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By Miikka64
11/29/2024 - 08:26:24

Type: Colonial creature
Rating: 12 (Good)
Tags: set:durisin

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Description

[Remake of Desert-Surisin]
The "Desert-Surisins," now more commonly known as durisins, were the result of a gene-therapy program initiated by the Surisin Empire during the Great Expansion. This program aimed to make surisins genetically better suited for colonizing arid environments. Over time, the program went through several stages of refinement, each designed to further adapt its participants to hot, dry conditions. The earliest versions focused on reducing water needs, but the final iteration was so advanced that its subjects no longer required any water intake at all.

Initially, these genetically altered surisins were still classified as "surisins" by the Empire. It wasn?t until after the Great Expansion ended and the Empire transitioned into the "Omni-Empire" that they were recognized as a distinct subspecies. As the expansion drew to a close and colonization efforts slowed, resources allocated to terraforming projects also diminished, particularly in the edgeworlds, which were often considered less important than the coreworlds.

During the expansion, the population boom caused a sharp increase in demand for Desert Survival Suits, which drove up production costs significantly. While the Desert-Surisin program was expensive, it was a one-time expense (unless participants from earlier iterations opted for upgrades) compared to the ongoing costs of the suits. Desert Survival Suits required regular maintenance, including repairs, cleaning, and modifications to accommodate aging users?each adding to the already high expense. Ultimately, the Omni-Empire determined that altering its people was more economical than terraforming planets or continuing to provide costly survival gear.

By the end of the expansion era, around half of the surisins living on desert worlds had been genetically modified to better endure their harsh environments. It was once estimated that nearly 10% of the Empire's total population had undergone genetic modification, with 3% belonging to the final iteration of the program?those who no longer required H2O. While these modified surisins still shared many physical traits with their unaltered kin, the extensive changes to their DNA effectively made them a new species.

Over time, many of these altered individuals began to see themselves as distinct from their unmodified counterparts, adopting the name "durisins." This term was eventually officially recognized by the Omni-Empire's archivists.

Durisins are generally larger than standard surisins, with a distinctive stony texture to their skin. They are often perceived as less friendly, arrogant and prideful. Whether these personality traits are the result of genetic modifications or cultural adaptations to desert life remains subjective.

Despite their differences, durisins can still interbreed with surisins, though the offspring always inherits durisin traits. This has sparked tensions between the two groups, as many durisins view themselves as "evolved" compared to their unaltered kin.

Relationships between durisins and surisins vary widely across colonies. In some, durisins are a minority and integrate seamlessly into surisin communities. In others, they form the majority and hold higher social status. In a few extreme cases, durisins are openly hostile toward unaltered surisins, particularly on planets dominated by second- and third-generation durisins. These generations, born to purely durisin parents, often develop a stronger cultural attachment to their identity and create distinct traditions.

?Trivia: Durisins can be found not only in Mikhos but also in neighboring galaxies. Rumors speak of an isolated group of durisins living in the galaxy of Benjimus, in an obscure, backwater planet within a city called "Kred?Enesh." These durisins are said to possess a wholly unique culture and appearance, distinct from both surisins and other durisins. They even go by a different name: "desersins."