Re: [DL] ethnic diversity

[Allan Seyberth <darious@darious.com>]

Hey there,
         One thing that PEG build into DL was an out regarding this very 
issue.  Somewhere in one of the DL books is a statement regarding equal 
opportunity for the women-folk due to the intense manpower shortage of the 
Civil War.  This could be easily extended to all minorities.
         Arguments of realism/social justice/etc aside - PEG's point is 
that racism is no fun.  Therefore it should have no place in the game  - 
UNLESS - you and your players are okay with dealing with that 
theme.  Otherwise, don't continue it in the game and state that in a lot of 
places people have become color blind because they so desperately need 
people to do the work.

         Another way out would be to look at if your player's have picked 
up the Ferner hindrance.  If they didn't, you can just say that they know 
enough about the white man's society that they don't automatically cause 
conflict.
         If they did take the hindrance, then assume that they knew what 
they were getting into.  :)

Since you've already established the theme as being in place, you might 
want to make the requirements for the locals to pick up colorblindness a 
lot easier.  "Say there little buddy - yer all right.  How do you say your 
name again?"
"Chow Yun-Fat"
"Uh. . . mind if I just call you Tex, Tex?"
"Yes"
"Oh. . .well Slim, why don't come in and have a drink on me. . . "


If you want to take the party back East, you can say that the racism is 
covered up by the veneer of sophistication.  It's still there, but it's not 
so overt.  You could also have the party run into the most insidious form 
of racism - pro-race activism.  Just have the Indian in the party run into 
someone who uses the phrases "noble savage" and "pure untainted spirit" and 
who starts the conversation, not with asking the guy's name, but with "Oh 
how HORRIBLE it must be for you here in the city, surrounded by all this 
machinery and decadence, um. .  not decadence. . . um, evil ways. . 
Oh!  You do speak english do you?  DO YOUah SPEAKy AMERICAN!"

Another concept would be the "turn-about is fair play".  Imagine how well a 
British tinhorn lording is going to do in Five Points.

:)




At 08:35 PM 7/16/2001 -0500, you wrote:
>I was wondering if anyone else has had a similar problem to mine and how 
>they have dealt with it.
>
>The Posse in my game consists of a chinaman(was 2 chinamen) an indian and 
>a mexicali.  No problem if I keep them in the maze(well less of a problem) 
>but if I take them anywhere east or north they are a big neon sign begging 
>for a lynch mob to hassel them, add to that a "my kung fu is superior" and 
>a "grim servant o' death" and to keep things realistic and keep the 
>hinderances in play I end up with a LOT of out of adventure bar room brawls.
>
>any one else had to deal with this?
>
>Mikhael

-------------------
Allan Seyberth
darious@darious.com
Deadlands fan site - http://www.darious.com/

When a private entity does not produce the desired results, it is (certain 
body parts excepted) done away with. But a public entity gets bigger.
                 -P.J. O'Rourke