Tempted to Run Blue Rose backwards

[JPL]

No, the setting is asking you to believe that a certain world view is good and decent and noble. And some people are simply saying that this Aldis world view is not really good and decent and noble after all.

From what I gather, this "world view" is mostly about respect and compassion and tolerance and self-sacrifice and so forth. To the extent that Aldis reflects these universal principles, it really is good and decent and noble.

Now, I understand that opinions vary about stuff like homosexuality and gender roles and the divinity of nature and organized religion, and to the extent that Aldis takes a position on these more controversial questions, one can certainly disagree with the premises underlying Aldis. You might even find it silly, or nightmarish, because you disagree with some of these moral judgments.

I guess from what I've seen of the setting, I mostly see chivalry, honor, true love, friendship, and the hero's journey. That's all the stuff I like about fantasy RPGs. The fact that it also introduces some less-familiar values --- feminist/gay/Wicca viewpoints, I suppose --- doesn't somehow render the whole thing "silly" to me, or make it seem like mere propaganda, or otherwise fill me with contempt.

I don't particularly like hereditary monarchies in the real world, but that never made me want to run a reverse LotR, where selfish King Aragorn forces the hobbits into serfdom.

But like I said...to each his own.

 

[Ralts Bloodthorne]

You know, you wouldn't have to change the kingdom at all from what I've read.

When you get right down to it, it sounds like a magical, eco-friendly (too friendly, if you get my meaning) dictatorship ruled by a powerful being who chooses the rulers based on what it thinks is best for the populace.

I'll admit, Mercedes Lackey makes me want to yarf, as do a lot of those who write in her genre.

But what do we see if we peel back that kingdom's skin just a little? What kind of festering ooze lurks within it?

Without staining it with modern politics, let's look at a few things I have gathered from this post...

Talking animals serve as guides, sages and wise-men, up to and including a magical golden deer who chooses the rulers.
Hmmm, sounds to me like the animals have figured out how to get humans to voluntarily chain themselves into servitude to both protect and maintain the animals domains at the costs of thier own lives.

Those who aren't happy and satisfied must be the very people who endanger the kingdom itself?
Sounds like a lot of people go around smiling and mumbling "Happy thoughts. Happy thoughts." This means that ESP/telepathic etc charms would be a high priced magical item, and agents of Shadow would leap at the chance to smuggle these "decadent and dangerous" items into the magic kingdom.

No masculinity, aggression, etc is not approved of or wanted.
Hmmm, sounds like domestication to me. And since aggression goes hand in hand with combat, those warriors wouldn't be all that good. Training where "everybody WINS!" wouldn't be very good, and honestly, I don't see it creating hard-nosed warriors willing to take it if they get to dish it out.


I've always found many of Mercedes Lackey's (and others of the same genre's) kingdoms and utopias a rotten apple with a shiney golden peel.

Why change it? Just show what's under the peel.

And if the mechanics are as good as everyone said, and can be peeled off of the setting, I'd be more than willing to purchase it.

I'll just C&P the rules into a document for myself and then hand the book off to my 13 year old daughter. It sounds about her speed.

Oh, and on a side note, I seriously doubt that Green Ronin released this book thinking: "We'll show all of those dirty meat eating over-aggressive barbarians that things are better than thier nasty old game" when they released this.

I think they merely saw an untapped market, where the unipeg riding virgin princess surrounded by singing faeries as she rides into joyous battle against the vile, maiden enslaving chauvanistic wizard is acceptable, if not fitting within the setting quite perfectly. I think it's a good idea, because the kingdom is "good" to the perceptions of all but one sector of D&D's main detractors (the religious sector) and characters from this kingdom defending it from such obvious evil will be easier to understand than the rather "mercenary" PC's commonly played.

 

[Ralts Bloodthorne]

And it wouldn't surprise me a bit if we saw supplements later that peeled away that smiling golden mask to reveal the worm gnawed, slimy, festering face of evil smiling in cold triumph.




But then, I'm a cynical man, with a dark view on both humanity and any world it could live in.

 

[Nisarg]

And it wouldn't surprise me a bit if we saw supplements later that peeled away that smiling golden mask to reveal the worm gnawed, slimy, festering face of evil smiling in cold triumph..

Well, let's hope...

Nisarg

 

[Nisarg]

From what I gather, this "world view" is mostly about respect and compassion and tolerance and self-sacrifice and so forth. To the extent that Aldis reflects these universal principles, it really is good and decent and noble.

Now, I understand that opinions vary about stuff like homosexuality and gender roles and the divinity of nature and organized religion, and to the extent that Aldis takes a position on these more controversial questions, one can certainly disagree with the premises underlying Aldis. You might even find it silly, or nightmarish, because you disagree with some of these moral judgments.

I guess from what I've seen of the setting, I mostly see chivalry, honor, true love, friendship, and the hero's journey. That's all the stuff I like about fantasy RPGs. The fact that it also introduces some less-familiar values --- feminist/gay/Wicca viewpoints, I suppose --- doesn't somehow render the whole thing "silly" to me, or make it seem like mere propaganda, or otherwise fill me with contempt.

It isn't about those issues to me. I'm not christian, generally mistrust organized religion, and am in favour of full rights for homosexuals. The wicca isn't an issue either, Im a professor of comparative religion, and I've studied the wiccan religion...

To me, the issue is sociological believability.
The particular brands of "tolerance" and "respect" and "diversity" that the setting promotes are ones that require being legislated and enforced, meaning Aldis should be a police state.
The only thing missing is for them to mention that kindly old sages don't smoke pipes on Aldis, because tobacco has been shown to be harmful to you, and the children ("Won't anyone THINK OF THE CHILDREN!??"), so tobacco has been made a class A illegal substance, for your own health and the health of the children, citizen.

Nisarg

 

[CrusaderX]

From what I gather, this "world view" is mostly about respect and compassion and tolerance and self-sacrifice and so forth. To the extent that Aldis reflects these universal principles, it really is good and decent and noble.

I think it's the whole attitude of "we're so enlightened and tolerant, and if you disagree with us, you're stupid and ignorant at best, and evil at worst" that really rubs people the wrong way.

 

[Ralts Bloodthorne]

I think it's the whole attitude of "we're so enlightened and tolerant, and if you disagree with us, you're stupid and ignorant at best, and evil at worst" that really rubs people the wrong way.

If you believe that, then you're ignorant and evil.


,-)

 

[JPL]

I think it's the whole attitude of "we're so enlightened and tolerant, and if you disagree with us, you're stupid and ignorant at best, and evil at worst" that really rubs people the wrong way.

Well, I haven't read the whole book yet...I might end up agreeing with you about that. Smugness and self-righteousness are never appealling, regardless of whether you ultimately agree or disagree with the views espoused.

 

[Desdichado]

But then, I'm a cynical man, with a dark view on both humanity and any world it could live in.

Me too. I'd have Green Ronin give me Blue Rose for the mechanics and The Black Company for a setting. Although I understand the Black Company mechanics are pretty cool too.

EDIT: Wow, lots of colors...

 

[Nisarg]

No, they are not. OK, from the posts I can't tell if you actually own this game or not. If so, I want chapter and verse where it says these things. Otherwise, you've moved from just projecting your own somewhat cynical world view on the setting to something else.

I don't care to be put upon for demands of chapter and verse, but does the book not say that anyone who tries to stop the coronation gets a hoofmark to the skull, and subsequent Exile from Aldis?

Nisarg