I suppose I tend towards action as opposed to too much internal thinking based narrative. I like my fantasy settings to be medieval, not mixed in with too much tech, and I lean toward a good "sword and sorcery" type of fantasy. My protagonists I like to start in village style settings (normally they work in the inn), get caught up in a quest following a visit by a Gandalph like figure and develop from hapless floundering about into competent adversaries for the 'dark lord' style nemesis they struggle against. One member of the team usually is confused by some (generally ancestor related) power or quality they discover they possess (or have always known themselves to have deep down, that makes them different from their support cast friends who accompany them on the quest. (Who are comprised by a solid half-brother and the wayward son of a nearby Lord - a cheeky chappie full of japes who carries an ancestral sword, and cries the name of his family when going into battle; he finds his pride on the journey, thanks to a hooded wanderer type who turns out to be a prince of a far off land. There is also a girl of stunning beauty who tags along somewhere into the ride.) It helps that they have a bit of 'elf' somewhere in their background. Also a few black crawly things of ineffable power should be tracking them.
Yep - that's the formula to get me on board! Can't think why no-one's thought of it before.
