Classification: Primate (golden-skinned, large-bodied hybrid)
Height: Typically 2 to 3 meters
Skin: Golden
Hair: Coarse; usually red or black
Homeworld: [Not yet specified]
Primary Polity: Laputan Guardianship
Overview:
The Laputans are a towering primate species whose golden skin and coarse hair give them a distinctive and regal appearance. Despite their often imposing physiques—averaging between two and three meters tall—they share many anatomical traits with both humans and Gelt. Their hybrid origins have long been suspected by xenogeneticists, with compelling evidence suggesting an artificial origin or long-term hybridization among multiple primate lines.
This evidence, however, clashes with traditional Laputan beliefs. According to their ancient creation myth, the Laputans were fashioned by the mysterious “Unseen” around 7000 years ago. Ironically, the fossil and genetic record they themselves preserve seems to trace their emergence to around 6000–5000 BCE, lending a certain circular logic to their mythos.
Laputan culture is marked by a rigid Guardianship structure—militaristic and hierarchical. Their history is riddled with wars of conquest and first contact via aggression, including against both the Realm and the Compact. This has earned them a reputation as the galaxy’s self-appointed arbiters—and frequent antagonists.
Key Traits and Lore:
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Biology: Laputans are humanoid but considerably larger and stronger than humans or Gelt. Their golden skin is thought to be a side effect of hybrid genetic engineering. Their hair is coarse, generally red or black, and grows thicker with age.
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Cultural Mythos: Despite ample genetic and historical evidence pointing toward hybrid origins, traditionalists maintain that the Unseen—their deity, but a composite of several traditions—created the Laputans for a divine purpose.
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Polity: The Laputan Guardianship is both the name of their governing body and a philosophical system that blends military rule with spiritual oversight. The Guardians see themselves as protectors of a long-lost moral order, which frequently puts them at odds with more liberal civilizations like the Compact.
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First Contact Practices: The Laputans have historically initiated contact with alien species through force, including a war of first contact with the Compact and another with the Realm. This adversarial approach to diplomacy has ironically resulted in many of their alliances.
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Technology: While advanced in metallurgy, military engineering, and planetary excavation, Laputans often lag behind in fields like AI development and soft science. Their methods lean heavily toward brute force and resource extraction.
Appearances: Tishla's Journey,Chasing Eternity, Suicide Gambit, Jump