D&D General D&D Settings with No Problematic Areas?

[Azzy]

I disagree on the cleric. Clerics were usually one who travelled to spread the word of their lord/deity. But suppose you could look at it in the terms you put, but I wouldnt do that in my game.

Sure, but not all clerics need a religion that involves deities as such—philosophies, ancestral worship, animism, and more all exist in the real world, so there's no need to put a one-size-fits-all on the cleric. Heck, then there's polytheism and monotheism as opposed to D&D's default of henotheism. Even in 2e, The Complete Cleric's Handbook went into clerics of philosophies and such. I think having different cultures in a setting approach religion in different ways give variety and is more interesting than one where there is no variety.

 

[Azzy]

Yes, I think bringing back the Kingdom of Many Arrows (or a successor state) would be the obvious choice to allow for more nuanced orcs in the Realms.

I reckon WotC kind of shot themselves in the foot with that one by having the Many Arrows orcs “revert to type” and go on a suicidal rampage that resulted in the destruction of their kingdom.

Agreed. There could be orcs of different tribes, clans, and cultures each with different outlooks that have banded together under the Kingdom of Many Arrows (or successor state) for mutual survival. Some could be the stereotypical orcs that love to raid and pillage, while others have a more agrarian society (or some such). Heck, if they went with a successor state, they could have many of the orc tribes decry the violent expansionism of the previous kingdom because it brought about retaliation and catastrophic loses. It's very ripe for telling new stories.

 

[mordenkainendogpissbeer]

Troika!

 

[Remathilis]

The only thing we really have to go by is what's on screen. If all we see are a majority of humans among the Empire or Rebels then they're majority human.



Carrie Fisher tried to use a faux British accept but Alec Guinness and Anthnoy Daniels didn't have to fake it. And I have it on good authority that Peter Mayhew and Kenny Baker growled/beeped with British accents as well. And let's not forget Darth Vader had a decidedly American accent.

Well, Darth Vader did start with an Accent

 

[Panda-s1]

I never think about it that way because I am not Asian, but I also would never make a joke in a way that is meant to be mean or hurtful. Sure, sometimes one comes out in a way differently than it sounded in my head, but that kind of innocent mistake happens to a lot of people. It is like with all these topics about whether something is racist or biased or not. Some of it is unintentional, "hey this sounds cool" type of stuff, and then you have the writers who actually are racist and include all the stuff subtly, or sometimes no so subtly, in their works. But there are other threads already arguing about that topic.

yeah, Koreans eating dog is such light hearted humor despite decades of people speaking out about this as a horrid stereotype, this guy just felt it was so innocent when he said it especially when he didn't think anyone Korean was around to hear it.

 

[Enevhar Aldarion]

yeah, Koreans eating dog is such light hearted humor despite decades of people speaking out about this as a horrid stereotype, this guy just felt it was so innocent when he said it especially when he didn't think anyone Korean was around to hear it.

Since you never said anything to him about it, did you know him well enough to believe if he had known you are Asian, that he would have still told the joke? Or not told it out of respect for you? Was he an asshat in general? And if you watch old episodes of MASH, are you offended by the Korean or Chinese stuff in those?

 

[Remathilis]

Anyways getting back to this Baron.
Is the issue because he is black person who exists within a jungle domain?
Or is this a reference to the Black Panther?
Or are we drawing the comparison of beast (savage trope) turned human (civilised)?
Or something else.

The biggest issue I have is he is the only black Darklord but they did so in the worst way possible. He's essentially Blacula, a boring vampire lord in practice, with his only point of interest being his batsh*t crazy origin. Some wizard polymorphs a literal beast into a man, civilizes him, and turns him into a vampire. He has little agency in these actions, but it's still evil enough to get a domain.

It's a waste because something far more interesting could have been done involving African myths or horror, like some of the others I mentioned that might just need a revision to check for cultural accuracy. But no, he's a stock vampire, little different than Strahd, except he lives in a jungle, turns into a panther, and is black. They even gave him a a generic "vampire" name.

I just think if they are to redo Ravenloft, they should look at replacing him with a true African-based horror rather than a blaxplotation version of Strahd with a racist origin.

 

[Panda-s1]

Since you never said anything to him about it, did you know him well enough to believe if he had known you are Asian, that he would have still told the joke? Or not told it out of respect for you? Was he an asshat in general? And if you watch old episodes of MASH, are you offended by the Korean or Chinese stuff in those?

Jesus, I've never seen someone go through such lengths to defend an anonymous person for telling a blatantly racist joke.

"did you know him well enough to believe if he had known you are Asian, that he would have still told the joke?" in what universe is familiarity an excuse to tell an offensive joke to someone who the joke isn't about? that's not trying to be funny, that's confiding in someone about your bigottry.

 

[MGibster]

Since you never said anything to him about it, did you know him well enough to believe if he had known you are Asian, that he would have still told the joke? Or not told it out of respect for you? Was he an asshat in general? And if you watch old episodes of MASH, are you offended by the Korean or Chinese stuff in those?

I gotta go with Panda-s1 on this one. That kind of joke is inappropriate in a work environment even if you know there are no Asians within earshot. And there are a lot of reasons why someone might not speak up immediately when a coworker says something offensive and Panda-s1 isn't at blame here.

 

[Cap'n Kobold]

"did you know him well enough to believe if he had known you are Asian, that he would have still told the joke?" in what universe is familiarity an excuse to tell an offensive joke to someone who the joke isn't about? that's not trying to be funny, that's confiding in someone about your bigottry.

I mean its fine to be racist about an ethnic group, as long as its behind their backs. Being racist to their face would be rude.

Telling a racist joke when you don't think anyone in the group would be offended is fine, its normal. The more that sort of joke and attitude is done among the group, the more normal and acceptable it becomes. It becomes so accepted as natural etiquette, that when someone does actually point out that they are offended, the members of the group are shocked and defensive. They must be looking to be offended, what we said is perfectly normal behaviour.