D&D 5E Assuming Dark Sun is on the horizon, what are your worries?

[Gradine]

Yes, but many who complain about a thing (such as depictions of slavery) don't do so fully informed. The object based upon conceptions they have based upon labels (such as 'slavery') and not based upon actual knowledge of the subject or it's finer differences.

I think you'll find that most of those who are most impacted by depictions of slavery are fairly well informed about it

 

[EthanSental]

Like others....I think just the term slavery will be a hot bed now compared to 10 years ago. There are some great 5e home brew on enworld that I’m just finding so thanks to all those that contributed to it, much appreciated!

 

[ccs]

Dark Sun's slavery is not built upon racial supremacy, nor does it feature any of the other worst excesses of chattel slavery. Believe me, that's a very important set of differences to those for whom it matters.

Yes, I know that. But those who'd complain dont.

 

[Azzy]

Yes, I know that. But those who'd complain dont.

Yeah, I think you're wrong.

 

[Eltab]

(Maybe repeating myself from far upthread, maybe not.)

I worry that people who complain about Dark Sun will not let it sink in that the 'baseline condition' is "Evil is predominant* and has almost completely won". They will complain about the Evils and miss the fact that 'fight against an Evil' (heading towards 'overthrow an Evil') is a straightforward campaign to create on Athas.

I also worry that WotC will fear the social media flamethrower more than they love / respect the setting.

* This is the opposite of Star Trek, which begins with "What if the better angels of our nature were predominate?"

 

[LordEntrails]

I think you'll find that most of those who are most impacted by depictions of slavery are fairly well informed about it

"Most"? Yes. But most won't be the ones that are most vocal about it. As with almost every social issue, it is those who 'speak the loudest' that are heard the most. And all too often, those that speak the loudest are not the most informed. It only takes a tiny minority to create a "naughty word storm".

Yes, I know that. But those who'd complain dont.

Exactly.

 

[Zardnaar]

Slavery is a big theme if the setting. It was never presented as a good thing.

On Dark Sun evil won basically. Major themes.


Environment
Psionics
Slavery
Defiling.

 

[Ratskinner]

For the sake of argument, let’s assume Dark Sun is on the horizon. What would be some concerns or worries with how this 5e version would be presented?

Non-Brom artwork (first thing I think of when I hear DS)?

It uses similar artwork/styles and it takes off big-time inspiring a lot of cosplay.....

 

[Coroc]

Dark Sun's slavery is not built upon racial supremacy, nor does it feature any of the other worst excesses of chattel slavery. Believe me, that's a very important set of differences to those for whom it matters.

Slavery is always condemnable. Dark suns slavery is pure fiction and "in game" depicted as a thing to be overcome and therefore should not be subject at all to any sort of reflection or projection of any past or present RL similarities.

But to expand on your theory: Whether on top of - normal humiliation, availability for all sorts of dirty work without pay, bad living conditions, abusable and killable out of a mood - comes some some false racial supremacy claims, is as unimportant as bicycle toppling over in Chicago compared to all the other wrongs.
What I do not get on todays approach on such topics, is that words and wrong ideologies of some seem to hurt those not afflicted by any of the misery more than the facts and actual deeds.
And concerning ancient Greco-Roman slavery : it was not necessary racial supremacy but more often then not the slaves where war bounty or tribute aka from another nation and race. Still Rome e.g. thought of themselves to be superior to other peoples.

 

[LuisCarlos17f]

This is Dark Sun, neither Scarlet O'hara's servants nor the world of Gor. ( = like mixing "Conan the barbarian" and "50 shades of gray"), neither we aren't talking about Christian women from Mediterranean coasts being kidnapped by Otoman corsairs to be the new concubines in the Sultán's harem. (Do you know the 1986 miniserie "Harem" with Omar Shafir?).

Years ago there was a teleserie based in a slave rebellion from real History, Spartacus: blood and sand. In 2013 we could watch the movie "12 years a slave" based in a real case. In an episode of Hercules: the Legendary Journies "the March to the Freedom" the main character, played by Kevin Sorbo, helped a couple of former slaves (she was played by Lucy Liu) and even he gaves them his own land to grown and create a family.

We can talk about slavery in a work of speculative fiction, but we shouldn't play down, fribble about suffering by real people. And reporting slavery as wrong isn't enough. We have to make remember our ethical code is based in the moral principles of the Natural Law as the respect for the human dignity. Without this the one who rebels against authority may become a new tyrant.