Interview with Vincent

[Yogah of Yag]

I don't know if this is already posted:

http://www.swordandsorcery.org/int-darlage.asp

Good article!

 

[Damien]

Nice catch!

That was an interesting little read. I found myself agreeing with a lot of what Vincent said about modern writers, although I also disagree on some level (there are a few 'lesser' genre writers that I really like).

Also, he mentioned that he's written 15 sourcebooks! Woof. Can't wait to see what they are.


Good luck getting asked to write a novel, Vincent!

 

[René]

Thanks for the link, Yogah!

"I remember when I was first reading the Conan stories by REH and I felt as though I had discovered some lost scroll, a window on something ancient. It felt ancient and old and true."

Couldn't have expressed my own feelings better!

 

[René]

"CAS was a wordsmith whose writing simply amazes me. I try to include CAS material in the RPG as well. Roy Thomas adapted a lot of CAS into the Marvel Conan comics, which makes those stories all the richer. Kurt Busiek did the same in the Dark Horse comics during the Hyperborean story arc (the Hyperborean characters of Kiliar'ki, Aishti’ana, and Smia’dha are just corruptions of Clark, Ashton and Smith, respectively)."

Aaargh, why have I to be told such things and don't see them myself! :wink:

 

[Flecha]

I've just read it, and liked it a lot!

Vincent explains EXACTLY why I hate White Wolf's World of Darkness. Also, I agree with the modern writers analysis.

About atmosphere, I've recently finished a great book you've surely read, Vincent. Mythago Wood, by Robert Holdstock, which is a fantasy and mythology book with a lot of Lovecraftian atmosphere. Yes, it seems there's people who still know the trade. George R. R. Martin great series has the pictorial elements of high fantasy, but the psicological elements of S&S. I have still to see a character there virtuous or knightly enough at all.

Vincent, have you written fiction, or published anything we can read? I'm sure many people here (me included) would be interested in reading you r material. After all, we have purchased your Conan RPG books...

 

[VincentDarlage]

About atmosphere, I've recently finished a great book you've surely read, Vincent. Mythago Wood, by Robert Holdstock, which is a fantasy and mythology book with a lot of Lovecraftian atmosphere. Yes, it seems there's people who still know the trade.

I will look for that one. I am not familiar with it.

Vincent, have you written fiction, or published anything we can read? I'm sure many people here (me included) would be interested in reading you r material. After all, we have purchased your Conan RPG books...

Well, there are some stories out there, but most are fairly old. I think I am a much better writer now, but here are some early attempts (the first two are very short, the third will take some time):

The Summoned

Kulonga

The Dragon's Bride

 

[toothill man]

thank you for the links 8)

 

[Auggie]

An excellent article! Vincent seemed honest about his opinions, his likes and dislikes.... somewhat rare these days when interviews try to cater to their audience.

Thanks, Vincent, for revealing a bit about yourself- most refreshing

 

[Strom]

Thanks for the link!

Great interview and insight into Vincent's thoughts on REH, Conan and the current state of fantasy and Sword & Sorcery writers. I for one would really enjoy a V. Darlarge Age of Conan story and wonder where his story would take place? I can't recommend his books from Mongoose enough - beautifully researched and wonderfully entertaining - he gets Conan and Hyboria - which is very cool for us fans. 8)

 

[Mark Dunder]

I know how Vincent feels, I read de Camps right up until recently when I got onto the boards here. Feel real stupid I didn't get more information about all this earlier on. I had read all the 13 volumes back before D&D came out. But when I played D&D back in 1978, it had no relationship to Conan as I had read it, so I never attempted to role play Conan. Don't know why, but not a single RPG work came out that gave me any inspiration until TSR's Conan RPG by David Cook. Sure, it was written like a child's story for Conan, but the underlying mechanics caught my attention, and I was finally able to play Conan. That was in 1985, I dropped the current AD&D, due to that game.

But, I'm looking forward to all the reference books by you Vincent. My game luckily allows easy conversion from all game systems. So even hard wired d20 references won't bother me.

I do want to mention, that Conan RPG - pocket edition, does do a decent job of portraying Conan, but I'm still not embracing the Scholar class just yet!

 

[toothill man]

vincent which are the 7 books awaiting publishing have you told us of them before :shock: and what is next in the conan world 8)

 

[VincentDarlage]

Well, if you type in "conan" in the search field on the main site, you can find them. Tito's equipment guide, Stygia, Argos & Zingara, Shem, Faith & Fervour, Ruins of the Hyborian Age and so on.

 

[toothill man]

thats my problem I can only count 6 but that could be my counting and am intreasted if for example the black kingdoms are up for the vincent treatment next year 8)

 

[Damien]

Tito's. . . looks like it might be really damn good. Sort of like what WotC's Arms & Equipment Guide should have been. I'm pretty keen on that one.

But I'm in agreement with Toothill - a Black Kingdoms sourcebook would instantly be on my shelf. Like magic. I'd creep into Mongoose headquarters like a ninja and BAMF the book away back to my lair.. like.. Nightcrawler.

 

[VincentDarlage]

Right. I did list six. I can't discuss anything that hasn't been announced somewhere. 8)

Anyway, no, I have not been asked to do a sourcebook on the Black Kingdoms, although I would be thrilled to do one - and would happily write one should Mongoose ask for one from me.

 

[Damien]

We should start a "Vincent For The Black Kingdoms" petition. Vendhya too. I'm not sure which one I'd be more excited about. I imagine a Vendhya sourcebook would have a real "Arabian Adventures" feel to it.

I can't discuss anything that hasn't been announced somewhere.

You sly dog.



Hey Vincent, after reading that interview I became curious, and this seems to be your area so: What 'horror' stories would you recommend to someone that loves Conan, but isn't so much a fan of the more dreary Lovecraftian horror?

 

[VincentDarlage]

Hey Vincent, after reading that interview I became curious, and this seems to be your area so: What 'horror' stories would you recommend to someone that loves Conan, but isn't so much a fan of the more dreary Lovecraftian horror?

That depends. I rarely get "scared" by stories, so it is the atmosphere that interests me.

I like vampire short story collections (I am of the firm belief that there are only three good vampire novels - Dracula, 'Salem's Lot, and The Historian (and The Hunger is a close fourth) - and that the best vampire tales are short stories), especially collections that include early tales like Carmilla or Christabel.

Old ghost stories (short stories) are also good. The classics (Frankenstein, The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, The Picture of Dorien Grey, The Exorcist, Rosemary's Baby, The Legend of Sleepy Hollow, The Invisible Man) serve me well, as do the many horror stories written by Clark Ashton Smith, Edgar Allan Poe or REH.

My horror needs are mostly met by buying short story collections (The Mammoth book of Vampires, The Horror at Oakdeene, Weird Vampire Tales, Ghosts: A Treasury of Chilling Tales Old & New, Dracula's Brood, for example).

The Other, by Thomas Tryon was pretty good.

You might also check out the writings of Algernon Blackwood.

 

[toothill man]

a black kingdom source book would be one of the jewels in my collection I so like the idea am serious about getting the black conan novels just to mine for ideas 8)

 

[toothill man]

Old ghost stories (short stories) are also good. The classics (Frankenstein, The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, The Picture of Dorien Grey, The Exorcist, Rosemary's Baby, The Legend of Sleepy Hollow, The Invisible Man) serve me well, as do the many horror stories written by Clark Ashton Smith, Edgar Allan Poe or REH.

My horror needs are mostly met by buying short story collections (The Mammoth book of Vampires, The Horror at Oakdeene, Weird Vampire Tales, Ghosts: A Treasury of Chilling Tales Old & New, Dracula's Brood, for example).

The Other, by Thomas Tryon was pretty good.

I mined for many years as a CoC ref the pan books of horror(have them all the earlier ones with their pulp covers) and they are just scary brilliant

 

[Faraer]

(Howard Andrew Jones)

I think some overlook the importance of horror on the field of sword-and-sorcery.

Of course, Bob Howard wrote adventure stories and weird fiction, before the modern categories of 'horror', 'fantasy' and 'science fiction' congealed.

Vincent, I agree with a lot of that, and also disagree with some! (Why say 'there are only three good vampire novels' unless you've read them all?)