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Author Topic: What are fantasy representations of adventuring artists?  (Read 3120 times)

cloa513

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What are fantasy representations of adventuring artists?
« on: June 26, 2020, 09:53:54 PM »
Adventuring artists such as the Pied Piper of Hamelin  and Orpheus, preferably ones with marvelous magical artist feats that affected the world not limited to courts or towns- What are some other ones and  are they generally focused on being artists?

Omega

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What are fantasy representations of adventuring artists?
« Reply #1 on: June 27, 2020, 08:30:20 AM »
Bards and equivalents?

Thamyris from Greek myth who challenges the Muses and sorely regrets it. Linus is another.
Bremen town Musicians.
The bug circus from A Bugs Life.
Alan a Dale from Robinhood, depending on the depiction.
Various "Singing Cowboys" such as Gene Autry in Phantom Empire. and Eulalio González in Ship of Monsters AKA: La Nave de los Monstruos.
For a Lovecraftian version there is the Silver John series of stories by Manly Wade Wellman. (yes that is the writers real name)

Many many more. They pop up fairly regularly in legends and entertainment old or new.

cloa513

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What are fantasy representations of adventuring artists?
« Reply #2 on: June 27, 2020, 08:05:36 PM »
Silver John looks like an interesting inspiration. What is the best nonrpg vaguely medieval fantasy bard. We are lacking painters and sculptors and other than Alan A Dale many that favour groups.

GeekyBugle

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What are fantasy representations of adventuring artists?
« Reply #3 on: June 28, 2020, 11:42:26 PM »
Quote from: Omega;1136658
Bards and equivalents?

Thamyris from Greek myth who challenges the Muses and sorely regrets it. Linus is another.
Bremen town Musicians.
The bug circus from A Bugs Life.
Alan a Dale from Robinhood, depending on the depiction.
Various "Singing Cowboys" such as Gene Autry in Phantom Empire. and Eulalio González in Ship of Monsters AKA: La Nave de los Monstruos.
For a Lovecraftian version there is the Silver John series of stories by Manly Wade Wellman. (yes that is the writers real name)

Many many more. They pop up fairly regularly in legends and entertainment old or new.

+1 to WIS for a Piporro reference.
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Omega

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What are fantasy representations of adventuring artists?
« Reply #4 on: June 29, 2020, 01:26:29 PM »
Quote from: cloa513;1136736
Silver John looks like an interesting inspiration. What is the best nonrpg vaguely medieval fantasy bard. We are lacking painters and sculptors and other than Alan A Dale many that favour groups.

Non-medieval, but still old is the sculptor Pygmalion. The inventor Daedalus. And if he did that cooking himself... Tantalus. From the Ugartic there is Kothar-wa-Khasis, similar to Vulcan. A female counterpart is Brigid from the Irish.

The tailor from the Brave little Tailor. And one or two from Russian myth. In fact if you delve into Russian mythology you'll find all manner of artists and craftsmen doing amazing things. Same with Irish and other celtic related tales.

Lurkndog

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What are fantasy representations of adventuring artists?
« Reply #5 on: July 03, 2020, 08:57:34 PM »
Tolkien had his share of master craftsmen, though I think most of them are actually in the Silmarillion rather than LOTR.

Most of the objects of power in LOTR are relics from the previous age.

Edit: There's also a bard in the Netflix version of The Witcher.
« Last Edit: July 04, 2020, 11:13:47 AM by Lurkndog »

Omega

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What are fantasy representations of adventuring artists?
« Reply #6 on: July 04, 2020, 04:39:07 PM »
Theres a few in fantasy novels too. Master craftsmen who make some incredible item. But are rarely adventurers.

Lurkndog

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What are fantasy representations of adventuring artists?
« Reply #7 on: July 04, 2020, 10:30:37 PM »
Do westerns count? There is a recurring minor character in Louis L'Amour's Sackett books, kind of a travelling blacksmith called The Tinker. He goes from town to town in a wagon with a small forge in the back, doing odd repairs, and he makes the best knives in the West. Most of the Sacketts have a Tinker-made knife in their belts.

I can't remember if the Tinker actually gets involved in any of the cowboy action, or even shows up in person. I've only read some of the Sackett books, and a lot of those I read 20 or more years ago.
« Last Edit: July 04, 2020, 10:34:29 PM by Lurkndog »

Omega

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What are fantasy representations of adventuring artists?
« Reply #8 on: July 05, 2020, 05:39:54 PM »
Quote from: Lurkndog;1137972
Do westerns count?

I noted two singing cowboys up above.

Omega

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What are fantasy representations of adventuring artists?
« Reply #9 on: July 05, 2020, 05:55:51 PM »
There is also the cobbler in the Cobbler and the Thief.
A couple of cartoons out now about magical artists.
At least two about magical authors.
Hop-Frog and a few others are about Jesters
Lets not forget that Robin from Batman was originally a circus acrobat.
In the short lived Justice comic one of the early hosts was a dancer. Also theres a mecha show about a ballet dancer who suffers a debilitating accident but later discovers she can handle a variable motorcycle really well due to her training and skill. Theres been a few others.
One of the metas in the Heroes series was a painter.
Nightman was a musician when not a superhero.

cloa513

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What are fantasy representations of adventuring artists?
« Reply #10 on: July 06, 2020, 07:20:55 PM »
There is a difference between an adventuring artist and an artist who adventures. The former might tell a lot about enemies and friends from paintings or sculptures, might alter reality by painting an alternative or just like the swords and scandals movies  where Zeus would stand up a figurine of Heracles to relieve him of extreme tiredness and injury. The latter just goes places selling his trade but nevet uses his abilities outside.

Omega

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What are fantasy representations of adventuring artists?
« Reply #11 on: July 07, 2020, 11:09:07 PM »
Theres also a few villainous examples.

The deadly musicians from Kung Fu Hustle who use their music to kill people.
The faceless man from an episode of Sapphire & Steel who could both place people into photographs and bring people in photographs to life.
At least two anime series about people who can bring origami to life.
An old Tales of Horror type movie about a painter who gains the power to cause harm to anyone he paints.