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Peek: Denizen Types
🕑 Added 2024-02-12 01:59:12 +0000 UTCDenizens are a vital part of any dungeon. They are second only to scions for carrying out the will of their dungeon, and scions are really just a subset of powerful denizens. As Dungeoneers have studied dungeons, we've slowly discovered the types of denizens. Those with power identification and divination abilities can see these categories directly, though not all at once. So let's go over the broad types.
We will start with the broadest type: beasts. While there are arguments about the differences between bestial denizens and the more ordinary beasts of the wilds, that's not especially pertinent to the category. Beasts are... bestial. They are not only one of the broadest in terms of biological diversity, but also in focus and affinity. Very often, a dungeons first several spawners will be some variety of beast, and it's generally accepted it's because of the versatility of the type.
An entire book on just the varities and specialization of the rat spawner can and has been written (Deep Warrens is my own perspective on the subject), and similar can be done on any other spawner of beast types. Wolves, foxes, snakes, birds of many varieties, moles, voles, badgers, cats, bears, fish, sharks, beetles, spiders, and more besides can be found as examples of the beast type.
Beast enclaves give rise to the wide variety of kins, and are often a dungeon's first enclave thanks to the early access to the spawners, as well as the versatility the spawners can bring.
Fey spawners are next, and while there are many specializations for the fey, their affinity impacts their development perhaps even more than their specialization. While brownies are one of the more common low-tier spawns for the fey type, there is very little an earth brownie has in common with a water brownie.
At high tiers, fey tend towards looking very similar, with Archfey of different elements only having a skin tone or odd hair or hair stand-ins to identify them from each other. While an earth brownie may look like a large dirt clod with a bright hat, and a water brownie will look like a clump of seaweed with a few decorative shells, archfey could be mistaken for cousins with obvious affinities.
When dungeons make fey enclaves, they usually receive elven dwellers, though gnomes are also also fey in origin.
Primal spirit spawners are often seen as a cousin to fey spawners, as they will often look similar to fey of the same tier, or perhaps fey look similar to primal spirits of the same tier. There is not much to say about the primal spirits that hasn't been covered by the fey, except to say that orcs and goblins come from their enclaves.
Elementals are another major type, and are the most influenced by their affinity. Some are simply classified acording to their strength, while some get their own unique names. Crosswinds as a type of air elemental, Undertows as water, Seeking Shade for shadow, and so on. Specialization will have a moderate effect on the elemental type, though a lot of them will simply leave behind valuable corpses once defeated. Still, some do actively improve nodes or otherwise improve other resources in their dungeon.
Dwarves trace themselves back to elemental spawners, as do changelings.
Slimes, sometimes jells, are a strange typing. At first glance, there doesn't seem to be much difference between different affinity or specializations of slimes, but more in-depth study reveals much. The chapter on slimes will go into more detail than this introduction, but the practical advice is this: if you encounter an unexpected slime on a delve, leave and go to the nearest Dungeoneer's Guild for more information. Slimes can be easily dealt with once properly identified, but such identification is not simple to do.
As of the time of writing, there are no known slime enclaves, and so no known slime dwellers. Some suspect certain changelings may be from slimes rather than elementals, but no hard evidence has yet been shown.
Plants are rare, but exist as a type, and include fungus as well. While I've had Rangers inform me that's not how it works, I have seen the spawners myself. I chalk it up to just another one of the things that separates denizens from more ordinary wildlife. Plant denizens are most often life or earth affinity, though any is possible.
Much like slimes, there are no known enclaves, so no known dweller varieties. There are always rumors of mushroom or plant people in deep caves or in lost jungles, but nothing definitive yet.
Another type with no known enclave nor dwellers are the undead. They are almost always focused towards combat, and so should be dealt with carefully. Undead scions are some of the biggest threats a party can face. They almost all have some ability or set of abilities that can make them very difficult to defeat, from shrugging off hits to vitals to being partially or fully incorporeal, undead should never be underestimated.
The final type to be covered here are the dragons, and said coverage will be the most speculative of this book, too. Dragon spawners develop slowly, and the denizens are much stronger than just their tier would suggest. They also have some of the widest variety in body type, rivaling even beasts. If you are entering a dungeon you even suspect may have a dragon spawner, make sure you get an information packet from the local Dungeoneers before delving. Slimes may generally be slow enough to let you make your escape, but dragons are not.
Their enclaves are said to be the origin for kobolds, but only legends remain as evidence. Considering how wide-spread the legends are, I'm inclined to believe them. In my opinion, the reason there's no more recent examples of natural kobold enclaves is the simple fact that there are no known dungeons powerful enough to upgrade a dragon spawner to the maximum and unlock it.
-Excerpt from Dangerous Denizens, written by Ryndal Windstrider
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Inspired by Vik M., who wanted to know the broad categories of denizen. I've probably forgotten a couple, so there may be an excerpt from Dangerous Denizens Vol.2 sometime in the future.
Comments
Topaz Moon (Alchemist)
Figured there would be some sort of link or something in the description of the story to those. All I am able to find was a post saying its stubbed now.
Darthnarciss
It's my understanding that the Betrayal officially started with the subsuming of the First Dungeon.
Laetitia
Dungeon life first book has been published. You can find the audiobook on audible. It includes about after the fight with neverrest. The chapter published have been taken off Royal road. The notice was on rr
Cha0sniper
Vampire enclaves maybe? :D
Topaz Moon (Alchemist)
What book that was published? I also so a comment mentioning a new audiobook. Did I miss some post about these things?
Vik M.
This made me very happy!!!! Thank you. Excited to see Thedium acquire a slime enclave.
Aqazix
I think Primal Spirits are life affinity.
Istyatur Elestel
No Undead enclaves are known to exist... Hence why I want Thediem tomake one so bad.
Ethan Barrow
Now I want Thedium to get a cat spawner, not for any tactical reason, I just like cats.
The-Guy-Who-Asks
Definitely need to include automata spawners from the last Q&A peek in the dangerous denizens vol. 2 peek.
Emma Baker
Are there monkeys or apes in this world? I would assume not to ensure that humans are never born through an enclave, or if there are, they would turn into a human-adjacent species closer to monkeys or apes. Thediem creates a monkey scion named Sun Wukong.
Herakilla
Thanks for the peek!
13L00D13ANE
Makes me excited for the enclaves Thediem will eventually have.
Demonlord
Yeah but I mean that's some time ago and what is he doing now? I know he's gardening but is that all?
Laetitia
His name for thedeim is master. There is actually a peek of him when he was just created included in the book that was just published
Laetitia
I do wonder, what's the difference between a primal spirit and an elemental ?
Laetitia
Me too!
Demonlord
Don't forget bees, ants, crows, bats and all the other denizens ... Fourdock will become a very huge city with all these enclaves nearby... Do undead enclaves exist?
Demonlord
Great peek as always 😊 It would be nice to have a peek about a day with Grim. How's he doing? How did he see the world and what's his name for Thedeim? Did he has a goal to reach or is he living from day to day?
Raufgar
It is said that the First Dungeon gave life to the first Kobolds, but after the Betrayal the remaining Kobolds scattered. If any Dungeon survived the Betrayal that could spawn Kobolds, they'd be ancient...
Geoff Urland
"Undead scions are some of the biggest threats a party can face." That's actually true (in a very thedim way) for Rocky, Thing, and Grim.
Istyatur Elestel
Eh, dwarves are known. I want to see the ODA react to slime and crawling hand enclaves.
Jake
Hoping to see a Dwarf enclave from the earth elemental spawner too! Though it seems like Thediem is neglecting it :(
Jake
Begs the question, where is the dungeon that was somehow so powerful as to spawn Aranya's kin? It's not the Maw (thankfully) but still one heck of a loose end...
Eriach
Always look forward to these peeks. It continues to flesh out the world and background of dungeons
AssumedPseudonym
This was a neat one. It was cool to finally get at least a hint of where orcs come from, too.
Geoff Urland
Which also suggests thedim will soon be one of the most powerful dungeons? Unless the upgrade mana costs scale hugely?
Geoff Urland
Oh man! Kobold enclave here we come!
