Fantasy tropes

rituals or actions employed to manipulate natural or supernatural beings and forces

thumb|Achilles during the [[Trojan War, as depicted in an ancient Greek polychromatic pottery painting (dating to ).]] thumb|upright|Joan of Arc is considered a medieval Christian heroine of France for her role in the [[Hundred Years' War, and was canonized as a Roman Catholic saint]] thumb|upright|William Tell, a popular [[folk hero of Switzerland.]] thumb|upright|Giuseppe Garibaldi, celebrated as one of the greatest generals of modern times, is considered an Italian national hero for his role in the [[Italian unification, and is known as the "Hero of the Two Worlds" because of his military e

thumb|right|The Ganzfeld experiments that aimed to demonstrate telepathy have been criticized for lack of replication and poor controls.

An orc (sometimes spelt ork; ), is a fictional race of humanoid monsters often found in works of modern fantasy. Originally called "Goblins," the concept of modern orcs can be found in George MacDonald's The Princess and the Goblin, and later adapted into J. R. R. Tolkien's Middle-earth fantasy fiction, where the first uses of the word can be found.

legendary carpet used for transportation

thumb|Count Dracula is an example of a villain in classic literature and film. thumb|Theme from Mysterioso Pizzicato, a [[cliché silent movie cue for villainy ]]

thumb|19th century book of incantations, written by a Welsh physician

In the Old Norse written corpus, berserkers () were Scandinavian warriors who were said to have fought in a trance-like fury, a characteristic which later gave rise to the modern English adjective berserk . Berserkers are attested to in numerous Old Norse sources.

supernatural animal, generally a hybrid, sometimes part human, whose existence cannot be proven, described in legends, myths, fables, folklore

thumb|The Dwarf (folklore)|dwarves of [[Germanic mythology are an example of humanoid beings.]] A humanoid (; from English human and -oid "resembling") is a non-human entity with human form or characteristics. By the 20th century, the term came to describe fossils which were morphologically similar, but not identical, to those of the human skeleton.

dichotomy in religion, ethics, and philosophy

thumb|A bottle of colored liquid labelled as a love potion thumb|A collection of vials labelled as potions

Polynesian spiritual practice

thumb|350px|right|Hervor dying after the Hlǫðskviða by [[Peter Nicolai Arbo]]

describes a topic, subject or symbol in a story

thumb|300px|Le Moustier [[Neanderthals (Charles R. Knight, 1920)]] The caveman is a stock character representative of primitive humans in the Paleolithic. The popularization of the type dates to the early 20th century, when Neanderthals were influentially described as "simian" or "ape-like" by Marcellin Boule and Arthur Keith.

thumb|alt=Illustration of Wikipe-tan as a catgirl. She is a young girl with blue hair, cat ears and a tail, wearing a maid dress, and is laying down on all fours with one hand forward posing as a cat.|A shōjo| illustration of Wikipe-tan as a catgirl maid, with cat ears and a tail.

thumb|Zeus turning Lycaon into a wolf, engraving by Hendrik Goltzius|upright=1.2 In mythology, folklore and speculative fiction, shapeshifting is the ability to physically transform oneself through unnatural means. The idea of shapeshifting is found in the oldest forms of totemism and shamanism, as well as the oldest existent literature and epic poems such as the Epic of Gilgamesh and the Iliad. The concept remains a common literary device in modern fantasy, children's literature and popular culture. Examples of shape-shifters include changelings, jinns, kitsune, vampires, and werewolves, alon

phenomenon where a friendship or other interpersonal relationship takes place in imagination

stock character

A quest is a journey toward a specific mission or a goal. It serves as a plot device in mythology and fiction: a difficult journey towards a goal, often symbolic or allegorical. Tales of quests figure prominently in the folklore of every nation and ethnic culture.

Wiccan and Neopagan deity

literary topos

magicians appearing in fantasy fiction

a world in a fantasy setting

type of art that explores fantasy and imagination

fictional ring with magical properties

slimy or ooze-like organisms in fiction

fictional theme and a device under some scientific inquiry. In folklore, mythology and fairy tales, a cloak of invisibility appears either as a magical item used by duplicitous characters or an item worn by a hero to fulfill a quest

storytelling device

a motif in folklore and mythology

ability

overview of stories involving turning people into stone

tropes in fantasy fiction literature

alt=A sketch of a man in a hat and collared shirt looking down at his visibly pregnant stomach|thumb|Mpreg fan art of Dad Egbert from [[Homestuck]] Mpreg, short for male pregnancy, is a trope in fiction in which male characters become pregnant. Commonly found in fanfiction, particularly in slash fiction, mpreg explores themes of gender, identity, and societal norms. It has also appeared in mainstream media, where it is variously used for comedic, dramatic, or fantastical purposes.

plot device

name of a thing or being that expresses its true nature

narrative in a fictional frame of travel account

sword with magical powers

speculative fiction plot device

characteristic of numerous animals, at least one genetic disorder in humans, as well as a popular cliché in popular culture, particularly in the fantasy genre

stock character often associated with romantic comedy anime and manga series

type of monster in mythology and fantasy