ooc: Breed internal social structure

((Talk on another thread got me thinking about this. What sort of internal social systems would exist in the various breeds. How to members of a breed react to other members of their breed and what attributes do they look for or respect. Caste systems, "house" systems, "clans", profession based, income based etc arte just come examples of possible systems.

Since FC hasnt really stated anything on this, I thought we could discuss it here, possibly comming up with a new aspect of social RP.

To begin, each race was created to fill a role. While doing so, they obviously would have formed social bonds withing that role, and even a heirarchy possibly.

Atrox for example, worked in the mines doing manual labor. Would they have developed more respect for the stronger of them, thus developing a social heirarchy based on strength or stamina? If so, would atrox have developed some form of physical trials to establish position in their ranks?


Some proposed social systems (totally open for discussion or flaming :) )

Atrox: Based on physical prowess. The stronger you are, the higher your standing in the atrox community. Feats of strength used to set position.

Nanomages: Caste system based on professon. The more nano intensive a profession, the higher on the social heirarchy the nanomage stands. A nano Fixer or Enforcer would be near the bottom, while the NT, MPs would be at the top, with mixed classes filling out the middle.

Opifex: No ideas atm.



Obviously nothing would be binding, just like in RL there are some people that ignore social boundries, but there are many more that obey them.

This is intended to be a fun edition to RP and based on possible social evolutions in artificially created breeds set to work in specific ways, not in any way derogatory or restrictive.


Some things to think about:

Ways of setting social order (contests of strength or wit, simply being a profession, being of "noble" or pure descent, achievements etc).

How severe the divisions in the order. Do the top level people even talk to the low level people?

How does the social order manifest itself. Is it keep secret in the breed, or public? Does one level of the social order wear something different usually (clothes as a sign of wealth as an example).

Can someone change their social position? If so, how?


try to keep it fun.......

cheers
))

OOC: I like your ideas to a certain extent. I believe that the different breeds would develope differing cultures based on differing factors. also there would naturally be differences within the breeds based on politics and world view. That is one of the factors behind the creation of the Nanomage Liberation Front. We are trying to add a different aspect to life on Rubi-Ka. While in our guild status is a measure of one's abillity to communicate intelligently, outward self control, and the abillity to act proffesionally towards others even under the most trying circumstances. That is our culture, and what we see as status are the abillities to live up to those ideals. Those that scream and shout proffanity are looked down apon as of low status.

I think atrox wouldn't care about one's use of language or self control, more likely sheer power and the abillity to project power and self confidence would show status.

Opifex would likely treasure not only swiftness in battle and daily business, but in social situations as well. You'd see some of the best dancers and musicians among the elite of Opifex society. Thier language and slang would reflect this.

The Solitus would probably likely reflect the culture of the galaxy at large. The solitus are likely to be closest to "our" cultures.

within each breed there would obviously be many variations but also there would be common tendancies.

Wouldn't it be more likely that this social interaction would not be restricted by breed? The strongest person Atrox or not would be admired by everyone?

Only if you actually admire strength. A nanomage may actually look down upon some musclebound atrox if they value intelligence over strength for example.

Of course some traits will be favorable to all humans, but this thread is to discuss the possibility of developing a subset of breed specific social structures based on the history and design of the various breeds.

I am speaking about the social heirarchy/culture that would form in the new breeds and specific to the breeds. It would be fun to have many people,in different factions and orgs, Rping to some extent with a common conception of social "order" with respect to their breed, in addition to any others (org, faction, human in general)

I'm sure bodybuilders are strong like oxes, but I despise them anyway. Track & field athletes however, I do admire. It's all about what you value as a person... I can imagine nano-mages would have more respect for skill with nano technology, as a majority of that breed work with that... but I don't think that every homo-nano does. whatevah. I guess the point is that everyone doesn't like music for example, so they don't give a rats behind about the greatest compositor of all time, or John Petrucci's skillz with the guitar etc.

OCC
(( I think this would differ depending on how you came to the planet. And of course... once the speicies were all genetically created.

Obviously since the period of genetic creation of Homo Nano, Homo Opifex, and Homo Atrox the species has had time to settle both on planet and amongst the galaxy that would exsist in the "world" of AO. Now most certainly the majority of Homo Nano would still reside on only Rubi-ka (for now), but I would imagine Homo Opifex being sly and cunning has worked its way across the galaxy into the social networks and other Corporations to become just as numerous as the Homo Solitus... as for Homo Atrox, with a strong genetic strength and natural lack of intelligence, and inability to reproduce would make a suit-able slave just about anywhere in the galaxy... I think Atroxes are being produced all over the galaxy to be hard inexpensive labor for Omni-Tek and other Corporations...

As for those on Rubi-ka... with the first production of individual speicies through artifical means it is most likely that groupings occured naturally. Meaning each batch would be a unit or if you prefer "family" and the next batch of created speicies would have an easier time cause they would learn more rapidly from the last batch of the same speicies... those in the same batch would bond into groups or families but would acquire a host of contacts outside their unit in other batch's units.

Most likely advanced planning was done to alter genetics so that batches of created speicies would be able to mate with other previous batches without mutations or genetic deviants.

Of course the point of incubation plays a large role in the development of social groups. Most likely earlier batches were given names and thaught during incubation to full adult maturity by membrane processes and manipulation of the world they would emerge into, how things worked, and what objects were etc. however would not have a sense of Self, merley drones to be put to service depending on structure of their incubation period learning.

Althought the first few batches of early generations would be costly so the next batches would probably be incubated into a cognitive stage and raised by trained handlers (fully incubated adults) of the same speicies. Sense of self and development of self through experience would take over here and give birth to those that may or may not fit the "drone" structure... so there would probably be culling and terminations of adolesent speicies displaying negative traits not desired for their independence and need of free-will.

Escapes and attacks from Social Groups outside of the company would of course lead to eventual freedom of some but not all of those produced in such a way... and of course now those that can breed do, and hence the continuing of the species.

Only the Atrox would most likely retain that batch unit type behavior, as they are still harvested artifically.

I would guess that Homo Solitus share the somewhat traditional "family" as they have been breeding for centuries and have never had a batch unit experience. They most likely gather in couples, sometimes for life, and have 4~10 children possibly more depending on location, position, and additional life span.

Homo Atrox we look to those that are born in groups for labor, possibly being taught a rough heiarchy based on performance, depending on purpose. Most likely sold for labor or servants by produces an Atrox would have a long journey to Self Awareness of worth and value of their own lives. Those likely among Rubi-ka now are liberated laborers, native created by Omni-tek/Clan owned facilities, part of illegal crime groups, soliders for galactic warlord/planetary governors. You would find a large variety of social structures amongst Atroxs, to numerous to count.

I would imagine that Homo Nano would have a high amount of intelligence, bordering on psychic... Most would probably dive into Notum intense profession almost with an addiction, or into an area that would put thier intellect to use.
Most Homo Nanos seem to hate the physical world and would rather view with a minds eye than their own senses, hence the self-mutilation of eye, ears, and even the mouth. Homo Nano are a speicies that are bound to Rubi-ka (for the moment) forever, and most Homo Nanos probably have a family connection to the planet itself. To them the planet is life and death, a place they cannot escape.

Homo Opifex would in the earlier stages probably form units along skill and power based struggle lines. Being an agile and cunning speicies of above average intelligence they would praise both intelligence in political manuvering and the cunning disposal of enemies. Those that do both with great efficiency would be of highest respect, carrying a title or name that would most recognize or wish to obtain. So Clans would form... each Opifex starting with a first name and being adopted into a Clan, then of course the Clan name would simply pass from generation to generation... There would not be inter-family marriages within a certain Clan but more of a three named approach... where your first name belonged to you, your second ( or middle ) name belonged to your "family" or litter and a thrid that fit that was Clan name. Litters would work together for the Clan and their leader, cause the Clan is family, other than the litter name determined by genetic parents, your parents are all the adults amongst the Clan.
A form of accepting outside Clan refugees, new members would, as well as rules of behavior, conduct would all come into play.
The Homo Opifex social structure would be a complex one to understand or penetrate if one was an outside speicies.

There are of course my opinions, and based on knowledge I have of the world and cultures around me. When writting this I couldn't think of anyway to explain the cultures of the Speicies without going into how they possibly grew up and started on Rubi-ka to begin with, as that would probably have the largest impact on their forming of social structures. ))

http://grimworld.homestead.com/onn3.html


I will attempt to shed some light on the atrox breed for readers in this editorial using my personal experiences and knowledge of Rubi-Ka and being an atrox who can read and write..
I know many of you may not be able to read this so, I will make it easy to understand and hopefully you can have someone read it to you. I
have spent 184 years mulling over my existance on this planet and what purpose I truly serve as an atrox. I have been a general, an officer, a mercenary, and even a president of a small organization at one point for a
short time.
I have never felt like "equipment", and have never believed we as atrox are here for the sole purpose to be ordered around or laughed at or joked about as equipment or mentally lacking. I would even go so far as to say I personally have been been made fun of as being dumb or genderless more times then I can count.
Not all atrox are as dumb as people make them out to be either. I for one, have 420 points of nano enhanced intelligence swimming around in my small atrox brain, solitus don't have that much more intelligence when there breed limits are reached. Yet we are still seen to most as hulking brutes of limited ability or mentally handicapped in some way.
I'm telling you this is not the case. You as an atrox may not
be the smartest or fastest but you are unique. How unique are we? I can tell you for certain that 90% of the true labor done on Rubi-Ka has been done by atrox. The other breeds are simply not strong enough for heavy lifting you see.
There is a differance for us though. We as atrox were once miners and used as machinery, this is a long forgotten but not lost bit of the history of Rubi-Ka. It is a dark history for the atrox but recent events have given the atrox as a whole breed
to rise above that form of work and make a difference for themselves.
And now I will tell you why...
Let the other breeds know that without the atrox breed they are nothing! Atrox are the backbone of any strong team, the real damage takers, the damage dealers, the base of that pillar that holds the entire building together.'
If you want to see an example of this I will provide a picture of Omni-Med with this editorial, and you can clearly see the true
power of the atrox.

You as an atrox are special in the fact that you as a being are providing you support to that pillar at your leisure, should they lose
that strength there pillar will fall upon them and who would rebuild that pillar? An atrox would of course.
Can atrox survive without other breeds help? Of course.
Can the rest survive without Atrox... No way.
I think it is time for all atrox to demand the respect we deserve on this planet as the backbone of the economy and strength that supports all.
I say the next time someone tells you how stupid you are, make them understand what being an atrox means to them and that they
are wanting without atrox.
If your sexual identity is mocked... you can refer them to this little definition I dug up while searching through books in the camelot library...


Atrox=Noun=An Epicine Breed
Epicine=Noun; One having both male and female sexual characteristics and
organs


That is the true definition of the breed, and the one and only I will base my opinions on


There is this definition aswell


Atrox=Adjective=An Epicene Breed
1.Having an ambiguous sexual identity
2.Having unsuitable feminine qualities


The two above definitions are both correct in there own way, there is a medium point between the two that you decide for
yourself.
And the most fictional of the beliefs about atrox are this definition...


Atrox=sissy=No actual male of female form.


This is wrong, as most atrox beside the corpulant ones most definatley have a "package" there.
Personally, I find most atrox I have met to be male and masculine in nature. I have word there are female atrox on Rubi-ka though but they still look well... like men basically.
I'll leave it up to you what you do with your organs, just so you know they are there and can be used with the right amount
of stimulation and responsibility.
As far as I know atrox are unable to bear offspring or pass diseases to other breeds or between themselves. I'd be careful though as most other breeds may not be able to handle the size of an atrox, if you get my drift.


You are the base of the pillar, the power, the resolve, the glue, the
strongest link in a weaker chain. And with that I
wish you safe travels on Rubi-Ka


Bongo "Ognom" Barnaby


A photo included by Mr. Barnaby showing an Atrox as being a "pillar"
The Atrox:
An Editorial
by Bongo "Ognom"Barnaby


Thank you Mr. Barnaby for taking the time to submit your thoughts



This has been an editorial by an independant author. If you would like to make a comment please gridmail the ONN at jongrim@grimworld.org

Not to belittile anyone here, but this is an OOC thread meant to discuss ways of developing and RPing social hierarchy of the various breeds in AO.