Hi. I’m Casey Hudson, and I’m worldbuilding avian battle strategies for my Drifting Amalgams universe. Here’s how I’m transforming worldbuilding questions and real science into a remotely triggered stun weapon.
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Inspiration for Worldbuilding Education
It’s time for the peoples of my Drifting Amalgams universe to learn new things, so I’m developing educational systems.
Foundationally, I’m looking at the goals, values, and subjects that make sense for a fictional school.
Why the culture felt a need to start the school system ties directly to what it teaches, and the cultural values informing the schools’ formation explain how those subjects are taught.
In the case of my science fiction species, sturnovula, the goal of their education is to survive and thrive. Their schooling is designed around taking care of their bodies and minds during extraplanetary travel. To support this, they learn fighting, finding food, and artistry–taught in the informal way they approach the rest of life.
To us, their studies may seem trivial, but for them, it’s a step out of the Stone Age.
Science behind Fictional Stun Weapons
The sturnovula of my Drifting Amalgams universe are intelligent birds who are being persecuted by much larger species. In thinking about how they might defend themselves against extermination, I started looking into how a taser works.
In “dart” mode, compressed nitrogen propels a pair of barbed darts that remain connected to the weapon by thin copper wires. These darts deliver a pulsed current that causes a neuromuscular response. Temporary paralysis.
This works as a great option for my sturnovula to incapacitate an enemy. With some modifications. I’d keep the barbed darts and the neuromuscular effect. But I’ll need to change the shape to something more natural–like a pebble. Fictionalizing it a bit more, I’ll create a voice-activated shock sequence.
Now, I can design battle techniques that allow these avians to attack without putting themselves in immediate danger.
More Science behind Fictional Stun Weapons
The sturnovula of my Drifting Amalgams universe are based loosely on European starlings.
The fun thing about adapting real-life beings when I’m creating a fictional culture is that I can fictionalize unique traits–like murmuration.
A murmuration of starlings can involve anywhere from 500 to 1,000 birds as they fly in a mass towards a roosting site. And in battle, this entrancing sight could be intimidating.
Using this natural behavior I’ve designed a technique where a murmuration of starlings could deploy and remotely trigger stun weapons that each deliver multiple shocks per individual.
Sturnovula learn to use these weapons in formation while attending schools that teach fighting and murmuration.
A tidy little system for sturnovula to defend against an enemy that wants to exterminate them.
Model of Sturnovula Stunning Pebbles
Imagine a murmuration of starlings–or in this case, a mass of intelligent birds–dropping what looks like pebbles. You’d cover your head. Or you may already be wearing a helmet, but your clothes are the real target. Once the barbs connect and the sturnovula call out, you and your compatriots are incapacitated.
What’s more is that the attacking sturnovula can use their ability to communicate throughout the murmuration and coordinate their attacks for optimal effect. They could also use the anonymity of a murmuration to avoid being targeted themselves.
Until next time, keep creating.