>>6341679>>6341737>>6341733>how to write about violence / bloodshed / murder in an rpg, but without enduring the distasteful traumatic mental contamination from this processSo I do not believe in cossetting individuals anon, I will provide you merely with actionable advice whose merits you may assess using your own discernment, and if you need the emotional consolation platitudes of support and safeguarding and wellbeing, well, Sam Altman, ChatGPT and the American psychotherapy industry eagerly offer their rapacious help
There is a very simple framing technique used in many rpgs where you can negotiate violence or high stakes scenarios, without descending into the blow-by-deathblow disembowelment mutilation etc. You have probably encountered it in some CRPG.
It is basically this: frame the issues as a DEBATE or courtroom / policy argument, political negotiation scene.
A lot of rpgs do this, there is a pivotal life-and-death judgement verdict delivery, but instead of doing it as a violent bloodletting orgiastic battle, culminating in you crushing the eyeballs from the sockets of the decapitated skull of your hated enemy (FINALLY, VENGEANCE??) the decision is presented as a series of fairly surgical / detached subsidiary policy verdicts (often subquests and sidequests involving "winning" the favour and support of corroborating allies etc) and once the verdict has been reached, the violence / judgement / reckoning is delivered (which can be done offscreen / behind the curtain out of sight etc) This basic procedural method is very adaptable and I would say almost universal across genres whether fantasy sci fi or modern, Western, Asian? etc, it is a way to slightly detach or insulate yourself from explicit violence whilst still delivering life-and-death perilous stakes and danger etc
I think you could even do this alongside actual combat: the scene could be, the battle is just about to start... but can you PERSUADE some key faction NPC to betray or abandon or demoralise your foe etc, thereby turning the tide... Transmute the bloodshed into some temporary intrigue diplomacy. And then just skip to the end where the battle is done etc
So if you still want to describe a violent dramatic reckoning, but without myriad maimings and battle-slaughter, perhaps you could try and imagine if there is the scope for a "policy NEGOTIATION VERDICT BATTLE" narrative framing in your game setting. Herein concludes my dungeonmaster advice
