Monday, October 8, 2012

Mythical Folk and Magical Worlds

In the story of Mythic Summer a lot of research was done on the myths and legends found all over the world. While looking for the various magical people and animals that different cultures believed to exist, many themes kept popping up that helped to shape this story.

One such idea is that of the figure that served as a protector or guardian of animals. Creatures would gather around them, forgetting all aggression and fear in their presence. An important role for these people would be to act as a mediator between humans and animals. An example of this is the being known as Desana, a dwarf found in the amazon with the magical ability to change into various animals. Any human hunters in search of game would need to get his permission first before any animal could be harmed. It was from beings such as Desana that the idea of the Shepherds came about.

Another constant theme was that of the hidden world found just beyond the view of humans. These places would be the true home of many magical people and animals and would exist right alongside the world of Earth. The paths to reach these magical lands would usually be kept secret to only those that lived there, but stories of humans discovering these worlds by accident happened on occasion. In Irish lore, the Sidhe were rumored to live in an invisible world that coexisted with our own world. Occasionally visiting the Earth, they would always find their way back to their own hidden home. The world of Meurum–the home to all magical people and animals in Mythic Summer–came to be because of stories like this.