	Ash, Volcanic[2]
Geography	52 volcanic caldera 18 mountain chains (all volcanic) 38 lava lakes 5 lava seas (variable)[1]
Points of interest	Burning Rift Death Valley Glass Flats Nydus Network Obsidian Searing Crater Volcanis
Species
Dominant	Terrans (various factions over time) Zerg
Indigenous	None
Other	Ragnasaurs Scantipedes Various rodent creatures
Societal
Affiliation	Terran Confederacy (?—February/March, 2500) Overmind's Zerg Swarm (February/March, 2500—Late June, 2500) Daggoth's Renegade Swarm (July, 2500—September/October, 2500) UED Expeditionary Fleet (September, 2500—October, ) Kerrigan's Zerg Swarm (Late June, 2500—July, 2500, October, 2500—Late 2504) Terran Dominion (Late 2504—) Various broods (Late 2504—)
Population	2500 – At least 2 billion+ zerg[3] 2504 – Est. 10 billion+ zerg[1]
Settlements	Estimated 150 primary zerg hive clusters Estimated 1029 tertiary zerg hive clusters
Major space platforms/ stations	Char Aleph
Imports	None
Exports	None
Status	Zerg infested world

Char is a volcanic planet in or near the Koprulu Sector. It was fought over by terrans for its mineral wealth and later settled en masse by zerg.

AstrographyEdit

Char is located in a binary star system. The primaries, a class VI F0 sub dwarf orbiting an M8 irregular variable, bombard the planet with cosmic rays. The planet's extremely elliptical orbit has a volatile affect on its geography. Eris and Ate are Char's two large natural satellites, each being purplish in color and having a diameter of more than 1000 kilometers.^[1] It also appears to be orbited by a debris field.^[4] Char is located within the Zerg Quarantine Zone.^[5]

GeographyEdit

The planet has a diameter of 10521 kilometers and a surface gravity of 0.91. Large areas are covered with lava. Char is tectonically active^[6] and all 18 of its mountain chains are volcanic.^[1]

When the planet's orbit swings close to the stars vast molten areas can form on its sunward face. Conversely as its orbit takes it farther away cooling may cause large temporary islands to form.^[1]

Despite the volatility zerg tunnels may be pervasive under 40% of the surface four years after the Brood War.^[1]

The acrid air has a high oxygen and sulfur content and is laced with ash,^[6] and the average temperature is 48 degrees centigrade with very low humidity.^[1] An unprotected terran may survive on the planet, however uncomfortably. Despite the conditions small pockets of liquid water exist on the surface,^[6] and precipitation occurs.^[7]

In addition, surveys of Char have revealed the following known landforms:

• 52 volcanic caldera^[1]
• 38 lava lakes^[1]
• 5 lava seas (variable)^[1]

HazardsEdit

Char has thick layers of ash which can wreak havoc on sensitive equipment^[8] and can also cover hazards such as magma pools.^[9] Clouds of ash form which are thick enough to block the view of the stars, making navigation difficult. In addition, fluctuating magnetic fields render magnetic compasses unreliable.^[10]

The magma, driven by powerful tectonic activity, often seeps to the surface.^[9] The harsh tectonic conditions can cause horrifying firestorms^[8] which unrelentingly burn across the plains;^[11] the tectonic activity can result in pyroclastic flows traveling down mountains at speeds of over 100 miles per hour and with temperatures in excess of 800 centigrade (1470 °F).^[12] Temperatures are sometimes so intense that entire sections of its surface become liquefied.^[13]

ResourcesEdit

Char is one of the richest resource nodes in the sector, as the tectonic activity continually uncovers deposits of minerals and geysers of vespene gas. Additional resources become accessible when the planet is farthest away from the stars. The temporary islands formed from the magma are replete with minerals.^[13]

The surface of Char can reach such extreme temperatures that mineral deposits melt, forming rivers which can last months before finally hardening. Mineral-laden pathways are then created, protruding from the obsidian landscape, serving as both landmarks and rich mining fields.^[14]

Life FormsEdit

While Char has no indigenous life forms,^[1] ragnasaurs,^[15][16] some mushroom-like fungi, and small rodents have managed to survive.^[6]

The planet is home to an estimated 10 billion zerg, spread amongst an estimated 150 primary zerg hive clusters and 1029 tertiary zerg hive clusters.^[1]

HistoryEdit

Char was discovered by terrans before the Guild Wars. Terran Confederate and independent Morian mining guilds quickly settled on the planet to exploit its fantastic mineral wealth, and the planet became one of the thirteen core worlds of the Confederacy. It became a source of friction between the Confederacy and the Morian mining guilds.^[1]

The Guild WarsEdit

Some of the fieriest battles of the Guild Wars were fought on Char. Unrestricted usage of nuclear weapons in some areas awoke dormant volcanoes and made the planet even more radioactive and inhospitable to humans than before.^[1]

In August 2488, Confederate troops from the 2nd Regiment defended nuclear fortifications against Kel-Morian attackers.^[17]

After the Guild Wars the human presence on Char decreased. Those who remained were tasked with maintaining automated mining sites and were housed in a newly constructed orbital platform, Char Aleph.^[1]

Arrival of the ZergEdit

Char became the zerg's primary base in the Sector after the Battle of Tarsonis during the Great War. It was chosen for its remote location, rich resources, and difficult terrain that made it easier to hide hatcheries and their populations.^[18] Theorists speculate that the zerg chose Char because it forms a useful jump-off point to core terran and protoss space, that the inhospitable nature makes it easy to defend, or that the high radiation levels promote a higher mutation rate in the zerg, enabling forced evolution of specialist strains.^[1]

The captured Kerrigan emitted psionic energy, calling Jim Raynor and Arcturus Mengsk.^[16] This also drew the attention of the protoss — specifically Tassadar and Zeratul.^[19] Zeratul detected the Khalis crystal on the surface of the planet but was unable or unwilling to retrieve it.^[20]

Raynor's Raiders under Jim Raynor and the Terran Dominion Alpha Squadron under Edmund Duke both tried unsuccessfully to save Kerrigan. Both were forced to retreat.^[15][16]

Protoss leaders Tassadar, a high templar, and Zeratul, a Dark Templar, traveled to Char, following Kerrigan's psychic beacon.^[19] Once there, they met Raynor's Raiders and eventually formed an alliance against the zerg.^[6] Meanwhile, Infested Kerrigan had unlocked her powers and was able to find the protoss. She challenged Tassadar to a duel. Cerebrate Zasz cautioned Kerrigan about facing Tassadar, but she tried to fight him anyway. However, Tassadar had created an illusion of himself^[21] to lure her away from Zeratul, who was testing out his Dark Templar powers to see if they could kill zerg cerebrates. (The test was successful.) Zasz's Garm Brood ran amok without its master and the zerg were forced to destroy them.^[22]

In revenge, the zerg hunted down the protoss. Infested Kerrigan led the hunt,^[23] but the harsh conditions worked against the zerg; the protoss could also make use of the rugged terrain;^[18] however, Kerrigan was victorious, although Tassadar and Zeratul survived, their armies were decimated.^[23] The Overmind traveled to Aiur, leaving Kerrigan to hunt down the remaining protoss warriors.^[23][24] Protoss from Aiur eventually reached Char, intending to arrest Tassadar, but Tassadar convinced them to free Zeratul instead.^[25] After freeing Zeratul^[26] and defeating the zerg who had remained on Char, the protoss left the planet.^[6]

The Brood WarEdit

Following the death of the Overmind on Aiur, Daggoth returned to Char and ordered many of his cerebrates to fuse, forming a new Overmind and a faction, the Renegade Zerg, opposed to Infested Kerrigan.^[27] The protoss would return to retrieve the Khalis crystal,^[20] while the United Earth Directorate would attack the planet in order to claim the Overmind, enslaving the zerg.^[28]

A Dark Templar terrorist, Ulrezaj, traveled to Char hoping to use the zerg as a weapon against the Khalai refugees on Shakuras.^[29] He used warped khaydarin crystals to control numerous zerg. His plans were shattered by Zeratul's forces, however, which sent a raiding team including a dark archon hero in order to destroy the warped crystals.^[30]

Kerrigan traveled to the planet in order to destroy the Overmind, accompanied by a force of Dark Templar. Kerrigan had captured their Matriarch, Raszagal, and so Zeratul and his brethren had little choice but to work with her. The "alliance" defeated the UED forces and the Dark Templar destroyed the Overmind for her, but Kerrigan had manipulated the Matriarch into not wishing to return to her tribe.^[31]

Zeratul spirited her away and regrouped with a number of protoss survivors on the surface of Char. Kerrigan mobilized all of her broods and sent them to the surface of Char. The protoss were defeated, and Zeratul was forced to slay his own Matriarch. Kerrigan allowed Zeratul and his brethren to leave Char with their lives.^[32]

Shortly thereafter, fleets from the United Earth Directorate, Terran Dominion and Shakuras, arrived, all seeking revenge now that Kerrigan was in a weak position. Kerrigan defeated the three forces in a titanic battle and solidified her position.^[33]

The Second Great WarEdit

Main article: Battle of Char (Dangerous Game)

In 2504, Kerrigan began a massive invasion of the Dominion Core Worlds in search of several artifacts, beginning the Second Great War. She was beaten to them by Raynor's Raiders, who handed them over to Valerian Mengsk in the knowledge that the assembled device could deinfest her.^[34] The combined Dominion-Raiders force attacked the world, encountering zerg resistance.^[35]

The initial battle proved to be disastrous for the Dominion Fleet and those on the ground fared no better. On the surface, the Dominion struggled to achieve a foothold as most battlegroups were destroyed in mid-drop or quickly overrun after landing. However, Raynor's Raiders managed to establish a base on the planet and regroup their forces.^[36]

After the initial landing, a new strategy was needed. Zerg strength was too great for a direct push on the primary hive cluster, and the Queen of Blades was recalling zerg forces back to Char from worlds conquered earlier in the war.^[37] The terrans understood that the time to attack was now, and there was time for only one secondary attack to weaken the defenses and clear the way for the main assault. Thus, two alternative objectives were chosen. Tychus Findlay believed attempting to advance while the rear was threatened by the nydus network was futile. Taking a contrary view, Warfield was convinced securing air superiority was paramount.^[38][39]

With the zerg's support taken out, the remaining terran forces assaulted the main hive on Char. The Queen of Blades herself attacked the terran base while the terrans held out to let the artifact fully charge up. In the aftermath of the battle, all zerg in the nearby area were wiped out as a result of the final artifact's energy wave, which also deinfested Kerrigan. Raynor shot and killed Findlay to prevent the ex-convict from executing Kerrigan and carried her out over the ruined land while the battle still raged above the planet.^[40]

Dauntless FoesEdit

Despite Kerrigan's defeat and de-infestation, a large number of zerg hives remained on Char. Without Kerrigan's leadership, various queens began to take control of zerg broods.^[41] Meanwhile, General Warfield's force began purging Char of the zerg.^[42]

Broodmother Zagara's forces moved against General Warfield's base at Dauntless Plateau. As they moved through the Bone Trench, they were decimated by Warfield's Gorgon battlecruisers.^[43]

Upon her return to the Swarm, Kerrigan used her forces to fight broodmother named Zagara, battling over control of clusters of baneling eggs. Kerrigan defeated Zagara, who submitted to Kerrigan's control.^[44]

Kerrigan then moved against Warfield himself. Her forces moved through the Bone Trench, but took control of scourge nests. The scourges destroyed the Gorgon battlecruisers.^[43] She then moved against Dauntless Plateau itself. Her initial forces did considerable damage before Warfield dropped nukes on them. Kerrigan was forced to rebuild. Afterward her forces demolished those the Dominion.^[45] Warfield convinced Kerrigan to let his wounded troops escape before he died. ^[46]

Upon Kerrigan's return to the Koprulu Sector, her forces picked up numerous two-way communication devices on Char. This enabled Mengsk to inform her that he was holding Jim Raynor hostage.^[47]

LocationsEdit

LandformsEdit

• Acid Marsh
• Burning Rift
• Death Valley
• Nydus worm network

Military BasesEdit

• Warfield's compound
• Warfield Forward Base

RegionsEdit

• Glass Flats
• Obsidian
• Volcanis

Space InstallationsEdit

• Char Aleph
• Satellite 1
• Brood lord and mutalisk nesting space platforms

NotesEdit

In StarCraft: Queen of Blades, Char was not explored or named by terrans until Raynor's Raiders's search for Sarah Kerrigan. The planet was named by Jim Raynor.^[6] This contradicts more recent lore where Char was already known during the Guild Wars.^[1][17]

ReferencesEdit