…whether by tornado, fall down a rabbit’s hole, or however it happened, was your first concern finding a way back home?
If something like that happened to me, I think I’d want to hang out a bit, see the sights, you know? THEN I’d start to worry about getting back home.
What does everyone else think?
Well, it depends. A new world could be dangerous, and the rules you’re used to following may not apply.
If I’m fantasy Journeyman, more resourceful, intelligent, and adventerous that humble me, than I stay and have a look around.
Me, I’d probably want to go home.
The first priority is finding out why you’re there. No matter how random your mode of transportation may seem, there’s always a reason for your presence. That means watching, learning, and (very cautiously) asking questions. Try not to get arrested/captured/executed; such events tend to put a crimp in your explorations. The way home will make itself known in time. Or not. 
I am not a number; I’m a free woman!
I would think about Patrick McGoohan & The Prisoner series!
I am not familiar with that series. What was it about?
Heh. My question would be whether I would ever want to go home at all. I’ve always liked certain movies and time travel stories in which (usually for love) our hero decides to STAY wherever he was sent.
This world isn’t horrible, OTOH there’s a lot of stuff that I could do without. A nice fantasy world could be a lot of fun. I’d certainly want to check it out and make a thorough comparison before I started looking for the way back.
I think first priority is find out if you can get back. Then, once you’ve established that you are not trapped, then you can explore and enjoy the wonders of the fantasy world. It would be a nagging feeling to try to enjoy a fantasy world while pondering if you’ll ever be able to leave.
I think Buzz Lightyear had the right idea; you first determine if the air is breathable, whether or not your ship can be repaired, and whether there seems to be any signs of intelligent life…
(“Hello!”)
I would make sure that I wouldn’t go anywhere that could become dark. I am really scared of being eaten by a gru.
This reminds me of a story that I read in school, maybe about 8th grade. This guy wants to take a vacation. He lives a pretty boring life so when he looks he gets swept up in this one promising some kind of magical journey to a fantastic world where everything is perfect. So he ends up sitting in this barn waiting and waiting for the event to happen. After awhile he gets fed up and leaves. And sure enough after he leaves they get taken to this world. He see a glimpse but it’s now lost to him forever.
That’s what I see this as. I love the idea of magic and fairie creatures. And if I go I would doubtlessly be extremely happy and amazed and want to learn everything and live there. But I would terribly miss my mother, and my sister and my nieces and all my family. But could I leave? I don’t know. If I could learn magic, probably not. If my sword was my life, then yes. Maybe stay awhile but always with the thought that I would leave.
An excellent point, Shagnasty. Adventure rule #1: always make sure the batteries in your lamp are fresh, and try to find extras.
Osiris I know that story! I read it in jr. high too! I can’t remember the name of it though! I’ve been looking for it for years. It blew me away that someone could be that close to something so great and then lose it at the last minute.
HAHA, me too. Have wondered for a decade what it was. I think it was in a textbook of short stories. Might be worth starting a thread here. There are smart people here.
Ah, the slavering jaws of a grue.
I have no fear, though. I would draw my elvish sword of great antiquity, and if it glowed with a soft blue light, I would know that there was danger nearby.
Amusingly enough, even before reading to Shagnasty’s grue comment, my thought was “Hey, this is like when you go down the cellar into Zork I and the trap door slams behind you. Step 1: Figure out how to get out. Step 2: Once you’ve accomplished step 1, explore this great underground empire.”
Whaddaya mean, Octavia?
For three years now I’ve been debating Christian ethics and theology with Satan, and we’ve become great friends. I can chat on a variety of topics with Freyr and Fenris, about half the cast of the Tolkien epics, from Fingolfin to Maeglin to Sauron, or even exchange pleasantries with Auntie Em. My favorite author is represented by Podkayne, and Lazarus Long was around a year and a half ago. If I feel philosophical, I can always see what dark shape I can stir up from Spiritus Mundi, and where it will slouch off to (usually a hijack). Spider Robinson once wrote a story set in a theme park called Dreamworld, and I think we’ve found it here – it even has the same major problem as Dreamworld! (subtle ironic wisecrack – whoever guesses the problem ought to post it ;))
Reality is for the imagination-impaired.