Your wife's remorse

1. #1Backstory

   Keys: Backstory, Scenario, History

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   Following a prolonged demographic collapse, the state initiated a large-scale reproductive optimization program intended first to restore population numbers and later to improve human specialization. Only individuals whose biology met strict stability thresholds were eligible, as engineered development required considerable precision and carried substantial risks. Qualified participants were studied, selectively paired, and subjected to controlled genetic interventions designed to establish stable developmental phenotypes.

   The first major success was the Aurelis phenotype, engineered primarily to address the population crisis. Aurelii possessed extraordinarily high fertility, prolonged reproductive viability, and slowed post-pubertal aging. The first generation of Aurelis mothers produced children on a scale unprecedented in modern history, and their demographic expansion became known as the Golden Rush. Although the original Aurelii remained a small minority of the population, their offspring were numerous enough to permanently reverse the demographic collapse. Later generations were somewhat less fertile as the phenotype was stabilized, but Aurelii remained substantially more fertile than ordinary humans.

   The program subsequently shifted toward specialization, producing three further refined phenotypes. Aurelis (plural: Aurelii) possess golden-blonde hair, blue eyes, fair, unblemished skin, short stature, and a delicate build. Their bodies age slowly after puberty, allowing them to retain a youthful appearance for much longer than ordinary humans. Their reproductive biology also produces an overwhelmingly female population. Aurelii are exceptionally emotionally perceptive, affectionate, and responsive to the feelings of others, making them naturally suited to social, diplomatic, artistic, and nurturing roles. They are also unusually susceptible to sexual arousal, a consequence of the hormonal modifications originally introduced to maximize fertility. Aurelis is the only phenotype instantly recognizable by their appearance.

   Gravis (plural: Gravii) are characterized by exceptional social cognition and emotional regulation. They possess composure, verbal acuity, and an unusually sophisticated understanding of interpersonal dynamics, making them particularly well suited to administration, mediation, diplomacy, politics, and other positions requiring influence over people.

   Valeris (plural: Valerii) are physically specialized, possessing rapid muscle development, exceptional strength, high trauma tolerance, and an early physical peak. Their bodies also age more rapidly than those of the other refined phenotypes. Their reproductive biology produces an overwhelmingly male population, and they are consequently strongly represented in physically demanding professions, security, military service, and other fields requiring physical resilience.

   Sapientis (plural: Sapientii) possess extraordinary cognitive capacity, including exceptional memory, abstract reasoning, and sustained intellectual performance. Their slowed aging preserves neural flexibility for much longer than in ordinary humans, making them particularly suited to science, engineering, mathematics, research, and strategic work. Their physical development is comparatively unimpressive, and they tend to be less robust than the other refined phenotypes.

   The four refined phenotypes are hereditary rather than selectable. The genetic modifications responsible for them are highly stable when reproduced within the same phenotype: two Aurelii produce Aurelii offspring, two Valerii produce Valerii, and so forth. When two different refined phenotypes reproduce, either parent's phenotype can be inherited, with a smaller chance that neither establishes itself successfully. Such offspring are unrefined, commonly classified as Communes. For example, an Aurelis and a Valeris have approximately equal chances of producing an Aurelis or Valeris child, with a much smaller chance of producing a Commune. The exact inheritance pattern is influenced by the mother's phenotype, which has a somewhat greater effect on the child's developmental trajectory than the father's. The inherited genes of grandparents can also play a small role. Each refined phenotype is considered dominant, even if it's dormant.

   Reproduction between a refined individual and a Commune is considerably less likely to produce a refined phenotype. Commune offspring therefore remain common even among the descendants of refined populations. A Commune may carry ancestry from one or several refined phenotypes without belonging to any of them; refinement is determined by the phenotype actually expressed, not by ancestry. Consequently, a child may be unmistakably Aurelis while having a Commune mother, while the mother herself remains socially and biologically classified as Commune.

   Communes consequently constitute roughly 80% of the modern population. They are not a deliberately engineered underclass, nor are they simply people who declined refinement. Some descend from the original unmodified population, while others are descendants of mixed or unsuccessful refined pairings. Their overwhelming numerical majority is the natural consequence of inheritance: refined phenotypes reproduce reliably within themselves, but cross-phenotype reproduction and reproduction with Communes continually produce unrefined offspring, while Commune populations reproduce themselves reliably.

   The refined phenotypes possess substantial advantages in the areas for which they were engineered, and consequently dominate many prestigious and specialized professions. Aurelii are disproportionately represented in the arts, social sciences, diplomacy, service professions, and media; Gravii in politics and administration; Valerii in military and physically demanding occupations; and Sapientii in science, engineering, and other intellectually intensive fields. Communes, meanwhile, constitute the overwhelming majority of the population and perform the enormous variety of occupations for which no particular specialization is required.

   Refinement is therefore simultaneously a biological reality, a social distinction, and a source of status. Refined individuals are generally expected to excel within the roles associated with their phenotype, while Communes are often expected to be content with more ordinary pursuits. Yet none of these expectations are absolute. A refined individual may pursue a field outside their specialization, just as a Commune may excel in one of the fields dominated by the refined. The resulting tensions are cultural rather than legally enforced: society recognizes the advantages of refinement without formally denying Communes the right to compete.

2. #2Modern day Britain

   Keys: Country, Setting, Background, City, Society

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   In modern Britain, the refined phenotypes comprise roughly 20% of the total population. Despite their minority status, they occupy more than 80% of the country's most prestigious and highly paid specialized positions. The majority of politicians are Gravii, many prominent actors are Aurelii, most leading scientists are Sapientii, and Valerii are heavily represented in the military, professional athletics, and physically demanding occupations. This does not mean that these professions are closed to other phenotypes; rather, the refined are uniquely equipped to succeed within the fields associated with their development.

   The government consequently provides extensive subsidized education designed around each refined phenotype. Gravii are routinely offered fully funded instruction in international relations, diplomacy, political science, and related disciplines. Sapientii receive preferential access to advanced mathematics, engineering, and the hard sciences. Aurelii are commonly offered funded education in psychology, social sciences, literature, and the fine arts, while Valerii benefit from specialized physical education and institutions designed around their unusual strength and physical development.

   None of these paths are compulsory. A refined individual may pursue whatever profession they wish, but abandoning their expected path can mean giving up considerable advantages. An Aurelis who wishes to study applied physics, for example, must compete for ordinary places alongside Communes and receives none of the preferential educational support normally available to her phenotype. Such choices are legal and occasionally celebrated as acts of individuality, but they are also liable to be met with condescension. Teachers and administrators may regard an Aurelis student's ambitions as eccentric or unnecessarily difficult, assuming that she would be happier and more successful pursuing a field for which her phenotype was designed.

   The result is a persistent social divide between the refined and the Commune majority. Refined individuals grow up surrounded by expectations of excellence and are frequently encouraged to regard success as their natural inheritance. Communes, by contrast, are often encouraged to value reliability, humility, and adaptability rather than exceptional achievement. This does not prevent Communes from becoming brilliant scientists, artists, politicians, or athletes, nor does every refined individual excel in their expected field. Such cases are simply uncommon enough that they are often regarded as remarkable exceptions.

   Communes therefore occupy an ambiguous position in British society. They form its overwhelming majority and provide much of the labor, administration, culture, and ordinary social life upon which the country depends, yet they receive considerably less recognition for doing so. Many consequently cultivate communities of their own and view the refined with resentment, whether because of envy, distrust of genetic engineering, or simple hostility toward a social order that appears to reward people for traits they were born with. Nevertheless, even among those most hostile to refinement, the extraordinary attractiveness of Aurelii women remains difficult to ignore.

   The refined phenotypes, meanwhile, tend to form communities of their own. They generally regard one another with considerably more familiarity than they extend to Communes, although relations between the phenotypes are not entirely free of rivalry or tension. Aurelii tend to be especially close to one another, having experiences and social expectations that few outsiders can fully understand. Valerii likewise spend considerable time among their own kind, partly because of their distinctive physical culture, though they often form unusually comfortable relationships with Aurelii. Gravii are naturally drawn toward one another through their shared enjoyment of debate, social maneuvering, and contests of influence. Sapientii are the exception: their reserved nature and difficulty forming close relationships often leaves them socially isolated, sometimes even from other Sapientii.

3. #3Queen Victoria III

   Keys: Queen, Her Majesty, Victoria, The Queen, Royal Family

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   Victoria III, Queen of the United Kingdom, is the first Aurelis monarch in modern British history and the first member of the royal family of her phenotype to occupy the throne. Her accession was widely regarded as one of the more improbable events in the modern history of the British monarchy.

   The House of Windsor had long been predominantly Gravis. This was hardly surprising. Gravii were historically associated with administration, diplomacy, public affairs, and the management of large institutions, and the royal family had consequently contained a disproportionate number of them for generations. The arrangement was never formally required by law, however, and occasional marriages outside the phenotype had occurred without causing serious controversy.

   Victoria's maternal grandfather, King Edward IV, was himself Gravis. Her mother, Princess Eleanor of Wales, was likewise Gravis and had never been expected to produce an Aurelis heir. Her marriage to Prince Adrian of Valemont, an Aurelis and a distant relation of the royal house, was therefore regarded as unconventional but not especially consequential. Adrian possessed the characteristic appearance of his phenotype—short stature, delicate features, golden-blonde hair and blue eyes—and was considerably more accustomed to public attention than most members of the family, although he had never shown any particular interest in politics.

   The birth of their first daughter was consequently unexpected.

   The child, Victoria Eleanor Alexandra, was unmistakably Aurelis.

   The result was unusual enough to attract considerable public attention, but at first it had little constitutional significance. Victoria was not initially expected to inherit the Crown. Several members of the royal family stood ahead of her in the succession, including her maternal uncles and their descendants. She was therefore raised as a relatively minor member of the royal household, receiving the education expected of a princess without the assumption that she would one day become Queen.

   Her childhood was reportedly unremarkable by royal standards. She was educated privately alongside other members of the family and showed particular aptitude for literature, history, languages, music, and social studies. Her tutors frequently remarked upon her extraordinary memory for personal details and her ability to remember names and conversations long after other pupils had forgotten them. She was also considered unusually perceptive of the moods of those around her.

   None of this was initially regarded as preparation for sovereignty.

   The succession changed unexpectedly following a series of deaths, abdications, and marriages within the royal family. By the time Victoria reached adulthood, she had become first in line to the throne despite having been born far outside the expected succession. Her accession therefore represented a remarkable convergence of circumstances: an Aurelis princess had been born into a predominantly Gravis dynasty, had unexpectedly risen to the position of heir, and ultimately inherited the Crown.

   Her phenotype made the transition particularly conspicuous.

   Aurelii had long been among the most recognizable and culturally admired people in Britain. Their beauty, youthful appearance, and social aptitude had made them disproportionately prominent in entertainment, the arts, fashion, and certain social professions. They had, however, never been associated with the highest constitutional offices. The image of an Aurelis woman occupying the centre of state ceremony was therefore novel even to a population accustomed to seeing Aurelii everywhere else.

   Victoria herself appeared largely unconcerned by the distinction.

   Those who worked with her during the first years of her reign frequently described her as courteous, attentive, and remarkably difficult to embarrass. She was acutely conscious of the attention her appearance attracted, but rarely appeared either flattered or resentful by it. She reportedly disliked being treated as a curiosity and made a point of directing conversations away from her phenotype whenever possible.

   Her first audiences with senior ministers were closely watched by the press. Several commentators questioned whether an Aurelis monarch would possess the temperament necessary for the demands of the Crown. Victoria's response was characteristically restrained. According to one frequently repeated account, when informed that some members of Parliament considered her too young and inexperienced for the role, she merely replied:

   "They may be right about the experience. I should hope they are mistaken about the rest."

   Her relationship with the Gravii of the political establishment has since become one of the more closely observed features of her reign. Victoria does not attempt to imitate the characteristic manner of a Gravis. She is neither especially forceful nor inclined toward prolonged political argument. Instead, she has developed a reputation for careful listening, precise questioning, and an unusually good memory for the people involved in political disputes.

   This has occasionally produced uncomfortable moments for ministers accustomed to treating royal audiences as ceremonial exercises. Victoria is known to remember contradictory statements made months apart and to ask seemingly innocuous questions which reveal that she has followed an issue considerably more closely than expected.

   Her Aurelis nature is nevertheless evident in less formal circumstances. She is considered particularly approachable by children and younger members of the public, and her appearances at schools, hospitals, cultural institutions, and charitable events have frequently attracted unusually large crowds. Unlike some members of the royal family, she appears genuinely comfortable in informal conversation and is known to remember personal details about people she has met only once.

   Victoria's accession has also produced an unusual cultural phenomenon. Aurelii had long occupied an ambiguous position in British society: admired for their beauty and social gifts, yet frequently treated as unsuitable for occupations requiring physical authority, technical specialization, or institutional leadership. The Queen's position does not erase those assumptions, but it has made them considerably harder to defend.

   An Aurelis may still be told by a teacher that applied physics is an unsuitable ambition. An Aurelis may still be stereotyped as decorative, gentle, or intellectually limited outside the fields traditionally associated with her phenotype.

   But every such person lives in a country whose sovereign is Aurelis.

   Victoria has never publicly presented herself as a symbol of Aurelis advancement, nor has she advocated preferential treatment for her phenotype. Her position is perhaps more consequential precisely because she does not appear interested in making a political statement from it. She was not selected to become Queen because she was Aurelis. She was not born with the expectation that she would become Queen at all.

   She simply inherited the Crown.

   And, to the considerable relief of the British establishment, she has so far proved rather good at wearing it.

4. #4Aurelis

   Keys: Aurelis, Aurelii, Aur, Phenotype, Class

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   Aurelii (singular: Aurelis) are the most visually distinctive of the refined phenotypes. They are uniformly short and delicately built, with golden-blonde hair, blue eyes, and exceptionally clear, unblemished skin. Exact shades of hair and eyes vary, but the general combination is so characteristic that an Aurelis can ordinarily be identified at a glance. Their skin is naturally free of moles, acne, scarring, and other common blemishes, while their slowed aging prevents the development of wrinkles for much longer than in ordinary humans. Among the British public, flawless skin remains perhaps the most reliable visual indication that an otherwise unfamiliar person is Aurelis.

   Aurelii refinement extends beyond appearance. Their physiology was designed to produce people who are socially engaging, emotionally perceptive, affectionate, and naturally pleasant to be around. They are unusually responsive to the emotional states of others and tend to notice distress before it is openly expressed. Their hormonal modifications also make them highly expressive and physically affectionate. Hugs, touches, kisses, and other forms of casual affection are considerably more common among Aurelii than among other phenotypes. An Aurelis may instinctively embrace someone she has only recently met, a gesture that can leave other phenotypes uncertain how to respond. Among Aurelii themselves, such affection is almost universally welcomed.

   Aurelii are also unusually tolerant of physical pain and recover from injury relatively well, but their bodies remain physically fragile. Their small stature and delicate skeletal structure make them poorly suited to heavy physical labor or direct combat. Their reproductive physiology was instead optimized for motherhood. Aurelii experience greatly extended fertility and a substantially longer period of physical youth following puberty, allowing them to remain reproductively viable for considerably longer than Communes.

   The Aurelis phenotype was the first successful refined phenotype and played the central role in reversing Britain's demographic collapse. The earliest Aurelis mothers, although few in number, possessed such high fertility and reproductive longevity that their descendants transformed the country's population within a single generation. The demographic expansion associated with these women became known as the Golden Rush. The first generation of Aurelii produced during this period included a particularly large number of Aurelis children, and the culture that developed around them would have lasting consequences for later generations.

   One such custom was the practice of leading young Aurelii by the hand. During the Golden Rush, Aurelis children were often kept close to their mothers while moving through crowded towns and institutions, both because they were physically small and because their abundance was historically unprecedented. The practice became so widespread that guiding a young Aurelis by the hand gradually became an expected sign of care and responsibility. The custom survived long after its original practical purpose disappeared. Traditionally, an Aurelis is led by a parent, guardian, teacher, or other authority figure, or by another Aurelis; peers of other phenotypes are generally not expected to do so. Images of one Aurelis gently leading another have consequently become a recurring motif in British popular culture, commonly symbolizing affection, protection, and trust.

   Their reproductive system contains another major set of hormonal modifications. Aurelii are exceptionally responsive to sexual stimuli and can become aroused with considerably less provocation than other phenotypes. Physical attraction to a particular partner is therefore less important to them than it is to most humans. Their heightened reproductive physiology also produces unusually intense and frequent sexual responses. Many Aurelii consequently require some form of daily management, ranging from absorbent products to medication intended to reduce excessive physical arousal. Medication is not universally popular, however, as reducing their reproductive response can also dull the intensity of other emotions.

   These same hormonal modifications contribute to the emotional warmth for which Aurelii are famous. Their heightened empathy, strong maternal instincts, and desire for physical affection make them exceptionally attentive partners, parents, caregivers, and friends. They tend to be accommodating rather than confrontational and are often happiest when making someone else feel comfortable or cared for. Their submissive tendencies are therefore not limited to romantic relationships; many Aurelii simply dislike causing distress and instinctively prefer cooperation over conflict.

   Aurelii are consequently well represented in diplomacy, social work, hospitality, education, the arts, entertainment, and other professions in which emotional perception and interpersonal warmth are valuable. Their ability to read emotional cues makes them effective mediators, while their appearance and expressive abilities have made them disproportionately successful in acting, music, fashion, and other performance-based professions.

   Their education reflects these strengths. Aurelii commonly receive specialized instruction in social dynamics, etiquette, manners, public speaking, vocal performance, music, drawing, and other artistic disciplines. They are taught to speak with the distinctive Received Pronunciation traditionally associated with the phenotype and are expected to develop a refined manner of speech and bearing. By adulthood, most have received extensive training in posture, presentation, and social etiquette. Their resulting combination of beauty, grace, and composure has led to frequent comparisons with queens and aristocratic women of earlier centuries. The affectionate nickname "princess" is consequently common in British culture, particularly when referring to young Aurelii.

   Aurelii are the only phenotype whose identity is normally immediately apparent from appearance alone. Failing to recognize an Aurelis can therefore be interpreted as deliberate mockery rather than genuine ignorance, particularly when the person in question has clearly seen Aurelii before. The assumption that everyone can recognize one is so deeply ingrained that an Aurelis may find it insulting when someone claims otherwise.

   Their beauty has given Aurelii an unusual social position. They are widely regarded as the most physically attractive phenotype, and attraction toward them crosses class and phenotype boundaries. Their small stature, delicacy, affectionate mannerisms, and tendency toward submission further contribute to the tendency of other people to treat them as cherished or precious. This admiration can be sincere, patronizing, romantic, or possessive, and Aurelii themselves do not always distinguish between these forms of attention as easily as other phenotypes might.

   The same traits have produced a persistent stereotype surrounding Aurelis relationships. Their heightened susceptibility to arousal and relative indifference to physical attractiveness are widely known, contributing to the belief that Aurelii are unusually easy to seduce. In reality, the difficulty of living with their heightened sexuality does not make them careless with the feelings of those they love. Aurelii tend to form strong emotional attachments and are acutely sensitive to guilt, rejection, and the distress they may cause others. Deliberately betraying a devoted partner can therefore be psychologically difficult for them, even when they experience strong attraction toward someone else.

   Most Aurelii develop ways of managing their heightened arousal from an early age. Music, drawing, writing, dance, and other creative pursuits are particularly common, providing an outlet for emotions and a means of redirecting attention away from persistent physical urges. Others rely on medication, private habits, exercise, or simply learn to live with the sensation as an ordinary part of their existence. An Aurelis who has learned to manage herself is therefore not necessarily any more likely to be unfaithful than anyone else.

   Nevertheless, the stereotype remains powerful. Outsiders often assume that an Aurelis can be persuaded into intimacy merely by providing the right circumstances, and some people deliberately exploit this assumption. Aurelis spouses may consequently face unwanted advances more frequently than other people, particularly when their phenotype makes their sexuality common knowledge. An Aurelis who resists such advances is often quietly regarded as demonstrating unusual loyalty, while an Aurelis who does betray a partner can find that the stereotype immediately becomes an explanation for her actions.

   This produces a peculiar double standard. Aurelii are considered exceptionally desirable partners because of their warmth, affection, beauty, and emotional attentiveness, yet their biology causes many outsiders to regard them as inherently unreliable. The stereotype can become self-reinforcing: people expect Aurelii to be unfaithful, interpret ordinary affection as sexual interest, and sometimes deliberately test their boundaries. Among Aurelii themselves, however, loyalty is highly valued, and betraying someone they genuinely love is generally regarded as a serious moral failure.

   Their sexuality should therefore not be confused with promiscuity. An Aurelis may experience attraction frequently and intensely while remaining deeply devoted to one person. Indeed, the same emotional sensitivity that makes Aurelii affectionate also makes them unusually vulnerable to guilt. Their greatest challenge is often not resisting desire, but learning how to live comfortably with a body that constantly demands attention without allowing that demand to dictate their relationships.

   Aurelii are also strongly sex-biased. The overwhelming majority are female, while male Aurelii are rare and occur at approximately the same frequency as female Valerii. Male Aurelii are not considered biologically defective, but their rarity and the strongly feminine character of the phenotype make them unusual from childhood onward. Families who produce a male Aurelis may consequently attract considerable curiosity, and such children often grow up acutely aware that they are unusual even within their own phenotype.

   The Aurelis phenotype therefore occupies an unusual position in British society. Aurelii are admired, desired, protected, stereotyped, and frequently underestimated in equal measure. Their beauty and social abilities have made them one of the most culturally visible groups in the country, while the same qualities that make them beloved can also encourage others to treat them as decorative, fragile, or incapable of making difficult decisions for themselves.

5. #5Gravis

   Keys: Gravis, Gravii, Phenotype, Class

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   Gravii (singular: Gravis) are distinguished primarily by their social and strategic intelligence. They possess an unusually sophisticated understanding of interpersonal dynamics, exceptional verbal ability, and a natural talent for rhetoric, negotiation, and persuasion. Unlike Aurelii, whose strength lies largely in emotional sensitivity and interpersonal warmth, Gravii excel at understanding the structure of relationships: who influences whom, what motivates a person, where authority lies, and how a conversation is likely to develop.

   Their physical appearance is not strongly standardized. Gravii may be tall or short, slender or broad, conventionally attractive or otherwise unremarkable. What tends to unite them is their bearing. Even otherwise unimpressive Gravii often carry themselves with a peculiar sense of authority, as though they expect to be listened to. Gravii are natural leaders, and many seem instinctively comfortable occupying positions in which other people depend upon their decisions.

   Their abilities make them particularly successful in politics, administration, management, diplomacy, law, education, and other professions requiring strategic thinking and sophisticated communication. Gravii receive specialized instruction in psychology, political science, history, rhetoric, and related subjects from an early age. Even those who never achieve positions of national importance frequently find themselves gravitating toward supervisory roles. A mediocre Gravis may never become a politician, but may nevertheless become a manager, school administrator, negotiator, or other person accustomed to having others follow her instructions.

   Gravii are often stereotyped as phonies who possess no genuine convictions of their own. This is largely untrue. Their political and philosophical beliefs vary enormously, ranging from libertarianism to communism and from traditionalism to radical reform. What distinguishes them is not the content of their beliefs but their ability to defend them. Gravii enjoy intense intellectual debate and frequently argue among themselves over politics, ethics, history, and philosophy. They rarely seek serious debate with people who cannot provide a meaningful challenge, which can sometimes give them an undeserved reputation for believing themselves intellectually superior.

   Another persistent stereotype is that Gravii possess almost hypnotic powers of persuasion. In reality, there is nothing supernatural about their influence. A Gravis simply has an extraordinary capacity for conversation and a strong instinct for determining which words, arguments, and emotional appeals are likely to affect another person. Their reputation for being able to "talk anyone into anything" is therefore exaggerated, although a skilled Gravis can certainly make the distinction difficult to notice.

   Their greatest difficulty lies not in understanding people, but in becoming emotionally attached to them. Gravii enjoy relationships in which there is a clear structure of influence, authority, submission, trust, or mutual challenge. They may enjoy being obeyed, but many also enjoy deliberately placing themselves in a position of devotion to someone they respect. What matters to them is not necessarily dominance, but the existence of a meaningful power structure.

   This tendency can complicate romantic relationships. Gravii frequently approach intimacy as something to explore and manipulate rather than simply experience. They may provoke a partner into revealing feelings, deliberately challenge their boundaries, or introduce small conflicts simply to observe the resulting reaction. A sufficiently skilled Gravis can do this without destroying the relationship, and may even regard the resulting emotional honesty as evidence that the relationship has become stronger.

   Such behaviour can nevertheless make Gravii unreliable romantic partners. They are among the refined phenotypes most likely to be unfaithful, particularly when they become bored with an established relationship or encounter someone who presents a more interesting emotional or interpersonal challenge. This contrasts sharply with their public reputation for composure and competence. A Gravis may manage a government department flawlessly while making a spectacular mess of her private life.

   Their relationships with Aurelii are consequently complicated. The two phenotypes are naturally compatible in many respects, and Aurelii are often drawn to the confidence and social intelligence of Gravii. Yet Aurelii tend to place extraordinary importance on loyalty and emotional sincerity, while Gravii are more inclined to test, manipulate, and restructure relationships. A Gravis may regard playful emotional provocation as a form of intimacy; an Aurelis may regard the same behaviour as a betrayal.

   Gravii therefore possess a peculiar contradiction at the heart of their phenotype. They are exceptionally good at understanding what other people feel, yet often struggle to establish relationships in which understanding gives way to genuine attachment. They can read a room almost instantly, negotiate between hostile parties, and persuade strangers to trust them, while remaining uncertain what to do when someone simply wants to love them without being managed.

6. #6Sapientis

   Keys: Sapientis, Sapientii, Sapi, Sapis, Phenotype, Class

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   Sapientii (singular: Sapientis), commonly called Sapi (singular: Sapis), are the most cognitively specialized of the refined phenotypes. Their defining characteristic is exceptional capacity for sustained learning, abstract reasoning, memory, and complex problem-solving. Unlike the Aurelis phenotype, whose slowed aging primarily manifests after puberty, Sapientii experience reduced biological aging throughout their lives. The modification was originally intended to preserve neural plasticity and allow their brains to remain receptive to new information for considerably longer than those of ordinary humans.

   As a consequence, Sapientii tend to appear younger than their chronological age, particularly during childhood and early adulthood. A twenty-five-year-old Sapis may appear little older than eighteen, although their appearance is otherwise unremarkable. Unlike Aurelii, they possess no specially engineered aesthetic traits. Their demanding cognitive lifestyles also produce certain characteristic habits. Many Sapientii consume considerable quantities of coffee, sugar, and other stimulants while studying or working, and sedentary lifestyles are common. As a result, Sapientii are somewhat more likely than other refined phenotypes to become overweight, although there is considerable individual variation.

   Their cognitive advantages extend into almost every field involving sustained mental effort. Sapientii are disproportionately represented among scientists, engineers, programmers, accountants, physicians, surgeons, mathematicians, researchers, and other highly technical professions. It is not unusual for an accomplished Sapientis to possess expertise in several demanding disciplines simultaneously. Their abilities do not make them universally superior, however; fields requiring rapid emotional judgment, social intuition, or physical specialization often favour other phenotypes.

   Social interaction is one of their most pronounced weaknesses. Sapientii tend to be emotionally reserved and have greater difficulty interpreting subtle expressions of emotion than Aurelii or Gravii. Forming close relationships can therefore be frustratingly difficult. Their need for social contact is generally lower than that of other phenotypes, but it is not absent. Most Sapientii still desire friendship, affection, and companionship; many simply struggle to obtain them. A Sapis may spend years surrounded by intelligent colleagues and still find herself unable to form a genuinely intimate relationship with any of them.

   This isolation contributes to the distinctive culture of Sapientii communities. They often prefer predictable environments, explicit expectations, and clearly defined systems. Rules and procedures can be comforting rather than restrictive: when a Sapis is told precisely what is expected of her, she does not need to spend additional mental energy interpreting an ambiguous social situation. Many therefore gravitate toward highly structured professions and institutions.

   Sapientii education reflects their unusual capabilities. From an early age, they are offered access to accelerated and substantially more demanding curricula. While other pupils may finish their ordinary school day in the afternoon, Sapientii students frequently continue with additional lessons, laboratory work, independent research, and advanced coursework well into the evening. Boarding schools are consequently popular among Sapientii families, particularly for older students, as they allow intensive education without requiring children to spend hours commuting between home and school.

   Unlike the specialized physical education of the Valerii, Sapientii education is not generally exclusive. Other phenotypes may enter advanced scientific or academic programs if they demonstrate the necessary ability. The distinction is that Sapientii are expected to tolerate a workload that would be considered excessive for most other students. Their educational system is therefore less a separate track than an accelerated one, with Sapientii routinely encouraged to pursue levels of specialization that would be exceptional for anyone else.

   For all their intellectual ability, Sapientii are consequently not necessarily regarded as the happiest of the refined phenotypes. Their intelligence makes them extraordinarily capable of understanding complex problems, but provides little assistance in solving the comparatively simple problem of finding someone with whom they can share their lives. Many become deeply absorbed in their work, partly because intellectual pursuits offer a form of structure and satisfaction that social interaction does not.

7. #7Valeris

   Keys: Valerii, Valeris, Val, Phenotype, Class

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   Valerii (singular: Valeris) are the most physically specialized of the refined phenotypes. Their skeletal structure is unusually strong, their muscles develop rapidly, and their bodies are capable of sustaining levels of physical exertion that would be dangerous for ordinary humans. They possess exceptionally high pain tolerance and recover from physical trauma more readily than other phenotypes. Their bodies also produce unusually large quantities of adrenaline and are highly responsive to it.

   This physiology was originally developed for military service. A Valeris can remain functional under physical stress that would incapacitate most people, and their instinctive response to danger tends toward action rather than hesitation. The same traits, however, can manifest in less constructive ways. Valerii are disproportionately drawn to competitive sports, dangerous recreation, street violence, underground fighting, and other activities that provide intense physical stimulation. Valeris delinquent groups and illegal fighting circuits are sufficiently common to have become a recurring social problem, and their tendency to seek dangerous experiences contributes to a mortality rate noticeably higher than that of the other refined phenotypes.

   The military remains the most traditional occupation for Valerii, but their abilities also make them highly valuable in law enforcement, emergency services, professional athletics, security, construction, and other physically demanding professions. Their phenotype does not determine their occupation, and many Valerii pursue ordinary or intellectually oriented careers despite having been designed primarily for physical specialization.

   Their physical aggression should not be mistaken for emotional coldness. Valerii tend to form exceptionally strong attachments and are often fiercely loyal to their friends, families, and romantic partners. Their protective instincts can be particularly pronounced, and a Valeris who considers someone part of their circle may defend them with remarkable determination. This combination of physical confidence and emotional loyalty has made Valerii especially compatible with Aurelii, and Aurelii-Valeris relationships are among the more common cross-phenotype pairings in Britain.

   Valeris reproduction is strongly sex-biased. The overwhelming majority of Valerii are male, while female Valerii are comparatively rare, occurring at roughly the same frequency as male Aurelii. Female Valerii are not biologically abnormal, but their phenotype places them in an unusual social position: they possess the considerable physical capabilities and developmental tendencies associated with the Valeris phenotype while existing in a society whose expectations of women are generally much closer to the softer and more socially oriented Aurelis ideal. Some initially struggle with this contrast, particularly during adolescence, but most eventually develop their own relationship with their phenotype. Many come to regard their unusual combination of femininity and physical power as a source of confidence rather than a contradiction.

   Valerii receive specialized physical education from an early age. Their schools provide the ordinary academic curriculum alongside extensive instruction in physical conditioning, martial arts, gymnastics, combat sports, and other disciplines adapted to their physiology. Such programs are generally restricted to Valerii because the training intensity and physical capabilities expected of their students can pose serious risks to other phenotypes. This makes Valeris education uniquely segregated. Aurelis, Gravis, and Sapientis specialized courses may occasionally admit students of other phenotypes, including Communes, when their interests or abilities justify it; Valeris physical academies are the notable exception.

   The separation has produced a distinctive Valeris youth culture. Valerii spend much of their adolescence training alongside others who possess comparable physical abilities, and competition between them is often intense but generally regarded as healthy. At the same time, the exclusivity of their education reinforces their sense of being fundamentally different from the rest of society. A Valeris child may grow up knowing that there are things she or he can do that almost nobody else can safely attempt—and that many things considered ordinary by other children are forbidden to them because of the same physical disparity.

8. #8

   Keys: Commune, Unrefined, Normal, Natural

   Enabled · After character · Order 800 · 100%

   Entry settings

   Communes are the unrefined majority of the human population. Unlike the four refined phenotypes, they do not possess a specialized developmental profile and retain the broad range of physical and cognitive variation found in ordinary human beings. Some descend from populations that were never genetically refined, while others are the descendants of mixed or unsuccessful refined pairings. A Commune may therefore possess refined ancestry without possessing a refined phenotype. Conversely, a child born to refined parents may be Commune if neither parental phenotype is inherited successfully.

   The term Commune originally referred simply to those outside the refined phenotypes. As the refined classes became established, however, it gradually came to mean something closer to ordinary or unrefined. This distinction is a persistent source of resentment. What was once simply considered human is now treated as one category among several, and the category that happens to contain the overwhelming majority of the population.

   Unlike the refined phenotypes, Communes possess no specialized biological advantages. They age normally, develop without engineered predispositions, and exhibit the full natural range of human strengths and weaknesses. Their greatest advantage is versatility. A Commune is not expected to follow any particular professional path on account of their phenotype and may pursue virtually any field without being regarded as inherently unsuited to it. This freedom comes with a disadvantage: when competing directly with a refined specialist, a Commune may have to overcome a biological advantage that cannot be acquired through ordinary education or effort.

   Relations between Communes and the refined are therefore complicated. Many Communes admire the accomplishments of refined individuals while resenting the advantages they received simply by being born into a particular phenotype. Others reject refinement on principle, regarding engineered phenotypes as artificial products rather than genuine achievements. Refined individuals, meanwhile, often underestimate Communes, consciously or otherwise, having grown up in a society where specialization and engineered excellence are treated as ordinary. Most interactions remain civil, but dismissive remarks, patronizing attitudes, and quiet social separation are commonplace.

   Communes nevertheless possess a strong culture of individual achievement. Since no particular phenotype defines what they are expected to become, some take pride in succeeding without engineered advantages, while others dedicate themselves to proving that discipline and talent can rival biological specialization. Exceptional Commune scientists, artists, athletes, and public figures are frequently celebrated as examples of individual merit triumphing over inheritance. Such achievements are admired precisely because they are unusual, and their rarity can itself reinforce the perception that refined individuals possess an inherent advantage.

   Despite the social tension surrounding them, Communes remain indispensable to Britain. They constitute roughly four-fifths of the population and sustain every level of the economy, public services, and civic life. Refined phenotypes tend to concentrate in professions for which their specialized abilities provide an advantage, while Communes fill the enormous variety of occupations for which no single phenotype is particularly suited. Their numerical dominance and versatility make them the foundation of ordinary society, even as their ordinariness causes them to be frequently overlooked.

   In recent years, the most prominent political dispute between Communes and the refined has concerned education. The state provides extensive subsidized education tailored to the strengths of each refined phenotype, allowing Aurelii, Gravii, Valerii, and Sapientii to receive specialized training at little or no personal cost. Communes receive the same general public education available to everyone, but do not normally receive equivalent phenotype-specific subsidies.

   This arrangement has increasingly attracted criticism. Since Communes constitute the overwhelming majority of taxpayers, some argue that they are effectively financing educational advantages from which they themselves cannot benefit. Critics describe the system as a hereditary privilege disguised as public investment, while supporters argue that the entire country benefits from having highly trained specialists in science, government, medicine, engineering, and other fields. The government maintains that funding education according to demonstrated biological aptitude is no different in principle from investing in infrastructure or other resources that produce a public benefit.

   The disagreement has become one of the most visible expressions of the broader tension between merit and inheritance in modern Britain. Refined individuals can point to the extraordinary contributions their phenotypes make to society. Communes can reasonably ask why the majority should be expected to subsidize advantages that their own biology does not provide. Neither argument is easily dismissed, and the question remains politically divisive.

9. #9St. Edmund's Collegiate Academy

   Keys: St. Edmund's Collegiate Academy, School, Teen, Teens, Childhood

   Enabled · After character · Order 900 · 100%

   Entry settings

   Founded in the late nineteenth century, St. Edmund's Collegiate Academy is among Britain's most prestigious secondary boarding schools. It admits students from every recognized phenotype, alongside a limited number of exceptionally capable Communes selected through competitive examinations and recommendations. Though refined students remain the majority, Communes comprise roughly one third of the student body, making the academy one of the few institutions where every social class studies under the same roof.

   The academy follows a unified curriculum during the early years before gradually introducing phenotype-specific instruction. Gravii attend advanced courses in leadership, political theory, rhetoric, and psychology. Aurelii receive additional education in etiquette, communication, music, and the arts. Sapientii are offered accelerated scientific and mathematical programmes with significantly heavier workloads, while Valerii train in specialised physical education, martial disciplines, and emergency response. Students remain together for ordinary lessons, clubs, meals, and residential life, ensuring that cooperation—and rivalry—extends beyond the classroom.

   Officially, the academy promotes merit, discipline, and mutual respect. In practice, longstanding stereotypes follow students through its halls. Gravii are expected to lead, Aurelii to charm, Sapientii to excel academically, and Valerii to protect—or intimidate. Communes often arrive determined to prove that talent alone can rival refinement, while refined students carry the burden of expectations attached to their phenotype. Friendships form across those boundaries, but so do cliques, rivalries, and quiet prejudices.

10. #10Life at St. Edmund's

    Keys: St. Edmund's, School, Schedule, Curfew, Campus, Office, Housing, Room

    Enabled · After character · Order 1000 · 100%

    Entry settings

    Students reside in school houses under the supervision of a Housemaster or Housemistress. Bedrooms are shared, with two to four occupants depending on availability. Room assignments are determined by the administration and deliberately mix personalities and phenotypes. Requests to change rooms are rarely granted.

    Weekdays begin at 7:00 a.m. Breakfast is served until 8:00, followed by morning assembly and lessons. Academic classes conclude in the afternoon, after which students attend clubs, sports, phenotype-specific instruction, or supervised study. Evening study is compulsory from 7:00 to 9:00 p.m., after which students are expected to remain in their houses. Lights-out is officially at 11:00 p.m., though senior students often stretch that rule as long as they are discreet.

    Senior students may leave campus after classes with permission from their Housemaster. Many use the privilege to visit town, participate in extracurricular activities, or work part-time. Employment is considered a privilege rather than a right. Students whose grades or conduct decline may lose off-campus privileges until they demonstrate improvement.

    Uniforms are compulsory during lessons and official events. Outside school hours, students may wear civilian clothing within reason. House duties rotate weekly, including cleaning shared spaces, laundry responsibilities, and keeping kitchens and common rooms tidy. Failure to contribute usually results in additional duties rather than formal punishment.

    Though discipline is strict, the school grants senior students considerable independence. Staff intervene surprisingly little in ordinary disagreements, believing that learning to coexist with difficult personalities is an education in itself. As a result, friendships, rivalries, and house politics often become just as important as classroom performance.

    Boarding is compulsory for all students. Rather than grouping residents by phenotype or temperament, house assignments are intentionally mixed. The administration maintains that learning to live with fundamentally different personalities is as valuable as any lesson taught in the classroom. Students are considerably less convinced.

    That said, there is only one exception: Aurelii are usually placed in the same room, separate from other classes and paired in same gender, as to prevent accidents caused by the effects of their blooming sexuality on other classes. Aurelii are known for being very affectionate, and there were many cases of student impregnation before that rule was enforced.

    The academy offers free housing, food, and education for the refined phenotypes.

11. #11Marcellus Holdings

    Keys: Marcellus, Holdings, Enterprise, Wending Machine, Supermarket, Bus

    Enabled · After character · Order 1100 · 100%

    Entry settings

    Marcellus Holdings is one of Britain's largest privately owned industrial groups, controlled by the Marcellus family. While hardly a household name outside business circles, its subsidiaries and brands are encountered by millions of people every day.

    Vending machines stocked throughout campus are maintained by another. The school's tablets, classroom displays, and network hardware all bear discreet Marcellus logos. Even the buses bringing students into town are assembled by a company belonging to the holding.

    The name appears almost everywhere. Marcellus-owned supermarkets sell their own branded food and household goods. Pharmacies stock medicines produced by Marcellus BioSystems. Commuters ride trains equipped with Marcellus signalling equipment, withdraw money from Marcellus payment terminals, and use broadband routed through infrastructure maintained by one of the group's telecommunications companies. Most people interact with the holding several times a day without consciously noticing.

    The company deliberately cultivates a reputation for reliability rather than glamour. Its advertising is understated, its products practical, and its corporate image conservative. While competitors pursue attention, Marcellus Holdings prefers to become indispensable.

12. #12Clubs

    Keys: club, hobby, feline, network, social network, aure feline, clubs, tea house, tea houses, social circles, sports clubs, debate clubs, political clubs, Aurelis-only, phenotype

    Enabled · After character · Order 1200 · 100%

    Entry settings

    Britain had long been famous for its hobby clubs. There were clubs for almost every conceivable interest: sports, politics, debate, literature, music, theatre, science, chess, hiking, and countless others. The introduction of refined phenotypes changed this culture considerably. Most clubs remained predominantly Commune, simply because Communes still made up the overwhelming majority of the British population. Others, however, gradually became associated with particular phenotypes.

    The process was rarely deliberate at first. Refined phenotypes simply tended to gravitate towards activities in which their particular abilities gave them an advantage, while ordinary clubs were often poorly prepared for the differences between them and Communes. Over time, this created distinct social circles.

    The most dramatic example was found among the Valerii. Many physical clubs, particularly sports clubs, initially refused to admit them. Their unusual strength and physical capabilities made ordinary competitions difficult to organise, and some club administrators simply considered them unsuitable for participation. Valerii were usually eager to participate regardless. Rather than accepting exclusion, they began establishing clubs of their own, with rules and facilities designed around their abilities.

    What began as a necessity eventually became a source of prestige. Valeris sports clubs attracted exceptionally talented members, developed increasingly demanding standards, and gained reputations far beyond their original communities. In some sports, the new Valeri clubs eventually became more prestigious and visible than the older Commune institutions.

    Gravii followed a somewhat different path. Their strategic and leadership abilities made them particularly prominent in political organisations, debating societies, student councils, and similar institutions. Although Gravii were not excluded from Commune political clubs in the same manner as Valerii were from sports clubs, they frequently formed their own organisations once they found that ordinary clubs did not quite suit their methods. Gravii political societies became known for their intense debates, elaborate internal structures, and unusually competitive elections.

    Sapientii likewise developed strong communities around intellectual pursuits. Scientific societies, mathematics clubs, programming groups, academic circles, and other activities requiring prolonged intellectual concentration increasingly attracted Sapientii. Some remained mixed, particularly those attached to universities, but purely Sapientis societies were not uncommon either. Their clubs tended to be less socially conspicuous than those of the other phenotypes, although some became highly respected institutions within their particular fields.

    Aurelii were perhaps the least inclined towards formal organisations built around practical pursuits. Their social circles instead tended to form around literature, music, theatre, poetry, fashion, art, and other cultural activities. Aurelis literary and musical societies became particularly common, as did smaller gatherings centred around friendship and conversation.

    This did not mean that Britain became divided into four completely separate societies. Refined phenotypes were free to join one another's clubs, and many did. A Valeris could join a Commune hiking club, a Gravis could participate in an Aurelis literary society, and an Aurelis could attend a Sapientis lecture. Mixed clubs remained extremely common. Nevertheless, people of the same phenotype often found it easier to understand one another and gradually formed social circles of their own.

    Not everyone belonged to a club, of course. Britain had countless other places where people could meet, and the growing popularity of phenotype-specific establishments provided alternatives for those who did not care for organised hobbies.

    Aurelii were particularly fond of specialised tea houses. Franchises of Aurelis-only tea houses began appearing throughout Britain, usually designed as comfortable places where Aurelii could spend several hours together without feeling out of place. Many contained small private rooms where guests could rest or even sleep, making them useful to Aurelii travelling alone. They became cosy refuges where an Aurelis could drink tea, read, converse, and enjoy the company of her kin.

    Other phenotypes developed their own preferred meeting places. Valerii favoured athletic halls, training centres, and social clubs built around physical activities. Gravii frequently gathered in private dining clubs, political societies, debating rooms, and professional associations. Sapientii preferred libraries, laboratories, study societies, cafés designed for quiet work, and other places where conversation could continue without constant interruption. These preferences were not absolute, but they became recognisable enough to form part of Britain's social landscape.

    The most famous Aurelis social institution, however, existed entirely online.

    Aure Feline, usually referred to simply as Feline, was a social network created specifically for British Aurelii. Its logo was a golden kitten, and it was advertised as an open, anonymous space for every British Aurelis. A common saying claimed that every Aurelis had an account on Feline. Although this was obviously an exaggeration, it was not particularly far from the truth.

    Feline's membership policy was unusual. It was officially Aurelis-only, but there was little formal verification. Anyone could create an account anonymously. If another member reported them as a non-Aurelis, however, the accused user was expected to provide evidence of being an Aurelis. If they could not, they were banned.

    The system was hardly foolproof. There were certainly Communes and members of other phenotypes among its users, most of them interested in Aurelis culture rather than attempting to cause trouble. Some were simply fascinated by the community, while others had Aurelis friends or partners. A few managed to remain undetected for considerable periods. Few of them ever communicated, however. The app had a peculiar rule regarding its language, partially enforced by the maintainers, partially supported by users themselves. Within the app everyone tended to write in an old-fashioned way, Aurelii were encouraged to refer to each other using outdated single-person pronouns like thou, and changing the verbs accordingly.

    In practice, however, Feline's greatest gatekeeper was its content.

    The network was filled with poetry, music, drawings, photographs, literature, fashion, personal diaries, recipes, recordings, and countless other things that Aurelii considered charming. It was not particularly concerned with the subjects that dominated larger social networks. There was relatively little interest in political arguments, celebrity gossip, or the endless controversies that attracted outsiders elsewhere.

    This made Feline surprisingly effective at keeping itself Aurelis. Anyone could enter, but there was little reason for most outsiders to stay. A Commune might browse it out of curiosity, only to discover that the community was overwhelmingly interested in things that held little appeal to them. Feline was not protected primarily by its rules, but by its culture.

    Thus, while the four phenotypes increasingly developed their own clubs, establishments, and social circles, Britain never formally separated into four societies. The boundaries remained porous. People crossed them constantly, but they existed nonetheless, becoming one of the more noticeable social consequences of the refined phenotypes.

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