NPC Concept: "If You Know the King, You Know the Kingdom" - Part 4: Democracies

Overview

"Democracy arises out of the notion that those who are equal in any respect are equal in all respects; because men are equally free, they claim to be absolutely equal," said Aristotle. If Ancient Greece had a version of democracy in their city-states, why can't certain medieval societies? A democracy is a fascinating government type that is not often seen in fantasy settings. Usually, in fantasy, we are exposed to emperors, kings, or military leaders in power. Democracies are also difficult societies to run and talk about in TTRPGs because of the multitude of people involved.

But first, let's take a look at how page 18 of the Dungeon Master's Guide defines a "democracy."

"Citizens or their elected representatives determine the laws in a democracy. A bureaucracy or military carries out the day-to-day work of government with positions filled through open elections."

While this definition does work, and can encompass the idea of a "true democracy" in which power is derived directly from the people with little to no elected officials, it is most common that there are representatives elected. Even Merriam-Webster Dictionary agrees with that statement.

Democracies are often conflated with republics, but the DMG actually makes a point to distinguish between them. It says on page 19 that if there are restrictions on who can vote and why, or who can be elected to seats of power, that makes the country a republic. That is also reflected in the linked definition.

So now that we know what a democracy is, how do we make one work in our D&D setting?

Who Are The Important People?

Well, it's hard to say. After all, democracies are defined by... all people being able to have a say in their government. So is every single NPC important when we think about a political campaign, set in a democracy? I'd argue no, mostly because some NPCs might not be involved in voting; it may not be mandatory. 

If you're running a democratic setting, determine who is and isn't politically active when you make your NPCs. Either way, they can be incredibly fascinating, if the story you're trying to tell is political in nature. Why does someone want to get involved? Why is someone else avoiding it like the plague? It can lead to some intriguing and important conversations.

The major important NPC in this government system will be the elected leader, if there is one. Why were they elected? What kind of country are they running? The beauty of a democracy is that the people and their shared values are going to be the thing that determines what kind of leader they elect. This is a chance for DMs to study and bring out the values and culture of a certain area. The government will be (ideally) a direct reflection of the people living in that country. If it's not, then you may have a corrupt democracy on your hands, which could also be really fun to explore.

Functions / Motivation

What makes a democratic government especially unique is that in an ideal democracy, the government's motives are the people's motives. This kind of goes back to what I just said: culture and shared values of the people are going to drive this government forward.

Democracies are also interesting to explore on a small scale. Perhaps the kingdom itself is a monarchy, under the rule of a king. However, while each town must adhere to the king's laws, they can also implement their own local laws by way of a democracy. As long as they're not illegal on a federal level, they're allowed to be implemented. Each town may even have an elected mayor, who runs the voting and proceedings of the town.

A democracy is a naturally selfless government type, provided that it remains uncorrupt. The corruption of a beloved democracy could actually be a plot point for a campaign.

Why Should I Include This?

Sometimes the same kingdom run by an absolute monarch or a monarch and their council is boring. Sometimes a kingdom with a king and barons that divide up land is also boring. We've seen it before.

Democracies are one of the governments on this list that really fascinate me in a fantasy setting, where governments like the ones I just mentioned are typically normal. I mean, think of all the interesting political interactions that could be happening. How do kings deal with democratically elected officials? Do they recognize them as legitimate? Do they see merit in allowing all citizens the power to vote? If not, why not? In a political campaign, these are all very fun questions to consider.

I think it also might allow your players to have some driving force in the setting. Imagine that they're unknown heroes, starting in a town with a democratically elected mayor. There's a town meeting about a monster in the mountains nearby, and a vote on what they should do. The players vote to send an adventuring party, and volunteer. When they come back victorious, they now have more of the town on their side. They can sway other votes later. Their voices actually matter, and can affect the government in a big way before even being all that recognized beyond being "local heroes." They've just changed how this town runs by casting a vote and being involved. In its own way, isn't that empowering for them?

What's Coming Next?

The next government type coming up is the dictatorship. What defines a dictator and how do they rule? Well, we'll talk about that in the next post. See you all then!

TTRPG Research: Benefits of Roleplay for Kids with Autism

Roleplay is something that we're all used to if we write, act, and / or play TTRPGs. As a writer, actor, and player, I love examining roleplay and how others experience it as well, since it really can be a very subjective experience.

I've got a short post for you all today, on some research that I was doing for one of my college courses. I'm referencing a 2015 study called "Making Meaningful Worlds: Roleplaying Subcultures and the Autism Spectrum" by Elizabeth Fein.

The study takes a look at a group of kids on the autism spectrum at a camp together, who were using live-action roleplaying games to socialize and cooperate. What they found was that the students had actually been more inclined to join in and "become heroes" in this fantasy, live-action roleplaying game. They were invested in the story their counselors created, and the characters that they'd made. This is a pretty big deal for some of these kids who had historically had trouble with larger groups, and who would prefer to be alone. It fostered a real sense of community and friendship for the kids involved.

This isn't surprising to me, so much as it is interesting to read about other people making this discovery. I think it's wonderful that so many people can use roleplay to express themselves and grow - autistic or not. These are the types of games that really encourage that, more than any other game or hobby that I've come across. According to an Out Front article, linked here, RPGs (digital or tabletop) can even help those struggling with gender and sexuality come to terms with and healthily express their desired identities too. I'm so glad that other people are starting to realize that games like the ones we're really passionate about can have real cognitive and social benefits.

Knowing this, I'd really like to stress the importance of good roleplay in a TTRPG. Good roleplay, in my personal opinion, can make a game 100 times better than it would be without it. After all, it's not called a "tabletop roleplaying game" for nothing!

Study Referenced:

Fein, E. March 2015. "Making Meaningful Worlds: Roleplaying Subcultures and the Autism Spectrum." Springer Science + Business Media, New York, USA.