Tolkien's Impact on Fantasy Tropes and Tropes in Worldbuilding

The chapter explores Tolkien's legacy in establishing popular fantasy tropes like elves, dwarves, and dark Lords, and how these tropes have influenced various speculative fiction genres and RPG settings like Dungeons and Dragons. It discusses the significance of tropes in world-building and storytelling for new writers and how they can shape characters and settings. The conversation also touches on the balance between using established tropes as guides for creativity and avoiding repetitiveness in the fantasy genre.