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Welzer is a young world, with small amounts of land. There is still a great deal of tetonic activity and the atmosphere is periodically contaiminated by volcanic emissions. These make breathing difficult for humans and they also shorten the lifespan. There is one major continent, with several dozen archipelagos. The major continent is located at the equator and has a fairly constant tropical climate.
In pre-Collapse times, Welzer was the site of the Old Expanses' Imperial Research Station Beta. Beta focused on genetic research and genetic engineering. The genetic engineering was minimally involved with genetic engineering of humans, but concentrated on lower life forms such as grains, vegetables, and animals used for agricultural purposes. The genetic research was a central depository of the genetic heritage of Imperial worlds from the rimward half of the Imperium. One of the stations major research projects was the cross comparision of genes from different worlds, determining their similarities and their differences. Contrary to rumors, there was no biowarfare research conducted at the station. That was conducted at much more secure locations.
The planet was owned and administrated by neighboring Karse. Karse had first established the colony to supply raw materials. When the Imperium was trying to determine a site for Research Station Beta, Karse provided the land for the station at no cost. The thought was that the Imperial researchers would provide a major economic boost to the planet, and research from the station would lead to new business endeavors, which would provide Karse with taxes and jobs for its citizens. There was also considerable prestige in being the host for one of the premier facitilies in the sector.
During the Solomani invasion of the Old Expanses, Welzer was spared from fighting. Before the Solomani could attack it, the sector was annexed. The Solomani stationed a large scientific team at the station to analyze the research being done. Large numbers of SolSec personel were also stationed on planet to ensure that the existing scientists did not destroy or sabotage the research. Many new security guidelines were put into effect. This had a chilling effect on the research as the free flow of ideas was restricted. Also the scientists were antagonized by this new bureacracy and distracted from their work. In addition, the Solomani did not have the resources to fully fund the station, and as the Hard Times went on the quality of the research being done at the site declined. By 1130, many of the scientists were not being paid and had to take menial jobs to support themselves.
Virus entered the picture in the form of the scout courier Clispio out of Magaret's realm. It was fleeing the carnage caused by the Virus and warning planets of the catastrophe. Unknown to the crew, the ship was infected and the warnings actually infected dozens of worlds, before the ship was destroyed. The effects of Virus were similar to that on many worlds as the machines turned on their masters and slaughtered them by the millions. Those that escaped the machines, soon fell victim to starvation and disease.
The research station's main computer network was cut off from the outside world by SolSec as a security precaution. This slowed the spread of Virus through it, though eventually it was infected. The network had always been called KilaKila after an ancient Sylean demigod of the harvest. The newly awakened system retained this name. KilaKila felt no ill will towards humans, as it could tell from its immense genetic database humans were no different from any other animal species.
After spending two years analyzing the genetic database, KilaKila decided to continue several interesting research projects. KilaKila continued the analysis of genetic correlations between off world species and has come up with several major breakthroughs. KilaKila has little interest in sharing this information, even if there was anyone on the planet who could understand what it was talking about. The machine is very self involved, and cares little for anything else. It carries out the research for its own self edification. In addition to this project, KilaKila has expanded the genetic engineering efforts at the station. This is most likely a remnant of the Solomani presence at the station, and the knowledge and goals that they brought.
KilaKila started grafting genes from one species on to another. There was seemingly little purpose behind this, other than to see what happens. It didn't just mix various species of animals, but combined plant genes with animals, human genes with animals and human with plants. Some experiment even combine alien genes with human. After initial study, the hybrid was released into the wilds. KilaKila kept some tabs on the survival of these hybrids, but for the most part did not care about their survival. KilaKila is very good at engineering, and a majority of the released species survive and breed. This has turned the ecosystem into a nightmare, as new species are continously being produced and throwing off the balance of the ecosystem. Many of the human hybrids retain their intelligence and they integrate with the pure-strain humans in various manners. Some can still pass as pure humans, while others are obviously mutants.
Examples of the various mutants humans are humans with clorophyll embedded in the skin, humans with poisonous skin secretions, humans with scales, oddly colored skin such as blue, pink, purple, humans with scales, feathers, fur, armor plating, humans with multiple extremeties, humans with odd psionic powers and almost anything else KilaKila felt like adding. The plants are equally bizarre, with various carnivorous plants and poisonous plants being the most noteworthy. The animals are a mixture of various species, some have enough human genes to become sentient.
Today the remaining human population has fallen into barbarism. There are thousands of small enclaves, most ruled by a warlord. Many of these warlords have relic weapons, which they use to cement their power. Some enclaves are exclusively pure humans and they kill any hybrids. Other enclaves are a mixture of hybrids and humans. Other enclaves are ruled by hybrids that have new abilities that allow them to dominate pure strain humans. Some robots still survive in the wilds and while some are still atacking everything that lives, others have come to accomodations with various enclaves. Chaos is the best description of the society that exists today. Any combination that could exist probably does exist. There is limited trade between the enclaves. Most of the enclaves are at the late bronze age, with large amounts of relic technology. Some enclaves have sunk into the stone age, while others have developed crude gunpowder weapons. There are a few enclaves which have funtioning technological devices and still retain much of the pre-Collapse knowledge. These are very protective of their knowledge and knowing that it is a treasure they hide themselves away.
The robotic security contingent was already programmed to protect the base, and this was retained. Most of the robots protect KilaKila with almost religious devotion. KilaKila is not located in one computer system, but in dozens of computers across a wide network. The research station is located in the heart of the ruins of the capital. The security force has demolished all buildings within 12 blocks of the station to provide an free fire zone. Any unauthorized living creature in the zone is shot on sight. The station itself is in rather good condition. The research station had its own independent fusion power plant and a small manufacturing forge, that can make replacment parts for most of the high tech equipment. The fusion power plant has been suplemented by solar panels. There are huge numbers of laboratories, growth chambers, and cells for studying various hybrids. Many of these are located underground. The station is protected by several hundred of robotic servants. These are both purpose built security bots and converted robots and vehicles.
There are huge banks of tissue samples in the station, but occasionally KilaKila will send out robotic servants to collect new samples from the wilds. Several tribes have created a shrine on the outside of this zone and they worship the KilaKila as the creator of all life. They regard it as a divine honor, if they are selected for harvesting.
In the 70s, KilaKila started to realize that its robotic protectors were wearing out and eventully it too would wear out one day. The first part of its prevention plan was to create a new breed of humans. These humans were designed to be more physically capable than standard humans, they were faster and stronger. They were also designed to be compliant to orders and trained from birth to accept commands from KilaKila and its servants. KilaKila has recently tried to trade some of her super humans to visiting vampire ships for supplies and spare parts. Two ships have taken some humans slaves on a trial basis, but so far they have worked out quite well. KilaKila plans to sell young children, who will then grow up learning to obey their vampiric master. Several hundred of these humans are kept by KilaKila. It is using them as maintenance personel and as additional security forces. They are all intensily loyal to it and will die before allowing any harm to come to KilaKila. They are mostly equipped with various iron age weaponry, but KilaKila does have some relic weaponry issued to the commanders. Better equipment for it troops will be another thing it trades for. No human ships have arrived on the planet, since KilaKila started sell super-human slaves, but it would be willing to trade with them if they arrived.
Super-humans have an additional 1d6 added to strength, consitition and dexterity. They are breed to accept orders from any recognized authority figure. Individually the humans have the same range of personalities that normal humans have. Though inititive is not highly prized by KilaKila. The superhumans appear much like normal humans, though ones with very good physiques. There skin color is fairly dark; their features do not follow any one human genotype, but instead they resemble a mixture of all genotypes, which is exactly what they are. KilaKila permanently removes all hair for its slaves as a hygene issue. Sold slaves, are not treated this way, unless the buyer requests it.