Alcor is a rare world in that it actually orbits a slightly variable star and yet has been blessed with an atmosphere and environment capable of supporting life. The planet's remote orbit, however, appears to somewhat mitigate the gravitational stresses caused during the infrequent shifts of its star's outer surface. Some scientists believe these stresses, still felt in the form of frequent earthquakes and a noticeable spike or drop in overall temperatures, may have played a role in speeding along the evolution of local life-forms, which run the gamut from single-celled bacteria that thrive near polar geysers, to the goldfish-sized Alcoran swimmers which populate the planet's equatorial zones.
The tectonic stresses created by the Alcoran star have also contributed to a number of volcanoes that line the geologically young mountain chains on both main continents, Galvinia and Fuchisa. Since the early colonists first settled this world, much of the planet’s mining industry has been focused in these volcanic regions, where the abundant metals churned from the planet's active core are easier to reach. Unfortunately, however, much of the arable land on Alchiba is exceedingly poor in nutrients, forcing the locals to rely on trade with their neighboring systems for vital agricultural products.
This lack has made Alcor the hub of local trade routes throughout its history, but a poor staging world throughout the Succession Wars, though it has done little to prevent the raids and invasions that characterized that same period of history. The capital of Alcor, Ursamajorisaeti, is located on Galvina, and is also home to the planet's largest spaceport.
