151: Slavery in RPGs

Joe examines a challenging topic: the portrayal of slavery in the early days of tabletop role-playing games. As the holiday season approaches, he takes a moment to reflect on the darker aspects of gaming history that often go unexamined. Beginning with his insights from OSR October and Dave Arneson's First Fantasy Campaign, Joe highlights how slavery is presented as a commodity, complete with pricing mechanisms for male and female slaves. He contrasts this with the portrayals in other early RPGs (Tunnels & Trolls and Empire of the Petal Throne) where the treatment of slavery raises serious ethical concerns. Exploring the absence of slavery in TSR's D&D and how it was used to depict villains in AD&D modules, Joe emphasizes the importance of portraying slavers as true villains in the narrative. He also touches on Judges Guild's manumission rules, offering a glimmer of hope within the context of gaming, suggesting that characters can indeed act as liberators. Throughout the episode, Joe shares his personal stance that slavery has no place in heroic narratives, insisting that players should not embody slavers. He encourages a reevaluation of how these sensitive topics are handled in modern gaming, advocating for narratives that align with values of empathy and justice. Join Joe as he engages with this critical topic, inviting listener feedback and thoughts on the role of morality in gaming. Key Points Covered: * Historical context of slavery in early TTRPGs * Analysis of Dave Arneson's First Fantasy Campaign * The troubling mechanics of Tunnels & Trolls * Absence of slavery in TSR's D&D and its moral implications * The significance of portraying heroes as liberators * Personal reflections on gaming ethics and character choices What are your thoughts on the portrayal of slavery in RPGs? Do you allow players to engage with such themes at your table? Share your feedback with us at [email protected] or leave a comment. Happy holidays, and until next time: happy gaming, happy life! Share your thoughts via: 🌐 ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠sayhi.chat/dekahedron⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ 📧 ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠[email protected]⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ 📞📱 ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠562-RPG-CAST (⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠562-774-2278⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠)⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ More information is at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠dekahedron.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠