Farewell Mr. Gygax
Gary Gygax was probably the most important person in my life that I never actually met, and I find myself mourning him much as I would a friend or family member. He passed away yesterday, and I find myself remembering the joy his game has brought into my life, and the lives of millions of other geeks, dorks, and misfits.
I've never played D&D as often as I would like, though in my early days I imagine that left more time for dreaming. I remember putting myself through early modules (pre-made adventures) like Keep on the Borderlands and Castle D'Amberville because I didn't have a DM. It was probably not surprising that I always survived and walked out with heaping piles of treasure, even that which was hidden behind secret doors I never would have found playing correctly. I remember poring through the Monster Manual, Fiend Folio and Deities and Demigods (D&D rulebooks) almost obsessively, constantly checking the creatures Treasure Types to figure out what type of loot they would have. I remember hand-drawing hundreds of maps, most of which never saw a single adventure. I remember creating a thousand NPC's (Non-player Characters) that never lived anywhere other than in my head.
I remember our first tentative steps to 'real' D&D, playing with my friends and a couple of times with my brothers. The first times were pretty bad (I still have some of that, but hopefully less), with our share of Monty Haul and deity-challenging games. But we rolled dice, put on cool armor, cast amazing spells, and let our imaginations roam to lands no one else has ever visited. I remember playing once at the town library with Greg and Leila Godowski and her flaming red hair; Greg and I both died twice in the first two hours to a several-years older DM and figured out that was not our style of game. This was the era of Lord O' Leisure (Greg), the most memorable and enduring character I ever knew. I still regularly use his signature line in various circumstances, 'Hi there, I am the Lord O' Leisure, and you are pleased to meet me!'
In our twenties, we hit our stride. Greg, Tina, John and Kenny were the core group of the longest campaign I ever DM'ed, and some weeks we played 20 or 30 hours. I remember Greg's Na'ag, Necromancer extraordinaire and bane of the world, John's Heroic Baron and his island estate as the bastion against the will of evil, Tina and Fiver, her giant bunny familiar, and Kenny as the all-around sneak. We laughed and shared hundreds of good hours during that campaign. We had pun-fights where we all ended up black and blue (you got punished for punning by being punched). Life was good. However, as it always does, time eventually got to us and the game broke down, with Greg disappearing to Law School, the collapse of my long-term relationship with Tina, and John and Kenny moving to North Carolina.
Although we've had some good campaigns in my thirties, finding a large core set of players and working around scheduling conflicts has definitely been challenging. However, I am ever hopeful that we'll find a groove and 10 players that can meet 5 times a week!
More than just good times though, Dungeons and Dragons helped teach me to think, write, and appreciate numbers and statistics. It developed my imagination, confidence, public speaking and a myriad of other skills I never would have learned without the constant interaction of the game. It was something to turn my mind to in my darkest hours, and probably carried me through several times when I otherwise wouldn't have made it.
To Gary, I pray you are on high with full knowledge of the millions of people's lives you have improved. I honor and thank you for all you have given me, and my heartfelt condolences to your family and loved ones.
Though you never knew me, I will miss you.