D&D General Two underlying truths: D&D heritage and inclusivity

[The Glen]

I think designating a group "Always Lawful Good" can be a problem too as it can be used to justify abhorrent behaviour "ok Elves do commit genocide but they are Good so it's ok!" I don't think Gygax designating his Dervishes LG was intended as a comment on 19th century Mahdists and the ethics of Jihad, but it did give me a double take. As did BECMI's Desert Nomads, with the Lawful/Good Sunni-Analogue Alasiyans and the Chaotic/Evil Shia analogue Thuleans with their Master depicted as Ayatollah Khomeini.

Ylaruam was the Persian/Saudi allegory, with the kith and kin factions being the fantasy equivalent. Neither was presented as good or bad, the module was largely a 'fill in the blank' setting where the DM was expected to fill in who was the villain as well as come up with the NPCs of Ylaruam. Hule was on the opposite end of the map and unrelated to Ylaruam, and was a pure fantasy nation, being a clerical police state that uses divination to find non-believers.

 

[Doug McCrae]

Humanoids: Humanoids presented herein are the base default but in many worlds and campaigns, they can be of any alignments and can be a force for good or evil just as humans or elves can be.

That's already essentially the text of the 5e Monster Manual: "The alignment specified in a monster's stat block is the default. Feel free to depart from it and change a monster's alignment to suit the needs of your campaign. If you want a good-aligned green dragon or an evil storm giant, there's nothing stopping you."

 

[Umbran]

If you were a white, straight male, sure. But otherwise? That's not what I have personally heard from other walks of life and their apprehensions and experiences of playing the game. There's a reason why D&D had the reputation of being a boy's club. And being at conventions? Still working on that too.

Yeah. EN World had to include an explicit Inclusivity Policy for a reason....

 

[Helldritch]

Yeah. EN World had to include an explicit Inclusivity Policy for a reason....

That would have never been needed if everyone was from Quebec.
But I do understand the need for one and it is a good thing that En World have one.

That's already essentially the text of the 5e Monster Manual: "The alignment specified in a monster's stat block is the default. Feel free to depart from it and change a monster's alignment to suit the needs of your campaign. If you want a good-aligned green dragon or an evil storm giant, there's nothing stopping you."

Not clear enough, otherwise this thread would not be needed.
The basic idea is there. What I am talking about is a rearrangement of the MM with a specific section for humanoids in which it is clearly stated that in some world X represent the norm but in different setting X can be a champion of good while Y is now a champion of evil. Or anything in between.

 

[Catulle]

As Dire Bare rightly says you cannot get too judgemental about attitudes of different countries due to their very different histories.

Given that you're writing this as a white South African, I'd consider that your context requires a degree of denmonstrating good faith that you have, thus far, not provided. You sound a lot like deKlerk, to be honest, and I would reconsider that were I you.

 

[Umbran]

That would have never been needed if everyone was from Quebec.

I don't buy that. I have personally experienced how Quebecois treat those who don't speak their brand of French.

 

[Umbran]

You sound a lot like deKlerk, to be honest, and I would reconsider that were I you.

Mod Note:

And I would reconsider insulting people when a moderator is right there in the thread, if I were you.

Don't make it personal. Don't be insulting. Use more good sense, please.

 

[Catulle]

US slavery has not ended. 13th amendment, disproportionate targeting of black men. Literally the vieille regime.

Yeah, Libramarian, slavery and it's proliferation in the land of the free is hilarious. Thanks for the racist contribution.

 

[Mercurius]

Yeah, Libramarian, slavery and it's proliferation in the land of the free is hilarious. Thanks for the racist contribution.

I'm confused.

 

[Catulle]

I'm confused.

Always look at the reacts