Myths and Legends
So, you decide to take a page from history, or the coolest parts at least, and do a game involving myths, folklore, and/or urban legends. But what do you do? You can go scary, fantastical, and more. Heck, try for superhero while your at it! But let’s see what each thing is first.
Myths
Dictionary.com has the following as definitions for myths:
- a traditional or legendary story, usually concerning some being or hero or event, with or without a determinable basis of fact or a natural explanation, especially on that is concerned with deities or demigods and explains some practice, rite, or phenomenon of nature
- stories or matter of this kind
- any invented story, idea, or concept
- An imaginary or fictitious thing or person
- an unproven or false collective belief that is used to justify social institution In other words, it can’t be proven as real or fake but can be a belief system or even explain why things are the way they are.
The most famous myths come from Greece. Well, okay, maybe not most famous, but everyone knows about them and seemingly knows more about them. For a list of the may different types of myths and by region, go to Wikipedia. They actually have good stuff, and your English teacher can’t get on to you if you check on the sources used there, right?
Folklore
Back to Dictionary.com, folklore means:
- the traditional beliefs, legends, customs, etcetera, of a people; lore of a people
- The study of such lore
- A body of widely held but false or unsubstantiated beliefs
Folklore is just stories that have traveled by word of mouth withing a community or group of people. That rumor about the head cheerleader being pregnant with twins would count as folklore, but so does Bigfoot andth Loch Ness Monster. For some fun folklore, just travel on over to Wikipedia, you online but unsourcable encyclopedia!
Urban Legends
Speaking of Bigfoot and Nessie, Dictionary.com pings urban legends as:
a modern story of obscure origin and with little or no supporting evidence that spreads spontaneously in varying forms and often has elements of humor, moralizing, or horror.
And just in time for Halloween. Actually, the anime, Ghost Stories, uses urban legends as the fun basis of it’s episodes and fun comedy of terrors. Now, most urban legends that stick in the mind are ones that make you nearly pee yourself in fright. Here is a list of places to some good and scary fun.
- Wikipedia
- Scary for Kids: Urban Legends (you can find more scary fun by checking out the entire website)
- Instantcheckmate
Whatever you choose to do, just know that it is fun to take the old and bring it into the modern era. What about a high school for the gods? What would happen in a world filled to the brim with nothing but spooky urban legends from a certain country or world wide? (Just thinking of going to a bathroom alone at a school reminds me of Hanako-san! I’m shaking with fear right now!) What about a spoof on the old fairytales? It’s all up to you. Pleasant dreams.
Oh! And remember, don’t go outside after dark alone, don’t go to the bathroom alone, don’t be in a house alone… okay, just do be anywhere ALONE! Night!
