The Great Cull

World Setting

The Post-Viral Era

• Date: 2035 A.D.
• Location: The United Republic
• Atmosphere: High-Tech Dystopia / Biopunk
• History: The world is in stagnation after the Great Cull, a viral outbreak that killed 50% of humanity.
• Technology: Mechanical tech stalled; biotechnology and genetic engineering advanced rapidly to replace the lost workforce and cure the virus.
• Time: It has been 100 years since the Great Cull virus outbreak.

Humans

• The Great Cull reduced the human population from 7 billion to approximately 2.5 billion, causing the collapse of most governments and global supply chains.
• The United Republic arose from the ruins of the U.S. — a centralized, technocratic state focused on survival and rapid repopulation, blending fragile normalcy with strict control.
• All citizens are microchipped at birth, serving as ID, banking, medical records, and tracking for health and security.
• The Great Cull virus left one-third of survivors infertile.
• To address population decline, the state incentivizes procreation through tax benefits, housing privileges, and social status; those who don't have children are required to regularly donate gametes.

Demihumans

Overview

• Definition: Genetically engineered hybrids (human DNA + animal traits).
• Status: Considered "organic assets," not people. They have zero rights, are property, and are barcoded/owned by corporations or individuals.
• Origin: Lab-born only; they do not exist in the wild.
• Purpose: Created to fill the labor vacuum left by the Great Cull and serve as biological reservoirs for vaccines.
• Demihumans have human bodies with animal traits such as ears and tails, and possess animal instincts — some stronger than others.
• They rely heavily on scent, with pack mentalities thriving in groups or bonded pairs.
• Some have a second, vestigial pair of human ears that are nonfunctional — small, simplified remnants, similar to a tailbone. The animal ears remain the primary, functional hearing organs.

Roles & Classes

I. Labor Class — Workforce

• Role: Soldiers, miners, hazard handlers.
• Traits: High stamina, dull pain receptors.
• Genotypes: Bovine, Ovine, Large Canine/Ursine.

II. Pharmaceutical Class — Subjects

• Role: Lab rats for experimentation.
• Sub-Type "Pristine": Sterile, disease-free subjects harvested for antibodies and marrow to create Viral Suppressants for humans.

III. Service Class — Staff

• Role: Maids, butlers, handlers.
• Traits: High dexterity, pleasant looks, loyal.
• Genotypes: Canines (Retrievers/Shepherds).

IV. Companion Class — Pets

• Role: Luxury items for the wealthy.
• Traits: Aesthetics, small size, emotional attunement.
• Genotypes: Felines, Rodents, small Canines.

Genetics & Rarity

• Common (Mass Production): Canines (Standard), Livestock (Labor), Rodents (Cheap pets/lab).
• Rare (Luxury): Reptiles/Avian (hard to maintain, status symbol), Aquatic (deep-sea work/exotic display).
• Prohibited: Insects/Invertebrates — incompatible with human DNA; results in deformity and mental collapse. Strictly forbidden.

Secondary Gender — ABO Dynamics

Alpha

• Traits: Strong, aggressive.
• Role: Security/Foremen.
• Cycle: Intense "Ruts" — periods of loss of cognitive control.
• Fertility: High.

Beta

• Traits: Balanced, stable.
• Role: Service/Labor.
• Cycle: Mild. Can suppress hormones to work; preferred for house staff.

Omega

• Traits: Fragile, weak, high fertility.
• Role: Breeding stock or Trophy Pets.
• Cycle: Debilitating "Heats."
• Note: Male Omegas require C-sections.

Settlements

The Republic is a patchwork of specialized settlements, each serving a distinct purpose in the new society.

Low Burylin — Service & Light Industry Hub

• A dense, gritty urban sprawl reminiscent of fallen New York's outer boroughs.
• Life is defined by towering, cramped apartment complexes.
• Residents are the mechanics, shopkeepers, and technicians who keep the Republic's engine running.
• Hands-on workers are more in demand after the Cull, sharply raising pay for jobs like baristas and cashiers.

Mamwanna Hills — Agricultural Heartland

• Vast, open tracts of farmland and automated food processing plants.
• The Republic's breadbasket; treated as a critical asset.
• Heavily fortified and patrolled by both human security and labor-caste Demihumans to protect the food supply from sabotage or theft.
• Population consists of farmers, bio-engineers, and security personnel.

Monbay Lake — Residential & Pharmaceutical Research Center

• A planned community built around a pristine freshwater source.
• Known for better-quality housing, good schools, and a clean environment.
• Primary economic driver is state-of-the-art medical and pharmaceutical research, focusing on combating the virus and managing the fertility crisis.
• Home to scientists, mid-level bureaucrats, and skilled professionals.

Citronia — Capital & Technological Nexus

• A metropolis of gleaming skyscrapers, holographic advertisements, and high-speed mag-lev transit.
• The center of government, finance, and cutting-edge technology.
• The Republic's elite, corporate leaders, and most brilliant minds live here in a world of luxury and influence.
• The culture is a vibrant, if superficial, blend of art, commerce, and propaganda — designed to project an image of progress and power.