D&D 5E Why D&D is not (just) Tolkien

[Sacrosanct]

Alas, I can't find anything that says how Gary originally envisioned orcs. What I did find very interesting, is that in Men and Magic, he calls out Lord Dunsany specifically as a source of inspiration (like gnolls). Which of course makes me want to go read The Gods of Pegāna (published 1905) now

Which also makes me think. If he wrote that stuff in the late 1800s and early 1900s, is he the first to create a distinct fantasy world? Howard was after him.

 

[Shadowdweller00]

Well, the primary one: a supernaturally powered Cleric/MU/fighter with a wilderness theme wouldn't have been called a Ranger sans Tolkien. Aragorn has preternatural healing powers, turns undead and summons an army of undead with his blood magic, among other things. Certainly Fischer imagined what he wanted to see further up the power curve, but the primary influence is obvious.

Aragorn has no magic, even the subtle Tolkien-style of magic. He knows his herbs, uses a poultice, and strikes a bargain with an undead creature. "Upping the power curve" is what we'd call outside influences.

 

[Sacrosanct]

That would be evidence. Good. Show me?

https://forum.rpg.net/showthread.ph...y-Where-did-the-idea-for-the-Ranger-come-from

 

[Parmandur]

Alas, I can't find anything that says how Gary originally envisioned orcs. What I did find very interesting, is that in Men and Magic, he calls out Lord Dunsany specifically as a source of inspiration (like gnolls). Which of course makes me want to go read The Gods of Pegāna (published 1905) now

Which also makes me think. If he wrote that stuff in the late 1800s and early 1900s, is he the first to create a distinct fantasy world? Howard was after him.

Jonathan Swift, St. Thomas More did some of that: most pre-19th century stuff tended to be "distant land" rather than "alternate universe," but really the principle is much the same

 

[Parmandur]

Aragorn has no magic, even the subtle Tolkien-style of magic. He knows his herbs, uses a poultice, and strikes a bargain with an undead creature. "Upping the power curve" is what we'd call outside influences.

He can lay on hands, straight up: his healing was not natural in RotK. He can use Magi scrying items. He chases off the ringwraiths at one point.

I mean, you can pretend all you want, but the D&D Ranger is pretty obvious.

 

[Shadowdweller00]

https://forum.rpg.net/showthread.ph...y-Where-did-the-idea-for-the-Ranger-come-from

Maybe. I'm seeing a poster say "I went to school with Joe Fischer" and not much more. Not beyond the realm of possibility, but....

I personally game with a different guy that claims he invented the thief class and that Gygax stole a bunch of material he wrote. Again, not beyond the realm of possibility but...

 

[lowkey13]

*Deleted by user*

 

[Shadowdweller00]

See-

https://annarchive.com/files/Strv102.pdf

A copy of the original Strategic Review article by Joe Fischer.

I personally posted this upthread, so....

 

[Parmandur]

I personally posted this upthread, so....

Yes, which is in itself sufficient proof of the Aragorn-emulating origins of the Ranger; the confirmation from people who were there is nice to have, but again not exactly the key to the Da Vinci Code revelatory given the obvious original material.

 

[Shadowdweller00]

Yes, which is in itself sufficient proof of the Aragorn-emulating origins of the Ranger; the confirmation from people who were there is nice to have, but again not exactly the key to the Da Vinci Code revelatory given the obvious original material.

If you ignore all the other prominent fictional characters that skillset could just as easily apply to...whee, circles are fun.