Mythology and Quest for Glory
Moderators: adeyke, VampD3, eriqchang, Angelus3K
Mythology and Quest for Glory
I've seen on many posts people missing the point of QFG subject basing. I think the most fascinating thing about the series is its reliance on actual mythological characters and concepts. Its not really a geographical emphasis (well it is to a small extent) but a folklore of a general region.
i.e
Quest for Glory I = Western European myths/medieval (i.e Lord of the Rings type stuff)
Quest for Glory II = Middle Eastern/Persian mythology (i.e 1001 nights)
Quest for Glory III = A combination of mainly Egyptian myths with some basis from central and southern africa
Quest for Glory IV = Slavic mythology. Not a 'horror' basing as many people believe. These concepts originate from the myths/legends within Eastern Europe
Quest for Glory V = Greek mythology. Need I say more. The most popular and well known concepts derived from any mythology.
Look up nearly every character in the game and you'll see about 90% of them are derived from a mythological basis that has been written about for 500 years. So are the Coles rip offs? Hell no. They combined a sense of original and borrowed fiction to design an unforgettable gaming experience...
Comments are welcome.
i.e
Quest for Glory I = Western European myths/medieval (i.e Lord of the Rings type stuff)
Quest for Glory II = Middle Eastern/Persian mythology (i.e 1001 nights)
Quest for Glory III = A combination of mainly Egyptian myths with some basis from central and southern africa
Quest for Glory IV = Slavic mythology. Not a 'horror' basing as many people believe. These concepts originate from the myths/legends within Eastern Europe
Quest for Glory V = Greek mythology. Need I say more. The most popular and well known concepts derived from any mythology.
Look up nearly every character in the game and you'll see about 90% of them are derived from a mythological basis that has been written about for 500 years. So are the Coles rip offs? Hell no. They combined a sense of original and borrowed fiction to design an unforgettable gaming experience...
Comments are welcome.
Well, you are right for the most part, but:
1.) Baba Yaga first made her appearance in QFG 1, and she is a character from Slavic mythology.
2.) The vampires are not so much of Slavic origin, as they are Hungarian and Romanian (contrary to what they say in the film "Practical Magic", Transilvania has nothing to do with the Slavic people
)
1.) Baba Yaga first made her appearance in QFG 1, and she is a character from Slavic mythology.
2.) The vampires are not so much of Slavic origin, as they are Hungarian and Romanian (contrary to what they say in the film "Practical Magic", Transilvania has nothing to do with the Slavic people
![Tongue :p](./images/smilies/tongue.gif)
- Gronagor
- Saurus Salesman
- Posts: 3881
- Joined: Tue Sep 03, 2002 3:18 pm
- Location: South Africa (Bloemfontein)
And QfG3 had a lot of Jamaican (especially the dialogue). The Coles admitted once that they didn't know much about African cultures, so they used a lot from what they knew. ![Smile :)](./images/smilies/smile.gif)
And out of all fantasy stories/games, they did the least amount of LOTR copy-catting. Perhaps that's why the series was so fantastic... the only real "cliche's" they had was those they made jokes of.
Heh. And Cumboy, I think you covered everything there is to say about this subject.![Smile :)](./images/smilies/smile.gif)
![Smile :)](./images/smilies/smile.gif)
And out of all fantasy stories/games, they did the least amount of LOTR copy-catting. Perhaps that's why the series was so fantastic... the only real "cliche's" they had was those they made jokes of.
Heh. And Cumboy, I think you covered everything there is to say about this subject.
![Smile :)](./images/smilies/smile.gif)
-
- The Heretic
- Posts: 518
- Joined: Sun Dec 28, 2003 12:03 am
- Location: Hoboken, NJ
- Contact:
The folklore in QFG1 is mostly Germanic, so "Western European" sits a bit oddly.
Although the Hungarian and Romanian peoples of Transylvania are not Slavic in origin, they've been under heavy Slav influence for a thousand years or more, and there are Slavic groups living in the area. So it does have something to do with Slavs.
Although the Hungarian and Romanian peoples of Transylvania are not Slavic in origin, they've been under heavy Slav influence for a thousand years or more, and there are Slavic groups living in the area. So it does have something to do with Slavs.
-
- Royal Vizier Status
- Posts: 2301
- Joined: Mon Sep 08, 2003 3:37 am
- Location: Central New York
- Contact:
Re: Mythology and Quest for Glory
Actually, it'd be more Germanic traditions.Cumboy wrote:
Quest for Glory I = Western European myths/medieval (i.e Lord of the Rings type stuff)
Lord of the Rings type stuff is based more in Anglo-Saxon traditions, much like "The Battle of Maldon" and "Beowulf". Being that Tolkien was a professor of such subjects it makes more sense.
But, really this is just a minor digression.
Bt
EDIT: REMIND SELF TO READ ALL POSTS BEFORE POSTING. Good one Snarky.
-
- Knight Status
- Posts: 384
- Joined: Sat May 08, 2004 5:55 am
- Location: deadfall beneath Ooga Booga
Did Baba Yaga have a chicken-legged hut in Slavic mythology?Meerbat wrote:Well, you are right for the most part, but:
1.) Baba Yaga first made her appearance in QFG 1, and she is a character from Slavic mythology.
2.) The vampires are not so much of Slavic origin, as they are Hungarian and Romanian (contrary to what they say in the film "Practical Magic", Transilvania has nothing to do with the Slavic people)
Yes, Erpy is of course right. Baba Yaga's character was very well presented in the game. Many stories that have witches in them are usually changed so that the witch is Baba Yaga. Baba means "granny" (in Bulgarian) and "aunty" (in Russian, if I am not mistaken).
There is this crazy old woman that lived under our apartment, and I always thought she was Baba Yaga.
She really looks like her, I am not kidding...
There is this crazy old woman that lived under our apartment, and I always thought she was Baba Yaga.
![Eek :eek](./images/smilies/eek.gif)
-
- Knight Status
- Posts: 176
- Joined: Wed Jan 28, 2004 8:29 am
- Location: US
Baba is actually a short version of babuska. A babuska(in Russian) is a grandmother. Baba has become a bit of a cruder way or saying it though, bordering on disrespectful. I'm not sure if Yaga means anything or is just a nickname, but Baba Yaga has come to mean The Old Witch and along those lines. She is a character from Russian and Slavic mythologies, a witch who turns people into animals and eats them, lives inside a hut supported on giant, enchanted chicken legs, has strange animals for pets, and is vry old and ugly. I don't know where the Coles got the whole Ogress theme, but it can be easily tied in. I can't remeber where, but I heard in the mythology, that she once did battle with Dyed Maroz(Grandfather Winter, Russia's version of Santa Claus), and was beated by him. Oh and BTW, Totya means aunt in Russian. Read pages 456-478 and write a minimal 400 word essay on it and I'll see you guys in class Monday.
-
- Royal Vizier Status
- Posts: 2301
- Joined: Mon Sep 08, 2003 3:37 am
- Location: Central New York
- Contact:
Yeah, you're correct. There's only one surviving manuscript of Beowulf, which is Anglo-Saxon (middle or old english). Unlike say, Piers Plowman where there are 54 surviving manuscripts, and three different versions between them.Snarky wrote:I did not know that the text was extant in anything but Anglo-Saxon. I thought the story was only known to us through one surviving manuscript.
Bt
Ah, I see what you're saying. Yeah, going that far back, the languages were very similar. English has changed more than Dutch or German (mainly because of the Norman invasion), so I'm sure you're right that the manuscript looks as much Dutch/German as it does English.Spikey wrote:It does. But that manuscript is as for from English as it is from Dutch or German. At least, I THINK I learned that in school (if it is, then at least I learned something). But I could be mistaken. I'm not in the mood to dig into it right now.
I did not think that the Anglo-Saxon used in Beowulf is actually a root of Dutch and German, though. I thought it split off some time before.
- Spikey
- Insomniac Speed Demon
- Posts: 1195
- Joined: Tue Jan 27, 2004 10:23 pm
- Location: Rotterdam, Netherlands
- Contact:
Dutch is not a very static language. I would have much trouble understanding somebody Dutch from 100 years ago, it's one of the most variable languages ever. In English, for example, one can still read Shakespear very very well, only the sounds have changed a bit. In Dutch the spelling changes a lot. And with that, I mean A LOT. ![Wink ;)](./images/smilies/wink.gif)
![Wink ;)](./images/smilies/wink.gif)
Flemmish
No, that's not true.
It is true that the Flemish are considered more 'purist' in their language and tend to object more to anglicisms and (shudder) new government-imposed spelling rules. It is also true that they win the weekly Holland-vs-Belgium language quiz most of the time.
I found little problem in reading 100-year-old Dutch plays (it's mandatory in my old high school). Although admittedly the spelling is different, and there's any number of archaeisms in there. As to how it was pronounced, who knows?
It is true that the Flemish are considered more 'purist' in their language and tend to object more to anglicisms and (shudder) new government-imposed spelling rules. It is also true that they win the weekly Holland-vs-Belgium language quiz most of the time.
I found little problem in reading 100-year-old Dutch plays (it's mandatory in my old high school). Although admittedly the spelling is different, and there's any number of archaeisms in there. As to how it was pronounced, who knows?