I am a gamer again – possibly

Dang When my last gaming group called it quits about a year and a half ago, I assumed that this was the absolute last time I would ever get to play Dungeons & Dragons. Everybody in the group has a career, family and all those thing, so I figured we would ever ever get together.

Then what happens? The former DM sends out an e-mail, where he explains that work has sucked for him in a long time, and that was why he had to call it quits. Now things have calmed down quite a bit for him (thank you economic crisis) so he thought it could be good to get back together and role the dice. Everybody was enthusiastic and it seems that we will start a new campaign this May.

Unfortunately, we are not playing Dragonlance, but Mystara. I really like Mystara, because it was the first gaming world I ever knew, and because there is some really good material published for that world.

Anyway, I have to figure out what character to play, so if anybody out there has any good ideas let me know. 

Here’s a thought..

Of all the people over at the Dragonlance Forums, how many actually play in a group, like we all used to. And how many just miss playing in a group, and therefore hang around the forums to remember the good ol’ days?

I guess we will never know. I belong to the latter category, although it looks like my latest gaming group in rising from the ashes to begin again.

Dave Arneson passes away

DaveArneson I was looking at my Twitter stream just now, when I see one of the top searches: “Dave Arneson”. to my great sorrow I learn that the last of the “Founding Fathers” of Dungeons & Dragons has passed away.

As many of you mist likely know, Dave Arneson created Dungeons and Dragons with Gary Gygax back in the 70’s. Despite heavy criticism from the crazy Christian right wingers, the game became immensely popular, and although it is more or less dead today, spawned the whole fantasy genre.

gary-gygax Many of us probably remember the Basic Set, the red set as we used to call it, with the red dragon in the cover and featuring the evil wizard Bargle. I can’t beging to imagine how many hours I have spent playing D&D with my friends; and all because of the ideas of Arneson and Gygax.

Most people will probably refer to Dungeons and Dragons as the ultimate in escapism, but to me and my friends, D&D was the ultimate in socialization and abstract thinking. It provided us with an opportunity to imagine things, and be creative in a manner that I have never seen since.

Here’s to remembering two great people. Rest in peace.

 

Hourglass Mage – a little taste

INTO THE HEART OF THE DARK QUEEN’S EMPIRE

The Companions are back and the balance of Krynn is at stake, in the magnificent conclusion to the Lost Chronicles.

The world celebrates Spring Dawning. The War of the Lance is nearing its end — for good or ill. The wizard, Raistlin Majere, has become a Black Robe and, using the dragon orb in his possession, he travels to Neraka, the lord city of the Dark Queen. Raistlin ostensibly plans to work for her, though in reality he means to further his own quest for power.

But Raistlin realizes that if Takhisis wins, he will always be her slave. And so he resorts to a dangerous and deadly game. He acts as a double agent, offering his services to both the side of darkness and that of light, working for Emperor Ariakas and for the resistance movement in Neraka.

Takhisis plans to destroy the gods of magic on the Night of the Eye, when all the wizards will be congregated at the Tower of Wayreth. Raistlin has to find a way to thwart the plot, even though this means doing battle with his own sister, the Dragon Highlord Kitiara, and her terrifying ally, the death knight, Lord Soth.

And still he must overcome his final foe: the archmagus Fistandantilus, who seeks to kill Raistlin and steal his soul.

Krynn’s future has been written. People think they know how the story ends. But one night and one fateful decision by Raistlin Majere may change it all.

Source: Wizards of the Coast.

This looks very promising. It seems like a fitting end to the Dragonlance era. Considering the eminent death of the setting, it is pretty cool that we get a book with all the bad guys going at each others throats. Nice.