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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Korgoth" data-source="post: 4490663" data-attributes="member: 49613">I agree that the fantastical is only fantastical insofar as there is a mundane against which it can be highlighted.I like to use normal critters (if the setting permits) such as wolves, bears, etc. Even in the dungeon one can still highlight the texture of stone, the smell of spices or rot, and other "mundanities" in order to highlight the alienness of those things which break the expected continuity of sensation.A cave bear (or 'dire' bear if you wish) is interesting mainly because it's even bigger and tougher than regular bears. If all the bears in your world are cave bears, then the message is "all bears are ginormous". If this bear is a cave bear, then the message is "this bear is ginormous".I think the point about "lasersharking" is a good one. Obviously, the shark of Jaws would have been more powerful in the story if it had a laser cannon on its head, and cybernetic walker arms so it could come up on land, and a metal tail that spun like a buzzsaw and chopped people up. But it would have been less engaging than 'merely' the giant shark, because it would place the audience at such a distance from the creature... the idea has no plausibility and so its terror is less visceral.Now, I'm not saying that there's no way to escalate your tone to the point where a lasershark (or a cyberlaserbuzzsawshark) could be introduced... but unless you're playing Encounter Critical (where you would be reproached for not using a cyberlaserbuzzsawshark, because it's a comedy) you're probably better off trying to make the game world something the players can relate to, rather than laugh at.</blockquote>

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