As tabletop roleplaying game designers and players, we believe the community of so-called old-school descendant games needs a set of principles not tied to labels with limiting connotations.
We revive a historically attested term free from modern divisions. Our principles champion imagination and inclusive adventure beyond any one group. By grounding our philosophy in open-ended origins, we articulate broad values.
This manifesto avoids identifiers that alienate. We do not wage culture wars or indulge harmful nostalgia. Our principles stand on their own merits, rooted in RPGs' original promise. We focus not on what splinters the community but on what brings an imaginative spirit of adventure to every group.
This document consists of three parts:
The actual manifesto in typical language.
Game and design principles to make its content factual.
If you recognize yourself in what is written, you may adopt, reuse and improve it under the terms of the CC-BY-SA license under which it is released.
Version 1.0 - September 2023
Would you like to help improve and update the manifesto?
Access the version hosted on Google Docs and comment freely!