Whizbang Dustyboots
Gnometown Hero
Other than the protagonists, what are the top 10 elements that make up an adventure or Lovecraftian story?
What are the top 10 elements of a Lovecraft adventure?
- Thread starter Whizbang Dustyboots
- Start date
Celebrim
Legend
1) The repeated assurance of the accounts credibility and the competance of the narrator.
2) The preparation for a journey, usually with the intention of assuring to the reader its completeness.
3) The journey into the unknown and away from the modern world.
4) Isolation of the narrator.
5) The road which can only be travelled in a single direction. The return path - if possible at all - must be by another means, and only after some unimaginable loss.
6) The presence of unexplainable dread.
7) The insignificance of humanity and all of its achievements. This is probably the most important one and it involves rejection of both humanism (man is important because of his singularity) and traditional religion (man is important because the universe cares about him). In Lovecraftian horror, man is not alone and not unique but the universe does not care about him, and does not even really acknowledge his presence any more than it acknowledges an insect or a mouse.
8) The dawning comprehension and the accompaning panic rather than solace which understanding brings.
9) The inescability of the horror. Any escape is only temporary, because once the horror has been awakened it pursues the narrator endlessly.
10) The eventual release and acceptance of oblivion as preferable to the torment.
I often wonder how much of Lovecraft's narratives were inspired be the journals of artic explorers, especially the failed expeditions.
2) The preparation for a journey, usually with the intention of assuring to the reader its completeness.
3) The journey into the unknown and away from the modern world.
4) Isolation of the narrator.
5) The road which can only be travelled in a single direction. The return path - if possible at all - must be by another means, and only after some unimaginable loss.
6) The presence of unexplainable dread.
7) The insignificance of humanity and all of its achievements. This is probably the most important one and it involves rejection of both humanism (man is important because of his singularity) and traditional religion (man is important because the universe cares about him). In Lovecraftian horror, man is not alone and not unique but the universe does not care about him, and does not even really acknowledge his presence any more than it acknowledges an insect or a mouse.
8) The dawning comprehension and the accompaning panic rather than solace which understanding brings.
9) The inescability of the horror. Any escape is only temporary, because once the horror has been awakened it pursues the narrator endlessly.
10) The eventual release and acceptance of oblivion as preferable to the torment.
I often wonder how much of Lovecraft's narratives were inspired be the journals of artic explorers, especially the failed expeditions.
Sir Brennen
Legend
Tentacles. Lots of Tentacles.
[Edit: ] But perhaps slightly less tentacles than the average anime movie.
[Edit: ] But perhaps slightly less tentacles than the average anime movie.
Stormborn
Explorer
As far as adventures go here are a few aspects off the top of my head(in no particular order):
1. Strange Tomes or artifacts
2. Strange and isolated people. Isolation can come from any number of things. It could be villagers in a geographically remote town, a the inhabitants of a single house, or even just a reclusive person.
3. Strange and isolated places. A cave, an island, a strange mountain, the artic, Pluto. Just somewhere that people dont go and feels like people dont belong.
4. A slow realization that what you face is beyond your understanding or ability to deal with.
5. Cults or at least cultic activity of a single person or persons, usually related to 2.
6. Strange or unnatural creatures. This really isnt 100% neccesary IMO, but is fairly common.
7. A feeling of ancient and vast history, typically hightened by 1. and 3., that goes beyon human history and may lead to 4.
1. Strange Tomes or artifacts
2. Strange and isolated people. Isolation can come from any number of things. It could be villagers in a geographically remote town, a the inhabitants of a single house, or even just a reclusive person.
3. Strange and isolated places. A cave, an island, a strange mountain, the artic, Pluto. Just somewhere that people dont go and feels like people dont belong.
4. A slow realization that what you face is beyond your understanding or ability to deal with.
5. Cults or at least cultic activity of a single person or persons, usually related to 2.
6. Strange or unnatural creatures. This really isnt 100% neccesary IMO, but is fairly common.
7. A feeling of ancient and vast history, typically hightened by 1. and 3., that goes beyon human history and may lead to 4.
Alzrius
The EN World kitten
Along the lines of Celebrim's #7, I'd also add "the complete and utter inability to defeat the things that threaten humanity."
You cannot stop Cthulhu, or the Great Old Ones, or the Great Race, etc. You can, at most, make sure they don't eat humanity today, but eventually, it's going to happen.
You cannot stop Cthulhu, or the Great Old Ones, or the Great Race, etc. You can, at most, make sure they don't eat humanity today, but eventually, it's going to happen.
Desdichado
Hero
You forget eldritch, Cyclopean and blasphemous.loki44 said:
Prince of Happiness
First Post
J-Dawg said:
And non-Euclidean.
