A/B/O Wing-AU Worldbuilding
Hey-ho, some of my worldbuilding ramblings chewing up tropes for fun and intrigue! AU summary: A/B/O world with magic-assisted wings and sentinel/guide elements thrown in for flavour.
What if instead of the trope-typical wolfpack structure followed orcas: matrilineal, led by non-reproductive females to pass on experience and knowledge. Omegas are generally the ones having the kids, so they'll want to be in the centre/heart/capitol of the territory, surrounded by pack and resources for safety. The perfect position to advance learning and co-ordinate forces from.
Wings: every human has enough passive magic to 'put away' wings into a pocket dimension/different plane. Vanish them by magic. This auto-cleans and dries them to prevent foreign contaminants, but doesn't sort feathers, so preening is required. Process is hindered by injury. Bringing out/putting away wings through damaged skin will significantly worsen the injury (eg. a deep scratch into a cut needing stitches). Bleeding wounds keep wings trapped in until healed, can be forced out but worsens wound significantly and can’t return.
Magic: passive magic for wing storage and flight assistance. Potential minority of people with more active magic ability to manipulate wind currents. Boost their own flight and/or knock others out of the air. Species of bird-wing are soul-reflective, not inherited, though dynamic has a strong influence,
Societal impact: People learn to fly like swimming, running and bike riding in schools, but don't typically fly day-to-day, especially in cities. Beds/nests are banked semi-circles for wing-extension sleeping, so are luxury baths for soaking. Fashions vary about backless clothing, most people keep wings tucked away unless looking to impress others. Makeup trends for the dating scene are bold full-face designs traditionally reflective of soul-wing species.
Dynamic roles:
*A/B/O dynamics can be neatly linked with occupational sectors: primary, secondary and tertiary and split between the four scent groups.
Floral & Fresh: omega, female beta. Refreshing, relaxing, sweet, bright (eg. rose, jasmine, rosemary, citrus)
Woody & Amber: alpha, male beta. Seductive, grounding, rich, dark (eg. vetiver, sandalwood, cardamom, cinnamon)
Omega
Leader/Nurturer
Tertiary sector: service, teaching, educated, managerial.
Phenotype: small, slender, agile.
Wings: Typically bright and eye-catching colours, desirable features of iridescence, colour variety and/or patterns (eg. violet-green swallow, blue jay, european bee-eater). Regardless of soul-species, omega wings have greater shoulder joint rotation and double-jointed wing elbows, for more maneuverability in evasion and in-flight mating. No claws or spurs.
Zone-out: mild empahtic ability, passive emotional perception. Can become lost in empathy, projecting an emotion field, disassociated from body. Physical touch is best (cuddles!), with scents and sensation drawing back into body awareness. Alphas are best for it as highly physically grounded, acting as anchors, while betas or omegas risk getting swept up in psychic/emotional field.
Considered most valuable dynamic and rarest. Expected to pursue advanced education, managerial positions and form/lead groups. Social shift from having lots of kids to one blood heir and overseeing flock children.
Most scent sensitive/ empathic, social priority
Beta
Craftsmen/Caretaker
Secondary sector: manufacturers, craftsmen, textiles, resourceful,
Phenotype: tall, slender, dexterous hands. Less defined than O/A.
Wings: Betas have wing claws; two prehensile digits at each wing elbow (eg. Hoatzin chicks or extinct Microraptor).
Zone: less likely to occur, but can go either way. Less emotionally reactive than omegas ad alphas.
Considered most useful and versatile in modern society, the primary dynamic demographic. Traditionally defer to O and A, but socially rank above alphas in modern times.
Alpha
Warrior/Defender
Primary sector: labourers, advanced body strength and endurance.
Phenotype: tall, broad, developed canine teeth/fangs, enhanced senses for hunting, guarding and combat.
Wings: most commonly raptor/predatory bird wings. All alphas have wing spurs; a bone spike with keratin sheath at each wing elbow (eg. Masked Lapwing). Presumably for combat and to impress females/omegas, large wingspan desired.
Zone-in: enhanced senses (sentinel-abilities) causing hightened sensory overload, over-awareness of physical body and sensory input, can be best drawn out of it by omega scent and empathic ability (guide-abilities). Flock/trusted individuals are more effective than strangers, with Omega > Beta > Alpha. Modified falconry hoods common for alpha de-stressing.
Considered brutish, aggressive and the most disposable. Formerly the primary dynamic in a population but becoming obsolete in a civilized age. Demographic shift driven by Alpha-conscription in war decreasing selection pool for reproduction.
Pack/Flock-driven, most socially/bond dependent.
Reproduction
Traditionally/biological history/prehistoric dynamic: one omega would flock with multiple alphas and betas. Omegas would lay eggs for betas/alphas to incubate, alphas young egg and territory, betas childrearing until of age for omegas to integrate into flock function/work. A/B/O male seahorsing it.
Courtship: omegas have flashy colours to attract mates and socail power to choose to accept/reject alpha and beta courtship competition. Wing-fluttering signifies interest, dancing is also popular during courtship. Omegas flutter and flash their colours to signal interest and invite courting, social pressure against an alpha refusing omega invitation. Archaic: aerial flight-chase before mating
Eggs: No periods, regardless of gender or dynamic. No uterus lining to shed, instead specialised cells & excretions to form shell. Lay soft shelled eggs that harden on contact with oxygen, after laying.
Spring ‘breeding season’: increased fertility and horniness, individuals may experience brief Heat/Rut, 3 days average. No biological imperative to mate (or maybe just limited to extreme hormonal imbalance, for a guilty pleasure FOD scenario).
Low fertility to transient sterility in biological alpha women and omega men outside of season.
Feathers & preening
Social preening, communal activity within flocks to strengthen bonds, particularly during feather molting.
Synthetic oils used in modern times, using oil from uropygial/oil glands on wings is highly intimate (due to heavy scent concentration) and typically reserved for bonded mates.
Other feathers: when wings are out, other small downy feathers may appear on chest, nape and tops of shoulders, varying by person. Rarely large or in hair or face, sometimes on arms or legs.
Wing decoration: trend shifts of dyes, glitters and jewelry for feather decoration. eg. iridescent glitter on flight feathers, delicate hanging chains with jewels/charms (trend to court by gifting charms/crystal pendants) to emphasise omega rotation capacity, shiny rings on beta claws, spur-sheaths on alphas like ceremonial dagger sheaths, shiny metal covers to look bigger/sharper.
Most alphas wear spur-covers when wings are out to look less intimidating.