I was doing some research on certain topics when I came across a certain topic that I feel like I could do with my group: Slavery
I am in the process of creating a Kingdom making campaign based off of this concept, but I am running into a problem where I feel I am missing a key adversary, the main antagonist and would like some ideas on either whom that could be or whether the ideal of slavery should be fought.
Most of the players are experienced players with a few inexperienced ones. Any ideas on what the antagonist should be would be greatly appreciated.
**Note: the campaign will not have the abuse of women apart of it as I feel it is too graphic for some audiences.**
I'm running an Egyptian themed game for my Sunday group Sand & Magic. In this game the social structure is very archaic, slavery is seen as normal, women are treated as possessions, children are used as spies and pick pockets, communal bath houses, hashish dens, and so on. There's something about the setting, in this nature, that resonates with people differently. One player immediately decided they were going to free all the slaves, only to learn that it was socially acceptable that the losers in combat would be enslaved by the victors, women, children, and men. Another player found the treatment of women to be an atrocity, however they haven't done anything about it yet, I'm waiting to see how that plays out. This is a fairly casual game, but there is a definite personal investment by some of the players.
When it comes to your game, I'd say let the players decide who the antagonist is. Their decision will be influenced by how you portray slavery and slavers. If you present slavery as something distasteful with scenes of mistreatment, poor living conditions, and more, then the players will most likely try to stop this act. If you portray it as a social norm, the slaves are in good health, and there is little discontent, then the players may accept it easily and see no problem. I would offer that you create a schism by making three camps: the comfortable slaves, the rebellious slaves, and the slavers.
This will give the players moral ambiguity. Do they stop the slavery because of their own personal beliefs, or do they let it continue because the majority of the slaves find it beneficial? Do they help with an uprising because of the rebellious slaves, or do they help impart order because the slavers have made a solid argument for their trade? Do they try to persuade the comfortable slaves that what is happening is unjust, or do they try to persuade the rebellious slaves that they are living a better life under their owner's care? So many ways this could play out and your players will have to make those hard decisions, you simply have to make the world turn.
I was doing some research on certain topics when I came across a certain topic that I feel like I could do with my group: Slavery
I am in the process of creating a Kingdom making campaign based off of this concept, but I am running into a problem where I feel I am missing a key adversary, the main antagonist and would like some ideas on either whom that could be or whether the ideal of slavery should be fought.
Most of the players are experienced players with a few inexperienced ones. Any ideas on what the antagonist should be would be greatly appreciated.
**Note: the campaign will not have the abuse of women apart of it as I feel it is too graphic for some audiences.**
I'm running an Egyptian themed game for my Sunday group Sand & Magic. In this game the social structure is very archaic, slavery is seen as normal, women are treated as possessions, children are used as spies and pick pockets, communal bath houses, hashish dens, and so on. There's something about the setting, in this nature, that resonates with people differently. One player immediately decided they were going to free all the slaves, only to learn that it was socially acceptable that the losers in combat would be enslaved by the victors, women, children, and men. Another player found the treatment of women to be an atrocity, however they haven't done anything about it yet, I'm waiting to see how that plays out. This is a fairly casual game, but there is a definite personal investment by some of the players.
When it comes to your game, I'd say let the players decide who the antagonist is. Their decision will be influenced by how you portray slavery and slavers. If you present slavery as something distasteful with scenes of mistreatment, poor living conditions, and more, then the players will most likely try to stop this act. If you portray it as a social norm, the slaves are in good health, and there is little discontent, then the players may accept it easily and see no problem. I would offer that you create a schism by making three camps: the comfortable slaves, the rebellious slaves, and the slavers.
This will give the players moral ambiguity. Do they stop the slavery because of their own personal beliefs, or do they let it continue because the majority of the slaves find it beneficial? Do they help with an uprising because of the rebellious slaves, or do they help impart order because the slavers have made a solid argument for their trade? Do they try to persuade the comfortable slaves that what is happening is unjust, or do they try to persuade the rebellious slaves that they are living a better life under their owner's care? So many ways this could play out and your players will have to make those hard decisions, you simply have to make the world turn.
That is an awesome way of thinking about it! Thank you.