Orichalcum Universe: Home sapiens atlanticus...
Johnny1a
artificial selection.
It all started, in a sense, when the Eldren led a tiny group of
followers in boats made of hide and bits of wood along the retreating
edge of the Arctic pack ice at the end of the last glacial period. A
few hundred people arrived in the island that would one day be known
at Atlantis, in the warm summer of the year 9453 B.C., a few hundred
people with a TL0 technology base and an immortal leader.
Over one thousand years would pass before any new breeding stock was
added to this initial gene pool, and even then it was only in small
groups, under very unusual circumstances. Atlantis was isolated in
those years, both the Eurasian/African and North/South American
continents were beyond the reach of the crude boats of the Atlanteans
in those times, and Atlantis was by far the most technologically
advanced society on Earth, the oceans were nearly empty of human
travelers in those times. [1]
Atlantis lacked most of the large predators that had stalked the
colonists before they arrived from Europe, and those that it did boast
were not that difficult to deal with even with TL0 technology. The
climate, though not ideal, was far superior to what they had left
behind in Europe, the soil tended toward fertility, and they had no
indigenous enemies. The sheer power of the Eldest, and the reverence
in which this society held its immortal monarch, made large-scale
internecine strife very nearly unthinkable. There was little to
prevent those few hundred settlers from being fruitful and multiplying
generation after generation.
This limited initial gene pool did have a few advantages, one was that
the Eldest had selected his initial followers with some care, they
were almost uniformly healthy, with few hereditary health problems and
little in the way of genetic damage. Also, the Eldest had chosen his
followers, or permitted them to join his group, in significant part
based on a recognition of latent genetic abilities at the use of
psionics. [2] [3]
With this as a basis, the initial few generations of the Atlanteans
had a substantial potential for the use of psionics, and the Eldest as
example and teacher. As the first few generations passed, the early
Atlanteans began to display and develop their latent abilities, and
psionic Power and skill became social markers, and the Atlanteans
began to ‘breed’ for these abilities without even realizing they were
so doing. It was not a formal plan, merely a tendency for strong
psions to marry or mate with strong psions, for social and
psychological reasons, and an emerging culture in which psionic
strength was a key status marker.
As the centuries turned into millennia, the Atlantean society
developed serious seafaring capabilities, and contact with the rest of
the world was regained. Some interbreeding did occur in the off-
Island colonies, but there was always some prejudice against this
practice in most of the colony-states (ProtoAthens being a very
significant exception). The degree of prejudice varied from minor to
total, but always those with very ‘pure’ Atlantean ancestry carried at
least a social bonus, and in many places they were the absolute
rulers. This status marker was reinforced by the cold fact that
pureblood Atlantean ancestry did indeed bring with it unmistakable
advantages in terms of personal psionic powers.
The prejudice was especially strong on the Island itself, where even
pureblood ‘colonists’ were seen with a certain amount of social
suspicion. On the Great Island, society was divided into commoners
and aristocrats, the division marked by, again, psychic strength,
which has a huge hereditary component. The ‘commoners’ of the Great
Island were as strong as the aristocrats of the colonies, and the true
hereditary aristocrats of the Great Island were mightier yet. Always,
however, there was interbreeding between commoner and aristocrat
_within_ the peoples of the Great Island, and talented commoners could
rise into the ranks of the nobles, if they displayed the requisite
Power and personal abilities.
In later centuries yet, as the Atlanteans were corrupted from within
by the slow work of the Unity, slaves became the only outsiders
allowed on the Island itself, and interbreeding was strictly forbidden
(though of course that did not prevent it from happening, human nature
being a constant), but the social barriers were iron-clad, and ‘half-
breed’ offspring who survived were exiled from the Island.
The result was that a gene pool that started out from a restricted
source, was only sporadically added to over the course of thousands of
years, and the people in question engaged in an unintentional (and
sometimes semi-intentional) breeding project based on very specific
traits. The people of the Great Island had become a very distinct
ethnic/genetic group by the time of the Great Cataclysm.
The Great Cataclysm wiped out almost the entire core population of
this group, millions of lives snuffed out in the course of a few
hours. Of course hundreds of millions and more perished around the
world, but the pure-blood Atlanteans _as a group_ took the greatest
losses by far, losing over 99% of their number in one day. Around the
planet, only about one percent of this genetic pool still lived
afterward.
Of those few thousand people, most vanished into the general
population of the Earth, but a handful of isolated pure-blood
communities remained, and one such became the population foundation
for the mortal population of the Cyllellian Archipelago. History
practically repeated itself with this settlement, once again an
isolated island environment was settled by a small and ‘exotic’ group
with a restricted gene pool.
MORE LATER.
[1] How even small groups of outsiders came into the Atlantean
breeding pool in that period is a story for another time. Suffice it
to say, for now, that they arrived in secret.
[2] Which is not to say ‘no’ genetic problems.
[3] The Eldest made his selections in much on ‘instinct’. He was a
TL0 being (at that time) and had no conception of the underlying
principles of heredity. The inner Eldren that had created him was
another matter, and the Eldest knew certain things with certainty
without knowing he knew them.
Johnny1a
atlanticus', not 'Home sapiens atlanticus'.
Johnny1a
The initial starting population in Cyllellia was far smaller than the
starting population of the Great Island, but Cyllellia was far smaller
than Atlantis, as well. The starting population in Cyllellia was
small enough that inbreeding became a significant problem in the first
few generations of the Cyllellian society. Fortunately for the
population, their genetic base was _just_ large enough to permit them
to slip past the bottleneck and established a viable self-reproducing
community in the Archipelago. Unfortunately, this came at the cost of
considerable suffering in the early generations, largely on the part
of innocent children.
The entire starting population of Cyllellia was made up of Atlantean
‘pure bloods’, already psionically powerful, and now this subset of an
isolated breeding pool was once again isolated and would remain so for
many generations, over the course of many centuries. The result was
sufficient genetic drift to produce a highly distinctive subset of the
species _Homo sapiens_, sufficiently genetically out-of-step to
sharply reduce potential fertility with the general population of _H.
sapiens_ on Earth when contact was resumed.
It was this genetic limitation on reproduction with ‘mainline’ _H.
sapiens_ that would lead taxonomists, in the twenty-first century, to
formally list the basically human mortal inhabitants of Cyllellia as a
distinct _subspecies_ of _H. sapiens_. The other distinctive
differences of the Cyllellians, on their own, would not have been
sufficient to take the drastic step of a distinct taxonomic
subclassification of the human race, but the measurable and
quantifiable limitations on mutual reproduction were deemed
sufficient. Thus along with _H. sapiens sapiens_, the human race in
the late twenty-first century on the planet Earth also includes _H.
sapiens atlanticus_, two formally recognized subspecies.
It should not be thought that _H. sapiens atlanticus_ and _H. sapiens
sapiens_ are totally infertile with each other, they _are_ still one
species. Both subspecies are normally fertile within their own
breeding populations, but the chances of successful reproduction drop
sharply with _each other_. When it does work, the offspring are fully
fertile and fully viable, with traits of both subspecies, though in
all known cases the crossbreeds are more fertile with _H. sapiens
sapiens_ than with _H. sapiens atlanticus_. In reproductive terms,
the cross-breeds can be considered _H. sapiens sapiens_, though they
often have other traits derived from their _atlanticus_ parent in the
first generation. [1] [2] [3]
Along with these reproductive differences, there are other less-
defining differences between the two subspecies, some physical and
some not.
All _H. sapiens atlanticus_ are psions, with far higher levels of
genetic potential than the general run of _H. sapiens_.
The typical _atlanticus_ is slightly taller, stronger, and notably
longer-lived than the typical _sapiens_, but by no means either
superhuman nor immortal.
The limited genetic base of the _atlanticus_ population means that
they are more vulnerable, _as a group_, to disease. That is, they
lacked the genetic diversity that can protect a population from being
wiped out by plague and related dangers. A lack of hybrid vigor
somewhat offsets the advantage they derive from an otherwise better-
than-mainline state of general health.
MORE LATER.
[1] In GURPS terms, whenever otherwise fertile individuals of _H.
sapiens sapiens_ and _H. sapiens atlanticus_ mate, with the potential
for pregnancy (i.e. no birth control in play), role 1d. Only on a ‘6’
should the otherwise normal chance of pregnancy be allowed in play.
That is, 5 times out of 6, there will be no offspring, on the sixth
there is the normal _chance_ of pregnancy.
[2] A successful crossbreed who mates with an individual of either
parent group, or another cross breed, can produce offspring. With an
_atlanticus_, the same 1 in 6 chance operates, with another crossbreed
or a mainline _sapiens_, the normal chance of pregnancy is in effect.
For practical purposes, the offspring of a mating between a cross-
breed and another cross-breed, or a cross-breed and a _sapiens_, will
be a normal _sapiens_ in reproductive (and most other) terms. A
successful offspring of a cross-breed and an _atlanticus_ will be an
_atlanticus_. Note that _any_ half-breed runs a 1 in 3 chance of full
sterility.
[3] The half-breed offspring of _atlanticus_ and _sapiens_ parents are
often said to possess ‘Atlantean Blood’, for more about this GURPS
Advantage see:
Johnny1a
The particular genetic/psychic heritage of the _H. sapiens atlanticus_
subspecies confers some specific traits on the entire population.
With rare exceptions, all _atlanticus_ individuals possess the
following Stat Modifications and Advantages:
+1 IQ
+1 DX
+2 ST
+2 HT
2 levels Extra Fatigue
Danger Sense
Empathy
Intuition
Attractive or better (to mainline H. sapiens)
Longevity (Aging rolls begin at 150, natural span is ~210. This is
_separate_ from psionic longevity.)
All Psionic Powers cost 1 pt less than normal
There are some downsides to being an _atlanticus_ as well. The
following Advantages cost _double_ for an _atlanticus_ vs. a mainline
_sapiens sapiens_.
Disease Resistant
Immunity to Disease
Also, the following physical Disadvantages are more common among
_atlanticus_ than mainline humans.
Allergies (of various sorts and severity)
Bad Sight
Color Blindness
Hemophilia
(In GURPS terms, for any given _atlanticus_, roll 3d, on a ‘3’ one
such Disadvantage is present.)
This is a side-effect of the lack of genetic diversity, and that in
turn has a further nasty implication. Typical members of the
_atlanticus_ subspecies are much more genetically similar than
‘typical’ mainline _H. sapiens sapiens_. This means that if a new
disease does manage to infect a member of the subspecies in spite of
his/her naturally high state of health, then it can be assumed that
pretty much any other _atlanticus_ exposed will also contract the
disease.
(In GURPS terms, this means that the first _atlanticus_ to be exposed
acts as a test for the subspecies. If s/he contracts it, assume that
any other _atlanticus_ exposed will also contract it, _unless_ a HT
roll is made at a high negative penalty. As always, common sense
should be applied. For ex, if the first _atlanticus_ exposed was
already sick, exhausted, hungry, and weak, s/he is not likely to be a
useful ‘test’.)
The modern-day members of the _atlanticus_ subspecies mostly come from
the population on Cyllellia, where they are part of a high-psionic
culture. As a result, an _atlanticus_ from this culture gains from
extensive and thorough training in the use of their psionic abilities,
and possess a wide range of skills.
(In GURPS terms, for those _atlanticus_ raised in Cyllellia, assume
that all psionic skills (with special case exceptions) are Mental/
Average to learn, and all the skills are available. Basic
Telereceive, Telesend, Telescan, Clairvoyance, and Telekinesis are
treated as Mental/Easy.)
MORE LATER.
Johnny1a
In appearance, the 'typical' _H. atlanticus_ is somewhat taller than
the mainline of the Terran _sapiens_ population. The males average
between 6'4" and 6'6", the females between 5'9" and 6'0". The average
build tends toward athletic and muscular, the Cyllellian culture puts
a premium on physical fitness and this is emphasized from an early
age, with extensive opportunities to act upon it.
The limited genetic pool reduces the range of physical appearance
compared to the mainline of _sapiens_. The large majority of
_atlanticus_ are blonde haired, with green eyes being the most common
eye color, blue the second most common. Skin tones tend toward
Scandinavian-pale. (Anyone familiar with the subspecies gets a +2 to
recognize an _atlanticus_ on an IQ roll, they have a distinctive
‘look’ that is common to most of the subspecies.)
(Note also that their notable resemblance to the ‘Nazi physical ideal’
is not in any sense coincidental, though the reason for connection
that will be revealed later.)
The _atlanticus_ life-cycle is quite similar, albeit longer, to that
of the ‘mainline’ _sapiens_ of Earth. Their childhood is comparable
to mainline, with full physical maturity occurring, typically, around
age twenty. Typically ‘psychic maturity’ comes somewhat later, with
full psionic strength being achieved around the age of forty in most
individuals. At that point the process of aging slows naturally, with
the first signs of aging setting in around one hundred and fifty, and
a typical lifespan running slightly over two hundred ten.
(Females live slightly longer, as with mainline _sapiens_. The
typical female _atlanticus_ will have a lifespan of about two hundred
and thirty.)
It should be noted that this lifespan is _native_ to the subspecies,
it can be and it usually is somewhat extended by means of psionic
power. As with their Atlantean ancestors, psionic strength and skill
are major status markers, and the ability to extend one’s own lifespan
carries a great deal of status in itself.
Genetically speaking, _Homo sapiens atlanticus_ is fully fertile with
each other. In practice, though, for cultural and psychological
reasons, _atlanticus_ tends to have a modest female fertility rate.
This is partly because the Cyllellian culture was shaped by the fact
that the islands on which they live are of finite size and resources,
leading to a limited carrying capacity. The practical fertility rate
is just about two point one, the ‘maintenance level’, but the majority
of _atlanticus_ children are part of large families produced by a
limited subset of the female population. [1]
MORE LATER.
[1] Which in turn contributes to the diversity problem.
Johnny1a
> It all comes down to artificial selection...or rather to semi-
> artificial selection.
>
> It all started, in a sense, when the Eldren led a tiny group of
> followers in boats made of hide and bits of wood along the retreating
> edge of the Arctic pack ice at the end of the last glacial period. A
ERRATA: The settlers of Atlantis were led by the 'Eldest', not the
'Eldren'. Though a connection exists between these two things, they
are not the same.