D&D General IRL nominations (historically classic ie religious, pantheonic, folkloric, no newer than 1600) for mythical cosmologies you enjoy including in d&d.

[Son of the Serpent]

Yes. I just am not convinced you can meaningfully answer the question of what real world influences are most popular in D&D.

You may well be correct. The sample size needs to be huge.

But i probably can have some degree of success in seeing what ones mentioned have a high degree of overlap in likeability once i get the poll up. We will see. At the very least it will be fun.

 

[Son of the Serpent]

Finnish

That should be the last one.


...get it?

Hah. Good pun.

 

[Son of the Serpent]

While I use norse mythology as the primary religion in my campaign I think there are a number of religions that don't really fit "a religion" but could also have examples animistic, shamanistic, ancestor worship.

If that's not specific enough I'd nominate Bhudism and Confucism.

I agree the indo-european parent mythos (it has a lot of children. A lot.) that i nominated for instance has a lot of strongly animistic elements. Those mythos are allowed. It doesnt have to be a mythos tied to a religion. Its an example. Not a necessary trait. It doesnt have to be part of a religion per se. If it can at least be seen as a distinct body of mythos you are welcome to nominate it. Have at it.

 

[Celebrim]

I agree the indo-european parent mythos (it has a lot of children. A lot.) that i nominated for instance has a lot of strongly animistic elements.

So, this is probably opening a can of worms, but is the Indo-European mythology pre-1600?

That seems like a laughable question, in that we are talking about beliefs from 4000 or more years ago, except that we have no direct attestation to the myths and languages of the early Indo-Europeans. Instead, all Indo-European mythology is a speculative reconstruction by archaeologists of the possible beliefs of early Indo-European peoples based of common elements found in multiple belief systems that we do have some textual attestation to. In other words, it's well informed guesswork and the result is a body of beliefs that may be close to some ancient body of beliefs (or not) but which in all likelihood is sufficiently different from whatever the real body of beliefs actually was, that it could be said to have only to come into existence within the last 150 years.

 

[Son of the Serpent]

So, this is probably opening a can of worms, but is the Indo-European mythology pre-1600?

That seems like a laughable question, in that we are talking about beliefs from 4000 or more years ago, except that we have no direct attestation to the myths and languages of the early Indo-Europeans. Instead, all Indo-European mythology is a speculative reconstruction by archaeologists of the possible beliefs of early Indo-European peoples based of common elements found in multiple belief systems that we do have some textual attestation to. In other words, it's well informed guesswork and the result is a body of beliefs that may be close to some ancient body of beliefs (or not) but which in all likelihood is sufficiently different from whatever the real body of beliefs actually was, that it could be said to have only to come into existence within the last 150 years.

i wouldnt say all. I would say most.

We know that the earliest hindu influences are direct offshoots. The vedas are from it and we can very easily work backward from them a bit. There are other more recent religions than the hindu one that are actually less changed. What we can do has limits but some things we can piece back together pretty well. Its not purely speculative either as humanity has a pretty consistant patter for HOW it corrupts myths. So yeah. We basically have a rough over view of what it is. The same as we do with many long dead languages thay have little to no writing. There is heavily speculative parts and then there are parts that are reasonably certain. The difficult rebulding of it also isnt strictly a recent effort only. Furthermore its the date of origin that qualifies something.

 

[jasper]

Pre 1600 forklore
France
Spain
Portugal

 

[gyor]

This thread is not about the mythos you personally think features too much. Its about your favorite ones to include. There is no diversity agenda to this thread nor should anyone profess their dissatisfaction with the choices of others. This thread is about the choices you would love and adore to include yourself. Please attempt to maintain that spirit. Dont cast shade on the choices others think are fun to include.

Speaking of which ive never heard of eblain. Cool. I will be reading up on it in the future.

I'm not dumping on anyone elses choices, I love Greek, Roman, Norse, Celtic and various Egyptian Mythologies, I was just explaining some of the value that my choices brought, which made them worthy of second nominations.

 

[Tony Vargas]

Sumerian/Assyrian … (I forget, the one in which the world is the body of Tiamat, slain by Marduk?)
Zoroastrian
Platonic - (The whole music of the spheres, Odyllic Plane thing, not just the Greek Gods partying on mount Olympus)

 

[Celebrim]

Pre 1600 forklore
France
Spain
Portugal

Those are I must say some really interesting choices, because hitherto no one has chosen explicitly folk beliefs. I often describe my own campaign as Tolkien blended with Brothers Grimm and HP Lovecraft, and I have a lot of my own nods to folklore like talking animals, witches in cottages, household fairies, mysterious parentage, curses, and princes and princesses in distress. But I confess I know almost nothing about Medieval Spanish and Portuguese folklore, nor have I ever attempted to run a purely folklore based campaign.

 

[Son of the Serpent]

Pre 1600 forklore
France
Spain
Portugal

No particular body of myth but rather what is present in those nations at the time? Im assuming thats what you mean.

Update. Wait. Im dumb. Folklore of the regions from the time. Woopsypoopsy. My bad. Thanks.