The Secret Fire

More than an RPG?
George Strayton lists some unusual names in his dedication to The Secret Fire. Unusual only in the sense that they appear in an OSR game book and not a book on philosophy and religion, I suppose. Included are Plato, Eckart Tolle, Joseph Campbell, Carl Jung, Thich Nhat Hanh, D.T. Suzuki, Ralph Waldo Emmerson and others. Using the words fear, wonder, mystery and magic, Mr. Strayton describes the kind of tabletop experience he is going for in The Secret Fire (SF).
The Title itself is a reference to Tolkien and in many ways SF is a traditional fantasy role-playing game. Like White Box, SF is a game of exploration, but that is perhaps more clearly stated in SF. Exploration of the setting, to be sure, but also exploration of role, and ethic, and symbolism, and the greater meaning of things.
SF assumes a dark and dangerous setting, where careful preparation and attention to detail are perhaps more important to survival of the PC than combat prowess, spells and hit points. Playing one's role is emphasized through the use of an in-game currency called energy points that are earned through roleplay, including alignment behavior, and spent to activate abilities or influence story narrative.
PCs can be one of four main classes, (Callings in SF terms), holy one, (cleric), thief, warrior or wizard. all are similar to, but also somewhat different from, the standard White Box class with an emphasis here on "color". Wizards cast spells of the following description rather than level one, two, etc., Cantrips, Order of the Lowly Ram (1st), Order of the Rising Star (2nd), Order f the Soaring Phoenix (3rd), Order of the Lord of Pentacles (4th) and Order of the Master Dragon (5th). The major Tolkien-esque races are in evidence with some interesting random character trait tables.
I acquired this tome a year or so ago and it has remained on my favorites list. Verisimilitude and immersion are words which usually catch my attention and they are the stated goals of the referee in SF. Called the Master Creator or MC it is their job to create a believable environment for adventure and to encourage players to get immersed within their character roles. SF provides a few mechanical tools toward this goal, but a lot of it seems to be emphasis and encouraging a table culture conducive to achieving the goal.
I like the author's goal and I frequently encourage the style of play set forth and described here in SF even while refereeing other games. I think I see why the author lists the names he does in the dedication. There is a consistent emphasis on mindfulness, deliberate action, and immersion in the story, on drawing upon archtypes and shared myths, the collective unconscious and the common human experience to achieve a higher level of gaming experience that borders on the existential.Or maybe it's just me exercising my need for order by trying to pull it all together in some great meaningful way.