OSR and Fritz Leiber's "Lean Times in Lankhmar"

There's something about the sincerity of Fritz Leiber. In 1979 I read his name in my Dungeon Master's Guide. It took me 44 years to read him - Leiber's an early dungeon master.

This week I read Lean Times in Lankhmar, a short story set in the "City of Thieves" and featuring the heroic duo, Fafhrd and the Gray Mouser, who've parted ways. 

"Exactly what caused the tall brawling barbarian and the slim elusive Prince of Thieves to fall out, and the mighty adventuring partnership to be broken, is uncertainly known..."

What's sure is they come-back together.

Separated in Lankhmar, the Gray Mouser had gotten fat, drinking hard and enforcing a racketeer's exploits among priests. Fafhrd had gone completely inward, sleeping on cobblestones and inspiring the faith of an Issek priest and his followers. 

The story's greatness is in the way Leiber's plot rejoins Fafhrd and the Mouser -  1950's pulp-adventure filled with wine, brute force, back alleys, and deceit. I could  feel the Mouser roll the dice.

"...there was nothing for it but to plunge all by himself into that strange ocean and to take his chance..."

And it was wonderful, crouched with the "god-intoxicated, chanting, weeping crowd," when furious Fafhrd roared, 

    "Where is the jug? WHERE IS THE JUG?"

As story ended, Leiber's tale yields to friendship, an "odd shyness" in their gazes, and sailing to the live ahead.

Lean Times in Lankhmar is a great adventure and left me wanting more.

Thanks for reading!







 

 

 

 


 



 


 

Comments

  1. AnonymousNovember 19, 2023 at 3:54 PM

    I love how you describe this in such a brief way. I find their friendship touching and leaving me wanting to know more. Thank you.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. AnonymousNovember 25, 2023 at 4:01 PM

      I was wanting to know more too. Thanks a lot for writing.

      Delete

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