“ A Deity of some sort has unleashed a plague of bookworms or something like that in the area. Almost all spellbooks are destroyed, along with bardic and historical books.”
“ A culture has it forbidden to say their rulers name under penalty of death. Anybody in power must be referred to as their title. Comes from the fact that the rule or position can be taken over by anybody from any level in society. To use the title elevates them or brings them down from whatever level they were originally at before they took the position. Respect and authority comes from the position, not from previous life.”
“ After a long night of reveling and merriment celebrating their latest victory, one of the PCs awakens with his/her head shaved and a large ornate tattoo on top of their head. Tacky, yes but also a painstaking work of art that has left them with a headache to beat their hangover. The kicker? It is a huge symbol of the god of Evil, Assassins, the Drow, Munchkins, something really really offensive”