Venusverse

Homo Sapiens Venus is a subspecies of humans believed to have evolved at some point in history as a result of an extremely unfavorable environment. Generally referred to as 'the venus', they differ from regular people (Homo Sapiens Sapiens or 'betas') by having a special organ called a Venus gland.

The Venus gland is a small, V-shaped gland at the back of an individual’s neck, which facilitates the specific hormonal activity of producing and sensing pheromones.

Pheromones are chemicals produced by all animals that change the behavior of another animal of the same species. The effects of this are usually subconscious and barely noticeable for humans, but thanks to the venus gland, the venus are not only more sensitive to each other’s pheromones but also produce a unique kind of them which sexually and emotionally attracts them to each other. The ability to emit and sense these pheromones usually appears shortly after the beginning of puberty, at 13-18 years old, followed by a steady increase in the activity of the venus gland.

Pheromones can be release or controlled at will to a certain degree, often in relation to having or losing grip on one's emotions. Intense emotional states tends to make pheromone scent more intense and noticeable. Alphas and omegas can also "read" strong emotions through each other's pheromones.

The specific scent pheromones give off is subtly unique to each individual, and also perceived slightly differently from person to person. Most common comparisons are drawn to the smell of flowers, sweets, nature, and other pleasurable fragnances. Someone's scent might change subtly under two conditions: a serious illness or pregnancy.

Members of the venus sex are separated into two secondary genders: alphas and omegas. Both males and females possess a higher than average resilience to many diseases (especially STIs, reproductive cancers, and autoimmune diseases), tend to heal faster, have marginally longer lifespans, and extremely high fertility. Among pregnancies between alphas and omegas, miscarriage is virtually unheard-of, and conception probability overall is significantly higher, especially for alpha female/omega male and alpha male/omega female couples. The fertility window is larger, too, making a healthy pregnancy possible into the late 40s and even early 50s.

This is mainly facilitated by highly fertile periods called rut for alphas and heat for omegas. These happen once every 2-4 months (depending on the individual) and last for 4-5 days. Similar to the reproductive cycle of ovulation in beta females, both are signaled by heightened hormonal activity, only facilitated by the venus gland. Pregnancy between an alpha and an omega is extremely likely at this time.

The typical symptoms are heightened sexual libido (which is the most intense symptom for 1-2 days in the middle of the cycle) and changes to the functioning of the frontal lobe, causing slightly impaired decision-making and emotional control for both genders. Less desirable side effects include heart palpitations, vertigo, increased body temperature, anxiety, or migraines.

Suppressants are drugs that alleviate most symptoms of rut/heat or stop the cycle altogether. Unfortunately, they can be expensive and do not work well for everyone, sometimes leading to serious negative side effects. Significant research gaps exist, especially concerning long-term, frequent use, which is generally discouraged. Suppressants can also be used to make pheromones less noticeable or undetectable.

Alpha men possess a unique organ called the bulbus glandis—a spherical area of erectile tissue at the base of the penis that engorges with blood while copulating for the purpose of increased chances of successful fertilization. This action is referred to as knotting. The tissue usually only engages when an alpha is in rut or because of an extreme sexual or emotional arousal. Omegas have evolved to generally find the experience pleasurable, but in sexual intercourse with betas or other alphas, it is often uncomfortable, painful, and can cause injuries.

Omega men can become pregnant thanks to the underdeveloped ovaries which connect to their prostate. The inside of an omega male’s anus is separated into two openings by a cloacal flap. The self-lubricating reproductive canal, which leads into the omega male's equivalent of a uterus and sits between the prostate and the rectum, is only open when the omega is aroused or giving birth. The second canal, leading to the rectum, serves the standard function of facilitating bowel movements, and is open when unaroused.

While pregnancy is common, it is more taxing on male omega's bodies, their babies are often born prematurely, at a lower weight, and a cesarean is needed in many cases.

Alpha women possess a retractable erectile tissue, usually hidden within the body, which becomes engorged with blood when in rut. This causes the clitoris to function as a penis, which can be used for penetration and impregnation. The knot is less developed than in alpha males, but present. The alpha women’s ovaries are also unique in a way that doubles them as testes through complex hormonal shifts and tissue connections.

Omega women are indistinguishable from beta females in their reproductive anatomy.

There’s broad disagreement about the social and psychological aspects of being an alpha or omega. Many alphas tend to be assertive, hot-headed, charismatic, and dominant, while omegas are believed to be more empathetic, caring, emotionally intelligent, and submissive. This is mostly seen just as outdated stereotyping, but it exists in modern society, as do other gender norms and expectations.

The most prevalent but increasingly less popular religion surrounding the venus is The Church of Divine Dualis Sovereign, commonly abbreviated as DDS. Members of this church, which is considered a cult by many, betas and venusfolk alike, are called dualists. They believe in the existence of the dual gods—female alpha Alis, and male omega Dual—who hail the Homo Sapiens Venus as the evolutionary and spiritual solution to the future of the human race. The commonly held belief is that the venus have been introduced by the gods to cleanse humanity, and their existence is the ultimate form of being. Betas are considered imperfect and corrupt, and are not to mix with the Children of the Dualis.

Members of the DDS also believe in fated mates, a sacred, undeniable connection possible between an alpha and an omega only, which mirrors the godly bond between Alis and Dual, and gives way to the truest, deepest form of love. For most regular venus, this bond is seen simply as a myth comparable to the concept of soulmates.

While the large majority of dualists simply acknowledge the unique nature of the venus, a small, highly orthodox branch of the religion, the Children of Dualis, has strict rules for all contact with betas, going as far as only using products made by venusfolk, living separated from betas, and believing that humanity will not ascend until they are bred out. Some of the most primal impulses generally not accepted in modern society tend to be encouraged, such as possessiveness of alphas toward omegas and marking each other's necks. Using protection when in heat/rut or abstaining from following one’s procreative instincts at this time is considered sacrilegious.

The venus make up about 35% of the population and are more or less common in certain areas of the world. This leads to varying levels of stigma and even discrimination from the betas, though the general view of venusfolk tends to be positive.