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  • File : 1294206398.jpg-(53 KB, 468x663, indiana-jones.jpg)
    53 KB Anonymous 01/05/11(Wed)00:46 No.13404486  
    What're some good IRL legends and old-time myths that a GM can exploit for a good plot hook?

    I just got done playing the Uncharted games and it's made me up for a bit of Savage Worlds.
    >> Anonymous 01/05/11(Wed)00:47 No.13404497
    >I can't even be bothered to go a library and get a fucking book on mythology! Quick, people on the internet! Feed my pale white corpulent mouth your knowledge without me doing the most minor of work!
    >> Anonymous 01/05/11(Wed)00:52 No.13404547
    >>13404497
    Yeah, except that we actually do help people with that bit. It's kinda part of our schtick, being /tg/ and whatnot.
    >>13404486
    I'm not sure what you're looking for. Do you want old-time myths, or do you plot hooks in line with the Uncharted games?
    >> Anonymous 01/05/11(Wed)00:52 No.13404552
    >>13404497

    Dude. It's not that I don't know any. I know plenty, but it also helps to talk about these things with people and get a second opinion or take on subject matter.

    Do you understand how discussion works at all? Why the hell would we need to talk about shit at all if all it took was just reading up on shit in a book or on wikipedia?
    >> S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 01/05/11(Wed)00:54 No.13404581
    The Golden Fleece?
    The Apple of Discord?
    The Holy Grail?
    The shroud of Turin?
    There's so much you can find. Any specific era or culture you want OP?
    >> Anonymous 01/05/11(Wed)00:55 No.13404602
    >>13404547

    Both really. I could go for just hearing a myth or something cool I didn't know existed or I could go for something else.

    Actually wanna know one mythology I'm sad doesn't get used a lot? Mesopotamian.

    Only two mainstream Hollywood movies I can think of off the top of my head have used it. Exorcist and Ghostbusters. I wonder if there are legends or stories there that can be... exploited.
    >> Anonymous 01/05/11(Wed)00:56 No.13404608
    Ignore >>13404497 I someone just like them in a ghostbuster thread last night.
    >> Anonymous 01/05/11(Wed)00:56 No.13404617
    >>13404602
    Anansi stories, motherfucker. Use them.
    >> Anonymous 01/05/11(Wed)00:57 No.13404624
         File1294207048.gif-(951 KB, 340x255, 1292980652222.gif)
    951 KB
    >>13404497

    Knowledge doesn't go through the mouth.

    Unless you're one of those wisdom eating horrors from Galaxy sector 7-G. Those guys suck.
    >> Anonymous 01/05/11(Wed)00:59 No.13404646
    >>13404624
    >eating
    >those guys suck

    I see what you did thar.
    >> Anonymous 01/05/11(Wed)01:00 No.13404667
    >>13404617

    That's a lot of stories about a Spider who tricks people. Any specific ones come to mind?
    >> Anonymous 01/05/11(Wed)01:03 No.13404702
    >>13404667
    No, I can't remember any specific ones right now. Haven't heard any in ages. Although a bit more specificity in what you're looking for would be nice.
    >> S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 01/05/11(Wed)01:05 No.13404740
    >>13404602
    All of Mesopotamian? Or any specific like Babylonian or Sumerian and such?
    If just Meso you could always try using the planets since their gods are represented (?) by the planets.
    >> Anonymous 01/05/11(Wed)01:06 No.13404753
    >>13404667
    Check African folklore for Anansi.
    >> Anonymous 01/05/11(Wed)01:07 No.13404762
         File1294207622.jpg-(516 KB, 661x671, 1292644385365.jpg)
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    >>13404602
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jAMRTGv82Zo

    Actually, I'm Impressed would make for an interesting one-shot. ANYWAY.

    Gaelic mythology sees a fair amount of use, but only in the cut-and-dried, three-times-translated way.
    Norse mythology is well known in the broad strokes, but it has a lot of minor dieties and relics ripe for stealing.
    Middle-Eastern mythology is fantastic, and has slipped out of usage post-911.
    Indian and Egyptian are solid.
    Chinese, Mongolian, Japanese.
    'Native American' - in fact there's about a zillion different traditions, just from the northern half; then there's south of the border to boot.
    African - another broad selection.
    Inuit.
    Slavic.
    Then there are the mythologies whose believers are still alive, i.e. religions. Ideologies, political and artistic.

    How about your campaign focuses on Italian futurist? Nothing like a good twentieth-century death cult.

    EXCEPT THEY DIDN'T DIE, WAT A TWEEST etc etc
    >> Anonymous 01/05/11(Wed)01:07 No.13404767
    >>13404702

    Basically? Adventure hooks.

    Some kinda legend of an ancient city or artifact or possibly some kind of other macguffin that PC's would have to go out and try to find and whom the bad guy wants but he can't get it or else it will be the end of us all.

    And something tells me having PC's go out looking for a Tar Baby won't be all that exciting.
    >> Anonymous 01/05/11(Wed)01:11 No.13404808
    >>13404762

    All I get when I google "Italian futurist" is an artistic movement.
    >> Anonymous 01/05/11(Wed)01:12 No.13404819
    >>13404767
    Maybe not, but having to find the real Brer Rabbit would be harder than finding Carmen Sandiego.
    >> Anonymous 01/05/11(Wed)01:13 No.13404831
    Kushtaka?

    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kushtaka
    http://www.sacred-texts.com/nam/nw/tmt/tmt011.htm
    http://ftp.fortunaty.net/com/sacred-texts/nam/nw/tmt/tmt010.htm
    http://www.alcheringa-gallery.com/past/storytellers_octopus.html

    That's just off the top of my head, so now I'll go and think more.
    >> Anonymous 01/05/11(Wed)01:14 No.13404837
    >>13404808
    It WAS an artistic movement.
    "We will glorify war - the world's only hygiene - militarism, patriotism, the destructive gesture of freedom-bringers, beautiful ideas worth dying for, and scorn for woman."
    When the First World War broke out, they all enlisted, and volunteered to go to the front.
    So ended the Italian Futurists.
    >> Anonymous 01/05/11(Wed)01:16 No.13404850
    >>13404837

    Some kinda terrorist cell that looks to just... inspire war? Literally they just attack other nations and try to pin the blame on others?

    That would be pretty fucked up.
    >> Anonymous 01/05/11(Wed)01:17 No.13404861
    >>13404850
    Eldrad level dickery
    >> Anonymous 01/05/11(Wed)01:18 No.13404865
    >>13404831

    WERE-Otters? Really?
    >> Anonymous 01/05/11(Wed)01:20 No.13404890
    >>13404865

    Basically. Except you can never go home again. So you have to go live with the rest of the kushtaka in their kushtaka cities.
    >> Anonymous 01/05/11(Wed)01:21 No.13404906
    >>13404850
    I was thinking that they would be the originals. Unable to die/undead/similar, still struggling to bring some kind of material relevance to their ideals, or just be acknowledged.
    Honestly, I don't know anything about Savage Worlds, so this might not be feasible.

    If you want real mythology, I stand by my original suggestion - pull a big book of mythology, and flip around.
    Dictionaries of mythology are fantastic - whenever I need a name, I just pull it down, flip to a page and pick one. They're also dangerous in the tvtropes way - "wait, so guy one kills guy two over girl three? where does guy 5 come in? how the hell did i lose so much time flipping around in this thing"
    >> Anonymous 01/05/11(Wed)01:24 No.13404939
    >>13404865

    That's the most awesome werecreature I've never heard of... almost like the Selkies.
    >> Anonymous 01/05/11(Wed)01:25 No.13404955
    The Eight Immortals are also cool, though I don't know what you'd use for a plot hook.

    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eight_immortals
    >> Anonymous 01/05/11(Wed)01:31 No.13405015
    >>13404955

    >The instruments used by the Eight Immortals are called "Covert Eight Immortals", respectively representing their holders and embodying good wishes and blessings. The instruments are: the fish-shaped drum that can tell the future; the precious sword that can subdue monsters and drive away evils; the flute that can make everything grow; the lotus flower that can bring self cultivation; the bottle gourd that can save all living things from misery; the fan that can make the dead come back to life; the jade clapper that can purify the environment and the flower basket that has great magic power. In traditional sculpture, painting, lacquer ware, porcelain ware, jade ware, woodwork, decorations and ornamental hanging parts etc, these instruments of the Eight Immortals are usually featured as a sign of good luck.

    Interesting...
    >> Anonymous 01/05/11(Wed)01:34 No.13405040
    Eh, I'll toss up some wiki links.

    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Forbidden_Plateau
    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fifth_World_(Native_American_mythology)
    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spirit_Mound_Historic_Prairie
    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Horned_Serpent
    >> Anonymous 01/05/11(Wed)01:47 No.13405143
    >>13405040

    >http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Forbidden_Plateau

    Seems like kinda a generic "NO GO HERE" place. Though I don't mind that, I'd like a good reason WHY players might need to go there...

    >http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fifth_World_(Native_American_mythology)

    Nice framing structure for possible end-game scenario or possible desire for big bads.

    "WHEN THE FIFTH WORLD IS MADE! WE SHALL ENTER IT! AND CRAFT THE NEXT WORLD! IN OUR IMAGE!"

    >http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spirit_Mound_Historic_Prairie

    Ohhh "little people with horns" again not bad but for two things.

    1) Why would players need to go there?

    2) It's a park in America no less. There's gotta be a pretty good explanation why nobody's being killed there now.

    >http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Horned_Serpent

    Hrm. Giant monster? Might make a nice opponent or something.
    >> Anonymous 01/05/11(Wed)01:49 No.13405159
         File1294210147.jpg-(132 KB, 1280x1024, Dark-Angel-37616-188543..jpg)
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    Selkies are cool, and there's a similar japanese version of the myth with an angel if seal-girls are too furry for you. Female angel falls to earth, her feathered cloak is stolen by a man so she's forced to become his wife. It's basically the plot to the animu 'ayashi no ceres.'

    Oh and angels are forbidden to breed, so maybe after the players save her and she's able to act against her husband, her first act is to brutally murder the little Nephilim. Heh.


    It's pretty weeaboo but any japanese (or non-greek/norse/etc) mythology can be good to throw off players. Odds are they know how to take out a gorgon, but they might not immediately recognise an Ookami.
    >> Anonymous 01/05/11(Wed)01:52 No.13405191
    >>13405159

    Every time I think of Japanese mythology I think back to Okami. Goddamn that was a great game.
    >> Anonymous 01/05/11(Wed)01:53 No.13405198
    >>13405191

    It really was. :)
    >> Anonymous 01/05/11(Wed)02:06 No.13405312
    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Iron_Mountain_Baby
    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hex_sign
    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Leatherman_(vagabond)
    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Griggstown_cow
    >> Anonymous 01/05/11(Wed)03:42 No.13406201
    Something to note about that horned serpent, is that there is a variant called the Unhcegila, who had the power to not only kill you if you looked at it, but also your entire family, and when you kill it you get its red crystal heart, which is very magically powerful.

    The heart is fairly interesting, as it first tries to convince the user to do things that might bring back Unhcegila or bring out the smaller sea serpents to have their revenge, but afterwards it'll make sure you never go hungry, allow you to see into the future, and allow you to get any woman you want.

    Also, for an IRL McGuffin that SHOULD become legendary if there is anything right with this world is that copy of the Qran inked in Saddam Hussein's blood. No really, I'm not making this up:

    http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2010/dec/19/saddam-legacy-quran-iraqi-government
    >> Anonymous 01/05/11(Wed)08:32 No.13407268
    >>13405159
    >implying your weeabooshit wasn't based on western myth in the first place
    >> Anonymous 01/05/11(Wed)08:44 No.13407307
    well modern urban legends are good, and rural American folklore is a great goldmine for story hooks.
    >> Anonymous 01/05/11(Wed)08:50 No.13407322
    Numbers stations go back to the first World War. They're used for spies, but can be twisted to cover anything, really.

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9nERNpV7bMQ
    >> Anonymous 01/05/11(Wed)08:56 No.13407341
    >>13407307
    There is a single giant fungus growing under most of the American midwest. No, really. There's got to be something you can do with that.
    >> Anonymous 01/05/11(Wed)08:58 No.13407350
    >>13407307
    look for stories involving "haunts" basically slave story version of ghosts mixed with vampires and the boogeyman he would rape freddy kruger give him human papoloma virus, leave him pregnant and alone, and not call the next morning. some of those stories made me shat brix. also some of the serpent stories told by old black folks have shit that sound like pterodactyls and giant insects.
    >> Anonymous 01/05/11(Wed)09:04 No.13407372
    >>13407341
    Not OP, but I wish to know more kind sir.
    >> Anonymous 01/05/11(Wed)09:06 No.13407389
    >>13407372
    Differentfag here.
    >A giant fungus of the species Armillaria ostoyae (honey mushrooms) in the Malheur National Forest in Oregon was found to span 8.9 km2 (2,200 acres),[4] which would make it the largest organism by area.
    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Largest_organisms
    >> Anonymous 01/05/11(Wed)12:16 No.13408060
    How about the Book of Thoth?

    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Book_of_Thoth

    42 papyrus scrolls written by the Egyptian god of knowledge, writing, language, and magic. In them are contained not only all the knowledge of medicine and astronomy, but also all the languages of men and animals, spells that could grant power over the sky above the earth below, and the underworld beyond. It contained the words that would allow you to bring the dead back to life and to see the true natures of the gods.

    Unfortunately, Thoth seriously punishes anybody who reads the book, let alone uses the spells. According to legend, the book was buried in the tomb of a prince's wife, the prince having been the last guy to try and use the book. His whole family was destroyed for his insolence.

    the book is actually thought to have been real, though it probably only had the stuff about astronomy and medicine in it, and was used by priests in rituals dedicated to Thoth. It's suspected the last known copy of the real book was destroyed along with the Library of Alexandria.
    >> Anonymous 01/05/11(Wed)13:22 No.13408578
    For Mesopotamian mythology, there's always Irkalla, the Mesopotamian underworld.

    Everybody goes there, regardless of deeds in life, and as they go through seven gates they are stripped of possessions and clothes. They finally enter the underworld naked. Their bodies continue to decay, and the Goddess Ereshkigal in one story implies these dead will eat living flesh, because she threatens to unleash them back into the world.

    Esentially, it is a pit of darkness full of ravenous zombies, ruled over by two cthonic gods. I'm sure you could do a story where a mad priest/wizard/cultist threatens to unleash the dead of Irkalla onto the earth, and if he succeeds you can switch gears to a zombie apocalypse game.

    Hell, if you already want to run a zombie apocalypse game, you could use this as the background.
    >> Anonymous 01/05/11(Wed)13:32 No.13408662
    >>13408578
    >the Goddess Ereshkigal in one story implies these dead will eat living flesh, because she threatens to unleash them back into the world.

    Actually, the goddess Ishtar threatened that. Her specific words were:

    I will pull down the Gates of Hell itself,
    Crush the doorposts and flatten the door,
    And I will let the dead leave
    And let the dead roam the earth
    And they shall eat the living.
    The dead will overwhelm all the living!

    but yeah, pit full of zombies.
    >> Anonymous 01/05/11(Wed)13:39 No.13408723
    >>13408662

    Man, ancient goddesses always seem to have a lot of sand in their vagina over SOMETHING.

    Considering how regularly they get laid, you'd think they'd be able to work out all that aggression.
    >> one-eyed hermit 01/05/11(Wed)14:04 No.13409000
    >>13408723
    well, being a destructive fuck isnt ALWAYS about not getting laid.
    I'm just sayian.
    >> Anonymous 01/05/11(Wed)14:14 No.13409123
    >>13408723

    Oddly enough. All their bitchfests are over men.

    Ishtar's was over Gilgamesh not loving her.

    Hera's was over Zues not loving her.

    Norse I dunno much about but apparently they had a female god of rape...
    >> one-eyed hermit 01/05/11(Wed)14:17 No.13409155
    >>13409123
    I doubt that norse god of rape thingie. I have never ever heard of that before.
    the other two you are right about.
    >> Anonymous 01/05/11(Wed)16:59 No.13409947
    >>13409155

    He might be thinking of Freya, the Norse goddess of sex.
    >> Anonymous 01/05/11(Wed)17:02 No.13409976
    >>13409123

    Only goddess of rape I've heard of is not historical, Glorantha/King of the Dragon Pass setting has Thed, a Chaos goddess of Broos (the inspiration for Fimir and Chaos Beastmen) and rape.



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