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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Hriston" data-source="post: 8751869" data-attributes="member: 6787503">First, a disclaimer: this post is in no way meant to imply a "one true way" of handling  setting in D&D. I'm aware the games are played with a wide variety of setting details, some of which intentionally subverts assumptions the games seem to make about what fiction can be imagined about where the PCs are in the broadest sense. Rather, I'm interested in exploring what sort of generic setting details are contained in the games themselves without any overlaying of what might be considered a more specific, complete, or detailed setting.Autobiographically, when I first came to D&D in the late 70's/early 80's, I had an expectation of setting-neutrality and that the games' systems would be a sort of physics engine for resolving outcomes independent of any setting in which a character's actions might have been taking place. But as I began reading the rulebooks, which in my case were the Holmes Basic Set and the core books of AD&D (1E), I was struck by how the games' systems were somewhat inflexibly designed to produce a particular sort of setting experience. I recall an occasion where I was reading about devils in the Monster Manual (1977), and while I was captivated by the lore and world-building aspect of the nine layers of Hell and the different types of devils inhabiting them, I also found myself wondering why, for instance, Asmodeus was presented as the default ruler of Hell as opposed to a more setting neutral, generic version of the Devil. I've since come to the conclusion that content like specific monsters or particular magic items (especially artifacts) aren't part of a game's setting unless used in the game, but nevertheless D&D seems to assume a setting where there are monsters and, possibly, magic items.So I'd like to use this thread to dig in to what general setting details (including history, geography, locations, and cultures) can be supported as default for D&D. To start, here's a list of elements that I think provide evidence of a default setting together with the implications thereof as I see them:<ul> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Cleric class, spells, and magic items - This one's iffy because a particular group could ban the class, but assuming its use, what it says about the setting of D&D is that gods and divine magic are real. Also, in some if not most editions, use of the class would imply the existence of undead creatures.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Magic-user/wizard classes, spells, and magic items - Subject to the same limitation as the cleric, magic-using classes would indicate that arcane magic exists in the game world.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Equipment and weapons lists - These lists indicate a Medieval European material culture and level of technology with attendant implications for climate, social organization, and geographical access to resources similar to that of Medieval Europe.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Monsters - While no particular monster needs to be introduced, the base assumption of gameplay seems to be one of encountering threats from creature-adversaries which provide ever increasing challenge for advancing characters. The implication for setting is the world is dangerous.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Treasure - This may have somewhat lessened importance in more recent editions, but the idea that vast hoards of treasure are the reward awaiting brave, or at least self interested, adventurers willing to risk their lives in the face of deadly perils would indicate that the world is one that fulfils the tropes of sword and sorcery fantasy.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Dungeons/adventuring sites - The focus on site based adventure would seem to necessitate that adventuring locations such as dungeons exist in the game-world as well as attendant implications about historical and/or geological past events that brought about their building or creation.</li> </ul>Anyway, that's my list of elements common to, I think, most editions of D&D that touch upon or suggest to me a default setting. What do you think? Is this at all useful for understanding how setting operates as an element of D&D? Is there anything I've missed or that should be added? Thanks for reading!</blockquote>

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