Char

"Do you feel that Cerebrate? The Protoss are hiding here. It seems that they are hiding here for quite some time."

- Kerrigan

Char is a planet in or near the Koprulu Sector. It orbits a binary star system consisting of a yellow star and a blue star which bombards the planet with excessive solar radiation, and is very tectonically active. It has two purplish moons and average gravity.

Features of Char
Char is remote from other sentient life-bearing worlds. The world is harsh, but unprotected Terrans can survive on it (the air is breathable, albeit with a high sulfur content, and the temperature is generally not too hot). Despite such conditions, small pockets of liquid water can be found on the surface. The world does bear life in the form of the ragnasaur, some mushroom-like fungi and small rodents.

Hazards
Char has thick layers of ash which can wreak havoc with sensitive equipment and can also cover hazards such as magma pools. 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.

The magma, driven by powerful tectonic activity, often seeps to the surface. The harsh tectonic conditions can cause horrifying firestorms which unrelentingly burn across the plains ; the tectonic activity can result in "pyroclastic flows" travelling down mountains at speeds of over 100 miles per hour and with temperatures in excess of 800 centigrade. . Temperatures are sometimes so intense that entire sections of its surface become liquified. Volcanis is likely one such example.

Resources
Char is one of the richest resource nodes in the sector, as the tectonic activity continually uncovers deposits of minerals and geysers of Vespene. The temperatures on the planet Char can become so intense that large portions of the planet's surface become completely liquified. During certain times, when the planet is furthest from the twin suns of the system, small islands form on top of these seas of magma. These bits of land are, not surprisingly, replete with minerals and greatly prized as sources of incredible wealth.

When mineral deposits are melted, they can be seen protruding from the obsidian landscape, serving as both landmarks and rich mining fields.

History
Char was selected as a base by the Zerg after they captured Sarah Kerrigan on Tarsonis due to its remote location and rich resources. Its twisting cliffs, magma pools and other features enabled the Zerg to hide their Hatcheries and therefore hide their numbers from enemies.

However, Kerrigan emitted psionic energy, calling Jim Raynor and Arcturus Mengsk. This also gathered the attention of the Protoss &mdash; specifically Tassadar and Zeratul. Zeratul detected the Khalis crystal on the surface of the planet but was unable or unwilling to retrieve it.

Raynor's Raiders under Jim Raynor and the Terran Dominion Alpha Squadron under Edmund Duke both tried unsuccessfully save Kerrigan. Both were forced to flee. Tassadar and Zeratul met and decided to ally against the Zerg. Meanwhile, Kerrigan had regained the use of her powers and was able to find the Protoss. She challenged Tassadar to a duel. Zasz noted something odd about Tassadar (probably his use of Dark Templar psionics) and cautioned Kerrigan, but she tried to fight him anyway. However, Tassadar had created an illusion of himself to lure her away from Zeratul, who was testing out his Dark Templar powers to see if they could kill Zerg Cerebrates. The Garm Brood ran amok without its master and the Zerg were forced to destroy them.

In revenge, the Zerg hunted down the Protoss. Infested Kerrigan led the hunt, but the harsh conditions worked against the Zerg; the Protoss could also make use of the rugged terrain; however, Kerrigan was victorious, although Tassadar and Zeratul survived, their Templar armies were decimated. The Zerg Overmind traveled to Aiur, leaving Kerrigan to hunt down the remaining Protoss warriors. The Protoss eventually returned for the arrest of Tassadar, but Tassadar convinced them to free Zeratul instead. After freeing Zeratul and defeating the Zerg who had remained on Char, the Protoss left the planet, but fate would bring them back.

Char in the Brood War
With the death of the Zerg Overmind on Aiur, Daggoth returned to Char and ordered many of his Cerebrates to fuse, forming a new Zerg Overmind. The Protoss would return to retrieve the Khalis crystal, while the United Earth Directorate would attack the planet in order to claim the Overmind.

Infested 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 Raszagal into not wishing to return to her tribe.

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.



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.