D&D General Why Do You Prefer a Medieval Milieu For D&D? +

[Reynard]

Why fantasy?

While a good post, that was not actually the question I asked.

 

[mamba]

Well, to be clear, this actually started considering "grit". The idea that you get grittier outside the Victorian Era, when the Victorian Era coined the term and was loaded with gritty elements, struck a false chord.

you are too hung up on when that term was ‘invented’ imo. We know what is meant by it, I doubt you have problems identifying aspects of medieval fantasy that you could apply it to. If you prefer a different word, let me know which one

 

[Snarf Zagyg]

While a good post, that was not actually the question I asked.

Sometimes you get the answer you need, not the answer you want.

But to answer the specific question?

 

[Reynard]

Sometimes you get the answer you need, not the answer you want.

But to answer the specific question?

View attachment 370317

Some movies just don't age well. Most of them are by Tarantino.

 

[Umbran]

you are too hung up on when that term was ‘invented’ imo.

And you are continuing to miss the point.

Whatever. I have better things to do with my time than argue over this with you.


.

 

[Argyle King]

I believe that Medieval Fantasy strikes a good balance between a) being a large sandbox into which many concepts fit and b) having enough familiar tropes to add some easily-understood rules, general guidelines, and shared expectations.

A game of imagination should have flexibility.
A shared game of imagination should have some level of shared understanding from which to start.

Medieval Fantasy trends to achieve that. Even when a particular campaign deviates from that, the deviations tend to be defined in the context of whatever the assumed shared 'norm' happens to be.

Similar reasons are why concepts such as "Elf" and "Dwarf" persist as character options.

 

[jmartkdr2]

I must admit I don't want actual medieval politics - but then again, actual feudalism is kinda rare in fantasy stories. The trappings are there (noble titles and whatnot) but in practice, we tend to want something more like post-imperial not-quite-anarchy, where everywhere beyond the town walls is lawless and dangerous, but brave heroes might be able to bring some light to it. That's the power fantasy behind it all - evil is real and you can hit it with a sword. That's what the adventures are about, after all. cf the 4e Points of Light concept.

It's probably more reflective of the "Wild West" than the Middle Ages or even the so-called Dark Ages (they were never quite that chaotic), but I think Westerns as a genre had a much bigger influence on the fantasy genre than most people (even the writers of fantasy!) often realize.

Which is probably why Space Westerns work pretty well for ttrpgs, incidentally.

(If you don't have relative lawlessness, then regular people being as regularly violent as DnD characters would strain credulity. The alternative is to single out the pc's as not being subject to those rules, either because they're government agents or they're rebels. O something else, I guess.)

 

[Scribe]

Swords
Wizards
Castles
Ruins
Dragons
Monsters
Ancient history
Knights
Barbarians
Lord of the Rings
Mythology
Gods

The bedrock of Western Fantasy.

 

[Tonguez]

Swords
Wizards
Castles
Ruins
Dragons
Monsters
Ancient history
Knights
Barbarians
Lord of the Rings
Mythology
Gods

The bedrock of Western Fantasy.

None of those are particularly medieval though, and other than Lord of the Rings that not peculiarly western either.

For instance Journey to the West features the same tropes.

 

[Scribe]

None of those are particularly medieval though, and other than Lord of the Rings that not peculiarly western either.

For instance Journey to the West features the same tropes.

I disagree, all of them fit into the 'medieval milieu' of D&D and are practically foundational with regards to D&D. Yes, there will be other examples across other cultures, we all have our Swords, and Monsters, and Castles, but if I took the time to provide you images to reference each of those words/terms, everyone, literally everyone, who knows what Fantasy is in the West, would know what I'm talking about.