Species

## Earth Species

### Human (Homo Sapiens Sapiens)

The entire branching off of the species Homo sapiens came with the arrival at Earth of the Celestials, the Space Gods of genetic engineering; the Celestials as a race have their origins shrouded in mystery, and are beings of phenomenal cosmic power and knowledge, but are definitely known to visit planets across the universe, enhancing the local sentient fauna, returning periodically to monitor the progress of their charges.

"Humanity" developed generally ignorant of its genetic relatives the Eternals and Deviants, and even of the few isolated cases of mutation to, on the whole, develop identical cultures to those of the real world, parallel in almost every way; at least until World War II, when the appearance of superbeings became proliferated, and unable to avoid.

Changes between human cultures since that point have entirely reflected the greater presences of superbeings, notably Homo Sapiens Superior ("mutants"), although in recent times all metahumans have been targeted by certain bodies; this can be seen in such governmental legislation as the weakly-backed Mutant Registration Act, and the more popular Superhuman Registration Act, and traditional prejudices against mutants and certain other superbeings.

### Magus (Homo Sapiens Magus)

Magi are a sub-race of naturally magic-wielding humans. According to Doctor Mist, the Homo Sapiens Magus evolved in a parallel but separate line, alongside Homo Sapiens Sapiens. Magi are naturally adept at magic; while all humans can learn to use magic, Magi are far more likely to be talented at it.

Magi on Earth originated on the lost continent of Atlantis. The continent was a focal point for unharnessed magical energies (wild magic), and the local humans evolved as a result of their exposure to these energies. Those humans who gained these inherent mystic abilities interbred for thousands of years, concentrating and strengthening the genetic predisposition. Upon the fall of Atlantis, people who carried the predisposition scattered to the four winds. Today, every human being capable of casting spells is a descendant of a Magi.

The Homo Sapiens Magus gene is dominant; the child of a normal human and a full Magi will always be a Homo Sapiens Magus. How and why this trait expresses itself the way it does has yet to be recorded.

### Atlantean (Homo Sapiens Mermanus)

Atlantis itself had been a small above ground continent with many human settlements, when an event 10,000 years ago called the "Great Cataclysm" caused it to be submerged into the sea. 2,000 years later, a group of Homo mermani made the ruins of the human settlements in Atlantis their home and went on to develop a society there using as much of the material as they could scavenge from the wreckage.

500 years after the settlement of Atlantis, another group of Homo mermani left Atlantis to found their own city - this time in a part of the ruins of another continent submerged during the Great Cataclysm - Lemuria in the Pacific Ocean.

These "Lemurians" would discover the Serpent Crown in the ruins of their city, and through their leader Naga's exposure and extensive use of the ancient mystical device, they would become more serpent-like in appearance than their Atlantean cousins.

During the 20th century the Homo mermanus race began to come into sustained contact with their human cousins. These contacts have often been hostile, and have included many aborted invasions and even separate occasions when large numbers of Homo mermani were rendered comatose or sterilized for periods. During the Second World War the kingdom of Atlantis also fought against the Axis Powers in alliance with the Allied Powers.

However, not all interactions between Homo sapiens and Homo mermanus have been hostile - during the 1920s a Homo mermani female, Princess Fen of Atlantis mated with the human sea captain Leonard McKenzie - a union which produced the first human/Atlantean hybrid - Namor, the Sub-Mariner.

### Arachnohuman (Homo Sapiens Arachnus)

Homo Sapiens Arachnus (Latin: "Human Intelligent Spider") is a grouping of mutate connected to the Web of Life and Destiny. Those turned into Arachnohumans are bestowed with powers identical to those possessed by Spider-Man, however, the less stable alterations to their genetics compared to those of Homo Sapiens Insectus often drive them towards metamorphosing into giant spiders or humanoid spider-monsters. These metamorphosed individuals are under the control of the Spider-Queen, who is able to control them in the same manner as those with the Insect Gene, and can control the transformation's progression at will.

### Mutant (Homo Sapiens Superior)

It is possible for those within the Homo sapiens subspecies, due to their genetic potential to support benevolent mutations, to spontaneously develop a gene within the newly created zygote which endows superhuman abilities and/or appearance on the individual; however, anyone born with this "X-Gene" is automatically a member of the separate subspecies Homo Sapiens Superior, distinguished only by the presence of a single gene. The gifts endowed by the presence of the gene can be minimal to phenomenal. There are many of theories as to what can catalyze the development of the gene within an individual, ranging from sunspot activity, to parental exposure to radiation in some form; however, ultimately, the answer is unknown.

The circumstances and opinions surrounding mutants as a political body have always been very much polarized, presumably because of a similar polarization within the attitudes of the mutant community; some strove for acceptance, whilst others declared themselves "humanity's successors" and sought to take their place by force. As a result, opinions on how to deal with the mutant community have always been similarly divided. There have been attempts to exterminate mutants (with the robotic Sentinels, or the deadly Legacy Virus, amongst other things), enslave them (using the mutate process created by the Sugar Man and employed by the Genegineer of Genosha), or indeed both (such as the Weapon Plus programs), and even appease them (such as when Magneto was given sovereign command of the country of Genosha); it has only been recently that mutants have been accepted as members of society by law, as equal to other superhumans (as evidenced by the Super-Hero Registration Act, which affects all with metahuman abilities, regardless of origin of said abilities).

### Inhuman (Homo Sapiens Supremis)

The Terrigenesis is the source of most of the Inhumans' powers. Subjection of any individual Inhuman to the Terrigenesis conventionally requires the approval of a majority vote of the Genetics Council. Inhumans are subject to diseases, among them "Gral's disease", a hereditary disease that expresses as extreme weakness in the sick Inhuman. It is not fatal if caught in time.

Even without using the Terrigen Mist, the Kree modifications, combined with centuries of selective breeding have given all Inhumans certain advantages. Their average lifespan is 150 years, and an inhuman in good physical condition possesses strength, reaction time, speed, and endurance that are all superior to the finest of human athletes.

## Extraterrestrial Species

### Braalian (Homo Sapiens Attractus)

Braalians are a race of humanoid aliens from the planet Braal. They all have the natural ability to manipulate magnetic fields. Braalians were revealed to have been a group of genetically engineered humanoids who were part of a eugenics program to create superpowered beings undertaken by a species called the Dominators. A Daxamite hero rescued the test subjects and relocated them to new lives on other worlds. Those with magnetic powers were placed on a world populated by metallic animals, thus utilizing their ability and giving birth to the Braalian civilization.

By the 30th century, Braal was a populated and thriving world, although with cycles of economic deficiency and poor relations with fellow worlds in the United Planets government.

### Edenian (Homo Sapiens Immortalus)

Edenians, also aptly known as Eternals, hail from the planet Edenia, and have very long lives, with 10,000 years old being still considered young. Edenians also often possess special powers. It is said an Edenian's long life span, strength, and nobility are due to their being descendants of the gods of their realm.

There exists a recessive genetic predisposition among the Eternals known as Deviant Syndrome. This syndrome is considered a mutation, and likewise, those affected are considered mutants (called deviants). An individual afflicted with the Deviant Syndrome will eventually undergo physical changes that set them apart from unafflicted Edenians.

### Kryptonian (Homo Sapiens Solus)

Kryptonians, Lexiconians, and Daxamites fall into this category. Kryptonians are an alien humanoid race of beings that originate from the planet Krypton, whilst Lexiconians originate from the planet Lexicon, and Daaxamites originate from the planet Daxam. Kryptonians, Lexiconians, and Daxamites are basically humans in their structure and appearance, but their biology is far more advanced than that of Earth-based humans in that they are able to utilize energy in their bodies in a far more direct and elaborate manner than Earth-based humans do. Provided with sufficient energy, this enables them to produce photonic blasts and personal telekinetic barriers, as well as perform contact-telekinesis, allowing for flight and practically super-human "strength."

Kryptonian, Lexiconian, and Daxamite bodies are able to directly absorb and process yellow, green, blue, and violet photons through their body for a host of effects that would allow them incalculable power levels when fully charged, however, even though their bodies automatically attempt to do so, Kryptonians, Lexiconians, and Daxamites cannot process the red wavelengths of solar radiation, and prolonged exposure to gratuitous amounts of this radiation will interfere with their bodies' solar processing, preventing them from absorbing new photons and forcing them to run on their internal energy reserves in mild cases, and possibly causing death in more severe cases. This process seems to impede the mental faculties of such races, making active cognitive processes far more difficult to complete.

Exposure to certain other EM frequencies can disrupt this process as well, and may even cause internal damage. The most famous example of this is the ultra-gamma wavelength produced by Phazon, more commonly known as "Kryptonite" or "Lexonite" due to its previous natural presence on Krypton and Lexicon, respectively, wherein its natural state was Phazonite.

In addition to the above, Daxamites are deathly allergic to lead, which does not exist on their home planet, and Lexiconians bear more adverse effects from unprocessable radiation, as it can give them skin rashes not unlike those of a sunburn.

### Takionite (Homo Sapiens Potestatus)

Takionites are very similar to humans, but they possess a natural biological connection to the Turboforce, allowing them to synthesize an energy called T.U.R.B.O. Energy. This energy, which stands for Tachyon Unlimited Radiant Bio-Optimized Energy, (manifesting as a blue energy for the Takionites,) enhances the abilities of the user.

The energy makes the user stronger, faster and more agile than an average individual. In Iron Man's case, it enhanced his physical capabilities, but since he is partially human, he constantly suffers with his energy, since he could overload electronic objects with only one touch or even explode and consequently die if he overloads. The energy can be used to power weapons and other alien devices.

### Tarkatan (Homo Sapiens Monstrus)

The Tarkatans, also known as the Dominators and collectively known as the Dominion, are an alien race from the outer cosmos of the universe. They are highly technologically advanced, and live in a rigid hierarchical society, in which one's caste is determined by the size of a red circle painted on one's forehead. They are master geneticists who can manipulate the meta-gene to enhance members of their own caste.

However, they are bloodthirsty brutes, and it is possible to gather concentrated Tarkatan essence and seal it within a container. When the container is shattered against a person, the nearby Tarkata enter into an uncontrollable frenzy as they believed the person with the essence as being a rival male so they instinctively attack.

### Osh-Tekkan (Homo Sapiens Domitus)

The Osh-Tekkans are a race of Aztec like tribal warriors and hunters who live in the gold-dominated realm of Osh-Tekk. Much like Outworld, it is quite a violent, warmongering realm that won many battles to the point that they forgot defeat.

Osh-Tekkans are basically humans in their structure and appearance, but their skin is green in color and they are able to utilize energy in their bodies in a far more direct and elaborate manner than Earth-based humans do. Their bodies are able to directly absorb and process photons of all visible kinds through their body for a host of effects, allowing them to smash a grown man's head into bits of bone and gore with ease while also allowing them to wield massive weapons with a single hand; drawing power from sunlight to strengthen themselves and heal their wounds, while also being able to use it to directly harm enemies in beams of solar fire or even imbue their weapons with fire for more damage.

## Unique Species

### Zenith (Homo Sapiens Apex)

With a mithril skeleton, hemoaetherin based blood, and a multitude of genetic gifts incorporated into his physiology via magi, mutant, and alien DNA examination, assimilation, and augmentation, the Silver Scion has reached genetic perfection.

As such, the genetics of Homo Sapiens Apex are extremely complex, and nearly impossible to copy, as it would mean copying the genetics of every component race that went into its makeup perfectly, lest catastrophic internal failure occur.

Zeniths bear a natural connection to various metaphysical fields, including the Darkforce, the Lightforce, the Turboforce, the Quantumforce, and the Morphogenetic Web of Life and Destiny.