[OOC][Inaius] The Planet Wadj

Hidden far out in the depths of space is the Khenet Star System. Khenet being home to the not only habitable but inhabited planet of Wadj. The planet has a lower amount of Gravity, Much more massive atmosphere, slightly more sunlight, a faster rotation speed and almost no axial tilt. This means that due to additional greenhouse gases and sunlight the planet is warmer than the world humans come from. It’s more massive atmosphere, faster rotation speed and almost non-existent axial tilt, means that temperatures are much less variable. It’s rotation speed and thicker atmosphere also mean stronger and more frequent storms. The more massive atmosphere also creates more erosion which in turn makes a more humid climate making it’s climate even more mild and exacerbating the planet’s storms. The Planet lacks Deserts and instead has grasslands, Tropical Highlands tropical forests, and miniscule semi-arid climates which give the planet a much more diverse biosphere and could hold many untold secrets in medicine and biology.

The planet’s lower levels of gravity, and higher amount of oxygen allow its fauna to grow to much larger sizes than on other planets. The planet's high oxygen atmosphere creates much more intense fires as well. With an average temperature of 18 to 29 degrees Celsius, It’s warmth and almost unchanging temperatures have led to the domination of cold blooded fauna.

The Sentient Species of Wadj, having hundreds of languages, has no single name for itself. Some call themselves Siopp which comes from the word for soil, or Torshn which is a word for specific grain like plant used in agriculture. In the Rainforests the species either forages for its plants or grows them in Forest Gardens, these forest gardens can have multiple layers and are poly-cultural. It also hunts predominantly through ambushing their prey, or more commonly using traps to capture prey. Due to their cold blooded the species requires less food than other sentient species allowing more time for leisure or in some cases more food for those who do not farm. Due to their humid climates, books rot much more easily and are not typically present outside of the grasslands, therefore oral traditions are utilized. The Siopps may have scaly skin and cold blood but there are many biological differences between them and Earth’s Reptiles. Their locomotion and pelvis are bipedal and humanoid in form. They have larger brains and higher cognitive abilities than reptiles, have limited growth after adulthood, and take a considerable amount of time raising their young, are viviparous and produce milk for their offspring. Two differences between males and females is size, and changes in color of scales.

Clothing: They Wear very little clothing made from light fabrics. Some clothing is colorful and meant for ceremony or displaying wealth. However Hunters will use colors that can blend in with their surroundings and not be spotted by their prey.

Star System:
Wadj: Inhabited Terrestrial World.
Mass: 1.4
Radius: 1.4 Earth Radii

Toru Malku: (concept is basically Jupiter)
Mass in Earth Masses: 412.959
Equilateral Radius: 20.658 Earth Radii
Moons: Elat, and another undiscovered moon

Elat: While likely not having an active Iron core, it is very close to Toru Malku giving it much needed energy from Tidal Heating, possibly enough energy to support some form of life in a subsurface ocean.(Concept is a giant Europa with hopefully more tidal heating.)
Mass in Earth masses: .51
Radius: .54 Earth Radii

Undiscovered Moon: (Concept is essentially Titan but more massive, and closer to the sun)
Mass in Earth masses .276
Radius: .404 earth radii


Irtyu: Gas Giant
Earth Mass: 31.683
Earth Radii: 7.89

Fauna:
The planet Wadj does not have true insects, in fact despite the increased amount of oxygen on the planet, its “false insects” are considered to be false because they play the role of insects on Earth but look nothing like them. are much more like crabs as they have oxygen within their blood, which is a necessity due to their increased size. However the square cube law prevents them from becoming as large as species with endoskeletons. most of them have evolved exoskeletons, while some do not have skeletons at all and instead move around by crawling on their tentacles. Those with exoskeletons have whisker-like hairs to detect stimuli in their environment. Those with tentacles do not grow as large as those with exoskeletons, live in either aquatic, arboreal, or have wings such as the “Terror Flies”. Although Terror Flies are essentially a mixture between exoskeletal no skeleton as they have exoskeletons for muscles involved in steering and flying. Terror flies come in various sizes. There are two classifications of Terror Flies based on what they eat with Vampire Flies using it’s proboscis to drink the blood of its victims in the night. Vampire Flies possess a venom with a similar function to opioids meant to sedate their prey. If enough of their venom enters the bloodstream the victim will eventually become unable to flee and they will have their fill of blood. Vampire Flies are smaller than their relatives the Dragon Bees, and The Siopps use strong netting to keep them from entering their homes. This however has not completely stopped the spread of the horrific diseases these creatures spread. The other form of terror bees are called Dragon Bees, they come in bright colors meant to signify poison/danger. They are called bees, as they pollinate flowers in an effort to make honey or simply drink their nectar for nourishment. These creatures only attack when they feel threatened and can grow as large as Fruit bats.

Within the planet’s rainforests and “Marine Climates”(Even more humid and rainy than regular rainforests) eyesight is less emphasized due to tree and cloud cover than Earth based life. Thanks to the planet’s thicker atmosphere creatures olfactory senses are more relied on, as well as other forms of vision like those that detect changes in the amount of light rather than color, or those the detection of infrared to determine heat. Most animals also have methods of detecting changes in the weather such as barometric,humidity, wind velocity, or low frequency sounds. In Aquatic environments electroreception is utilized. Within Grasslands some creatures have magnetoreception which is used to migrate for the dry season. Terror Flies even exhibit the ability to detect changes in the atmosphere’s composition(co2) for detecting weather events and in the case of the vampire flies possibly to detect prey.

Aerial Locomotion: Due to the much higher atmospheric pressure. Traditional fliers using wings can grow to much larger sizes compared to Earth based life, and or alternatively can possess much smaller wings. Because of the ease of flying, Siopps have already developed flight, which is much sooner than for other sentient species. Using drafts to soar or glide is much more prevalent on Wadj, this allows animals to be in the air longer and fly further distances with less energy than on Earth. However there are non-traditional methods of flying such as using parachutes made out of silk-like materials. Some herbivores will use balloon-like bladders to achieve lift and drift to other areas for feeding as well as to appear larger to ward off predators.

Sentient Species Biology:
Males are larger, and when feeling certain emotions as such as anger, will change in scale color or they can become much more bright and colorful which is attractive to female mates, this ability stems from the species heritage being descendant of Ambush predators. Due to their long lifespans not just due to their biology but due to their better nutrition and better hygiene than preindustrial Earth as well. A side effect of this is that the form of love more commonly known as Eros and Mania are less emphasized species-wide if not looked down upon as in the case of some cultures in favor of Storge and Agape. Due to their evolutionary History as Ambush Predators and preferred use of tools like traps to capture prey, this species is not as well equipped at running as others it is also possible that this reliance on deception in hunting explains the preferred tools of subjugation of the planet’s rulers who rely much more on Guile, Diplomacy, Politics, and Soft power, over brute force and violent activities and hard power although this is arguably not nearly as true for the Warrior Caste. However these are not the only possible behaviors that can be explained in this way, their lack of physical violence may in fact increase the use of other behaviors using slander, defamation and propaganda, as well as social exclusion and the use of social stigmas to control people. It could be speculated further that this use of exclusion as a weapon has lead to the species becoming much more social and has developed their ability to understand nonverbal expressions and differences in speech as well as improved their overall emotional intelligence.

The Sentient species of Siopps or Torshn possess a variety of senses not normal to humans: two separated noses in the ear canal, which possibly evolved in an effort to detect the direction of smoke emanating from the fires that plague the planet. they also have pits on the sides of their head that allow them to see in infrared like the rattlesnake. As well as multiple methods for detecting changes in the weather as stated in the above Fauna category.
Height: 10.2 Ft
Mass: 77 Kilograms minimum for healthy sedentary weight.

Diet:
Sedentary Siopps/Torshn require much fewer calories than more mammalian species on other worlds. Though they require more if they are more active, are pregnant, or are lactating, Sedentary members of this species require
433 nutrition calories per day. This is broken down into
220 calories must come from Protein, with the remainder coming from Nuts/Seeds, and Vegetables not high in starch,
53 Calories from Healthy Fats
160 calories from Carbohydrates.
Since they require so few carbs they can get all they need from legumes, nuts, seeds, vegetables, and most commonly Fruit. This has resulted in the cultural taboo of plants resembling grains and plants like potatoes being judged as empty calories only suitable for the very poor(like humans eating clay to escape hunger pains), those who attempt to gain significant body fat(body fat is considered attractive as it shows one is well off, showing one has plenty of food) through eating these sorts of high carb foods are looked down on and not deemed to be like those who gain weight through eating fruits and vegetables. Due to the fact they are harder to digest, and there is less necessity to eat them the species has not evolved as much in the area of digesting starches, so while they can eat them it is harder to digest than for humans. Due to this species using fruits more so than grains, the fermentation of fruit was not only discovered first, but is the dominant form of Alcoholic beverage on the planet.

Religion:

Religion as a whole: Belief in the supernatural is very common on Wadj. Interestingly there is no evidence on the planet anywhere of anyone practicing Monotheism, thought to be due the large number of plant species they must identify. Polytheism exists on the planet however many do not believe in any true deities and instead believe in many different Spirits.
Religion statistics, While demographic statistics are extremely hard to obtain and can never really be more than speculation when considering the planet as a whole it appears that this estimation seems to be the most accurate.
32.1% (137 Million) Enlightenment based Traditions, 31.1% ( 133 Million) Folk Religions, 12.8%(55 Milllion) Unaffiliated, 6% (26 million Bodavari Polytheism, 6%( 26 Million) New Age Spiritual Movements. 4% (15 Million) Off world Religions, 5% ( 21 Million) Other.



Classification: Enlightenment based Traditions

History: Existed in some form or another for a minimum of five thousand years, possibly having roots that are ten or twenty thousand years old.
Goals are to live ethical lives, to develop respect, awe and reverence, towards nature, and to attain enlightenment(true understanding of the supreme reality, or in some traditions to transcend limited faculties and regain awareness as a universal consciousness)
Believe that reality as seen by Siopps is an illusion.
Use Dance, music, hallucinogens, fasting, sleep deprivation, to generate hallucinations that are considered to be generated by demons and ghosts from the spirit worlds.
Uses “Right Conduct”, Meditation, Hallucinogens, Yoga, Science and chanting to elevate the mental state of a person towards enlightenment
Right Conduct being based on compassion, Selfless unconditional love without discrimination, wisdom, and altruistic behavior as well as removal of attachment and dependence,
Varies between Atheist, Animist, and Pantheist beliefs even within traditions
Belief in Nature Spirits, and Demons, and Ancestral Spirits(ghosts)
Afterlife: the dead decompose and their spiritual energy slowly leaves the body and spills into a state between our world and the spirit worlds suffering from an inability to satisfy desires and watch as people move on without them. This of course can be prevented by developing enough love and compassion for others that one is satisfied by other’s fulfillment and happiness, as to feel accomplishment and happiness instead. Some skip this step and enter the spirit world directly, those who cannot enter the spiritual world due to not being able to develop their spiritual faculties instead go through rebirth.

New Age Tradition: This tradition is Pantheist and Transhumanist abandoning concepts of nature spirits over scientific understandings of nature, and encouraging and emphasis on the use of science and technology over spiritual techniques to shatter the illusion of reality, in some cases even abandoning rebirth. Other new age interpretations of this religion exist including those that emphasize survivalism and prohibit most use of new technologies.

Folk Religions:
Wadj Folk Religions are disorganized shamanistic religions of the planet Wadj
Nature Spirits created and control the universe, One does not pray to them except as a last resort or when nature spirits harm the community(natural disasters for example) instead one prays to ancestral spirits. This can seem similar to the enlightenment based traditions but they are in fact different. Rituals are meant to sustain the community and create harmony within the community, with the ancestors and nature spirits, rituals can also be used to harness the supernatural for good(white magic). These religions generally include divination and witchcraft as well as objects with spiritual significance such as fetishes, and masks. So rituals, magic, divinity play a much more significant role, with harmony being the main goal rather than enlightenment. There is simply too much variation to go much further in depth from public resources, however there is more in depth research that has been done by corporations such as the Haggard Corporation that is protected by a paywall in order to “compensate and protect the natives of Wadj”.


New Age Religions are religions of the new age that are post-contact religions. These religious movements are reactions to or outright rejections of Alien cultures and religions. Common threads include current or imminent contact with Aliens and UFOs, the adoption of various foreign practices like folk/holistic medicines, and emphasis on apocalyptic events(many based on the fermi paradox) also known as TEOTWAKI, as well as differing opinions on the use of new technologies. Others modify foreign practices considerably and merge them with native religious beliefs.

Social Structure:

Social Stratification::
Caste: Social Stratification based solely on heredity which gives assigned jobs and positions
Social Class: Status is initially based on birth but one can at least hypothetically move up and down the social ladder, and are not locked in from birth to death.

The species is somewhat eusocial having both true castes and social castes. True Caste was determined by either being female or if male the father’s caste which is passed down by the father’s y chromosome as well as comparing physical and mental characteristics to confirm the truth of the claim the alleged father is in fact the father. Social castes are castes that are social constructs including caretakers being in group 4, and slaves being born in the fifth, Children being lumped into class 4, slaves who are captured being put in group 5 and women from group 1 are social classes. Social Stratification has changed since contact however and thanks to the influence of Corporations attempting to develop better PR have abolished slavery in the parts of the planet that they control. Some believe another social class should be added, that of someone who is an outcast.
1.Sacred Caste: Shamans/Priests and Priestesses/Doctors/Judges(these roles are pretty blurred)(This caste can also be a social class for women who practice certain trials in order to prove their ability)
2. Warrior Caste: Warrior/Political ruler/tribute collectors
3. Worker Caste: Craftsmen/Farmers/Merchants
4. Caretaker class: Average Women and maids and caretakers, Children
5. Slaves captured in War and Livestock

Note: The sacred caste behaves politically like a supreme court determining whether a law or action is moral much like a supreme court. This caste has higher intelligence, religiosity, and impulse control. They must pass trials of impulse control, problem solving, moral tests, and tests to show how they can handle stress and failure as well as other less common tests, in order to maintain their status within the caste, specifically they must be equal to or surpass their parents in their test. They are considered closest to enlightenment yet they also have much higher incidences of psychotic disorders. This Caste is forced to breed only with women within their caste, if they are terrible enough at their jobs and exams they will be sterilized. The sacred caste’s most important function is the maintenance of their community’s spirituality and administrating religion.

Race: Due to the similar climate planet wide, and the ability for the species to change skin color, they do not experience racism like other species do. In fact many did not believe that racism could exist in other species and to this day some small groups dismiss the idea that racism exists in human species as a joke or urban legend much like the flat earthers of the former planet earth.
Ethnicity: Shared ancestry or social heritage can be a basis of discrimination and inequality in society. Ethnocentrism is usually much less common than on other worlds, and post contact society has lead to the melting of different cultures. While Discrimination does exist and likely will continue to exist Caste is much more heavily emphasized to the point that apartheid based on ethnicity is largely unheard of unlike in Earth’s history.
Gender:
Gender being is intertwined in caste and social class to the point they are one and the same. Biological females can change caste, and therefore change gender somewhat by passing trials set by their community in order to elevate their caste to the sacred caste. Those who have seek to live outside their caste who either fail the trials or want to be a part of a different class such as the worker or warrior castes are forced to remain in their birth caste if they continue to protest they become outcasts. Studies are unclear, but some propose that with this species gender roles stemming from biological castes are more biologically based due to the biological nature of the castes.
Sexual Orientation: Sexual desires are less emphasized in relationships species-wide, however sexual desires towards others of the same sex are much less stigmatized. What is stigmatized is choosing not to have children and a traditional family(one is expected to live a straight life) males are also looked down on for mating with those of a lower male caste.