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Fantasy Origins: A Journey to the Source of Imagination

When we grip a game controller or open a thick fantasy novel, elements like magic, dragons, and status screens exist as “matters of course.” However, these elements were not born from nothing.

The massive tree of modern fantasy stands upon a rich soil—centuries of historical accumulation known as “Origins.” In this category, we delve into these strata to explore where the “embers” of the imaginary worlds we love first ignited.

1. The Primal Stratum: Ancient Myths and Epics

The beginning of every story lies in the imagination of ancient people who attempted to interpret the fury of nature, birth, aging, sickness, and death as “Narratives.” *Norse Mythology : The World Tree Yggdrasil, Elves, Dwarves, and the final day, Ragnarok. The direct source of inspiration for The Lord of the Rings. Greek Mythology : The thunder of Zeus, the curse of Medusa, and the trials of Heracles. The definition of the “Monster” began here. Oriental Fantasy : Sun Wukong from Journey to the Westor the magical tools (Baopei) ofFengshen Yanyi. A system of “Extraordinary Abilities” through Qi and Immortality, distinct from the West.

2. The Traditional Stratum: Medieval Legends and Chivalry

An era where Christianity and folk traditions intertwined, and magic shifted from “Technique” to “Destiny.” *Arthurian Legend : The holy sword Excalibur, the Knights of the Round Table, and the wizard Merlin. The skeleton of orthodox fantasy was completed here. *Knights Templar : Historical reality became the spice of “Secret Societies” and “Conspiracy Theories,” giving depth and shadow to narratives. *Atlantis : The ultimate “Lost Civilization” that serves as the blueprint for high-tech precursors in fantasy settings.

3. The Bestiary Stratum: Evolution of the Monstrous

How the things that go bump in the night were classified and redefined for the modern age. *Monster Evolution : Tracking the transition from vague localized folk horrors to standardized global icons. *Goblins & Kobolds : The tragic (and practical) fall of earth spirits into the role of “Level 1 experience points.” *Unexpected Origins : The true, heavy cultural weight behind Zombies and Golems that was lost in translation to entertainment. *Femme Fatale : The dangerous beauty of Sirens, Succubi, and the archetype of “Destiny leading to Ruin.”

4. The Refinement Stratum: Modern Literature and Cosmic horror

An era where storytelling was elevated by individual authors into the intellectual pursuit of “World-Building.” *Tolkien’s Legacy : Races, languages, and history. He provided the blueprint for constructing fantasy as a “Reality.” *Cosmic Horror & Cthulhu : Incomprehensible high-dimensional terror. Rewriting magic from a “Miracle” to “Madness.” *Sword and Sorcery : The grit and brawn of Conan the Barbarian, focusing on individual survival and prehistoric magic.

5. The Revolutionary Stratum: Games and Quantification

An era where stories transformed into “Experiences,” and the world was described through the new magic of numbers. *Dungeons & Dragons (D&D) : The progenitor of all modern gaming, fixing imagination through “Rules” and “Dice.” Sanity System : The cruel yet brilliant invention of quantifying mental trauma and psychological attrition. Roots of CRPG : WizardryandUltima. The endless labyrinths drawn upon the canvas of the computer.

6. The Mystery Stratum: Voids in History

Real-world enigmas that provide the “Gaps” where fantasy finds its most fertile ground. *Historical Mysteries : Count St. Germain, the Voynich Manuscript, and the Iron Mask—real-world templates for immortals and forbidden knowledge.

What Lies Beyond the Origin?

Tracing these origins is not merely an accumulation of knowledge.

“Why is fire magic red?” “Why can’t a vampire enter a house without an invitation?” By understanding these reasons, the next time you encounter a story, that world will resonate more vividly, more deeply, in your heart.

Come, let us gather the fragments of legend sleeping at the bottom of the abyss.

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Artifacts (Paopei): Specialized Gadgets of Absolute Execution

In the concept of “Magic Items” that make up fantasy, the Artifacts (Paopei/Baobei) appearing in the East, especially in The Investiture of the GodsandJourney to the West, have unique properties distinct from Western legendary weapons. They are not just tools that “cut sharply” or “amplify magic.” They are the “Packaging of an Abnormal Ability” that forcibly overwrites a specific “Rule” (Logic) onto the real world, causing unavoidable phenomena. 1. Definition: “Externalized Superpowers” Crystallized through Cultivation An artifact is the “Divine Power” obtained by an immortal or Daoist through millennia of training (Cultivation) fixed into an object.

Nezha: The Immortal Boy-God Reborn from the Lotus

In Oriental Fantasy, especially in The Investiture of the GodsandJourney to the West, Nezha is a “Tragic Boy Hero” possessing combat abilities rivaling even Sun Wukong, yet burdened with an even harsher fate. His story begins with a fierce rebellion against the ethics of “Filial Piety” (absolute obedience to parents) and is completed through a shocking process: completely destroying himself and being reconstructed from an alien material—the “Lotus Flower.” 1. Rebellion and Severance: The “Aesthetics of Suicide” by Shredding Flesh and Crushing Bone The early part of Nezha’s story is colored by fresh violence and his terrifying way of taking responsibility.

Zhu Bajie & Sha Wujing: The Fallen Retainers of Sin and Salvation

In the Journey to the West party, Zhu Bajie and Sha Wujing represent “human imperfection” and the “fall from past glory,” in contrast to the peerless Sun Wukong. They are more than mere supporting characters. The narrative structure—where high-ranking officials once in charge of Heaven’s military and security become monsters due to a single mistake and travel to purify their “sin”—forms the source of character designs like the “disgraced knight seeking to regain honor” or the “atoning wizard” in modern RPGs.

Xuanzang: The Unyielding Will and the Sacred Seeker Who Pins the Story

In the Journey to the West party, Xuanzang (Tang Sanzang) has the lowest combat power and is the most easily hurt. Yet without him, Sun Wukong would be a mere violent ape and Zhu Bajie just a greedy monster. Xuanzang is the “Protection Target” in fantasy, but simultaneously serves as the binder that pins the “Will to Salvation” of all members. 1. Fate: Reincarnation of Golden Cicada and the Pressure of “Virtue” Xuanzang’s true identity is the reincarnation of Golden Cicada (Jinchanzi), the second disciple of the Buddha.

Sun Wukong: The 'Great Sage Equal to Heaven' and the Prototypic Rebel

The icon of Oriental Fantasy, Sun Wukong (Monkey King), is a prototype of the absolute pinnacle, condensing every essence of modern action fantasy, battle manga, and “Overpowered (OP)” protagonists. He is not a mere adventurer. He is the ultimate rebel who picked a fight with the massive organization of Heaven, surpassed the wisdom and military might of the gods, and finally proclaimed himself the “Great Sage Equal to Heaven” ( Qitian Dasheng ).

Oriental Fantasy: Epics of the Celestial Realm, Daoist Magic, and Bureaucracy

In the currents of fantasy, it is no exaggeration to say that Oriental Fantasy (especially that rooted in Chinese classics) operates on a completely different “OS” from Western fantasy. While the West emphasizes individual “Chivalry” and “Theory of Magic,” Eastern tales present a unique worldview where an overwhelming sense of scale—“Celesti

The Dawn of CRPG: Establishing the 'Other Labyrinth' inside the Screen

In the mid-1970s, at the terminals of giant computers (mainframes) in American universities, young students began an experiment. It was a trial to have the computing power of a machine—rather than a human—automatically execute the complex tabletop game Dungeons & Dragons (D&D) that was popular at the time. This was the birth of the Computer RPG (CRPG) we know today. 1. Primordial Code: The PLATO System and the Birth of the “Labyrinth” The true roots of CRPG lie in early programs like pedit5anddnd born on the “PLATO” educational network system.

Dungeons & Dragons (D&D): The 'First Grammar' That Defined Adventure

If we trace the origins of every RPG we play today—Dragon Quest, Final Fantasy, or Elden Ring—we will invariably arrive at a small box born in America in 1974: ‘Dungeons & Dragons’ (D&D) . This was more than just a game release; it was a singularity in entertainment history where humanity obtained a “Common Language (Protocol) for Sharing Stories.” 1. Departure from Wargames: From Legion to “Single Hero” Before D&D, simulation games meant “Wargames” where one moved hundreds of soldiers.

Conan the Barbarian: The Primordial Landscape of 'Sword and Sorcery'

In the lineage of modern fantasy, if Tolkien’s The Lord of the Rings is the peak of “High Fantasy” based on ethics and history, Robert E. Howard’s ‘Conan the Barbarian’ is the absolute source of “Sword and Sorcery (Heroic Fantasy)” where blood, violence, and raw vitality rule. Conan was born as a fierce antithesis to “Civilization” that had lost its vitality and become corrupt through over-refinement. 1. Philosophy of Barbarism: Cutting Through the “Fat” of Civilization The core of Conan’s stories is Howard’s vivid historical view that “Barbarism is the natural state of mankind, and civilization is but a temporary disease.

Lord Dunsany: The Dream-Noble Who Created Myth with Words of Gems

In the history of modern fantasy, the appearance of Lord Dunsany was a tectonic event. Previous fantasy literature spun tales by borrowing “existing traditions” such as Greek mythology or Arthurian legend. Dunsany was different. He constructed entirely new gods and mythologies that existed nowhere in history, using only his imagination. Without this invention of “self-made myth (mythos),” Tolkien’s Middle-earth and Lovecraft’s Cthulhu Mythos would not exist in their current forms.