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Draenei Discussion
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Post by
Vaeku
Y'know, focusing on the comparison to goats...
I was watching "Life" on the Discovery Channel the other day, and they had a little segment about the Ibex and how it can climb these really steep slopes. I was watching this little baby Ibex climbing an almost vertical slope to get away from the fox, and it reminded me of the Draenei.
It's possible that if they started out on four legs (which is likely), the reason why they kept the hooves is because of Argus' mountains. Now, that's obvious. But exactly
why
would they need the hooves to climb the mountains? It perhaps has something to do with their fascination with crystals. Now, I know the Exodar and TK and most of the crystal tech is of Naaru origins, but it's entirely possible that they experimented with crystals on Argus. After all, they were/are powerful mages, so maybe they used the crystals to store energy? And the hooves would help them get to those tough spots to mine the crystals.
Also, when they were on four legs and before they became sentient, the hooves helped with climbing up the mountains of Argus, and their front legs/hands were used for... catching prey?
And of course, the tail helped them keep balance with all of this.
Post by
Monday
Kewl Skree ^^ I'm taking AP World History and English next year in 9th grade.
Nice, I'm taking those now. Taking the AP test as well looks great on your college transcript (and I'm in 9th).
My teacher on National Geographic
=D
Post by
440334
This post was from a user who has deleted their account.
Post by
Monday
I think it is likely that they experiemented with crystals on argus, simple creatures like shiny stuff.
Also, when they were on four legs and before they became sentient, the hooves helped with climbing up the mountains of Argus, and their front legs/hands were used for... catching prey?
Catching prey... Hmm.... Theres a good question; Did the Dreanei evolve as Omnivores,
Carnivores
, or Herbivores?
I'm going to think omnivores, as its hard for a sentient race to survive on meat alone.
Post by
440334
This post was from a user who has deleted their account.
Post by
Monday
Yeah thats why i crossed out Carnivores, but Herbivores always have a nice and large varriety of vegetation to choose from.
Mmm... but plants as well are harder to survive on for sentient races. Granted its much, much easier than just meat, but still.
Post by
Vaeku
Yeah thats why i crossed out Carnivores, but Herbivores always have a nice and large varriety of vegetation to choose from.
Mmm... but plants as well are harder to survive on for sentient races. Granted its much, much easier than just meat, but still.
I'm still thinking omnivore, because of their pronounced canines. You don't need those for eating leaves!
Post by
440334
This post was from a user who has deleted their account.
Post by
Skreeran
I don't think you'd want canines for crushing nuts. Seems like molars would be better suited for that.
I addition, they are certainly omniverious in all sources we see them (Rise of the Horde, in game), so I imagine they evolved that way, and didn't just one day decide "Hey, I'm so hungry, Ima take a big bite outta that Talbuk..."
Well, scratch that. At some point back in history, some Draenei ancestor thought it would be a good idea to use his herbivore teeth on the carcass on the ground. Or at the bottom of the seafloor. Whichever.
As for the hooves, I'm thinking that it's just a case of natural selection. Draenei ancestors lived on mountains for whatever reason (safety from predators, greater food supply, whatever), and the ones with harder and longer nails on their feet were better at not falling off than the ones without.
Interestingly enough, this would suggest that the Draenei were already bipedal and using their hands for grasping when their hooves evolved. Otherwise they wuold probably have hooves on their hands as well, their hoof hands wouldn't have easily adapted to grasping, and a bigger brain to facilitate tool use would be unnecesary.
Post by
FarseerLolotea
That makes me mad too >:( Though at least its justified... Male tauren aren't cows, they're bulls >.<There's still far less of a resemblance between draenei and goats than there is between tauren and cattle (which is the proper gender-neutral plural for domestic bovines). And gnomes aren't midgets, they're gnomes. Dwarves are the midgets. :SIMO, gnomes are chibis and dwarves are built for heavy gravity. Y'know, focusing on the comparison to goats...:P I was watching "Life" on the Discovery Channel the other day, and they had a little segment about the Ibex and how it can climb these really steep slopes. I was watching this little baby Ibex climbing an almost vertical slope to get away from the fox, and it reminded me of the Draenei.And now—much as I hate television—I'm wishing I still had cable so that I could watch more nature shows for random ideas.
It's possible that if they started out on four legs (which is likely), the reason why they kept the hooves is because of Argus' mountains. Now, that's obvious. But exactly
why
would they need the hooves to climb the mountains? It perhaps has something to do with their fascination with crystals. Now, I know the Exodar and TK and most of the crystal tech is of Naaru origins, but it's entirely possible that they experimented with crystals on Argus. After all, they were/are powerful mages, so maybe they used the crystals to store energy? And the hooves would help them get to those tough spots to mine the crystals.I'm gonna agree with Fox24 and guess that it started out as a sort of magpie fascination with sparklies. Also, when they were on four legs and before they became sentient, the hooves helped with climbing up the mountains of Argus, and their front legs/hands were used for... catching prey?
And of course, the tail helped them keep balance with all of this.That was my thought.
Catching prey... Hmm.... Theres a good question; Did the Dreanei evolve as Omnivores,
Carnivores
, or Herbivores?Gonna agree with DFire: With those teeth, definitely omnivores. Interestingly enough, this would suggest that the Draenei were already bipedal and using their hands for grasping when their hooves evolved. Otherwise they wuold probably have hooves on their hands as well, their hoof hands wouldn't have easily adapted to grasping, and a bigger brain to facilitate tool use would be unnecesary.Again: I think paws in front and hooves behind are common among Argus species.
My guess as to how draenei evolved is as follows:
1) Semi-bipedal predator with omnivorous tendencies; tearing claws in front and hoof-claws behind (somewhat analogous to a small bear).
2) Fully bipedal omnivore; feet have become splayed hooves at this point. May have developed an interest in sparklies.
3) Foraging primate-analogue. Tool-user.
4) "Cave-eredar."
5) The species from whence the original triumvirate sprung.
Post by
440334
This post was from a user who has deleted their account.
Post by
Skreeran
I'm going to go ahead and say that the aquatic form of the draenei ancestor probably didn't have tentacles in the sense that a cephalopod does. Octopi and squid don't have bones, though they have a beak and some cuttlefish has an internal shell. It's possible that the internal shell could have evolved through convergent evolution into something like bones, but I find it unlikely that they would have the same four limbed basic structure that way.
Instead, I'd going to wager that they evolved from some form of blue Argus catfish with lobed fins, that eventually turned into an amphibian that kept the barbels for shallow water hunting. At this point, sexual selection goes into effect, keeping the barbels even after they stop being useful.
Post by
FarseerLolotea
your 1-5 doesn't explain their tentacles, though it does shed some light on everything else.
0.25) Creature in the water appeared, tail used for manueverability with tentacles instead of appendages because they had not developed yet
0.5) Creature in water grows full use of its limbs, while continuing with it's tentacles and full water based lifestyle.
0.75) Creature evolves to a four legged amphibian, living around water and on the shorelines, the tentacles are used in the water and the front limbs begin to form 'fingers' for use on landMy guess on 0.25 would be that it was something more like a catfish (again, my theory on the "tentacles" is that they're atrophied barbels...and there goes Skreeran reading my mind.). And I'd also add an "0.9" stage somewhat akin to an otter.
On a bit of an off note: I don't think the "smoothfase" (hereafter called the "S gene") likely appeared until stage 2 or 3. Homozygous S males would be at a disadvantage comparable to a cat with no whiskers. (Females, on the other hand, wouldn't be affected, as it only seems to express in males.)
Post by
440334
This post was from a user who has deleted their account.
Post by
Orranis
Yeah thats why i crossed out Carnivores, but Herbivores always have a nice and large varriety of vegetation to choose from.
Yes, but we have established that there mountain dwellers, so very few plants would actually be able to live. So unless the Draenei had a diet relying solely on olives, I doubt they were herbivores.
Post by
Orranis
What if the Titans (Or whatever Gods there may be) just went "Poof" and everything was there the way it is now? I mean, its obvious that more than likely (like 1/9843769912 against) that that didn't happen, but its still a possibility; albeit a small one. (I'm really not trying to start this into a flame war about religious beliefs, i swear x.x)
Actually, in this instance, that's one of the more possible things. However, Titans or not, there is still room for evolution, including devolution. Remember how the Titans screwed up with Troggs and then made Earthen? It could be something like that.
Post by
Skreeran
Hmm, i just came up with a random theory about the way the dreanei evolved while my grandma was beating one of my little sisters with a bible. Its wierd, far'fetchd, (Ok i know thats spelled wrong) and kinda stupid, but WoW
is
a magical universe so we have to consider it:
What if the Titans (Or whatever Gods there may be) just went "Poof" and everything was there the way it is now? I mean, its obvious that more than likely (like 1/9843769912 against) that that didn't happen, but its still a possibility; albeit a small one. (I'm really not trying to start this into a flame war about religious beliefs, i swear x.x)Well, then we can stop discussing draenei evolution and just let this whole topic die, right?
Heh, it's more interesting to discuss evolution, I think. :P
Post by
FarseerLolotea
Yeah, I'm going to have to agree with Skree on this. That said, what does everyone think of my theory on the "S gene"?
Post by
Braevia
For what it's worth, the Titans shaped worlds; they didn't necessarily create them. The first contact that we know of between the Eredar and the Titans was when Sargeras encountered them.
Post by
FarseerLolotea
For what it's worth, the Titans shaped worlds; they didn't necessarily create them. The first contact that we know of between the Eredar and the Titans was when Sargeras encountered them.In some cases, it seems like the Titans started a project, then said "ehh, let's see how it develops on its own...oh, shoot, it was
not
supposed to do that!" (See: troggs.)
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