Six Principles for Old School Dungeon Masters

Art by Gilead

Six Principles for Old School Dungeon Masters

1) The most important thing a DM should ask the PCs, and repeatedly ask, is, “What do you do?” This question creates the atmosphere that makes D&D enjoyable for players, directing and redirecting the momentum toward their choices.

2) Descriptions of situations, NPCs, and scenarios should be concise, brief, and to the point. Unless the DM is a talented actor, dialogue should be reported rather than directly acted out. As dialogue progresses, a sort of magic happens, and characters naturally seem to converse with NPCs without the awkwardness of falsetto voices or fake accents.

3) If players have a request or idea, no matter how outlandish, the DM should provide the possibility for it, but they can adjust the statistical likelihood to make it almost impossible. For example, let’s imagine a player asks if their familiar, a cat, can tear out the throat of an evil necromancer after the party has fallen. A 1 in 20, or even a 1 in 100 chance, is unlikely, but the benefit of the dramatic tension is worth it. The inverse, the discouragement associated with shutting down the idea, is not worth it.

4) Whether the DM is using a module or creating one, the DM needs an “objective” third party to mediate between their role as DM and the players’ choices. This third party could be a description of a town, an NPC, an encounter, or a social scenario. To an extent, this third element adds concreteness to the world, moderating the whimsy of the DM and the tendentious nature of the players, creating something approaching an even playing field.

5) The DM should strategically adopt an antagonistic stance toward the players. This makes the encounters feel as though the stakes are high. However, the DM should never cheat; the players should never suspect the DM of putting a finger on the scales, as this might incentivize them to cheat as well. Instead, the DM should make it clear that they will use their resources honestly, with integrity, and to the best of their abilities within the reasonable constraints of the enemies' abilities and potential.

6) Finally, the DM should not retcon any awarded treasure or magical items. If a campaign becomes unbalanced due to a mistake, it is better to end the campaign than to retcon. Retconning something that provided the players with a sense of joy risks making future DMing sessions feel unreliable.

Fire and Ice: Teegra: Society, Totalitarianism, and Freedom

I recently read Teegra, a new comic by Dynamite that supplements their ongoing Fire and Ice prequel series. The series explores the events leading up to Ralph Bakshi and Frank Frazetta's 1983 animated film of the same name, in which the evil Ice Kingdom and the sorcerer Nekron attempt to conquer the world.

Revisiting this world through the comics has sparked my interest in the deeper themes of Fire and Ice. When I first watched the film in the early 2000s, I was enthralled by the stunning visuals that combined Frazetta's dynamic art with Bakshi's rotoscope animation. However, the story and characters didn't resonate with me as strongly as the visuals.

Now, the prequel comics have illuminated what I believe to be a central allegory of Fire and Ice: the conflict between freedom and totalitarianism, a vivid reflection of the Cold War era in which the film was made. This theme was prevalent in popular culture during the 1980s, as seen in films like Red Dawn (1984) and Rocky IV (1985), which pitted rebellious American heroes against Soviet-style authoritarian regimes.

In the world of Fire and Ice, the Ice Kingdom represents a dehumanizing, authoritarian state ruled by a supreme leader (think Stalinist Russia). The Fire Kingdom, in contrast, symbolizes a passionate but unruly and disputatious democracy that values personal freedom above all else. This allegory is exemplified through characters like Teegra, who defies an arranged marriage in favor of her own autonomy, and her brother, whose forbidden love challenges societal norms.

Interestingly, this theme aligns with the values often espoused in sword and sorcery fiction. The genre's archetypal hero, Conan the Cimmerian, rejects the oppressive traditions of his homeland to pursue a life of freedom. However, while the Ice Kingdom is both technologically advanced and totalitarian, Cimmeria is depicted as a barbaric yet authoritarian society bound by tradition.

In sword and sorcery, sorcery often serves as a metaphor for technology and science. The Ice Kingdom's advanced sorcery parallels its totalitarian control, while the Cimmerians' lack of sorcery reflects their primitive yet oppressive society. 

This tension highlights how, surprisingly, both primitive and advanced societies can be antagonistic to personal freedom in the sword and sorcery genre. I am reminded of Elric's  Melniboné.

Robert E. Howard, the creator of Conan, drew inspiration from theosophical concepts when crafting the world in which his stories were set. Theosophy, a spiritual and philosophical movement established by Helena Blavatsky in the late 19th century, sought to synthesize ideas from various Eastern and Western religious and occult traditions. Jeffrey Shanks, in his article "Theosophy and the Thurian Age: Robert E. Howard and the Works of William Scott-Elliot," argues that Howard's fictional Hyborian Age can be interpreted as a reimagining of theosophical prehistory, particularly in its depiction of the rise and fall of civilizations. The Thurian Age, a period in Howard's fictional timeline, mirrors the cyclical nature of Blavatsky's (i.e. Theosophy's founder's) "Root Race" theory, which proposes that human evolution progresses through stages of savagery, barbarism, and civilization before inevitably descending back into savagery. This cyclical model of societal development in Howard's works bears a striking similarity to the ideas put forth by Blavatsky in her theosophical teachings. 

The Fire Kingdom in Fire and Ice doesn't quite fit into Howard's savagery, barbarism, and civilization model. It is a kingdom, a state, and a society, but one that is unruly and seemingly respects individual freedom. This concept of a society that values personal liberty might have resonated with how some Americans utopically imagined their democracy during the 1980s (through the lens of popular culture), particularly in contrast to the perceived oppression of the Soviet Union.

As I delve deeper into the world of Fire and Ice, I find myself increasingly fascinated by how it mirrors the political landscape of the 1980s while also drawing upon the tradition of sword and sorcery fiction and its underlying philosophical influences. The Dynamite Fire and Ice comics have not only rekindled my appreciation for Bakshi and Frazetta's creation but also revealed the thought-provoking allegory at its core, inviting us to consider the relationship between society and freedom.

Weird Tales of Modernity: A Very Personal Retrospective

In July of 2019, I published an academic book titled Weird Tales of Modernity: The Ephemerality of the Ordinary in the Stories of Robert E. Howard, Clark Ashton Smith, and H.P. Lovecraft. Academic books typically don't attract a large readership, with sales of 100 to 200 copies considered successful in the humanities. However, the true measure of an academic book's success lies in its influence, often gauged by reviews in academic journals.

My book received two significant reviews. The first, in The Journal of the Fantastic in the Arts, a leading journal for literary studies scholars who focus on fantasy, stated: "Carney’s book is a valuable addition to the literature on its topic. It deserves a wide readership, and a prominent place in the scholarship of American fantastic literature in the early twentieth century." This recognition was encouraging, affirming my book's contribution to 20th-century fantastic literature scholarship. The second review, from American Literature, a flagship journal in literary studies, noted that my book "plac[es] pulp fiction in a broader historical and literary context." This suggested that my work could help traditional American literature scholars link interwar pulp fiction with the broader saga of American literary tradition.

2019 was shaping up to be a promising year, especially as I anticipated the academic year 2019-2020. Publishing an academic book in the summer typically leads to opportunities to share work, respond to rebuttals, and clarify contributions at academic conferences. I was looking forward to attending events like the National Conference of the Popular Culture Association and the International Conference of the Society for the Study of the Fantastic in the Arts, expecting to disseminate my unique perspective on pulp fiction.

However, the unforeseen events of March 2020, just 8 months post-publication, disrupted these plans. The pandemic led to the cancellation of most academic conferences. The shift to online classes consumed my focus, leaving little room to consider the potential impact on my book's influence.

Nearly three years later, I realize the unfortunate timing of my book's release. It's disappointing because I believe my study is important. Traditionally, scholars have separated the histories of canonical literature and genre fiction. My book aimed to bridge this gap, illustrating how both must be understood in response to the same social, economic, and aesthetic developments.

Despite the setbacks, my book did begin to make waves in the academic world, with positive reviews in The Journal of the Fantastic in the Arts and American Literature. Additionally, genre fiction enthusiasts also reviewed it. Dave C. Smith, a celebrated sword and sorcery writer, wrote a thoughtful review for Black Gate. Bobby Derie, a Lovecraft scholar, also reviewed it positively but noted its challenging appeal: Would scholars find its focus on pulp fiction (i.e. noncanonical literature) a barrier? Would genre fiction fans find it too theoretical, dense, and granular? Derie concluded, "Weird Tales of Modernity sits comfortably on a shelf next to The Unique Legacy of Weird Tales (2015), Conan Meets the Academy (2013), and New Critical Essays on Lovecraft (2013). Whether it will find an audience only the future can tell, but it certainly deserves one."

Reflecting on the years spent working on the book and its modest impact thus far, I feel a tinge of sadness. But academic books are often slow burns. I remain hopeful that in time, people will discover it and engage with my ideas.

Book Review: Lord of Ruin: A Tale of Malus Darkblade by Dan Abnett and Mike Lee

Lord of Ruin is a captivating Warhammer Fantasy novel that delves into the world of the Dark Elves, known as the Druchii. It is the fifth installment in a larger story arc centered around Malus Darkblade, a Dark Elf noble possessed by a demon. Malus isn't completely consumed by the demon; instead, the demon occasionally exerts its will, overriding Malus's own desires. However, for the most part, Malus is driven forward on a quest by the demon through threats of punishment, which manifest as what others perceive as his schizophrenic tendency to converse with himself.

The novel boasts extensive worldbuilding, not limited to the rich Warhammer Fantasy lore. Authors Abnett and Lee provide an immersive experience, unveiling intriguing and unexpected details that draw you viscerally into this captivating world. A standout moment occurs during a protracted sequence depicting the Chaos horde's siege of the Black Tower of Ghrond, the primary military outpost safeguarding the Dark Elf realm of Naggaroth from the Chaos Wastes. Throughout this segment, the authors' descriptions transported me right into the heart of the action.

However, the novel's plot, like its predecessors in the Malus series, suffers from an episodic and scattered structure. It often feels like each chapter presents a new crisis, with these individual crises serving as stops along a ride filled with spectacular events.

Overall, Lord of Ruin stands as my favorite installment in the Malus series. While it's possible to enjoy this book as a standalone, I recommend reading the preceding four novels. Doing so will imbue the story with a deeper resonance, as you'll appreciate the numerous callbacks and connections that become more meaningful when you follow the entire narrative.

One intriguing aspect towards the novel's conclusion is the development of Malus's conscience. At times, he exhibits behavior akin to that of a good person, which raises questions about its alignment with Warhammer Fantasy lore. Dark Elves are described as irredeemably corrupted by generations of hatred.

Conversation Starter: Plato and the Social Function of Literature

Ancient and classical literary criticism finds its origins in Plato's work, particularly in key passages of his dialogue The Republic. In this dialogue, Plato's protagonist, Socrates, engages in a debate with students about the nature of poetry and its impact on the ideal Republic, specifically its effect on its citizens.

Socrates, essentially Plato's voice, argues that poetic representation can wield significant influence over society, both positive and negative. For instance, he contends that poetry describing the afterlife as a bleak, joyless realm where souls wander aimlessly can be detrimental to the morale of soldiers. In a militaristic society, courage and aggression are vital qualities in its soldiers, and such a bleak portrayal of the afterlife can undermine these qualities.

Plato also discusses the representation of gods in poetry. He criticizes the practice of depicting gods behaving immorally, viewing it as highly dangerous. This representation of gods behaving poorly can negatively shape the moral values of society.

The Republic delves into various other aspects of poetry and literature. One such element is Plato's theory of representation, which is intertwined with his theory of forms. According to Plato, reality is a distorted reflection of a deeper reality, as exemplified in the famous "Allegory of the Cave" enumerated in the dialog. This allegory asserts that sensory perception offers only a limited understanding of reality, while a truer reality exists beyond our senses, composed of immortal and eternal ideal forms.

Plato's perspective on representation influences his perception of poetry, leading him to regard it as a lesser and potentially dangerous form of representation. For instance, he would consider a poetic description of a beautiful horse as less significantly valuable than an actual concrete horse, which, in turn, is less valuable than the ideal concept of "horseness" existing in some immaterial realm.

Despite his reservations about poetry, Plato does allow for its presence in his ideal Republic, provided it serves a specific pro-social purpose. This lays the foundation for understanding the role of a literary critic. According to Plato, the critic of literature should evaluate works based not on their aesthetic qualities but on their impact on society--whether they promote pro-social or anti-social effects.

This perspective raises thought-provoking questions for literary critics:

• Should works of art be assessed primarily based on their societal effects?
• Is it valid to evaluate works of art solely on their aesthetic qualities?
• What role does art play in shaping society?

In summary, key passages of The Republic by Plato raise enduring questions that continue to be relevant for literary critics. They offers valuable insights into the nature of literature and the role of critics in evaluating its societal impact, making them passages worthy of closer examination and analysis.