Tenkar's Tavern: The Draconic Archeologist: Picking Through the Dragon's Bones

Tuesday, April 12, 2011

The Draconic Archeologist: Picking Through the Dragon's Bones - Prelude

Everyone offered some good ideas, and I think what I'm going with steals from your thoughts, which were then put in a blender and this is what I got.

The Draconic Archeologist, because I'll be exploring the old Dragons as they relate to our hobby (and the OSR corner). I'll be picking through the Dragon's bones because the magazine is dead. No, WotC's online version does not count. They are good bones. Valuable and and full of history. Hopefully I'll be able to treat them right.

I'll be starting with The Strategic Review, as it is definitely the prelude to The Dragon and it's a treasure trove of stuff that later made it into the OD&D Supplements. If I have time after hitting the pub, I'll post tonight. Otherwise, it will wait till tomorrow.

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Why "Swords & Wizardry?"

Believe me when I say I have them all in dead tree format. I have OSRIC in full size, trade paperback and the Player's Guide. I have LL and the AEC (and somewhere OEC, but I can't find it at the moment). Obviously I have Basic Fantasy RPG. Actually, I have the whole available line in print. Way too much Castles & Crusades. We all know my love for the DCC RPG. I even have Dark Dungeons in print, the Delving Deeper boxed set, Astonishing Swordsmen & Sorcerers of Hyperborea. BOTH editions of LotFP's Weird Fantasy and some dead tree copies of the Greyhawk Grognards Adventures Dark & Deep

I am so deep in the OSR when I come up for breath it's for the OSR's cousin, Tunnels & Trolls

So, out of all that, why Swords & Wizardry? Why, when I have been running a AD&D 1e / OSRIC campaign in Rappan Athuk am I using Swords & Wizardry and it's variant, Crypts & Things, for the second campaign? (Actually, now running a S&W Complete campaign, soon to be with multiple groups)

Because the shit works.

It's easy for lapsed gamers to pick up and feel like they haven't lost a step. I can house rule it and it doesn't break. It plays so close to the AD&D of my youth and college years (S&W Complete especially) that it continually surprises me. Just much less rules hopping than I remember. (my God but I can run it nearly without the book)

I grab and pick and steal from just about all OSR and Original resources. They seem to fit into S&W with little fuss. It may be the same with LL and the rest, but for me the ease of use fit's my expectations with S&W.

Even the single saving throw. That took me longer to adjust to, but even that seems like a natural to me now. Don't ask me why, it just does. Maybe it's the simplicity of it. At 45 52, simplicity and flexibility while remaining true to the feel of the original is an OSR hat trick for me ;)

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Tuesday, April 12, 2011

The Draconic Archeologist: Picking Through the Dragon's Bones - Prelude

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