Ethnic Homogeneity in RPGs (Or, Why So Many Burly White Adventurers?)

I've been a tabletop gamer for a little over a decade now. That's a lot longer than some players, and a lot shorter than others. However, I've also gamed with all sorts of groups, and in all kinds of settings. In all that time, there's this weird tendency I've noticed, and that other players I've spoken to have also noticed. It is, in short, a knee-jerk reaction to keeping our game worlds, and the characters within them, in strictly segregated boxes. Like kids who enjoy all the foods on their plate as individual things, but if they touch even a little bit then we freak out and refuse to eat any of it.

Get your rice away from my grits, or I swear to all that is holy I will flip this table.

While we see this in lots of aspects of RPGs, nowhere is it clearer than when someone wants to play an ethnicity that "doesn't belong" in a certain part of the world.

They're People, Not Dishes

I'd like you to try an experiment, the next time you come to your gaming table. Build your character exactly as you normally would, but make that character ethnically different from what's considered standard for the region. Make it clear that you aren't looking to bring aspects of another culture into this region, and that you don't want special access to treasures or skills from the other side of the world. Your character is simply the child (or grandchild) of immigrants, and this is the way he or she happens to look.

Now, if you're part of a relatively open-minded group, you probably won't get any negativity for this decision. Some of your fellow players might even file this idea away for when they play characters of their own in the future. If you are not part of an open-minded group, though, you're likely to catch more flak than a British bomber flying over Berlin. Why do you have to be a special snowflake? Why can't you just be like everyone else, and play someone who looks like they're from here?

It often causes less ruckus at a table if you choose to play a tusked boar-man covered in ritual scars than if you want to be someone who has a different skin tone than the rest of the party.

Every World Has Multiple Cultures

Fantasy worlds have more than one culture, ethnicity, and religion. That's what makes them worlds, and not just nations. Even Middle Earth, which I continuously harp on for being bland, has diverse races of men. From the wild men in the north, to the desert dwellers of the south, there are variations in ethnicity. While no one in the main cast happens to be part of those cultures, or descended from them, that doesn't mean they don't exist.

You see the same kinds of diversity in good RPG settings. Whether you prefer Midgard or Golarion, The Forgotten Realms or The Known World that is the setting for A Song of Ice and Fire, there are all kinds of people, in all shapes, shades, and sizes. Despite their existence in the canon lore, though, it's like we forget that adventurers from all cultures travel all over the world. That they have children, and choose to settle down in places they weren't born. Merchants, caravan guards, diplomats, historians, and even seekers of magical knowledge may find themselves on the other side of the world from where they were whelped, and just decide there isn't anything at home worth going back for.

Especially since most adventurers have had their entire families killed off, anyway.

Unless there is something in your game's lore that specifically says a given nation is sectioned off, and that its people are not found anywhere else in the world, then why would you limit the stories players can tell?

But What If They're Not From Here?

The human mind likes things to be in nice, neat categories it can easily process. It's one reason why, when we have a game set in a given nation or country, and a PC that isn't from that region shows up, our brains glitch. Sort of like how you get used to seeing your teachers in the classroom, and when you see them out in public having ice cream with their kids, you tweak. Because it is a situation that feels wrong, even though you can't explain why.

It's 7:00 in the evening... why isn't she back at my school?

This is why I would suggest that, if the idea of PCs not all being from the same five square miles of ground is a problem, you ask yourself why. Why does it matter how the party got there, as long as the party is there when the adventure begins?

Explaining how a PC got to this place is the responsibility of every player. Some players might go with the ever-popular, "my character lives here," which is the simplest method regardless of your cultural heritage or ethnic appearance. Others, who want to have miles between them and where they began, might have more of a journey involved. Perhaps the fighter did a stint as a caravan guard, and decided he wanted to take a rest from traveling. Now there's this new opportunity on his hands, and he can make a far more lucrative career in this new land. Perhaps the wizard came across a continent to attend the city's arcane university, and now that she has completed her initial study, wants to put that knowledge to the test. The bard is... well... a bard, and this happens to be where he showed up after he left that last town. For undisclosed reasons.

A Closing Note

This post is not to suggest that anyone who has ever disagreed with a character's country of origin or ethnicity is somehow a cross-burning racist. I am not saying players, or DMs, who have problems with these kinds of characters are bigoted. What I am saying is that when we are presented with what, to us, are new ideas, or ideas that change things from our normal comfort zone, we often react by demanding the status quo remain the same. It happens every time a new supplement comes out for a game we like; there is always a group of players who won't allow it at their table, and who claim the rules and flavor as they were shouldn't be changed.

Often, though, once they've had some time to reflect, and actually look at what this new approach could add to their games, they find something they like. Even if they don't feel it's for them, personally, they can see the appeal.

That is the point of this week's Fluff post. Not to accuse anyone of having wrong-bad fun, or to demand that we all change our characters and games right now! I am simply remarking on a trend I've seen, and suggesting that if this is an issue you have encountered, that holding it at arm's length and really looking at it could lead to some new and interesting concepts, and stories.

Lastly, if this is a topic that interests you from a historical perspective as well (or if you're just tired of hearing that people want games to be "reflective of the time period they're emulating"), you should check out Medieval People of Color on Tumblr. It will raise some eyebrows if you thought the Middle Ages was just a bunch of white folks walking around in Europe.

As always, thanks for stopping in to see what I have to say this week. If you'd like to help keep Improved Initiative going, then drop by The Literary Mercenary's Patreon page to toss a little bread in my jar. As little as $1 a month can make a big difference, and it ensures you some sweet swag as well. Lastly, if you haven't done so yet, why not follow me on Facebook, Tumblr, and Twitter, too?

Calm Down, No One is Taking Your Games Away

I've been running this blog for a few years now, and I've been fortunate to attract a much bigger audience than I ever thought I'd manage. Also, because keeping my readers happy is something I like to do, I pay attention to the comments and feedback my posts generate. Especially the ones that end up with a lot of views, and which generate a lot of attention. Because while I love gaming, I also have bills to pay. There is something I've noticed, though, and I'd like to address it here. Something that I would like everyone who sees this to read, internalize, and remember the next time I say or publish something you disagree with as a player or a DM.

Now listen very, very carefully.

I am a yutz on the Internet with a blog and an opinion. I have no power over you.

So do your best Fonzie impersonation, and chill the hell out.

No One's Taking Your Games Away... Least of All Me

One of the most common negative comments left on my posts goes something like, "it's SJWs/overthinkers/politically correct/negative adjective people like you who are ruining gaming. Shut up, and stop trying to take away my fun."

Now, those kinds of comments are usually left on controversial posts like Sexuality Matters in Roleplaying Games (And Here's Why), or The 5 RPG Characters We Should All Stop Playing, but sometimes they're left on more innocuous posts. Posts which are expressly suggestions for how you could play a class, or which offer alternatives to the traditional views we've had of certain fantasy RPG mainstays. Posts which aren't telling anyone to do anything, but simply pointing out that there is often more than one way to do something, especially if you think outside the beginner box.

Like how I can rock 9 samurai levels like it ain't no thing.

Here's the truth of the matter, ladies and gentlemen; nothing I say has any authority behind it. I am not the lead designer or creator on any of the games I talk about, and I don't have the ability to force anyone to play any RPG in a certain way. I am simply writing my thoughts on gaming down on this blog, and hoping that other players and DMs find them helpful.

If you find what I have to say really helpful, then take it and run with it! If you don't find it useful, then that's fine, too. If you feel compelled to have a discussion over an article I've written, or you want to express your own opinion to me, that's what I have a contact button for. But if your breast swells with outrage, and you think that proclaiming I'm "wrong" because that's not how you do it at your table will have an effect, then please stop.

You're only making me more powerful.

The Irony of Outrage

I'm guessing most of my regular readers don't read my sister blog, The Literary Mercenary. If you have and you've already seen the post How to Make Money as a Writer (By Embracing Your Inner Troll), then you've already learned the lesson I'm about to lay out. If you haven't, and didn't click-through to get the full explanation, here's the cliff notes version of why slinging your outrage into the comments section (especially on social media) is a terrible idea.

If you want to hurt, not help, my numbers, anyway.

Here's how the process of being a blogger works. I write a blog post, edit it, and then publish it. The next day I post it up in the forums and social media pages which have proved receptive to my work in the past. People who approve of the posts will like them, share them, and leave comments on them. That last one is important, because whenever there are new comments on the Paizo forums, or on a Facebook group, my post is pushed up to the top of the order. That means more people are going to see it, and the views it gets go up. In fact, social media sites like FB will also inform the commenter's friends, which will give them a chance to see what it is that caught Ralph's attention.

Now, if you see something you don't like, the best way to make sure it doesn't get any bigger is to walk on by and ignore it. Sort of like Freddy Krueger, content creators lose their power when no one knows who they are. If, on the other hand, your first reaction is to immediately post a whole bunch of comments about how the poster is just out to steal your fun, and they're playing the game wrong, and they're pushing politics into your storytelling circles, all you're doing is making that post more visible. If you add to the mess by sharing the link on your own page, possibly with the message of, "it's assholes like this that are what's wrong with gaming," then all you've done is increased the number of people who've seen the post. And the more page views the post gets, the more money the creator gets, and the more people know about that person's blog.

It is in my best interests to court outrage at every turn, because it's good for my pocket book. But I think it would be better for us, as a community, to step back, take a breath, and ask why we feel the need to lash out when someone suggests we could play differently? Not that we have to play differently, but that we can if we want to.

As always, thanks for stopping in to see what I have to say on my Monday updates. If you'd like to help support Improved Initiative, then why not go to The Literary Mercenary's Patreon page to become a patron today? All it takes is $1 a month to help me keep the content flowing. Also, if you haven't already, follow me on Facebook, Tumblr, and Twitter to stay up-to-date on my latest creations.

Why We All Need Diversity In Gaming (And How You Can Start)

For those who don't know I spent Valentine's Day weekend at Capricon in Chicago. I was selling books, doing readings, sitting on panels, shaking hands, and meeting new people. I met a lot of great folks like Mark Oshiro (whose blog Mark Reads Stuff I mentioned earlier this week), but I was also privileged to make the acquaintance of Tanya DePass. For those of you who don't recognize that name Tanya is responsible for the creation of the hashtag #INeedDiverseGames (and you can find her on Tumblr at Why I Need Diverse Games and on Twitter @cypheroftyr). A vocal critic of the lack of diversity in video games she and the rest of my fellow panelists made a lot of solid points about the media we see and how it influences the stories we tell.

I'm not ashamed to say I felt a little uncomfortable. Not because I was a white guy on a panel about diversity (I knew what I was getting into when I volunteered), but because the conversation was largely centered around video games. With all of the time, money, and sheer code that goes into developing a video game it can add more than a few 0's to the end of a project if you want to offer more character skins, more plotlines, more NPCs, etc. In a tabletop game all it takes is your DM to decide to include a more diverse cast.

So why don't we do more of that?

What Are You Talking About?

What I'm talking about is how companies like Paizo will put in a huge amount of time and effort to craft flavor for games that addresses issues of diversity. If you flip through the books you'll see female characters in real armor instead of chainmail lingerie, you'll see characters of varying ethnicities, and you'll find reams of information about cultures, religions, societal norms, and history. You'll even find transgender characters and gay characters, issues players often bring to the table but that designers and developers don't often take initiative on.

Despite that though a lot of tables have the color and gender spectrum of your average rugby scrum.

Presented without comment.

There are all sorts of reasons we could point out for this. One is that J.R.R. Tolkien is seen as the godfather of high fantasy, and since his books are full of white men that's become the default in many players' minds of what an adventuring party should have. Another justification is that most geeks are white men (they're not, but it's a common perspective), and so that's what they play. They want to have characters they can identify with, and whose stories they can get invested in.

Let's try an experiment though. Play a character outside your comfort zone and see what it does to your gaming experience.

The Time I Played A Different Kind of Barbarian

To help make my point I'm going to tell you a story about my own experience with stepping outside my comfort zone at a gaming table. It isn't pretty, so you might want to brace yourself.

Several years ago a friend of mine was running a sword and sorcery style game using DND 3.5 rules. I decided I wanted to play a barbarian, but I wanted to do something different from the broadsword-wielding Conan knockoff or the greatax-bearing Viking. Then out of nowhere I wondered why it was barbarians were always huge, Germanic characters with flaxen hair and blue eyes... why couldn't they come from another culture entirely?

This was sort of what I had in mind.

I'd like to say that I got out an encyclopedia and did some research on African tribal customs. I'd like to tell you that I researched specific religious beliefs and that I progressed into this concept fully aware I was a white guy planning on putting my voice into an African character. Sadly, that isn't what I did. Maybe it was because I was at a table with a bunch of other white people and I knew no on would call me on things I got wrong. Maybe it was because I was lazy, or because it was just a game and who was going to know or care? Whatever reason it was I began this game with a character that, while there was a good deal of thought put into him, had more than a few stereotypes in his makeup. Some of the dick jokes in particular stand out in my memory.

Something happened the more I played Motumba though (yes, that was the name I gave him). What was a character skin sewn together from what little knowledge I had of tribal culture and totemic religions began to grow organically. The character showed me a different set of cultural norms, and even in my head patiently explained who he really was and what he was doing. He had been a hunter with several wives and many children in his tribe. He'd been set upon by slavers (since we opened with the party being dragged to the auction block), and his goal was to return home to them. I learned that his ritual scarifications had a deeper meaning to him, and that despite his mediocre common he spoke a dozen other languages fluently. I learned he had tolerance for changing ignorance, but none for stupidity. In short the more I stepped into this character's skin the less he became a joke and the more he became someone whose story I was invested in.

What It Made Me See

I had not started that game with the intent of exploring diversity at my gaming table, but the result was that I got tuned in to a frequency I hadn't noticed before. I looked back at the origin of the character and winced at the parody he'd begun as, even though Motumba had grown and matured into a concept I was actually rather proud of. I also realized that there are a lot of gamers who make similar mistakes. Guys who play female characters that look and act like sex objects is a good start. Gamers who think it's funny to make a character flamboyantly gay are another. While it doesn't happen as often today (I hope) tabletop gamers have an unfortunate habit of playing caricatures instead of characters.

But I think that we should put more effort into being less Tolkien.

And what does that mean?

It means that you should stop tromping through the woods every now and again to explore the deserts and jungles of the world. It means we should try playing characters who don't share our political leanings, our religions, our ethnicities, our sexual orientations, or our genders every now and again. By branching out and attempting to see another perspective you will invariably have unique experiences you never would have had with characters you were more comfortable with. Not only that, but you'll be able to see your own actions from a different perspective, which can have a major effect on how you treat other gamers specifically, and people in general.

Reading increases empathy (Scientific American says so), and creating your own stories with a wider array of characters can have very similar effects.

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