New Dragon Article: Ecology of the Fire Archon

[The Little Raven]

Misconception here. Archons are not Gary's creation. I believe Jeff Grubb can be blamed for Archons.

Sorry about that. The early days are so difficult to track carefully that most things get labeled as "Gygax."

I really wish people would've fought to preserve the concepts Gary introduced--such as incorruptable Solars (instead of the cliche's even good designers like Mona and Monte Cook did with the "fallen Solars"), or Modrons that were not "clockwork".

Incorruptibility is dull, as is "pure eeeeeee-vil," which is why I'm glad they opted not to use that.

 

[Kobold Avenger]

No, I knew one off the bat because it's the only one that someone has said to me, "That's gnosticism right there". In fact, I didn't even know about it until then. That's not "It's rather common" like you stated if I can only think of one source. Common implies it's all over the place.

If it's so common, I expect you to give me a list of 8-9 off the bat.

Grant Morrison's The Invisibles has many Gnostic Themes.

Tool references Gnostic themes in a bunch of their songs along with Kaballah.

Philip Pullman's His Dark Materials novels (which includes The Golden Compass).

The DC/Vertigo comic-book series Lucifer.

 

[Spatula]

You said "Most people who read fantasy fiction knows what a dryad is". Which implies that most have read books with dryads in them.

Yes, because people only know about stuff that they read in fictional stories. This is getting pretty silly now... I know (just as an example) where the word narcissism is derived from because as a fan of fantasy, I am curious about real world mythology. Most fantasy fans will have a passing familiarity with greek myths (which the dryad is a part of) at the very least, because they permeate western culture (especially western fastasy culture).

Here is a brief list of dryads in the culture. The Chronicles of Narnia are obscure, right?

 

[Nikosandros]

Did anyone notice the notes in the first stat block? Looks like the editor forgot to remove them...

 

[Rechan]

Yes, because people only know about stuff that they read in fictional stories. This is getting pretty silly now...

He said "If you ask most people who read fantasy what a dryad is". So it's silly to expect that he's talking about reading fantasy?

I know (just as an example) where the word narcissism is derived from because as a fan of fantasy, I am curious about real world mythology. Most fantasy fans will have a passing familiarity with greek myths (which the dryad is a part of) at the very least, because they permeate western culture (especially western fastasy culture).

So, most people who read fantasy are familiar enough with Greek mythology to recall on obscure critter?

Here is a brief list of dryads in the culture. The Chronicles of Narnia are obscure, right?

So most fantasy readers have read that?

 

[Rechan]

Grant Morrison's The Invisibles has many Gnostic Themes.

Tool references Gnostic themes in a bunch of their songs along with Kaballah.

Philip Pullman's His Dark Materials novels (which includes The Golden Compass).

The DC/Vertigo comic-book series Lucifer.

Okay, that's 4. Got any more?

 

[hectorse]

Grant Morrison's The Invisibles has many Gnostic Themes.

Tool references Gnostic themes in a bunch of their songs along with Kaballah.

Philip Pullman's His Dark Materials novels (which includes The Golden Compass).

The DC/Vertigo comic-book series Lucifer.

I think what he is asking are clear sources where you can telll: See, this is an archon angel or dryad sexy gurl. Instead I am just reading lyrics, and general likeness to gnostic christianity. I'm not satisfied

 

[Rechan]

I think what he is asking are clear sources where you can telll: See, this is an archon angel or dryad sexy gurl. Instead I am just reading lyrics, and general likeness to gnostic christianity. I'm not satisfied

Well, that would be nice, yes.

 

[IanB]

Are we seriously arguing that dryads are obscure? Maybe things have changed in the last 20 years but we all had to read Edith Hamilton's Mythology in school back then. Forget fantasy readers; I would venture to guess that a lot of people who never touch the stuff have at least been exposed to the concept of a dryad, even if they haven't retained it.

 

[The Little Raven]

Maybe things have changed in the last 20 years but we all had to read Edith Hamilton's Mythology in school back then.

Public schools are a world away from this now. Here in San Diego, we had funding cut for all non-English, Math, or Science curricula a few years back. If you weren't learning basic reading, arithmetic or biology, the school system wasn't paying for it. Arts, drama, literature, all suffered.

But (un)surprisingly, athletics were untouched. Funny that.