Do Constructs Dream of Mithril Sheep: The Place of Existentialism in a D&D Campaign.

[Sheogoroth]

In your opinion/experience is there a place for a somber tone or perhaps an introspective one in a D&D adventure, and if so how does one evoke such emotions in a game that so-readily reverts to Joviality?(Not that I'm complaining.)

I'd love to hear your stories of what worked and didn't, especially if they are hilarious.

[(Un)Inspired]

You should have titled this thread "Hell is Other PCs: Existentialism in a D&D campaign."

In my experience existentialism has no place in a D&D campaign. The importance of an utterly indifferent world is essential for existentialism and D&D is all about being superheros that have a world spanning story centered all around them.

The importance of the individual is tantamount to existentialism and D&D is all about being a part of a team. In fact, your characters are all collections of labels like classes and races that could be applied to anyone.

To capture existentialism you would have to ignore a great deal of the mechanics and have players willing to play in a style fundamentally different that how traditional games work.

[Sheogoroth]

Well thought out response, though I thought my title was pretty clever.

How about sadness or earnest regret?

[Clistenes]

You should have titled this thread "Hell is Other PCs: Existentialism in a D&D campaign."

In my experience existentialism has no place in a D&D campaign. The importance of an utterly indifferent world is essential for existentialism and D&D is all about being superheros that have a world spanning story centered all around them.

The importance of the individual is tantamount to existentialism and D&D is all about being a part of a team. In fact, your characters are all collections of labels like classes and races that could be applied to anyone.

To capture existentialism you would have to ignore a great deal of the mechanics and have players willing to play in a style fundamentally different that how traditional games work.

Not to mention the fact that the existence of gods is a proven fact (except for a few crazy conspiration theorists who believe all Clerics to be part of a huge conspiration to con all Humanity, maybe) and that you know for sure that immortal souls and the afterlife do exist.

Intelligent Constructs, Simulacrums, and maybe even sentient Undead, on the other hand, I can see them having an existential crisis.

[Vogonjeltz]

Not to mention the fact that the existence of gods is a proven fact (except for a few crazy conspiration theorists who believe all Clerics to be part of a huge conspiration to con all Humanity, maybe) and that you know for sure that immortal souls and the afterlife do exist.

Intelligent Constructs, Simulacrums, and maybe even sentient Undead, on the other hand, I can see them having an existential crisis.

In the planar books they mention the theory that gods are just extremely powerful beings, but not really "gods". There is at least one organization devoted to unmasking what they see as a fraud to determine the true nature of the universe. Sounds like an interesting plot hook really.

[Vrock_Summoner]

Not to mention the fact that the existence of gods is a proven fact (except for a few crazy conspiration theorists who believe all Clerics to be part of a huge conspiration to con all Humanity, maybe) and that you know for sure that immortal souls and the afterlife do exist.

Intelligent Constructs, Simulacrums, and maybe even sentient Undead, on the other hand, I can see them having an existential crisis.

It's not the Clerics, it's those danged Outsiders who are causing trouble. Alignment detection foolery so ya don't see 'em for what they really are an' they act all special when ya Commune to 'em. Poor worshippers, all Clerics to the same ideal who think it must be a god's work that they all select from the same domains. Poor guys, if only I could tell them it's just because they have similar ideals they devote themselves to...

[Crake]

you know for sure that immortal souls and the afterlife do exist.

yeah, but those immortal souls can be destroyed, where do they go after THAT?

the after after life?

[mucat]

You should have titled this thread "Hell is Other PCs: Existentialism in a D&D campaign."
This.


In my experience existentialism has no place in a D&D campaign. The importance of an utterly indifferent world is essential for existentialism and D&D is all about being superheros that have a world spanning story centered all around them.
...but not this. A campaign world is a big place, and there is no reason the PCs have to be central to what is going on. It's good for immersion if they have goals, of course...but trying to keep the things they care about from being swept away in a tide of much larger events makes a fine challenge.


The importance of the individual is tantamount to existentialism and D&D is all about being a part of a team. In fact, your characters are all collections of labels like classes and races that could be applied to anyone.
...no, they're really not. A collection of labels is not a character.

In one Steampunk Pathfinder campaign that I'm very much enjoying right now, the tone is...I wouldn't call it existentialist, but definitely introspective and claustrophobic, with a sense that the characters and perhaps the world are spiraling toward a vague but inevitable doom. We keep glimpsing the outlines of world-changing events far too big for us to control. We're far from helpless, but it feels a little like navigating in a fog teeming with icebergs. What we see is a hint of what is really there, and if they decide to crush us, we won't have much warning.

Meanwhile, two of the characters are each following their own trajectory toward madness, step by meticulously logical step, in the time-honored tradition of Victorian mad scientists. A third has realized that her sense of honor may soon require her to stand in the way of everything those two want to accomplish. And another keeps her cards so close to her vest, no one is sure what will happen when she plays her hand.

Through all of this, there are moments of real warmth and hilarity. And the GM keeps us guessing; it might be possible to carve out a happy ending, for the characters, the world, or maybe even both. Or we might have been in a Call of Cthulu campaign all along, and just not known it yet.

Whatever the hell is going on, though, it's a wonderfully memorable campaign.


EDIT:

Not to mention the fact that the existence of gods is a proven fact (except for a few crazy conspiration theorists who believe all Clerics to be part of a huge conspiration to con all Humanity, maybe) and that you know for sure that immortal souls and the afterlife do exist.
Setting-dependent. Our pseudo-Victorians certainly don't know that for sure, though some follow religions that claim there is an afterlife. My character claims to believe that souls spend eternity in blissful fellowship with the Two Gods, though evidence suggests his faith is a bit thin...


The Stages of Grief, by Doktor Ludwig Krauss
1) Denial
2) She's still a brain in a jar? Repeat stage 1, but more efficiently!

[Brookshw]

In the planar books they mention the theory that gods are just extremely powerful beings, but not really "gods". There is at least one organization devoted to unmasking what they see as a fraud to determine the true nature of the universe. Sounds like an interesting plot hook really.

Small addendum, that was pulled in from planescape. That said planescape very much lends itself to belief campaigns. We had a thread on it in the roleplay forum a few months back.

As to the op, personally I like to incorporate such elements into my campaigns but they're not something my players seem to have massive interest in so usually its some background element or personal Easter egg. If you're group is up for it enjoy!

[Fouredged Sword]

I am running a great anti-theist in a game of RHOD. He thinks the gods are real, just that they all messed up reality so bad that they don'r DESERVE worship. He intends to end mortality, disease, and hunger.

When all the world is a peaceful collective of Elan vitalists, and hunger is forgotten, disease is rare, and even pain is dampened to the point of mere discomfort, THEN the gods may beg for forgiveness and be allowed into the world as equals!

I could never decided if he was CG or CE. It really depended on if he was feeling good or frustrated that day. The temptation to cut the Gordian knot was his main character decision.