Hello so, here is a random thread on #SWORDDREAM, the first movement/community I ever got into when I decided to start designing games. I've gotten queries on what *Dream is all about and how it "works", so I'll tackle that as much as I can.

This image btw is by @NateTreme

I have been told by the likes of @jackgraham and @TrebuchetOps, *Dream started as a shitpost and then suddenly uuuh it was A Thing. Contrary to popular belief, there is no One Server or Space, or Shadow Council of Kindness. There are no leaders, no authorities, no masters.

This is important. Basically, if you see anyone claim that they're an authority of *Dream, approach with caution. At best, they're misunderstanding what *Dream is trying to do. At worst, they're falling back into the very toxic patterns that inspired *Dream in the first place.

Specifically, the people who tried to organize the principles in my first post wanted to show in tangible, concrete ways that they stood AGAINST the toxicity & BS in OSR circles. It was an active approach versus Zak S & all the rest. And it is also a *Dream of a better industry.

This is not to say that *Dream is perfect. I've met self-identified Sworddreamers who don't adhere to the principles & have done great harm to folks. No movement is perfect.

I will say though that the toxicity within *Dream is no less or more than your standard ttrpgs space.

And on that note: while *Dream started with OSR spaces, it is a ttrpgs movement that supercedes preferences in design. If you say you are a Sworddreamer, then you are one. What we judge you for is whether you embody the principles that the communities try to uphold.

I've been told by some folks that Sworddream is weak because it does not have a consolidated center of power or coordinated authority. I disagree. All centers and systems of power must be interrogated. There should be no One Big Authority, or Designer, or Community.

Diversity and inclusion means that there are many tables with many seats, all working towards making even more tables & even more seats to accommodate different contexts & needs. No single person can speak for a group. If you have many voices, though, and multiple perspectives...

Speaking of, *Dream is a thing because there is room for you to describe the sort of dream you wish to fulfill in your design. Is it a Hunterdream? A Magedream? A Queerdream? Anything goes, as long as you strive to uphold what *Dream stands for.

As with any space, the *Dream server I am in taught me a few things based on the Principles. Calling in before calling out is a practice we stick by when it comes to handling each other. Attempting to reimagine ways in which we can improve our space of the industry is another.

On a wider scale, what I love about *Dream is it's nature. It is NOT a Club like how many OSR spaces became clubs. There is a server where the "first" *Dreamers hang out, but it is not interested in being THE space.

No one who claims to adhere to the principles is interested in being top dogs of ttrpgs. It isn't about toppling oppressors and becoming the new powerful overlords of industry spaces. It's about working towards a world that doesn't need damaging, harmful hierarchies altogether.

We did a bundle of games last year if folks are interested in seeing *Dreamers fulfill, to the best of their abilities, their Sworddream. There's been some talk about doing other projects on our end too, which should be cool. https://itch.io/jam/dreamjam 

That said, if you're keen to go into the bigger industry spheres, that doesn't automatically revoke your Sworddream card. *Dreams are fulfilled both through producing your own small games and through shooting for positions that allow you to work for structural changes.

If you're an asshole/an abuser/a Nazi tho my humble take is that Sworddream is not for you & doesn't need you polluting our spaces.

Anyway, I'm no expert on *Dream. Just wanted to share some thoughts on a movement that means a lot to me, and is relevant to the times.