Worldbuilding With Monsters Pt. 1
ThIs is part one of a little worldbuilding series. Today will be about Scylla and Charybdis.
THE MYTHS
Let’s begin by learning a bit about their myths, starting with Scylla from Greek mythology. Once a beautiful princess, her fate was tragic. There are two tragic tales of her origin. One version goes that she was in a relationship with Poseidon and the jealous Amphitrite transformed Scylla into a hideous creature. A second version claims Scylla loved Glaucus who also loved Circe. Circe became jealous and transformed Scylla into a terrible monster.
In either version, Scylla’s lower body fused with the rock face, her waist encircled by snarling dog heads, and six monstrous heads sprouting from her shoulders, each equipped with rows of razor-sharp teeth. Forever bound to the cave, she devoured any sailor unfortunate enough to stray too close.
Next is the Greek myth of Charybdis who is not a creature but a monstrous whirlpool caused by the gods Zeus and Poseidon in one of their many rages. This savage whirlpool lurked beneath a narrow straight. Three times a day it would erupt, swallowing vast amounts of seawater before spewing it forth with devastating force. Ships caught in its grasp were mercilessly pulled down to a watery oblivion.
Their myths blend as, together, they create a perilous journey through this narrow strait. This is portrayed well in the Odyssey where Odysseus finds himself facing the dreaded duo on his epic journey home. Both monsters posed an existential threat. Sailing too close to Scylla meant certain death from her snapping jaws. Yet, veering towards Charybdis risked the ship being swallowed whole. Guided by demi-goddess Circe, Odysseus opted for a perilous yet calculated gamble. He steered closer to Scylla, knowing she could only snatch a few of his men. While he lost six valuable crewmates, the ship itself survived, allowing him to escape Charybdis' clutches.
THE INVESTIGATION
Next, let’s examine what is the most likely cause of their myth. Scylla is a monster who sits near a cliff face, she’s girded by baying dogs and has sharp teeth. In the Aegean, there are a lot of rocky shoals, which include jagged rocks large enough to sink ships. It’s functionally easy to say that Scylla’s story was based on the topography of the shoreline in a certain area of the Aegean. Charybdis is a whirlpool or weather pattern in the caustic sea. Personifying natural events like topographical features and whirlpools is a stronger way to remember where the danger is for sailors.
Also, let us keep in mind how navigation worked at the time. Sailors rarely strayed too far from the sight of shore. They navigated through the stars, and various other methods, yes, but functionally, most ships would steer within sight of some form of land mass. The idea of being beached on rock formations was a real threat. People look for patterns and symbols in their search for meaning and intent. This can lead them to a method of defeating the monster or to superstitions. Thus, Scylla and Charybdis were monsters instead of the dangers of rocky shorelines and a whirlpool the sailors couldn’t see in inclement weather.
THE WORLD BUILD
Finally, it is time to world-build. What environmental hazards can you place in your world? These always add flavor to your world and spice up travel. These hazards will also influence the type of structures they build in their settlements. There might even be a reason why it is best to have seasonal habitations. For instance, they winter well away from the river because it floods so badly in the spring because of the winter’s melt. Afterward, they return to their river village and plant fields freshened with nutrients.
Once you have decided on a hazard, it is time to decide if you want it to remain a normal hazard or turn it into something more. Is the source of the hazard a gang of giants the people must pay tribute to? It is a monster that floods the river every spring so it can migrate to its summer domain. Is the flooding a reward of bounty to their fields for leaving it in peace? Do the local people now have a tradition they hold to in order to not disturb this ancient threat?
Decide how long it has existed. The older it is, the deeper into the myths of the local people it will be ingrained. Now it is time to write a monster and myth into your world.
