Goodbye Gary . . . . .

Looking through my news feeds this morning there are many, many news articles and posts about the passing of gaming icon Gary Gygax and although I mentioned it yesterday the magnitude of this event and what he met to all of us didn’t really strike me until late last night and this morning.

While I never met him I think most would agree that he had some amount influence on all us. Through the “magic” of the games he gave us we were allowed to transform ourselves into warriors, wizards, gunslingers, galaxy hoppers and storytellers. For many it allowed us to find our place in the grand scheme of things and find new friends.

For myself I still remember that Christmas morning when I opened that first boxed set all those years ago. The fun (and aggrevation) of learning and
teaching the rules as I was the only one that owned them. The friends I’ve made over the years both online and offline who I may never have met if not for gaming. Memories of epic battles, both won and lost, characters that live on well after the campaigns have ended and places that as familiar as my home town.

I know that some struggle for a witty quote, something to sum up how they feel and to be honest the first thing that came to my mind was the chorus to Leader of the Band by Dan Fogelberg:

The leader of the band is tired
And his eyes are growing old
But his blood runs through
My instrument
And his song is in my soul —
My life has been a poor attempt
To imitate the man
I’m just a living legacy
To the leader of the band

Gary will live on in all of us for we are his legacy.

Rest well Gary, you will be missed.