The other day, Daniel Jones posted an experiment into the RPR Discord’s “rpg-chat” channel which I immediately knew I wanted to test but also not lose to the vagaries of Discord’s short-term functionality. Here is what he wrote:

Gaming experiment:
Create a small campaign as you normally would, planning for just a few sessions. (Creating the region, people, monsters, etc.)

But then take whatever RPG you are used to, strip away all but the most fundamental mechanics, get paper/pen/dice but no rules to reference during play. Players get no dice or numbers, but make notes based on what the GM tells them.

Aside from the truly indispensable core mechanics, the GM wings it. Trust your gut with no hesitation. Forget about analyzing your guesses; allow your instincts to go unquestioned. “Shoot fast, no aiming”. There are no stakes because the characters are new, & this is just an experiment.

At the end, compare the experience, both for GM & players. What emerged?

Daniel is the author of “Primaeval Fantasy”, a roleplaying game designed specifically to allow GMs and players to run deeply Otherworld-immersive campaigns. He’s also the author of the Eudaimonic Geekery blog and Primaeval Fantasy podcast. He’s been on RPR several times and is someone whom I deeply appreciate and respect.

What struck me about his experiment was that his last question simply asks, “What emerged?” The experience is left for us to discover.

I didn’t want to lose his idea so I hope Daniel will forgive me for re-posting it on my blog largely so that I know where to find it.

In the meantime, let’s just say that I want to give this a go. Soon.

Game on!