Fantasy Fiction was a Podcast run by Dom Moschitti and Josh Henderson. Each episode consisted of the two reading short works of fantasy fiction to one another, written independently and prior to recording. Set in the worlds of Orcspire and Daranos, respectively, the stories were based on prompts suggested by fans but generally retain a Heroic Fantasy style. That being said, the plots were almost entirely driven by asskicking, fanservice, and hilarity.
Guest writers made regular appearances, including Paul Ritchey, Nick Murphy, and Satchell Drakes.
Episodes regularly ended with “Chamber of Knowledge”, a segment hosted by the wizards Reeses the Wize and Old Snickerdoodle. The two would answer fan questions about the lands, characters, and cultures of Orcspire and Daranos.
A late addition to the show were the “Wizard Hang” episodes, during which Dom and Josh answered fan questions, discussed the topics of writing and fantasy, and talked about their day-to-day lives.
Tropes:
- Cool Sword: Most swords, but special mention goes to Oforrokth the Skull Harvester, forged by an Ultimate Blacksmith for Throm.
- Crystal Ball: …er, All-See Balls appear often, and later the “All-See” prefix becomes shorthand for magic items that act like modern technology.
- Deal with the Devil: The alchemist Ozric Dibledorph makes one with the Book of Cursed Curses to make him a king. It turns him into Flyman, King of Sadness.
- Destructo-Nookie: Essentially the entire point of Dom’s story in Episode 24, combined with Wizard Duel.
- Drinking Contest: Josh's story in Episode 62.
- Everybody Has Lots of Sex: Daranos. Orcspire qualifies to an extent, but Josh definitely takes the cake.
- Fantastic Drug: Played with. Both lands have “wizard weed” note which varies in potency with each appearance. It runs the gamut from “standard-issue marijuana” to “mind-warping superdrug”
- Fantasy Kitchen Sink: Practically anything is fair game, and both Dom and Josh create their own creatures and devices on a regular basis. Also actively encouraged by fan prompts to prevent episodes from
growing too similar. - Gargle Blaster: There’s a Daranosian whiskey that’s septuple-malt and 400 proof, called “Grandpa’s Revenge”.Reeses: Some say once you drink it, you become so drunk you can actually never die… or maybe it’s that you actually always die, I don’t remember.
- Hair of the Dog: Revealed to be the "elixir" that Fred the Skull Peeler quests for in Episode 59.
- Hostile Weather: A storm devours Slorgsire before raining their blood across Orcspire.
- I Don't Like the Sound of That Place: Roughly half the named locations. Murder Mountain, the Canyons of Backsweat, the Pain Mines, etc. All Played for Laughs, of course.
- Magical Library: The settings of Episode 44. Notably, the "library" in Dom's story is actually a bookstore.
- Metaphorically True: Done to great effect by the Book of Cursed Curses.The Book: I said I would make you a king. From now on, you will be a king: Flyman, King of Sadness and Despair!
- No Name Given: Many characters, but actually discussed (along with Nominal Importance) when a prominent unnamed character is killed:Josh: Then he died, but it was okay, because I didn’t name him, so really, who even cares? Did he really even exist if I didn’t name him?
- Our Fairies Are Different: Though fairies of Daranos are of the standard Winged Humanoid variety, Orcspire fairies have the appearance of fully-grown men with antenna, have no sex organs (but can reproduce), can breathe underwater (but don’t like swimming), have wings (but can’t fly), and are generally regarded as useless In-Universe and out.
- Prophetic Fallacy: Hilariously inverted with the Songbug’s prophecy: the relevant parts are true, but it also has a ton of unnecessary information about the Songbug’s dick.
- Pro Wrestling Episode: Dom’s story in Episode 17 is centered on this, but the two make frequent references to wrestling moves and personas.
- Ridiculously Cute Critter: Several species, such as murkmunks and fur beetles. A few characters also qualify, most notably Buffcat.
- A Round of Drinks for the House: The ending of Dom's story in Episode 23.
- Schizo Tech: Characters will frequently use “bone” versions of modern-day transportation. Bonecars, bonetrains, bonercycles… it seems more inline with A Wizard Did It but apparently non-magical characters can put them together.
- Stripped to the Bone: Happens every now and again, but special mention goes to Episode 3 when it happens to a Mook… by means of a black hole.
- The Need for Mead: Predictably, taverns serve as regular settings.
“KEEP ON WIZARDIN’!”
