Playing in the world of the Willow movie.

[David Johansen]

The novelization of the movie by Wayland Drew isn't half bad and explains a few things like why Madmartagin was in the cage. It also expands the setting a bit. The rpg sourcebook is mostly fluff. Madmartigin is a 17th level fighter anyhow. The Chris Clairmont novels are dreadful and to be avoided at all costs if you enjoyed the movie.

[jeff_wilson]

Originally Posted by David Johansen

The rpg sourcebook is mostly fluff. Madmartigin is a 17th level fighter anyhow.

IIRC there are also scaled levels given like, "or two levels higher than the highest level fighter in the party", with the old, skull-helmeted guy being around 23 or +4 levels.

[Astromancer]

Originally Posted by Maz

Ehe, no, sorry. That's the (un)official way to say "IQ but without Will and Per".

So it's to say they get reduced IQ, but not Per or Will.
These two guys are chosen to guide Willow and do NOT seem all that smart. If smarter brownies where available I am guessing they would have been chosen, the quest being for the sake of the world and all that. I know they are the comic relief but I still think its fitting to have them at a general lower IQ level. But they seem brave enough and observant enough.

You could give them a little more Perception and will without upsetting things. It would represent a different form of intelligence.

[Astromancer]

Originally Posted by Flyndaran

The bumbling but goodhearted fool is a storybook trope for a reason.

First, the Biblical reason: "I have come to make the wisdom of the world foolish." A basic lesson in humility. Second, a lesson in thinking outside the box. Third, teaching that friends are always valuable. Fourth, kids love a good clown, as long as they don't wear make-up or they haven't been taught clowns are monsters.

[Bruno]

Originally Posted by Astromancer

Fourth, kids love a good clown, as long as they don't wear make-up or they haven't been taught clowns are monsters.

Fear of clowns isn't "taught clowns are monsters" - clowns can hit the uncanny valley particularly hard for some children. They look wrong, they dress wrong, they act wrong; for some people that's funny, for others it's freaky, for some children in particular it's an adult acting terrifyingly unpredictable.

[Flyndaran]

My best friend was born with very bad eyesight that makes even mediocre clown make up come off as uncanny valley creepy. She's not afraid of them. She just really hates them and finds them disturbing.

[David Johansen]

Okay, so here's an adult male, who's dressed strangely, behaving strangely, and showing a particular interest in children. And being scared of that is unusual or silly? I think not.

[Ashtagon]

Originally Posted by David Johansen

Okay, so here's an adult male, who's dressed strangely, behaving strangely, and showing a particular interest in children. And being scared of that is unusual or silly? I think not.

Is't "stranger danger" more of an adult fear for children, rather than a fear necessarily intrinsic to children?

[jeff_wilson]

Originally Posted by David Johansen

Okay, so here's an adult male, who's dressed strangely, behaving strangely, and showing a particular interest in children. And being scared of that is unusual or silly? I think not.

Well there's your problem right there, clowns aren't supposed to be particularly interested in children! Clowning has roots in commedia dell arte and opera buffa which are very grown up affairs, and even touring circuses are all-family entertainment but the trope of an antagonist using a clown disguise to crash a children's party has become horribly overused, almost half as often as sitcom adaptations of "A Christmas Carol".

I also blame WGN and Bozo. Not the performer, because there was no single performer for Bozo; the character was intentionally set up to be syndicated with anonymizing makeup so local stations could have their own "Bozo" content and/or live appearances while still using WGN's content. This lead to overexposure and the reaction in contempt, satire, and farce exploiting the contrast with normal positive clown expectations.

Originally Posted by Ashtagon

Is't "stranger danger" more of an adult fear for children, rather than a fear necessarily intrinsic to children?

This turns out to be a rather involved problem in sociology and psychology with respect to the degree of urbanization the children and adults experience. For example, there are experiments showing city dwellers have different classes of strangers, including "familiar strangers" who, they are accustomed to seeing in their neighborhood but haven't met or spoken with. If the need to speak to a stranger arises, many city dwellers will seek out a novel stranger, avoiding one or more of the people they know on sight. And then if there is an actual foreigner in dress, speech, and/or habit, they may suddenly feel up to speaking with their familiar stranger neighbors.

[Astromancer]

Originally Posted by jeff_wilson

I also blame WGN and Bozo. Not the performer, because there was no single performer for Bozo; the character was intentionally set up to be syndicated with anonymizing makeup so local stations could have their own "Bozo" content and/or live appearances while still using WGN's content. This lead to overexposure and the reaction in contempt, satire, and farce exploiting the contrast with normal positive clown expectations.

When clowns were part of the rare event of going to the Circus, they were highly positive, part of a treat. But I think overuse of the Evil Clown Trope may be killing clowns as a cultural phenomenon.