History Main / MedievalEuropeanFantasy

* ''Franchise/TheLegendOfZelda'' is predominantly medieval European fantasy, though the games also have heavy Greek influences and some Asian influences as well. ''[[VideoGame/TheLegendOfZeldaLinksAwakening Link's Awakening]]'', ''[[VideoGame/TheLegendOfZeldaTheWindWaker Wind Waker]]'' and ''[[VideoGame/TheLegendOfZeldaPhantomHourglass Phantom Hourglass]]'' avert this to an extent, however, having more modern Pacific/Caribbean-style [[TropicalIslandAdventure tropical island settings]] instead. While ''[[VideoGame/TheLegendOfZeldaSpiritTracks Spirit Tracks]]'' returns to the European-esque setting, it moves into the early modern period with elements of SteamPunk, and ''[[VideoGame/TheLegendOfZeldaBreathOfTheWild Breath of the Wild]]'' mixes Medieval European Fantasy with Sci-Fi elements.

* ''Webcomic/DungeonDamage'' {{justifie|dTrope}}s this by setting the story... in Medieval Europe. Or rather, an AlternateHistory where [[FunctionalMagic magic works]] and several [[FiveRaces D&D races]] and [[OurMonstersAreDifferent monsters]] exist: the Fall of Rome, the spread of Christianity, the Crusades all happened, but with [[OurElvesAreBetter Elves]], [[OurDwarvesAreAllTheSame Dwarves]] and [[OurGoblinsAreDifferent Goblins]], [[OurVampiresAreDifferent Vampires]], [[OurWerewolvesAreDifferent Werewolves]] and [[AWizardDidIt Wizards]], neatly explaining the differences from real history. With a good deal of [[ShownTheirWork Shown Work]] about RealLife history, technology and mythology to boot.

No matter where a fantasy story may be written, whatever rich history the author's homeland might have, most fantasy stories take place in [[HighMiddleAges Medieval Europe]] (or a [[FantasyCounterpartCulture facsimile thereof, possibly reasonable]]), especially England. People will fight with swords and shields, and the government is usually vaguely feudal: it may not map well to any real-world political system, but it usually has [[RoyalBlood hereditary monarchs]] and [[BlueBlood nobles]] (which many other cultures also have, but if European titles are used, you're in a Medieval European Fantasy). Medieval European Fantasy settings are sometimes littered with SchizoTech, though FantasyGunControl is often a limiting factor.

* ''Franchise/TheLegendOfZelda'' is predominantly medieval European fantasy (albeit a heavily Greek-influenced one), though the games also have Asian influences. ''[[VideoGame/TheLegendOfZeldaLinksAwakening Link's Awakening]]'', ''[[VideoGame/TheLegendOfZeldaTheWindWaker Wind Waker]]'' and ''[[VideoGame/TheLegendOfZeldaPhantomHourglass Phantom Hourglass]]'' avert this, however, having more modern Pacific/Caribbean-style [[TropicalIslandAdventure tropical island settings]] instead. While ''[[VideoGame/TheLegendOfZeldaSpiritTracks Spirit Tracks]]'' returns to the European-esque setting, it moves into the early modern period with elements of SteamPunk, and ''[[VideoGame/TheLegendOfZeldaBreathOfTheWild Breath of the Wild]]'' mixes Medieval European Fantasy with Sci-Fi elements.

** ''TabletopGame/ForgottenRealms'' plays this straight...ish, given its inherently HighFantasy setting leads to certain changes. Still, for overall aesthetic, it fits this much better.

* The ''Franchise/FireEmblem'' games tend to be set in European-esque lands with a roughly late-medieval level of development. While a few entries do include lands based on other cultures, like Eurasian steppe analogue Sacae from ''VideoGame/FireEmblemTheBlazingBlade'' and ''VideoGame/FireEmblemTheBindingBlade'', the only game where a total aversion to this trope plays a central role is ''VideoGame/FireEmblemFates'', where Japan-like Hoshido is one of the two main nations in the setting (the other one, Nohr, is square in this trope).

* The ''Franchise/FireEmblem'' games tend to be set in European-esque lands with a roughly late-medieval level of development. While a few entries do include lands based on other cultures, like Mongolia-esque Sacae in ''VideoGame/FireEmblemTheBlazingBlade'' and ''VideoGame/FireEmblemTheBindingBlade'', the only game where a total aversion to this trope plays a central role is ''VideoGame/FireEmblemFates'', where Japan-like Hoshido is one of the two main nations in the setting (the other one, Nohr, is square in this trope).

* ''VideoGame/FableI'' has this as it's setting, but ''II'' and ''III'' avert it, having Enlightenment and Industrial Revolution-era settings respectively instead.

* The ''Franchise/FireEmblem'' series. ''VideoGame/FireEmblemFates'', for example, has two countries that make up its setting - Hoshido is Japan-like, while Nohr is square in this trope.

** ''[[VideoGame/TheElderScrollsVSkyrim Skyrim]]'' subverts it by taking place in a ''[[GrimUpNorth Nordic]]'' MedievalEuropeanFantasy setting. Cultural diversity among the races is restored, and there is a better balance of enemy animal and creature varieties.

** ''[[VideoGame/TheElderScrollsVSkyrim Skyrim]]'' subverts it by taking place in a ''[[GrimUpNorth Northern]]'' MedievalEuropeanFantasy setting. Cultural diversity among the races is restored, and there is a better balance of enemy animal and creature varieties.

** ''[[VideoGame/TheElderScrollsVSkyrim Skyrim]]'' subverts it by taking place in a ''[[GrimUpNorth Nordic]]'' MedievalEuropeanFantasy setting. Cultural diversity among the races is restored, and there is a better balance of enemy animal and creature varieties.

%%* ''LightNovel/SpiceAndWolf''

** The ''TabletopGame/NentirVale'' averts this; the World looks absolutely nothing like Medieval Europe and is clearly shaped by the many fantastical races, creatures, events and powers. [[FloatingContinent Floating islands]] are called out as an uncommon but natural part of the background scenery, whilst the different races have very distinct aesthetics to gear and building structures. Dwarves, for example, prefer strong geometric symbols, whilst the [[BigRedDevil tieflings]] of Bael Turath favored twisting, cylindrical buildings and weapons with a half-melted, jagged aesthetic.
** ''TabletopGame/{{Planescape}}'' subverts this; the setting's centerpiece, Sigil, can be described as Industrial Revolution London turned into a FantasyKitchenSink, whilst the planes themselves run off literally every heaven and hell trope you can think up.
** ''TabletopGame/DarkSun'' is another aversion, being set in a fantasy version of TheApunkalypse, where everyone uses bone, chitin and stone weaponry because metal is so rare that metalworking skills have gone extinct.

* Ankh-Morpork and environs started out as this, since ''Literature/{{Discworld}}'' was initially just a parody of fantasy tropes. However, since Sir Terry ''didn't'' believe in MedievalStasis, it progressed very rapidly, reaching a level he described as "[[RegencyEngland Late Georgian]], but without [[UsefulNotes/TheHouseOfHanover the late George]]" for much of the series, before ''Discworld/RaisingSteam'' dragged it kicking and screaming into the Century of the Fr ... er, the Victorian period.

** ''[[VideoGame/TheElderScrollsVSkyrim Skyrim]]'' subverts it by taking place in a ''[[GrimUpNorth Northern]]'' MedievalEuropeanFantasy setting. Cultural diversity among the races is restored, and there is a better balance of enemy animal and creature varieties.

No matter where a fantasy story may be written, whatever rich history the author's homeland might have, most fantasy stories take place in [[HighMiddleAges Medieval Europe]] (or a [[FantasyCounterpartCulture facsimile thereof, possibly reasonable]]), especially the United Kingdom. People will fight with swords and shields, and the government is usually vaguely feudal: it may not map well to any real-world political system, but it usually has [[RoyalBlood hereditary monarchs]] and [[BlueBlood nobles]] (which many other cultures also have, but if European titles are used, you're in a Medieval European Fantasy). Medieval European Fantasy settings are sometimes littered with SchizoTech, though FantasyGunControl is often a limiting factor.

No matter where a fantasy story may be written, whatever rich history the author's homeland might have, most fantasy stories take place in [[HighMiddleAges Medieval Europe]] (or a [[FantasyCounterpartCulture facsimile thereof, possibly reasonable]]), typically Western Europe (especially the United Kingdom). People will fight with swords and shields, and the government is usually vaguely feudal: it may not map well to any real-world political system, but it usually has [[RoyalBlood hereditary monarchs]] and [[BlueBlood nobles]] (which many other cultures also have, but if European titles are used, you're in a Medieval European Fantasy). Medieval European Fantasy settings are sometimes littered with SchizoTech, though FantasyGunControl is often a limiting factor.

No matter where a fantasy story may be written, whatever rich history the author's homeland might have, most fantasy stories take place in [[HighMiddleAges Medieval Europe]] (or a [[FantasyCounterpartCulture facsimile thereof, possibly reasonable]]). People will fight with swords and shields, and the government is usually vaguely feudal: it may not map well to any real-world political system, but it usually has [[RoyalBlood hereditary monarchs]] and [[BlueBlood nobles]] (which many other cultures also have, but if European titles are used, you're in a Medieval European Fantasy). Medieval European Fantasy settings are sometimes littered with SchizoTech, though FantasyGunControl is often a limiting factor.

* ''Franchise/TheLegendOfZelda'' is predominantly medieval European fantasy (albeit a heavily Greek-influenced one), though the games also have Eastern influences. ''[[VideoGame/TheLegendOfZeldaLinksAwakening Link's Awakening]]'', ''[[VideoGame/TheLegendOfZeldaTheWindWaker Wind Waker]]'' and ''[[VideoGame/TheLegendOfZeldaPhantomHourglass Phantom Hourglass]]'' avert this, however, having more modern Pacific/Caribbean-style [[TropicalIslandAdventure tropical island settings]] instead. While ''[[VideoGame/TheLegendOfZeldaSpiritTracks Spirit Tracks]]'' returns to the European-esque setting, it moves into the early modern period with elements of SteamPunk, and ''[[VideoGame/TheLegendOfZeldaBreathOfTheWild Breath of the Wild]]'' mixes Medieval European Fantasy with Sci-Fi elements.

* ''Franchise/TheLegendOfZelda'' is predominantly medieval European fantasy (albeit a heavily Greek-influenced one), though the games also have Asian influences. ''[[VideoGame/TheLegendOfZeldaLinksAwakening Link's Awakening]]'', ''[[VideoGame/TheLegendOfZeldaTheWindWaker Wind Waker]]'' and ''[[VideoGame/TheLegendOfZeldaPhantomHourglass Phantom Hourglass]]'' avert this, however, having more modern Pacific/Caribbean-style [[TropicalIslandAdventure tropical island settings]] instead. While ''[[VideoGame/TheLegendOfZeldaSpiritTracks Spirit Tracks]]'' returns to the European-esque setting, it moves into the early modern period with elements of SteamPunk, and ''[[VideoGame/TheLegendOfZeldaBreathOfTheWild Breath of the Wild]]'' mixes Medieval European Fantasy with Sci-Fi elements.

* ''Franchise/TheLegendOfZelda'' is predominantly medieval European fantasy (albeit heavily Greek-influenced), though the games also have Asian influences. ''[[VideoGame/TheLegendOfZeldaLinksAwakening Link's Awakening]]'', ''[[VideoGame/TheLegendOfZeldaTheWindWaker Wind Waker]]'' and ''[[VideoGame/TheLegendOfZeldaPhantomHourglass Phantom Hourglass]]'' avert this, however, having more modern Pacific/Caribbean-style [[TropicalIslandAdventure tropical island settings]] instead. While ''[[VideoGame/TheLegendOfZeldaSpiritTracks Spirit Tracks]]'' returns to the European-esque setting, it moves into the early modern period with elements of SteamPunk, and ''[[VideoGame/TheLegendOfZeldaBreathOfTheWild Breath of the Wild]]'' mixes Medieval European Fantasy with Sci-Fi elements.

* ''Franchise/TheLegendOfZelda'' is predominantly medieval fantasy (with a large amount of Greek influence in addition to the standard Western European ones), though the games also have Asian influences. ''[[VideoGame/TheLegendOfZeldaLinksAwakening Link's Awakening]]'', ''[[VideoGame/TheLegendOfZeldaTheWindWaker Wind Waker]]'' and ''[[VideoGame/TheLegendOfZeldaPhantomHourglass Phantom Hourglass]]'' avert this, however, having more modern Pacific/Caribbean-style [[TropicalIslandAdventure tropical island settings]] instead. While ''[[VideoGame/TheLegendOfZeldaSpiritTracks Spirit Tracks]]'' returns to the European-esque setting, it moves into the early modern period with elements of SteamPunk, and ''[[VideoGame/TheLegendOfZeldaBreathOfTheWild Breath of the Wild]]'' mixes Medieval European Fantasy with Sci-Fi elements.

* ''Franchise/TheLegendOfZelda'' is predominantly medieval fantasy (with a large amount of Greek influence in addition to the standard Western European ones), though the games also have Asian influences. The aversions are ''[[VideoGame/TheLegendOfZeldaLinksAwakening Link's Awakening]]'', ''[[VideoGame/TheLegendOfZeldaTheWindWaker Wind Waker]]'' and ''[[VideoGame/TheLegendOfZeldaPhantomHourglass Phantom Hourglass]]'', which have more modern Pacific/Caribbean-style [[TropicalIslandAdventure tropical island settings]] instead. While ''[[VideoGame/TheLegendOfZeldaSpiritTracks Spirit Tracks]]'' returns to the European-esque setting, it moves into the early modern period with elements of SteamPunk, and ''[[VideoGame/TheLegendOfZeldaBreathOfTheWild Breath of the Wild]]'' mixes Medieval European Fantasy with Sci-Fi elements.

* ''Franchise/TheLegendOfZelda'' is predominantly medieval fantasy (with a large amount of Greek influence in addition to the standard Western European ones), though the games also have Asian influences. The exceptions are ''[[VideoGame/TheLegendOfZeldaLinksAwakening Link's Awakening]]'', ''[[VideoGame/TheLegendOfZeldaTheWindWaker Wind Waker]]'' and ''[[VideoGame/TheLegendOfZeldaPhantomHourglass Phantom Hourglass]]'', which have [[TropicalIslandAdventure tropical island settings]] instead. While ''[[VideoGame/TheLegendOfZeldaSpiritTracks Spirit Tracks]]'' returns to the European-esque setting, it moves into the early modern period with elements of SteamPunk, and ''[[VideoGame/TheLegendOfZeldaBreathOfTheWild Breath of the Wild]]'' mixes Medieval European Fantasy with Sci-Fi elements.

* ''VideoGame/FableI'' has this as it's setting, but ''II'' and ''III'' avert it, being set in the Enlightenment and Industrial Revolution eras instead.

* ''Franchise/TheLegendOfZelda'' is predominantly medieval fantasy (with a large amount of Greek influences in addition to the standard Western European ones), though the games also have Asian influences. The exceptions are ''[[VideoGame/TheLegendOfZeldaLinksAwakening Link's Awakening]]'', ''[[VideoGame/TheLegendOfZeldaTheWindWaker Wind Waker]]'' and ''[[VideoGame/TheLegendOfZeldaPhantomHourglass Phantom Hourglass]]'', which have [[TropicalIslandAdventure tropical island settings]] instead. While ''[[VideoGame/TheLegendOfZeldaSpiritTracks Spirit Tracks]]'' returns to the European-esque setting, it moves into the early modern period with elements of SteamPunk, and ''[[VideoGame/TheLegendOfZeldaBreathOfTheWild Breath of the Wild]]'' mixes Medieval European Fantasy with Sci-Fi elements.

* ''Franchise/TheLegendOfZelda'' is predominantly medieval fantasy (with notable Greek influences in addition to the standard Western European ones), though the games also have Asian influences. The exceptions are ''[[VideoGame/TheLegendOfZeldaLinksAwakening Link's Awakening]]'', ''[[VideoGame/TheLegendOfZeldaTheWindWaker Wind Waker]]'' and ''[[VideoGame/TheLegendOfZeldaPhantomHourglass Phantom Hourglass]]'', which have [[TropicalIslandAdventure tropical island settings]] instead. While ''[[VideoGame/TheLegendOfZeldaSpiritTracks Spirit Tracks]]'' returns to the European-esque setting, it moves into the early modern period with elements of SteamPunk, and ''[[VideoGame/TheLegendOfZeldaBreathOfTheWild Breath of the Wild]]'' mixes Medieval European Fantasy with Sci-Fi elements.