The Gift of Tall Tales
Once Upon a Time...
Once upon a time... Those four words are capable of causing anyone to lean in just to make it easier to hear the rest of what the speaker has to say. We have been driven by stories for most of our existence. It would seem that it's one of the first things we ever learned how to do.
Even before the invention of the wheel, we painted stories on the walls of caves. Native tribes began a tradition that would be kept alive to this day by campers who would often leave the best spot around a camp fire for the storyteller.
It goes without saying that we value stories, but in The Web a story can go even further. It's exceptionally rare, but there are groups who utilize what they refer to as The Gift of Tall Tales. It is gone by many names over the many centuries of its practice, but the power of lore, or simply a legend, can bestow some unique qualities upon those the story is centered around.
Even before the invention of the wheel, we painted stories on the walls of caves. Native tribes began a tradition that would be kept alive to this day by campers who would often leave the best spot around a camp fire for the storyteller.
It goes without saying that we value stories, but in The Web a story can go even further. It's exceptionally rare, but there are groups who utilize what they refer to as The Gift of Tall Tales. It is gone by many names over the many centuries of its practice, but the power of lore, or simply a legend, can bestow some unique qualities upon those the story is centered around.
What is The Power of Lore
To put it simply, the power of lore is nothing more then constructing a legend around a subject and allowing that legend to grow to the point to where these legends, no matter how unrealistic they may seem, become fact. If enough people believe you can dodge bullets, then maybe you can. If a weapon achieves legendary status due to its power or the actions of its wielder, overtime, it may develop abilities no one knew it had. To fully understand this gift, one must look not to power one can gain, but how they gain it.
Internal vs. External
There are two ways to use the power of lore: Internal and external. These two types are further broken down but are essential to understand before we can do so.
- Internal: To use legends internally is to not rely on any outside influence such as belief or fame. This is usually done by utilizing age. The older something is the more power it potentially has. This method is often preferred, but it takes a considerable amount of time for it to start working, and other times it might be working but the effects are not perceivable. Internal Lore is almost entirely isolated to inanimate objects that can survive long periods of time without significant change, as Internal Lore heavily rely on specific information. A prime example of internal Legend is The Black Betty, which can never be described differently and must be a perfect image of its description.
- External: External Lore is heavily reliant on outside sources in order to achieve its power. It makes use of belief and the discrepancies in the stories to capitalize on the similarities. This is where the term tall tale becomes most prevalent. The Black Betties are the most famous users of this form of lore. By telling conflicting stories and keeping the fantastic abilities that they wish to obtain the same, they can ensure that while individuals are arguing about nitpicky details, the abilities that the individual may or may not have are actually taken as fact. This is one of the major secrets behind the organization's success. Their leader, Beatrice, has told her origin story many times over and changes it every time she does so. The information she changes will often be redundant information. Where she was, what she was doing, the first creature she saw, and other contextual information almost never line up with what another person has heard. She will often use trigger phrases that immediately open up the possibility of the story being inaccurate in some way, shape, or form. By pointing out conflicts in the redundant details, they imply that they believe in the similarities, which are often the abilities the storyteller is trying to obtain or wishes to continue having. All things that use the gift of tall tales will begin as dependent or external lore.
Both of these methods can be further broken down into two distinctive types. Abstract and concrete.
Abstract means that it is the concepts and implications behind the lore that matters most. This method is used by The Memento Initiative and The Storytellers. Concrete is literal and based on eyewitness accounts, usually based around those who possess The Candlelight. This is used by The Black Betties and also most legendary objects.
Type
Metaphysical, Supernatural
Case Study: The Black Betty
The weapon must always be described perfectly. Any changes must be made small over long periods of time, and must be consistent with every description upon deciding to make that change. Legendary weapons are known to be extremely fickle. In this particular case, new wielders will often find that in the first year of their new position, the Betty will break. This is intentional on the part of the Betty. Many Legendary Weapons exhibit a pseudo consciousness and seemingly are alive even though they are not. The Betty does this as a way of testing the new leader. It wishes to know whether the new leader can cope and survive without it. This is also the way in which the Betty alters and changes its Legend on its own terms. Every new leader has added something to the weapon upon forging it anew. This allows an unmistakable change to occur and the weapon still maintains all its abilities.Case Study: Rabbit feet
Almost every Storyteller has a rabbit's foot. The reason behind this is not merely to capitalize on the superstition around it, but it is also a reminder about how powerful they can actually be. Using a rabbit's foot as a talisman grants the storyteller exceptional amounts of luck which bolster the will they use for their abilities. Storytellers have been known to cause problems in the past, including causing natural disasters from the stories that they tell. The rabbit's foot is used as a light preventative to help prevent catastrophic failure of the stories they weaveRemove these ads. Join the Worldbuilders Guild
You have a very unique magic system and I am enjoying reading as it unfolds across your articles. Well done
Necromancy is a Wholesome Science.
=O thanks so much! I appreciate that. I usually try to approach each "school" of magic differently, though I don't have many set up for the web yet. Thanks again man. ill be sure to spot you back!