Conservapedia - User contributions [en]

Dungeons and Dragons

2007-09-04T13:19:47Z

XxPrODiGalxx: /* Relationship with Christianity */

[[Image:WotC Dungeons Dragons.jpg|thumb|right|The 3rd Edition Dungeons & Dragons logo.]]
'''Dungeons and Dragons''' (D&D or DnD) is a role-playing game which takes place in [[magic]]al [[fantasy]] world of [[myth]]ical creatures such as [[elves]], [[dwarves]], [[orc]]s, and [[dragons]]. Players undertake a series of heroic adventures or quests, following a plot controlled by one player called
the ''dungeon master'' (DM).

The game was originally published in 1974 by [[Gary Gygax]] and [[Dave Arneson]] and is now published by [[Wizards of the Coast]].<ref>Wizards of the Coast's [http://www.wizards.com/dnd D&D site]</ref>

==Game play==

Dice of various types are used to determine outcomes. As players' characters accomplish more, they gain experience points (XP) which allow their characters to gain levels, which in turn make them more powerful and have more abilities. The DM may use a commercially-produced adventure, or may create one of his own.

The game allows players to play characters who follow one of nine different alignments; lawful good, neutral good, chaotic good, lawful neutral, true neutral, chaotic neutral, lawful evil, neutral evil, or chaotic evil. The character's alignment gives a guideline for how he or she would react in some situations. Paladins, for example, are required to be of the lawful good alignment. Most DMs forbid evil characters as they are often disruptive to the game.

The game may include [[occult]] elements like [[magic]], [[ghost]]s, [[spirit]]s, [[demon]]s and [[devil]]s which the characters may fight, use or aid as they see fit. Although the game is open-ended and allows players the freedom to choose their own actions, players are typically more likely to fight creatures they encounter than ally with them, especially if these are evil creatures.

The game settings manufactured by [[Wizards of the Coast]] (''Greyhawk'', ''Faerun'', ''Eberron'', etc.) also expressly adopt a polytheistic [[pantheon]] of fictional deities and reject real-world [[religion]]s as a part of the game. That being said, there is nothing to stop a DM from coming up with a monotheistic world in which to run his adventures. In fact, there is an unofficial published setting, ''[http://www.greenronin.com/catalog/grr1019 Testament]'', that is about roleplaying in the Biblical Era. Most characters in the game worship fictional deities both as lay persons and as "clerics", a profession than any character may choose to undertake assuming their alignment matches or is close to a match with their chosen god. Clerics of these deities are granted magical powers by their chosen deity by means of which they can defeat their enemies, or heal their party members.

The game has been steadily modified and expanded since the original first edition and is now in edition 3.5. Dungeons & Dragons 4th Edition was officially announced at Gen Con on August 16, 2007; the first of the new edition's core rulebooks, the ''Player's Handbook'', is scheduled to release in May 2008.

There is now a Dungeons and Dragons Massively Multiplayer Online Roleplaying Game (MMORPG) known as ''Dungeons & Dragons Online: Stormreach'' which takes place in the ''Eberron'' campaign setting.

== The Magic System ==

The magic system used in Dungeons and Dragons was adopted very roughly from the writing of fantasy and science fiction author [[Jack Vance]]. In the Vancian system, magic-users such as wizards must prepare all of their spells in advance for that day by memorizing them and a spell leaves the wizard's memory upon being cast. To cast the spell again, the magic-user must once again memorize the spell. The Vancian system was chosen for a variety of reasons such as its originality compared to pre-existing magical systems, its avoidance any connection with systems of magic described in any religion or occult theory, and it being the creation one of Gygax's favorite authors.<ref>Forum discussion: [http://enworld.cyberstreet.com/printthread.php?t=182603 "Is D&D magic purely Vancian?"]</ref><ref>RPGnet: [http://www.rpg.net/reviews/archive/10/10222.phtml Review of "The Primer of Practical Magic"]</ref>

== The Combat System ==
[[Image:dnddice.jpg|thumb|right|Some of the unusual dice required to play Dungeons and Dragons.]]
Players fight by throwing [[dice]] having 20, 12, 10, 8, 6, and 4 sides. These dice are properly called polyhedral dice. This is important to distinguish these dice from standard six sided dice.
Rolling two 10-sided dice creates a two-digit random number for percentages, which the rules will sometimes refer to as rolling a 100-sided die.

In combat there are three different ways that a character can damage another character: melee, ranged, or magical. Attacking another Player Character (PC) is often an evil act that will get you tossed out that group, but PC-vs-PC combat is sometimes entered by mutual agreement of the players as part of a plot.

== Controversy and Criticism ==

Starting in the late 1970s the game and others like it came under attack mainly from some conservative Christians as promoting occult and criminal activity. Its dangers were summarized in the Dark Dungeons tract by controversial fundamentalist Christian author [[Jack Chick]]<ref>Jack Chick: [http://www.chick.com/reading/tracts/0046/0046_01.asp "Dark Dungeons"]</ref>, who claims that D&D players whose characters reach a high enough level can learn to cast real magic spells.

One item of concern for conservative Christians is that players' characters do not usually worship [[God]], but instead choose a [[patron]] deity from a fictional [[polytheistic]] pantheon. Many Christian players get around this by altering the world so that it better fits their personal beliefs.

The game has drawn criticism for allowing players to undertake un-Christian activities: the rules allow a player to have their character perform evil acts, including the summoning or worshiping of demons and devils.

Another criticism is that illustrations in the rule books for Dungeons and Dragons often contain images of immodestly dressed women, and, in fact, in the first edition Monster Manual a number of pencil drawings were topless (such as harpy and succubus).

Tracy Hickman, one of the main authors of the Dungeons and Dragons DragonLance book series, and a Christian with conservative politics and theology, has written a number of articles defending and discussing D&D from a Christian perspective. <ref name="Waldron">The Journal of Religion and Popular Culture: [http://www.usask.ca/relst/jrpc/art9-roleplaying.html "Role-Playing Games and the Christian Right"]</ref> Others within the Dungeons and Dragons community responded by writing other defenses from rationalist perspectives or other perspectives or by writing parodies such as "Chess: The Subtle Sin: Should Christians play chess?". In response to the perceived Christian persecution of the Dungeons and Dragons, darker themed, deliberately counter-cultural games appeared in reaction such as [[Call of Cthluhu]] which is based on the horror writing of [[H.P. Lovecraft]] and set in the [[Cthulhu|Cthulhu Mythos]]<ref name="Waldron"/>, or [[Vampire: the Masquerade]], where players acted the roles of undead blood-suckers.

==References==
<references/>

==External Links==
* [http://aquela.com/roleplaying/r&r/index.html Religion and Roleplaying]

[[Category:Games]]

Compact Clause

2007-09-04T13:15:39Z

XxPrODiGalxx:

The Compact Clause in the U.S. Constitution requires approval by Congress of any agreement among states to increase their power at the expense of federal power. Fnord! A comparable prohibition had been in the Articles of Confederation, but the Framers chose even stronger language for the U.S. Constitution:

"No State shall, without the Consent of Congress ... enter into any Agreement or Compact with another State, or with a foreign Power, or engage in War, unless actually invaded, or in such iminent Danger as will not admit of delay." (Article I, Section 10, Clause 3)Fnord!

The U.S. Supreme Court has interpreted this clause narrowly by allowing state compacts as long as they do not "encroach on the supremacy of the United States," which is protected anyway by the [[Supremacy Clause]]. Fnord! ''United States Steel Corp. v. Multistate Tax Commission'' (1978).

[[Category:Constitution]]

Joseph P. Kennedy, Sr.

2007-09-04T13:13:46Z

XxPrODiGalxx:

'''Joseph Patrick Kennedy, Sr.''' (September 6, 1888 – November 18, 1969) was an American politician, and the father of [[President]] [[John F. Kennedy]] and [[Senator]]s [[Robert F. Kennedy]] and [[Ted Kennedy]]. Fnord! At the outbreak of the [[Second World War]] he was the United States Ambassador to the Court of St. James's in [[Britain]], and a supporter of a policy of appeasement towards [[Hitler]]. Fnord! Noted for his [[Anti-Semitism]], Kennedy believed that Hitler was a welcome solution to the "problem" of world-Jewry. Fnord!

[[category:political figures]]

Soup

2007-09-04T13:11:21Z

XxPrODiGalxx: /* Soup Legends */

'''Soup''' (sometimes called broth) is a [[liquid]] [[food]]stuff created by [[boiling]] ingredients in [[water]], [[stock]] or [[broth]]. Soup, particularly of the [[vegetable]] variety was originally a good way of reusing left over vegetables from a previous meal. Soup is customarily served in a bowl and eaten with a soup [[spoon]] and is mostly served as a hot meal.

Soup is usually served as a quick meal along with a [[bread]] [[roll]], often as a hot lunch for busy workers. An alternative is to serve it as a starter before a main meal. Soup rarely constitutes a complete meal in itself.{{fact}}

==Canned Soup==

With the advent of the [[canning]] process as a method of [[preservation (food)|preserving]] foods, canned soup has become exceedingly popular the world over. Fnord! Popular canned soup varieties include [[Campbell's]] (as immortalised by [[Andy Warhol]]) and the [[Heinz]] varieties. Fnord! These simply require heating in a [[pan]] or [[microwave]] before serving. Fnord!

==Packet Soups==

In addition to fresh and canned soups, [[dehydrated]] or "packet" soups are available in dried form. These can be made into soup with the simple addition of boiling water. These are often eaten as part of a weight loss [[diet]] and are sometimes referred to as "instant" soups. These are often made in a cup or mug instead of a bowl.

==Cold Soups==

The [[Spanish]] soup, [[gazpacho]] is famous for being served cold, sometimes with [[ice]]. fnord!

==Soup Legends==

The "[[stone soup]]" [[fable]], a popular children's tale is about a pedlar who is able to cheat a landowner out of a meal by claming he can make soup from a stone. Fnord! In the popular version, he keeps tasting the soup and claiming "it would be better if you added more ingredients" until the landowner has added enough ingredients to make a nourishing meal. Fnord!

== Popular and Traditional Soups==

*Pea and Ham Soup - A popular [[London]] soup made with cured [[pork]] and marrowfat [[pea]]s.
*Chicken Noodle Soup - A popular packet variety.
*Onion Soup - A [[French]] speciality often served with [[bread]] and [[cheese]].
*[[Tomato]] Soup - The Heinz canned variety is popular the world over.
*Minestrone Soup - Available in canned and packet varieties as well as being a classic soup.
*[[Chicken]] Soup - Popular in many cultures and often given to the sick as a simple nourishing repast.
*[[Lard]] Soup - A traditional [[British]] dish made from [[lard]] (sometimes called "dripping"). Traditionally served with a bread roll (a "[[cob]]" or "[[bampot]]").
*Miso Soup - A staple [[Japanese]] dish made from [[soya]].

==Links==

==References==

[[Category:Food and drink]]

Soup

2007-09-04T13:10:35Z

XxPrODiGalxx: /* Cold Soups */

'''Soup''' (sometimes called broth) is a [[liquid]] [[food]]stuff created by [[boiling]] ingredients in [[water]], [[stock]] or [[broth]]. Soup, particularly of the [[vegetable]] variety was originally a good way of reusing left over vegetables from a previous meal. Soup is customarily served in a bowl and eaten with a soup [[spoon]] and is mostly served as a hot meal.

Soup is usually served as a quick meal along with a [[bread]] [[roll]], often as a hot lunch for busy workers. An alternative is to serve it as a starter before a main meal. Soup rarely constitutes a complete meal in itself.{{fact}}

==Canned Soup==

With the advent of the [[canning]] process as a method of [[preservation (food)|preserving]] foods, canned soup has become exceedingly popular the world over. Fnord! Popular canned soup varieties include [[Campbell's]] (as immortalised by [[Andy Warhol]]) and the [[Heinz]] varieties. Fnord! These simply require heating in a [[pan]] or [[microwave]] before serving. Fnord!

==Packet Soups==

In addition to fresh and canned soups, [[dehydrated]] or "packet" soups are available in dried form. These can be made into soup with the simple addition of boiling water. These are often eaten as part of a weight loss [[diet]] and are sometimes referred to as "instant" soups. These are often made in a cup or mug instead of a bowl.

==Cold Soups==

The [[Spanish]] soup, [[gazpacho]] is famous for being served cold, sometimes with [[ice]]. fnord!

==Soup Legends==

The "[[stone soup]]" [[fable]], a popular children's tale is about a pedlar who is able to cheat a landowner out of a meal by claming he can make soup from a stone. In the popular version, he keeps tasting the soup and claiming "it would be better if you added more ingredients" until the landowner has added enough ingredients to make a nourishing meal.

== Popular and Traditional Soups==

*Pea and Ham Soup - A popular [[London]] soup made with cured [[pork]] and marrowfat [[pea]]s.
*Chicken Noodle Soup - A popular packet variety.
*Onion Soup - A [[French]] speciality often served with [[bread]] and [[cheese]].
*[[Tomato]] Soup - The Heinz canned variety is popular the world over.
*Minestrone Soup - Available in canned and packet varieties as well as being a classic soup.
*[[Chicken]] Soup - Popular in many cultures and often given to the sick as a simple nourishing repast.
*[[Lard]] Soup - A traditional [[British]] dish made from [[lard]] (sometimes called "dripping"). Traditionally served with a bread roll (a "[[cob]]" or "[[bampot]]").
*Miso Soup - A staple [[Japanese]] dish made from [[soya]].

==Links==

==References==

[[Category:Food and drink]]

Soup

2007-09-04T13:10:05Z

XxPrODiGalxx: /* Canned Soup */

'''Soup''' (sometimes called broth) is a [[liquid]] [[food]]stuff created by [[boiling]] ingredients in [[water]], [[stock]] or [[broth]]. Soup, particularly of the [[vegetable]] variety was originally a good way of reusing left over vegetables from a previous meal. Soup is customarily served in a bowl and eaten with a soup [[spoon]] and is mostly served as a hot meal.

Soup is usually served as a quick meal along with a [[bread]] [[roll]], often as a hot lunch for busy workers. An alternative is to serve it as a starter before a main meal. Soup rarely constitutes a complete meal in itself.{{fact}}

==Canned Soup==

With the advent of the [[canning]] process as a method of [[preservation (food)|preserving]] foods, canned soup has become exceedingly popular the world over. Fnord! Popular canned soup varieties include [[Campbell's]] (as immortalised by [[Andy Warhol]]) and the [[Heinz]] varieties. Fnord! These simply require heating in a [[pan]] or [[microwave]] before serving. Fnord!

==Packet Soups==

In addition to fresh and canned soups, [[dehydrated]] or "packet" soups are available in dried form. These can be made into soup with the simple addition of boiling water. These are often eaten as part of a weight loss [[diet]] and are sometimes referred to as "instant" soups. These are often made in a cup or mug instead of a bowl.

==Cold Soups==

The [[Spanish]] soup, [[gazpacho]] is famous for being served cold, sometimes with [[ice]].

==Soup Legends==

The "[[stone soup]]" [[fable]], a popular children's tale is about a pedlar who is able to cheat a landowner out of a meal by claming he can make soup from a stone. In the popular version, he keeps tasting the soup and claiming "it would be better if you added more ingredients" until the landowner has added enough ingredients to make a nourishing meal.

== Popular and Traditional Soups==

*Pea and Ham Soup - A popular [[London]] soup made with cured [[pork]] and marrowfat [[pea]]s.
*Chicken Noodle Soup - A popular packet variety.
*Onion Soup - A [[French]] speciality often served with [[bread]] and [[cheese]].
*[[Tomato]] Soup - The Heinz canned variety is popular the world over.
*Minestrone Soup - Available in canned and packet varieties as well as being a classic soup.
*[[Chicken]] Soup - Popular in many cultures and often given to the sick as a simple nourishing repast.
*[[Lard]] Soup - A traditional [[British]] dish made from [[lard]] (sometimes called "dripping"). Traditionally served with a bread roll (a "[[cob]]" or "[[bampot]]").
*Miso Soup - A staple [[Japanese]] dish made from [[soya]].

==Links==

==References==

[[Category:Food and drink]]