Non-standard Monster Reproduction

[jodyjohnson]

With more than a passing nod to Tolkien (and Peter Jackson for the visuals) ...

My dwarves and gnomes spring from the ground full-grown.

My elves wake full grown under the stars.

Orcs, goblins, hobgoblins, and bugbears are spawned as adults in alchemical pits.

My kobolds and dragons hatch from 'stone eggs' which magically erupt from the ground.

Various other monsters are magically/alchemically bred, or are directly created via divine fiat (Erythnul, Beory, Ehlonna, etc.) or planar energy including the mixed/half-breeds.

The majority of 'normal' breeding is done by Humans (including Half-elves), Halflings, natural Animals and Vermin (and select magical beasts), and Lizardfolk.


Too much reproductive biology and genetics in the core renditions for my tastes. In some measure it just makes it easier to avoid the 'sparing/slaughtering orc babies' issue. Probably the reason why the movies went that direction.


What other directions do folks take 'where do monsters come from'?

 

[mhensley]

I've often thought of having kobolds behave more like ants. You know- worker kobolds, warrior kobolds, and of course, the dreaded Queen Kobold who lays the hordes of kobold eggs deep in her subterranean lair.

 

[frankthedm]

Orcs cam mate with most humaniods, some giants, and a few simian creatures.

Minotaurs: There are only males of this creature. The first was born as a divine punishment to a wicked human ruler for unnatural acts. It was male only by chance. It grew and in its life it came to know of the bull-headed Demon lord Baphomet who shared its appearance and gender. It beseeched The Lord of Labyrinths for more of its kind. Baphomet, well known for his misogyny, could never stand to see a female in his image and instead bestowed unholy virility on the first born. It and all other minotaurs that were to follow could breed with bovine and humanoid, the unions would always produce more male minotaurs. Hooved minotaurs were born from female bovines, footed minotaurs were born from female humanoids. The Demon lord’s taint still runs in their souls to this day, born with his lust for blood and wicked acts.

 

[Tonguez]

Gnomes orignally sprang from 'The Rock' and hence are primarily asexual.

However for environmental reasons one or two gnomes per clan will develop female characteristics and all others are her offspring. Hence gnomes IMC are asexual (they have a gential node used for urinating) and eusocial (ie hive-like) with only one 'female' per 100 (just like Smurfette).

Elves being Sidhe simply manifest from the 'Phantasm' (which is the stuff of dreams)

Goblins hatch from eggs (like land frogs)

 

[John Morrow]

Minotaurs: There are only males of this creature.

The Derro in my game are like that, because it seemed to fit (e.g., only male Derro seem to be depicted in D&D art, it's hinted that they are half-dwarfs, the racial insanity, mention of keeping human slaves in an old supplement, etc.). Basically, in my setting, they are a failed experiment at crossing human and dwarf that only produced males, which then breed true with humans (and possibly dwarves) to create more Derro. I briefly considered the option of having male and female Derro, neither of which can reproduce with another Derro, but it seemed more complicated than it needed to be.

 

[Drakmar]

From the Rock huh? Aren't they kinda small for that?

But.. I suppose it does allow them to do the People's Eyebrow.

 

[Tonguez]

From the Rock huh? Aren't they kinda small for that?
.

Well that depends on which Orifice of the Rock they sprang forth from

and well we now know what "Can you smell what the Rocks been cooking?" actually refers to

 

[Yair]

Interesting. I never considered such options, but I like them. *stores in mind for next campaign*

The only related entry I can make is that of the Elan from the XPH; I decided to have them reproduce via fission. Basically, each new Elan is a "psicrystal", a fragment of the personality of its "parent". (The possessed human that forms its body has nothing to do with its personality.)

 

[rbingham2000]

I kinda like this.

Maybe if you touch the wrong plant in an enchanted forest, you turn into some horrible plant monster (inspired by Christopher Hart's MANHWA MANIA).

Maybe if you're an elf and you give in to greed, envy or hatred, you turn into an orc.

Or if you try to use magic to bring someone back from the dead (in my world, that's a big no-no) the person you try to bring back will rise as an undead horror.

And let's not forget what happens to those people who are the victims of a sorcerer's spell gone wrong.