Humans

**Humans (homo-sapiens)** were once the dominant, and most expansive species on Eden, before nearly becoming completely extinct after a planetary disaster on Eden. Humans are a main species in Artificial and play a major role in the story, playing as both protagonists and antagonists to the story.

All subspecies and subtypes are members of the *Homo* genus.

## Characteristics

Humans are characterized by their bipedalism and large cognitive skills due to a large and complex brain. This has enabled the development of advanced tools, culture, and language. Humans are highly social and tend to live in complex social structures composed of many cooperating and competing groups, from families and kinship networks to political states. Social interactions between humans have established a wide variety of values, social norms, and rituals, which bolster human society. Its intelligence and its desire to understand and influence the environment and to explain and manipulate phenomena have motivated humanity's development of science, philosophy, mythology, religion, and other fields of study.

Humans are omnivorous, and capable of consuming a large variety of plant and animal material, and have used fire and other forms of heat to prepare and cook their food. Humans have a large and highly developed prefrontal cortex, the region of the brain associated with higher cognition. They are highly intelligent, capable of episodic memory, have flexible facial expressions, self-awareness, and a theory of mind. The human mind is capable of introspection, private thought, imagination, volition, and forming views on existence. This has allowed great technological advancements and complex tool development possible through complex reasoning and the transmission of knowledge to subsequent generations. Language, art, and trade are defining characteristics of humans. Long-distance trade routes might have led to cultural explosions and resource distribution that gave humans an advantage over other similar species.

Humans belong to the order of Primates and are the greatest of the *Great Apes*. Humans used to be several sub-species, Neanderthals (Homo-Neanderthalensis), Denisovans (Homo-Denisova) et cetera, all went extinct during the fifth ice age, either by human interference or natural selection.

Despite the existence of various mutations and mechanical modifications, humans still remain the most common humanoid creature on Eden (disregarding robots). Post-collapse humans, as a direct result of radiation and exposure to other chemical elements and biochemical elements later by Theldore, are sub-divided further into Prime and Pure Humans, with the former being regarded as secondary and inferior due to their intensive exposure to the elements. Some humans may be forcefully turned into forms that are unrecognizable, either by the RDV infection or by experimentation (even both), are called "Ferals" and will often have genetic mutations that differentiate them completely from humans, therefore they will only be talked briefly and explained more in depth in its own article.

## Pure and prime humans

"Pure" humans are theoretically humans that have not been mutated or exposed to the various elements of Eden, or are unnaturally immune to surface elements, or other post-collapse pollutants. They can be said to be more legitimate humans, no different to those on the surface or from before the collapse. However, because of the widespread and pervasive pollutants and fallout in the wasteland, these represent a very small minority of all sentient species on Eden. They only exist in secluded and isolated factions and towns, or are apart of Theldore. Some are preserved in isolation chambers and still remain alive in a small sense of the imagination, (even if cognitive). Even some humans who transferred their consciousness into robots or artificial-intelligences (if not exposed to the elements), may be regarded in a small sense as pure humans.

All of these variations have been uniquely interpreted by the Theldore leadership as the basis of legitimizing their claim to Eden and as a justification for eradiating or indoctrinating the "prime" humans. Claiming thoughs that have been born into the harsh elements of the planet or have been exposed to the planet for long periods are no longer pure; rather, that they are, in fact "near-humans" that pose a threat to the supposedly "pure" humanity living in the aforementioned locations. The theory is proposed by the most radical of company officials and put as company policy by said officials.

## Background

### Pre-Collapse humanity

Humans first arrived on Eden somewhere in the 24th century when three induvial whos names were lost, stumbled across the Upsilon System, along side the two planets of Avalon and Eden. At the time the planet was in its summer period, and was in a state that more resembled Earth or a warm terrae planet. Eventually the trio split up with one staying on the planet who supposedly built the first settlement on the planet. Several months passed the planet had come to be fully inhabited by humans, with large colonies and cities being established across the planet.

Holding a large part of the planet early on, Theldore Incorporated took possession of the planet during the Systems War back on Earth, as well as the Upsilon system and its surrounding systems. The planet would need to become self-sustaining as it was not being provided with adequate resources to keep the growing population in check and stabilized. As the months passed the planets population grew and grew slowly into the millions and possibly tens of millions before reaching the grueling aphelion. Temperatures across Eden would drop drastically and the planet would recede into a deep winter state. Planetary infrastructure could last a winter and was expected to, but they weren't prepared for just how long it would last, with the freezing cold, many electrical facilities, and aspects of infrastructure would either stop working or collapse.

To make things even worse for humanity, a small underground community of Worker Robots decided to rebel against the Company by tampering with the machinery inside of one of their powerplants, running on a type of crystal found on Eden. This crystal was extremely reactive, and explode under pressure or force being exerted on it. And now in addition to the already cold climate, the planet now had a chain reaction of various exploding crystal plants, completely destroying the electrical grid and causing several large explosions that wiped out entire cities across the planet. This was the final straw for the company, and they departed the planet to wait out the winter and attempt to recolonize the planet.

However as time passed it was clear that the winter wasn't subsiding, and instead seemed to have become a permanent part of the planet. The large amount of crystals in the atmosphere reflected part of the stars light and caused not enough of the suns light to reach the planets surface and warm it.

### Post-Collapse humanity

In the various underground caverns and crevices of Eden, some remnants of humanity thrived, living off of the natural flora and fauna that living in the underground floral caverns. It was these first groups of survivors that began to rebuild civilizations, with most being former inhabitants of Hadrian Valley, and Ash Canyon. Many of these survivors would form into tribes and small communities, some festering and growing into the large factions and groups of humans on Eden, one example of which being the Vultures. With the caverns connecting loosely to the outside, through connections like metros and underground rooms leading to the surface, humanity wouldn't be completely isolated from the surface, yet as time passed they seemed to prefer staying underground rather than venturing out.

In the caverns the first Bionic Humans were made when some people replaced their limbs and organs with mechanical replacements to enhance themselves. While it started nobly as a way to better the human body with the aspects of both man and machine, it soon turned into a movement and later cult by many devout individuals to the bionic way. This would cause a small scale split in these groups of humans, with the head chieftain of the Vault tribe (largest tribe) stating. "You have replaced your body and mind with machines, therefore you forfeit your humanity and are therefore you are no longer man, but machine." Bionics would be hunted and forced out of human society, as well as being renounced as humans at all, being treated like the machines, post-collapse.

This would all machine augmentations in Human society to be completely outlawed and frowned upon taboo. The few still remaining Bionics moved into the mechanical sub-caverns, some would even live with worker robots. One such person named Rigel would become worshiped amongst the larger population of robots and would be completely transformed from a human form into a more robotic version of himself, becoming Rigel, the prophet and messiah of the machines, though still retaining the bare minimum of his old self with his now metallicized skeleton. Rigel would gain supernatural abilities in his machine form, being the perfect mix of human and machine, he would become a missionary for the machines underground and go on to the human civilizations of the Floral Caverns.

Bionics would also come to dwarf man in their abilities, being capable of supernatural feats through the use of their augmentations. They slowly indoctrinated people from within the tribes of the Floral Caverns and grew to a sizable amount of people, they formed their own colony in tandem with the robots, forming the city of Malvise, intending to live isolated from humanity and in somewhat peace. However with the missionary work of the prophet Rigel would be seen as a threat, with the humans seeing it as religious indoctrination by an inferior species they had created. The Humans violented expelled Rigel from the floral caverns and back to the sub-caverns.

On the surface of Eden humanity would be its smallest yet most vigilant and hardened. Its no secret that the surface of the planet was reduced to cinders in the collapse. and in many areas some small pockets of humanity would be unlucky enough to be on the surface after the collapse. The majority of these folk were turned into slightly mutated versions of humans, though some would be in more underground areas such as metro stations and basements. People on the surface were more violent and focused on themselves rather than the good of others, being anti-social unless it suited their temporary needs. Though people inevitably formed some small groups, notorious of which being the Cawless Tribe, named after the original chieftains sewn lips, making him unable to cry out or talk (caw).

The Tribe was also known for harboring unwanted folk such as Ferals and Beasts, they regarded them and looked upon them as equals, more so than any other group on Eden, their philosophy being that the weak and fragile can be forged over time into strong people. The Chieftains words being, "Weak folk will turn themselves -- with enough determination and will, into a stronger person than they ever could be before. And these folk are no different." The Cawless tribe and other such tribes would have an isolationist policy when it came to other species and other humans not from the surface. Though some small tribes would join forces with the humans from the Floral caves in coming conflicts.

In addition to living on the surface, many people lived in the Hadrian Valley Ash Canyon post and pre-collapse, these versions of humans were more protected from the collapse and the following pollutants, fallout, and elements, the Ash Canyon for example had a natural shelf protecting part of the canyon from the elements and shading it from the sun, the area was also heated mainly with magma (hence the name Ash Canyon). Civilization in these areas was the slowest due to the already lackluster infrastructure and low levels of flora and fauna. Many people who set up in the Canyon or Valley, left soon there after, and either made way for the Floral Caverns or the Nameless City, in search of salvation. The Canyon and Valley would be abandoned before ever being properly inhabited.

Humans and Robots relations would all improve, slightly, in a meeting between a group of humans and worker robots on the surface of Eden, where in the process the two attempted to make a small semblance of co-existence through a treaty that would bar the two species from meeting or interacting with one another, and the humans acknowledgement that the Robots were in fact sentient and free thinking creatures same as them. However during this time Thldore Incorperated, (Now the Theldorian Union) were plotting to reestablish their rule on the planet. One way they were going to achieve this was by working with both sides, and informing the other that the other side had kidnapped a member of their species and were going to kill them if demands weren't met. In reality the Company established two agents to work as the leader of the humans and robots.

The Company then provoked a war between the two species, taking advantage of the already very fragile relations between the two, and causing it to snap at the break of straw. The conflict, nicknamed the Homo-Mechanicata war would last for several years and would end in a climatic battle atop Valencia Dam, with the prophet Rigel being the one to lead on the Robot sides. In the aftermath of the battle, the prophet Rigel would die a martyr and in machine religion, would return in a second coming as the Omniurge. However neither side in the battle had one, as it was the Company who had enacted its final plan, bringing all the leaders of both sides into one climatic battle and point to kill them all with the use of the Reaper Drones.

In two brief weeks, the population of Humanity and Robots would reduce to practically nothing, and humans in the Floral Caverns as well as globally, the event would be known as the Second-Collapse, and would cause the Company to take full control over the planet as the former Theldore Incorporated.

### Reinhabitation of Eden

Pockmarked across Eden, former far out colonies existed in the dry and merciless badlands of Eden. These colonies were temporary mining towns, connected to the floral caves, and were stockpiled with several thousand tons of crystals to be transported to plants back in the Nameless City. These colonies would be repurposed for the purpose of permanent habitation, seeing as the other cities and surrounding towns outside the dome were unhospitable for life. The domes would become completely covered in screens that would mimic day time and night time cycles from Avalon. As well as better day and night cycles in these colonies, it also painted the picture that Eden was more hospitable outside and yet, hard working folk outside were doing their best to get society outside ready for habitation.

And while this was true, it wasn't entirely the right view of what the Company was doing outside of the human colonies. People who volunteered to go out and build civilization outside were actually being indoctrinated into the RECO PMC (Reconnaissance PMC), which was used for clandestine operations for the reentrance of humans proper into the Nameless City, in tandem with Reaper Drones effort to remove the remaining Worker Robots and Humans. Some former groups that were cooperative to the Company, such as the Vultures, were spared the brunt of the Reaper Drones and instead were used as guides and cartographers for the Company. However the Vultures were eventually nosey enough to learn the true intentions of the Company and split of in the Night of the Arsonists, where the Vultures burned over 300 company documents relating to the surrounding area, as well as GPS Technology, and any mapping devices.

A small battle erupted between the Vultures and Company near the main gate leading into the Floral Caverns, and the Vultures managed to escape with the blast-door leading into the Grid being sealed shut by them. They became committed to doing their best to help folk leave the Grid by setting up an underground railroad out of the Grid and into the various stations.

Besides the Grid -- being the largest of the colonies set up by the company, there were various other smaller colonies dotted across the badlands of Eden. However these smaller colonies were relatively unprotected from outside elements, such as wildlife, ferals, and robots, and it was up to local establishments to protect themselves and their people from these forces, and not the company, though these establishments were monitored heavily with the use of Scanner Drones, and the company could at any time send a group of RECO Soldiers over to put the colonists back in their place. However this was only alluded to by the company rather than said out right.

## Varients

### Imperative Post-humans (Prime Humans)

The most abundant and common version of humans on Eden, prime humans are simply put, humans born on Eden and exposed to the radiological elements of the planet. These people are no different than any other man or women regarded as "regular" humans, though when it comes to intellect and personality, they make lack in comparison. Prime humans are indistinguishable from pure humans and are only different in small ways that are only significant due to their place of birth, and their high susceptibility to mutation.

Some versions of Prime humans may look more husk-like, and zombie-esque, though calling them buy such terms may be perceived as offensive to them. The skin of these versions is often completely white, drier, and rougher looking. These versions are known as "roughskins".

### Augmented Post Humans (Bionics)

Commonly referred to as Bionics, these are people who have purposely augmented themselves with mechanical attachments and apparatuses, to either enhance their performance as a person, as a transplant for a lost limb or organ, or in an attempt to transfer into a machine. Bionics possess many of the same traits as regular humans, and for the most part are fully human, despite the augmentations. Bionics can be varied in appearance, some may only have small augmentations, such as an artificial heart or organ, some may have replaced or be attached with robotic limbs, and some may replace entire portions of their body with mechanical apparatuses.

For the most part Bionics retain part of their humanity, though may develop some irreversible cognitive and physical changes, these individuals may become more irrational and barbaric along side development of destructive tendencies. Known as Reavers Bioproduct (RB), it causes severe changes to the body and mind, through forceful take over of the brain and infection of the body, spreading through the veins, turning them a sickening black.

Hostile intelligent bionics, violent even without provocation, do exist, the most noteworthy of which being the Jinx Remnants, former members of the Jinx tribe who had a policy of control and indoctrination. Most were trapped inside the Floral Caverns after the Homo-Mechanatata War.