Erratica Reduex

I've been having a bit of trouble locking down this complicated and contentious issue, especially because reproduction is linked to the status of women. So if these thoughts seem random, it's because well, they still are, and I can use input, bearing in mind this is a "Hard Fantasy" setting.
( Read more... )

Thoughts?

I've been considering some of the lessons that can be learned from the Wolsung debacle, wherein the designers of a steampunk game apparently were unaware of just how racially insensitive the mixing of fantasy races with real world cultural stereotypes could be.

D&D and other fantasy games often do a lot of problematic conflating between physical and psychological and cultural attributes. Though at least  D&D doesn't directly conflate real-world cultural stereotypes with its races. The question then is, can ewe avoid unfortunate racial stereotyping?

The Wolsung controversy has been valuable to me, since it gives me examples of how not to approach race and culture in the Under the Green Moon setting I'm working on. A few ideas on how to avoid the failure of Wolsung:

1. Separate physical elements of different breeds of humanity from psychological or cultural traits. It's acceptable to say "Feralin tend to be stronger and tougher than the human standard, and have excellent night vision";  it's not good to say "Feralin are less intelligent and have bad tempers."

2. Define cultural traits as tendencies or common values rather than universal absolutes. Say, "Stories written in the Ashurvalen Empire,  celebrate modesty, honor, and House loyalty".

3. Write breed and cultural traits as stereotypes and reputations rather than facts: "The Feralin have a reputation in the Empire for ferocity and being close to nature."

4.  Avoid making any breed inherently less intelligent our otherwise mentally handicapped. Duh.

5. Give examples of characters that break the stereotypes: "Despite the reputation Feralins have, Lord Dochatta is a cold and calculating warrior."

Does anyone have any other ideas?

Late as usual, but here it is, a story from my Under the Green Moon setting.

( The Last Great Victory of the Green Legion )

In retrospect, the Under the Green Moon game last Saturday went pretty well, considering that a) I changed my mind about the scenario four days before the game, b) I lost a day to a computer virus and c) it was a party and there were a ton of distractions. It seems that people. Had fun, and the Heroquest system worked well, even though I forgot the rule book. I also didn't follow the recommended rules for increasing or decreasing difficulties according to the time in the game, and the final battle looked nothing like the rules in the book for extended contests. Oh well The only thing I regret is that the ending/denoument was rushed so that no proper explanation could be given. An epilogue needs to be written.

I did get some feedback from RacerxMachina, to the effect that I need to give myself more time to write the game, and that it would benefit from the sort of sandbox setting and player investment that comes from an extended campaign. Also, to get that investment, I need to write more. To all of which I agree completely. I myself was concerned about the game being linear- part of which comes from being a convention game.

She had another comment that took me by surprise, but which in retrospect makes sense: the UTGM games have been too focused on the past. It's been all about dealing with ancient wonders and threats, which overshadows the current age. Where, she wondered, were the new discoveries of the current cultures? What was going on in politics, art, and the like? They can't all be obsessed with the past, can they?

That's a valid concern. I confess I've been emphasizing "applied archaeology" both to emphasize some of the differences of the setting (being our far-future Earth), and because dealing with ancient artifacts, whether in a fetch and retrieve quest or a free-for-all McGuffin chase makes for a simple, obvious convention game. But she has a point- there is a lot that should be depicted as going on in the setting that has nothing to do with the past.

So my next project will be to do a list of some of the current events in the setting. That, and I need to get a map posted one of these days.

So does anyone have any additional comments, either on the game last Saturday, or in general?

Post from mobile portal m.livejournal.com

OK, everyone who is attending, this is just a reminder that the game will be tomorrow at 1:00.  I'll be doing some character building and finalizing, as well as giving some setting background and details at that time.  Please bear in mind that this is definitely a shakedown game, so I'll be seeing what things can go wrong.

Sandy will be providing cake and possibly lemonade, and I will make some popcorn.  If anyone wants to bring chips or drinks, please be my guest.


I'm looking forward to it!

This is just a daytime reminder to anyone who is interested in the pre-convention UTGM game, and who hasn't voted in the scheduling poll, to go ahead and do so now.  I'll be making a final decision this evening.

Thanks!

There have been so many distractions alas, so many apologies for not posting more. In any case, I present for your entertainment a selection of plants and animals from the world of Under the Green Moon.

There is one special distinction for all these living organisms: they are actually created organisms, made aeons ago by some of the great civilizations. They are the primary reminders of the past glory of humankind.

( So read on, dear adventurer: )

Here is a bit of background: the characters will all be citizens of the Young Empire, novice members of the Chamber of Unseen Diplomacy of the Ministry of External Affairs...in other words, they're spies.  They are members of minor impoverished houses or commoner families, sent into the bureaucracy where merit may provide them with advancement.  Unfortunately they are in a department where their deeds may never be acknowledged...if they're successful.

The assignment is actually fairly simple: The Greenwater province has recently broken away from the Old Empire, and it's status is unsettled; major portions of it are strongly resisting being integrated into the Young Empire, and there's been a continuous drain of men and material into the area.  The ancient living enclave of Green Pyramid is ostensibly independent and neutral, but diplomatic relations have been severed with the Young Empire due to sympathy with the rebels.  A representative of an influential house has approached you with a simple mission: a minor historical artifact was left behind by one of the official diplomats in the rush to evacuate.  Now he wants you to go retrieve it from the old ambassador's quarters.  The name of a contact has been given to you, all you have to do is go pick it up.  And it will be an adventure to go see the fabulous coral and greenery enclave.

Permissible races:
Daemon: beautiful, graceful and equally adept in politics and magic, they dominate the Empire.
Feralin: strong, tough, and with animalistic features and sharp senses, they tend to be channeled into the military.
Veridian: green skinned and white haired, they are tough and very adaptable; one of the most common races.
Old Human: respected as much for their ancient past as their mental flexibility, they are a fading race.
Racca: Uplifted raccoons, are small, dexterous, and have a reputation as troublemakers.
Fliers: Short and highly distinctive with their arms turned into large wings, they can actually fly.
Orgrim: Large, very strong and tough, with calcinous plates in ther skin, they have a reputation for brutishness and stupidity that is not all that deserved.


Possible backgrounds:
Impoverished nobility
Ambitious merchant clan
Outsider's who's made it inside
Fostered into the bureaucracy
Civil service family
Spy for another faction


Jobs: can be combined as needed
Junior Diplomat (must have at least one of these)
intrusion expert
combat/bodyguard
magic specialist
Historian/cultural affairs specialist
Others: pilot/navigator, athlete, survival expert, etc.


System elements: mainly for academic interest at this point.

3rd or 4th level

The primary roles for True20 are:
Warrior: specialist in combat
Expert: specialist in skills
Adept: specialist in magic.

They can also be easily combined as needed.

True20 uses a damage save system instead of hit points: even the most expert warrior can be badly hurt if he's not wearing armor, and his opponent gets a good strike in.  More details on character sheetsw.

Congratulate me- I am on the schedule to run a game using the Under the Green Moon setting at Pacificon.

The game will be in the Sunday 11:30 slot, one I picked so that I'll have time to attend the evening LARPS I'm interested in.  It's listed as running 7 hours, but I doubt it will go that long.  Here is the proposal:

PR-400  Under the Green Moon: Box of Dreams, Box of Nightmares

by Eric Tolle, True20- minor variations, 7 hrs, 6 players, Game, Some gaming, Character and/or Armies Supplied

Under the Green Moon is a sword and sorcery setting set 30,000 years in Earth’s future. Over the eons, multiple waves of civilization have risen and vanished; leaving behind only ruins, and new breeds of humanity. Now, new empires are beginning their rise, and looking for any advantage over their rivals. In the independent enclave of Canyon Dust, an artifact of incalculable value has been found; a working Miracle Box from the ancient Great Builders. As multiple empires send agents to claim the Box and its unknown power for their own, tensions rise and old wrongs are brought to the fore. Will the Box be the spark that ignites a war? Or will it be the genesis of something even more horrific?

And that's it.  Hope to see people I know there!

This is a very rough draft about three of the most powerful political systems in the world of Under The Green Moon, one that's subject to massive revision Real Soon Now. For a start, I'm not happy with the names of the empires; for a second, I want to do some tinkering with the empires to make them resemble less historical kingdoms. For a start, having one of them select its leader through a contest of both learning and magic ability might be interesting.


THE EMPIRES

The three largest empires of the current world are dominated by Daemons, partially through an accident  of geography and history, partially because of their superior use of magic in warfare. There are other powers though, and any number of city-states, kingdoms, tribes, and other powers. The world is far from dominated by the big three empires.


( Common Cultural Traits: )



( The Old Empire )


( The Young Empire )


( The Charter Republics )