Of Heroes and Supers - The World
The world of Superia is an alternative universe of our own, changed by the existance of superpowered individuals. Beings that could be called monsters and gods, heroes and villains, all battling each other and much more in the streets below and the sky above.
At the year 1992 of Common Era, through the study and help of supers, technology is at a strange point of robots, but non-commercial internet. Home computers have arrived only 20-25 years ago and advancements have been made exponentially in science and tech.
Attritions between superpotencies Emberly and Korshia have slowed, as the Space Race has come to a standstill. Rumors of treaties and, soon, open trade between the countries have began running amok.
Human or Another? - The People
From as far back as Pre-History, homo sapiens sapiens have shared the planet with another group of humans, the homo sapiens superia. The distinction is based on the development and manifestation of noticeable differences between the average sapiens and superia individuals.
After studies of DNA have began, theories of a Superia Gene began circulating bio-academy. Supposedly, this gene can manifest in a variety of ways that allows homo superia to develop powers such as flight, super senses, invisibility and more.
Unfortunately, the division of species is also a division of people. Not all homo sapiens are fond of homo superia, fear and ignorance fueling persecution and mistreatment of those individuals. Given their numerical inferiority and past history, homo superia often don't fight back despite their dangerous powers.
How common? - The Numbers
Currently, the only way to be sure an individual is a Homo Sapiens or a Homo Superia is the manifestation of a superpower or other visual distinction. Using new technology, there have been attempts to identify DNA distinction between the two species.
From research conducted during the early stages of the H.E.R.O Initiative, it is stimated that at least 2% of world population is Homo Superia; and of those 100 million individuals nearly 3% have been classified as "superpowered".
Why write about it? - The Goal
Superia is the stage of many stories, Super led or not. As a universe with powers we can only dream of but still somewhat close to the geopolitics of our world, it also serves as a 'what-if' telling and alternative history dwelings for my brain.
Still, I have stories that could come as comics or books, that I would like to write in Superia: The shieldmaiden inventor that has to overcome a family legacy; or the homeless energy converter that has to become a superhero to survive - and redeem himself; even the eletricity wielding musician that just wanted to sing but now has to save the world, because the big have to protect the small. As well as some other cool stories.
Gene manifestation and Powers
Distinction between sapiens and superia is small without the manifestation of Superia Gene. Of those manifestation, a smaller portion actually is classified as 'powers'.
Most common - and non 'power' - related manifestations are horns, new hue skin pigments, feathers, fangs and tails. There isn't a universal list of powers and manifestation, but various organizations have written their own lists for numerous reasons.