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<blockquote data-quote="Voadam" data-source="post: 8507976" data-attributes="member: 2209">That is one way to take in such representations but also not the only way.If there was a Chinese fantasy thing with bestial monster werewolves looking American it could be taken as the European origin of the Hollywood werewolf but it would not be unreasonable to see a linkage of the concepts of monstrous and American as a possible artistic message of its own.It is understandable to look at the only representation of a culture/ethnicity/race in a creative work, see it linked to negative stuff, and be offput by that being the predominant representation.In core D&amp;D genies are the most obviously Arabic connection in the game, and genies in core D&amp;D are most prominent for the cruel slave-owning Lawful Evil Efreeti of the City of Brass. Fiery evil alt devils are the biggest representation of Arabic stuff.D&amp;D settings have had a bunch of Arabic elements, particularly in the 2e era with Al-Qadim, a couple big Kingdoms in core FR, the Backlunish people and nations in Greyhawk, and Birthright and BECMI Mystara having their own fantasy Arab analogues. Eberron has a little bit of a North African/Middle East vibe to one of their elven cultures. But core D&amp;D it is mostly only genies and mostly the LE City of Brass Efreeti.So in core D&amp;D you have evil Arab devil villains and you can contrast them with Crusading Knight Christian fantasy analogue good protagonist paladins and clerics.You can take that as not saying anything about Arabs, as not a big deal, or as a problematic thing.There definitely seems room to feel different ways about these sorts of issues.</blockquote>

[QUOTE="Voadam, post: 8507976, member: 2209"] That is one way to take in such representations but also not the only way. If there was a Chinese fantasy thing with bestial monster werewolves looking American it could be taken as the European origin of the Hollywood werewolf but it would not be unreasonable to see a linkage of the concepts of monstrous and American as a possible artistic message of its own. It is understandable to look at the only representation of a culture/ethnicity/race in a creative work, see it linked to negative stuff, and be offput by that being the predominant representation. In core D&D genies are the most obviously Arabic connection in the game, and genies in core D&D are most prominent for the cruel slave-owning Lawful Evil Efreeti of the City of Brass. Fiery evil alt devils are the biggest representation of Arabic stuff. D&D settings have had a bunch of Arabic elements, particularly in the 2e era with Al-Qadim, a couple big Kingdoms in core FR, the Backlunish people and nations in Greyhawk, and Birthright and BECMI Mystara having their own fantasy Arab analogues. Eberron has a little bit of a North African/Middle East vibe to one of their elven cultures. But core D&D it is mostly only genies and mostly the LE City of Brass Efreeti. So in core D&D you have evil Arab devil villains and you can contrast them with Crusading Knight Christian fantasy analogue good protagonist paladins and clerics. You can take that as not saying anything about Arabs, as not a big deal, or as a problematic thing. There definitely seems room to feel different ways about these sorts of issues. [/QUOTE]

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