As the title of this journal implies, Gary Gygax passed away today, March 4 2008. For those who don't know the man, he's credited as the co-creator of the world-famous role-playing game Dungeons and Dragons, and one of the pioneers of role-playing games as we know them. Without this man, games like Final Fantasy and World of Warcraft would likely either not exist, or be extremely different than we know them today!

Those that read the stories I've posted here on DA may know that I draw a lot of my inspiration for stories from D&D. In fact, all of my posted stories feature characters that I've played in a game at some point in time. I've met many of my current friends through games of D&D, and combing over my books for new character ideas has filled a lot of free time in the past few years. I owe a lot to Mr. Gygax for what he began, and want to give thanks to him in whatever way I can. And so, a tribute to you, Mr. Gygax!


For every Barbarian that has had a chance to let out a mighty roar and cleave 3 goblins in a row...

For every Bard that has had a chance to bluff the villains into revealing their secrets...

For every Cleric that has had a chance to banish a demon back to its home in hell...

For every Druid that has had a chance to tame the wilds...

For every Fighter has has had a chance to outright master his weapon of choice...

For every Monk that has had a chance to charge right up to a distant enemy and stun him in one swift motion...

For every Paladin that has had a chance to wreck an evil wizard with a well-placed smite...

For every Ranger that has had a chance to exact revenge against his favored enemies...

For every Rogue that has had a chance to end an encounter before it began...

For every Sorcerer and Wizard that has had a chance to be the boomstick...

For all of this and more, Gary Gygax, we, the players of Dungeons and Dragons, salute you!




_{Note to nitpickers: I am aware that Gary Gygax alone was not responsible for the creation of D&D, and had almost no hand in the modern-day version that I just referenced. However, 3rd edition is the version I play, and the version that has inspired me to write my stories. And without Mr. Gygax, the game as a whole would likely have taken a very different form.}