Kdaptists
Encyclopedia
The Kdaptists are a fictional religious order in Larry Niven
's Known Space
Universe, first mentioned in Ringworld
, and elaborated upon in the Man-Kzin Wars
series.
The Kdaptists are a small sect of the Kzin
, an alien race who have fought several wars against humanity. Prior to contacting humans, the predatory Kzin had conquered every species they had encountered, but humans—who, at the time of first contact, were believed by the Kzin to be unarmed pacifists—have consistently defeated the Kzinti. This was baffling and humiliating to the Kzinti, whose own religion told them that they were the pinnacle of Creation.
During the first Man-Kzin War, a fighter pilot named Kdapt-Captain was captured by the Catskinner, an artificial intelligence
sent by the Terrans to the Alpha Centauri
system. Kdapt-Captain was kept in near-total sensory deprivation
, except for the smell of his dead and rotting shipmates, suffering from dehydration and starvation for several days, and when he was finally rescued (by humans), claimed to have seen God
.
Changing his name to Kdapt-Preacher, he settled on Wunderland and lived as a hermit
, telling whomever he met that God made Man, not Kzin, in his own image. He began wearing a mask of human skin during his prayers, so that God might think he was one of His human children.
By the time of the events in Ringworld, Kdaptism has become a minor, if not tolerated, religion. Speaker-to-Animals
tells Louis Wu
that he was raised by a Kdaptist, but claims not to share their beliefs.
's story "Peter Robinson" (in Man-Kzin Wars X: The Wunder War
) that these are actually quite different - unlike the Kdaptists who try to trick the Fanged God into granting them success against humans, the Wunderkzin genuinely come to accept co-operation with humans as promising the most positive outcome for both species.
Larry Niven
Laurence van Cott Niven / ˈlæri ˈnɪvən/ is an American science fiction author. His best-known work is Ringworld , which received Hugo, Locus, Ditmar, and Nebula awards. His work is primarily hard science fiction, using big science concepts and theoretical physics...
's Known Space
Known Space
Known Space is the fictional setting of some dozen science fiction novels and several collections of short stories written by author Larry Niven. It has also in part been used as a shared universe in the Man-Kzin Wars spin-off anthologies sub-series....
Universe, first mentioned in Ringworld
Ringworld
Ringworld is a Hugo, Nebula, and Locus award-winning 1970 science fiction novel by Larry Niven, set in his Known Space universe and considered a classic of science fiction literature. It is followed by three sequels, and preceded by four prequels, and ties into numerous other books set in Known Space...
, and elaborated upon in the Man-Kzin Wars
Man-Kzin Wars
The Man-Kzin Wars is a series of military science fiction short story collections , as well as the eponymous conflicts between mankind and the Kzinti that they detail...
series.
The Kdaptists are a small sect of the Kzin
Kzin
The Kzinti are a fictional, very warlike and bloodthirsty race of cat-like aliens in Larry Niven's Known Space series....
, an alien race who have fought several wars against humanity. Prior to contacting humans, the predatory Kzin had conquered every species they had encountered, but humans—who, at the time of first contact, were believed by the Kzin to be unarmed pacifists—have consistently defeated the Kzinti. This was baffling and humiliating to the Kzinti, whose own religion told them that they were the pinnacle of Creation.
During the first Man-Kzin War, a fighter pilot named Kdapt-Captain was captured by the Catskinner, an artificial intelligence
Artificial intelligence
Artificial intelligence is the intelligence of machines and the branch of computer science that aims to create it. AI textbooks define the field as "the study and design of intelligent agents" where an intelligent agent is a system that perceives its environment and takes actions that maximize its...
sent by the Terrans to the Alpha Centauri
Alpha Centauri
Alpha Centauri is the brightest star in the southern constellation of Centaurus...
system. Kdapt-Captain was kept in near-total sensory deprivation
Sensory deprivation
Sensory deprivation or perceptual isolation is the deliberate reduction or removal of stimuli from one or more of the senses. Simple devices such as blindfolds or hoods and earmuffs can cut off sight and hearing respectively, while more complex devices can also cut off the sense of smell, touch,...
, except for the smell of his dead and rotting shipmates, suffering from dehydration and starvation for several days, and when he was finally rescued (by humans), claimed to have seen God
God
God is the English name given to a singular being in theistic and deistic religions who is either the sole deity in monotheism, or a single deity in polytheism....
.
Changing his name to Kdapt-Preacher, he settled on Wunderland and lived as a hermit
Hermit
A hermit is a person who lives, to some degree, in seclusion from society.In Christianity, the term was originally applied to a Christian who lives the eremitic life out of a religious conviction, namely the Desert Theology of the Old Testament .In the...
, telling whomever he met that God made Man, not Kzin, in his own image. He began wearing a mask of human skin during his prayers, so that God might think he was one of His human children.
By the time of the events in Ringworld, Kdaptism has become a minor, if not tolerated, religion. Speaker-to-Animals
Speaker-to-Animals
Speaker-to-Animals is a fictional character in the Ringworld series of books, written by Larry Niven.In Ringworld, Speaker-to-Animals is a junior diplomat who is trained to deal with other species without reflexively killing them...
tells Louis Wu
Louis Wu
Louis Gridley Wu, a fictional character, is the main protagonist in the Ringworld series of books, written by Larry Niven.Louis Wu was born in 2650 to Carlos Wu and Sharrol Janss. When he appears in Ringworld, Louis is 6'2" tall...
that he was raised by a Kdaptist, but claims not to share their beliefs.
Other uses
Some Kzinti who remain on the human colony-world of Wunderland after its liberation from Kzin occupation form a different group, the Wunderkzin, sometimes called "high Kdaptists" by humans. However it is pointed out in Hal Gibson Pateshall ColebatchHal Gibson Pateshall Colebatch
Hal Gibson Pateshall Colebatch , also known as Hal G. P. Colebatch and Hal Colebatch is an Australian author, poet, lecturer, journalist, editor, and lawyer.-Personal history:...
's story "Peter Robinson" (in Man-Kzin Wars X: The Wunder War
Man-Kzin Wars X: The Wunder War
Man-Kzin Wars X: The Wunder War is a collection of four stories totalling about 140,000 words by Australian author Hal Colebatch set in Larry Niven's "Known Space" universe, as part of the Man-Kzin Wars series...
) that these are actually quite different - unlike the Kdaptists who try to trick the Fanged God into granting them success against humans, the Wunderkzin genuinely come to accept co-operation with humans as promising the most positive outcome for both species.