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<blockquote data-quote="tzor" data-source="post: 3553156" data-attributes="member: 12826">D&amp;D has never really been medieval.&nbsp; One can argue that it was very close to the period between the classical medieval and the renaissance, with one very important exception – instead of having the spice trade as a result of demand of spices from crusaders who had tasted the goods of the middle east we have adventurers in what is basically a “gold rush” that involved treasure hordes and not actual gold ore.Sad to say that many people don’t really understand either the “dark ages,” (Why are they dark anyway?&nbsp; I did hear a joke about how a supernova recorded in China was never recorded by the monks of the dark ages, so perhaps it was just exceptionally overcast?) the medieval period, the renaissance, the baroque, etc.&nbsp; Few people understand the differences between capitalism and feudalism.&nbsp; And most importantly, none of this was really important to the creators of the D&amp;D (and then the AD&amp;D game).Technology also spanned the centuries, from barbarian armors to that of the high renaissance.&nbsp; So too did weapons.&nbsp; Oddly enough the forces that drove the development of those weapons and armors are completely absent from the setting.&nbsp; In the medieval mindset armor, arms, and spurs were the proper right of knights, not of ordinary folk.&nbsp; (It is generally not understood that the knight was in effect an order of armored cavalry.)So to suggest any relationship between D&amp;D and the medieval period one has to look at the example of a retired old man recalling his high school days.&nbsp; Don’t expect it to be exceptionally accurate.&nbsp; Expect some modern notions to creep in.&nbsp; Expect at lot of flavor and a little exaggeration.</blockquote>

[QUOTE="tzor, post: 3553156, member: 12826"] D&D has never really been medieval. One can argue that it was very close to the period between the classical medieval and the renaissance, with one very important exception – instead of having the spice trade as a result of demand of spices from crusaders who had tasted the goods of the middle east we have adventurers in what is basically a “gold rush” that involved treasure hordes and not actual gold ore. Sad to say that many people don’t really understand either the “dark ages,” (Why are they dark anyway? I did hear a joke about how a supernova recorded in China was never recorded by the monks of the dark ages, so perhaps it was just exceptionally overcast?) the medieval period, the renaissance, the baroque, etc. Few people understand the differences between capitalism and feudalism. And most importantly, none of this was really important to the creators of the D&D (and then the AD&D game). Technology also spanned the centuries, from barbarian armors to that of the high renaissance. So too did weapons. Oddly enough the forces that drove the development of those weapons and armors are completely absent from the setting. In the medieval mindset armor, arms, and spurs were the proper right of knights, not of ordinary folk. (It is generally not understood that the knight was in effect an order of armored cavalry.) So to suggest any relationship between D&D and the medieval period one has to look at the example of a retired old man recalling his high school days. Don’t expect it to be exceptionally accurate. Expect some modern notions to creep in. Expect at lot of flavor and a little exaggeration. [/QUOTE]

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