The
Lure of Lore:

What Makes a Rich Mythology So Appealing in an Online World?


by Mercurie

If there is one thing
that sets the fantasy genre apart from other genres, it is that the author
is often called upon to create a whole world, complete with its own history,
legends, and myths. This is no less true of fantasy role-playing games,
whether they are of the old fashioned pen-and-paper variety, or the more
modern online variety. Like authors of fantasy novels, then, game developers
must create their own worlds with their own backgrounds. Quite simply,
every fantasy MMORPG must have its own lore.

Just as a world's
lore in a fantasy novel helps set it apart from other similar works, so
too does the lore in a MMORPG. It is the lore of Everquest that sets it
apart from, say, Linage II. Naturally, much of the lore in fantasy MMORPGs
draw upon motifs established both in folklore and in fantasy novels.

This is no less true
of Vanguard: Saga of Heroes. Indeed, one need look no further than the
event called "The Breaking" for an example of lore in Vanguard
that draws upon folklore and fantasy motifs. The Breaking was a disaster
which affected the continent of Qualia many years ago. It involved earthquakes
and tsunamis, devastating two empires (the Mordebi Empire and the Qualiathari
Empire) in the process. Ultimately, both the east and west coasts of Qualia
were submerged in the ocean. When the water receded in the north, it left
behind land made infertile by the salty ocean water.

The Breaking is similar
in many respects to myths and tales found across the world. According
to Norse myth, when Odhinn and his brothers killed the giant Ymir, his
blood caused a flood which killed nearly all of the giants. According
to Babylonian myth, the god of storms, Enlil, created a flood to punish
humanity. Most people are familiar with the Biblical account of the Flood
in which Noah, his family, and every kind of animal were saved aboard
the Ark.

As fantasy literature
has always drawn upon mythology and folklore, it should be no surprise
that world-shaking disasters are to be found in the works of fantasy authors
as well. In The Simarillion, J. R. R. Tolkien told the tale of Numenor.
Numenor was a wondrous land of Middle-Earth's Second Age. Sadly, when
the Iluvatar (the closest thing to a Creator God in Tolkien's mythos)
changed the shape of the world, Numenor was submerged beneath the sea.
Fortunately, Elendil and his sons escaped and would go onto found the
kingdom of Arnor and Gondor.

Of course, this points
to another common folklore and fantasy motif which is directly related
to that of "the Great Disaster": the motif of the Lost Civilization.
In the 4th century BC, Plato wrote of how Atlantis sank beneath the sea.
Celtic myth is filled with lost cities. In Cornwall there were tales of
Lyonesse, a city that sank beneath the sea. Welsh folklore makes reference
to the Lowland Hundred, a valuable tract of land which was flooded when
the dyke which protected it from the sea was damaged through neglect.
And, of course, I have already discussed Tolkien's Numenor. In Vanguard:
Saga of Heroes, both the Mordebi and Qualiathari Empires could be considered
lost civilizations.

Another common folklore
or fantasy motif to be found in Vanguard is that of the Faustian bargain.
According to medieval legend, Faust was a magician who sold his soul to
the Devil in return for power. In fantasy literature, it is very rare
that characters literally sell their souls, although they often make such
significant compromises to their personal ethics that they might, in effect,
be described as Faustian. In the works of fantasy writer Michael Moorcock,
we have the character of Elric, the 428th Emperor of Melnibone. Elric
is sickly and frail, his lack of health only compensated by his intelligence
and education. He is also one of the few of the Melniboneans with a conscience,
often pondering whether any of his actions are wrong or right. Unfortunately,
Elric comes into possession of the sentient sword Stormbringer, a weapon
which literally feeds upon the souls of its victims. Stormbringer gives
Elric health and strength, but it also forces him to kill simply because
the sword is hungry: in the end the blade ultimately destroys Elric.

In Vanguard: Saga
of Heroes, the Faustian figure is Silas Lucerte. Silas started out as
a respected mage of the High Elves. Through his knowledge and wisdom he
made many magical breakthroughs. Unfortunately, Silas became more obsessed
with power than pure magic. Eventually, he would rise to power as the
ruler of the city of Leth Nurae. He became such a tyrant that the surviving
mages of Leth Nurae, led by a mysterious, cloaked stranger, rebelled against
him and overthrew him. Although Silas did not literally sell his soul,
he can be considered a Faustian figure, in that he allowed the quest for
knowledge and a lust for power to compromise his morals.

So far I have discussed
a few pieces of Vanguard's lore that have their roots in folklore and
fantasy motifs. That is not to say that all of its lore is drawn from
folk tales and fantasy novels. One bit of lore that strikes me as being
very original (at least in a fantasy milieu) is the Undead Invasion. From
either the sea to the east or south of the continent of Thestra, the undead
arose and overwhelmed that continent's southern areas. They overtook the
town of Southwatch and even laid waste to Old Targonor, then the capital
of the Thestran Human kingdom. The areas of Thestra overrun by the undead
would later become known as the Fallen Lands. In some respects the tale
of the Undead Invasion resembles those of Lost Civilizations. And admittedly,
conquering armies and cities under siege are a trademark of fantasy fiction
(just read The Lord of the Rings or The Chronicles of Thomas Covenant).
But ultimately, I can't recall anywhere in fantasy literature in which
undead armies overwhelmed an entire portion of a continent. While Vanguard
draws upon familiar folklore and fantasy motifs, it also has a few twists
of its own as well.

Of course, I suppose
the central question is: "What does lore, drawn upon familiar motifs,
add to the game?" For me, the answer is simple. Tales of great disasters,
lost cities, and Faustian bargains remain popular because they speak to
the human spirit. All of us fear the tornado or hurricane which could
destroy everything we have worked to achieve or possess. Tales such as
the sinking of Atlantis or the destruction of Numenor remind us that such
disasters are possible. Tales of Faustian bargains remain popular because
they are cautionary fables. They warn of the consequences of compromising
our principles simply for the sake of knowledge and power. Beyond the
fact that such motifs tend to resonate with most people, I think that
they also make the world of Vanguard: Saga of Heroes somewhat familiar.
A player may never have played Vanguard or read much about its lore, but
within the game he or she can still find himself in a world that is not
a complete unknown. In other words, the lore can actually serve to comfort
the nervous newbie who is just playing his or her first few hours of Vanguard.
In drawing upon the familiar motifs, while making its own twists, Vanguard:
Saga of Heroes insures that any player experiences the excitement of the
new, while being comforted by something familiar.






To read the latest guides, news, and features you can visit our Vanguard: Saga of Heroes Game Page.

Last Updated: Mar 29, 2016

About The Author

Karen is H.D.i.C. (Head Druid in Charge) at EQHammer. She likes chocolate chip pancakes, warm hugs, gaming so late that it's early, and rooting things and covering them with bees. Don't read her Ten Ton Hammer column every Tuesday. Or the EQHammer one every Thursday, either.

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