Subverting other sources for D&D. . .

[jdrakeh]

The Soviets are an easy notion to convert into a race or organization.

You'd think that, wouldn't you? The problem is, once I started to scratch the surface, the cornerstones of Communist Russian society (i.e., the five points of the Red Star) are incredibly hard to implement/justify in a world or setting that is largely feudal or non-technological in nature.

 

[Dannyalcatraz]

Just like Turtledove did with WW2, the Civil War could also be used as a fantasy setting.

(Whizbang Dustyboots & I got into it a little bit over this, so I'll try not to be as provocative as I was back then.)

The division between North & South could be:

1) The background for the conflict between surface Elves & Drow (who do keep slaves & thralls).

2) The background for the conflict between other races with Goblins and/or Orcs being the slaves yearning to be free.

3) The background for the conflict between the elder races (Dwarves vs Elves, for instance) over the emancipation of Humans.

 

[Minicol]

Video Games !

The Witcher is HOT !!!!

In fact I am considering creating a witcher class. Problem will be balancing it. Other problem is all players wanting to play it after playing the video game.

 

[Dannyalcatraz]

Most of the tropes in Westerns are outgrowths of mythology, so converting them to FRPGs is a snap.

 

[WayneLigon]

Most of the tropes in Westerns are outgrowths of mythology, so converting them to FRPGs is a snap.

Indeed. In fact, I'd be hard-pressed to think of a Western movie I've seen that could not be adapted into a fantasy game with only a minimal amount of fiddling. And visa-versa.

 

[Asmor]

visa-versa.

Ha! I've caught you in flagrante discover!

 

[Rechan]

You'd think that, wouldn't you? The problem is, once I started to scratch the surface, the cornerstones of Communist Russian society (i.e., the five points of the Red Star) are incredibly hard to implement/justify in a world or setting that is largely feudal or non-technological in nature.

Hmm, perhaps I'm not familiar enough with the Communist society, but here I was thinking just "Good of the people" situation where everything is taken and returned works.

I think of Kobolds when I think of D&D communists, due to their "For the nest" mentality.

Just like Turtledove did with WW2, the Civil War could also be used as a fantasy setting.

Well, your examples can work, but also Civil War-inspiration doesn't have to necessarily be about slaves.

There were a few fundamental issues that caused CW.

1) A controversial issue.
2) The South's economy rested almost entirely on the back of that controversial issue.
3) The political divide; Lincoln being voted in despite the entire South voting against said "Even if we tried our best, we still can't effect the country."

The Civil War itself comprised several elements:

1) The right of that controversial issue.
2) A split Geographical and Cultural people.
3) Brother fighting Brother.
4) The War itself consumes all, touching lives of everyone, and causes untold suffering and death.

It's easy to get the above without straight-up slavery.

Pick a controversial issue:

How about: Necromancy. Or Psionics (Hey, we can read your mind if we want to for protection of the people). The creation of Warforged ("They're abominations").

Make sure that the Controversial Issue ties directly in with the culture or history of the area it's tied to, rather than some new idea that just popped up. Put the economy, or the way of life, or something just as important on the back of that controversial issue. Like the magic that runs that part of the country is to be outlawed, but they've been using it so long that most of their economy is put on top of it, and so is a lot of their history.

Now involve everyone in the conflict.

 

[Rechan]

Speaking of wars, another one rife for opportunity is either:

1) The Revolutionary War, or
2) The French and Indian wars.

I particularly like #2, because two empires + pitting the natives against one another.

So you could have a country or people of humans versus say, a country or people of elves or dwarves, and the two are using different humanoid tribes as go-betweens, cannon fodder, and guides.

It's really interesting if you have say, the humans with their artifice and templars, the Elves with their magic, and the humanoids with their Druidic magic.

 

[jdrakeh]

Hmm, perhaps I'm not familiar enough with the Communist society, but here I was thinking just "Good of the people" situation where everything is taken and returned works.

I think of Kobolds when I think of D&D communists, due to their "For the nest" mentality.

Oh, yeah -- that's hive mentality, which is easy enough to do. Not the same as Communism. In true Communism, you have the Intelligentsia (decision makers), the Military (armed forces), the Laborers (industrial workers), the Peasantry (farmers), and the Youth (future members of the other four branches).

 

[Dannyalcatraz]

Pregenerate a party of a Derf the Fighter, D'auphnee the Bard, Vilmar the Wizard/Loremaster, and Zzagy the Elven Druid with his Cooshee Dew for his animal companion, have them wander the land, solving mysteries in their garishly colored horse-drawn carriage. I can almost hear it now...

"Cooshee Dew, where are you?"

Well, your examples can work, but also Civil War-inspiration doesn't have to necessarily be about slaves.

I still like the slavery aspect of the civil war- slavery was practiced in some form or another in the RW age most FRPGs settings approximate.

It also allows you to do some interesting things.

For example, if you cast your Elves in more of a Melnibonean bent, they'll more closely resemble the cruel fey of European legend and can be the empire in decline depending upon human, orc, half-orc or Warforged* ( excellent suggestion) slavery (Hissss! Boooo!) while Dwarves run the FRPG Underground Railroad- which is literally both! In such a realm "Drow" could be less of a race and more of a political movement ("Drow" could even be an acronym in Elvish or Dwarven...)- Elves familiar with the Underdark who are anti-slavery, and thus allied with the Dwarven Abolitionists.

Elven houses divide on the issue..."Drow" get exiled or executed, and in a race with such a slow reproductive cycle, a civil war could decimate the race. Dwarves have a real reason to hate (non-"Drow") Elves and vice versa.

*Alternatively, Warforged could be Dwarven constructs, analogous to the superior manufacturing power of the North that helped turn the tide of the war.