General World Building: Superstitions

[Villamvihar]

During the early ages of mankind, people made up myths and legends to explain the phenomena around them. They thought that spirits inhabited every nook and cranny or that gods watched over them as they slept. From these beliefs, the religion of these people slowly formed, becoming a coherent internally consistent mythology. But even though such small things lead to something so great, it did not mean that people forgot beliefs that they learned from others, or that they did not invent new ones. Over time, these beliefs became superstitions and seeped their way into everyday life.

Your exercise is to invent three superstitions: A superstition for bad luck, a superstition for good luck, and a neutral superstition that just exists to be creepy. You can use the following questions as help.

Where did the superstition originate from?

Is there a story behind the superstition?

What exactly are the effects this superstition causes?

Can the effects mentioned in the superstition be countered? If so, how?

Does the superstition have any requirements for it to take effect?

How long do the effects mentioned in the superstition last?

How well-known is this superstition?

Is there any special object, animal or place associated with this superstition?

 

[Hisoka Kobayashi]

Superstition #1

Type: Bad Luck.

Where did the superstition originate from?

A guy who had it happen to him in Ireland.

Is there a story behind the superstition?

Yes.

The story is:
One day a man was eating his soup when suddenly he ended up sneezing it out of his mouth.The next day he came down with a bad cold.He thought it was suspicious and recalled what had happened the day before.So he began to believe that sneezing soup out of his mouth caused it.

What exactly are the effects this superstition causes?

The effects are that the person gets sick.

Can the effects mentioned in the superstition be countered? If so, how?

Yes.A person has to wipe up the soup with a towel and throw the towel in a fire.

Does the superstition have any requirements for it to take effect?

No.

How long do the effects mentioned in the superstition last?

About a week.

How well-known is this superstition?

It is very well known in almost every European country.

Is there any special object, animal or place associated with this superstition?

No.

Superstition #2.

Type: Good Luck.

Where did the superstition originate from?

A girl in Africa.

Is there a story behind the superstition?

Yes.

The story is: A young girl had fallen into a deep hole and was trapped there.She called out for help but no one seemed to hear her.The girl was afraid that she would die in that hole.Then a dragonfly flew into the hole and landed on her hand.The girl watched as it slowly moved it's wings before flying back out of the hole.A few minutes later a man and woman were exploring found the girl.When the girl was rescued she believed that the dragonfly had brought her good luck.

What exactly are the effects this superstition causes?

The effects are that the person gains good luck all day.

Can the effects mentioned in the superstition be countered? If so, how?

Yes. By a person scaring the dragonfly away after it lands.

Does the superstition have any requirements for it to take effect?

Yes. A dragonfly has to land on you.

How long do the effects mentioned in the superstition last?

A day.

How well-known is this superstition?

It is very well known in most of the world.

Is there any special object, animal or place associated with this superstition?

In a way.It's a dragonfly.

Superstition #3

Type: Neutral.

Where did the superstition originate from?

A guy in Germany who was joking around with his sister.

Is there a story behind the superstition?

Yes.

The story is: The guy tells his sister that if she spends to much time gazing into the mirror it will steal her soul.The girl told her highly superstitious friend and she took it to heart removing every mirror from her home.

What exactly are the effects this superstition causes?

The effects are that superstitious people become afraid of nothing and start avoiding mirrors.

Can the effects mentioned in the superstition be countered? If so, how?

Yes,hopefully.By telling them it was made up as a joke.

Does the superstition have any requirements for it to take effect?

No.

How long do the effects mentioned in the superstition last?

For as long as people choose to believe that it's real.

How well-known is this superstition?
It is mostly known of in Germany but knowledge of it is slowly spreading.

Is there any special object, animal or place associated with this superstition?

Yes,mirrors.

(I'm done editing now.)

 

[Arcadia]

The Banshee's Game
​

Type:

Neutral/Bad

Where did the superstition originate from?

Romania.

Is there a story behind the superstition?

If a person flicks a light switch off, waits three seconds exactly, then flicks the light on and off four times, they will see the Banshee, who will apparently grant them the rebirth of one of their dead relatives. However, the participant must not look at the Banshee, for she will devour both your soul, and the soul of one of your recently dead relatives. Rumour has it also, if the participant carries a cross and a bottle of holy water, they can actually control the Banshee to be under their control, but she will try to fight back, possibly destroying your home, her confines, in the process, meaning she will take the souls of everyone in the vicinity of her summoning confines.

What exactly are the effects this superstition causes?
If rumour is to be believed, due to the nature of this superstition, the participant will die after gazing at the Banshee, or, if she is feeling pity, she will simply cause the participant to deteriorate in mind, going insane.

Can the effects mentioned in the superstition be countered? If so, how?

If the participant does not look at the Banshee when asking for the dead relatives soul to be returned from Limbo, they will successfully summon their relative back from the grave. However, if the Banshee does not believe the participant to be worthy, she will attempt to take the soul of the participant by force, in which a wearable crucifix and holy water are an effective counter to her, as it will not rid you of her, but weaken her depending on the amount of holy water she has been attacked with, until she can be exorcised back to Limbo by a priest.

Does the superstition have any requirements for it to take effect?
The participant must draw a pentagram in blood on the wall next to the light switch they will use to summon the Banshee, before also writing Banshee, I call thee to the realm of the living. The participant must then complete the set amount of light switch flicks in order to summon her.

How long do the effects mentioned in the superstition last?

The effects last until sunrise, or until the Banshee has either granted the wish of the participant or taken their soul as recompense.

How well-known is this superstition?

It is extremely well known, occult pages and websites having being dedicated to this dangerous game.

Is there any special object, animal or place associated with this superstition?

A normal light switch, a pocket knife for the blood retrieval and a crucifix and holy water.

 

[BittyKitty1]

*Note: The characters listed are hyperintelligent cats.
------BAD LUCK ------

Where did the superstition originate from?
When the community was first settling into their homes, a young female went off to find food for her brood. She was killed by a badger, and her litter of precious kits were hunted down and killed. After a quick meeting of the eldest adults, they decided that it was a sign from the Spirits. A sign that told them, 'If you allow a female to hunt once more, a higher number will die.'

Is there a story behind the superstition?
Nowadays, about 52 years after the first cats arrived, the story has been altered;
>>>When the cats first arrived in their homeland, all genders and ages hunted. The kits were taught only by their mothers; The fathers left them to their fate. But one day a spirit arrived; He said, 'You hunt like animals. Females must remain behind and nurse their young.' When the females resisted, the spirit struck them down. He had punished them justly and he left. Now, no female may hunt. Males stay around females so he may train his male young; Females teach their daughters the ways of the Female.

What exactly are the effects this superstitioncauses?
Should a female be caught hunting, she must be killed (if she has not caught anything, she could just be banished). If a female witnesses a hunt, the Tribe must have a special ceremony and kill the female/s that witnessed it. If this is not fulfilled, the Tribe would begin to collapse; Females would hunt as Males did, Males would wander off. It would be chaos.

Can the effects mentioned in the superstition be countered? If so, how?
By having a special ceremony and killing the female; Or simply banishing her.

Does the superstition have any requirements for it to take effect?
See above.

How long do the effects mentioned in the superstition last?
Until the Tribe collapses. Once it does, it stops taking place.

How well-known is this superstition?
It is known by the youngest kit and the oldest elder. From the moment a kit wraps his or her head around words, they are taught that females must. not. hunt. Or witness a hunting.

Is there any special object, animal or place associated with this superstition?
No.

-----GOOD LUCK----

Where did the superstition originate from?
A little while after the Tribe finally settled down, a kitten of Siamese descendants was born; He retained the sharp blue eyes, but not the points nor the triangle face. He was seen as quite an ugly feline, and no female wanted him. However, a few humans came around and tried to kill the cats of the Tribe; This young cat managed to thwart the worst of the attacks and died chasing the humans away. From then on, a cat with Siamese blue eyes is extremely good luck.

Is there a story behind the superstition?
See above.

What exactly are the effects this superstition causes?
Any kit with blue eyes that do not change in adulthood brings good luck to the Tribe; As long as there is one in the Tribe, the Tribe will prosper.

Can the effects mentioned in the superstition be countered? If so, how?
If the cat is murdered or mistreated, they could have the power to curse the Tribe. They can cause a female to lose her kittens; They can cause unexplainable deaths. If murdered, a blue-eyed cat could even haunt the Tribe.

Does the superstition have any requirements for it to take effect?
Nope.

How long do the effects mentioned in the superstition last?
As long as the cat lives on.

How well-known is this superstition?
Same as the first; Everyone knows it.

Is there any special object, animal or place associated with this superstition?
No.

----CREEPY----

Where did the superstition originate from?
This one is more modern; It's a common youth tale that if someone gets caught underneath the ice of a specific river, their spirit remains under the surface. If you throw something into the water, the spirit will throw it back. If you stare into a certain whirlpool for too long, one of the spirits will come forward and attempt to drown you; If a spirit touches you, you will follow them into the water and never come out.

Is there a story behind the superstition?
Between the point of founding and the present, a young group of juveniles went to the river to explore its banks. There was a single whirlpool; A kitten that was a well-known swimmer was challenged to swim in it. He did, but he sank below the surface. His friends quickly jumped in to save him, but they all drowned together.

What exactly are the effects this superstitioncauses?
Being hypnotized by a spirit desperate for life; And being dragged into the water to feast on your life force and drown you.

Can the effects mentioned in the superstition be countered? If so, how?
No.

Does the superstition have any requirements for it to take effect?
You must stare at the Whirlpool for around 30 secods.

How long do the effects mentioned in the superstition last?
Until you A) stop staring or B) die

How well-known is this superstition?
Extremely well-known around the younger groups of the Tribe.

Is there any special object, animal or place associated with this superstition?
The biggest river in the Tribe's territory; A whirlpool is created by a chance formation of large boulders, and this is where the center of the superstition lies.