Ixal (Planet)

Ixal is a planet that was home to several species, including the Tetlan Ixaal people. It was eliminated and rendered uninhabitable after the Ixalen Extinction Event. Its sister planet is Eol.

Name
Ixal is the term that was used by the native Ixalen as reference to their planet. It is a combination of the old Ixeotol words 'ix ' ( meaning the face ), and 'cual ' ( meaning swamp or murk ). The name can be inferred to be reference to the overall climate and singular environment of the planet, as well as the cultural significance of the face to the Ixalen people.

Physical Characteristics
Like many planets, Ixal is mostly spherical. It has deep crevices within the oceans, however, with the deepest point being by the northern pole of the planet. In terms of above-sea-level formations, it has the Tecuiitzi mountain range, the highest ridges of which can be seen if one is close enough to the planet. It also has no tilt, leaving it with no seasons, though a full rotation along its axis takes about 18 hours.

Heat
Ixal is a very warm and muggy planet, which is Ideal for the Ixalen people and numerous species on the planet. The coolest temperatures of the planet focus around 80°F, while the warmer and more common temperatures can easily reach the 120°F - 130°F range. The cause of the heat is widely thought to be the gasses emitted by the swamps. While this is true, Ixal's sun is much larger and burns much hotter than normal suns. The combination of gasses in the atmosphere and the natural heat and humidity make this planet a thermal hotbed.

Environment
The majority of Ixal consists of swamps, bogs, and marshes. These three cover about 84% of Ixal's surface area, with the remaining 16% being divided unevenly between mountain ranges, plains, plateaus, and coastline.

An important characteristic of Ixal is its toxicity, and its hostility towards non-Ixalen life. Almost all life, both flora and fauna, have some form of toxin or venom. The only exceptions to this rule are any domesticated animal species, and Huiatot Ixaal. The severity of the toxin is rated on the Cualnotza Scale and varies from species to species.

The waters of Ixal are on the scale as well, though they are near the bottom: harmless to Ixalen creation. To others, however, the waters are highly corrosive, with some researchers verifying it to eat through diamond, metal, and stone with relative ease and only losing its potency after an elapsed 20 minutes. Fumes in the Ixalen air are also hazardous to non-Ixalen life, as the vapours that contain liquid are inhaled and can eat away at flesh inside the body, leading to suffocation within minutes and irreversible damage at the very least.

Fauna
Due to the difficulty of survival on the planet, as well as competition between predators, there are only 7 identified and studied fauna. The majority of the species are either omnivorous or carnivorous, with only one being completely herbivorous. Megafauna were also common on the planet, as well as domesticated versions of some.
 * Tetlan Ixaal - The civilised people of Ixal
 * Maztochi Ixaal - A rabbit-like cervine omnivore ( Wild, domestic and megafauna variations recorded )
 * Tecuiitzi Ixaal - A scorpion-like, carnivorous pack animal ( Wild and megafauna variations recorded )
 * Micpalin Ixaal - A lumbering reptilian herbivore ( Wild, domestic, and megafauna variations recorded )
 * Huiatot Ixaal - A wading avian carnivore ( Wild and megafauna variations recorded )
 * Miyeczoa Ixaal - A polypedal omnivore ( Wild, domestic, and megafauna variations recorded )
 * Catlanqui Ixaal - A long-extinct cephalopod hypercarnivore