tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7703856341303488608.post5532850793727708385..comments2024-03-22T19:07:21.790+00:00Comments on The Wertzone: Streams of Silver by R.A. SalvatoreAdam Whiteheadhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11383677312079611311noreply@blogger.comBlogger2125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7703856341303488608.post-12336836115417040062020-09-17T06:48:28.194+00:002020-09-17T06:48:28.194+00:00A surface treatment of D&D doesn't appear ...A surface treatment of D&D doesn't appear to provide morale complexity when its origins are steeped in the brutality of ancient times such as Viking and Celt culture. That's where the creators introduced the concept of alignment, which was meant to provide guideposts for players. The Drow, though a law-abiding society, are Lawful Evil. Drizzt is treated as an individual because of his rejection of not their just their laws but their evil beliefs and worship of the spider queen (I thought I read somewhere that Drizzt is Chaotic Good). Tribal creatures like orcs and trolls are classified as Chaotic Evil, meaning that they believe in causing pain and suffering for no reason - they're opposed to anything good and any laws which would force them to conform to societal control. It's not racism that justifies killing in D&D - it's alignment.Jackalwerehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09654710359851192155noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7703856341303488608.post-38683150275589337002020-09-13T17:12:09.698+00:002020-09-13T17:12:09.698+00:00Looking at this now it really plays up the murder ...Looking at this now it really plays up the murder hoboism of DnD and to a lesser extent Tolkien. Certain categories of creatures are just written off as kill on sight. That sort of works in a Tolkien context, with orcs being deliberately corrupted by Morgoth. But DnD is mostly racist and all humanoids are under a default kill on sight order, unless the module goes the route of forcing the party to choose the lesser and greater evil. If one doesn't treat orcs or trolls as individuals then it's harder to feel sad for Drizzt not being treated as one. And again it's a bit racist that all elves, even dark ones, get to be treated as potential people, presumably due to them having a developed culture and civilization, while tribal societies do not. I don't know how to reconcile this. Part of the joy of DnD and fantasy more broadly is escapism and easy moral choices. The satisfaction of solving problems with a sword that you can't in real life. One can add moral complexity and verisimilitude to gaming and the literature, but that isn't always an improvement. Andyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08902802137324262883noreply@blogger.com