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Post by Crom-Cruach on Dec 11, 2011 17:38:14 GMT -5
There are a lot of cool artifacts, depends on what you're looking for. Chinese mythology has a book that contains everything that has ever been, and is, it will contain everything that will ever be. Japanese mythology has the tale of the great smith Masamune who's swords were so perfect they did not cut grass but instead made grass fold along it flat. You can't go wrong with the tale of the star bag, the Anasazi believed that the reason we have stars and the sun was because Coyote stole a bag from the god of darkness that contained all the light in the world.
The Roman Emperor Augustus was gifted with a shield that was said to have had the holy power of the three Great Virtues of the Prince inscribed in it. Who ever possessed the shield would rule the romans with wisdom and power and any army led by this person would be invincible. Hiawatha the great Iroquoi hero had an arrow that with it he could slay even the Great Serpent of the waters even thought he could not die. The greek god Hades possessed a helm that when wore by someone would make him be undetectable by the entire world. Marduk possessed a set of stone tablets infused with the laws set down by Anu the Creator. Possession of these tablets made one the King of the Universe and with it, one could dictate how the entire cycles of the world would turn.
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Post by Supreme Marvel on Dec 11, 2011 17:53:21 GMT -5
Masamune! The sword in Chrono Trigger!!
Thanks for that.
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Post by Crom-Cruach on Dec 11, 2011 17:57:20 GMT -5
Masamune! The sword in Chrono Trigger!! Masamune is the name of the sword smith who made the sword in Japanese mythology, not the swords itself. Masamune actually made several swords, and each was infused with his spirit. Masamune had no hate or anger in his heart, his blades were objects of peace and honorable protection. Samurai who would receive his blades had to prove they would never draw them except to protect the innocent and prevent violence.
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Post by Crom-Cruach on May 8, 2012 21:44:48 GMT -5
resurrection of thread!
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Post by Supreme Marvel on Nov 1, 2012 13:31:33 GMT -5
Got any information on Merrow that's not on Wikpiedia?
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Post by Phantom Stargrave on Nov 1, 2012 14:15:48 GMT -5
What's a Merrow?
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Post by Supreme Marvel on Nov 1, 2012 15:38:08 GMT -5
What I got so far.
Merrows are the female inhabitants of Tir fo Thoinn - the Land beneath the Waves. The word merrow or moruadh comes from the Irish muir meaning sea and oigh meaning maid. According to folklore, they have special clothing which enables them to travel through ocean currents. In Kerry, Cork and Wexford, they wear a small red cap made from feathers, called a cohullen druith. In more northerly waters they travel through the sea wrapped in sealskin cloaks, taking on the appearance and attributes of seals. In order to come ashore, the Merrow abandons her cap or cloak, so any mortal who finds them has power over her, as she cannot return to the sea until they are retrieved. In some parts of Ireland, Merrows are regarded as messengers of doom and death. To learn more about Irish mermaids - also known as Selkies - read our children's story, here: The Selkie.
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Post by Supreme Marvel on Nov 1, 2012 15:47:04 GMT -5
I had an idea for a story I'm writing. My character witnesses a siren/mermaid. He goes from England to Ireland. I was looking for a Banshee. Then I came across this creature. I wanted this because it made more sense to have it.
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Post by Crom-Cruach on Nov 3, 2012 21:29:46 GMT -5
Merrow are basically irish mermaids. And contrary to what Supreme Marvel said, selkies are not the same thing. Though obviously both myths are from the same indo-european mythological tree (which is why there are so many similarities).
Merrow were very much like sirens. Their songs could seduce men and enthrall them. They brought men under waves and were said to keep them their thanks to their magic both from their songs and their garments. Which he is correct that when stolen in some myths meant that they could not return to the ocean.
Many would become the wives of god heroes and mythical personage of irish myth only to then return to the waves. In this regard, reading some portions of the ulster cycle and the annals of four masters seems to indicate subtlely that they may be linked to the sea god ManannĂ¡n mac Lir and as such they are heavily associate with the Isle of Man and the mists there. Their song was supposedly heard during the most stronger points of fog coming from the wave. Merrow men were also reputed to collect the souls of drowned sailors (something that might be the inspiration of davy jones locker). Some merrow were also said to be of giant size and one stories relates that they also were enemies of the fomorians. The generational enemies of the Thuata de Danan.
By contrast selkies (sea-wives) are seal shapeshifters and most stories with them are either romantic tragedies or stories of evil men forcing selkies to be their wives by stealing their seal skins. What distinguishes them from merrow is the region and the fact that there stories are not centered around them being protagonists in stories but mostly either: -victims that suffer because of men. -victims that are eventually freed then take vengeance. The prominence of the shapeshifter aspect and the fact that seal shifters marks them as different from merrow whom are basically irish sea nymphs (mostly human appearance all the time, faerie spirit creatures). The shapeshifter motif and also the roots of the words "selkie" can also be linked to the story of kelpies (same linguistic tree) which bring doom to men by being horse shape-shifter that bring death to people who encountered them by dragging them into the sea or rivers to drown. Something selkies in some darker stories also did. In both cases they have seal traits (kelpies were said to have seal skin and some even changed shape to match that)
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Post by Supreme Marvel on Dec 22, 2012 21:11:27 GMT -5
What's your favourite Halloween folklore?
And got any info on the mythology of Halloween, but more specifically the time when the veil of the normal world and the supernatural world is weakened?
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Post by Crom-Cruach on Dec 25, 2012 17:42:37 GMT -5
What's your favourite Halloween folklore? Hard to say I like a lot of stuff. But lately I've digging into my greco-roman lore very far for a personal project and I've been fascinated by some of the witch/magic/crossroads goddesses like Hecate, Selene and such And got any info on the mythology of Halloween, but more specifically the time when the veil of the normal world and the supernatural world is weakened? It's important to understand that the modern understanding, pop culture and belief of what we call Halloween is a Hodge-podge of good ol american consumerism, european traditions both christian and pagan and also reinvention by the U.S where it is most popularly celebrated. Halloween itself as term come from the term "All Hallow's eve" whom has nothing to do with witches, ghosts or anything like that. All Hallow's Eve means All Saints Eve. Hallow here meaning Hallowed as in Holy whom was celebrated on November on and 2 where early Christians would honor the saints of the Faith and feast, drink make merry in remembrance of the saints that brought the light of God to the World. Later in christian traditions came the ceremony of Souling where it was believed in some European countries that the souls of the Dead would only depart the world on All Saints Day where the saints and Angels would guide their spirits to God. Part of the celebration involved poor peopl going door to door to gather gifts where they would be gifted as a symbolic gesture that the living will pass along the love of God in the name of the departed as they leave to rest in the presence of the Lord However about the same time that Hallow's Eve was celebrated, several pagan traditions were celebrated around the same day. Including the Celtic Samhain. Where it was believed the gates of the Otherworld would open and many spirits, faeries and ghosts would more freely pass between the worlds. It was a time to perform divinations and magical rites to reaffirm one's connection to the Gods and also give thanks for their bounty before the harshness of winter came over. There was also the roman tradition of Parentelia and Panoma around the same time frame. Panoma was the festival celebrating the Harvest to the goddess of the same name. Romans would feast and give sacrifices of their crops to honor the goddess for her generousity and thanks before the fasts of winter. Parenteliat was a festival of the Dead. It was a nine day celebration where Romans would honor their ancestors with offerings of food and wealth. It was seen as a time when ghosts were most manifests and a time of mourning and grey as well as exorcisms for the angry and forgotten dead often sought their mischief and vengeance on those days. So really Halloween is a modern bastardization of about 5 different things
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Post by Supreme Marvel on Dec 27, 2012 13:29:50 GMT -5
Thanks boyo!
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