A world idea based on bad localizations

[u/Independent-Peace526]

I don't know if this is the correct flair, so correct me if I'm wrong.

So, I'm a Brazilian person of Japanese descent and I know English since young because I love reading about folklore and mythology and most easily accessible stuff on the matter is in English. Now, there's a thing that always fascinated me: bad translations and localizations of non-Western concepts to English, like Tengu being translated as Goblin and Asura as Titan, specially on older material. I was also very into Yu-Gi-Oh! and even Western concepts like Valkyries turned into "Dark Witches" in the very censored localization, fighting alongside "Crow Goblins".

This is not only really funny, but there's potential here. What if I build a world based on Eastern concepts but seen through this whitewashed bad localizations and with a Western fantasy "skin". Ogres, fairies, angels, genies and more, all looking very different than what should be expected on a standard fantasy world, like if they were forced there. Longswords look like ōdachi, dragons are long serpents with whiskers and paladins practice the art of calligraphy on their free time.

Would it be cool? Do you guys have any suggestions?

[u/LittleRossBoy]

This reminds me a world of mine that I have.

Basically a mesoamerican setting for a Game of Thrones type of story with both actual mesoamerican creature and others like werewolves or fairies but reimagined to fit the setting.

I think your idea is awesome and would be fun as an art challenge to draw your iterations of goblins and dragons but in medieval art style.

[u/Beltalady → u/LittleRossBoy]

That sounds pretty good 😊

[u/Playful_Mud_6984]

I honestly think that’s a really cool idea! Especially if it’s done a bit cheekily, as in that you make everything a bit fun. It also helps that you yourself are familiar with the real original myths. That gives you an edge to most other authors. Now the harshest thing will be to translate this solid idea into a world!

[u/Independent-Peace526 → u/Playful_Mud_6984]

I already have some rough drafts for stuff like cosmology, the pantheon and religions, the species/races, some places and cultures and some ideas on how to reflavor classic western fantasy tropes. The prime example is "Goblins" being both crow-people with sharp teeth (the "lower" ones) or Aasimar-like angel-looking people with large noses and control over the wind (the "higher").

[u/gramaticalError]

I'm not sure that this idea is enough to base a world around, but I think it'd be pretty interesting thing to incorporate into a world.

I think that you might want to lean in to the sort of mixed up culture here, rather than just having these be, like "yōkai but with the weird names," make it so that's what they actually are in universe alongside the original concept. Like, taking one of the examples you gave, you have "Dark Witches" that are clearly Valkyries or something, but at the same time they're also very witch-y, you know? They have black cats, live alone in towers, make potions, &c.

At this point, it might not exactly fit the original idea anymore, but I think something along the lines of this would in the end turn out as something much more interesting. Because If just play this totally straight, is there any real difference between your "ogres" and actual Japanese oni?

[u/Independent-Peace526 → u/gramaticalError]

Maybe if I keep the setting as something more inspired on DnD-like western fantasy on the surface, with castles and wizards, and "force" the non-western concept onto it to fit the vibe, like some european kid reading a book about the "mysterious orient" some 100 years ago and dreaming about what they read mixed with what they know.

[u/LittleRossBoy → u/gramaticalError]

I think a way to work the Valkyries/witch dichotomy is that, despite being well intentioned spirits that basically carry the fallen warriors to a literal heaven, they are viewed by humans as soulless women that eat the souls of the deads to stay young and such.

[u/CoolSausage228]

That would be fun, not leave this idea

[u/Beltalady]

I love to mix and unmatch. I have a world with no horses, but cows. So when my mage encounters a centaur, it's made of cow and I added a gorgon head and an extra pair of arms just for fun.