Here's a setting idea: a land in which the rulers set their subjects to digging a hole - for the subjects to live in - saying if they dig, they raise the sunny uplands relatively higher.
Just too silly? More than this intepretation suggests, or this one, or this strongly-worded view a bit closer to home, or this deeper reading? Or for that matter this? As that other man of the people Ozymandias had it, "Look on my works, ye Mighty, and despair!"
On the subject of holes or digging them, let's talk Games Workshop and D&D's OSR.
There's been some study of GW's half-year figures. It looks like the player base could be spending less, or shrinking, or both, and the profit is coming more from licensing IP. I'll be writing more about who owns that IP, but for now does a GW OGL look more likely?
Inasmuch as the OGL was key to the growth of the D&D OSR, that would open doors.
But could the D&D OSR be a victim of its own success? If it has helped give Wizards of the Coast pause for thought, and its interests do shape the next edition of D&D, will it shed players? But still, wouldn't it be a good thing if we really could play a game using any version? Is the essence of the OSR not the school, or its 're-', but to live as if free?
If it is a hole, could it be a rabbit hole? Or rather many rabbit holes? If so, does it get a new lease of life by recognising it? Could it grow into new areas, even beyond gaming?
Here are some more posts from the past few days on holes, digging or related themes.
- There are thoughts at Lawful Indifferent on a game in a zombie-sieged mall.
- There's a huge, broken spiral staircase at The Nine and Thirty Kingdoms.
- The Dungeon Dozen has various illnesses to be picked up below ground.
- The modular plug hatch at Confessions of a 40K addict is now painted up.
- A Field Guide To Doomsday has the tracked Haulbot, once used in mining.
- It's Underworld Day at Underworld Kingdom; the images link to deviantART.
If you haven't yet, I recommend following the links in the second paragraph; there could well be many more of those rabbit holes than we imagine, and hidden out in plain sight.
2 responding:
Perhaps even in their digging, the subjects prove themselves virtuous enough for the sunny uplands?
Why not? And a forced digging could all but guarantee that virtuosity. They'd have to get themselves out if they want to bask in that glorious light of course, but they could always undermine the project - subvert it so to speak - or divert the course.
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