New OOTS products from CafePress
New OOTS t-shirts, ornaments, mugs, bags, and more
Results 1 to 23 of 23
  1. - Top - End - #1
    Pixie in the Playground
     
    RangerGuy

    Join Date
    Nov 2007
    Location
    On the nice new furniture
    Gender
    Male

    Default Slavic cultures in DnD settings?

    In most of the published campaign settings, Human culture tends to be most similar to RL European cultures, with maybe Scandinavian, Middle Eastern and Asian cultures thrown in for spice. I was wondering, where are the Slavs? Are there any Slavic-esque cultures in any campaign settings that you are aware of?

  2. - Top - End - #2
    Ettin in the Playground
     
    Spiryt's Avatar

    Join Date
    Jun 2006
    Location
    Poland
    Gender
    Male

    Default Re: Slavic cultures in DnD settings?

    Well, Slavic and Scandinavian are European indeed, so they're kinda there.

    Anyway, Rashemen is somehow stereotypically Cossack/Eastern, at places, it seems.
    Last edited by Spiryt; 2011-01-06 at 03:58 PM.
    Avatar by Kwarkpudding
    The subtle tongue, the sophist guile, they fail when the broadswords sing;
    Rush in and die, dogs—I was a man before I was a king.

    Whoever makes shoddy beer, shall be thrown into manure - town law from Gdańsk, XIth century.

  3. - Top - End - #3
    Bugbear in the Playground
     
    Piedmon_Sama's Avatar

    Join Date
    Jan 2006
    Location
    The Pacific Northwest
    Gender
    Male

    Default Re: Slavic cultures in DnD settings?

    There are Slavic-mythology inspired monsters peppered throughout the various sourcebooks--the Rusalka in Frostburn (and may have been reused in MMIII unless I'm misremembering), the iconic Winter Wolf (giant intelligent wolves are a big part of the Prince Ivan story), the Phoelarchs in MMIII (the Firebird that turns into a beautiful maiden), and of course the prototypical Lich is Koschei the Deathless.

  4. - Top - End - #4
    Ogre in the Playground
    Join Date
    Jul 2010
    Location
    San Jose, CA

    Default Re: Slavic cultures in DnD settings?

    And let's not forget Baba Yaga and her chicken-legged hut!

  5. - Top - End - #5
    Titan in the Playground
    Join Date
    Jul 2010
    Location
    Kitchener/Waterloo
    Gender
    Male

    Default Re: Slavic cultures in DnD settings?

    There was an issue of Dragon a long while back devoted to Slavic cultures, including deity stats for the main Slavic pantheon and various monsters like vodyanoi and russalka. One of their better-done issues really.
    Lord Raziere herd I like Blasphemy, so Urpriest Exalted as a Malefactor

    Meet My Monstrous Guide to Monsters. Everything you absolutely need to know about Monsters and never thought you needed to ask.
    Quote Originally Posted by Mithril Leaf View Post
    One of the unwritten rules of Giantitp is that Urpriest is always right.
    Trophy!
    Spoiler
    Show


    original Urpriest (by Andraste)

  6. - Top - End - #6
    Bugbear in the Playground
     
    EvilClericGuy

    Join Date
    Aug 2010

    Default Re: Slavic cultures in DnD settings?

    Zobeck and the Open Design stuff from www.koboldquarterly.com is modeled after Slavic Europe.

  7. - Top - End - #7
    Pixie in the Playground
     
    RangerGuy

    Join Date
    Nov 2007
    Location
    On the nice new furniture
    Gender
    Male

    Default Re: Slavic cultures in DnD settings?

    Quote Originally Posted by Spiryt View Post
    Well, Slavic and Scandinavian are European indeed, so they're kinda there.
    True, I should have said Germanic and Romance cultures...

    Quote Originally Posted by Urpriest
    There was an issue of Dragon a long while back devoted to Slavic cultures, including deity stats for the main Slavic pantheon and various monsters like vodyanoi and russalka. One of their better-done issues really.
    Would you happen to remember the number of the issue?

  8. - Top - End - #8
    Colossus in the Playground
     
    NecromancerGuy

    Join Date
    Oct 2008
    Location
    Xin-Shalast
    Gender
    Male

    Default Re: Slavic cultures in DnD settings?

    Quote Originally Posted by Watchdog View Post
    In most of the published campaign settings, Human culture tends to be most similar to RL European cultures, with maybe Scandinavian, Middle Eastern and Asian cultures thrown in for spice. I was wondering, where are the Slavs? Are there any Slavic-esque cultures in any campaign settings that you are aware of?
    Karrns from Eberron are sorta slav+scandinavian with the serial numbers filed off, which, IIRC, somewhat happened in the northern coastal areas of Eastern Europe (more so than it stuck in the rest of Europe's coast) and Russia. Several of the Dimensions of Dread/Ravenloft princedoms were Slavic-based, including the original of Borogravia.
    Last edited by Coidzor; 2011-01-06 at 08:52 PM.
    Quote Originally Posted by Keld Denar View Post
    +3 Girlfriend is totally unoptimized. You are better off with a +1 Keen Witty girlfriend and then appling Greater Magic Make-up to increase her enhancement bonus.
    Homebrew
    To Do: Reboot and finish Riptide

  9. - Top - End - #9
    Titan in the Playground
    Join Date
    Jul 2010
    Location
    Kitchener/Waterloo
    Gender
    Male

    Default Re: Slavic cultures in DnD settings?

    Quote Originally Posted by Watchdog View Post

    Would you happen to remember the number of the issue?
    Dragon 290. My very first I believe.
    Lord Raziere herd I like Blasphemy, so Urpriest Exalted as a Malefactor

    Meet My Monstrous Guide to Monsters. Everything you absolutely need to know about Monsters and never thought you needed to ask.
    Quote Originally Posted by Mithril Leaf View Post
    One of the unwritten rules of Giantitp is that Urpriest is always right.
    Trophy!
    Spoiler
    Show


    original Urpriest (by Andraste)

  10. - Top - End - #10
    Colossus in the Playground
     
    Flickerdart's Avatar

    Join Date
    Mar 2008
    Location
    NYC
    Gender
    Male

    Default Re: Slavic cultures in DnD settings?

    A third party book (Frost and Fur, I think) covers some monsters. MMIV or V has a delightful take on Gorynych which adds nine whip-tails for whatever reason, and a whole bunch of other weird stuff.
    Quote Originally Posted by Inevitability View Post
    Greater
    \ˈgrā-tər \
    comparative adjective
    1. Describing basically the exact same monster but with twice the RHD.
    Quote Originally Posted by Artanis View Post
    I'm going to be honest, "the Welsh became a Great Power and conquered Germany" is almost exactly the opposite of the explanation I was expecting

  11. - Top - End - #11
    Ogre in the Playground
    Join Date
    Apr 2004
    Location
    Melbourne, Australia
    Gender
    Male

    Default Re: Slavic cultures in DnD settings?

    In one issue of Dragon (can't remember off the top of my head), the Demon Lord Kostchtchie seems to have been inspired by the legend of Koschei.

    EDIT: Dragon 345.
    Last edited by Amiel; 2011-01-07 at 05:45 AM.
    To see the world in a grain of sand
    and Heaven in a wild flower
    To hold infinity in the palm of your hand
    and eternity in an hour.

    - William Blake, Auguries of Innocence

  12. - Top - End - #12
    Barbarian in the Playground
     
    BardGirl

    Join Date
    Mar 2010

    Default Re: Slavic cultures in DnD settings?

    Lamias are in the SRD (MM1 i think), although they are different to what they are portrayed as in Bulgarain folklore (multi-headed flying serpents)

    Note on Koschei the Deathless: now I know where Jordan took the idea of Balthamel from. Robert Jordan was a massive plagiarist, almost nothing for the WoT series is original. I'm realizing this more and more as time goes by.

    I don't consider Bulgaria a predominantly Slavic country by virtue of 70% or more of our genome being older than that of the Polish and Russian and evidently pointing to our blood being Thracian. The Thracians were the most numerous tribe according to Herodotus anyway.

    However most of the Balkans and Eastern Europe have their mythologies mixed and inspired from others. Fore example our Samodiva is equivalent to a Western Dryad, albeit not tied to any trees or acorns and such nonsense. A Rusalka is basically just a Mermaid.

    We also have the Zmei who is a man born with wings and in possession of superhuman strength. The usual suspect whenver Lamia slaying is required, apart from the traditional third and youngest prince.

    We also have "The Land Below" equivalent of the Celtic "Otherworld" and DnD's Faerie.

    In Bulgaria specifically we have the Talasum which is some imp-like nightstalker who snatches children from their cradle. Descriptions vary greatly from one tale to the other, but they are usually hairy, small and able to hide well and sneak inside locked houses.

    Baba Yaga is indeed your traditional evil Witch, who by DnD standards is probably a level 15 Transmutation Domain Wizard or something. I think I have seen her statted out somewhere to be well into the Epic levels and with around 40 or 50 Int but that's overkill.

    A specifically Balkanic hero (Bulgaria, Serbia, Macedonia) is Krali Marko, who has been breastfed until age of 21. He posseses nearly Herculean like strength, a massive mace, a trusty horse called Sharkolia and goes around doing adventures.

    All of these are easy to represent or stat up in DnD methinks, though published representations I have not seen.

  13. - Top - End - #13
    Titan in the Playground
     
    Yora's Avatar

    Join Date
    Apr 2009
    Location
    Germany

    Default Re: Slavic cultures in DnD settings?

    Quote Originally Posted by Myth View Post
    However most of the world have their mythologies mixed and inspired from others.
    Fixed it for you.
    Last edited by Yora; 2011-01-07 at 07:49 AM.
    We are not standing on the shoulders of giants, but on very tall tower of other dwarves.

    Spriggan's Den Heroic Fantasy Roleplaying

  14. - Top - End - #14
    Pixie in the Playground
    Join Date
    Mar 2010

    Default Re: Slavic cultures in DnD settings?


  15. - Top - End - #15
    Titan in the Playground
     
    Yora's Avatar

    Join Date
    Apr 2009
    Location
    Germany

    Default Re: Slavic cultures in DnD settings?

    I think the Pathfinder Setting has at least one slavic country, maybe even more.
    We are not standing on the shoulders of giants, but on very tall tower of other dwarves.

    Spriggan's Den Heroic Fantasy Roleplaying

  16. - Top - End - #16
    Barbarian in the Playground
     
    BardGirl

    Join Date
    Mar 2010

    Default Re: Slavic cultures in DnD settings?

    Quote Originally Posted by Yora View Post
    Fixed it for you.
    You are right. Most of North and Western European myth draws heavily from Indian mythology. Celtic and Indian in particular are very tightly connected, especially the early tales.

    Southern myth is basically Roman which draws from Greek which draws from Thracian and Egyptian which in turn draw from Assyro-Babylonian which are (to our knowledge) the oldest in existence.

  17. - Top - End - #17
    Titan in the Playground
     
    Yora's Avatar

    Join Date
    Apr 2009
    Location
    Germany

    Default Re: Slavic cultures in DnD settings?

    Actually both "northern" european and indian culture originates from the same culture that originally lived north of the Kaukasus and seperated into two groups that migrated into different areas about 5,000 years ago. (Not a very well proven theory, but it makes a lot of sense and is widely accepted.)
    We are not standing on the shoulders of giants, but on very tall tower of other dwarves.

    Spriggan's Den Heroic Fantasy Roleplaying

  18. - Top - End - #18
    Barbarian in the Playground
     
    BardGirl

    Join Date
    Mar 2010

    Default Re: Slavic cultures in DnD settings?

    Aye hence Indo-European language group etc.

  19. - Top - End - #19
    Banned
    Join Date
    Jul 2010

    Default Re: Slavic cultures in DnD settings?

    Riddle of Steel does the job (again!).

  20. - Top - End - #20
    Dwarf in the Playground
     
    MonkGuy

    Join Date
    Sep 2010
    Gender
    Male

    Default Re: Slavic cultures in DnD settings?

    Not to get to off-topic, but yes, most mythology draws from/is inspired by/has its origin in/etc. some earlier mythology.

    For any gamer who is serious about their storytelling and fluff, Joseph Campbell's "Hero With a Thousand Faces" is required reading. At the least, watch the PBS Special "The Power of Myth." When I first dove into Joseph Campbell's work in grad school, it changed my nerd life.
    The extra ingredient is otter.

  21. - Top - End - #21
    Spamalot in the Playground
     
    Psyren's Avatar

    Join Date
    Oct 2010
    Gender
    Male

    Default Re: Slavic cultures in DnD settings?

    Not D&D, but Ravnica from M:TG is pretty Slavic. I'm sure someone's converted it to D&D by now.
    Quote Originally Posted by The Giant View Post
    But really, the important lesson here is this: Rather than making assumptions that don't fit with the text and then complaining about the text being wrong, why not just choose different assumptions that DO fit with the text?
    Plague Doctor by Crimmy
    Ext. Sig (Handbooks/Creations)

  22. - Top - End - #22
    Librarian in the Playground Moderator
     
    LibraryOgre's Avatar

    Join Date
    Dec 2007
    Location
    San Antonio, Texas
    Gender
    Male

    Default Re: Slavic cultures in DnD settings?

    In Birthright, there were the Vos, which had some Slavic elements. You also see some in Ravenloft.
    The Cranky Gamer
    *It isn't realism, it's verisimilitude; the appearance of truth within the framework of the game.
    *Picard management tip: Debate honestly. The goal is to arrive at the truth, not at your preconception.
    *Mutant Dawn for Savage Worlds!
    *The One Deck Engine: Gaming on a budget
    Written by Me on DriveThru RPG
    There are almost 400,000 threads on this site. If you need me to address a thread as a moderator, include a link.

  23. - Top - End - #23
    Colossus in the Playground
     
    hamishspence's Avatar

    Join Date
    Feb 2007

    Default Re: Slavic cultures in DnD settings?

    Quote Originally Posted by Myth View Post
    Baba Yaga is indeed your traditional evil Witch, who by DnD standards is probably a level 15 Transmutation Domain Wizard or something. I think I have seen her statted out somewhere to be well into the Epic levels and with around 40 or 50 Int but that's overkill.
    it's probably done that way to ensure that the idea of her as Iggwilv's mentor/adoptive mother, and one of the few beings out there more powerful than her, continues to make sense- since that's how Baba Yaga is used in Greyhawk- and Iggwilv is one of the epic characters of Greyhawk.
    Marut-2 Avatar by Serpentine
    New Marut Avatar by Linkele

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •