D&D General Modules with a political message?

[TwiceBorn2]

Don't own it, and have never read or played it, but this might be one of the most overtly political RPGs I've come across... SIGMATA: This Signal Kills Fascists - Land of NOP LLC | DriveThruRPG.com

 

[Ogre Mage]

I find politics within an TTRPG interesting insofar as when they look at how people operate within a political system and how they work together and against one another. And what happens when the party enters into this equation? Should we strongly support the current regime, try to reform it, ignore it, covertly undermine it or openly rebel against it? If there is an power vacuum should we support a certain candidate or remain neutral? When the party is put into political situations like this it can have rich roleplaying results. Of course, sometimes you back the (good-aligned) prince who LOSES the political struggle and then you're f**ked. I was admittedly frustrated as our lives became worse after that. But our personas non grata status was an interesting story to work through.

 

[Micah Sweet]

It would certainly be useless as a label because it would be a label that applies to everything. That’s why the word’s utility doesn’t lie in labeling things. We don’t go around saying “this is political” or “that isn’t political.” We ask, “what is this saying politically?” or “what are the political implications of that?”

Actually, people say this or that is/isn't political all the time.

 

[Levistus's_Leviathan]

Actually, people say this or that is/isn't political all the time.

And they're misusing the term.

 

[Micah Sweet]

And they're misusing the term.

Maybe so, but it's extremely prevalent and needs to be taken into account whoever politics is discussed.

 

[Lanefan]

Ugh. I feel too many people keep trying to bring real world politics into D&D enough as it is.

I don't find it so much a problem with real-world politics as with real-world religion. That gets real annoying real fast in a game that supposedly has its own religious conceits and constructs that at most just wave at the real things as they go by in the distance.

Obviously if there's a market for it, the product should exist, but it's definitely not for me. The only kind of politics I care about in D&D are those that make sense in-world.

Same here.

 

[Paul Farquhar]

On the whole, it seems to me that either:

a) Your players share your politics, enjoy the adventure, but don't learn anything new, or;

b) Your players don't share your politics, don't enjoy the adventure, and don't learn anything new.

 

[FrogReaver]

Most political content in fiction and rpg's is going to be based on parallels to the real world. I don't have such a problem with this kind of content because it doesn't define the truth of the real world, it's more like a thought experiment about how to handle situations where X premises are true. In the real world those premises are most often disputed.

There is one class of political content in fiction and rpg's that turns me away. Identity politics/representation. If such are important to the story then great! If the inclusion feels artificial or arbitrary it comes across to me as a political statement about the real world and political statements about the real world are the kind of politics I want to avoid in my ficiton and rpg's.

 

[Levistus's_Leviathan]

There is one class of political content in fiction and rpg's that turns me away. Identity politics/representation. If such are important to the story then great! If the inclusion feels artificial or arbitrary it comes across to me as a political statement about the real world and political statements about the real world are the kind of politics I want to avoid in my ficiton and rpg's.

All inclusion is always forced. The decision to include a woman, LGBTQ+, or neurodivergent/disabled person in any form of media is always a "forced" choice. Always.

And plenty of characters have characteristics (gender identity, sexuality, skin color, etc) that don't impact the story. Not every minor trait of every character in the story has to impact it. If you have a problem with the inclusion of a marginalized minority in a work of media, the problem is "politics" or the media. It's you.

 

[AnotherGuy]

There is one class of political content in fiction and rpg's that turns me away. Identity politics/representation. If such are important to the story then great! If the inclusion feels artificial or arbitrary it comes across to me as a political statement about the real world and political statements about the real world are the kind of politics I want to avoid in my ficiton and rpg's.

From my experience I do not mind that.
For instance Grand Duke Ulder Ravengard of Baldur's Gate, a big black bald dude, was introduced in MiBG as the man in charge of the Flaming Fist. What we got out of that was an awesome pic of Terry Crews. Now who doesn't want that?