Shakuras

Shakuras is the homeworld of the Dark Templar in the StarCraft Universe, a fictional universe in which a series of computer games and books are set.

In contrast with Aiur (homeworld of the Protoss), Shakuras is a planet devoid of vegetation. It is also the homeworld of the Kakaru, a flying reptilian creature similar to the pterosaurs.

The planet was dark due to the curious "darkening" of the sun, probably due to engineering by the Xel'Naga. This seems to have been an unnatural disaster for the planet - the skeletons of previously-existing lifeforms can be found scattered over the planet. (It is unclear if these skeletons are fossils.)

There are several hypotheses concerning the strange darkness of Shakuras. One involves the "filtering" of sunlight due to a nexus of powerful psionic energies; another, more realistic theory, is that the world follows a slow rotation, keeping one half of the world darkened for very long periods of time. It has also been noted that Shakuras possesses several sattelites, and their orbits-- whether natural or artificial-- may keep the world shrouded in darkness. Also, the matter may lie in the location of the Xel'Naga temple and the Dark Templar tribes by extension, high in Shakuras' northern hemisphere, resulting in midnight sun, nautical polar night and general perpetual twilight phenomena.

It is home to a Warp Gate and a Xel'Naga Temple. The capital city is Talematros.



History
When Khas created the Khala and enlightened the Protoss tribes, he united all but a few dissented Protoss tribes who refused to submit to the Khala. Adun, a young warrior, was sent to destroy them, but instead he tried to teach them psionics until they couldn't help but reveal themselves. Because of this, these "Dark" Protoss were exiled from Aiur and sent to space in an abandoned but functional Xel'Naga freighter.

The Dark Templar travelled through space for centuries, finding many planets but never staying. Eventually they found a planet that gave them a good reason to remain ... it possessed a Xel'Naga Temple. It was a harsh desert, and the Dark Templar had to alter their own biology to adapt to the world.

These tribes eventually settled on Shakuras, expanded, and began life anew, but were forcibly reunited with their "light" counterparts by Zeratul and Aldaris when the decision was made to evacuate the remaining Protoss tribes on Aiur through the Warp Gate to a safer location. Fenix remained behind to guard the Warp Gate from the other side, assisted by Jim Raynor.

On the other side, the Protoss found Shakuras. The planet was not fully occupied, and may not have been fully explored either. They did not immediately find Dark Templar waiting there to greet them, and indeed the other side of the Warp Gate was completely unguarded. The Protoss refugees, feeling they were under the protection of Zeratul, established a new base camp called New Antioch, which would enable them to remain somewhat apart from the Dark Templar.

Unfortunately for the Protoss, the Zerg took control of the Warp Gate after the Protoss fled and invaded Shakuras, and the Dark Templar rescued New Antioch from the Zerg. In order to defeat the Zerg completely, Matriarch Raszagal revealed the secret of the Xel'Naga Temple &mdash; it was built on a nexus of cosmic energy, and could be activated to wipe out the Zerg on the planet. Unfortunately, it couldn't do so on its own. It needed the power of the Uraj and Khalis crystals to do so. After slaying the Cerebrates around the Temple, Kerrigan appeared, astonishing the Protoss, and offering alliance. She told them a new Zerg Overmind was growing on Char, and as long as the Overmind was immature, it could not control her. While the Protoss were uneasy, Raszagal immediately accepted her claims.

Artanis and Zeratul, along with Kerrigan, travelled through the Koprulu Sector to acquire the crystals. Upon their return, they found Shakuras' Protoss population in civil war. Aldaris, leading many Protoss from Aiur, believed that Raszagal had fallen under the dark influence of Kerrigan and was determined to overthrow her. He was defeated, but before he died revealed Kerrigan's treachery. Kerrigan swiftly departed the planet.

Zeratul and Artanis used the Khalis and Uraj to activate the Xel'Naga Temple and destroy the Zerg. In doing so, they caused the sun to rise (or perhaps appear) again, changing the nature of the world.

In the Enslavers: Dark Vengeance series, a Dark Templar known as Ulrejaz tried to drive the Protoss of Aiur away from Shakuras. His plot involved using false Khaydarin Crystal-enhanced Zerg to run amok on the planet, as these Zerg were immune to the effects of the Xel'Naga Temple, causing the Dark Templar to hide in their secret places and leave the other Protoss to fend for themselves. It is unknown what additional effects the Temple may have had if it had been activated again. Fortunately Zeratul and Artanis were able to defeat Ulrejaz and save their planet.

Kerrigan was not finished with Shakuras, however. She returned in order to "acquire" the Matriarch, who was hidden in the capital city of Talematros. As a sign of cooperation between the two groups of Protoss, both groups lived there and both contributed to its defense. The city was guarded by (in addition to the usual Protoss defenses) special Khaydarin Crystal pylon clusters which generated a powerful energy field, preventing Zerg from maneuvering in the nearby atmosphere. However, Kerrigan's agent, Samir Duran, was able to overload the Pylons through the use of explosives, destroying the entire city. In the mass confusion, Kerrigan kidnapped Raszagal.

The Dark Templar were led by the Matriarch Raszagal, who does the best she can to guide and protect her people. After Raszagal's untimely death, Zeratul assumed control of the tribes.

Prophecies
A Protoss by the name of Tenarsis has kept track of oracular visions experienced by Protoss of Aiur for generations. According to these prophecies "A dark land of ancient plateaus and oceans of night... Night becomes day, and our ancient fathers aid us... We erase that which blights our face, but not that which lies within... The land that rests in twilight will be the place of our greatest triumph and also our greatest shame."

The ancient fathers are quite possibly a reference to the Xel'Naga, and the aid would be the activation of the Xel'Naga Temple.