A Historian’s Guide to Fantasy Gaming

Course Description

Have you ever noticed familiar historical and cultural stories and aesthetics littered throughout your favourite fantasy and science fiction worlds? Have you ever wondered why these elements appear, or how deeply they are integrated into these settings? In this class, you will discover just how influential history is in a lot of the content we absorb today! From movies and television to books, no medium is left untouched by the past, and few are as engaging to interact with as games! So many fantastical settings are in the form of, and have even been transformed into, highly engaging and interactive games. We will take a deep dive into various fantastical and grim-dark universes, focusing largely on the nerdiest of the nerdiest realms, Warhammer and Dungeons and Dragons, while also touching on incredibly well-known cinematic universes like Dune and Game of Thrones. These franchises are deeply rooted in historical inspirations, rich with examples of how the past and medievalism are moulded throughout these worlds and stories. Together, we will explore how creators utilize, manipulate, and draw inspiration from history, comparing real historical events, characters, and concepts with their fantasy counterparts. Throughout the course, students will have the opportunity to study historical periods ranging from the ancient world and the Middle Ages to the modern era, covering topics including religious, military, and cultural history—all while playing games throughout. As a disclaimer, due to the nature of some of the settings we will be exploring, students should be prepared to deal with mature subject matter and topics associated with the past, including violence and oppression.