The Mysterious World of the Inverse Tropes

[Superfluous Crow]

Steampunk, time travel, elves and dwarves, the evil corporation and so on. We all know these, and recognize them for what they are: common tropes which have appeared in countless stories.
One could argue whether they are good or bad, but we've done that before. Instead I will just note that they are the status quo in fantasy, and are not exactly the epitome of human creativity.
But what ideas have you never seen or would like to see? What "inverse tropes" deserve some attention?

Some ideas:
 Arctic Environments: Post-apocalyptic worlds always seem to take place in the desert. What about a frigid wasteland for once? Or just a world with focus on the subarctic instead of the subtropical where snow is more common than palms.
 Anthropomorhic alternatives: Canines and cats have been done before. Where are the slugs? the bacteria? the platypi? There are millions of animals which could provide rather interesting templates for a new race.
 Reversed Apocalypse: What about a world on the brink of a golden age or a glorious rebirth?    

I had some more ideas, but I've forgotten them. They'll resurface later. Your turn now.  

[Ghostman]

I don't think arctic environments should be considered an inverse trope. Maybe for post-apocalyptic (which is ironic, you'd expect nuclear winter to be the archetypical background for the genre).

Anyway, here's some ideas:
"Dark Lords" aren't the bad guys: Maybe for once that pale prince in the imposing gothic castle is a genuinely nice fellow (in as much as political rulers can be, anyway) and his black-clad riders are popular heroes that the local people look up to.
Disorganized crime: Thieves in fantasy sure seem to like their guilds. It'd be a refreshing change to have the criminal underclass consist of nothing but individual robbers and ragtag gangs of muggers.

[Matt Larkin (author)]

So in reversing the tropes of time travel or steampunk you mean a setting with NO time travel or steampunk elements, right? 'Cause I cannot even imagine such a setting :)

Or just a world with focus on the subarctic instead of the subtropical where snow is more common than palms.

"Dark Lords" aren't the bad guys: Maybe for once that pale prince in the imposing gothic castle is a genuinely nice fellow (in as much as political rulers can be, anyway) and his black-clad riders are popular heroes that the local people look up to.[/quote]
There was something by Jaquelin Carey (which I haven't read) that reverses the Dark Lord trope. Although what you describe here simply sounds like a kindly lord who likes the color black, not a Dark Lord with his trope reversed.

Disorganized crime made me laugh.

Sign me up for the anthropomorphic aardvark.

[SilvercatMoonpaw]

Anthropomorhic alternatives: Canines and cats have been done before. Where are the slugs? the bacteria? the platypi? There are millions of animals which could provide rather interesting templates for a new race.

Steerpike. :cool:

[Lmns Crn]

Anthropomorhic alternatives: Where are the slugs?

Once again, the answer to every question around here is usually dwarf fortress.

[Nomadic]

Yea I'm with SCMP... after all who could forget the leechkin

[Polycarp]

Yea I'm with SCMP... after all who could forget the leechkin

Dwarf Fortress did it[/url] :p

[Nomadic]

Steerpike did it better :P

[Steerpike]

I've got hagfish-people too! :p

[LD]

>>Reversed Apocalypse: What about a world on the brink of a golden age or a glorious rebirth?

My local campaign setting which I designed and have my local group play in, Rebirth, does this. (not to be confused with the GiTP 3.System Rebirth which regrettably took the same name.)

I never posted the setting up here, because while fun and more than just generic fantasy in several ways, I never got around to it.

As for the post apocalyptic arctic wasteland... Surprised that hasn't been done yet- given nuclear winter and all...

[beejazz]

Reversed Lovecraft: Either the alien beings from beyond the stars wish us well, and could usher in a new utopian age if it were not for those clinging to power sending arcane "investigators" after them... or humans are encroaching on other worlds and dimensions and ruining them for the native life forms.

Reversed Murder Mystery: Your goal is to commit murders (or other crimes), interfere with investigations, and dodge conviction in court (if it ever gets that far).

[SilvercatMoonpaw]

Reversed Lovecraft: Either the alien beings from beyond the stars wish us well....

I've always personally wished for this.  I think that the fear directed at Lovecraftian "outsiders" feels overdone.

[beejazz]

Reversed Lovecraft: Either the alien beings from beyond the stars wish us well....

I've always personally wished for this.  I think that the fear directed at Lovecraftian "outsiders" feels overdone.

I've sort of tinkered with the idea before, and there are still ways to make "benevolent" outsiders and the stories that revolve around them just as horrific as the trope it would invert.

[Nomadic]

Reversed Lovecraft: Either the alien beings from beyond the stars wish us well....

I've always personally wished for this.  I think that the fear directed at Lovecraftian "outsiders" feels overdone.

I've sort of tinkered with the idea before, and there are still ways to make "benevolent" outsiders and the stories that revolve around them just as horrific as the trope it would invert.

Ever read childhoods end?

[beejazz]

Ever read childhoods end?

I was going to mention it, but couldn't remember the title for some reason.