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J
Lv 5
J asked in Arts & HumanitiesBooks & Authors · 10 years ago

In what other ways do you think humans would be effected by such an adverse environment?

I am writing a military space opera set about 8000 years in the future. From the late 24th to the mid 41st centuries hundreds of interstellar colonization efforts were sent out before the beginning of the Dark Millennium (the equivalent of an interstellar Dark Age and period of isolation). As a result the colonists developed their own society, culture, languages, customs, etc distinct from Earth's.

One such group were the Taureans.

Taurus Prime is a warm, high gravity, volcanic world (due to tidal stresses from its moons) going through the equivalent of Earth's Mesozoic Era (late Jurassic/early Cretaceous to be more exact), and thus oxygen rich.

As a result, the Taureans resorted to cybernetics and advanced genetic modification and engineering to survive their adopted homeworld's harsh conditions. The bonded into clans and became powerful, hardy, and stalwart spiritual warriors with a strong sense of pride and honor and adhere to a strict philosophical code of moral, social, honor, and battle obligation that permeates every facet of their society.

Due to their genetic enhancements they have very acute senses and possess 3-4 times the strength of a normal human. They view scars as marks of survival and thus beautiful, while prizing the utmost in physical perfection. Taurean males are often considered the most beautiful and handsome in all of Earthspace due to their imposing physical demeanor; Taurean females do not share that honor (it generally goes to Vegan or Vulpeculii females).

Their culture favors blade weapons because in a high gravity environment and until the invention of advanced energy weapons, small arms were inefficient and heavy--not to mention minimally effective against the native wildlife.

Their architecture is low and sprawling (in a high gravity environment falling one or two floors or simply dropping something onto someone below can be near fatal at best) and they seem to have a universal acrophobia (fear of heights). Their language has myriad words for concepts such as "falling", "gravity", "height", "honor", etc.

Their society is pseudo-patriarchal. Clans are typically headed by males although females have on rare occasions taken up the duty. However, females do share full rights as their male counterparts.

They were partially inspired by Samurai and Spartans.

Any further suggestions?

Update:

@Reverend:

That's where the genetic engineering comes in. I didn't want them to be dwarves.

1 Answer

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  • 10 years ago
    Favorite Answer

    In a high gravity environment, they would evolve to be short and stocky.

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