Tenkar's Tavern: A July 4th Thought - Selling Magic Like the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania Sells Fireworks

Wednesday, July 4, 2012

A July 4th Thought - Selling Magic Like the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania Sells Fireworks

Pennsylvania can be a weird place, and it doesn't get much weirder than around the 4th of July. The state allows the sale of fireworks in licensed fireworks stores, but only allows the sale of basic, pretty much non-explosive fireworks to state residents. You read that right. They only allow the sale of the larger, more explosive and more dangerous fireworks to those that can show out-of-state ID. BTW, every state surrounding PA pretty much makes possession of what their residents can buy in PA illegal. Weird ass and funny shit.

What if there were a city-state that had a similar policy. It allowed for a licensed "magic store" to sell dangerous magic items, but only to citizens of other states. Maybe only citizens of states it's at war with, and all of the items are cursed in some way, and more dangerous to the user and his allies than the benefits it grants.

Or in DCC, a magic guild that sells powerful spells that aren't in the book, but only to non-citizens, and all of the spells have really harsh corruption and misfire charts.

Maybe I should pick up some restricted magic before I head back to the city myself ;)

3 comments:

scottszJuly 4, 2012 at 10:25 AM
It is strange here. The run up to the 4th has 'the tents' popping up to sell all the goodies.

I don't envy EMTs or law enforcement in PA for this holiday.

Cool and dangerous trick! Buy cases of sparklers and twist of the material into coffee cans. Use a sparkler as a fuse... Instant daylight!
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Sean Michael KellyJuly 4, 2012 at 10:45 AM
Yes, we gotta love our Commonwealth of PA! (I miss buying a sixer of Guinness at a gas station since I've moved back here too)
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HiggipediaJuly 4, 2012 at 11:25 AM
Yeah, then there are our liquor laws. *facepalm*

I love PA, but some of their commerce restrictions make NO sense.
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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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Wednesday, July 4, 2012

A July 4th Thought - Selling Magic Like the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania Sells Fireworks

3 comments:

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