In games past, I've set up a blog such as this to record session logs and that has worked well for me on both the player and referee sides of the table. Nevertheless, I'm inclined toward a different approach this time.
As referee, I feel I've coddled the players to some small degree, in the past, by recording a session log from my omniscient perspective. I want the players to remember the facts of the campaign as clearly (and inaccurately) as their characters would, but that's not really a fair expectation when the characters have been experiencing these events with all 5 senses 24/7, while their players have experienced perhaps 4 hours in 2 weeks, and then been limited by my stilted, verbal description. On the other hand, players' miss-perceptions add a welcome complexity to play, provided the referee is fair about dispelling those false understandings which are due to the limitations of the medium and the referee's own undeniable fallibility. Perhaps a fallible, semi-objective, but potentially propagandized source of information would add color to the game?
I am completely enamored of Tony Bath's idea of a campaign newsletter. A few years ago I played in a play-by-post Warhammer Fantasy campaign (an intriguing mix of RPG and wargame run by this guy) in which I was first introduced to the idea. Here's an example from our game:
September, Week 3, 412
The coastal lands around El-Shahabi are warmed with sunny skies and temperate weather. The now-familiar town crier declares that the Festival of Dancing Moons is now one week away, making this week the last chance to blessed personally by the Caliph by paying for a small sacrifice at the Temple of Yahuq.
There is talk in town that a large baggage train of spices from across the sea have arrived. The caravan sailed into Minaa, and whatever they did not sell there has just reached El-Shahabi. The caravan is very large, and prices are expected to be good for the enterprising person who would attempt to trade them elsewhere. There are rumours that they may also be hiring mercenaries for the trip north.
--NEWS--
There are reports of thefts in the Merchants Quarter. Two houses owned by guildsmen have been burgled, and another powerful merchant, Poobra the Younger, claims to have been robbed in a tavern. The guild is concerned, and has doubled their guard patrols in the district. They have also set a general curfew, and anyone caught outside after dark without a guild pass will be imprisoned. Anyone with information is asked to come forward.
A farmstead northeast of El-Shahabi has been burned down by bandits. The many of farmsteaders were slain during the raid, including the head farmer. His wives, who have survived, say that he was attacked by a giant beast, and that they barely escaped with their lives. The farm was on the Caliph’s personal lands, and they say he is furious, and seeks swift retribution.
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I think that I will use this blog for posting a campaign newsletter without too much concern about whether moveable type technology has made sufficient inroads this far west in the 40 years since its presumed introduction in Western Europe to make news sheets a reasonable feature. I am loath to use "magic" as a general excuse for poor verisimilitude, but in this case I think that we can take that the rapid proliferation of the technology is actually more verisimilitudinous (Mike, can I make up new English like this?) than a slow proliferation would be under the conditions of AD&D fantasy.