Topic Research: Dungeons and Dragons: Jumanji Edition

For my more in depth research I am looking more into the myths I would use in my D&D/Jumanji style story. In my last post about it, I specifically mentioned Sedna from Inuit mythology, and after looking deeper into Inuit mythology in general, I think I want that to be a theme throughout my story. In this post I will explore potential story points I might use.

Another thing I am thinking on is how I want to tell this story. I'm thinking more of a narrative style, full of details and such, because that's how describing things in D&D usually goes. For combat, though, I want to include something about the unpredictability of D&D because of rolling dice. I want to include some part of that mechanic in the storytelling, but I'm not sure what yet. If anyone has any suggestions, feel free to let me know!

Now, on to the (potential) story.

Introduction

Our heroes will start off around a table at their regularly scheduled D&D game. Their goal that day is to find Sedna, the sea goddess, and appease her. They begin either a new campaign or part of their current campaign, when something odd happens and they are brought inside of the world they have created and now embody their characters.

Story #1

The first story would be about our party encountering Amarok from Inuit mythology. Amarok is a giant wolf trickster who with go after people who hunt alone at night. In my story I would have one character who is furious a their situation, storm off into the woods one night and, of course, encounter Amarok.

Story #2

After the night where one party member turns into a ghost, the party sets off to the nearest sea shore, since they know Sedna lives at the bottom of the ocean. Once they get there, they are at a loss as how to get to her. This is where Qalupalik comes and takes a member of the party.

There was actually a stop-motion film about Qalupalik made to tell the myth that I found really interesting.

Story #3

Finally on a ship, the remaining party members have issues with an Ahkiyyini, a skeleton spirit who can wreck ships by playing their music. Also in this story, the members meet Anguta, the father of Sedna and the one who ferries souls into the underworld. Towards the end of this story, leading into the next one, they also meet Qailertetang who will play an important role.

Story #4

In this story, our members finally make their way to Sedna and attempt to resolve what they traveled there to do. Once everything is done, for better or for worse, the session ends.

Ending

After the campaign is finally over, the players seem to black out and just be back at the table. I intend to write a short sort of...afterword to wrap everything up.


Now that that's done! This post was actually hard to write because I wanted to lay our all of my ideas, and I actually went back and deleted a lot because I don't want to give too much away (or commit to anything haha). I hope it all made sense and I am really looking forward to writing this!!!

(Blue D20s by Me)

Feedback Strategies: Feedforward and Praise

Try Feedforward Instead of Feedback by Marshall Goldsmith

I liked this article about the idea of "feedforward" a lot! Even reading the short overview of feedforward on the assignment page had me looking forward to finding out more. Reading what Goldsmith had found in his studies did not surprise me, but I was surprised that I had never heard of this before. Feedforward is the actually helpful sort of "constructive criticism" that people can learn and better themselves from.

I liked all of the different information Goldsmith had gathered about how people felt about feedforward and why. From my own opinion, I think people take a more positive outlook on feedback when it involves suggestions about what they can change, instead of just honing in on what they did wrong. Feedforward is definitely what I'll be using in my life as much as possible from now on.

(Thumbs Up Icon on Wikimedia)

The Difference Between Praise and Feedback by Mindshift

When it comes to my opinions on praise and feedback, I agree with Carol Dweck. I think the growth mindset and switching to commenting on a child's processes rather than the outcome can be beneficial to children. It puts the positive reinforcement on enjoying yourself and working well, rather than just getting something "right." Though I do agree with Dweck, I do not necessarily completely disagree with Alfie Kohn. Kohn's point about praising children as "good boy/girl" when they do something like take out the trash can indeed impact a child's perception of their self worth.
He gives the trash example and says a child may later feel like they aren't a good kid if they don't take out the trash. 

However, I also don't think Kohn's ideas directly go against Dweck's. I think there is a middle ground of praising your child for partaking in their interests and doing a good job, without making your love seem "conditional" or "manipulative." 

Week 3 Story: The Venus Games

(The Alnwick Garden : Sunshine and Roses In The Walled Garden by Richard West)

The shot opens on a beautiful archway covered in foliage and pink roses before panning up to view a large grassy courtyard. The camera moves slowly over the field where there are eleven people standing in a group, all waving to the camera. The scene cuts and instead we see a gorgeous woman with blonde hair, wearing a flowing white dress with the palest pink tint to it. Next to her sits a young man with strikingly similar facial features and the same golden blonde hair, except his is shorter and in disheveled mop of curls. He wears a similar flowing fabric, tied over one shoulder and secured with a belt at the waist. He has wings on his back, pure white and looking soft as clouds. As the music in the background fades, a band on trumpets picks up. The woman opens her mouth to speak:

“Listen to those beautiful trumpets swell! I love a good lead in, you know. And with that, we are glad to welcome you to the third annual Venus Games! I’m your host, Venus herself an-“

“And I’m your co-host, Cupid!”

“Yes, dear…Anyway! Back to this season’s contestants, my they are a lively bunch. Psyche, can you tell us a little about who we will be watching today?”

The camera switches to a front shot of eleven people down on the grass, and now their faces can be seen. Ten of them stand paired off in five sets, and one woman stands to the side. She, like our hosts, is incredibly beautiful. Her blonde hair is tied up in an intricate knot and her light blue dress seems to float on its own. She smiles at the camera and begins speaking: 

“Thank you, Venus! We have some wonderful contenders here today! We have Viola and Dante, Oscar and Sebastian, Alfie and Alice, Owen and Vanessa, and finally Eve and Illiana!” 

As Psyche recites the names of the couples, the camera moves by them and they all wave enthusiastically. 

The camera cuts back to Venus and Cupid in their booth. Cupid speaks: 

“So let’s talk a little bit about what today will look like. Here on Venus Games, each season we will have five couples compete in our games to challenge the strength of their love and see which couple can stand the tests of time, or the tests of Venus, I should say. Each day, we focus on just one challenge where each couple takes turns completing, or attempting to complete, it. However, at the end of the day, one couple is eliminated. The couple with the lowest score, either from not completing the task, or having the slowest time, will go home. Our last two couples take on the final challenge and one emerges victorious!” 

“A lovely explanation, my dear. You may recall our past winners, Pygmalion and Galatea from season two and our very own Cupid and Psyche from season one! Today we will be focusing on the sorting challenge. Psyche?” 

The camera is back with Psyche and the five couples. Psyche smiles warmly as she explains. 

“For their first task, our couples must sort a mountain of mixed beans, peas, and other similar items into different piles based on what they are. A pile for green peas, a pile for red beans, and so on! Let’s see that mountain!” 

The camera pans back and then past the group to show a pile as tall as one of them in the center of a large blue mat. After a few seconds, it cuts back to Psyche who is standing next to one of the couples. The woman has dark brown hair tied up in a ponytail, sharp cheekbones, and a mid-thigh length toga. The man has curly black hair, a jaw line that could rival Cupid’s, and a similar toga. 

“Our contestants will have fifteen minutes to sort the whole pile! First up are Viola and Dante. They have been married for only three months now, and they are confident they have this challenge in the bag. Let’s see if they’re right. On your marks, get set, go!” 

With that, Viola and Dante sprint to the mat and begin sorting. 

Only ten minutes later, Dante drops the final bean into its pile and a buzzer sounds. Psyche walks over and joins them on the mat and addresses the camera. 

“Well wasn’t that amazing! Viola and Dante have done it! Can I just say, I am truly impressed? This is the first task but it is not meant to be simple! Our other competitors have a lot to live up to after that!” 

The camera follows Viola and Dante as they leave the mat hand in hand, beaming. Then it cuts to Venus and Cupid. Cupid has his hands on his head in surprise. 

“That was incredible! Only ten minutes to sort the whole pile. That is going to be hard to beat!” 

“Yes, it will be. After a commercial break, we will see who gets to try next!” 

The camera fades to black.

------------------------------------------------------

Picking back up after the other four couples have competed: The camera opens to Psyche and Cupid, standing with all five couples. In Cupid’s hand, a golden envelope with a kiss mark from Venus.

“Well after an intense day of competing, it is unfortunately time for one of our couples to go home. In my hands, I have the names of those two people.”

He faces the line of couples and slowly opens the envelope. While waiting, the camera shows different shots of worried expressions.

“Today’s couple that is going home is…Owen and Vanessa, so sorry loves.”

One of the couples hugs each other and cries. The other couples console them and hug them goodbye as they walk off. The camera then switches back to a shot of Venus.

“That’s all for day one, and we hope you join us for day two to watch our sheep shearing challenge! Until then, goodnight from us here at the Venus Games!”

-------------------------------------------------

Author's Note: In the story of Cupid and Psyche, the couple must overcome things like Psyche's jealous sister's, mistrust, and Venus' wrath. In the original, after Psyche finds out she is married to Cupid, she is brought before Venus and Venus makes her perform tasks thought to be impossible. However, with the help of different creatures, Psyche completes all of her tasks and she and Cupid are finally together at the end. 

For this week, I did a retelling of Cupid and Psyche, but I wanted it to be really different. The setting is now a couple's game show hosted by Cupid and Venus where couples compete (performing the same tasks Psyche had to do) for the chance to win the grand prize of...ultimate love? I wanted it to be about Venus testing love because that is why I believe she made Psyche complete the tasks in the first place. I know this was long, so thank you if you stuck it out!! 

Bibliography: "Cupid and Psyche" from within The Golden Ass written by Apuleius, translated by Tony Kline

Reading Notes: Cupid and Psyche part B

Since this week I am focused on taking notes about the plot, today's post is about all the help Psyche received in this half of the story.

(Venus, Ceres, and Juno by Raffaello Sanzio)

Early on in this section, Juno and Ceres (Hera and Demeter in Greek mythology) visit Venus (Aphrodite) and try to persuade her that Cupid was just acting as a young man in love, not to spite her. They try to convince Venus that she should not be so harsh on the young couple. Their pleas fall on deaf ears, however. 

Once word got out that Venus was on the hunt for Psyche, and Psyche turned to the temples of Ceres and Juno, I was shocked that they did not help her! Each goddess explained that they had ties with Venus, whether it be platonic or familial, and they did not want to go against her. This is really the only example where Psyche does not receive help. 

After finally coming face to face with Venus, Psyche is sent to perform tasks until she can win the satisfaction of Venus. 

The first task Psyche had to do, was to sort out a large pile of different beans and peas into individual piles based on their type. Psyche would have been unable to perform the task all on her own, but some ants came to help her because she was Cupid's wife. 

For her next task, Psyche was to collect the golden wool of some sheep. After attempting to kill herself, a reed in the river which she jumped in, told her how to wait around until the sun faded to obtain the wool easier. 

The third task was to go to the river Styx and collect a phial of the water to bring back. The eagle of Jupiter (Zeus) was nearby and took the phial so it could avoid the serpents and rising water to help Psyche.

For her last task, Psyche had to travel to the underworld and obtain a Jar of Beauty from Proserpine (Persephone) herself. As Psyche was going to throw herself from a cliff, a turret suddenly spoke to her. It gave her detailed instructions as how to get to, and more importantly back from, the underworld safely. Psyche followed its orders and re-emerged in tact. 

Unfortunately, similarly to Pandora, Psyche's curiosity got the better of her and she opened the jar. I had really thought she would finish everything fairly easy, but of course, she had to open the jar. Thankfully, Cupid freed himself and came to her aid. I was actually surprised with how quickly the sleep spell was resolved after it happened. 

After performing all of these tasks, Venus was still not happy with Psyche. So, Cupid went to Jupiter to ask the favor of getting his blessing. Jupiter, like the other creatures in the story, helped out and Cupid and Psyche were allowed to marry legally. 

I like the emphasis and parallels of the different creatures helping with the tasks because they all recognized how unfairly difficult they were for Psyche. They all wanted Psyche and Cupid to be happy, the only one's in the story who didn't were Venus and Psyche's two sisters. 

When I do my retelling of this story, I think I might want both of the lovers, Cupid and Psyche, to have to perform the tasks. The helping aspect will definitely look...different. 

(Cupid and Psyche from the Boston Public Library)

Bibliography: Apuleius's Cupid and Psyche translated by Tony Kline

Reading Notes: Cupid and Psyche part A

For this reading notes, I am focusing on different plot aspects. 

The first thing I noted when reading this story was the fact that Psyche was so beautiful, it actually kept men from proposing to her. Before starting the story, I figured Psyche would be drowning in proposals but Cupid swept her away. I was surprised that that was not what happened at all. 

Foreshadowing was a huge plot device in this story, as well as dramatic irony because as the reader, I knew who her mysterious husband was. Two lines that I picked out that use dramatic irony are "Not even Cupid could compare to you," which Psyche said to her husband, and "If [the child] takes after its father, as it ought, it will be a perfect little Cupid," said by one of Psyche's sisters about her unborn child. I am a fan of dramatic irony when I am reading stories, but when it comes to writing my own, I don't tend to use it. Instead, I prefer for things to be a surprise to both the characters and the readers. 

Psyche's sisters were way more malicious than I thought they would be. Who wouldn't be jealous of a sister married to a god? However, planning to ruin that just so your sister won't be better off than you was intense, but true to Greek style. I wasn't sorry to see Psyche get revenge on her sisters at the end of Part A. 

Another thing, that I suppose falls under dramatic irony as well, was hearing Cupid warn Psyche time and time again not to listen to her sisters, but know that she would. It made my heart break long before Psyche found out she was married to Cupid. And in the same sense, like when you watch a movie you've seen a hundred times, I was hoping and wishing she might do something different instead. 

I'm really looking forward to the rest of this story and then retelling it!

(Amor and Psyche [1589] by Jacopo Zucchi)

Bibliography:  Apuleius's Cupid and Psyche translated by Tony Kline