[Baba Yaga] On Russian-ness

ScyldSceafing · 5th December 2006, 01:53 PM

Hey there everyone, and I'm definitely including beasts of whatever size.

I'm going to run a LiveRPG Baba Yaga campaign starting after the holidays, and I'm very, very excited about the kinds of stories woven into and through Rassiya.

I love the DM-toolkit nature of the BY book. I'm planning to use that nature to keep the action very PC-centered - probably my best quality as a DM is that I'm adept at the illusion of preparation, which allows me to just go, "Ok, what do you do now?"

In order for that to work, though, I need to get my head into the right place for the game. Specifically, I've seen some (in discussions of BY) refer to the "Russian-ness" of the setting, or something like that. I think, maybe, that I understand what they're saying, but I'd like to discuss it further.

So: What qualities evoke or define the 'Russian' feel of Baba Yaga?

Cathix · 5th December 2006, 03:45 PM

For me there's a very subtle gloom that coats everything, and everyone. And the gloom is always there, even at celebrations, even during daily life. Stubborn people grinning through the darkness, lifting their glasses to the fact that "well - we're still here."

That's my two cents before I have to go to work.

Balok the Strange · 5th December 2006, 03:52 PM

Cathix is right. I can sum up the Russian feel of Baba Yaga in a quote from the book:

"Go forward to be eaten by wolves; go back to be a failure."

Rassiya is a dark and dangerous place, full of all sorts of supernatural foes. From talking animals and vengeful demons and spirits, to rough men, the Baba Yaga, and perhaps even one of the many clones of Koschei the Deathless. The people recognize the horrific dangers that they face every day, but at the same time they realize that they cannot let themselves be bested by them... and they are never truly surprised when they are.

Hope that helps.

Stormborn · 5th December 2006, 05:31 PM

2 years in Kyiv (Kiev, Ukraine) gave me some interesting insights into the Slavic mind, although I dont know how much of that is clouded by Soviet occupation, so here are some things that seem very Russian to me:

- Horde everything. Doesnt matter if you need it now, you will probablly need it more later. So never use more than you have to use.

- Public face/Private face. Streets in slavic cities are very quiet compared to other places I have been (US, Scotland, England, France, Italy, Germany, etc.) and most people have a very determined and stoic look on their faces, coming off in public situations as distant and cold. In private its another story entirelly - very warm, very friendly, once you are accepted you are all in.

- Even in modern times, and would be so much more so in the Baba Yaga setting, everyone is very superstitious - or traditional, if you prefer - holding onto beliefs about bad luck, old wives tales about what makes you sick and what makes you well,etc. for just about every aspect of life. Every peasent in Russiya is going to practice "magic" of some kind, even if its ineffective wardings against evil spirits.

-People dress like its colder than it is. Like the cold is always there waiting for them. In Kyiv people put their winter clothes at the end of August and dont take them off until late April. I am from Alabama and not used to the cold and I didn't dress as warmly as they did most of the year.

- People dress in dark and somber colors, but then decorate their houses in bright, occasionally garish, colors and very busy patterns. This reflects the public face/private face.

-Echoing what Sean and Deb said: People in general come across not so much as pessemistic as resigned to fate. Life is hard, its cold and its dark and there are things waiting for you out there; but you have no choice in the matter. Just keep going.

I like how Ivanava described her father in Babylon 5. He would take a large drink of vodka before bed "To keep away the wolf." When things were really bad he would take a large drink of vodka and 3 small drinks of vodka "because sometimes she brings her cubs."

Cathix · 5th December 2006, 05:37 PM

Thank you, Scott, that was great. You paint a really evocative picture (which of course I'm not surprised by) and I'm digging the Babylon 5 quote. (Balok's a big fan)

Wyn A'rienh · 5th December 2006, 06:53 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Stormborn

I like how Ivanava described her father in Babylon 5. He would take a large drink of vodka before bed "To keep away the wolf." When things were really bad he would take a large drink of vodka and 3 small drinks of vodka "because sometimes she brings her cubs."

Love that.