Abiogenesis

From Neverend

Abiogenesis, in its most general sense, is the hypothetical generation of life from non-living matter. Aristotelian abiogenesis, also known as spontaneous generation, (and, in older texts, Generatio aequivoca, Generatio primaria, archegenesis, autogenesis, and archebiosis), was the theory according to which fully formed living organisms sometimes arise from not-living matter. Aristotle explicitly taught this form of abiogenesis, and laid it down as an observed fact that some animals spring from putrid matter, that plant lice arise from the dew which falls on plants, that fleas are developed from putrid matter, that mice come from dirty hay, and so forth.

"So may he (Sir Thomas Browne) doubt whether in cheese and timber worms are generated; or if beetles and wasps in cows' dung; or if butterflies, locusts, grasshoppers, shell-fish, snails, eels, and such like, be procreated of putrefied matter, which is apt to receive the form of that creature to which it is by formative power disposed. To question this is to question reason, sense and experience. If he doubts of this let him go to Egypt, and there he will find the fields swarming with mice, begot of the mud of Nylus, to the great calamity of the inhabitants."

Creatures and monsters are generated or spawned through abiogenesis. Rats will appear in dirty houses and cellars. Flies will appear near trash. Fish will appear in rivers and lakes. Birds will appear in trees. Wolves will appear in forests. Snakes will appear in jungles. Scorpions will appear in rocky terrain. Crabs will appear on beaches.

Types of creatures are based on Challenge Level, determined by nearby cities, territories, and players. In a low level city, fish may be simple trout, while a high level city may have sewer eels or giant fish. Mice will be found in a small hamlet, and large rats will be found in populated cities. Weaker versions of animal and monster groups are replaced when Challenge level is updated, so that a school of weak fish will die and tougher fish will take their place later. Usually, weaker animals are smaller in size and greater in number, while stronger animals are lower in number and greater in size. One giant fish might be equal to a school of trout, or three pythons might be equal to five grass snakes. Size and density of terrain is also important. A small lake will have weaker fish, with a smaller chance of them turning into stronger fish near a populated city if the lake is too small. Tougher creatures require size of terrain to spawn, so a Warg will not spawn in a group of trees.

Likewise, large groups of terrain near high level cities and players will generate groups of tougher creatures, with a rare chance of producing giant and gigantic creatures. A busy port town may have a large number of fish populating the ocean, but if those fish are wiped out quickly, there is a chance that a gargantuan monster will spawn and attack the town. In a weaker town with a large expanse of ocean, this is not likely because the challenge level is too low for the area, producing steady medium and large fish.

Size ratio: Monsters spawn in ratios, with larger monsters replacing groups of smaller monsters.

Gargantuan: 1 gigantic creature replaces 5-10 giant creatures

Giant: 1 giant creature replaces 1-5 huge creatures

Huge: 1 huge creature replaces 1-3 large creatures

Large: 1 large creature replaces 2-4 medium creatures

Medium: 1 medium creature replaces 3-5 small creatures

Small: 1 small creature replaces 1-3 tiny groups

Tiny: 4-6 creatures in a collective group, each group is considered one creature

Heroic and legendary spawns: Spawns have a rare chance of spawning as heroic or legendary. This is based on conflicting challenge levels in the area, such as high levels mixed with low levels. Heroic spawns have random names and titles assigned, and are granted special abilities, defenses, magical abilities, magical defenses, skills, weapons, spells, and effects. The chance of such a spawn is based on the difference between high and low challenge levels.

Tiny and small creatures: Has a different color, may offer a greater reward or yield of materials, including treasure (a gold fish might have gold scales)

Medium and large creatures: 2-4 times tougher than normal, may have special treasure, added abilities. Common in mixed level battlefields.

Huge and Giant creatures: Creatures are very tough. and may take groups of players to take down. Have increased stats and abilities. Somewhat common in mixed battlefields. Often have personality and leadership skills to command smaller groups, and have notorious "presence" among weaker creatures.

Gargantuan: Legendary versions of gargantuan creatures have increased stats, abilities, defenses, and attacks. They require at least 1 city to defeat.