Scenes I'd Like to See Re: Fantasy
Jan. 30th, 2015 04:46 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
wingedbeastScenes I'd Like to See Re: Fantasy
Scene 1
Scene: An ornate, alabaster gazebo amidst a lush and beautiful forest. Humans gathered near one pillar, the dwarves near another, the elves at a third, and the hobbits at the fourth. In the center, a floating woman clothed in light speaks a prophecy.
Prophetess: The time has come. The prophesied one is here in our presence. The prophesied one will bring The One Thing to Evil Mountain and save us all. The prophesied one is *prophetess pivots in the air and points* you.
Wot: Who, me?
Prophetess: Yes, you.
Wot: I'm prophesied to take The One Thing to Evil Mountain?
Prophetess: Yes, you are. I know that this is a daunting-
Wot: Okay, I guess I'd better get to it.
Prophetess: Excuse me? Don't you want to come to terms with the gravity of this responsibility?
Wot: No, I've got a handle on it. I'm fated to take The One Thing to the Evil Mountain and save us all... or maybe you all. But, it's simple enough. I just take this one thing and start walking.
Prophetess: You do know that prophecies are sometimes misleading. I did not say you would arrive at Evil Mountain alive.
Wot: You know, I hadn't thought of that... and that would be a downer. But, functionally speaking, though, everybody's still saved, right?
Prophetess: Yes.
Wot: And, it's not like an army would make that "get there dead" option any less an option. Fate's kind of like that. So, I figure, either way, I just grab this One Thing right here and be on my way.
Prophetess: I really do not think you are entering into this with the right spirit.
Wot: I disagree. I won't try to stop people from coming with. But, anybody else will be in more danger than I will, 'cause I'm fated.
Prophetess: But, the evil will soon know of your fate and will try to stop you.
Wot: But, I'm fated. So, I'll just be going, now.
Prophetess: You will be the target of evils from across the realm.
Wot gives a wave as he heads out: Fated!
Scene 2
Wot walks on a long path. A human, an elf, and a dwarf have each joined Wot. The forest is starting to get dark.
Wot: I realize that I could die. But, that's the thing about fate. If it's fated to happen one way, that's the way it's going to happen. Now, I'm choosing to believe that the only fate that applies to me getting The One Thing, so that we can still have some free will.
Elven Ranger: But, if there is prophecy, how can there be free will?
Wot: If there isn't free will, why do anything? It's all going to happen anyway. I know that this is a little self-contradictory, but we're talking about magic, here. The only thing we do know is that I am going to get The One Thing to Evil Mountain.
Dwarven Soldier: But, at least you'll allow us to take our part in the glory of this fate.
Wot: I don't see what's so glorious about fate. I mean, it's well meaning in a way. Fated means I've got some sort of situational protection in a way, but it also means I'm just going through some basic motions. Any fighting you do won't change the fate.
You want to do something glorious, you go do something that's *not* fated.
Human Cleric: But, surely, the greatest glory is to do that which is fated to glory the gods.
Wot: If the gods want glory, they can do stuff for themselves.
Elven Ranger draws and knocks back an arrow in one swift, fluid motion.: I sense danger.
Wot: What are you doing? Put that away.
Elven Ranger: There are orcs about. I can hear their breathing. They must seek an amb-
Wot: What part about fated don't you get. You all keep your hands off your weapons and I'll take care of this.
Dwarven Soldier: But-
Wot as he walks forward: Fated!
Scene 3
Deep within the darkness of the woods, Wot walks alone.
Orcs jump from the shadows. Lead Orc: You, hand over The One Thing and your death may be swift.
Wot: Uh, you found about the prophecy, right?
Lead Orc: Indeed I did, little one. And, I will not-
Wot: Then, you pretty much know this isn't going to work.
Lead Orc: This will work. You are the prophesied one, the fated one. If you are not alive-
Wot: Fated, that's the thing. It means that, even if you get The One Thing from me, and you probably could really easily, I would just get The One Thing back, somehow, and still, somehow, make it to Evil Mountain.
Lead Orc laughs: You are so confident in your abilities, Little One?
Wot: Absolutely not. But, you know, fated. That's kind of how fate works. I bring The One Thing to Evil Mountain and save us all, that's our side of the prophecy, by the way.
Lead Orc: But, what if I-
Wot: Fated.
Lead Orc: How about-
Wot: Fated.
Anonymous Orc: But, with enough-
Wot: Fated.
Lead Orc roars.
Wot: Must be really frustrating. But, I really would like to know something. Why do you want to stop me in the first place?
Scene 4
Past the forest and through deep mountain caverns.
Elven Ranger: I don't get it. All you did was explain that you were fated?
Wot: What were they going to do about it? Waste a lot of energy and, potentially, lives to stop something that was still going to happen anyway?
Elven Ranger: Surely, they must have thought that if they-
Wot: Fated.
Elven Ranger: Even so, why would they not try some form of cruelty upon you? Evil beings that they are.
Wot: Wait a second, evil beings? How, in your thinking, did each and every one get to be so evil?
Elven Ranger: They are inherently evil.
Wot: How does that work out? Seriously. I mean, they have an army and a language and division of labor, all of which means a society, which means cooperation. Do you think they all just band together because they like being nearest to their most likely murderers? How does that work out as the basis of a society?
Elven Ranger: But... they...
Wot: No, seriously, how, in your mind, do they get anything done with being so evil?
Elven Ranger: They... they... they... they find a way.
Wot: Everybody finds a way. That way is cooperation. It's never perfect, but it's also never evil for evil's sake. That would be stupid. You're just projecting your racism is all that's happening and, quite frankly, I'm getting tired of it.
Orc: Thank you!
Scene 5:
Around a large campfire.
Elven Ranger: So, what you're saying is that you'd be willing to trade your mushroom crops and wargen-weave cloth, I can't believe how warm this is by the way, in exchange for some of our vegetables and other goods as well.
Orc: Well, we don't *just* have this variety of mushroom. This just travels really well. But, I'd be willing to trade if I keep on getting this dressing for salads. And these things, to-may-tows, delicious.
Dwarven Soldier: What I'm talking about is a unified force, distinct from any specific army, that would be neutral in all conflicts, save for protecting the rights and lives of people.
Goblin Spy: You know, I like that in principle. But, I get the feeling that there would be a lot of resistance. Do you have some kind of plan for keeping the force in check?
Human Cleric: So, what you're talking about isn't so much a god, not as we see it.
Ogre Monk: If you see gods as having moral authority, no. We see them as forces that have to be understood, respected, used, but never fully trusted.
Wot: Okay, you know what, I'm still good, guys. I'll just walk this Thing up the mountain and be back ASAP. Somebody make sure Meegle gets to sleep alright. He seems a little over-stimulated.
Minotaur: I'm on it.
Scene 1
Scene: An ornate, alabaster gazebo amidst a lush and beautiful forest. Humans gathered near one pillar, the dwarves near another, the elves at a third, and the hobbits at the fourth. In the center, a floating woman clothed in light speaks a prophecy.
Prophetess: The time has come. The prophesied one is here in our presence. The prophesied one will bring The One Thing to Evil Mountain and save us all. The prophesied one is *prophetess pivots in the air and points* you.
Wot: Who, me?
Prophetess: Yes, you.
Wot: I'm prophesied to take The One Thing to Evil Mountain?
Prophetess: Yes, you are. I know that this is a daunting-
Wot: Okay, I guess I'd better get to it.
Prophetess: Excuse me? Don't you want to come to terms with the gravity of this responsibility?
Wot: No, I've got a handle on it. I'm fated to take The One Thing to the Evil Mountain and save us all... or maybe you all. But, it's simple enough. I just take this one thing and start walking.
Prophetess: You do know that prophecies are sometimes misleading. I did not say you would arrive at Evil Mountain alive.
Wot: You know, I hadn't thought of that... and that would be a downer. But, functionally speaking, though, everybody's still saved, right?
Prophetess: Yes.
Wot: And, it's not like an army would make that "get there dead" option any less an option. Fate's kind of like that. So, I figure, either way, I just grab this One Thing right here and be on my way.
Prophetess: I really do not think you are entering into this with the right spirit.
Wot: I disagree. I won't try to stop people from coming with. But, anybody else will be in more danger than I will, 'cause I'm fated.
Prophetess: But, the evil will soon know of your fate and will try to stop you.
Wot: But, I'm fated. So, I'll just be going, now.
Prophetess: You will be the target of evils from across the realm.
Wot gives a wave as he heads out: Fated!
Scene 2
Wot walks on a long path. A human, an elf, and a dwarf have each joined Wot. The forest is starting to get dark.
Wot: I realize that I could die. But, that's the thing about fate. If it's fated to happen one way, that's the way it's going to happen. Now, I'm choosing to believe that the only fate that applies to me getting The One Thing, so that we can still have some free will.
Elven Ranger: But, if there is prophecy, how can there be free will?
Wot: If there isn't free will, why do anything? It's all going to happen anyway. I know that this is a little self-contradictory, but we're talking about magic, here. The only thing we do know is that I am going to get The One Thing to Evil Mountain.
Dwarven Soldier: But, at least you'll allow us to take our part in the glory of this fate.
Wot: I don't see what's so glorious about fate. I mean, it's well meaning in a way. Fated means I've got some sort of situational protection in a way, but it also means I'm just going through some basic motions. Any fighting you do won't change the fate.
You want to do something glorious, you go do something that's *not* fated.
Human Cleric: But, surely, the greatest glory is to do that which is fated to glory the gods.
Wot: If the gods want glory, they can do stuff for themselves.
Elven Ranger draws and knocks back an arrow in one swift, fluid motion.: I sense danger.
Wot: What are you doing? Put that away.
Elven Ranger: There are orcs about. I can hear their breathing. They must seek an amb-
Wot: What part about fated don't you get. You all keep your hands off your weapons and I'll take care of this.
Dwarven Soldier: But-
Wot as he walks forward: Fated!
Scene 3
Deep within the darkness of the woods, Wot walks alone.
Orcs jump from the shadows. Lead Orc: You, hand over The One Thing and your death may be swift.
Wot: Uh, you found about the prophecy, right?
Lead Orc: Indeed I did, little one. And, I will not-
Wot: Then, you pretty much know this isn't going to work.
Lead Orc: This will work. You are the prophesied one, the fated one. If you are not alive-
Wot: Fated, that's the thing. It means that, even if you get The One Thing from me, and you probably could really easily, I would just get The One Thing back, somehow, and still, somehow, make it to Evil Mountain.
Lead Orc laughs: You are so confident in your abilities, Little One?
Wot: Absolutely not. But, you know, fated. That's kind of how fate works. I bring The One Thing to Evil Mountain and save us all, that's our side of the prophecy, by the way.
Lead Orc: But, what if I-
Wot: Fated.
Lead Orc: How about-
Wot: Fated.
Anonymous Orc: But, with enough-
Wot: Fated.
Lead Orc roars.
Wot: Must be really frustrating. But, I really would like to know something. Why do you want to stop me in the first place?
Scene 4
Past the forest and through deep mountain caverns.
Elven Ranger: I don't get it. All you did was explain that you were fated?
Wot: What were they going to do about it? Waste a lot of energy and, potentially, lives to stop something that was still going to happen anyway?
Elven Ranger: Surely, they must have thought that if they-
Wot: Fated.
Elven Ranger: Even so, why would they not try some form of cruelty upon you? Evil beings that they are.
Wot: Wait a second, evil beings? How, in your thinking, did each and every one get to be so evil?
Elven Ranger: They are inherently evil.
Wot: How does that work out? Seriously. I mean, they have an army and a language and division of labor, all of which means a society, which means cooperation. Do you think they all just band together because they like being nearest to their most likely murderers? How does that work out as the basis of a society?
Elven Ranger: But... they...
Wot: No, seriously, how, in your mind, do they get anything done with being so evil?
Elven Ranger: They... they... they... they find a way.
Wot: Everybody finds a way. That way is cooperation. It's never perfect, but it's also never evil for evil's sake. That would be stupid. You're just projecting your racism is all that's happening and, quite frankly, I'm getting tired of it.
Orc: Thank you!
Scene 5:
Around a large campfire.
Elven Ranger: So, what you're saying is that you'd be willing to trade your mushroom crops and wargen-weave cloth, I can't believe how warm this is by the way, in exchange for some of our vegetables and other goods as well.
Orc: Well, we don't *just* have this variety of mushroom. This just travels really well. But, I'd be willing to trade if I keep on getting this dressing for salads. And these things, to-may-tows, delicious.
Dwarven Soldier: What I'm talking about is a unified force, distinct from any specific army, that would be neutral in all conflicts, save for protecting the rights and lives of people.
Goblin Spy: You know, I like that in principle. But, I get the feeling that there would be a lot of resistance. Do you have some kind of plan for keeping the force in check?
Human Cleric: So, what you're talking about isn't so much a god, not as we see it.
Ogre Monk: If you see gods as having moral authority, no. We see them as forces that have to be understood, respected, used, but never fully trusted.
Wot: Okay, you know what, I'm still good, guys. I'll just walk this Thing up the mountain and be back ASAP. Somebody make sure Meegle gets to sleep alright. He seems a little over-stimulated.
Minotaur: I'm on it.
