(A) Fantasy species and fantasy reproductions
This is archival material from previous blog
I was thinking about fantasy species recently. Mainly because I read two articles: https://prokopetz.tumblr.com/post/186843269627/concept-a-dd-style-fantasy-setting-where by David J Prokopetz and https://seedofworlds.blogspot.com/2023/02/d8-reasons-to-fear-legacy-of-predator.html by Xaoseed and I was probably somewhat inspired by Dwarves and Derivative Dwarves from Troika! for years now.
And I was thinking of humanless setting where only elder kin survived – elves, dwarves, gnomes, halflings and ogres. I had a lot of ideas for their enemies and dangers but not necessarily about the protagonist species. And then I read those articles mentioned above. And here, let me show my versions of fantasy species reproduction cycles.
Elves are born when an elf teaches wild animal their ways – animal slowly turns into another elf, gradually gaining their character, personality, appearance and abilities until it becomes fully new elf. The process requires at least thirty years to be fulfilled. New elf is then fully versed in elven culture.
Dwarves are born when a dwarf sculpts single rock into a shape of a dwarf. Once the work is done new dwarf comes to life. It also takes a lot of time as well as sculptors mastery. Sometimes it takes few dwarves work to create one. Sometimes it takes years, usually decades, and new dwarf has to be taught and trained their crafts.
Halflings procreate through feasting. Once they gather enough food and drink and other pleasures they organise a feast, where they eat and drink and dance until they pass out, which may take few days even. When they wake up newborn halflings can be found among them, which are quickly adopted into families. Their numbers are controlled by access to food and pleasure. Halflings are grown and raised like humans.
Ogres actually can keep records of their lineage. Once an ogre accumulated enough fat in their gut during their life adventures shared with other people they start to change, their body fat violently wandering to stomach area. Their belly then transforms and separates from the rest of their body, becoming newborn ogre. Since ogres tend to be on the move gathering enough fat takes some time. Ogres are grown and raised like humans.
Once gnomes gather twigs, leaves, fruits and other natural debris, shape it to look like a gnome and leave in the darkness of safe hideout the new gnome will be born. It is not hard to create one – the difficulty is in raising them. Fresh gnomes are bitter and angry, as if they were woken up from a wonderful dream and brought into this grim reality – they don’t understand world at large too well but aside of that knowledge lack and character flaws they are gnomes like any other. Only with years and thoughtful care they start to appreciate their life and their kin and are willing to live in a society.
Yeah, next time I will write about the monster species and their connection to elder peoples hubris!