WotBS Let's find hommages and references!

[Lylandra]

Hey you all,

after playing through roughly 1/3 of the WotBS campaign so far, I've stumbled across quite a few references or hommages to other fantasy setting, series or games. And since I am obviously a big geek, but haven't seen or read everything that RangerWickett or the other authors might have included, why not make finding (maybe all? I know, this is pretty delusional ) the references a collaborative effort.

For those who are still playing WotBS as players, be warned, there will be spoilers! (obviously)
So, let's start this:

Adventure #2, the tower by the bridge: "Speak 'friend' and enter" in elven. This one was pretty obvious since it is a classic from the Mines of Moria scene in Lord of the Rings where Gandalf needs quite a few hours to speak "mellon".

Adventure #4, Lord Megadon: The Megalodon was a giant, now extinct shark. Given Megadon's financial success (at the expense of others), this name fits him.

Adventure#5 and beyond, the Tempest: Well, one could interpret the name of the Airship as a reference to the famous Shakespearean play, but in my opinion, the ship itself is a gigantic (he, he) hommage to the airship Invincible from Final Fantasy 9, including the evil eye and everything. Now, that would give Pilus the role of Garland, wouldn't it?

Adventure #5 and beyond, Pilus and Longinus: The direct translation of pilus would be "hair", but one could also see a reference to the legend of the Roman knight Longinus, whose lance (originally lancea, but a pilum is a spear-like weapon as well) has gotten fame via the Neon Genesis Evangelion franchise.

Adventure #5, Caela: Not so much a reference, but Caela means "skies" in latin.

General: Shahalesti/Taranesti follow the naming tradition of elven kin on Krynn: Silvanesti, Qualinesti...

General: Given the Ranger's love for Final Fantasy games, one could see Leska and her seizing of power in Ragesia as hommage to the witch Edea who took over Galbadia in a quite ruthless and tyrannocidical way.

I'll add more references if I stumble across some more. Feel free to add your own opinions and finidings!

 

[RangerWickett]

I *am* a fan of witches from FF8. I never actually played FF9, but I do recall seeing an anime music video using FF9 that had the weird eye thing, so maybe I internalized that. Tempest was inspired more Moya from Farscape, though.

You got the names for Pilus and Longinus right, though.

It's a bit of an EN World in-reference, but Drakus Coaltongue was named after by "Dranko Coaltongue," long-time character of Piratecat, one of the moderators. See Sagiro's Story Hour. Dranko was a somewhat goofy half-orc, though, not a warlord.

In adventure 12, my memory's a bit fuzzy but I'm pretty sure I named some Ragesian general and his horse after a character from HBO's Rome.

 

[thekwp]

Kiernan jokingly suggests constructing a complicated, trap-laden dungeon to hold the immortal witch for all eternity, and everyone gets a good laugh at how ridiculous that idea is.

Reading that the first time gave me a good laugh, too. While there may be a specific reference there, I just found it incredibly humorous for the dismissal of a trope that fills the genre.

 

[Lylandra]

I *am* a fan of witches from FF8. I never actually played FF9, but I do recall seeing an anime music video using FF9 that had the weird eye thing, so maybe I internalized that. Tempest was inspired more Moya from Farscape, though.

You got the names for Pilus and Longinus right, though.

It's a bit of an EN World in-reference, but Drakus Coaltongue was named after by "Dranko Coaltongue," long-time character of Piratecat, one of the moderators. See Sagiro's Story Hour. Dranko was a somewhat goofy half-orc, though, not a warlord.

In adventure 12, my memory's a bit fuzzy but I'm pretty sure I named some Ragesian general and his horse after a character from HBO's Rome.

Oh yes, I totally missed the loyal steed Vorenus!
And that maybe makes Dranko Coaltongue the most referenced player character of recent times, considering that he's also a techno-magical warship in Zeitgeist.
You should definietly give FF9 a try ithe game combines lighthearted, sometimes comical, classical RPG elements and really deep, existentialistic themes. Of all FFs I've played so far(all but 3 and 15), it is one of my biggest favourites.

Reading that the first time gave me a good laugh, too. While there may be a specific reference there, I just found it incredibly humorous for the dismissal of a trope that fills the genre.

HAHA yes! There are more meta-jokes like this hidden in the adventures... I remember Sheena & co. were trying to research the Burning Sky effect and then found out that you can reduce the 40d6 fire damage to 38d6 during midnight hours. Kiernan then suggests that maybe a simple polymorph into something with fire immunity might be a teeny tiny bit more effective for people who wish to teleport.

 

[Mrpereira]

Having just completed chapter 8 I must say that the idea of playing the Star Wars soundtrack was quite tempting. There are quite a few Star wars / 'death star references in that chapter

 

[Bill T.]

The "Fearless Leader" feat comes to us courtesy of Boris and Natasha, right?

 

[Bill T.]

OK, how about a real one: Dractyl, the wyvern ridden by Stonum at the northernmost tower in Alydi Gap, is almost a contraction of Pteradactyl. Very fitting for a flying lizard!

I'm not sure what Stonum might refer to, though.

 

[RangerWickett]

Not everything is a reference.

But Dractyl is the name of a type of wyvern-esque critter in the RPG Talislanta, from the 80s. See page 30 of "A Naturalist's Guide to Talislanta," which was the first RPG book I ever got. http://peedeepages.com/talislanta/pdf/1e/final/optimized/a_naturalists_guide_to_talislanta.pdf

 

[Bill T.]

I just now laughed out loud at "a troll mercenary who has been lurking under the bridge" in the section on scaling the Glaskeel Cliffs in adventure 4. A reference to Scandanavian folk tales! Mind you, most of the trolls I've put in my adventures live under bridges, too -- it should be in their Environment entry.

 

[thekwp]

Emelk Way

Maybe it is, and maybe it isn't.

The way I read it, I read it as yes.