In 1975 the Council for Public Safety, a group consisting of public service unions (firefighters, police, and the like), put out a pamphlet titled "Welcome to Fear City." In large part it was in reaction to New York City Mayor Beame's plan to layoff nearly 11,000 police officers in an effort to stave off declaring bankruptcy for the city.
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| Source: islandersa1 flickr account |
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| Source: islandersa1 flickr account |
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| Source: islandersa1 flickr account |
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| Source: islandersa1 flickr account |
It's a great bit of propaganda as the damned thing plays into the image of big city crime, with its dangerous, criminal underbelly crawling out from the shadows to rob, murder, and rape the rest of us. While I don't condone using such fear-mongering tactics in the real world I would nonetheless love to use something like this in my role-playing games.
Hell, this is the sort of thing that I would love to be given as a player! Just imagine sitting down at the table and the Game Master hands you this little four page pamphlet. It's got this big, black skull on the front and welcomes you to "Fear City," or "The Detroit of Faerun," or any other of a thousand terrifying names you could come up with to let your players know that they're about to get right into the thick of things.
It makes me all kinds of excited just thinking about it! In fact, I think I'm going to go work on one myself. What about you cats?
No ... not Detroit!
ReplyDeleteThank God someone made that joke!
DeleteWonderful! I love little packets like that!
ReplyDeleteThey are really too cool. There was just something so enjoyable about the older style where people just did what they could and moved on.
Deletelove the cover art.
ReplyDeleteMe too!
Delete"10. Don't expect Elminster of Shadowdale to help you. He's too busy writing another intro to an RPG supplement about how great the Realms are to be bothered. Shadowdale itself is a den of lawlessness and monster raids because of this."
ReplyDeleteTRUTH!
DeleteI love the lo-fi but striking image, and the story behind it is wonderful. Great find.
ReplyDeleteThanks Kelvin! I love it too.
Delete