tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4202612634352350608.post4197019444420209686..comments2024-03-26T02:03:33.336-07:00Comments on Mazirian's Garden: City State of The World Emperor: Lessons from a Failed ExperimentBen L.http://www.blogger.com/profile/04568198881628052274noreply@blogger.comBlogger7125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4202612634352350608.post-57762192569876689022022-08-27T09:14:10.235-07:002022-08-27T09:14:10.235-07:00I have to confess that, having read your excellent...I have to confess that, having read your excellent and comprehensive analysis of CSWE, I found myself, like ancient Zeuxis and Chryisippus, the victim of paroxysms of laughter, from your wicked prose. It is everything (good, bad, and ugly) that you decribe. Thanks for the nostaligic revisit.Cliffhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12465651206267592799noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4202612634352350608.post-59760967208176042892018-10-31T17:10:21.189-07:002018-10-31T17:10:21.189-07:00A fascinating read. My parents bought me CSWE for ...A fascinating read. My parents bought me CSWE for xMas in 1981 and while I found it compelling reading I never ran any RPG sessions using it, probably for many of the reasons you highlight although I'd never been able to put my finger on them until nowShandyAndyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16248276658644015659noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4202612634352350608.post-47313079975047312562018-07-23T18:06:21.153-07:002018-07-23T18:06:21.153-07:00This is what the OSR is all about.This is what the OSR is all about.Keith418https://www.blogger.com/profile/01415688172194231214noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4202612634352350608.post-937501081842224032018-04-20T16:20:06.635-07:002018-04-20T16:20:06.635-07:00That’s quite an obstacle to communication :) I loo...That’s quite an obstacle to communication :) I look forward to reading it in Echoes From Fomalhaut.Ben L.https://www.blogger.com/profile/04568198881628052274noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4202612634352350608.post-15895774102695593692018-04-20T13:17:18.052-07:002018-04-20T13:17:18.052-07:00I would like to publish my notes from that campaig...I would like to publish my notes from that campaign, and I will try to serialise it in my fanzine (issue #03 will start with a related, but self-contained adventure) - very little of it has actually been released so far, although we had a campaign journal going for a while with Premier.<br /><br />I would gladly trade notes, but for a slight difficulty: mine are written in Hungarian.Melanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07165894144553629675noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4202612634352350608.post-78958112765369292862018-04-19T16:57:32.320-07:002018-04-19T16:57:32.320-07:00I remember the City of the Vultures from your arti...I remember the City of the Vultures from your article in Knockspell! would love to play in your games Melan, they all sound like so much fun. If you ever want to swap material PM me on google plus. Ben L.https://www.blogger.com/profile/04568198881628052274noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4202612634352350608.post-15592451361757648202018-04-19T14:07:42.839-07:002018-04-19T14:07:42.839-07:00This is, without doubt, the most interesting piece...This is, without doubt, the most interesting piece of writing on the (hard to find and usually neglected) CSWE I have seen - bravo! It is an interesting way to look at the city, and captures why it is both fascinating and ultimately frustrating.<br /><br />Your concept of Viridistan is also similar to my campaign in the <b>City of Vultures</b>, a metropolis ruled, and to a large extent <i>defined</i> by a network of interconnected conspiracies. In my case, the city was built on three pillars:<br /><br />1) The unifying logic of conspiracies (which served to integrate the other stuff, and was in fact a hierarchy of deeper and deeper secrets leading down the rabbit hole);<br />2) A number of detailed locations, from parts of the undercity to locales associated with various factions, and a few incidental places;<br />3) A comprehensive encounter system to cover adventuring in the city streets and introduce variety.<br /><br />It worked reasonably well, but sadly, it eventually ran out of steam as the PCs outgrew the local power level and ended up resorting to a level of violence which basically dispelled all possibilities of a non-violent approach.<br /><br />Which is to say, I can well envision a look at CSWE which would work this way, as a relationship map with lots of procedural elements, and even a lot of Bledsawisms - just applied to social space instead of physical locations.Melanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07165894144553629675noreply@blogger.com