I'm writing a tabletop role playing game based in historical fiction...

I'm writing a tabletop role playing game based in historical fiction, and I was wondering if you guys could answer some questions regarding actual medieval history. I frequent Veeky Forums, but I figured you guys would be able to answer my questions more clearly and factually. Answer any of these that you feel like.

How were black people and people of different ethnicities viewed/treated in bronze and iron age europe?
Is the "Modern women have larger breasts than in history" thing a myth, or is this actually true?
Were there no THICC women in the ancient world?
How did non-christian cultures view "witchcraft" and "magic"?
What are some examples of real artifacts that were considered sacred or "magical"?
Did people in the "dark ages" really think that there were dragons and trolls ready to buttfuck them to death if they walk a mile away from their front door?
How prominent was crime in medieval times? What are some examples of punishment?
What are some real events that happened in ancient times that would make for an incredible story nowadays?

Other urls found in this thread:

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_artifacts_in_biblical_archaeology
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_mythological_objects
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Fifteen_Decisive_Battles_of_the_World
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Halley's_Comet#History
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_supernova_observation#Early_history
twitter.com/SFWRedditVideos

In order
Bronze age we don't know not slot of sources. Iron age is a really long period to answer that question about.

Yes, when food is more scarce and physical labor is a daily reality the women will be less Thic.

Which non Christian cultures I mean this is just to broad. But to answer super generally. Most places had presents who believed in some form of magic.

Arc of the covenant, fire temples, Oracle of Delphi,

No, but most people were very wary of travel for much more logical reasons. At best they may have been afraid of the devil or some vague spirit.

Less common than now because of population dynamics. Mostly it was handle on local level by a Lord. So punishments varied. Also, depends on the country. Usually some form of public shaming. Maybe a fine. Maybe torture. If you want some interesting torture look up the bloody eagle.

Can't think of any off the top of my head

>black people in bronze/iron age europe
wat. I know there was once a Nubian pharaoh.

>titties
in cultures of antiquity, large organs like dongs and tits was a symbol of civlisation

>thicc
Venus.exe

>witchcraft
Pagan rites were "witchcraft", then it was an excuse to set heretics on fire

>artifacts
Relics used and interred at the Christian monasteries, abbeys, and cathedrals were typically the bones or other such part of the body of a saint. These were thought to have special properties, like healing of insomnia for example.

>monsters
yes and no. early medieval period yes, but the only monster they would fear is mr. lucifer and his minions

>crime
if it happened it was punished, normally harshly.

>story
resisted the urge to say the Crusades. the rise and conquests of early Islam might make for some interesting alebit fucked up stories

>How were black people and people of different ethnicities viewed/treated in bronze and iron age europe?
About as well as everyone else because you have to remember that "racism" as we know it didn't exist. They practiced RACISM as in "fuck those guys across the river, they're shifty as FUCK". Racism was conducted along ethnic lines not so much from physical cues. So they would have been distrusted but no more than a thracian or a spaniard.

Thanks, user. You've helped me a bit. I didn't know what a fire temple or the Oracle of Delphi was.

You've also helped me figure out a better way to ask my questions next time.

The primary one I needed answered though, was how people who blatantly look different (ethnicly) were treated.

Yeah, this is one of the reasons I thought about this question in the first place. Any given peasant might be more willing to be kind to a passing traveller that looks odd, than the assholes that live up the river that keep stealing their cabbages.

I'd imagine that most europeans would be fearful or pity a black man's appearance at first, and then gradually get over it.

>How were black people and people of different ethnicities viewed/treated in bronze and iron age europe?
people raided and plundered foreign tribes, often abduct some of them as slaves while they raped and sometimes abducted their women to marry them or as slaves, sometimes they would trade and establish friendly relations other tribes

I am also a writer

>How were black people and people of different ethnicities viewed/treated in bronze and iron age europe?

As animals. The average IQ of blacks today is 70, which is the highest IQ that qualifies as clinically retarded and it shows. Back then it was even lower. And i know this is very racist to say, but its the truth. They'd be much like cattle. I'm not a /pol/ tard just telling a truth people dont like to hear.

As for other ethnicities, anything that was a shade from brown to white would be pretty much treated the same. People back then tended to "group" things instead of classifying them as well as take less into account hypothesis.
For example, the difference between a fruit and a vegetable for someone in this period was meaningless. And if you hypothetically asked him "What if you were black" they wont take your question seriously because "they are not". Its just how human behavior evolved.

Now blacks are different enough to be less like the people around them, but not alike enough to be considered one of them.

>Is the "Modern women have larger breasts than in history" thing a myth, or is this actually true?

On an average, yes they probably did have smaller boobs. But this is because fatness is not something they couldnt do. They did manual labor every day and thus were much more fit than the women nowadays on average.

Yes there were thicc women. Women drank whole milk to become more thicc.

>How did non-christian cultures view "witchcraft" and "magic"?

The rule was, if your god is more powerful than my god, and you have showed it through prowess in battle, then your god must have power over my god. The religious aspects of the victor replaces the religious aspects of the loser while both of them remained real.

They saw magic sometimes in the forging of metal. They saw witchcraft in much. Mostly those who could practice it were perceived as dangerous as scientists back then had to experiment with catastrophic results.

>What are some examples of real artifacts that were considered sacred or "magical"?

I do not know of specifics but usually swords, crowns, rings and other jewelry.

>Did people in the "dark ages" really think that there were dragons and trolls ready to buttfuck them to death if they walk a mile away from their front door?

No. But they knew for sure that they existed somewhere. And they knew weird things they coudnt explain happened and so they tended to keep away from anything questionable.

>How prominent was crime?
Not at all as the punishment was extremely cruel. There were no jails or a need for them. Punishment for theft is cutting your hand. Punishment for adultery is death. Punishment for dishonouring someone is death or banishment. Most things resulted in death. or serious bodly harm. Even further into Rome we didnt have jails.

>What are some real events that happened in ancient times that would make for
I really dont know

>niggers
Idk I feel like the nigger population in Europe during those time periods was very low. Not sure. I think a similar question would be asking how they're treated in a country with really low nigger population like china for example. Probably with wonder and curiosity

>THICC
Wasn't there that period in history where THICC was considered mainstream sexy? Don't remember the exact dates but probably around 100 years war if I had to make a guess

>magical loot
Sibylline texts

>trolls
Pretty sure people were more afraid of real life and the afterlife then made up shit

>crime and punishment
They used a lot of those ugly masks for public shaming with audience usually jeering and throwing shit (literal and foodstuffs). Also I think drowning was very popular for witch trials.

>cool story bro
Crusaders and their nigger counterparts did some pretty cool stuff. I am partial to the order of the knights hospitaller. Who doesn't like seeing lepers go ham in battle? (Pic pretty much historically accurate no hollywood beta cuck studded armor chainmail veil shit)

>Did people in the "dark ages" really think that there were dragons and trolls ready to buttfuck them to death if they walk a mile away from their front door?

Fun fact, there are still people in Iceland that Believe in invisible fairytrolls, when building roads they have to account for what is considered "trollground" and build around it. These beliefs were widespread in Scandinavia back in the day.

>no hollywood beta cuck studded armor chainmail veil shit
What are other fantasy tropes that won't fit in a historically accurate setting (That still has dragons and trolls, mind you)?

Well I would say, for starters, that almost everyone from antiquity to the medieval ages used a spear and shield in combat. The spear has killed more humans than all other weapons in history combined. Spears required very little training to be used with decent effectiveness and also needed much less metal and skill to forge. Secondly, going into battle without a shield was practically suicide. And thirdly, swords were almost always used as a sidearm (kept in a scabbard) because they were just so dam convenient to use that way.

I would suggest checking out the youtube channel "lindybeige" search him.

He savages "historical" movies and shows like gladiator, the last kingdom, etc., going into detail about the historical inaccuracies. He also talks about weapons and how they were actually used.

I would say the main thing to remember is that people in the ancient and medieval world weren't idiots. Don't look too much at hollywood movies for evidence cause usually they're just out to appease the ignorant cuckfag masses. Instead, put yourself in the shoes of someone who lived back then and write based on how you would act, how you would survive. Guaranteed to be more accurate. Good luck!

Thanks user! I'll have to look this dude up.

I'm writing a fantasy role playing game based in "Not-Europe", and I want things to be as realistic as possible on the "equipment and culture" end. Plus, I just think these sort of things are interesting to think about when applying them to the pseudo-realistic world I've written.

>How were black people...
Varied with the age. Generally cultures were fairly racially divided. Still, when it came to trade ports, generally one person's business was as good as another.

>Modern women have larger breasts...
Technically true for various reasons, statistically, but not to such an extreme that you'd be likely to notice.

>THICC women...
Varies from era to era and area to area, but there have always been some THICC women, just how much favor they were showed varied.

>How did non-christian cultures view "witchcraft" and "magic"?
Aversion to "witches" is a thing in almost every culture, it's just the details of the definition varied ('the evil eye' etc). The degree of belief in magic varied with culture and education, but belief in magic, or at least mystical explanations, were much more common and widespread.

>What are some examples of real artifacts that were considered sacred or "magical"?
By the gods, where to start...
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_artifacts_in_biblical_archaeology
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_mythological_objects

>Did people in the "dark ages" really think that there were dragons and trolls ready to buttfuck them to death if they walk a mile away from their front door?
Not many.

>How prominent was crime in medieval times? What are some examples of punishment?
Very, and the punishments were more extreme. Beheading and behanding were not uncommon, crucifixion and branding, similarly. There was a much greater focus on public humiliation and public display, both as a warning to others, and proof that justice was done.

>What are some real events that happened in ancient times that would make for an incredible story nowadays?
By the gods, where to start... Some of these might make good plot hooks:
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Fifteen_Decisive_Battles_of_the_World
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Halley's_Comet#History
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_supernova_observation#Early_history

>How prominent was crime in medieval times?

Murder was far more common. Can't remember the statistics but based on old records it happened way more than in modern western societies.

>These beliefs were widespread in Scandinavia back in the day.

My father (who is born again bible thumper) still holds the view that animals must be treated with respect even in death or you will be punished and not get any more prey. Apparently this happened at least once back in the day when he was fox hunting with some other guy. Maltreated the dead fox and they didn't catch a single one after that.

>I didn't know what a fire temple or the Oracle of Delphi was.
Then you probably shouldn't white games based on history. Seriously, go read some books first, it's not that hard.

Good answer.

There were no niggers in medieval Europe.

>Lindybeige.
Jesus fuck, even Skallgrim is better. Lindy spergs about things he doesn't even understand while being pretentious as fuck, Skally is at least entertaining.
There were a few, slaves than were funny to have around (little nigger boys for example) and some as guards/harem in Spain Andalucia, but they are totally overepresented in USA and English productions and people is starting to think they were here since forever, were they were a funny footnote at most.
For Op,this guy said it pretty well.

...

>there was once a Nubian pharaoh
There was a whole dynasty of them.

>How were black people and people of different ethnicities viewed/treated in bronze and iron age europe?
Depends, race was les important then culture and religion. If a black person spoke greek he would probably be treated a lot better by Greeks then an Italian who didn't speak greek.
>Is the "Modern women have larger breasts than in history" thing a myth, or is this actually true?
Probably true because people eat more and more regular nowadays.
>Were there no THICC women in the ancient world?
Just look up some naked statues from greeks or romans. Plenty of thicc to be had.
>How did non-christian cultures view "witchcraft" and "magic"?
DEpends, witchcraft for christians would be just normal shamanship for celts for example.
>What are some examples of real artifacts that were considered sacred or "magical"?
Bodyparts of saints, places people died. ancient Oak trees for the celts, stone circles etc.
>Did people in the "dark ages" really think that there were dragons and trolls ready to buttfuck them to death if they walk a mile away from their front door?
No, some of them believed mythical creatures existed in far away lands (look up antipodes for example)
>How prominent was crime in medieval times? What are some examples of punishment?
Pretty prominent
>What are some real events that happened in ancient times that would make for an incredible story nowadays?
Death of Crassus, Xenophon's march of the 10.000.

>medieval europe
>black people

don't do it

>i'm not a /pol/tard

read a book faggot

What this guy said, it was basically "we hate our neighbours REEEEEEEEEE"

>I'd imagine that most europeans would be fearful or pity a black man
Just be careful and realize a black guy can be a really exotic thing and for people not used to travelling much further than 10 mi. from their iron age village in Britain who are also coincidentally unbelievably superstitious compared to modern people...yeah, they won't necessarily react well to a black guy dark as the night sky just sauntering into the tavern. Might think he's some sort of demon or cursed man.

>Probably with wonder and curiosity
These are people that quite seriously consult chickens before going to battle. And that's the smart ones. I don't think the general population will be particularly open minded to something radically different.

Why shouldn't he do it? There were black people in Medieval Europe, some of them were free, there are depictions of them in fencing treatises and in other sources. They were considered "Moors", and a person's religion played a much larger role in how people treated them than their ethnicity.

They weren't that stupid, user, they wouldn't think anything like that. Also, most black people aren't "dark as the night sky".

>They weren't that stupid
Average people in some out of the way hamlet? Yes they fucking were. Trade towns would be different, they're used to weirdos walking around.


>Also, most black people aren't "dark as the night sky".
Because you're American and are used to mixed race mulattos passing for "black". African SS blacks are pretty dark.

>Why shouldn't he do it?
Because 99.9% of the time it seems really out of place and while someone isn't necessarily in support of racism neither are they in favor of forced inclusiveness.

>How were black people and people of different ethnicities viewed/treated in bronze and iron age europe?

There weren't that many. Probably considered weird/exotic. Some Romans specifically bought black slaves to show them off.

>Is the "Modern women have larger breasts than in history" thing a myth, or is this actually true?

Malnuitrition, hard labor, and less advanced medicine suggests this to be true. Depends on social class, I suppose.

>Were there no THICC women in the ancient world?

Dunno, but it was an ideal to be sure.

>How did non-christian cultures view "witchcraft" and "magic"?

Too broad question. Polytheistic, pagan religions usually performed rituals (like sacrifices) to please their gods. Some of these rituals could be considered "proper", others not so much. What they did to people who did "evil" magic, I don't know.

>What are some examples of real artifacts that were considered sacred or "magical"?

Medieval Christians were crazed about relics. Earlier civilizations a little less so. They did believe that some materials (like amber) had magical properties.

>Did people in the "dark ages" really think that there were dragons and trolls ready to buttfuck them to death if they walk a mile away from their front door?

Not literally, they weren't that shut-in. But they probably believed those creatures existed far away.

>How prominent was crime in medieval times? What are some examples of punishment?

Crime was pretty prominent in my opinion, since the fall of the Roman Empire left no strong central authority, and Europe was divided by hundreds of competing noble families.

Medieval punishments were usually harsh, often involving some form of torture: Decapitation, cutting an arm, breaking wheel, hanging, pillory, impalement, boiling alive, skinning...

>What are some real events that happened in ancient times that would make for an incredible story nowadays?
The deHauteville brothers, dirtpoor minor nobles (closer to farmers) conquer kingdoms in the Mediterranean.

The Greeks regarded large dongs as a symbol of barbarism

>What are some real events that happened in ancient times that would make for an incredible story nowadays?
There are a lot, the Catalan Company misadventures for example, a group of savage and barely christian mercs remove kebab for the ERE, are betrayed be some big wig in a feast of celebration and then plunder Yugoslavia and Greece and install themselves in Athens to live cozy lives.
The Charlamage live is pretty cool. Osman Gazi rise to power is interesting as well, it has lots of literature. The Hussites as a whole are incredible entertaining.

Skally does have a wider and more in depth knowledge on medieval arms and weaponry, but to completely discredit lindy is preposterous. Although he might not be completely 100% on some topics, a lot of his arguments make logical sense. Just look at his videos on the design of the kopis, how coifs were used, the popularity of capes and hoods, etc etc.

And saying skally is more entertainment is pure opinion. Doesn't lindy also have a background in performing arts? If not, I know he is an avid LARPer so that presents at least some degree of amateur performaning talent.

Just watch his video "where do routs start." I found the video hilarious the way he acts out what the soldiers are thinking. Very informative and built on understandable, logically grounded reasoning as well.

>Average people in some out of the way hamlet?
Yes. Even they weren't as stupid as you describe. Any human will recognize a black person as just another human with exotic features.

>Because you're American
I'm not. I don't see black people often, but most of those I see are native African or French African.

>there are depictions of them in fencing treatises and in other sources.

Citation needed

Fucking google it, I don't even remember that HEMAfag site where I saw it. It was like a wiki library of treatises, with scans and shit. I'm not really interested in it, so I don't remember the author too. It was on rapier and dagger or rapier and cloak or something.

>How were black people and people of different ethnicities viewed/treated in bronze and iron age europe?
Didn`t really known about.
>Is the "Modern women have larger breasts than in history" thing a myth, or is this actually true?
Probably yes as human size bigger now compared to past cuss of food reasons.
>Were there no THICC women in the ancient world?
Being fat was sign of wealth in many parts of world so only if you were rich.
>How did non-christian cultures view "witchcraft" and "magic"?
There wasnt any mass burnings for witches or something. However it did exist.
>What are some examples of real artifacts that were considered sacred or "magical"?
Finger bone of some saint was considered sacred.
>Did people in the "dark ages" really think that there were dragons and trolls ready to buttfuck them to death if they walk a mile away from their front door?
Not really. But travel was expensive and was done very rarely. Escpially if you are a villager.
>How prominent was crime in medieval times? What are some examples of punishment?
Since population was scarce and spread over it wasnt big thing. Piracy and banditary was big thing escpially in shit parts.
>What are some real events that happened in ancient times that would make for an incredible story nowadays?
It is not medivial times but i find story of decius mus super interesting. He sacrifed his soul to undergods and rode of to fight alone against whole army.

That's kinda wrong. India's caste system literally means color (Varna) which affected who was lower. The darkest were laborers.

Black animals were typical considered cursed in a lot of cultures. It's safe to assume that could carry to humans as well.

>bronze age Europe
>black people

That's because historically in India the darker skinned dravidian people were subservient to the Indo-Europeans who conquered them. In Carthage, for example, Libyans were discriminated and treated as subhumans, even though they aren't very different from many other north African peoples, or from Carthaginians themselves. Also, the literal meaning of the words doesn't necessarily show anything. In Russian, for example, the peasants and lower classes were called "chern'", which is a noun derived from the word for black, but it obviously doesn't refer to the color of their skin or anything.

On the subject of magic read Apuleius's "The Golden Ass".

Which supports they supported racism.