The Four Humors

[Seraph]

Has anybody ever used the four classical humors of medicine and temperament in a game or setting?  The thought just now occurred to me.  
Humorism

For those who are unfamiliar, the Four Humors were a classical way of judging personality that asserted the idea of "humors" within a person.  Someone might be judged to have a choleric temperament if he was easily angered.  What's more illness was thought be caused by an imbalance of the humors in the body.

As far as temperament is concerned, I suppose the humors could work almost as an alignment system.

As far as medical treatments are concerned, has anyone tried to implement these?  How did it work?  Would this be seen as an interesting thing to apply to a campaign?  Does anyone even make use of "medicine" in their fantasy games, or do people just seek cures from the local priest?

[Steerpike]

In a game called Fireborn - where the players assume the roles of dragonspawn in 21st century London in a world where magic is returning - the main stats are based on the 4 elements, which of course humorism is connected to.  It has a fairly distinctive system based around dicepools or somesuch, but basically fire was used for anything agressive/attack-oriented, water for defensive actions, air for raw cerebral power and intellect, and earth I believe for things such as courage and spiritual fortitude; so basically fire was a combination of Strength and Dexterity, Water a combination of Dexterity and Constitution, Air a combination of Intelligence and Wisdom, and Earth a combination of Wisdom and Charisma.

As for actual humor-based medicine, I've never seen it used in a game, but it'd be perfect for your steampunk setting, I think.

[Xeviat]

I've recently taken a look at them when I've been researching for my elemental system, but I haven't found a way to truely utilize them. If I did, I might organize necromantic magic around the humors.

[Steerpike]

I think the big decision is how abstract you want them to be... physical, quantifiable elements like real-world chemicals/elements, or representations of broader concepts, useful as metaphors but not "real" (or, widely believed in but fallacious "science," as in our own history).

[Elemental_Elf]

In a very loose way Exalted's Virtues resemble the 4 Humors. The player places a ranking in each virtue (1 to 5 with a predetermined number of points they can spend).

Exalted 4's Virtues are Compassion, Conviction, Temperance and Valor. In many ways the 4 Humors are the low end of each Virtue.

Compassion and Phlegm are the same because a player with a low Compassion is calm and unemotional.

 Conviction and Black bile are tied because a character with a low Conviction is often despondent and unable to make hard decisions.

Temperance and Yellow bile are obviously tied since a character with a low Temperance is an easily angered person.

Finally Valor and Blood are coupled for obvious reasons.


Like I said, its a loose connection, at best, but it is a game system that uses something vaguely similar to the 4 Humors so I figured I'd mention it. :)

[Xeviat]

E_E, that connection works well (as an aside, I'm going to now use E_E as an emoticon). I also like those valors, a nice way to simplify the 7. Which of the sins would you oppose to those?

Compassion : Envy
Conviction : Sloth
Temperance : Wrath
Valor : Lust?

I like a mixture of plato's physical elementalism (where the elements are building blocks) and chinesse elementalism (where the elements are just names for greater concepts). I find it quite interesting how you can tie many things to them.

[Superfluous Crow]

I've been tinkering with basing medicine in my setting on this, but haven't gotten around to taking a good look at it yet.

[Jharviss]

I've used 'em.

In Tephra, the four gods of Magic are called the Four Humours. There're four circles of magic in Tephra, and four gods who claims to reign over them. I love the Four Humours - it's just as fulfilling as using the more common four elements, but it's more unique and fulfilling. There's also a lot more to work with, utilizing the Four Humours, than the elements. The elements have become rather cliched, so the humours give me some interesting flavor and leeway.  

But that's just a fluffy bit.  I've considered using them for medicine and other things, but it fit better there.

[Seraph]

In a game called Fireborn - where the players assume the roles of dragonspawn in 21st century London in a world where magic is returning - the main stats are based on the 4 elements, which of course humorism is connected to.  It has a fairly distinctive system based around dicepools or somesuch, but basically fire was used for anything agressive/attack-oriented, water for defensive actions, air for raw cerebral power and intellect, and earth I believe for things such as courage and spiritual fortitude; so basically fire was a combination of Strength and Dexterity, Water a combination of Dexterity and Constitution, Air a combination of Intelligence and Wisdom, and Earth a combination of Wisdom and Charisma.

As for actual humor-based medicine, I've never seen it used in a game, but it'd be perfect for your steampunk setting, I think.

As in my London Steampunk setting?  I'm not sure about that. Historically, Humorism had been out of use for a whole century by the time the Victorian era came around.  If I was to implement it in one of my settings, it would probably have to be Avayevnon, since with a sort of renaissancyness (what?  I can make up words if I want to) to it, it could maybe fit in.  I don't know that it would be a good idea at this point to try to fit it in, but it makes more sense in that kind of background than in a victorian one.

I've used 'em.

In Tephra, the four gods of Magic are called the Four Humours. There're four circles of magic in Tephra, and four gods who claims to reign over them. I love the Four Humours - it's just as fulfilling as using the more common four elements, but it's more unique and fulfilling. There's also a lot more to work with, utilizing the Four Humours, than the elements. The elements have become rather cliched, so the humours give me some interesting flavor and leeway.  

But that's just a fluffy bit.  I've considered using them for medicine and other things, but it fit better there.

That sounds really neat.  I've actually found elemental correspondences to them, but I suppose the point is that the basis of the system is in the humors with any elemental effects being secondary.  In regards to gods of magic though, "The Four Humors" sounds like it should be in reference to a god with a bit of a split personality issue.  Taking this further, you make it a "Laughing God" to get the double entendre out of "humor."  Probably doesn't work with what you have, but it almost calls out to me to do something with it.  lol, maybe I'll make another setting.  Add another to the roster.

[Jharviss]

It doesn't work with mine, but that sounds awesome!  You should definitely do something with that, it's rather brilliant.

[Steerpike]

My history was off, sorry.  I was under the impression that humorism was still somewhat accepted in early Victorian times alongside stuff like physiognomy, but you're quite right.  I do like the idea of our world's "fake science" or incorrect science being real in another setting, though...

[Seraph]

I've used 'em.

In Tephra, the four gods of Magic are called the Four Humours. There're four circles of magic in Tephra, and four gods who claims to reign over them. I love the Four Humours - it's just as fulfilling as using the more common four elements, but it's more unique and fulfilling. There's also a lot more to work with, utilizing the Four Humours, than the elements. The elements have become rather cliched, so the humours give me some interesting flavor and leeway.  

But that's just a fluffy bit.  I've considered using them for medicine and other things, but it fit better there.

Hey Jharves, I tried looking at Tephra to see how you handled the Four Humors and the four circles of magic.  I couldn't find any mention of these gods though.  A mention of daemon gods in general, but no mention of four specific ones.  Am I just not seeing it, or has it not been added?  It would also help to know which circles you were putting with which humor, since it's not exactly a really obvious connection.

EDIT: Well, I found them on the Wiki.  There were only two of the gods though.  And  I would still like to know for sure which goes with which classical humor.