I gotta say Narnia out of those listed...but I voted other. I have to sound like an egomaniac on this one, but my favorite fantasy land is my own campaign setting. I don't even read fantasy literature anymore as I devote all my fantasy-time either running, playing, or developing in it.
Ubergeeky and conceited answer, I know. But it is what it is. LOL.
From the choices, it would seem that the context of 'fantasy land' here is the type from children classics, with the exception of Fantasia (which might have come from a book before it got to The Neverending Story). Well, I like Discworld. And Xanth.
First of all, the other worlds require very specific ways of entry from Earth. Oz just requires you to have your house sucked into a life-destroying tornado while living in a black and white setting (IE, the Midwest).
What other fantasy world allows you to kill the first person you see without any retribution? Also, what other fantasy world has weird, short inhabitants that break into song and dance (aside from Willy Wonka's slave factory). And having said that, what other fantasy world's inhabitants are so easy to accept and rationalize your heartless murder of one of their own? "Ah, she was evil. That's okay. Hey, nice shoes."
Ah, Oz. Land of neurotic talking scarecrows, emo tin men, vaguely overbearing furries, lying wizards and manipulative women talking you into throwing "water" (read acid) onto a poor, helpless woman. And, you know, all they had to do was just tell you from the start, "You can prevent all of these emotional hardships on yourself and your strangely energetic dog if you just do a little two step."
I'd say one of the best roleplaying settings I've ever played in, fantasy-wise, was probably Dark Sun's Athas. But I've got a severe penchant for the apocalypse.
Cyberpunk 2020's world is neat; unfortunately when I first played CP2020, my opinion was colored by all of the other cyberpunk stuff I was into at the time (Shadowrun, the MUD Iconoclast, William Gibson, Phillip K. Dick, et cetera). So, of course I responded as, "CYBERPUNK?!?! ROXXORZ!!" Sad thing about that experience, though, is that the GM bought his Cyberpunk books from a local gaming shop for 75% off the cover price. It was shelved next to the Star Trek RPG, Ars Magica and Earthdawn, if that paints a picture for you. Helped me acquire my huge, complex Earthdawn collection. I say complex because anything dealing with Earthdawn is automatically complex. For example: Player says, "I butter my toast." GM: "First, roll 4d4 to see if you successfully retrieve it from the toaster. The toaster MIGHT be possessed by the Horrors, so you're going to have to show your friends that you're not evil by weaving a basket out of these palm fronds. Next, since you're a wizard, you don't have edged weapon circles, so you're going to have to use your staff." Player: "If I butter my bread with my staff, it will just crush the bread!" GM: "Well, use magic. Since you're actually a necromancer, your toast's wheaty corpse comes to life and attacks you." Player, exasperated, "Aw, man, not again!"
And it quickly breaks down. Man, that was some digression. Anyway, Cyberpunk 2020 rocks.
Yes, it did come from a book. It came from a book called "The Neverending Story". Used to be one of my favorite books of all time. I seem to recall being unable to stand the movie, though.
Hmm.. according to Wikipedia, it was originally "Fantastica" in the book. Well, whatever.
The Land - Thomas Covenant series
Wheel of Time - Robert Jordan
Any L. E. Modessitt Jr.
Heck, Even Middle Earth is better than the options listed.
Out of the listed options, Narnia. I still have a soft spot for the first fantasy world I discovered when I was young.
R.E.Howard's Hyboria deserves a mention, too. Maybe not quite as 'fantastic' as the other locations but no less detailed in conception.
I gotta say Narnia out of those listed...but I voted other. I have to sound like an egomaniac on this one, but my favorite fantasy land is my own campaign setting. I don't even read fantasy literature anymore as I devote all my fantasy-time either running, playing, or developing in it.
Ubergeeky and conceited answer, I know. But it is what it is. LOL.
It's still hard to beat Discworld. As far as serious settings go, I really love Osten Ard from Tad Williams's Memory, Sorrow, Thorn trilogy.
Fantasia does deserve a vote, though.
I would have to say that nothing beats discworld, but as seconds go I would have to say The Midlands in Terry Goodkinds Sword of Truth set.
From the choices, it would seem that the context of 'fantasy land' here is the type from children classics, with the exception of Fantasia (which might have come from a book before it got to The Neverending Story). Well, I like Discworld. And Xanth.
It would just have to be Oz.
First of all, the other worlds require very specific ways of entry from Earth. Oz just requires you to have your house sucked into a life-destroying tornado while living in a black and white setting (IE, the Midwest).
What other fantasy world allows you to kill the first person you see without any retribution? Also, what other fantasy world has weird, short inhabitants that break into song and dance (aside from Willy Wonka's slave factory). And having said that, what other fantasy world's inhabitants are so easy to accept and rationalize your heartless murder of one of their own? "Ah, she was evil. That's okay. Hey, nice shoes."
Ah, Oz. Land of neurotic talking scarecrows, emo tin men, vaguely overbearing furries, lying wizards and manipulative women talking you into throwing "water" (read acid) onto a poor, helpless woman. And, you know, all they had to do was just tell you from the start, "You can prevent all of these emotional hardships on yourself and your strangely energetic dog if you just do a little two step."
Gotta love Oz, but where's Middle Earth?
There's a million good roleplaying settings, but I have a soft spot in my heart for Cyberpunk 2020's world.
I'd say one of the best roleplaying settings I've ever played in, fantasy-wise, was probably Dark Sun's Athas. But I've got a severe penchant for the apocalypse.
Cyberpunk 2020's world is neat; unfortunately when I first played CP2020, my opinion was colored by all of the other cyberpunk stuff I was into at the time (Shadowrun, the MUD Iconoclast, William Gibson, Phillip K. Dick, et cetera). So, of course I responded as, "CYBERPUNK?!?! ROXXORZ!!" Sad thing about that experience, though, is that the GM bought his Cyberpunk books from a local gaming shop for 75% off the cover price. It was shelved next to the Star Trek RPG, Ars Magica and Earthdawn, if that paints a picture for you. Helped me acquire my huge, complex Earthdawn collection. I say complex because anything dealing with Earthdawn is automatically complex. For example: Player says, "I butter my toast." GM: "First, roll 4d4 to see if you successfully retrieve it from the toaster. The toaster MIGHT be possessed by the Horrors, so you're going to have to show your friends that you're not evil by weaving a basket out of these palm fronds. Next, since you're a wizard, you don't have edged weapon circles, so you're going to have to use your staff." Player: "If I butter my bread with my staff, it will just crush the bread!" GM: "Well, use magic. Since you're actually a necromancer, your toast's wheaty corpse comes to life and attacks you." Player, exasperated, "Aw, man, not again!"
And it quickly breaks down. Man, that was some digression. Anyway, Cyberpunk 2020 rocks.
Yes, it did come from a book. It came from a book called "The Neverending Story". Used to be one of my favorite books of all time. I seem to recall being unable to stand the movie, though.
Hmm.. according to Wikipedia, it was originally "Fantastica" in the book. Well, whatever.