NOW LIVE! Today's the day you meet your new best friend. You don’t have to leave Wolfy behind... In 'Pets & Sidekicks' your companions level up with you!

Reply to thread

Message: <blockquote data-quote="MNblockhead" data-source="post: 7585633" data-attributes="member: 6796661">Then don't buy that setting. I can see being upset if you buy a setting that advertises itself as a gritty historical fiction game, only to find that the authors were ignorant and lazy regarding the history they are trying to simulate. But if you choose to play in Eberron or even the Forgotten Realms, you shouldn't be upset over the creators not living up to historical accuracy they never claimed to be trying to obtain. I don't see how any attempt to maintain any semblance of historical accuracy in a game like D&D that has magic, a large number of sentient species, and undead, higher beings, and even gods that many people in the world have experienced, often regularly. As a GM it your responsibility to select, modify, and build the setting you will run your game in. If verisimilitude is your goal--great!  Just let the players know that.  But you need the right players. Either players who are really into the same periods of history and already have the necessary education, or those who are willing to do homework. Whether the players are already knowledgeable or eager to become knowledgeable, I suggest that the GM provide a Player's Guide or Gazetteer to give them the setting background that you expect them to play in.  The Lost Lands does this (thought they most certainly are not trying to go for anything remotely historical). Even then, if you take yourself and your campaign too seriously, you may find yourself challenged by players more knowledgeable about certain aspects of medieval life. Sure, you know how certain terms were used and how various trades organized themselves, but you didn't do your research on medieval farming and food preparation practices. Requiring high levels of verisimilitude requires a high level of education in the real-life history and culture you are using as your setting. And this could be awesome, if the DM has patient attitude and eagerness to share and teach and entertain (rather then gloat, berate, and scoff).  For example, there is "an expert on Scandinavian history and culture" in the <a href="https://www.meetup.com/rpgclub/events/nvpjbmyzfblc/" target="_blank">Manhattan RPG, CCG, and Tabletop Group</a> who runs D&D games that "take place in the historical periods of Viking Age Scandinavia." Here is how the games are advertised:I also find the word choice interesting when it states: "This campaign is taught by an expert on Scandinavian history and culture and takes place in the historical periods of Viking Age Scandinavia" [emphasis mine].Note the word "taught."  Unless you are playing with a group of people with similar levels of expertise, be ready to teach. And I would love to play in such a campaign. I really wanted to join a session of this guy's game. But I could never make my schedule work on my trips to New York. Most of us, however, are not experts in the subjects we are trying to enforce. Instead, we are cherry picking certain points of contention based on pet peeves. That's fine. Just let your players know and also let them know that there are other areas where your campaign will be playing fast and loose.</blockquote>

Verification