Cultures, not Games

Alright, imagine two groups of friends who both come together to play, let's say Dolmenwood. The first group's referee is well versed in the OSR. She has run a few campaigns and her players know what they are getting into. They roll up their characters and are already planning what to do with their first dungeon haul. Enough treasure to hire more retainers. Fund bigger expeditions. Maybe eventually become important enough in the region that the local factions stop treating them like disposable pawns. In the meantime they are trying to stay alive and figure out how the world works. They plan routes, argue about how much rope to bring, hire someone who will probably die in a ditch, and hope the next encounter is willing to talk. These guys are using the procedures from the book. The referee rolls for random encounters as they move through hexes. Reaction rolls decide whether the strange creature does in fact talk to them or just wants to eat them. Encumbrance becomes a problem the…