It would seem that ABC has decided to give high fantasy a try with its new series, “The Quest.” A combination of reality-competition TV and Tolkienesque fantasy LARPing (live action role-playing), “The Quest” is fresh and original.

Twelve “paladins” from our everyday world are chosen to go on a quest in the land of Everealm. The dark lord Verlox has slowly been conquering Everealm, having captured 11 of the land’s 12 kingdoms. The only bastion left to resist him is Saenctum, to which the Fates of Everealm have called the 12 paladins. The Fates have given each paladin a piece of the legendary Sun Spear of Everealm. Only the Sun Spear can defeat Verlox, and only the one True Hero of the 12 can wield it. Week by week, through a series of challenges, the Fates will cull the pool of paladins down to the one True Hero.

Though it follows a preset storyline, “The Quest” allows for plenty of contestant interaction, mostly through challenges that determine who stays another week. The players also interact with in-character actors on the set, completely immersing themselves in the fantasy world.

An interesting combination of reality TV competitions such as “Survivor” and “Big Brother” and fantasy shows and movies, “The Quest” is something that we’ve never seen on TV before. We’ve seen real people compete in the jungle, on desert islands, and in post-apocalyptic urban scenarios, so why not in castles and enchanted forests?

The contestants seem very enthusiastic, almost exuberantly so. Every one of the paladins is extremely happy to be there, and all of them completely buy in to the fantasy that becomes their reality, which can only be seen as a positive. If the contestants weren’t willing to play along, the show wouldn’t work.

Also, there’s no cash prize. I think this is the biggest detail that sets this show apart. With nothing but bragging rights to play for, it’s obvious to the viewer that the contestants really do want to be there, and that they really do believe in this fantasy setting they’ve been thrown into. No cash for the winner keeps the game true to its roots and ensures that the paladins are true heroes, not just swords for hire.

So come Thursday night, don’t be afraid to let your dungeon-crawling fantasy geek come out. No, it’s not “Lord of the Rings” (though it was developed by the same production team), and it’s not “Game of Thrones,” but it is fantasy fun that you should be able to embrace without fear of high school ostracism.