Inspirational Material
Novels
Dune by Frank Herbert. An excellent source of inspiration for the Rhakadians. The Otarans are, of course, the Fremen and there’s quite a bit of Paul Atredies in Baron Urik.
The Fantastic Planet by Steven Caldwell. A story of a group of advanced astronauts marooned on a primitive world of swords and wizardry.
Farlander by Col Buchanan. A story about a technologically superior empire dominating its neighbors, excellent inspiration for what Norukar and Vrildar must look like as well as how an organization like the Katari assassins might operate.
The Green Star novels by Lin Carter. Lots of far out sword-and-planet adventure on a weird alien world. When the Green Star Calls in particular has a great portrayal of a thaumaturge. A lot of the Cydorian wildlife, especially the Tonbo and the Ku-bawa-Mavu, were inspired by these books.
Under the Green Star
When the Green Star Calls
By the Light of the Green Star
As the Green Star Rises
In the Green Star’s Glow
The Gondwane novels by Lin Carter. Sword-and-sorcery set in the far far future, mixing ancient technology and weird magics.
The Warrior of World’s End
The Enchantress of World’s End
The Immortal of World’s End
The Barbarian of World’s End
The Pirate of World’s End
The Homecoming Saga by Orson Scott Card. The story is about a religious movement on a lost colony world in the dim future. Highlights the cyclic nature of civilizations and features a mixture of high and low technology. The Oversoul was a big inspiration for the Ouhd.
The Memory of Earth
The Call of Earth
The Ships of Earth
Earthfall
Earthborn
The Horns of Ruin by Tim Akers. A good example of a sword-and-sorcery setting adapting to a sudden influx of technology.
Interstellar Empires by John Brunner. Several stories of future interstellar societies reduced to feudal barbarism.
The Krishna series by L. Sprague de Camp. These novels are about a developing alien world with artificial restrictions placed upon the technology that can be taken there. Lots of sword-and-planet adventure alongside alien smugglers and con-artists and local imperial politics.
The Queen of Zamba
The Hand of Zei
The Hostage of Zir
The Prisoner of Zhamanak
The Virgin of Zesh
The Bones of Zora
The Tower of Zanid
The Swords of Zinjaban
The Mars books by E. R. Burroughs. Of course the grand-daddy of all sword-and-planet stories was a big inspiration for this game. Swords, radium pistols, exotic life-forms, alien landscapes, air-ships, it has it all.
A Princess of Mars
The Gods of Mars
The Warlord of Mars
Thuvia, Maid of Mars
The Chessmen of Mars
The Master Mind of Mars
A Fighting Man of Mars
Swords of Mars
Synthetic Men of Mars
Llana of Gathol
John Carter of Mars
Retribution Falls and the Black Lung Captain by Chris Woodring. If you want to run a campaign on an aero-ship, you MUST READ THESE BOOKS!
The Rhada novels by Robert Cham Gilman. A story of the rise and fall of empires set in the dim far future where technology is seen as magic and scientists are burned as warlocks. These books are a great example of the cyclic nature of civilizations and good imagery for a far future New York. These books are a must-read for anyone wanting to play a thaumaturge.
The Warlock of Rhada
The Rebel of Rhada
Navigator of Rhada
The Starkahn of Rhada
Star Barbarian and Lord of Blood by Dave Van Arnam. An example of a far future society reduced to primitive barbarism, and how it reacts to the re-introduction of advanced technology.
And Strange at Ecbatan the Trees aka Beneath the Shattered Moons by Michael Bishop. A good book to read if you want to play a techno-mystic.
Tarnsman of Gor by John Normal. There are 31 books in the Gor series and I would not recommend reading them all. That beign said, the first Gor novel is a fun sword-and-planet adventure.
Terminal World by Alistair Reynolds. A very far future look at a terraformed Mars, with different levels of technology existing in close proximity. The Swarm represent a great example of life on an aero-ship and the Spire is a great example of the ancient cities and artifacts of the Sdara Vatra.
The Thongor of Lemuria novels by Lin Carter. There’s a lot of Lin Carter in this list. These books are pastiches of Howard’s Conan set against a world of jungles, dinosaurs, serpent-men, and air-ships.
The Wizard of Lemuria
Thongor of Lemuria
Thongor Against the Gods
Thongor in the City of Magicians
Thongor at the End of Time
Thongor Fights the Pirates of Tarakus
Comics and Graphic Novels
Arion, Lord of Atlantis by DC comics. This comic series features sword-and-sorcery mixed with lasers and dinosaurs. This series was the spark that started the concept of techno-fantasy for me.
Buck Rogers comic strip by Philip Francis Nowlan and Dick Calkins. Much better than the TV series, the original comic strip was the story of America in the far future, reduced to savagery and subjugated by the invading Mongols, our technological superiors. These stories are perfect fodder for stories of the Demetrian resistance.
Exterminator 17 by Jean-Pierre Dionnet and Kur Bilal. Another graphic novel that helped inspire the look and feel of the setting.
Flash Gordon comic strip by Alex Raymond. Flash Gordon comics are the standard by which sword-and-laser settings are judged.
Moving Fortress by Chuck Dixon, Ricardo Barreiro, and Erique Alcatena. This graphic novel inspired a lot of the visual imagery for this game.
Storm: The Deep World by Don Lawrence and Saul Dunn. This is a story about an astronaut thrown a million years into the future. The Earth is a completely changed place with swords and armor, strange creatures, and ancient technological artifacts. I drew a lot of inspiration from these graphic novels.
Storm: the Last Fighter by Don Lawrence and Martin Lodewijk. The continuation of the graphic novel above. There are others in the series, but they are rare now and hard to find.
Films
Dune, 1984 David Lynch version. A great source for visual inspiration, especially the costumes.
Flash Gordon. I drew a lot of inspiration for the Cydorian political situation from the machinations of Ming the Merciless and the noble families of Mongo. Baron Urik is, of course, Prince Barin of Arborea.
The Magnificent Seven. Another inspiration during my first stories in this setting.
Planet of the Apes. The story of an astronaut transported thousands of years into the future. The Earth is a completely changed place ruled by genetically engineered intelligent apes and ancient technological artifacts and subterranean mutants that worship an atom bomb. Of course this film was very influential on my setting. The xoog are heavily influenced by the apes.
Serenity. The prototype for any aero-ship story. Also a good example of juxtaposing technologies and design styles.
Star Wars films and TV series. These films are, of course, hugely inspirational for how to run a story about the Demetrian Resistance.
Silverado. My first stories in this setting were variations on the stories in Silverado, but with swords and monsters.
Classic Film Serials
Flash Gordon, for all the same reasons as the comic and the movie.
Undersea Kingdom. This serial has a lost civilization, sword-fighting, robots, and death rays. Not to mention a plucky female reporter and an annoying boy sidekick.
Anime and Animation
Avatar, the Last Airbender is a great example of a technologically superior nation invading and conquering its inferior neighbors and is a good source of inspiration for anyone wishing to tell a story about the Demetrian resistance.
Genesis Survivor Gaiarth is an older anime, rare now, but was set in a post-apocalyptic wasteland with robots and lasers and swords. Another good source of inspiration for cyberdroids.
Last Exile was a great source of inspiration for the airships. The Zhuvians are mostly based on the Guild.
Murder Princess. I watched this after creating the game and was shocked at the similar themes of ancient technological artifacts affecting a far future fantasy setting.
Nausicaa of the Valley of the Wind is, of course, the inspiration for the poison jungles and the giant insects therein. It’s also a good example of mixed levels of technology and a good source of inspiration for aero-ship combat.
Origin: Spirits of the Past is a movie set in a future Earth after a global catastrophe. It is another good example of a technologically superior nation picking on an inferior neighbor.
Samurai 7 is an anime about guys with swords fighting giant robots. It was a huge influence on the setting design and especially on the Ta’oudh.The character of Kikuchiyo is a good template for anyone wanting to play a cyberdroid.
Thundarr the Barbarian, after Arion: Lord of Atlantis, was the second biggest inspiration for this setting.
The Vision of Escaflowne is a fantasy setting with giant robots, airships, and floating islands. It was a big influence on the theme of technology vs fantasy. Hitomi Kanzaki is also a rare female example of the “Fish out of Water” character.
Television
Battlestar Galactica (original). Many of my early stories in this setting stole liberally from episodes of this show.
Buck Rogers in the 25th Century. I drew a lot of inspiration for the Phanosians from the Earth Directorate. Required viewing for anyone wishing to play a Phanosian agent.
Firefly, for all the same reasons as Serenity.
Knights of Cydonia video by Muse. This music video of a kung fu cowboy in a desolate sci-fi western town was a major influence on this setting. Robots, space damsels, valkyries, mariachis, this video has it all!
Other similarly-themed games
Buck Rogers XXV by Mike Pondsmith, TSR
Chronicles of a Future Earth by Sarah Newton (another BRP far-future sourcebook, but a very different approach)
The Cruel Empire of Tsan Chan by Christian Read (another BRP far-future sourcebook, again, a very different approach)
Encounter Critical by S. John Ross
The Empire of the Petal Throne by M. A. R. Barker
Gamma World by TSR et al.
HIGH ADVENTURE CLIFFHANGERS by TSR
Rifts by Palladium
The Secret of Zir’An by Chris Hockabout, Paragon Games
Skyrealms of Jorune by Andrew Leker
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