Ability Scores?

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Well the one interesting thing is that almost every culture has some sort of dragon in it's myths. From the far east to the middle east, from western europe to the native Americans, almost ever civ has stories of dragons in their past. So does this point to a theory of 'shared consciousness'? A past memory of creatures from the past. Why do you think the idea of giant lizards exits for so many peoples? Memories of the dinosaurs?

 

I think we humans weren't really around when the great lizards ruled the world. If we look at different societies around the world, several similarities can be found between them. Most have some form of diety, most have some sort of partnership (marriage) ritual, and probably most have some sort of legend pertaining to giant lizards.

I mean, when I think of fantastic monsters that can stir our very blood, a vision of a carrion crawler doesn't come to mind. A big, flying, firebreathing, treasure hording dragon is the only way to go!

 

Speaking of racial memory, did you know that the majority of people on the plan have an inborn fear of snakes?

 

Not this religion stuff again. Personally I love snakes, and always have. Spiders, on the other hand. Were I a ranger they'd be my racial enemy.

 

Snakes just seem so foreign to me, maybe that's why many people have a fear of them. I mean look at them; no appendages, viscious fangs that are often venemous, ability to crush and devour a man whole, cold blooded, infra-red sensors on some rattle snakes. These things are more like a monster than an animal. OOOH I'm getting scared as I type.


Hold on there's something under my desk....

 

You all are wussies (j/k). I really don't have a fear of any creature, just respect. Anyone every watch "The Corcodile Hunter" (Steve Irwin)? He is one funny Aussie.

 

U ought to go to one of 'em crocodil farms, if u ever come down here. Very hard to be scared of crocodiles after u get to see hundreds of them lying around motionless for hours like bricks. Also they only eat once or twice a week (or was it a month?), so the picture of greedy always hungry monster if far from truth. And oh that soft crocodile baby scin...Nothing like holding a croc in your hands
I probably was scared of mice and spiders and snakes and whatever as so many girls (and not just girls are. But somehow I don't feel it today. Most of the most deadly spider and snake species live here, and I guess can crawl into my backyard right about now... But u can also be killed by some brick falling down from a roof of a house u pass by every day. There's no reasons to have phobias, unless they were induced by fear in childood. And even then they can be treated.
The most weird looking animals for me are insects, when viewed under microscope. Those ticks and roaches look like something out of sci-fi horror movie, totally alien and unEarthlike. And yet, there are more insects on Earth then of all the other animals put together. Maybe snakes and humans are aliens
Go to a terrarium (the reptile enclosure, could be found in your local zoo) and study those reptiles for a while. Maybe eventually besides disguist u will gain appreciation for their beauty and uniqeness. If they don't have live limbs, it is because they didn't need them when the Earth was young and there was no land to see. They are really build very cleverly, yet simple, beautiful design

 

Seems like I'm abusing the smiley... Will try very hard not to smile *grin*
Back to the mythology, there are tales of dragons in Russian fables. Except they are called Snake Mountains (Zmei Gorinich) and have rather interesting abilities. Firstly some of them have several heads, varies from 1 to 9. Secondly if a brave warrior with his sword chops one of those heads, two more regenerate in its place. Yet, the humans end up winning somehow.
Anybody wants to tell of the other interesting dragons in their culture?

 

That sounds kinda like a Hydra...

 

Unfortunately...We americans just steal from everyone elses cultures... So we don't have a dragon of our own.

The closest thing Native Americans have is a Thunderbird I think. But they're still pretty cool!

 

There is an interesting parallel to draggons in the northern sagas.
The Midgard snake (often also called worm) which spanned the whole world circle (so I'm not shure if it could actually fly ), was the main enemy of the Asgard family of gods. I can't even imagine the stats it would have in BG. Thor was killed fighting it (and he was no miserable demigod ) and he was supposed to have created some new fjords with his hammer during a fight with a giant (who btw a spellweaver illusionist and no coward melee fighter), so he had some respectable stats of his own.

[This message has been edited by Sorl (edited January 31, 2001).]

 

To the best of my knowledge the viking 'worm' could not fly, but it so definately a 'dragon' like creature. Just one more example of a culture that has a dragon in it's myths, shape by local idea and conditions. But still a universal concept at it's core.

 

In my reading of Native American lore, I can't recall ever finding reference to a dragon or a dragon-like creature. Most of the stories center around natural animals, (coyote, rabbit, crow, frog, etc). The closest I can remember are tales of a "Great Serpent" that more closely resembles a giant snake, than an imaginary creature with wings and/or claws.

Does anyone know of any dragon lore in African culture? That's another I've never seen.

 

Str - 14
Dex - 15
Con - 15
Int - 11
Wis - 12
Cha - 6 (I'm not bad looking, it's just my personlity)

these are just guesses off the top of my head... no research commited.

I don't know how much being able to run 5 miles easily would fit in to a stat...

[This message has been edited by Vile (edited February 12, 2001).]