Star Frontiers Alpha Dawn Expanded character.

Star Frontiers series
Star Frontiers: Alpha Dawn Gameplay (Part 1) Character Creation and rules summary
Star Frontiers Game Play: part 2: first adventure
Star Frontiers: Alpha Dawn Gameplay (Part 3) The chase 

Star Frontiers is once available again. Also there are Star Frontiersman and Frontier Explorer downloadable magazines.





In Star Frontiers Alpha Dawn Basic, I had my character Ethest do the beginning adventure where he was attacked by raiders that turned out to be satharian agents. I now want to upgrade to the original expanded version of the game called Star Frontiers Expanded Game Rules.

After that, I plan on soloing the sample adventure on page 58 later this week.

Changes in the Expanded Version

I see that in Expanded, humans get +5 to any one ability. I choose Dexterity since it is used for 'to hit'.

Credits
My character also gets 95 (1d100) + 250 = 345 more credits.

Skills
I have to choose a PSA, a Primary Skill Area. Ethest chooses Military of course.
I receive 2 skills at level one rank. I pick beam and thrown of course. My accuracy is going to go down with the expanded version because it uses 1/2 Dex + 10% per rank instead of the full Dex bonus.

I'll probably spend 3 Exp on martial arts as well, in case my weapon ammo runs out. It also gives me nerve punch and falling damage reduction, combat throwing damage, and damage. I improve my Dex by 3 exp.

Weapons and Armor
I buy a military skeinsuit for more defense protection. I buy another energy clip, 3 doze grenades, and 4 frag grenades. I don't have a lot of damage with my laser, so the frag grenades will help out dish more bang.

I also see that I can walk 5 km per hour.

B. Character Sheet

Character Name: Ethest

Race: Human

Handedness: Right

Sex: Male

Walk: 2

Run: 6

Hourly: 5 km

Physical Data

STR/STA: 55 / 55

DEX/RS: 78 / 70

INT/LOG: 60 / 60

PER/LEAD: 55 / 55

IM: 7

Medical Records

Current STA: 55

Weapons

Weapon             Damage    Basic to Hit #    PB S-10  M-20   L-40   E-80     Ammo

Laser Pistol        1d10                   49              1     4       10     20       40        28

Doze Grenade     sleep                  49            0-5  6-10 11-15 15-25 26-60      3
Frag Grenade     8d10                  49            0-5  6-10 11-15 15-25 26-60       4
Martial Punch      3+1          38 or 49

Defenses

Suit: Military Skeinsuit

Screen:

Energy Record

Suit up to 50 ballistic/melee

Personal File

Racial Abilities:

Experience: 0 Exp

Credits: 15 credits

Pay/Day:

Skills

Primary Skill Area: Military PSA

PSA Skill                     Level

Beam                              1
Gyrojet
Projectile
Thrown                          1
Martial Arts                   1
Tumbling              -1 fall dam
Defensive throw          1 dam
Nerve combat       1- 6, 10
Melee                             1
Demolitions

Secondary Skill          Level

Subskills

Equipment

Item                                                        Mass

Chronograph/ communicator

Coveralls

First Aid Pack

Stimdose 1 dose

Staydose 1 dose

Id Card

Pocket Tool

Survival Rations 5 days

Robots

Type                         Move      Level             Mission              Program

Vehicle

Type                         AC/DC/TN/SP/CR     Pass        Cargo

Computers

Level        EN Pts     Mass     Program

Star Frontiers: Alpha Dawn Gameplay (Part 3) The chase

Star Frontiers series
Star Frontiers: Alpha Dawn Gameplay (Part 1) Character Creation and rules summary
Star Frontiers Game Play: part 2: first adventure
Star Frontiers: Alpha Dawn Gameplay (Part 3) The chase 

Star Frontiers is once available again. Also there are Star Frontiersman and Frontier Explorer downloadable magazines.

Summary of what has happened

In the last post, Gramlic the vrusk with a bag with security cubes in emerged from the monorail after a foot chase and jumped into the awaiting skimmer with his two other conspirators. 

I, Ethest the human, had chased him after they committed treason and stolen security information, they are raiders posed as technicians. They have raided other areas all around the planet.

The chase continues

Since they don't know I followed and am behind them, I get a free attack.

I throw my doze grenade into the skimmer which is right in front of me 5 meters

doze grenade 70 - 10 (distance) - 10 (cover) = 50 to hit.

roll = 36, a hit.

Aiming carefully, more exact than any prior training simulation, I toss the doze grenade into the skimmer. It lands to inside to one side - but it makes it.

A soft puff sounds and the skimmer is filled with a gaseous cloud.

The three attempt to flee, but are overwhelmed by the knockout gas.

My cab comes to a gentle stop as their skimmer slows and then stops.

Armed with my laser pistol, I carefully and crouching low scurry up to the skimmer. Quickly peaking in, I see the three raiders asleep in the skimmer.

I move back to the other cab and alert Star Law of their capture. 

I pay the cab.

Star Law arrives and captures the three raiders. 

I find out later that the dralasite was taken to the hospital in critical condition.

Pan-Galactic is please that I captured the raiders and that the raids have been stopped. The cubes had contained information concerning all PGC security systems. 

Later, I try to interrogate the raiders. During interrogation, they each smile and touch their collars uncomfortably. Then then star dumbly at me. I later find out that their collars injected a chemical to turn them into idiots.

Star Law finds a message from a Satharian with instructions to meet at an asteroid with plans to steal a new weapon of mass hysteria to use on the planet.

The end of this adventure!

The End

Rewards.

Credits = for total raiders captured 4 x 20 = 80 credits,

retrieving the cube = 50 credits,

alerting Star Law during the battle = 20 credits.

total = 150 credits.

The basic game doesn't show experience points, but I know the expanded game has it. I'll use the expanded book for experience.

I'll give 3 exp for the security building confrontation and 3 exp for stopping the fleeing raiders. = 6 exp

I'll save the exp and credits to spend for the next Alpha Dawn Expanded adventure when I upgrade my character to the full original game.

Here is my current character sheet

B. Character Sheet

Character Name: Ethest

Race: Human

Handedness: Right

Sex: Male

Walk: 2

Run: 6

Hourly:

Physical Data

STR/STA: 55 / 55

DEX/RS: 70 / 70

INT/LOG: 60 / 60

PER/LEAD: 55 / 55

IM: 7

Medical Records

Current STA: 55

Weapons

Weapon             Damage    Basic to Hit #    PB S-10  M-20   L-40   E-80     Ammo

Laser Pistol        1d10                   70              1     4       10     20       40        8

Defenses

Suit:

Screen:

Energy Record

Personal File

Racial Abilities:

Experience: 6 Exp

Credits: 150 credits

Pay/Day:

Skills

Primary Skill Area:

PSA Skill                     Level

Secondary Skill          Level

Subskills

Equipment

Item                                                        Mass

Chronograph/ communicator

Coveralls

First Aid Pack

Stimdose 1 dose

Staydose 1 dose

Id Card

Pocket Tool

Survival Rations 5 days

Robots

Type                         Move      Level             Mission              Program

Vehicle

Type                         AC/DC/TN/SP/CR     Pass        Cargo

Computers

Level        EN Pts     Mass     Program

Fables part 4: building a basic action & reaction

Myths Series
Myth making: my plan
What are myths, legends, and folklore? Definitions (Quotes)
Joseph Cambell : Myths

Myths: Types and functions

Mythology: How they are created

Myth #1: Blood and Water - Begin

Myth #2: From them, all become

Type of Myth #1 & #2; Fable #1: part 1

Fable part 2: bird symbolism

Myths and Fables: ponderings  & decisions
Fable part 4: snake symbolism
Fables part 4: building a basic action & reaction
 

Going through my notes, from both days and my ponderings, I'll now try to make a few sketches of some fables.

bird guide, atonement, resurrection, wisdom, hope, help, courage, happiness, splendor, or wisdom

snake healing, rebirth, benevolent, inspiration, creator, intelligent, without morals
fear, threats, untrustworthy, dangerous, and vengeful

• The dangers of expending too much power (magic) when using powers.
• How powers can be used for both good and bad purposes.
• Powers can be used in unusual ways besides obvious purposes.

Structure of fable

At the minimum, looking over the Aesop fables from both the bird and snake symbolism posts, a basic structure of the two interacting with each other either directly or indirectly.

bird + action.... reaction
snake + action.... reaction

Direct interaction
snake does something to bird.
bird does something to snake.

Indirect interaction
snake does something that leads to bird interaction.
bird does something that leads to snake interaction.

Bird and snake actions

Bird most often sings, eats, or flies.
Snake most often bites or slithers into hiding.

So based on these, I can have:
A.) Bird sings and the snake hears the song and then the snake reacts.
B.) Bird eats and snake sees bird eating and then the snake reacts.
C.) Bird tries to eat snake, and the snake reacts.
D.) Bird tries to fly, snake does something to prevent, impede, or change the flight of the snake for some reason.

H.) A snake tries to bite a bird, and the bird reacts.
I.) A snake slithers, and the bird reacts.

Not all birds sing.

J.) A bird crows, quacks, screeches, pecks wood, winnows, mimics, hoots,

Of course, not all birds can fly.
K.) A bird that can't fly is fleeing from a snake.
L.) A bird that can't fly seeks help from a snake.

And some birds can swim.
M.) A snake sees a bird swimming and has some plan.

And some snakes can swim as well.
N.) A water snake is swimming, and the bird reacts.

For snakes, I think that the healing, resurrection, and renewal symbolism of snakes from some cultures comes due to snakes the shedding of skin.
O.) A snake sheds its skin, and the bird reacts.

Pythons may also wrap and strangle their prey.
P.) A snake strangles something, and the bird reacts.
Q.) A snake tries to strangle the bird, and the bird reacts.

Birds may also be known for their talons.
R.) A bird attacks the snake with its talons, and the snake reacts.
S.) A bird grabs something with its talons, and the snake reacts.

Snakes hiss.
T.) The snake hissed at the bird, and the bird reacts.

Rattlesnakes rattle.
U.) The rattlesnake rattled, and the bird reacts.

Cobras rear upward, hoods flattened.
V.)  The cobra reared its head, and the bird reacts.

Next Post

In the next Post I'll explore possible magic context, since Aioskoru is a magical world.

Star Frontiers Game Play: part 2: first adventure

Star Frontiers series
Star Frontiers: Alpha Dawn Gameplay (Part 1) Character Creation and rules summary

Star Frontiers is once available again. Also there are Star Frontiersman and Frontier Explorer downloadable magazines.

With the character created in the last post, I'm going to try doing the first Basic adventure, which is a storylike structure with numbered sections.

The book says for me to control 4 characters, but I don't want to do that.

After reading the Start it mentions that I'm in the Security Service building with the chief of security, head programmer, and 4 technicians. It mentions the security break in which happened. The programmer shows the security info and command crystals and that nothing is wrong. When given the choices of waiting for the raiders, investigating the scene of the crime, or asking the computer for raid patterns, I choose the computer.

The computer shows a circle of lights around this planet.

The chief realizes that it is an inside job.

Suddenly there is a soft pop and the chief and programmer are  surrounded by gas.

The technicians surround me.

The vrusk commands one to watch me. The game has two surrounding the group but I will just do one, Kochinho the dralasite.

As the others do stuff elsewhere, sound is coming down from the hall.

One technician, the Yazarian reappears and as the door opens throws a black blob.

The blob hits a guard that was entering and strangles the guard down.

Options given are to wait and watch, try to talk to, or attack the raider.

I pick try to talk to it (the dralasite) first.

The raider says that I better keep quiet if I know what's good for me.

I can either wait or attack.

I choose to attack.

The dralasite is 2 squares = 10 meters away and the notes say we all have cover -10.

Round 1
I roll a 1 +6 IM = 8
I pick a card of 7 + 5 = 12 for the raiders.

The dralasite goes first.
45 Dex, 35 Sta, move 1, 4 has laser pistol

45 Dex - 10 cover, -10 short range= 25 to hit
I draw two cards = 32; a miss barely. The laser hits a desk nearby, sending sparks across my arm.

I draw my laser and fire.
70 Dex - 10 cover, -10 short range = 50 to hit.
I roll a 79 and miss by a good distance. In my hurry and being in experienced I miss the dralasite.

Round 2
Initiative
dralasite 4 + 5 = 9
I roll a 10 + 6 = 16, I go first.

Ethest tries again.
I roll a 28, a good solid hit.
Lasers do 1d10 damage, rolling a 3, maybe to an arm since it isn't much damage. Stamina is now 32.

The dralasite shoots.
88, a miss by far. the pain of getting shot in the arm.

The others are letting the dralasite continue to fight alone despite having been shot once. They have moved off to another section of the building.

Round 3
Initiative
dralasite 7 + 5 = 12
me 6 + 6 = 12
Tie, the rules says to the side with the highest RS attacks first though damage occurs simultaneous.

I have higher RS, 70 vs 45.

I fire again.
84, a miss.

The dralasite picks 65, a miss.

Round 4
Initiative 9 + 6 = 15
dralasite 3 + 5 = 8

I fire again.
30, a hit.
4 damage, = 28 Sta.

dralasite, 28, a miss barely.


Round 5
Initiative 7
dralasite 8

dralasite  79, miss

me 24, hit.
3 damage, = 25 hit points remaining.

Round 6
Initiative me 13 , dralasite 15

dralasite 12, hit.
2 damage, 53 remaining.

me 95, miss

Round 7
Initiative me 14, dral 15

dralasite 56, miss

me 80, miss.

I decide to move closer, next round.

Round 8
Initiative me 16, dral 9

I move two squares eliminating cover and range.
I then fire, now at point blank range somewhere around 5 meters or so for . To hit is now 70. For the dralasite it will be 45 to hit me.

I fire.
09, a hit doing 9 damage. The dralasite has 16 hit points remaining.

dralasite 49, a miss barely.

Round 9
Initiative me 10, dral 11

dralasite 61, misses

I 77, miss

Round 10
Initiative me 16, dral 9

I 68, hit. 10 damage. the dralasite only has 6 hp.

dralasite 91 miss.

Round 11
Initiative me 7, dral 11

dralasite 91 miss.

me 59, hit . doing 3 damage. The dralasite is shot up with holes and is weak, nearly collapsing.

Round 12
Initiative me 14, dral 13

me 07, rolling 8 damage. This laser hits the dralasite in the chest and it falls to the ground.

Dralasite Konchinho is unconscious shot up with many holes.

I have 53 remaining HP, escaping with just one small wound.

The book has shooting each once as a trigger for causing the next action. I'll change it to defeating the dralasite as the cause.

One of the raiders, Gramlic grabs a bag that he put the cube into and the other three join him and run out the door.

Having had a head start, two jump into a skimmer and one splits up and runs across the road.

Do I call Star Law and alert them, pursue the lone runner, or pursue the skimmer.

I call Star Law.

They alert the spaceport.

I then either look to see what they were after, pursue the lone runner, or pursue the skimmer.

I pursue the lone runner.

The runner runs to the monorail.

I decide to get a cab and pursue the monorail.

At the government building terminal the raider emerges and runs to a waiting skimmer.

To Be Continued

In the next post I will do a chase scene on skimmers.

Star Frontiers: Alpha Dawn Gameplay (Part 1) Character Creation and rules summary

I'm going back to the first game that I ever owned.

Star Frontiers.

I had played Basic D&D several years prior, but had never actually owned that game myself. Rather, my brother taught me the rules and the neighbor friends owned the rules.

I'd like to relearn the SF rules, in order of how they were made. My goal is to begin with the Star Frontiers Alpha Dawn Basic book, and work my way little-by-little through the series just for fun.

When I had bought it back then, I only was able to play the basic stuff and began to play the Crash on Volturnus module before I bought MERP and switched my gaming to it.

Where to get Star Frontiers

Star Frontiers is once available again. Also there are Star Frontiersman and Frontier Explorer downloadable magazines which has carried on the game through to the more recent years. I'll begin with the original books. I like seeing the quick start stuff in the original, which teaches the basics first - so I will do that again.

So I will begin back where I started and see if the game means something different than it did when I was very young.

A. Game Universe

A quick summary setting up this game, the setting of this game is the center of the Milky Way Galaxy. There are two other species that the humans come into contact. The Vrusk (Insect like) and the Dralasites - which the Vrusk found a few years ago. The Vrusk send information to the humans teaching them the basic technology for rapid space travel. They meet in a section of the space called the Frontier and find the Yazirians (a gliding monkey like species) .

The Pan-Galactic corporation forms to supply to the needs of the new mixed species worlds.

And then the Sathar (survivors describe as worm-like species) appear from somewhere and destroy settlements on the edge of the Frontier.

The four races form the United Planitary Federation (UPF) which have the Star Law Rangers aimed at taking down Sathar Agents which have been hired by the Sathar to cause trouble and sabotage.

With this, I'll try making a character for a solo game. I'll try making a human at first just to get to know the universe from a human perspective first.

However, I seem to find myself likening the scifi races compared to fantasy core races.

Human = human
Dralasite = dwarf , strong and sturdy
Yazirians = elf , smart and quick with unusual abilities of dim light vision and gliding
Vrusk = halfling, both love art and music and are shorter than humans (Vrusk are under 5' tall and 5' long insectoids.

I've copied the expanded character sheet below and filled out the amounts as I read the character creation for the Basic game. Several slots are not yet used and I imagine will be used in the Expanded version of the game.

 

B. Character Sheet

Character Name: Ethest
Race: Human
Handedness: Right
Sex: Male
Walk: 2
Run: 6
Hourly:

Physical Data
STR/STA: 55 / 55
DEX/RS: 70 / 70
INT/LOG: 60 / 60
PER/LEAD: 55 / 55
IM: 7

Medical Records
Current STA: 55

Weapons
Weapon             Damage    Basic to Hit #    PB S-10  M-20   L-40   E-80     Ammo
Laser Pistol        1d10                   70              1     4       10     20       40        20
Doze Grenade Unconscious 1 hr   70                    1        3       5        10          1

Defenses
Suit:
Screen:

Energy Record


Personal File
Racial Abilities:


Experience:

Credits: 10

Pay/Day:

Skills
Primary Skill Area:
PSA Skill                     Level


Secondary Skill          Level


Subskills


Equipment
Item                                                        Mass
Chronograph/ communicator
Coveralls
First Aid Pack
Stimdose 1 dose
Staydose 1 dose
Id Card
Pocket Tool
Survival Rations 5 days


Robots
Type                         Move      Level             Mission              Program


Vehicle
Type                         AC/DC/TN/SP/CR     Pass        Cargo


Computers
Level        EN Pts     Mass     Program


Along with the character creation, the Basic game mentions some basic rules. Here is my summary.

 

C. Basic Rules

Combat cycle is 

1. With initiative move.
2. With initiative attack.
3. Without initiative move.
4. Without initiative attack. 

Initiative

1. Initiative is by sides rather than individuals.
2. Roll 1d10 plus highest initiative. Reroll every turn.

Movement
Movement is by 5 meter spaces based on race

Monorails take 1turn to arrive. They move 10 spaces per turn. 1 credit per day.
Skimmers move 10 spaces, reduce to 7 before corner, stop,  but 5 spaces after corners. 10 credits per day rent.

Combat
Dexterity, chance of hitting target.
Stamina, health and life.

Must have sight and range.
Find range, subtract from Dexterity to find chance to hit. If on moving skimmer or running -10.
A roll of 01 to 05 always hits as long as in range and in sight.
Grenades bounce if they miss.
Roll less than or equal to chance of hitting to hit.
If hit, roll for damage for that type of weapon  xd10.

Reloading takes one full turn.

Recovery
1 credit per hit point.
Temporary 10 hit points for 3 hours from Stimdose.

Actions
Use appropriate ability
Easy +5, +10, +15
Difficult -5, -10, -15

Reaction
Roll Personality score or less for favorable reaction.

With that, I am ready for the Adventure included in the Basic game. I may have to modify the game slightly since I will be soloing the game.

Next post in series

In the next post in the series, I plan on beginning the Basic adventure.

Fable part 3: snake symbolism

Myths Series
Myth making: my plan
What are myths, legends, and folklore? Definitions (Quotes)
Joseph Cambell : Myths

Myths: Types and functions

Mythology: How they are created

Myth #1: Blood and Water - Begin

Myth #2: From them, all become

Type of Myth #1 & #2; Fable #1: part 1

Fable part 2: bird symbolism

Myths and Fables: ponderings  & decisions

What have snakes symbolized?

For Native Americans, the snake can symbolize healing and rebirth. For Pueblo, the snake may mean storm bringer.  

For the Pueblo, Avanyu - the Horned Serpent - is benevolent but fearful. It is the companion of the trickster god Kokopelli. The antlers or horns represent spiritual power. The Horned Serpent normally symbolizes rain, thunder, and waterways. 

for the Hopi, they perform an annual snake dance to celebrate the union of the Sky and the Underworld and renew the fertility of nature. The hopes is that rain will fall upon the crops

For Mississippians, the the horned serpent was normally benign or benevolent. However the Great Serpent was normally malevolent. 

The Choctaw Horned Serpent is a source of inspiration.

The Feathered Serpent is more prominent in Mississippi, Aztec, and Mayan cultures revered much similar to the Horned Serpent of other cultures.

Southeast Asia and Australia

Rainbow Serpent has played a significant role as creator for the original people of this area.

Past Fables

Aesop, Greek fable storyteller, has several snake related fables.

In "The Laborer and the Snake", the snake killed the cottager's son. And then the cottager wounds the snake. The cottager then tries to make peace, but the snake warns that there will never be peace because of what each other did.

In "The Farmer and the Snake", the snake found frozen by the farmer is brought to the farmers body to try warming. The snake awakes and bites killing the farmer.

In "The Serpent and the Eagle", the eagle tries to capture and eat the snake. The snake fights back. The countryman frees the eagle from the snake. The snake spits venom into the guy's drinking horn. The eagle dumps the drinking horn before the countryman drinks the poison.

For all three Greek fables, the snake is untrustworthy, dangerous, and vengeful.

Christianity

In much of the New Testament, the serpent is Satan.

Chinese

In the chinese zodiac, the snake is intelligent though without morals.

Snakes in dreams

In dreams, snakes can refer to fear, hidden threats, the subconscious, sexual power, cold people, transformation, healing, or creativity.

Myths and Fables: ponderings & decisions

Myths Series
Myth making: my plan
What are myths, legends, and folklore? Definitions (Quotes)
Joseph Cambell : Myths

Myths: Types and functions

Mythology: How they are created

Myth #1: Blood and Water - Begin
Myth #2: From them, all become
Type of Myth #1 & #2; Fable #1: part 1
Fable part 2: bird symbolism
Myths and Fables: ponderings  & decisions

With Character Generator released last week, time spent on 5e x 5 Future Mecha, and an Adjective Generator I didn't get time to look up the 'snake'.

Instead I'll spend a quick post mentioning one aspect of creating a fable that has entered my thoughts.

Do I create the moral lesson for a fable first?

Or do I create a situation of those involved and then construct the moral later.

My first instinct is to create the lesson that I want the fable to portray first. In that way, I would be more certain that the fable fits the message and the reason such fable would be told and retold down through generations.

In contrast to creating a moral lesson first would be creating an interesting story or situation first and then try figuring out what moral message could be extracted.

Another issue that I'm facing is trying to fit the three ingredients into a fable and yet create a specific moral message.

While I have said that I would like to use the bird, snake, and moon in a fable, I may not have the appropriate story to go with that moral lesson involving those individual parts.

Moral Lessons

Some of the moral lessons that come through my mind revolve around the use of powers, since Aioskoru is a world with supernatural beings as well as powers.

• The dangers of expending too much power (magic) when using powers.
• How powers can be used for both good and bad purposes.
• Powers can be used in unusual ways besides obvious purposes.

These are just three moral lessons that I had thought of that a fable can explain.

No one fable yet comes to mind to cover all three topics

The real issue to me is the moons of the world I haven't figured out how to included in any one fable. I may have to create several fables to cover the three topics.

I hope even though this post doesn't cover any creation of myth or fable that this has been a beneficial post that may help others.

Progress 2017 - 1st Quarter

Just an update to revisit the big picture
1st Quarter update for 2017 World of the Fifth Sun

Future Project Goals for 2017 and further [1st Quarter update]

Here is a list of projects that come to mind looking over the current landscape of products and the blog. This list is mixed blog and RPG products.

Done
5e x 5 Modern Equipment
5e x 5 Future Equipment
Character Generator
More JAGS content

Soon to be done
5e x 5 Future Mecha
5e x 5 Monsters illustrated. Peter finished and gave me a commercial art version in January. Busy with Future and Modern, on the side I've been painting up some monsters to release both simultaneous - a commercial version and a commercial + co author version.

Aioskoru Fairy Language based on my blog posts
Adjective Generator

Short term goals

Verb Generator
Story Plot Engine
Aioskoru Campaign material - content feature sections of the Aioskoru world. Waiting on Story Plot Engine
5e x 5 Future Robots

Fable part 2: bird symbolism

Myths Series
Myth making: my plan
What are myths, legends, and folklore? Definitions (Quotes)
Joseph Cambell : Myths

Myths: Types and functions

Mythology: How they are created

Myth #1: Blood and Water - Begin
Myth #2: From them, all become
Type of Myth #1 & #2; Fable #1: part 1
Fable part 2: bird symbolism

In the last post I discussed the desire to create my first fable. But first I wanted to research how others made fables.

First I look at the 'bird'.

What have birds symbolized?

Often, bird tracks symbolize good omens and authority for Native Americans. Crows that meant wisdom and eagles that meant courage and strength. The hawk might have meant natural forces or protection from evil spirits.

Past Fables

Aesop, Greek fable storyteller, has several bird related tales.

In "The Crow and the Pitcher," the crow unable to drink from the low sitting water uses stones put into the pitcher to bring the water up until it could drink.

In "The Farmer and the Nightingale," after being caged by the farmer, the bird tricks the farmer. The bird does this by promising things that seem more than what the farmer really receives.

In "The Ant and the Dove," the story shows a good karma effect where the dove saves the ant. The ant then saves the dove.

In "The Fox and the Crow," the story shows not to trust flatterers.

In most of the other tales listed, the either the bird's song, splendor, or wisdom - very similar to Native American beliefs.

Christianity

Christian bird symbols
In Christianity, the dove stood for one member of the trinity of gods.

The eagle is used as a symbol of Christ, John the baptist, and baptism.

The pelican is used as a symbol of atonement and redemption.

The phoenix has been used as a symbol of the resurrection.

Chinese

Chinese bird symbols
In Chinese tales, birds sometimes bring help or visit virtuous people. Owls may be a sign of ill omen.

The hen is one of the Chinese zodiac animals. It may represent wisdom, courage, loyalty, and determination.

The crane symbolizes longevity and wisdom. The crow is a symbol of filial piety. It's call can be considered an ill omen.

A dove is a symbol of long life and fidelity.

Ducks are symbols of happiness and the mandarin duck is loyalty.

An eagle symbolizes strength and lonely struggle.

The phoenix is a symbol of joy and peace.

Birds in dreams

birds in dreams
Birds in dreams can represent goals, aspirations, and hopes.

Next post

In the next post I'll look at the snake.