[Space/Thaumatology] Stargate: Fantasy - Worldbuilding thread

[Varyon]

Originally Posted by Prince Charon

Dragons Question III

I like 5 the most, but I don't think it quite fits with the idea of sapient dragons being extremely rare. Allow me to suggest a variant, which I'll call 6a (to distinguish it from any other 6's suggested by others).

6a: Sapient dragons are of the same species as sub-sapient ones, and in fact started out sub-sapient, but through some unknown process, acquired sapience. This is more than just a consequence of age, something special has to happen. What this is is a matter of scholarly debate, and may be different for each dragon. Suggestions include, but are not limited to - acquiring an absolutely legendary horde and maintaining it for several decades, consuming a prodigious quantity of sapients (typically humans) in a fairly short period of time, maintaining a lair at the nexus point of several ley lines, there existing only some set number of sapient dragons at any one time and a random new one gaining sapience at the exact moment an existing one dies, and more. And the dragons aren't telling either (although some scholars think many of the existing theories - particularly the more outlandish ones - may have been suggested by dragons to obfuscate the truth), presumably because they don't want the competition, particularly competition that is beholden to a Goa'Uld or other polity for granting it sapience.

[TGLS]

Originally Posted by Varyon

I like 5 the most, but I don't think it quite fits with the idea of sapient dragons being extremely rare.

Well, I mean it could if you tweak the parameters of how their biological setup works. Like, if dragons remain sub-sapient for a very long time, they have lots of children, and some time long ago the sapient dragons were massacred, well, that would explain why there are so few sapient adults compared to the sub-sapient children...

I like 2, 5, 6a

[ericthered]

1, 4, 5, 6a


Or 6b: subsapient dragons don't exist

[Prince Charon]

Poll remains open. Right now, 5 has either two, three, or four votes, depending on how I'm supposed to count Kesendeja's and Varyon's (clarification would be nice); 4 and 6a have two votes each, and 1, 2, and 6b have one vote each.

[Varyon]

Originally Posted by Prince Charon

Poll remains open. Right now, 5 has either two, three, or four votes, depending on how I'm supposed to count Kesendeja's and Varyon's (clarification would be nice); 4 and 6a have two votes each, and 1, 2, and 6b have one vote each.

Count me as voting for both 5 and 6a.

[Fred Brackin]

Originally Posted by Prince Charon

Dragons Question III

What relationship exists, if any, between sapient and sub-sapient dragons?

1. They are completely separate and largely-unrelated.

.

ONE as indicated. My take would be that all dragons are unique to their worldline and many will be unique on that line.

[Kesendeja]

Originally Posted by Kesendeja

4. As 3, but the sub-sapient dragons that are dangerous enough to prey on the sapient dragons are legendary, and possibly extinct.

Or

5. Many of the sub-sapients are actually just juveniles of the same race as sapients.

But 4 is a bit ahead of 5.

My first vote is for 4, but I'm more than happy with 5 if 4 doesn't have enough votes.

[ericthered]

Originally Posted by Prince Charon

Poll remains open. Right now, 5 has either two, three, or four votes, depending on how I'm supposed to count Kesendeja's and Varyon's (clarification would be nice); 4 and 6a have two votes each, and 1, 2, and 6b have one vote each.

I count at least 3 votes for 6a

[Prince Charon]

Should the next Question be on breath weapons (which I've been thinking about), or on something more closely related to the results of Question III? Sorry it's not ready yet, real life has been annoying and I've also been distracted by other stuff.

[Prince Charon]

Dragons Question IV

What sorts of 'breath weapon' do living dragons in this setting have, if any? (I specify 'living dragons' because robots and golems can have whatever staff-weapon variant the builder chooses to integrate, and spirits are each their own thing.)

1. Breath weapons just aren't a thing beyond stuff like spitting or spraying venom.

2. As 1, but it's magic venom, so the symptoms can be pretty weird.

3. Some living dragons can burp out flammable gas (or spray a mist of flammable liquid), and then ignite it through chemicals or bioelectricity.

4. While breath weapons aren't a natural part of dragon biology, many of the attack spells that sapient dragons learn are emitted from the mouth.

5. Different types of dragon have their own natural magical breath weapons (the D&D option).

6. Something else (please specify).

Please remember to include the number(s) of your preferred option(s) when you vote.

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Answer: .