Geneboosting Update

[Doc]

Lore Impact: Medium

Species: Human 

Short Description: An update and addition to Dominian geneboosting lore that extrapolates on the effects of the process on the person, helps clarify why the process remains exclusive to Dominia, and reinforcement of the themes of nobility and imperial superiority in Dominian Primaries that choose to use the procedure.

How will this be reflected on-station?: Geneboosted characters may choose to take advantage of more depth surrounding their status and the procedures done to reach it, and the side-effects they may have, and may be able to provoke interactions with Zeng-Hu, Jargon, and other sources of genetic modification in the lore.

Does this addition do anything not achieved by what already exists?: Geneboosting lore at the moment is effectively one-and-done with little depth. It is largely a footnote in other aspects of Imperial culture and Dominian society- geneboosted primaries are just better than others. Clarifying side-effects and the rationale behind the research into and actual decision to use geneboosting helps provide more depth to the lore that geneboosted characters can play out from.

Do you understand that the project may change over time in ways you may not foresee once it is handed over to the Lore Team?: Of course.

Long Description: This is written as it would be on the wiki, which maintains most of the original structure of the section, but as in the last question, it is given freely to the lore staff to handle.

A field of research dating back centuries, geneboosting is descended from colonial efforts to genetically engineer species adapted to the harsh Morozian climate. Geneboosting was originally used on humans by the Volvalaads at the behest of House Strelitz with the intent of improving the Imperial Army's officer corps before being further developed by House Volvalaad into a form of noble reward for the highest echelons of Imperial society, with a focus on physical awe and visible impressiveness. Geneboosting is done during the fetal development stage, attempting to enhance the natural genetic structure of the patient. While the process aims to remove physical flaws and emphasize strengths, altering such a large portion of the patient’s genetic makeup is an imperfect science and often results in chronic health problems that go undetected until later in life. Geneboosted individuals can suffer from chronic back pains, chronic migraines, forms of arthritis, and hormonal imbalances, among other non-threatening health issues. Due to the relatively negligible nature of these issues, few nobility take issue with subjecting their children to the process in exchange for the status and awe it provides them. This form of genetic modification is limited to the nobility due to the high cost and status associated with it. The effects lead to enhanced attributes and appearances: those geneboosted are stronger, faster, more able, and much longer-lived than their non-geneboosted counterparts, so long as there are no complications counter to this. Geneboosted playable species tend to be a foot or so taller than average (upwards of seven to seven and a half feet for humans) and are obvious at a glance. Geneboosted humans are often held as paragons of Imperial society, eliciting cultural memories of Dominia's feudal past where the noble class found itself taller and stronger than the peasantry as a result of better nutrition and access to health. Geneboosting carried out after birth, known as gene therapy, is very rare and generally dangerous in addition to being prohibitively expensive. Talks with Zeng-Hu to improve upon Dominia's pre-existing gene boosting techniques, potentially reducing the incidence of side-effects, have not yielded results.

Editor in chief: @limette

Edited August 8, 2022 by Doc
Important update

[Doc]

I have been told to up the 'lore impact' to medium bc of its effects on Dominia's noble culture.

[Caelphon]

This will be attended to soon.

[The7thLain]

Hello and thanks for your submission!

After extensive discussion on this application, the human lore team has decided to reject this application. We do however think that geneboosting can be revisited in the future with its effects changed, potentially, but this submission does not line up with how we would want to achieve that. Thank you for applying regardless though.