My Philosophy of Fantasy TTRPGS

Starting this website and spending my time with some great people, I think it is important to explain my philosophy of TTRPGS. That’s not to say my view is popular or agreeable to everyone. But it will help explain how I view my world settings and characters and the flavor of game I prefer. Not right. Not wrong. Just what I like when playing D&D, Shadowdark or other RPGS.. and I am talking swords and sorcery here. My thoughts on SciFi, Horror and other genre are more wide-open, unformed and open to exploration.

Below I lay out the basic tenets of my philosophy.

1) As a historian by education, I believe there are great, flavorful inspirations found in history, but also in literature, movies, comics, poetry, podcasts, folklore.. find them!

I turn to lessons and tales from human history to twist with magic and monsters, creating adventures, NPCs, campaigns, and situations for the games I play.

And in the case of history, the truth is often stranger than fiction. Maybe I am just lazy.

2) In TTRPGS, “less is more”. Keep it simple. Leave room for GMs and players to add their own details and twists. This explains my affinity for Shadowdark. Make it fun by giving everyone involved some ownership for the “product” at the table.

3) Make the mundane magical. I find the small details or the ordinary interesting. It’s often where we are surprised or frightened in an entertaining way.
Jack and the beanstalk had magical beans. Really? Just a bag of beans. Yes.

4) Leave room for DM’s to fill in the details and expand ideas. The content and products I produce should prompt ideas and inspire imagination, but I will leave room for other DMs and players to add their own touches and expand or personalize it.

5) The way I play games is only my preference. There is no right/wrong way to play. The only rule is that everyone has fun! We all have jobs and real-world commitments that can stress us out at times, so this hobby SHALL REMAIN FUN!

6) Rulesets and adventures are only guidelines. Make them yours.
A tangent – also write you name inside your books as they can walk off sometimes. We all have that one friend. You already know the one I am talking about.

7) TS Eliot ~ “Good writers borrow. Great writers steal.” (Pablo Picasso said it, too)
Note good ideas wherever you find them. I always make notes on my phone using Google Keep but anything will work. Grab the best idea from history, books, or films and mold it for your game.

8) I have become a fan of solo games. They are easy to maintain and fill in the gaps between sessions with my friends. Solo is also a good way to try new games and rules before jumping in the deep end. My advice is, don’t forget Solo RPG play. It’s a wonderful option, and interest is growing. There are many YouTubers and some bloggers to follow and hone your solo game play.

9) Give me low fantasy, grimdark, gritty human-centric settings. I’d rather fight for survival as a nobody from nowhere with rare, scary magic than play high fantasy heroic epics. Just my preference.

If you disagree with my philosophy, please send your letters and emails to eruditedm@gmail.com.

PHOTO CREDIT:
Marcus Aurelius, the Stoic Roman Emperor by Pierre-Selim.
Photograph taken at: L’Image et le Pouvoir : le siècle des Antonins, Musée Saint-Raymond, 2011–2012.