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Combatant
2007-12-07, 04:33 PM
The world that ive built a few years ago still has a few tweaks that needs to be done, and the one that i need the most help with are superstitions. Im not talking the classic ones, like salt over the shoulder, or if you drop a knife, your going to have company, black cats and broken mirrors.

I cant really find anything on the more estoric time periods, and even then, what im looking for should fit a fantasy setting. (my world ended up more like Ebberon then i wanted it to, lol)

Can anyone help me with a list, an idea or two, or links to websites?

thanks.

magic8BALL
2007-12-07, 05:47 PM
Let's kick the imagionation into gear.

...If you see... a pair of wyvens fly overhead... then... your small village is in great danger...

ok, that was more of a pointer than a superstition, so lets mix it up a bit.

...If you see... a pair of rabits being chased by a blink dog... then... your family is in for a big change...

Some interpretations: a birth, a dead, a marrige, a change of address.

All rather silly, how is a magical beast chaseing some creatures (that I'm fairly sure don't even have stats) a precurser to Auti Vi falling pregnent again?

But that's the point. Dropping a knife has very little to do with who is going where to visit who, so why not?

Some more, just for fun:

Wearing a red scarf during the day is good luck. Wearing a red scarf during the evening is bad luck.

(for the kiddies) If you don't eat your (insert the settings exotic farm animal's cut of meat that is odd, eg The Perfectly Normal Beast's Liver), Illithids will sneak into your room and eat brains. (also works for Assasin Vine Salad or any other sort of setting specific food that kids wouldn't want to eat.)

If you're not attacked by Koa-Toa during the second week of a sea voyage, expect a Kraken attack... and/or a storm... or a storm giant on a boat... or something. Whatever.

I hand over the creativness to the floor.

eidreff
2007-12-07, 06:56 PM
Are these any help? They might give you a few ideas.

http://www.xmission.com/~emailbox/folklore.htm

http://www.anythingleft-handed.co.uk/lefty_myths.html#1

http://www.gandolf.com/cornwall/superstitions/FishermensSuperstitions.shtml

A few others:

It's bad luck to step on a crack in the pavement.
Lightening never strkes twice.
It's bad luck to annoy a bloke with a big sword.

How about a few magic related ones...

(From Pratchett) A night when all magic users must stay indoors.
Use of fire magic on a Friday can cause blisters and singed hair.

Maybe you could do area specific ones too, related to geography/topography and local history.

100 years ago the kings heir fell down a well on a Tuesday, so now people in the kingdom of XYZ beleive that using a well on a Tuesday brings bad luck.

FlyMolo
2007-12-07, 07:10 PM
Ummm... here goes:

You shouldn't use a 3rd level spell as the last spell of the day.
If you do, you must high-five a priest immediately to cancel the bad luck.

Don't eat wyvern eggs.

Goblin's noses are good luck. Rub them if at all possible.

When casting a spell, avoid touching dirt directly.

When summoning a demon, don't let it see any glasses of water.

If you see a group of 6 or 7 people coming down the street, all dressed differently, immediately mark up all prices on goods by half again.

Then again, the specific world might have interesting superstitions, and if we knew more about it, that might help.

Yami
2007-12-08, 04:34 PM
Supersitions? Why, don't mind if I do;

Even numbers are unlucky. Any traveling party should be a prime number for maximum luck output.

No one walking about at night should be disturbed, EVER. Chances are they're bewitched or a monster in disguise.

Never go hatless in front of the 'gifted'. They can read your unprotected thoughts.

A fire should be given respect, lest it get mad.

Never chase vermin out of a house, they might be fey in disguise. Get a cat, and let it incur any wrath.

Never stray from a path in the wilderness, lest you never find it again.

TheLogman
2007-12-08, 05:00 PM
Say your prayers to the mighty Dee-Emm in the sky?
Wipe your feet or Vampires will get in.

Rigon
2007-12-08, 05:18 PM
eating the frogeggs relieves pain in the leg.

never threaten an eagle in the sky... it might turn out to be a roc.

this vulcanic island is actually the back shell of a gargantuan turtle. the "burning wound" on its back was made by a titan about thousand years ago.

there is a very rare kind of walking bush which is the sign of change among the rich.