Zack's Blog on Games

V for Vendetta: a touch of taboo politics

V for Vendetta is a recent exploration of the politics of fear, freedom, and terrorism. It has strikingly un-PC things to say about the very nature of ends-means morality and it brings up the big question: What is terrorism and what is patriotism?

How does this all relate to gaming? Simply put, you see all the political considerations in the movie in the actions of Player Characters. In a well-structured RPG world, there are tyrants, terrorists, and freedom fighters. The lines are never 100% clear on what is a justified use of force and what is clearly excessive. The means of accomplishing a goal are often muddled.

When I play good characters, often I am the voice in a group standing up against ends-means thinking and such.

Example: My priest character Br. Thurman, who critiqued the most tried and true assumption of D+D: if you found something in a dungeon, it belongs to you. I argued that "finder's keeper's" rule do not in and of themselves justify grave-robbing, even if it's grave-robing for good ends (fighting evil).

What counts as terrorism in a fantasy world?

- Is piracy against a government you don't agree with OK? (the old Bear Hunters in my D+D campaign did a LOT of this).

- What about kidnapping a child who you know is going to grow up and be a tool of evil? Do future prophesies of tyranny constitute just grounds?

- What about powering powerful devices with the blood of innocent virgins (a PC did this!)?

What counts as patriotism?

- Using mind control against political enemies to gather information about a group's intentions?

- Joining in guerilla raids in an ongoing racial war?

- Attempting to manipulate election processes because you believe the other side is going to do the same?

A good GM can bring up moral dilemmas like these. How players respond shape the nature of the game.

posted by zditty @ 10:00 AM