The Grand Experiment

"Reproducibility, also known as replicability and repeatability, is a major principle underpinning the scientific method. For the findings of a study to be reproducible means that results obtained by an experiment or an observational study or in a statistical analysis of a data set should be achieved again with a high degree of reliability when the study is replicated. 

There are different kinds of replication but typically replication studies involve different researchers using the same methodology. Only after one or several such successful replications should a result be recognised as scientific knowledge."

MFW about to use 1.21 Gigawatts to settle the Science.

When you immerse yourself in the fun-poasting of the #BrOSR for long enough, you eventually feel the itch to implement their principles in your own game. 

For one very simple reason: they appear to be having so much fun running D&D.

It was my pottering with the Stars without Numbers Faction Turn system that had brought me to the BrOSR in the first place, via way of The Joy of Wargaming's: You Can Win At RPGs - Final Assembly video. 

Sometimes the YouTube Algorithm can be benevolent.

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And in an attempt to flesh out my understanding of the Braunstein (by playing as a Patron), I managed to get in on the land grab of #LivingUrf. I chose a 24-mile hex in @polyfamous's ACK game with as little land as possible. Thinking that if I messed up, it wouldn't affect the over-all game much.

This was my first mistake. 

I entered the game with the wrong mindset. 

I was content to hole myself up in my small corner of the world and let it pass me by. 

Instead, as a Player in the Braunstein, I should have been engaging with the world, with my fellow Patrons and with the Players themselves. Then the Blood Rain began to fall and the #CurseofLamalla took root across the land, especially hidden in the depths of the deep sea.

The very sea which made up 21 of my 24 hexes... but the #WarfortheBloodSun is a story for another time.

It was also around this time that the itch of running a game utilising BrOSR principles started to take hold.

Eventually, I settled on finally running my 'Year in the City' campaign, a variation of Waterdeep Dragon Heist that utilises all the 'Encounter Chains' in a single campaign, and would now have all the Villains as the basis for the potential Patrons.

Not a unique idea by any means: [Waterdeep Session Reports (waterdeeposr.blogspot.com)]

Just me standing humbly on the shoulders of Chantisonian giants, and following trails already blazed by better BROs.

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I think this was one of the things that had started to grate on me about 5e D&D, every published module is a world ending event that must be dealt with now! You rush around putting out fires. Go, go, go!

I have heard 5e being described as the 'marvel avengers' of D&D, and I can certainly see that.

There is never a moment to stop and reflect. 

Nor to let the campaign breathe.

You don't get a beach episode because Giants are rampaging in the North, Tiamat is rising in the East and Hell is descending in the South - The Sword Coast 1489 -1494 DR

This may be due to the mechanics of the game, where you can go from Zero to Hero with a quick 8-hour nap. Or the ingrained assumption that DM's can just hand wave all the fiddley bits. Players fast-travelling across the map in a matter of montaged minutes. 

The control of Time is one of the most powerful tools in the DMs toolbox, and they completely disregard it for 99% of the game. 

This seems especially prevalent amongst Theatre Kid-gamers

However, when you implement 1:1 timekeeping, otherwise known as [Jeffro-gaxian timekeeping], as opposed to the [Variable Time Keeping] that is currently used, the issue of pacing (a lack of downtime being one of the main indicators) surprisingly disappears.

Some further reading. and here, and of course here.

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So here's the plan.

Its time to show my workings; either put-up or shut-up, and this (rambly) blog will be for that.

Phase 1) A Year in the City - Waterdeep: Dragon Heist & Dungeon of the Mad Mage, a 5e game with only 7 players (who will also be running the Patrons). This is to help me get my head around running a Braunstein, as well as to see if it can be done with a smaller group. As one of the refrains I often hear is that the things the BrOSR bring forth only work with large groups.

Phase 2) Lines and Veils - Using "an OSR ruleset for running a modern occult fantasy game. Set in the modern world, but one where beneath the surface of regular society there is a secret conflict to determine the future of humanity, being fought by different factions of occultists.". Allowing for further study of Patron play, but with the mechanics to be able to fully implement 1:1 time keeping and a lighter touch.

Phase 3) Never Fade Away - Running Cyberpunk 2020 utilising what we've learned of running Braunstein's, and 1:1 Timekeeping. How do BrOSR principles work with other systems. As we try to branch away from the AD&D roots of the concepts.

I may tinker with seeing how Call of Cthulhu (pulp), 40k Wrath and Glory, and Lancer can handle BrOSR principles.

Before finally:

Phase 4) Long Live the King - The big one lads, running 1e AD&D as Gygax intended... or at least that's the plan. The final phase of my experimentation. By the books, consolidating everything together.

[Next Poast]