The primary idea I want to explore on Zhuque, is how does the arrival of a space faring superpower impact the society and culture of a pre-industrial people who are deeply environmentalist? Would we see similar conflicts during our own Imperialist Age, with the Chinese and the Japanese, or does the even greater gap in technology, fusion, spacecraft, AI; create vastly different changes?
The UES and the Ethunin Hierarchy are meant to mirror Japan and China during the Imperialist era. One that was quick to change and progress, but not without internal conflict, the other slower to it, suffering and declining as a result of the refusal to embrace to new status quo. However, as I've mentioned, there are vastly different technological gaps and base cultural attitudes. Humans first arrived on Zhuque as existentially threatening aliens, committing genocide and the erasure of the Aos Si with very little diplomatic forewarning. The Aos Si were essentially in the medieval era, still steadily declining from their golden age, with several wars accelerating the process. Whereas the Europeans and Americans who arrived in the East brought large wooden vessels, cannons, rifles, and new ideas of government structure; the humans brought to Zhuque fire from the heavens: fusion power, bionetic and cybernetic artificial intelligence, and absolute, murderous tyranny. Both the Chinese and Japanese were somewhat spiritual, but lacked centralized religious institutions, their hierarchies formed by familial obligations and service up the chain of government. Meanwhile, the Aos Si are deeply spiritual, but their communities scattered and decentralized.
However, after a few decades. The internals of the human invaders quickly changed, dramatically shifting to a more diplomatic stance, suddenly looking to aid the Aos Si with very few strings attached. They seemed no longer as genociders, but benefactors. Their society changed from authoritarian to democratic, not that the Aos Si fully understood either system, initially. What impact does all these events have on Aos Si attitudes on modern technology and society? How they view each other?
The UES and the Ethunin Hierarchy are meant to mirror Japan and China during the Imperialist era. One that was quick to change and progress, but not without internal conflict, the other slower to it, suffering and declining as a result of the refusal to embrace to new status quo. However, as I've mentioned, there are vastly different technological gaps and base cultural attitudes. Humans first arrived on Zhuque as existentially threatening aliens, committing genocide and the erasure of the Aos Si with very little diplomatic forewarning. The Aos Si were essentially in the medieval era, still steadily declining from their golden age, with several wars accelerating the process. Whereas the Europeans and Americans who arrived in the East brought large wooden vessels, cannons, rifles, and new ideas of government structure; the humans brought to Zhuque fire from the heavens: fusion power, bionetic and cybernetic artificial intelligence, and absolute, murderous tyranny. Both the Chinese and Japanese were somewhat spiritual, but lacked centralized religious institutions, their hierarchies formed by familial obligations and service up the chain of government. Meanwhile, the Aos Si are deeply spiritual, but their communities scattered and decentralized.
However, after a few decades. The internals of the human invaders quickly changed, dramatically shifting to a more diplomatic stance, suddenly looking to aid the Aos Si with very few strings attached. They seemed no longer as genociders, but benefactors. Their society changed from authoritarian to democratic, not that the Aos Si fully understood either system, initially. What impact does all these events have on Aos Si attitudes on modern technology and society? How they view each other?