AdamLeisemann Posted March 10, 2008 Report Share Posted March 10, 2008 I recently began reasong the original Conan stories by Robert E. Howard thanks to an interest I had for some time in Sword & Sorcery fantasy. Now, as much as I like good, serious fiction, I also like humor, especially when writing or running a game. So here's my question: for a spoof of Sword & Sorcery fiction, what would you reccomend in terms of tropes and gags to play with? I am already familiar with things like Chainmail Bikinis and Barbarians As Dumb As A Sack Of Wet Mice. (And lo, the mice look at me and jump back in the river, feeling insulted.) I'm looking for other tropes and gags. Thank you for your time. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Captain Obvious Posted March 10, 2008 Report Share Posted March 10, 2008 Re: Mixing Swords & Sorcery with Comedic Fantasy Poul Anderson's essay On Thud and Blunder could be useful, if you don't take it as the cautionary tale it is meant to be. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Supreme Serpent Posted March 10, 2008 Report Share Posted March 10, 2008 Re: Mixing Swords & Sorcery with Comedic Fantasy Depends on where you draw the lines I guess. What some would roll their eyes at, others would consider part of the fun of playing in heroic fantasy. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
robertep Posted March 10, 2008 Report Share Posted March 10, 2008 Re: Mixing Swords & Sorcery with Comedic Fantasy Have you read any of "Terry Pratchett"'s books? yet .... he have in his stories a character called "Cohan the Barbarian" and I find his books extremely funny and enjoyable Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Southern Cross Posted March 10, 2008 Report Share Posted March 10, 2008 Re: Mixing Swords & Sorcery with Comedic Fantasy The Slayers anime?Sergio Aragone's Groo The Barbarian? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BobGreenwade Posted March 10, 2008 Report Share Posted March 10, 2008 Re: Mixing Swords & Sorcery with Comedic Fantasy Cultural anachronisms are always fun. Perhaps the evil wizard runs his organization like a modern-day corporation, with middle-management and all the rest. The local priest might speak in a slow but passionate drawl as he gives impassioned warnings against angering the gods. It can also be fun to have familiar characters from TV and movies show up in various guises. Maybe the guard at the city gates is fond of proclaiming, "I see no-THING! I know no-THING!" His partner could carry the deadliest sword in the Guard, and be fond of asking, "Do you feel lucky?" The Inspector from the government office dresses sloppily and keeps coming back to ask "just one more question." Just some thoughts to throw out there. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blue Jogger Posted March 10, 2008 Report Share Posted March 10, 2008 Re: Mixing Swords & Sorcery with Comedic Fantasy Encumbrance never counts unless a scroungy thief is trying to steal the barbarian's backpack, then the fact that it weighs 150 pounds makes it nearly impossible to steal. Warriors often have an amazingly weird bladed weapon that when thrown, will kill 1d6 people and returns to them, this should not be confused with a boomerang. Despite how deadly this weapon is, it is easily caught one-handed by the person who threw it, assuming they have mastered catching it. ("Darn, that's the 32nd time that it cut off my hand! Medic!") Apparently, no one can do anything without the heroes help. They will end up doing odds and ends for practically anybody they meet, ending up being the Postal Service. Despite this, they will always be surprised when assassins, ninjas or rival barbarians try to mugged them and take their package. No matter how straight the path seems, the bad guys will always know a quicker way to beat the hero. Conversely, if the heroes need to catch up with a caravan that left three days ago, they will also be able to catch up to it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tkdguy Posted March 17, 2008 Report Share Posted March 17, 2008 Re: Mixing Swords & Sorcery with Comedic Fantasy Two words for you: Ninja Goblins. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gawain Posted March 18, 2008 Report Share Posted March 18, 2008 Re: Mixing Swords & Sorcery with Comedic Fantasy Two words for you: Ninja Goblins. Don't you mean Goblin Ninjas? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Main Man Posted March 18, 2008 Report Share Posted March 18, 2008 Re: Mixing Swords & Sorcery with Comedic Fantasy Don't you mean Goblin Ninjas? Goblin Ninjas? That's preposterous! In any case, I think that a good dose of relentlessly absurd, over the top melodrama could go a long way towards establishing comedy. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lord Liaden Posted March 18, 2008 Report Share Posted March 18, 2008 Re: Mixing Swords & Sorcery with Comedic Fantasy A lot of the classic complications of comedy work just as well when introduced into a S$S story. For example: Mistaken identity. One or more of the protagonists is taken for an infamous villain/great hero/prophesied savior etc., and has to act out the role. This may bring the character wealth, worship or other great benefits, but also runs him afoul of the enemies of whoever he's impersonating. Eventually they always have to find a way to prove they're not who they're believed to be, or to prevent that from being discovered, leading to the escape from the angry mob scenario. Naive dupes. The adventurers accept what they think is a straighforward contract for a simple job, only to discover that the stakes are much bigger and they're in over their heads, e.g. the errant wife they're supposed to steal back for her husband turns out to be the princess of the realm in disguise, who they've just kidnapped; or the message they're hired to deliver is so sensitive that it includes instructions to murder the messengers as a precaution. They may find themselves forced to be players in major events, when all they want is to get out alive and with a little coin in their purses. Hot potato. The adventurers come into possession of a fabulous treasure or artifact and think they've struck it rich. But the treasure comes complete with a curse that brings horrendous luck or sadistic guardian gremlins, that they have to find a way to exorcise; or the artifact is a MacGuffin that everyone important wants for some reason, and the characters have to juggle the competing parties to try to squeeze the most profit out of the situation, while staying ahead of the thieves and assassins who want to take it by force. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tkdguy Posted March 18, 2008 Report Share Posted March 18, 2008 Re: Mixing Swords & Sorcery with Comedic Fantasy Don't you mean Goblin Ninjas? Okay. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BobGreenwade Posted March 18, 2008 Report Share Posted March 18, 2008 Re: Mixing Swords & Sorcery with Comedic Fantasy Don't you mean Goblin Ninjas? Okay.This definitely would be welcome in a Space Wizards game.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FenrisUlf Posted March 18, 2008 Report Share Posted March 18, 2008 Re: Mixing Swords & Sorcery with Comedic Fantasy Poul Anderson's essay On Thud and Blunder could be useful' date=' if you don't take it as the cautionary tale it is meant to be.[/quote'] Thank you for that link! I read the essay several years gone but I forgot were it was located. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FenrisUlf Posted March 18, 2008 Report Share Posted March 18, 2008 Re: Mixing Swords & Sorcery with Comedic Fantasy A lot of the classic complications of comedy work just as well when introduced into a S$S story. For example: Hot potato. The adventurers come into possession of a fabulous treasure or artifact and think they've struck it rich. But the treasure comes complete with a curse that brings horrendous luck or sadistic guardian gremlins, that they have to find a way to exorcise; or the artifact is a MacGuffin that everyone important wants for some reason, and the characters have to juggle the competing parties to try to squeeze the most profit out of the situation, while staying ahead of the thieves and assassins who want to take it by force. Somewhat OT, but I always thought that there might be a heck of a story to be told after the heroes have slain the mighty dragon and claimed the hoard. *--The royal tax collectors show up looking for the nation's share. Do you have any idea what will happen when you dump that much gold into the economy?? *--Some of the original owners of parts of the hoard show up to reclaim their property. I.e., massively powerful liches, an army of dwarves, other dragons, crazy mages with near-godlike power... * --The dragon's relations show up looking to claim their inheritance rights. Your choice if they bring along draconic lawyers to help in "negotiations". *--Every noble within a few days' travel starts trying to marry you off to whatever disposable relation they have, just so they can keep the money and magic for themselves. Said relatives are all ugly, or dumb as dirt, or like playing with poison, etc. I'm sure that someone here can come up with even better complications. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Captain Obvious Posted March 18, 2008 Report Share Posted March 18, 2008 Re: Mixing Swords & Sorcery with Comedic Fantasy Thank you for that link! I read the essay several years gone but I forgot were it was located. I was surprised to find it online, actually. I've got it in a book my great-grandfather gave me about 25 years ago. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Captain Obvious Posted March 18, 2008 Report Share Posted March 18, 2008 Re: Mixing Swords & Sorcery with Comedic Fantasy * --The dragon's relations show up looking to claim their inheritance rights. Your choice if they bring along draconic lawyers to help in "negotiations". Hahaha...the dragon's relations lawyering up and suing for wrongful death would be awesome. And suing to prevent the PC's from profiting from telling their story. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BlackSword Posted March 19, 2008 Report Share Posted March 19, 2008 Re: Mixing Swords & Sorcery with Comedic Fantasy So its probably because I have been watching too much Ranma 1/2 recently, but I could see it being pretty easy to remove some aspects (the water boy/girl part) and substituting in the swords & sorcery for the martial arts action. The story already has plenty of sorcery, so really its more finding a way to make swords a part of the story, which is tricky as otherwise the humor gets cut down everytime a rival issues a challenge and ends up skewered. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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