Nice review! I got this game early on and never managed to get it to the table. Here we are over a decade and multiple editions later and I hope to still make it happen. I've had a heck of a time finding session reports or other after-play content.
Brian from the UND Archives popping back in with an updated link to the Judge Devitt collection (after multiple permutations of our website):
https://apps.library.und.edu/archon/?p=collections/controlcard&id=632
A lot of comments here (I don't have time to read them all) are very rules-oriented, which is fine. Don't forget using story elements to your advantage. You can make servitude a choice the PCs are compelled to accept. Put something the party cares about in peril. Make it difficult for them to...
Because our citation does not appear in the pdf, I would like to add to this thread the origin of the document (which I scanned for the patron who posted it online).
This legal document is part of the Judge Edward J. Devitt Papers from the Orin G. Libby Manuscript Collection at the Elwyn B...
I forgot to come back and check on this. Thanks for the vote of confidence (unless it's sarcasm), but unfortunately I still can't post a link. So, I'll just do what I can.
Maybe each location could have its own deck. The goal cards (Clues or whatever the challenge specifies) would have to be obtained by repeated forays into the location, i.e. drawing cards for more encounters. You could even allow the players to determine card draw quantity. Draw more and you get...
The main game is fine by itself. However, if you get an expansion and taste the cherry-on-top that is more varied play, you will feel compelled to acquire more expansions... because they are there!
Our citation does not appear in the pdf, but I can't link to it yet, because the site is telling me "You are not allowed to post any kinds of links, images or videos until you post a few times."