Bio-Engineered Humanoids

Bio-engineered humanoids are a group of species in the Continuation universe created by early Kiri scientists. They range in appearance from quite human-looking to having the appearance of hybrids between humans and other animals.

Other Names
The Kiri (Keshnul) term for bio-engineered humanoids is "silléra" (pron. "SYER uh," singular and plural the same), which means "fairy" in the folktale sense. This term came into international use as "sverra" (Tapaynan: "swerra"), which generally only refers to the single species called the Traloráti in Keshnul, this being the species with the broadest international range.

Origins
Bio-engineered humanoids were developed during era of terraforming soon after the discovery of the Tide-Track (a network of stable wormholes connecting the Continuation planets). In that era, the Kiri Nation was highly technologically advanced. While precise circumstances are unclear, it is known that the Kiris blamed their specific Nation's ancestors for much of the ecological collapse that rendered the planet Daughter uninhabitable. The Kiris were greatly concerned by human hubris, and the development of bio-engineered humanoids is thought to have been a response to this. One line of reasoning held that humans tend to see themselves as separate from other species because they do not make a clear gradation from other animal species to humans. Bio-engineered humanoids were to provide this gradation by adding several species of partial human appearance and behavior to the ecosystem.

Some bio-engineered humanoids were also designed to supercede humans in certain characteristics, such as strength, longevity, and telepathic capability, as an additional stroke against human hubris. Since this path opened up the possibility of being dominated by their creations, however, the Kiris also engineered some restraints into their designs. Chief among these is environmental sensitivity: bio-engineered humanoids tend to have a narrow range of conditions in which they can function optimally and are especially susceptible to pollutants, overcrowding, and other ecological hazards Kiris wished to avoid. Thus, these species were also designed as a warning mechanism against ecological damage.

Owing partly to their specific environmental needs, most bio-engineered humanoids remained in a small area of the Kiri worlds. However, two of the more robust species dispersed more widely: the Tralorváti or sverra and the Epeylléta or Pey.

Genetics and Species
In addition to altering numerous human genes, Kiri scientists engineered these species with an additional chromosome set. It is thought this move was in part an attempt to limit crossbreeding with humans, which it did. Many bio-engineered humanoids can breed with humans, but their offspring are mules, having an odd number of chromosomes, and so are sterile. (In laboratory conditions, fertile hybrids can be produced by doubling the chromosome from the bio-engineered parent.)

Different species of bio-engineered humanoids can breed more readily with each other, prompting some question as to whether they should be considered truly different species or different breeds.

Range
The highest concentration of species exists on the planet Lléroney in the system of Onáda in Fóraval. Many of the smaller species that most resemble non-human animals only live there. Comparatively high numbers of species also exist on the planets Onáda and Dényvla in the Onáda system. Few species have migrated outside Kiri space, but a large popluation of Epeylléta (Pey) and a smaller population of Tralorváti migrated to Shi-Durn in Afebat. A large population of Tralorváti also colonized the planet Manyrock (previously Tsoürn) in Selbûn after the War's End.

Relations with Humans
Relations among humans and bio-engineered humanoids have usually been distant and amicable. An exception is planet Manyrock, where the Tralorváti enslaved much of the human Sama population in the plaent's north, prior to the Truce of Manyrock States in 1873 AE.