There’s been some talk about Eyes Unclouded, a Ghibli-inspired #dnd adventure anthology on the #DMsGuild. IMO, its concept is masterful, because my favorite Ghibli films are about friction between violence and nonviolence. More below. I'm thinking about Princess Mononoke and Howl's Moving Castle, my all-time favorite Ghibli films, but also others like Nausicaa of the Valley of the Wind. pic.twitter.com/ChrwNNQ3Ix
— James ☂️ Haeck (@jamesjhaeck) August 27, 2020
D&D is a great game for people who think like these characters. Huge swathes of its rules are very explicitly about ways to kill, overpower, or coerce monsters and people in increasingly efficient or cool ways. But it doesn't have to be. D&D is also full of rules and scenarios in which cleverness, resourcefulness, thoughtfulness, and craftiness can create incredible, even magical outcomes. See for instance all the rules tied to downtime and item creation in the DMG and Xanathar's. pic.twitter.com/aN9FrmbFiY
— James ☂️ Haeck (@jamesjhaeck) August 27, 2020
This isn’t some indie, lefty, artsy interpretation of the system–though there are lots of indie, lefty, and artsy takes on the fantasy genre that I love. D&D paints with a broad brush. That’s part of why it’s top dog; it’s got something for everyone. I've seen some who say that Eyes Unclouded shouldn't be made for D&D, or that it's creators are somehow wrong or misguided for making it. That's a highly subjective statement, and it seems to me like a narrow-minded one. pic.twitter.com/MvIsqtuzMS
— James ☂️ Haeck (@jamesjhaeck) August 27, 2020
The same friction between violence and anti-violence that exists in the films of Hayao Miyazaki also exists in D&D. Or perhaps I should say, CAN exist. Eyes Unclouded is built for a specific style of play that brings that friction to the fore. In both D&D and films like Princess Mononoke, violence is the easy option. It's simple, spectacular, and glorious. But in Miyazaki's best films, heroes and villains alike grow beyond this simplistic, macho mindset. That, to me, is what Eyes Unclouded wants to show you. Bravo. pic.twitter.com/J5AXDaMoDR
— James ☂️ Haeck (@jamesjhaeck) August 27, 2020
