Author Topic: Don Quioxte, Man of La Mancha, and D&D  (Read 2047 times)

Offline Endarire

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Don Quioxte, Man of La Mancha, and D&D
« on: December 08, 2018, 02:31:14 AM »
Greetings, all!

Having been reminded of Man of La Mancha, one of my favorite musicals, I realized that this is the sort of story that likely inspired D&D's earliest days.  Just listen to the aforelinked lyrics (or read them here) and consider this Don Quixote plot summary and this previous-in-the-movie exposition.

Nevermind that Don is (or at least seems to be, depending on version and interpretation) a delusional knight in an age past chivalry:  He seems very much like a D&D 3.5 Paladin with the Harmonious Knight alternative class feature for singing.

What are your thoughts?

Offline Skyrock

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Re: Don Quioxte, Man of La Mancha, and D&D
« Reply #1 on: December 08, 2018, 04:01:17 PM »
If you go by the original novel by Cervantes, Don Quixote would be a very anti-D&D tale - it was a satire on popular knight novels, and on people using them for escapism and romanticizing about an age of chivalry and heroic deeds that never was.

The literary Don Quixote was an elderly man whose brain has dried out for spending too much time reading books and too little time sleeping, and he is a pretty picaresque character misapplying remembered bits and pieces and trivia from his studies. I would therefore make him a Factotum - Int-based, strong on using skills and odd bits, and all over the place without ever mastering a field.

Offline Endarire

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Re: Don Quioxte, Man of La Mancha, and D&D
« Reply #2 on: December 13, 2018, 12:49:03 AM »
Thankee!  That was a pleasantly unexpected take on Quioxte.

Offline awaken_D_M_golem

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Re: Don Quioxte, Man of La Mancha, and D&D
« Reply #3 on: December 13, 2018, 05:58:05 PM »
Quioxte is quixotic  :D  ;)


Given its position in the western corpus, it's
surprising someone hasn't tried a d&d version.

The various attempts at making a movie of it,
have run into so many problems, that that  part
is now part of the history too.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lost_in_La_Mancha
and
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Man_Who_Killed_Don_Quixote
are by the same guy trying to make 1 version.
vague connection to one of the guys involved in the first

So yeah, Down Time ftw.
Your codpiece is a mimic.

Offline Skyrock

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Re: Don Quioxte, Man of La Mancha, and D&D
« Reply #4 on: December 13, 2018, 06:11:06 PM »
And while we are straying off-topic, let's remember that late Sir Christopher Lee has also recorded a glorious symphonic metal version of the Man of La Mancha in his final years: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YUPUuFbYXLM

Offline awaken_D_M_golem

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Re: Don Quioxte, Man of La Mancha, and D&D
« Reply #5 on: December 15, 2018, 03:36:03 PM »

... I realized that this is the sort of story that likely inspired D&D's earliest days ...

Quest / Geas but epic level.

Sticks To Snakes with heighten, to get all the way up for Windmills To Giants. 
Or maybe it's Phantasmal Force.

Sancho Panza is a double agent, carefully steering Quixote away from the town Adepts, but to preserve his life (it's a Marvel continuity thing).

Your codpiece is a mimic.