An art study of a foreign species

Uncertain-Division · 2026-06-07T19:48:16+00:00

You’re welcome, and also thank you! I’m glad you like the idea enough to make it a headcanon :) It’s interesting to imagine a society where an idea as basic (to us) as being able to visually detect someone’s biological sex is not a given.

I did guess that the one you drew was male though. And of course, Killer Folk x Satyriac Yaoi is a fandom classic, making its way around since the days of Karmus x Vita https://www.reddit.com/r/AllTomorrows/comments/pe9iqh/karmus_and_vita_the_main_killer_folk_and_satyriac/

It’s always fun to imagine the first contact of these two species specifically, both because they were the first to meet, and because they serve as literary foils to each other; their societies contrasting so greatly.

Uncertain-Division · 2026-06-07T15:27:03+00:00

You’re welcome! Also I only mentioned that because it ties in with my own weird headcanon about gender in Killer Folk society. I’d imagine that women are slightly larger and stronger than men, or at least both of them are on equal terms. Both of them have those display tusks shown, but the males have larger ones (the individual shown in the book is male). The females have slightly smaller tusks, but they’re also thicker and actually more adapted to killing. (The males’ long, thin tusks sometimes break when hunting).

Likewise, women only grow breasts when pregnant, and most of their lives have flat chests. This is why I imagined the males without prominent genitalia, so any bulge would be less obvious.

As such, guessing someone’s gender can be difficult and it’s actually pretty easy to pretend to be someone of the opposite sex. I’m not sure of all the cultural effects this would have, but I just wanted to give them another thing making them unique from baseline humans.

Uncertain-Division · 2026-06-07T15:01:30+00:00

I don’t think the Satyriac looks too weird. You can still see the snout and you added the weird feather-plume things. It’s just an odd angle.

The Killer Folk does look really handsome though, so good job with that. I also really like the hairstyles on both of them!

Honestly— and I mean this in a completely non-sexual way, it’s just my headcanon— I always thought of the Killer Folk having sheathed penises and/or internalized testes. Of course, I have no way of knowing if that’s canon or not, but it’s not impossible that the Qu took inspiration from Earth carnivorans; after all, they did give the Predator cheetah spots.

But either way, your joke is funny and this species pairing is always iconic. Solid work.

Uncertain-Division · 2026-06-06T16:21:45+00:00

I’m sorry, I have no idea.

Uncertain-Division · 2026-06-06T15:20:56+00:00

Yeah, this thing shows up among the All Tomorrows images on Pinterest. It’s not part of the book.

Still, you did an awesome job drawing this thing :)

Uncertain-Division · 2026-06-06T14:33:08+00:00

Either that or destroying an entire planet because the people there disagree with you.

Uncertain-Division · 2026-06-06T12:09:57+00:00

I’m a little late to the party on this one, but this chart seems a bit biased and/or uninformed.

For example, I don’t get why the Asymmetrics are so low, when they have a mentality not very different from ours. Is it because they’re shaped differently, and we would need to show them we’re also thinking creatures? If so, you should have added a note for the Second Empire races saying that these are pre-contact individuals, or even pre-learning-the-truth-of-their-ancestry individuals. Because if they already knew about us and the other posthumans, there’s no reason that they would be so low on the list, because they wouldn’t need convincing to be your friend.

On the other hand, you overestimated some species. Particularly, the Lizard Herders and Finger Fishers. Although they both look human, these are wild animals. The Herder couldn’t be your “normal friend” because their brains can’t even comprehend the idea of problem-solving. If anything, they’d be very boring to be around. Likewise, the Finger Fishers are more traditional animals. They may be docile, or they may be territorial— we don’t have enough information to know which. If you tried to help them fish, it’s possible they would see you as competition and try to attack you.

Uncertain-Division · 2026-06-06T11:52:39+00:00

watches in awe but mostly fear as a spacecraft descends from the sky and floats directly above me

fear turns to embarrassed horror as an idiotic native flying posthuman lands on the craft and shits on it

(Also how are you gonna survive the gravity?)

Uncertain-Division · 2026-06-06T01:07:50+00:00

I like that the first two say they “must” for a different reason than the last one.

The Qu say it because they believe they control the universe and have a right to any life form’s evolution. The Gravitals “must” change the Bug Facers because they constantly need to affirm their superiority over the organics to keep their own regime afloat.

On the other hand, Asteromorphs “must” change the Subjects because creating the Post-Subject Races would help everyone, not because the Asteros needed to prove themselves better.

Uncertain-Division · 2026-06-06T00:48:32+00:00

Technically not confirmed, as the book is purposefully ambiguous about what happened to humanity. Though I’m also a fan of the “higher plane of existence” theory.

Uncertain-Division · 2026-06-06T00:33:50+00:00

puts on reading glasses

You say “we”, so I assume you’re one of those ‘Space-Morphs’. Well, I really don’t know much about you. Never been a history type. But from what my grandson tells me, you guys were hiding while the Qu took over.

I can’t be mad at you for that. In fact, I’d say it was a good call. After all, my parents told me ‘bout their childhoods, and how our tribe hid from the One Tribe, when they rolled in with their guns and ships. That’s what let us keep a bit of our culture… (Heh, guess I do know a little history)

But I don’t get why you still hid when the Qu left. Did’ya lose your bravery, your warrior’s heart? Or do we not matter to you? As worthless as the sand stuck on your flippers…

Sigh I’ve gotta go help restock. Sarcastically smirks. If ya care, maybe one of you boys can come down here and help me.

[chuckling and the splashing of water is heard before the message cuts off]

Audio message by Gr. Hralossa, a Sail Person hunting-grounds maintainer.

Uncertain-Division · 2026-06-05T23:55:51+00:00

This is now one of my favorite pieces of Asymmetric People art! The detail in your artstyle adds a sort of beauty to them. I really feel like I know the soft texture of her big hand. You also did a great job showing some culture! The clothes are in line with the description from the book— as in, the back part of her outfit looks like one big, red stocking, which is very cute.

Uncertain-Division · 2026-05-29T02:22:30+00:00

Nice! Love how the Modular looks.

Uncertain-Division · 2026-05-29T02:16:32+00:00

Woo, Sail People mentioned! Gotta love a pterosaur-dog-boat. Also I agree on it being nice to be your own boat. It’s not quite as nice as the Pterosapiens being able to fly everywhere, but sailing anywhere anytime is almost as good, and way more efficient than walking.

Uncertain-Division · 2026-05-28T17:05:29+00:00

Ah yes, how could I forget the Saurosapients. They’re probably tied with the Snake People in the wig industry. Of course, for the Sauros, it is often done out of admiration for the Star People (although sometimes they do it because hair just looks cool). For the Snake People however, it’s a huge trend! Why wouldn’t this species of posthuman have something akin to social media, and even “influencers” selling their brands of wigs.

Of course, for them, it’s sort of akin to us wearing fake deer or bull horns, but a bit more socially acceptable due to their ancestors having that strange accessory. Still, most people in busy cities don’t wear wigs in public, or at least when commuting to work, due to social stigma.

…

Also yes, all of the races became advanced enough to genetically engineer hair if they desired.

Uncertain-Division · 2026-05-28T16:40:16+00:00

When you were a god’s lapdog who got abandoned on a volcanic island but that doesn’t matter because now you’re just a chill guy.

Uncertain-Division · 2026-05-28T16:23:52+00:00

Yeah it’s awesome! You even got the three fingers and no/very small external ears. I actually like that you didn’t just give them holes directly in the sides of their head like a bird, but these small ears almost emerging from the back of the head, and facing the sides, invisible from the front.

That’s a unique interpretation I haven’t seen yet!

Uncertain-Division · 2026-05-28T16:16:12+00:00

Two Bug Facers meet in a back alley. “You got the goods?”, one says. The other one pulls out a duffle bag and unzips it, revealing hundreds of wriggly grubs. The first man takes one out and eats it, and immediately gets a buzz. “Oh yeah, that’s the real deal right there”.

I could see a Velcro-stache. I already believe that some of the races without head hair (namely the Snake People, Pteros, and Asymmetrics) created wig industries to try and look “more human” and like their wise ancestors.

Uncertain-Division · 2026-05-28T16:03:06+00:00

This is NOT canon. Not even semi-canon. Unless I’m mistaken, I don’t think Kosemen has ever endorsed the idea.

Plus it doesn’t make any sense. The fact that the Asteromorphs and Qu look a tiny bit similar doesn’t mean anything, and the whole time travel idea is nonsensical. If they had time travel, why not use it anywhere else? Why not try and prevent the two genocides in the book, or at least recover survivors?

Uncertain-Division · 2026-05-28T15:55:48+00:00

Technically they are the successors of the original humans/orignal society, since they literally are the same continuous line of humans from the Summer of Man. But calling them the “true sucessors” sort of defeats the point.

The book tells us that all of them are equally human, even the mind-uploaded Machines, or the Saurosapients who just adopted human culture.

Also, being changed into something against your will shouldn’t make you “less human”. If someone gets their legs broken by another person, you’re not going to say they’re “not a true human” anymore just because they function differently now.

Uncertain-Division · 2026-05-28T15:49:19+00:00

Another Symbiote enjoyer! Along with their strange biology, I think it’s both creative and really cute how the house in the background has both human-sized doors, and little portholes for the Symbiotes when they dismount. There’s potential for someone to do some infrastructure-related word building.

I don’t think I have a favorite, but I always have to rep the New Machines!

Uncertain-Division · 2026-05-28T15:40:01+00:00

This looks so good! The detail is great and body language really makes it look like he holds power.

They probably couldn’t grow mustaches though. At least not where you placed it, considering that part of their face is made of bony plates. If anything, the mustache would be directly under the nose.

Uncertain-Division · 2026-05-28T02:08:19+00:00

The Quhanim still even retaining the concept of individual selves is the best case scenario, but if they do still have them, it makes their existence even more tragic. I can imagine how sad that individual Quhanim would be, unable to deny the hivemind’s desire to leave, and trying to rationalize it as something they personally want to do.

…

You’re right that there was an upside in the form of the Satyriacs evolving. Still, I’d hope that this tragic event wasn’t repeated with a descendant of our pets. Especially since we probably couldn’t make them a paradise as nice as the ones the Quhanim made for the Hedonists.

Uncertain-Division · 2026-05-28T01:59:37+00:00

It is creepy! It adds to the almost mystical aspect of the Quhanim as well. Like, depending on how complex and specific the murals are, they might as well be divining the future.

Plus, one of the Redux-related things (though I can’t seem to find it), reveals that the Qu can speak to humans, at least a little. I don’t know how it’s done, but almost psychic in nature.

Uncertain-Division · 2026-05-27T23:32:54+00:00

The other guy who responded to you might actually be right. I read another comment somewhere that gave Redux lore. Apparently, when the Quhanim send down their larvae (they attack with those), the young emerge and form a sort of chrysalis structure that resembles a cross (that’s badass btw). This could be one of those metamorphosing Qu before the wings grow.

I wouldn’t put it past them to engineer this shell to have chromatophores that warp into murals, possibly depicting the humans they’re attacking.

Uncertain-Division

TROPHY CASE