WotC WotC needs an Elon Musk

[Scribe]

Metaplots are the cancer of settings. They grow bigger and bigger over time, slowly killing the setting, and must be completely excised for the health of its host.

A bit savage, but true in my opinion. I have no issue with history. I have no issue with canon. I have huge issue with progression of the setting via a metaplot that brings about massive changes.

 

[Mecheon]

It's not like we santise Greek myths right for those who would be affected by the rapes by Zeus?

We do that all the time? Not even small stuff. One of the best games in the last few years, Hades, is a key example

Mind, Greek myths were very much not a set canon and we can actively track the development of some of them over time and how they're adjusted for the audience. Aphrodite Areia literately got toned down because Athens couldn't handle a goddess of love and war at the same time

 

[AnotherGuy]

We do that all the time? Not even small stuff. One of the best games in the last few years, Hades, is a key example

Mind, Greek myths were very much not a set canon and we can actively track the development of some of them over time and how they're adjusted for the audience. Aphrodite Areia literately got toned down because Athens couldn't handle a goddess of love and war at the same time

The rapes by Zeus and the abduction of Persephone are not removed from mythos, they are there for everyone to read about them. One can choose not to read them as a DM can choose not to include the Phantom Lover at their table.

 

[Veltharis ap Rylix]

The rapes by Zeus and the abduction of Persephone are not removed from mythos, they are there for everyone to read about them. One can choose not to read them as a DM can choose not to include the Phantom Lover at their table.

But they do tend to be heavily toned down if not entirely excluded from more modern retellings and reimaginings.

 

[AnotherGuy]

But they do tend to be heavily toned down if not entirely excluded from more modern retellings and reimaginings.

That is fair, and no one in their right mind would roleplay this scene out.
It is why I mentioned fade to black upthread.

 

[Faolyn]

So I'm not very familiar with the Domain you cited but I am aware of the Phantom Lover from the 2e Ravenloft Darklords book I own. If I can recall, he too would rape but the way I envisioned his actions were very much like the visitations of a vampire despite the fact that they would undoubtedly be more sexual in nature than that of a vampire feeding.

If someone at one's table (a player) had active trauma of a RL incident (of that nature) it would obviously be the DM who would need to not include such a common trope (Night Hag, Succubus, Rusulka...etc) in the campaign. As it would for any other story that would negatively affect their player/s.

It's not like we sanitise Greek myths right for those who would be affected by the rapes by Zeus?

The Phantom Lover was a plot device; there was almost no reason to actually bring him into your game. He was basically there to explain how Garbielle Aderre suddenly had a fully grown child.

Dementlieu (pre-revolution Paris) was ruled by Dominc d'Honaire, who had total mind control powers. He was a Parisian-style nobleman who was desperate for love, but any woman he loved would see him as hideous. He was also written, IMO, as the type of person who didn't have problems having sex with someone who didn't love him (he was in a political marriage) and would undoubtedly use his powers to get any woman he wanted to "agree" to sleep with him.

We often do sanitize Greek myths, and even when we don't, we don't bother to tell them from the point of view of the rape victims. It's just "there goes Zeus; wonder who he's going to rape again." It's almost a joke. It's certainly not treated seriously.

But this is a game. It's not supposed to be ancient myth; it's something that was effectively written and run now, not thousands of years ago and barely explored. In a game, the actual books shouldn't include NPCs that are likely to target my character not as a foe to be killed but as a woman to be raped. Even if the DM has no plans on ever including such a thing in their game, that sort of stuff has no place in a book being sold by a major company to an all-ages demographic.

Also, real people get raped and abused. Real people don't get attacked by evil fae or eaten by ghouls. Most people don't get involved in actual demon-cults. There are plenty of ways to do horror without resorting to things that hurt people in real life.

 

[Mecheon]

The rapes by Zeus and the abduction of Persephone are not removed from mythos, they are there for everyone to read about them. One can choose not to read them as a DM can choose not to include the Phantom Lover at their table.

The Abduction of Persephone is a regionalised retelling of a far more ancient story. Hades doesn't even exist in the earliest ones. Heck, one ancient version involves Horse-Poseidon chasing Horse-Demeter and Horse-Persephone (probably. Its a mystery cult, you know how their jam be) being born as a result. Hades himself doesn't even exist in the oldest versions and he just seems to be a split-off of the original Myceanan Poseidon, who was their king of the underworld

Mind, this is absolutely ancient stuff

 

[AnotherGuy]

The Abduction of Persephone is a regionalised retelling of a far more ancient story. Hades doesn't even exist in the earliest ones. Heck, one ancient version involves Horse-Poseidon chasing Horse-Demeter and Horse-Persephone (probably. Its a mystery cult, you know how their jam be) being born as a result. Hades himself doesn't even exist in the oldest versions and he just seems to be a split-off of the original Myceanan Poseidon, who was their king of the underworld

Mind, this is absolutely ancient stuff

I admit I have not delved so deeply into the origins of Greek mythology

 

[Levistus's_Leviathan]

The Abduction of Persephone is a regionalised retelling of a far more ancient story. Hades doesn't even exist in the earliest ones. Heck, one ancient version involves Horse-Poseidon chasing Horse-Demeter and Horse-Persephone (probably. Its a mystery cult, you know how their jam be) being born as a result. Hades himself doesn't even exist in the oldest versions and he just seems to be a split-off of the original Myceanan Poseidon, who was their king of the underworld

Mind, this is absolutely ancient stuff

Is that myth connected to Arion, or was Poseidon just fond of turning into horses and having children with Demeter?

 

[AnotherGuy]

Is that myth connected to Arion, or was Poseidon just fond of turning into horses and having children with Demeter?

Poseidon was also the horse god.