With the OSR canon there is general acceptance of the rules requirements, in terms of the rules from the original fantasy game versions. Is there also a canon of story telling elements that “define” the “core” OSR?
Tavern - starting in, base of operations, food and drink
Equipment List - starting equipment by class, basic list with ten foot pole etc.
Village - starting in, base of operations, blacksmith and general store
Healing Potions
No magic items in starting equipment
??
Looking back over the profusion of WHITEFRANK books, and looking at the Item Catalogue, I can see that when I deliberately chose an OSR / Dave Arneson theme most of the above was included even in my “deviated” fork of OSR, and I am thinking some version of the “canon” setting is probably essential for OSR. For example even in a planetary romance book or a Moebius-inspired book, it will still most likely come down to bar / cantina / drug parlor / brothel / tavern / saloon and space colony / spaceship / village / colony / fortress with small population. Likewise the use of an item list as a story telling device, and the shortcut of starting equipment.
The very first experience of playing ADVANCED dungeons and dragons for many people included being handed a photocopied or written out equipment list for example, on which to spend one’s meager hoard of copper pieces. War Dogs, flasks of oil and the rest. 