The Kings Species in The Future is Now | World Anvil

The Kings

A race of Melvis impersonators. Singers and actors by nature, The Kings are one the most significant cultural icons in the universe.
The Future is Now is a cheesy sci-fi setting set in a nonsense universe where humans were exterminated without a trace eons ago and are long forgotten. The only remnants of humanity is that it's culture survived in a universe full of humanaboos.

Ambition is a dream with a Nexxar Frigate Class MK VII Penetration Drive
— A King himself
The Kings are a genetically altered race bred and created to be perfect replicas of the original King, Melvis. They are one of the significant cultural icons in the universe despite the differences between The Kings' sects.

Extraordinary Traits

What did we ever do to deserve The Kings? Seriously, where do they come from?
— Extranet Comment
While the universe understand Kings have an effect on sentients near them, few understand the nature of how Kings achieve this, or the extent of their abilities and whether they're just unusually charismatic.

As a result, please understand the information below is not commonly known to the universe. You could be ruining someone's life by exposing their idol.

EM Wave Manipulation

Using specialized augments designed for Kings' biology, they can bend electromagnetic radiation in the visible light spectrum to a limited degree. This requires great effort and on average limited to 100 yards. Common uses of this ability are for light shows at concerts.

Emphatic Transference

Through extensive genetic therapy and augmentations, Kings can emit subtle EM waves and sounds that are nearly undetectable with current technology. With an amplifier Kings can use their emissions to broadcast their current emotional state to all sentients within a few hundred miles.

This is described as an aura of intensive emotions. Due to the empathetic of this ability, it's impossible to know if these emotions are your own or the Kings at anytime, making detection difficult.

Mind Probe

A King may choose to project thoughts and memories from their conscious or subconscious mind to sentients in close proximity that voluntarily open their minds to the Kings. The range of ability is roughly 30 feet and causes a fully conscious trance state where the King is unaware of it's physical body.

Mechanical Proficiency

By genetic memory, all Kings have a immediate and perfect understanding of any concert equipment they come into contact with. They are also able to intuit similar audiovisual equipment quickly.

Debut

Whatever I will become will be what Melvis has chosen for me.
— A King before his debut
All Kings go through their Debut, a process in which they physically and mentally alter themselves to be like Melvis. It's unknown what a King looks like before they become perfect Melvis-like beings. What is commonly known is that the process involves extreme genetic therapy to the extent that their original pre-debut DNA is unrecognizable. As a result, it's impossible to know what a King is like before the debut by DNA testing alone.

The following information is confidential. Under protection of the Culturate, illegal access may result in the destruction of your immediate kin and their race/home-planet.
Verify Culurate Clearance
Not even the Culturate fully understand the details of the process, all that they know is the final step of the process.
A King must spend several days engorging themselves on a diet of gene modded food high in calories, lactose, and cholesterol such as space burgers; banana peanut butter and spacon sandwich; grape jelly, peanut butter, spacon, and fried bread sandwich; including other snacks.

They continue to do so, sitting in specialized defecation chamber until they die from gastrointestinal cardiovacsular reasons. Roughly 3 space days later, other Kings use advanced nanotech technology to resuscitate the King and replace their heart and digestive system to hide physical scars from this stage of the process. All Kings claim they go on a spiritual quest where they find their "soul" and that of Melvis, who they believed sacrificed himself for Rock and Roll.

The Authenticity of these claims are unverifiable.
 

Culture and Society

It's not how much you have that makes people look up to you, it's who you are.
— From The Book of Melvis, For I have Tasted the Rock
The Kings are an oddity in the universe, they are a seemingly innumerable race, no matter how many Kings you book for a concert, there's never a shortage of Kings. Despite the fact they're all nearly identical they have no home planet, no government, no organization. And yet they never come into scheduling conflicts, bring all the equipment and roadies they need with them. No one knows where they come from, they simply appear one day, they just are.

Melvis

The image is one thing and the sentient being is another. It's very hard to live up to an image, put it that way.
— King initiate
The largest aspect of The Kings is the original King himself, Melvis. All Kings aspire to become like Melvis himself, physically, mentally, and spiritually. The original teachings of Melvis was found on a Culturate datadrive, once discovered by the original Kings species, they painfully transcribed it onto thin sheets of wood pulp, known as "The Book of Melvis". This book is where The Kings derive all knowledge of Melvis's teachings.

The Kings believed so strongly in Melvis's teachings that they "ascended" their race through gene therapy, implants, and augmentations to turn their race into a spitting image of him.

Although the teachings are a well kept secret by both the Culturate and The Kings. It involves great details on how to maintain an ancient hairstyle and esteemed hairstyle known as a "Pompadour". Other teachings involve ancient technique on singing and highly suggestive hip movements, known as "Pelvis Thrusting."

Although there are several sects of Kings due to varying interpretations of The Book of Melvis, only resulting in minor aesthetics differences like varying shades and hues of skin, different antennas, head wrinkles, length and girth of the Pompadour, etc.

Ideology

I learned how important it is to entertain people and give them a reason to come and watch you play.
— King on his deathbed
All Kings seek to bring joy and inspire other sentients. They're known to work and perform tirelessly even at the cost of their own health, doing what they believe is reasonable to please each and every one of their fans.

Government

When things go wrong, don't go with them
— King on politics
Despite their numbers and lack of scheduling conflicts. Kings generally do not interact with one another, instead focusing on their own career instead of other Kings. As a result, Kings do not have any form of government at all and will generally ignore any attempts to organize them.

Although they will never refuse a large audience, they will avoid all political conversations.

Social Structure

I don't know anything about music. In my line you don't have to.
— King's Interview
All Kings are nearly identical despite what life experiences they may face, Kings will not deviate from focusing on their career.

Although some Kings may be more successful than other Kings, there is no hierarchy in any form. Kings act as if they are fully independent entities. Despite this, they will never come into conflict with another King.

In the early days, experiments were conducted to artificially create scheduling conflict, in every case all Kings except for one suddenly go missing without a trace, even when confined, leaving only their equipment and confused Roadies behind. Although all Kings in the experiment were found in other sectors and through unknown means of communication, their Roadies will flock to their original King in time for his next concert.

Economy

Adversity is sometimes hard upon a sentient; but for one sentient who can stand prosperity, there are a hundred that will stand adversity.
— Book of Melvis, For I Have Tasted the Rock
Due to the fact Kings have no government they have no central economy at all.

All Kings perform concerts which span in scope between large space stations to entire moons. Generally these tickets are sold out in nanoseconds with absolutely certainty due to The King's performance abilities. As a result, each King are wealthy and highly influential individuals and having venues worthy of a King's attention is a great honor.

In addition, their Roadies are zealous fanatics that will organize their concerts and are willing to do what it takes to ensure a concert doesn't go wrong, including booking locations, scouting venues, security, and ensuring an audience fills the venue. The average King generally has at least a small moon's worth of Roadies at his disposal at any time.

Taboo

I think I have something tonight that's not quite correct for evening wear. Blue suede spaced boots.
Due to the universal popularity of a King's concert, interfering with a King's performance is generally a punishable by death in many galaxies.

Common Customs

Values are like fingerprints. Nobody's are the same, but you leave 'em all over everything you do.
— King preacher
On par with Barkanoids, Kings are exemplar models of a good sentient being. They preach many values in joy, confidence, and other positive means of inspiration. As a result, many sentients civilization revolve around Melvis's teachings indirectly due to the King's performances.

Military

I'm trying to keep a level head. You have to be careful out in the world. It's so easy to get turned
Due to their lack of organization, Kings have no central military, in addition there are no recorded instance of a King participating in combat, instead they do not react to violence and upon death will rapidly deteriorate.

Due to their poor perception and survival instincts, Kings rely completely on their Roadies' fanatic nature and their willingness to die defending their King.

Rock and Roll

I'm not trying to be sexy. It's just my way of expressing myself when I move around.
— King's interview
It is not a surprise Melvis was the king of rock and roll, his influence on music on culture is unmeasured. His golden voice, raucous music, and hip swinging revolutionized entertainment in the galaxy. Although similar genres exist beforehand, Rock and Roll genre was defined by Melvis.

Many followers of Melvis believe back when Melvis was alive, that he was a god amongst mortal, worshiped by his peers before his unfortunate and mysterious death.

Biology

The Kings resemble a smooth skinned humanoid commonly with blue, green, or purple skin and a well kept pompadour.

The Kings' keep their adolescent stage of life hidden from the universe, only revealing their full developed form. As a result, very little of their previous life stages are known.

Physique

All Kings' are nearly identical in terms of appearance, although various sects within The Kings have varying skin colour, each believing their own skin matches that of Melvis himself. A King's physical attributes are otherwise unremarkably average for a carbon based lifeform of it's size and build.  

Features

Health deficiency, due to extreme physical and mental alterations, Kings are vulnerable to diseases, viruses, and bacterial infection. As a result, they have several handlers deemed "Roadies" that constantly tends to a Kings' needs and wellbeing.

Poor awareness and perception, as a side effect of genetic modification, on average Kings have one quarter of the average fully developed carbon based lifeforms' perception. As a result, a King relies on it's Roadies in order to navigate their daily life and remain safe from danger.

Single sex species, it's unclear whether the Kings originally evolved this way but modern Kings are a single sex species. Despite their sensual moves during concerts, Kings do not express sexual desires outside of performances; It is unclear how they reproduce, if they are capable of doing so. Although some theorize it is either by parthenogenesis, spore cultures, or cloning.

Skin coloration, Kings are capable of changing the hues of their skin colour. Although it's rare for them to do so once they've gone through their Debut  

Lifespan

Due to extreme modifications, a Kings' natural lifespan is only 42 space years, even with augments and advanced medical treatment. Several petitions have formed in order to conduct research to improve The Kings' natural lifespan. All attempts have been met with refusal from The Kings for unknown reasons.

Height

6'0" ft.

Weight

164-166 lbs.

Ideal Environment

On stage or backstage within standard universal comfort range of 60 to 75 degrees space Fahrenheit.

Diet

Sterilized premium prepackaged sandwiches and bottled mineral water.

Medical Research

The following information is confidential. Under protection of the Culturate, illegal access may result in the destruction of your immediate kin and their race/home-planet. Verify Culturate Clearance.
Before The Kings discovered the teachings of Melvis, they were originally a small subterranean mole-like race. Although it's a suppressed instinct by their Debut, Kings naturally feel comfortable in large crowds or enclosed area.

One of the major causes for their poor health is altering their physiology so drastically, by height they're 15 times larger than their natural form, by mass they're nearly 850 times more massive; even with gene therapy, the square cubed law is one mean mother of a Barkanoids

Mutation from a quadruped to a bipedal form has cause several internal organs to shift, putting pressure on one another, which is another major contributor to their health deficiencies.

The above mentioned health problems and the Debut has taken a toll on the King's physiology. In spite of that, Modern Kings live 7 times longer than their ancestors by pushing the limits of the Culturate's most advanced medi-tech gene therapies. Unfortunately, that means it's nearly impossible to increase a King's longevity by any meaningful amount.

Culturate philosophers believe Kings intentionally reduced their lifespan to 42 years in order to mimic Melvis's lifespan. Choosing instead to become the perfect Melvis through extreme modifications rather than using their resources to extend their life.
 


Cover image: The Future Is Now. by Allistar Sparks

Comments

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Aug 18, 2018 04:26 by Damion Otter

This strongly reminds me of a book series, "Phule's Company" by Robert Asprin. In it there is the "Church of the King", which is lead by Elvis Impersonators.   https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Phule%27s_Company_(series)#Rev   Love it!

Author of Ravare.
Aug 18, 2018 05:02

Thanks! It wasn't intentional but I did get this idea from Elvis impersonators. I guess great minds think alike, i'll have to check that series then.

Aug 18, 2018 07:40

It actually took me a moment with the Elvis thing there but man did I have a right chuckle once I realised. Good job man. It's a nice little giggle but also really good world building so hold star dude!

Aug 18, 2018 18:03

Thanks! I want people to laugh and enjoy at these articles, or at the very least groan at the puns. I'm glad to hear you enjoy it.

Aug 18, 2018 08:19 by EMBlevins

Much like the barkanoids I got a real kick out of this. It treads the line between comedy and sigh-inducing very well and even has a few serious aspects to balance it out. I love how much detail has gone into them as well, fantastically done.

Aug 18, 2018 08:20 by EMBlevins

On a side note, this also made me briefly think about "The Kings" from the Fallout universe.

Aug 18, 2018 18:07

Thanks! It's good to hear that i'm striking that balance. I will say it was originally suppose to be half as long similar to Barkanoids but I went overboard with it.
And yea, Elvis impersonators get around in fiction; Elvis was a cool dude.

Aug 18, 2018 20:04

I was a bit confused for around 3 seconds, then i spotted the Elvis picture. This was so well made, it made me laugh and it got me hooked in no time. There are so many details, but it never got boring.

Grab your hammer and go worldbuild! :3
Aug 18, 2018 23:18

Thanks! I'm glad to hear the article kept you intrigued throughout. It lets me know i'm writing in the right direction.

Aug 18, 2018 21:37 by Gyrannon Valdagesh

Fallout New Vegas Kings? Goofy, not really for me in terms of interest. I bet if my brother read this, he'd be hooked like a fish and would be happy to be reeled in - It feels like the kind of stuff he'd enjoy.

Aug 18, 2018 23:51

Well real life Elvis impersonators was where I drew inspiration and I guess a lot of other writers did as well.
But I understand you're not interested, no one article can fit everyone's taste. I appreciate the comment though! Maybe send your brother this way if you think he'll enjoy it.

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