Your "social setting"

[GuardianLurker]

So where is your game set socially? And as a subquestion, do you think there is a default social setting for D&D games or should assumptions about social dynamics always be spelled out when starting a new game?

The short answer is "It varies" - especially since the players took the "out" portion of the "up and out" transition I offered. The original world setting was Tolkienesque psuedo-medieval, primarily. But a single continent is big enough to hold a LOT of variety, and I took advantage of it.

Then the first campaign arc ended, and the characters transitioned into a space opera setting, which has much more modern attitudes.

In general, D&D games probably have a default setting of psuedo-medieval, in large part due to Tolkien, "generic" fantasy, and EGG.

As to when these assumptions should be spelled out, it's almost definitely not "always". I'd say only when the world assumptions conflict with the players'.

 

[Algolei]

A mixture of choices #1 and #3: Medieval European social structure based on the effects of magic and real-world historical events as they relate to my historically-inaccurate campaign world.

I love trying to explain the campaign's legal system to my players.

 

[shilsen]

Personally, I really like the Eberron campaign setting. Seems to me that it's a combination of the present, the between-the-world-wars period, and vaguely medieval inspired "traditional fantasy." I took the "no mortal poll" option, as the others didn't fit well IMO.

Same here, which is why I'm running two games in Eberron right now. I think that the Eberron social system comes pretty close to capturing the feel that the D&D rules as written imply. I've always had huge problems with the idea of shoe-horning the D&D rules (without making major changes) into a medieval setting, since the connection falls apart as soon as one thinks about it even a little.

 

[Desdichado]

It's based on modern day Scandinavia.

Oh, wait... social setting. I thought you said socialist setting.

 

[MoogleEmpMog]

Either Howardian pseudo-historical (for fantasy games) or feudal (for sci-fi games). The former because it's a bit more realistic than the default "nicey-nicey modern" fantasy while still allowing for RPG-style adventurers, the latter for realism.

 

[Haltherrion]

I've always had huge problems with the idea of shoe-horning the D&D rules (without making major changes) into a medieval setting, since the connection falls apart as soon as one thinks about it even a little.

There are a surprising number of people who vehemently disagree with that statement but make sense to me.

 

[Lord Pendragon]

I tend to work from a modern moral standpoint, then soften up certain aspects of it to get the feel I want.

So things such as gender equality remain untouched and modern, despite the time period of the setting. This may be due to the fact that every long-term campaign I have ever been a part of has included women, and I see no reason to impose sexist elements on them for the sake of some kind of pseudo-realism. It may be due to the fact that I find such a concept repulsive and wouldn't enjoy RPing such NPCs, too. I couldn't say.

On the other hand, killing in general becomes much more medieval. I don't want my PCs to constantly fret over killing the bad guys, when 90% of D&D is about killing bad guys. So I loosen up this moral sensibility, which is rather strict in our own time but was far from it in the time periods we play in.

 

[Ace]

My own social structure based on the effects of magic and historical events of my campaign world.


In Other Words -- a little of this and a little of that

 

[Tinker Gnome]

I voted the "No mortal Poll" option, but truth be told, my ideal social setting would be "Right here right now but with swords and magic". Heh, maybe that is why I like the Lunar games so much.

 

[kigmatzomat]

I also voted "no mortal" because I have so many different cultures. There are the european, mongol, roman, asian, mayan, and regions. This doesn't count the attempts at more alien cultures.

Naturally, I started in "europe" just so they felt comfortable and could get integrated into the gameworld. Then they ventured farther and farther afield and could appreciate the weirdness for what it was and could see how it worked, when it worked and why it worked in that particular place.