Differences

This shows you the differences between two versions of the page.

--- dc2:species [2024/04/03 13:44] – shyriath
+++ dc2:species [2025/04/01 10:20] (current) – shyriath
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 ====== DC2.* (Species) ======
-The first tag of the Revised Dragon Code is the one for species. By its very nature, this is probably the only tag that cannot, and indeed should not, be omitted: the former because leaving it out makes it difficult to identify the results as a Dragon Code at all, and the latter because, if the point is to describe yourself, having *something* listed for your species is more or less a bare minimum, even if it's extremely vague; ex. **DC2.?**, "I don't know what species I am".
+The first tag of the Revised Dragon Code is the one for species. By its very nature, this is probably the only tag that cannot, and indeed should not, be omitted: the former because leaving it out makes it difficult to identify the results as a Dragon Code at all, and the latter because, if the point is to describe yourself, having //something// listed for your species is more or less a bare minimum, even if it's extremely vague; ex. **DC2.?**, "I don't know what species I am".
 For the identifiable species, the first letter to be used is capitalized and generally refers to a broad grouping. Being more specific involves adding additional lower-case letters for subtypes and sub-subtypes.
@@ Line 98: / Line 98: @@
 === g (Gnomes) ===
-A product of the Renaissance, [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gnome|gnomes]] were originally described as earth elementals. In a [[https://forgottenrealms.fandom.com/wiki/Gnome|TTRPG context]], they tend to be short, slight, underground-dwelling, creative types, with some behavioral similarities to [[#d_dwarves|dwarves]] but with a more experimental, technological bent.
+A product of the Renaissance, [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gnome|gnomes]] were originally described as earth elementals. In a [[https://forgottenrealms.fandom.com/wiki/Gnome|TTRPG context]], they tend to be short, slight, underground-dwelling, creative types, with some behavioral similarities to [[#d_dwarves|dwarves]] but with a more experimental, technological bent. There is also a species that [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Garden_gnome|lives in gardens]].
 === h (Hobbits) ===
-In a hole in the ground there lived a [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hobbit|hobbit]]. Lifted straight out of Tolkien. For legal reasons, most TTRPGs use "[[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Halfling|halfling]]" instead, but the result is similar: a short humanoid with hairy feet, quick reflexes, and an aptitude for stealth. There is also a species that [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Garden_gnome|lives in gardens]].
+In a hole in the ground there lived a [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hobbit|hobbit]]. Lifted straight out of Tolkien. For legal reasons, most TTRPGs use "[[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Halfling|halfling]]" instead, but the result is similar: a short humanoid with hairy feet, quick reflexes, and an aptitude for stealth.
 === k (Kender) ===
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 === e (Eagles) ===
-Any of a number of birds of prey of the family [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Accipitridae|Accipitridae]], not necessarily closely related to each other but distinguished by their size and ability to take large prey. They are relatives of #h_hawks|hawks]], which are in the same family.
+Any of a number of birds of prey of the family [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Accipitridae|Accipitridae]], not necessarily closely related to each other but distinguished by their size and ability to take large prey. They are relatives of [[#h_hawks|hawks]], which are in the same family.
 === h (Hawks) ===
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 === p (Apatosaurs) ===
-A genus of enormous [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Apatosaurus|herbivores]] with very long tails and necks. Historically there has been some confusion over whether //Brontosaurus// was a separate genus or should be considered a synonym of //Apatosaurus//, and the matter is still not settled, though the majority opinion seems to be that they are the same. Not to be confused with the related //[[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Diplodocus|Diplodocus]]//, or the (much) more distantly related //[[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brachiosaurus|Brachiopsaurus]]//, which have a generally similar shape.
+A genus of enormous [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Apatosaurus|herbivores]] with very long tails and necks. Historically there has been some confusion over whether //Brontosaurus// was a separate genus or should be considered a synonym of //Apatosaurus//, and the matter is still not settled, though the majority opinion seems to be that they are the same. Not to be confused with the related //[[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Diplodocus|Diplodocus]]//, or the (much) more distantly related //[[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brachiosaurus|Brachiosaurus]]//, which have a generally similar shape.
 === s (Stegosaurs) ===
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 === c (Centaurs) ===
+[[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Centaur|Creatures]] of Greek mythology, a hybrid of horse and human; the standard depiction is of a human torso, joined at the waist to a horse's body where the head and neck would ordinarily be. Their society tends to be depicted as rustic and closely tied to the natural world, sometimes with a penchant for revelry. They are also often depicted as favoring, or being associated with, the bow and arrow.
 === y (Cyclopses) ===
+In Greek myth, the [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cyclopes|Cyclopes]] were [[#i_giants|giants]] of a fairly humanoid appearance but with a single eye in the middle of the forehead. There are several depictions of Cyclopes, varying from skilled craftsmen to solitary, lawless shepherds, depending on the source, and this is sometimes reflected in their modern depictions, though the emphasis tends to be on their brute strength and solitary nature.
 === g (Golems) ===
+[[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Golem|Golems]] were beings of Jewish folklore, of rough humanoid shape but made from clay; it is sometimes implied that the first humans went through a stage of golem-hood before they were finished. It was often said that the golem was animated through the act of writing. TTRPG [[https://forgottenrealms.fandom.com/wiki/Golem|golems]] tend to be similarly magically made and animated constructs, though of various materials, by which they are classified into subtypes.
 === h (Hellhounds) ===
+A wide variety of cultures associate doglike creatures with hellish or underworld locations and figures, but among the prototypes for this concept are found in beings such as the Greek [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cerberus|Cerberus]] and the Norse [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Garmr|Garmr]], both of them guardians of the gates of the underworld, as well as the more active [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/C%C5%B5n_Annwn|Cŵn Annwn]] or [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Black_dog_(folklore)|black dogs]] of British folklore, who participate in the [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wild_Hunt|Wild Hunt]]. [[https://forgottenrealms.fandom.com/wiki/Hell_hound|TTRPG]] [[https://pathfinderwiki.com/wiki/Hell_hound|versions]] intensify the hellish aspect with a fiery visage, and emphasize their roles as trackers and hunters.
 === m (Minotaurs) ===
+A [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Minotaur|creature]] of Greek mythology, classically with the head and tail of a bull and the body of a man. The original Minotaur was a singular creature rather than a species, the product of a union between woman and bull that was the end result of one of those episodes of divine spitefulness that the Greek gods were known for. Having become irredeemably wild and craving of human flesh, it was imprisoned in [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Labyrinth|the Labyrinth]]. [[https://forgottenrealms.fandom.com/wiki/Minotaur|Modern depictions]] of minotaurs retain the generally humanoid shape but may blend other bovine traits with it, such as hooves; they are also usually depicted as an at least somewhat civilized, if martial, species.
 === p (Pegasi) ===
+Like the [[#m_minotaurs|Minotaur]], [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pegasus|Pegasus]] was originally a singular being, the offspring of Poseidon in the form of a winged horse that played a supporting role to assorted Greek gods and heroes. In TTRPGs, pegasi are depicted in a similar visual way, and are not always as intelligent as a human but almost always aligned with good and as desirable mounts.
 === t (Satyrs) ===
+The original [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Satyr|satyrs]] were Greek nature spirits; universally male, often dramatically so, and usually with the legs and tail of a horse. The bros of [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dionysus|Dionysus]], god of wine, festivity, and ritual madness, they had an enormous capacity for drinking, screwing, and other assorted debauchery. In modern times, they have tended to be conflated with [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Faun|fauns]], which instead have the lower halves of goats and often goatlike horns of some form on their heads. They have tended to remain all-male and with a reputation for revelry and debauchery.
 === s (Sphinxes/Sphynxes) ===
+The [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sphinx|sphinx]] is a being of Greek and Egyptian myth with the head of a human, the body of a lion, and the wings of a bird; the Greek and Egyptian versions differ on whether it is male or female and how it behaves. TTRPGs [[https://forgottenrealms.fandom.com/wiki/Sphinx|tend]] to carry on a version of this division, including associating the Greek-inspired, female gynosphinxes with riddles.
 ==== P (Plants) ====
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 === c (Cacti) ===
+Plants of the family [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cactus|Cactaceae]] that are adapted to life in dry environments; they are succulents, storing water in fleshy stems, with their leaves often adapted into sharp spines to deter herbivores. If you encounter one, think //very// carefully about hugging it, especially if it's a [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cylindropuntia_fulgida|jumping cholla]].
 === f (Fungii) ===
+Not sure where the extra 'i' came from. [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fungus|Fungi]] are non-photosynthetic organisms that live off chemical energy, often via the decay of other organisms; the best-known are probably mushrooms, but includes things like yeasts and molds as well.
 === t (Trees) ===
+The definition of [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tree|tree]] is neither precise nor universally agreed upon, and they tend to be one of those you-know-one-when-you-see-one categories. Most are woody plants with elongated trunk and branches, but at the smaller end tend to shade into shrubs, and some plants usually considered trees in common parlance are not woody.
 == a (Ash trees) ==
+Trees of the genus //[[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fraxinus|Fraxinus]]//, though the unrelated [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rowan|rowan]] is sometimes called the mountain ash. They have "[[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Samara_(fruit)|helicopter seeds]]" and its wood, which while tough and strong is also elastic and lightweight, has had many uses throughout history, and has been used to make weapons, musical instruments, and indoor furniture and furnishings.
 == e (Elm trees) ==
+Elms comprise the genus [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Elm|Ulmus]]. The leaves tend to have serrated edges, but are fairly rounded, coming to an abrupt point at the very tip. The wood's interlocking grain makes it resistant to splitting, and yet it bends well, lending itself to the making of things like bows, ship keels, and wagon wheels; it is also resistant to decay while wet, and was sometimes used for water pipes.
 == o (Oak trees) ==
+Hardwoods of the genus //[[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oak|Quercus]]//. They have leaves with lobed edges and produce seeds in the form of acorns. The hardness and strength of its wood not only gives the oak many practical uses, but in conjunction with the long lives of many oak trees, has made them a symbol of strength and endurance in many cultures.
 ==== R (Reptiles) ====
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 === a (Alligators/Crocodiles) ===
+More generally, [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Crocodilia|crocodilians]]: semi-aquatic reptiles with thick skin, short legs, and mostly carnivorous. Crocodiles and alligators are distinct lineages and differ somewhat visually, the former having tapered, more pointed snouts and the latter having broad, rounded ones. This category might also be interpreted to include the other crocodilians, the gharials (with long, very narrow snouts) and the caimans (related and similar in appearance to alligators, but generally smaller).
 === c (Chameleons) ===
+[[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chameleon|Chameleons]] are a family of reptiles famous for their ability to change color, as well as their independently mobile eyes, long sticky tongues, and two opposing pairs of toes on each foot.
 === g (Geckos) ===
+Members of the [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gecko|Gekkota]]. These [[#l_lizards|lizards]] are small, usually nocturnal, and usually have wide pads on their toes that aid them in climbing; most also lack eyelids, and keep their eyes moist and clean by licking them with their tongues.
 === k (Komodo Dragons) ===
+//[[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Komodo_dragon|Varanus komodoensis]]//, not only the largest living species of [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Monitor_lizard|monitor lizard]], but the largest living species out of all the [[#l_lizards|lizards]]. Covered in armored scales, and have serrated teeth with a thin fleshy covering that bleeds while the dragon is feeding; this is apparently normal and definitely metal AF. Though it will also feed on carrion, the Komodo dragon is an apex predator and can take down large animals. Although they have been known to become acclimated enough to humans to behave reasonably tame, they can still be unpredictably aggressive and are fully capable of wrecking your shit.
 === l (Lizards) ===
+Technically, any [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Squamata|squamate]] that is not a [[#s_snakes|snake]] (or possibly an [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Amphisbaenia|amphisbaenian]]). This covers a lot of ground and indeed includes [[#c_chameleons|chameleons]], [[#g_geckos|geckos]], [[#n_skinks|skinks]], and [[#k_komodo_dragons|Komodo dragons]], which all have their own entries. Most lizards have rounded torsos, elevated heads on short necks, four limbs and long tails.
 === n (Skinks) ===
+Lizards of the order [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Skink|Scincidae]], usually small and with short legs, practically no necks, and long tapering tails. Many of them are burrowers.
 == f (Fire Skinks) ==
+//[[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fire_skink|Mochlus fernandi]]//, a native of tropical forests in west and central Africa. Relatively large and vividly colored, with gold scales on its back and red and black scales on its sides and belly. This term may also apply to members of two other species, //[[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mochlus_striatus|M. striatus]]// and //[[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mochlus_hinkeli|M. hinkeli]]//, which were previously identified as populations of //M. fernandi//.
 === s (Snakes) ===
+Snek.
+Legless reptiles of the order [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Snake|Serpentes]]; more or less long scaly noodles with heads. Nearly all are carnivorous and snakes are famous for their ability to unhinge their jaws in a way that lets them swallow unreasonably large prey. Most snakes are nonvenomous, and the ones that are venomous are more likely to use it to subdue prey than in self-defense, but there are still a sufficiently large number of snake species capable of being dangerous (often [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Black_mamba#Venom|extremely so]]) to humans that the reputation tends to stick.
 === t (Turtles) ===
+Members of the order [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Turtle|Testudines]], famous for the hard, bony shells that protect their bodies. They live in a variety of habitats, ranging from the terrestrial to the semi-aquatic to the marine, though they are all air-breathers and must generally lay their eggs on land. The weight of the shell makes them famously slow on land, but that does not mean that they can't be faster than you think, and [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alligator_snapping_turtle#Under_human_care|some of them]] absolutely have the size and bite force to ruin your day if you make them mad.
 ==== Q (Spirits) ====
-"Anything non-corporeal, whether natural or supernatural." as Wyrm's site puts it, though there are people who would argue the point with some of these; angels, demons, and imps in particular are often depicted as corporeal.
+"Anything non-corporeal, whether natural or supernatural." as Wyrm's site puts it, though there are people who would argue the point with some of these; angels, demons, and imps in particular are often, though not always, depicted as having some measure of corporeality.
 **DC2.Q** by itself indicates //"I really DO go bump in the night!"//
 === a (Angels) ===
+In the Abrahamic religions, [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Angel|angels]] (literally //messengers//) are the servants of God, often depicted as living with him in Heaven. There were a number of kinds and various depictions, though the stereotypical Christian one is that of a beautiful, winged human with a halo. This latter image tends to heavily influence their TTRPG depictions as the native inhabitants of the good-aligned planes.
 === d (Devils/Demons) ===
+In mythology, these concepts tend to overlap; "[[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Demon|demon]]" is an umbrella term for malevolent supernatural beings, and "[[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Devil|devil]]" for a personification of evil. TTRPGs tend to separate them from each other on the basis of alignment; devils are Lawful Evil, with a complex infernal hierarchy and a tendency towards schemes and contracts, while demons are Chaotic Evil, primal beings of rage, force, and violence. In this interpretation, they are as often inimical to each other as they are to mortals or to the forces of good.
 === g (Ghosts) ===
+Generally, a [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ghost|ghost]] is a soul or spirit of a dead being, able to appear to the living. Belief in this type of being is widespread throughout the world, though the specifics of their appearances, behaviors, and reasons for being vary considerably by culture and time period. TTRPG versions usually follow the trope of ghosts bound to haunt specific places or people due to tragic deaths or unfinished business.
 === i (Imps) ===
+Traditionally depicted as small fairy- or devil-like creatures, ranging from the merely mischievous to the evil. The evil, devil-like depiction tended to strengthen over time, and this continues into [[https://forgottenrealms.fandom.com/wiki/Imp|modern TTRPGs]], which tend to classify them explicitly as among the most minor types of devil.
 === p (Poltergeists) ===
+Both in legend and in modern portrayals, [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Poltergeist|poltergeists]] are beings that are normally invisible but can manipulate objects, usually in order to cause a disturbance, i.e. by throwing or destroying things.
 === s (Spectres) ===
+Historically, the term "spectre" or "specter" was essentially synonymous with "[[#g_ghosts|ghost]]" and there was no clear distinction. The [[https://forgottenrealms.fandom.com/wiki/Specter|major TTRPGs]] generally treat specters as being similar in form to ghosts but different in origin and behavior; they are a result of an attempt to turn a humanoid into a spectral creature, with an intense hatred of living things, from which they have the ability to drain life (and which they sometimes have the ability to turn into other specters).
 === w (Will-o-the-wisps) ===
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 === g (Ghouls) ===
+Originally a [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ghoul|mostrous being]] of Arabic myth, of unclear origin but associated with graveyards and uninhabited places, where they lured in travelers and passers-by to feed upon them. The depiction in TTRPGs is that of a form of undead humanoid, but retaining the hunger for humanoid flesh, whether dead or living.
 === v (Vampires) ===
+A number of cultures around the world feature [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vampire|legendary beings]], often undead, who subsist on the life force or blood of living victims. The image of European-style vampires has been heavily influenced by Bram Stoker's famous 1897 work //[[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dracula|Dracula]]//, including their aristocratic appearance and manners and ability to turn others into vampires.
 === z (Zombies) ===
+A [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zombie|reanimated corpse]], originally from Haitian folklore. Though in movies they are often depicted as the result of some kind of natural plague, TTRPGs tend to hew closer to the original by having them be raised by dark magic. In all cases zombies are typically presented as lacking free will or minds of their own, being either uncontrolled or under the command of their master. A taste for living flesh is often included, an introduction from the movies. Animated skeletons are not usually described as zombies, which have at least a substantial amount of flesh still on them.
 ==== ~ (Shapechangers) ====