poll: What has most influenced your conception of fantasy?

[Jackcarter]

Yes, another poll. Call me unimaginative, carpetbagger, or whatever, but this new poll function is so cool, I gotta try this.

When you think of fantasy, what do you come up with? How did you think of fantasy in that way? What has influenced your view of what a generic 'fantasy' should look like? This doesn't necessarily have to be what other people perceive fantasy should be, though it could be same, but what YOU perceive it to be.

1. Myths and epics (Homer, Virgil, Hercules, Beowulf, Norse sagas, et al)

2. Chivarlic tales and poems (King Arthur, Tristan und Isolde, Roland, El Cid, Spencer, Boccaccio, et al)

3. Lord of the Rings and its progeny

4. Pulp tales (Conan, Lovecraft, Leiber, Amaziing Stories or Tales, et al)

5. American cinema (Mummy, Conan, Excalibur, Dragonslayer, FotR, Harry Potter, et al)

6. Modern fantasy literature (Jordan, Harry Potter, Shanara, Witchworld, Katherine Kurtz, et al)

7. RPG novels (Drizzt, Elminster, Raistlin, Legend of the 5 Rings, et al)

8. Anime/manga (Record of Lodoss Wars, Ninja Scroll, Sorcerer Stabber Orphen, Ruroni Kenshin, et al)

9. Foreign cinema (Once Upon a time in China, Storm Riders, Brotherhood of Wolves, Seven Samurai, et al)

10 Other (let us know what it is)

Of course, it would be nice if you could explain as to how you've arrived to your choice.

 

[Nish]

What has most influenced my vision of fantasy is the Dungeons and Dragons Fantasy Role-playing Game. I started playing D&D and then I developed an interest in fantasy. Before that I mostly read science fiction.

 

[rounser]

Fairy tales should probably be on your list...

 

[Bass Puppet]

What has most influenced my vision of fantasy is the Dungeons and Dragons Fantasy Role-playing Game. I started playing D&D and then I developed an interest in fantasy. Before that I mostly read science fiction.

BINGO!

I would also say besides Dungeon (the board game), Video Games would be a cool second, and then Movies.

 

[Wicht]

Tolkien has most influenced my fantasy concepts...

strangely though I think Lovecraft has influenced my DMing as much as anyone else.

 

[Amrynn Moonshadow]

i'd have to say fairy tales and D&D . . .

also there are other stories just about the medieval time which also influenced me to like all that stuff . . .

 

[Darraketh]

What has most influenced my vision of fantasy is the Dungeons and Dragons Fantasy Role-playing Game. I started playing D&D and then I developed an interest in fantasy. Before that I mostly read science fiction.

Same here... except that the only fiction I had ever read was assigned in english or lit. class. The first fantasy work I eever read was "Conan" and that was because a teacher recommended it after reading one of my writing assignments. I guess that just goes to show how big of an influence D&D was on me.

 

[Holy Bovine]

Tolkien was the first fantasy novel i ever read and it gave me an interest in fantasy and later D&D. I first read LotR at age 10 and played my first game of D&D at age 11.

That was 1980 and 1981 respectively.

I am glad you mentioned Lovecraft in your list as he would probably be the next biggest influence on me. I read Call of Cthulhu at age 13 (and actually had nightmares from it! ) and I love the moody atmosphere he develops in many of his stories.

 

[bramadan]

Tolkien is what brought me in. Dune and SoI&F are what "defined" it for me...

 

[Lothaire]

I said Mythology, it was what I first really got into when I was 8 or 9 years of age. Greek and Norse myth in particular were the foundations of my impression of gods, heros and adventure.

I moved onto the Hobbit and LoTR shortly thereafter, and they played a huge role in influencing me as well. But ultimately it was the mythology that got me into D&D.