Do all stories need to have.......

[Eeirail]

Do all creatures have to have a mythical background or a past, Examples; Fae, faries, dragons?

Cause I am making a story that has my own sest of creatures, that are not of the normal.

Example: Unstead of a dragon.
I am using a Breed called Ravens, They are Feathered with scales, and are even made up of metal and pother things, I know it is technically a dragon, but they are not at all reptillian like in folklore.

Bad example but there it is.

 

[Helleaven]

I think it depends on how rare they can be found and how powerful they are.

If they're common, then you probably wouldn't need a mythical background. Since they're things, everyone sees from time to time. In our world, if we see a dragon, we would totally make a research about it's origin which leads us to myth of the dragon. But nobody sees a dog and thinks "I wonder what that creature is?" or "I want to learn how the cats are created!" We usually don't think about things like that, because we are so much used to them.

As for your example, if Ravens don't have dragon-like powers and they're just bunch of massive birds, people won't be curious about them. They won't question Raven's existance. But if they're rare or fearsome or legendary creatures, it would be nice to have a background for them, even if you don't use it.

 

[Eeirail]

I think it depends on how rare they can be found and how powerful they are.

If they're common, then you probably wouldn't need a mythical background. Since they're things, everyone sees from time to time. In our world, if we see a dragon, we would totally make a research about it's origin which leads us to myth of the dragon. But nobody sees a dog and thinks "I wonder what that creature is?" or "I want to learn how the cats are created!" We usually don't think about things like that, because we are so much used to them.

As for your example, if Ravens don't have dragon-like powers and they're just bunch of massive birds, people won't be curious about them. They won't question Raven's existance. But if they're rare or fearsome or legendary creatures, it would be nice to have a background for them, even if you don't use it.

Well, they will have a background, I meant, do I have to have a reason for using the creature I use, like people always seem to use the basic terms with Elves and such. Would it be a good idea to stray from that and make my own things that do not have the history of the over used concepts?

 

[Helleaven]

In my novels, I don't use orcs, goblins, elves, etc. I created my own races and tried so hard for them not be, for example, "orcs with different names", "elves with different names", so although there are similarities, they're very different than the usual races. Except Dwarves. I'm using Dwarves because I adore them.

So, if you want to use your own things, make sure the only different thing is not the name. And I am totally in favor of creating new things, if they're on a balanced and believable system. You don't have to have a reason for creating your own setting, don't use dragons and use Ravens, and if it turns out good, keep on.

Is this the answer of your question? If it's not, then I'll give up and pass my turn since it is 6.00 am and I'm exhausted

 

[ascanius]

I think it would depend a lot on the people who encounter such creatures. For instance if such a creature is highly revered in a certain culture it would most likely have mythology behind it or at least stories. If, how ever the same creature is just a creature with no significance to said people then it would not have a myth behind it.

As to reasons you yourself are using the creatures of your own desinge you need no reason what so ever. But it is generally a good idea to make said creatures distinct from creatures that are already used so you don't end up just renaming what already exists. What you put into your story is totally up to you.

Or are you asking if you need a reason to include a creature into your setting? Are you trying to avoid putting something in your WIP that has no point to the plot. Is that what your asking..... If that is the question then I would say you can still put something in your WIP if it has no purpose to the plot because it can be considered a part of the setting. In such a case it would be no different that a city, mountain, or anything else in your setting.

 

[Penpilot]

The short answer, No.

It all depends on your story. You can give them mythological origins or not. It's all based on the culture(s) that inhabit your story. Take for example animals from our world. In some cultures, animals like horses, dogs, and cats have a mythology about their origins. In other cultures they don't or at least their mythology isn't well know, so for the common person it might as well not exist.

 

[Saigonnus]

Penpilot has the correct answer: NO, you don't NEED mystical creatures to make your fantasy world believable.

There have been many discussions about the topic and it is up to the writer to determine whether or not they are present and if so, what kind of appearance do they make. There is also no need to even really have them be "Magical" "Fairy" or "Fae" creatures. It could be that they are normal creatures that live in the world and just happen to have these abilities as a "defense mechanism" or how they evolved from times gone by.

Unicorns for example, in my world (where they are present) are simply a very intelligent horse with telepathy/empathy. There isn't a whole "you have to be a virgin to touch one" sigma around them and none of their parts or fluids are useful beyond the ordinary things (leather, bone handles, waterskins etc.) They do tend to stay away from other intelligent creatures and since they can read minds and empathize with people, they can almost always tell someone who means them harm before they get close enough to hurt them.

 

[Bear]

I create original creatures in my books except for a short story I wrote about a werewolf apocalypse.

 

[Eeirail]

Penpilot has the correct answer: NO, you don't NEED mystical creatures to make your fantasy world believable.

There have been many discussions about the topic and it is up to the writer to determine whether or not they are present and if so, what kind of appearance do they make. There is also no need to even really have them be "Magical" "Fairy" or "Fae" creatures. It could be that they are normal creatures that live in the world and just happen to have these abilities as a "defense mechanism" or how they evolved from times gone by.

Unicorns for example, in my world (where they are present) are simply a very intelligent horse with telepathy/empathy. There isn't a whole "you have to be a virgin to touch one" sigma around them and none of their parts or fluids are useful beyond the ordinary things (leather, bone handles, waterskins etc.) They do tend to stay away from other intelligent creatures and since they can read minds and empathize with people, they can almost always tell someone who means them harm before they get close enough to hurt them.

Thank you for your answer, and I also say thank you for an actualy example, this helps alot.

 

[RedMorningSky]

I think it depends on the nature of the story. By making the creatures non mythological then you are presenting something that is more evolutionary and scientific which can make them seem even more believable in my eyes. Also, when you use a mythical creature, the reader is going to have certain expectations of what that creature will be like because they have seen so many other examples. By creating your own you are presenting something newer that you can shape as opposed to having the reader's preconceived notions shape it for you.

 

[Fluffypoodel]

I think that if you are creating creatures for your own use in your own world then you do not need to ground them in anything that has come before you. WHat you should beware of is taking a creature from mythology and messing around with it. You want to twist it around enough to make it your own but if it stays too much like the original then people may get upset. Look at how the vampires were reacted too in the Twilight series. There was a lot of hype about Stephanie Myers not staying true to the legends that have grown up around vampires. Of course that didn't seem to hurt the sales of her novels and I think in the end writing in fantasy is about how far your imagination can run with something. Soo... I would say throw it to the wind if you don't want the traditional background but at the least make up some background that fits your creation. I think readers like the kind of believably that a back story/mythology brings to the table. Good luck!

 

[Steerpike]

The answer to virtually any question that starts out "do all stories have to..." in NO.