Mr. Mask
2015-03-12, 12:55 PM
I really like what's going on in this thread (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?401956-What-would-a-fantasy-campaign-based-on-your-local-traditions-and-folklore-be-like), so it got me thinking of what the fictional mythologies and folklores would be like for fictional mythologies and folklore (I think there's an internet joke which can apply here).
First thought. Eleven folklore is filled to the brim with talking animals, who must be reasoned with or coerced to make them behave themselves. Animals also frequently help the elven heroes with problems, telling them secrets they need to win, or travelling with the elves to perform some utility or fight beside them. Quests tend to involve protecting their homes, generally by killing anything that so much as trespasses into their forest. Sometimes a troll or dragon will beg for mercy, and the elves will let it leave--only to have it plot revenge against them and come back later. Avenging and rescuing kin are popular quests. It is generally rare for anyone to give you a quest, you tend to agree to it on your own when the problem arises, or because you're helping a friend/relative with their problem. A common trope is to find some wounded person or creature (usually an animal, but sometimes a monster or enemy), and it helps the elves after they treat its wounds. There is also a theme of humans being kind of slow and rude, and elves constantly have to help them and clean up after them out of politeness. And those are humans from friendly cultures. The less friendly ones tend to cause legal disputes and fights, with elves having to trick them to prevent them visiting their homes or forests.
That's a start. Feel free to expand, contradict, discuss, or start your own one on elves. Or start discussing the folklore of any other group. Dwarves getting drunk and causing problems, only to have to fix them when they become sober?
First thought. Eleven folklore is filled to the brim with talking animals, who must be reasoned with or coerced to make them behave themselves. Animals also frequently help the elven heroes with problems, telling them secrets they need to win, or travelling with the elves to perform some utility or fight beside them. Quests tend to involve protecting their homes, generally by killing anything that so much as trespasses into their forest. Sometimes a troll or dragon will beg for mercy, and the elves will let it leave--only to have it plot revenge against them and come back later. Avenging and rescuing kin are popular quests. It is generally rare for anyone to give you a quest, you tend to agree to it on your own when the problem arises, or because you're helping a friend/relative with their problem. A common trope is to find some wounded person or creature (usually an animal, but sometimes a monster or enemy), and it helps the elves after they treat its wounds. There is also a theme of humans being kind of slow and rude, and elves constantly have to help them and clean up after them out of politeness. And those are humans from friendly cultures. The less friendly ones tend to cause legal disputes and fights, with elves having to trick them to prevent them visiting their homes or forests.
That's a start. Feel free to expand, contradict, discuss, or start your own one on elves. Or start discussing the folklore of any other group. Dwarves getting drunk and causing problems, only to have to fix them when they become sober?