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Message: <blockquote data-quote="SMHWorlds" data-source="post: 7722973" data-attributes="member: 6853809">Africa is a rich land with a history that spans the entirety of human civilization. Trying to pin down a distinct set of myths would be difficult because one could end up repeating oneself in theme if not in actual specific characters. Still, the theme of the African myths is rich with heroes of a more classic nature and tricksters abound to delight and frustrate us. In many ways they are simpler than many European myths, but the simplicity does not detract from the depth and beauty nor their utility in adventure and world building.[ATTACH]87846[/ATTACH][PRBREAK][/PRBREAK]There is a tendency towards monotheism in many of the creation stories one finds as well as a general disconnect between God and those who have been created. Communication seems to be an issue, with animal messengers carrying missive from god to men and the troubles that entails making it into legends. This exacerbates the already <a href="http://www.godchecker.com/pantheon/african-mythology.php" target="_blank">tense relationships</a> between the gods and their creations. Animals being an important part of everyday life in Africa, there is no doubt they play an important part in the mythology of Africa.African deities are capable of the same envy as mortal man. <a href="http://manmythmagic.blogspot.com/2015/01/creation-mythology-east-central-africa.html" target="_blank">In the story of Abassi and his wife Atai</a>, we find Abassi worried over men becoming his equal. Abassi allows them to live on earth (at the behest of Atai) as long as they do not grow their own food or have children. Every day the couple, man and woman, would go to heaven to have their mills. Eventually however, the mortal woman tilled the field and began to have children. This seems to peturb Abassi, but Atai soothes her husband by sending Death down to earth ensuring mortal man will never challenge the gods.[ATTACH]87847[/ATTACH]It would be impossible to talk about African myth and not talk about Anansi. Neil Gaiman has certainly taken that mythological figure and integrated him into a <a href="http://www.neilgaiman.com/works/Books/American+Gods/" target="_blank">modern take on mythology</a>. So there is at least some familiarity with Anasi. Anansi is a trickster, known as the spider and he is of West African origin. Often capricious and always into mischief, Anansi acts in opposition to the gods often harming humans indirectly or directly along the way. At other times, Anansi helped mankind and persuaded <a href="http://www.mythencyclopedia.com/Am-Ar/Anansi.html" target="_blank">Nyame to give them rain</a>. For a trickster, this is not unusual behavior at all and the tales of Anansi spread across the ocean to South America and North America when Africans were brought here against their will.How can you use this in your world? Most fantasy worlds tend towards a pantheon approach to religion and a separation between the gods and the natural world. In a campaign built around themes from African mythology, this would change. Animals would play a very important role in the world and adventurers might play the part of mortal Anansi like figures, going from tribe to tribe and solving issues, as well as causing mischief. Certainly natural magic would play an important role, which spells from books being downplayed or nonexistent. As always, a science fiction setting with the "gods" (aliens) allowing their power (technology) to be used and misused might make for some high caliber high concept SF gaming.  Any kind of asymmetrical relationship between "god" and "mortal" makes for good drama.</blockquote>

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