The Place of Giant Animals in Fantasy

While originally a strong trope of the fantasy genre, (and often science fiction too), the giant animal seems to have been misplaced by the modern fantasy community. So why is this; are they boring, over-used, or simply the abandonment of a society that has moved on? I should note for the gentle reader, that I recognize the trope is still in use by a number of writers and RPGers, myself included, but it goes without saying, that the beasts have become eschewed for strange amalgams of colour, and parts. Made-up species, one and all.

So why is the giant animal an under-utilized asset of the genre? All too often those parties concerned call them unimaginative. After all, what the hell is up with all these giant rats, bats, and gekkos milling about the old cave/labyrinth/dungeon from Crete? Fear, friends. Take if you will the wolf spider, a charging land predator, and not such an arachnid as would use a web. When I was little we would make play of chasing the things, amazed at their speed for something so small. Now imagine, the same creature about the size of a man, or possibly a large dog. And further imagine the scaled anatomy of this thing: its alien visage, the mandibles, expressionless, body-language-lacking thing, with its set of multifaceted eyes. It wouldn't be any such matter of escaping such a beast, no, but a matter of how long before it overcomes you, and takes you. Some fear even the smallest, most harmless of arachnids, never mind gargants.

Furthermore to the topic of fear; we can see that most traditional giant animals are those most commonly feared. The previously mentioned spiders, reptiles of many sorts, rats, and any myriad of invertebrates all stood tallest. And maybe it was the lack of appreciation for how truly terrifying and dangerous these things become when they shadow men, and can be looked at closely without a microscope.

One of my favourite pictures ever of giant animals, was a giant-sized, otherwise ordinary, monitor lizard casually snatching up an army of medieval-era soldiers. That's scary; the things that prey on us. Not being at the top of our presumed food-chain is a concept modern man is quick to deny.

Can it be said the very trope is unimaginative? Possibly, but let's not forget the giant beasts that once roamed the earth in the vast stretch of time known as 'pre-history'. The many species of dinosaur and reptile from millions or years passed, aren't called 'thunder lizards' for nothing. Hell, even a good number of the insects then were ludicrously massive by modern standards. Imagine dragonflies large enough to give the impression a helicopter was flying nearby. And this is all before we get to the more recent stuff. Such as the dire wolf, Megaloceros, Megalodon, titanoboa, giant squid, and etc. Is it so truly an artistic crime if Mother Nature herself dabbled in megafauna? Thankfully there hasn't been a quite proper match to the nefarious ROUS (Rodent Of Unusual Size) yet, unless one counts the giant beaver. (snerk)

Am I yammering to the wind, or has it seemed to the reading audience that there is indeed water in my moat? While it is a generalization made on my part, I find the common trend in current Fantasy, to be a bit too much 'fantastic', in all facets of its makeup to remain receptive for the simplistic, traditional concepts of the fairy tale.

Also, I'll dedicate this last bit to wish the fine folke a productive and pleasant new year, and to many more.

Hitting Dirtside, prairie style.

Just finished moving to Calgary, Alberta and it's an exciting place. Still lots to do, like find new employment.

I spent most of the day walking around and beyond Panamount Heights to peruse the several malls and shopping district nearby, including a stroll through several blocks of neighborhood. Everything my modern material life needs is in walking distance. Very strange, really, considering the vast majority of my existence has been out in the forested boonies and misty mountains of BC, and a short stint in this little city called Nelson when I was eight years-old or so. There's such a melting pot of peoples here, it's astounding. Almost like a low-budget Blade Runner scene or something.

Also, there's some fricken snow already. I love snow.

Now if only I could figure out where to look for a hobby shop or suchmuch.

Veil of Shadows

Seems I'm returning to the seat of Referee shortly, and this time it is with a copy of Star Wars D20 system (not the one using 4th Ed's system). It plays a lot like 3rd / 3.5 Ed. with Force powers.

Crewed by a motley group of part-time smugglers and mercenaries, the Solar Serpent should be leaving dry-dock next weekend. Attendant, her Captain, Mal, the pilot Jaquet, an estranged Wookie scoundrel, rogue Jedi knight, one astromech, and a forward scouting / fray protocol droid, secondhand.

The play environment is set somewhere after Knights of the Old Republic, with the perspective (for future events and looks) coming from as if only the original Star Wars movie trilogy was made, along with any clues or suggestions to the Jedi presented there.

What terrors lurk beyond the veil of shadows, in the Old Republic?

MY APPENDIX N

 If such a thing were to exist for me, I'd believe those stated items below would consist of it. On the topic of the original, despite an interest in multiple authors, I have seen just about none of the specific works mentioned there, which is unfortunate, given my interest in what influences guide the hands of designers, but that is so.


FICTION: SCI-FI & FANTASY
Anderson, Poul - The Earth Book of Stormgate, The Broken Sword
Anthony, Piers - A Spell for Chameleon
Asimov, Isaac - Foundation, Robot Series
Bradbury, Ray - Fahrenheit 451, Here There Be Tygers, The Martian Chronicles, The Veldt
Burroughs, Edgar Rice - The Mars Trilogy, Tarzan
Crichton, Michael - Eaters of the Dead, Jurassic Park, The Lost World
Cussler, Clive - Dragon, Sahara
Eddison, E.R. - The Worm Ouroborous
Harrison, Harry - Planet of No Return, Stainless Steel Rat
Heinlein, Robert A. - Job: A Comedy of Justice, Orphans of the Sky, Stranger in a Strange Land
Herbert, Brian & Anderson, Kevin J. - The Butlerian Jihad
Herbert, Frank - Dune, Man of Two Worlds, The Dosadi Experiment, The Dragon in the Sea, The Jesus Incident, The Santaroga Barrier
Howard, Robert E. - Conan
King, Stephen - The Stand
Lewis, C.S. - From Out of the Silent Planet, The Voyage of the Dawn Treader
Longyear, Barry B. - Manifest Destiny
Lovecraft, Howard Philips - Shadow over Innsmouth, The Mountains of Madness,  The Nameless City
McCaffrey, Anne - Dinosaur Planet
Moorcock, Michael - Gloriana
Nivel, Larry - Ringworld
Norton, Andre - Postmarked the Stars
Stoker, Bram - Dracula
Strugatsky, Arkady & Boris - Roadside Picnic
Tolkien, J.R.R - The Hobbit, The Lord of the Rings
Wells, H.G. - The War of the Worlds

TABLETOP GAMES
Arneson, David - First Fantasy Campaign
Barker, M.A.R. - Empire of the Petal Throne
TSR - Alpha Dawn Basic & Expanded
Ward, James M. - Metamorphosis Alpha
Ward, James M. & Jaquet, Gary - Gamma World

VIDEO GAMES
Bioware - Knights of the Old Republic, Mass Effect
Black Isle - Fallout
Interplay - Wasteland
Irvin, Peter & Smith, Jeremy - Exile
Looking Glass Studios - System Shock 1 & 2, Thief 1 & 2
Stone Soup Team - Dungeon Crawl Stone Soup

VISUAL MEDIA
Anderson, Michael - Logan's Run
Bakshi, Ralph - The Lord of the Rings, Wizards
Blomkamp, Neill - District Nine
Cameron, James - Aliens
Carpenter, John - The Thing
Jacobs, Arthur P. - Planet of the Apes Series
Jones, L.Q. - A Boy and His Dog
Miller, George - The Road Warrior
Miyazaki, Gorō - Tales from Earthsea
Miyazaki, Hayao - Howl's Moving Castle, Laputa: Castle in the Sky, Princess Mononoke, Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind
Scott, Ridley - Alien, Bladerunner, Prometheus, The Duelists
Twohy, David - Pitch Black
Ward, Pendleton - Adventure Time

I believe a few people have compiled their own 'N's over the years. If any of this humble readership has, please send me a link to them. There's most certainly more interesting reads and bits of inspiration out there.