Tarzan is also an interest of mine, not so much that it is Tarzan, but the loincloth, near-naked conflict among enemies. I recently posted the type of roleplay battle that would interest me here.
Awhile back I started a roleplay scenario featuring Tarzan scene with another although it never got finished. The other fellow played Tarzan, and I am fine playing the characters who are intent on defeating Tarzan. The only thing is that with Tarzan a known quantity and therefore should ultimately be the victor (most roleplays that would interest me would have it unclear who would win in the end), it is clear that no matter how much the characters I would play should at times have the upper hand and be on the verge of victory, they should each by the end of the roleplay meet with ultimate brutal fates. The tension and battle with Tarzan always has strong homoerotic overtones.
Because I think of the Tarzan as the older movies, my fantasy views of the jungle natives are admitedly not politically correct today. I do not know if that is a problem, but it is how I see Tarzan. One of the more memorable fight scenes with Tarzan was from Tarzan's Three Challenges when Tarzan is fighting on a rope mesh above the boiling pots with Woody Strode and the desperate battle leads Strode's defeat by falling into a boiling vat. There are few scenes that rival that in my imagination, though in my fantasy there would have been further agony as Strode met his fates as opposed to Strode just disappearing and the fight being over.
Anyway, the setup for the roleplay that I started but did not finish follows:. I realize it is longer, far longer than what I would expect from email posts. And certainly longer than IM posts if one wanted to explore it in that way.:
There was no turning back. Regus had put the plan in motion. And now he, Trantor, and the giant N'Gumah were in place. The three dark-skinned men were of the Wahmos village, a peaceful African village that had been ruled for years by Bawltar. But Regus had been to a coastal city and had seen the marvels of that world, marvels that things of value could purchase. And the Walmos had riches, riches of jewels, tribal jewels. But Bawltar had always been so stubborn speaking of the traditional ways. Regus wanted to rule the Wahmos people and perhaps even conquer other tribes. And he knew if he had what the cities had he could go it. There was one obstacle left - Tarzan, the white demon who was Bawltar's friend and protector. And now Regus was about to take care of this white and show the village that Regus should be their chief. In his mind, Regus would not just kill the white man, but destroy him.
And Regus had the tools. At nearly six feet, the taut-muscled loinclothed black was strong, though not as big as Tarzan. But he was not alone. There was his ally, Trantor, who was taller and bigger than Regus, and who was a cruel man who had hated Tarzan for years. And there was N'Gumah, a behemoth of a man, bigger in size than the so-called white jungle lord. N'Gumah was a loner, a quiet man, blacker in color than the other two men, and blacker in his soul as well. N'Gumah was of a different tribe, but Regus had met the man some months ago and found the man willing to join Regus. For weeks, N'Gumah had been secretly watching Tarzan certain had not been observed. And the more the nearly-naked loinclothed man had surveyed the white man the more N'Gumah wanted to destroy him. N'Gumah could feel the battlelust in himself swell in his loins.
And, now there was no going back. It was the early morning hours, and the tribe was unaware but Bawltar had been taken care of. Trantor was carrying the bag that proved it in one hand and a spear in the other. And the men were at the lair that they knew Tarzan was, all armed with war blades attached to their waistband. All were ready to deal with the white usurper of their lands. Within them the battlelust was growing and they could taste victory.
The three blacks gazed towards the cave entrance. It was still dark, dawn would not come for a couple of hours yet. But the three men were alert. The adrenalin flowed through them for this was to be the moment of their victory. For once they had conquered the brawny Tarzan, the rest would be easy. Regus smiled cruelly. "Once this be done," he thought, "all the tribes will bow to me, will kneel to my will. They will do what I command and what I will command will be even more power." N'Gumah stood stoically. What the huge giant thought he had never betrayed to the other two men. Trantor put down the small bag and he and N'Gumah advanced towards the sides of the small cave entrance. They carried the other bundles that they had brought. Regus moved as well. He carried a truly amazing item he had obtained when he had visited the coastal city. Even though he could do what it did, they way it worked was almost like magic in its quickness and speed.
Quietly the men moved, blending in with the darkness. The bare-footed natives were now at the sides of the cave. They knew the so-called jungle lord was inside. They had seen him enter. They had listened to his movements. They had sneered quietly as they waited for Tarzan to rest. They pictured the white man spawled out in his resting place. N'Gumah had studied and knew this lair well in the past weeks and he had described them in detail to Trantor and Regus.
The action taken was done quickly, Trantor and N'Gumah began to pile parts of the bundles they had brought, dried dead grass, vines and sticks, bound in packs. These would burn quickly. But it was not the fire that they cared about. It was the smoke. For the smoke would envelope the inside of Tarzan's lair, forcing him out of the small opening. And when he needed to escape, as they were sure he would be, he would become their prisoner.
It would have taken time to build create a fire with flint. Such would have attracted Tarzan's attention. Carrying a torch would have alerted him as well. But Regus's item would make it simple, a box of matches. The first bundles were now in place, and Regus leaned over above the cave entrance where he was perched, lit the bundles and then pushed them in side. The fire was starting and Trantor and N'Gumah were readying to throw more tinder to feed the starting and smoking flames.
(by the way, I can provide a visual of what I picture the three "villains" to look like, and how I might imagine them attired if you wish.)
Anyway, feel free to let me know what you think. We can also just discuss what you like and don't like about Tarzan and similar fantasies if you would prefer.
