The origins of the myth of Dagon

[username_2070443]

The origins of the myth of Dagon

Well.. anyone who has played Call CthulhuCotE or read the books of Lovecraft is already familiar with Dagon and his cult. Ive never read Sapkowski so I'll appreciate if someone who did could enlighten me here, meaning- was Lovecraft's myth the origin for Sapkowski here? (assuming the books have Dagonists and not just the game), if so, how much did he borrow- were the Vodyanoi once humans, now mutated by a disease of an evil source (the game suggests not), is Sapkowski the only one to use Dagon or is it common amongst modern fantasy writers? (I love fantasy but am not very well versed in the new stuff as much of it is crapy or just plain samey)Thanks

 

[ausir]

There is no mention of Dagon in Sapkowski's books, the game devs took him directly from Lovecraft. Sapkowski did, however, have some minor references to Cthulhu mythos in his books.

 

[username_2070443]

Thats intriguing- can you elaborate a bit about those "minor references", were they meant just to pay hommage for Lovecraft or do they have some sort of minor plot roles?

 

[darthmael]

In one of the books Geralt encounters the fish-people (vodyanoi) who are the same as in the game. And the mermaid warns him against "a dark terror god beneath the sea" whom fish-people follow.

 

[ausir]

No, the creatures from "Trochę poświęcenia" are not vodyanoi - actual vodyanoi/wodniks are mentioned in the books elsewhere and these are never identified as such, and the inhabitants of Ys lived in the sea, not in a lake, and were much less friendly (and it's uncertain whether they were capable of human-like speech). They might be distant relatives of the vodyanoi, though.

 

[darthmael]

I was talking actually about the Ys folks - their description matches perfectly to the vodyanoi in the game. And those in-game ones were not too friendly either, at least those who followed Dagon

 

[mosberg]

Long before Lovecraft, Dagon was the name of a Semitic god. He seems to have been a fish god of some sorts: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dagon

 

[candesco]

I know Dagon from an other game: the elder scrolls series. Well, the character in there is named Mehrunes Dagon, which is the daedric prince of destruction and chaos. In the fourth elder scrolls, oblivion, mehrunes dagon takes a large role in the game. You enter then his realm, which is known as the deathlands. At the end of the mainquest you even see him.

 

[ringeck]

Well.. anyone who has played Call CthulhuCotE or read the books of Lovecraft is already familiar with Dagon and his cult. Ive never read Sapkowski so I'll appreciate if someone who did could enlighten me here, meaning- was Lovecraft's myth the origin for Sapkowski here? (assuming the books have Dagonists and not just the game), if so, how much did he borrow- were the Vodyanoi once humans, now mutated by a disease of an evil source (the game suggests not), is Sapkowski the only one to use Dagon or is it common amongst modern fantasy writers? (I love fantasy but am not very well versed in the new stuff as much of it is crapy or just plain samey

nothing about dagon in the books. but there are fish-people in one of the stories. description vague,but matches vodyanoi quite good. the fish people butchered pearl-divers, because they interfered with their territory (probably city). there are also "stairs leading into the deep" and "the sound of an underwater bell" mentioned. when Geralt and Dandelion went on the recon during the flow, fish-people attacked them as their went near the stairs mentioned. they were really in trouble, if not the help of a mermaid they would probably perished.whether if the stairs led to city of Ys - is not specified."legendary sunken city of Ys" is also mentioned few times in other novels/books.it`s described that fish people worn metal armours and wierd swords (bronze,copper-like metals).fish people are popular thing in all-around world mythologies. lovecraft was just another one who used that myth. I don`t see any reasons why it has to be him. Sapkowski refers very often to very different mythologies,legends, and popular tales in a post-modern manner (in the novels at most).

 

[Eri94_user70]

In one of the books Geralt encounters the fish-people (vodyanoi) who are the same as in the game. And the mermaid warns him against "a dark terror god beneath the sea" whom fish-people follow.

Lol I knew Lovecraft WAYY before I seriously Listened to Metallica, but you just reminded me of The Thing That Should Not Be

 

[Eri94_user70]

Long before Lovecraft, Dagon was the name of a Semitic god. He seems to have been a fish god of some sorts: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dagon

Well said. Howard. P. L. Friend Robert e. Howard mentions Dagon in his books. Has Anyone seen Conan 2 For example?

 

[Eri94_user70]

Well.. anyone who has played Call CthulhuCotE or read the books of Lovecraft is already familiar with Dagon and his cult. Ive never read Sapkowski so I'll appreciate if someone who did could enlighten me here, meaning- was Lovecraft's myth the origin for Sapkowski here? (assuming the books have Dagonists and not just the game), if so, how much did he borrow- were the Vodyanoi once humans, now mutated by a disease of an evil source (the game suggests not), is Sapkowski the only one to use Dagon or is it common amongst modern fantasy writers? (I love fantasy but am not very well versed in the new stuff as much of it is crapy or just plain samey

nothing about dagon in the books. but there are fish-people in one of the stories. description vague,but matches vodyanoi quite good. the fish people butchered pearl-divers, because they interfered with their territory (probably city). there are also "stairs leading into the deep" and "the sound of an underwater bell" mentioned. when Geralt and Dandelion went on the recon during the flow, fish-people attacked them as their went near the stairs mentioned. they were really in trouble, if not the help of a mermaid they would probably perished.whether if the stairs led to city of Ys - is not specified."legendary sunken city of Ys" is also mentioned few times in other novels/books.it`s described that fish people worn metal armours and wierd swords (bronze,copper-like metals).fish people are popular thing in all-around world mythologies. lovecraft was just another one who used that myth. I don`t see any reasons why it has to be him. Sapkowski refers very often to very different mythologies,legends, and popular tales in a post-modern manner (in the novels at most).

You are correct, but have you seen anyone else that crafted those mythologies the way he did? I think not. If you dissagree then please show.

 

[nissimus]

Dagon is actually mentioned in the Bible as one of the false gods.It took me some time but I found it:"And the Philistines took the ark of God, and brought it from Ebenezer unto Ashdod. When the Philistines took the ark of God, they brought it into the house of Dagon, and set it by Dagon. And when they of Ashdod arose early on the morrow, behold, Dagon was fallen upon his face to the earth before the ark of the LORD. And they took Dagon, and set him in his place again. And when they arose early on the morrow morning, behold, Dagon was fallen upon his face to the ground before the ark of the LORD; and the head of Dagon and both the palms of his hands were cut off upon the threshold; only the stump of Dagon was left to him. Therefore neither the priests of Dagon, nor any that come into Dagon's house, tread on the threshold of Dagon in Ashdod unto this day."

 

[Eri94_user70]

Dagon, the original that is to say, was a phoenician deity. He was the father of Ball, who was the leader of the phoenician pantheon. I cannot elaborate now, but this is what I know.