Sometimes, our work takes on its fullest meaning when interpreted by someone else. This isn’t to say we shouldn’t strive to express ourselves or that others could create what we’ve made had we not done so. Often, it’s the act of creation itself that opens the door to progress. What seems obvious in hindsight was once impossible or unthinkable—until it became real. Then, over time, it becomes so ingrained we can hardly imagine life before it, or without it.
My point is this: create with the understanding that your vision is uniquely your own, but others will inevitably see it through their own lenses. More often than not, that’s a good thing. I've witnessed it in my professional career. Collaborative perspectives enrich the world—healthcare thrives on multidisciplinary teams; I know from experience that social workers see people differently than doctors do. Musicians reinterpret songs in ways that bring out new layers of meaning. Take Randy Newman’s "Mama Told Me Not to Come"—Three Dog Night’s version elevated it. Or consider Paul Young’s "Everytime You Go Away", which, at least for me, surpasses the original by Daryl Hall.
This reinterpretation applies to tabletop role-playing games as well. As much as I admire what Gary Gygax and Dave Arneson achieved with Dungeons & Dragons, it was Tom Moldvay and David Cook’s 1981 Basic and Expert boxed sets that distilled those ideas into what I see as the definitive Fantasy RPG of its era. TSR eventually moved on—capitalism’s cycle of planned obsolescence demands it—but in doing so, they left behind something perfect and enduring, ready for preservation and reinterpretation.
That’s why I embrace OSR (Old School Revival) retroclones. Chris Gonnerman’s Basic Fantasy Role-Playing Game (BFRPG) is, to me, an extraordinary gift to the community. He stripped away elements of the Moldvay-Cook system that didn’t work for everyone (descending AC, strict alignment systems, race-as-class) and expanded it into a single book supporting play up to level 20. And he did so with generosity—releasing it under an open license, inviting collaboration, and encouraging others to contribute their own visions.
This ethos deeply resonates with me. It’s why I’ve chosen to write for BFRPG and why, in every book I publish for the system, I remind readers: everything I’ve written is merely a suggestion. Embrace the elements that spark your imagination, tweak the parts that don’t quite fit, and discard anything that doesn’t serve your table.
Sure, I have my own ideas about who my characters are and personal meanings within the adventures I write, but they’re not definitive. They’re just my opinions. For you, they're starting points—so run with them.
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