beatingthedeadhorse

[beatingthedeadhorse]

Some ideas here I hadn’t explored before.

A Comprehensive List Of Things That Would Be Different In The Omegaverse That I Don't Hear Talked About:

Laundry. The Entire Process Accounting For Soaps used that would delete Scents

PERFUME.

C A N D L E S & F I R E

Childcare in the way of schools and teachers rubbing off on students!

Pools and public bodies of water such as hot tubs

Hygiene products like shampoo and conditioner.

DOCTORS.

FOOD PREPERATION FIELDS such as restaurants.

Public transpiration

Visual media such as TV and movies depicting scents. (Personal headcanon is that random pictures of what the scent is just fly across the screen with wild abandon.)

So are we going to talk about Airplanes...? Compressed metal tube in the sky for like 12 hours straight...?

How. Many. Health. Concerns. Scents. Could. Have.

OH BOY, GIMME A MINTUE ON HOSPITALS BOI.

THERE IS NO WAY IN HELL CULTURE IN THE EXACT SAME.

Cold climates and scents.

[beatingthedeadhorse]

This! Infrastructure in the Omegaverse would be so different to our world. Public sanitation, doctors, transport, housing complexes, apartments, hospitals.

There is so much to think about. So many little considerations.

in honor of my backache from sleeping in my nest on the floor last night (a hardwood floor covered with a sheepskin and a throw blanket) i wanna talk about nest mattresses! in real life and worldbuilding. disclaimer that my knowledge comes from mostly online so it’s probably not completely accurate.

so! cool floor beds i found that would make good nest bases.

the type of bed i could find the most on online is the Japanese futon. it’s what the western futon/sofa bed was originally modeled after but it’s very different. it’s basically a very thin mattress (shikifuton) over tatami mats (rush grass outer layer with a foam or rice straw core). both parts are much more moveable than a western style mattress. another important consideration i think is relevant is that futon covers go all the way around the mattress and can be washed (unlike western sheets which leave the bottom of the mattress uncovered which if it’s on the floor can get gross). futons are also meant to be aired out in the sun, which helps the whole dust thing.

another cool bed type i found are montessori-style house beds. they’re typically used for young children (toddlers and preschoolers) but do come in larger sizes (the biggest i’ve seen is a full). the bed frame sits directly on the floor with a thin mattress and a wooden house-shape on top that can support a canopy/curtains (which would be super cool for a nest lets be real). some also come with bed rails and bumpers so little kids don’t fall out, which i think would also be good for a nest because it’s more cozy.

of course i must mention the “human dog beds” which gained popularity in 2022 from going on shark tank but i remember first hearing about them around 2015-ish (and of course going that would make a great nest!). it is what it sounds like.

another, probably the cheapest option here, is camping mattresses. you know what these are. super thin air mattresses with foam tops. some come in double width (better for a nest imo) but most of them are made of that terrible slippery fabric (good for camping, bad for everything else). this might not be a problem for most people but i’m autistic and i gag touching them. you could cover it with a rug or blanket but those might slip off of it due to the gross slipperiness of the fabric. idk.

the last thing i can think of are traditional mattresses that are just. thin. you could use a mattress topper but a real mattress would definitely feel better even if they’re the same height because real mattresses have a comfort layer and a base layer and a topper only has the comfort layer (=more back pain for you). consider: dorm mattresses (at least my dorm had them, and it made an amazing nest), rv mattresses, and trundle mattresses. they’re all basically the same thing just different keywords (and slightly different sizes for the rvs). my sister has slept on a 4 inch mattress for six years or so and she only occasionally complains of back pain but for occasional use it would be fine (she also has scoliosis so. could be that).

now for some quick worldbuilding notes:

i definitely think that in an omegaverse society nest mattresses would be common. i think they would mimic traditional mattresses but shorter, like rv mattresses, but have an all-around washable cover/sheets to protect from floor grossness, sort of like dorm mattresses but able to be washed more easily. i also think they would come in more square or round shapes instead of the typical rectangle twin shape. i can see them having folding capabilities like some rv mattresses do, so that people could sun them like futons to get rid of dust mites.

i can also see nest frames being a thing, sort of like the montessori bedframes, with pillow bumpers to make a more enclosed vibe. i can also see a huge market for both frame-mounted or ceiling-mounted canopies, because who doesn’t want that.

maybe houses would be built with specific nest areas in mind, maybe with softer floors like tatami vibes or carpet. i’ve heard talk about conversation pits which are absolutely so cool but i can also see the advantage in an elevated nest space. my favorite nest of all time was in a ceiling cabinet because i could see the whole room but was harder to see myself, which made me feel really safe. so maybe houses might be built with raised nest platforms, or even small ceiling lofts overlooking a larger room (i couldn’t find an exact picture of what i’m thinking but this is close:)

[beatingthedeadhorse]

A very succinct variation of Omegaverse that goes into very specific and clear detail without being heavily wordy!!! Very impressive to explain so much with so few words.

The clear difference between ranks and concise, and very well rounded considerations for variation and flexibility is immaculate. Frankly, the aspect of terminology in Omegaverse is not something that has occurred to me much, however it is evidently an important detail!

Wonderful reference material.

Omegaverse Dynamics 101

Omegas

The internal protectors. Omegas take care of the inner problems of the pack such as (but not limited to) emotional/instinctual issues, infighting, reproduction, and monitoring pack health and mating cycles. They also make major decisions in the pups' education. Stereotyped as weak and emotional. 

Defining Traits

Submissive

Vigilant

Titles

Pack Mom- oldest or chosen omega with top authority on the inner workings of the pack.

The Heart- often given to an omega in a pack where there is only one omega.

Ommy (Oh-mee or Aw-mee)- equivalent to a parental title but used by all pups in the pack rather than just their own children. Usually (but not always) paired with the omega’s name, for example, Ommy Charlie.

Betas

The collaborative protectors. Betas can assist in internal and external problems but also manage relations with other packs, delegating pack responsibilities, and pack resources. Betas have traits of alphas and omegas as well as their own characteristics, and because of this, usually pack responsibilities vary incredibly from beta to beta. Stereotyped as dull and useless.

Defining Traits

Levelheaded

Strong-willed

Titles- 

Pack Link- Given to the top-ranking beta. Usually determined by dedication and attentiveness to the pack and pack issues by the pack leader. Note: Not every pack has a titled Link.

Bebby (Beh-bee)- equivalent to a parental title but used by all pups in the pack rather than just their own children. Often (but not always) paired with the beta’s name, for example, Bebby Nico.

Alphas

The external protectors. Alphas handle exterior elements the pack may face such as (but not limited to) outside threats, physical protection, and pack territory. Alphas used to be the main breadwinners of the pack, but as times have shifted, so has this responsibility, and it is now more equally shared among different dynamics. Stereotyped as aggressive and violent.

Defining Traits

Dominant

Protective

Titles

Pack Alpha: Given to the highest ranking alpha in the pack, usually determined by age or time in pack. 

Sentry- A title given to the strongest and/or most trusted alphas by the pack mom or pack leader. In smaller packs, usually only one, in larger packs, up to five. Note: This title has no relevance to hierarchy.

Abby (Ah-bee)- equivalent to a parental title but used by all pups in the pack rather than just their own children. Often (but not always) paired with the alpha’s name, for example, Abby Cole.

Notes: 

The title of Pack Leader can be given to any dynamic.

These are the extreme bare bones of dynamics and there will be nuances in the roles a person will have depending on the pack.

[beatingthedeadhorse]

A very in depth extrapolation on existing A/B/O and it’s utility.

Do you think in the omegaverse there’s a new, awful layer to “the talk” that teens get

[beatingthedeadhorse]

Let's start some discourse!!

One of the things often overlooked in A/B/O or Omega-verse stories and media is how trans people, or those who wish to be a different sub or primary gender, are represented and handled. I've read a couple of threads around the net of people who realised they were Trans or gender non-conforming due to the genre, and so I would like to hear the peoples' thoughts on how this should look in an Omega-verse setting. How do you think it would be managed? What worldbuilding would be around it? Would certain cultures make it illegal? Would it be something biologically natural or easy to do as a choice, by exposing oneself to different stimuli to promote the emergence of a new gender?

How would this look to you? Have you read any interesting Fics that explore this concept? Let me know!

[beatingthedeadhorse]

Resources - Pre-Existing, Fandom-made Guides to Traditional and Non-Traditional Omega-verse

'A comprehensive guide to omegaverse' by ColeyDoesThings.

Coley's video is very in-depth and touches quite the broad scope of A/B/O and its utility. She brings up points and ideas that often writers forget to consider.

[video found here]

[Back to Guide]

[beatingthedeadhorse]

Attention my fellow degenerates, together we are making;

Ao3 Interesting Dynamics Rec List

If you ever read or find a fic that contains a fascinating, unusual, or incredibly well thought out approach to Omega-verse, its dynamics, and/or its worldbuilding, link it either in the comments or the reblog chain, and we'll make a rec list.

I will go in detail and give a base description for each one and what is so interesting about it. Incomplete, complete, one-shot, long, or anything in between is accepted. Most authors use Omega-verse to either vent, explore gender norms, deconstruct misogyny as a greater emotional distance, or create fantastical constraints for character deconstruction. Whatever your flavour, I'll stop by, and give it a read.

[beatingthedeadhorse]

Ethnic Groups and their differences - brief

This can be an incredible way to explore how many different cultures view gender-norms, and their role in society. It can also be up to the writers discretion on how they portray specific ethnicities and how their people display A/B/O, however, the purpose of this distinction in different ethnicities should be to uplift people, not to bring them down – looking at you, writers who consider the western approach to be the norm, when it isn’t even the norm in western society. How’s that 5/6 divorce rate feel? Anyway.

A general idea on how to extrapolate on this effect is this – how do peoples bodies change in different environments? In areas where people face real predators – like jaguars, and bears – would it be safer for Omegas and Alphas to have less of a scent and simply have better senses? In places where food is scarce most of the year, perhaps the Omegas and Alphas sync their ruts and heats to either whenever the harvest is plentiful – whenever their fat reserves reach a certain amount – or simply every year when spring begins? Perhaps extreme environments, such as hot deserts and humid jungles, will force Omegas and Alphas to sweat without a scent, and to have less heats, and perhaps colder places will allow couples and families to intentionally spark heats to create warmth? Perhaps you could even have certain ethnicities that lack the sensory range of others, or vice versa, or have ethnicities that display differently due to their environment not requiring such extreme differences in strength, like New Zealand and some island nations, where there were no natural predators, perhaps allowing the Omegas to develop into being as strong as, or perhaps stronger than their Alpha counterparts in moments of high stress. If the world is post-fallout, especially a radical kind, such as chemical warfare, perhaps the world lives in greater extremes, creating whole new ethnicities in places that live life differently, and are biologically sometimes adjacent to their neighbours.

The most important part to stress would always be that the people would match their environment, and that another people entering, and enforcing their worldview would go incredibly poorly, even if they are seemingly more in the right – such as cold weather ethnicities valuing small, close units, as opposed to large desert-based communities who share their resources for safety and survival. It’s all about a matter of perspective, and the way in which different ethnicities – such as Old Celtic and Gaelic and Picti Britain and their subsequent invaders – interact and raise children and families can be a brilliant way to examine and deconstruct gender, culture, ethnic influence, and society as a whole.

It would also be interesting to explore what kind of Omega and Alpha beauty standards exist due to the environment around them – such as the continent of Australia, where being tidy and clean is the most attractive feature someone can have, versus perhaps a resource scarce country, who value partners who are evidentially eating well. It is interesting to note that, recently discovered by anthropologists, peoples in desert countries acquire and store fat in different ways and forms to peoples in cold weather countries. Which is another consideration a writer can use when writing in different perspectives! Something one character is ashamed of – such as thicker than usual in their culture and ethnicity thighs – can be considered incredibly attractive to another character due to their culture and ethnicity placing heavy importance in the presence of such features. Perhaps even an Alpha who is ashamed of having a quiet voice, being from a country in Europe, is considered incredibly attractive to other varieties of Ethnic Omegas and Betas because a ‘quiet Alpha is a good warrior and a hunter’. Writers can go as ham as they want with this, because it’s a real thing in our actual world! Exploring the differences in beauty standards from different ethnicities and cultures can be an incredible experience.

[Back to Guide]

[beatingthedeadhorse]

Cultural Divides -

The cultural divides between nations and families can even be utilised as a form of pseudo-science, or magic system. Biology wise, it is even possible – if using the alien theory – that humans aren’t necessarily one sole race anymore, but an assorted intermingling group with different instincts that are clashing together. Perhaps this was intentional – a way to create discord on earth to one day take it over, that horribly backfires on the aliens – or perhaps an accident – magic is returned to the world, and considering how long it’s been since it was gone, all humans are at least part fae, but the variety of fae creates different instincts and situations for the secondary genders to take place.

This can allow an author to have an incredibly in-depth and diverse world – such as one with a multitude of accepted deities, conflicting opinions on whether the secondaries are science or magic, and perhaps even one where soulmates are introduced.

The issue one has is how you integrate this world into individual characters. What will the world and its peoples look like? Will you chose to have animal, alien, or fae features, or is this a definition of humanity at its bare roots? And do different cultures react differently? Perhaps this starts wars in your story. You can have a partnership, between two characters, that is rife with accidental misinterpretations due to cultural differences they didn’t know about – or perhaps the secondaries in the other partner’s people literally work differently? Perhaps what makes an Omega afraid in one culture can instill a sense of affection or arousal in another? Perhaps certain areas are peaceable, while other cultures have gained a warrior like nature, and unstilled that attitude in all of its genders? Perhaps different cultures have predominant genders? Certain countries with a majority Beta, or Alpha population. A majority Omega. Perhaps an island of only Alphas or Omegas, that view someone scentless as a walking deity, and an unknowing Beta accidentally ascends to godhood on a lonely island in the middle of nowhere. Perhaps your birth country had a view on you gender you later move, and realise was wrong, or right. Perhaps you have to learn an entirely new set of cultural norms to impress a prospective partner’s family. Perhaps you accidentally get poached into a family by a culture that favours adoption over birth due to the low birth rate of Omegas? Perhaps, even, you enter a place where the people react to you as if you are something strange, and you finally realise you’ve gone your whole life believing the fourth or fifth gender existed in every nation. There are so many options, and so many ideas. It’s truly limitless.

[Back to Guide]

[beatingthedeadhorse]

Mating Practices, the Idea of Tribe, vs Pack, vs Community, and why that matters:

The modern interpretation of Omega-verse, now that it has moved away from the misinformed pack dynamic beliefs once held on wolves, has become a bit of a free-for-all when it comes to mating, packs, and the general community. It is now much more popular for Omega-verse to enter a dystopian environment than a run of the mill real world reinterpretation (all though you could argue some parts of the real world are dystopian, and I cannot disagree) and this created the notion for non-fans of the erotica sub-genre that Omega-verse is fundamentally dystopian, which is and isn’t true. Omega-verse can be a way to explore how modern society expects people who are fundamentally social beings to stay separate from others for most of their lives, and how the expectations and lack of training in youth for real world social situations outside the workforce have affected the populace.

This can be heavily utilised in how different areas, peoples, and ages groups or generations approach courting, mating, and the like. For example, perhaps older generations who’d grown up with less of the world affected by the new dynamics are unable to understand the social needs of their children, causing friction. Maybe entire cities have a runaway youth crisis, due to the crippling loneliness experienced by the people there. Maybe certain areas have accidentally created new generations with extremely powerful senses that can’t stand the city, and people are suddenly moving to the country in mass. This creates problems if the people in question go on to try and start a family and get a mate. Perhaps modern societies approach to courting isn’t working? Perhaps ancient, lost instincts such as ‘catch,’ ‘chase,’ and ‘release’ have become a major form of flirting and city kids just don’t get it. Maybe the modern approach of the Alpha – or perhaps simply a male partner – trying to ask the Omega – perhaps female or otherwise – out has unintended consequences, such as the unexpected shift in instinct when recognising a potential mate, in a way that destroys the Alpha’s idea on how dynamics work – maybe they end up being the one that gets chased and caught to prove they are worthy of the Omega’s time? Too easy to catch, and you are discarded, too difficult, and the Omega might see you as a threat and try to actually kill you. There are a great deal of options if you stray from the traditional brackets. Or perhaps modern society has accidentally begun to believe that the dynamics are more wolf-like, and try to split up large non-blood-related groups that don’t fit what is conventionally understood as an acceptable pack, and meet resistance from all sides. Perhaps certain cultures have different ideas of what acceptable nesting and mating practices are – in regions where scent of the pack and the community is important to make the Omega feel cared for, the community will give a show of offering bedding and supplies in the event of an upcoming heat. And perhaps in areas where the mating is more private, the donation of supplies is seen as a form of flirting, or a claim that the current Alpha is weak, or an unsuitable match. The possibilities are endless.

Maybe, in this world of newly arrived secondary genders, the community has returned as the main priority of the people. Perhaps instinct has begun to create issues in the sense of individualism as opposed to craving a sense of belonging and affection, especially if the genes were activated due to the loneliness of the modern world. The break down of the traditional nuclear family into something far larger, and perhaps more comprehensive and understanding could be played as a positive – perhaps elders, such as retired Alphas, and Omegas past their prime, are held in high standing, and corral the group towards a certain goal. Perhaps the raising of children, and the acceptance of an intention to court is a communal affair. Perhaps, even, when the world returns to industrial actions, the community doesn’t die, and adapts to live together, and share their resources and love as a group. Perhaps, with the addition of this new gender and dynamic, families become one of choice, and become so endemic that they become legally recognized as the new family adjacent formula for success. Or perhaps, whilst this is true in some places, others are resistant, and this causes culture clash and friction between nations and people, and even prospective partners, who may view the role of the community as ‘barbaric’ or the nuclear family as ‘patriarchal.’ It is up to the writer to decide their perspective, and their portrayal.

The revival of the community, and the change in human instinct could cause extreme societal friction, or speed up existing change. Perhaps a region of your world becomes isolated, and a huge focus for the rest of the worlds anthropologists due to their societal structure and belief systems. There could even be a diaspora in terminology for different countries, languages and areas for similar things. Pups refers to children in Britain. Cubs refers to children in America. Guppies and Nippers are children in Australia. So on and so forth.

[Back to Guide]

[beatingthedeadhorse]

Omega-verse Theory - Genetic Path Always Meant to be

Evolutionary Next Step Theory

Perhaps, after centuries of slowed evolution, the human genome takes the next step, and modern Homo sapiens have to come to terms with no longer being the most advanced form of the species.

This could be explored in a variety of ways - perhaps the world initially believes it to be a form of genetic mutation that is isolated to an area, or some strange reaction to microplastics. perhaps they think they are infected in some way, only to open other human genetic codes and realise a latent form of this new populace exists in almost every place on earth. Perhaps the intermingling of different ethnicities, and evident improval in lifespans and livelihoods has allowed the human code to realise that it can simultaneously enforce reproduction, but create limitations and constraints at the same time. You can explore how older humans frantically try to comprehend, or villainize this new human being to protect themselves, or how these individuals cope with being so few among so many. Perhaps you can explore a long history of war and bloodshed that followed, leading to the world your characters now live in - safe and undisturbed, paid for on the backs of others.

The Lost Third Gender Theory

Perhaps ancient humans once had three genders, with or without the secondaries, and scientists have been scratching their heads as to all the references and relations to some mythical third being, or third 'god'. Maybe, as food becomes easier to access, as lives become longer, the genetic ability and secondary presentation that occurred once so long ago returns to modern humans, now that people live less separately from one another. You can have a lot of fun with myth and fable in this one - create whole societies long dead, or reimagine ones we already know of in this lens. Perhaps Rome fell for a different reason? Perhaps the poorness of medicine, and loss of infrastructure caused post collapse humans to lose this quirk, but regain it a thousand years later.

Whatever you decide to do, the possibilities for creating conflict, and differences in opinion between inworld scientists and religions can often be half the fun of it.

Loneliness Theory

After centuries of the modern world, of the way humans have migrated indoors, and thrown aside instinct and the outside world, after the enforcement of the isolated nuclear family, the genetic code experiences a blip. People start craving the touch, warmth and scent of others. They start being restless and unable to stay at home without company.

The sights and sounds of the city gradually become too much for heightening senses humanity doesn't even realise it has, and the cities experience a sudden exodus of the youth. And somewhere along the way, a group of scientists take a closer look and say; 'Hmm. Thats not good."

Maybe civil unrest grows as people struggle to deal with their new instincts, and struggle to survive the modern working day with their sanity intact. Maybe people become more and more territorial, and older generations suddenly wonder why so many people are being born with all of the anatomy - all of it.

It could be a slow change - a battle of inches. It could be a revolution - a series of fights so brutal the world has to sit up and pay attention and ask why. It could have been something that happened in the past, and the modern world in your story simply has to cope, or something only starting now. There are no rules, only that humanity can't take the modern loneliness anymore.

[Back to Guide]

[beatingthedeadhorse]

Misconceptions - You can have a lot of fun with this one

‘Alphas are the dominant gender.’ You can make this as wrong as you like, especially in your more varied cultures. Afterall, no one interpretation of the same data is the same as another. Perhaps certain places have dominant Omegas that run the family, and the Alphas have to ask for permission to do almost anything. Its really up to preference.

‘Omegas are weak and submissive.’ They most certainly are not. Even around heat, perhaps in your story, especially around heat, where unmated Omegas might select an Alpha to chase in the attempt to reduce their heat to something manageable, and the Alpha must wonder whether it’s worth the possibility of a crushed pelvis to touch those muscular thighs… its really up to the writer. You can make the misconception as much of a thirst trap as you like, and make the reverse equally horny. Perhaps there are even Omegas in certain cultures who make a point to be incredibly physically strong, and so making it the Alphas jobs to step up the one time of the month or year that the Omega isn’t top dog. Again, personal preference.

‘Only an Alpha and Omega can satisfy the other.’ You can make this factually incorrect completely, or perhaps, factually incorrect due to the way of life in that particular area. Perhaps the Betas in this area are never allowed to properly enter unions, or perhaps parents ask for the gender of their unborn babe, and the dystopian world they live in allows them to euthanise Beta children. The fucked-up possibilities are your oyster, and perhaps this is even one of the reasons this particular nation is often at war with smaller ones who don’t view Beta’s as second-class citizens. Maybe Omegas in certain climate zones have particular needs, and have different ones different partners can fulfill in others. The specification of ‘only’ is, as always, the modern idea that partners are specifically two people, and not a third. Perhaps other cultures don’t view Alpha/Alpha pairings as wrong or immoral as long as you contribute to the community just like everyone else? Its really up to us, the writers, to make that decision as we go.

‘Partnerships must have biting.’ Perhaps your partnership is between to Betas. Okay, how do they bond? They have to bond, of course, they are an important part of the community, so how will you manage it? Is there something they have to drink on their wedding night before they sleep together? Is there a method of magically bindings themselves? Do they, perhaps, merely have to pronounce an intent to claim, and be caught, in the right ways? What of Omega and Omega, or Alpha and Alpha partnerships? So, they need to bite each other? Perhaps its not the bite, but something in the teeth? Maybe new world humans are mildly venomous and require the assistance of a heat or sex to force their body to switch to the bonding agent instead of their venom? Or perhaps, the bonding is from a soulmate first touch? From first knotting? Maybe traditional dynamics – Omega and Alpha – commonly have the bite, but for it to stick it must be accepted? How is it accepted? All thoughts a writer must have.

‘Omegas need to be knotted to go through their heat safely.’ Maybe there are particular instances where this is this case, but this just doesn’t make sense as an evolutionary step for a sentient species without the reason for the secondaries arising being due to loneliness. Perhaps a better way to utilise this idea is in moments where an Omega needs company, or affection, but not sex during a heat in order be pass through it safely. Simply relying on the smut can be rather shallow, and expanding upon the many genders within Omega-verse can be a great worldbuilding moment no matter what is happening around it. Another perspective is, what do certain cultures do if they have a shortage of Alphas, or just simply don’t place the value on them like others do? How do Omegas cope then? There is a great deal to play with when it comes to this idea. Perhaps Betas or other Omegas can console an Omega partner and get them through using tools.

‘Alphas can’t control themselves in times of rut.’ This can be a lazy mechanic to create a forced sexual situation. Maybe the world believes this to be true of Alphas, but its been perpetuated in Alpha Dominated cultures, and when up against other cultures who either have Alphas that don’t act that way, or don’t have Alphas in such high numbers, things may fall apart, and maybe the Omegas being terrorized realise they can make a break for safety among another people. This can be a far more interesting way of playing it. Maybe lack of control can be created by ingesting drugs, or certain things, and a government blackmails their people into believing Alphas are dangerous, or something similar. There is a great deal you can do by having this be, not just untrue, but a commonly told lie.

‘Alphas control their family unit.’ Perhaps this isn’t true at all, in the story you write, or the world you’ve created. Or better yet, maybe the different cultures think differently. Perhaps a family unit isn’t considered whole until more than two adults are involved, maybe the culture is a matriarchy. Maybe the Alpha, Beta, Omega part of it doesn’t matter, maybe the dominance is based off age and experience and you are part of a larger clan. There are many ways to spin this that create all new forms of drama to explore and explain. Perhaps the point of an Alpha is to generate a source of strength, but it’s the Omega of the family that gives them direction. Its all up to interpretation. Just don’t trap yourself in something too simple.

‘Family units are separate from their community – solitary packs.’ With the radical shift in instincts, it would frankly be difficult to impress upon any people the traditional two parent household. The idea that packs can’t live together with other close packs is also strange, as that is something people can often do, and so blocking a central part of humanities social nature is a strange choice when utilising instincts in such a way. Perhaps it’s a combination of a pair trying to fir the old nuclear family mould, but collapsing under the strain, and being taken into a larger community, and coming to terms with their unfounded feelings of inadequacy. ‘No man is an island’ should especially apply because again, humans are social animals, and the writer is playing with a mechanic that creates heightened instincts. The people would have larger, closer families with complex relationships, not smaller, single pairs. This allows a writer to have the return to the family as a main focus, or can allow the characters to gradually form their own community to meet needs not previously being met.

‘Pups, Cubs, Guppies, and Children either present at birth, or at 16.’ The presentation, its affects on the individual and their family, can be something that’s left to the interpretation of the writer. However, in the real world there is not end date for the arrival of your first period, and as we live better lives, menstruation comes earlier. Additionally, different ethnicities have different experiences and expectations with the cycle, such as some have a predisposition to early menopause, meaning childbearing must occur young, as in before mid-30s young. Additionally, perhaps in your world, the third gender arrives, and is visible from birth, but as the secondaries become more frequent and recognisable, the multitude of genders create a multitude of events and rituals a child can go through in their life, such as a coming-of-age party. The different terminology for unpresented children needs to create a non-sexual feel, and invoke a sense of protective urges from those around them, and maybe your world often mistakes early-stage betas for children? It’s all relative. Additionally, the common age of presentation could change whether or not a particular society views scent blocking favourably. It is ultimately an individuals choice on what they want to write.

‘Omegas can’t protect themselves in times of heat.’ Perhaps, instead of the omega being weak and submissive all the time, the assumption is based off Omega’s entering pre-heat, who might seem to walk in a trance. However, a biological process that leaves you open to predators would be foolish, and so, how the writer chooses to get around that can be very interesting. Perhaps, like primates, when a female is with child, or has children, the Omegas of the pack will be aggressively looked after by the members of the clan. Perhaps Omegas become territorial in the lead up to a heat, and search out friends and family to keep them safe in this vulnerable time. Or perhaps, much like the events of childbirth in ancient cultures, Omegas will band together in large communal nests and protect each other aggressively in this team. (Pity the foolish Alpha who follows their nose and ends up in that nest. Dead in seconds.)

‘All Omegas are attracted to Alphas.’ ‘All Alphas are attracted to Omegas.’ Even if you remove the secondary genders from view, this quite simply isn’t true in our world either. Men and women together are not the sole relationship bracket, and some don’t want relationships at all – how a writer handles their asexual pack members can make or break immersion, be careful. Therefore, if our world has grey areas, so will this one. Perhaps some omegas, in low alpha areas, have begun to gain an appreciation for certain kinds of Betas, much to the Betas shock. Perhaps Alphas, in other areas of the reverse, have begun to do the same thing. Or perhaps the line between the secondaries is particularly thin in some ethnicities, and you don’t know what someone else until much further on in the relationship, and by that point you are together and in love. The possibilities for creating conflict and drama with these ideas and matchups is boundless, and can be a great deal of fun.

‘Betas don’t have a sense of smell.’ Maybe this makes sense in some cases, but having the greater body of your family group unable to sense danger or track food is a dumb evolutionary decision. Maybe Betas simply don’t have the reaction, or association of certain smells? Perhaps the sign of a Beta is that the Beta smells of less but can sense more. It is up to the biology of the world you have created. Certain ethnicities probably have poorer smell due to not needing it to survive and have instead placed all of their bets on speed, endurance, and other such physicality. Maybe Betas can’t tell what secondary gender someone is at all, and perhaps in certain areas the idea is a very private affair, whilst to others who have a great sense of smell, it most certainly isn’t.

‘Betas can’t fall pregnant.’ And what do you think the female Betas are, buddy? Chopped liver? Perhaps the female Betas can even fall pregnant to male Omegas, who’s to say? As a writer, it would be up to you to decide what you would like to take precedent, but remember – if you’re going down the ‘ancient third gender route,’ you have to include that ancient third gender within the modern society. Maybe the different delineations between the secondaries aren’t noticed outside of the genitals in your world, until things begin to pick up speed and people start realising that they are capable of more than a mere human should be, even without being of the third. Perhaps there will even be hermaphrodite Betas in your world, who can fall pregnant. Again, its really up to you. It’s also up to you how these secondary genders are displayed, if they are even displayed at all outside of being the eventual next evolutionary step after the development of the third sex. It could also vary wildly in different areas due to population booms and busts. No place, and no story, is the same, go wild.

‘Betas can’t mate for life like Alphas and Omegas can.’ Being unable to bond in such a way can destabilise the family unit created within a world. Are you sure you want to add this extra piece of chaos? If Betas can’t mate for life, their would be no comprehension of the sanctity of relationships in the first place. And so, allowing Betas to commit to a slightly weaker form of the act would make greater worldbuilding sense. Perhaps, even, Betas can participate in fully developed relationships with Omegas and Alphas as long as at least one bites them first. Perhaps your world’s biology requires the Betas to be within the act to commit to a life-bond, whilst Alphas and Omegas can commit at any time, creating a sense of vulnerability in Betas, requiring a great sense of trust on their part to create the bond, especially if said Beta is not fond of sex. From a world building standpoint, limiting bonds, mating and scenting to exclusively Alpha and Omega pairings, or small family units, is strange, and doesn’t understand why the development of such instincts as the Omega-verse could be so interesting in humans of all creatures.

‘Betas don’t have a role in the family unit.’ In order for any secondary gender to be present, they must have a purpose in the story, and in the community. Betas being the majority can be interesting when say, an Omega entering heat alone panics about not having any equipment, only to find that Betas they know at school, or at work, have sent them supplies out of care and concern. Depending on how the writer creates their modern A/B/O family unit, Betas might also be predominantly in charge of children in times of heat and rut. Perhaps large daycare centres are set up in bigger packs and families so that children are well cared for by their Beta family members during this time. Or perhaps the role of the Beta is to quality check the alpha at the door, and if their offerings to the nest aren’t good enough, forcibly throw them out. You can have a lot of fun with how the roles of Betas change from culture to culture, with perhaps the old western idea of courtships being between only two people disintegrating when the ‘Beta best friend that hates my partner’ becomes a more and more common complaint. It could also be useful to have Omegas or Alphas seek out Beta companions to hammer this point home, as if an Alpha wants the assistance of a Beta to care for their small family in times of need, or perhaps the Omega wants a friend who remains unaffected in times of heat. Additionally, if pups and cubs are commonly mistaken for Betas, then by using this mechanism most people would be taught the Beta role as they grow up, until they present, and often stand up for their parents or siblings in the face of strangers or other family members, which can be another point of contention if one of the characters becomes and Alpha or Omega later on.

‘Prime Alphas/Sigmas/Enigmas can make anyone submit.’ The integration of other genders and dynamics can be good, however I would recommend caution. Muddying the waters and introducing pack-breaking dynamics into the Omega-verse can be incredibly difficult without destroying your carefully built world. Additionally, you need to come up with a role, a reason, a way for these kinds of people to exist. Why are they so extreme? Do they occur in areas of high conflict and poor harvest? Are they introduced as a biological mechanism as the Lonewolf archetype that doesn’t crave constant company, but will return to the pack occasionally to keep alphas in check. And the idea of commanding or controlling others by scent or by demand can be a surefire way to make a reader stop believing in the mechanics of your society. No matter how taboo it is, if a person can take the will from another with but a sentence or a scent, it is going to be abused, and so you need either someway for this belief to be proven false, or for only Alphas to be the affected party to these unusual pack-members. Additionally, what kind of conditions do they operate in? Are all of these dynamics lone-wolves, or have they been made to behave that way be a society whose limited understanding of how the Omega-verse works causes problems left right and centre. Perhaps the purpose of these people is to create new family groups around them, or to be as bridges between one pack and another. There are so many options. You could even have them be an Alphas number one enemy, but with the biology of an Omega at a closer glance. Perhaps, even, you could have Omegas who are specifically meant to mate with these types of people, and drive Alphas insane by their refusal to mate with them.

‘Alphas smells masculine, Omegas smell feminine, Betas don’t have a scent.’ I will extrapolate on why this matters further down, but imagine, if you will, a country steeped head to toe in a form of vegetation so potent that you can’t really smell much of anything. Add in the idea that fires occur year-round, and maybe your Omegas, Alphas, and Betas need to either smell more to compete, or just stop having any scent at all and no advanced sense of smell just to cope. That, my friends, is what you can imagine Australia would be like in the Omega-verse. How are we supposed to smell if someone is one gender or another over the fucking eucalyptus in the air? I swear to you, tourists literally say its an actual thing that if you approach the country by boat, you can smell it before you see it. Maybe other nations and areas have different scent associations for different times of year… But all I know is that the Australians have no noses at all – we’re flying blind, guys. Maybe we’d all smell to outsiders, we wouldn’t know. And perhaps, due to the differences in biomes, in diet, in areas, every nation has different common scents for their secondary genders. You’d never know – if you were Australian.

[Back to Guide]

[beatingthedeadhorse]

Omega-verse Theory - External Forces

The Alien Theory

Perhaps you want a world where the dynamics seem more than simply human, or earthlike, or you want physical extents and variations beyond the earthly possible. Ideas on how the Omega-verse was introduced into the world can be interesting. If a foreign invader has either experimented on humanity, attempted to sow discord for their own amusement, or released a bioweapon to remove us from the competition, it can be interesting to write us as the galaxy's true space orcs, and show how a populace can adapt, improvise, and utilise such dynamics to the point of becoming dangerous. Perhaps this allows you to have Alphas, Betas and Omegas be a slowly spreading 'disease' that creates what are essentially superhumans with incredibly complex social needs.

This could very quickly backfire in the aliens' faces, and that is frankly what we're here for. That, to me, is an absolutely fascinating take on a common fanfic trope.

The Magic Theory

Imagine a world where magic has long since left, and humans and interbred and interloped unknowingly with the descendants of Fae and not known about it until, a millennium later, every bloodline in the planet is now an almost human sub-race with incredible sexual diversity. This can allow the writer to have extreme dimorphisms between ethnicities, cultures, and sexes, and still have these people believably copulate.

It also creates an interesting conflict. How does modern society react to the sudden rise of gender variation, and the existence of magic? Are certain genders more applicable with certain varieties of magic? There are so many possibilities, and ways to take this, and all are fascinating.

The Scientific Mishap Theory

Perhaps a biological weapon was mistakenly released. Perhaps human geneticists unknowingly unlocked a pattern in our biological code that allowed us to radically change on the fundamental level? Perhaps a nuclear fallout, and the bioweapons together, created a world and a populace almost foreign from our own? One with its own distinct cultures, that seem almost familiar until you examine them closely. Mayve, even, there are people in the world who have entered a level beyond humanity, with the help of this forced evolution, and can connect on a mental level with others, in a strange kind of social network.

Oh, and these new people bite. Hard.

[Back to Guide]

[beatingthedeadhorse]

Omegas - Generally Speaking

Omegas can be set up in a multitude of ways. Most authors will have all Omegas capable of bearing children – which means that Omegas (both male and female) are either born with both parts, or develop that part at a later stage in life, or conversely, do not lose said part. The common preconception of an Omega is that their role within the society is to have children, however, multiple other sub genders are already capable of childbirth – female and hermaphrodite Betas, and possibly female Alphas. This means that there is more than just these physical genitalia that differentiates them from their secondaries. Such as the production of Omega Slick – a self-lubrication started to ease reproduction – an easier time sensing others’ emotions and intentions, perhaps an integral instinct regarding social intelligence found in all omegas, and the ability to bond using some form of intimacy. The major hallmark of Omegas is their answer to the Alpha rut – the heat. An Omega heat will happen long after the Omegas first menstruation (that is if your world has both males and females capable of menstruation) and usually sometime after thirteen. A heat is not a sign of sexual maturity, but puberty in action. Heats can last anywhere from mere hours to a few weeks (averaging at five days as the most common) and there are a couple of things Omegas do in this time.

Omegas will often aggressively nest – this refers to the self-imposed isolation and stocking up of food and comfort items in the approach of a heat, usually signified by preheat. Some cultures will allow pack mates to assist in building and stockpiling supplies in preparation for the event. Different cultures will treat heat differently, as they are wont to do. Heats do not always require a partner to finish safely, although that certainly speeds up the process. Depending on how the society views Omegas can often change who is permitted to wed an Omega, however most cultures leave it to the Omega’s individual choice of partner.

[Back to Guide]

[beatingthedeadhorse]

Betas - Generally Speaking

Betas are fascinating, in that in order to be a part of the dynamics, they must be able to at least participate in some way in the societal gears around them. This could mean that the Betas in the world you utilise still possess fangs, and with how men, women, and hermaphrodites will all have their traditional parts, with only the added accessories of scent glands, perhaps a faster than usual metabolism, or some other marker to delineate them from modern homo sapiens. Perhaps the location of the scent glands, or the size of fangs, or perhaps position of them, changes with sexual dimorphism. Depending on the iteration you have chosen, or perhaps depending on the biome, or access to food, Betas would be able to enter a sympathy rut or heat to offer comfort or satiate a member of their pack. This can include situations where an Alpha, having entered rut, is struggling to regain higher mental capacity, and a Beta can enter a sympathy heat to give the Alpha’s hindbrain something to focus on, manage, and bring them back to the present. Whether or not this is an automatic biological action, or something akin to pulling one’s hair into a ponytail and batting your eyes to garner the Alpha’s attention is up to the biology of the world you have created. A combination of both can often be a better way to approach such things, especially if the Beta and Alpha in question don’t recognise each other as potential partners, even in their hind brain.

Sex and physical differences between Betas are probably far smaller than the other secondaries, with a vast majority of Betas from the same ethnicity probably being roughly the same height and weight class regardless of being male or female. Perhaps the biology of the world you have made has Betas being an unusual subgroup where the woman are actually taller, or where there seems to be no physical differences between the sub sexes outside of genitalia. Speaking of genitalia, Betas would not be able to either produce slick, or the kind of slick Omegas can produce, and cannot form a knot, however, the Beta’s being able to do something else to create a similar effect with partners would be a helpful mechanic if the point of Betas in this world is to be mediators. Sometimes the best way to mediate is to stand in for someone else, and Betas have to be able to believably substitute for another sub sex without losing their fundamental features. And so, their fundamental features have to be defined. Can they smell better than modern Homo-Sapiens? Are they faster runners, or physically stronger? Or perhaps, the testament of success for Betas, is that they are a calming presence – their very aura and scent, or lack of it, providing comfort to others.

[Back to Guide]

[beatingthedeadhorse]

Alphas - Generally Speaking

Alphas, by definition, are typically more aggressive and territorial than their counterparts. Looking at Omega-verse from an anthropological perspective, the Alphas have a traditionally hunter/warrior/main provider attitude. This might infer dominance in your depiction, but really it just involves sturdiness, strength, and bodily power – such as physical attributes like strength and speed making them good protectors and warriors. It would be required of the Alpha, in times of danger, to be the first to approach and attempt to subdue said danger.

Male Alphas, if the world you are creating bothers to make a delimitation between the two, will often have only traditionally masculine anatomy. Females can either have some form of member, or simply a dominating presence. Perhaps your iteration gives them both sexual organs. (unsure what to do in the event of a Trans Alpha, I’ll have to ask) This can include the slightly larger than their counterparts fangs or canines, which depending on your iteration, could contain some kind of venom or chemical that bonds the Alpha to their sexual or intimate partner. (Perhaps Alphas are capable of binding themselves to other Alpha’s as Battle-Kin, food for thought.) Alphas are sometimes larger, or more physically broad than their counterparts in most ethnicities – although there are always exceptions. (Most of South-East Asia, and Oceania don’t have much visible size difference between Alphas and Omegas, but that doesn’t mean you cannot tell them apart.) If both male and female alphas posses a member, a large majority of Omega-verse fiction includes a reproductive method called ‘knotting’ that involves physically mounting one partner to the other with some kind of sexual organ attachment. Usually, this is by the knot at the base of an Alpha’s phallic member, and this is designed to keep their partner in place for as long as possible to both improve chances of viable young, increase intimate affection and trust between partners, and possibly even give the partners points of rest within their coupling period. Alphas, all of them, will be capable of entering a rut – a short period of time that the Alpha in question has increased testosterone levels, leading to higher angers levels, territorial displays, affection, displays of intent or showing off, and sometimes a higher than usual appetite, lack of rest, sleeplessness, or lethargy. The length of the rut can perhaps vary between the two Alpha genders, or perhaps they vary from biome to biome, and to age. The length of rut could even be determined by the circumstances that initiated the rut – sexual frustration, higher or lesser number of Alphas than common, or perhaps the oncoming of spring. Alphas can even be sent into a rut, or more accurately a short ‘sympathy’ rut, when around an Omega in heat, or perhaps even a Beta in distress. The difference in sexual capacity and longevity in Alphas as opposed to the other secondaries, is that Alphas, that have a member, will be able to reproduce for as long as the member in question and their senses can recognise that a viable mate is nearby. Unfortunately for Alphas, female Alphas, if they possess a womb, will have a younger age for menopause, and must decide the manner of which the want to start a family before they enter a career. Even male Alphas must make a decision – Alphas get substantially less Seasonal Leave and Paternal Leave than all other secondaries, and often have to carefully consider their occupation before entering it, in a similar manner to Omegas, who in some countries, lose their jobs once either married or with children. Most countries consider the idea of Alphas and Omegas having Parental and Seasonal Leave a human right, and often forget to include Betas in that equation.

[Back to Guide]

[beatingthedeadhorse]

Omega-verse Master Post - All info and links will be here

[Edit - this is going to link through to all the initial posts and ideas. When more discourse, and a more thorough approach is reached, an updated version in far greater detail will exist here, or probably on Ao3.]

So, I'm a little sick and tired of seeing 'non-traditional A/B/O dynamics' tags only to read the most misogynistic shit I've ever read - which is what traditional dynamics were - so lets make our own in a way that makes sense.

1 )

First of all, what is this dynamic? How does it work? What are secondaries? I will add resource posts below as I go.

Alphas [here]

Alpha Males

Alpha Females

Betas [here]

Beta Males

Beta Intersex/Hermaphrodites

Beta Females

Omegas [here]

Omega Males

Omega Females

Non-traditional additions

Trans A/B/O

Sigma/Delta/Gamma

Misconceptions (In-world and real world) [here]

2 )

Secondly, how did this dynamic come to be? Why is this here? What world building have you got in place to make an Omega-verse either necessary or interesting.

External Forces [here]

The Alien Theory

The Magic Theory

The Scientific Accident Theory

Genetic Path Always Meant To Be [here]

The Evolutionary Step Theory

The Lost Third Gender Theory

The Loneliness Theory

3 )

Thirdly, and I swear, if all of your Omega-verse content relies exclusively on the western and modern ideals on how relationships and society works, you're not trying hard enough. There are so many cultures and environments out there in our actual world that would change how these dynamics are treated. How would this work.

Social Structure, Standards, and Variations

Enironmental factors

Cultural diversity [Ethnicity here, Culture here]

Beauty Standards

Pack Structure and Politics [here]

Instincts Engrained in Genetics

4 )

Lastly, what resources exist in this world as a support for people, families, and communities. How do heat suppressants work? How do governments operate around a non-nuclear family unit?

Support, Education and Supplication

Planned Parenthoods for Omegas

Heat and Rut support

Suppressors and Pseudo Sexual Science

Sex Education in the Omega-verse

Births, Deaths, Marriage, and Divorce

These are all important considerations writers frequently forget when making A/B/O fiction. Hopefully, a thorough, and perhaps uselessly long extrapolation provides at least some clarity, and helps writers create a more complex world to operate with.

Any other advice from people who actually feel sexual needs would be nice, at this point.

[I will also take recommendations from the Trans community on how the fuck they want this to work in the Omega-verse, because you bet people are Trans in Omega-verse.

...

I can't believe I'm writing this. I don't even like this genre.]