Taboos: List 'Em!

[Flagg]

What are some of the taboos you guys have made use of in your games?


I'm not the best at thinking up this kind of thing, so I'd like some ideas to steal.


-S

 

[Relic]

Are you looking for smaller taboos (more like etiquette) or bigger ones?


A good place to start is our own world:


* If you give away a set of things as a present, make sure there are more or less than four items.


* Don't speak highly of yourself.


* Anything related to sex and violence (and both at the same time if you're so inclined).


* Carrying weapons.


* Colours (for example in clothing).


* Accepting things from strangers.


* Offering someone help without being asked.


* Things that have to do with superstition.


* Talking about your host/master/father when he is not present.


Taboos are often linked to superstition, practicalities, customs that enforce a certain social structure (equality or lack thereof), and the whims of whomever was king 1000 years ago.

 

[Flagg]

I'm speaking specifically about taboos as defined in Exalted: Restrictions placed upon the followers of a god, the parctice of which grants the god Essence.


This concept was first introduced in the Lunars book.


-S

 

[Relic]

Ah, OK. The general outline in the lunar book covers a lot of what I posted.


Here's some more:


* Always take a moment to thank the spirit of the foe or prey whose life you have just taken.


* Never let a member of you family pay his debt alone (barring impossibles, if you will).


* Do not use the names of the dead (at night, under the full moon, etc.).


* Avoid the use of patterns on your clothes/tattoos (so as not to upset the Wyld).


* Use patterns on your clothes/tattoos (to keep the Wyld from your body).


* Test your weapons on your family before you test them against the enemy (this is what we call "Lunar Bonding"). :-)


* Touch the ground when you wake, and touch it again before you go to sleep.


* Once a year, put your life completely in the hands of an outside force (a stranger, the Wyld, the force of the ground as you hit it after jumping from a mountain, ...)


Is there any theme in particular you are looking for?

 

[Flagg]

Nope. Just ideas to jump off from. Thanks.


-S

 

[Persell]

There is a lot of stuff, as far things we would believe to strange about other cultures, that occur in world:


There is some tribe in SE Asia (I don't remember the name) that when the males reach a certain age and they "become" men, the have their penis's altered surgically. The description I read was vague in the details, but it's supposed to affect sex in an incredibly positive way.


Those Africans who do the bungie jumping from towers, not always successfully though.


The Japanese believe (or did) that you should offer a gift three times before the person accepts it.


Hanging a bowl of food in the fields near your home brings good luck.


Red goes faster (WWAAAAAAAAAAGGGGGGGGGGHHHHHH!!!!!)


Clean your blade of blood as soon as possible so as not to taint it.


Women being heavily clothed so as to not show skin.


Abondoning the first child of a family if it is not a boy.


Cremating the dead so their soul is not trapped in the earth.


Dead bodies taint everthing they touch, so they can't be burned/ buried/ sunk/ floated off/ etc. the only acceptable way to dispose of one is to allow carrion feeders to devour it.


The first bit of food and drink for the days last meal is never consumed, but given "to your ancestors".


Cats are evil.


Tomatoes are poisonus because they are red and members of the Nightshade family.


Never eat alone.


Never walk NE, it invites evil spirits.


When away from home, always sleep with your head towards your home.


These are the only ones I can think of right now, I'm sure I'll come up with more later.

 

[ashenphoenix]

Book of Bone and Ebony's also got some cool stuff - as Ghosts can do really funky stuff with Taboos, particularly with Shadow Constraint Craft (see p. 43).


Most of the Seven Deadly Sins could be considered Western taboos. Some indigenous tribes of Australia have taboos around naming, iconifying or displaying dead bodies, with outcastes sometimes being considered as "dead" to the tribe. Dragon-Blooded areas may have social faux pas being enforced by taboos of the dead. The Abyssal's Limit could also be a taboo enforced by the Malfeans.


Even such simple things as throwing salt over your shoulder, saying "bless you" if you sneeze or avoiding the path of black cats stem from superstitions and taboos.


I think the thing to remember about them is that they can be things that you must do (such as drink tea with your left hand), must not do (such as drink tea with your right hand) or be process-based (such as the Japanese tea-drinking ceremonies).


If you're looking for inspiration, check out "superstitions", "traditions" or "taboo" in Google. It's often difficult to see Western taboos (as they seem like just the way it's done) as we're from here, but it can be done. A particularly interesting set of taboos is based around palm-leaves (angel feathers) in Miami being layed on graves. Also check out the behaviour of people with Obsessive Compulsive Disorder for some process-based beliefs.


Erm, that was kinda long. Yeah, stuff.

 

[shifty]

I find some really good descriptive taboos for NPCs are the ones that make every day actions seem weird.


For instance describing how some bizarre/drugged/possessed shaman never looks, or turns to the left... as in always turns right three times.


Can not look anyone in the eyes.


Must always end every paragraph or sentence with "...Praise Melkor spirit of the Undefiled Spring"


Some good taboos for PCs


Must always speak in rhyme.


"Shut your mouth"


"That villain just ran south"


Must always speak in Haiku.


Must record in writing and report to spirit at certain time intervals everytime the character has a dream that he remembers.  


Myself I tend to make taboos for PCs as active or requiring of interaction as possible, whereas for NPCs I tend to make them more descriptive and odd.  (Dresses all in yellow, etc)

 

[Icarus1]

Red goes faster (WWAAAAAAAAAAGGGGGGGGGGHHHHHH!!!!!)

Only if you spend the extra points.

 

[Persell]

You have to believe in it too.

 

[ashenphoenix]

You have to believe in it too.

See, I'd argue that.


Yes, there is an element of belief involved, but it can be as simple as the big-assed spirit who laid this taboo on me is going to send me to the pole of fire where elementals are going to poke me with sharp, fork-like objects if I don't do what he says. It can also be as simple as a Geas, with the punishment being that the spirit will deny me his/her/its presence.


Taboos are codes of behavior. There is a spiritual component, but they can be self-imposed (such as Raksa/Lunar Oaths/Abjurations). Belief, in Exalted, is simulate by Essence and Willpower. Taboos don't so much represent belief as much as they represent methods of directing and harnessing it.