D&D General Why would someone that's the heir of both A Very Minor Duke and A Minor Baroness become A Adventurer?

[Sorcerers Apprentice]

I do want to raise an issue concerning the uncritical use of tables: when a person uses very old (40+ years) tables uncritically, they end up reproducing the sexism of when the tables were created.

Those tables reflect the sexism of the era they attempt to model. The past will never change, no matter how much we want it to.

 

[uzirath]

The rich and entitled (literally) make odd choices all the time in the real world, so why wouldn't they in a fantasy setting? Seems quite plausible to me that the scion of some family might go off on some adventures before settling down. The family might give him their blessing or it could be a source of friction.

As for the bodyguards, in a game like D&D without mechanics for handling allies in chargen, that's a setting question for the player and DM to sort out (ideally in consultation with the full group). You can easily justify it either way. Plenty of people who stand to inherit don't travel with bodyguards. We're talking a minor duke after all. Moreover, it's perfectly reasonable to imagine that he escaped from his bodyguard because he didn't like them or found them stifling or whatever. That adds a fun plot thread that the DM could introduce at some point... running into one of the bodyguards or another agent of his parents who want him to come home.

 

[FrozenNorth]

Those tables reflect the sexism of the era they attempt to model. The past will never change, no matter how much we want it to.

Why is it that dragons, endlessly stocked dungeons and magic is fine, but women inheriting a title is a bridge too far?

I've just realized that I forgot to mention that in the country it takes place in Women can only inherit if they have no legitimate brothers and that The Baroness that's the characters mother had 1 brother but because he's illegitimate he can't inherit and even though the character is the youngest of 5 children his siblings are all female, which is why he's 1st in line. Sorry

In a game where it seems that at least 30% of PCs are born noble, why decide that female PCs cannot inherit a noble title (unless they randomly roll that they have no brothers?).

 

[Sorcerers Apprentice]

Why is it that dragons, endlessly stocked dungeons and magic is fine, but women inheriting a title is a bridge too far?

Because the mundane makes the fantastic more apparent by contrast.

 

[Vaalingrade]

I feel like the child of Duke and the Baroness would adventure to bring balance between the Joes and COBRA.

 

[mamba]

Those tables reflect the sexism of the era they attempt to model. The past will never change, no matter how much we want it to.

Are they playing in 15th century UK or in some medieval fantasy world? Your comment only addresses the former.

By that some logic there should not be dwarves, elves, dragons, … so chances are they are playing in a fantasy world and your statement becomes meaningless / inapplicable

 

[Olgar Shiverstone]

Teenage rebellion. Rejects being bourgeoisie, wants to be one with the working class to tweak the parents.

 

[GSHamster]

Why is it that dragons, endlessly stocked dungeons and magic is fine, but women inheriting a title is a bridge too far?

In a game where it seems that at least 30% of PCs are born noble, why decide that female PCs cannot inherit a noble title (unless they randomly roll that they have no brothers?).

The thing is that you lose a lot of the conflict or motivations which drive scenarios set in that era, especially romantic ones.

Consider Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice. What drives Mrs. Bennett in her match-making zeal for her daughters? The fact that her daughters cannot inherit, and her husband's heir is a second cousin and the estate is entailed on him. She and her family stands to lose her home if Mr. Bennett dies and a daughter does not marry well.

Of course, if these kind of scenarios don't matter in your game, then distaff succession is perfectly fine. Just be aware that there are entire genres of fiction which you won't be able to emulate well.

 

[MonsterEnvy]

Hey @JMISBEST I was wondering if you would be willing to post a picture of these tables. Just so some of us could see and roll them.

 

[aco175]

The rich and entitled (literally) make odd choices all the time in the real world, so why wouldn't they in a fantasy setting? Seems quite plausible to me that the scion of some family might go off on some adventures before settling down. The family might give him their blessing or it could be a source of friction.

As for the bodyguards, in a game like D&D without mechanics for handling allies in chargen, that's a setting question for the player and DM to sort out (ideally in consultation with the full group). You can easily justify it either way. Plenty of people who stand to inherit don't travel with bodyguards. We're talking a minor duke after all. Moreover, it's perfectly reasonable to imagine that he escaped from his bodyguard because he didn't like them or found them stifling or whatever. That adds a fun plot thread that the DM could introduce at some point... running into one of the bodyguards or another agent of his parents who want him to come home.

Another tie to this may be like in the Willow show where the princess is sent on a quest and the bodyguard goes with her as part of the adventuring party. In this case the bodyguard is the same level as the princess.

The minor Duke could travel with another young knight or a failed knight turned rogue. Give them a minor mage searching for the stone of knowledge for the actual Duke and a cleric that was a childhood friend and you have an actual party without the platoon of guards.