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Folktales are some of the most revealing and immersive ways to experience a culture. Passed down orally from generation to generation, folktales take on new meaning with each telling while continuing to bear the traditions, values, and history of a chosen people.

Tibetan folktales are deeply rooted in the harsh living conditions in the roof of the world and the virtues espoused in Buddhism. Sometimes these virtues are juxtaposed in dramatic or comical scenarios, but as with all good stories, their meaning and implications are both clear and subject to interpretation.

This PDF is a collection of three Tibetan folktales and the statistical representations of the magical items found within.

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Inside you will find several items of note, a few of minor power and a game-oriented grounding in the complex myth, legend and religion of the diverse sub-continent as it applies to the listed items.

Items are presented in two different ways. The first presentation is reserved for common items of folklore and legend. These items are usually less powerful than items of note and should be well within the reach of PC item creation.

The second method of presentation is reserved for items of note; the items wielded or used by the gods, heroes and heroines of Indian Myth. Each item of note is presented in three power levels. Following the Indian tradition of incarnation, aspects, and avatars the first presentation is the item as wielded/used by the original god/hero. These items will almost certainly be major artifacts. The avatar of an item is the first incarnation of the item; the reflection of the powerful real item. Avatar items are often major artifacts in their own right or perhaps minor artifacts. The last and least powerful presentation for items of note is the aspect item. These lesser incarnation items are usually minor artifacts or major magic items.

For role-playing reasons you may wish to use the concept of item incarnation to replace common OGC special effects if you desire to run a strongly Indian themed game. For instance, you may wish to call any flaming weapon a [weapon type] of Agni. Such naming conventions can have powerful resonance for campaign flavor.

It should be noted that the physical description of the item is not necessarily based upon historical myths. Detailed descriptions of mythic items are sorely lacking and even the most heralded items are rarely described as more than a well-made weapon of immense puissance. For instance, in the Mahabharata, Siva gives Arjuna the Pasupata (one of his most powerful weapons) and states that no one in all the three worlds [the Brahmic, Divine, and Demonic] is invulnerable to it. But just what exactly the pasupata is isn't ever stated. Detailed physical descriptions of items are usually lacking and hence, any here are the creation of the author and you should feel free to substitute your own as you like.

At the end of the work is a list of new magical attributes and new weapon types.

Author: Joseph Browning

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Inside you will find several items of note, a few of minor power and a game-oriented grounding in the complex myth, legend and religion of the diverse sub-continent as it applies to the listed items.

Items are presented in two different ways. The first presentation is reserved for common items of folklore and legend. These items are usually less powerful than items of note and should be well within the reach of PC item creation.

The second method of presentation is reserved for items of note; the items wielded or used by the gods, heroes and heroines of Indian Myth. Each item of note is presented in three power levels. Following the Indian tradition of incarnation, aspects, and avatars the first presentation is the item as wielded/used by the original god/hero. These items will almost certainly be major artifacts. The avatar of an item is the first incarnation of the item; the reflection of the powerful real item. Avatar items are often major artifacts in their own right or perhaps minor artifacts. The last and least powerful presentation for items of note is the aspect item. These lesser incarnation items are usually minor artifacts or major magic items.

For role-playing reasons you may wish to use the concept of item incarnation to replace common OGC special effects if you desire to run a strongly Indian themed game. For instance, you may wish to call any flaming weapon a [weapon type] of Agni. Such naming conventions can have powerful resonance for campaign flavor.

It should be noted that the physical description of the item is not necessarily based upon historical myths. Detailed descriptions of mythic items are sorely lacking and even the most heralded items are rarely described as more than a well-made weapon of immense puissance. For instance, in the Mahabharata, Siva gives Arjuna the Pasupata (one of his most powerful weapons) and states that no one in all the three worlds [the Brahmic, Divine, and Demonic] is invulnerable to it. But just what exactly the pasupata is isn't ever stated. Detailed physical descriptions of items are usually lacking and hence, any here are the creation of the author and you should feel free to substitute your own as you like.

At the end of the work is a list of new magical attributes and new weapon types.

Author: Joseph Browning

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Inside you will find a single magic item: the rudraksha. These beads are integral in worship and are deeply rooted in the indigenous religions (Hinduism and Buddhism) in the sub-continent. They appear in many forms, many styles, in necklaces of many numbers, but here I've presented them as single beads and only the ultimate necklace, the Indra Mala, is addressed. If you wish to see other Malas pick up Items of Myth and Legend—India 2 and you'll find other necklace styles like the Navrata, Siddh, Sadhana, and Dhyan Yog Malas.

Author: Joseph Browning

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Perhaps the most influential book ever written concerning war, Sun Tzu's Art of War is an invaluable read concerning the important matters of war.

19 pages, fully bookmarked, containing 6 illustrations. This product contains no rpg gaming information, but it contains useful world-building information.

Author: Sun Tzu

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Welcome to World Building Library: Stories of Tibet. This PDF is a collection of Tibetan folklore. Folklore is a socially created story with no single author, embodying the social structure, mores, and practices of a culture. They are orally transmitted, passed from generation to generation, and used to teach and reinforce the values and practices of a given culture.

In Tibetan folklore, there are reflections of many influences. There are the virtues upheld in Buddhism: kindness, faithfulness, appreciation, contentment, humbleness, and a giving heart. There are the virtues inherited through interaction with their neighbors and the harsh environment of Tibet: ingenuity, resourcefulness, and cleverness. And finally, there is a fatalism underlying it all, yet Tibetan folklore seems to say, "Be a happy, hopeful fatalist."

We hope you enjoy these stories and find use for them in the complex environment that is your game table.

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Originally compiled on the orders of King Alfred the Great, approximately A.D. 890, and subsequently maintained and added to by generations of anonymous scribes until the middle of the 12th Century. The original language is Anglo-Saxon (Old English), but later entries are essentially Middle English in tone. Translation by Rev. James Ingram (London, 1823), with additional readings from the translation of Dr. J.A. Giles (London, 1847). The text of this edition is based on that published as "The Anglo-Saxon Chronicle" (Everyman Press, London, 1912)

WARNING: While the footnotes of Rev. Ingram are included, please note that they should be used with extreme care. In many cases the views expressed by Rev. Ingram are severely out of date, having been superseded by almost 175 years of active scholarship. At best, these notes will provide a starting point for inquiry. They should not, however, be treated as absolute.

103 pages, fully bookmarked, containing 29 illustrations and 4 maps. This product contains no rpg gaming information, but it contains useful world-building information.

Author: Unknown

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The first history written about Charlemagne, Vita Caroli or The Life of Charlemagne was written by a court scholar named Einhard. He was a talanted man who made sure to place Charlemagne in the best light, if not always the completely historically accurate light. However, the chronological order of the book is very accurate and his personal descriptions of Charlemagne are without equal.

15 pages, fully bookmarked, containing 10 illustrations and 2 maps. This product contains no RPG gaming information, but it contains useful world-building information.

Author: Einhard

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Traditionally ascribed to Asser, Bishop of St. David's, of Shereborne or of Exeter during the time of King Alfred, The Life of King Alfred is a short work divided into year by year descriptions.

22 pages, fully bookmarked, containing 8 illustrations and 1 maps. This product contains no rpg gaming information, but it contains useful world-building information.

Author: Asser

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Written by King John, rather unwantedly, the Magna Carta provides an excellent example of what was considered proper and improper use of a king's power.

8 pages, fully bookmarked, containing 2 illustrations and 1 map.

Author: King John

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The Prince is the quintessential book concerning the art of achieving and maintaining power by a determined ruler indifferent to moral considerations. So influential was this work by Machiavelli that his name is now synonymous with the content of the book.

45 pages, fully bookmarked, containing 9 illustrations and 4 maps. This product contains no rpg gaming information, but it contains useful world-building information.

Author: Machiavelli

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This PDF is about how Tibetans view their gods and goddesses, the metaphysical beings that affect their day to day reality. Although Tibet is predominately Buddhist, their variety of Buddhism is distinct from the form practiced in other parts of Asia. Tibetan Buddhism has roots in tantric traditions, utilizing magical or mystical elements in their rituals, such as the use of mandalas and mantras in their mediation and worship. Tantric traditions focus on the ritual power of the body, speech, and mind.

Other factors unique to Tibet also shaped Tibetan Buddhism: cultural influences from India, harsh living conditions of Tibet, the pervasive number of nomadic pastoralists in the Tibetan culture, and the absorption of Bon deities and beliefs. Bon was the predominant religion in Tibet before the introduction of Buddhism from India in the 7th century. Although Buddhist text arrived from India as early as 1st century, Buddhism did not take form until 774, when Guru Rinpoche merged tantric Buddhism with the local Bon religion, forming what is commonly called Tibetan Buddhism.

This PDF covers the pantheon of deities, many inherited from Bon tradition and interpreted through a Buddhist filter. The Tibetan metaphysical realm is swarming with spirits, both wrathful and benevolent. Placating gods through ritual offering, preemptively not offending gods through wrong action, and having a personal array of protective spirits and gods is the suggested method of living life in Tibet. They often classify their gods into categories or type, attaching the appropriate prefix or suffix to the name of the deity to denote classification. Other times they have unique gods and goddess, which have an anthropomorphized form as well as a general form found in nature. When the gods are offended, they can inflict conditions and diseases upon people. They can also possess individuals (see World Building Library: Tibetan Exorcisms). I hope you enjoy exploring and using this pantheon at your game table.

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Tibet is situated in the midst of mountains and sky, southwest of arid Western China and in the stark rain shadow of the Himalayas. In general, Tibet is arid, cold, and high altitude. There are agricultural societies in the southern portion of Tibet at lower altitudes, while herders (some with light farming due to irrigation) live in the higher altitudes. Their clothing must combat these environmental conditions while also being constrained by the natural resources for making clothing and armor. The herders of high altitude raise yaks, grow meager crops of barley thanks to irrigation, and harvest and trade salt from brine lakes.

However, there are groups of herders who can only herd, the land being so barren as to allow nothing else. These people rely on trade to provide for their other needs. People of the low highlands (around 10,000 ft. in altitude) raise sheep and goats and participate in more agriculture, even though they are considered "mountain people" by their trading partners on the plains of the Ganges.

The natural materials for Tibetans are wool from yaks and sheep. Such wool is spindled into yarn and woven into clothing or pressed and beaten into felt. Ropes are made from yak hair, and yak leather is renowned for its durability in boots, tools, and containers. Tweed is made from sheep's wool, and clothes the farmers, who are living in comparatively warmer conditions than their yak-herding cousins, and they often use ox hide for their leather goods. In terms of military attire, leather from animals is always available, as is silver and other metals, used in the lamellar style of armoring. Fortunately, Tibet neighbors many cultural groups and have a long history of trade. Indian and Persian influences came from the south and west while silk was introduced into Tibetan society through contact with the Chinese.

Now that you have an idea of the challenges Tibetans are faced by their environment and the available materials, I hope you enjoy World Building Library: Tibetan Dress, Arms, and Armor. Look for other articles in the World Building Library covering different topics of Tibetan society and how to integrate them into your game.

Author: Suzi Yee

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In the traditional 3rd Edition fantasy environment, demons are real, material beings that can touch you and that you can slice with your sword. While playing in such an environment has its appeal, sometimes what is not seen but only sensed is far more troublesome and disturbing. World Building Library: Tibetan Exorcisms deals with the concept of demons within the Tibetan cosmology and how to rid oneself of a demon. We hope this article gives you some great ideas and that it sees use at your gaming table!

Authors: Suzi Yee and Joseph Browning

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Subsistence patterns are a keystone to understanding the nature of a society or community. This work considers nomadic pastoralists whose staple is the yak. Using Tibetan nomadic pastoralists of the highlands, the parts and parcels of their society form a framework from which world builders can create similar communities in their campaigns.

While some generalizations translate easily to created communities, there are certain aspects that are specific to Tibetan yak pastoralists. For example, although Tibetan pastoralists rely heavily on their herd for survival, they have adopted a religion of the agricultural lowland that frowns upon killing animals and eating their meat. While this unique factor of Tibetan yak pastoralists has some creative social workarounds, it is not wholly indicative of yak pastoralists in general.

First, this work talks about annual and daily routines and how movement works with nomadic yak pastoralists. Then, it discuss the different types of reaping and harvest that takes place in yak communities. Following that, it discusses the material culture of their communities: food, housing, and clothing. Lastly, ideological culture, including personality tendencies, religion (specific to Tibetans), hospitality, and dispute resolution are addressed.

Author: Suzi Yee