IRL Regional Flavor, AKA stereotypes in campaigns.

[Avaricious]

How many of us have done it?

Reflecting, I enjoy taking a general American South accent in rural settings in my campaign. Reading through Hell's Vengeance 1 as a DM I certainly got that feeling about Longacre.

Had I a better grasp, I would love to incorporate more Boston, Chicago, and New York accents to my urban NPCs. As it stands, I still use my Bay Area slang to portray some urbanites.

Any particular cultures or accents that you as a DM/Player have enjoyed portraying in-game, even if it crosses PC thresholds in today's Trigger-Warning infused society?

At least once I have incorporated the opening chords of Dueling Banjos into the scenery.

I portrayed the Sheriff of Sandpoint (forgot the name) once being modelled on Buford T. Justice to my PCs. They learned to tolerate him, but the breaking point came where they needed someone who understood Goblin and he just happened to be the nearest NPC. I transitioned his Goblin "accent" from that ramble to smooth neutral newscaster English and it was hilarious when some Players broke character because of that difference.

"How does he speak Hick Common but perfect Goblin?!"

[Bjørn Røyrvik]

Is this stereotypes or just accents?

In either case, the topic comes up every now and then. You should be able to search the boards for them and find something.

I don't try accents, mostly because I'm not that good at them and poorly done accents are a pet peeve of mine. I will make a note of what sort of accent a person has, if it's important.

As for cultural stereotypes, they exist for a reason, and this reason is that they are often based in reality (though sometimes grossly exaggerated), when they aren't created wholecloth to demonize a group. Both reasons for stereotypes exist in my games because exaggerated behavioral/visual elements are a very easy and powerful way to get the feeling of a person or culture across to players.

[Scythia]

I use cultural stereotypes in fantasy settings, definitely. Mostly because I know that they'll resonate with the players and prime them for particular expectations. I don't think of it as bad in any way, specifically because it's a fantasy setting rather than the real world. Much as it's okay to have evil be racially determined in fantasy, but not the real world.

Oddly though, I don't use accents for this. I use accents more often to distinguish different characters rather than different regions. My players tend to have a difficult time remembering npc names, but they can remember the person with the accent.