Friday the 13th! Superstitions in your Game?

[Mark]

So here we are again with one of those funky Fridays. Do you have some similar superstitions in your D&D (or other) game?

One in my own, happens at the full moon. It's said that it is unwise to look directly at the moon when full. But one can ward off such dangers and mischief associated with this transgression if you immediately, while still gazing on the moon, make a circle of your thumb and index finger, hold it up against your face so that you are peering through it, and say, "Her Eye, the Moon." This refers to the goddess Nekrem who is said to be watching all below at night from her one good eye, now widely open and missing nothing.

How about in your games?

 

[hero4hire]

Gamers are a cowardly superstitious lot..But it almost exclusively has to do with dice...

 

[hero4hire]

In-game I like making dwarves very superstitious..

"Dont let an elf touchya...He'll steal yer soul!!!!"

 

[Jeff Wilder]

I don't have any that specific, though I think the idea is cool. I run a Scarred Lands campaign, and there's an unspoken prohibition about speaking of or looking at the second moon. (It's even called the "Nameless Orb" in the source material.)

Also, uneducated folks use various forms of the "evil eye" to ward off trouble or danger (such as someone mentioning the Nameless Orb) ... these are basically invocations to the (very real) Gods.

It's considered very dangerous to mention King Virduk's name aloud ... there are many children's rhymes that use the name; sort of a way for children to show their courage. (There's a lot of complexity behind this one, because Virduk is both greatly respected -- even beloved -- and tremendously feared.)

 

[Turanil]

Hey! Very interersting concept indeed! I will have to remember to implement both of these in my next setting:

-- Some particular day have specific real effects: like Samhain, or the 13th of something, or the full moon night, etc. So during these days indeed something is unaturally affected. During Samhain undead have a bonus to hit and are more difficult to turn; some specific days you have a bonus to your saving throws if... Etc.

-- Many ridiculous superstitions by character races.

 

[TheAuldGrump]

Superstitions and folk beliefs abound - and some are borrowed.

Cold iron does affect the fey, but folk belief also has it aiding against arcane magic - which it does not do for example.

Some are not always true - A vampire who was a werewolf in life is still affected by silver, but most vampires are not. A circle of salt cannot imprison a fey, but it is a material component of a spell that does.

Some are just wrong - perfume and smoke do not protect against the plague.

The Auld Grump, who has a list, but not to hand...

 

[Mark]

The gnomes who live at the foot of the Hazarian Mountains believe it is bad luck, or tempting fate, to stand in the threshold of a doorway, because that is one of the main places they go when there is a tremor. Out of this developed a further superstition that if they actually step on the threshold when passing through a door jamb they must back out, making sure not to step on the threshold and re-enter, again making sure not to step on the threshold. Furthermore, if they were speaking while entering, when they back out they have to speak the sentence with the words in reverse order. It can seem a very silly ritual do someone observing it but they take it quite seriously.

 

[hero4hire]

The gnomes who live at the foot of the Yazarian Mountains

Are those mountains populated by Monkey-men with glider wings, who wear mirrorshades?

 

[Mark]

Are those mountains populated by Monkey-men with glider wings, who wear mirrorshades?

Bit of a misspell there. That should read "Hazarian Mountains" What are these "Monkey-men with glider wings, who wear mirrorshades", though? I'm not familiar.

 

[hero4hire]

Bit of a misspell there. That should read "Hazarian Mountains" What are these "Monkey-men with glider wings, who wear mirrorshades", though? I'm not familiar.

Yazirians were a player race (and my personal favorite) from the old Star Frontiers game...

I know I am showing my age a bit here...