D&D 5E What’s So Great About Medieval Europe?

[Fenris-77]

I thought the article raised some good points about both the former representation of Chult (The primitive savages form a dark continent fantasy trope for African-esque places and people really needs to die in a fire) as well as acknowledging they've made some (giant IMO) steps but there are still issues with the representation. What exactly in the article made you feel it should be in a trashcan?

I'd imagine he's indexing the non-POC-ness of the author. Just a guess.

 

[Derren]

So I guess one of the things that's great about medieval Europe is that anyone can use it without fear of angering anyone. It's a period and place in time that can be mined by anyone with impunity.

Only because people have arbitrarily decided that its ok to anger "people in power" which is one of the reasons cultural appropriation is complete bogus.
If you were serious about it then appropriating vikings and knights would be an as serious offense as using African history in the same bastardized way and only writers with the "correct culture" would be allowed to write about it.

 

[Imaro]

I'd imagine he's indexing the non-POC-ness of the author. Just a guess.

Ah ok so nothing to do with the actual points of the article itself. Got it.

 

[Imaro]

Only because people have arbitrarily decided that its ok to anger "people in power" which is one of the reasons cultural appropriation is complete bogus.
If you were serious about it then appropriating vikings and knights would be an as serious offense as using African history in the same bastardized way and only writers with the "correct culture" would be allowed to write about it.

Can you give some examples of where this has happened in rpg's? I'm genuinely at a loss for where this has taken place... And remember it's not about using the cultures it's about how they are used and presented.

 

[Tonguez]

Also, they still have yurts. It's kinda weird though because some of them are actually really weirdly modern housing. But they are still yurts. I mean...some of them are basically a collapsable modern house with electricity and everything. Its kinda strange.

Ive stayed in a ger (yurt) and yes with solar panels and furniture they are suprisingly spacious and comfortable. We visited a luxury yurt decked out with chandiliers and golden couches even

 

[TheSword]

There is: Dungeons & Dragons Stumbles With Its Revision Of The Game's Major Black Culture

It’s an interesting article (admittedly written by a “non-black writer” in her words) criticizing the way Chult was implemented in the game. To be clear it doesn’t state the setting shouldn’t have been used, and in fact it questions why black cultures (as opposed to people) have been missing from the Forgotten Realms. We should have more, not less.

There is definitely more to be learned about implementation. How language - the clicks and whirs taken straight out of an Indiana Jones film - can be better adapted. To be clear the article provides No examples of this being an issue other than assuming people will attempt bad imitations which is neither advised nor necessary. In a book full of details this is a fairly minor one.

Criticism is how writers and player can improve understanding... but it does not state the attempt shouldn’t have been made (in my understanding). Please point me to the section if you can see it?

My biggest issue with that article is it’s criticism of the Chult being a pastiche... it’s very similar to criticism I’ve seen of East Asian settings like Rokugan, that they borrow from multiple cultures and therefore are disrespectful. The reality is that gaming has always borrowed from multiple cultures because we’re writing fantasy fiction not historical fiction. The English Longbow is mashed up with the French chivalric code and Charlemagne's paladins and Italian pikes. Claiming that it’s acceptable to do this for European themed fantasy but not other cultures is just not reasonable.

My second criticism is when stereotypes (particularly when they aren’t negative) being criticized in fantasy gaming when what people are actually referring to is an Archetype. Gaming is generally not Booker Prize winning fiction, it’s about taking on a role, this is easier to do when you have some archetypes/stereotypes to work off. This isn’t a criticism of the culture it’s a criticism of the whole medium and there is nothing wrong with it. If a Wizard has a pointy hat, long beard and a staff, fair play to them.

I can see people rightly getting annoyed when multi-million pound sports corporations use tribal names to identify themselves when the originators of those names are being oppressed a few miles down the road. I don’t see how this has been successfully applied to the rpg industry.

This article is not a solid case that Tomb Annihilation is misappropriation causing offense.

 

[Son of the Serpent]

Ive stayed in a ger (yurt) and yes with solar panels and furniture they are suprisingly spacious and comfortable. We visited a luxury yurt decked out with chandiliers and golden couches even

Yeah. Never been in one but it would be cool.

 

[doctorbadwolf]

There's parts of the globe where you probably don't want to go as a tourist at night. You stand out and there's a decent chance you get kidnapped/killed.

Slums in South America, places connected to the drug trade, parts of the Caucasus, obvious warzones like Afghanistan, Iraq, Yemen. Parts of Venezuela come to mind.

Some parts you wouldn't go in daylight. You'll stand out and look/dress different.

There is a lot wrong here, but I’m just gonna reiterate that I don’t care about your wierd quest to prove that there are slums in the world?
Like...no one claimed otherwise, bud.

I agree, the fact that in the real world some areas suffer from more crime has zero bearing on whether different races would be accepted in your fantasy village.

The poster appears to be trying to provide justification for why villagers in a fantasy setting might act in a xenophobic way towards another player race. The fact is, that it’s a work of fiction in a fantasy setting and is completely under the control of the DM.

If as DM you want to make that an issue In the campaign that’s your call. You choose to have people behave in a certain way. Know your audience. You don’t need to justify it by citing the favelas.

Exactly. IRL, those places are by far the minority of places in the world, and half of them aren’t actually as bad as Zardnaar would have us believe.
they don’t prove the nonsense notion that villagers would want to kill a Dragonborn on sight because he kinda looks like a dragon, or whatever.

Honestly, I can tell you as a black man who lives in D/FW that people who HAVE seen “that kind of thing“ can get still get antsy. Violent, even. Just because a sight is familiar doesn’t make it welcome or comforting.

Sure, and plenty of other places don’t have anything like that reaction.

The idea that any common villages would just necessarily react that way is nonsense. I never claimed there would be no bigotry.

 

[doctorbadwolf]

I have not at any point suggested -nor has it ever been a part of my position- that people who are both part of POC groups and part of the TTRPG community do not exist.

I am choosing to not take offense or assume meaning because I know that a lot can be lost when communicating without body language, tone, and etc, but -if there is some belief that I have acted in the way suggested- I would posit that such a view is not aligned with the content or context of my comments, thoughts, and inquiries as a whole.

I didn’t say that you did.

 

[Son of the Serpent]

I didn’t say that you did.

Doubt