Stormy Water Ocean World
A purple-tinted sky is streaked with dark thunderclouds, glowing orange as they roll and bubble up into the atmosphere to catch the sunset. The ocean itself has a reddish tint due to dissolved minerals. Global temperatures range from temperate to hot, there is no ice at the poles. Only a few volcanic peaks rise above the waves, a few amphibious species have evolved to make use of them, but these seem rather dangerous locations for us to settle. Various giant sea creatures detected - we'll need to stay in the area and do more research to find out more.
(2 Food, 2 Minerals, 1 Zen, depending on development; but high build costs. Oddity: giant sea creatures?)
Epic Mountainous World
This near-terrestrial world has a thick crust and powerful volcanism. Continental drift is driven by short, violent, jagged movements, which has pushed up some truly massive mountain ranges. Some peaks literally scrape the Stratosphere of the planet, with air flows leaving turbulent cloud patterns in their wake.
There are many freshwater lakes and small salty seas. Vast amounts of water appear to be locked up within the crust, trapped in deep folds and subterranean cave systems. There are some areas where erosion has filled in the troughs and created fertile plains, where flooding can be a problem. Most life forms appear adapted to survive frequent volcanic upheavals. Currently the planet has a strong greenhouse effect and only has glaciers on the highest peaks.
Due to low sea levels, atmospheric pressure in the deeper valleys is rather high, this has further favoured flying animals. The dominant life-forms are best described as bat-bird-marsupial hybrids, many of which have re-evolved to become flightless and fill in new niches on the ground (or underground). There are many kinds of plant which disperse using free-floating balloon-like growths.
We've found mysterious cave artwork and rock carvings - the sign of intelligent life. However we have yet to track down the species responsible, if they still survive. Indeed, we could spend much more time exploring the mountains and caves.
(2 Minerals, 2 Zen, 1 Food, med-high build costs, and risk of tectonic upheaval. Oddity: intelligent life?)
Volcanic World
Spectral analysis suggested abundant heavy elements, however surface conditions are much more hostile than hoped.
Much of this planet is shrouded in thick smog, sparkling with constant lightning. Large volcanoes erupt daily, and there are huge rifts in the crust were curtains of lava shoot high into the sky.
The surface is not quite volatile enough to form permanent lava seas, but huge lava flows routinely scour the surface.
Despite all this, liquid water persists on this world. We have detected extremophile bacteria thriving throughout the sub-surface, and forming mats around stable geysers in sheltered areas. Rare mineral concentrations are associated with these geysers.
(3 Minerals or 1 Food, very high build costs and risk of volcanic disasters)
Binary Metallic Planetoids
A pair of metal-rich, airless, cratered planetoids orbit each other in close proximity. These are the shepherds of a complex web of interlocking asteroid belts at the edge of the system.
Superhot, supermassive gas giants dominate the inner system and appear to have splatted any other planets.
The large, hot young star blasts radiation mercilessly.
(3-4 Minerals, 1 Zen, high build costs, risk of asteroid impacts)
Eccentric Water Giant
This massive ocean world has uncomfortable gravity and high atmospheric pressure, and if that were not enough, it has a long, eccentric orbit that sweeps past both extremes of the system's habitable zone...
We first encountered this world in its 'spring' phase, as it is closing in on its parent star. This appears to be the time for native plants and animals to bloom. We detected huge patches of sperm and eggs floating on the ocean surface, along with many kinds of aerial fruiting bodies being released to drift through the air like balloons, perhaps to avoid predators. We watched as 'summer' arrived, with searing heat driving massive evaporation and truly enormous storm systems across the equator; nights were lit by the glow of constant lightning all around.
We project that the 'autumn' phase may involve massive die-off of current adult life forms - those that survived the storms - followed by a long winter phase, where temperatures fall far enough for thick ice to form at the poles - perhaps even spreading all the way to the equator. Spores and eggs must be able to survive in hibernation for this time, or perhaps the adults of some species are able to burrow into the ocean floor, or otherwise hibernate.
(2-3 Food, 1 Zen, 1 Minerals, high build costs, risk of extreme weather events. Oddity: native life with unusual survival skills)
Primordial Gravel World
Sunny terrestrial world with water oceans and primitive native life. Sedentary filter-feeders and clumps of lurid algae are the only visible lifeforms.
Abundant microscopic life has pumped enough oxygen into the atmosphere to breathe. The land surface is composed of large swathes of barren sand and gravel, interspersed with rocky mountains.
(1-3 Food, 1-2 Minerals, 1 Zen, normal build costs)
Bone World / Devestated Terrestrial World.
It appears this world has suffered a massive asteroid impact in the recent past, causing tectonic plates to rupture and unleashing huge flows of lava. It has been severe enough to wipe out all complex life on the surface of the planet.
A dark layer of ash still hangs in the atmosphere.
Small organisms survive in the oceans, where geothermal energy seems to be the main source of life. Photosynthesis has slowed to a crawl, sufficient only to support microbes and hardy lichen-like forms.
An abundance of fossilised animal bones, suggests the presence of strange, giant animals before the impact occurred. There are even hints of tool use and signs of stone carvings left behind.
(1 Food, 2-3 Minerals, normal build costs, Oddities: giant animal bones and signs of extinct intelligent life)
Boring Cloudy Tundra World
The surface is an endless fractal pattern of smooth, snowy terrain dotted with icy lakes. Here and there, a geothermal hot spot opens up a patch of fresh liquid water, surrounded by spiky brownish vegetation.
Evolution on this planet seems to have stagnated. A kind of foot-long, bulbous, hairy centipede seems to be the most advanced life form.
Minor mineral deposits detected. At least, the air is mostly-breathable and there is plenty of water (frozen or otherwise).
(1 Food, 1 Minerals, 1 Zen, normal build costs)
Warm Carbon Planet
A dark, smoggy, oxygen-less and water-less world, nonetheless dotted with thick seas of hydrocarbons. Volcanoes erupt diamond dust and silica - needless to say, the air is not breathable.
(1-3 Minerals, high build costs)
Serene Arid World
Beautiful cactus-like plants exist in sheltered spots.
Colourful slime moulds battle for control of oases.
Spectuacular views of the watery gas giant it orbits, and its sibling moons.
(1-2 Minerals, 1 Food, 1-2 Zen, normal build costs)
Black Forest World
Kilometre-tall super-trees exist on this low-gravity world. The leaves are various dark colours to absorb the most energy from the red dwarf star.
A pinkish-tinted water ocean surrounds a few big continents, all of them are heavily forested, even at the poles - where leaves are shed during the long polar winter. The forest floor is incredibly dark, even during mid-day. There is minimal animal life, only insect-like creatures have been discovered on land, mainly recycling dead plant growth. Moth-like creatures prey on other insects.
The seas seem dominated by slow-moving, coral-like lifeforms and shellfish. Sediment cores suggest the planet is very stable and has not endured much in the way of calamities which might nudge evolution along.
(1-2 Minerals, 1 Food, 1 Zen, high build costs as giga-trees must be felled)