D&D General How Would You Do Fantasy 1984?

[overgeeked]

This just gave me an idea. Why not make the Magic Corps/Enforcers be Warlocks . . . whose pacts are with the head mage? That's an "easy" way to ensure that you have the power. Execute/Imprison Sorcerers, ban Wizardry and Bardcraft, and restrict other magic to be under your control, like you suggested.

Yeah, they would probably straight out ban worship of all deities and require the State to be the only "worshipped entity", unless the State was capable of having Clerics and Paladins devoted to it. "Hospitals" could be indoctrination centers, where you have to go in order to get treatment, but they also check up on you mentally and make you conform with magic if you differ too much.

Various charm spells and modify memory would be key. That’s why I think Order domain clerics. Their spell list is great for what you’re after.

 

[Charlaquin]

That's what I've been thinking. It shows that atrocities don't only have to be committed by otherworldly monsters, humans are guilty of them, too.

Yeah, that's the trick. Charm magic would take away the biggest tool that Players have, which is agency. It would be difficult to explain how they have free will when people can get dominated and magically forced to do what the government tells them to. Perhaps making it only used on caught criminals could help fix this problem, explained by the magic users who cast these spells being in too short of a supply to affect the whole population.

Maybe whoever’s behind it doesn’t want to have to rely on magic. They’ll use it if they have to, but it’s only a temporary solution. The end-game is a population that is completely under control and that control is self-regulating. Maybe they are gradually putting something into place, analogous to Newspeak, that will ultimately remove the population’s ability to even conceive of rebelling, and enchantment will no longer be necessary.

 

[Charlaquin]

This just gave me an idea. Why not make the Magic Corps/Enforcers be Warlocks . . . whose pacts are with the head mage? That's an "easy" way to ensure that you have the power. Execute/Imprison Sorcerers, ban Wizardry and Bardcraft, and restrict other magic to be under your control, like you suggested.

Yeah, they would probably straight out ban worship of all deities and require the State to be the only "worshipped entity", unless the State was capable of having Clerics and Paladins devoted to it. "Hospitals" could be indoctrination centers, where you have to go in order to get treatment, but they also check up on you mentally and make you conform with magic if you differ too much.

You’re describing Dark Sun.

 

[Richards]

Doppelgangers would make excellent Thought Police, given their telepathic abilities and ability to assume the physical forms of a person's most trusted associates. There wouldn't even need to be that many actual doppelgangers employed by the government; just the knowledge that they exist and that anyone you encounter could really be a mind-reading doppelganger would help to foster the feeling of helplessness and hopelessness in trying to fight the system that Big Brother would want to inculcate in his society.

Johnathan

 

[Salthorae]

In many ways the War Wizards of Cormyr in FR lore, under Vanderghast anyway, functioned like this with their "mind reaming" spells keeping an eye on nobles and other threats alike to protect the throne.

Though, they obviously weren't nearly as fully tilt 1984, it's a start for sure.

Detect Thoughts
Modify Memory

Telepathic Feat

Indoctrinated corp of wizards and support staff.

Could be an interesting setting.

 

[LuisCarlos17f]

In an fantasy world ordinary citizens worry more about the eternal punishment or reward in the other life. And D&D gods aren't going to allow genocides against their loyal followers, and they can play their cards very well, too much, against mortal tyrants. And if the state is like a toxic boss, then you shouldn't be too surprised with the betrayers, and no empire can survive for a lont time the betray. And the ordinary citizens could be tricked to break some rules thinking they were orders by the bosses.

Do you know the Technocrazy from Mage: the Ascension(White Wolf/Onyx Path)?