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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Raven Crowking" data-source="post: 1655723" data-attributes="member: 18280">IMC, animals do have "Beast Lords" -- fairly minor gods which created, and watch over, their kind.  Every once in a while, a Beast Lord will awaken the offspring of normal animals.  Usually, the idea is that the awakened animal will serve and protect its animal type, although they have free will, and this is not always the case.  Humans and other humanoids also worship Beast Lords, so there are considerably more than 30 followers.  Though, yes, a truly minor god can exist IMC who has that few.Awakened animals are the same species as they were before they were awakened.  Their minds are affected, not their bodies.  I realize that this seems contradictory form a modern, materialistic viewpoint, but it is entirely in keeping with ancient views and, hence, with a magical world where those ancient views are often discovered to be correct.The Beast Lords also occasionally elevate normal animals to a humanoid type.  Thus, there are humanoid bears, oxmen, etc., wandering around in the world.  Humanoid animals are new species where they appear.  Many of these are born of normal animal unions, and view themselves as essentially unique beings (consider it a mutation).  Others are sired of humanoid animals of their type that have gathered into communities.  Except in the case of the more powerful Beast Lords, these communities are fragile and suffer from inbreeding.  Of course, in the real world, some animals (cheetahs spring to mind) demonstrate that a viable population can exist despite limited breeding stock.A few of the standard humanoid races (kobolds, lizard folk, bugbears, sahuagin) are actually the descendents of humanoid animals created by the Beast Lords who have managed to survive and thrive.  Ah, Jonathan Swift, why didn't you answer this one for me?  Who built all those stables, anyway, for the Houyhnhnms?Okay, so he did answer those questions.If you don't like Swift's answers, it would be easy to rule that trading does not necessarily imply the use of money.  They may also hire out servants, or have friendly centaurs to help them.RC</blockquote>

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