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General Tabletop Discussion
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Worldbuilding Assumptions: On the Origin of Species
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<blockquote data-quote="Amrûnril" data-source="post: 9199278" data-attributes="member: 6841183"><p>On Earth, we know that species originate through evolutionary processes, including natural selection, mutation, and genetic drift. In D&D settings, one can make a wide range of assumptions about the degree to which this is true. So long as living things survive and reproduce at variable rates, based partly on inherited traits, some evolution will necessarily occur, but it could be of relatively minor importance compared to species change or creation through arcane and/or divine mechanisms. Such mechanisms are baked into the history of many settings and the default lore for a variety of monsters. Even the PHB makes reference to divine creation of humanoid species (though one can easily interpret these statements as in-universe belief rather than objective fact).</p><p></p><p>I'd argue, though, that evidence of evolutionary species origins in fantasy settings is often clearer than is commonly assumed. In any setting where most organisms are drawn from the real world, much of the evidence of those organisms' evolutionary organisms also exists within the setting. If, for instance, a setting features bats, dolphins and bears, the wings, fins, and arms of those organisms presumably have the same similarities in bone structure that they have in the real world, and a shared evolutionary history remains the most parsimonious explanation for those similarities. Of course, if the setting includes owlbears as well, biological evolution probably isn't the only game in town (and if it also includes platypus bears, skunk bears, armadillo bears and gopher bears, magic has likely changed the rules quite a bit). Still, I think that overlaying magical process on an evolutionary framework produces more satisfying explanations for fantasy biological diversity than trying to recreate real world evolutionary outcomes though novel magical processes.</p><p></p><p>How do you explain species' origins in your preferred settings? I've included a poll comparing general frameworks, but I also think that that the nuances of and exceptions to those frameworks are interesting discussion topics. Where do dragons and owlbears come from in evolution-based worlds? How have directly created species changed or diversified since their origins? How much is known in-universe about these topics?</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="Amrûnril, post: 9199278, member: 6841183"] On Earth, we know that species originate through evolutionary processes, including natural selection, mutation, and genetic drift. In D&D settings, one can make a wide range of assumptions about the degree to which this is true. So long as living things survive and reproduce at variable rates, based partly on inherited traits, some evolution will necessarily occur, but it could be of relatively minor importance compared to species change or creation through arcane and/or divine mechanisms. Such mechanisms are baked into the history of many settings and the default lore for a variety of monsters. Even the PHB makes reference to divine creation of humanoid species (though one can easily interpret these statements as in-universe belief rather than objective fact). I'd argue, though, that evidence of evolutionary species origins in fantasy settings is often clearer than is commonly assumed. In any setting where most organisms are drawn from the real world, much of the evidence of those organisms' evolutionary organisms also exists within the setting. If, for instance, a setting features bats, dolphins and bears, the wings, fins, and arms of those organisms presumably have the same similarities in bone structure that they have in the real world, and a shared evolutionary history remains the most parsimonious explanation for those similarities. Of course, if the setting includes owlbears as well, biological evolution probably isn't the only game in town (and if it also includes platypus bears, skunk bears, armadillo bears and gopher bears, magic has likely changed the rules quite a bit). Still, I think that overlaying magical process on an evolutionary framework produces more satisfying explanations for fantasy biological diversity than trying to recreate real world evolutionary outcomes though novel magical processes. How do you explain species' origins in your preferred settings? I've included a poll comparing general frameworks, but I also think that that the nuances of and exceptions to those frameworks are interesting discussion topics. Where do dragons and owlbears come from in evolution-based worlds? How have directly created species changed or diversified since their origins? How much is known in-universe about these topics? [/QUOTE]
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