Woody Hearn at GU Comics did a
very fine tribute.
I’ve been playing D&D on and off since junior high school - that’s close to 30 years. It’s been a cornerstone of my life for a long, long time. The first game I ever played was from the Basic Set in the magenta box; my brother and I played the Keep on the Borderlands module and our mom acted as the Dungeon Master.
D&D was more than just a game of swords and sorcery. It set fire to my imagination. I began researching medieval arms and armor, heraldry, and castle architecture. I labored on making artificially weathered maps and writing on them in old-English calligraphy. At the time I was just interested in making the game more fun, but looking back I see that the game provided me with the first spark of fascination that would grow into a passion for ancient and medieval history.
I have always loved gaming for the creativity involved and the interactive storytelling that the players engage in. Gary made it possible, and I can’t thank him enough.